Fashion is Art

"Sequins, backless dresses, red lips. It's a beautiful image."

Many of us aren't lucky enough to sit in on a private VIP fashion show; the hair, the music, the fabric. Each detail fitted to perfection, with an aura of chilled innocence fluttering so slightly in the air. Each anticipating the preview, the unveiling and the birth of another beautiful image.

Blushing Boutique hosted their Christmas Party and Fashion Show this evening at their boutique located at 579 Richards Street in Vancouver. While guests, photographers, and fashionistas poured in, a small show paid hommage to local designer Shelly Klassen's vision for a perfect work of pure fashion.

As an artist, it is beginning to be clear that even outside the studio or gallery, our focus sets its own intention on the process of creativity and artistic development in the multitude of projects being realized outside the art world.
And yet, as I observed the beautifully put together clothing; holiday affairs in their truest sense, I wondered with awe how from just one look, a designer fashions her image into a collection. With considerations such as cut, presence, curves, fabric, accessories, Shelly Klassen and her wonderful team at Blushing Boutique surely have their hands filled with not only talent, but true considerations steming from art and fine artistry.


To see the various dresses, tops, and bottoms and art from local artists Sarazen Brooks, Michele Trask and myself, all which will surely inspire and awe you, visit the Boutique and receive a consultation from the various professionals who will not only make you feel chic and sexy, but also like a walking piece of art.

Until next time, I am left inspired by the art in fashion.

-Monika

Cultivating Event Sponsorship

Original Article is featured on http://eventplanningcentral.wordpress.com/
where Monika is currently a regular contributor.


Just as in the celeb world, the world of events is also built on strategic piggy-backing and partnerships to achieve a more powerful result. Purposefully thought out cross promotions from sponsorships or partnerships can be highly effective in raising the level of productivity, business and recognition of an event.

Sponsorship Proposal
In order to gain support from the public, organizations creating special events or fundraisers often seek sponsorship, monetary or in-kind, in order to both raise the effectiveness and the economics of the event. When participating in cross promotions of any kind – joint ventures, partnerships, or sponsorships – a properly written sponsorship proposal is essential. Details about the execution of promotion are very important and must be adhered to. If you misrepresent one or more of your sponsors or partners, your reputation will suffer and you will lose the interest of the sponsor for future events.

Event Sponsorship
It is important to keep your sponsor or partner satisfied throughout the event process, as their satisfaction will directly affect the success of your event. Will an event sponsorship can help take your event to the next level, it also has the ability to go sour. If fail to accurately promote who is supporting or executing your event, the relationship and trust will break down and will cause unwanted stress or resentment, both damaging to your event and to your business. One extremely effective strategy for overcoming misleading or ill-represented details of any event sponsorship is to provide all your sponsors and partners with all promotional materials before they go to print. A second eye often eliminates forgotten information or spelling mistakes!

Event Promotion
Lastly, your partners and sponsors are surely supporting your event or cause because of a close and personal affiliation with what you are doing. They have some connection to your business and want to see you succeed in with your event. A detailed and well cross-promoted event will ensure that you receive recognition from your own network, but also from all of the networks belonging to your sponsors and partners. People, causes, and awareness are greater in numbers. Being loyal to all of those involved will ensure repeat and new sponsorships and partnerships from all sorts of group or individual supporters and networks. In turn, you will build a solid relationship with many of your supporters and thus, will grow your business in the process.

Event Sponsors
If all else fails and you are wondering about cross promotions and your responsibility as an event organizer, ask yourself one question: If I was the sponsor, what would I expect from my client? If you are loyal, strategic and honest, one day, you will act as a sponsor by helping others achieve their goals through special events. After all, what goes around comes around!

Monika Anna Blichar holds a BA in French and English from the University of Victoria. She also studied art at Camosun College where she learnt various techniques and strategies in creating contemporary pieces. Monika continues to pursue creative projects and is exploring various professional opportunities in the arts, including event coordination. Art has played a significant part in Monika’s life and continues to be an outlet for her free-flowing imagination. Monika currently lives and works in Vancouver, BC, working on numerous art-related events around the city.

The Golden Brush Painting Competition Huge Success!

July 9, 2010

Artists, Guests, and Volunteers of The Golden Brush Painting Competition 2010,


Thank you to all who participated, worked, and attended The First Annual Golden Brush Painting Competition 2010 on July 3, 2010. Our first of a series of competitions went extremely well and we are very happy with the outcome of this fabulous event!


First, a great big thank you to all of our artists who made the show possible. Without the cretive genius of talented artists in our area, arts events and parties such as these would not be possible! It is amazing to see the outcome of collaborations of not only businesses to put on a show such as this, but also of the artists who created five original pieces of art and who also agreed to donate 100% of the proceeds to our chosen charity; Make and Break Arts Foundation. We are in awe and amazed at the talent that was displayed on Saturday night!

As co-founder of the event and participant in the live painting competition, I am pleased to have worked not only behind the scenes with Kevan Seng, Capulet Art, but with the artists on Team 2 as well! Both parties did a beautiful job in creating the event from start to finish as well as creating a unique piece of art purchased by a local art lover. I had the greatest time working with all of you to make this happen and am most certainly looking forward to the next competition! It was truly a magical experience working with Kevan up to the days of the competition and then with Andrew Briggs and Zoltan Kapus infront of a vicarious audience under the restraints of the dreaded one hour time limit! Thank you for working with me, I have learned many great things from all three of you fine fellows!

On behalf of Make and Break Arts Foundation, I would like to extend a sincere thank you and appreciation to all the members, guests, and volunteers of the First Annual Golden Brush Painting Competition. Your efforts both the evening of and the days leading up to our event at the Elliott Louis Gallery on July 3, 2010 allowed us to sell five original pieces of art for $1230 and raise $263.45 from donations and raffle tickets. The funds have been used to cover the cost of the event and the proceeds of $600.52 will be reinvested into the next competition. It is overwhealming how supportive, hardworking, and genuine our arts group and following has been and we are very thankful for all those who have made this event possible. Without the support of the local art lovers, collectors, friends and family, we would not be able to create events such as these. It is because of our collective that we have the ability and means to do so, and for this community of wonderful people, we are very grateful.

The winners of this year's Golden Brush Painting Competition are Raymond Chow, Ron Sombilon, Arlana Green of Team One. Their live creation fetched $400 for the foundation and set the bar for our next challengers! Way to go Team One!


A tremendous thank you to Elliott Louis Gallery for our venue, Capulet Art, Liza J. Lee, all our artists, volunteers Rya Kobewka, Mrs. Seng, Ann Simpson, sponsors Raw Canvas, Ron Sombilon Gallery, and all our guests, mentors, friends and family, who without you, this event would not exist. Thank you for supporting our vision of making arts and culture accessible, real, and possible in our community of artists and the general public.


We are looking forward to working on the next competition and hope to see you all there!


For all of our event photos, please see Ron Sombilon Gallery on Flickr:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/23889619@N04/sets/72157624422910102/




With gratitude,



Monika Blichar
MAB Ventures Inc.
http://www.monikablichar.com
+1 (604) 999 6177

Kevan Seng
Capulet Art Inc.
direct: +1 778 855 0289 | fax: +1 604 608 3847
http://www.capuletart.com | http://twitter.com/capuletart

ONE WORLD ART SHOW AND FUNDRAISER GREAT SUCCESS!

One World at Science World on May 1, 2010 – A Community Engagement and Audience Development Success

Thank you for making “One World Art Show & Haiti Fundraiser” on the evening of May 1, 2010 a great event. It brought in an impressive community of art benefit supporters, showing the Vancouver art scene is thriving and giving back for Haiti relief. Over 600 artists, guests, sponsors and volunteers attended the event at Science World. Highlights of the event included:

Sponsored live paintings on canvases, haute couture hand painted dresses by
Angleic Visions and live models who participated in a high end body art competition coordinated by Nailia Minnebaeva of bodyartcalendar.com. The winner of the competition was Jennifer Little and Lee Kembel. Second place went to Marie-Helen Babin and Svetlana Konoplijova. Honorary Mention to Ashley Forshaw, Tibor Farkas, and Shaun Noelte for their expertise and amazing works.

In addition, there were over 60 exhibiting artists showing and selling their photography, paintings, sculptures and other visual mediums to a large audience.

The silent auction and sponsored live paintings raised over $1800 for Haiti’s relief to SafeWater Nexus. Steph Forster, Vancouver’s Street Beat reporter and “One World” artist, is going to Haiti to assist and report about the SafeWater Nexus efforts.

Notable guests included Pamela Masik of “The Forgotten” – of the 69 giant portraits of the murdered Downtown Eastside women and Ted Lederer of Elliott Louis Gallery who has been promoting and supporting Vancouver artists for many years.

Diane Farris of Diane Farris Gallery with the recent “Twitter/Art + Social Media” show donated an autographed NHL jersey and photo from Haitian-descent Georges Laraque for the silent auction. She was unable to attend due to health reasons.

Also regrettably, Don King, representing the United Nations for their policy writing and development for the long-term rebuilding of Haiti was unable to attend due to unfulfilled travel arrangements into Vancouver.

All logos and sponsor details were listed on “One World” Facebook event page, Monikablichar.com, MAB Ventures Page and post cards. There were extensive promotions with THE EXPRESS Spotlight on Shaw TV, the “Artist Lounge” on CJSF 90.1 FM, Twitter, Facebook, Artistrun.org, print media and online media.

Monika Blichar was also interviewed by the Agora during “One World”. Andy Chu from FMA TV attended and took event photos. Ron Sombilon and Matt Nest also provided event photos throughout the evening. You can find their photos of “One World” at:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/23889619@N04/sets/72157623989285018/

For more information about “One World”, contact Monika Blichar below.

CONTACT:
Monika Blichar, MAB Ventures Inc.
604-999-6177
monika_blichar@hotmail.com
www.monikablichar.com

Seeing through a lens

Life is a photograph. Or rather, a collection of many frames, stills, poses, that combine to make one gigantesque tapestry captured by history, time, and images from the depth of the mind. Pictures of life.

The more I look around me everyday, the more I find intersting beauties to capture. Sometimes I find interest in people, nature, landscape. Other times, I like to look closer and see texture, drops of water, or the breath of a living being. The muse changes, just as time; transforming, evolving, shifting. Inspiration can be found in an array of places. It's enough to look at our own two hands, our nails, our soft palms, and then be surprised that these are the tools that let us accomplish so many of our dreams.

Here are some of the interesting stills I captured the past few months while exploring one of the greatest cities in the world. What a maigical muse.

MAB Ventures Inc. & Erin K Productions Ltd.

Hello All,

I am pleased to announce that I have finally incorporated my company! MAB Ventures Inc. is up and running, and boy, are we running around!

In my first adventure, I have made a wonderful new collaboration with an old friend. Erin Cameron, founder of Erin K Productions, is a cinematographer, writer, actor, and mother! We both attended the same high school, and now, ten years later, we are working on our very first project together! Very exciting.

Erin will be assisting me in coordinating our Haiti Relief Art Show and Sale Fundraiser. We have secured Science World as our venue and the date set is May 1, 2010. We have been busy reviewing applications from many talented artists, finding sponsors and donations, and getting all the tweaks together to put on a fabulous show that will raise lots of funds for our friends down south. So far, so good!

Everything looks fantastic so far and you are interested in working with us for the show, we welcome your emails, questions, and ideas. Artists, bands, sponsors, local businesses are encouraged to apply!


Welcome Erin Cameron! I'm looking forward to working with you!

Spring show is gearin up!!!

Hi all!

Happy New Year! How fantastic is it to have a fresh year with a totally clean slate! I hope that all of you are looking forward to 2010 as much as I am! With all the exciting things happening in Vancouver in the next couple of months, how could one not be anticipating tomorrow?

Just a quick note to let everyone know that I am recruiting participants for the Spring Arts Show. The theme is centered around going green and environmental education. What a great fit for such a green city! If you are an artist, or you know one, make sure to get in touch! This show is going to ROCK and I'm looking forward to making it just as fun, or perhaps even more, than ARTSEA which happened just this past November. Photographers, painters, writers, actors, any creative geniuses out there, make sure you get your chance to participate in an epic event!

I am also looking for contributions from local businesses and organizations in terms of sponsorship and donations. If you would like to donate goods or services or your company is interested in cross promotional marketing, I would love to hear from you!

I look forward to hearing from you and am looking forward to building another fantastic event here in beautiful Vancouver!


Happy beginnings!


Monika B
monika_blichar@hotmail.com

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