A few weeks ago I was sent an interesting link from my father about an interesting group in Canada that makes large-scale murals from individual fine-art paintings. The results were striking, and got me thinking about the possibilities of using mosaic techniques for Peace Tiles – online as well as using physical Peace Tiles. I followed up the conversation on Ned.com – a social network aimed at collaboration through social enterprise – where a friend pointed me to the work of Jim Bumgardner, the creative mind behind Coverpop.com. And Jim made a Coverpop for Peace Tiles!
Coverpop is an elegant mosaic-maker that draws images from the photosharing site Flickr and, mapping their source over a customized mosaic of thumbnails, enables users to enlarge the view through a dynamic “fly-out” effect. Its a really fun way to organize – and view – a large number of images. Not sure, given the static nature of the background image, whether it will grow as new tile images are added.
To host the Coverpop, Jim provided an xml database file, a flash file, and a background image which are easily saved to a directory. Everything seems to be working flawlessly – thank you Jim! Why not try the Coverpop for yourself?
I’ve often wondered about the possibility of creating an online collage tool: a fun, creative space through which anyone could upload images, create, and share collages. In doing some searching on the web I came across the National Gallery of Arts resources for kids, among them their Collage Machine. What fun!
There are actually two versions of the Collage Machine, though both interfaces are pretty simple and work as Shockwave files. Basic features include:
- Canvass onto which visual elements can be placed
- A work table from which various visual elements can be selected to place on the canvass
- Text, color, pattern and image variations to scroll through on the work table
- A resize tool
- A rotate tool
- A VERY COOL transparency tool
- Flip horizontal and flip vertical tool
- Erase tool that makes you “start over”
- A mysteriously named “Auto” tool that gives you a place to start by creating a random composition
The Collage Machine lacks a few features that could be really fun and make it more useful as a teaching and marketing tool. For example, if users could import images from a site like Flickr the collages produced would have more personal meaning. A second feature would be a “Save” or “Email” feature that would enable users to share their works while publicizing the site. Right now the only way to save one’s work is to take a screen shot or “Print” the collage as using the sites built in print function to generate a .pdf file.
Despite its shortcomings however, the Collage Machine is a well designed and fun online tool. My favorite activity was playing with the Matisse-like cutouts, resizing them and working their transparency. Check it out at NGA Kids Zone!
This week Peace Tiles is represented at DesignMai2007 in Berlin through the generous efforts of the folks at socialdesignsite. Peace Tiles has a nice link from their home page and a lovely description within their profiles.
My dear friend-colleague-artist co-conspirator Darlene Charneco was telling me about some opportunities for collaboration that are opening up this summer, and pointed me to the website of the Moroccan artist Salima Raoui. In the “Paintings” section of her website Salima has the following quote from the surrealist poet Paul Eluard (French):
It is the warm law of men
to change water into light
dreams into reality
and enemies into brothers.
An old and a new law
That continues to perfect itself
from the bottom of a child’s heart
until the supreme reason.
That really struck and resonated within me. Very compactly summarizes what I am pursuing at an intuitive level through the joint efforts of my own artwork and the Peace Tiles project. Anyone who channels the surrealists is cut from the same cloth anyway!
Well, there isn’t alot of Selima’s work on her website to discuss just yet – in addition to the lovely collage pictured above I found some tapestry-like paintings that, when shown as a series project a lively, calming patchwork effect – I just want to roll up in those colors and textures with a good collection of Apollinaire. Along with her paintings, writings, and information about her workshops and art journeys are these lovely snippets from her journal: intimate, fanciful, sometimes whimsical reflections on an artists life. The combination of wheat and lace in the image to the right, combined with a ribbon and what looks like a dainty pink feather triggered my vernal muse.
Anyway, its a lovely site – have a look!
An old friend from my days at the Corcoran School of Art, New York City based collage artist Glenn Fischer, has finally gotten around to freshening the paint on his website, so I thought I’d point it out. Spartan but effective, glennfischer.com presents his latest work – very ovally – as well as an archive of some of his earlier works, which I find very compelling.
Glenn studied at the Savannah College of Art and Design as well as NYU I believe. AND, according to his site, Glenn’s also got a show lined up for the left coast later this year – kudos! Bookmark it 
