same grounds, new aroma

After having my creative attention and resources spread fairly thin over the last few months, I've decided to consolidate my personal creative efforts so that I can enjoy what's most important in life while still being creative.

In addition to "ink snacks", I have several other ideas for zines but do not have the time to develop content and design/produce all of them. When I looked at the foundation of my abstractLatte endeavor in relation to my need to simplify my efforts, I decided to consolidate my ideas into one main zine; its name will follow the endeavor that started it all...abstractLatte. It's an unfortunate situation to not have time to do everything you want to do. And with my list of ideas beginning to collect dust, I knew I needed to make a change. The only casualty in this decision is the zine "ink snacks"; I will discontinue development of this zine after the January 2009 edition is sold out. I will develop specialty zines from time to time but 90% of my efforts will go towards the blog and the new zine.

How will the content of the zine differ from the content of the blog?

The blog will maintain its coffee shop/bookstore vibe, continuing to display articles and resources as well as creative experiments. I'd like to start workshops at some point in the future, a sort of DIY effort to help others give their creativity a tangible home, but that is not in the near future; those will be accessed through the blog. The zine will focus more on creative communication around concepts (to include the same types of content contained in "ink snacks"); look for art and function in equal measure.

As for the baristas and displayed artwork, don't expect any immediate changes but I do have ideas on how I'd like to make adjustments to the barista concept in order to include more people, in a more casual manner. And the artwork? Well, I've never been to a coffee shop (or bookstore) that didn't have art on display so that's not going anywhere!

As usual, check the blog and Twitter for updates on the new zine. I'll post preview images when available.

"Travel"

This is a newsletter that I designed for the American Red Cross; it was a monthly publication called "The Coffee Break". Again, the creative approach:

concept: "Travel" (July 2008 edition)

background: The newsletter was created to develop a sense of community between local American Red Cross chapters scattered throughout the continental United States. Each month, the newsletter would take on a new concept; these concepts related to a circumstance associated with that month (ex. current events for the organization, seasons, etc).

approach: Since this issue was July 2008, I wanted to emphasize the freedom of summer. A postcard seemed to be the perfect icon of travel but since photography is used extensively within the American Red Cross, I created a custom illustration that mimicked the rather busy nature of some postcard images. All of the headers, to include the newsletter title, were created using handwriting to emphasize the personal nature of postcards; on the back, there was space for staff and volunteers to jot down comments about their own personal travel and vacation moments.

materials: The headers, newsletter title, quotation marks, and illustration were drawn by hand and scanned; in Photoshop, color and composition were added. The stamp, postcard details, and background texture were scanned and arranged in Photoshop.

(top: front, bottom: back)



Out of all the newsletters I created for the American Red Cross, I enjoyed creating this one the most. The design was an exciting process that merged concept, art, and message into a fun print piece.

a human voice

This is a poster that I designed for the American Red Cross, it promotes their Safe and Well program. What follows is a detailed description of my creative approach.

concept: "a human voice"

background: The Safe and Well program gives disaster victims the opportunity to register on the program's website and select one or more phrases that can be displayed online, letting loved ones know they are ok. These messages can be accessed by loved ones outside the affected areas based on the disaster victim's name and pre-disaster address.

approach: What I wanted to convey was the idea that this website can give a voice, that's surrounded by chaos and confusion, the ability to communicate to others outside the affected areas. I wanted the idea of communication to be emphasized, with hints at speech but the overall focus being on the actual act of communicating.

materials: The typography and abstract/human forms were drawn by hand. The dialogue bubble was cut from paper; the background is scanned packing paper. All the handmade elements were scanned and composed in Photoshop, with the red/black/green as well as the distressed features added in the computer.



{edit}

I decided to post the design that was submitted; although I liked the revision better, it needs a few more adjustments in order to allow the revised copy to function more effectively.

found ice cream

This is one of those subjects that you stumble upon and luckily notice. How this imagery found its way onto a wall in a Civil War era town I have no idea. But it makes a great narrative.

subject: wall imagery
location: Harpers Ferry, WV
equipment: DSLR, 18-55mm lens with polarizing filter

"caffeine talk"

After a long hiatus from serious drawing and fine art, I've completed a new piece.

title: "caffeine talk"
materials: pen, pencil, and paint on canvas
dimensions: 10"x8"



[process]

Paint was applied to the blank canvas, then I used a blank piece of heavy paper to distress the base coat. A sponge dipped into dark brown paint added the darker distressed accents.

The coffee cup and steam were cut from carving block and dipped into paint, then the forms were applied to the canvas. Miscellaneous specks of paint were added as accents. Pen and pencil were used to highlight certain aspects of the forms and to add the saucer (unfortunately, you can't see the pencil line that connects the saucer to the right edge of the canvas). The quotes were drawn and filled with paint

[miscellaneous]

For some reason, the background isn't coming out as warm as it should be; granted, this is a photograph and not a scan. I'll try scanning it and post a new image if the results improve.

With my inspiration coming from narrative, I usually try to incorporate words or typography in each piece but with this one, I used the minimum amount of typographic elements (quotes). Not my usual approach but to add anything else would have deteriorated the composition. The coffee definitely adds a sense of conversation so I feel comfortable with the outcome.

found fun

...sell individual journals of drawings, random writing, and miscellaneous creativity (each journal should be created over several months)
...create a zine that, after read and enjoyed as a zine, can unfold into a large piece of art for a frame
...write a poem or piece of prose, then draw the letters/writing onto a large canvas
...create the lines of a large mixed media drawing by poking holes in the paper, canvas, etc
...paint with espresso, red wine, dirt, and/or grass stains

Why am I revealing my ideas for future work? Aren't I sort of "giving away secrets"? Ha! Of course not. First, I will always have more ideas. But what's more important than more ideas is the notion that someone else has the same ideas.

Let me take a step back for a moment. Rarely are there ideas in art that are original; most art is usually inspired by something that came before it...at which point, the work attempts to take on a different perspective in a unique way. That's the best we can do as artists. So why am I sharing my ideas? Because these ideas have probably entered someone's mind at one point or another and have probably been created as artwork at one time or another. In other words, they're probably not new.

[the point]

The only thing more interesting than a good idea is to see all the ways in which multiple people communicate that one idea.

So I say to all of you, take these ideas and create your own art! Regardless of whether you're a professional artist or a hobbyist that dabbles with "paint-by-numbers", give these ideas a shot. See what happens. If you want, send me an image of your creation and I'll post it in abstractLatte (giving you full credit of course).

At the very least, you'll have fun so enjoy your creativity!

Detour: a Moleskine project

Fascinated by journals and their many functions? Maybe you're a Moleskine fan? Do you like creative collaborations? Then you need to check out "Detour" (http://www.moleskine.com//events/detour/)...



I'll be honest, there is a lot of work displayed but the time spent browsing is worth it. Yes, there are images of journals but there are also videos that show the respective artists flipping through their Moleskines; it's a nice perspective to have when trying to make a connection to the artist and their work. The Detour project also supports the non-profit foundation lettera27.

This site is definitely bookmark-worthy; check it out at http://www.moleskine.com//events/detour/. Perhaps it will make you think twice the next time you pass a Moleskine journal in your local bookstore.

a caffeinated quote

"Don't worry about your talent or capability... it is not yours to judge. It will grow and change over time. Do not ask 'why am I doing this? Is it the right thing?' It is enough to know that you want to. Just do it because you want to. It will become something on it's own. Freaking out about what you 'should' be doing does not move you forward, it only serves to stress you on what should be an enjoyable part of your journey."

[excerpt from "How to make a living doing what you love" by Keri Smith, creator of "the wish jar"]

words and vehicles of R.E.M.

Prior to releasing their latest album, R.E.M. created a website around one song..."Supernatural Superserious". What they did was play this song live, with acoustic instruments, in various small format venues...and they recorded it.

This site documents those performances...http://www.supernaturalsuperserious.com/



This is one of the best examples, that I'm aware of, of an artist conveying words through a powerful artistic vehicle (no pun intended...and you'll know what I mean after you browse through the site). To this day, this site inspires me; it is one reason that I became more committed to writing and zines (which I consider to be one of my biggest artistic vehicles for my words).

I encourage anyone who enjoys a powerful artistic experience, regardless of R.E.M. fan status, to view these videos. Who knows, maybe you'll be inspired.

url: http://www.supernaturalsuperserious.com/

for readers and writers

I've been looking for a great site that caters to both writers and serious readers/book fans. Although EditRed is a great site for writers, it doesn't really approach books in the way that I wanted. After browsing through a handful of other websites that dealt with books and writing, I found a site that fulfills all of my literary requirements...http://www.goodreads.com/



I've been involved with quite a few sites that deal with various aspects of writing and books but this site is, without a doubt, the most fun and interesting. First, you have a bookshelf where you can display the books you're reading, the books you've read, and the books you want to read; the fun part is that you can create your own shelves, partitioning your books by genre, author, etc. You can also write reviews, comment on someone elses review, and even rate books using a five star scale. And when you find a book you like, you can choose from a variety of booksellers, both large and small. If you're an author, Goodreads has a special membership that allows you to display information on your published work. There are also a variety of groups you can join where you can engage in discussions on various literary topics...or start your own group if you don't find one that covers your topic.

What closed the deal for me was that your profile allows you to display your writing. Perfect! Exactly what I was looking for. You can display chapters or single pieces of work; either way, it creates a more well-rounded literary profile, if that is in fact what you prefer.

If you're a huge fan of books or a casual reader, this site is a great place to learn about new books, authors, etc without having to walk aimlessly through a bookstore or anxiously wait for your next email from Borders or Barnes and Noble. And if you're a writer, there's something here for you as well. Check it out, start a profile, and start browsing!

url: http://www.goodreads.com/