On June 16th, 2009 at the Steam Whistle Brewing, Ad Lounge hosted Art From the Unexpected – a charity event to benefit SKETCH, who provides underprivileged youth aged 15-29 the opportunity to get involved in the arts.
The event brought together over 300 people – a mix of professionals from the creative and marketing communications industries, as well as those who simply wanted to support a great cause, and see what some of Canada’s brightest marketing minds could produce when it came to visual art.
The premise of the event was all about raising money for SKETCH through a silent auction by giving the leaders of Canada’s most creative and innovative businesses, the opportunity to be creative on a more personal level. The twenty participants were each to create a visual art piece around the theme of “Eureka!” moments, but with few parameters other than that.
The list of participants ranged from industry professionals like Tony Chapman of Capital C and Frank Palmer of DDB, to those not quite as involved in the creative industry like Kevin McLaughlin, President of AutoShare – though no less eager to show their creative flair. Even President and Co-Founder of Steam Whistle Brewing, Cam Heaps contributed a piece for the cause.
As people filtered into the main room of the brewery to begin the evening, the focus quickly shifted to the twenty pieces of art displayed on either side of the room. Varying greatly in size and shape, the pieces included everything from acrylic paintings to photography to mixed media. One creation even featured 40 fully operational (and set) rat traps!
The accompanying description and inspiration for each piece demonstrated how seriously the participants took this challenge – no one wanted to be outdone by their peers, but you could tell many took this as a personal challenge as well. These sentiments were echoed in speaking with the participants as almost all of them mentioned that it was fun to get the opportunity to be creative outside of a business setting, yet incredibly challenging. Jacquelyn Corbett Cyr, CEO of Espresso reinforced the importance of creativity: “it’s important for everyone to continue to challenge themselves and be creative in their own way, no matter what department or industry they work in.”
The participants were also unanimously in praise of Ad Lounge for putting the event on and bringing so many people together to benefit a good cause. Geoffrey Roche, Chief Creative Officer and Founder of Lowe Roche stated “Ad Lounge did such an amazing job of bringing all of these people together. I’m a huge believer in using personal time to help those less fortunate, and an organization like SKETCH really helps to give people the sense that they’re accomplishing something.”
During the silent auction portion of the evening, each of the twenty participants was given one minute to come up to the podium and talk about the piece they created. While creativity is the forte of many of the participants, brevity was not as more than a couple were given the “Oscar-music” cut-off during their presentations. In a little showing of gamesmanship before the final stretch of bidding, Mr. Chapman offered up their next hire if any recruiter in the room could come up with a bid of $5000 for his piece.
Throughout the evening, guests mingled and enjoyed a great selection of hors d’ouvres and drinks in the elegantly decorated main room of the brewery. There was also a large projection screen setup featuring a live Twitter-feed capturing online discussion about the event. A few in attendance even used it as an opportunity to announce to the whole room how good the cupcakes were!
Once bidding closed, there were a suspenseful few minutes before announcing the winning bids and the final amount raised for the evening. To kick things off, it was announced that outside of Mr. Chapman’s offer, Dawna Henderson’s photograph “Maasai Sweet Smile” received the highest bid of the evening at $1800. Closely following her were Jack Bensimon’s fine art print “Walking and Talking” and Frank Palmer’s painting “Bloodsport” – each raising $1600. Goodwin Gibson, President of MacLaren MRM showed not only his creative side, but also his sense of generosity in buying the pieces of three of his peers.
In a final showing of bringing people together, a collaborative bid on a final piece of art allowed Ad Lounge to reach its goal of raising $20,000 for SKETCH on the evening. In the end, a great night was had by all in attendance with the real winner being SKETCH and the many youth with whom it helps generate that creative spark.
Article written by Greg Masiewich, Marketing Manager, IQ PARTNERS
Check out below for all the auction pieces along with the artist statements:
T-Dot
by Kevin McLaughlin, President, AutoShare
Artist Statement
This piece represents my city — ‘T-dot’ — through its most inspiring ideas and iconic images. When I moved back to Toronto 10 years ago, I was obsessed with streetcars. Sitting on a patio on College Street, I couldn’t believe that a ‘big red train’ rumbled down the narrow street. I had forgotten about them, and they seemed so other-worldly to me, like a red whale swimming down the street. A few years later, when the new will alsop-designed OCAD building was completed, I had a similar sense of joy and wonder. I finally had a landmark that I could send my friends from out-of-town to see; I still walk or bike by it every chance that I get; and eventually my partner would actually attend classes inside as a student.
Walking and Talking — Conversational Fragments From the Streets of New York
by Jack Bensimon, President, Bensimon Byrne
Artist Statement
Perhaps nothing defines our age more than the mobile phone. It enables us to live and observe, record and transmit, capture and disseminate the entirety of our lives. It is at once distinctly personal, and inherently social. Yet, as the utility of the device grows ever more varied and powerful, its original purpose is almost forgotten: To facilitate conversation. I was curious whether the simple act of talking on a mobile phone would
reveal something interesting about our world.
When walking alone on the streets of any crowded city, we instinctively reach for our phones. Privacy is no longer a concern. Speaking softly isn’t necessary when everyone is speaking at once. In this context, listening cannot be called eavesdropping. Since everyone is in constant motion, only fragments of conversation are overheard.
At first, these conversational fragments seem entirely banal, occasionally punctuated by something absurd or shocking. Or, are they? We do not know the context of every sentence. Nor what was said on the other end. Our minds fill in the gaps. But we can never know the truth or importance of any words captured this way. And yet, these words, sourced from dozens of passersby, collectively provide a slice of modern life. All sentences were recorded at the time they were heard. On my Blackberry, of course.
Boy on a Hill
by Ian Heaps, Co-Founder, Blundstone Canada
Artist Statement
I was traveling in Laos, and my “Eureka!” moment came to me one day when I was staying with a small community of Laotians in a remote hill village. To get to the closest river was an entire day’s walk. They are fortunate enough, however, to have a small spring nearby that provides water to the people of the village.
One of the books I chose to carry and read during this adventure was a book on sailing. It was filled with pictures of sailboats in the wide, open ocean. I was surprised to see the excitement these pictures stirred among the children of the community. The pictures of the big open body of water seemed to be what caught their eye. It then dawned on me that these kids have never seen so much water before. The thought that so much water could exist in one place was mind-blowing. This picture was taken of one of the young boys as I was telling him about the concept of sailboats sailing off into the horizon.
Hewers of Wood
by Tony Chapman, CEO, Capital C
Artist Statement
This painting represents Canada at a crossroad. Are we a nation fading in structure as we try to hold onto a legacy economy, where our wealth is dictated by world commodity prices? Or will we emerge as a nation that will use our scale, speed, natural resources, our values, and multi-cultural society to create an economy based on innovation and invention?
Toronto In Paper
by Lee LeFever, Founder, Common Craft
Artist Statement
Yikes! An artist’s statement. Based on the ones I’ve read, I’m supposed to tell you about influences and inspirations using flowery language and a touch of pretention. But this is for art from the unexpected so maybe my statement should be unexpected too. The truth is, “Toronto in Paper” was an experiment. I’ve never done anything like it before — it is the original article. My company, Common Craft, makes educational videos and we’ve developed our own visual style. When I heard about art from the unexpected, I saw the potential to apply our style to something static. Through making it, I learned a lot about working with X-acto knives, foam core and proper bandaging of finger cuts. Plus, I now have a frequent-flier card for an art store! I hope you will enjoy owning it as much as I enjoyed making it.
Blood Sport
by Frank Palmer, Chairman and CEO, DDB Canada
Artist Statement
The idea of the Bull and Bull Fighter came to me because of the current economic period that we’re living through. In order to triumph and live, a Matador (like a top marketer today) needs to be fit and fast — and that’s what he is. Anything less, the Bull wins.
Eureka!
by Andrea Stairs, Head of Marketing, eBay Canada
Artist Statement
“Eureka!” happens every day on eBay. Every moment, shoppers experience the thrill of finding exactly what they were looking for, no matter how obscure, and buyers see their bids triumph to win fiercely-fought auctions.
Given the theme of “Eureka!”, it seemed fitting that I only work with items found on eBay for this project. I experienced my own “Eureka!” moments as I won items including vintage Eureka Brand orange crate labels; dramatic blue false eyelashes from Hong Kong; a stamp from Brockville; and a bike-shaped bottle opener from the Isle of Scalpay in the UK.
It was a fun, totally daunting project and a great way to inject a little “Eureka!” into my winter!
The Economics of the Creative Process
by Jacquelyn Corbett Cyr, CEO, Espresso
Artist Statement
Creativity — the process of Discovery — is riddled with constraints.
“I don’t have enough time.”
“I can do anything with that much money.”
The constraint is often perceived as either enemy or ally when, in fact, it is neither. Both the surplus and lack of any given resource can serve to focus one’s attention or broaden one’s perspective through one simple fact: constraints require the thinker to find solutions outside of his original understanding of the problem. The greatest constraint that we face is time. It is greater than the financial constraint, greater than the technological constraint. It is the one constraint that remains inevitable, no matter its opponent. This piece showcases a wind-up clock — a simple mechanical entity of springs and gears, unfettered by relief or frustration. In breaking apart this
timepiece, we can examine beyond what is initially seen and perceived. To achieve invention, one must deconstruct existing notions of constraint, allowing the brain a capacity to solve problems with different thinking than that which created them.
Mobility
by Anthony Lacavera, Chairman and CEO, Globalive Communications Corp.
Artist Statement
While many people are aware that I am in ‘wireless’, far fewer know about my other passion — flying. Last year after hundreds hours of practice, I got my license to fly a Diamond DA40 aircraft. Ten thousand feet above the ground is an exceptional place to get perspective. It is a vantage point that reminds me of the parallels between the world of flight and the world of wireless — both of which have expanded what is ‘possible’ in the human experience in profound ways. Like flight, wireless allows us to communicate, interconnect and bridge huge spaces between each other effortlessly. My goal with this piece was to capture and share that perspective. Mid-flight, I am inclined to notice the magnitude of both our natural and our man-made landscapes, marked by waterways, highways, and of course, cellular communications towers. Mobility has made a large world feel much smaller.
Maasai Sweet Smile
by Dawna Henderson, President, henderson bas
Artist Statement
In February 2000, my husband and some friends ventured to Tanzania and the Serengeti to go on Safari. As a child in the 60’s, I remember watching Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom and wanting desperately to make this trip. At the top of my list was to visit a Maasai Village. I was always intrigued with this tribe and how they have managed to maintain their way of life in this day and age. I was blown away by the village and its inhabitants, especially the children who were so in awe of us. They were very welcoming and so beautiful in their native wardrobe.
The little girl in this photograph was particularly shy the entire duration of our visit. She kept hiding behind the village chief. Every once in a while she would peek her head out from behind him to take another look. Upon leaving, the chief said that the little girl had never seen white people before and was a little scared of me in particular because of my blonde hair. Just as I was leaving, I turned around for the last time to say goodbye and this sweet shy little girl stepped out from behind the chief and waved goodbye to me. I had to capture that smile. I fell in love with her.
Eureka! Reinvented
by Mia Wedgbury, President, High Road Communication
Artist Statement
At the age of 40 I did something I had never tried before: I strapped on a snowboard and took off down a mountain. It was exhilarating, terrifying, thoroughly satisfying, and a “Eureka!” moment. I knew I had found a physical experience that seemed to reflect the way I live my life both personally and professionally within the always changing and sometimes precarious communications industry. It required balance and clarity, and it was
as challenging as it was fun. It also required that I completely let go of my fear and put my trust in my instincts and my board. This piece of artwork represents not only that “Eureka!” moment, but how that moment truly transcends from my personal life into my career.
The snowboards demonstrate the intersection of my personal and professional life: as the founder of High Road Communications, my work has always been a significant part
of who I am and my values displayed on the snowboards are how I run my business. Additionally, the snowboards serve as a metaphor for the current communications industry and the dramatic changes happening everyday as we move from traditional print to a fully integrated mash-up of mediums. The industry is in the process of navigating new and sometimes bumpy digital terrains and reinventing the way it operates, represented with the appearance of scattered newsprint almost disappearing on the boards.
Eureka
by Geoffrey Roche, Founder and CCO, Lowe Roche
Artist Statement
In the advertising industry, we are constantly presenting our work. We wait for the responses of our clients, of consumers, of our peers, like hungry dogs. I am fascinated by people’s perspectives and reactions to art. I “secretly” took these pictures of people without them actually aware of my snapping away behind them. The voyeur in me truly comes out here. It is a bit like a moving, very live focus group without the two-way mirror.
Authentic Eureka
by Goodwin Gibson, President, MacLaren MRM
Artist Statement
Coming from a business in which we are constantly in search of the “Eureka!” moment, I wanted to take a more personal approach to this piece. One night after racking my brain to find some ultra clever idea to “wow” everyone, I took our new dog out for a walk. It was a beautiful crisp clear night but suddenly, almost magically; it started to snow those big quarter sized snowflakes, turning the world around us into a big snow globe.
That’s when it struck me that the “Eureka!” moments were all around us in everyday life… we just needed to pause long enough to see them. The painting captures that latenight walk juxtaposed against the back-drop of a favourite neighbourhood haunt (name changed to avoid copyright issues) where many “Eureka!” moments have been shared with family, friends and colleagues.
Having not picked up a paintbrush since university, this project was a wonderful personal “Eureka!” and a simple pleasure, which I am sure will lead to many more.
The Social Nucleus
by Dave Stevens, General Manager, MySpace Canada
Artist Statement
The painting depicts the current state of the internet. The web continues to explode as smaller niche sites pop up on a daily basis. As our interests diversify, social network remains the user’s home on the web and will always bring like-minded users together to talk about interests no matter how far they stray.
The “Eureka!” Tree
by David Feldt, Senior VP and Managing Director, Organic Inc.
Artist Statement
“Eureka!” moments are rare and precious things. They are the stuff of legend. They are the quintessential sparks of inspiration; the signal within the noise. Where do they come from? How are they arrived at? This piece represents the “Eureka!” Tree which is the source of all “Eureka!” moments — It’s a digital interpretation of the cosmic “Tree of Knowledge” using tag clouds of 10 “Eureka!” moments from across the World. I’m a huge fan of data visualization. I think that word clouds (or tag clouds) are a wonderful visual tool to present information. The data for the tag clouds was sourced from a Google search of “Eureka!” and created using Wordle (a site that translates text into visual clouds where the size of words vary based on the frequency of the word within)
Live Trap
by Cam Heaps, Co-Founder and President, Steam Whistle Brewing
Artist Statement
This piece is intended to symbolize the many modern day traps and distractions we face in life (money, more money, bigger houses, fancier cars, etc.) Each of which lures our focus away from finding the true path to happiness in life — the path back to nature and a more natural way of living. The name of the piece has a double meaning. We live this trap scenario everyday, and in the piece is a series of actual live traps. All of the traps have actually been set.
Please Dont Take Pictures Thank You
by Paul Lavoie, Co-Founder, Chairman and CCO, TAXI
Artist Statement
“Please Dont Take Pictures Thank You” was shot at a local craft boutique in the historic colonial town of San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, in February of 2009. As soon as I spotted the sign, I could not resist shooting it and was very quickly reprimanded by the shopkeeper.
There are two rules which have been broken: a grammatical error in the word “don’t,” and the act itself, which can best be described by the Katharine Hepburn quote: “If you obey all the rules, you miss all the fun.”
Digital Darwinism
by Mitch Joel, President, Twist Image
Artist Statement
How will society evolve? Charles Darwin wrote the book, “On The Origin of the Species”, in 1859. True “Eureka!” moments come from anywhere. The theory that Darwin pushed is now applicable to the technological breakthroughs of today.
The ability for society to evolve is connected to technology. We can’t evolve without it.
Many industries are feeling this reality. Digital Darwinism is Darwin’s words. The book was downloaded from Project Gutenberg (the largest single collection of free electronic books). The words were copy & pasted into Microsoft Word and printed using Times New Roman. The pages were cut by hand and typeset manually.
This piece of art is supposed to be organic, living and breathing. As both the paper and glue dries and ages, it is supposed to change (yellow, harden, bubble). This organic piece should one day wither and become a part of the environment that it was created for.
What lives on? http://www.gutenberg.org/browse/authors/d#a485
The above link is Charles Darwin’s page on Project Gutenberg where anyone can enjoy the beauty of his words and the brilliance of his thoughts. As this organic version of his words wither and fade, technology preserves it forever. Digital Darwinism.
Words are art. Words from 1859 resemble DNA coding as it is presented. This piece of art integrates both technology and traditional art materials.
We Share
by Kerry Munro, General Manager, Yahoo! Canada
Artist Statement
The basis for this piece was to best represent the world of new media, with particular emphasis on how Canada has taken the world stage. There is no better example of this than Flickr, which is still one of the largest photo sharing sites in the world, and a Canadian tech darling. Building off this line of thinking was the inspiration for what you see in front of you.
With Makeshift Materials
by Shelley Brown, Partner and Director of Strategic Planning, zig
Artist Statement
“With makeshift materials, they are building a future in a society that has always viewed them as people without a future. In this very concrete way, they are asserting their own being.” — Robert Neuwirth, Shadow Cities
What on earth could connect this collage of photos of the slums of Nicaragua to the theme “Eureka!”? Well, the slums are a revelation: dirty, smelly and dangerous, they are also creative.
There is a community in the Managua dump: squatters, garbage pickers, recyclers, re-users, re-creators. The power they steal from the grid, the water they divert from an irrigation pipe, and the housing they build out of anything and everything they find: a child’s plastic swimming pool, refrigerator coils, scrap metal, discarded plastic.
The residents, including the children, swarm the garbage trucks as they drive into the dump, fighting over the best pieces: scrap metal, copper wire or plastic. Their hard-won finds they sell, to those who sort: clear plastic from coloured, coated wire from uncoated, zinc from iron. These people, in turn, sell to those who build: sheet metal into stoves, plastic into raincoats. These they hawk on the streets of Managua, to people who are willfully unaware of the community of scavengers who made them.
Can you imagine what this community could do with even modest support? A medical clinic, a school, sewers? What could they create, build, organize?
I think the web has added a lot of complexity (and benefit) to people’s lives…
