New Year's Eve Traditions

While everyone celebrates New Year's Eve in their own way, there seems to be a common theme. It's a time for setting things straight. Some people show this by doing a thorough housecleaning, returning borrowed objects, deleting Facebook friends, setting resolutions or patching up quarrels. In many cultures, people jump into the sea or a local body of water – literally washing away the past and starting a clean slate. 
I've been told, in some towns in Italy, you have to watch out for falling objects, as people shove their old sofas, chairs and even refrigerators out of their windows on New Year's Eve (Note: add that to my bucket list) In Ecuador, people make dummies, stuffed with straw, to represent the events of the past year. These effigies are burned at midnight and symbolizes getting rid of the past. Although this tradition isn't reserved just for New Year's, I know women who have done this for ex-boyfriends throughout the year. (I highly recommend it!)

But, everything you do on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day is performed with some thought for the future. The popular custom of spending the night with the one you love and kissing them at midnight, is done to insure that the relationship will flourish the next year. (I bet you didn't know that.)
I like to make up a different tradition every year. Tonight, I'm preparing a midnight supper of steak, red wine and a dozen cupcakes! And, one tradition I do like to keep is starting the year off by doing something creative and fun. Tomorrow the consensus is we're each going to paint a picture. Last year the theme was "self-portrait" and that was a disaster, so I'm really looking forward to painting over it this year. 
I was also googling some rituals for good fortune and learned that the color of underwear Brazilians wear on the first day of the new year has meaning. Pink brings love, yellow, prosperity; and white, peace and happiness... hmm, I wonder what polka dots bring?
How ever you choose to bring in the New Year, I hope it brings you much joy! Happy New Year!! 

Hey, this is my 100th blog post!! (insert confetti here)

So, here it is. Post 100. A long time coming, and finally here. Thank you to all who’ve stopped by and read Twenty-Two Revisions these last… ummm, two and half years. Thanks even more to those who have taken the time to post some comments along the way. It is greatly appreciated. Post 101 won’t be too far off! 

The ReFrame Film Festival... there's an app for that!!

Launched December 18, 2011, the Reframe2012 app is like having the Reframe Peterborough International Film Festival in the palm of your hand! With schedules, films and event listings (alphabetically and by category), venue maps, ticket information and more, you can plan your time at the 2012 Reframe film festival with ease.

Yes, I copied that from our app description :) 

Our clients are always shocked (and maybe you are too) when I tell them that BrandHealth has been developing apps since the Spring of 2010. But, I'm proud to say this is our very first public app available on iTunes for the iPhone and iPod. And, I'm thrilled that's it's for the ReFrame Film Festival. Browse through films while standing in line. Visit YouTube to watch the trailers. Then Google map directions to the venue. Big kudos goes out to Mark, for developing this app! It was truly designed for a great user experience. Download it for free from iTunes and let me know what you think!

http://itunes.apple.com/app/reframe-2012/id489544540?ign-mpt=uo%3D6&mt=8  

2012 poster design - ReFrame International Film Festival

Last year the ReFrame poster design blog was ranked as my sixth most viewed posting... So, I thought I better follow it up again this year! And, I do so with great pride. This stunning poster was created by our newest designer Joe. He impressed us with a few amazing designs – ultimately Krista and the ReFrame team made the final decision – but, everyone knows I'm a sucker for anything retro. 

For the fourth year in a row, I’m proud to have BrandHealth be a supporter of this event. A big thank you to Krista and her team for being incredible people to work with, and thank you for bringing these international films to Peterborough. I'm looking forward to attending!!

So, if you are looking for something to do in Peterborough - the weekend of January 27-29th - get a ticket. I promise you won’t be disappointed. Tickets are available around town. If you need more information... Check out the poster and I hope to see you there!  



Is there an app for that? Why yes, there is!
http://brandhealthacd.blogspot.com/2011/12/reframe-film-festival-theres-app-for.html


Or follow them on Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/reframefilmfestival

Art Director Wanted

It’s not that easy finding a great Art Director combined with an equally great designer, who also happens to be equally talented in both digital and traditional advertising and design.

If you think you are that person, here’s a list of “must have's” that ought to get you an interview:
• Must have 5 plus years experience on a creative team in an agency or design studio
• Must have a strong traditional print design background with a solid understanding of  

   digital production (mobile communications is a plus)
• Must have strong written and verbal communication skills
• Must have strong presentation skills necessary for creative presentations to clients

• Must be fluent in Adobe Creative Suite with a special focus on Photoshop, Flash and

   After Effects

• Must be able to produce work from concept to final art work with exceptional sensitivity

   towards typography, photo and image manipulation and user interface design

Oh, and you must be nice to work with :)

In return we offer a competitive salary, unique benefits and a great culture. 

To apply for the role of Art Director please send your CV and online portfolio to careers@brandhealth.ca. For more information check out brandhealth.ca.

We look forward to hearing from you!

Leviathan

Le Grand Palais, Paris, France

Inspiration can come in many forms. It could be a beautiful painting, the written word or even a funny YouTube video. This spring, inspiration came to me in the form of the ‘Leviathan’.

What’s that you ask? Well, let me tell you.

A few months ago a co-worker and friend, Mark, posted a Facebook link to this year’s Monumenta. For those of you who don’t know (and I didn’t know at the time!!) Monumenta is the indoor art project that fills the vast and très belle hall of the Grand Palais Museum in Paris (France) with a single contemporary work of art for five weeks every spring. The post immediately caught my interest because coincidently, I was in the midst of planning a trip to Paris! The sheer monumental scale of the Grand Palais provided the inspiration for: Monumenta. But, last year’s Monumenta project, by the French artist Christian Boltanski – “heaps of used clothes highlighting the plight of the dispossessed” – didn’t even come close to realizing the possibilities of the 13,500 m2 of space. BTW - I have the same sculpture in my bedroom. 

Monumenta 2010 by Christian Boltanski.

This year’s installation was “Leviathan” by Anish Kapoor, Indian-born, British-based artist and the creator of many contemporary art structures, to name a couple of interest to me: Chicago’s Cloud Gate and the Orbit Tower – currently being built at the 2012 Olympic site. The Orbit Tower is positioned to be London’s version of the Eiffel Tower and to be completed the end of this year. Knowing a bit of Anish’s reputation I knew the Leviathan would not disappoint.

The Orbit Tower under construction.

On May 11, 2011, “Leviathan,” opened to huge amounts of critical and popular praise. Critics likened the piece to a beached whale or giant wombs. But looking at the pictures made me feel that... “I’m-going-to-miss-it-panic” that sets in when hearing about a far-away piece that’s clearly going to become one of those historically, influential works. I get that feeling a lot but this time... off to Paris I flew to actually see it! I had no idea what I was about to experience.

I made my visit to Le Grand Palais on a Sunday night at 11:00 pm. With not a single person in line I paid my 5 Euros and was immediately ushered into a darkened entrance hall, through a doorway into an immense, red womb-like space. I gasped out loud (GOL) in awe and amazement. It was lightly lit through its membrane-like surface which looked soft and almost velvet-like. Looking upward, gaping orifices open out into three unreachable pod-like spaces. I was in the Leviathan... with no sense of the surrounding environment. Maybe it was because it was way past my bedtime but the experience felt meditative and dream-like.
Passing back out into the entrance area, I was directed through another door into the main entrance of the hall where I’m hit and overwhelmed by a gigantic globular rubber structure – the exterior of the Leviathan. Moving through the arches of the Leviathan, I truly felt... antlike, yet far from feeling oppressed. This immense mass before me glowed and whichever way I looked or moved I was hit by some extraordinary new vista and wonderment.
The structure’s central space and three extensions appeared as immense purple rubber spheres projecting into the three parts of the hall, challenging the vaulted greenhouse-like roof and surrounding art nouveau balconies. It was perfect in it’s symmetry and oddly elegant in it’s form. The juxtaposition of the two structures – Le Grand Palais and the Leviathan – was exhilarating and inspiring. Thank you Anish for a once in a life time experience. It was unforgettable.

Of course I took a million pictures... Voilà my 2011 inspiration, the Leviathan. Enjoy.

Monumenta 2011 'Leviathan' by Anish Kapoor
Le Grand Palais, Paris, France
May 11 to June 23, 2011

The bar is now open!

The bar at the newly renovated Market Hall that is... Affectionately named the "BrandHealth Bar" in recognition of a generous $40,000 donation from the partners at BrandHealth - Paul, Chris and Mike.

Officially christened Thursday evening, BrandHealth staffers were hosted by Karen August, Market Hall General Manager, and her team to a private cocktail party and tour. We were impressed to see the bar was well stocked with beer, Malibu Rum and our very own BrandHealth martini!! But, we were even more impressed to see the new venue. One word... WOW! 

I met Karen two years ago as we collaborated on fundraising materials. I remember the office area wallpapered with architectural drawings, plans and wishful thinking... To see it all come to life this week gave me goose bumps. It's truly inspiring to see a community come together to support the arts and I'm so proud that BrandHealth could play a big part in that. Congratulations Karen to you and your team! Your passion and dedication to this worth while cause is contagious! 

For over one hundred years Market Hall has been a Peterborough landmark, first as home to the city’s market and, for the last 25 years, as an arts centre. Located in the heart of downtown Peterborough, it's clocktower marks the corner of George and Charlotte. Just a hop, skip and jump from BrandHealth. To see what's happening at Market Hall check out their calendar of events at http://www.markethall.org/calendar.php

To learn more about the donation read Paul Hickey's blog at http://tiny.cc/0mlul

Photo credit http://tiny.cc/kcpwr 

Here's to another 100 great years at Market Hall, Cheers!!