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Consulting and Services in Technology and the Arts

 

inquiries: marcellarose@compassroseworks.com

     

I work primarily with artists and arts-related organizations to plan & design (or re-design) their websites in harmony with the following concepts:
Web Services - Focus
  • The primary purpose of the site is communication - ease of use and intuitive navigation is critical.
  • The site reflects the artist's or organization's identity; the overall 'feel' of the site relates to a mission, a vision, the impression you wish to create
  • I design only 'simple' sites , using html (hypertext markup language) - no music, movies, flash, active server pages, etc.
  • The majority of web users really are still on dial-up connections, so busy, slow-loading sites cause frustration at best.
  • A site that is not easily (and frequently) updated loses visitors and creates a poor impression.
  • The site is designed with the end goal of allowing the client to take over site maintenance (if so desired) after brief (1 to 2 hours) instruction using perfectly suitable free software. Other than hosting fees and domain registration fees (which are very low), keeping a website current need not be a continuing expense.
  • Services can include changes to existing sites (from 'tweaking' to redesign), domain name registration, website hosting, email setup, and training as requested.
  • Work can be accomplished in face-to-face meetings, via email and telephone, in whatever combination suits the client.

Also see:

Custom Computer Comfort Training - one-on-one and small group education in select software, communication, and internet use.
Examples

A few recent designs:
Damselfly Gallery

Damselfly Gallery wanted a very simple site - only two pages - a 'cover page' and a single interior page that provides content they keep current themselves,
through the use of a Facebook social plug-in.

Gretchen Papka

Gretchen Papka played a major role in the design
of her site - collaborating on colors, graphics, and menus. She is largely responsible for the aesthetic, and my work focused on translating her vision.

Art in the Gardens at Liberty Hall

Liberty Hall Historic Site wanted a website to promote their festival - Art in the Gardens at Liberty Hall.
We worked with their event committee to develop content and present it in an accessible way,
generating a design inspired by their logo.

"The website looks FANTASTIC!  With the tiny bits and pieces of ideas and concepts that we provided you with, you were able to capture the essence of what we had envisioned.  It is exactly what we had hoped for!  Thank you!!" - Melanie VanHouten (Artistic Director - Josephine Sculpture Park and Artist Committee Co-Chair for Art in the Gardens at Liberty Hall)


Raintree Gallery and Framing

Raintree Gallery and Framing wanted a site with a split focus - directing visitors to their Art Gallery and also to their custom Framing Shop. The home page features a set of rotating images of their artists' work, linked to individual artist pages with more images and bios. The site also offers glossaries of framing terms and art terms, a schedule of upcoming events, and examples of custom framing work they've done for customers. We set them up with a customized Constant Contact newsletter, and collect subscribers from both their web page and their Facebook page.

Porterhouse

Owners of the Porter House in Midway wanted to offer their property for sale and set up a virtual tour,
providing images, history of the home, and information about the community for prospective buyers.
We promoted the site in a number of venues to expose the home to a broader market for historic properties.
A redesign example:
The Weavery
 Harriet Giles is an accomplished weaver who sells her rugs nationally. I first redesigned her site in 2006, and have been maintaining it ever since, adding new products and images, designing new graphics and color schemes. She sells her products wholesale, through interior designers, and directly to retail customers so the site has log-in capabilities for wholesale buyers. We're getting ready to redesign her menu system next.
How to Begin
  • Send an inquiry describing what you'd like to accomplish. You might make a list of websites you like, and what it is you like about them, and a list of features you want to include on your site.
  • Receive a prompt reply including current fees and suggestions for how we might work together.
  • Through email, phone calls, or visits, arrive at an agreement on the scope of the work, the costs, and the time frame for completion.