Is the Ban on Baring Skin at The Grammys Justified or a Restriction on Artistic Expression?

Who doesn't love watching what crazy outfits artists will show up in at the Grammys? For me, I remember the years of the Grammys by memorable outfits: the year of JLO's green dress with the navel grazing neckline, the year that Lady Gaga showed up in that crazy egg...That's what made the Grammys often ridiculous but at least fun to watch.

But yesterday, it was announced that they will be restricting their dress code and strictly enforcing it. The statement released referenced making sure that the, "buttocks and female breasts are adequately covered." They also banned sheer / see-through clothing that could perhaps expose the female nipple.

While I get that in the past years, artists would show up in less and less clothes seemingly playing a game of who can be the most risque and wear the least amount of clothes, I don't know if I am onboard with an actual ban of this. Out of all the red carpets that these people have to show up to, Grammys seemed like the most fun and freeing for them to express themselves and their individual style. But now the Grammy red carpet will be one, like the others, where everyone has to play it safe.

Will you be watching the Grammys this Sunday? And, what do you think about this year's dress code - a good idea or restricting artistic individuality?

Profile of an Artist: Rick Gold of Design Company, The Stem Group

One thing that I want to do with this blog is to help shed light on other artists of various industries who have a dream and are choosing to chase it and that are passionate about the work that they do. Ryszard (Rick) Gold of design company, The Stem Group, is one of those people who you can tell is in love with what he does. I had the opportunity to connect with him and ask him a few questions about himself and his company. 

For artists who are looking to get into the design field and for those who are trying to figure out branding (web design, logos,etc.) for their own careers, I suggest you read on for great advice on this. Connect with Rick as well, he's a friendly guy!

Hi Rick, thanks for taking the time to answer some questions for my readers. First off, tell us about the Stem Group.

The Stem Group allows me to combine all my personal skills and experience into a single outlet. Extensive creative and technical prowess, an insatiable quest to be at the leading edge of technological knowledge and the passion to education others allows me to make a living doing what I love. Customer service is my specialty, preferring to form long term professional relationships with my customers. 

The Stem Creative offers general graphic design services, like cards, logos and other marketing materials, and specializing in website design and development, including micro sites for small businesses and individuals. Video production services are offered to businesses and individuals as well.

The Stem Support offers service, support and training to users of Apple Computers for situations that are not covered under warranty. Physical damages to Apple devices such as glass replacements are handled as well. 

There's a difference between those who dream about doing what they love and those who actually do it. What motivated / inspired you to start your business?

The desire to be my own boss, not having to deal with the corporate ladder. The ability to do what I want and have the risk be my own is very attractive. The flexibility of owning my own business also allows me to spend time with my boys!

What notable projects or clients have you worked on?

Having worked a bit for you (Trey Anthony Studios) was a fantastic experience! My largest client to date has been the Canadian Association of Geophysical Contractors. Over the years I've designed three websites for them, many print ads, events videos (one of them helped win the CAGC the Mayors Excellence Award) and a year long recruitment video project that has near 5000 copies in circulation.

 

Working in a creative industry, how do you stay motivated and passionate about your work?

Being constantly creative is a challenge for sure! That is why I have my support side to keep things interesting. It's nice to be able to switch gears from Photoshop & Final Cut to troubleshooting a sticky Mac OS X issue or making a smashed iPad pristine again. I get the passion from my job from my clients reactions, knowing they love their website makes a long week of slogging through code completely worth it!


What tips/advice would you give to an emerging talent who wants to follow a similar career path as you?

Look ahead always.. be on the forefront of the cure and never let yourself fall behind it. Adapt to changes in the industry and never undersell yourself by charging penance for what you know is quality work; at the same time don't charge prices that keeps your services out of reach of the small and medium business that are most likely supporting your friends, family and community.

Since my blog caters to a lot of artists and emerging artists who are looking to get their name and brand out there, what would you say is the best advice for them in going about collaborating/hiring a design company to illustrate their brand through web design or other design work?

If a deal sounds to good to be true, it probably is; if the price has 5 digits for a website and logo, move on. Absolutely most important, do not ever agree to using a pre-designed template for any of your branding products, this is exactly what those $300 website deals are all about. It's important to stick out, and it's wise to invest a little money in a custom website, logo, cards, etc. And if you can, have the same team do all the work so you can have a consistent branding across all your marketing materials. Invest in the branding instead of the mahogany desk!

Best ways for readers to connect with you?

Connect with me on any of the below mediums. I'm most active on Facebook, check out my page and connect with me there!

   https://www.facebook.com/thestemgroup
 

   https://twitter.com/TheStemGroup

 
   http://ca.linkedin.com/in/ryszardgold

   http://www.yelp.ca/biz/the-stem-group-calgary

Inspired, motivated and ready to claim my space!

Guest blog by Eden Hagos

After weeks of waiting for trey anthony’s Artist Millionaire Workshop it ended up being even better than I had hoped! Walking off the elevator into the venue I was pleasantly surprised to find myself in a homey, eclectic loft. I had expected a sterile conference room but found myself surrounded by statues and artwork from around the world including a bronze Buddha statue and fun and functional furniture – my favourite was the oversized bright red swinging chair hanging from the ceiling!  

The participants were just as interesting as the space and included singers, actors, writers, producers, photographers and models. The friendly, outgoing group jumped right into the workshop. From the moment trey asked us to stand up and “claim our space” until the final session, the room was full of great energy! Even when we broke for lunch, most participants hung around the room, putting into immediate practice the networking tips that we had learned in the morning.

trey held the audience captive as she shared her personal story while passing on many tips for artists struggling to turn their passion into a career. Using many anecdotal stories, and with some help from best friend Rachael-Lea Rickards who amused us with her account of many of the stories, trey managed to keep the workshop interesting and the audience laughing!

The panelists, Glenn Sumi, Ron Leach and Mark Strong helped wrap up the day with a panel discussion that ranged in topic from balancing personal time with a busy schedule to how to get noticed by the media. The audience had some great questions and many had the chance to chat with the panelists on a one-on-one basis and get more personalized advice.

Aside from the great information that we learned, I also left with some business cards and new connections for future projects. The Artist Millionaire Workshop was an exciting experience and has given me some great ideas for how to increase the income from my writing!

If you were at the workshop too, please let me know what you thought. Was there anything that you learned that you’ve already started to implement? Were you inspired by what you heard? Let me know in the comments below!