www.aiquarterly.com

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c o m i n g s p r i n g 2 0 1 0

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6 EDITOR’S LETTER

7 CaLEnDaR Of EvEnTS

8 PRESIDEnT’S LETTER

8 SIGHTInGS Style File with Meg, AiQ fashion editor

12 GaLLERY aRT Showcasing Ai student art work

18 PIOnEER Local fashion designer Sarah Maxwell

29 HISTORY Why I will keep a Promise

30 CHRISTOPHER LEE Illustrator shares his life experiences

38 PURPLE KanGaROO Getting past Creative Block

ABOUT AiQThe Art Institute Quarterly is a quarterly publication covering all the majors offered at AiCSC along with community stories for students by students at The Art Institute of

Charleston. We reach an audience of over 700 students, staff and faculty and the surrounding Charleston, SC community. This unique publication is one of its kind in the

Ai community. AiQ is printed in-house at The Art Institute of Charleston’s own print studio. All models, designs, photographs, contributors, events and team management

are produced by students at AiCSC. This publication is for educational use only and is not intended for financial gain. Reader Services Letters, AiQ welcomes your letters

and comments. Send letters to Russ Bratcher, editor-in-chief at russ@aiquarterly.com Writing Opportunities We are always looking for fresh voices and stories for our

AiCSC family to enjoy each quarter though our publication. Please send queries and/or suggestions to the editor. Published by The Art Institute of Charleston 24 N.

Market Street Charleston, SC 29401 ©2010 AiQ www.aiquarterly.com Facebook search: The Art Institute Quarterly Twitter search: AiQuarterly2008

AiQ WINTER TEAM

EDITOR-In-CHIEf, fOUnDER Russ Bratcher russ@aiquarterly.com

ExECUTIvE EDITOR Stephanie Schultz

PHOTOGRaPHY Cyle Suesz cyle@aiquarterly.com

PHOTOGRaPHY Josh Capeder

faSHIOn EDITOR Meg Ellisfashion@aiquarterly.com

faSHIOn EDITOR Monique Araujo

GRaPHIC DESIGn Jean Piot

GRaPHIC DESIGn Tara Moore

COPY EDITOR Terry Fox tcfox@aii.edu

The quarterly magazine from students at The Art Institute of Charleston

PHOTO BY CYLE SUESZ

34ROBERT LanGE The Genius Painter

CONTENTS

5

winter 2010volume 3, issue 1

AiQ Artist: Meg Ellis, Russ Bratcher, Monique Araujo, Jean Piot, Cyle Suesz, Josh Capeder (Stephanie Schultz and Tara Moore not pictured)

Cover: Pioneer by Cyle Suesz

6

AiQ EDITOR’S LETTER

This issue was inspired by one word. Pioneer. I was inspired by this vernacular I

heard from Cyle Suesz for our fashion spread in this issue. Although the name of

the spread is Pioneer (on page 18), I wanted to take it further and see what this

could mean for me, you, and any other student at The Art Institute of Charleston.

We printed a poster for this issue that is displayed in the halls of our Market Street

campus. To the left is the quote we used on the poster and the rest of the quote. I really

believe in what this says. Our theme, Pioneer, exists for all of us on all sorts of levels. The

main point for me was to tell you to believe in your leadership skills or work on them and

know that what you say and do matter. It matters to yourself, your classmates, your school,

family and community you live in. Stop being a mouse and give your voice life through

your work and design. Be a Pioneer.

I have never felt the need to stress more than ever the importance of our journey here

and after we graduate. Every connection, every human, all the lessons learned here at The

Art Institute will mold you into a better student, artist and designer. I believe our school

wants us to be thinkers and planners, not mere decorators who make things look pretty.

Yes, you must have talent and drive, but please keep

educating yourself even if it means skipping the party or

losing that one extra hour of sleep. Now is the time and

it is all you have to be your best ever. Education is the

freedom to over come all fear. Keep your nose in a book

sometime. Our library is filled with the most amazing

books hand-picked just for us. You can never take away

the experience of going from page to page either. Get off

the computer once and a while. Thank you.

Christopher Lee (page 30) is an artist in California who

has worked with large companies and has developed a

very unique style of illustration. I found his website in a

magazine that I read at the book store, contacted him and

brought you his answers to my questions. Please email

him and let him know your thoughts. Being nice to AiQ

and responding to our query was amazing and we thank

Christopher greatly!

A special thing about life is once your path has crossed

with another you are connected forever. Thank you for

picking up our issue to look through and read. We are

bringing you our best in 2010 and hope you will too.

Russ BratcherEditor-in-Chief

russ@aiquarterly.com

Pioneers are a special breed of people. They take the world as it exists and

begin to transform it into what it could become. It requires confidence in

one's unique perception, vision, or hunch (which detractors call madness),

the courage of one's convictions (which detractors call stubbornness),

perseverance, persistence, and 'stick-to-itiveness' (which detractors

call pigheadedness), and confidence in one's ability to succeed (which

detractors call arrogance).

Pioneers always face resistance: from those not sharing their convictions,

those whose beliefs are being challenged, those with a financial interest

in maintaining the status quo, and those who would steal their work. They

have to have personalities able to deal with this resistance. Those who do

not share a pioneer's understanding or vision must first be made to see. This

is one of the pioneer's tasks. To expect support before having convinced

others, just because one is convinced, is an unrealistic expectation that

leads to failure and bitterness.

Perspective. If you hold a dime very close to your eye, it blots out the whole

world. Ideas can also do that. Narrowly focused on a new idea or invention,

one can lose perspective. Pioneers may think that others should see what

is obvious to them only because they've dwelled on it. Absorbed in the

beauty of their ideas and their effort, it can be disappointing and painful to

get no credit for insights and accomplishments. Pioneers often have difficult

personalities. It goes with the territory of pioneering in at least two ways.

In pursuing a hunch, they spend many hours alone and socially isolated. In

addition, their personal quirks and neuroses may have led them to such

isolated pursuits in the first place. A great need for recognition, one such

neurosis, leads to feeling deprived when that recognition is not forthcoming.

—Udo Erasmus, Author of Fats that Heal Fats that Kill

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ChARLESTOn CALEnDAR Of EvEnTS

25Spring Graduate Portfolio Show

AiCSC, N. Market Campus, Atrium

March 25, 2010

March

27Copper River Bridge Run

March 27, 2010, www.bridgerun.com

March

01Young Contemporaries 2010: 25th Annual

Juried Student - Exhibition and Salon des

Refusés

Halsey Institute of Contemporary Art, (843) 953-5680

April 1-27, 2010

April

30It’s in The Bag! Purse Auction

Center for Women, www.c4women.org

April 30, 2010

April

30Modern Masters from the Ferguson

Collection

Gibbes Museum of Art, (843) 722-2706

April 30 – August 22, 2010

April

01Dining with Friends

Lowcountry AIDS Services, www.aids-services.com

May 1, 2010

May

02AiCSC Spring Cook-out

James Island County Park

May 2, 2010

May

06Red Cross Blood Drive

AiCSC, N. Market Campus

May 6, 2010

May

07The French Quarter Art Walk

May 7, 2010

May

14Cory Oberndorfer

Redux Contemporary Art Center

May 14 – June 6, 2010

May

16Spoleto Festival USA

May 28-June 13, 2010

www.spoletousa.org

May

16Piccolo Spoleto Festival

May 28-June 13, 2010

www.piccolospoleto.com

May

27“Call and Response: Africa to America”: The Art of

Nick Cave and Phyllis Galembo

Halsey Institute of Contemporary Art

May 27- July 16, 2010

May

Calendar dates prepared by AiCSC Student Services Department

WRITE ThAT DOWn!

CONNECT WITH AiQFacebookSearch: The Art Institute Quarterly

TwitterSearch: AiQuarterly2008

8

AiCSC PRESIDEnT’S LETTER

I hope everyone is having a productive winter

quarter. As you read this article, The Art Institute

of Charleston will be involved in a number of

exciting community activities. On February 21st

our culinary students, and Chef Chris Stallard, will be

involved in Chef’s Feast, an annual event that benefits

the Low Country Food Bank. Our team has been asked

to prepare desserts for all those who attend the event.

Last year our culinary team prepared a lamb dish that

was judged among the best of all the food that was

served. I know they will do an exceptional job again

this year.

The first weekend of March we celebrated the 5th

annual Charleston Wine and Food Festival. We are

proud to be major sponsors of this event again this year.

Our involvement has been almost school wide. A team

of our interior design students have created the demonstration kitchen tent, which will be a major addition to the

festival. They have also created the design for the celebrity chef’s tent. Our photography students have created

images for several of the festival tents. Our film students will be working with a local television studio to film the

event. We will again join with Charleston magazine to sponsor Bubbles & Sweets, a fun Saturday evening highlight

of the festival. To cap everything off, we will sponsor the festival’s cooking competitions, where local chefs cook

off against visiting chefs. A new feature this year will be two of our culinary students competing against one another,

and having as their sous chef a local and visiting celebrity chef. What an exciting few days this should be!

On March 16th Charleston Fashion Week begins. This year we again will be the title sponsor of this event. And again

we will try to involve as many of our academic programs as possible in all the excitement that is fashion week. Last

year our photography and fashion students helped make this week a success. This year we hope to involve our

film students as well. And certainly one of the high points of the week will be the runway show on Friday evening

produced by our very own faculty member, Ashley Reid, and a group of her students.

This quarter will also see our involvement in Charleston’s burgeoning film scene, as we take part in the first of what

has now become two film festivals in Charleston. We’ll be a sponsor of both of these festivals.

As you continue your studies with us this quarter, I hope you have found the time to welcome our new Dean

of Academic Affairs, Dr. Esther Kramer, to our campus. I know you will find her to be very student-focused and

accessible. We are very happy that she is with us. I also hope you all had the chance to take part in our efforts to

help the citizens of Haiti recover from the terrible tragedy that struck that country. I want to especially thank Ryan

Collins for all his leadership and efforts in this. Ryan is the kind of student that makes us all proud to be part of The

Art Institute of Charleston.

Rick JerueAiCSC President

rjerue@aii.edu

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AIGA, Charleston

The Art Institute of Charleston now can boast of its third and fourth

fully registered student organizations: a chapter of the AIGA (American

Institute of Graphic Arts), which has dubbed itself as “the professional

association for design”, and Simply Digital, a digital filmmaking club.

The months of hard work and planning in spearheading this registration by

Carla Holzer, graphic design faculty member and club advisor, have at last

paid off. The officers of our AIGA are: Jonathan Keller, President; Jacqueline

D’Amico, Vice-President; Margaret Watson,

Secretary; Anna Burnett, Treasurer; Rica

Walton, Director of Communications;

Tatum Krupen-Fromerth, Programming

Officer; and Nicole DeMinter, Membership

Officer.

With a mission statement which reads, “Our mission is to empower creatives and

advance design initiatives through advocacy, education and the exchange of ideas

within the local community”, the AIGA launched itself with a very successful

campus-wide “Meat and Greet” in the Atrium on February 11, 2010.

Simply Digital, a film club

Roslin Smith, digital filmmaking faculty member and club advisor, has done

a masterful job in quickly guiding her students through the registration

process. The officers of Simply Digital are: Xander Martin, President; J.T.

Hooper, Vice-President; LaTrice Langston, Secretary; and Dakota Smith,

Treasurer; Ryan Holderfield, HR; Jon Richards, Scheduler; Felix Cooper,

Marketing Vice-President; and Brad Philpott, Marketing.

Simply Digital’s mission statement has these dual thrusts: “To guide the

digital program and its students to create a library of independent student

features that will further prepare them for the field ahead” and “To unite the

various classes and students within the digital filmmaking department by

working together to create at least one student film per quarter.”

The two other current officially registered campus organizations are Ai

Un-Filtered, the photography club, and The Message, a non-denominational

faith-based organization.

Student Ambassadors

The following students have been added to the roster of Student Ambassadors

for the college beginning with the winter quarter: Triela Williams, Anna

Picone, Patrice Plowden, and Marcello Garafalo.

charleston

The role of Student Ambassador for the college is to provide service to

the college as official hosts and goodwill ambassadors at functions where

it is desired to have students welcome guests and visitors. The Student

Ambassadors also provide service to the administrative offices of the

college as needed in carrying out official functions. Ambassadors are

awarded a scholarship each quarter based on the successful completion of

all requirements.

In addition to the above-named students, the “veteran” Student Ambassadors

for the campus are Tierra Ravenell, Kristin Taylor, and Obed Danjoint.

Ai Students attend a Leadership Academy

On February 26-27, 2010, a group of students from our campus will once

again be attending the annual student Leadership Academy at The Art

Institute of Atlanta.

This year our representatives at this training will be the Resident Assistants

from our housing program: Deanna Whisman, Patrice Plowden, Cyle Suesz,

and Marcus Williams. These students will be accompanied on their junket

to Atlanta by LaShanda Scott, Director of Residence Life and Housing.

for more information contact: Terry Fox

Director of Student Services

tcfox@aii.edu

STUDENT NEWS

hAPPEnInGS In STUDEnT SERvICES

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Any resident of Charleston knows just how fickle our winter weather can be, often times, making the routine of picking out an outfit in the morning quite the guessing game. however, these six Ai students seem to have mastered that challenge. The girls stay right on trend for this winter wearing patterned tights, leather jackets, and knee high boots.

SIGHTINGS

STYLE fILE WITh MEG ELLIS

nICHOLE RaTH (Interior Design)

Hat: Gifted

Coat: Thrifted

Shirt: Thrifted

Tights: Gap

Shoes: Bakers

anDREa JOSEPH (Graphic Design)

Jacket: Charlotte Russe

Dress: Charlotte Russe

Tights: Target

Boots: Charlotte Russe

Bag: TJ Maxx

KaITLIn CRavER (Fashion & Retail

Management)

Scarf: Target

Wrap: Target

Sweater: H&M

Leggings: Ulis Boutique

Boots: Urban Outfitters

Bag: Santa Fe local artist

11

The boys represent both ends of the spectrum with Dustin opting for a sharp shouldered blazer and more tailored look, while Brad displays urban living at its finest with his beanie, Ray-Bans, and plaid shirt. Undoubtedly, these six students have chosen their wardrobes wisely as they all display items that will easily transition into the warmer months of winter and the spring days that will soon be headed our way.

SIGHTINGS

DUSTIn BaRnHILL (Fashion & Retail

Management)

Blazer: Ralph Lauren

Shirt: Ralph Lauren

Jeans: Levis

Shoes: 1960 Vintage Florsheims

BRaD HUTCHInSOn (Photographic Imaging)

Hat: Urban Outfitters

Sunglasses: Ray-Ban

Shirt: Urban Outfitters

Jeans: KR3W

Shoes: Urban Outfitters

MaLIK CaLDwELL (Graphic Design)

Cardigan: Izod

T-Shirt: Alador & Smith

Necklace: Flea Market

Jeans: Polo Ralph Lauren

Shoes: Nike

*Style File Captured weekly exclusively for AiQ

Contact Meg Ellis for details.

fashion@aiquarterly.com

Photo by Cyle Suesz

Photographic Imaging, Matt LeGault, After-math

winter 2010 GALLERY Of STUDEnT WORK

Ever wonder what is coming out of the next classroom? now you can know through our new student gallery featuring works from all majors at The Art Institute of Charleston. Please enjoy!

stud

ent g

alle

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ph

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raph

ic i

ma

gin

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CHARLESTONart culture history* *

experience

Graphic Design, Jean Piot, Charleston - art, culture, history

student gallery • gra

phic d

esign

Fashion Retail Management, Stacy Evans, Charleston Museum Wedding Dress Exhibit

stud

ent g

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fa

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eta

il m

an

age

men

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Web Design & Interactive Media, Christine Marquardt, The Walker Phenomenal Spirit Award

student gallery • w

eb design

& in

teractive m

edia

Interior Design, Holly E. Spake, Aging in place Ohio House

stud

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in

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WAnT TO SEE YOUR WORK hERE? All majors at AiCSC welcome to submit. Submit your best work at 300 dpi to editor-in-chief, Russ Bratcher, russ@aiquarterly.com

Deadline for submission in spring 2010 issue: April 9, 2010 or the end of the first week of every quarter.

Film and Video Production, Xander Martin, Director; Ryan Holderfield, Director of Photography, Night of The Pariah

student gallery • fi

lm &

video prod

uction

PIONEERLocal fashion designer, Sarah Maxwell teams up with the Art institute

Quarterly for a winter fashion shoot. All models and images were created by local students from the Charleston, SC area.

photography by Cyle Suesz • ha i r by nicole hyer Geary

makeup by James Mitche l l

x

a DanDELIOn DRESS Long ivory metallic linen, $374

g Ivory metallic linen dress, $310 Black metallic linen skirt, $165 Ivory dandelion, $176

S Black open back dress with tie belt, $287 BIz DRESS Black leaf print, $276

J Black remix top, $176 Studded tartan skirt, $182

A CREDITS

Fashion provided bySarah Maxwell

www.sarahmaxwelldesign.com

Modeling by (from left to right)

Chanel Gordon, Devin Jones,

Elise Yardley, Monique Araujo,

Mandy Warholic

Speical thanks toDes’ola Gunter

29

When I graduated years ago, my first real job was teaching.

Being young and materialistic, compassion for others are lost

in the things you want for yourself. Industry called and I took

advantage of the opportunity to leave the teaching profession. When I

told my mother of this great opportunity, the look of disappointment

in her eyes was unmistakable. It was then that I was made aware

of mom’s dream to be a teacher and that she was living that dream

through me.

It was only at that moment that I realized that mom had dreams

and goals that were never achieved. It became clear why all of her

children were forced to become educated, something she declared

no one could take away. I took her hand and said I will teach again.

All of the years spent in industry never took away the promise.

Consistently through the years, I tutored anyone who needed it and

with organizations that adopted “at risk” schools.

At the end of my industry career, time had come to fulfill the promise.

My compassion for others and the desire to help had long returned.

Over the years, documented evidence had shown a steady decline

in math. My experience showed that most people are afraid of math

because they believe they’re no good at it. No one instilled in them

that anything is possible.

In 2007, The Art Institute hired me to teach math. The classes were

small and capped at twenty students, so success for everyone was

inevitable. In a short period of time, reality of the situation was evident.

Many of the students would need additional help to be successful. At

that moment, I made a commitment, “any student coming to The Art

Institute of Charleston” and willing to put in the work would be

successful in math. Ham Fat Harry, my imaginary “math” pig and I

stand committed to keeping our promise. Every student who decides

to attend this institution has made an investment in us. We in turn

must make the same investment in them. If the time comes when

that personal commitment can’t be met, that will be day I present

my resignation.

Some of the faculty and staff at The Art Institute of Charleston have been here since day one (April 3, 2007). Some just joined us this quarter (winter 2010). Whenever their journey began, they each have a tale. Mrs. Mildred Keith shares her journey to our campus.

HISTORY

WhY I TEACh AT AiCSC — I MADE A PROMISE

Text and images provided

by Mrs. Mildred Keith.

Photo caption:

(starting at top left) Mrs.

Keith (1-3, 4) Mrs. Keith

and her daughter

“every student who decides to attend this

institution has made an investment in us. we in

turn must make the same investment in them.”

30

Christopher Lee is no stranger to the design world. his list of clients include nike ACG, Coca Cola Canada, Target and Disney. AiQ Editor-in-chief, Russ Bratcher, contacted Christopher for an interview exclusively for our AiQ readers.

INDUSTRY

SO, YOU ThInK YOU WAnT MY JOB?

Tell us a little about yourself. I’m 27 years old and I was

born in Sacramento, California. I graduated from California

State University Sacramento (CSUS) in the summer of 2006

with a BA in graphic design. Over the past nine years I’ve

worked with a variety of studios and clientele. In 2000, I landed

my first internship at a small design firm that worked with mainly

non-profit clients. This was my boot camp. Here I learned the

process for working with real world clients, the true meaning of

deadlines and how a studio was managed. I stayed there for four

years before going on to work at the Department of Design at my

college (CSUS). While there I worked with a couple other staff

students on collateral for school events. After graduating in 2006,

I moved to Los Angeles where I was hired as an art director for a

skate and street culture magazine called Vapors. I handled all the

design and pre-press duties for the publication. I left Vapors at the

end of 2006 for an opportunity at a motion graphics studio named

Buck (www.buck.tv). I served as one of their art directors for the

majority of my three and a half year stay. I left Buck last October

to pursue my own career as a freelance illustrator and have been

happy with that choice ever since.

Why did you want to become a freelance illustrator? Like

most artists and designers out there, I probably knew when I first

could hold a pencil and scribble on a piece of paper. I was able

to translate my imagination into quirky characters and crude art.

Drawing had always ignited a spark of excitement for me as I was

growing up. Also my parents nurtured my talent and never told me

that I should be a brain surgeon or a lawyer. Although there was

a point when I was convinced I’d be a marine biologist, but that’s

another story.

If a student wants to become a freelance illustrator, how should he best prepare? You should know what you want to

do and attack that goal full force. This industry does not wait for

lazy artists and designers who think that the world will come to

them. You have to show passion in your work. Ask yourself daily

“how badly do you want it?” In the beginning of your career, no

job is too small or insignificant. Even the simplest jobs that you

take on at the start of your career help plant the seed that will

eventually grow forever. Those early projects help you establish

the discipline and work ethic that you’ll need when you tackle

Interview by Russ Bratcher, Photograph provided by Christopher Lee

“Not everyone with a black portfolio and some drawings will be able to

make it and sometimes, it’s downright ruthless.”—Christopher Lee

The Professional Christopher Lee, photo provided by artist

31

the big fish later on in your career. If I think back to how it all

began and if I took out just one link in the chain of events that

have transpired over the past nine years I think things would have

been different. For example, this article (which was prepared so

generously by Russ Bratcher) would have never come to light if

he had not picked up a magazine at Barnes & Noble and read a

small article that mentioned my work as a source of inspiration.

That said, the journey should be the most rewarding thing to look

back on as you progress through your career.

What sets a candidate apart from others when he’s seeking an illustrator position? A strong, individual, yet marketable

style. If you’re trying to work in a commercial design field but

your style lends itself more towards fine art, you’re going to have

trouble finding a job. A good art director or creative director is

able to recognize instantly if a person has the passion and the “eye”

just by looking a few pieces in their portfolio.

What the average starting salary for a freelance illustrator? Salary really varies depending on which creative

industry you decide to leap into. For example, a lower level job at

a motion graphics studio will normally pay more than say, a higher

position at a print firm. Sometimes, it’s the complete opposite. It’s

really subjective and based highly on how much experience you

Caption: Typography poster by Christopher Lee

32

have, the style you can bring to the table and your demographic.

Jobs in Los Angeles can pay more, but the cost of living is higher

so you’re always playing a balancing game.

Are there any misconceptions that people have about the job? I think the biggest misconceptions come from people who

don’t know much about the industry. If I try to tell someone I’m a

“freelance illustrator” who isn’t exposed to the creative world, I get

an apprehensive nod of approval. Like an “ooooh, that’s cool.” Even

though the general public looks at good design and illustration

everyday, it is often taken for granted. I think it’s great when

people understand that what we do is not easy. Not everyone

with a black portfolio and some drawings will be able to make it

and sometimes, it’s downright ruthless.

What is the work/family balance like? Up until October of

this past year I was living a double life. I worked full-time during

the day and then came home to work on my freelance jobs.

Thankfully, I have a very loving girlfriend who understood how I

had to distribute my time. I finally threw in the towel and decided

to pursue a full-time freelance career which has left me with less

time to do all the things I thought I’d be able to do while working

from home. I have plastic models that are halfway built, video

games gathering dust and a motorcycle weeping in the garage. It’s

a double edged sword I tell you!

Colorful Creations Christopher Lee’s extensive character creation. Check his web site out for more art work and even a glimpse into his art process.

Childhood Christopher as a little artist in 1989

33

What is the best part of the job? The best part of the job is

being able to work with world renowned brands and agencies

knowing that I am creating something just for them. It’s my

responsibility to make my clients look their best no matter the

job at hand. Whether it be a national campaign for Coca Cola

or an illustration for an independent publication, the level of

importance is the same.

What’s the hierarchy like in the design industry? How does one “move up” in the job? It really depends on your personal

goals. Some people are content at a junior designer position while

others won’t stop until they are the principal of their own firm

with 20 employees to lead into the fray. There are so many hats to

wear in the design field that it’s hard to say that one is the end-all

of your career. As a freelancer, “moving up” to me is landing that

next big job and then the next and the next. It’s a ladder with

“I cannot stress enough how important it is to find your own visual voice in this field. You want to get noticed.” —Christopher Lee

Check out Christopher Lee’s other work and web site at:

: www.thebeastisback.com

infinite rungs. If I decide that I want to take a break, then last job

I did was the highest point in my career.

Any other advice, tips, or anecdotes you’d like to share? I

cannot stress enough how important it is to find your own visual

voice in this field. You want to get noticed. Find artists and things

that inspire you. Apply that inspiration to your own work and

put in the time. If you pay your dues life usually finds its ways to

reward you.

34

“Your imagination should be nurtured with the utmost care. for it is the tool of liberation from the bonds which ties down on this existence. We can be anything we are capable of imagining, do anything we are able to visualize. for the images we construct in our minds will inevitably lead us to the world that affects their realization.”

MY WORKING LIFE

ThE ROBERT LAnGE STORY

Walking east along Queen Street, it is easy to miss the

unassuming storefront of Robert Lange Studios. But if

you step inside, you will be well rewarded with an

eclectic collection of art featuring the work of 12 local

artists from Charleston and around the country as well as the

personal works of Robert Lange. The gallery shows the works

of artists similar to himself; they are young, art school trained, of

strong character, and have a unique, consistent style. He wants

artists who’s style is so strong that if you lay out a thousand

paintings in a room, you should be able to pick out the one

that is by the artist he is showing just on it’s style and character.

Featured artists such as Charleston locals Nathan Durfee and

Fred Jamar have varied styles, but all are captivating.

Lange’s photorealistic paintings juxtapose exotic images from

nature with modern elements like chrome bowls, running shoes,

and iPhones. Although he doesn’t paint bowler hats, his style is

reminiscent of the surrealist master Rene Magritte, yet uniquely

his own. The painting “This is not an Orchid,” features an exotic

orchid displayed on an iPhone which has been taped to the canvas

demonstrating his ability to naturally blend disparate elements

in an inventive way while maintaining a historical context. There

are many images like this in the gallery, trompe l’oeil pieces that

show various objects taped to the canvas. Repeating subjects or

themes is a way of continuing to develop his skills. like He often

incorporates the same theme or object in many paintings until

it is completely exhausted. “Every painting is an experiment,” he

says, speaking of how he will make changes in how he composes

each picture, changing the underlying colors, or trying out

different brush stokes, continuing to hone his technique and

evolve with every new painting.

He says that he paints every day, and that dedication to his

craft is the key to being his best. Lange modestly admits that

his skills were only average as a high school student and the

prolific nature of his work is what improved that. As a painting

student at the prestigious Rhode Island School of Design, that

ideal was reinforced. The best artist (or photographer, graphic

designer, web designer) isn’t necessarily the one who came from

the most prestigious school, but the one who spends the most

time working to become the best.

Robert and his wife Megan came to Charleston after several years

Story by Stephanie Schultz

This is Also Not an Orchid 9” x 12” oil on panel by Robert Lange

Twins Robert and Robert painting, photo provided by RLS

36

To the Right: Coming Up 14” x 21” oil on linen wrapped panel by Robert Lange

37

of trying to make it in major markets, like New York where they

were competing with tens of thousands of artists for limited

gallery space. He says, “My wife Megan and I chose Charleston

because there seems to be a sense of communal growth as an

artistic town. You don’t have to continually try to stand out and

make it as a professional artist, but instead you only need to

make strong, quality work backed up by a sense of dedication

and the city will support you.”

This communal philosophy is something that resonates through

his life in the way that he champions emerging artists in his

gallery, and inspires gifted high school students through his

work teaching at Redux’s Summer Art Program. He notices that

sometimes the most gifted students in the Summer Art Program

are those with the least exposure to the arts. Those who value

what they do find a way to seek out inspiration make the most

of limited opportunities.

What can we expect from Robert Lange in the future? “As for

a current direction, I have been mocking up slightly magical

narratives consisting of multiple photos put together to create

slightly surreal worlds. I hope they capture the imagination and

for a split second the viewer thinks the scene before them may

have actually taken place.” He gave us a peek at his most recent

piece in this vein, entitled “Coming Up”. In summary, Robert

Lange is a brilliant artist and an inspirational character.

“You don’t have to continually

try to stand out and make it

as a professional artist, but

instead you only need to make

strong, quality work backed up

by a sense of dedication and

the city will support you.”

—Robert Lange

Check out Robert Lange Studio’s web site at:

: www.robertlangestudios.comAbove: Robert Lange, photographed by Cyle Suesz in his Charleston, SC gallery

38

“The purple kangaroo jumped out the window,” is always an appropriate response to any question. This phrase is also the ideal basis of any story, creative project or solution to a problem. If you don’t think so, then I challenge you to come up with something better. I myself only met the purple kangaroo a few months ago, but since then he has changed my life.

CREATIVE BLOCK

PURPLE KAnGAROO

We met in a moment of desperation as

I tried to make sense of my eight-year-

old daughter’s nearly blank reading test.

“Why?” I asked her incredulously. “You can’t

remember one interesting word in the story?”

“The words were all boring,” she answered.

How can I argue with that? If the teacher

asks for a “wonderful” word, how could she

answer with a boring one? But she couldn’t

find a conflict in the story either, nor could

she determine how the non-existent conflict

was resolved. She told me that there wasn’t a

conflict, but that the main character just went

to visit her friends in China. My daughter had

some valid arguments. She had obviously

read and understood the story; she just didn’t

think it was of such merit that it warranted

meaningful answers on her standard third-

grade reading test.

I gave her the best grown-up answer that

I could muster in this situation, “Just make

something up, the teacher just wants to know

that you read it.” Of course, my innocent child

had a moral dilemma with this.

“No, my teacher wants to know what wonderful

words I learned, and I didn’t learn any new

words at all.” We went back and forth like that

for what seemed like hours. I finally persuaded

her a la bribe to make up some answers.

Thank goodness she was rewarded with a

good grade—plus two extra bills from me

in her piggy bank. Unfortunately, the lesson

didn’t stick, because the following week, she

brought home yet another incomplete reading

test. At that point I was desperate, and that

was the first time I asked the purple kangaroo

for some help.

I knew how to motivate her. “Next time

you can’t come up with anything to write,”

I told her, “ just write ‘The purple kangaroo

jumped out the window.’” She looked at me

in disbelief. “If you ever bring home a paper

with those words written on it and your

teacher marks it wrong, I will defend you to

my death. I will get it marked right.” She still

didn’t believe.

“I can’t write that!” she giggled a little through

her indignant protest. “Sure you can, but

if you can think of something better to say,

write that instead.” I saw the gears starting to

turn in her head, so I continued with a few

sample questions.

qUESTIOnS TO start creativityQ: What happened that was interesting

to you in the story?

A: The purple kangaroo jumped out the

window.

Q: What was the conflict of the story?

A: The kangaroo didn’t want to be inside.

Q: How was the conflict resolved?

A: He jumped out the window.

Q: What wonderful words did you

discover in this story?

A: Purple and kangaroo.

Q: What is the setting of this story?

A: Inside and outside of a window. In

Australia.

Q: What did you like about this story?

A: I didn’t know kangaroos can be purple.

This can work for other subjects, too. Just Story by Stephanie Schultz, Illustration by Jean Piot

answer any question in reference to “The

purple kangaroo jumped out the window.”

ExaMPLES In math problemsQ: If Johnny has four apples he gives

one to Janie, how many apples does

Johnny have left?

A: Two because he had to use one to lure the

kangaroo back into the house.

EXAMPLES In geographyQ: What continent are panda’s from?

A: Australia. (okay, it’s wrong, but there is a

one in seven chance of getting it right if you

don’t know the answer.)

Q: What continent is also an island?

A: Australia. (Ha! You would have missed that

one if you left them all blank!)

EXAMPLES In small talkQ: Where are you going today?

A: To catch a rogue kangaroo that jumped

out the window.

Q: How did you sleep last night?

A: Great, I hardly noticed the purple

kangaroo in the yard.

Believe it or not, the point of the purple

kangaroo is not to come up with a silly answer.

The point is to get your neurons firing. You

start with the purple kangaroo, and then you

figure out what you know could work better.

39

Story by Stephanie Schultz, Illustration by Jean Piot

Figuring that out is the easy part, because nearly anything is better

than a purple kangaroo in most situations! Once you take that first

step, you will realize that you knew what to do all along, you just

weren’t seeing it right.

Being a non-linear thinker and a creative professional, I count on the

kangaroo often to get me on the right path. Let me tell you about a few

of the other tools he carries in his yellow tool belt (I just made that up,

his belt isn’t really yellow).

START writingIf I don’t know what to write I start with a stream of consciousness

essay on the subject I want to write about. From that I can figure out

what holes I have in my knowledge and develop a rough outline (or

maybe I will decide it was a dumb idea to start with).

USInG visual arts & illustrationsFor an illustration I might start with a few words and some stick drawings.

I always like the word hamburger for some reason. Even if I was drawing a

scene featuring astronauts in outer space, “hamburger” would still make it

on my brainstorming list.

BUILD ThAT web designYay!! Documentation! If you don’t know what you have or what your

goals are, you can’t make a site. Start with a good old-fashioned creative

brief. I dare you not to have any ideas after you write a good one.

Sometimes elements of my exercises make it into the final product, but

often they don’t. It doesn’t matter either way because all I needed was

to get rid of that blank screen or piece of paper that was intimidating me.

To use an analogy, I needed a little grain of sand to build a pearl around,

and my kangaroo has a lot of awesome sand. Yours can, too. If you don’t

believe me, ask my eight-year-old daughter. She has not brought home

another half empty reading test since we met the purple kangaroo.

AiQ covered this year’s 2010

Charleston Fashionweek.

Look for our review in the next

spring issue on who was hot

this year at the tents!

the future of fashion

PH

OTO

BY

CY

LE S

UE

SZ

Did you miss any ofCharleston Fashionweek?

COMING THIS SPRING 2010

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