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A collection of Richmond artists, writers, designers, actors and creators gathered Friday morning at the Frontier Project's headquarters in Scott's Addition. (Photo by Samantha Willis)
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CreativeMornings Richmond joins 130 other cities around the world in hosting a monthly breakfast lecture series meant to inspire those in the creative community. (Photo by Samantha Willis)
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Spontaneous introductions and conversations sparked among the eager participants ahead of the start of the meeting. (Photo by Samantha Willis)
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CreativeMornings Richmond organizer Doug Nunn explained the purpose of the series, and what it took to bring it to our city. (Photo by Samantha Willis)
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Jordan Childs (left), owner of Richmond barware production company Shine Craft Vessel Co., was familiar with the CreativeMornings series when it started in Brooklyn, New York in 2008. He called the event's Richmond debut "exciting," and a "good opportunity" for Richmond creatives. Elisabeth Edelman (right), Vice President of Branding and Communications at Richmond men's luxury shirt maker Ledbury, attended a CreativeMornings event in Charleston last year, and "willed" the event into coming to Richmond, she said with a laugh. "We have such an amazing creative community here. If this sparks something, that's absolutely great." (Photo by Samantha Willis)
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During his presentation, artist Noah Scalin said through his Skull-A-Day project, he hoped to inspire artists to "make something every day." (Photo by Samantha Willis)
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Participants' responses to questions about who and what represents Richmond creativity were posted for all to see as they left the meeting. (Photo by Samantha Willis)
“Richmond is a really vibrant city, and you guys are the ones making that happen. Thank you.”
A gathering of Richmond artists, writers, designers and creators were greeted with this warm welcome from the event's host, Doug Nunn, at the first-ever CreativeMornings Richmond meeting Friday morning. The event was part of a worldwide "breakfast lecture series for the creative community."
In a spacious room in the old East Coast Freight Building replete with industrial touches reminiscent of historical Richmond, the diverse group shared ideas and made connections over java and snacks provided by Alchemy Coffee. Elisabeth Edelman, Vice President of Branding and Communications at Richmond men's fashion start up Ledbury, attended a
Jordan Childs (left), owner of Richmond barware production company Shine Craft Vessel Co., was familiar with the CreativeMornings series when it started in Brooklyn, New York in 2008. He called the event's Richmond debut "exciting," and a "good opportunity" for Richmond creatives. Elisabeth Edelman (right), Vice President of Branding and Communications at Richmond men's luxury shirt maker Ledbury, attended a CreativeMornings event in Charleston last year, and "willed" the event into coming to Richmond, she said with a laugh. "We have such an amazing creative community here. If this sparks something, that's absolutely great." (Photo by Samantha Willis)
CreativeMornings breakfast last year in Charleston. Immediately dazzled by the synergy of the group, she started talking it up to her peers in Richmond and "willing it to happen here," she said with a laugh. Needless to say, she was excited to see the event land in Richmond. "We have such an amazing creative community; if this sparks something for us, that is absolutely great."
A loud whistle called everyone to order, and Nunn took the mic. A project manager at Capital One and the organizer/host of CreativeMornings Richmond, Nunn presented the meeting’s concept, noting that the Richmond chapter joins cities like Milan, London, Boston, Hong Kong and 130 others around the world in the series of monthly talks aimed at fostering ideas and communication within creative communities.
"There's something really special going on here," Nunn said. A Richmond native, he moved back home in 2008 and was amazed by Richmond's growth in the areas of art, design and advertising. Inspired by the creativity he encountered all over the city, Nunn began working to elevate and support the innovative minds within Richmond's creative community. He, VCU Brandcenter founder Diane Cook-Trench and a team of volunteers applied for a Richmond chapter to join the nationwide CreativeMornings series, using a video produced by the husband and wife team at Lovell Productions. In the short film, Director of VCU Brandcenter Helayne Spivak touts Richmond's ever-evolving creative community, highlighting firms like the Martin Agency as examples of Richmond's knack for art and advertising innovation.
CreativeMornings Richmond organizer Doug Nunn explained the purpose of the series, and what it took to bring it to our city. (Photo by Samantha Willis)
After the film, Nunn introduced the meeting's speaker, Noah Scalin. Scalin, a Richmond-born artist, is known internationally for his award-winning Skull-A-Day project, a blog on which he presents skull artwork he made each day for a year (Scalin worked with Chop Suey Books owner Ward Tefft to publish a book showing the full range of the skull project in 2014.). Scalin explained at the meeting that his skull project started as a way for him to jump-start his creativity and re-infuse his artwork with passion. Although he was successful as an artist and designer, he felt his work had become rote and routine.
During his presentation, artist Noah Scalin said through his Skull-A-Day project, he hoped to inspire artists to "make something every day." (Photo by Samantha Willis)
"I was walking through Maymont Park, and I had this vision that I should make skulls every day," Scalin said. "That's what this project was about; I tell people, make something every day." He described the resulting skull artwork as "transformative" for him as an artist and for his career. "I was a much better artist than before that process," he noted.
Since the skulls project, Scalin's work has been displayed by the Krause Gallery in New York City, the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum in Chicago, DOX Centre for Contemporary Art in Prague, the Bedford Gallery at Lesher Center for The Arts in Walnut Creek, California and, in addition to other galleries and museums nationwide, at various Richmond galleries and events.
Scalin closed his presentation by encouraging everyone to think differently about creativity.
"I've come to see creativity not as this well within us, that we dip into and pull out of. Creativity is like snowballs. Everybody can make snowballs; if you keep making them, and throwing them down a hill, eventually one will create an avalanche. So make more snowballs."
A short question-and-answer session followed Scalin's presentation, as well as an exercise that asked participants to list their thoughts about creativity in Richmond, including people, places and things. The group's responses were posted on a board for all to see as they exited.
The next CreativeMornings Richmond lecture will be held Dec. 18th; tickets are free, but a reservation is required and will be available at 10 a.m. on Dec. 14. Act fast: Tickets to the first event were all claimed within six hours after they became available. For more information, visit the CreativeMornings Richmond website here.
