NEWS/MUSE

MUSE: CHANNELING FRANCE FOR DESIGN INSPIRATION -CAFE SIGNAGE-

MUSE: CHANNELING FRANCE FOR DESIGN INSPIRATION -STREET SIGNAGE-

MUSE: CHANNELING FRANCE FOR DESIGN INSPIRATION -FRENCH VOGUE-

WHEN EVERYTHING COMES TOGETHER

What is that moment called? There must be something poetic for it, because it sure is poetry. I read in (our beloved) Honolulu Advertiser this morning that the Hono'uli'uli Preserve in Wai'anae is now State Protected. My cup of joy overflow! I first became aware of Hono'uli'uli when I worked with Christine Ogura of HAWP (Hawaii Association of Watershed Partnerships) to beef up their outreach of forest and watershed protection. I came to know Hono'uli'uli. Culturally too, the area has significant history: Japanese internment camps were once there (really!) and the Japanese Cultural Center of Hawaii has long wanted to protect and present this history THERE, which I imagine is now even more likely. Lastly, i was more than thrilled to read that this victory can be attributed to someone with whom I share the dance floor with, Lea Hong of the Trust for Public Land! She is one TALENTED tita! An inspiration that gives me hope: maybe there is common goals and values here, among disparate agencies? To me, this victory with Hono'uli'uli is also about the coming together of many powerful agencies (city, state, federal, and private) in a commitment to protect our natural resources — water supply, endangered species, forest, cultural legacy — against any possible development in the future. On a more micro and personal level, the preservation of this place brings together the individuals and passions of several organizations i have a connection to. With Hono'uli'uli, the lines are all intersecting...in the best Hawaii way possible. 

MUSE: MAH JONG INSPIRED DESIGN

MUSE: BRILLIANT TYPE TREATMENT

Brilliant type treatment for the Tribecca Film Festival. Quick kine photo I took of da tv, was so loving it...

ON THE VERGE:

April e-Newsletter featuring design work and marketing which bring two clients to the next stage of growth. Read it here: http://eepurl.com/tmBR

MUSE: EDIBLE LOGO

HTY SO GOOD

Happy 55th Birthday Honolulu Theatre for Youth! Their last show of the season, "Just So Stories" is simply BANANAS. I had the pleasure of seeing the show for opening night and was absolutely tickled, moved and inspired by the quality of the art, the creativity of all involved. People: we have a professional theatre company in Honolulu and apparently have had one for 55 years! What an exciting time for the company which also celebrates 5 years of having a home at Tenney Theatre. The brilliance, dedication, and stability of this company and its HTY family is palpable. Yet, to me it remains such a delicious secret. I am so honored to be working with them to let their light shine even more. What they do is magic. If you haven't experienced HTY yet, you are missing out on a SO GOOD thing....

MUSE: EYE MAG SP 2010

MUSE: CLIENT LOVE

MUSE: LOVE ROMAN/CHARACTERS_2

MUSE: LOVE ROMAN/CHARACTERS

MUSE: FURTHER

MUSE: BANSKY BANSKY

CLIENT CONFESSION

Baby Awearness, a client I have been working with since October of 2009 recently told me that her business has more than doubled since working with me. My joy doubled as well! I wish more confessions were like this! Happily she told me she has already made more than her money back on her investment in a new brand identity, website redesign, and marketing collateral. Of course our branding efforts are also in conjunction with increased PR, social media outlets, and not to mention the enthusiasm and passion of the client/owner Ashley Lukens. ALL of it TOGETHER has raised the profile of her business, spotlighting its best qualities and what it already does so well: personalized service and expert knowledge on earth friendly products and practices. Anyone doubting the value of marketing can go find something else to doubt...because design works.

MUSE: QUIRKY ILLUSTRATION

SAUCE DE SOJA

I was intrigued to find "soy sauce" in Spanish on the (Japanese inspired) shoyu packet given to me as we did take out at a Vietnamese restaurant. What a joyous mess of a mixed plate we live in! And like mixed plate, I say bring more of it on. We can handle it and as things get complicated they possibly get more interesting? It's more honest, maybe? I was thinking what a joy and challenge it is to design something so tiny. With multiple languages. Feeling traditional and modern at once. Still appreciating and getting delight in the design of everyday things...

MUSE: ART OF THE POSTER

MUSE: Y?

PUREST PASSION

HBO's Rock and Roll Hall of Fame concert. I was riveted to the screen and moved by the passion oozing from the pores of our music legends. I think it takes courage to feel your own music, to BE yourself. And it doesn't hurt that the music is SO GOOD. Bruce Springsteen, Bono, and Patti Smith on one stage. Together, singing. Holy Smoke! Never felt prouder to be an American!  The comfort in being themselves, feeling their own rhythm — it's something i don't often get to see..on TV or in real life, you know? Needless to say, i was trying to channel them. I like be one rock star...

TRAIPSING THROUGH THE FOREST

It is so super liberating for me to romp and play in the forest. This past weekend we did the Kanealole Trail in Makiki Valley, an amazing loop that is even cooler in the rain. I learned that a lightweight umbrella woudn't have been a bad idea. The Hawaii Nature Center has little placards up of native plants and the "manicured" nature of the trail makes you feel safe (for this townie). This hike was inspired by Christine Ogura. I had been at the offices of the Division of Forestry and Wildlife for a meeting with Christine to talk about design for the Hawaii Association of Watershed Partnerships. When i drove into this valley full of layered green, lush and textured, i immediately relaxed. What a dream job those folks have...this is heaven for me...and come to think of it, how lucky am i to be able to design something that preserves our Hawaiian Forests! I couldn't be prouder!

IT'S TIME FOR CHASING COWBOYS

Chasing Cowboys author Michael Little calls me a Designing Woman! I was honored he interviewed me for his blog today on hawaiireaders.com. We spoke about my experience designing the book and how I got into graphic design. Here's something I was caught saying: "Looking back now, the experience of being immersed in dance as a young girl really made a big impact on me in terms of a willingness and compulsion to open the door to creativity as an adult." http://www.hawaiireaders.com/blog/2009/10/18/designing-woman-an-interview-with-graphic-designer-stephanie-chang/

We are doing a booksigning for Chasing Cowboys at Bestsellers Downtown. We are giving cookies away for rodeo queen waves. Wednesday, October 21, 2009 at 12:30pm. Stop by and say hello!

CHEERS TO MULITMEDIA

Wow the multimedia world we live in. Earlier this month I started twitter and I gotta say I'm loving it though I'm no self proclaimed Tweethead yet. Not so much loving tweeting as I am following the tweets of amazing designers and design organizations. What a treasure trove of a resource it is for someone like me in the middle of the pacific ocean to feel a bit like I'm on the pulse of the design happenings in our major metropolitan cities. It really is a valuable source of information and think i may have just discovered a possible new partner for web collaboration from stumbling accidentally on a twitter thread that led to more threads...is Twitter the new fabric of our lives?

GOING LIVE

Assaggio Kahala Bistro went live yesterday! It was such a thrill to finally see the restaurant open and completely constructed in all of its design glory. No stone was left unturned with this latest addition to the Assaggio family of restaurants. it has been such a pleasure to work with owner Thomas Ky and the team to create the grand opening invitation graphics and marketing. The Good Living Good Giving event gives back to the community and its employees after 20 years of success in Hawaii. But that's not all that went live. I saw Modest Mouse Live. i saw Barishnikov Live. I like seeing things alive, in real time, with real flesh and blood. it pumps...me UP (must be said in Hans and Franz style).

MUSE: HUMU HUMOR

MUSE: MODEST MOUSE LIVE

I BOWL FOR KID'S SAKE

Bowling has entered my life! on two fronts... Tonight I will be at Aiea Bowl to realize my alter ego as bowler extraordinaire (just googled the rules of bowling couple of weeks ago). We have been drumming up donations for the Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Honolulu. Our bowling team, headed by development director Roger Higa, is named "Show Me The Money." To date, i have raised $230. Not sure if I have been living up to the team name...I might get kicked off! The second bowling front is in Kona. Beloved Kona Bowl is undergoing a reinvention of itself with a spanking new renovation and some rebranding to boot. We have been working to bring it to life, can't wait to see it's new look...

DESIGN BY NATURE

Hiking has become one of my favorite ways to spend QT with people dear to me, get a good workout for my bod, and satisfy my need for adventure. I find that the higher up we go, the further back we trek, the more interesting the plant life gets. Talk about art! ferns that grow in strangely symmetric patterns, stems that coil up, and berries that grow vertically. It's cool. It sounds like another world, and in many ways it is. Even the bugs and birds have different colors. I have often gotten design ideas from look at the fish while snorkeling. Some pretty crazy and beautiful stuff that we could never make up on our own! 

MUSE: FASHION ILLUSTRATION

MUSE: FEELS SO NEW YORK...

HUNGRY FOR GREAT DESIGN

Our latest project took me to the Royal Hawaiian Hotel with hopes of soaking up its classic elegance for design inspiration. I do LOVE my job. What i saw (from its 60 million dollar makeover): less doors, more views into its open air spaces, and lovely intricate pattern everywhere in newly installed textiles — rugs, carpets, throw pillows. I sketched, i photographed, i ate it up. This "drudging" research was for Ho'okipa! Ho'okipa, the fundraiser for the Culinary Arts program at KCC, is held in October at the Royal Hawaiian. This year's theme is "Made in Hawaii," and since the event is back from a year hiatus, the design should be extra special and generate even more interest. I realized that ultimately, what is most fun and interesting for creating good design is not to work from what has been created, but rather to work from the initial inspiration or motivation for the place, the hotel, the event itself. Can't wait to see the design...

MUSE: DESTRUCTED TYPO

MUSE: I BOW TO ALBERTO SEVISO, ITALY

MUSE: FOUND FUN FOTO INSTALATION

MUSE: AH...COLOR

MUSE: MOM IS

My mom is my muse. As if it weren't enough that mom accomplishes rare feats of greatness (keeping our family connected) with grace and ease, her ikebana skills are seriously blowing up! She executed stunning ikebana (flower arranging) designs with her Sogetsu Ikebana classmates for window and in store displays at Neiman Marcus. She is my "mummer" for a reason! It's Blossom Time!

DESIGN WITH VOICE

CHAMBER MUSIC FILLED THE HOUSE

I was honored to design the ''dance meets music'' event postcard for the Chamber Music Hawaii and the Onium Ballet Project performance. Our hopes of ''selling out the show'' were met indeed. A stand out show was executed to a sold out house! What a blessing to be able to experience such quality art. Bravo!.