Technology is My Frenemy

If you're like me, you too, have a love/hate relationship with technology. At my core I loathe/love modern machines. If you're really interested in hearing more about my philosophy on the industrial revolution and how I went from painting realism in watercolor to screen printing as a hobby, email me or stop by the studio. In the meantime, I'm going to share my current aggravation with my printer. Oh the printer. How we need this machine. And doesn't it always seem that when we REALLY need it, like to print something just super quick! it lets us down? So in my almost-breakup with my studio printer (who [that's right, who] students have named Vivian Number 2...because Vivian The Original is no longer), it got me thinking about creating this blog post.

Our children are growing with light speed technological advances (and quite honestly it's exciting and terrifying at the same time). I make it my work to slow down...kinda oxymoronic when I think of myself as a human printing press. So I had an idea that might be kind of fun for you, and your kids, to do to incorporate a little technology but in a slow and meaningful way. Grab your camera, a sketchbook, and a drawing tool (a good ol' Sharpie is a great choice!) and go exploring. I want you to start noticing patterns...on your clothing and your furniture, in stores and restaurants, but mostly outside. Breathe that fresh open air! Snap pics of these. Make time to draw the ones you find really interesting. Merge your digital and analog worlds. Then be sure to sign up for our newsletter (if you're not already a subscriber) and follow us on Instagram. We're going to be announcing an engaging and fun social media contest where you can win some really good stuff! Don't worry; it's NOT an art contest about who can draw the best or the most...we will never run those.  More on this in the coming weeks as you follow us on Instagram.

Bring your drawings in the studio for a little gallery display of your incredible observations!

photo taken by Cara Franke of a pattern found in yesterday's travels