Magazine
R HODE ISLAN D
vol. 4 issue 2
The
RICM’s Noel P. Roby, Writer. Photo taken by RICM’s Jorge Leon.
CREATIVE In You
inventive leader visionary prolific innovative imaginative experimental original gifted ingenious productive inspiring motivating daring passionate entrepreneur maker educator mentor unique inventive leader imaginative1 Vol. 4 Issue | The official publication of KS1Designs
from the founder The official publication of KS Designs Founder and President Kimberly Sherman Leon
The days are shorter, the air is turning crisp, and the celebrations of creativity have begun…and it is all so exciting! Yes, the hectic autumn season is upon us, and we find ourselves wishing we had more hours in the day and more days in the week to enjoy and appreciate each moment. Fall is a busy time for many of us, yet the changing colors and the dropping temperatures serve to remind us that Rhode Island’s creative scene is—like our New England weather—far from static. My favorite thing about this time of year is that it brings out the inherent creativity in all of us. Whether we’re coming up with strategic ideas to improve our businesses; designing a new fall clothing line; updating our home décor; or baking up some new recipes for the upcoming holidays; the change in seasons stimulates motivation and innovation, and inspires us to take our creativity to new and exciting levels. In this issue, RICM continues to showcase a variety of topics, which encompass the very meaning of creative. From music to manufacturing, from career planning to impressive artistic educators, these articles fully embrace the essence of what we are celebrating this and every month. I hope you enjoy this month’s features and helpful tips that our team has prepared for you. Please be sure to visit our new blog, which highlights upcoming articles for you to like, share, and comment on, as well as news and press releases about what is happening creatively in Rhode Island! Connect - Communicate - Collaborate = Cross-pollination = Greater Awareness, Appreciation and Understanding of our industry. Sincerely,
Kimberly Sherman Leon KS Designs President & CEO Founder & President, Rhode Island Creative Magazine
Assistant to the President Pnina Pressburger Assistant Editor/Writer Kate Strassel Assistant Secretary/Designer Regina Hogan Design Manager Lisa Malm Designers Panhia Lee Kate Hanley Michael Ricci Amy DeSantis Lillian Ferranti Anthony Cormier Contributing Writers In this Issue Kim Celona Noel P. Roby Linda Dionne Herb Weiss Jairo Gomez John Prothero Sheila McElroy Patricia Raskin Jennifer Currier Joseph Shansky Paula Mottshaw Milissa DeFusco Devon Landis, Esq. Ronald G. Shapiro Ph. D. Rhode Island Creative Magazine Cranston, Rhode Island 401.440.3911 kim@ksdesignsri.com
c 2012-2015 All rights reserved. Rhode Island Creative Magazine is a KS Designs production. Reproduction in whole or part without written permission is prohibited.
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contents 2
From the Founder
3
In This Issue
4
Contributing Team
9
Success In The Steps To Your Creative Dream
19
Does Fan Fiction Violate The Law?
20
Art Symbiosis
22
I {heart} Rhody
23
Is Your Online Lead Generation on Point?
26
Three Types of Presses You Need to Know
28
Create A Development Plan That Works For You
29
Witch’s Spell Hat
34
Website Design Projects - Step 1: Plan
36
Creative Calendar
featured articles 10
Artful
12 Dynamic Changes in the Advanced Manufacturing and Welding Industries 14
Organic Harmony
16 Rhode Island’s Tim Charron: Songwriter, Entertainer and Anti-Bullying Advocate 24
Coming to a Galaxy Near You... Comic Con!
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Spontaneous Creativity May Occur In This Area
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40 Years of Music
on the cover Cover artwork painted by Amanda Gregornik, teacher at Barrington Christian Academy. Read her story “Artful” on page 10 to learn more about Amanda and how her artwork was discovered.
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contributing team writers and designers in this issue
Devon Landis, Esq. Arts & Entertainment Attorney Writer
Kim Celona Prolific Artist & Writer Joseph Shansky Founder & Creative Director ShanskyWorks Writer & Designer
Noel P. Roby Editor in Chief The North Kingstown Blog Writer
John Prothero Prothero Press Writer
Patricia Raskin, M.Ed. Award Wining Radio Producer, Coach, Trainer & Author Writer
Sheila McElroy Writer
Jennifer Currier Writer Jairo Gomez Xzito Partner/Account & Creative Director Writer
Herb Weiss Writer
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Ronald G. Shapiro, Ph.D. Independent Consultant & Speaker in Human Factors & Ergonomics Writer
Lisa Malm Design Manager & Designer
Pnina Pressburger Assistant to the President Regina Hogan Assistant Secretary, Designer & Writer
Michael Ricci Writer & Designer
Kate Strassel Assistant Editor & Writer
Kate Hanley Designer
Amy DeSantis Designer Lillian Ferranti Designer
Paula Mottshaw Writer & Designer
Milissa DeFusco Whimsical Wishes & Delightful Dreams D.I.Y. Crafter
Panhia Lee Designer
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Since 2012, RICM has been the catalyst for raising awareness of the economic value of the creative arts industry. It is Rhode Island’s one-of-a-kind creative multimedia publication that inspires and informs readers. Audience Maximize your visibility with RICM by reaching a wide audience of thousands of readers, including art enthusiasts, museum and gallery professionals, performing arts, creative arts professionals, business leaders, corporate executives, students, educators and other individuals from all walks of life.
Print On-Demand Printed issues available by demand on-line
Partnerships Result in Expanded Reach of 400,000+ Cross-Platform Marketing & Social Networking reaches thousands daily.
59% Women 41% Men 75% Age 25-54 79% New Users 21% Return Users
Distributed On-line FREE Local & Global Reach
Events, Presentations, Workshops & Internships Servicing the Community Hands-on
The official publication of KS Designs
October 1 – November 1
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Success in the Steps to Your by Patricia Raskin Coach, Trainer and Author Host Patricia Raskin Show, WPRO AM630/99.7FM
Creative Dream
hen you have a dream, it lives in your mind and brings you hope and joy when you focus on it. The challenge of the dream is that the tangible evidence of the result may not be evident in real time. However, there is evidence you are making progress when you acknowledge your success in the steps you take towards your dreams. The following are “dream maker” steps to success to watch for: • others who have a similar dream • others who have achieved your dream • conversations with those who support and believe in your dream and dream with you • milestone markers – your successes that are part of the dream (passing a test, making the right contact, getting a contract) During this process, when you can be fragile because the dream is not yet a reality, it is important to be wary of the following: • people who tell you why you can not achieve your dream • people who have the opposite view and belief and are living it • people who discard you or demean who you are If you can listen to those people, not be affected by their attitudes and words, and take them with a grain of salt, then you can accept other gifts they may have. But when their influence sets you back, you need to disengage and distance yourself until you can view them more objectively.
Layout Design by Amy DeSantis
Your energy, passion and commitment will carry you far, but like a plant that needs to watered, you need you are to be “watered” the process making during of making your progress dream a reality. when you It can be a long and a acknowledge process long road, but if your success you acknowledge in the steps and give thanks each part of you take for the process you towards achieve, you can your enjoy the journey along the way.
“...
dreams.”
Henry David Thoreau wrote, “If you have built castles in the air, your work need not be lost; that is where they should be. Now put the foundations under them.” He also wrote, “If one advances confidently in the directions of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours.”
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Artful By: Jennifer Currier
Amanda Gregornik is one of the most humble people I’ve ever met. Half-hidden by her side swept bangs, her smile lights up the room. She’s a 24-year-old teacher in her third year at Barrington Christian Academy, and much to her bewilderment, she has been “discovered” by her colleagues. Gregornik is a closet artist. Painting has always been one of her passions, along with photography, but unlike most millennials, she doesn’t post her work on every platform of social media she can. In fact, she had never even thought to take pictures of her paintings
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until a friend asked Gregornik to paint a piece of artwork for his new house. “I didn’t even know he knew I painted,” Gregornik confessed. After Gregornik completed the commission, she sent her friend a photo of the piece to gain final approval, and it was only for this reason that Gregornik happened to have a photo of her artwork on the day of BCA’s Spring Artshow. That was the day Sandy Townsend, art department chair at BCA, discovered Gregornik’s ability. “I was just blown away,” she said. Gregornik’s artwork reminded her of the Swiss-German painter Paul Klee, whose painting happened to be on display as the school’s featured Artist of the Month. “The timing was very extraordinary,” she noted. Both Klee and Gregornik are abstract artists, using colorful, geometric shapes that have a touch
of the whimsical, but what stood out to Townsend was the depth of Gregornik’s pieces. “She invites the viewer into her work on so many levels,” Townsend explained. “Initially there’s a abstract grid, geometric shapes in beautiful color palates, but underneath that you can find hidden objects and animals. Amanda really invites viewers to travel into her pieces to see the next layer.” It’s true that Gregornik incorporates hidden objects and meaning specific to the person who inspired the piece into each painting. As a lover of oldfashioned letter writing—another of Gregornik’s hobbies—she describes her artwork as “writing a letter to someone without words; painting a letter to them.” Each of her pieces is entitled, “Dear ______,” and she really tries to get a sense of each
person for whom she paints; if she doesn’t know him or her already, she interviews them, asking about their favorite things, their favorite places, what inspires them. “If they happen to like a certain type of music, I’ll paint while listening to that music,” she says. Each piece is personalized, not only in execution, but in emotion, and that’s what’s so alluring about her work. With so much talent and an obvious passion for art, I was surprised to learn that Gregornik wasn’t an art major in college. “I was one class short of an art major,” she said, “but that wasn’t my intention. I was just squeezing in art classes whenever I could.” Gregornik graduated from Wheaton College in Illinois with a degree in education, secretly hoping to one day be an art teacher. “But it wasn’t something I felt capable of,” she admits. In fact, she was not hired at BCA to teach art; she began as, and still works as, an ELL teacher, among her other classes. It was Townsend who first suggested to the head of the school that Gregornik might be a good fit for the open mixed media position. “She has an artful style of living— her persona is artful,” Townsend said, thinking back to her initial observations of Gregornik. Both Townsend and I also distinctly remember the first moment we saw Gregornik’s cell phone case: a vividly realistic-looking watercolor paint set—so realistic, in fact, that restaurant waiters have asked her to remove her cell phone from the table thinking she had real paint. The phone case suits her perfectly. Much like her layered artwork, of which Townsend said, “the more you look, the more you see,” there is more to Gregornik’s story than
seen at the surface. Despite her joyful exterior, Gregornik has faced many difficulties. As a senior in high school, she was given six months to live. Diagnosed at twelve years old with lupus, it became particularly severe when she was 17 years old. “I felt like a human zombie,” she said, “but I still wanted to get good grades.” In between chemotherapy she was taking AP classes, determined to keep up with the class. One of her best therapies, however, was art. Although she wasn’t able to take art in school, she worked on paintings to donate for charity while in the hospital. Without explanation, she miraculously recovered, although she still lives with symptoms of lupus. Her drive, however, is still just as strong today as it was then. Barrington Christian Academy is excited to celebrate Amanda Gregornik with her first art show. It will be held on October 29th from 6-8pm at BCA, located at 9 Old County Road. The show will be open to the public with over a dozen paintings on display, and refreshments will be served. “If I could, I would have people pay me in ice cream,” Gregornik says with a smile (one more reason why I want to be her best friend). She’s looking forward to the event, not because her talent is finally being acknowledged, but because to her “It’s kind of like a party—a community of people excited about art and creativity coming together to talk and have fellowship.” Come join the conversation and celebrate this beautifully spirited young artist. Gregornik’s work can be viewed at www.cargocollective.com/amandajo Layout Design by Anthony Cormier
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Dynamic Changes in the Advanced Manufacturing and Welding Industries
The Advanced Manufacturing Technology program will focus on the design of products that use innovative manufacturing technologies. The curriculum includes new ways to manufacture existing products by learning design principles, sketching, and problem solving, as well as materials, manufacturing processes and machines. Students will gain a wide background of knowledge in such areas as electricity and electronics, metrology and the precision measurements of products, manufacturing processes, machining, tool design, and welding. Design is emphasized utilizing the latest in computer-aided design and drafting technology (CADD). Students are also trained on the latest computerized
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by Linda Dionne NEIT, Media Relations Specialist
To address the needs of employers seeking highly skilled, handson technical workers, New England Institute of Technology (NEIT) is launching Associate in Science degree programs in Advanced Manufacturing Technology and Welding Engineering Technology beginning this October. More than ever before, today’s careers in advanced manufacturing and welding require a higher level of training, creativity, knowledge and skill. NEIT graduates will be well positioned as they enter these high demand industries.
manufacturing equipment used in the industry today. Advanced Manufacturing Technology graduates will be prepared for employment as manufacturing engineering technologists, industrial engineering technicians, quality control engineering technicians, research and development machinists, or manufacturing production technicians. The Welding Engineering Technology program emphasizes the development of realworld, hands-on welding skills. Through a comprehensive academic and laboratory environment, students will receive intensive hands-on training in several cutting, brazing and
welding processes. Courses in industrial OSHA safety procedures and policy, metallurgy, structural design, blueprint reading, computer-aided design and drafting (CADD), and precision measurement are also incorporated into the curriculum. Students will also prepare for future certifications through simulated welder qualification tests. Graduates of the Welding Engineering Technology program will be prepared for a variety of positions, including welding engineering technician, production welder, industrial engineering technician, quality control engineering technician, CADD designer or technician, welding industry salesperson, and materials testing technician.
“ Through our new Associate in Science degree programs in Advanced Manufacturing and Welding Technologies, students will acquire the knowledge and technical skills needed in today’s high demand labor market. By collaborating with several local employers, we are proud to assist in providing a pipeline of highly trained workers for these industries.
”
- Douglas H. Sherman, Senior Vice President and Provost at NEIT
Additional information regarding these exciting new programs may be obtained through New England Tech’s Admissions Office at: 800-736-7744 401-467-7744 NEITAdmissions@neit.edu www.neit.edu. Layout Design by Panhia Lee Layout Design by Paula Mottshaw
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Organic Harmony by Sheila McElroy
Enter the O&G Studio in Warren, RI and there is a steady, faint hum in the air. It is not the sound from a distant lathe or the exhaust fan of the sanding closet, nor is it the murmur of pleasant voices being exchanged. It is suspended and consistent like the vibration that hovers between the tines of a tuning fork. It is the buzz when the past and the present meet to create something beautiful and purposeful. On mirco and macro levels, everything related to O&G furniture is about organic synergy. "Organic" is the mantra of owners Sara Ossana and Jonathan Glatt, who combined their talents of interior architecture (Ossana) and jewelry/metal work (Glatt) to found a studio of design and craftsmanship. Their close-knit and multi-talented team is eager to share their passion and bring it forward.
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The O&G Studio opened at the historic Cutler Mills complex in 2010. They partnered with and eventually took over production of the established Warren Chair Works (WCW), whose meticulously handcrafted Windsor chairs are very well-known and respected. The entire WCW line is made of American wood in classic finishes. The O&G designs are simplified versions of these traditional forms, but unforced and familiar. Their finishes are saturated earth-born colors such as "salt pond" and "turmeric". Side-by-side, one line compliments and enhances the other like the cousins that they are. The proud roots of furniture design looks no further than southern New England, particularly from Rhode Island. Proportion, form, and rhythm are essential characteristics when translating historic design into modern utility.
While accurate reproduction is necessary to maintain the significance of historic and decidedly traditional interiors, furnishings for contemporary interiors have to adapt. Considerations such as space constraints, lightness (for movability), scale, and color determine if a piece is appropriate. These new pieces often are the link between a historic setting and a modern use. An organic approach extends beyond the O&G Studio as the chain of supply (and therefore craft) is emphatically based in Rhode Island. Indeed, multiple parts created throughout the state may construct a single chair. The result is an heirloom-quality piece of thoughtful design and excellent craftsmanship. Having designed tables and bar stools for celebrated neighbor Eli's Kitchen in Warren (http://www.eliskitchenwarren.com/), the O&G Studio has recently expanded their portfolio to include restaurant design, as may be experienced at another Warren restaurant, Bywater (http://bywaterrestaurant.com/).
Hospitality interiors seem like the natural next step for O&G as they consider growth. Making dining tables and chairs naturally evolves to the floors, walls and decor. Perhaps the O&G Studio is best summed up by an Instragram-worthy photo description: Athenaeum Settee in "Beet" c. 2015 rests on honeyed wood floor of textile mill c. 1868. For any description of the O&G Studio should be about tone and harmony — new and old — simply humming along.
O&G welcomes visitors to their showroom, studio and workshop, all housed in the urbane Cutler Mills complex —itself a study in adaptive use (http://cutlermill.com/). Hours are Monday thru Friday, 10am - 4pm, and weekends by appointment. 30 Cutler Street #220 Warren, RI 02885 / 520-247-1820. Layout Design by Kate Hanley
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Rhode Island's Tim Charron: SONGWRITER, ENTERTAINER, AND ANTI-BULLYING ADVOCATE by Noel Roby
COUNTRY MUSIC STAR TIM CHARRON IS A RHODE ISLAND NATIVE. TIM NOW MAKES HIS HOME IN NASHVILLE, TN WHICH, ACCORDING TO HIM IS A "MUSIC LOVER'S PARADISE."
Tim has been touring the country in support of his “Chasin’ the Sun” album, playing to huge festival crowds from RI to MA to CT this summer. Charron’s incredible stage presence and uplifting music has made him a featured attraction, with thousands of fans from Key West, FL to North Kingstown, RI and beyond. After his successful gig as the opening act for “The Voice” winner Craig Wayne Boyd, I sat down with the country music star and songwriter for a chat on the music industry, songwriting, and his very personal Anti-Bullying Campaign. NR: Million dollar question right off the bat: what does it take to make it as a professional musician? TC: Simple answer — talent and hard work. There are talented musicians up and down this country. I see and hear them everywhere I play — cities like Providence, in Nashville, in Key West. If you have a solid work ethic, you
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CATCH TIM ON TOUR AT A LOCAL VENUE NEAR YOU!
can achieve great things in your life, whether it is in medicine, sports, or the music industry. Talent does help, of course, but having a desire to work hard at your craft is so important. I equate it to baseball players from Latin American cities that are economically challenged. These kids practice and practice and are hungry to make something of themselves and for their family. That drive gives them an edge. It is the same in the music industry. Talent and hard work pays off. It did for me. NR: What are the most important steps in the path to make it as an artist, an entertainer in the music industry? TC: Let’s focus on number one — discover who you are as an artist. Play to your strengths. Practice, get on stage, and perform. I met with a young musician recently in Nashville whose parents have dubbed him to be the next Tim McGraw. He has talent, there is no question. But, when I put him on a stage in front of a sparse crowd, he folded and couldn’t deliver. Like I mentioned earlier, it takes time and dedication to hone your craft. We are entertainers at the end of the day. I discovered long ago that I was an entertainer. The crowd, it’s mine for an hour or two. I tell them that. It is my job, which I love to the highest degree, to entertain the crowd and give them their money’s worth and then some. NR: You recently opened for Craig Wayne Boyd who won the popular reality show “The Voice.” What part of “The Voice” and other music reality shows is based on reality? TC: Well, the reality is they are talented. But, what people may not realize is that there are years of work put into these artists prior to being on this or any of the other reality shows. Craig is awesome and is definitely a very, very talented musician. But what people may not realize is that Craig, like a lot of us, played in Nashville and on the road for 10 years. I myself have played close to a thousand shows - acoustic sets in Key West, afternoon sessions in Nashville for two, four, sometimes six hours, opening for festival headliners. It does not come overnight. Nothing is handed to Craig Wayne Boyd or Tim Charron: we had to work and be dedicated to our craft to be where we are now. NR: When did your path to music start?
I remember playing in the auditorium at North Kingstown High School when I was about 16. There were lights, amps, microphones, a crowd. I knew right then and there that I wanted to be an entertainer. It was so natural and it gave me a huge boost of confidence getting up on stage and performing. NR: I know songwriting is a great passion of yours. What makes a good song? TC: I feel that a good song has to be as relatable as possible. This is why country music resonates with some many of us Americans. Think about it. A lot of country songs are about hanging out with friends, having a party on the beach or in someone’s backyard, a crush on a beautiful woman. A good song makes you feel something, whether it is happiness or misery or anger, but it should be relatable. NR: How do you write a song? Is there a process that you work through? TC: The creative process isn’t the type of clock-watching, time card-punching process that most 9 to 5 jobs are. In fact, the days that I schedule to write, I rarely write anything. To me, it is all about inspiration and feeling. It cannot be rushed or pressured. Sometimes I’ll work out in the morning, take a nap, and awaken with a few song ideas and melodies. But really, it starts with a melody and a title. Then, I work on the chorus and then it just flows out. I can be three to four hours working on one song, singing it over and over again, picking up my guitar, playing chords, singing more, editing. I’ll run it by some of my songwriting colleagues before I stamp my seal of approval on it. This could take days, weeks sometimes because I want the end product to reflect Tim Charron music. I’m proud of that product. NR: Who are some of the artists you have worked with? TC: Bret Michaels, Sara Evans, Brooks and Dunn, Clint Black, Shooter Jennings, Chris Young, Randy Travis—wow—just to name a few. My last album “Chasin the Sun” was backed up by the Jason Aldean Band. I have been blessed to work with some talented performers and such classy people.
" THE CREATIVE PROCESS ISN'T THE TYPE OF CLOCK-WATCHING, TIME CARD-PUNCHING PROCESS THAT MOST 9 TO 5 JOBS ARE...TO ME, IT IS ALL ABOUT INSPIRATION AND FEELING. IT CANNOT BE RUSHED OR PRESSURED."
TC: I would say songwriting-wise, around 14 or 15 years of age.
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NR: Do you prefer small, intimate settings or festival mega crowds? TC: The bigger, the better. You get a swell of energy from a lively crowd. It is palpable and I feed off of it as an entertainer. NR: What would you say has been the signature moment in your professional career? TC: I opened for Bret Michaels last year at Indian Ranch. Believe it or not, I went to see Poison in high school in Providence with my father. Poison, who Bret Michaels was the front man for, was just starting out and there weren’t a ton of people there. My father and I were walking by their tour bus, which was parked on a side street just outside the club after the show, and noticed the band was hanging out, so we hung out with them. I never told Bret that story and have since opened for him a few times. Anyway, Bret called me out on stage with him at Indian Ranch and I got to sing a few songs with him. It was definitely a signature moment for me - personally and professionally. NR: I noticed that part of your tour involves speaking to kids about bullying at local schools. How did you get involved with the Anti-Bullying Message? TC: So, I lived in Warwick, RI growing up and was in fact a victim of bullying. It got so bad that I switched schools in my middle school years to get away from the bullying. I have recently gone back to my Warwick roots to tell my story. In fact, a fan (a little girl) invited me to her school and I couldn’t help but accept her very heartfelt invitation. NR: What essentially is the message of your Anti-Bullying Campaign with schools? Why did you choose that topic over others? Give us a sample of what schools can expect. TC: The message is tell someone if you are a victim of bullying. Transparency is so important. I know it is hard to tell on someone, especially if that someone is popular in school or in sports. Kids are afraid to tell the truth when it comes to bullying, so I am hoping that by telling my story, it will inspire them to speak up and stop being the victim of bullying. I play my music in between talking to the kids. To me, I want to be a role model to others who may be dealing with the effects of bullying and help them in any way I can. NR: What lies ahead for Tim Charron? TC: I have really enjoyed songwriting and collaborating with other songwriters. In Nashville, I have a great core of songwriting friends that I’m excited to work with. And of course, I look forward to performing at shows all over the country. I’m continuing to book schools for my Anti-Bullying Campaign. I have my tour dates and upcoming concerts updated weekly on my website, www.timcharron.com.
FOLLOW TIM ON SOCIAL MEDIA AND KEEP UP WITH HIS LATEST NEWS AND PERFORMANCES! TWITTER
@TIMCHARRON
@TIMCHARRON
BUY ALBUM
THE TIM CHARRON BAND
CHASING THE SUN
Layout Design by Lisa Malm
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TIM AND BRET MICHAELS PERFORMING AT INDIAN RANCH (ABOVE), AND CANDID BACKSTAGE (BELOW)
DOES FAN FICTION VIOLATE THE LAW? By: Devon Landis, Esquire RI & MA Attorney
Fan fiction is usually created out of a
love for characters the writer has encountered, either in a book, a movie, a television show, or another form of entertainment. Writers of fan fiction will often place their beloved characters in a new world or expanded world, take the plot further than the original, or create what is believed to be an entirely new work. While it may be a product of love, fan fiction may violate the law. When books, graphic novels, television shows, or movie plots are typed up, they immediately receive copyright protection (although any of the foregoing entertainment is then presumably registered with the US Copyright Office and additional organizations/ agencies). With that copyright protection, the author of the original work is given protection and rights. In addition to the copyright protection over the primary original work, the author/copyright owner also has the “exclusive right to prepare derivative works…” (17 U.S.C. Section 106(2)).
What is a derivative work? “A derivative work is a work based on or derived from one or more already existing works…the derivative work right is often referred to as the adaptation right… only the owner of copyright in a work has the right to prepare, or to authorize someone else to create an adaptation of that work.” Circular 14 “Derivative Works” by the US Copyright Office; http://copyright. gov/circs/circ14.pdf Based on this definition, as provided by the U.S. Copyright Office, when the fan fiction writer takes key characters and ideas and makes another story based on the original story, it arguably falls directly in contention with a copyright holders right to control and/or prepare derivative works. This right allows copyright holders the right to prepare their own derivative work or license out (usually for money) that right to another.
Layout Design by Amy DeSantis
How do the original content writers feel? There is a great divide amongst authors when it comes to fan fiction and whether they support it, take legal action, or feel negatively about it but refrain from legal action. There are writers such as Jim Butcher, author of The Dresden Files, who have gone the extra step in support of fan fiction by executing a creative commons license. This license allows writers to use his ideas so long as it is non-commercial in nature (here is the author’s fan fiction policy: http://www.jim-butcher. com/posts/2010/new-fanfiction-policy). On the other end of the spectrum, writer and creator of the Game of Thrones series George R.R. Martin feels consent should be requisite for fan fiction and denies such consent on the grounds of protecting himself, his creations, and his livelihood (for his full thoughts on fan fiction check out his live journal: http://grrm. livejournal.com/151914.html).
So if it's a violation of copyright law, why is there so much of it on the internet? The truth remains that even when fan fiction writers take key characters and place them in new stories, arguably violating copyright law, many authors refrain from seeking legal action because they don’t want to be viewed as “the author who goes after fans.” Many fans also try and cite “fair use” as grounds for fan fiction. Fair use is an exception to the general rule; however, it has factors and applications that require a whole separate article, which I plan for next month. Disclaimer: This is for informational purposes only and not exhaustive of all aspects of the law on this topic. It is not to be considered legal advice on any particular set of facts or circumstances; you should contact an attorney for advice on specific legal problems. www.devonlandislaw.com
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by Kim Celona Prolific Artist & Writer
I believe at some point or another, every creative
In our complete creative joy, we are not likely to be
person navigates the waters of what I’m going to
thinking about our artist obligation. We have one thing
call “artist obligation.” This term encompasses the
and one thing only to do. Create. It is only after the
sea of the imagination, the creative process and the
paint is applied and we are on our way with our idea
message of one’s realized art. The artist obligation
that we can take some time to pause and reflect.
is multifaceted and entails social, moral and ethical responsibilities for the artist and also on a larger plane,
We will be confronted with some questions; the
his or her audience.
answers to which lie in our moral, ethical and social compasses:
It’s critical for every artist to examine his or her views
Do I have any clear messages in my work?
on each of the tri-fold pieces with regard for the whole
What exactly do I want to project and emphasize in my art?
picture. There are connections and if one is solid in an area, the stance should be solid throughout. Each piece is hinged upon the other. At the beginning of creation, an idea usually comes
How do I want these messages to affect society? What is my role as an artist within the confines of society? What do I want to accomplish with this work? What are my beliefs? Are they clearly reflected in my work?
in an unorthodox way; like driving, in the shower or washing dishes. One is rarely able to force an idea
Let me be clear: this reflection should not derail
while just sitting at a desk. When the mind is clear or
the creative process, but enhance it. We have a
within the framework of rote tasks, the idea is planted
responsibility to ourselves and society to articulate in
and begins to take root. This is the point when we feel
some sort of non-visual language what our intentions
that rush of energy and our minds start racing. We
are. Once we are able to accomplish this, we widen
can’t move quickly enough to our canvases, notes,
our own scope and that of others. If you want to be
computers or studios to bring our idea to fruition. We
recognized, appreciated and understood as an artist,
are in the zone. It’s the place we love and long to be.
you need to help people understand. Also important
This place is full of life, spontaneous creativity and
to note is the fact that our obligations obviously have
passion. We are so very happy.
the ability to change and evolve as we do.
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Aiding in this articulation could be something as
Artists are in the unique and special position in
simple as using the title as a gateway to your art
the societal hierarchy to have the incredible ability
to enhance other’s understanding. Being able to
to create change, rattle the cage, enhance their
intelligently explain our work does many great things.
audience’s thinking, and help others to see differently.
It gives an artist direction and purpose, paving the
Seeing differently is not just visual. It affects the
path of self-awareness (which, you realize by now, I’m
viewer’s thinking process and perception of whatever
a huge fan of). There is something seriously selfish
your message or meaning may be. Just digest it. Once
and elitist in an artist who believes that people should
the magnitude of this responsibility is realized, great
understand art by just looking. To an extent, that can
things can be accomplished.
hold some truth for the visually minded or cultured art peeper. However, if one expands their thinking
It is a two-way street and a symbiotic relationship that
and understanding of people, society and, ultimately,
an artist has with their audience. We need them and
their audience, it becomes crystal clear that the
they need us. We can show others our ideas of the
general public may need a little help generating their
world, our interpretation of it and, in turn, our viewers
comprehension of your work. Many non-creative types
help us be recognized, appreciated, and understood.
are intimidated by visual communication and art itself.
It is our artistic obligation to do so.
It becomes a highbrow thing and very abstract. I’ve seen this first hand with students and also non-artist left-brained adults. When you look at the big picture of your work, there is a definite artistic obligation to guide the audience into full realization of your message. I would think every creative person wants to be both recognized and understood. It goes with the territory. Many times, this doesn’t happen. We create excuses when there is no need to. We need to think outside our individual realms and expand into that of others. Simply, if you want to be recognized, appreciated, and understood as an artist, you need to help people understand.
Layout Design by Kate Hanley
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knew I wanted to do it. I had a lot of help along the way, and when I started making these shrines and giving them away as gifts, many people suggested that I sell them. So, that was how I ended up here.
4. Where do you draw your inspiration?
I {heart} Rhody interviews Julie DeRosa from Pawtucket Artist’s name: Julie DeRosa Shop name: Sacred Relic Studio
online etsy.com/ca/shop/SacredRelicStudio Facebook facebook.com/SacredRelicStudio PINTEREST pinterest.com/juliederosa615/my-art-sacredrelic-studio/
1. Tell us about your work. I like to call the assemblages that I make ‘shrines’. Typically, I will use found and recycled materials as well as create one or more of my own elements for the pieces using a molding and casting process with resin. Each resin piece that I create is hand sanded, given a coat of primer then hand painted and sealed with polyurethane to protect the finish. Most of my themes seem to revolve around personal transformation. Using discarded materials and adding elements (relics) created by me, my pieces speak to creating and holding onto hope, which is to me, sacred. This expression has been a very real and tangible means of living with a mental illness with grace. My greatest desire is that my work conveys hope and healing to anyone who chooses to bring the work into their home.
2. Is there a story behind the name of your business? Since I create multiple components in each piece requiring attention to detail, I have to concentrate and focus. These are quiet times for me when I can be in my solitude and a wonderful sort of alchemy happens, and an almost sacred hush in my soul occurs when creativity and quiet mingle. It is as if, at these times, I am finally at home with myself.
3. How did you come to be a professional artist/crafter/ designer? I have always been creative; writing poetry, keeping art journals, painting…When my art journals started to become bulkier and harder to close because of the kinds of things I was trying to put in them, I decided that it was time to try a different format. I had no woodworking skills, could barely use a drill, and had no experience whatsoever in this type of design. I just
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I find a lot of inspiration in nature, spirituality, and religious imagery. Faith and hope are important to me and through each creation I attempt to convey that hope to the viewer.
5. What’s your favorite item to create? One of my favorite things to create is something I have come to term “Survivor Shrines’. These shrines celebrate each of us, as I believe that we have all survived something and need to remind ourselves of the fact that we overcame. I never make the exact same Survivor Shrine; I do variations and make custom pieces for interested individuals; for themselves or to give as gifts. While making these particular shrines, I love to imagine the person who will receive them and it gives me great joy to be able to create something to remind them to be proud of themselves.
6. What’s your best seller? Since each piece that I create is unique and individual, I do not have a particular “best seller”, however any shrine that I make with a Buddha in it never stays around very long.
7. How long have you been in Rhode Island? My husband and I moved here in 2003 from the South Eastern Pennsylvania area. I had previously lived here from 1992 to 1995, however, so I wasn’t completely “green”!
8. What do you {heart} about Rhode Island? I am a person who finds great comfort being near water, so that is probably the thing that I {heart} best about Rhode Island.
9. Any advice for new/wannabe makers? Don’t be afraid to make mistakes! They are the best teachers!!!!
10. Please include anything else you’d like to add: Please come by to visit my Facebook page, my Pinterest, and my ETSY shop. I try to keep them all updated frequently. I am currently working on a new website (separate from ETSY) so keep your eyes open for news on that! Thank you so much for this wonderful opportunity!
Connect with I {heart} Rhody
twitter @iheartrhody
facebook iheartrhody
online iheartrhody.com
Layout Design by Kimberly Sherman Leon
Is Your Online Lead Generation On by Jairo Gomez Xzito
If your website traffic and online sales have taken a nosedive recently, you probably can’t afford to just sit around and see if the pendulum swings back in your favor - you need to be generating more leads, and sooner rather than later. But what steps can you take to boost your online lead generation quickly and decisively? Here are a few smart moves that can set you in the right direction.
Review Your Buyers’ Personas Before you can generate more leads, you have to develop a deep understanding of the buyers you wish to capture. This involves a close examination of their personas - not just their demographic profiles, but the constellation of motivations, triggers, objections and expectations that influence their purchasing decisions.
Activate More of Your Sales Funnel Pay attention to how you’re presenting your products and services to people at each point along your sales funnel, and create compelling content that addresses them appropriately at all stops along the way. Here’s an example. Your prospects are searching for the solution to a specific problem. They discover your blog article on the subject. The blog article directs them to your website’s home page content for more general information. The home page guides them to landing pages where they can investigate specific options. From there, they can fill out a contact form to download white papers demonstrating how Solution A successfully solved Problem B. Online lead generation requires multiple touches with the right content for each point in the relationship.
Make Your Social Media More Sociable Are your social media channels placing you squarely in your target market’s sights and stimulating their conversation, or is it mostly lying dormant? Now’s the time to leverage these important marketing assets to boost your online lead generation. Start by focusing on those channels most likely to hit your prospective and current customers where they live. If you’re primarily B2B, for instance, you need to
be posting articles and steering conversations on LinkedIn, whereas if you’re primarily reaching out to consumers, nothing beats the cozy familiarity of Facebook pages and apps. Both markets are tuned into Twitter, so make sure you’re tweeting those updates and bonding with your audience on this platform as well. But the hottest single means of scoring online lead generation points is by making full use of YouTube. Video seems to have almost magical powers in this regard - just mentioning it in your marketing can give your click-through rates a 7 percent nudge! Since YouTube and Google are joined at the hip, creating a YouTube channel and populating it with useful, entertaining content is one of the smartest things you can do to improve your search rankings.
Fine-tune Your PPC Strategy Pay per click has long been a critical aspect of online lead generation, but it requires the same deft hand as any other marketing strategy you might employ. For starters, take a look at your keyword choices. If they’re too broad or vague, you may get a ton of visitors who aren’t really interested in what you offer; if they’re too specific, you may draw a very pure but disappointingly tiny crowd or on the flipside, obtain leads who are truly interested in a specific product or service. Even if your PPC strategy shows initial success, you can’t just assume that it will continue to be relevant for your ever-changing audience. You must make regular use of detailed analytics - ideally, with the aid of an expert in the field - so you’ll be ready to make small or large course corrections in the ever-evolving world of online lead generation. Layout Design by Panhia Lee
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THE FORCE IS WITH THE FANS OF THE 4TH ANNUAL Rhode island COMIC CON THIS YEAR AS THEY EXPAND TO TWO VENUES: THE PROVIDENCE Convention CENTER AND THE DUNKIN’ DONUTS CENTER SHOWING SIMULTANEOUSLY NOVEMBER 6TH AND RUNNING THROUGH NOVEMBER 8TH. In November 2015, the award-winning Rhode Island Comic Con is preparing for the arrival of approximately 60,000 fans by expanding to three days—Friday, November 6 through Sunday, November 8— and adding the Dunkin Donuts Center as a second venue. Scheduled to appear are actors from television and film such as Star Trek, Doctor Who, Game of Thrones, and Sons of Anarchy, Agents of Shield, and Transformers. From the print side, comic book artists from Marvel, DC and the independent market will also be on hand. Gaming, cosplay, and after-parties all add to a full schedule of panels and events, including sci-fi speed dating sessions, vow renewals, and weddings! As excited as the fans are to meet their favorite heroes in person, Providence is more excited to welcome the fans to our creative city. Comic Con is Rhode Island’s single largest annual event, and hotels, restaurants, shops and vendors will all enjoy a significant increase in reservations and revenue from Comic Con. Downtown business owners embrace the influx of out-of-town visitors and are looking forward to the event almost as much as the fans. RI Comic Con is a fantastic opportunity for our creative makers to gain exposure and engage audiences whom they might not otherwise connect with. In addition to the expanded schedule and new venue, RI Star Wars fans anxiously awaiting the cinematic release of Star Wars: A Force Awakens are in for a special treat. Steven Perry of Altered Reality Entertainment, organizers of “the Biggest Show in the Smallest State,” announced that Carrie Fisher (Princess Leia from the Star Wars movie trilogy) will be making a guest appearance. Other guests include Jeremy Bulloch, Michael Carter, Tim Rose, Mike Quinn, Garrick Hagon, Jerome Blake, Dermot Crowley, Dickey Beer, John Morton, Daniel Logan, Caroline Blakiston, and Clive Revill. Attendees of Rhode Island Comic Con will enjoy opportunities to meet the actors face-to-face, as well as take advantage of autograph and photo opportunities. “Rhode Island has never had a convention dedicated to Pop Culture and Comic Books… Comic Con is filling that gap. This is the biggest show that the Smallest State in the Union has ever had!” -- Susan Soares, RICC Press Relations Manager To find out more about Rhode Island Comic Con or to buy tickets, visit their website, www.ricomiccon.com WRITTEN AND DESIGNED BY JOSEPH SHANSKY
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THREE THREE TYPES TYPES OF PRESSES OF PRESSES YOUNEED NEED YOU TOKNOW KNOW TO WRITTEN BY JON PROTHERO DESIGNED BY MICHAEL RICCI
In the first article of this series, we looked at designing for print, starting with the end: Does it have complex letterpress finishing? How does it trim or fold? Is mailing or insertion into an envelope involved? These are all important factors to consider even BEFORE you design your piece. However, once you are actually in the design process, knowing how the job is going to print or image is your second most important concern. Being involved with the print quote request is important, as well as knowing what kind of presses or digital print devices the printer has. For example, is the job running on a 4-color offset/litho press, or digitally? Are you planning on putting in any PMS colors that may have to convert to CMYK, and if so, will they convert successfully? Are you designing large solids (or flat fields) that might require a 2-hit of a PMS color, or would be streaky on a digital press?
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So, let’s discuss the basics of presses, both offset and digital, and some things you need to know.
OFFSET PRESSES
Offset presses tend to run in two primary sizes, either 28” or 29” for half-sheet sizes, or 40” or 41” for full sheet sizes. The thing to remember is that most presses have a maximum image area corresponding to the press sheet, and the margin is anywhere from 3/8” to 1/2”, depending on the sheet size and the printer’s own preference. Solid colors are better run on a 40” press, since the rollers are bigger and the ink distribution is better. The thing to remember when designing for press is what the flat size of your piece is, and how it may run through the press. Don’t hesitate to call your printer and ask that question, because your design could succeed or fail if you design it in a way that won’t print well. For example, if you have a flat piece that’s 28.5” wide, and has bleeds, it can’t run on a 29” sheet, so it’ll run on a 40” sheet, and printers have a higher hourly rate for 40” presses. Also keep in mind that PMS colors are manufactured with specific colors as the “base”, such as reflex blue, transparent white, or rhodamine red. The issues with these colors is that they do not reproduce well in the CMYK model, and you may have slight to great difficulty in having those colors come out correctly unless you pay for the extra cost of running them as PMS colors. Pantone has excellent tools for seeing how a spot color will reproduce in CMYK, which can impact whether you run the color as 4-color process or as a PMS.
DIGITAL PRESSES
Digital presses are excellent for short runs, for mailers, for anything that has multiple continuous tone images, or just copy. Photographs reproduce very well on digital presses, which has led to explosions in the photo book and self-publishing industries. Digital presses come in limited sheets sizes, though, and also have thickness minimums and maximums that don’t apply to offset presses. For example, most digital presses can manage either a max sheet size of 13 x 19” or 14 x 20”, and a few presses can do 14 x 26”. The HP Indigo has a model that can handle a 29” sheet size, and soon Kodak and Xerox will have 36” capabilities. The non-image margin is small on these—only about 1/8”—but most digital press operators would prefer a minimum of 1/4”. They also cannot handle a great range of thickness, with 20 lb. bond pretty much the minimum, and 14 pt. board the max. The drawback to digital presses is the way the image is transferred to the sheet, which is not done by ink rollers but by transferring toner to the sheet where it’s fused by extreme heat. HP Indigo uses a liquid toner, which allows for a better image transfer, but also is more costly. Subsequently, cracking along folds can be an issue, and solids are particularly challenging and can be susceptible to streaking. Don’t let the digital press impact how you design, but do keep it in mind when you design. Digital presses cannot run PMS colors, but can have excellent results in reproducing the spectrum of PMS colors. The key there is to set up your file as the PMS color—do not convert it to CMYK. The RIP on the digital press will render the color much more accurately than if you save it out as CMYK.
LARGE FORMAT
Large format printing is imaged in three ways: high-quality inkjet, like Epson digital printers; UV inks like the VUTEk; or dye-sublimation. All of these processes allow for vivid reproduction of continuous tone images, but the main thing to remember when designing is to keep the copy simple, have large, readable fonts, and no heavily contrasting colors.
So, the first step in successfully designing a piece for print is design for the end in mind. Ask the kind of questions that will help you understand the client’s ultimate goal and their Knowledge of the press or imaging device can very beneficial ensuring thatmight your design print or successfully. expectations. Bebe honest if you feel in that their ideas be overwill budget, orimage be problematic It never hurts to be in contact with the printer so that you can determine the best design possible for your client. in finishing or mailing. Bring your print services provider in early so they can be part of the collaborative effort. Next month, in the last installment, we will discuss paper and how it can impact your design, how to work with your printer on paper selection, and getting paper dummies made.
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Create A Development Plan That Works For You by Ronald G. Shapiro, Ph.D
Summer has officially ended, and we are into the fall season: the start of the school year or college semester for some, and time to work towards year-end business goals for others. Before long the leaves will have fallen from the trees, we will have gotten plenty of ice and snow, and many holidays and birthdays will have come and gone. Next thing you know it will be commencement time and summer will be here. We will have lived one more year.
The question is: Will we have accomplished something meaningful and memorable for us? We can accomplish our goals by developing a realistic plan and following the guidelines below.
1. W e need to decide what our primary goal (or two or possibly three) will be for this year. Is the goal to learn a new language, learn
a new artistic technique, learn about other cultures, develop our business, develop physical body strength, lose weight, learn how to sell, build a web site, develop our retirement plan, increase our net financial worth, build an addition to our home, or digitize and organize our slides into a meaningful collection? While having many goals is nice, it’s better to select one or a few to really focus on. That way, they are more likely to be accomplished.
2. Write down approximately thirty steps required to achieve your goal(s). The idea is to complete one goal each week over the
course of the next 30 weeks. Now evaluate these steps. Can each be completed within a week, in addition to all of your required day-to-day responsibilities, holiday preparations and other commitments? If so, terrific! If not, go back and reset your goal(s) or come up with a plan to reduce other activities so that you can meet your most important goals.
3. E nter each of these weekly steps on your calendar with a completion date of Tuesday (assuming you follow the normal Monday to Friday work/school schedule) and also make them into a detailed check list. If there is a week that you know will be super busy and you do not wish to work on your goal, that is OK. Skip it. Having only 30 steps allows for a few weeks to be skipped.
4. Each and every week try to complete your steps by Friday. If you miss them, you still have the weekend to make up for it, and if that fails, there is still Monday!
5. If you don’t meet the Tuesday goal, reset your calendar. More importantly, though, evaluate whether you were doing something more important than working to reach your goal. Reprioritize as necessary!
6. –You did it! Now you can celebrate achieving your goal(s) and begin new challenges. I would like to thank Dr. Margarita Posada Cossuto for helpful comments.
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Layout Design by Lillian Ferranti
Witch’s Spell Hat
by Milissa DeFusco Whimsical Wishes and Delightful Dreams
Once I decided I wanted to repurpose a papier-mâché witch’s hat into a piece of art, the words Circa Halloween Ball popped into my mind. I thought about different textures and textiles I could incorporate into a glamorous yet spooky topper. Items used Papier-mâché hat Scissors Glue gun Glue dots Black stamp pad Black lace
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Green and black tulle Black link chain Black netting Ribbon in buttons Feathers Antique cabinet card
To start, I stamped the hat with a black stamp pad, and once it was complete the magic began to progress. I added a touch of feathers, tulle and black netting to the center of the hat. I handmade the rosettes with the tulle and attached a black and white antique button into the center of the rose.
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At the tip of the point I attached lace, tulle scraps and a strand of black link chain along with a hair pin purchased at a local consignment store.
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To complete the spooky look and add a touch of glam, I secured strips of black lace to the brim. For the final touch, I added an heirloom cabinet card and a bat silhouette to add a bit of fright—yet a delight—to this !
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Layout Design by Kimberly Sherman Leon
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Spontaneous creativity may occur in this area WRITTEN AND DESIGNED BY JOSEPH SHANSKY
“Tinker|Bristol is a nonprofit manufacturing incubator and makerspace in the historic manufacturing district of Bristol, R.I., where Rhode Islanders can tinker, innovate and create products in a collaborative environment,” says founder Todd Thomas. Tapping into the regional talent pool of experts in click here to watch video https://www.youtube.com/ applied product development, watch?v=hmcgjiB0iP0 Tinker|Bristol will offer affordable access to shared space, 3-D printers, rapid prototyping equipment, machines, tools and technologies as well as Business Development services for new and growing manufacturing businesses.
L
ocated on the ground floor of a well-maintained historic manufacturing building, the Tinker|Bristol space has large windows with plenty of natural light, 10’-12’ tall ceilings and some high-bay space with 20’+ clearance.
There is 14,000sf of adjacent space available for the partners and affiliates to lease for office and/or industrial use. The building itself has multiple loading docks, a drivein loading dock and hand-trucks and pallet jacks for communal use. The space has access to 3 phase 400amp min service or higher, depending on their needs.
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Artist renderings of future space
Maker’s Faire exhibit in Tokyo
When fully operational, the 12,400 sf facility will have: • A full metal shop and wood shop for fabricating and testing parts and finished products • A ‘wet’ area for paints and resins with fume hoods and spray booth • Rapid Prototyping equipment and areas for 3D Printers, CNC machines, and related tools • Areas for fabric arts, work-tables, layout spaces, and other ‘cleaner’ processes • Shared open office space with desks and cubicles for rent or FCFS use and much, much more The White House recently hosted the “First Annual National Maker Faire” to highlight “…entrepreneurs and everyday citizens who are using new tools and techniques to launch businesses, learn vital [STEM skills] and lead a grassroots renaissance in American manufacturing.” Rhode Island has launched its own Manufacturing Renaissance with initiatives like the RI Advanced Manufacturing Center, ManufacturingRI.com, and elements of the Rhode Island Foundation’s Make It Happen RI campaign.
Attendees have an up-close, hands-on view
Budding inventors can tinker at the Faire
Maker’s Faire fiery exhibit in San Francisco
Introducing the First Mini Makers Faire in the East Bay! CALL TO MAKERS
After seven successful years of the RI Mini Maker Faire (held in Providence each year) there is now going to be a SECOND Mini Maker Faire held annually! Announcing the 1st Annual Rhode Island Mini Maker Faire – East Bay Edition, to be held October 17th – Noon to 7pm at the Florence Gray Center at 1 York Street in Newport, RI. The Call for makers, manufacturers, performers, STEAM* centered organizations, vendors, and crafters is now closed but please call Todd at 413-441-7608 with any questions and interest to sign up for next year. This is a free event. The Mini Maker Faire – East Bay Edition takes after its enormous parent events, such as the World Maker Faire (http://makerfaire. com,) which hosts many tens of thousands of visitors in Queens, NY, but the East Bay RI Mini Maker Faire will be a smaller, community-focused event.
*What is STEAM? Science, Technology, Engineering and Math plus the Arts...many state education leaders have championed the idea that a truly interdisciplinary curriculum marrying the arts and sciences and solving real world problems offer the only alternative to giving our young people the new thinking skills to succeed in the new economy... - The Huffington Post
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Rich Lupo acknowledges that time flies by fast. The Brown University graduate opened Lupo's Heartbreak Hotel at 377 Westminster Street in September of 1975, the first venue operating in the Capitol City to embrace all types of live music. The two of us sat at the Cup & Saucer, a retro-fifties decorated diner on Pawtucket’s historic Main Street, talking about Lupo’s upcoming 40th anniversary celebration and reminiscing over four decades of the club’s impact on the Rhode Island music scene.
Lupo Celebrates 40th Anniversary with Five Nights of Music by Herb Weiss 1
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Photo taken by Arjun Narayen Photography
The Early Years As a teenager, Lupo would tell others how cool he thought it would be to open a bar where people could dance to records playing from a jukebox and listen to live bands. During his college years, he worked long hours as a house painter in order to save up the $15,000 needed to start his business. The young club owner dreamed of having Bo Diddley and other rock ‘n’ roll heroes play on his stage. According to Lupo, customers only showed up on live music nights. He kept the jukebox, but altered the schedule to have bands playing every night of the week. The Heartbreak Hotel became a destination for blues, rock ‘n’ roll, country rock, and jazz bands looking to play a gig in New England. Many local favorites—including Roomful of Blues, Rizzz, Wild Turkey, The Young Adults, Schemers, NRBQ and Max Creek—played there and continue to do so. The first national act to play at the club was harp player Big Walter Horton in November of 1975. Lupo later teamed up with independent booking agent Jack Reich to expand the club beyond blues to rock. Over the next few years, more rock ‘n’ roll and blues icons appeared at Lupo’s: The Ramones in 1976, Bo Diddley (who played nine consecutive sold out shows backed by The Young Adults) in 1977, and many other well-known performers such as James Brown, Roy Orbison, Jerry Lee Lewis, Muddy Waters, Iggy Pop, The Pretenders, The Go Go’s, and Stevie Ray Vaughn.
Forced Out by Condo Development
The Anniversary Celebration
In 1988, the gentrification of downtown Providence forced Lupo to close his initial club. Reaching out to a college friend and realtor, he found his new digs at the former Peerless Department Store and reopened in 1993. The space was big enough (10,000 square feet) to host larger shows, yet still felt intimate. The new location also annexed The Met Café, a venue for smaller touring acts and local bands such as Dave Matthews, Oasis, and White Stripes. Belly and Meatloaf were among the first shows at Lupo’s new location. Later, the club hosted diverse acts like Ziggy Marley, Hole, Radiohead, Garbage, Willie Nelson, Green Day, Foo Fighters, Anthrax, and even Tony Bennett.
Lupo’s 40th Anniversary Celebration
In 2003, the club was again forced to move, and Providence city officials suggested the Strand Building on Washington Street. But Lupo’s had to share this space with the existing NV dance club, a separately owned business. Furthermore, the new location provided no room for The Met; it would take seven years for Lupo and his wife, Sarah, to reopen Lupo’s sister club, just three miles away at the Hope Artiste Village in Pawtucket. Although there were plenty of ups and downs along the way, Lupo is proud to have realized his dream of having his musical heroes playing his stage. He says the countless nights of joyous audiences takes some of the sting out of the many years spent fighting evictions. Lupo remains even-keeled by following advice from his eighty year-old friend, Chuck Lynch, who always says “Just keep jogging in place.” If he continues to follow Chuck’s advice, I expect him to remain in business for another 40 years.
October 7 - 11, 2015 at The Met, Hope Artiste Village, 1005 Main St. Pawtucket. Wednesday, October 7 Max Creek $10 (Adv), Doors 6PM | Show 7PM Thursday, October 8 “40 Years of Rhody Blues” Hosted by Duke Robillard & featuring Al Copley, Rich Lataille, Greg Piccollo, Doug James, Carl Queforth, Marty Ballou, Marty Richards, Rob Nelson with Special Guests: Ken Lyon & James Montgomery. $10, Doors 6PM | Show 7PM Friday, Oct. 9 The Schemers, Neutral Nation, Jungle Dogs and Rash. $10, Doors 6PM | Show 7PM Saturday, October 10 Rizzz. Members of the Wild Turkey Band & Friends featuring Tom Keegan. $10, Doors 6PM | Show 7PM Sunday, October 11 – The Young Adults, Georgie Porgie & The Cry Babies. $15, Doors 6PM | Show 7PM For more details, call 401-331-5876 or go to www.lupos.com & www.themetri.com Herb Weiss, LRI ’12, is a Pawtucketbased writer who covers Rhode Island’s art and creative scene.
Layout Design by Anthony Cormier
Vol. 2 Issue 1 |
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MARKETING RAMBLES Paula Mottshaw Website Design Projects Step 1: PLAN
You will have a lot to think about when you begin a website design (or redesign) project. Let’s talk about where to start. Good planning is key to success and will save you lots of time, money and aggravation. You should take the time to think about the needs of your clients / customers. Very often the best way to do this is to involve them in the planning process. If you have a website right now, you can get their reactions to your site. Ask them to view and interact with your site. Ask questions: 1. What do they think about your home page? Does it look cluttered? What would they expect to see here? 2. What types of information would they expect to find on your site? Ask them to look for it. Can they find it quickly? How people look for something is quite useful and can help you think about how to organize information in a way that is easy to understand. 3. Is there anything they want that is not on the site? Is there information on your site that they don’t want? This will help you decide what content to keep (or add to your new site) and what content to delete. 4. How do they respond to the imagery and graphics? If you are selling a product, can it be seen well and from different viewpoints?
Other features to consider and explore: Content management systems. This will enable nontechnical people to make many of their own website updates. Look for an open source system, which are free and have good community support. Examples include Joomla, Wordpress and Drupal. Social media integration. Think about what social media platforms you are using or plan to use in the future. It’s important to choose platforms that your clients / customers use to enable you to connect with them in a meaningful way. You may want to ingrate these platforms into your website. Responsive. This is important if your clients / customers visit your site using mobile devices because you want to give all visitors a good website experience. Blog. Newsletters. If you have a blog and / or newsletter, you may want to integrate this elements into your new site. There is nothing worse than identifying a must-have feature just before your site is scheduled to go live. This is what can throw a project off schedule and increase project costs. Take the time to think about what is needed to make your site work for your customers. Over the next several issues, I will be writing about the steps in the web design process. Please feel free to email me your questions, and I will try to integrate them into the articles.
What are the functionalities and features that your website needs to have? • If you sell a product, you may want an online store. If you want customers to remain on your site, you will need to have the proper security. Another option is PayPal. • If you have a lot of content, you may want a search feature and / or a library where visitors can view and download documents.
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Paula Mottshaw specializes in web design and graphic design (print materials) for healthcare and nonprofits. She can be reached at pmottshaw@ mysimpledesignsolution.com. @pmottshaw www.linkedin.com/in/paulamottshaw
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The official publication of KS Designs
What's happening creatively in Rhode Island? RI’s Comprehensive Arts & Entertainment Calendar
A rtsNowRI.com An easy-to-use calendar that covers all
art related events statewide. You can view the many different artists and events that our creative state has to offer. It’s also where you can submit any events you may be having. Make this your go-to calendar to see what is going on creatively in RI!
October 1 – November 1
10/1/15 - 11/1/15 Sunday-Friday Roger Williams Zoo Jack O’Lantern 6 pm – 11 pm Spectacular (last admission at 10 pm) Saturdays For the complete schedule and ticket info. 6 pm – midnight please visit www.rwpzoo.org (last admission at 11 pm) Buy tickets online at rwpzoo.org
10/2/15 Manufacturing Day A celebration of modern manufacturing meant to inspire the next generation of manufacturers. 10/3/15 - 10/29/15 RI Watercolor Society 21st Annual National Show Opening Reception Oct. 3rd from 4 - 6PM 10/7/15 - 10/11/15 Lupo’s 40th Anniversary Celebration 5 Nights of Music The Met, Hope Artiste Village, 1005 Main St., Pawtucket, RI For full schedule, go to www.lupos.com. 10/8/15 Ocean State Business Expo Crowne Plaza Hotel Grand Ballroom & Grand Foyer FREE Admission with a business card For more info. http://discoveryouevents. com/business-expo/
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10/13/15 - 11/13/15 Bannister Gallery Rhode Island College Opening Reception Oct 15th at 5PM 600 Mt. Pleasant Avenue Providence, RI
10/14/15 AMP RI featuring Tuni Schartner, Co-Founder of the HIVE Join Us at the HIVE 650 Ten Rod Road, North Kingstown, RI 5:30-7:00 PM, Appetizers & Cash Bar $5 members, $10 non-members RSVP at ampri.info@gmail.com or call 401.861.7200 Bring a friend and your business cards! 10/15/15 RI Archive Art Project Screening Metcalf Auditorium, RISD Museum Encore screening of FILM|1 & Featurette of FILM|2, featuring woman artists in RI 6:30-7:30PM; FREE 10/15/15 Gallery Night Providence Contemporary Celebrity Tour with Casey Figueroa, Collectors’ Tour with Rich Watrous and Contemporary Tour with Julie Brayton 5:30PM; FREE One Regency Plaza, Providence, RI 10/15/15 Artist’s Loop with Festival Ballet Providence Panel Discussion Rochambeau Library 708 Hope St, Providence, RI 6-8PM; FREE
Check out the full calendar online!
10/17/15 1st Annual Rhode Island Mini Maker Faire – East Bay Edition Florence Gray Center 1 York Street, Newport, RI Noon to 7PM; FREE 10/24/15 The Urban Vintage Bazaar Returns to the Arcade Providence 65 Weybosset Street, Providence, RI 10-5PM; FREE 10/24/15 Artist Talk & Reception: What’s Happening in Children’s Publishing? Providence Athenaeum 251 Benefit St., Providence, RI 4PM; FREE 10/24/15 - 10/25/15 West Bay Open Studios East Greenwich, RI 11-5PM; FREE
10/29/15 - 11/1/15 Providence Art & Design Film Festival RISD Museum and the Cable Car Cinema 204 South Main St., Providence, RI For full schedule and tickets, visit www.providencecinematheque.com. 10/30/15 - 11/1/15 Spooky Aquarium and Exploration Center Presented by Save the Bay at Save The Bay Exploration Center and Aquarium 175 Memorial Boulevard, Newport, RI Thru 10/31/15 Tinker Time with Artists The Gallery at The Vets Veterans Memorial Auditorium, 5th floor, 83 Park Street, Providence, RI 1-3PM
creativeground.org CreativeGround@nefa.org
Dig into New England’s free directory of creative enterprises and artists Wikepi Baskets
Studio Echelman
Lida Winfield
AVA Gallery and Art Center
CreativeGround spotlights the creative people and places at work in New England, including cultural nonprofits like libraries and theaters, creative businesses like recording studios and design agencies, and artists of all disciplines such as performing arts, visual arts, and crafts.
What Cheer? Brigade
Photo credits (L to R): Theresa Secord (Penobscot); Ema Peter, Courtesy Studio Echelman; Gene Parulis; Gary Hall Photography; Sean Hafferty
Visit CreativeGround.org today to: Promote your work, activities, and services. Log in and manage an informative and engaging profile visible to a broad audience of arts and non-arts invidiuals and enterprises
Find potential collaborators and resources in your cultural community. Browse 30,000 profiles offering a wide range of services.
A project of the New England Foundation for the Arts, CreativeGround is brought to you through partnerships with the National Endowment for the Arts and the six New England state arts agencies.