Digital Spaces Leave Creative Traces

As a society living in the information age we have gotten used to being surrounded by technology that is ever-changing and evolving. The impact that digital innovation has had on consumerism and convenience is insurmountable and is still advancing at a fast pace. Technology is not only a space within itself, it is also a means of production, a place of collaboration and source of inspiration. Some argue that technology has hindered creativity by making production so easily available to everybody. I believe that technology expands intellectual possibilities and by automating part of the creative process, we can in turn all be more productive and creative.

Creativity functions on intent, the intent to generate useful ideas through innovation. That being said, there are a multitude of creative digital spaces that have not only given individuals a platform to collaborate, but have also expounded on the possibilities of artistic creation. Technology in the current age plays a pivotal role both in how we think about things but also how we create. Technology has transformed the human experience because we are no longer separated by time and space, but rather part of an interconnected network of information. The digital revolution has brought about an immense amount of innovative products and services that are accessible by everyone.

Seemingly innocuous programs and platforms have allowed for creativity to flourish. Let me take you on a journey of what technological spaces have allowed for the cultivation of my creativity. Steve Jobs once said; “The best way to create value in the 21st century is to connect creativity with technology.” Something tells me he was on to something.

In my previous post PSjustwords I spoke to you guys about my first experience openly sharing my artwork and writing with my peers. This process I still find quite difficult at times, especially if what I'm sharing is extremely personal. What I have found to help in regards to shedding that nervous barrier is publishing my writing via Tumblr, a multi-media digital platform that acts as my low-key virtual journal. The best quality that this website and application has is the fact that its users are extremely art oriented. Whenever I feel the least bit uninspired I open up my Tumblr feed and I'm immediately bombarded with beautiful image after image, line after line of prose and posts filled with raw and honest emotion.

Creating artistic content sometimes becomes extremely time consuming and complex. As artists we are always attempting to push boundaries and create constantly, but some of the time our vision has to wait until we get our hands on a computer, luckily with everything behind the screen of our smartphones, creating has never been easier. Meet EasyTiger Apps, a company whose goal it is to promote creativity by creating moments...sound familiar?

My obsession with fonts and layout extends to my artwork, which is why these apps have opened numerous creative doors for me. I am constantly playing with different typeface as well as attempting to recreate them freehand. EasyTiger Apps has a few applications that have broadened my font horizon, these platforms not only have unique fonts built into them they also have image overlay and integration capabilities. These are my favorites;

• FontCandy: Typography & Design
• Fused: Photo Editor & Double Exposure Video Blender
• SplitPic Pro: Photo Collage Editor

Made with FontCandy

Made with Fused

Made with Fused

Yes, I did opt to purchase the full version of each of these apps for the reason that the additional features really are worth the extra couple dollars. Your creativity will thank you, I promise.

Next, I want to touch upon Canva, a website that I found only about a year ago that has given me a simple platform to put together digital mediums into cohesive projects. The Adobe Suite is a complex digital world full of millions of options, buttons and ways to create a desired piece of work, Canva on the other had is similar to Photoshop or Indesign except simplified times a thousand. With plenty of templates for inspiration, Canva allows anyone to dabble with digital design. It has helped me out tremendously in completing projects without the headache that Adobe comes with. As I had mentioned in another one of my previous posts How Hospitality Helped My Creativity I mention that I began to dabble with digital design at my current job at a boutique hotel, I used Canva to add text to hotel imagery and edit together promotional flyers at ease. Although Adobe is vital to creating high quality work, this website can be used for supplemental design work because it gives its user a portable space with many helpful and useful design tools.

Made with Canva

Overall, digital tools have allowed for insurmountable growth in the amount of creativity that permeates our society. Now more than ever, everyone has the ability to express themselves and become an artist.

Keep on creating. xx
P. S.

Modern Artistry: Hercules NYC

There is a difference between a photographer who takes a photo and an artist who brings life to an image. Meet Erick Urgiles, better known as Erick Hercules to his 68.3K Instagram followers, an artist, entrepreneur and most importantly, inspiration to young artists. Social media has gathered unsurmountable attention within the past decade, today platforms such as Instagram, Twitter and Facebook have become society’s go-to source of information for just about anything and everything. Young talents within the realm of the arts thus use the exposure that the internet provides to showcase their work and progress in hopes of gathering attention in their field of expertise.

I had the privilege of interviewing Erick “Hercules” Urgiles, 25, opera singer turned photographer, changing the Instagram game one puddlegram and levitation shot at a time. Coming from an artistic family, Urgiles has innately had a knack for the arts. At age eight, Urgiles began his singing career by auditioning to be part of the Young People’s Chorus of New York City, with whom he sang professionally until age 18. Urgiles graced the stages of Madison Square Garden, Lincoln Center, Radio City and Carnegie Hall throughout his professional singing career, one that still holds a big part in his life today.

It wasn’t until 2012 that Urgiles picked up a camera. “My friend and I started a small t-shirt brand, I needed a lookbook,” says Urgiles, “But after the shots, I decided to give up the brand and focus on music and photography.” It was then that Urgiles started posting to Instagram and began receiving good feedback, after a while people became more and more interested in his work and Urgiles found that, “photography was even replacing music.”

“I realized that photography was my forte when brands started emailing me about wanting to work with me,” says Urgiles, “My following growth rate also took me by surprise, it went from 50 new followers a day and is currently up to 100 to 150 new followers daily, now it’s a serious thing.”

“When I became a part of the Instagram community, I found it to be a place where many photographers met and supported each other. Slowly each person grows from looking at each other's work in a friendly competitive way,” says Urgiles.

“It’s about not being scared of a challenge, this community really pushes you to be a better artist,” says Urgiles, “I have done some pretty risky things just to get the perfect shot, including climbing to the top of the Brooklyn Bridge and breaking into abandoned subway tunnels among other questionable photo-adventures.”

“I want to ultimately be a freelance photographer for brands and magazines.  Ranging from photography for editorials as well as product photography. I enjoy making art out of all that. I don't mind landscapes, but I have found that my most meaningful images contain a subject such as a human or a product; brand marketing,” says Urgiles.

Urgiles, originally from Ecuador, didn’t realize until about two years ago that his photography was gathering attention. Social media and specifically Instagram became his biggest platform, now @erickhercules has reached almost 70 thousand Instagram followers.

What makes Instagram unique is the creative community that has been created through its’ means. Many are unaware that there is a secret society that has come into fruition within the past couple years. Every month or so Instagrammers come together from all over the world at what they call “Insta-meets”, which are usually hosted in major cities, New York City being one of the most visited due to the overabundance of creativity that walks its’ streets. At these events Instagrammers have the opportunity to praise their fellow artist’s and photographer’s work in person, thus creating a more close-knit artistic community.

What Instagram has enabled is a way for individuals to come together and mutually benefit from each other’s talents. With an interim so wide there are limitless opportunities presented to the virtual artistic community.

“After a while this community has become an integral part of my growth as a photographer because I get inspired on the daily by all the amazing photographers I follow that truly make me take MY art to the next level,” says Urgiles, “I'm sure this works both ways. We tend to keep each other on our toes, seeing what each of us has to offer, and then learning from that and applying it to our art.”

What poses a challenge to aspiring photographers and artists attempting to get noticed on social media is the immense amount of competition that is already out there. Urgiles has managed to set himself apart and has created his own small community of Instagrammers through creating and coining the hashtags #thepuddlegames, #puddlegram, #iphoneonly, #bringthephoneback and #welevitate, through which he has been noticed by Humans of New York and websites such as; Buzzfeed.com, Risingabovethenoise.com, PE.greats.com, Scoge.co and Cyclonelife.net

Instagram has provided thousands of aspiring artists and photographers to expose their work in hopes of becoming successful, Urgiles has already been contacted by the likes of Mercedes Benz, Marc Ecko, Palladium Boots and Stutterheim Raincoats, just to name a few, to represent their brands through his unique photography style.

@erickhercules on #welevitate: “What inspires me the most is the transient feeling of ‘supernatural’ that one can capture in an elevated portrait.” says Urgiles, “I also realized that if my subject is captured midair, the viewer is pulled into an image that holds a moment in motion that has not yet reached its conclusion — hence, defying gravity, even if only for a momentary pause. To me, that definitely tells a captivating story of unpredictability since we don’t yet know what will follow.”

How-To Unlock Creative Roadblock

If you're like me, creativity plays a pivotal role in your livelihood and well-being as both an artist and a person. Unfortunately, most things that have such beauty also on occasion reveal an ugly side and in terms of creativity the biggest downfall is the dreaded creative block. Luckily just like a bad haircut, this lapse in creativity doesn't have to last forever. Take a deep breath and let me walk you through how to unlock creative roadblock.

Step 1: Stop what you're doing.

Taking on a creative endeavor requires interest in the subject at hand, so how are you supposed to channel new ideas if you're bored. If you find yourself staring at a computer screen, blank canvas or half finished sentence the best thing that I have found to work in my favor is to simply stop. A lot of the time forcing inspiration results in lackluster and stagnant work. Come back to it in an hour with a clear head and tabula rasa of the mind may bring with it a fresh perspective.

Step 2: Change your environment.

Atmosphere is everything when it comes to creativity, as I have mentioned time and time again. Everything from the chair you're sitting on to the guy talking with his hands in the corner of the room influences how well a person functions in a particular situation. So if you find yourself getting frustrated after spending what feels like eternity on a single task, just get up and go! Take a walk, get some fresh air, try out that new coffee shop across the street.

Step 3: Have a conversation.

Surrounding yourself with conversation is beneficial for a few reasons. Bouncing around un-finished ideas or concepts with anyone, even if they aren't themselves all that creative, can spark a new train of thought for yourself. Creative criticism, more often than not, can be encouraging as well as enlightening. Everyone thinks differently so sharing your thoughts with another person can lead to something great.

Step 4: Write it down.

New ideas sometimes come in moments of random inspiration. Carry around a small notebook or even open up a new note in your smartphone and jot down something, those moments of little nothings can amount to a whole lot of something. I almost never leave the house without a small notebook and pen in my bag and for those rare times that I don't I write thoughts down in my phone and come back to them. When you're feeling tired and un-inspired, take a look and allow your mind to fall back into that heads-space because you could have been on to something.

Step 5: Set small goals.

Alright, so you're back in the zone. Now it's time to try again, but before you do make a short list of what you are seeking to accomplish and break it down into smaller goals for yourself. Using this checklist as a guideline of progress, the seemingly impossible task at hand becomes more realistic.

Step 6: Reward yourself.

Motivation at times needs a little bit of incentive, so after setting small goals for yourself in the previous step work in some small rewards. They can be as simple as a snack (because who doesn't like food, duh) or scrolling through Instagram for 15 minutes, this way your mind takes a short break and your focus can be re-calibrated. Another tactic that I have found works wonders is setting aside a specific amount of time for whatever creative endeavor it may be and making plans afterwards, that way accomplishing your goal becomes movie night with bae or happy hour with the girls (win-win situation)

Step 7: Never stop creating.

At times, the sheer frustration and discouragement of creative block makes it hard to keep going. The one thing that an artist should never do is give up on their passion. This too shall pass and what is at the other end is silver lining sanity. Keep pushing forward because the satisfaction of creating something is the beauty of being the creator.

STAY PASSIONATE xx

P. S. 

"Silver lining sanity, carry me home." - Paulina Stanisz (ink on paper)

Procrastination Nation

A Beautiful Mess is a creative blog started by sisters Emma Chapman and Elsie Larson, this technically a lifestyle blog but the topics that they cover are not only do-it-yourself projects. These sisters actually have a handful of e-courses and one of them is called Blog Life which is all about how to become a blogger and sustain a functioning website. Since I am new to this blogosphere I was  browsing their blog and notices an aptly named article titled "Help Me I Procrastinate". Reiterating the fact that I do work full time and go to school simultaneously, that leaves little time to get to blogging. But this sister duo has a few key points that have helped me manage my time slightly better. These include;

1. Lists + Planning: Organize your schedule
2. Variety of Work: Don't bore yourself
3. Work Hours Rule: One thing at a time

Check out this fun and quirky article and see what else you can learn!

Keep your head in the game :)

P. S. 

Ace in this case...

As I had mentioned in my previous post Ace Is The Place the Ace Hotel's lobby is one of my favorite creative atmospheres. Many media outlets categorize this specific place as a communal work space, which is what drew me to the hotel in the first place. So let me tell you about my first experience doing work at the Ace...

Ace Hotel NYC Front Desk

Late one chilly February evening last year after leaving my busy job as head hostess in a trendy SoHo restaurant, I had a paper to finish for one of my communication courses that semester. So after skimming a few late night spots that Google threw at me, this particular place seemed promising, little did I know what was in store. Walking through the doors around 11:00 p.m. I noticed a spot at a table next to a lovely corner bookshelf, which I snagged right away. Sitting next to me was a peculiar character, who furiously typing on his computer gave me the impression that he was a writer. A lanky man, with greyish hair and dark features surrounded my papers and books was a writer indeed, a conspiracy theorist writer at that and the second-coming of Christ and the person that "predicted" 9/11 - what a guy. So after about 30 minutes of a conversation that started with this mystery person asking me about the book I'm reading - aptly titled The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell, here I was 2 hours later asking him what the point of his manifesto that he'd been writing for 10 years was. Not to much surprise, the point never surfaced, but at OK! magazine article with his photo in it did. I have since attempted to find it, but this stranger never actually introduced himself.

In the midst of the conversation, which at a point steered towards fractals (see video below) and the fact that the universe is a spec amidst a never ending pattern, little did I know I entered a never ending conversation until I made the conscious choice to leave (one of my better ideas)

Leaving the building, a person that was sitting at the communal table who I happened to make eye contact with amidst the insanity that I had endured sparked a conversation over a cigarette (don't worry, I've quit since) and what he was doing at the Ace was not writing a conspiracy theory, but attempting a art concept based around the Six Degrees of Separation which was a concept touched upon by Gladwell in the book I was reading at the time. Mads Madsen (yes, that's his real name) has since been one of my very close friends that I have pursued a few artistic projects with, we also shared a studio space for a while. By the end of our conversation, I had given his The Turning Point, without ever finishing it because the coincidence of the situation had been just too great. So circling around to why his project was so relevant, is that he had given a thousand dollar Contax camera to a stranger in the lobby of the Ace during a party and told the stranger to take a few photos and pass it along. By the end of the night, lo and behold, on just trust in humanity Mads got his camera back with a full roll of film resulting with the room buzzing about the concept of the camera. Not only did this experiment bring people together, but it proved that a space and its ambiance does have an impact on how people act and interact within its borders. 

P. S. 

Food Friendly Focus

When it comes to finding a restaurant where homework and a Macbook don’t come with a side of feeling awkward and alone, it’s hard to pick a spot. So instead of nervously peering in the windows of NYC eateries, let me give you a heads up on where to not be ashamed for having brains. 

• Vapiano | 113 University Place
• Euro-chic eatery with plenty of seating
• Cafeteria-style ordering
• Selection of pizza, pasta and salad
• No fuss service (no servers) 
• Pay at the door
• Loads of natural light
• Open till midnight

• Marlton Hotel Lobby | 5 W. 8th St.
• Adjoining cocktail bar and restaurant 
• Servers work throughout lobby
• Comfortable couches and tables
• Extensive food menu
• Quaint coffee bar
• Open till 1/2am
• Fireplace

• VBar&Café | 225 Sullivan St.
• Coffee shop during the day 
• Cocktail bar at night
• Near Washington Square Park
• Small and cozy

• The Bean | 54 2nd Ave
• Coffee shop with great selection of snacks and pastries
• Good amount of seating
• Mostly tables for two
• Great music selection
• Open till midnight 

The quest for productive places is never at a stand still, as well as the search for good food. This list is only the beginning. Let's keep exploring darlings x

P. S.

Inspired by Distraction

As I have been on the search for creative spaces and places, I have also spent a fair amount of time researching the concept of creativity and its driving factors. The focus of this blog is not only productive work spaces and their atmosphere, I am also intrigued by the many ways that each individual mind navigates finding their creative drive. Although I believe that environment is vastly influential on a person's existence, creativity is a wildly methodical beast. So as any millennial would do, I turned to the expansive world of Google, where I stumbled upon my unavoidable friend Wikipedia who had a few intriguing opinions on this whole creativity thing. Here's what Wiki had to say about Creative Techniques and their Affecting Factors;

Affecting factors

Distraction

A study has found that non-demanding distractions can improve the number of uses that subjects can come up with for an object ("unusual uses task").^[8]

Walking

In 2014, a study found that walking increased creativity,^[9] an activity favored by Albert Einstein.

Sleep and relaxation

Some advocate enhancing creativity by taking advantage of hypnagogia, the transition from wakefulness to sleep, using techniques such as lucid dreaming. One technique used by Salvador Dalí was to drift off to sleep in an armchair with a set of keys in his hand; when he fell completely asleep, the keys would fall and wake him up, allowing him to recall his mind's subconscious imaginings.^[10] Thomas Edison used the same technique, with ball bearings.^[11]

Meditation

A study^[12] from 2014 conducted by researchers in China and the US, including the psychologist Michael Posner found that performing a short 30 minute meditation session each day, for seven days, was sufficient to improve verbal and visual creativity, as measured by the Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking, due to the positive effects of meditation on emotional regulation. The same researchers^[13] also showed in 2015 that short term meditation training could also improve insight-based problem solving (the type commonly associated with an "Ah-ha", or "eureka" type moment of realization) as measured by the Remote Associates Test.

As I have discussed in previous posts, there are many factors that influence the ambiance of a space making it a creative haven, one of which being the sound of a space. Ambient noise in some cases causes distraction, a topic that our friend Wikipedia decided to touch upon much too briefly, so I had a few things to add based on my own extensive research--turns out its not that hard speak my mind to a computer screen. Here's my two cents...or paragraphs;

Affecting factors

Distraction

Multiple studies have confirmed that distraction actually increases creative cognition.^[8] One such study done by Jonathan Schooler found that non-demanding distractions improve performance on a classic creativity task called the UUT (Unusual Uses Task) in which the subject must come up with as many possible uses for a common object. The results confirmed that decision-related neural processes occur during moments of unconscious thought while a person engages in a non-demanding task. The research showed that while distracted a subject isn’t maintaining one thought for a particularly long time, which in turn allows different ideas to float in and out of one’s consciousness—this sort of associative process leads to creative incubation. ^[9]

Ambient noise is another variable that is conducive to distraction, yet it has been proven that a moderate level of noise actually heighten creativity. Professor Ravi Mehta conducted a study to research the degree of distraction induced by various noise levels and their effect on creativity. The series of experiments show that a moderate level of ambient noise (70 dB) produces just enough distraction to induce processing disfluency, which leads to abstract cognition. These higher construal levels caused by moderate levels of noise consequently enhance creativity.^[10]

As a wise man once said; "Brevity is the soul of wit", so for the sake of Shakespeare I didn't include the three subtopics following the one I edited. Here is the link instead: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Creativity_techniques

Go distract yourself with the two studies I mentioned in my Wiki-edit, they're mega-cool!

P. S.

Fostering Focus

As an artist, the thirst for creative expression is ever-present. As a student with a full-time job, bringing conception to reality sits at center gravity on a delicate scale of inspiration and motivation. Creativity is believed to be spontaneous by nature, yet the creative process is in itself a convoluted mechanism that is not unilaterally defined. The intricacies of the individual mind are manifold, thus divergent minds need different spaces in order to flourish. Visual atmospheres are a key component of fostering focus in physical spaces.

Personal identity is the driving factor for choosing an environment that encourages productivity and creativity. Some prefer being tucked away behind library corners and hidden by books in solitude and silence, others find inspiration sitting outdoors while immersing themselves in the noise and chaos of the city; individual predilections are bound to vary. I believe there is one specific factor that provides physical spaces the ability to influence creative performance and enhance ideation—ambiance, an interplay between the interior design, lighting and sound of a space. When I search for a location to make my creative home for a good couple hours, there are a few key elements that in my opinion create a perfect atmosphere. 

First, I'd like to touch upon lighting, both natural and artificial lighting must be taken into consideration. Natural lighting is proven to improve mood and alertness, the more windows a space has the better it is for your concentration. Now if you're more of a night owl (like myself) the interior lighting is crucial. In my opinion dimmer lighting works to my favor in that it makes the space feel more comfortable thus allowing me to delve into my creative consciousness. The important aspect of a dimly lit environment is that the lighting should be warm yet still bright enough to be able to read a book or scribble in a notebook, think vintage mahogany reading room. A recent study published in the Journal of Environmental Psychology by two German psychologists, Anna Steidle and Lioba Werthh, examined the effect of light and darkness on creative performance. The investigation determined that physical environment can in fact facilitate or impede the generation of new and creative ideas. The results revealed that darkness increases freedom from constraints, which in turn promotes creativity.

Next, we have the sound of a space which encompasses both music and the level of conversational background noise. Some individuals prefer silence in order to concentrate—to each their own, but a bit of sound is actually proven to be effective as well. A low to moderate level of ambient noise activates abstract cognition because it induces processing difficulty and consequently enhances creative performance. Conversely, a high level of noise impairs information processing, thus an equilibrium must be attained. If your local coffee shop is paying pop punk from the 2000's I'd say steer clear if you're looking to accomplish any task. Personally, I find playlists including a mix of classic music and acoustic soundtracks very stimulating in that they provide a sense of calm as opposed to silence which promotes self-consciousness. A low hum of conversation also works towards the space being creatively positive in that those around you are engaging in purposeful small talk, but that also brings about the crucial aspect of the type of staff and clientele—both of which should be unobtrusive.

To come full circle, I'd like to briefly touch upon the aestheticism of the physical space. Interior design lends itself to the overall atmosphere projected by an environment, which is a vital part of an establishment's socio-cultural identity that determines what kind of patrons the space attracts. I'll start with the basics, i.e., work space and seating, comfortable desk-height tables and chairs are ideal, but couches and coffee tables are also helpful—depending on the task at hand. Next comes decor, I personally prefer spaces that provide food for thought through their design, books and art adorning the shelves and walls being on the top of that list, complimented by a neutral color scheme.

The cohesive structure of a physical environment is a factor that many individuals don't take into consideration, yet there is a method to the madness. Everyone is different, but I truly believe that ambiance is everything when it comes to physical environments that foster focus, productivity and creativity.

P. S.

Ace Is The Place

While in college or working a demanding job, many New Yorkers don't have the luxury of having a workspace that promotes productivity. Being both a student and a working full time, my schedule pleads for a solace of sorts. Libraries have gotten stale over the years and Starbucks just doesn't cut it anymore. After losing the concentration game time and time again, I began my mission to find a space where my mind could let go of anxiety and my thoughts could finally find clarity again. So where does an inconspicuous silent meeting of the minds occur on a daily basis—The Ace Hotel, its lobby to be exact. The space is decorated with a melange of furniture and people alike, the atmosphere is quintessentially quirky with just enough ambiance to foster a sense of belonging without uttering a whisper to the millennial typing away on their Macbook two chairs to your left. 

The Ace Hotel sits on the corner of Broadway and 29th Street in midtown Manhattan, the building, erected in 1904, still stands as a commanding piece of architecture in what was to become an avenue of hotels. Originally The Breslin Hotel, the 344 room property was one of the most renowned residence hotels in the early 20th century. In 2008 the Ace Hotel Group bought out The Breslin's existing lease and in 2010 the architectural firm Roman & Williams completed what is now a property that layers both the old and new and draws business professionals and creatives alike. The lobby's communal workspace is a mix of the old and the new, with library style tables and velvety red couches, the dimly lit space boasts high ceilings and a jazzy soundtrack, all aspects being held together with the low hum of unobtrusive conversation. Those visiting the Ace in need of some inspiration can immerse themselves in the creative essence of the lobby's atmosphere, which is accented by books and paintings and brought to life through the unique clientele.

The Ace also offers an array of food and beverage choices including, Stumptown Coffee Roasters, The Breslin Bar & Dining Room, John Dory Oyster Bar and No. 7 Sub, all accessible without giving up your seat at the table next to an outlet. You can spend hours at The Ace without missing a beat and if you're productive enough maybe your night will end in a dance party. I'm not kidding, the Ace hosts "Lobby Nights" which feature a different DJ every Wednesday and Saturday night at 10:00 p.m. where the lobby itself turns down the lights and turns up the funk. 

As you leave the lobby, look to your left and painted above the front desk there is a phrase that just might keep you coming back for more: Excelsior—ever upwards.

P. S.