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.

Let the good times roll.  This photo was taken yesterday by my wife at the Macy’s in Valley Fair.  I don’t think I have ever seen a store more looted.  Not even in the days before Christmas.  A few people must be confident about their financial future.

On the other hand, the place kind of looks looks like one of those hardware stores in Florida just before the hurricane hits.  I can image a reporter standing in the middle of this melee saying,

As California stands on the brink, citizens stockpile staples.  There is no telling when these poor people will be able to buy another pair of pseudo designer pumps.

So I guess the myth that celebrity deaths comes in threes has been dispelled with the recent news that TV pitchman Billy Mays died Monday, June 29th. What brought Billy Mays TV pitchman celebrity status? After meeting Max Appel, Orange Glo International founder, Mays was recruited to demonstrate on shopping networks for the company. It was pretty evident what Appel saw in Mays’ delivery style. Not only was his enthusiasm infectious but he showed you why it was such a great product. Billy Mays, another great example of why functionality comes first.

Eastern philosophy has never rung more true. Avoid excess in life or you will trap yourself and those around you. We saw this over the last few weeks with Wall Street trapping the credit market and I suffered through it today on a a flight from San Diego to San Jose.

At Nimbletoad we see it in clients who come to us because they are trapped by nonfunctional, bloated websites.  Whether it is too many images,  bloated flash files, or clumsy navigation we cut through the excess and make their sites nimble.  Upon the completion of the project clients are free to move about their sites.

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.

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.