There are a few caveats about this link to Wilderness Downtown. First, it will only work with Google Chrome as your browser and second, if your childhood home was on a busy enough street to show up in Google Maps Streetview. Oh, hopefully you also like the band Arcade Fire.
It's basically the opening to Where the Wild Things Are movie - but personalized. You start by entering in your address of a childhood home and let it unfold. I tried it about four times with different addresses and now I'm a little sick of it, but the initial first time was pretty sweet.
The last few weeks have been spent working on a mobile device app which focuses on Fort Vancouver in Vancouver, Washington. What is it? See here. Beta testing begins in the Fall.
The Mobile Vancouver Project is the brainchild of Brett Oppegaard and other media professors at Washington State University and rangers at Fort Vancouver. The first module of this project (so far there are three) focuses on the cultural aspect of the Fort; the Hawaiian laborers and William Kaulehelehe. Ke Kukui Foundation was contacted as a cultural reference and since I'm one of the "historians" and liaison between KKF and the Fort, I've been an active part. Besides researching the history through reference books and countless hours online, I worked on finding the scenes, the appropriate chants, music and verses, casting the actors, and managing Ke Kukui's part with Brett.
Bully Magsayo recites the Lord's Prayer in `olelo Hawaii and in English.
The story of William Kaulehelehe is quite heartbreaking.
He was an unordained minister who was asked to come from Hawai`i in the mid 1840s to influence the hundreds of Pacific Northwest Hawaiians who were working as trappers, laborers, millers, sailors, gardeners, and cooks at Fort Vancouver.
On the left, the real William and Mary circa 1850s. On the right, our actors Frank VanWaardenburg and Virginia MacKenzie
He was known in Fort Vancouver history as “Billy” or “Kanaka William" and while not an ordained minister--no Hawaiians had been ordained by that date though some had already been formally licensed to preach by the Protestant missionaries--but he was a man of good reputation. And, it should be noted, McLoughlin placed him on the rolls as “teacher” at an annual salary of £40, a rate about equalling that for the top European craftsmen on the Columbia river.
Recreating the confrontation of the US and William, just before they burned down his house.
In early 1860, with the decline of the beaver fur trade and a border dispute, Hudson’s Bay Company relocated to Victoria, BC and gave up the Fort to the Americans. Kaulehelehe and his wife lived there for a few months until the U.S. Army removed the windows and doors from his home, carried him out by force, and burned the house in March of 1860.
The app will have recreated scenes of this as well as an earlier antidote of Hawaiians doing a hula in 1847 even after it was outlawed in Hawai`i.
Preparing to film the hula scene.
Late one night, the men had gathered, were drinking and generally were in a jovial mood. "8 Sandwich Islanders in the crew who afforded a pantomime dance with singing - grotesque and ridiculous." 1847, Paul Kane. Two wanted to desert the next day because of the ridicule. "Ku on Columbia: Hawaiians in 1831-1854" " by Donnel J Rogers.
Aloha!
A quick note on the festival I co-coordinated in Vancouver and Portland over the last weekend of July. Over 10,000 attended over the three days. Here's the banner I designed for the stage. Thanks to Dallas Roemling at Oregon Blue Print for the great printing job.
Jenny Beorkrem works for herself designing posters such as the one above, from home, in her bare feet.
What she misses about her 9-5?
Absolutely nothing...designers that may not get to escape the cube very often for meetings, long lunches or professional development, cannot be creative in there. Providing the right resources, freedoms and work/life balance to your employees, even if it costs more money or time, is an investment in better solutions for your clients. Oh, of course I miss having designers or someone around to bounce ideas off of besides my dog… although she usually agrees with me, which is nice.
I've experienced both and seen the quality of the companies who invest in feeding their creatives spark make amazing work. So what inspires you? One of the the biggest problems I find by working by myself, besides the way too comfortable work attire, is the absence of someone to bounce ideas off of. Sometimes even, if the partnering is healthy and there's no macheesmo, you can even be inspired to do brilliant work (thanks, Sean T). I'll occasionally email idea samples to my graphic designer sister in Baltimore and she almost always has an honest comment which I appreciate. She helps me help myself to be a better designer and thank goodness for that. Mr. Owen Fluoride, the bunny who sits at my feet is silent.
With artists, there's almost always that arrogant attitude that comes with having to self promote, self promote, self promote. I encounter the bad form a lot with artists from all media; from photography, programming and painting, to cooks in the kitchen. I'm guilty myself, having had a fit last night over a friends suggestion I add an ingredient to my perfect pie recipe. It's not their/our fault really, to believe in our creations. But I swear there is a balance of generosity and tact when promoting oneself, delivering criticism and even accepting criticism.
Designers who inspire other designers can be angels. Back to Jenny Beorkrem who often get's compared to Paula Scher. How to be a good business person and not a self promoting jerk? Jenny says "A core belief of Ork Posters is keeping the designs original to you and your environment. Someday I may wonder, 'What was I thinking?' but we don't license or permit the design to be used for any external, promotional purposes. We've turned down big companies like Urban Outfitters, Macy's and art distributors because I don't want to just sell, sell, sell, that's easy. The challenge is to build a business - offer great products, collect a customer base, and build a brand that people can relate to. Because we'll inevitably have more ideas and products come along in the future, and I want to make sure that Ork has a connection with YOU, so you'll be around for it - as cheesey as it may sound."
And it's working for her. Her artwork is seen everywhere from movies, tv shows, magazines to Jimmy Kimmel's apartment. And I find this attitude inspiring. Kudos to you Jenny! Buy her super cool type heavy prints here: Ork Posters.
