Weekly Roundup- 11/9

Hi all,

Here's a new trend we're starting at DSFA…a weekly roundup of art &design-related links, leading to articles, images, news, etc. There's a lot of information out there, let us break it down for you! We'll share with you ideas and notions that we find interesting, inspiring, or even upsetting. Here's our (small) list for this week! Enjoy.

Would you ever wear this "invisible" bike helmet? Could save a lot of lives, considering the number of people that won't wear a helmet due to…fashion concerns.

Ever find yourself confused with the terminology that comes with the art world? Never fear, Robert Atkins has created a guide to help you decipher exactly how we are defining art today.

Artist Daan Botlek creates street art that is detailed, yet simple. You would definitely have a double take passing these on the streets of Germany.

We have implemented a new way of organizing here at DSFA…and it's FREE. Asana is a lifesaver for those with post-its littering their workspace. Plus, did I mention it's free?!

Apparently this is a thing…photographer Perttu Saksa captures the street performing monkeys that are dressed up as dolls. Um…beware.


That is all this week! Share with us some links that you've found interesting lately!

-Chelsea

Artist of the Month- October- Veronique Meignaud

It's October, and well into the gallery opening season which means we've been busy over here at DSFA. So that is a good thing, but unfortunately, we haven't had time to touch this ongoing project of ours, the DEFINEART blog. However, today I present to you our pick for October's artist of the month.

Leito

This month I'm bringing it back to the contemporary art world and delving into an area we don't often get to explore, illustration. Darryll knows how important it is to remain inspired and since we deal with a lot of photography, he's asked me to highlight someone that I find inspiring to my illustration career. So! Ladies and Gentlemen, Veronique Meignaud!

Chor'Biose
Animation project

I stumbled across this lovely illustrator/art director recently and upon visiting her website I felt as though I was instantly transported into another dimension of shapes and figures. Her focus appears to be digital illustration, but that's not why I felt like I was peering into a whole new plane of existence. The landscapes, figures, and lighting all seem to be constantly morphing and evolving, which is quite a feat considering I was looking at 2-D work. The colors she uses are prismatic and often gem-like.

Cornaline

Her work is truly unlike anything I've ever seen. The animation in the Motion section of her website feels like a natural artistic progression, taking what she does so very well in the 2-D and then actually bringing it to life in 3-D. I felt as though I was looking through a kaleidoscope that was slowly hypnotizing me, lifting my awareness to a new level. I'm so glad there are artists out there, like Veronique, who are able to temporarily enchant their viewers in order to get them to see new places and spaces in their minds. So in my mind, she is not only defining art, but also the unseen world that surrounds us.

 If you'd like to see more, please visit her website.
 If you'd like to see Veronique's talent in action, check out this neat little video on Youtube.

 -Chelsea

Studio Update- Art in Public Spaces

Hi all,

         I just wanted to take a moment to discuss an exciting project I've been working on for quite some time now that's just been completed. Recently I became connected with an amazing art advisor, Patti Gilford. She helps to acquire art for private homes, and for designers and architects who are looking to build creative, inspiring, and soothing environments. Patti explained to me that she was looking to obtain pieces for a shared space on the 12th floor of a new hi-rise residency on Lake Shore Drive. This specific space is pretty open and needed a nice flow and a central focus. She had seen the work on my website and thought I'd be a good fit for this project. Immediately, Chelsea and I started looking through my body of work, which is no small feat. We narrowed the our sample images down to pieces that contained people, moving across a landscape. Below is an image of the two pictures that Patti chose, in their final destination.

                                  

          It was fun for Chelsea and I to be a part of this building's design process. I think it's important for people to be surrounded by art in their living spaces. The places we call home are our sanctuaries, where we can unwind, reflect, and recharge. Sometimes we need aid in doing so and art can play a major part in this process. My pictures were placed in an open space where people pass by to get to the main amenities of the building such as a gym, pool, party rooms, and computer labs; places meant to make you feel at home. The space needed images that would make an impact on its inhabitants, which is why they were printed so large, as most of my pieces are. My hope is that my work has become a staple of this shared space, that people pass by it with intrigue and comfort. I have included an image of another piece of work, a panorama, that is intended to make a similar impact. 

           Larger than life-sized images like these are the reason why I think studio visits are so important. We love showing work to visitors here at the studio. If you are interested in a studio visit, please contact either me or my assistant Chelsea at the following e-mails:

darryll@schiff-art.com

chelsea@schiff-art.com

Also, check out Patti's website at www.pattigilford.com to see what her and her excellent firm are all about. 

-Darryll

Art/Design Find- Tree Chandelier

How wonderful is this?

Chandelier Casts Tree Shadows On Wall | Incredible Things

I'm not sure if this is something that will eventually be sold to the public or will just remain as an art installation. Either way, I'm loving the minds of artist collaboration, Hilded & Diaz.

Check out some more of their work here.

-Chelsea

Arts Club of Chicago

The Arts Club of Chicago is an institution, located in the Near North side of Chicago, that was established in 1916. The aim of this organization is to build and maintain a bigger public interest in the arts and their related activities. The Club opened its doors to artists of all kinds in order to provide a place to display their talents and inspire the city of Chicago. While local art is important to them, the Arts Club has also been home to international art. A large amount of the 20th century's most celebrated artists had their first American, or Midwestern, solo exhibits here. Some of these artists, including Alexander Calder, Pablo Picasso, and Georges Braque, are a part of the Club's permanent collection, which is open to the public by appointment. They also have exhibits that rotate three to four times a year.

                                           The Front of the Arts Club of Chicago

At one of these exhibits, an Arts Club members' show, Darryll decided to visit. While looking around he was approached by the director of the Arts Club, Janine Mileaf. They chatted for a minute and Darryll explained the work that he does. After hearing about the Darryll's work in the permanent collections of the MCA, the Met, the Art Institute, and others, Janine suggested to Darryll that he applied for membership of this prestigious club. Inspired by the work that the Club does and the way they hold their members to a high importance, Darryll decided to go through the application process. He was accepted and is now a member of the Arts Club of Chicago. It's important to him to stay active in the art community in Chicago, to maintain friendships, new and old, and to be a part of the great history that the Arts Club of Chicago holds for art.

                                         Calder's Work at the Arts Club of Chicago

Three Years in the Art World…and Counting.

How does an Illustrator come to work with Darryll Schiff, the fine art photographer? During my career at Columbia College Chicago, I didn't know what direction my art career was heading. I thought that I'd get a low paying (ahem, unpaid) internship at some design firm until I gathered enough experience to deem me fit for some low rung position until I worked my way up the ladder. Not really the idea I had in my head of a free-sprited artist, living on her own terms. Thankfully, I constantly reminded myself that the art world can be blissfully serendipitous…you just have to keep your eyes open. Never did I think that I'd meet my future employer whilst working at a coffee shop. This was the kind of cafe where people were in and out, without even looking up. However, "artist types"…we tend to find each other. Darryll was a regular customer at the cafe who actually paid attention. He knew immediately that I was an artist because of my visible tattoos and called me out on it. We chatted about his work and mine, and eventually he then shared with me a book, called Seven Days in the Art World by Sarah Thornton. I look at that book now as sort of a symbol of our working relationship, as I would soon be thrown into the art world, trying to figure out how to thrive.

                           


Darryll mentioned that he could use some more help around his studio and although I was apparently content to be a barista for the rest of my life, I decided to leave that job and hop into the unknown, just because I made a promise to myself to take every opportunity that came my way. So, Darryll took me on as an employee. He needed help with various tasks around the studio and understandably so since his pieces are larger than life.  As he entrusted me with more responsibility, I gained confidence and we began to vibe off each other's creativity. I learned from this that it's important for artists to find each other and stick together. Although Darryll has about 30 more years of experience than I do and our artistic disciplines are very different, we often find common ground because we are both navigating this hectic and, quite honestly, counter-intuitive, art world. I've found that it's important not to work in a vacuum. Sometimes you need someone to bounce ideas off of in order to remain confident in your work. Darryll is, and always will be creating, but I like to think that we inspire each other to keep at it. I never thought that I would have the opportunity to drive to the West Loop several times a week and work in an artist's studio and, most of all, be even just a small part of his success. As I watch Darryll's art business grow, I feel more and more fulfilled and glad that I listened to my inner voice, that constantly urges me to surround myself with good people and do what I love.

-Chelsea

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