Conformists vs Nonconformists

As graphic designers I feel that we have a responsibility to not only communicate to our appropriate audiences, but to also create visually captivating aesthetics that improve our environment. There will always be styles and trends in the design industry; however, the challenge in our careers is to not conform to the craze, but instead interpret our clients’ needs in a timeless and beautiful fashion. So many designers make the mistake of getting caught up in the current trends for no relevant or conceptual reason. One of the most noticeable examples today is the logo design for the 2012 London Olympic Games. While current teenage fashion is reminiscent of the 80′s bold graphics and flashy colors and patterns, this is a noticeable style that will rapidly become outdated (once again). The logo, with it’s bright colors and choppy, geometric numbers, seems completely irrelevant to the Olympic games, yet oddly brings me back to my youth.

Creative Inspirations: Parisian Art

While in Paris for the marathon the recent Icelandic volcano halted flights in Europe and trapped me in The City of Lights for an additional week of unplanned vacation. During my two week stay in Paris I discovered more inspiration and creative motivation than I thought was possible for such a brief time span. Paris was a breath of fresh air, a much needed extended vacation and a chance to reflect and be inspired. Along with the sights of Paris, the cuisine, the language, the friendly people and the ART have all left me with lifelong impressions that have inspired me to create and long for more travel excursions.

I visited a total of five art museums while in Paris, not to mention the many other tourist locations that were a must-see. Unfortunately the Picasso Museum was closed for renovations while I was in town, but will reopen its doors in 2012. In Paris the museums are organized chronologically, with The Louvre showcasing art from prehistory to the 19th century, The Musee d’Orsay featuring French art from 1848 to 1915 and The Centre Pompidou which houses Musée National d’Art Moderne and showcases modern art that picks up where The Musee d’Orsay left off.  Along with the three museums just mentioned, I toured The Musee Rodin, which houses Auguste Rodin’s infamous sculptures (The Gates of Hell, The Thinker, and The Kiss, to name a few). And last but not least, I toured The Palace of Versailles. Versailles is an architectural masterpiece in itself with vast gardens and countless pieces of commissioned artwork by Louis XIV. Each venue sparked excitement and left me craving more. Some of the most impressionable artists’ whose work I saw were: Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Rembrandt, Giovanni Bellini, Caravaggio, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Vincent van Gogh, Édouard Manet, Edgar Degas, Paul Cézanne, Claude Monet, Jackson Pollock, Pablo Picasso, Salvador Dali and The Guerrilla Girls. Needless to say my cache of inspiration feels full at the moment, the fullest that it has felt since studying art and art history in Italy during my Junior year of college. I promise that someday soon, when I have more time, I will elaborate on my impressions and how much I took away from this experience.

Life Inspirations: The Marathon of Events

The past six months of my life have been overbooked with extracurricular activities; however, the overzealous scheduling was completely by choice. I like to think of myself as an individual who thrives under pressure, by helping others and on staying active. I recently trained for my first marathon with Team In Training and fund-raised for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. I ran my first marathon exactly one month ago in Paris and it was an amazingly euphoric experience!

Running is a release for me. I am able to think clearly and remove myself from the rest of the world while my feet are hitting the pavement. My daily runs are therapeutic to say the least. Running 26.2 miles through the streets of Paris was beyond therapeutic, it was absolutely life changing! Seeing the beautiful sights of Paris while running past the infamous Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triomphe,  Avenue des Champs-Elysees , The Louvre, The Siene River, Nortre Dame Cathedral and countless other spectacles was an awe-inspiring experience. The finish line was also high on my list of sights to see! The marathon of events leading up to Paris with training and fund-raising was a welcomed challenge that, along with the marathon itself, provided me with great motivation in my personal as well as professional life. I pushed my mind and body to the limit and limped away with the greatest feeling of success and accomplishment! I just may be able to do anything that I put my mind to!

Hello World!

This will hopefully be the first of many posts! As you very well know, many bloggers utilize their blogs as an outlet to express themselves and share their thoughts with the world. However, I am looking at this blog as a resource for myself. A resource that will help to keep me in touch with graphic design, seek inspiration and stay current on trends, styles and technology. I have a strong passion for art and design and hope that if you are reading my posts, the creativity and excitement I find along the way will spread to you. Let the enlightenment and brainstorming begin!