Friend, Graduate, and One of Two Featured in Local Show

Crop of Illustration by Greg Oberle

I would like to announce a show at Byrneboehm Gallery that features recent Kendall graduate and friend of mine, Greg Oberle, along with current Kendall student, Taylor Mazer. The show, titled Colluvium, opens (softly) tonight, with an artists' reception taking place this Friday at 6 p.m. I am familiar with Byrneboehm Gallery, and understand that many talented Kendall students and graduates have had the opportunity to show works there from time to time. However, I was curious as to how Greg collaborated with Mazer to co-curate this particular show, which features ink drawings, illustrations, and paintings. Greg said of their joint effort, "I think we were dealing with a similar psychology in what we're trying to demonstrate."

Greg explains his work as being derived from previous thoughts or memories, which may have become unclear over the years. He says of his work, "I've been thinking about the architecture of thoughts."

After receiving his degree in Illustration last summer, Greg has illustrated and designed for several clients in and around Grand Rapids. He has even submitted illustrations for the Observatory (i.e. my Observing Artprize self-portrait). I hope to include more of his work in future posts.

Illustration by Greg Oberle

Greg has expressed how working artists make a living by using their creativity, but can sometimes be stifled by the demands of the work, client, need, problem, etc. Fortunately, he has found a sense of creative freedom in the works he will be showing at Byrneboehm. He said of this freedom, "I had no limits in the terms of what I could create."

I am happy that Keven Boehm, of Byrneboehm, has invited these two artists to show their works at the gallery, starting today and showing through February 29th, with an artists' reception at the end of this week. Greg will be showing a total of nine canvases. Taylor, 12. I look forward to visiting Byrneboehm in the next month to see what these two gentleman have created for this particular show.

Mobile Applications? There's a Designer for That

A few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to visit with many KCAD alumni at a reception held at Material ConneXion in New York City.  I had the privilege of catching up with several alumni, friends, and colleagues; many of whom I plan to post about in January. At the reception, however, I happened to miss a recent Kendall graduate, Diana Frurip. But I have come across her work.

Diana graduated in 2009 with a degree in Interactive Design, now a part of Digital Media. She then left Grand Rapids for New York City,  where she was awarded an internship at Kargo, a mobile development company. She spent her first summer there, and then took a full-time position with Sanborn Media Factory, which Frurip describes as a “multi-faceted design shop."

While Diana continued to develop her motion graphics and web design skills, she found herself working on many mobile projects, and for a broad range of clients. She says of her mobile experience, "the company was producing their first iPhone app when I started so I was learning to design apps as the company was learning how to build them." She spent two years at Sanborn Media Factory, sharpening her mobile app design skills by working on both iPhone and iPad applications. Then she moved on. Her current position is with R/GA, where she is the main designer for the mobile group (with a focus on the Android applications).

Diana describes her design process as heavily research-oriented. She explains, "when I start designing an application, I spend a good amount of time coming up with an audit of what apps exist in the same market and what new trends and features could be implemented."

Diana has worn several hats, with titles including interaction designer and visual designer. She uses her past experience when creating wireframes, and uses her branding experience by taking brand elements and working them into the application. She says of this, "Just because a brand's colors are pink and yellow doesn't mean that a pink and yellow app is the best answer." Diana mentioned that she frequently talks with developers during her process. This is important to insure that her ideas are applicable to each application.

It's quite fascinating, the world of mobile design. Primarily because it's such a young one. Also, it takes the right kind of designers to adjust, adapt, and adhere to the ever-changing process. With that said, there are fewer resources available to such designers. This is why Diana launched her own blog, Lovely UI. She mentioned Pattern Tap as her favorite resource for web design elements, but said "I was so frustrated when I couldn't find something similar for mobile. Then I thought, 'if I was looking for a resource like this, other people must be too.'"

Lovely UI

So she started her own by tracking key elements that she likes, but also tracking patterns and trends in mobile app design. Not bad. Lovely UI consists of iPhone and iPad screenshots. She said of her blog, "Starting Lovely UI was a real confidence booster because it allowed me to be an expert in my office and in my field. It helped show me I had a valid opinion even though I am pretty young in the industry. I'm very interested in the education side of it and soon I am going to use the space to talk about trends and best practices in mobile design."

Right now, the interactive world is very male dominated industry. I was curious to get some of Diana's thought about her role within the field. She says of this, "It's easy, for women especially, to take a back seat...But it is really important to know how to voice your opinion. UI is as much about knowledge as it is about opinion." With Lovely UI up and running, Diana is as many parts innovator and expert in the industry as she is designer.

Alum Awarded Penland Residency

I would like to share some great news from former Kendall graduate, Dustin Farnsworth. Currently, Dustin is finishing a residency at Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts in Gatlinburg, TN. What's more, Dustin has informed me that upon the completion of this residency in May, he will immediately be moving to North Carolina, as he has been selected for a three-year Penland Residency at Pendland School of Crafts. I am very excited, and very happy for Dustin. I wish him the best of luck. You may read more about him, as well as view his work on his website. Some of his work is also available for sale here.

News of a Woodworking Alum

Round Stools (Photo via whitcombandcompany.com)

KCAD Graduate, Andy Whitcomb, has been featured on Design Sponge for his wonderful woodworking and furniture design. Andy currently lives and works in Seattle. You can read about his works on his company website, or follow his company on Facebook. The Design Sponge story, by Grace Bonney, here.  

Honeysuckle: A Hue in Review

As I look each year to Pantone's color of the year forecast, I came across a post today (via Trendir) that made me want to take a closer look at the 2011 color of the year, honeysuckle pink. The Papillon sofa bed, by Bonaldo, is just one beautiful example of the color's effect in design. See more examples here (via A Designer Spot).

As Pantone puts it:

A Color for All Seasons. Courageous. Confident. Vital. A brave new color, for a brave new world. Let the bold spirit of Honeysuckle infuse you, lift you and carry you through the year. It’s a color for every day – with nothing “everyday” about it.

Photo via Trendir.com

I happen to agree; it seems the pinks that kept us colorful in the spring continued to "carry [us] through the year," as it still brightens the design landscape. However, a changing of the guard is in the future, and I look forward to Pantone's selection for 2012.

Classic Chair Takes New Form

Image courtesy of http://dspoke.wordpress.com/

This time-lapse video shows how Matthias Pliessnig turned a Thonet chair into a sculpture by using steam-bent oak. I found the video on Dezeen this week and really enjoyed it.

See the video here.

Tenure of a Designer, Tenth Year of a Studio

Photo courtesy of Conduit Studios

Shortly after Neocon, I contacted John O'Neill of Conduit Studios to get his thoughts on this year’s showrooms. He was kind enough to share with me his story, his studio, and his thoughts on many subjects; including the importance and relevance design has in West Michigan; his process of integrating both business and creative; and his thoughts on pro bono work.

 

I learned a great deal about his process and have decided to write a piece about what I had learned. First, I'd like to share how he and I first met.I first became aware of John when he was a freshman, which would have been in 1997 or '98. I happened to see a student walking into the College, carrying a work that I assumed was for his 3-D class. Because I thought the work was interesting, I wondered if whoever this student was might consider selling it. So I did some checking, found out John’s name, learned from the faculty that he was a highly respected student even then (which is a good thing, because it is always awkward if I “latch on to” a student who is about to be dismissed from Kendall), and I asked someone to ask John if he might want to sell the work, which he agreed to do. It was the first student work I bought at Kendall, and it hangs in my office. Where I was wrong was in assuming that it was created for his 3-D class. It turns out that John created the work for his psychology class and that, from what he told me, the work represents his mind.

 

John has made some milestones since that psychology class. Upon graduation in 2001, he co-founded Conduit. This year happens to be the design studio's tenth anniversary. I am both proud and happy to hear of this achievement. I am also glad to say that, along the way, I have become a friend of John's.

 

I'd like to point out that John went directly from college to Conduit; upon graduation from Kendall, he stayed busy freelancing for various businesses. He worked in what I call "the coffee shop circuit." (It's remarkable - and fitting - that so many creatives, artists, and even musicians have gotten their start in cafes.) One day, at a Kava House in East Town, John ran into Tim Carpenter who shared a similar situation, creating print design while baristas served espresso. The two began to work together, and in a sense, Conduit was formed. The studio now has 5 full-time employees who create for some of the biggest companies in the area. The studio is housed in a beautiful space in downtown Grand Rapids. I hope to write about more about it in subsequent post, as I feel it deserves one.

 

From the discussion, I learned that John is no stranger to small business; his father, and several uncles owned and operated their own businesses. It seems the entrepreneurial spirit is strong among his lineage, which may explain, to some degree, his level of success for someone his age. That and a passion for design, which seemed to develop early. He said of his design interest: "It's not like I chose design; it kind of felt like design chose me. Even when I was a kid. It seems like it was always there."

 

John is passionate about the design community in West Michigan. He is a board member of both Design West Michigan and AIGA West Michigan. He promoted the idea that West Michigan is design-centric because designers in the area are asked to perform many different roles. He expressed that designers do more than design; they also consult more regularly with clients. And maybe this role of consultant is becoming more prominent because, as John puts it, design "doesn't always have an aesthetic outcome."  John said of design in West Michigan: "It just seems like there's a lot of us." While putting together the new AIGA West Michigan chapter, John was excited to see the amount of interest designers displayed to join. "There's a real critical mass of people here," he said.

 

If you visit Conduit online, you can see that they have designed and consulted for a wide (and long) list of reputable clients. I was especially interested in his pro bono work, particularly curious of his studio's process working with pro bono clients. He shared his thoughts, using his work with the UICA as an example.

 

In 2004, he volunteered to help the UICA promote the first annual Live Coverage event. Conduit has helped out every year since, designing all the of the event materials. He says of the work, "[we] use it as a chance to express our creativity." He expressed that pro bono work offers more flexibility. He said of doing pro bono work: "If we can fit it into our schedule, we'd love to."

A Place for Printmaking

A view of Dinderbeck Studios' 2,000 sq ft studio space.

When I came to Kendall, I had an affection for printmaking and was impressed with the facility that existed then. Unfortunately, the numbers of students who registered for printmaking were not large; and although I hate to admit it, I do watch enrollment numbers and was beginning to wonder about printmaking’s future. And given the size and weight of the presses in the third floor print lab, I was not anxious to have to try and have them moved out. My understanding is that to move them in the College had to have a crane lift them to the third floor. If you know the building, you know they could not have come up the stairs or up the elevator. As I recall, a number of years ago, Kendall conducted a search for a number of faculty to teach drawing. One of those selected, Mariel Versluis, brought great strength in drawing to the College. But then she sort of “volunteered” to teach printmaking courses as well. Of course, I was delighted; and she began teaching printmaking.

Enrollments in printmaking grew. I am at a loss to explain why a person of Mariel’s ability and achievement as a printmaker, coupled with her commitment to printmaking should result in a growth in printmaking enrollments. But then I do not try to explain mysteries—I just accept them.  The long and short of it is that printmaking has become remarkably viable and some current and former students have done extraordinary things.

One that quickly comes to mind is a collective known as Dinderbeck Studios. I'd first like to point out that the partners at Dinderbeck, which I believe the list has increased to eight partners, are all affiliated with Kendall - either as graduates or current students. Most of whom studied printmaking while at Kendall, taking courses taught by Mariel.

Alison Horn, of Dinderbeck Studios.

Initially conceived as a printmaking collective and studio, the group has received small grants and donations allowing them to fund a larger space, which they have begun to renovate for shows, workshops, and gatherings.

The group has displayed a great work ethic, along with an ability to manage projects, tasks, and duties while each maintains a 9 - 5 day job. Each member is quite driven in his or her craft, planning to contribute to the group as much as possible. Co-founder, Brandon Alman, says of the group’s process, "I wouldn't say it's delegated. When things need to get done, we pull together and get it done." I think they possess a certain chemistry that proves them a true collective. Whether they're hosting a show for local artists, or tuning up a print press from the 1950's, they have been keeping busy.

A collection of type: Finding type for antique printing presses can be an arduous task.

Community is an important part of Dinderbeck Studios. I favor their gumption to reach out to other groups and clubs seeking funding, and offering their space and talent. Alman says of this, "A lot of kids graduate from any school in printmaking and they just can't do it. It's hard to access the equipment." He also mentioned that a more distant goal is to allow the community to benefit from the use of their studio space and actual printing equipment. In the meantime, they will continue to host shows, curating their space for others to enjoy.

Last Saturday, on the 1st of the month, Dinderbeck Studios hosted a collective show titled “Fortified,” featuring forts from more than thirty artists. Unfortunately, I was unable to attend. However, based on this Flickr set I found, it seems the show was a splendid one. I would like to continue a series on printmaking by following the work of Mariel, the printmaking department at Kendall, and the Dinderbeck group.

Oliver's 2011 ArtPrize Itinerary

What if I don’t see my venue on the itinerary?  Send an email to hello@oliverhevans.com and let me know. You will be immediately added. My hope is that some artists will meet me at their work so we can talk about their work and about ArtPrize itself.

Follow my tour via Facebook or Twitter.

Wednesday

152 - The Lyon Den - 200 Ionia NW

50 - Fed Sq Bldg "The SPOT" - 29 Pearl NW

158 - Waters Bldg - 161 Ottawa NW Suite 104

51 - Fifth Third/ WN&J - 111 Lyon NW

105 - Mojo's - 180 Monroe NW

12 - Amway Grand Hotel - 187 Monroe NW

90 - JW Marriott - 235 Louis NW

164 - Z's Bar - 168 Louis Campau NW

98 - Louis Campau Promenade - 125 Monroe NW

3 - GRAM - 101 Monroe Center

112 - Open Concept Gallery - 50 Louis NW

102 - Mercantile Bank - 48 West Fulton

14 - Arts Council of GGR - 38 West Fulton

131 - San Chez - 38 West Fulton

43 - Dept of Corrections - 1 Division NW

72 - GR Police Dept - 1 Monroe Center NW

159 - West Coast Coffee - 55 Monroe Center NW

97 - Louis Benton Steak House - 77 Monroe Center NW

128 - Royal Securities - 89 Ionia NW

37 - Cornerstone Bldg - 89 Ionia NW

46 - Diversions Nightclub - 10 Fountain NW

56 - Fountain Street Church - 24 Fountain NE

65 - GRCC -Collins Art Gallery - 143 Bostwick NE

137 - Saint Mark's Episcopal Church - 134 North Division

Thursday Morning

67 - GR Children's Museum - 11 Sheldon NE

161 - WMCAT - 98 East Fulton

52 - First (Park) Congreg Church - 10 East Park Place NE

6 - St Cecilia Music Ctr - 24 Ransom NE

53 - First UM Church - 227 East Fulton

8 - Women's City Club - 254 East Fulton

75 - GreenLion Gallery - 150 East Fulton

160 - Westminster Pres - 47 Jefferson SE

1 - Diocese of GR - 360 South Division Ave

20 - Bethlehem Luth Church - 250 Commerce SW

27 - Calvin Coll Gallery - 106 South Division, Suite 1

34 - CODA - 44 South Division Ave

127 - Rockwell's Kitchen - 45 South Division Ave

123 - Pyramid Scheme - 68 Commerce SW

140 - Stella's Lounge - 53 Commerce SW

76 - Grid 70 - 70 Ionia SW

101 - McFadden's - 58 Ionia SW

9 - 25 Kitchen and Bar - 25 Ottawa SW

147 - The BOB - 20 Monroe NW

119 - Plaza Towers -- Eenhorn - 201 West Fulton

47 - Downtown Courtyard - 11 Monroe NW

84 - Huntington/ 50 Monroe - 50 Monroe NW

Thursday Afternoon

4 - GR Public Museum - 272 Pearl St NW

59 - Gerald Ford Museum - 303 Pearl NW

93 - Kent County Republicans - 725 Lake Michigan NW

110 - O'Toole's Public House - 448 Bridge NW

155 - Vander Hyde Mechanical - 1058 Scribner NW

29 - Carpe Diem Volleyball - 1010 Front NW

31 - City Art Gallery - 1168 Ionia NW

106 - Monroe Community Church - 800 Monroe NW

45 - DeVos Place - 303 Monroe NW

86 - Immanuel Lutheran Church - 2 Michigan NE

134 - Spectrum/Butterworth - 100 Michigan NE

135 - Spect./Lemmen Holton - 145 Michigan NE