nimbletoad blog

I just wanted to take moment before I dive into the subject of art and functionality to introduce myself. My name is Nicole Schmidt and I’m Nimbletoad’s newest addition to the team. I’m here to offer design support and maintenance to the everyday operations. I’m excited to join the team in forging new media trails. When I’m not updating and developing sites my passion is creating art with my hands instead of a computer. Here is a a look at my offline passion.
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Visual art, in the traditional sense, is simply mechanical reproduction. In the days of the masters it literally was reproduction because copying someone else is how people learned how to create art. Even with today’s modern and contemporary art movements visual art is still an imitation of nature, imitation of fantasy, interpretation of other peoples art or an attempt to be original through circumstance. So if visual art is subjective and functional art like the Taj Mahal is objective how can you have functional visual art?

I think my form of art is the pinnacle of functional static 2D art. I say this because my art is not just an expression of mine it is a product of repurposing. I take paper trash and recycle it to create my art. It’s one step further in getting the most functionality out of something that originally was made to have one function. Would someone know the original function of my materials was to report on the latest printed news or to inform the recipient their APR was being increased to 29%? Probably not but then again that is what I was going for, art made from trash that didn’t look like it was made from trash.

Some art purists may say it matters what the art was created with, a true artisan uses only the finest materials. For them art is not that subjective and they hold fast to a certain set of beliefs, this is what brings them to their opinions of what fine art is. It’s ok they can stay in the stone ages where functionality and art were two separate entities I myself will keep forging ahead carving new paths for those that follow.

My art is on display at Vine To Glass, 210-A N. Coast Hwy., Oceanside, CA 92054 through August 8, 2009. Come for the last hurrah with my art on the walls: Sun & Sea, Vino & Tapas at 6:30 p.m., Vine to Glass & Vigilucci’s Present the following pairings:

• Bailly Lapierre Blanc Brut Reserve, Cremant de Bourgognepaired with Endivia e Salmone Affumicato (Endive and smoked salmon)
  
• Venica Jesera Pinot Grigio paired with Prosciutto e Melone (Parma Prosciutto and Cantaloupe)
  
• Casa Barranca Red Blend paired with Involtini di Melanzane (Eggplant stuffed with wun dried tomatoes, goat cheese and basil)
  
• Ramos Pinto Ruby Port paired with Tartine alla frutta (Mini fruit tarts)

Cost is $35. Please RSVP to (760) 757-1037 or via email at tastings@vinetoglass.com no later than 5pm on August 6th.

Driving north from Chicago through Illinois/southern Wisconsin dairy country the word homogenization came to mind. Not because of all the cows and milk, but because we passed by one big box strip mall after another. Stores no different than the ones back home.

I was a little sad that the regional nature of america was being blended away by corporations. My mood, however, shifted when we reached Madison, a vibrant college town with a culture that could stand on it’s own next to any major city.

It was then that I saw a different side of homogenization. This time brought forth by the Internet, academia, and television. Modern media The has leveled the playing field culturally. It has opened peoples eyes to the world.

Witness Napa Valley in Madison, Wi.

What I love most about architecture is its duality between function and art. At first glance one sees a functional staircase, but under closer inspection the architect’s artistic vision comes forth. Notice how this staircase in the chicago museum of contemporary art not only serves to funnel people up the floors of the exhibit, but also serves as a frame for the koi pond below.

Website architecture is no different. Vistors to the site must first enjoy the function. Placing artistic vision first can kill a website. Anyone that has ever had to stumble through a motion filled flash site can testify to this.

At nimbletoad functionality always comes first.

Hot time. Summer in the city…

What a neat way to cool off. More over what a cool piece of art. Art for art sake I can appreciate, but art driven by function is something truly special.

Millenium Park, Chicago.
The installation/fountain alternates between multicutural video images of faces and a lightshow waterfall.

Write with a definitive style.

I met Alex Bogusky last night.

The room was very warm when I went to bed. I fell asleep on top of the covers wearing a thin pair of hospital scrubs quietly contemplating what I had heard at his lecture just hours before. The two kittens I was taking care of slept next to me. I forget what I was dreaming about when I was suddenly ripped from my sleep by an intense pain…

… Detecting movement a kitten pounced onto me and dug in. In confused terror, I grabbed the kitten and pulled its teeth away which only caused its claws to dig in further. Big mistake.

About an hour later the bleeding subsided.

Amazingly, I still made it to work the next day.

What does my kitten assault have to do with Alex Bogusky? Nothing.

Or, maybe it does?

Earlier that night Alex talked about how he wanted to be forgettable. At the time I took it as the musings of a pseudo-celebrity that has the luxury of being remembered. However, at work the next day my kitten story made any comments about the Bogusky talk seem boring. No one wanted to hear how the talk was. They just wanted to hear about the kitten fiasco.

People will remember my kitten story long after they have forgotton who told it to them. It was then that I understood Alex’s comments about being forgettable. Creative people should give a rats ass about being remembered as long as the public never forgets their work.