Guestpost: Guest Bedroom Design Inspiration

Note: If you would like to guest post @ ArtMind please contact me (mitsy@artmind.eu) and I'll send you the 'how-to-blog@ArtMind' -info.

By Greg from StylishHome

Interior design inspiration can come from almost anywhere—a photo, a story, a movie or a design catalog. Today we’re going to use Vincent van Gogh’s “Bedroom in Arles (Amsterdam)” for inspiration and our decorating starting point. We chose it because we really like the colors, simple lines, and the era portrayed by it. We thought it would be great if we could replicate some of the feeling in the painting in our guest bedroom.

Since Vincent van Gogh (born 1853, died 1890) painted during a time when most things were still handmade, we thought it would be interesting to furnish our bedroom with as many handmade items as possible.

Before we started looking for just anything handmade, we used the color palette maker at StylishHome to create a nice design palette based on the painting’s colors. We’ll use it for reference as we look for furnishings. You can see Vincent van Gogh was a master with the RYB color wheel!

To start furnishing our guest bedroom, we found a beautiful handmade nightstand ($400) made from reclaimed barn wood. It feels as though it could have been used by van Gogh himself. It was made by an artisan on Etsy.

Even a simple guest bedroom needs a mirror and we found these two ($85) from an Etsy seller. We also found several other nice handmade wall mirrors here from Etsy artisans.

The deep red hues and weathering on the mirror frames are fantastic.

Of course we want our guests to sleep comfortably and we found a really unique set of handmade headboards ($725) made from upcycled shutters. This will get your guests’ attention.

No guest room is complete without a coat rack ($24). Made from reclaimed barn wood from the 1880s it adds real character.

We think guests would appreciate a nice area rug to keep their feet warm and make the room quieter. We liked this beautiful hand-woven rug made from upcycled cloth. We found a number of other blue handmade indoor rugs from Etsy artisans in various sizes which would also look great.

What about the pictures on the wall? Well, we’re thinking of framing a print of the Van Gogh that provided our inspiration. It’s a portrait of Van Gogh’s own bedroom where he hung his own work on the walls. It would make a terrific conversation starter, “You’ll be staying in our Van Gogh room.”

Guest post: Collaboration in art and crafts - part 3

Note: If you would like to guest post @ ArtMind please contact me (mitsy@artmind.eu) and I'll send you the 'how-to-blog@ArtMind' -info.

by Shauna Busto Gilligan and Annemiek Hamelink

Part 3 of 3 (read part 1 here and part 2 here)

Shauna and Annemiek got together in Ireland to define the details of their collaboration with as few restrictions as possible so as not to impose on the needed freedom.

As they had both arrived at the same idea – a bowl should inspire a story which in turn should be the source of inspiration for another bowl – the need for inspirational freedom was decided easily.

Shauna is to start with a story and Annemiek with a bowl. They will both work on their stories/ bowls for about a year, updating progress, issues, inspirations in a blog dedicated to the project.

What remained to be decided upon was a topic. Again, this had to be open as previous experience had shown that if this was too restrictive, it would block the inspiration and thus render the project impossible to do.

It happened (unusual for an Irish autumn!) that the weather was great when Annemiek was in Ireland. They decided to take a break from the blogging and took Shauna's children to the Botanic Gardens in Dublin where a temporary sculpture exhibition was on.

Interestingly the exhibition was called Sculpture In Context. It was during this wonderful autumn day when Annemiek took photographs and Shauna wrote in her notebook that they both realised that engaging in other types of art can lead to a feeling of freedom in ones own craft.

They decided to start from here:

We hope we inspired you to collaborate too;

Please feel free to follow our adventure on our blog dedicated to this project.

Guestpost: Through The Viewfinder

Note: If you would like to guest post @ ArtMind please contact me (mitsy@artmind.eu) and I'll send you the 'how-to-blog@ArtMind' -info.

By Jenya from Evaforeva

When I got my DSLR it was like a new beginning for me - beginning of discovering photography and a new way of expressing myself. But I never stopped loving the old polaroids and beautiful photographs that were shot by Diana and other vintage cameras. The outdated retro look just captivated me but the inability to edit the pictures afterwords was a big turn off. And then I found Through The Viewfinder (TTV) technique! How brilliant? You get the genuine old looking photograph in a digital format! You get to bake your cake and eat it too!

There is a lot of information about TTV on the internet and it is becoming more and more popular. If you want to try it you will need a digital SLR (most people recommend macro lens but I am using 18-55mm that came with the kit and it works just fine), an old twin-lens reflex camera (it doesn't even have to work as long as the viewfinder isn't broken), and a contraption. I bought my twin lens reflex from Canemah and my father built a contraption for me and he really did an amazing job with it.
The hardest part is determining the length of your contraption and Russ Morris has a great website that helped me a lot. Once you are done with that step - you are ready to start!

Now, shooting through the viewfinder can be challenging. You need to learn how to manipulate the whole structure (both cameras and contraption) in order to stage the shot you are looking to get.
After downloading my images to the computer I crop them in Photoshop. Sometimes I like to keep the black frame and sometimes I like how light and fresh the images look without it.

If you are interested to see more of my TTV experiments feel free to stop by and say hi.

Guestpost: Similarties in collaborations

Note: If you would like to guest post @ ArtMind please contact me (mitsy@artmind.eu) and I'll send you the 'how-to-blog@ArtMind' -info.

by Shauna Busto Gilligan and Annemiek Hamelink

Part 2 of 3 (read part 1 here)

Shauna, the writer

After my initial collaboration with Annemiek, I presented a paper at Great Writing Conference 2010 (an international creative writing conference held at a UK university every year) with screen writer Karen Lee Street. We examined the creative processes Annemiek uses in jewellery making and analysised Karen’s collaboration with the painter Sam Street:

Karen and I found that while the outcomes and materials used differ hugely, the creative processes involved in creating jewellery/stories, art/stories have a lot in common – all rely on natural inspiration in order to create. Karen and Sam’s collaborations and inspirations echoed the “accidental” collaboration which myself and Annemiek had naturally experienced earlier. The academic research was an interesting way for me to then reflect on my collaboration with Annemiek.

After the initial story/bowl collaboration (see part 1) we attempted to collaborate using themes.

Based on my story “Lucky Horseshoe” we went with the idea of lucky numbers. Interestingly, neither of us were inspired by this to actually create. We talked via email about it, but still, nothing came of it. So, we decided to meet in person to talk about our collaborations. We both felt that meeting face to face would allow more freedom and movement to come into the collaboration.

Expression of Freedom
photograph by Astur Photograpy

Our previous “accidental” collaboration had followed the “process” of allowing creative freedom to work its way into a shape of its own. As we talked, we realised that we both felt the same - inspiration for both writing and craft was what led to the creation of something. So, the stories and the bowls, the products, will form the “plan” rather than a logical plan of “action”, we’re following now a plan led by the outcomes.

I’m currently working on a story based on one of Annemiek’s story bowls and we’re hoping that Annemiek in turn will be inspired by my story to create another bowl. In this way our collaboration is an evolving, cyclical process where image and word are assigned equal importance. The end results are tangible, measurable and indeed, for sale.

Every bowl, as they say, tells a story....

Annemiek, the crafter

As both Shauna and myself had left our desk jobs to create, very soon we both formed the idea to do something together, but as Shauna describes the initial idea of lucky numbers was too restricting and did not lead to anything. It was only when we let go that it started to work. And I guess that is part of the creative process, the freedom, the letting go.

I do like that way of working very much. Let a story, a line, the material speak to me and so create something new, very intuitive, nothing complicated. I do like the idea of a bowl leading to a story and leading to another completely new and different story. Thus the whole of bowls and stories form a never ending story and becomes part of the natural flow, thus reflecting the original inspiration of nature itself.

Even before I knew I would be creating story bowls and before I knew would be collaborating with Shauna, I had this logo designed for my company Two Trees which I wanted to be so that it would remind one of the circle of life too. Amazing how things always come together :-)

So how about you, do you get into a collaboration with other creative minds and if so how does it work for you? We would love to hear your comments.

Guest post: Collaboration in art and crafts

Note: If you would like to guest post @ ArtMind please contact me (mitsy@artmind.eu) and I'll send you the 'how-to-blog@ArtMind' -info.

by Shauna Busto Gilligan and Annemiek Hamelink Part 1 of 3

Annemiek and Shauna met each other in Ireland over ten years ago. At the time they both worked in desk jobs. Since then Shauna has returned to writing and Annemiek felt the urge to create with her hands and found clay, glass and silver very satisfying. Similarly, Shauna's husband Xuan left the corporate world to return to his first career as a photographer. Photographs which Xuan took formed the basis of the inspiration for some short stories, they produced a book together and sent Annemiek a copy as a present. She read the stories and some inspired her. Xuan's pictures bear no relation to the creations Annemiek made in any way, but Shauna's writing brings the two creative outputs together.

In this series of blogs we track how Shauna as a writer and Annemiek as a crafter have found the "accidental" collaboration of photograph-story-bowl in terms of artistic process and tangible outcomes. Currently we are using this experience to formalise further collaboration using Annemiek's "story bowls" as the starting point.

Step 1: Photograph to Story – Shauna, the writer
Xuan’s took the photograph of the lighthouse (above) at an open day run by the Irish Landmark Trust which gave open access to the public. As a writer, I found myself interested in what was within the lighthouse while Xuan as a photographer, looked outward beyond the lighthouse. It was the domestic details which captured me like the a chair or a towel on a rail. The idea of a winding road, seen as disjointed vertical lines in the photograph led me to thoughts of journeys and why one makes these journeys. It was the going away from something that made me create a character who is seated on the chair in the photograph, anticipating the journey her man is going to make in his new car, waiting to glimpse the shine of the metal in the sun – like the lucky horseshoe on the car – at a distance on the winding road. Read the story.

Step 2: Story to Bowl – Annemiek, the crafter
Reading the story I got clear images and flashbacks in my mind, the winding roads and the rolling hills of Ireland. I did not know the picture was taken in Ireland. Some stories will not have the same film-like effect on ones mind and the images stay kind of blurry, but this came through clear. I could see the man in a shiny open sports car with long wavy hair flowing in the wind while driving; the winding road, the wife looking out for him. The scenery something like this:

Now to capture this in a bowl I had to boil it down to the essentials for me, so I kept it in my head and let it mature. What came out was the lone oldtimer-type sports car in typical red on a winding road. I choose the dark clay as it feels right, if I had choosen crisp white porcelain, the feel would be different entirely.

Conclusions: Shauna’s thoughts on the tangible creation
It was interesting for me to see what image Annemiek had picked to hone in on when she created the bowl. While the car was indeed one of the main images in the story, it was more of the texture of the car, silver, reflection of the metal off the sun that was the strongest for me. The change in colour from silver to red was interesting but in practial terms works much better on the dark clay than a silver one would have worked. Annemiek had picked up on the notion of speed and movement in the story and what better image than a red sports car to portray that.

In this “accidental” collaboration the end product is something which can be used. I now use Annemiek’s bowl with the red car in it to keep silver paperclips which hold drafts of my stories together....

Guest post: 4 Tips for Viewing Art: A Beginner's Guide

Note: If you would like to guest post @ ArtMind please contact me (mitsy@artmind.eu) and I'll send you the 'how-to-blog@ArtMind' -info.

By Roger from hospitality management schools

Jean-Luc Goddard, famed Swiss French film director and critic once said, "Art attracts us only by what it reveals of our most secret self." Here, Goddard aptly noted what it is about art that makes us a appreciate it--it connects the work, the artist, and ourselves into a seamless unit.

Although we may not be artists ourselves, we can look at a work of art and recognize something profoundly true about an individual mind as well as about the human condition as a whole. That being said, anyone can appreciate art. But simply walking through an art gallery doesn't qualify as viewing art. Here are some tips to get you started on looking at art so that it moves you in an exciting way.

by restlessthings

1. Check preconceptions at the door.
Don't come in with any specific expectations. The best way to look at a piece of art is with a blank slate. Why? This is because when we approach something without any preformed ideas, we are approaching it with an open mind. Even if you've seen a particular artist's other works before, try to view as if viewing for the first time.

2. Spend several minutes taking in the piece.
While it is tempting to take one look at an artwork and move on to the next piece, you'd be surprised by how much you can miss if you leave too quickly. First just get a general idea, then move up closer and look for details.

3. Note how a piece makes you feel.
Although "feelings" and art are a rather vague notion that can't be properly translated into words, art appreciation isn't about "being cultured" or what have you. It's about your personal reactions. Viewing a piece of art and being aware of your physical and emotional reactions is what makes the process so rewarding.

4. Read the title and background information afterwards.
The other aspects of artwork aside from the piece itself can help you to gain some sort of context. While a good piece of art should transcend its historical context, it's good to get this other information in order to deepen your sense of where and under what circumstances the artist created the work. It also gives you better insight into what the artist was hoping to accomplish and convey.

Since viewing art is a highly personal experience, there is no one way to do it correctly. However, if you want to be methodical about it, these are only some general tips to get you started. Whatever you do, always remember that an artist put much thought and a lot of work into any given piece in order to bring you, her audience, pleasure or at least food for thought. Do the artist and art in general a favor by taking the time to look every work over carefully. Of course, there will be some that you don't quite understand or don't particularly like, but be sure to give each work a shot.

Feel free to drop me a comment or your thoughts at my e-mail (Roger Elmore).

Promise or not?

image by BigTallGuy

About a month ago, I announced on my blog that I wanted guestbloggers for my blog. Here is what I wrote at the end of my post:
I'd like to give back to the blogging community as I have received so much from it.
I hope this works and that you will all enjoy reading what the guest-blogger 'on duty' comes up with. I'm sure you will get to know a lot of awesome people this way. That's a promise!

Now I wonder if I kept my promise or not. I feel that guest posts bring more diversity to my blog and for me it's a wonderful experience meeting all these fun people that submit a guestpost.
But I do wonder: do you feel the same?
I'd like to know so please vote below to let me know...
Thank you & happy Sunday! :)

Guest post: Creating a simple and sweet logo

Note: If you would like to guest post @ ArtMind please contact me (mitsy@artmind.eu) and I'll send you the 'how-to-blog@ArtMind' -info.

By Vanessa Sky at vanessasky.com

Branding starts with a good look and having a catchy logo is essential.
Here's how I created a simple and sweet logo.
I started with what I make, sculptures. Mostly trees with a funny shape.

So I began drawing dozens of trees with this shape, keeping it simple and clear. I wanted it to be easily readable 10 pixels high and in black and white.

I picked my favorite tree.

I then drew my name, including the tricky s's.

I scanned them, cleaned them up, and put them together.

I loved that white space. Then I sent them out to make rubber stamps since I wanted to stamp it into clay for more texture. You can use the stamps to brand your packaging. Here is where I get my stamps.

This was the look I wanted. I had the foundation of my brand and you can see the logo in action here.

If you would like to read some more on logo's and design resources, check out these sites:
Some beautiful logos using negative pace - this is what professional Graphic Designers can do!
Graphic Design Association, they have standards if you are looking to hire a Graphic Designer - AIGA

Some artists with simple and sweet branding:

Paloma's Nest

The Small Object

Yokoo

Any other artists that you love the look of?

Guest post: Photographic journey - Food

Note: If you would like to guest post @ ArtMind please contact me (mitsy@artmind.eu) and I'll send you the 'how-to-blog@ArtMind' -info.

by Judit from Vadjutka

Who does not like food? Well, I love eating, which means I also love taking photos of what I eat. Mostly I prefer simple food like sausage or bacon with fresh tomato, some cheese and freshly made bread....mouthwatering, isn't it? Than let's go on a small tasty travel!

Poffertjes (tiny pancakes) in Amsterdam

Purple onions

Golden honey

Rosemary

Pie with cottage cheese

Melon

Coffee in Budapest

Omlette for breakfast?

Sausage

Rose wine

Feel like photo challenging me?
Leave a theme in the comments and look forward to my next photographic journey, perhaps it's your theme!

Guest Post: Good morning. I miss you!

Note: If you would like to guest post @ ArtMind please contact me (mitsy@artmind.eu) and I'll send you the 'how-to-blog@ArtMind' -info.

By Anka of happyhangaround.com

I like images a lot. They tickle my imagination so I often make up little stories when I look at a picture. This is one of those stories, inspired by the photography of Frank Kunert, Das Leben geht weiter.

'Morning, sunshine! Had a good night sleep?
I had a strange dream last night.
We were leaving for a long trip, but we didn't carry any luggage at all.
That's not too bad, if I think about it, but strange nevertheless, you know me and luggage...
The morning was cool and the sky was storm red, but not a single drop of rain.

I had my coffee while standing up and no breakfast.
Don't be mad, but you know I don't like eating alone.
I'll buy a pretzel or something on the way to work.
I promise I won't leave it on the car seat. Again.
I have to stop by the post office and I promised your parents I'll drop by for lunch.
I will also meet with the editor today, the book is ready.
But the fine tuning is a totally different story.
Don't worry, I'm ready to fight for every single word.

Tonight I have movie tickets with the girls and then we'll go for a short concert down by the lake.
A string quartet, your favorite.
So, if all things go as planned, I'll have plenty to talk to you about tomorrow.

Take care.
Hope you miss me.
I brought you the newspaper.

Das Leben geht weiter, by Frank Kunert. Photo from here

Wanted: guest bloggers

image via Amber & Adolph

I try to blog daily. I like blogging. No doubt about that.
You wonder why?
The fact that the things that keep me busy on a daily basis, are all in one place.
A place where I can 'keep' stuff and 'share' stuff.
A place where everyone is welcome.
Even without knocking.

Blogging has been a learning curve.
I've learned to enjoy making pictures and stories to share.
I've learned that sharing gives joy.
I've learned that joy makes me look at things from a different angle.
I love to look at things from a different angle.

image via clumsy bird

I also love the support from all of you who read this blog.
I appreciate the comments, opinions and feedback.
Be it anonymous or not.
I feel good vibes coming from this place.
It makes me jippety jappety happy.
It would not be the same without those vibes and they are coming from you so, thank you!

I sometimes wonder what this blog would look like if it was written by my readers.
I'd like to know so let's try, OK?
If you are interested in writing a guest blog post, please contact me via e-mail: mitsy@artmind.eu
I'll send you an invite and some guidelines to 'blog@ArtMind' so you can prepare your post.
I'll copy/paste it in my blog on the next 'free' blog day.
I'm not setting a certain 'guest-blog-day'.
Just whenever someone feels like sharing something.
'cause nothing beats an unexpected surprise.

image via Littleputbooks

I'm open to any ideas.
Be it an image you want to share.
Or perhaps something crafty you're working on.
A recipe that you think everyone should try.
Your worst nightmare.
Your favorite poem.
Your most cherished book.
Or just random, happy thoughts.

I'm so excited about this.
I hope you are too.

Note about the guestblogging after reading the comments and feedback:
The idea is to try and post one guest post per week, sometimes two, depending on my own blogging schedule.
I have no means of letting this blog become a guest bloggers-blog.
I will continue posting my own work in progress, flickr favorites, my creative space, crochet doodles, merry-go-round-posts, happy stats,...
I merely want to give readers a chance to post something they would like to share on here.
So, on a blog day, that I have not planned a post, I'll post a guest post.
I'd like to give back to the blogging community as I have received so much from it.
I hope this works and that you will all enjoy reading what the guest-blogger 'on duty' comes up with.
I'm sure you will get to know a lot of awesome people this way.
That's a promise!