Madison Gives Back...

Tucked away in Camden, New Jersey, is a remarkable home creating smiles for families of seriously ill and injured children from all around the world.  Many of these children are being treated at nearby hospitals and in many cases require long term care.  As board members of an organization called NEWH (Network of Executive Women in Hospitality), we recently hosted dinner and bingo night for 21 families! The impact that this nestled and protected home-away-from home left us with is outstanding!

There are so many opportunities to give back to the community and we all give back for different reasons. In November of 2014, our CEO lost a family member that changed us all.  Cody Sears was an amazing 17-year-old kid who by the young age of 21 lost his 5-year battle with cancer.  It was an emotional time for everyone involved, especially since Cody was so unbelievably loved. Part of Cody’s journey was staying at the Ronald McDonald house in Baltimore with his family.  As the Community Service Director of NEWH, our job was to create a community event within the Philadelphia area. We instantly thought of a house that not only made Cody and his family happy, but continues to bring joy to others every day!

From the moment we walked in, until the moment we left, you could feel the love and care within the beautifully decorated home.  Organizations, families, and corporations donate time and money to ensure the interior is light-hearted, comfortable and engaging.

   

With the help of other NEWH members, we served up an array of dishes and tasty treats. We really enjoyed connecting with the team members and families, especially when we played bingo with everyone!

To interact with so many grateful and brave families within this sweet haven was an amazing and unforgettable experience.  It also reminded us all that we have many blessings in our lives!

For those of you interested in helping please check out the Ronald McDonald House website: http://ronaldhouse-snj.org/get-involved/.

Americana the Beautiful!

In honor of celebrating America’s independence, we were inspired by art that brings a feeling of nostalgia and connection to our great country.  

The below casino concept was designed to evoke an Americana vibe. Each of the 3 walls consisted of materials connecting us to American culture. These particular concepts were based on denim, leather, and cotton.  Each material was then used to create a patterned feature wall.

Utilizing hundreds of stamps, this artist creates large scale wonders that exude patriotism.  Take a look at the second image providing a closer look at the president and military stamps selected to create this beauty. 

This donated "art-straction" was created by our very own Madison Studios.  It's purpose is to soothe, distract, educate and connect patients and families staying at Nemours A. I. DuPont Children's Hospital in Wilmington, DE. 

The white plaque you see to the left of the art is called a "Fun Fact", a program we developed for this location to enlighten adults, children and staff.

Bernie’s Pub in Glenside, PA based their concept on American roots. Each image is printed on individual materials such as canvas, metal, and wood substrates that created an eclectic blend complementing the Route 66 inspired imagery. Madison Art also created and installed the vintage wall graphic to add a pop of color and again connect guests to Bernie's Americana design. 

     

Who says that historical themed artwork has to be boring?  This line drawing was produced by one of our Madison Studio artists for a modern twist on a traditional concept.

America’s national pastime, has a long standing history in our very own city of Philadelphia. The first baseball league was established in 1871 and the Philadelphia Phillies were founded in 1883. This makes the Phillies one of the oldest organizations in professional baseball, and the oldest to have kept the same name and hometown for its entire existence.  Go Philly!

These 2 mosaic master pieces were created by an artist that we have collaborated with many times over the years. The second image you see is 8'x6' and was installed within Citizens Bank Park near section 125.  Be sure to keep a look out for it during your next visit! 

Since Madison Art loves fun facts, we leave you with a fun fact about the new seal of Philadelphia, now that we are the first World Heritage City in our nation as of 2015: "The star at the right of the tower represents what we, as Philadelphians, aspire to for the next generations. The lines to the left of the tower, represent the "ideas" that propel us as a city, and the "place" that put us on the map. Independence Hall symbolizes the modern democracy and popular sovereignty we can all be proud of!"

Springtime Team-Building Fun!

Sometimes you need to take a break and get away from the intensity of work to be inspired, regroup, and get the creative juices flowing.

  At Madison Art, the lovely spring weather motivated us to step away from our desks and truly embrace nature.  Getting out of the office and surrounding ourselves with peaceful environments encouraged us to remember what designing holistic, healing environments is all about. 

Check out some of our favorite images from our trip to Bushkill Falls in the Poconos, as well as the Shofuso Japanese House and Garden in Philadelphia.

We loved being inspired by Mother Nature’s own art and hope you will be too!  

Bushkill Falls in the Poconos

   

Shofuso Japanese House and Garden in Philadelphia 

Madison Art travels to Ireland...

Ireland has always held a certain allure for me as one of those countries that was a must see.  The things that came to mind were always stunning cliffs, rolling green hills, and of course, the castles!  Add friendly locals and plenty of pubs and I was ready to go as soon as my husband suggested planning our next vacation destination.

As a person quite familiar with the large cities like Philadelphia and New York, the first thing that struck me upon arrival was the lack of population.  The countryside was just a scattering of clusters as opposed to dense and widespread areas of light that are common when flying over the United States after dark.  Not to mention that it put into perspective how small the country is in comparison, with the state of Pennsylvania being almost double the size of Ireland.

Once you start exploring the city of Dublin you are even more aware of the scale of Ireland's largest city.  There are very few skyscrapers in the corporate area, or huge apartment complexes fighting for the best view.  Instead it is primarily rows of quaint buildings with beautiful details and full of character.  One of the tallest buildings in Dublin is none other than the Guinness Storehouse, whose Gravity Bar provided a 360 panoramic view of the city (a must-see if you're traveling to Dublin, whether you are a beer drinker or not).

One of the buildings that stands out in Dublin's skyline is St. Patrick's Cathedral, which was number 2 on my list of must-see tourist attractions (the first being the Guinness Storehouse thanks to my love of a tasty pint).  The attentiveness to detail in Gothic architecture is awe inspiring.  Everything is hand carved and intricately designed, and you can't help but think about everything that went into its construction and all the history behind it.  It was built in the early 1200’s and is still one of the major hubs of the city.

After a couple days in the city, I was excited to experience the more rural side of the country and travel to the opposite coast.  The landscape is varied and you often feel like you are stepping back into time due to the simple and rural scenes that are common.  From the rolling pastures and the jaw dropping cliffs, there’s no shortage of picturesque landscape.  Since there are frequent rain showers, sometimes it’s all about getting the picture at the right moment.

One of my favorite parts of Ireland was how much they seem to embrace their history and the architecture that represents it.  They often let the buildings deteriorate, which leaves the landscape dotted in ruins that people work around when developing the land, unlike what is more common in the United States which is preservation.

Ireland is rich in their heritage and it is obvious when speaking to the locals how much pride they have in their country, but even more in the history of their specific origins within Ireland.  Yet at the same time, they are so friendly and welcoming to foreigners.  You can’t help but leave Ireland feeling like you’re leaving an old friend, and already planning a return trip.

To purchase any of the photos you see here or to view additional photos please contact us at: nicole@madisonartconsulting.com.

Behind the Scenes in Concept Development

Sometimes projects run through a few concepts before settling on the final design.

Featured below is a sneak peek behind the scenes on initial concepts of 2 different projects that we created in collaboration with Tantillo Architects.

Jazz Lounge in NYC

Acoustic Wall Art Panels: The design vision detailed printing a peacock image on acoustic material and overlaying real peacock feathers onto the substrate giving a dimensional feel.

Architectural Wall Art Divider: Creating the illusion of a “gold water” curtain, Madison proposed gold-tone metal wire with squares and diamonds. Mirrored diamonds could also be featured on each strip. The wire would be mounted to the ceiling and accent soffit lighting would produce a luxurious, soft glow. 

One Washington Square- Corporate Lobby

Concept 1: After meeting with Tantillo Architects, they inspired us to create a wall-mounted, metal pyramid installation with back-lighting. Light would peak through to add depth and interest. 

Concept 2: Felt wall art in a smart, sophisticated dimensional pattern. Fun Fact: Felt has acoustic qualities, as well as antimicrobial characteristics.  

Concept 3: 3 dimensional mosaic tile collage inspired by the client and architect wishing to create an optical illusion. Each 8" square tile would feature a different image that would form an overall work of art. Tiles would be mounted at different heights off the wall to add dimension. 

Below features 2 different images in the same technique and a zoomed in shot of a small section. 

An explosion shot of a small section of the overall image

An explosion shot of a small section of the overall image