subeternal.com - coming soon

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Art of the Matter - Howard A. Tullman

When I was asked to be one of a panel of judges for The Artist Project exhibition + sale (held at The Merchandise Mart this winter), I figured that I’d look at some slides, pick some favorite pieces, and call it a day. I guess I should have known better. After all, as an avid art collector, I’ve been judging art for years, with various degrees of difficulty.But reviewing the pieces of almost 500 artists, and picking those that I felt represented the best of the best, was a real challenge and a serious responsibility. Since the show’s purpose is to provide visitors with the opportunity to discover—and actually buy—interesting and affordable artworks, it attracts a wide variety of artists; some I was familiar with, but most I knew nothing about. In a sense, I was again a novice—only now with expert tastes—and I learned a lesson that was just as valuable to the art-buying neophyte as to the serious collector. Yes, I wouldn’t have been there if someone didn’t think I had a “good eye” (or two) and that I knew something about the work and the market and what it takes to succeed, but judging art should always be a more emotional decision than a pragmatic one. And I really do know what I like.I like art that makes you sweat. That seizes your attention and imagination. Art that’s hard to look away from and never fades into the wall. That tells a story with a certain strength and power. And, above all, art that is well made—because I believe in execution and excellence and that you can always tell the difference. So my choices were, for the most part, easy. But then the going got a little tougher. I had to decide whether part of my job was to also include “good” work that I wouldn’t have in my collection if you paid me. Not that there was anything intrinsically wrong with the work, it just wasn’t for me, kind of like that painting or sculpture you might inherit from a relative that, while quite valuable, just doesn’t have a place in your home. Then I started to wonder whether we judges also had some responsibility for making the overall show a success from a commercial standpoint. Should there be some art for everyone? I’d call this “novelty” art—like those cute butler sculptures that can also hold a drink or two—and it surely sells. Please. I couldn’t do it. Ultimately I got through the process, and I made my choices. I’m happy to say that the process worked and that the group of final selections looked pretty good. The most important lesson I learned is that good art is about passion, not rationality, and that you can’t think your way to the right results. It’s always all about how the work makes you feel. That’s the artist’s job, that’s the judge’s responsibility, and that’s the only way to get to the right answer. It’s no different if you’re a “civilian” looking to buy your first work of art for your home. Don’t do it for an investment. Don’t do it because someone else likes it. Don’t do it because it matches the couch. Do it because it’s important to you, because it makes you smile and think every time you look at it, and because you have to have it. You’ll never go wrong if you let your heart decide.

Parents' Day Invitation

JD Email Invitation

Ralphi Rosario at Flashpoint

Suzanne Long

"The inspiration for the series Figures with Candy is locomotion both physical and mental. Commuting back and forth to work, when Public Transportation can also be the most private mental space, whether reading a book on the train or listening to music on the bus, looking out the window daydreaming. That suspended time when the past can mingle with the present... summer days watching little league games with a nickel Sugar Daddy sticking your teeth together, a smuggled Bazooka at the bottom of your school bag just waiting for the end of day bell to ring, the slow meditation of eating a Tootsie Pop anticipating the pop being so thin that you can no longer resist biting through it to the tootsie, the sound of Junior Mints rattling in the box like music. How memories accompany us, shadow us through our days and how the echoes of them can be heard when we’re quite enough to listen. I build using the coil method I use a low fire .06 buff clay. The candy pieces are also built in clay but painted with acrylics, everything is hand rendered and sealed with a wax medium. "

Ellen Glasgow Quote

"NO LIFE IS SO HARD THAT YOU CAN'T MAKE IT EASIER BY THE WAY YOU TAKE IT"

A.LIVE GENERATION Invitation

Election 2008 - Note From Howard A. Tullman

If all of life is theatre, we saw the best show on Broadway last night. No matter how you voted, I hope you can stand back today and see and even marvel at the amazing thing that has happened. An African-American was elected as the next President of the United States. We have said to the world that anything is possible in America. Mr. Obama's victory makes it even more likely that it could be a woman, or a Jew or a Muslim, or a gay American. As long as it's the most capable human being for the time, why not? Given the rich fabric of our nation's melting pot, if we can't call on the brightest and the best, we're not leveraging our unique greatness. When I was born, it was radical to consider the election of a Roman Catholic. My grandmother talked about colored people. When I was in high school, women didn't have executive positions at big corporations. My daughters simply can't imagine the world was this way. Bias hasn't ended in America, but it's on the retreat. No matter what your views are of Jesse Jackson, he was on the porch with Martin Luther King, Jr. when he was shot and his tears last night moved us all. As Donna Brazile, as tough a lady as there is in politics, broke while talking about Mr. Obama giving his inaugural address from the Capitol steps that slaves built, my mouth hung open. If you have any doubts about what a good and decent man John McCain is, and if you want to know how to handle defeat graciously, please listen to his concession speech. And Mr. Obama's acceptance speech made me proud to be an American, even though he wasn't my original choice for President. We haven't had such an orator since President Reagan and before that President Kennedy, and I think a little oratory is good for the soul. Today, excited by a sense of optimism and newness, I hope we can work across the aisles to solve our country's and planet's troubling issues. Acute partisanship has led us to the brink of disaster. Our absence from the world stage has left a vacuum. The world needs America front and center. Today I will pray for Mr. Obama, for wisdom, for courage, for strength, for stamina, and for his safety. Please join me.

A Little Note From the Republican Mother :)

To My loved ones who voted for Obama. Congratulations. Let us all pray that Mr. Obama is for real and has a solid plan for change to keep the United States from harms way. I AM CONFIDENT THAT GOD HAS a plan with all of us in mind and He will keep us safe and open our hearts to remember to be thankful for and never forget our freedom. This is an amazing achievement for a man with so little experience. I admire his ability to stay even tempered and focused, therefore I remain true to my belief that God has a plan. His eagerness to address the many challenges the U.S.A. faces is comforting and hopefully the country WILL UNITE AND WORK TOGETHER. We have to. Not as Republicans or Democrats, but as AMERICANS. May God bless Mr.Obama and give him the STRENGTH AND WISDOM to lead our great country with honesty and integrity. Peace and prosperity to all. Love, Mary

Matthew Woodson

Matthew Woodson was born and raised in rural southern Indiana. He graduated from The School of The Art Institute of Chicago in early 2006. He still lives in Chicago in an apartment full of hardwood floors and taxidermy, with an unapologetically vocal cat and a dog that is skinnier than the grain.

Ghostco (gôst-kô) n.00 within the company of the deceased01 an organization of the non-existent02 a "tag" used by the author at an adolescent age in acts of petty vandalism.

Email: matthew@ghostco.orgBlog: With Hands And HairMailinglist: The Great DisasterPrints: Thumbtack Pressdownload pdf portfolio

Flashpoint/Microsoft Invitation

Seymour Chwast

www.pushpininc.com

Einstein Quote

"The secret to CREATIVITY is knowing how to hide your sources."

Batman Executive Producer Michael Uslan Comes to Flashpoint

Matthew Cherry

Digital Media Arts Facts Poster

A Lovely Start to "Leotard..."

Marbelous Table!

Netherlands-based designer Tineke Beunders has created a table that combines the world of adults and children. Whenever you’re feeling like a child and want to do something fun or just need to relax simply get the marbles into the grooves on the table. The grooves run through the whole table and the marbles will roll down the legs to the feet of the table where they will in a small box so you won’t have to chase the marbles all over the room.

Pennebaker Hegedus Poster

New Flashpoint ad

Flashpoint Second Life Video

Click here to watch Flashpoint video filmed in the virtual world of Second Life - tells the story of how Flashpoint came to be!

Flashpoint Professional Standards Poster

Flashpoint Recording Arts Speaker Series

Paint or Die but Love Me.

Table by John Nouanesing

Coco Chanel Quote

"Some people think luxury is the opposite of poverty. It is not. It is the opposite of vulgarity."

MILK Table

How ingenious! My friend Shaun sent me this table to take a peek at... I love when form and function collide so seamlessly to produce an absolutely creative product. Function, form with a little bit of fun... Check out the fish bowl! Check out the site

Spencer Cook Presentation At Flashpoint Academy

Something I Ran Across...

So I got to work today and began to clear the clutter that has been accumulating for the past couple months... Where it comes from I have no idea. But I ran across a Post-It note where I scribbled down something I belive Jeff Garlin said when he was at Flashpoint a while back and it stuck with me. WEAR THE MASK TOO LONG IT STARTS BECOMING THE FACE It is a funny but very true statement. We all are guilty of occasionally doing things that are inherently not definitive of who we truly are (that is just "so not me"). But when does it come to the point when you can distinguish between the talk, action and essense? What I mean is you act upon a given instance according to something inside of you, then you can either be silently proud of how you acted because it was in tune with your inner essence (I cannot think of a better term) or you can talk and disavow what you previously said with some form of an excuse. But if you continously act out and disavow than how can you claim to be otherwise inside? I just am just somewhat startled by the amount of people who act one way and claim to be otherwise... that is why I find this quote so relevant and so true. If you do act a certain way time and time again and if you pretend to be this or that for some ulterior motive (whether you acknowledge the motive or not), you have to at some point morph into whatever facade you put forth. And this is true with both the good and bad... I don't know, something to ponder.

Charley Harper

Charley Harper (b. 1922 in West Virginia) provides us with a unique view of animals and other aspects of the natural world - not through realistic paintings, but by means of stylized drawings and paintings that capture the essence of his subjects using the fewest elements. He describes his style as minimal realism. In his art, the parts of the creature or ecological system are all there and are recognizable, but distilled in a manner that enhances our appreciation for their unique combinations of shapes and colors (i.e., less is more). He likes to joke that he doesn’t count the feathers of the birds he paints, just the wings. His different perspective on the world always includes a little humor and mystery.

Poster Design

Designing Type by Karen Cheng

As one of a graphic designer’s most essential tools, typefaces influence the appearance of visual print materials perhaps more than any other component. This essential book explains the processes behind creating and designing type. Author Karen Cheng discusses issues of structure, optical compensation, and legibility, with special emphasis given to the often overlooked relationships between letters and shapes in a font.The book is illustrated with numerous diagrams that demonstrate visual principles and letter construction, ranging from informal progress sketches to final type designs and diagrams. A wide range of classic and modern typefaces is analyzed, including those from many premier contemporary type foundaries. Introductory essays and diagrams emphasize the history of type, the primary systems of typeface classification, the two main proportional systems for type, the parts of a letter, the effects of new technology on design methodology, the optical illusions that affect density and balance in letterforms, and the differences in form between basic serif typestyles. The book provides detailed guidelines for creating serif and sans serif letters, numbers, punctuation, and accents. As design clients increasingly call for original and custom typefaces, Designing Type is a superb reference for both students and professional graphic designers.

Ronan & Erwan Bouroullec

Um, I believe I am obsessed with the Bouroullec Brothers.

Stitch Room (above)

"Steelwood Chair" designed by Ronan & Erwan Bouroullec for Magis

The Steelwood chair was designed by the progressive minds of the bouroullec brothers, the steelwood chair is a radical combination of two very conventional materials: steel and wood. aimed at attaining an ornamental patina over years of use, the steelwood chair is intended to preserve the illusion of timeworn delicacy. after extensive technological research the steel forming process has been refined to accommodate the unique and intricate form, requiring nearly ten successive stamping stages in order to create the perfect curvature. magis

Nick Dewar Illustration

ABOUT NICK DEWAR

"Born in Scotland, grew up in a small fishing town on the East Coast and attended Art School in Glasgow, lived in Prague, London, New York and on a sheep farm in Cumbria. After living in New York for nearly ten years I have recently moved to Southern California. I no longer have to bathe in my kitchen."

Nick Dewar - Illustration

Paradox of Our Time

The paradox of our time in history is that we have taller buildings, but shorter tempers; wider freeways, but narrower viewpoints; we spend more, but have less; we buy more, but enjoy it less.We have bigger houses and smaller families; more conveniences, but less time; we have more degrees, but less sense; more knowledge, but less judgment; more experts, but more problems; more medicine, but less wellness.We drink too much, smoke too much, spend too recklessly, laugh too little, drive too fast, get angry too quickly, stay up too late, get up too tired, read too seldom, watch TV too much, and pray too seldom.We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values. We talk too much, love too seldom, and hate too often. We've learned how to make a living, but not a life; we've added years to life, not life to years.We've been all the way to the moon and back, but have trouble crossing the street to meet the new neighbor. We've conquered outer space, but not inner space; we've done larger things, but not better things.We've cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul; we've split the atom, but not our prejudice.We write more, but learn less; we plan more, but accomplish less. We've learned to rush, but not to wait; we have higher incomes, but lower morals; we have more food, but less appeasement; we build more computers to hold more information to produce more copies than ever, but have less communication; we've become long on quantity, but short on quality.These are the times of fast foods and slow digestion; tall men, and short character; steep profits, and shallow relationships. These are the times of world peace, but domestic warfare; more leisure, but less fun; more kinds of food, but less nutrition.These are days of two incomes, but more divorce; of fancier houses, but broken homes. These are days of quick trips, disposable diapers, throw away morality, one-night stands, overweight bodies, and pills that do everything from cheer to quiet to kill. It is a time when there is much in the show window and nothing in the stockroom; a time when technology has brought this letter to you, and a time when you can choose either to make a difference, or to just hit "Skip Ahead"... Dr. Bob Moorehead

Apsley Cherry-Garrand Quote

"And I tell you, if you have the desire for knowledge and the power to give it physicalexpression, go out and explore. If you are a brave man you will do nothing: if you arefearful you may do much, for none but cowards have need to prove their bravery. Some willtell you that you are mad, and nearly all will say, 'what is the use?' For we are anation of shopkeepers, and no shopkeeper will look at research which does not promisehim a financial return within a year. And so you will sledge nearly alone, but thosewith whom you sledge will not be shopkeepers: that is worth a good deal. If you march your Winter Journeys you will have your reward, so long as all you want is apenguin's egg."

Ray Charles White

The Spions - 803, 888 and 108(Photo: Ray Charles White, Toronto, Canada, 1982)

Get Well Card

Farm Table

This custom made slab table is 76" x 38" and is made with the contoured planks from lumber that has been on the ground for greater than five seasons. Very dry and stable lumber. There are multiple layers of "finishes" built up to provide a warm, natural and organic texture. lorimerantiques.etsy.com

Gezellig Print

Gezellig: (adj.) A Dutch colloquial term.

There's no English equivalent, but the Dutch often use gezellig to describe a place where the atmosphere is just right. It's kind of a combination of cozy, homey, friendly, relaxing... just good all around.

Bottom line, it's a great word. So the next time you're in the Netherlands, give a lil' "dank u wel" to the Dutch.

Gezellig Print wants to bring a little gezellig-ness into your life with our unique, screen-printed items for your home or office. Each piece is hand-printed with extra care, and even though "cozy" may not be the best way to describe our designs, we think you'll like them nonetheless.

Tables & Prints can be found at gezilligprint.com

Kenny's Powerwashing Company

Playing the Building - David Byrne Installation in New York

To watch click here - Pitchfork TV

David Byrne gives Pitchfork.tv an exclusive walkthrough of the NYC art installation he's spent two years creating: Turning an abandoned ferry terminal into a giant musical instrument whose creaking pipes and beams are played with an archaic pump organ. The installation is open through August 10.

Quilts of Gees Bend

Linda Pettway, born 1929. "Logcabin" -- single-block variation, tied with yarn, ca. 1975, corduroy, 88 x 78 inches.

See other examples

"The compositions of these quilts contrast dramatically with the ordered regularity associated with many styles of Euro-American quiltmaking. There's a brilliant, improvisational range of approaches to composition that is more often associated with the inventiveness and power of the leading 20th-century abstract painters than it is with textile-making," says Alvia Wardlaw, curator of Modern and Contemporary Art at the Museum of Fine Arts.

About the quilts & artists from Gees Bend: The artists are all descended from slaves who worked a plantation called Pettway, located on the Alabama River. The plantation owner's surname is still ubiquitous in the community, and the residents still inhabit the land their ancestors once slaved. But now they own it. Through generations, the women of Gee's Bend have taught their daughters to quilt, using any piece of material available - from feed sacks to old work clothes. During times when self-expression was discouraged, their singing and their unique quilt patterns represented the women's only creative outlets. Geographically and culturally isolated from other communities, they developed techniques and styles with little outside influence; hence this quilting coterie has been compared to the great artistic enclaves of the Italian Renaissance. About 10 years ago, an art historian "discovered" these quiltmakers and began introducing their work to curators. Quilts that once kept families of sometimes 16 children warm inside drafty log cabins now hang inside some of the world's finest museums. Textiles that were once thought worthless now sell for thousands of dollars. A new sense of self-respect has evolved. And what is most extraordinary, despite their many struggles, the women are not bitter. Wherever they go, they leave behind a kind of inexplicable residual joy - as though they are unwitting ambassadors of goodwill and examples to the world that the key to true happiness exists in positive human relationships, not material wealth.

FLASHBASH 2008 DVD Cover

LEED By Example DVD Label Designed by Rachel Landry

Directed & Produced by Steven J. Berger

Flashpoint Admissions DVD Designed by Rachel Landry

Mom Strikes Back With Some Good Sense Quotes

As we learn we always change, and so our perception. This changed perception then becomes a new Teacher inside each of us.

-Hyemeyohsts Storm

Hyemeyohsts Storm's book, Seven Arrows, tells the stories of one of the Indian tribes in this country before most of its members were killed. They believed that change was important for growth. Change is sometimes frightening. We usually prefer the familiar, no matter how uncomfortable, over taking a chance on the unknown. When fear gets in the way of making healthy changes, we talk to fear, inviting it along with us on our course of action. Getting to know fear allows us to ask it for a gift: the courage to walk with fear by our side and learn from it as we go. It allows us to learn which fear is blocking our progress and which fear is healthy - cautioning us against actions that might be harmful.

MOTT Designs Arrangements for Salon Opening/Silent Auction Tuesday, May 20th

www.mottpot.com

Succulent Creation By Sally Armbruster (of MOTT - new Chicago-based succulent design company)

MOTT

LORA FOSBERG

Lora Fosberg

New Poster Designed by Rachel Landry

Lulu DK Fabrics

At Lulu DK, they are all about bringing life into living and enticing the playful side of a personality. They want you to learn to love the word driftwood and the color chili pepper.

Vee Speers - Untitled # 3 and #30 (The Birthday Party)

"She sees beauty where beauty can be terribly absent." -Karl Lagerfeld I saw Vee Speers' portraits at Art Chicago this past weekend. At the show her work was carried by the Galerie Anita Beckers in Frankfurt, whose main emphasis is on promoting the work of young artists (not sure if Speers quite fits the profile). All the portraits in her "Birthday Party" series are done on C-Print behind diasecon Aludibond. Vee Speers lives and works in Paris, and the red-light district of the rue St. Denis formed the backdrop for her Bordello series. Deriving her inspiration from the decadence of her surroundings, Speers shot in real bordellos, creating images “between genuine emotion and something more staged…a shift between the real and the surreal.” A companion to the Bordello series is Parisians, inspired by the voyeurism of circus shows. Speers produces her Parisians and Bordello photographs as Fresson carbon prints, giving a sumptuous painterly quality.Vee Speers' most recent work is The Birthday Party, a collection of portraits of children inspired by her daughter's birthday party. Having observed children playing at being adults, Speers imagined what characters they would create if they pushed their role-playing to imaginative extremes. In these photographs she has stripped away the idealistic stereotypes of childhood, capturing them happy to experiment with imperfection and embrace the grotesque. Vee Speers was born in Australia and studied at Queensland College of Art. Her work has been widely exhibited and has been seen in publications including The Sunday Times, Harpers + Queen, Arena, Esquire, and Black and White Magazine. A book of the Bordello series was published in 2004.

Johan Lorbeer's Still Performace

The German street performer - Johan Lorbeer. He became famous in the past few years because of his "Still-Life" Performances, which took place in the public area. His installations includes "Proletarian Mural" and "Tarzan", which are famous in Germany. Several of these performances feature Lorbeer in an apparently impossible position. Check out more, you will see the secret of it in the last pic.

MARIE BRENNER

Amazing woman.

ART CHICAGO

I Guess You Could Call This A String of Randomness... Connectivity In Life I Suppose

I forgot to blog about Vampire Weekend months ago, but now I have another reason to do so. The director & producer for their video 'A-Punk' were at Flashpoint today to plug their new film Son of Ranbow and a brief Q&A session... Garth Jennings and Nick Goldsmith. Check out both!

Reinventing The Allure of Bohemian Charm...

Saw some of Karen Zambos' designs this weekend and was absolutely in love... so up my alley! Googled her and discovered she reigns from Chicago! (...obviously got out of the Windy City to pursue fashion but from here none the less!) I have to say I dislike the whole "BOHO" element in design, but, to tell you the truth, it is what I am most drawn to. (and when I say dislike, I mean the fact that it is completely overused, not the actual look...) I love the looks of her design and it's nice to read about someone who hops around from one thing to another... various ventures all pertaining to design. (She started off with belts, then went to clothing, then rounded it out with another accessories line...) I hope to be writing/blogging about myself and my many ventures in a few years time. (I should say I cannot wait instead of hope... I cannot wait to start blogging about my various design ventures!!!)

Coming From the One & Only Albert Einstein

"IMAGINATION IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN KNOWLEDGE"

Ralph Waldo Emerson

"Wherever snow falls or water flows or birds fly, wherever day and night meet in twilight, wherever the blue heaven is hung by clouds or sown with stars, wherever are forms with transparent boundaries, wherever are outlets into celestial space, wherever is danger, and awe, and love, there is Beauty, plenteous as rain, shed for thee, and though thou shouldest walk the world over, thou shalt not be able to find a condition inopportune or ignoble." From The Poet by Ralph Waldo Emerson

Edgar & Ellen Banner - Designed by Rachel Landry

It's for the kids... Check out the site to play Flashpoint Faculty Member Simeon Peebler's game...