Laurie Spugnardi

Archive for May, 2009

Sustainability, Who Cares?

Thursday, May 28th, 2009

This year’s buzz word: Sustainability.

Some haven’t heard the hum.

Last week I was sitting in a conference room listening to manufacturers (we are talking big, big retailers of stuff, lots of stuff) discuss how they buy and how we should to sell our art for use on their products. I have to admit, there was this moment when I felt like walking out. I did after all just take an oath to be a conscientious creator, so I stayed and asked “How has recycling and sustainability impacted the manufacturing process?” They replied that the economy has impacted the volume and green themes are popular, but as far as a sea change as to the way we extract, make, market and discard stuff… not so much. It is the consumer who calls the shots. They want pretty things on the shelf to look at, even if they don’t buy them.

Hmph.

I went to the Cooper Hewitt National Design Museum that very same afternoon. I was especially interested in seeing the Design for a Living World exhibit. Ten designers were commissioned to develop new uses for sustainably grown and harvested materials and tell a unique story about the life-cycle of materials and the power of conservation and design along the way. That’s the museum’s spiel on the show. I liked the show. A lot. But as I walked around the displays and watched video of designers talk about their process, I had this sad realization: sustainability is only as good as its practice throughout the cycle of extract, make, market, discard.

Do you see where I’m going with this?

The morning was spent talking about mass-market (low-cost) production, while the afternoon was spent in the midst of thoughtful (over-priced) design. My brain went into a cramp at the juxtaposition of these two and how they each play out in the marketplace. Is there a happy medium between the two production methods and are consumers capable of wanting less and buying better?

Are there enough manufacturers, designers, and consumers who care? I wonder.

Tags: Cooper Hewitt, design for a living world, sustainable design
Posted in on design, product design, sustainable design | 1 Comment »

Emotional Mapping

Wednesday, May 27th, 2009

A few weeks ago I talked about map design and trust. Today, it’s about mapping with feelings, literally. (woe, woe, woe, feelings…)

When you open a map, what do you expect? Here’s something maybe you didn’t… a map that tells you how you may feel as you pass through a space. Christian Nold has been designing a set of city maps that do just that. He calls his project Biomapping. It’s an interesting approach to map making and seems useful for zeroing in on parts of a city that buzz and those that just hum a little. Visually the map is lovely, but until I get to walk through San Francisco myself, I’ll have to trust Christian’s feedback map. See other maps and the ongoing project at Biomapping.net

Click on map to visit interactive site.

Tags: biomapping, emotional mapping, map design, mapping
Posted in just for fun, on design, product design, surface design | No Comments »

The Pod Hotel: Nesting in New York City

Friday, May 22nd, 2009

Great hotel, highly recommend. Just a block-an-a-half from the #6 train. You’ll have to share a (cleaner and nicer than the one in my house!) bathroom and get used to the bird size floor space of a single, but then who goes to the city to sit in the hotel room? Bigger rooms with private baths are available. There is funky euro-pop music and sexy artwork in the public spaces. The price is right, the neighborhood is nice and the rooftop view is delightful. The Pod Hotel.

Tags: New York City hotel, The Pod Hotel
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ICFF 2009

Friday, May 22nd, 2009

Ground floor Javits Center, NYC: International Contemporary Furniture Fair. So glad I did. I am a regular subscriber of Dwell and Metropolis magazines and a faithful follower of Designboom. ICFF brought three dimensionality to many of the articles and images in these publications (and many more). How an object feels, how it relates to space and how humans relate to it will either validate the utilitarian success of an object’s design or label it as an objet d’art. I would venture to say that many of the exhibiting designers are blurring that line and that’s why I loved this show. Humans like their stuff to work and love it when it looks good at the same time.
I took a few pictures which I’ve loaded here. Honestly I didn’t want anything to come between my eye and all those useful objet d’arts. Here is the ICFF link to browse through some of this year’s exhibitor press images. They really don’t do the 3D items any justice, but you’ll get an idea.

wool felt slices by Lene Frantzen of Denmark

low brow/high style corrugated cardboard seating

sexy textural glass panels

cloud lighting

Tags: designboom, dwell, icff, international contemporary furniture fair, Javits center, metropolis
Posted in on design, product design, surface design, sustainable design | 2 Comments »

Impressions from Surtex/Stationery Show 2009

Thursday, May 21st, 2009

Zounds! My head is delightfully sated with the sights and sounds of the past four days. I attended the Surtex surface and textile trade show in NYC to learn about licensing my art, and as it often happens… I learned things that weren’t on the program.

I was impressed by the variety of talent throughout the exhibiting artists and illustrators. I caught up with some old friends from my days at Renaissance Greeting Cards at an Art Director. It is nice to see they are still making and selling art. I’ve been following artist Tara Reed art licensing blog for a few months and had the chance to introduce myself. It was nice to meet her and thank her in person for her willingness to share her knowledge.

I also attended several of the seminars Surtex offered. Intro to Licensing was a good overview of what to expect in the industry. Times are tough and the margins are getting squeezed… so is the percent for royalties. Another set of panelists talked about the advantages of working with an agent or as an independent. Agents will take up to 50%, but have connections and manpower to market which allow artists to do what they do best—make art. Finding the right fit is key. Unrepresented artists must be able to make it and market it… the advantage is passion for your work. I also got an earful of legal concerns, ownership rights, contracts, as well as a variety of manufacture’s and agent’s concerns. Good stuff. Overall, the panelists were realistic but encouraging. They want new art for their product and need reliable artists to get it done. I feel a little less intimidated by the prospect and am looking forward to my first contract. By the way, manufacturers say they don’t read these blogs… but they do surf websites for new talent. So put your best (webbed) foot forward!

The National Stationery Show was on the same floor, so of course I strolled through and did some trend-spotting. The American market tends to be more conservative with their visuals. Comforting images and color combination remain a favorite in the stationery and gift markets. Spirituality and multi-culturalism are getting a lot of lip service, but I didn’t see much of them in practice or print. My modern and contemporary aesthetic sensitivities are creeping into the mainstream, but ever-so-slowly.

Tomorrow, I’ll talk about my stroll through the International Contemporary Furniture Fair. Knock-your-socks-off designs from around the globe for the home. It was so great I went back a second time!

Tags: licensing, stationary show, surtex
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