Showcasing the GIFted: Chris Piascik

Janet Reynolds — Mon, 16 Oct 2017 17:22:32 +0000

Whether mocking Trump or pursuing other visual play, the GIF art from Sturbridge artist Chris Piascik speaks for itself.

Following our introductory installment of Showcasing the GIFted, we’re turning our attention to Chris Piascik. You will probably recognize the unique organic style of his daily drawing project, and you’ve almost definitely used his playful and irreverent Facebook stickers.

After earning his BFA and MFA from Hartford Art School at the University of Hartford, Piascik worked for award-winning graphic design studios around the Northeast before switching into a career as an illustrator. Some of his past clients include Coca-Cola, the Village Voice, Boston Magazine, Warner Music Group, Converse, and Nickelodeon.

Trump Dump. GIF courtesy of the artist.

Take: Where are you from?
Chris Piascik: Sturbridge, Massachusetts.

T: What got you started making GIFs, and why GIFs rather than something else?
CP: I started making GIFs as an experiment within my daily drawing project. It seemed to be a natural evolution in my work. I love GIFs, but I don’t exclusively make GIFs. Static illustrations are still what I do the most.

Fall. GIF courtesy of the artist.

T: What do you do when you’re not creating GIFs? (i.e. other jobs)
CP: I’m an independent illustrator. Sometimes that involves GIFs.

Go Ride. GIF courtesy of the artist.

You can follow Chris Piascik on Twitter and Instagram, and can also find him on Tumblr and through his website.

Top image: Pattern (cropped), all images courtesy of the artist

The post Showcasing the GIFted: Chris Piascik appeared first on Take Magazine.

Fresh Eyes on Peterborough, New Hampshire

Kyle Brown — Mon, 20 Mar 2017 07:00:40 +0000

Peterborough, New Hampshire, is set apart by a vibrant creative community invigorating inherited New England traditions.

This article originally appeared in our October 2015 print issue.

Craft is an ingrained value here, visible in everything from the historical society’s collection of eighteenth-century American furniture (well worth a look) to the Sharon Arts Center, which features dozens of local artists working across media and styles. Since 1907, leading artists have been coming to the exclusive, secluded MacDowell Colony on the outskirts of town. More recently, Michael Chabon and Jeffrey Eugenides wrote parts of their Pulitzer Prize-winning novels there.

Peterborough is an essential destination for literature and music, with plenty of readings and concerts throughout the year.The Toadstool Bookshop provides the kind of immersive browsing experience of books and records that online shopping will never rival. Start a conversation with manager Eric Gagne, who runs the music department; organizes the Thing in the Spring music festival; and tours with his own band, Footings. Gagne has encyclopedic knowledge and says he is “sincerely interested in knowing customers’ tastes and connecting them to artists that they may not know about, but will absolutely love.”

For live music, Harlow’s Pub is a local mainstay with universal appeal. The patio is ideal for seasonal beers during the day, while night brings a steady stream of musicians for weekly bluegrass jams and open mikes. Harlow’s is easily one of the best stages between Boston and Burlington, Vermont, and hosts an impressive array of regional and national acts on weekends, including a recent appearance by members of the band Morphine and an ever-growing roster of innovative groups drawing from genres like psych pop, indie rock, Americana and folk, jam, funk, jazz, and even world music.

Like the town itself, Peterborough’s secondhand shops fit precisely between the everyday and the pretentious. The Melamine Cup (six miles toward Jaffrey on Route 202) specializes in midcentury modern furniture and home goods, with a particularly good selection of barware—perfect for dressing up vintage cocktails in period vessels.

In town, the group shop Bowerbird & Friends cultivates a modern farmhouse aesthetic with industrial touches. Several pieces of folk art, especially the “tramp art” made by itinerant travelers, collapse the distinction between high art and handmade function. “A younger generation is returning to New England heritage but bringing fresh eyes,” says store owner Katherine Forrest. “When they come in, they respond with inspiration and surprise—there is a sense of discovery, but also recognition and familiarity.

Illustration by Chris Piascik

The post Fresh Eyes on Peterborough, New Hampshire appeared first on Take Magazine.

Chris Piascik – Take Magazine

Showcasing the GIFted: Chris Piascik

Top image: Pattern (cropped), all images courtesy of the artist

Fresh Eyes on Peterborough, New Hampshire

Illustration by Chris Piascik