In this sea of everyday web designers, artists and writers, finding out where you fit in may be the hardest task. As I watch the news every night with much trepidation, it seems like unemployment and closing businesses are on the rise.  If there is one thing to take away from this, it’s ‘don’t limit yourself’ - learn a second, or even third, skill. Having multiple tools in your tool belt will allow for additional avenues of income and potential success where you least expect. It all depends on what you are doing with your time.

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Post by matt in Artwork • Business • (0) Comments •

In a moment of self-reflection I’ve complied a few ideas that might help artists stay motivated.

Art Makes Great Gifts - It is the holidays so what better way to get some new work done than to give a gift to your loved ones. In most cases your family or friends desire one of your masterful creations, but just cannot afford it. Here is an opportunity to do something nice and hopefully it will have been a portfolio-worthy piece as well. Whether it is for the New Year, for your valentine or just a birthday, it is a good way to have a solid deadline and stick to it.

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Post by matt in Artwork • Business • (0) Comments •

Everyone always asks artists about their inspiration; where does it come from, who inspires them, why do they create the way they do. Some of these questions will continually go unanswered, many will receive a pretentious artist’s explanation and only a few may come down to the very specific reason why. Each artist that I have met has been inspired and motivated quite differently but there is one consistent factor, and that’s the unquenchable desire to create.

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Post by matt in Artwork • Business • Web • (0) Comments •

All “controversial” artists have some type of message. This message is usually something you’ve heard before, either from a Christian conservative or maybe a man-hating lesbian or animal rights activist, but never the less, a voice that is represented visually. The voice they speak is one that touches each of our nerves and the imagery is striking. In some cases their motivation is purely shock value to force you to run away crying. At other times the artists are asking you think about the concept with new eyes and consider the other side.

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Post by laura in Artwork • Business • Web • (0) Comments •

As an artist I can only speak from experience, getting noticed and recognized is quite the daunting task. Taking on the life of an artist or freelancer is never easy and here are a few tips on how to get noticed.

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Post by laura in Around Town • Artwork • Business • Web • (0) Comments •

Artists are too often lacking their creative muse, their inspiration, ideas that pay the bills. Art is reactionary work, not very often do you wake up ready to create something great and original. Creating something from nothing is harder work than say, your average day at the auditing house or security detail. There are no guarantees that what you put down, put out will be well received - unless what you’re putting out is your body.

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Post by laura in Around Town • Artwork • Business • (0) Comments •

Matt and I are excited to say that our wedding website has officially launched!  He’s spent many long nights creating custom digital illustrations, tweaking each color to stay within our scheme, and perfecting the functionality of this interactive wedding site.

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Post by laura in Artwork • Web • (0) Comments •

Jeff and Katie Downie of Downie Photography were so excited about what we came up with for their brother Steve, that they commissioned us to make promotional graphic tees.

The idea was to start with an editorial photograph taken by Jeff and convert it to an illustration that would not only reproduce well, but also make a statement about the type of people they are: young, hip, and forward thinkers. This first design was the initial direction we took, placing the name “Downie” in the foremost part of the vector design.

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Post by laura in Around Town • Artwork • Writing • (0) Comments •

photo kidnapped from the Scrap Exchange

We are currently in the process of collecting names & contact info for super cool, but underground, artists, musicians and business owners for the new and improved Artery Magazine. We’ve been working slowly on it for months thinking no one’s paid attention - but they have, and we’ve been getting emails, phone calls and other odd requests. Guys and gals in Carrboro, Chapel Hill, Raleigh and yes, even Durham. With the immediate reaction we’ve had from Durham residents I can’t understand why everyone is so down on the Bull City.

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Post by laura in Around Town • Artwork • Business • Music • News • Writing • (0) Comments •

We’ve acquired a new Scott Bye painting! The conversation went like this:
Scott: “Do you really want it?”
Me: “Absolutely.”
Scott: “You are the only person on the face of the planet who loves this painting. It’s all yours.”
Me: Score

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Post by laura in Around Town • Artwork • Handmade • (1) Comments •