Innovate the PIXAR WAY

The authors of the best selling book THE DISNEY WAY have now released a new book, INNOVATE THE PIXAR WAY, designed for us animation junkies (I have seen all their films) and for business minded people wanting to hear about new keys to success.

Pixar is synonymous with creativity, magical stories and unforgettable characters, from Buzz Lightyear and Remy the Rat to Mike Wazonwski, Nemo and Wall-E.  Behind the fun, however, is a set of deeply routed core values that champion excellence, tap innovation and encourage collaboration.

In Pixar’s own words, their “objective is to combine proprietary technology and world-class creative talent to develop computer animated feature films with memorable characters and heart warming stories that appeal to audiences of all ages.”  Pixar’s winning formula has created 10 Blockbuster hits in a row grossing over $5 Billion and costing a little over $1 Billion dollars to make.

Several years ago while I attended San Francisco State University’s Multi-Media program I was fortunate enough to go inside Pixar, Lucas Arts and many other companies like them. What I noticed was a major change in the way they did business. The old hierarchal system of doing business was giving way to more of a collaborative management style. The meeting tables were round and everyone of the team at the table was as important as any of the others. No one boss talking to the pecking order.

(more…)

The Flux Gallery< http://www.fluxartists.com > is inviting the public to an opening exhibition benefiting the Tu Nidito non-profit organization at their gallery located in the Plaza Palomino. 30% of all sales will be donated to Tu Nidito. < http://www.tunidito.org/ >

The featured artists at this exhibition are Carol Ann, Steven Derks, Karen Dombrowski-Sobel, Peter Eisner and Maurice Sevigny. There will also be some select works by Lee Roy Beach, Bryan Crow, Shirley Wagner, and Lynne Yamaguchi.

More than 10 years ago, Tu Nidito filled a need in our community by building a successful non-profit agency dedicated to supporting children impacted by serious illness and death. Over the past 10 years, Tu Nidito has served the needs of our community’s children and has experienced phenomenal growth. In our first year of service it provided support to 12 dying children and their families. Last year, through programs of individual, family and group support, Tu Nidito cared for 800 children. Today it remains the only agency in Arizona dedicated to providing a comprehensive continuum of child-centered care to children who loss of a loved one.

(more…)

Ginny Moss Rothwell in her studio

The best word to describe Ginny Moss Rothwell’s work is “incredible.” At first look you think it is an exceptional painting but looking closer you realize it is a uniquely created mosaic. Her goal is to create images that will inspire the imagination and leave a lasting impression.  Patience and persistence best describes her talent.

In the 70’s she worked for the famous Tucson artist Ted De Grazia as a member of the De Grazia Guild. She created dolls in the image of the children in his paintings and were authorized and signed by both De Grazia and Rothwell.

In 1994, years after De Grazia’s death, Ginny was commissioned by the De Grazia Foundation to restore the artwork in his Mission in the Sun located on the Gallery of the Sun grounds. She was selected because she knew De Grazia’s work, his style and had a feel for the chapel. It was a very detailed job as it was dry brushed on adobe-plastered walls using colors that had aged since the mid 1950’s when created.

The mosaics are her latest creations but she is also talented in creating bronze sculptures and oil paintings. By reviewing the work below you will see the influences she received by living in many foreign cultures such as India, Nepal, Indonesia, Pakistan and Uzbekistan and was particularly inspired by the colorful tile designs she saw in Samarkand in Central Asia.

Slide 1 of 11.
Quan Yin And The Dragon King
Source: Mosaic by Ginny Moss RothwellSlide 2 of 11.
Guanyin
Source: Mosaic by Ginny Moss RothwellSlide 3 of 11.
Mountain Lion Spirit
Source: Mosaic by Ginny Moss RothwellSlide 4 of 11.
Irkin's Susana
Source: Mosaic by Ginny Moss RothwellSlide 5 of 11.
Frida With Cat And Mockingbird
Source: Mosaic by Ginny Moss RothwellSlide 6 of 11.
Frida By The Sea
Source: Mosaic by Ginny Moss RothwellSlide 7 of 11.
Ladies In Blue
Source: Mosaic by Ginny Moss RothwellSlide 8 of 11.
Chopra Descending
Source: Mosaic by Ginny Moss RothwellSlide 9 of 11.
Jewel In The Lotus
Source: Mosaic by Ginny Moss RothwellSlide 10 of 11.
Mockingbird Spirit
Source: Mosaic by Ginny Moss RothwellSlide 11 of 11.
Dish Of Apricots
Source: Mosaic by Ginny Moss Rothwell

Explanations of the individual works in her mosaic series can be seen on her web site (in process): http://www.mossrothwellfineart.com

Her Frida Kahlo pieces seen above depict Frieda Kahlo in the way she likes to think the artist would be today…. free from pain and in a more peaceful place.

Her newest mosaic work was inspired and encouraged by her artist friends from Uzbekistan

Dmitriy Novakov http://www.artsogdiana.com/novakov_dmitriy/index.html

Anna Ivanova http://www.art-domain.com/ivanova.html

Dmitriy Akhunbabaev http://www.artsogdiana.com/akhunbabaev_dmitriy/index.html

When I first saw Ginny’s work I was amazed.  As a professional artist myself with over twenty years experience with ceramics I understand the difficulty in accomplishing what she has created with her mosaics. Below are a few photos and explanations of her process.

In process mosaic by Ginny Moss Rothwell

Each part of this process takes great patience and skill. As you can see, each piece of the picture must be hand cut, hand glazed and then fired. To accomplish the proper color for the painterly effect she desires in her completed work the pieces sometimes need to be fired multiple times and often have to be discarded and replaced by new cut tiles and then re-fired to match the desired color.

Mosaic in process by Ginny Moss Rothwell

Jewel In The Lotus Mosiac in process

Rothwell often has to fire several combinations of colors before arriving at the perfect blend needed. This is something that just takes time. The color of the glaze that comes out of the jar usually does not look like the fired color. To match these colors takes much trial and error testing. In her mosaics she uses as many as 18 colors of grout in her finished work, which is also amazing.

She is presently not represented by a gallery and sells her work out of her studio. The best way to contact her is through her business email: mossrothwell@cox.net

If you have ever experienced ORBS, you may like to see this unique photo of some taken by Ginny Moss Rothwell titled “Is Anybody There?”  She seems to have a knack for “calling them” into her photos.

Orb photo by Ginny Moss Rothwell...Is There Anybody There?