Category Archives: Studio Wrap Up

Studio Wrap-up Fall 2019

September 30, 2019 Kristi Leave a comment

Hi! It’s been awhile since I’ve done a studio wrap-up post. But wanted to let my visitors know what’s been going on around here.

1) One of the primary things I’ve been working on is this website, as it’s my portal to the online and sometimes real life world. As an independent artist having a home to post my artwork is essential! It’s also one of the things that’s been overwhelming me because earlier I didn’t know where to even begin with all that I do and accomplish. I am also loving how far I’ve come and my connections really seem to love the site as well. Makes all the effort worth it. Now I just gotta work on getting customers to buy my media products! 🙂

I finally worked out an ecommerce solution that worked with my many different products. It’s more manual than woo commerce but definitely more flexible.

I am also working on cause-marketing for my science/outreach projects. I love how that’s coming along. I am working towards buying sublimation printing equipment so I can print merchandise styled towards these projects so I don’t have to pay for short-runs at other companies.

2) I will be reading in Salem again this year! I just won’t be doing double-shifts as that put a strain on my third-eye and I can’t have it shut off again! Though thankfully I am in a lot better headspace that I was this time last year so my performance should be a lot better.

3) I went on my first research trip this past May to Greenland! It went swimmingly well and launched a whole new component to my artistic practice – traveling exhibitions! This also helped me reorganize some of my current art projects. I have been developing the exhibition stemming from this surrounding the modernization of Greenland and how they learned to co-exist with it.

The museums I’ve reached out to so far have given a positive response. So far this exhibition is projected to be at the Hitchcock Center for the Environment in Amherst, MA and the Museum of Science in Boston, MA. I’ve been talking to a few other locations especially in the North Western coast of the US as that is where the Inuit originated.

4) I booked my first client through my website! They want a brochure, logo and some other materials and are a furniture company. I am over the moon that they reached out as I will be paying off Greenland earlier than I thought!

5) Research-wise: I have made progress in my Cymatics and MagKnotic projects. I made the plunge and bought the materials for my Cymatics setup after a disappointing purchase from Etsy from a seller that sold these setups. I studied their product images and bought the materials… I also have been working on my MagKnotic setup and after experiencing some frustrations with trying to do this on my own I went and studied the paper a bit more and found a reference to someone who was making these setups.

I think when I get the chance, I will buy one of their setups. I will end up spending the same amount of money trying to do it myself and buying a pre-made setup. I never intended this project to be about building the setup it was more about achieving the image result.

6) I’m headed to Curaçao for my 30th Birthday! Because of my newest client I will be able to go on a trip on my 30th birthday! Initially I didn’t think I would be going anywhere next year because of paying off Greenland but that’s not an issue anymore.

7) I’ve been motivated to get back into mushroom hunting and submitted my project to the organization that handles this project, it involves sequencing fungi DNA and ID. You can see this project under the Science & Research tab. I am glad I still have the interest after being kicked out of the PVMA. I’ve been struggling to move on from that and I think returning my focus to this research interest will help.

8) I did my first engagement shoot in Boston with my brother and his girlfriend. I am really pleased with the results of this shoot and they are too!

I believe that is all, phew! The last several months have been intense but that’s nothing new. I am excited about the progress I’ve made and what is to come!

Blog, Excursions, Lifestyle, Projects, Studio Wrap Up

Photography: Photo Projects Wrap Up

June 30, 2017 Kristi Leave a comment

New Electrography Images

Sometime back in May after starting my new job, I went to the Vermont Center for Photography to expose a new round of electrographic images. The last time I think I did this was Italy I believe. I can’t believe it really had been two years since I created new images. Time flies when yer hustlin’…

I haven’t decided if any of the above are portfolio worthy. I have many plans to return after my life has settled and regained some stability. A colleague of mine suggested I do some sort of oracle deck regarding plants and flowers and was trying to figure out the best divination method for this. While talking to someone since moving here, I have realized a method to do this functionally however it will require a lot of trial and error. It came about after being inspired by how Italian artists decorate the streets for the Bishop’s arrival on easter and how one of my pieces resembled fish jumping out of the water. This symbology sparked an idea of how I could go about making an oracle deck and going back to ancient times and how psychics and seers would through bones and sticks to tell a fortune. The image would be the fortune and whatever is seen in the image would be what would be predicted. Kind of like a tea leaf reading as well.

I also have begun a traditional photo project that I started in my traditional photo class in college that required spinning objects on a lazy Susan and capturing the light streaks swirling around the object. I have been thinking a lot lately about my mission and how to go about visualizing it. One of the hardest parts about working with art and science is that you have to visualize scientific ideas, and my mission came to me through a psychic experience – while completely understanding that this experience is what I saw and made available to me not necessarily everyone around me is going to see the same, nor saw the same experience. Seeing the world through its’ depths isn’t exactly easy as we’re trained to see what our eyes see.

My Sweet Life

This past Sunday I began a project shooting photography with a woman who owns a very small Maple Farm in Worthington, MA. We seem to get along well and started the project off well. I go back again next Sunday to continue this work.

So a lot of project stuff has been going on especially photography related projects. If you follow me on Instagram you might catch a post on some graphic design projects that I’ve been doing at RVC. However, I’ve mostly been keeping graphic design work at RVC and have kept most of my freelance clients at bay… once my life settles down, I really want to start blogging more frequently. So much to explore, and do around here. I have to think about what would make great content. 🙂

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Blog, Studio Wrap Up

Studio Wrap-Up

May 14, 2016 Kristi Leave a comment

Transitioning from a full-time job back to a freelancer schedule has been difficult. But I’ve been using the time to slow down, take some much needed time off and work on some personal work that has been put on the back-burner due to overtime at Yankee Candle. I spent the last week playing catch-up and would like to share what I’ve been up to!

My initial reaction to crisis moments is to act and GTFO! So my initial reaction to being laid off from Yankee Candle was to move out due to money. I decided to do something different, and decided to be patient. Shocker!

One of the things that working at a large corporation like Yankee Candle has taught me is sometimes it’s better to be patient because you’ll be waiting on other people if you aren’t. I was speaking with a Customer Service Rep whom I had occasionally shared a computer with and we had jokingly said that sometimes its just better to be patient, otherwise you have to yell at people. I had spent months interviewing and coming out to Northampton, why would I risk the chance of giving up where I am after all the hard work to get here? I guess it’s just what I’m used to doing.

Because of my initial reaction, I had moved all my projects and things to this past week to wrap-up before I would have to gone back home (this weekend).

Monday

I had my first meeting with my potential intern! I am looking to bring on a social media intern to help with things around here. As more work comes to me (which is a good thing) my social media is declining and as a marketer the numbers are where its’ at! I met with a Umass student at Forbes Library in Northampton and it went well. I’m just waiting on his school allowing him to receive credit.

Tuesday

I don’t think I did much Tuesday, work-wise. But I did finally cave in to my overwhelming desire to play a piano. Tuesday night I went to Smith College Music Department and found a practice room to play piano for the first time since graduating college. It is so much different than playing on a keyboard and hopefully it will help me gain my hand strength back.

Wednesday

I received an email from a media agency in South Africa requesting a partnership. I have scheduled a skype meeting with their Rep for next week. I’m excited to see what will become of it. I will be offering my graphic design and social media services for them to outsource.

I also made a very special studio visit to an artist friend of mine out in Ware, MA. I’m filming a promo for my main site and doing some film work for him. He used to do film work in New York City, not that that’s not intimidating or anything! 😉

Thursday

I went back to the Boston area to pick up artwork at the Cummings Center in Beverly to be transported to a window installation exhibit in Wellesley. I’m excited to have work displayed in my home town!

Friday

I worked on the redesign of my main website: Kglyphics and spent most of the day doing that. But then received the offer for the part-time job at AroosJoon which made my day, tbh. I get to stay in Northampton at least until the fall.

Studio Wrap Up

Studio Wrap Up 02: A New Beginning!

July 11, 2014 Kristi Leave a comment

This week I definitely felt like a new beginning took off. I had so many good things come to me career-wise it was really refreshing especially after the funk I have been in since Minuteman.

Earlier this week I was hired as an on-call/freelance graphic designer for a small design studio based in LA, CA and Honolulu, HI. They specialize in motion design, but the owner is transitioning from graphic design to motion design and wants to give his graphic design projects to me.

I started a freelance relationship with a soccer lifestyle store doing small t-shirt designs called Anthem and they are also based in California. I’ve already done some designs for them.

My artwork was accepted into a small exhibition called ADA 24 Celebration at the Institute for Human Centered Design that is celebrating the 24th anniversary of the ADA act – that protects people with disabilities.

I started an internship with a travel website called Jetsetter Gypsy and she wants me to contribute editorially and do travel horoscopes each month.

Today, I submitted a design proposal to a potential client up in North Conway, NH for another t-shirt design project.

I also went to Hyannis to get my print mounted for the IHCD exhibit and had a really good experience at Michaels with their custom framing department. Definitely made the $40 I spent getting it mounted and framed worth it. My mom and I also checked out the artist shanty’s that I learned about this week as well. Orleans, MA has a few but the information person there said that I should start with the Hyannis location first as it is more established. OMG I can’t believe I’m planning for next year already.

I’m really excited for the next several weeks. I have competition results, exhibition results, and more results. Lol I feel really good about them. This hope this summer closes out in the way I foresee it to.

Art, Blog, News, Reflections, Studio Wrap Up, Studio19

Studio Wrap Up #1

December 21, 2013 Kristi Leave a comment

My first studio wrap up!! I’m sitting here in my studio after having coffee with a former high school teacher. We ended up talking for 2 hrs and I didn’t get to Beverly until 2 pm. I’m having lunch from Green Papaya, a Vietnamese food restaurant that’s downstairs and trying to figure out the best use of my time. I COULD set up the darkroom and spend a couple hours making negatives only to put everything away… OR I COULD sit at my computer and work on my schedule for next year. HMM. What to do? I do have tomorrow, so I am definitely planning on coming here early tomorrow to make negatives. I think I may just end up working on my calendar for next year.

My first project in the studio was a sculpture project for my art residency proposal which ended up being a TOTAL FAIL. I ended up submitting something, but it was only after much headache to finally toss this idea out. Kind of sad that my first project in my studio was a fail. But the first time you do anything you don’t normally get it done right.

To the right is a photo of the epic failness. The sculpture block did not solidify the way I expected it to and thus could not carve it the way I expected to. I think I didn’t buy the right type of plaster even though Dick’s said that it was a good plaster for carving. Phooey.

To the left is what I ended up submitting long with an explanation. It’s not that clear as a photo alone, but my project is to take an existing photograph and to translate it into a 3-dimensional sculpture of that photograph.

Studio 19 had it’s first opening reception! Which went very well and a lot of the people who showed up were interested in purchasing the artwork. I also established a partnership wit The Healing Center in Beverly. They want to use my process and I want to use their outreach and clientele for my personal projects on spirituality.

AND most importantly, the first ever paper negatives were made in my studio. The process isn’t perfect, but I now feel like I’m going somewhere with this space. Everything is coming together and I’m producing things!

Next, I made my In/Finite Earth experience memo board. I’m hoping to, as I gain more experiences in the art field, to make more of these. I used encaustic board so the paper is a bit thicker and I can nail it to the wall if I wanted to as a base. Then covered it with print outs of the postcard that had everyone’s art on and printed out pictures and bought scrapbook materials that reflected the trip. I really enjoyed this project!

And last but not least, Cabot Street Studios has its’ first Holiday Open Studios!

What’s coming up:

Exploration in Papermaking

– Using the dried flowers from my kirlian photography and the recycled paper from work to create a work of art.

– Oceanic Kirlian Photographic Prints. Using organic materials from the ocean to produce kirlian photographs

– developing a portable darkroom…

– and much more to come! 🙂