Overview

The Green Velvet ChairSometimes Inspiration Comes from the Most Unlikely Places Inspiration is all around us-waiting to be captured. Art is everywhere too-not only in museums. Art is in food, music, nature, and so much more. Inspiration enables each of us to become artists in our own way. Laura Ballerini is a designer who started much of her creative journey at The Calgary Herald. She now owns her own digital design boutique and seamlessly weaves together an unlikely array of stories about her inspiring mother, museum visits, online shopping, designing in the dirt, and many other adventures (including a visit to Graceland). Some of these essays are funny, some poignant-all are memorable snippets of universal experiences meant to spark our awareness and awaken us to the rich fields of design all around us. Ballerini's stories encourage the reader to embrace the following: Appreciate art and design around you. It's everywhere including how we dress, talk and interact with the world. It's not just a painting hanging in a gallery, it's also the leaves hanging on a tree and the necklace around our neck. It's arts and crafts, music, dance and so much more. Find your own creative outlet. We are all gifted. Albert Einstein was a brilliant musician; Louis Pasteur a talented painter. But they were known for their skills in math, physics and chemistry. Honing our creative thinking makes us better in all aspects of our life. Nurture our own inner badass-not by riding a motorcycle with leathers and a bandana but by standing up to the bullies; having the confidence to say ""Yes, I can"" when the world says ""I don't think so""; and losing your inhibitions on the dancefloor at the family wedding! Life is short and we need to bravely embrace all aspects of our creativity. The essays span over Laura's 40+ years in the design industry and are viewed through her unique creative lens. Her discovery: We are all artists in our own unique way-in the kitchen, in our gardens, and in our relationships.

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9781068989513

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""What's the definition of a badass? Someone who is tough, uncompromising, and intimidating. Laura Ballerini, the author of The Green Velvet Chair, is two-thirds badass. Read her book to find out which two. Through her collection of essays in her debut book, Ballerini invites us to experience how art and design can influence everyday life. With personal reflections that will make you laugh and cry, Ballerini recounts her early days as a designer for a big city newspaper, shares worldly travel anecdotes and family tales that we can all relate to."" - Allison McGee ""Ballerini's writing style is excellent. Engaging. Each word and paragraph draw me to the next word and paragraph. The images that her words create are vivid. The stories are wonderful. I didn't know about The Sphere in New York City that stood between the North and South Towers. I looked it up, and I loved the sculpture and the story behind it. I also didn't know what a Callery Pear tree was and the incredible story behind it. This piece is amazing. "" - Jeff Nelson, President, Anduro Marketing ""The timeliness of the pandemic stories made the book very current, and these chapters resonated deeply with me. Another aspect of the book was that Laura's ""work"" was blended into every aspect of her life...She isn't a designer for 8 hours, then goes home and becomes a 'non-designer.' Laura is a designer through and through. Her creativity doesn't stop when the workday is over."" - Caran Magaw, Artist ""Loved the Graceland and Red Crayon chapters. I could feel Laura's anxiety coming off the page. I connected with that feeling of not being in control."" - Dana Goldstein, Author of Murder on My Mind ""The storyteller hits it straight on. Sharing her life stories brings us to a place of our own. We can truly see the passion Laura Ballerini brings to the page of her life experiences with humour, compassion, creativity, and love. LOVE to read ""real life"" stories that I can relate to. I enjoyed each chapter as it exploded with a different story. Tying each precious chapter into her work as a designer brings the stories to life. I think we can all find a chapter or two that will bring us back to the 'good ole days'!"" - Brenda Sevick ""An original piece of art. Laura Ballerini generously shares her experiences in life. She has described her experiences of art and design in a most unique way. Heartwarming stories of her and her loved one's creativity and talents. The artist is a gifted individual who is able to capture her audiences with her storytelling. She conveys touching tales about her mother and mother-in- law. Having known them personally, I would say they were described to perfection. I could clearly see the green velvet chair and the smoking. In fact, I have seen both. The green velvet chair is a true testimony of the writer's mother. This book immortalized hard work, dedication, and perfection, which, simply put, is Laura's greatest creative self. And yes, she is a BADASS."" - Lindsay Walters

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