I am hired. Or will be. I had my interview with Signs by Tomorrow. And they want to hire me but I have to go through their hiring process which will be a bit of a balancing act since the position is in Flourtown, Pa and I’m still stuck here in Boston. But yay! I’m excited cause this means I’ll be in PA and close to people I know. They want me to come to PA for an in-person interview/training session and then I’ll be hired. Just gotta figure out moving and logistics stuff, but it seems like a definite that they want to hire me.
All posts by Kristi
The Mysterious
The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the source of all true art and all science. He to whom this emotion is a stranger, who can no longer pause to wonder and stand rapt in awe, is as good as dead: his eyes are closed ~ Albert Einstein
Job Potential with Signs by Tomorrow
So I recently applied to a position as designer/project manager at Signs by Tomorrow in Flourtown, Pa and they seem to be really interested in hiring me. For the first time someone has read my letter of recommendation and said that I was exactly what they were looking for! I’m excited too because its in PA and that’s where all my friends are. To be honest, I don’t really have a whole lot going for me back home. I mean its nice living with my parents but I kind of feel like I don’t have the freedom to do whatever I want even though they said I can do whatever I want. I’m just not used to making my plans and have my parents hearing about it. I’m really a private person when it comes down to my personal life and how I live it. In my opinion, if it doesn’t involve you, I may/may not share it with you because I feel like you have no need to know about what I do… That’s why I don’t like making plans when my parents are around cause they’ll begin to do the 20 questions game.
Anyway, I’ll be speaking with Signs by Tomorrow on monday.
I also bought some photo lighting equipment with some graduation money. I was able to get it on sale from Loadstone studio. I may not use it right away, but its one of those things that would be good to have on hand.
Visual Language
One of my long-ish term projects that I’ve been thinking about is creating a visual language that would be aesthetically pleasing as well.
Regular Languages are practical for many reasons, but wouldn’t it be nice to convey the same information in a more pleasingly manor? The language can be read by all even those who cannot read practical languages…despite having an information recall disability languages fascinate me.
It would also be good for those who are aesthetic learners, people who learn things via visual means. A linguist, Richard Brodie, developed a glyph system that took the english language and added color to it and he called it; Chromaphonoglyphics.
Even the social media icons can be seen as a type of visual language system. In esotericism there is a geometrical language given to us from the ancient Vedas called the Tattwas. Tattwa are geometric images from India. they are symbols that can be used in mandala. One of the most traditional symbol sets and one considered to have innate power to effect realization is by using Tattwa. These simple geometric symbols can be used in meditation.
I was then thinking about how other things are conveyed in a compact manor.
I somehow ran across floor medallions and thought that their style would be perfect for conveying a lot of information in a compact space.
So like the center could be the main idea of the story and the surrounding elements could tell details of the story. Perhaps using philosopher, Keyserling’s logic about brain coherence might be interesting to work with.
Dragonfly Totem
So I did a tarot spread about my animal totem as I never really got into totems but was curious what tarot had to say about it. I drew the Two of Wands as what it looks like and the Animal Divine Tarot says, it is a Dragonfly.
Symbolism
Illusion, the Power of Light
Dragonfly is the power of light. The dragonfly inhabits two realms: air and water and the influence of both these elements will be felt by Dragonfly people. Dragonfly is the essence of the winds of change, the messages of wisdom and enlightenment; and the communication from the elemental world. Dragonfly medicine beckons you to seek out the parts of your habits that need changing. Call on Dragonfly to guide you through the mists of illusion to the pathway of transformation. Dragonfly brings the light and color of transformation into your life.The dragonfly has a beautiful, jewel-like coloring. The bright colors take time to develop, reflecting the idea that with maturity our own true colors come forth. Structures in their shells scatter and refract light, making them look iridescent green and blue. This ability to reflect and refract light and color has caused it to be associated with magic and mysticism. Dragonfly’s magic is the power of light and all that has ever been associated with it. In Japan, dragonflies represent new light and joy. Dragonflies remind us that we are light and can reflect the light in powerful ways if we choose to do so. Life is never quite the way it appears, but is always filled with light and color.
The Dragonfly totem embodies the essence of change, renewal, wisdom and enlightenment. Dragonflies represent transformation – they begin life in the water as nymphs and then take to the air in colorful flight. The Dragonfly urges you to consciously express your hopes, dreams and needs and to seek areas in which to affect positive change
For some Native American tribes dragonflies represent swiftness and activity, and for the Navajo they symbolize pure water. Dragonflies are a common motif in Zuni pottery; stylized as a double-barred cross, they appear in Hopi rock art and on Pueblo necklaces. A Southwest Native American Myth says the speed in which the wings of a dragonfly moved would open up doorways to other realms and dimensions. They have also been used in traditional medicine in China. A Romanian folk tale says that the dragonfly was once a horse possessed by the devil. Swedish folklore holds that the devil uses dragonflies to weigh people’s souls and considered it holy. The dragonfly also symbolized the love goddess Freya. In Japan dragonflies are symbols of courage, strength, and happiness, and they often appear in art and literature. The shape of the archipelago of Japan, as seen on a map, is said to be that of a dragonfly. One of Japan’s former names – 秋津島 or あきつしま (Akitsushima) – is literally an archaic form of Dragonfly Island(s).[16] This is attributed to a legend in which Japan’s mythical founder, Emperor Jinmu, was bitten by a mosquito, which was then promptly eaten by a dragonfly.
What a perfect totem to represent me!! Its also interesting because a former classmate of mine had dragonfly wings tattooed on her back. I never particularly liked the idea of using over done icons and images for tattoos especially in places where its’ common to get them. I suppose its because if you’re going to get a tattoo which lasts forever, I’d choose something that’s unique and personal to me, I don’t care if you give your own personal meaning to a cliche tattoo people won’t know unless they ask… anyway this girl and I never really got along, at least in my opinion. Perhaps it was life’s way of saying, pay attention to her, something about her you could relate to, and of course it would be the dragonfly wings on her back. Or maybe she is the human symbol for my totem… life saying, she’s in your life for a reason!! Who knows…
But I think I am going to be using the dragonfly as a secondary symbol around here. A mascot of sorts. I really like what it stands for.
Takara Japanese
Just went to the Takara Wellesley branch for lunch. Really yummy sushi!! I highly recommend it if there is one in your area. Its pretty reasonable pricing for sushi at least. I had the Sakekyu which was salmon with cucumber. The atmosophere of the Wellesley branch was really nice.
Lightwaves bizcard
Yay! So today while driving around cape cod my mom and I realized how much potential Lightwaves has. I.E how many signs that really need revamping… and she was like so you need a business card.
Tonight I sat down and designed myself one. When I’m home next week, I’ll print out a test copy and then have them printed.
… for fun since I dabble with Tarot I asked my Tarot of a Moon Garden deck what my first client with Lightwaves might be described as.
First card: Queen of Cups – feminine, Pretty and beautiful, in a conventional and very feminine way, maybe a bit girlish. Nobody can say she’s not cute, but some people may think she is too sweet, too soft, maybe even a bit bland. Smiles a lot, is very charming. Of the four queens, she would be the most likely to be a model.
Second card: Death – very, very pale and dark hair. tall dark and handsome, or dark and mysterious. Perhaps a little on the quiet side, yet has an edge about him (or her)
Third card: Hierophant – Conformist… so it could be that they look and dress to fit society rather than setting trends. think pencil skirts, stockings, heels, sleek jacket. Very knowledgeable, soft spoken, intelligent. Also good looking simple dressed most importantly orthodox, traditional,conservative and following rules.
Lightwaves – Package and Brand Design for Crafters and Artists
I just launched a new business venture. I have always loved the creative spirit of Cape Cod and in honor of that I have launched a package and brand design venture. I focus on the crafter and artist. Sometimes the artist/crafter is clueless about how to promote their work and/or express what they do effectively and to do that effectively they need a good designer to visualize the spirit of their craft.
http://lightwaves.kglyphics.com
The Secret of Sion – William Henry
I’ve been reading a few books lately. I’m still working on David Wilcock’s The Source Field Investigations but I recently had a burning desire to read William Henry‘s master piece, The Secret of Sion.
I bought the e-book version on my ipod touch for the kindle app. The paper back price was $85 dollars and the e-book version was $10! It was worth $10 too cause I found a lot of grammatical errors along with typos as well. I hope it was only the e-book version.
But I couldn’t put this book down. It is right on cue with what I’m into as an artist. Finally, we have a modern thinker whose got a good handle on what the purpose of religion is. His work is really convincing and makes a heck of a lot of sense. I don’t recommend the book for those who are more inclined to be skeptic, you have to acknowledge first that the artwork done back in the medieval/renaissance time periods were alchemical and not just for aesthetics. In ancient/medieval/renaissance art had a practical purpose and that was to convey information and knowledge that only the “pure hearted” a.k.a the “initiate” would be able to understand. I watched a documentary awhile ago about the science/religion of ancient Egypt called, “The Invisible Science” and it said that symbolism and mythology was the first veil to receiving knowledge to become enlightened.
I highly recommend this book, but definitely buy the e-book version.
Guess its’ Summer
For father’s day we gave my dad a clam bucket and rake as he got a shell fishing license. We went clamming the other day and guess what we’re having for dinner tonight? Clam chowder! Yum.
Tarot Deck Project: 01
I am beginning to finally think about my tarot deck project and hopefully getting it published at Llewellyn.
I am going with simple iconography and meanings based on my philosophy.
0 – fool – godhead
1 – magician – Visual (consciousness)
2 – high priestess – information (symbols & words, Unconscious)
3 – empress – female energy – positive
4 – emperor – male energy – negative
5 – hierophant – Law of Attraction
6 – Lovers – sperm/egg – yin/yang
7 –Chariot – wormhole/merkaba?
8 – Strength – Combustion
9 – Hermit – pineal gland – pine cone
10 – Wheel of Fortune – Time – Motion ye Holy Ghost – electron spin
11 –Justice – balance
12 – Hanged man – subtle energy
13 – Death – rainbow
14 – Temperance – as above and so below
15 – Devil – material world
16 – Tower – electricity
17 – Star – light body
18 – Moon – shadow of the heart/shadow/spheres
19 – Sun – stargate – gateway – portal
20 – Judgement – transfiguration
21 – World – galaxy – sion
The Price of Sugar
I just came home from a movie screening I went to with my mother called, The Price of Sugar and it was one of the better humanitarian documentaries I’ve seen. It was sponsored by the people at the Vineyard: Christian Fellowship. As someone who has travelled to the Dominican Republic with her church, I really felt seeing this film was necessary. I have been a supporter of the Faire Trade movement for awhile now and I just think it is one of the more beneficial movements out there. Some of the things that were spoken in the documentary really struck a chord with me. I suppose its because I’ve seen some of the poverty in the Dominican Republic – but there is a difference to be Haitian and living in the DR than a Dominican living in the DR. In some respects (and correct me if I’m wrong) but I’d assume that since the relationship between the DR and Haiti is so non-existent that I think I’d rather be a Dominican living in the DR rather than a Haitian because at some level. I think it would be very difficult for someone to live in a country where its’ natives despise them.
The whole documentary reminded me of a moment when I was with my HSYG and we were at a supermarket in the DR. Every time we went to the supermarket there was a Haitian family living outside. If I remember right I believe it was a mother and at least three kids. I think we were on our last day and we decided to give them all the left over lunches (unfortunately it only happened to be one sandwich left). The little boy of the family came up to the bus and we gave him a sandwich. The eyes on the boy grew so big that it was really quite moving to see. Such a mundane food item, as a sandwich, would seem like gold to someone who lives on nothing.
Bill Haney’s The Price of Sugar could do without its close-ups of sugar being poured onto a spoon, and would benefit from providing more information about the United States’s close relationship with the Dominican Republic’s sugar trade, which this eye-opening doc vividly illustrates is predicated on ruthless slavery. Nonetheless, the director’s investigation has a clear-sighted persuasiveness, as well as a formidable, complex central figure in the person of Father Christopher Hartley, the son of Spanish aristocrats who—after years working with Mother Theresa in Calcutta—moved to the Caribbean island and promptly began upsetting his parish’s wealthy and powerful sugar barons, the Vicinis. Tagging along with Hartley, the film (narrated by Paul Newman) captures sights of concentration camp-level subjugation and abuse suffered by Haitians whom the Vicinis (and their industry brethren) illegally import, imprison at filthy outposts known as bateys, and force to work until their deaths. Hartley’s aggressive efforts to bring these heinous practices to light is given vivid life by Haney’s inquisitive camera, as is the priest’s staunch conviction in the face of mounting Vicini-sponsored smear campaigns aimed at compelling him to leave the country. An authentically benevolent man of the cloth (and people), Hartley nonetheless also proves politically cunning, organizing strikes within the bateys and bringing American doctors and media to his parish’s overworked, malnourished Haitian cane workers. However, he’s perhaps not quite as cunning as the Vicinis themselves, whose response to Hartley’s tactics involves effectively stirring up Dominican nationalistic (read: racist) hatred for the “poorer and blacker” illegal immigrants, and then blaming their presence in the country on Hartley. The Price of Sugar‘s motive is to open American eyes by illustrating where domestic sugar originates, yet the efficacy of such intentions are somewhat weakened by the director’s focus on Hartley rather than the close commercial ties binding the two nations. Nonetheless, as an exposé of corporate and state exploitation of the poor, his doc is nothing short of blistering. source of text