With Honors

While doing some Spring Cleaning in my file cabinet, I came across this old design competition I did to redesign the Cabrini Green Public Housing Project in Chicago - Sponsored by the Chicago Tribune, circa 1993. I didn't win but got an "honorable mention!"

You can read the little blurb but essentially the idea was to turn the site into shared-land farms with markets and the derelict buildings transformed to cultural/educational institutions.

Eek, that curved street dead-ending into the Chicago River is problematic but I love the patchwork colors and can totally see the Bernard Tschumi / Parc de la Villette influence. - C'mon folie.

#designcompetition #chicago #farm #patchwork #cabrinigreen #siteplan #publichousing #zoning #masterplan

Your Website & Social Media Digital Marketing Checklist

Starting your website and social media platforms can seem like a Medusa’s head, but after years of helping to set up businesses online, I’ve compiled this handy-dandy checklist for launching an amazing digital footprint for your business.

Feel free to email me if you have questions or need help.

First of all, I’m guessing that you have a business name, purpose and logistics figured out. That you’ve purchased your URL address via GoDaddy or Hover and that your branding and logo are all in place. And don’t forget your mission statement, business plan and goals - All key components necessary when starting a business in today’s digital age.

Whether you’re building a Wordpress, Wix, SquareSpace, GoDaddy, Shopify or some other platform-based website, here’s what you need to do:

Favicon: It’s the small square graphic that brands your business in browser windows and bookmark pages. They’re usually no bigger than 100pxl x 100 pxl.

Browser title and Site Description: Think of these as offshoots of your mission statement. They help Search Engines properly display your business in appropriate searches.

Screen Shot 2020-09-15 at 2.35.37 PM.png — Site Description

Add descriptions to all of your pages. I usually take the site description, full of rich keywords for my business and copy them into the metadata of each page of my site. This will also help SEO (search engine optimization).
Photo Titles: Make sure you title all of your site’s photos to include your company name and any other important keyword info.
Site Security and SSL Settings: Very Important! Confirm your SSL security settings are in place to prevent hackers from impersonating you or stealing visitors' information.
Facebook and Instagram: The main 1-2 punch social media platforms. There’s so many more but these are the go tos. Be sure you’ve set up correctly, your business FB and IG accounts with your about and bio sections fill out correctly. For Facebook I like to rearrange the tabs so they're in an appropriate order for my business. I will also add a “join email” tab linking to my Email Marketing account so customers can sign up and an Instagram tab via Woobox so my customers can easily follow my IG account.
Social Media Icon: Be sure to connect your social media accounts to your website and the social media icon links to your footer and your contact page. I don’t add them to the header too much, especially for e-commerce websites because they take the customer off the site straight away.
Contact Page: Have a clear and easily accessible contact page with your address, phone and email address. As I mentioned before, I also will repeat the social links.
Copy, Copy and more Copy AKA Text: Add text to your site pages. Descriptions, titles and photo captions. Have a well laid out About page. Include your mission statement, history and bio, with photos of you, your business and team. People love seeing the people behind their fave brands!
Email Marketing: Connect your site to your email marketing platform and add a signup field, usually in the footer.

Screen Shot 2020-09-15 at 2.53.16 PM.png

Blog: Add a blog if you’re up for it. Search engines respond to a site that’s active and changing and a blog is a great way to keep adding new content. Even if you just repeat your social media posts on your blog, it’s great to have the additional/expanded content for your site.
Google Analytics: Set your your Analytics or Google Analytics pages so you can properly follow your traffic and adjust your business accordingly.
Google Console: The last 2 points are part of the Google Webmaster system. Setting up a Google Console account will allow you to submit your site map to Google so all of your pages and photos are properly scanned by Google for searches. It’s FREE.
Google Business: This is a great feature that allows you to verify your business address so you show up in the Google location searches as well as allows you to manage your customer reviews and also build a website. Also FREE!

Hope this helps. Feel free to email me or leave a comment with questions.

Air France, Hot Pants...

In case you all were wondering, Sparkle Pop by Fred Flare is still kicking it... Almost 20 yrs later. Give it a listen - add it to your playlist: https://spoti.fi/3GnITkc I love you Sparkle Pop.

#FredFlare #sparklepop #electroclash #tbt #music #spotify

Fred FlareChris BickDecember 7, 2021sparkle pop, fred flare, music, pop music, electroclashComment

I "Hearth" You

Check out my latest and greatest Holiday store window display for Half Moon Books: a fireplace made of books.

I started with a composite “inspirational” image that I made in Photoshop and went from there. The fireplace frame and hearth are all made of books. The mantle and deer head are cardboard covered in pages from The Ugly Duckling story. And then I just packed out the display with books, books and more books! I went opposite of my usual minimalism for this edition.

Happy Holidays.

Legoland

Real life or Lego? As an 80s babies, my design passion was first ignited by a simple set of Legos that I would create into special worlds of my own (see last image) but this takes it to a whole new level.

The "comfort town" housing project by archimatika is a colorful development of concrete buildings in Kyiv, Ukraine, responding to the surrounding 50s and 60s communist-era housings

#architecture #colorful #lego #inspiration #designboom

ArchitectureChris BickNovember 4, 2021lego, architecture, designComment

That's a Tall Order

"Doric Trabeation" - Watercolor on Arches Paper. I made this painting of the classic Doric Order of architecture in my first year of Architecture School (Univ of IL at Chicago, 1987). Crazy how time flies. I was really shocked to learn that the Greek Temples were really painted in these bright colors.

#architectureschool #watercolor #doric #trabeation #painting #greektemple #ancientGreece #Doricorder #Parthenon #Triglyphs #metopes #guttae #mutules #axonometric #entablature #Bucranium

Architecture, Artwork, watercolor, Throwback ThursdayChris BickOctober 7, 2021doric, watercolor, trabeation, architecture, Ancient Greece, painting, vintage, artworkComment

LA PoMo 84

A huge shout out to my fave design stars Susie and Heidi Bauer of Rock S cissor Pap er who recently turned me onto the gloriously Post-Modern (PoMo) design of the 1984 LA Olympics by the very colorful Deborah Sussman. I'm obsessed - I wanna go back to the 80s. I mean 1984 with Marylou Retton? C'mon Mar... And guess who else came on my radar in 84? Yup, Madonna!!!

#debrahsussman #PostModern #pomo #the80s #laolympics #84olympics #design #colorful #olympics #graphicdesign #marylouretton #gymnastics #champion #teamusa #worldchampion

ARchitecture, display, Graphic Design, installation, interior design, vintage, Nostaglia, Nostalgia, the 1980sChris BickSeptember 23, 2021design, Interior Design, olympics, the 1980s, nostalgia, retro, post modern, Los Angeles, pomoComment

Paper Dress

Introducing my newest window display installation for Half Moon Books in Kingston, NY. The title is “Let Them Read Books.” Very Marie Antoinette meets Vogue.

With the coming Fall / Back to School season upon us, I wanted to do something that I hadn’t ever done before. Whenever I finish a window I feel like I’ll never have another ideas and then here we are - a paper dress extravaganza. I actually got the idea from an episode of RuPaul’s Drag Race where the queens had to make garments out of one of Ru’s books. I thought yes, I have to do this, but a fashion piece is really out of my “architectural” comfort zone. But if you’re not challenging yourself, you’re not growing, correct?

So, I found these images as my inspiration. I fell in love with the paper pleating: I told myself, “I can do this!”

To make the paper gown I bought some fabric costume pieces to attach the paper too. Gotta love hot glue guns and spray mount - They’re magical. And of course I had to do a pair of pumps.

But then I had a huge predicament. I had build the dress offsite in one piece - how was I going to get it to the bookstore without damaging the design - walk her across town of course. I am a “put on a show” kinda girl after all. So, off we went.

Here’s some shots of the final installation. I added a chandelier for the full fancy vibe. I hope you love it as much as I do. Check out more of my displays at Half Moon Books here.

spa'stic

While I was visiting my bonus mom Anne in MI last week she took me to Andrews University (a private Seventh-day Adventist university in Berrien Springs, MI) and treated me to a day at their brand-new fitness/wellness center - The Andreasen Center for Wellness designed by Design Collaborative. I was obsessed with the cool lobby furniture, the salt water pool and their "healing center" - I mean, the steam room has a sparkling ceiling.

ARchitecture, interior design, travelChris BickJuly 20, 2021Andreasen wellness centerarchitecture, design, spa, wellness, health, sustainabilityComment

Blowing Kisses in the Wind

Sealed with a KISS... Inspired by Chicago's Magikist sign of lore, this collaboration with Buddy Valentine is a sweet kiss to Kingston NY (our new/old home now). Hey locals, can you find all the lips around town? Scavenger hunt alerts!!!!

Here’s the full SWAK Bike Rack collection:

#magikist #lips #magritte #surrealisam #bikerack #opositive #wallmural #painting #kiss #swak #mwah #art #installation #collaboration #inspiration

bicycle, bike, bike rack, chicago, design, installation, kingston, lips, O+ Festival, Painting, paintingChris BickJune 13, 2021O+ Festival, Kingston NY, Kingston, Lips, kiss, mural, Painting, Bike Rack, bicycle, chicago, magikistComment

Sweet Home Chicago

Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.

During my recent visit to Chicago I was stuck with all the vintage signs still there and missing the ones that are gone forever. I really miss the MagiKist the most - You can see how it inspired a “recent” project in Kingston.

#chicago #signs #vintagesigns #design #midcentury #roadsideamericana #neon

photography, lips, installation, chicago, vintageChris BickMay 11, 2021 chicago, signs, design, americana, roadside, vintageComment

Max B

Speaking of Fred Flare, we also launched a more sophisticated brother brand (for 5 mins)... MaxB (Modern and eXciting Building) connecting with my architectural background. Here was my masterpiece: A plexi DIY dollhouse - think Barbie's Dream House meets Wonder Woman's jet meets a Mid-century Modern glass house. It was $300 and someone actually bought it. I hope some little boy is still loving it today.

And also my foray into lighting design… The ever adorable Starlight Lamp. I should make a few more of these and try and sell them online.

#lamp #lighting #design #interiordesign #productdevelopment #fredflare #dollhouse #diy #plexi #plastic #iplaywithdolls #barbie #barbiesdreamhouse #dolls #midcenturymodern #canalplastics

design, Fred Flare, Graphic Design, Product Development, RetailChris BickApril 20, 2021design, fred flare, dollhouse, lighting, lamp, dollsComment

Let's Stay in (re)Touch

Screen Shot 2021-04-13 at 11.50.46 AM.png

Some retouching magic to share... I know you love a photoshopped before and after comparisons. Can you tell what I did to transform the photo?

The bedroom scene is my fave… it’s a composite of 3 photos combined into one masterpiece. #backpat

Bedroom Light on door closed
Bedroom Light off door open
New Yorker wall art

#photoshop #retouching #photography #marketing #beforeandafter #architecture #interiordesign #NYC #newyorkcity

digital marketing, Graphic Design, marketing, Photoshop, retouching, Social MediaChris BickApril 13, 2021photo retouching, photoshop, before and afterComment

Up, Up and Away

PIONEER AGENCY KINGSTON NY SPRING 5.jpeg

For my latest store window display I wanted to give the client (and the customers) something colorful and fun after a year of craziness and stress. It was also a priority to keep costs down.

I found some pictures hot air balloon launched, sky photo murals and tissue paper ball clusters that I thought were beautiful and used them as my inspiration. The owner had paper lanterns so the only prop we had to buy were the sky photo murals.

Even with my full knee replacement only 2 months old… Check out the wonder that was created.

My ispirado…

I Love You Sparkle Pop

Listening to a classic electro clash jam from 2002 in the Pioneer office today! Can you guess who’s sining? #FredFlare #SparklePop #crosleyrecordplayer #album #45s

Fred FlareChris BickFebruary 28, 2021fred flare, sparkle pop, music, pop musicComment

Neighborhoodie

Check out this fun new design I did for Bop to Tottom in Kingston NY.

Kingston Neighborhoodie: Whether you’re an Uptown girl, a Downtown Dude or stuck in the Middle, chances are your fave Kingston neighborhood is represented in this new hoodie. Inspired by the NYC tee, this Bop to Tottom exclusive design showcases Uptown, The Stockade, Midtown, Broadway, Downtown and The Strand. Featuring our very own take on the West Side Story font, except in Kingston the Sharks and Jets are united. Printed in the Kingston, NY area. 100% cotton, black hoodie in unisex sizes SM-XL with front kangaroo pocket.

And you can even buy it online. But only if you live in the area as they’re only offering store pick-up at the moment.

Bop to Tottom, Chronogram, Graphic Design, kingston, Product Development, RetailChris BickJanuary 12, 2021product development, Kingston, Kingston NY, hoodie, e-commerce, bop to tottom, designComment

Introducing Boptotottom.com

I first met Karen from Bop to Tottom back in 2015 to talk about an e-commerce website for her Kingston NY shop. It wasn’t the right time but when the Covid 19 pandemic hit in early 2020 Karen decided it was time to take the plunge and make her beloved Bop to Tottom boutique an online / e-commerce destination.

I chose to pitch the Shopify e-commerce platform. I love their responsive product and their customer service is excellent. I was able to foster a good deal for a year account so we forged ahead.

My goal was deliver a neat and polished site. Classy, professional and easy to navigate but also ring true to her brand. I accomplished this with a fun and engaging homepage. You can learn about the 20 yr old shop but also add items to cart right away (why wait). A clear and focused About page with lots of photos is very important to me. Also a useful and well written FAQ page and Policy and Procedure pages are a must in my book.

Give it a spin and let me know that you think. boptotottom.com

Piece by Peace

half+moon+books+kingston+ny+pioneer+chris+bick.jpg

Ever since the huge success of the Circle of Books I did a few years ago, I wanted to play with books in a shape again and Jessica is always talking about the Peace symbol (we are in the Woodstock area after all)…

There was no better time than 2020 for PEACE. ☮️📚🎄

I pretty much had my heart set on giving Jessica a Peace-Shaped bookshelf for this Holiday Season. And thanks to ABunch Fabrication, it came true.

Here’s how it all happened…

My Design Inspiration:

My Amazing Sketch: Don’t laugh too much…

Design Development with ABunch Fabrication:

The Construction Process:

Installation:

The one and only Andrew Bunch

The Unveiling:

White Heat

Another new Holiday Store window display complete… This one for Kingston’s very own Bop to Tottom.

The client mentioned doing a window in all white (a fresh, calm feeling for this Covid Christmas), so I ran with that motif. But as usual, I wanted to use unconventional materials and play with light. I used florescence light fixture diffusers to distort the hanging light bulbs… Like a frosty window. I also used white corrugated roofing material for a “ski slope” backdrop for the dress forms.

Now, add some snowflakes, white wrapped boxes, Christmas lights and white ribbons and you’ve got yourself a wintry scene. I also wrapped the logs from last year’s display in white paper… Created such a cool effect and a lot quicker than painting them all.