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Virtual Art Gallery

Here’s another project in the books! Judging is complete, and today I had the pleasure of unveiling the virtual gallery I created for The People Next Door student art and creative writing contest, which I posted about a few weeks ago. The contest invited South Bend area high school students to create an artistic response to the subject of the Holocaust.

This was my first foray into the world of 3D or VR. I really like the potential, and I look forward to doing more. In the meantime, please feel free to see and read how these students responded to this challenging topic.

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The People Next Door

Photo of the sculpture Shoes on the Danube Promenade, Holocaust Memorial

It feels wrong to say that my latest project is “fun” given the subject matter (the Holocaust). Perhaps “rewarding” is the right sentiment.

The People Next Door is an annual art and creative writing contest for South Bend area high schoolers. The contest invites students to review and reflect on the history of the Holocaust, and create a work of art, poetry, prose, or video in response.

For this project, I designed the poster (PDF), wrote the contest packet (PDF), and coordinated a bit of email marketing. I also registered a new domain and created their contest website. I used Google Sites so that it could easily be revised by members of their volunteer committee going forward.

Click for JPEG. Photo: Nikodem Nijaki, Shoes on the Danube Promenade - Holocaust Memorial

We’ve launched, and now we wait for submissions. The fun I mentioned starts in a few weeks: this year, the gallery exhibition will be online, and I’ll be creating their virtual gallery space in ArtSteps. The client expects the gallery opening event to be open to the public (though that’s tentative), so watch for a little PR activity around mid-April. 

I’m looking forward to seeing this come together. I feel like we need this kind of thing right now. 

Shalom / Peace.  

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Coming Soon: a new Portfolio!

I’m outlining, site mapping, copywriting, and editing away on a revised portfolio site. I’m looking to do more instructional design projects, so it’s time to get my recent ID work front and center. 

Look for a relaunch around the end of February. In the meantime, thanks for stopping by!

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StoryWalk(s)

I recently produced a segment for WNIT PBS Michiana’s Education Counts program. Each segment profiles an educational initiative in our viewing area so educators can learn from each other.  

Wouldn’t you know it, I got such good response from potential participants that I was able to get two segments out of it!

The first is about the Bendix Woods County Park’s collaboration with IUSB to make their StoryWalk bilingual.

The second is a look at the nuts-and-bolts of how three local StoryWalks were put together, to help other educators create one of their own.

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Redistricting with DistrictR

Boy oh boy have I bitten off quite a bit with my latest project. 

I accepted an invitation to join the technical Advisory Committee for the newly-formed Indiana Citizens’ Redistricting Commission. Their mission is to pressure the state legislature to redraw Indiana’s districts without resort to partisan gerrymandering, and my mission will be to produce a series of training videos. 

The videos will explain how to use the mapping software needed to participate in the Commission’s upcoming competition, which challenges everyday people like you and me to redraw state districts using objective, non-partisan criteria. 

I’m hard at work on the analysis and design for the software tutorials. In the meantime here is the initial animated promo video I just completed in Vyond. Check it out!

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