Trusting the frail bark upon the stormy sea
With apologies to Thomas Cole
It probably doesn’t look like much from the outside, but it’s been a turbulent few months at Blue Mouse Monkey. So much has happened that my processing power got all taken up, and regular activities such as blogging got neglected. But now I’m able to stand back and review the changes from a little distance. This is the first in a series of entries about Blue Mouse Monkey’s recent evolution!
But first, some history: Since 2001 Blue Mouse Monkey grew successful making portfolio websites for creative professionals, such as musicians, visual artists, architects, jewelers, writers, and others. Those who know me know I’m not one to boast, but I must acknowledge that my educational, creative, and academic backgrounds enable a particular level of interpretation and sensitivity when it comes to presenting a fellow-creative’s work in the interactive space of the Web.
You see I didn’t come out of design school. Sure, I took plenty of digital multimedia courses to learn the technical side of web design, but what I bring to bear on every project is something no design course will teach you: A lifetime commitment to art, which includes a BFA, MFA, a career in galleries, and 15 years experience teaching in colleges in Auckland and Portland. Then there’s the BA in philosophy and linguistics, which gave me a grounding in the history of ideas, and was a unique enough combination with the art qualifications that it led me to design and teach a great deal of hybrid studio/liberal arts curriculum during my teaching career. It also means there’s a rich set of connections underpinning everything I do, along with a strong right-brain/left-brain integration.
But, as those who know me know, I’ve also had a long-standing interest in social justice. There are so many people doing such great work in non-profits, NGOs, and in the public sector, and I’ve been looking for ways for Blue Mouse Monkey to partner with them in their efforts.
In 2008 we were fortunate to be asked to create the Community Health Priorities website, whose mission is to engage Oregonians to weigh in on what it means to live in a healthy (or unhealthy) community. With an eye to the social determinants of public health, the site encourages Oregonians to participate in surveys, share feedback, read news, peruse resources, take action, and apply for grants. The opinions and other data that the site gathers helps the Northwest Health Foundation fund “upstream” solutions, develop policies, and do advocacy work.
As David Rebanal, Program Officer at the Northwest Health Foundation said, “Blue Mouse Monkey was instrumental in helping us achieve our goal of engaging Oregonians to articulate a vision of a healthier life for everyone. The CHP site has become a forum for intelligent discussion, and a trusted resource for the public and policy makers alike. Plus the data we get from the site helps us communicate public health priorities to policy makers.”
Then in 2009 we were asked to completely overhaul the Northwest Health Foundation’s main website, and it’s been an honor to continue working with those fine folks and help them do their good work even more effectively.
After these inspiring experiences I wanted to expand Blue Mouse Monkey’s range to include more organizations and groups working to create positive change in the world. At the same time, it was clear that we should continue working with creative professionals, for they do positive work, too. So after thinking about it for an hour or two or three hundred, I rewrote the Blue Mouse Monkey tagline: Ingenious websites for changemakers and cultural innovators. Ingenious because our websites are “characterized by…originality of invention or construction”, and are “cleverly inventive or resourceful”. And changemakers and cultural innovators because that’s where it all goes down.
I’ve also been getting more involved in the non-profit and civic sectors, both in the arts and social justice, by participating in Mackenzie River Gathering Foundation, City Club of Portland, and the Sustainable Business Network, and by sponsoring the Creative Advocacy Network, Illahee Lecture Series, and Orlo — just to name a few.
It’s been a great journey so far, and Blue Mouse Monkey is now partnering with some wonderful non-profits in 2010. Watch this space for a gaggle (Flock? Clutch? Slew?) of new websites to roll out during the year!