The D Show

April Drinks X Design

admin — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 19:34:43 +0000

April Drinks X Design

Thursday, April 12
5:30 – 7pm
1345 Division Street
Eastern Market Area

We are pleased to invite you to Eastern Market for our April edition of Drinks X Design!

Drinks X Design opens the doors to a unique atmosphere for attendees to experience, explore and build the relationships that lead to employment, community, and ultimately establishes Detroit as a center for design and creative innovation.

Detroit Creative Corridor
Signal Return

M1/DTW

admin — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 18:19:24 +0000

M1/DTW: ARTIFACTS AND IDENTITIES
APRIL 6–JUNE 9

Since 1995, Christian Unverzagt’s print work at M1/DTW has included the design of over 40 books, 20 identities, and countless other graphic works for arts, cultural, and retail clients. The exhibition will include books and press sheets from a range of projects, including many that are long out-of-print.

OPENING RECEPTION: FRIDAY, APRIL 6.2012 — 6PM–9PM
PRESENTATION: WEDNESDAY, APRIL 18.2012 — 7PM
M1/DTW
Signal–Return

After the Factory Film

admin — Wed, 21 Mar 2012 21:01:55 +0000

Screening: March 22, 2012. 7pm
Main Art Theatre, Royal oak

“After the Factory” Ticket Sales to Fuel Neighborhood Engagement Project

I am really excited to announce a huge project we are undertaking with the folks at the Goergia Street Community Garden. The basics: With all proceeds from the screening of After the Factory on March 22 at the Main Art Theatre in Royal Oak, we are initiating a neighborhood project on a vacant lot at the Georgia Street Community Garden. We want to use the film as a tool to create real growth and to go beyond just talking about the good things happening. We want it to be a crucial part of the movement, too.

So, a neighborhood project? We are building a remote control race car track. There I said it. I couldn’t help it. But wait, a remote control race car track? Let me explain.

The idea is to create an attraction, something that kids are curious about and want to take part in. After all, there are no remote control race car tracks in the city of Detroit, so it will also be something very unique to them and their neighborhood. Once the track is constructed, kids will have a variety of ways in which they can earn car time– they can volunteer in the GSCC media center, they could help tutor a fellow neighbor with their math homework, they could volunteer with Mark in the garden, take part in the up and coming youth garden market, or a variety of other things. But the point is this: once they have put a little work in, they are rewarded with some good old fashioned fun at the track where they can race cars and have a good time on space that was previously derelict. But it goes significantly further than that. With enough interest we can run classes that show kids how to build their own car, and perhaps some become interested in circuitry, engineering or product design. Then the universities step in to help make that vision possible with some partial or full scholarships. But here’s the main point: we’re taking dirt, a vacant lot, some extra materials and creating a very unique form of community engagement that is easily scaled up and emulated by others.

So! Who is WE? Well, obviously Mark Covington and the folks in the vicinity of Georgia Street Community Garden, then us here at DETROIT LIVES! and the film, but we’re looping in Patrick Thompson from Patrick Thompson Design to help really steer an innovative design process that involves kids and neighbors at the front end of designing this thing (learn about Patrick in a recent short film we did on him here).

Last item: We really need your help. Please buy your tickets for the screening on March 22 and support this endeavor. The more people that come, the closer we get to reaching our mark of raising at least $3,000 for this effort. If you cannot come to the screening, please tell your friends to come through Facebook and Twitter. So, get ready, we think this is going to be a really exciting forward movement for the folks on Georgia Street, but hopefully pave the way to creatively thinking about some new forms of neighborhood engagement. Onward.
Link

2011 D Show Winners

admin — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 15:22:51 +0000

2011 D Show Winners

BEST OF SHOW
Union Adworks, Born of Choir
Avalon, Beast

PRINT CONSUMER NEWSPAPER FULL PAGE OR SPEAD – SINGLE
Campbell Ewald USAA “Army/Navy_Rivals”

PRINT CONSUMER NEWSPAPER FULL PAGE OR SPREAD – CAMPAIGN
McCann Erickson Story of SAAB newspaper

PRINT CONSUMER MAGAZINE FULL PAGE OR SPEAD – SINGLE
Doner Chrysler – “Military Ad”
Leo Burnett Leo Burnett House Ad for D Show Book
Fallon Cadillac – Sharp Edges
Fallon Cadillac – Door Handles are Invisible
Team Detroit Mustang – You Can Hear It Coming from 40 Years Away
Team Detroit McClure Pickles – Mansion
Team Detroit McClure Pickles – Wine
Team Detroit MustangCustomizer.com
Fallon Cadillac – FSTST SDN

PRINT CONSUMER MAGAZINE FULL PAGE OR SPEAD – CAMPAIGN
McCann Erickson Saab “Story of Saab” – magazine campaign
McCann Erickson Pure Michigan Magazine Campaign

PRINT OUT OF HOME SINGLE
Driven Founders Brewing Company, “Dip in the Hops” Truck Wrap
SMZ Zamboni – Outdoor for London, Ont –
Fallon Cadillac – We Bent the
Fallon Cadillac – Brilliant in Any Light
Team Detroit Mustang OOH – Clouds
Team Detroit Mustang OOH – Donuts
Campbell Ewald KAISER PERMANENTE: DOUBLE DECKER BUS- “Skateboard”
OUT OF HOME CAMPAIGN
Goodby Silverstein & Partners Chevrolet: Dream Cruise
McCann Erickson Saab “Story of Saab” OOH

CONSUMER RADIO SINGLE UNDER $7500
McCann Erickson Pure Michigan Radio Campaign

CONSUMER TV OVER $75,000 OVER :30 SINGLE
McCann Erickson Saab “Story of Saab”

CONSUMER TV OVER $75,000 :30 AND UNDER SINGLE
Doner Chrysler – “Punch”
Goodby Silverstein & Partners Chevrolet: Before 5
Team Detroit Carhartt Wolves TV
McCann Erickson Pure Michigan Television – Perfect Summer

CONSUMER TV OVER $75,000 :30 AND UNDER CAMPAIGN
Team Detroit Fiesta Launch Campaign

CONSUMER TV UNDER $75,000 SINGLE
DBA Worldwide Promotes healthy relationships/Love is Here
SMZ Detroit Red Wings “Pre-Game”
Stronzo Films CHEVY – “DREAM”

CINEMA OR NON-BROADCAST SINGLE
Avalon Films Chrysler “Born of Choir”
Goodby Silverstein & Partners Alternatives For Girls Video
Team Detroit Explorer Live “Nelly”

PSA & POLITICAL DIGITAL – SINGLE
Beast Stopthetraffik.org.Human Trafficking

PUBLIC SERVICE/POLITICAL INTEGRATED CAMPAIGN
Goodby Silverstein & Partners Music Hall – Fela Musical

INTEGRATED BRANDING CAMPAIGN OVER $250,000
Doner Del Taco – “Super Special Show”
Campbell Ewald KAISER PERMANENTE
McCann Erickson Pure Michigan Integrated Branding

INNOVATIVE MARKETING – BRANDED ENTERTAINMENT/PRODUCT PLACEMENT
Doner Del Taco – “Super Special Show #6 – Taco-Licious Glory
Doner Del Taco – “Super Special Show #7 – The Quest for Tacos”
Doner Del Taco – “Super Special Show #8 – Bean There, Done That”
Doner Del Taco – “Super Special Show #9 – When Tacos Ruled the Earth”

INTERACTIVE ADVERTISING – BANNERS – DYNAMIC
Team Detroit 2011 F-150 Undertone Page Grabber

DIGITAL MEDIA – WEBSITES & MICROSITES – BRANDED WEBSITE
DBA Worldwide Promotes healthy relationships/ Love is here
Team Detroit Carhartt

DIGITAL MEDIA – ONLINE FILMS & VIDEO – SHORT FORM
Union Adworks/Beast Chrysler/ Born of Choir

DIGITAL MEDIA – SOCIAL MEDIA
Team Detroit Ford Focus, Focus Rally

GRAPHIC DESIGN – STATIONARY PACKAGE
Team Detroit Pro Bono Stationary for non profit WDET 101.9

GRAPHIC DESIGN – LOGOS
Team Detroit Ford Focus Rally

GRAPHIC DESIGN – POSTERS
Driven Hoggers BBQ Butcher Paper Posters Campaign
Goodby Silverstein & Partners Chevrolet – “9 Over 30″
Goodby Silverstein & Partners Chevrolet: Jimmie Johnson #5
COLLATERAL/SALES PROMOTION – PRODUCT SALES PRESENTATION – CATALOG
Union Adworks Catalog – 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee

COLLATERAL/SALES PROMOTION – PRODUCT SALES PRESENTATION – SALES KITS/FOLDERS
Union Adworks Catalog – Jeep 70th Anniversary

COLLATERAL/SALES PROMOTION -COLLATERAL – SELF PROMOTION
Goodby Silverstein & Partners Bridge
Brogan & Partners Stomach
Team Detroit AIGA Detroit: Wish You Were Here

THE CRAFT ILLUSTRATION – COMMERCIAL
Driven Founders Brewing Company, 12oz. All Day IPA Label

THE CRAFT ORIGINAL MUSIC – NON-COMMERCIAL
AU Greative Group U.S. NAVY CHAPLAINS, EPISODE 1 “CHAPLAIN BALBALE”

THE CRAFT SOUND DESIGN – COMMERCIAL
Yessian Music Aktion Deutschland Hilft “Japan”

THE CRAFT MUSIC RE-ARRANGEMENT – COMMERCIAL
Yessian Music Nokia “Don’t Fence Me In”
Yessian Music NBC “Upfront Peacock Open”

THE CRAFT VIDEO/FILM SPECIAL EFFECTS – COMMERCIAL
Doner Chrysler – “Arrive in Style”

CINEMATOGRAPHY – COMMERCIAL
Doner Chrysler – “Arrive in Style”

STUDENT
CCS Carmex – “Emoticon”
CCS Willy Wonka’s Everlasting Gobstoppers – “Neverending”
CCS Salvation Army – “Salvation”
CCS Motorola – “Exist”
CCS United States Bowling Congress – “Find It Bowling”
CCS Alzheimer’s Association – “Marie”

BEST OF PRINT
Goodby Silverstein & Partners Bridge

BEST OF TV
Doner Arrive in Style

BEST OF RADIO
McCann ERICKSON Pure Michigan Radio Campaign

BEST OF THE CRAFT
Union Adworks, Born of Choir
Avalon, Beast

BEST OF DIGITAL MEDIA
Team Detroit Ford Focus Rally – Social Media

THE JOE
SMZ Detroit Red Wings – Zamboni

THE AMBASSADOR
Gregory Holm, Detroit Fire House
Jeffrey Williams,
With special thanks to The Detroit Children’s Choir

Whitdel Arts’ Love Letters

admin — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 15:58:21 +0000

November 11th – December 9th

Whitdel Arts is proud to present “Love Letters: A Typographic Affair,” an exhibition featuring artwork that focuses and incorporates the letterform.

The letterform is an entity we interact with every day, most often without as much as a second thought. Whether the typeface is used as a means of communication, or celebrated in its purest form, “Love Letters: A Typographic Affair” features a wide array of artists working with type in all mediums. From typographers and designers to painters and photographers, exhibiting artists include:

Sarah Aldrich
Dionicio Amorsolo
Rachel Bourgault
Skip Davis
Clare Fox
Tim Gralewski
George T. Gregory
Ed Janzen
Gwen Joy
Deborah Kashdan
Gualberto Orozco
David Edward Parker
Gabrielle Pescador
Tara Polansky
Donita Simpson
Jennifer Smith
Jack O. Summers
Rebecca Vogel-McGowan
Margi Weir
Adam Yarbrough

For a schedule of exhibitions and events at Whitdel Arts, please visit www.whitdelarts.com

The exhibition will run from November 11th – December 9th. For gallery hours, please visit . For more information, e-mail info@whitdelarts.com

Whitdel Arts
1250 Hubbard St., Suite B1
Detroit, MI

AIGA Detroit Pinewood Derby

admin — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 14:57:39 +0000

On January 19, 2012 AIGA Detroit is gearing up for their first ever Greased Up Pinewood Derby and they want you to participate! Never heard of a Pinewood Derby before? It’s a race in which participants build a toy car from a block wood and race them down a track. Need some inspiration? Check out the photos from AIGA San Francisco’s derby.

Cars will be competing in one of two categories: Race Cars & Show Cars. In order to be eligible for the race portion of the event, cars must be in compliance with derby rules and pass an inspection by the AIGA Detroit inspection team at the time of sign in on January 19. Rules do not apply for show cars.

To register your vehicle for the event you must purchase a participant ticket. At this time we will ask for your vehicle name and which category you will be competing in.

In addition to the race, we’ll be auctioning off donated cars with proceeds benefiting AIGA Detroit’s youth mentoring program: Shout! If you’re interested in donating your car to the auction please contact programming director Rachael Beresh.

Get all the info: AIGA Detroit’s Pinewood Derby

OmniCorpDetroit Book’Shop

admin — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 16:02:11 +0000

Wednesday, November 16, 2011 from 7:00 PM to 10:00 PM (ET)
Detroit, MI

Learn the basics of bookbinding in this 3 hour workshop. We’ll cover perfect- and sewn-bound books and try a couple of eccentric and DIY binding. The entire process from folding paper to gluing buckram. Fun to use to make your own sketchbooks or portfolios!

OmniCorpDetroit is an intense group of designers, artists, engineers, musicians, thinkers, do-ers and makers that get together to build new things as well as share and collaborate within the Detroit community.
Buy Tickets Here

Sweet Juniper

admin — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 22:34:19 +0000

I woke up feeling really good yesterday, which is almost always a sure sign that trouble lies ahead.

Ever since the end of Daylight Savings Time, it’s been a lot easier to get the kids to school on time—or even early—allowing me to experience what it feels like to be a responsible father. Yesterday was one of those days where the kids seemed to wake up already dressed for school and I had their breakfasts on the table on time and nobody left the house with cream cheese smeared across their cheeks or melted M&Ms in their hair. We were absolutely poised for something to go wrong.
Read more

Nine-and-a-half questions for Monica Breen

admin — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 13:38:25 +0000

The double doors to The First Baptist Church of Hamtramck are behind an iron gate that hangs open. At the foot of the entrance is a small carving in the pavement; it’s the symbol for Namaste—a Sanskrit greeting translated as “the spirit in me respects the spirit in you.” Despite the ominous quality of this large, very square building in the middle of a neighborhood, there’s a peacefulness to it.

After a knock, we hear a dog bark and the right door opens. Monica Breen holds the pink collar of Farrah, a curious pit-bull mutt with a soft blonde coat. Inside, the space is decorated up and down with photographs, paintings and sculptures. It’s tall and wide and open like a loft. Her husband, graphic artist Jason Smith, is crouched in the center of the room working on an impressive hand-painted sign for a café.

It’s as much a workshop as it is a functioning household. Along the left wall, in the natural light of a window, is Breen’s in-house photography studio.

After graduating Cranbrook Academy of the Arts with a Master’s Degree in 2-D Design, she has focused almost all of her artistic energy on capturing life through a lens.

Tell us about this space. Does it influence your work or your productivity?
I lived in NYC for five years, and upon my return I realized Detroit property is relatively cheap! I found this old Baptist church that had been renovated into a live/work space and decided it was the place for me. People still knock on the door and tell me they were baptized in here and want to look around and show it to their kids or whatever.

Maybe because so many people prayed in here, but it’s quiet and peaceful and it’s easy to focus in this space. Plus, it’s obviously a photo studio: 2400 sq. foot freestanding space with a 14-foot ceiling and has no walls—I wake up in the morning looking at my studio!

When you work on photography, do your design inclinations inform the way you think about composition? And vise versa… does photography influence your design?
I started a career as a graphic designer at Bloomberg Television in NY. I was a production designer on the graveyard shift, making the “over the shoulder” images that appear behind a newscaster. The images had to be created really fast, and they had to be succinct in order to make an impact during a 30 second news story. That particular experience of image making is burned into me—for better or for worse—and impacts everything I do, including photography. When I take a picture, I’m still trying to make something that is laconic in its visual expression. I think the best image will make an instant impact—grab your attention or tell a fast story—and then further unfold from there.

As far as photography influencing design, maybe it’s like a chicken and egg thing. I was influenced by the Cartier-Bresson/decisive moment thing well before I was working in graphic design. So who knows…

You’re a certified yoga instructor, design teacher (College for Creative Studies), a freelance photographer and graphic designer. You’ve even played drums and bass in bands. What other challenges or interests would you like to pursue that you haven’t already?
I was totally humbled by the formally-trained designers at Cranbrook, and I’m continually impressed by my friends who have pursued music as a career. I’ve come to realize that perhaps more so than their products, it is their attitude, longevity, and love of the pursuit that makes them true artists. I finally admitted to myself that music and design should remain my hobbies, because I just can’t do it like my friends. However, I do have that special relationship with photography. So I have been streamlining my efforts towards photography, exclusively. This might be my challenge and pursuit.

As far as the yoga, I approach it as discipline more than an exercise routine, so the yoga is a practice that organically influences my work as a photographer. I think I’m pretty good at telling models how to move their bodies around, too.

You’ve also held art-related events here (in the church) in the past. Do you have anything planned for the near future?
I just finished shooting the ladies version of “best dressed music makers in Detroit.” This old church was filled with cool and talented women—stylists, hair and make-up, all the models, the assistants—and it was crazy and fun and a total party. I did a men’s version of this back in February, which was published in JACK Detroit magazine in September. I’d like to celebrate by having a party with some of the “best dressed musicians” performing here in the church.

Of all the art you’ve ever created—be it graphic design, a drawing, painting or photograph—what is your favorite piece and why?
I like so much of my stuff, but right now I am still in love with some images I shot for a lookbook for a hat maker in NYC. I built little sets for each hat, and was determined to create the illusions “in camera,” as opposed to using digital software. It was a personal challenge, and I was trying to speak to the over-reliance on digital software, questions of authenticity, etc. Anyhow, I used loads of invisible thread, colored lightbulbs, long exposures, etc. The images have an awkward and “synthetic” quality that I like. I think they are funny.

What is the best advice you’ve ever received?
Be nice.

What is the best lesson or advice you’ve ever given?
You don’t have to be nice to everybody.

What projects are you involved with currently and/or what’s on the horizon?
I’ve been attempting to make little parts of Detroit more cohesive through the photographic series. (That’s what the “best dressed” was all about.) Right now I’m collecting quality “grown and made” Detroit products, and I will shoot them within some really beautiful table-top settings. I was inspired by my friend Kinga, and her lip balm, which is made from the wax that comes from her backyard bee hives. I’m really excited about this series and hope I can crank it out soon.

And, finally, the half question: Why does the sky…
Seem so exciting with a double rainbow?!

Visit http://monicabreen.com/

D Show Finalists & Show Update

admin — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 20:57:40 +0000

The annual D Show awards will be on Wednesday, November 30, 2011 at the Max Fisher Center for the Performing Arts & Orchestra Hall.

The 5th Annual D Show
When: Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2011 – 6 p.m. reception, 8 p.m. show and 10 p.m. afterglow
Where: Max M. Fisher Music Center, Detroit
Get your tickets now!

Check out the finalists for this year’s show. And don’t forget to save the date!

D Show Finalist List

The D Show Council