“Design Activist” would be the most appropriate way to describe American industrial designer Stephen Burks. This young multi-talented visionary, who has worked with some of the world’s most recognizable names in fashion and furniture industry, is changing the we way think about design – one idea at a time. By simultaneously using a top-down and a bottom-up approach he brings together the industrialized world’s gatekeepers of culture with traditional people in remote locales to create sustainable objects and symbiotic relationships.
Suzanne Morlock is an artist who lives outside Jackson Hole, Wyoming. She is works in painting and more recently sculpture and installation involving more organic materials, paper and felt. Morlock has exhibited in the US and internationally. This posting is drawn from her experiences in the summer of 2009 with Cross Cultural Collaborative, Inc., Teshie/ Nungua, Ghana.
Today’s post is written by a guest blogger, Sarah Archer, who is the Director of Greenwich House Pottery. She writes about their current exhibition, “Mid-Century Style and Studio Pottery,” up now through February 10. The exhibition is a must-see for mid-century modernism addicts (I personally would like to move right into the period room she installed), who can also get a fix at tonight’s program at MAD, organized by Sarah.
First, a little history – during the 1600’s, groups of escaped and shipwrecked African slaves made their way to St Vincent Island, an island of the Lesser Antilles, the islands that form eastern side of the Caribbean Sea. They mixed with the indigenous Caribs and Arawaks and the Garinagu (that’s plural for Garifuna) were born. They developed a unique language, culture and ritual. Drumming and dance had a central place in the culture.
ED: Dr. Arturo Lindsay, is a Professor of Art & Art History at Spelman College, GA
At the Artist Market of the National Black Arts Festival in Atlanta this summer I was admiring a silver ring that a vendor was showing me when all of a sudden a burst of brilliant colors emanating from the adjacent stall distracted me, demanded my attention and forced me to walk away from the silver vendor. The brilliant colors were coming from BaBaBlankets’ stall.
The backdrop of Columbus Circle set the stage for our afternoon adventures with enamel. It seemed the excitement of the city was echoed in the classroom with everyone jockeying for position in the queue. I think everyone was a little surprised by the actual experience of enameling, especially when a little chaos is encouraged.
EDITOR - Stephen is a regular participant in our Studio Sundays programs, in which museum visitors of all ages are invited to create their own artworks in our 6th floor studios. He wanted to share this link as an example of the kind of work he does outside of Studio Sundays.
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Q-tips + perforated ribbon constructions – Aftereffects, Photoshop
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As a Concept Engineer, I love Studio Sundays at MAD. In the business world, I generate New Ideas and bring a blend of applied creativity and objectivity to client’s challenges (including COTY and DuPont) helping them to see new possibilities and create new revenue streams. My ideas are strategic and innovative solutions that bring together aesthetics and measurable results.
Sometimes its fun to participate in activities that are measurable in a different respect. During Studio Sunday, a multi-generational program, I enjoy discussing selections from the art on view – collaboratively. The best part follows. A MAD facilitator assigns participants a problem to solve with[in] limited time constraints and using humble materials. The outcome of this challenge is creative play which I find refreshing. It is inspiring to see others’ creative process and their artistic solutions too, all accomplished within a highly supportive atmosphere. These results are measurable in terms of pure fun and enjoyment.
Stephen Milne, Founder MODERNITY
March 12th, 2009
Stephen Milne
