The Jumbles

My day has been a strange jumble. It's interesting how events, tied with memories, make each day so different from the last, even in the life of someone who is married to the same person for years, goes to the same job, stores, TV channels… Recombination of life's elements results in something new.

This makes me think that if I put the same elements of a collage together twice (on different days), it would look completely different… from itself. I just blew your mind! Collage is different from other art in that you have to take what you're given, which should make it a more accurate reflection of real life. Or does it?!!? You tell me.

Sparklepuss, paper collage, 11x15" $49 with frame

Outfitt This

I was reading a friend's blog today. She smartly observed that Urban Outfitters, and 'fauxtiques' like it, tout being indie retailers when they are in fact selling mass-produced, foreign-made items. While I have some smarmy things to say about hipsters and stores who market to them, I'll skip to the major point:

If you're going for individual style, why buy something that's mass-produced? This goes for all art that surrounds your life––clothes, accessories, jewelry… ARTWORK.

Hipster reasoning would drive you to buy art so you could tell people you bought art (deck!). And, of course, supporting local art makes you a better person. Or you could buy art just because you like it (and you're tired of the same old IKEA prints).

These are fun––Acrylic on canvas, 16x24" (top) Blue Me Over & Red My Rights $59e or $79pair (bottom) Arbutus & Tussuck $59e or $79pair:

The Arbitrary Countdown Begins!

Nine days! Nine days until the big art show… I really need to put my thoughts in order. Have you ever been excited about something to the point that you are distracted from actually working on it? I hope you thought, "Yes," even thought you mouthed, "that sounds irresponsible." I promise to have good food, drinks and other killer elements ambiance to round out your enjoyment of the show. And even if you can't come, order a piece and add a little ambiance to your house.

Did I mention that I'm not the only artist at this show? Lolita Martucci, a brilliant oil painter, will be showing off her land- and city-scapes, and a few abstract things as well. Keep checking our FB event page for more sneak peeks of her stuff.

One of my favorites, the large piece above, is "The Leaving Song." Acrylic on canvas, 24x36" $99

If you're a little less traditional, check out "Obsidian" and "Pyrite." 12x12" $$49e or $57pair






















Or "Gum" 14x11" $49




Check back tomorrow for more!

Terrible Blogger

Boy, a year's gone by with no time to write! Since my last post, I've been creating new headers for Holland Cox and an updated look for The Firm DC's production of The Vagina Monologues. And of course worked my day job, which involves trying to get to Arlington without flex time, trying not to eat other peoples' yogurts or Lean Cuisines, and repeatedly explaining the difference between JPGs and EPSs. However, I occasionally throw some design out there, including NACAC's media kit.

I had some down time after all that, so instead of enjoying doing nothing, I immediately agreed to do an art show with my friend (and coworker) Lolita for the Century 21 realty offices in Courthouse (Arlington, VA). Instead of writing more (and risking increasing use of parenthesis), I'm going to post some of my work in the next few weeks.

Lolita and I both hope you'll come out for our free show on June 24! More info here. If you'd like to order anything, email me at infrared.creations{at}gmail.com




accidental genius
behind the
mirrors
$39 or $79three
8.5x11" paper collage, frames included

Rise and Shine

Tomorrow Starbucks is giving away a free coffee to anyone who brings in a reusable container. I was thinking of bringing in an empty milk-jug just to see how they react. Anyway, props to StarCo for making people environmentally aware by giving them free coffee. If I liked plain Starbucks, I'd be there, but without milk, syrup and sprinkles, this free offer is tantamount to offering me a shirt with no sleeves or collar, in a fashionable white. Sure it's a free "shirt", but am I excited about it?

As I commute to work, I've noticed that there are more and more ads for breakfast options. 7-11 has a breakfast sausage quesadilla that they claim is "flat and easy to eat." Boy is this country getting lazy… elongated holding and over-chewing of foods is just too much trouble. Forget cereal! For the more flavor-conscious (and wealthy) breakfaster, Panera, to keep with our "Mexi-fast" theme, now offers a jalapeño & cheddar bagel breakfast sandwich. You think the title has enough words, but they've left out some key ingredients: a sheared (like a sheep?) egg and smoked ham. And let's not forget our favorite creepy mascot's, Burger King's king, recent theft of a McDonald's classic, the sausage McMuffin. They've copied it (can you patent a sandwich?) and are selling it for less. I couldn't care less about this sandwich (why would I eat an English muffin when the establishment is dripping with biscuits?), but I am curious about the fallout. Blogs are asking, "Should McDonald's strike back?!" I suppose they are suggesting that MD steal a BK item and do the same. Grimace speeds away with a Whopper Jr. under his arm…

Funnel cake sticks are an item that should be more widely available to the public, but what I really want from McDonald's is for them to mix breakfast in with the rest of the daily menu. I want a Big Mac with biscuits for buns, orange juice and fries that are battered in the crust of the hashbrowns. Is that too much to ask?! They could also toss a banana into one of those McFlurries and call it a "morning dessert." Thank you for your applause; I've always been a marketing wizard.

Speaking of marketing, over the years I have realized that often times, departments, clients, etc. are apt to want new and glorious designs for everything, even when the pieces are in the same campaign. It can be hard to steer people away from the notion that recognizable may be more communicative than shiny. Audiences are too busy to take the time to inspect all aspects of a marketing message, but if they receive something and recognize the brand, they will most likely react by saying. "Oh yeah, I remember that X is offering Y. I'll sign up…"

This technique also makes things easier for the project manager, the writer and the designer. When things need to be changed to fit target audiences, communicate another set of information or catch attention, the work is minimized, and delivery can be more timely. At NACAC, I wrote and designed a membership piece with elements that can be changed/moved when needed without much effort for those involved:

Attention-grabbing headline

Photos that relate to audience

Header that applies to them

Details

Benefits/features

Contact info

If BK can repurpose a sandwich, we can certainly repurpose elements of a campaign… I'm getting hungry.

Okay Okay

I guess I can't use the excuse that I'm busy with the play anymore––it went off very well, by the way, we raised about $2500 for our charity. The Firm is considering our next project, thinking along the lines of the 3-Day or something similar.

Meanwhile… design-land is wonderful and I'm happy to have a new freelance job with My College Guide, a magazine for students. I've written for them before. The day-job is rolling along… just finished some logos for the national conference in NO:

What I've Learned About New Orleans so far:

• They are very into St. Louis, which is confusing because our conference this year is in St. Louis. Which city gets to claim ownership of this 796-year-old (wish him a happy birthday on the 25th!) crusader and patron of the arts? (Where's my king-patron?!!)

• The ingredients to gumbo are depicted in the food logo, sans one main ingredient: sausage. I hope you can understand why I left out the sausage without me going into a lengthy explanation… and while we're on the food theme, may I say it's difficult to make a beignet look like anything but a small, yellow-white pillow.

• The population in general has an aversion to water… strange! Seriously though, I was told explicitly not to use a "rebuilding theme." As if I would submit something like this:

• They think the Fleur-de-lis is all theirs. This may be true in the US, but anywhere else in the world it summons images of French monarchs with really big, white wigs.

I'm looking forward to visiting the area in 2011––I've never been, but I tend to enjoy cities that allow me to drink in the street.

The Vagina Monologues

I'm getting excited for our production of The Vagina Monologues! I've never been this involved in the theatre (besides having to go to just about every show in college thanks to having to actor roommates)… and it's a challenge, but great fun to have creative control over the marketing pieces for the show and the logo for the group that's putting it on.

I'm still working on some materials and will post shortly.

We've rescheduled auditions for Saturday, Feb 6 at 3 pm at the Cleveland Park Library. Stop on by!