Spotlight was a quarterly event that I produced where we invited artists and designers to share their work, process and inspiration with the local design community. The events were held at
Creativity Explored, a wonderful art gallery in the Mission that helps artists with developmental disabilities create and sell their work. Spotlight was generously sponsored by
Fjord and while the series was short lived, I believe that everyone really enjoyed meeting the artists and the open discussion format of the series. Unfortunately, we lost our funding for Spotlight in September due to budget cuts so I am currently in search of a new partner to help me keep the series alive. If you're interested in helping me produce Spotlight or need help with a similar themed event
please get in touch!
Many thanks again to the Artists, the San Francisco Design Community, Fjord and Creativity Explored for allowing this fun yet short lived series to exist.
George Zisiadis is an artist and designer who wants to make you smile. He creates things that are fun and wonderful. His public artworks playfully re-imagine the everyday and have been exhibited across the United States. He's currently working on
the next big thing.
Kawandeep Virdie uses technology and art to explore ways we can create meaning and joy collectively. He co-founded
New American Public Art to build interactive art that makes public spaces more communal and welcoming. Similarly, his internet art strives to encourage collaboration, play, and creativity.
Can Buyukberber is an independent visual artist & director specializing in digital visual arts, motion graphics design and audio/visual performances. Can studied Physics and Visual Communication Design in Istanbul, Turkey and is currently studying at San Francisco Art Institute's Art and Technology MFA program as a Fulbright Grantee and working on immersive experiences using sound, light and space. His works have been exhibited in Europe and Northern America including large scale a/v projects at Signal Light Festival (CZ), International Digital Arts Biennial (CAN), IX Immersion Experience Symposium (CAN), Currents New Media Festival (US). He is interested in translating observations and insights on the immanent intelligence of nature, self-organizing systems, formations in time and patterns of the invisible space between the objects into visible, audible, tangible expressions.
Jake Levitas is the Co-Founder of
Our City, a new nonprofit organization that empowers residents to imagine and build the future of their communities. Our City helps governments, cultural institutions, and individuals make their cities better together, through imaginative public design festivals, workshops, and installations. Over the past eight years, Jake has worked across four sectors to develop new models for civic engagement. He has leveraged his experience as a community organizer, city employee, professional planner, and practicing designer and consultant to develop successful large-scale, cross-sector initiatives. His projects have generated over 40,000 hours of civic engagement, and have been featured in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Wired, Fast Company, CityLab, The Associated Press, and other domestic and international outlets.
