Back from a very muddy,wet and treacherous cross country invitational in tiny Marathon,NY. We passed cider mills, fields of halloween pumpkins and bright trees in the rolling brilliant green fields. Tburg came in 2nd (boys modified}with A coming in 11th. Soggy and sodden. He spent the week getting mentally psyched about this...and it was as hard as he predicted. He came in 11th. His pal Alec wiped out and hurt his delicate knee--finishing 10th. Even the girls were falling into holes, running through thigh high water without any idea what the unseen dangers were. Everyone was very full of team solidarity albeit sad as this was the end of the season.
Off we went to Greek Peak's annual ski swap. A. got a whole snowboard set up for less than $300 (all new). Wonderful clothing, helmets, goggles etc. One could buy snowshoes, cross skis and boots, skis and helmets. Getting ready for the snow season seems almost affordable versus the stabbing the ski shops give you (although it might be a season out of date). K got hot pink pants. A. got cordoroy pants and a new jacket. R. got a new jacket and helmet. They are all geared up. I have my illustrations and the pool. Something for everyone!
I was intrigued to get a big eyeful of snowboards and skiis strictly for the exposure to graphics and illustration that is so prevalent in the world of skateboards. The wild range of styles and offerings that are in the world of skateboards really isn't there. Colors are muted,dark or dun colored. Graphics are monochromatic, tone on tone or white or gold -- small without a huge impact. Very vector graphic. No one is venturing into story telling, or even big dot pattern/ Rosenquist-y billboard stuff (gigantic eyes, gigantic lips, a lipstick tube etc), or big dot pattern a la Mr. Brooks(graphic novel/comic book style). This whole thing is very anti or in the words of the Ralph Appelbaum group when we were working with them, ironic. Meaning...its not ironic...its a styling statement. Nothing blew my shorts off...unlike the skateboard world of decks and shirts and stuff. No stickers in evidence. And outside of seeing some cool stainless steel skiis...the world of skis are still in the land of pin-striping and striping...saving the cool factor for the final film treatments and embedded textures in the fiberglass on top. Colors were also dun and grey...with acid green or orange accents. Predictable.
I want to call Salomon and see if I can do some boards. Would be a rip. I wonder who I would call. Not the design department. Marketing. The king of the operation? My Lauder experience would have to add up to something for these guys. Lemme think.
As I gave a huge portion of my postcards away during the Art Trail Weekend, I ordered up 5 new cards (all from Memento Mori) to be packaged as a group (maybe with a sticker...am researching) in a blue polkadot envelope...or black or pewter (!) to be left behind and handed out when I meet people. This technique of handing someone an envelope with a present of cards is a huge impression that gave me a bunch of mileage with potential clients, and with my new design clients who love it. I am also taking little boxes of snacks (peanuts,sesame straws, sunflower seeds or peanuts,chocolate chips, raisins, craisins and apricots) in a tailored kraft box with a muted ribbon to the clients as well. I get nice notes back...and they feel as if someone cares. I do...and this is an easy thing to do...and seemingly more healthy than buying beers or taking out for a big transfat lunch. Looking forward to the cards coming. Working with PSPrint is a nice one as they have the options of a big card order (500+) or the economy order (100,200,300) for low money. If I can remember right, without shipping, the economy order of 100 cards (4cp over k) is less than $20. So..you can afford to be a bigshot. And with the stickers, the research is showing I can do that for little money too.
I was looking at all sorts of gravestones yesterday. I looked at some stones from Vermont. It was fascinating as the hand is much softer, more open and florid compared with the staunch, hard tack, hard bitten images created for the Marblehead Old Burial Grounds. Softer and almost more feminine by the Vermont carvers at the same time. Much more detail, more flowers, more scrolls and drapery. Bought a few books from Alibris and Amazon on the topic du jour. I will post when I get them.
It has stopped raining. The weather had it backwards today.
Gotta go.