Having never been to The Big Easy, I didn’t know what to expect from New Orleans, Louisiana. I had visions of lots of music, lots of people, great food, and some manifestation of the high crime rate in the city. I have to admit, I was a little worried about that last one.
I remember feeling the same way about other cities that I now love: New York, San Diego, Atlanta, Chicago, San Francisco, and Miami to name a few. I can now add New Orleans to that list. Continue reading …
Design Trends: Shabby Chic
02/07/2019We’ve all heard of vintage, and we all love the elegance of pastels. So what do you get when you combine them together? Shabby Chic! Shabby Chic is instantly recognizable by its worn and weathered appearance paired with a contemporary refurbishment of color. Personally, as a lover of retro, vintage and rustic styles, I have fallen in love with this trend.
I’m not sure whether to say if Shabby Chic is back or that it never really left. Breaking down the style of Shabby Chic is an oxymoron in the purest sense. Take something grungy and pair it with something chic to give it a flair of sophistication. This design trend has roots in Britain that go back to the big fancy houses in rural areas. Inside these houses you will find furniture that looks dated compared to what’s in houses today. For example, you might find floral wallpaper in the kitchen, or stripes in the bathroom, old paintings on the walls, wardrobes—that sort of thing.
I met Christiane when attending the Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design where she works as an illustration professor. Aside from teaching at MIAD, her work has appeared in many publications, on book covers, posters, cards, and in text and children’s books. Christiane is also a talented pop-up paper artist. Overall, her work involves a lot of collage creation, vibrant colors, delicate patterns and line work.
Two Rivers, Wisconsin
Along the shores of Lake Michigan, in a city split into thirds by two rivers, a true diamond sits hidden, nestled behind the veil of Americana.
Two Rivers is an exact representation of the picture I have in my mind of “Small Town America.” Everything, from its town slogan, “Catch our friendly waves,” to the town layout, the camaraderie, and it’s historical significance as the birthplace of the beloved ice cream sundae. (Really, what’s more American than this?) Two Rivers is exactly what comes to mind when I think of Americana.
To the naked eye, it would be tough to deduce that Two Rivers is world-renowned and even famous to the graphic arts and printmaking community. Americanized printing, as we know it, would not exist if it were not for one thing, one building, one company, and one movement turned into one museum.
Calligraphy Today
Calligraphy has been making a big splash around town over the last couple of years. This handcrafted way of writing is all over the internet, flooding our homes and, of course, maintaining its space in one of our most precious of days—wedding days! It has been growing so fast lately that it seems every piece of décor has some sort of hand lettered quote, name or holiday written on it.
I’ve always loved the artwork that accompanies an album. I remember checking out a dozen CDs from the library to listen to on my dad’s Walkman and pore over the lyric booklets.
Even though most of my day-to-day listening is streamed now, I still enjoy collecting CDs and records to experience the physical copies.
A lot of great music has come out recently with visual artwork to go with it! Continue reading …
Getting to Know the Locals: Chris Beetow
11/29/2018
Chris Beetow is an illustrator best known for her pet portraits. Chris does commissioned illustration and is a professor at the Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design (MIAD). Continue reading …