BY DUCK PATERSON

A Chemainus retiree is turning a hobby into a way to help children in the community.

Peter Shepherd, a retired military instructor, police officer and legislature constable, has been creating painted rocks which he calls Salish Sea Stones since the start of the pandemic.

“It started as a self-therapy method for me in those early months of COVID lockdown. In my struggles for recovery from PTSD, I would explore the peaceful areas near my home in Chemainus,” said Shepherd, a marksman who trained police in Kosovo in 2000-01.

He had seen some painted stones and thought they were pretty, simple and comforting, and so he got his hands on some of the temporary tattoos handed out to children visiting the B.C. Legislature building in Victoria.

“I worked on putting these on small smooth stones I gather in my wanders in my special area on the Chemainus River and areas along the Salish Sea, which is also my healing place,” he said.

The stones are painted white before the tattoos are applied, then comes a protective clear coat and a piece of felt on the bottom.

“I started to give these stones to family and friends and the feedback was that I should sell these,” Shepherd said. “That started me to thinking again and along the lines of starting to give back. As a child, I was helped during some challenging situations.”

The stones that are seen locally have been created by First Nations students at Penelakut Elementary School. All proceeds from the sale of the stones goes to support that school’s educational, cultural, sports and dance programs. Students are encouraged to create their own art to put on the stones.

“This project aims to empower the children, seeing their confidence grow. Each student will have different strengths to bring to the project, so we would like to give them a chance to shine and also encourage them to learn new skills,” Shepherd said. “There are many parts to the stone art process – stone collection, the painting and assembly processes, the intricate personalization of the stones and the marketing of the stones.”

Shepherd is from Scotland and has used his contacts back home to get seven schools in the U.K. participating in creating art stones. He has a goal to get more schools and organizations involved, wishing to help sick children in hospitals and hospice on Vancouver Island and elsewhere, but said he needs more sponsors.

Currently the Salish Sea Stones area being sold at Neck of the Woods general store, Wild Poppy Bistro, Little Otters Den, Salish Sea Market, Cottage and Castle bed and breakfast, and visitor centres in Ladysmith and Chemainus, along with other locations.

For more information, visit www.salishseastones.org.

READ ALSO: Nanaimo artist shares her painted rocks

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Art

Lenovo India recently launched a new video series, called ‘Brave New Art’, which explores the convergence of traditional analog art and digital technology. In collaboration with Intel, the series features renowned artists who use Lenovo Yoga laptops to create immersive and innovative works of art. The artists featured in the series are Santanu Hazarika (multi-disciplinary visual artist), MC Heam (rapper and producer), Meher Malik (belly dancer), and Prithvi Shetty (graphic designer and music producer).

In an interaction with Adgully, Chandrika Jain, Director – Marketing, Lenovo India, speaks at length about the objective and vision of the campaign,Lenovo’s marketing strategy for the Lenovo Yoga laptop, bridging the gap between analog and digital, and more.

What is the main objective behind Lenovo India’s ‘Brave New Art’ video series? How does the series explore the convergence of traditional analog art and digital technology?

Lenovo has always been recognised as a pioneer in the realm of innovation, consistently pushing the boundaries of what is possible. Lenovo continues to foster creativity and expression. In the midst of a fiercely competitive market, Lenovo recognised the need to craft a compelling narrative that would resonate with Generation Z, helping them transform their inspiration into expression.

In a world that is constantly evolving technologically, where various avenues and approaches to creativity abound, the realms of ‘analog’ and ‘digital’ continue to flourish independently. We saw an opportunity to bridge the gap between these two worlds, bringing together the traditional art forms rooted in analog mediums and the digital realm of expression, all within a single cohesive narrative. The catalyst for this convergence is the Lenovo Yoga, which has increasingly become the go-to tool for artists and creators around the globe.

From this vision, ‘Brave New Art’ was born. This groundbreaking initiative showcases a spectrum of artists, such as Meher Malik, Santanu Hazarika, MC Heam, and Prithvi Shetty. Its overarching objective is to propel creative expression to unexplored frontiers – a realm where diverse artistic expressions coexist harmoniously, giving rise to innovative ways of representing creative ideas. Brave New Art transcends the conventional notion of being just another advertisement; it seeks not only to push the boundaries of creativity, but also to establish new benchmarks in artistic expression.

Why were Santanu Hazarika, MC Heam, Meher Malik, and Prithvi Shetty chosen as the featured artists for the series? And how do the artists utilise Lenovo Yoga laptops to create their works of art?

Lenovo Yoga is a customised device designed to cater to the requirements of creators. With its versatile multimode and touchscreen, stylus support, vivid OLED displays, immersive Bowers & Wilkins sound, and advanced AI Engine +, these features collaboratively empowered our creators throughout their endeavours.

The artists were thoughtfully selected, with an attempt to bridge the analog and the digital creative universe. We hoped these creators would complement each other and also create some bold forms of artistic output through their collaborations. On the one hand, we have visual artist and illustrator Santanu Hazarika and belly dancer Meher Malik, while on the other hand we have chosen rappers, electronic producers, graphic designers, and dabblers in AI like MC Heam and Prithvi Shetty. Their style of expression hugely inspires GenZ and millennials, who are our target audience for Yoga devices.

Are there any plans to expand the series to include more artists or art forms in the future?

These pilot episodes marked the beginning of our creative journey. Our intent is to collaborate and expand exploring exciting frontiers with generative AI, augmented reality, virtual projections, and more. Alongside these cutting-edge technologies, we hope to out-find mavericks who not only excel in their craft but also fuse it with technology to push artistic boundaries.

What marketing strategies will Lenovo India employ to promote the ‘Brave New Art’ video series?

Brave New Art will be promoted both organically and through targeted advertisements on popular social media platforms (such as Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube) and OTT platforms (like Hotstar). Since the majority of our target audience is active online, this approach ensures maximum reach. Additionally, we will focus on generating visibility and engagement through on-ground activities, especially in our exclusive stores. Our team has collaborated on an exciting 3D immersive rap music video, which is one of the pioneering formats in India. Viewers will not only watch the video, but also participate in the immersive experience by transforming into avatars and navigating through the virtual space. We anticipate that this unique offering will engage our audience, and we plan to maintain interest by continuously providing cutting-edge immersive experiences, interactive contests, exclusive offers, and more.

How does Lenovo India engage with its target audience and encourage their participation in the ‘Brave New Art’ series? Are there any plans for social media campaigns or influencer collaborations to amplify the reach of the series?

In our initial phase, we partnered with prominent influencers in the nation to spread the word about our pilot project through their social media platforms, forming an essential component of our organic media strategy. As we move forward into the second phase, we plan to expand our collaboration to include a wider range of creators and artists, aiming to make an even greater impact in the online sphere.

In addition to our social media efforts, we are also exploring OTT platforms like Hotstar for hosting and promoting our content.

What platforms or channels will Lenovo India use to distribute and showcase the ‘Brave New Art’ video series?

Based on our research, we understood that most of our audience can be found on social media, streaming platforms (OTT), and CTV. Therefore, we will be hosting and promoting Brave New Art on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and Hotstar. Initially, the series was partially live on some platforms, but it entered its peak promotional phase from June 10. Our goal is to build engaging content that our audience enjoys.

Will there be any interactive elements or opportunities for audience engagement within the series?

Episode 2 of the ‘Brave New Art’ campaign offers an unprecedented 3D immersive music video experience, which is a rarity in India. In addition to watching it like a typical music video, viewers can also generate their own avatars and explore the virtual reality ‘world’ of the video. By utilising the avatars of Santanu and MC Heam, users can fully immerse themselves in the music video by navigating through the virtual space. This virtual realm showcases elements from their creative journey and displays their art, essentially acting as a digital playground, where users can fully engage with the music. Moreover, the experience includes a karaoke screen, enhancing the experience.

How will Lenovo India measure the success and impact of the ‘Brave New Art’ campaign? Can you provide any insights into the target audience for the ‘Brave New Art’ series and how Lenovo India plans to connect with them effectively?

We utilise specific marketing and media metrics to measure the success of our efforts. Our primary objective is to ensure that Brave New Art not only educates and entertains our audience, but also effectively demonstrates the capabilities of the device and motivates them to consider it for their future purchase. To gauge our progress, we will closely monitor metrics such as reach, views, video view-through rate (VTR), and the uplift in Google Search Engine Result Page (SERP) visibility. These indicators will provide valuable insights into our campaign’s performance.

Additionally, we aim to generate significant attention and position the versatile Lenovo Yoga as the ultimate solution, positioning it as a top-performing premium device in its category.

They started construction in 2014 and the home, located at the end of a cul-de-sac, was completed in 2018. Now, with their children heading off to college, the couple is listing the two-acre compound with Wendy Peterson of Island Sotheby’s International Realty for $12.6 million. 

The main house has three bedrooms and two-and-a-half baths, a large living area with a wood-burning fireplace, an open kitchen with wood paneling, and a music studio carved from honed lava and cedar. 

Cale repopulated the landscape with native fruit plants, including avocado, mango and papaya trees. Upcountry is usually a balmy 70 degrees nearly year-round, and the house defines indoor-outdoor living, with a saltwater pool and jacuzzi and wraparound decks on both the main house and a three-bedroom guest cottage with art studio across the ravine. In fact, Anderman said her favorite spot is the swing out on the lanai, where she quiets her mind and finds inspiration for her artwork.

“Almost every morning, I take my tea out to that swing, breathe in deeply and take it all in,” she told AD Pro. “Not just the bicoastal view of the island, but the sounds of tropical birds, the gentle touch of the air, the quiet rustling of the palm trees.”

A Gilded Age mansion turns up on Long Island’s Gold Coast

About 90 minutes outside Manhattan in Suffolk County lies a sprawling waterfront estate that delivers unparalleled views of the Long Island Sound. Villa della Pace takes its inspiration from the palazzos of Renaissance Italy, as evidenced by its four-story tower, Ludowici terra-cotta tile roofing, limestone-and-terrazzo courtyard, and lush formal gardens.

Completed by Gilded Age architect Henry Corse in 1917, the five-bedroom mansion was built for scientist Frederick Steenken, who sold it to industrialist Frederick Gurney as a summer residence. Gurney’s son, John, was a principal performer in the Metropolitan Opera in the 1930s and ’40s, and regaled guests with impromptu performances in the music room—earning the home the nickname Villa del Canto, or “House of Song.”