Letterpress Fest trophies.

I’m so excited about the prints I collected at last week’s Letterpress Fest, presented by AIGA Charlotte. And though I love the “You’re Just My Typo” print that I made with my own two hands (and fits us to a T – typo mentions AND it uses our brand colors!), I’ve decided my top prize is this print from Kyle Durrie’s moving typeshop, aka Moveable Type.

"This is Not a Taco Truck" by Kyle Durrie

My favorite quotes from the event came from Jim Sherraden of Hatch Show Print: “We as human beings are hardwired for process.” So true, Jim, so true. But even better was his approach to working with clients: “I’m always seeking to put meat on the bones of our clients’ history.” Those wise words speak to a practice founded on (but not bound by) a working knowledge of precedent. Jim’s got some lucky clients indeed.

NCDT's Anna Gerberich & Pete Walker in Last Lost Chance. Photographer Peter Zay.

Last Saturday, the North Carolina Dance Theater’s young professionals group, Opening Night Insiders, presented the 5^th Annual Runway for the Ballet. A nod to New York Fashion Week (which ends today), the event featured spring fashions styled by Neiman Marcus and modeled by the NCDT dancers, whose dynamic, lithe bodies were a welcome site after watching hours of more angular muses on the NYFW catwalks.

Of course, the best part of Runway for the Ballet – besides the fashion and the opportunity to hang out with your favorite dancers – is, well yes, the dancing. I can’t say it enough, our NCDT dancers are amazing. Period. Saturday’s event treated us to three excerpts from the season, showcasing the dancers’ versatility and the company’s range of repertoire.

David Ingram in Bolero. Photographer Peter Zay.

First came Dwight Rhoden’s athletic Alleged Dances, dominated by Sarah Hayes Watson’s precision and verve. The sultry and powerful choreography of Bolero was made all the steamier by David Ingram’s solid, machismo-flecked performance. Last Lost Chance, choreographed by seasoned NCDT dancer Sasha Janes and featuring Anna Gerberich and Pete Walker, spoke to the process of art-making  and the uncertain moments that ensue.

I must mention, as the piece he danced suggests, Mr. Walker is  developing into a true artist. On Saturday, he danced with a new confidence and quality of movement that I hadn’t seen in him previously – a very welcome sight as some of the company’s veteran male leads inevitably move off-stage in coming seasons.

If you missed it, we gave away two tickets to Opera Carolina’s Madama Butterfly today! We’ll be at the performance tomorrow, too, and cannot wait! The show received rave reviews for its opening on Saturday night. I personally can’t wait to see the set, costumes, and video work by Japanese artist Jun Kaneko.

I’ll report back, but in the meantime, congratulations to Ms. Nikki Mueller, the one-woman assembly line behind Not Made in China, who won today’s tickets. If you don’t own one of her buttons, magnets, or bags yet, you better get on it. She’s blowing up, y’all.

You may be wondering, how did she win those tickets? Here’s how: by correctly answering “La Scala” for our architecture meets opera question, “In what theater did Madama Butterfly originally premiere in 1904?” La Scala is one of the most beautifully done renovation projects of the new millennium. That renovation was done by none other than Mario Botta who also designed Charlotte’s own Bechtler Museum. I simply couldn’t resist the lovely, connected web.

Photos from Opera Carolina’s press page.

Title:  Communications/Digital Media Intern

Job Description: We’re looking for an intern with working knowledge and understanding of the digital media landscape, including various social media websites. The person for this job will demonstrate precise communication and administrative skills. We’re also looking for critical thinking skills, solid social skills, the ability to take initiative, and a desire to learn (aka enthusiasm). As our intern, you’ll gain hands-on communications experience while learning about the operations of a small business.

Responsibilities Include:
• Outline and develop content for social media platforms related to company activity.
• Research and report market trends.
• Provide information by answering questions and requests.
• Write and edit as required by administrative tasks or company activity.
• Resolve administrative problems by assisting in the preparation of reports, analyzing data, and identifying solutions.
• Contribute as a team player and take on related administrative tasks as required to support the company’s activities.

Skills/Qualifications: Written and Verbal Communication Skills, Organization, Ability to Analyze Information, Professionalism, Problem Solving Skills, Research Skills, Eye for Detail.

Software/Application Experience Required: Microsoft Office, Adobe Creative Suite, Facebook, Twitter, WordPress. Preferred but not required: Hootsuite, LinkedIn.

Hours: 5-10/week
Pay: Hourly Negotiable

Send cover letter, resumé, and writing sample (optional) to: info(at)speakyourdesign(dot)com
(Note: we’re looking for style, personality, and social skills in your writing so drop the forced formalisms and be real with us.)

Map of Appalachian Cities (From thehillville.com)

I hail from Appalachia, an identifier that has always made me proud. So this week’s launch of The Hillville, a new zine about urban life in Appalachia, has me about to bust my buttons.

No one thinks about Appalachian urbanity, but the fact is, as my dear friend and Hillville co-founder Niki King writes, roughly 60% of the region’s residents live in urban or suburban areas. Vibrant cities with identities all their own can be found throughout the region  – Greenville, S.C., and Asheville, N.C., being two personal favorites. Furthermore, there are many people who identify with the region, including myself, who now live in urban areas across the Southeast and America, and we’ve brought Appalachian traditions and culture with us. (Which is to say, if you think the rise of the banjo is due to hipsters, you better check yo’self.)

Rarely does Appalachia or its people fit outsiders’ expectations –  Lange and Evans portrait of the region has persisted in most minds’ eyes to this day. And while The Hillville is set to demystify Appalachia for a lot of folks, I can’t help but think it will also reinforce and project the mystery, imagination, and beauty of the place that I, even living hundreds of miles away, still call home.

TEDx Charlotte: Dream Makers and Risk Takers

Ideas Worth Spreading. So goes the TED tagline. This past Saturday, even though the gorgeous weather was calling my name, I sat in Dana Auditorium at Queens University with 650 other people listening to ideas that, well yes, were worth spreading. Welcome to year 2 of TEDx Charlotte.

The event featured remarkable people presenting their even more remarkable innovations and efforts: Hackerspace Charlotte represented along with NASA, Samaritan’s Feet, and drumSTRONG. But my favorite speakers of the day had to be Dolph Ramseur of the independent Ramseur Records label and David Johnson of Silent Images. Ramseur’s belief that there’s “power in the small” and Johnson’s ability to find strength and joy in seemingly hopeless circumstances: I get that.

TED stands for Technology, Education, and Design. Started in 1984, the conference has featured some of the greatest thinkers, innovators, and personalities of our time. The “x” in TEDx stands for the independently organized TED events in communities across the country and around the world.

Our Set of Print Materials by Atheneum Creative

Here we are, officially beginning our third year in business! When year three came in view, I realized that all those promises to myself that I’d dedicate the necessary time to redesigning our print and web identity myself were bunk. Furthermore, since I’m surrounded by such incredible design talent, why not do the right thing and hire real designers to do the job properly?

Enter Atheneum Creative, the new branding firm created by longtime design collaborators Melissa Broderick and Amy Boyter. They specialize in event branding and stationery, but their experience and clientele run the gamut from corporate branding to non-profit publications.

Melissa and Amy are brand experts, and working with them was an absolute dream. From beginning ideas to quality control on the printed products, I am beyond thrilled with my business’s new look. Check out  atheneumcreative.com for more samples of their beautiful event work.

From Amy and Melissa: Everyone has a story. Perhaps you’re recently engaged, welcoming an addition to the family, or celebrating the start of a new business.  Atheneum will bring your story to life through a unique branded experience.

Giovani Gonzalez, B.i.M. Music Group

All the credit for the design overhaul on Speak Your Design’s website goes to Giovani Gonzalez. Giovani is a local designer who chooses to do web projects of interest to him in his limited spare time (and we are SO glad our project was of interest to him!). But if you ask him what he does, he’s going to tell you about  B.i.M. Music Group.

Giovani founded B.i.M. Music Group with his business partner Jocelyn Ellis last year. They describe the business as a “budding entertainment company…that specializes in music production, artist development and entertainment branding.”

They also produce music videos for their artists. Trust me, I’ve seen a couple, and these videos are top end, cable-worthy videos, my friend. And they’re made right here in Charlotte.  How’s that for listening local?

So here’s a shout out to my favorite web designer and his fast-growing music biz. Holla.

Drawing by Adolph Menzel

April 2012, UNC Charlotte’s College of Arts + Architecture will bring Violins of Hope to Charlotte for a series of premiere exhibitions and performances about the instruments recovered from the Holocaust.

Coming to North America for the first time, Violins of Hope is a collection of 18 violins restored by Israeli master violinmaker Amnon Weinstein. The instruments will be in Charlotte next April in part through financial support from Wells Fargo Private Bank, the exclusive corporate partner…

…In 1996, Weinstein began to collect and carefully restore violins that had extraordinary histories. Each violin is an artifact from the Holocaust. Some were played by Jewish prisoners in Nazi concentration camps; others belonged to the Jewish Klezmer musical culture, which was all but destroyed in the Holocaust.

[T]he Violins of Hope have never before been exhibited or played together in North America. Their American debut in Charlotte, and the rich programming inspired by their arrival, is expected to garner national attention for the University.

In collaboration with numerous arts and educational partners, the UNC Charlotte College of Arts + Architecture will present a series of performances, exhibitions, film screenings and educational programs that explore the history of music and the arts in the face of oppression.

“The College of Arts + Architecture is delighted to be working with so many cultural and academic partners,” said Dean Lambla. “The ‘Violins of Hope’project demonstrates our commitment to engage with a broad array of institutions in Charlotte that educate and collaborate to make this community a better place to live.”

Madelyn Caple, regional managing director for corporate sponsor Wells Fargo Private Bank, stated, “Wells Fargo Private Bank is dedicated to serving the community we’re in. Through our sponsorship of ‘Violins of Hope,’ we are pleased to support both local education and art.”

Other cultural partners for the project include Arts & Science Council, Charlotte Latin School, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, Charlotte Symphony, Charlotte Teachers Institute, Foundation for the Carolinas, the Foundation for the Jewish Community, Johnson C. Smith University, Levine Museum of the New South, Levine-Sklut Judaic Library and Resource Center, Myers Park Baptist Church, Queens University of Charlotte and the Sandra and Leon Levine Jewish Community Center.

The Violins of Hope will be on exhibit in the College of Arts + Architecture’s gallery in the University’s Center City Building from April 14-24, 2012. Performances featuring the violins begin April 12 with a concert celebrating the Resistance. The project’s final concert will take place in Belk Theater at Blumenthal Performing Arts Center on April 21. The Charlotte Symphony, conducted by music director Christopher Warren-Green, will perform, along with violinist Shlomo Mintz and other special guests.

If you have any questions about our services in the meantime, please contact us at info@speakyourdesign.com.

Speak Your Design provides communication and management services for projects and professionals in the arts and design industries. Effective communicators, we can help you express your unique brand identity across today’s range of media. Our ability to make order from chaos has also made us a go-to resource for clients with projects that are beyond their organization’s current capacity.

With knowledge and experience in architecture & design, the arts, and sustainable technologies, we not only understand where you’re coming from, we know where you want to go.