Flashback on Inspiring Designs

Designing inclines towards functionality unlike Fine arts that are Arts for Art sake, yet, there is a factor of pure creative pleasure even in designing.

As we move ahead with Conscious Designing project for coming year, here is a flashback on the many inspiring experiences with designing- personal and with others, that inspired arriving at this project. Also the inner outer talks prepared the ground for adding the angle of ‘Conscious’ Thankful to everyone who supported and encouraged the work.

It has been a pleasure to witness creativity unfold while working on our projects especially the last couple years while working on E2Re project and the Zero waste Crafts in relation to Waters.

What is designing? Where can it be seen Or we can ask, WHERE NOT can Design be seen.

Anything done with conscious effort can be a design good or not so good but an efforts is made to make things more beautiful then they existed. Does that make sense? It might be my personal view.

More on Designing discussion in next year, for now would just like to share some of the designs that helped grow my understanding on Design, Arts and its connection to Life as a Whole. So much more to learn…

*ALL photos are courtesy of the author, they should not be used without prior permission.

Tutorial Designing for Seniors' Art Boxes aiming for Zero waste. 

Thanks to Champaign Family Services for their commissions.

The designing was fun and easier but the amount of technical work it demanded, felt like a pain then. But now looking back, i feel good about myself and inspired to use them in the near future. 

Water poems and collage works around 'Waters'. during SAL Conference at Siebel Center for Design

While leading this activity, the focus was on promoting creative thinking rather then make good Art.. It might not pass the norms of good art technically but they had an element of spontaneity, originality and involvement! Thanks to AACC for organizing our talks.

Kiri's Handloom designing

I met Kiri Fagen-Ulmschneider at the Spinners and Weavers exhibit. She designs Fabric with  Cotton material on her own handloom and is a propagator of natural materials.  

We were fortunate to have her on our intro designing talks as she continued to speak of natural dyes too. 

Handmade teaching aids for wetlands enrichment

For the wetlands week Enrichment event,

Julie Nieset, Wetland scientist at I NHS had prepared Teaching needs to show the length of different plants in our yards versus native plants her it was a genius design. Simple and impactfuful

Designer Easter Egg collection for reuse. 

Anuvaa Joshi and her mom initiated a plan for collecting the plastic eggs but coming from.an Arts background it would not be any simple cointainer. They made posters and designed a collection center stand. The concept and execution is impressive and the intentions, commendable! 

Handmade Art project For the SOI Seniors special virtual meet, the Grandmas shared some elaborate handmade designs. It's amazing to see the kind of patience and effort put into their crafts. With readymade getting cheaper, my gen or next is diluted with such capacities. 

The designing of 'Art with Nature' activity has been an invigorating experience for me. From planning, to gathering and cleaning natural material, to arranging it in given space, I enjoyed it all and would definitely want to work more on this concept. 

The Dolls with Repurposed Fabrics and cardboard/ papers

in reference to Spurlock Museum’s artifacts at AACC The Boxy' by Jinyung was a wonderful execution of materials in hand. It was neat work and creative thinking. He was aptly named Boxy adding to the emotional touch with designing.

Also Sinyee's Doll though 2D had some action that added movement.

The Pine cone Fish by visitor at EDE, MIC during ‘Art with Nature’ activity. Thanks to Urbana Park District for organizing this huge event

This Pine cone Fish was innovative and original, most impressive was the patience and involvement of a pre-teen kid. He carefully selected the suitable rose petal for fin and cut Oak leaf carefully to fit in. Then put much effort in tying the thread. His fingers seemed to be in total union with pinecone and thread with focused attention. It will always be one of my memorable experiences as a facilitator and an audience.

The Paper Upcycling activities 

most kids at the teens lab were creative and innovative, encouraging me to design more challenging assignments. It made me realise how potentially new thinkers our kids are! ts my generation that need to open our minds and step into newness

Rattlesnake Runner Puppet

I encountered this Puppet in the beautiful ambience at Kalyx center.for sustainability. It is skillfully created by Miriam Larson, Exc Director of UCMIC . As it arrived from far, its presence felt more and more powerful, yet playful until I could connect to its vibes. It is large but Miriam has engineered it to attach it as backpack and move it while walking. Her companion was holding the stick hands and jovially waving at us. i had a chance to handle one of the arms and dance with the music at the background. It wa truly a touching experience! I feel the surrounding environment, the gathered group, the intention of gathering, all were supportive to creating such feelings.

Circles designed on Fabrics for Boneyard show

Mohan Tracy has been engaged in her creative pursuits with Fabrics since a long time. Apart from Fabric art making  she makes blankets to donate too. She inspires me in many ways! I loved Mohan’s ‘Circles’ representing various concepts. it was on display at this year‘s boneyard art fest,. I could connect to her circles thru my own works on ‘Mu’ and ‘Shunyã’

At the same event, for David Monk’s memorial, at Kalyx center.for sustainability the owner-sisters distributed small cotton bags with Prairies seeds. The bags made for a nice gift packaging and i could sense the careful effort gone into categorizing the seeds (full sun/ woody areas/ partial sun etc) and ready to serve. 

Life-size ply figures at Adams book store

While attending the CU poetry event, I couldn’t resist capturing these dramatic figures reclining on windows on the topmost floor of Adams Book store.. The structure of building itself (architecture) is tricky. just climbing the stairs and reaching the venue at top was a fun time. that mixed with the poetry and theses figures creating a drama, in all it was a wonderful chemistry!

The SECS booth (Students for Environmental Concerns) at UIUC’s Engineering event showed integrity to their work on sustainability. The table covered with cloth not plastic, the boards were hand written and painted. The booth was well thought about in relation to the their message.

'Companion Species' by Marie Watt at KAM

 large reclaimed textile assemblage with Wolf embroidered.on it.

Everything about this piece moved me- the color scheme, composition, the liner subtleties of fine drawing and apart from its Aesthetically appeal, the repurposed material with Humane theme was impressive.

when one leads one also follows, When one is teaching one is also learning 

The most benefits i had from organizing these projects and activities is the inspiration to move ahead with creative spirit and the energy to explore the beauty around! I will always be thankful for these learning opportunities.