Archive for the ‘Technology’ Category

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Taking Care of Business

Thursday, July 14th, 2011

Yes we are, everyday!

This is a post that I’m also writing for Slipcovers for your Walls, as a follow up post to Social Media I did quite some time ago.

I’ve been doing a little website optimization lately and I was encouraged to see that we have a high website grade from Hubspot’s free website grader tool. I think Hubspot is a great resource, btw. We’ve been getting free webinars packed with valuable information that is jam packed with the most-up-to-date tools to use. The founders are Brian Halligan and Dharmesh Shah, who met at MIT.  I follow Dharmesh on his Linkedin Group OnStartUps for a community of entrepreneurs, another valuable resource. I would highly recommend looking into their services.

Here’s our website badge. We received a 90 our of 100. That’s not bad at all. The grader goes through your website’s strengths and weaknesses so you can highlight or increase the former and improve the latter. Very helpful.
The Website Grade for www.casartcoverings.com!
We think it is important to check your analytics as much as possible, because without having a tracking system, you do not have figures that give you accurate information. We use Google Analytics for this reason + bitly for our Twitter to help tell us where people find us. How they search for us as well as what posts they retweet. Hubspot also had a Tweet Grader and we received an 86 out of 100.  I was surprised to see that Ashton Kutcher is not one of the top twitter users, but Justin Bieber — his fan site is.

Casart coverings Hubspot website grader

We use sitemeter to keep track of where people come into our blog (entry links) and where they exit (out links).

All of these are free tools to use.

To end with appropriate fun music to Kick Start the Weekend, here’s a little Taking Care of Business from BTO.

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Posted in Business, Casart® coverings, Kick-Start the Weekend, Music, Slipcovers for Your Walls (casart blog), Technology, Twitter | No Comments »

Cellular Art

Thursday, June 30th, 2011

Microscopic art that we would never see if artist Jo Berry had not brought them to light.

Berry describes his collection, “The project is celebrating the human body, the use of new technology, the collaboration between science and art.”

 

Cellular art by Jo Berry as seen on Art is Everywhere

Cellular art by Jo Berry via MutualArt.com

Cellular art by Jo Berry as seen on Art Is Everywhere

Here’s a link to some cell-like looking paintings from a previous post.

Here’s a true classic, Thomas Dolby’s Blinded me with Science, to Kick-Start the Weekend.

 

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Posted in Artists, Everyday, Kick-Start the Weekend, Science, Technology | No Comments »

Print on Demand

Thursday, May 5th, 2011

I  was curious with what has happened with Written Images, a print-on-demand, one-of-a-kind, individual book creation with a compilation of digital art randomly assembled through a computed generated algorithm when ordered. Wow that’s a mouthful!

Here’s the original concept that I first learned about on Trendhunter, which I love as a resource (in my sidebar). The artists have been selected through a juried process and the Written Images project has started their printing with start-up money through Kickstarter, a cool crowdsource funding site for artists. I’ve looked into it as well.

Written Images from d_effekt on Vimeo.

It’s a concept that I’m interested in as my company, Casart coverings does digital printing of custom wall covering as print-on-demand.

We’re getting ready to unveil some pretty cool concepts in new designs and a new Signature Color collection so stay tuned here via our press warehouse and you may want to fan and follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

Another high tech thing is Art in Design, a  Virtual Art Exhibit app, from VPAP (Virtual Public Art Project), which allows “University students to hold an art exhibit this week in a virtual realm through augmented reality.”

VPAP-Art-in-Design on Art is Everywhere

Art in Design App from VPAP

Here’s an artistic opportunity and call for artists announcement for the Festival of Arts in Wayne County, CA:

The Festival of the Arts is seeking proposals for 2011 public art competition for murals and sculptures. The prizes are $5,000 for best mural and $2,000 for best sculpture for the Festival of the Arts, successor to last year’s Festival of Murals. Mural proposals are due May 27 and sculpture proposals are due June 15.

And finally, brand new music, Supercolider, from Radiohead to Kick Start the Weekend:

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Posted in Casart® coverings, Design, Exhibitions, Facebook, Functional Art, Kick-Start the Weekend, Music, Opportunities, Technology, Twitter | No Comments »

Pixelated Sculpture

Thursday, March 17th, 2011

I was checking out Radiohead’s new music when I came across one of their videos’ for House of Cards that I had not seen. Besides liking the song, I was intrigued with the pixelated portrait of Thom York singing. Normally the music for Kick-Starting the Weekend posts is inspired by the post but in this case, it is the music video that made me think of these pixelated sculptures that I had seen on Crooked Brains — a great resource for sometime on my sidebar.

Read further how artist Shawn Smith creates these three dimensional sculptures using 3/4″ x 3/4″ painted cubes to replicate the image as if it was in digital pixels. This brings the digital format to life. There is so much more on the artist’s website as well. He describes his creative process via this 3 minute video link and the painstaking detail in creating his sculpture — fascinating — sounds like artist heaven to me.

1_Shawn-Smith via Crooked Brains as seen on Art Is Everywhere

All Shawn Smith Artwork Images courtesy Crooked Brains

2 Shawn-Smith via Crooked Brains as seen on Art Is Everywhere

3_Shawn-Smith via Crooked Brains as seen on Art Is Everywhere

4_Shawn-Smith via Crooked Brains as seen on Art Is Everywhere

5_Shawn-Smith via Crooked Brains as seen on Art Is Everywhere

Here’s Radiohead’s House of Cards to Kick-Start-the Weekend.

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Posted in Artists, Inspiration, Kick-Start the Weekend, Music, Sculpture, Technology | No Comments »

Google’s Got Art

Monday, February 28th, 2011

I’m breaking from Mural Mondays, for today at least, to announce that perhaps you’ll be able to see murals and much more via Google’s new Art Project. With it one can travel to 17 museums, 385 gallery space and more than 1,000 high res images by 486 artists. Pretty incredible! It’s like Google Maps and Google Earth combined to give you an up close and personal look at famous artwork in their gallery settings, all without setting off the sensors.

It’s brand spanking new, so a few kinks have to be worked out  but try it for yourself here @ Google Art Project. Just to know you can have visual access to the world’s most notable artwork and travel to incredible art museums around the world, all from the comfort of you home is pretty fascinating.

Google art project, as seen on Art is Everywhere

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Posted in Exhibitions, Inspiration, Technology | No Comments »

A Million Little Pictures

Thursday, February 10th, 2011

Is an idea that came out of The Sketchbook Project, which has already passed the deadline in which to become involved (November 15th 2010). It’s a program where anyone can sign up to receive a sketchbook, where they sketch daily for a certain time period and then submit their drawings to be a part of a traveling art show. The exhibit starts touring in Brooklyn on February 19 and then continues around the country into the summer. This is a similar idea to Urban Sketchers but it is open to all and features and exhibition more than a community.

The Sketchbook_Project as seen on Art Is Everywhere

A Million Little Pictures is the same premise by the same organizers but instead uses photos from a disposable camera, which is sent upon signing up. Pictures are taken daily and then submitted. Anyone can enter and everyone is guaranteed at least one submission in a traveling photo exhibit. Act fast, as the deadline is March 31st and then the Photomobile exhibition starts traveling in the fall! I’ve added these two links to my blogroll, in case you want to check back on their sites for updates.

A Million Little Pictures as seen on Art Is Everywhere

A few more artistic opportunities, include Brooklyn Art Project is open to all artists of all nationalities to download and color this graphic below (at their link provided). Fold it and take creative pictures with it. Submission deadline is May 5, 2011. The most creative 100 selected by the staff will be published on a website.

Brooklyn-Art-Project, as seen on Art Is Everywhere

Finally, submissions for the Cleveland Arts Prize have already passed in December but stay tuned for their announcement of the four winners, who will be awarded cash prizes of $5,000 each for their submissions in either: literature, visual arts, design, and music and dance. The awards gala is Tuesday, June 28th at The Cleveland Museum of Art.

Cleveland Arts Project as seen on Art is Everywhere

The Public Art Network is also a resourceful place to check for ongoing public art opportunities.

Public-Arts-Network, as seen on Art Is Everywhere

For a little different type of music to Kick-Start you Weekend, here’s some interactive music by Play the Music at the G-Shock event in Madrid in September 2010. If you view all their videos, you’ll see that they are all interactively made with light from a flashlight pointing on selected images to creat the music.

G-Shock_Building Music by Play the Music, as seen on Art Is Everywhere

G-Shock by Play the Music. Links to video

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Posted in Creative Process, Everyday, Kick-Start the Weekend, Music, Opportunities, Photography, Sketchbook, Technology | No Comments »

Popup Art

Friday, September 10th, 2010

Did I mention that I love popup books? I think I did. Peter, my husband, and I were able to finally see the Paper Engineering exhibit at the National Museum of American Art before it closed. I mentioned it in a recent post. I was fascinated with the history of popups and the terminology. Peter had his Pavlov Dog “tired” expression on the minute that we entered the museum…..(He wasn’t that way with Chuck Close, however.) I don’t think I’ll take him to If You could Read my Pins….

large_image_1526 for Paper Engineering Exhbit. NMAA

One Red Dot sample popup book for Paper Engineering Exhbit. NMAA, Art is Everywhere

I bought the Marion Bataille book, ABCD, because I thought it was the most contemporary, conversational piece. The hologram cover, just in itself, sparks the imagination. I was a bit disappointed, however, after reviewing several times that for some unexplainable reason  the “Q” and the “R” were left out. As it turns out, after viewing this Vimeo video below, the mylar sheet may just have fallen out before it was packaged. Well, at least I know what to do to make one now.

ABCD_Marion Bataille - Popup book, on Art Is Everywhere

ABCD popup book by Marion Bataille

Q_R_page in popup by Marion Bataille, on Art Is Everywhere blog

Q / R page missing in our popup book by Marion Bataille


Popup by Marion Bataille
Uploaded by jacques_faciale. – Watch original web videos.

I’ve got my Papers in Order by The Old Ceremony seems apropos for this post and to Kick Start the Weekend. They were great in concert, by the way! They are a “smart” band out of UNC, Chapel Hill and the only one I know of with a modern American song in Japanese that could  be mainstream (to post later).

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Posted in Exhibitions, Inspiration, Kick-Start the Weekend, Literature, Music, Technology, Uncategorized | No Comments »

Interactive Meetings

Friday, August 20th, 2010

As I mentioned Trend Hunter earlier this week, I’ll end this week with them as well. I found this a while ago but as we are now traveling to take our younger son to college, I thought this post regarding intellectual brainstorming might give some inspiration for his classes ahead.

Trend Hunter is now on TV.com and has YouTube posts. This is one about the most innovative, interactive meeting ideas. The privacy/office space chair and the brainstorming table were my favorites.

Trendhunter_Private Office Space, as seen on Art Is Everywhere

InteractiveTables_trend hunter, as seen on Art Is Everywhere

What You Need by INXS seems appropriate for this post and to Kick Start the weekend.

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Posted in Business, Design, Functional Art, Inspiration, Kick-Start the Weekend, Music, Technology | No Comments »

Museums at your fingertips

Wednesday, August 4th, 2010

How cool would it be if you could just see an exhibit online, rather than dealing with parking and sometimes a logistical nightmare of just getting there and then contending with the crowds? Well, it may be a possibility pretty soon.

From the Independent, a London paper, mind you not found in a US media outlet:

In the spirit of the online art movement, renowned contemporary art institution, the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation has collaborated with YouTube and computer manufacturer HP to launch an online biennial of artist-created videos called YouTube Play. A Biennial of Creative Video….The screen-based exhibition aims to collect artwork from some of “the most exceptional talent working in the ever-expanding realm of online video.”

Guggenheim Museum, NY, as seen on Art Is Everywhere

Guggenheim Museum, NY, courtesy The Independent UK

There are a couple exhibits in town now that I really I hope I get a chance to see but with pressing work, travel, etc. it will be hard. I am just going to have to fit it into the schedule. We have a some family time with Congress on break and then we get a much needed vacation. Here are some exhibits, in addition to what I’ve already mentioned, that would definitely be worthwhile attending:

1) Chuck Close, Process and Collaboration at the Corcoran Gallery of Art, through September 12.

Chuck Close-Corcoran Gallery of Art, as seen on Art Is Everywhere

Chuck Close-Corcoran Gallery of Art

I’ve always been fascinated with his innovative style of painting. It is amazing to me he has found ways to express his art despite his physical disabilities. I ran across this interesting video from Creative Arts and Aging Network a while ago that helps to explain his creative process.

2) Legos Architecture: Towering Ambition at the National Building Museum, through September 5.

legos-large. courtesy USA today, as seen on Art Is Everywhere

Legos Exhibit. Courtesy USA today

I think Legos are great! The fact that these models were built by architects just further connects for me the association between Legos, math and engineering. I can’t help but believe because my older son, Piers, was a master Lego builder and he couldn’t get enough of them when we was growing up, that this is why he excels  in math and currently he is on a path to becoming a civil engineer. Luckily, he has a paid internship with Clark Construction this summer working on the biggest project on the North East. He’s done well, all by himself, and we’re proud of his achievements.

Legos exhibit, National building museum, Art Is Everywhere

Legos exhibit, National Building Museum

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Rice Field Follow Up

Monday, August 2nd, 2010

I’ve written about the artistic rice paddy fields in Japan before but this video explains the creative and engineering process of getting the images to sprout in the rice fields. What an innovative idea that not only brings this village community together by involving them in the process but brings tourism to their town.

Rice Paddy Art. Watch more top selected videos about: The Early Show (video disabled by CBS)
rice-paddy-art-design-layout. Photo via Let's Japan, seen on Art Is Everywhere

Rice Paddy Art & Design Layout. Courtesy Lets Japan.com

This is even more interesting to me now that my son Jackson has returned from Sewanee’s summer school and it’s official, he will be attending The University of the South in the fall. (I know, it’s kinda late in the game as his parents to know this but we’ve had a lot of practice at challenges with a teenager by now. It’s nice to see that now that he’s 18, he’s finally outgrowing the teenage angst. Fingers crossed.) He exceeded the minimal, pass requirement by making an A in Math and B+ in English, both with professors who my husband and I had when we attended Sewanee. Now he’s got one semester worth of credits for these subjects under his belt and he’ll be ahead starting the new year. This will be an interesting and somewhat surreal experience for us all, for Sewanee is not the same since we were there, and I wouldn’t expect it to be. For instance, we used to have to take five credits per semester, now students take four.  They now have common interest “communities” where students with similar interests are housed in one dorm location. Jackson informs us that he wants to take Japanese as his foreign language (not offered when we were there) with the hopes of even studying abroad in Japan. Maybe we’ll get to see these fields afterall.

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Posted in Design, Education, Family, Functional Art, Mural Mondays, Murals, Nature, Technology, Uncategorized | No Comments »

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