Eileen Rothe getting the back story from Drew Young

We took in the IDEA Grad Show last night and all I can say is WOW! Each and every time we connect with that crazy group from the North Shore I’m inspired and amazed; they’re likeminded folks for sure.

The depth of creativity that IDEA graduates bring to the table is exceptional and the diversity amoung the group is really something special. What stood out to us this year was how eloquent the new grads were. They spoke about their lives, their work, and most importantly their process and they left us with a deeper impression of who they are and what they offer the market far more than any promotional effort could ever pull off.

That’s where the rubber hits the road as far as I’m concerned: talk about the process I always say (well, I’m saying it now anyway).

When artists and creatives want to market themselves they often make the fatal error of either 1. hiding in a closet (believing their work will speak for itself) or 2. they talk about the end result and how awesome it is (a noisy and desperate plea). The “true” artist and the shameless self-promoter are not all that effective at trying to elicit curiosity in their work or generate demand for their creative skills. Both of those approaches fail to create genuine interest.

In a market full of other talented souls the battle to garner attention is hard. From my perspective, what is, in fact, interesting about creative work, is the process. HOW they arrived at the final result is what makes me pay attention.

“Story” is always a good way to approach a marketing effort but I’ve been increasingly intrigued by raw guts of the creative process and I’m attracted to creatives who can expose themselves and their methods (or chaos) in order to share their creative spirit.

Take Drew Young for example. Sean Carter (Hangar 18 Creative Group) pointed him out to us and so we buzzed over to his display. Within seconds he was telling us about how he went about creating a collaborative illustration project that wasn’t even featured on his wall! Brilliant!

My advice? Be like Drew.

If you don’t know much about the IDEA program then here’s a snapshot: IDEA is a career-based three-year advanced diploma program offering instruction in both communication design and applied illustration. This dual curriculum sets IDEA apart from other post-secondary design programs and gives graduates a lifelong edge in the job market. In this demanding, full-time cohort program, students gain a strong theoretical foundation and learn how to develop and apply concepts, manage complex projects and meet current industry expectations, both creatively and technologically. To find out more about the IDEA program and its graduates visit capilanou.ca/idea.

So, a shout out to the IDEA grads for all their hard work – we wish you continued success; to the faculty… you’re doing important work, thank you for your leadership – the quality of the Grad Show is a reflection of your dedication to excellence and community.

Speaking of process, if you’re working on a creative project or entrepreneurial endeavour and you need help taking it to the next level… you’ll want to check out the Connect, Learn, Grow workshop series by Emotus Operandi. It’s happening Saturday, April 30th on Granville Island and you can register here.

Posted by: Corwin Hiebert

Thanks to everyone for the great feedback! The program has been set and Emotus Operandi has opened registration for the April 30th workshop event Connect, Learn, Grow! You can register on their Evenbrite registration page.

It’s happening at The Hub meeting space (on Granville Island – above Sammy J. Pepper’s) and it’s going to be a great day of connecting and learning together. The sessions are specifically designed to help you, and your creative project, grow and thrive. Each workshop is 75-minutes and they’re only $20 each (discounts apply to 3+ workshops). Here’s the what’s on the program:

1. Action + Planning. To get something done, you need a plan. But sometimes the plan becomes the biggest obstacle to actually getting things done? This session provides tools for balancing big picture vision with concrete, on- the-ground action to make real progress towards important goals. Learn how to create an action plan to keep you motivated and performing.

2. Karma, Love and Money. Freelancers often have trouble putting a price on what they do. This workshop blends concrete tools (setting an hourly rate, price ceilings and floors) with some high-level concepts (value, calling, balance) and provides an opportunity to do a little math while having some deep conversations with peers.

3. Good Enough Business Plan. Everyone says you need a business plan – but what do you really need? This workshop focuses on the value AND the limitations of business plans. We’ll help you figure out how to plan, without getting stuck in the planning.

4. Action Ninja. It’s one thing to have a great idea, and quite another to make it happen. This session provides you with tools and techniques that help you break big ideas down into manageable action items and then unleash your inner Ninja to overcome barriers and actually get things done.

I’ll be there. I hope to see you too!

- Corwin Hiebert

Out of the shadows we come! It’s been a few months since the November conference and though we’re not quite ready to announce the details regarding the 2011 conference we are able to pass along a GREAT opportunity for you to check-out.

CREATIVEMIX is proud to sponsor Connect, Learn, Grow - an inspiring and invaluable day of action oriented workshops hosted by Emotus Operandi.

We are sponsoring this event, in part, because you asked for it! After all the praise and love and gush-gush from last year’s conference died down we were able to gather some precious feedback regarding the needs of local creatives. What we heard was: you want more ideas on how to move a creative project forward (personal or business), you want to build collaborations and put some concrete tools in place so your project(s) can thrive. So we’re doing just that.

This interactive day of workshops will be on April 30th and we think you’ll want to be there. The day is all about you and your project, but to make this work we need to hear from you! What will make the day most useful for you? Please take a moment to fill in this quick, informal survey by clicking the “Choose Your Own Adventure” button below. This survey will give you a chance to help create the workshop program and make darn sure the day delivers the goods for YOU. Check it out!

“OnGray was a project that developed simply from the desire to do something random and creative with friends.” – Dave Delnea

Creative collaboration is a huge part of Delnea’s work. As a photographer and creative director he’s one of those true creatives, a real artist that loves playing and working hard at his craft. I’ve known Dave for about a year now and I can honestly say he’s brilliant, a real creative visionary. What stands out to me is that he doesn’t create in isolation – he’s always looking around to find collaborators.

The original concept behind OnGray was that Dave would get a few friends together and shoot a few pictures in front of a gray backdrop. It turns out a little vision goes a long way. As the idea developed it started to take on a bit of a vintage feel and soon involved stills, motion and a cast/crew of about 14 people. Dave’s posted the images in his Project Portfolio and there’s a fun behind the scenes video below too. I was involved at a production level – I’m the dork int he blue stripped sweater.

What I love about being around Dave is that he craves creative experiences in community. He’s passionate about getting to hang out with fun and brilliant creative people, being inspired by people with skill sets completely different from his own, and to be part of creating something that’s beyond what he ever could have come up with himself. If that doesn’t deserve a CREATIVEMIX shout-out I don’t know what does. You might remember Dave from last year’s CREATIVEMIX – he hosted the Photographer’s Den in the Exhibition. If you weren’t there then you have no idea what I’m talking about – but don’t feel bad. Nudge-nudge, wink-wink, know what I mean, eh? eh?.

Posted by: Corwin Hiebert

We were honoured to have the IDEA crew at CREATIVEMIX this past Fall and getting to meet a bunch of them was an absolute thrill. They love what they do! They’re so freakin’ passionate about design, art, and creativity that I can’t help but want to be around them (maybe it will rub off). When it comes to creative marketing I thought their “Win Free Ideas” contest – see video below – was awesome! What a killer way to get industry experience and promote the program.

IDEA is a career-based three-year diploma program offering instruction in both communication design and applied illustration. This dual curriculum sets IDEA apart from other post-secondary design programs and gives graduates a lifelong edge in the job market. In this demanding, full-time cohort program, students are given a strong theoretical foundation and learn how to develop and apply concepts, manage complex projects and meet current industry expectations, both creatively and technologically.

The grad show is a chance for graduates to exhibit what hard work and sleepless nights can produce! We support sleepless creatives! The Capilano University IDEA Program Grad Show 2010 is happening next Monday; I hope to see you there.

Posted by: Corwin Hiebert

BLIM is truly one of these great spots that we can’t do without. What stands out to me is that it’s not just a funky store – it’s a place to gather and learn – check out their amazing workshop schedule. Now, I wouldn’t go as far as to call myself crafty, so you won’t see me in a knitting class anytime soon, but screen-printing and button making? Oh yeah – I could rock those!

Here’s a little more about BLIM: it’s been in the heart of Vancouver’s DIY Main Street district for five years (yeah, that’s right, a DIY district – how cool are we)? BLIM is a non-funded arts facility run by and for artists and community. It is made possible because of the hard working Yuriko Iga, Noel Macul, and all their awesome volunteers. BLIM also raises funds by collaborating with various organizations both in the arts, media, and community field such as Powell Street Festival, Public Dreams, Langara Institute, Emily Carr, New Music Vancouver, and VIVO.

Here’s a few of the accolades BLIM has received:

“Best Low Profile Event Space” – Vancouver Magazine

“Best Innovative Arts Space” – Terminal City

“Best Place to Whip up some Art” – Georgia Straight

So… what are we waiting for? Let’s go BLIM!

Posted by Corwin Hiebert

A hipster bomb went off in Mount Pleasant! Oh man – the Tangents Art Show was tonight and it was a major hit! Great art, killer DJ, wicked room (Lifetime Space) all brought to you by Jeff Hamada (Booooooom.com) and the Lifetime Collective. We ran into some CREATIVEMIX peeps (like Dave Delnea) and enjoyed the commute to/from (a brisk walk just 5 blocks from our pad). Groovy Friday night out.

Posted by: Corwin Hiebert

I can’t stand it! I can’t stand it no more! There’s two kinds of people in Vancouver: people who know about Pecha Kucha and people who don’t (don’t even get me started on TED). It’s not that I’m angry at PKN virgins I just think they’re missing out big time.

Now, if you haven’t heard of Pecha Kucha then this post has come at the right time for you, trust me. Here’s what you can expect: there are multiple presenters (hailing from design, architecture, art, culture, activism, fashion, entertainment, you name it) and each presenter is only allowed 20 images, each shown for 20 seconds each – giving 6 minutes 40 seconds of fame before the next presenter is up. It’s highly entertaining, very inspirational, and in Vancouver it is usually at the uber-cool Park Theatre on Cambie Street where the beer flows (and the bottles roll down the isles every few minutes – Steven loves that part, I don’t know why). I’ve been three times so far and for $10 it’s a great night out.

Coming up on November 26th is Volume #9. The line up looks spectacular.

1. Chris Staples (Rethink)
2. Vancouver 2010 Design Team
3. Sarah Bancroft (vitamindaily.com and CREATIVEMIX speaker too!)
4. Tom Pedriks (Haymaker Creative)
5. TJ Galda (EA Canada)
6. Su-feh Lee (Battery Opera)
7. Elvy Del Bianco (Vancity)
8. Anne Pearson (Vancouver Special)
9. Michael Ziff (Hip Baby and Camp Moomba Yogathon lover)
10. Stephanie Hodges (Vitalis and Camp Moomba Yogathon lover)
11. Will Brown (Adbusters)
12. David Duprey (Art Space Developer)

It sells out so get your tickets HERE ASAP.

Posted by: Corwin Hiebert

So the basic deal is… drift along Main Street and see an eclectic variety of fine art and original handcrafts from established and emerging local artists including ceramics, painting, sculpture, photography, woodcarvings, collage, mixed media, glass works, jewelry, film, clothing design, textiles & multi-media compositions. If that doesn’t get a CREATIVEMIX shout-out what would?!

The image for this beautiful poster is by Drift artist Laura Zerebeski - her studio is at Beaumont Studios – 316 West 5th Avenue.

The building has 80 artist live+work studios at the corner of Powell and Commercial and attracts all kinds of artsy-fartsy types: sculptors, painters, musicians, actors, potters, performers, etc. The units are spacious with great views and the building has the types of things working artists need: a freight elevator, wide halls and doors, sound proof walls, and of course one can not be without, a kiln, wood shop, metal shop, dark room, dance room, and a 24-hr LOUD music practice room. The real cool thing about The ARC is the community. Residents collaborate on projects, join forces to host events, and support each other in the creative life. Sounds like a GREAT place to live.

I also stumbled across Lourdes Lara’s blog, an Honduran-Canadian ARC resident who is an painter, sculptor and multimedia artist. Very cool work.

Posted by: Corwin Hiebert