Street Art (literally)

I've been seeing Julian Beever's artwork around for a while now. He even has a show on television, called Concrete Canvas, that lets you watch his entire process. At the HOW conference, at least 3 speakers referenced his work... so I figured it was about time for a post.

Julian literally creates the most amazing street art using: pavement, chalk and a camera. It's all created to appear 3 dimensional, and it's truly stunning. He travels the world bringing art to the masses. It's so great to see him set up in a busy commercial area, while people run back and forth to work. As his work progresses, so does the joy that it brings. Suddenly, everyone is taking a moment out of their hectic schedule to enjoy the work Julian creates. And that is just what art should do.

His subjects cover almost anything, ranging from classic paintings, architectural wonders, to famous people and even daily objects. Here are just some of his pieces. Check out his website for more.

Click: Julian Beever

Pop Pop Fizz Fizz

At the HOW Conference, I was lucky enough to attend a presentation by Charles S. Anderson of:
1. Charles Anderson Design
2. CSA Images
3. Pop Ink (in conjunction with French Paper)

I'm a huge fan of the work that CSA has produced. The Pop Ink work is especially interesting/pretty/funny/wicked/twisted/etc. You could fill in almost any adjective. It's great stuff. I'm also a big fan because Mr. Anderson has accomplished what I dream of doing one day. Namely, establishing a kick-a$$ design studio and creating fabulous art to be licensed and sold.

From the Pop Ink site:
Pop Ink merges low art and high design into an infinite visual universe of saccharine sweet, slightly disturbing yet strangely compelling art and artifacts for a (post) modern world. Pop Ink products have been featured in numerous publications including: In Style, Dwell, The New York Times, ReadyMade, Martha Stewart, O Home, and Communication Arts, among others.

Pop Ink products are the result of over two decades of work by Charles S. Anderson Design and are produced in collaboration with French Paper and Laurie DeMartino Design. Established in 1989, Charles S. Anderson Design's work is a continuous evolution inspired by the highs and lows of art and popular culture. They have produced award-winning art, identity, packaging, and product design for a diverse list of clients.

Characterized by its visual impact and humor, Charles S. Anderson Design's work has been influential in the design industry both nationally and internationally, and has been exhibited in museums worldwide including: The Museum of Modern Art, New York's permanent collection; The Smithsonian Institution's Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum, New York; The Institute of Contemporary Arts, London; The Nouveau Salon des Cent-Centre Pompidou, Paris; and The Ginza Graphic Gallery, Tokyo.

click: Charles Anderson Design
click: CSA Images
click: Pop Ink

How Recap

The HOW Design Conference was a whirlwind of networking, resources, networking, classes, networking and workshops. Some bits were better than expected, some were worse, but most of it was really great and inspirational. There's nothing quite like being surrounded by 3500 designers! The highlight was definitely the presentation by Bill Strickland. He's an amazingly inspirational speaker. I would sum up his speech, but could do no justice. So I would highly suggest purchasing his book: Make the Impossible Possible. I know I will. Of course, there were other juicy nuggets that I picked up and will share with you over the next few weeks. So stay tuned.
Here's one fun taster...



Stefan Bucher of 344 Design and Daily Monsters spoke in a session about arriving at creativity. He believe that you should do one creative thing every day... aside from your regular work. This will allow you to explore your creativity without limits, and get your mind working in different ways. That was how he devised the Daily Monster. He creates an ink blot on a piece of white paper, and makes a monster out of it... every day. If you're lucky, you'll get signed on for a book deal, like he did (100 Days of Monsters in now available). Either way, you'll stretch your creativity and mind... which can only be a good thing.

click: 344 Design
click: Daily Monster Blog