And The Winner Is…

Makayla Counselman!!!!!

This is a very proud moment for Project Create. After 1 month, 3 rounds, 19 submissions, and nearly 500 votes, we have finally found our official logo. AND IT IS PERFECT!!!!!!!!!!

To be honest, I lost a lot of sleep over choosing between the top two. Both were incredibly on point and completely unique. Actually, many of the designs were incredible and everyone who participated deserves a round of applause and our admiration for being so creative!!!

Unfortunately, however, Project Create can only have one logo. The decision was made based on the total number of votes for the top 2 designs (which were less than 15 apart) and bearing in mind the audience Project Create is targeting. Makayla’s design was exactly what Project Create had in mind (except we needed someone amazing like Makayla to tell us what is was that we actually had in mind…). It has the perfect combination of creativity and professionalism, and most importantly, it is approachable by all ages. Honestly, the design is better than anything I had imagined when I started this contest. Even Dolly Parton would love this design!

We not only want you to see her work but know who she is as an artist. Here is a brief bio about our winner:

Makayla M. Counselman is a visual artist and advocate for the arts. Art has always been an innate part of her being and an integral aspect of her life. Although she studied studio art and art history in college, she is self-taught in the field of graphic design. Her prior art works have been shown in shows across the United States, and her design work has been sought out by individuals and organizations from a variety of fields.

In January of 2010, Makayla moved from Madison, Wisconsin to New Orleans to work with a nonprofit organization. Because of her background in art and eye for design, she soon became the organization’s in-house designer, in addition to the original job duties. Her design work caught the eye of other organizations, and Makayla promptly began doing freelance design work around the city.

Makayla stumbled across Project Create’s logo competition with less than a week to complete a piece to submit to the contest. The image of a brush stroke was the first idea that came to her mind. This design was the third and final variation on the original brush stroke idea. The brush strokes and the paintbrush are hand illustrated.

Makayla continues to pursue her passion in the arts through seizing every opportunity presented. She is incredibly honored to have her work represent Project Create, and hopes that other artists will be as eager to seek ways to enhance their skills and to create artwork with true dedication, as she continues to be.

Please join me in congratulating Makayla, and let us know what you think of our design in the comments section. Also, stay tuned to find out what other activities Project Create has been up to lately, including taking huge steps towards forming a fiscal sponsorship!!! (In case you haven’t noticed, Project Create loves exclamation points and Dolly Parton)

The March Art March: GOOD Magazine’s 30-Day Challenge

Art is good, and everybody knows it. But taking time out to create art during a busy work week can be difficult. Trust me, I can sympathize. I work an average of 50 hours a week and I am currently struggling to find time teach myself how to paper mache a life size model of Dolly Parton.

Life goals aside, being creative doesn’t have to be a gigantic task. We can be creative every day with simple actions: doodling, trying a new recipe, sewing on a button, dressing up your dogs in business suits, etc.. The point is, most people don’t realize how easy it is to add a little artistic spice to their daily soup. That’s why I get so excited to see other people make the effort to be more artistic every day.

Check out this challenge from Senior Editor Cord Jefferson and Designer Trevor Burke of online magazine GOOD. The challenge is to be creative 31 times in 30 days with simple tasks. What’s amazing is that their 31 challenges are all things you probably want to do anyways (i.e. go to a museum, frame a picture, and even break something!!!!).

So I say its time to stand up for yourselves and GET CREATIVE. Do you have what it takes??? Be sure to check off your list and let us know about your successes! We would love to see pictures of your creations.

Thanks to my artistic cousin, invadingnola, for sharing this with us!

Some Legal Steps to Forming a Nonprofit

As I said in the beginning, this blog is meant to show you every step Project Create takes. Unfortunately, this also includes the boring, nitty gritty ones (read: anything that might require a lawyer).

Project Create’s transition from a thought bubble into a fully functioning business is a fairly complicated process. It involves quite a bit more than daydreaming about teaching Dolly Parton to paint, which I do. Daily. Alas, to ever meet Dolly, I need to take action and bring Project Create into legal existence.

 Here are the general steps Project Create will be taking to become a legal entity:

1. File Articles of Incorporation: This step is equivalent to the birth of a company. The document is filed with the Secretary of State in the state where the nonprofit will operate. In Louisiana this costs $60 for a nonprofit and usually has a 3-5 day turn around. Most states allow you to file these online and can be done in 10 minutes. When the state issues a certificate of incorporation, the two documents together give the corporation its legal existence. Information you will need: Company name, purpose, address, incorporators, and board of directors (which I will discuss in a separate post).
2. File for IRS Employer Identification Number: This is the employer equivalent of a social security number. This can be done online and is free.
3. File with IRS for 501(c)(3) status: This designation is the lifeline for a nonprofit because it gives an organization a few benefits. First, 501(c)(3) nonprofits are exempt from federal income tax. A second major benefit is that donations made to a 501(c)(3) recognized charitable organization are tax deductible for donors.  Third, many federal, state, and local grant foundations will only award their grants to organizations with 501(c)(3) status. This filing can be done online and is bit more expensive ($850). It can take up to a year for a response.
4. File for state tax exemptions: Louisiana has both state income tax and sales tax exemptions for federal 501(c)(3) recognized organizations. These filings can be done online and are free.

I will keep you updated as I complete these filings and Project Create becomes a living, breathing business. Also, look out for the next post on non legal steps (i.e. recruiting a board of directors, drafting a business plan, etc.).

The “Hold Your Horses” Disclaimer: Nothing in this blog is intended to be legal advice. If you are thinking about starting your own business, these are very important steps that should not be taken lightly. The internet is an amazing place and there are plenty of resources available on filing these documents. Please do enough research to ensure you are comfortable with the relevant legal jargon, or seek the help of an attorney.