Adam8

I created this little graphic for a survey we're doing at The Level. Maybe a bit overkill, but built the company's logo in 3d and rendered it in Maya.

If you have a minute, please fill out the survey!

Check out my sketches from the awesome CascadiaJS conference we had this year in Vancouver.

Lunch time at TheLevel.

When the dot-com industry crashed and 9-11 happened, I quit my last job and started freelancing. I wasn't sure what was going to happen. I was very scared.

Back in 2011, I did a few websites for some dance and theatre artists, and that grew in to a great niche for me. At the time, every Arts Group in Vancouver needed a custom website, and they had been granted money to pay for it! Somehow I was able to pay rent at the end of each month - even before I had a credit card!  Somehow the phone kept ringing, and I always had rewarding work for great clients.

Working from home is awesome. It's great to wake up when you're rested, and sit down without interruption and throw yourself at the task at hand. Flexibility to work when you're at your best is an asset, whether it's at 7am or 11pm.

I really love what I do. When I get stuck I somehow always manage to push through. (Thanks Google!). But I know that sometimes problems that block me all day might take someone who'd had that experience much less time. What don't I know? How can I improve? What products could I ship if I worked with a team? And could I even work all day without a nap? 

Sometimes the time is right to throw yourself in an uncomfortable, challenging situation. When you're on the beach enjoying the sun, it's not always easy to jump in the cold ocean, but you won't regret it when you're laying in bed at night.

Arlen explaining something to me. I'm baffled. Photo by Mike Martin

So... I got a job at TheLevel. Here is a website development company which specializes in large scale, multilingual websites for very, very big clients. This is a different experience from creating sites for small businesses and artists.

I thought it would be interesting to learn why "enterprise" products suck. IT for big companies has a lot of money and seems very ready to be improved (ahem, disrupted). If only I could bring to this industry some of the good things I've learned working with artists. At least I could learn why it's so difficult to create high quality work for this industry.

So here I am, working 8 to 4 everyday, learning some unsexy technologies and working with a team of programmers who are way smarter than me! TheLevel has their own CMS that is based on XML/XSLT. This has been a challenge, and I'm learning a lot. It's hard to use, but eventually we get it to work, and it's a great feeling. But hard work doesn't make it worth it, especially for the client. The next year will be interesting, as we explore new tools, and find new projects. 

I'm not sure what will happen in the future. Right now I'm happy to be working with such a great team, learning new skills, and stretching myself in new territories. This summer I'm learning C++. 

I miss the freedom that I had working on my own, directly with my own clients -  but I definitely don't regret yanking myself out of a safe, comfortable situation and expanding my skills and career.

Over the weekend I created this little urban fantasy island in 3d using Maya.

Click here to see it bigger.

Launched a new website for Joe Creek Artist's Retreat in Roberts Creek on the Sunshine Coast, BC.

I'm really having fun with the Canvas tag. And it works well on the phone, too!

http://www.kjdance.ca/

Last weekend I attended YCombinator's Startup School conference at Stanford. The speakers included Mark Zuckerberg, Joel Spolsky and Patrick Collison. Video from the talks are available.

For three nights I stayed at the Startup House in San Francisco and met hackers from all over the world. It's a bit like living and sleeping inside a filthy Apple store. Hackers, Macbook Pros, and dirty dishes. So much fun!

To begin again is daunting. New website for Vancouver artist Denise Carson Wilde.

Kinesis Dance somatheatro announces a special workshop series with two internationally recognized dance artists, Jens Bjerregaard (Denmark) and Takako Matsuda (Japan), this October and November 2012. Each series will culminate in an open studio performance at the end of the week. In addition, these workshops will be presented with a master technique class component in conjunction with Training Society of Vancouver’s Working Class Program, an initiative providing contemporary dance training through local and visiting artists.

More info

Here's a 3d animation I just did for BURNCO visualizing their proposed Howe Sound gravel pit.

Here's a new website I designed and created for The Chop Theatre.

On the main page, try moving your mouse around. I wrote this scribble effect using HTML5's canvas tag and a touch of JavaScript. The colour is random, and the active link colour in the style sheet matches it.

When the "enter" button is clicked, the scribble is quietly saved as an image up to Google Cloud Storage.

Looking to send your kids somewhere very far away this summer? How about All Theatre Co's day camp near Hong Kong.

Quality time to reconnect in nature with a holistic-living theme! Experience bilingual workshops in Visual and Performing Arts, Raw Cooking and Organic Gardening!

Led by Performing Artist Maggie Blue O’Hara and Visual Artist Hoi Chiu from All Theatre Art Association, these day camps will take your family on an adventure to discover your inner “Warrior of Light”.

• Explore your five senses in the five elements
• Learn new skills for healthy living
• Balance your body, mind, heart and soul

More info

Good news! You you can now have a bilingual website.

If you visit Authentic-Teas.com today, and you are browsing on a French computer, you'll be presented with a French website! Impressionnant, non?

In their content management system, Authentic Teas have two language options for each page's text, titles, testimonials, and even the products in their online tea shop!

This feature is available to all Adam8 customers today.

Rumble theatre has a new production planned for this December 2012. Co-produced with Calgary's Ghost River Theatre, they'll be presenting The Last Voyage of Donald Crowhurst. 

In 1969 British entrepreneur and sailor Donald Crowhurst appeared poised to win the prestigious Golden Globe Race – a solo, non-stop, round the world sailing competition. As he neared the final leg, however, organizers suddenly lost all contact with him. His boat was found adrift in the mid-Atlantic two weeks later in sound condition, but with no sign of Crowhurst. Then they read his unsettling logs and an entirely new story emerged...

Rick was one of thousands of young men who sought refuge in Canada to escape the Vietnam draft. But, when he takes in a traumatized young American soldier who is deserting his post in Iraq, Rick begins to understand how much our country has changed in forty years. Set in Tofino, BC, Shelter from the Storm is a play about love and loss that questions our notions of courage and cowardice.

May 31 – June 9, 2012
Firehall Arts Centre

More info at Touchstone Theatre and the Vancouver Theatre Guide.

I'm very happy to have Miscellaneous Productions back as a client. Thank you Elaine!

If you're in Vancouver, take the kids out to see their latest production Kutz & Dawgs, opening later this Month.

More info on Kutz & Dawgs here!

Maybe you knew this already, but a great place to rent a studio in Vancouver is the old Church in the West End. 2100 square feet - complete with a labyrinth painted on the soft wooden floors.

Available:
Monday through Thursday
9:45 am – 6:30 pm

Rates:
$12/hour to use as a rehearsal space;
$20/hour to use as a class space.

More info

Free One Day Workshop
May 12, 2012
Audition!

Kinesis Dance somatheatro is holding a FREE workshop audition on Saturday May 12th at the Faris Family Theatre (1st Floor) from 12 pm to 5 pm at The Scotiabank Dance Centre (677 Davie Street, Vancouver). Interested in performing... we are looking for dancers for existing and upcoming projects! Please email admin@kinesisdance.org to register along with your bio.

Workshop Teacher - Shauna Elton

More Info

I just completely rebuilt the website for Hlynksy Architects. With the same design, the site now runs on Adam8, so Hlynsky can add a new page and photos as soon as they finish a project. The Flash animation was replaced with HTML5.

TCR's Issue 3.17 celebrates their 40th anniversary with wide-ranging work—poems, narrative, plays, a novella, a sit-com—by Daphne Marlatt, Steve McCaffery, Garry Thomas Morse, Stan Persky, Sharon Thesen, Fred Wah, and many more, plus Kim Minkus’ interview with Maxine Gadd. The issue also features a visual art portfolio with work by Pierre Coupey, Christos Dikeakos, Liz Magor, Jin-me Yoon, and more.

Order an issue! Available in print or pdf format.

• A Last Resort opens April 24
• Special Deal: 2-for-1 promo on April 25 performance of A Last Resort
• Endgame continues
• Festival closes on April 28

April 10 – 28, 2012
At The Cultch and at Little Mountain Studios

For full programming details, visit www.rumble.org
Tickets/passes available at The Cultch: tickets.thecultch.com or 604.251.1363
Tickets for Endgame and A Last Resort are ONLY $15 + s/c