Celia Rickson looked to her hometown of San Francisco to develop an imaging solution to pinpoint vulnerable infrastructure. Lee Schoneman’s exploration of DNA and its structures may contribute to demystifying the growth of cancerous cells.

Both students were part of RIT’s 32nd annual Undergraduate Research Symposium on Aug. 3. More than 158 students presented research discoveries conducted over the past spring and summer. Poster sessions and oral presentations were on display throughout the day featuring students from all of RIT’s colleges. Topics illustrated how students bridge technology and creativity in the areas of biochemistry, environmental issues, alternative materials, imaging solutions, and social and public policy, and more.

Bridging technology and creativity at RIT helped Andrew Sevigny ’19 (motion picture science) launch a successful career. The symposium keynote speaker combined interests in film and video production with imaging and digital cinema technologies as an undergraduate.

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Carlos Ortiz

Keynote speaker Andrew Sevigny ’19 (motion picture science) is chief operating officer and co-founder of Mountain House Media, a local digital media production company with regional and national clients.

“I loved art, but also loved the tech side of performance. In college I wanted to bridge both of these,” said Sevigny, who was able to combine these interests at RIT where he began undergraduate work in software engineering before transferring into the motion picture science program. “I learned both the scientific aspects of capturing images and the creative, but I wanted to go further.”

He found those challenges through experiences with RIT’s Tech Crew, SportsZone and at MAGIC Spell Studios, where work ranged from supporting theatrical and sporting events at the university to being involved in new media projects exploring new broadcast technology to working with marketing companies to produce commercials and other media assets.

After graduation, Sevigny and Jeremiah Gryczka ’19 (applied arts and sciences) co-founded Mountain House Media that was housed early on at MAGIC, and has expanded to a new site in Penfield, N.Y. It is recognized as one of the area’s top media production companies providing state-of-the art virtual productions with cinematic robotics and generative AI.

“Creating an immersive environment—it is that next level of wow,” said Sevigny, who encouraged the students to challenge themselves, grow their ideas, and find creative ways to problem solve.

Rickson, a third-year applied mathematics major in RIT’s College of Science sought to address a problem found in her home state of California by mapping complex systems through the project “Multilayer infrastructure networks and vulnerabilities in the San Francisco Bay area.”

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Carlos Ortiz

Celia Rickson, a fourth-year applied mathematics student, developed an imaging system to pinpoint vulnerable infrastructure systems.

“How important is one node if it is removed and what is the impact on other areas if people need to evacuate?” she said.

By sharing significant infrastructure elements in a city, such as gas lines, public and private transportation avenues and water resources, and overlaying each with different seismic hazard zones, she was able to show vulnerabilities at intersecting nodes. Understanding where these critical infrastructure elements cross can help in resiliency and recovery solutions in the event of an earthquake in the Bay Area, or other natural disasters.  

Schoneman, a third-year biochemistry student in the College of Science, from Green Bay, Wis., looked at smaller, but equally intricate connections in her work with DNA. She described the G-Quadruplex containing stacks of bound guanines like different floors of the DNA strand and how understanding how to bind a complex structure onto DNA might provide new information about gene regulation and possible repair functions.

“I love the puzzle-solving aspect of this work,” she said.

More information about the event can be found online with the list of participants, their colleges, topics, and faculty advisors.

Characterized by elongated noses and tiny, punched eyes and mouths, Marc Bourlier’s expressive figures gather in a perpetual state of curiosity and surprise. The artist scours the beaches near his home in Normandy for driftwood, gathering an incredible variety of sizes and shapes to take back to the studio. He complements the weathered grain with carefully whittled heads and long, limbless bodies, packing the individuals tightly together on platforms or organizing them into compartments.

The nuances of color play a role in Bourlier’s work, as he explores the relationship between naturally occurring tones and subtle background hues. Recently, the artist has composed tree motifs grounded by warm, brown surfaces filled edge-to-edge with drawn linear patterns and hundreds of faces. Figures stand around the trunks and balance in the boughs, captured in an enigmatic narrative.

See more of Bourlier’s work on his website and Instagram.

“Le Grand Cloisonné” (2017), driftwood, linen twine, and wallpaper, 120 x 90 x 5 centimeters

“L’arbre Voyageur” (2023), driftwood, wallpaper, and drawing, 50 x 40 x 6 centimeters

“Fétiches Arumbaya” (2020), driftwood, wallpaper, and drawing, 80 x 60 x 5 centimeters

“Cloisonné” (2017), driftwood, linen twine, and wallpaper, 40 x 40 x 5 centimeters

“L’arbre Sous le Lune” (2023), driftwood, linen twine, wallpaper, and drawing, 40 x 30 x 5 centimeters

“Portraits de Fétiches” (2019), driftwood, wallpaper, and drawing, 50 x 40 x 6 centimeters

“Nuages” (2017), driftwood, 80 x 70 x 7 centimeters

“Tous Dehors” (2015), driftwood, linen twine, and wooden box, 35 x 15 x 12 centimeters

“L’étrange véhicule” (2023), driftwood, wallpaper, and drawing, 40 x 40 x 5 centimeters

Do stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member today and support independent arts publishing for as little as $5 per month. The article Countless Astonished Faces Emerge from Driftwood in Expressive Sculptures by Marc Bourlier appeared first on Colossal.

NEWS RELEASE
GOVERNOR JARED POLIS
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Governor Polis and the Business Support division of the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OEDIT) announced the 40 recipients of the digital marketing grant that is distributed through the Small Business Accelerated Growth Program. This grant awards small businesses in Colorado $5,000 to help business owners across the state establish an online presence with a focus on social media and website best practices. 

“Small businesses help Colorado’s economy thrive and programs like this help support their continued success. I am thrilled to announce the 40 grant recipients from every corner of our state from La Plata County to Morgan County,” said Governor Polis. “As a businessman, saving small businesses money is a top priority.”

The Digital Marketing and Online Presence training course supports small business owners by teaching them the fundamentals of online marketing allowing them to promote their products and reach new customers. Business owners learn a variety of ways to establish an online presence, including best practices to increase website traffic, improve user experience, and develop e-commerce websites to help their businesses grow.  

A total of $200,000 in grant funding has been distributed to 40 small business owners across the state. Among the recipients, 67.5% identified as woman-owned, 45% identified as minority-owned and approximately 22% of business owners came from rural communities.

“We are pleased to support so many women- and minority-owned small businesses across the state,” said OEDIT Executive Director Eve Lieberman. “This latest round of grant recipients showcases the work we are doing to ensure that we are reaching communities that have historically faced barriers to business funding. We are proud to support our entrepreneurs which have successfully reached so many women and minority owned small businesses.” 

The Digital Marketing and Online Presence training course is one of three training programs offered through the Small Business Accelerated Growth Program which helps small businesses across Colorado grow and improve their business plans through free training, education and consulting. Small businesses can apply for any of the three online training programs which include: access to capital, market research, and digital marketing and online presence. After completing the seven-week training course, 40 participants were selected to receive grant funding to make changes based on strategies learned from the program. The Small Business Accelerated Growth Program was created by SB21-241, sponsored by Senators Rhonda Fields and Jeff Bridges and Representatives Naquetta Ricks and Lindsey Daughtery. The program is implemented in partnership with the Colorado Small Business Development Center (SBDC) network.

“Our SBDC experts are excited to help businesses navigate the world of digital marketing. Small business owners learn everything from establishing a social media presence to understanding the best ways to increase website traffic, and building an e-commerce experience. The lessons taught in this course equip business owners with the tools to operate in a 21st century environment and find the right customers,” said Marcia McGilley, Executive Director, Aurora-South Metro SBDC.

The 40 grant recipients announced today include: 

• A Moment Stopped, LLC, Grand Junction
• Anthology Framing and Portraits, LLC, Englewood
• BAR-U-EAT, Hayden
• BC Home Services, Longmont
• Body Suite, Westminster
• Carolister LLC, Castle Rock
• Christensen Ranch, Weldona
• Denver Innovations, LLC, Highlands Ranch
• Digital Learning Academy LLC, Bayfield
• Edwards Consulting Group, Pueblo
• Elevated Engravings, Vail
• Eye Candy Aerials, Colorado Springs
• Faith and Quinn Ltd., Pleasant View
• Foco Food Truck Rally, Fort Collins
• Found My Keys, LLC dba UFA Transit, Colorado Springs
• Four Corners Business Solutions DBA: Durango Accounting, Durango
• Gianinetti’s, Ltd., Meeker
• Heather Freeman, Contemporary Art (Legal Business: Freeman Creative DBD The Painted Playground), Durango
• Hemp Wolf LLC, Denver
• KB Business LLC, Thornton
• La Dogueria, Commerce City
• Light Speaks Loudest, Denver
• Local NEWS Network, Durango
• Manos Emprendedoras LLC, Aurora
• MELANIE JOYCE LLC, Denver
• Momentum Gym LLC, Alamosa
• My Momotaro LLC, Colorado Springs
• New Leaf Mindfulness Coaching, Montrose
• Not The Same LLC, Cañon City
• Ovierre Industries, Salida
• R Garcia Painting, Aurora
• R&M Systems, Inc. DBA Happy Roots, Grand Junction
• ReyNava Solutions, LLC, Littleton
• SoulRide Psychotherapy, Durango
• Tacos Los De Reza, Aurora
• The Hillbilly Grill LLC, Grand Junction
• The Woolly Planner LLC, Pueblo
• Tulipan Herbals, Centennial
• Vibrant Earth Seeds LLC, Cortez
• Wise Aspirations LLC, Steamboat Springs

Registration for the second round of the Digital Marketing and Online Presence training course is open now through August 20, 2023. Eighty participants from the second round of training will be selected to receive Digital Marketing and Online Presence grants of $5,000 each. Interested businesses can learn more about the Small Business Accelerated Growth Program at https://oedit.colorado.gov/growth and sign up to receive email notifications as future rounds open for applications.

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Why is only 10% to 15% of the art work in U.S. galleries and museums created by women? Why are women artists only earning 10 cents on the dollar compared to men?

Women are as well represented in the art world as their male counterparts in roles like administrators, curators, museum board members, gallerists, collectors, museumgoers.

Just not as artists.

An ArtWeek interview Thursday on the rooftop of the Aspen Art Museum, where Nicola Lees is the director, brought this to the fore as ARTnews Editor in Chief Sarah Douglas interviewed Komal Shah, among the top 200 art collectors in the world and co-editor of the book showcasing her collection, “Making Their Mark, Art by Women in the Shah Garg Collection.”

Komal talked about how she came to America from India 32 years ago to study computer science and then got into collecting art by women artists working predominantly across North America from the late 1960s to the present. She referred to herself as an activist collector of women by seeing the intergenerational importance of older and younger female artists.

In 2014, learning about the works of two women and meeting artists, she decided that if she was going to be spending her money, she’d better be making a difference. Komal stressed how important it was to her to go back several generations to understand these women.

One was the Ukrainian-born American abstract expressionist painter Janet Sobel, who made drip paintings in the mid-’40s. Jackson Pollock saw her work and reportedly was impressed. Three years later, he began to make the drip paintings that made him famous.

“This example is not about grudges, but about the fact that the market makers and the art critics have had certain tastes and certain prejudices, and they’ve in a way tilted the art market towards their preferences,” said Komal. “I think we are now in a world where we can balance out those political voices to actually pay attention to what’s good, not just based on personal biases.”

Douglas and Shah discussed Suzanne Jackson, a black visual artist whose two-year stint in her Sapphire show pigeonholed her for years and kept her from being recognized for her later work. And how the lesbian abstract painter of the ’60s, Louise Fishman, was ostracized.

They talked about how women artists often don’t seem to find their freedom and expression until later in life.

Shah said that when Jackson was asked what drove her, she replied, “I just wanted to make one painting better than my previous one.”

“So all she was looking at was her previous work as a competitor, not for the recognition that you can get from society,” Shah said. “I think that was telling us something. It struck me as sad and noble — sad that women have had to endure this. More women than men have endured the lack of recognition until they are much older.”

Douglas remembered a panel she was on in 2010, when women made up half the students at art school, and the title was “Girls Just Want To Have Funds.” The percentage of women artists’ work in galleries then, as now, was low.

She said someone on the panel made an off-the-cuff remark that stuck with her: “I think it has to do with socializing.” Going into the value of networking for an artist when women have children, they find less time to get out and about. There’s a gap in the momentum of their work, and many women stop pursuing their art careers.

“It’s not that women artists are not excellent, but we have work-life balance issues, we have stereotypes, we have an ecosystem, which does not support the artist. I think there are a lot of factors at play,” Komal said.

When the panel Douglas remembered had ended, devotees came up to share their experiences and ask questions.

After this interview was different, much different.

A female painter, Alina Orav, was emotional and left to take the museum elevator down alone. She later recounted that she had to go and cry.

The Estonian artist who moved to America this spring said she could relate to everything Komal said. Her motherhood experience changed her whole practice, she said, and now she creates paintings empowering women depicting birth. Her most recent piece is a flowered vagina, titled “Ashes,” a homage to stillbirth and loss.

Orav thanked Komal, saying, “I really appreciate how much you care and what you had to say. It meant so much to me. You spoke for us, artists, mothers.”

A half-hour after their interview, another artist came up to Douglas — Jen Meyer, a mother from Colorado Springs who choked up while sharing what came up for her: “I felt like I was seen. Thank you, thank you. I have been sharing the magnitude of this struggle with my husband.”

CANTON, Ohio — From start to finish, theater mask maker and teacher Jonathan Becker does it all. 

The Hiram native has lived across the globe during his 35-year career and has clients in 50 countries. 

These days he calls Canton home, and the fruits of his labor can be found at his Historic Ridgewood neighborhood home. 

“This is a whole process that’s happened over years of sort of experimentation, trying to make a headpiece,” he said. “This is for the Milwaukee ballet, for their production of the Nutcracker. And once it gets painted, it will get an insert, a helmet insert that will get padded out in such a way that the dancers can wear it.”

The pandemic was tough for Becker and those in the theatre and performing arts community.

The 59-year-old was forced to sell his property in Muncie, Indiana, and chose to move closer to family in Canton. 

However, the move three years ago has been invaluable for Becker, and he’s embraced the local art community through first Fridays and the inaugural Artist’s showcase. 

“Perhaps one day it will become something of interest for people other than myself,” Becker sadi. “It’s an interesting foray into new materials, into a new market. I’m meeting new people in the arts community because of it.”

And his message to artists of all ages is, even during the tough times, don’t ever give up on your passion. 

“It’s really important to always say yes in every instance and then try and figure out how to make what it is that you’ve agreed to possible,” he said. “This sense of saying yes has really been important in creating forward momentum.”

The first Artists’ Showcase takes place from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 19, in the historic Ridgewood neighborhood in Canton.

The average tenure of a chief marketing officer (CMO) at Fortune 500 companies has dropped from 54 months in 2021 to 51 months in 2022, according to leadership advisory firm Spencer Stuart.

The report also said that for B2B (business to business) firms, this tenure was slightly longer than that of B2C (business to consumer) firms.

There could be two reasons for this. The first is that the CMO roles are tough and so the tenures are shorter. The second, the roles are critical and hence they uncover more growth opportunities for the professionals.
Both statements are true.

What also makes the role both difficult and exciting is that the CMO’s role is part art and creativity, and part science and measurement.

So what drives success for this role of the chief marketing officer? We decode 4 key elements:

Brand Listener and Custodian
As the custodian of the brand, the CMO has to uphold its values and keep ensuring consistency in the brand, both internally and externally. While building a brand from scratch is tough in the early days, sustaining it is also no easy task. And the key to success here is often the art of listening intently to customers. The best CMOs devise various ways to do this through persona and user journey mapping, design thinking, timely customer feedback measures, beta testing and more.

It requires them to work closely with product teams building new products and also with customer experience teams to understand customer feedback, while also understanding ground reports from sales teams and leveraging data across the marketing funnel for better insights.

The Growth Champion
The 4 Ps of marketing have been taught and practiced for ages now. The perfect combination of product, place, price and promotion is still relevant, and has to be mastered for a brand to be successful.

But as companies grow, the marketers are increasingly also being asked to take a more growth-focused outlook.

If content is a key pillar for the company, the CMO might have to devise a programme to understand how prospective customers are engaging with the content and what can help them move across the marketing funnel.

The crafting of compelling messages is critical to ensure better sales. CMOs also need to focus on segmenting data to identify the right customer segments, both from an acquisition point of view and also for customer engagement and customer retention. Sharp insights on these can build more efficient growth funnels.

Technology and analytics are a great tool for CMOs today. But with multiple data-driven opportunities to drive campaigns that can be personalised, it is important to ensure that data privacy is maintained and that customer data is not misused.

The Data Practitioner
A CMO today has access to a plethora of data — transaction level data, customer survey data, complaints data and campaign performance data. With more CEOs asking for a return on investment in marketing, CMOs need to be prepared to both allocate their spends smartly and justify the returns.

And while ensuring a data-driven approach, they need to keep holding a space for that creativity and emotional connection that can surprise and engage deeply.

The Storyteller
The CMO has to ensure that the communication about the brand ensures authenticity, simplicity and creativity across channels and time. It is not an easy task. While advertising agencies have often been thought partners for brands to create iconic advertisements that spell magic for the brand, there is a lot that goes behind creating that perfect copy. And it does not rest with just one blockbuster ad.

Content is today the bedrock for marketing in many cases. Creating unique content, building that authentic voice with content and finding more and more believers through that are the key steps in that journey.

This also requires understanding new-age generative AI tools that claim to create copy and images in seconds. Ensuring correctness, creativity and consistent authenticity over speed is critical for CMOs.

The brands that endure with us as customers are also brands that have deeply engaging and authentic stories. And that’s a CMO skill that is never likely to go out of fashion.

The City of El Paso’s Downtown Art and Farmers Market is celebrating Farmers Market Week with a special evening Market at Union Plaza from 5 to 10 p.m. Saturday, August 12 at Arts Festival Plaza.  

The Farmers Market Week celebration will feature over 50 local vendors with a focus on local produce, live music, and 150^th Anniversary activities and giveaways.

Special activities sponsored by the upcoming film, Blue Beetle, will also be taking place throughout the event.

The Downtown Art and Farmers Market scheduled for August is as follows:

• Saturday, August 5: From 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Union Plaza

The market features an ice cream workshop at 11 a.m. and a water balloon fight at 12 p.m. at Union Plaza Park

The market offers original arts and crafts, food vending, regionally grown agricultural products, regional farmers, and live entertainment from local artists.

For more information on the Downtown Art and Farmers Market, visit www.epmcad.org.

San Francisco has plenty of open-air markets, from regular farmer’s markets to massive craft fairs, and there’s never a shortage of amazing local vendors. One must-see market takes place on the first Sunday of every month, focusing on local creatives. The Castro Art Mart isn’t your average market; it also includes lively entertainment, true to the vibrancy of the Castro.

The market is held on the first Sunday every month, from 11:00 am to 5:00 pm. The outdoor market aims to give a space for local artists to showcase their work and build community. You can find the art mart at the small intersection of Noe St and Market St, right next to the iconic Lookout Bar in the Castro.

The market embodies the lively Castro spirit, complete with performances from local musicians. The Art Mart has over 30 local artists participating in the monthly event. Plus, the event will have a drag party from 3:00 to 5:00 pm. Various types of artists participate in the art fair, from painters to mixed media creatives; the market is guaranteed to be full of creative energy. Past markets have included tarot card readers, live bands, and fabulous drag performances.

The organization behind Castro Art Mart

The Castro Art Mart is run by Arty Hood, an organization that aims to help break down barriers that artists often encounter in the art industry. The organization helps facilitate connections between local artists and businesses. Arty Hood also organizes the Valencia St Art Corridor every 2nd and 4th Saturday of the month. The event takes place on Valencia St between 18th St and 21st, running through November.

If you want to get involved in the organization, you can become a volunteer to help organize the art fairs and support local artists.

The next Castro Art Mart takes place on Sunday, August 6, 2023, from 11:00 am to 5:00 pm. The market takes place at the intersection of Noe and Market Street.