Workshed wins Create Award for Forward Thinking Museum

Workshed wins Create Award for Forward Thinking Museum

tca_gold_award_bug.jpgGreat news, folks! We just got word that we’ve won the Gold award for the 2008 Create Awards competition in the Interactive: Weird/Wacky/Oddball category—and what category would be more fitting for us than this one, I ask.

For those of you who may not remember, the Forward Thinking Museum is a project we co-produced with Andy Harrison at MacTechHelp.com on behalf of JGS, Inc., which is a philanthropic photgraphic arts non-profit founded by Howard Stein, considered the father of the Mutual Fund.

It’s a surreal, wacky virtual world where photographic exhibits are featured in a space where goats talk, giants ride elevators and social hot topics are discussed in an immersive virtual space.

JGS Forward Thinking Museum - The BuildingThanks to Andy Harrison for bringing this project to us and entrusting us with his clients’ vision, for helping to co-creative direct the project and also for managing the project from the client side, as well as his design contributions. It’s been a pleasure working with him and if you’re in the market for a Mac, he’s your man.

I can’t let this post go without also giving credit where it’s due, and that credit lies largely with our Design and Programming team on this project, which consisted of Jason Bennett on overall art direction, production design and Flash development, as well as Chris Nelson, who developed the content management tools and PHP/Data/XML integration for the project.

A press release and official award icons are soon to follow.

Support Camas/Washougal skate park improvements

Workshed has partnered with local businesses, Joseph Graves Capital Management and T3Sixty to create the web site cwskatepark.org. This site is focused on improving the skatepark situation in the Camas/Washougal area so the kids (and adults) have a viable place to skate. The current skatepark is sadly deficient and lacking in worthwhile skate options for kids. If you are a skater, or even a parent of a skater, please get involved, donate some money and help with the cause.

Just Launched: Zookbinders.com

Workshed is proud to announce the launch of another new web site, this time for Zookbinders, a manufacturer of quality, hand-made photo albums for professional photographers. We programmed the site build out and programming on behalf of our Seattle agency partners, SDM Marketing and PBR Design, who did an amazing job on the marketing direction, graphic design, creative direction and content.

The site makes use of several current technologies, such as AJAX, Javascript/jQuery, PHP, MySQL and Flash. The site also makes use of our own content management tool, Pegboard, so the client can keep their content up-to-date without the need for a web developer.

Check out the site:

http://www.zookbinders.com

Remembering Diana Rice Bonin

Last week, a close friend of the Workshed family lost her battle with cancer. Diana Rice Bonin was not only a talented artist and a wonderful person, but she was also a former neighbor to me and my family, an honorary grandmother to my son and a valued family friend.

Diana was the first artist to show her work at a Workshed First Friday event and we had planned to have her and her daughter, Jessica, do a mother-daughter show in the future.

For those of you who knew Diana, you know what we’ve lost and can mourn with us. For those of you who did not know her, I invite you to read her obituary below, investigate her art blog and send her family kind thoughts.

Diana, you’ll be missed. Pat, Jessica and Joe; we are so very sorry for your loss.

Workshed will be featuring some more of Diana’s work tonight at our First Friday event, so please stop by to view and take solace in a small portion of the prolific legacy of art work she has left behind.

DIANA RICE BONIN
February 15, 1955 – May 29, 2008

Diana was born in Seattle, Washington to Cecil Rice and Olga Alexyevna. She resided in the Pacific Northwest, and most recently, in Camas, Washington. Diana grew up in Bellingham, Washington, where she met and married her husband of 30 years, Patrick Bonin. Her two children, Jessica and Joseph, who reside in Portland, Oregon, were her pride and joy.

Diana’s passion for art began early in her life and resulted in a highly successful career. As an artist for Alaska Silver and Ivory Corporation, she learned to do scrimshaw, the traditional art of sailors and native peoples. After leaving Alaska Silver and Ivory she continued in scrimshaw as a freelance artist. She became well known for her depictions of Pacific Northwest wildlife, with work in collections all over the country and world. Her more recent accomplishments include 20 published children’s books, an extensive portfolio of original paintings, drawings and illustrations, corporate art, layout and design, and a variety of projects with service organizations. Her commissioned work includes publications for the National Parks Service, Clark County Historical Society, and the Clean Water Foundation. Her latest work, “A Joshua Tree Named Lily”, was commissioned by the Joshua Tree National Park and includes 38 full color illustrations by Diana. In recent years she made the leap from illustration to fine art. Her paintings depict the beauty of the Pacific Northwest and its wildlife, and can be seen through her internet site: http://www.dricebonin.blogspot.com

In addition to her love for all types of art, Diana enjoyed collecting early American pottery, antiquing, animals of any kind, listening to music, motorcycling with her husband Patrick and their friends, and was an avid community volunteer. Most of all she loved her little cabin on Lake Merrill where she gardened and shared her love of nature and art with her family and friends. Her beauty, strength and compassion for life drew people to her and she had a huge fan club of friends. She was fondly nicknamed “Lady Di” by family members.

Diana is survived by her husband Patrick Bonin, two children Jessica and Joseph, her mother Olga Alexyevna, her great aunt June and uncle Earl Hendrickson, her brother Steve, sisters Carol and Karen, and many nieces, nephews and their children.

Memorial Services will be held at the First United Methodist Church, 401 East 33rd Street, Vancouver, Washington, Saturday, June 14, 2008 at 10:00 a.m. followed by a reception.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Clark County Humane Society.

Please sign the Guest Book at www.columbian.com/obituaries.

First Friday: Hayes Freedom School Student Show

Tonight, Workshed and Lacamas Community Credit Union are proud to present art and music by the students of Hayes Freedom School. Hayes is a non-traditional school where students and staff can learn, grow, and experience life and education in a way that works for each individual.

We will also be showing a small sample of work from a local artist, Diana Rice Bonin, who recently lost her battle with cancer. Please stop by and share in a small sampling of the prolific legacy of art she has left behind.

We’ll have refreshments and representatives from Lacamas Community Credit Union will be on-hand as well. We look forward to seeing you there!

Date: Friday, June 6
Time: 5 – 8 p.m.
Location: Workshed