I recently rediscovered my local library. I can’t imagine why it escaped me the last 5 years, but it’s a wonderful environment in which to work.  My library was recently remodeled and now comes equip with sloping ceilings, exposed beams and floor to ceiling windows.  I have a favorite spot.  It’s tucked in back with a comfortable chair next to a window that receives sunshine all afternoon. It’s quiet, of course.  While working at the library, I find I can complete entire thoughts, work through solutions, plan, organize and get work done in a peaceful setting.  I’m incredibly productive there and I come home feeling happy and refreshed.  The library makes me feel like I’m hiding out.

I had an excellent day yesterday!  It started with a productive morning with a good deal of client work accomplished… just like that!  There were many emails sent and replied to and phone conversations were exciting and on target.  It seemed like everyone was available at the exact same time I was.  I spoke with some incredibly smart people (always a pleasure). And I asked some questions of others that might have caused ripples.  I love ripples.  I question things… it’s what I do.

In considering the pros and cons of ripples, I couldn’t help but wonder if maybe I’d be better off if I didn’t disturb the status quo; I have a tendency to do so.  Pondering this made me think however of one of the strongest attributes and most wonderful things about designers… And this is one of the reasons you want to hire a professional designer.

One of the designer’s great talents is to question things. They bring fresh eyes into a situation and often ask questions of their clients such as “Why are you doing things this way?”  From that question, comes much information about the client’s organization and that information is what designers use to create effective and successful visual communications. Designers can create a bit of ruckus sometimes with their curiosity but the questions we ask are not meant to be mean or judgmental. It’s fact finding. And it’s done with the intention of best being able to assist those whom we are working with.

It’s not like designers have had their jobs forced on them.  Not like the old days when an employee stayed at a job they hated for 20 or 30 years.  Designers choose to be designers and often design is our lifestyle… our air. We love to talk with clients about their dreams and their missions, to share goals together and to receive new opportunities to be our best creative selves.

So the next time your designer starts picking away at you asking questions, remember it’s because we want to create something for you based on your needs, your mission, and what you might be looking at for the future.

Do you need a creative sidekick?  Contact me… I’ll probably ask you some questions

Caravaggio - Super at Emmaus

I wanted to be a lawyer. Constitutional law, in fact.  So, in 1993 I went back to college as an adult with two small children at home and all the many responsibilities of a grown-up.  Attending college as an adult was certainly challenging. I remember saying “How much harder can this be than a full time job?”  Let me tell you…it was a lot harder.  I attended Middlesex Community College, in Middletown, Connecticut. I worked hard at my studies because like a bad credit report, I had to reinvent myself.  I had attempted college once before right out of high school and, rather than study, I found partying more to my liking.  My failure at college was, of course, documented on my transcript and my past worked against me.

AIGA Connecticut is doing it again and is presenting what promises to be another extraordinary workshop.  On March 10, 2010, award winning photographer and writer, Sean Kernan, will talk about real creativity.  This is not the creativity we learned in school or at work, but the stuff we knew from the start. The workshop will explore how our basic creative impulses affect our lives and our work and how new thinking can open our eyes to the wonderment of what might be an enhanced creative lifestyle.

According to AIGA CT, this workshop will not help you get work, fall in love or make you healthy, but it might just get you back in touch with those creative ideas that you perhaps might have had as a free thinking child.

Sean Kernan

Sean Kernan  lives and works on the Connecticut coast. His photographs have been shown in museums around the world, including the Bibliotheca Alexandrina, the Museum of Photography in Greece, and the Whitney Museum in the United States.  Mr. Kernan has also appeared in The New York Times Magazine, Communication Arts, Graphis, and the Atlantic Monthly. He is the author of Among Trees (Published by Artisan Books, May 2003) and The Secret Books, with Jorge Luis Borges.

This event is $40 for AIGA members and $50 for non-members. If you sign up to become an AIGA member at this event, the event is FREE!
To purchase tickets, visit AIGA CT Online

Perhaps I’ve been reading too many business marketing and motivational books.  Seth Godin, and The Red Lemon Club have provided me with advice on how to be more productive and extraordinary. Taking them at their word, I’ve decided to conduct an experiment as part of my approach at living a bigger life of art and design. I’m ditching TV.

This measure is requiring a certain amount of bravery on my part. While I don’t watch that much TV anyway, there are certain times when I really truly just want to relax in front of the tube and let it take me away.  It’s candy for my brain.  Regardless, this week I’ll be calling up my satellite provider and canceling my account.

It’s not just a matter of wanting to be more productive… if I wanted to be more productive, I could always elect to just not turn the thing on. But, my Directtv bill is approximately $90/month and I find that ridiculous. I don’t receive the premium channels such as Showtime or HBO.  Nope, that $90/month goes for perhaps 4 channels I watch regularly and a whole bunch of other channels I rarely use.  I’ve called Directtv and eliminated some channels in attempt at making the monthly bill less like extortion, but that only brought my bill down by about $15 and eliminated Ovation TV, which I loved.  So with the support of my kids, off it goes and here are the benefits we’re hoping to gain:

1. More productivity and a enhanced lifestyle
2. I can either save that $90 or use it toward attending a social event.  That’s $1,080/year and that’s some significant vacation money!!
3. Less stress… I find that often the background noise of TV causes stress for me.  Quiet is good. Music is good. Bombs blowing up, repeated bad news, loud TV commercials…BAD.
4. I can enjoy television and programs without the monthly bill.  I can rent DVDs from the library. Watch Hulu.  ABC provides many of their regular programs online at abc.go.com. I can read the news online or in print.  These things are all “On Demand”.

I think that with the economy being such as it is, and with the inflated prices Comcast, Directtv and others are demanding, television will eventually go the way of the dinosaur.  Why should we pay $90+ when we can get what we need for less and On Demand.  My mission, my attempt, is to take back control.  Come on, join me.  I’ll keep you posted on my progress.

I’d love to get to know you.  Please drop me a comment and introduce yourself. Don’t be shy.

And writers, photographers, musicians, designers and you, too.  Maybe I’m preaching to the choir here, but this morning I attended a social media and power networking breakfast and was surprised at the number of people who weren’t taking advantage of social media to promote their businesses.  Social media (blogging, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn) is one of the greatest tools available today in which to market your work and your talent. Hell, it’s a great tool just to meet some excellent people.  Never before have we been able to promote our work to people around the corner, the nation and around the world with the click of a mouse.  Social media makes it possible. Millions of people have a Facebook page and/or a Twitter account… There’s a lot of networking you could be doing right now.

You are not just an artist.  You are an entrepreneur and you’re in the business of selling and promoting your work. The world is changing.  Business models are changing.  Social media is a tool for positive change.  It’s important, now more then ever, to reach out to like-minded people and be a part of the change. I know you are probably thinking, “Holy cow, I don’t have time for that nonsense. And who cares what I had for breakfast?”  Using social media is not about what you had for breakfast.  I guarantee you that marketing using these online avenues only takes about 10 minutes a day and it will make a huge difference in your business plan.  Simply log on and tell your fans, in 140 characters, daily news from your studio or gallery.  Talk about your process or your challenges.  Create a page or group just for your business.  You can create lists to organize your followers according to your interests.  To save you time, there are applications such as Tweetdeck which will allow you to type one entry and display it over several social media networks automatically.  Update Twitter, Facebook and Linkedin all at once.  You’re done.

I’m a believer in social media.  In just the last year, social media has revolutionized my social life and my business life in the most remarkable ways.  I’m now attending art events that I wouldn’t have even know about in 2008.  I’ve met artists, photographers, gallerists, and world class journalists.  I was invited to sit on the board of AIGA CT because of my connections on Facebook.  I’ve gotten writing assignments, retained clients and even went camping because of social media.  I’ve learned a lot.  All these connections created new connections and best of all…new opportunities.

I’d love to share some tips and resources for social media here with you.  Are you using Facebook?  Twitter or Linkedin?  Or does the whole notion of social media just freak you out?

You can find me here:

Facebook: www.facebook.com/lisa.mikulski or creativeartsguide
Twitter: @lisamikulski or @creativeartsg
Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/lisamikulski

I’m pleased to share with you a recent interview, conducted for Creative Arts Guide, with abstract artist and sculptor Ted Mikulski.  Over the past year, I’ve received quite a few requests to interview Ted from readers here at Lisa’s Blog and at my old blog, ArtLOOK.  Sooo… being ever so careful not to subscribe to nepotism, I must give the readers what they want!  Yes, Ted is my creative and talented cousin… but that shouldn’t stop me from saying nice things about him and his work.

Ted Mikulski

CAG: Hi Ted, thank you for granting this interview. You started out as an architect and transitioned to art. What compelled you to make that move and how’s it going?

Ted: I did go to school for architecture and it is something that I love.  However, I don’t love the slow unstable 9 to 5 ladder climbing that ensues after graduation in the profession of architecture (assuming you can find a job).   Not that I don’t like to work hard, I just don’t like ladders.  I have always had a strong passion for modern and contemporary art.  I think art was something that was inevitable for me.  I am loving every minute of it.

CAG: Do you find similarities between architecture and art or are they completely different fields/processes? Contrasts?

Ted: They tend to be similar in nature, though in architecture form follows function.  It is not art’s job to serve any purpose, other than to draw emotional response from its viewer.  It is, of course, important to recognize that architecture can most certainly be art, but I find that it is few and far between in this country.  What I would really like to see is more installation art integrated into architecture.

CAG: You are an abstract artist. New England is a difficult venue for abstract art. What is your feeling about this?

Ted: Being an abstract artist is not an easy task in this area for sure.  I always say that if I wanted to make a living in this state I would go paint landscapes or beaches. That is simply not the art I am attracted to.  In many ways, I feel comfortable being an abstract artist in an area where it is not readily understood.  I feel comfortable teaching and reaching out to those that have simply not been exposed to it.  I like to create that which cannot be captured by a photograph. There are also other incredible abstract artists in New England that seem to be largely overlooked.  Not because they can’t make it into galleries, but because it seems abstract paintings do not fit with the colonial suburban motif.   I think it would be a wonderful gesture for a major museum to have a contemporary collective abstract show in New England.  You would be amazed at some of the work no one sees.

Ted Mikulski 'It's a Party' 40"x30"

CAG: We agree!!  Can you tell us a little about your process.

Ted: In terms of painting, my process is becoming more technique-based as time goes on.  I do not use a brush directly to the canvas but instead lay the canvas flat and impose my paint through velocity and density.  I generally mix 10-40 hues of color (depending on the project) and then alter the paint’s density.  That way I can control how the paints interact with one another.  The flow or movement of the final product can be control by gravity.   A painting generally takes about 6-8 hours of constant moving and manipulation.

My sculptures require the same process mentioned above, though on a sculpted medium. My current sculptures are created from insulation foam and a fiberglass resin.  I feel that they are an advancement of my abstract concepts.  They allow me to work in space as well as color.

To complete the equation you add some music and a beverage.

CAG: As a relatively new artist, what marketing tools have you found most helpful to launching your career and why?

Ted: The Internet of course has been wonderful for marketing.  The Internet is the new billboard, you just have to catch people driving on the right road.  I have my website, seeabstract.com as well as my blog.   On top of that I have taken advantage of the popular social media outlets, Twitter and Facebook.  As mentioned earlier, abstract art is largely ignored in New England and the Internet has been great in breaking through that regional barrier.  Also, since galleries and venues are scattered throughout the state, the Internet allows those curators to see the work instantly.

Of course with ease of presentation you have over-saturation of artists.  I think it is important to remain focused and continue updating all your new work online to keep your fans coming back.
I also do not want to overlook the fact that in order to be considered a part of the art world, you must be active.  I try to attend as many gallery openings as I can and support as many venues as possible.  I find it to be far more exhilarating than being amongst 10,000 drunken concert fans.

CAG: You had a great opening at the Black Rock Gallery recently. What are your plans for the near future? Tell us a little about the NBMAA.

Ted: The Gallery at Black Rock was a wonderful gallery for my recent work.  I have been showing at quite a few venues over the past couple years and after this exhibition ends, I will be spending the rest of the year in the studio.  I am looking forward to creating work freely and not focusing solely on what needs to be in a specific exhibition.  My next major exhibition is a solo show scheduled at Iona College in NY in 2011. My installation ‘Photosynthe-this’ which debuted at the recent opening has been offered to my favorite Connecticut museum, The New Britain Museum of American Art.  There is no guarantee they have space for it due to its massive size but I would be happy to see it go to that wonderful organization.

CAG: With the release of your first book, Art is Dead, you’re launching yourself headfirst into the wider world of the arts. Explain the philosophy that drove you to write this book.

Ted: I have always been interested in art philosophy as well as the creation of art.  The story I always tell is what happened when I first asked my first students at Tunxis Community College who their favorite living visual artist was.  Only 2 students out of about 70 could answer the question.

Soon, after pursuing the topic of art in America a bit further, I found out that I was not alone in my feeling that art appreciation was at a major low point.  It seemed that a majority of artists were disappointed about our current society and its relationship to art.   I found that everyone in the art community seemed to be talking about it, so I decided it needed to be written about.  I also tapped many of those opinions and included them in the book as a way to gather a more compelling outlook of art today.

CAG: Tell us how writing felt to an abstract artist as a form of creative expression.

super cool sneaks

Ted: Writing the book was an interesting task.  I would often rationalize my thoughts in the book while I was painting.  I would have to stop painting and quickly write down concepts and ideas that required further investigation.   Like much of the art I create, I felt a thirst that seemed unquenchable until I completed the project.

CAG: Why/how do you choose the varying mediums that you work in? We love the sneakers.

Ted: Ha, the sneakers are the most fun for me right now.  Truthfully, I would draw or paint on any and all mediums that would be presented to me. I would love to paint an airplane for example.  I feel like so much of what is manufactured today is just that…manufactured.  I think artists should be hired to paint or draw on buildings, furniture, cars, you name it.  Speaking of which, there may be a Mikulski art car in the near future. Shhh.

CAG: Thinking back to when you first got into art, what were your original expectations and thoughts and how have those related to the reality of being a working artist?

Ted: That is a great question and one that young artists often do not consider.  I have not been doing this very long, but when I first entered the art world I had lofty dreams of having my work in museums and traveling the world (I still might).  It is not every artists intention to become the next Andy Warhol or Salvador Dali, but I think secretly we all have that desire to one degree or another.  I think that dream is harder to achieve than becoming a rock-star, but I think that is what makes it so worthwhile.  I believe that with talent and determination, an artist of any medium can achieve great things in the art world.  The one crucial thing I came to quickly about being an artist is that talent alone is not enough.  Without long-term perseverance and drive, the art will remain in piles on a studio floor.  A working artist these days cannot simply be an ‘artist’.  One must be a businessman, marketer, salesman, negotiator, and about 20 other things.

Regardless of whether or not one’s art becomes widely recognized or largely forgotten, it is not important.  The only importance is the artist’s ability to express there innermost desires in a visual way.

CAG: What would you like our readers to know?

Ted: I don’t think anyone chooses art, I think art chooses the person.  The ultimate high for any artist is being able to do what you love.  I have been fortunate in that respect.
I often hear from friends and patrons that I should move to NYC since abstract art is undervalued here. But it becomes part of my responsibility to get my work understood and appreciated by those who don’t understand it.  I think that is what art is all about.

There are some exciting new projects that I am presently working on.  I imagine this will be an extremely productive year for me. I have quite a bit to explore and I am looking forward to it.

CAG: And so are we Ted. Please keep us posted on the news coming from your studio. Thank you.

This interview was compiled by Lisa Mikulski and Kyler Mikulski for Creative Arts Guide.  At present, CAG is only available on Facebook, but we have a website coming soon. Creative Arts Guide is promoting fresh ideas and visions in the Creative Arts.  We embrace all the creative arts in hopes of uniting the poet, the painter and the pianist. Please fan us on Facebook.

Please share this interview or leave us your thoughts with a comment below.