In 2009 I was very fortunate to work with some amazing companies, who understand and appreciate what goes into valuable design. With HOPE worldwide I’ve been designing to support the U.S. (now North America) Chapters with collateral marketing materials. I’ve been able to offer some unique brochure and campaign designs. In November I designed my first billboard for an Adoption Recognition Day campaign in Athens, Georgia.
I’ve also been having a lot of fun exploring my cartography techniques, creating facility maps for LinkedIn. Not only am I a contractor, I’m also a member.
These project have really been testing my technical, vector, crispy clean design skills and approach. But I am steadily laboring to find a convergence of these corporate clear pieces with a more whimsical, personal, illustrative characterization. This year I think I’ll get there, Oh I’ll get there.
I really wanted to publicly thank HOPE worldwide and LinkedIn for being graceful and appreciative companies to work for. THANKS!!
I don’t know what you see, but when I pulled out this little cosmote my friend Floyd said, “Oooh, is that Avatar!?”. This one was mostly done long before I saw the movie. Actually, the main face that gave him that reaction was cut from an old notebook and other doodles were filled in around it. But I love to hear peoples reactions to what they see in the cosmotes; especially because it’s such a subconscious exercise for me.
What planet are you on?
For a year of crisis and tragedy I can safely say that I’ve fought through victoriously and can even (already) look back with fond memories. I started out 2009 unemployed with a 5 month old baby girl. By gratitude, grace, humility and some good connections I’m now employed (doing what I enjoy even) with a 17 month old baby girl. I owe a lot of thanks to all the help from family and friends. Here’s a phoenix-ish Cosmote piece to symbolize the triumph.
This year’s professional journey took me from the daily job-hunt in my laptop outpost at Peet’s, to retrenching irrigation in my friend Anthony’s yard. As the State of California’s workforce crumbled before our eyes, the Secretary of State and her furlough rebellion found a need for me in their corporate filing unit. So I did that for 6 months. I now understand the beaurocratic, slow-moving, money-wasting nature that is state government. It’s no wonder we’re in trouble (‘nuf said).
Through it all I found myself employed by DOME, where I am now spending my days as their in-house Graphic Designer. I got to unfurl this hand-illustrated Christmas card for them this Holiday Season.
And I even received some thoughtful, creative treasures for Christmas, myself. R. Crumb’s Genesis, just released, 5 years in the making. Awesome!
and this…
…original print, invitation to the Peregryn, First Show. I can’t even begin to tell you the rarity and ancient historical significance of this little card; except that it is a Rick Griffin illustration from 1969. This was the line-up…
These gifts may have even topped last year’s frankincense and myrrh, on the specialness scale.
So… 2009? No complaints.
Happy New Year! 2010, Look Out!
Chaos Palsee!
Here’s a couple pieces of Cosmote that I swept up off the cutting room floor. There are some revelations appearing in the trims and corners of these Cosmote studies that are leading me into a new visual dimension. I’m not anticipating new scientific discoveries, but I’m excited to go down my own rabbit hole of visual language and come out with a wider vocabulary.
This man was not so fortunate…
‘Bout time I tried my hand at some Van’s SlipOn art. My friend Velasin commissioned me to attack the plain white treader. This is the result.
Our little Millie rode the wave into her first birthday. Thanks to all the family and friends that came over last weekend for our rubber duckie fiasco. Millie loved it! It was a riot watching her dig into her first little cake with strawberry frosting in nothing but a diaper. The thing I’m most happy about is that my wife and I were able to keep the little bugger alive for a whole year. And I’m definitely falling more and more in love with her.
I did the card design on a little, spur-of-the-moment Photoshop adventure with an integration of on one of Tim McKenna’s spectacular shots of the legendary Teahupoo break.
This is Chun Migal. He’s one of my co-workers with ‘The State’. He’s facing lay-offs and, after 27 years of service, is realizing that his time may have been better spent doing graffiti (or something creative) (and edgy). His realization that sometimes hard times come too easy is only his own perspective. Others had to work very hard to create these hard times for Chun. Little does he know…
My meditation:
There is a wave that appears as the wave of our life. It is ingrained with much ebb and flow that appear to have a cohesion, and a tangible, reasonable consistency. Symmetry. But behind the wave is a deeper wave that takes even more prominence, but somehow is less honored as the true wave, because of its depth. Though the deeper wave is deeper, it is still very apparent to most and leads to a greater depth; one that is not seen, only hinted to.
There are seams running this way and that; affected by and influencing the collected chaos. The collective wave chaos creates one cohesive out of many varied. Take it or leave on the day of rest.
This little, curly-q, cursive-inspired ship just sailed its way from deep in the cosomotes; from a sketchbook several years old. I’ve always thought it would make a cool little logo. I’m sure I’ll use for something meaningful some day. For now it’s just a reminder that I’ve gotta keep sailing on through the ocean of life, casting my little messages-in-a-bottle into the sea of the internet from the bow of my desk. Enough metaphor for you? There’s plenty more where that came from.
When I studied English in school and the teachers always wanted me to dredge out the “symbolism” in great English literature, my dad would always say, “There’s nothing in there symbolizing anything. Their just writing a story.”
Well let me tell you, my restless little mind finds ways to drum up metaphor and symbolism in just about anything. Sometimes I’m afraid it’s a sickness. And I know others are doing a lot of symbolizing too. Maybe pops was just trying to be funny back then. Or maybe there’s more meaning to what he was saying. Hhmmmm.
Today was my first official Father’s Day! Millie, with the help of Momma, made me some awesome gifts. An edible, Cheerio necklace to keep me energized on my big day and a shirt, made so well, I thought it was store bought. I love my creative little ladies and am feelin’ proud to be a daddy (just like the real guys).
