Adventuring-Art with Heart

via Design Sponge

The week included a variety of venturing, including the beginning of Sunny Side Up,  spontaneous fun in coffee shops, and ultimately concluding with adventures into the world of art. The beauty of art, I find, is not just what is created; it is the process the artists follow that showcases a chunk of their soul and fiery passion. Art establishes what makes people tick, and how the soul can bridge between the material world and human condition.

My entire Friday revolved around exposing myself to "student" art. Please not that the term student may imply a lack of experience or professionalism, but certainly does not apply here. The art I viewed is produced by an impeccably talented group of 20-somethings, and cannot believe the talent that was exuding from the two galleries I walked through. 

I began my day in the Architecture gallery to see + Impact, the show with my roommate's thesis. I was not only blown away with how far she's come since deciding her concept, but was impressed with both the layout of the space (*museum nerd alert*). On top of that, each project focused on a real location and used creative architecture to establish a positive impact on the area and community. Projects ranged from changing home dynamics to fit our 21st Century lifestyle vs. the 1950s lifestyle (i.e. inclusion of freeways led to spread out areas to make Suburbia). 

My second stop was Spectrum, the portfolio show for graduating graphic designers and photographers. I'm biased when I say this, but my best friend had one of the best portfolios.  Keep your eyes peeled to see her incredible, whimsical, and sassy designs of Kevlyn Walsh. I mean, just look at the cover! Other highlights included the work of Annie Kruggel, and the winning campaign designed by by she and Kevlyn for the Cal Poly Cat Shelter is both humorous and heart warming. I can't wait for it to be used!

Produced by Kevlyn Walsh, graphic designer and artist extraordinaire

A big surprise of the artsy adventure was a friend's photography portfolio. Displayed electronically on an I-pad, where beautiful photos were streaming across the screen, I was shocked to find this:  

Via Meghan Hollister Photography

Last year, I had the absolute pleasure of dressing up as Charlie Chaplin for a project done by Meghan Hollister. Her portraits are beautiful and always capture the endearing and inner spirit of her subjects. I had no idea this picture of me playing dress up could be considered as a shining piece of her work, and boy am I honored! Playing a role was hilarious and silly, but Meghan's ability to funnel that into a photograph with so much depth astounds me. Please check out her work. And Meghan, thank you dearly for offering me a significantly greater appreciation of photography. 

All in all, my Friday's adventuring went off without a hitch. I was even able to complete the evening with being exposed to the artwork of the soul, as I sat around with a few beautiful, strong, confident women who shared their stories over wine, cheese, and fancy shmancy appetizers (recipes to come!). It just reminded me how much strength, beauty, and creativity our world is filled with, and I hope you can find some of that today, tomorrow, and each day thereafter. 

The show itself was filled with up and coming designers and photographers whose work will fill the shelves of Trader Joes, the frames in your homes, and packaging of wine bottles, etc. Not only was their impeccable growth apparent, but to see their personalities shine through their work made it worthwhile. The displays of their portfolios and the variety of their work showcased so much emotion to communicate to the public, whether it was designing a book of Martin Luther King, Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech, or a poster for a campaign to save a forrest. Simply put, I was blown away by the perfect blends of colors, discussions, and growth. (See Kevlyn's portfolio cover below.)