Graphic Design - Now In Production At Hammer

Yesterday I got to visit the Hammer Museum at UCLA to see the Graphic Design - Now in Production exhibit.  Wow, what a wonderful show.  The show reviews and exhibits graphic works that are pure inspiration.  The show ranges from typography to new media and everything in between.  Curated by Andrew Biauvelt from the Walker Art Center and the wonderful Ellen Lupton from the Cooper-Hewitt, they hit a home run in pulling together the wide range of work that we create and presenting in a compelling and informative manner.  

The show runs at the Hammer until January 6, 2013 so you still have time to take it all in.  Make sure you get the catalog from the show which includes articles that are sure to get you thinking.

Thirty Conversations on Design

Look to Thirty Conversations on Design for video insights by use guessed it, thirty designers. Posed with two questions; What single example of design inspires you? and What problem should design solve next? each designer answered in a short video. The designers include the likes of Debbie Millman, Chip Kidd, Massimo Vignelli, Paula Scher, Ellen Lupton, Ed Fella and 25 more. The answers are very interesting and give us all a better picture of design and designers. Go to Thirty Conversations on Design and see all the videos and answers to these two questions.

Designer Shoes For Art Director Club Scholarships

Several designers have custom designed on Tom's Shoes to help benefit the Art Director Club Scholarship fund. These designer Tom's are available to bid upon on eBay for the next few days with all proceeds going to the scholarship fund to help design students. The designer that are represented including John Maeda, James Victore, Christoph Niemann, Ellen Lupton, Jessica Helfand, and Louise Fili. I in particular like the shoes by Ellen Lupton for the dyslexic type fan and as always Louise Fili's Italian flavor. Take a walk in the shoe's of your favorite designer at this link to place a bid.

(via UnBeige - mediabistro)

A Cluttered Desk Is A Creative Desk

A cluttered desk may be a sign of intelligence and being creative. At least I hope that is so. It has been observed that many creative individuals have desks that are in a state of clutter but that clutter is a way of organization, to a point. Ellen Lupton has written an article on desk clutter and filing for Fast Company based on the book Design Your Life she wrote with her sister Julia Lupton.

Ellen and Julia Lupton on Design Your Life

Yesterday afternoon, I had the pleasure to meet and hear fellow Baltimoreans Ellen Lupton (on right) and her twin sister Julia Lupton (on left) as they presented their newest book, Design Your Life. They spoke on the campus of UCI to an intimate gathering for an hour, co-presenting their book. The talk was entertaining and insightful. They discussed chapters from Design Your Life on such subjects as toasters, bras, office organization, front porches, and flowers. After the talk, the Lupton sisters signed books and mixed with the crowd.

I found Ellen and Julia to be both delightful and authentic. It was nice to meet such happy people, two who enjoy not only their company but those around them. It was a great gathering and I thank the Lupton sisters for sharing with us. I started reading Design Your Life last night and have been savoring each section.

Ellen Lupton Speaking at UCI - Design Your Life

Ellen Lupton and her twin sister Julia will be speaking about their new book, Design Your Life, at the University of California, Irvine on Thursday, June 18, 2009 from 3-5 pm. Ellen serves at the director of the Graphic Design MFA program at Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA) in Baltimore and the curator of contemporary design at Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum. Ellen had a recent article at the New York Times that is interesting. Julia is a professor of English at UCI and writes about design. I plan to attend and hope to see you there. To learn more about the "book party" check out the UCI site.