Tuesday, June 22, 2010

Investing in my future


This week I've been playing with my latest purchase...Adobe CS5 Design Premium..Commercial version :)
So so so so so so so exciting.

In other news I sold a print in the weekend (yay!) and I am currently working on painting four canvases which is fun!

Also said goodbye to my good friend Roxy who is heading over to Italy for the Mittelmoda fashion comp. Hope she wins! Good luck Roxy! If you havent seen her amazing creations - you should google her name Roxanna Zamani. Lots will come up cos she's pretty much famous :)

Saturday, June 12, 2010

Upgrades

I've recently ditched my Asus 6000U Lappy...



..in favour of a beautiful new 13 Inch Macbook Pro (Thanks Grandma!)



I've also ditched my old Canon Powershot A520...



..For a Panasonic Lumix FZ35 (Thanks IRD!)



It makes life so much easier when you have technology that works to your advantage :)
Switching from a PC to a Mac has been the best decision ever. As they say "Once you have a Mac, you never go back".

Friday, June 11, 2010

Hanmer Springs Physiotherapy

My mother's physiotherapy clinic in Hanmer Springs was in dire need of a new brand. All that existed was a simple painted sign saying PHYSIOTHERAPIST outside. I took up the challenge over the first half of this year to create her a new logo, and a new street sign. And she needed a new business card. Below was her previous business card (eww)



Below are the new designs for 2 new business cards. The first encorporates the new logo I designed for her. It's simple, clean and fresh - just the way I like it. The colours are bright yet still fit in with the natural surroundings of Hanmer Springs. The logo includes a mountain that refers to the iconic conical hill in Hanmer, and also the Physiotherapy hands.



The second design is a revamp of her previous cards - kept it extremely simple due to the large amount of text needed, and kept with the same colour scheme of the first card.



I decided to get the cards printed through Printstop. They were having 50% off appointment cards during May - Perfect timing. Proofing was a very easy process and they were extremely helpful. Can not wait to see the final product - They should be being couriered to Hanmer Springs at present.

Exhibitions

Today I'm also working on getting some of my woodblock prints exhibited around Otago. You can view my printmaking here (as well as my illustration & design work). I've mostly been exhibiting in north canterbury at Majuba Gallery and Wai Ariki Nature Park in Hanmer Springs as well as The Rocking Frog in Waikari. I also exhibited work in Art in a Garden at Flaxmere last year and hope to do so again this year.

So far I've locked in to show some work at Lot Design in Wanaka - a beautiful new design store. I will also be exhibiting at the Art in Law IV Exhibition coming up at the Law Faculty at Otago University between July and November, and will also be involved at the Art in a Garden at Glenfalloch on the 17th October. Im a bit disappointed I can't exhibit at the OUSA Art Week Student Exhibition because I'm no longer a student :( (Last year I sold heaps and carved up some sweet prizes) Either way it will be cool to go and have a look.

Friday is my day

I am currently working part time at SouthLife Church as a "receptionist/PA". Title doesn't really do the job justice - As I do much much more than that - they even let me play around doing graphic design most days :) Anyway, I don't work there on Fridays so I try and spend it by doing fun things!

This morning had a cup of tea with my wonderful friend Margot Frei (prev McLean) up at this funky cafe in Roslyn called Kikki Beware. We had a great time encouraging each other in our creative fields - Margot has been gifted with an incredible voice. Margot kicked some serious butt back in 2006 when she gained a top 20 placing in New Zealand for the 'Play it Strange' high school songwriting competition with the song 'Her Way'. In the same year she also won best vocalist in the South Island Jazz Festival, and was asked to sing with the New Zealand Airforce Band in their gala concert. Margot also attended Berklee School of Music in Boston to attend a summer songwriting course in 2008. She is currently studying Music at Otago University.
Margot doesn't have a website - but we'll work on that - we need to get her out there! Meanwhile I've found a link where you can listen to her song 'Her Way'.

At lunchtime I went and checked out the Ten Day Boutique up at None Gallery (24 Stafford Street). Pretty cool! If you are in Dunedin you should go check it out - lots of cool arty stuff/clothing/crafts. Closes this Sunday 13th June. More info here

Thursday, June 10, 2010

The First Post

I haven't written a blog for 3 years. It was for my travels. I follow enough blogs so thought it was about time to start one up again, however this one will be of a different sort.

For those of you who don't know me - Hello! I'm Simone :) As the profile says - I'm primarily a Printmaker, Illustrator & Graphic Designer....but I also like to paint, take photos, recycle paper, make books, envelopes, stickers and lots of other things. I don't really wan't to box myself in if I dont have to.

Basically I'm creative. Therefore, Welcome to Simone Marie Creative. I'll be posting details of whatever creative endeavors I'm undertaking as well as other thoughts and ramblings.

Here goes!