Two-sided Creativity

For a long time we've been telling people all about our business & our talents. They know that GC & I are graphic designers, we design logos, marketing materials (postcards, brochures, etc.).... layout publications for both formal and informal use (annual reports, simple Word documents, training manuals, etc.).... create presentations in PowerPoint... design trade show exhibits & posters.... all the way to creating interactive media (CDs, web sites, etc.). But, I think our most creative endeavor are our photography and illustration skills.

There is a mysterious side to the business of graphic design—especially for people that don't know what we do or for that matter, understand what we do. People assume that designers create stuff that comes out of a canned software package—but it doesn't. We literally envision what people think & then put it on paper. It takes me back to my old World Bank days when I started working in the evaluations department and most of my co-workers were economists. I was a publications designer and my office was colorfully decorated. I would get the strangest stares when they would walk by my office—it wasn't until someone walked in and made a comment, "We just can't figure out what you do! A Word file or a pile of papers comes into your office & within a couple of days, out pops this gorgeous book! How do you do it?" I just smiled & said........ "Magic!!"

Why do I call this post "two-sided creativity"? The reason is that GC & I have two very special skillsets... I'm a photographer & he is a fine illustrator, the nice thing is that these skillsets mesh perfectly together. We like to combine our two skillsets into "combination" projects (i.e., turning my photos into fine illustrations or paintings). We have done this numerous times for friends and personal enjoyment—but we have also been telling our clients about this! So, I decided that it's time to show the world samples of our combinations, as well as showing off some of GC's illustrations.

If there is anything that you see here that interests you, wows you, or moves you to ask us to do a project for you... call or email. Even better - leave a comment :-)

Possum Point

Blue Boat

Firebird 2004

Diane

Train

Pastel illustration for Hewlett-Packard brochure (section only)

Photography & Illustration....

Photography & illustration are really important to us—photography for Kathy, illustration/painting for GC. If we had our way, we would be living off our passions (hint, hint). But, in the meantime, here are some of the goings on for us:

Guerilla Art Show.

GC was a featured artist in the 1st Guerilla Art Show at the Workhouse Art Center in Lorton, VA. Of course by now - you are asking what is a Guerilla Art show. The true definition of a guerilla art show is one that is thrown together very, very quickly. In this case, GC was asked by the executive director of the Workhouse if he had enough finished art to fill the 2nd floor of the main exhibit building. They needed to put together an exhibit within a weeks time. So, with a smile & a chuckle, he said, "some pieces... but we know enough artists to put together an exhibit." With that, Kathy called everyone she knew from the Women's Caucas for Art/DC Chapter, artist friends... and of course GC. GC was proud to exhibit some of his fine art paintings. He specializes in water colors—but most recently, he loves to combine his love of digital painting and the real stuff. Here is a sample of one of his pieces that was in the show.

Needless to say, the show was a success! The artists that participated in the show were: Don Hurlbert, GC Schow, Marilyn Hayes, Niki Vanech, Cindy Renteria, Nana Bagdavadze, Jennifer Judelsohn, Merle Davison, Margaret Paris, Adam Eig, Wendy Fike, Marilyn Banner, Lynn Grossman, Jane Pettit, and Ellen Mosher. The show ran from June 30 to July 26, 2009.

I want to really thank everyone that participated in the show. Besides GC's work that I'm sharing with everyone, I want to share one of the more unusal pieces from artist Jane Pettit. She is a mosaic artist, her work Maiden of the Deep was creative and humorous! I can't begin to tell you the number of cheerful comments I heard from viewers! What do you think? (leave a comment!)

Photography & All Jazz.

Kathy has been in the photography world for a while now. She loves sharing her work, discussing it, and most of all selling & exhibiting it! For those of your that know us—this is old news, but for those that don't, Kathy is a founding member of the Workhouse Photographic Society. The Workhouse Photographic Society (WPS), established in 2008, is a cooperative photography studio and gallery at the Workhouse Arts Center in Lorton, Virginia. The Gallery membership consisted of award-winning photographers whose images hang in many private and public collections. Its members are sought-after speakers, noted educators and talented artists whose distinct visions are presented photographically through traditional, digital and alternative photographic techniques. Every eight weeks, there is a featured photographer—while the rest of the co-op shows off their talents on a smaller scale.

From March 15-May 3, her exhibition, Through the Looking Glass, showed people what her vision of how she sees the world. The series of work was a colorful & rythmic-depicting images of nature, people, and daily scenes from her travels. A sample of one of her pieces that hung in the show is Striped Wall, as well as a shot of Kathy talking to her guests the night of the artist's reception.

1st National Juried Photography Competition at the Workhouse Art Center.

We are pleased to announce that Kathy's piece Carnival was accepted into the 1st National Juried Photography Competition at the Workhouse Art Center. The exhibition will run from July 29-August 22, 2009. Ann Shumard, the Curator of Photographs from the National Portrait Gallery in Washington, D.C. will serve as Juror for the competition. Ms. Shumard will also award a $500 Best in Show and 3 Equal Merits of $150 each. The public is invited to the free awards reception on August 9th from 2-4pm. As always, all works will be available for purchase during the exhibit.