first shot

I was given a sketch generated by high school folks who need some work done to create a teeshirt to raise funds for a skate park. This is the first shot against their thinking. My thinking was to get it to this place, and then look around a little. I was reading my wonderful Juxatpoz magazine, and they have a ton of articles, show notices and ads featuring tattoo graphics, and car art/pinstripers and car letterers (they have a group and call themselves Pinheads (I think)). They have some cool details (like swatches,flourishes,etc) that could be layered onto this graphic. I was thinking roses?

Also, went back to the center of the universe, Shepard Fairey (genius boy and also a creator of some pretty unbelievable skateboard graphics) to see what he would do...and first off...one color is a bit of a problem...but its Tburg and there isnt much money to do this sort of thing....However, when we get going on the final work, perhaps we work in an illustration of the boy the park is memorializing as a tribute and also because we can....Yay Shepard! Any thoughts?

Pacific Loon: first shot

Here in the scenic Finger Lakes, we have the oolooolating common loons. In San Francisco, there is the Pacific Loon, or the red necked loon. This is the pacific loon for our amusement and edification.

Toxostoma redivivum: California Thrasher

A species endemic to the coastal and foothills regions of California, this bird suffers from habitat loss and fragmentation, and to a smaller extent, pesticide poisoning. Its ubiquitous singing and foraging antics have endeared it to nature lovers.

The California Thrasher is a striking songbird with a thick, long, decurved bill; dark iris; and dark eye-line. The 12-inch long bird has orange undertail coverts and buffy underparts. Sexes are alike.

The thrasher eats beetles, spiders, and other bugs year-round, and feasts on fruits when available. This ground-feeding bird will run for cover with its long tail raised.

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Don't we all run for cover with our long tails raised? I do! Its a real attention grabber here in the hamlet of Rongovia.

just off the pen (not literally!)

Working towards something on this logo. Decided to work with grapes (wine related project) just to see how the darks and lights, the blocking of the color, the opportunities for composition would happen--and this was the result of the looksee. Just sharing.

Working my way out of the fog


Am gunning on a logo--and it has been slow to come...but I think after churning away yesterday--we may have something today! Big happening yesterday was that poor A. caught a baseball with his nose. Blood, tears...my poor little baby! More later.

one of many google monkeys to come.

Back to the Grind

Phew! meetings and meetings. Done! The picture today is Mr. Zipperhead--talking to the silence that is reinforced these days on all issues. Want to get started on an image for a "Google Monkey"--a phrase tossed out by Al Franken yesterday--to describe the people that google everyone and everything. I think I might be a Google Monkey too.

ohmigod...yet another wild night!

Another reception at the Embassy--the ever fabulous, Boy with a Fish played. Nice group of people--had some fun. Love their mid-tone drone...and the use of the moog (part of the Tburg pride as Moog had his factory H E R E).

More thinking on the protest stuff. This may have thesis potential...I am kinda on fire about this. Later.

Another Wild Night!

We went to see "Why We Fight", a startling and realistic view of the industrial military complex--and how politics, the president and cabinet, the congress, big business and the new add, the "thinktanks" are driving war and conflict throughout the world--driving US imperialism and capitalism. It is very current and a must for anyone who is confused, angry and lost in the US today. Dead on. Shocking. My daughter cried.

Saw some terrific shows at the Herbert Johnson Museum at Cornell. First off was the work of Willie Cole--an african american artist who uses irons and methods of burning as his lead technique. He burns wood, canvas and kente cloth in a very inspired and decorative way to express servitude and slavery. The work is gorgeous and very bold. He has an enormous chessboard of lawn jockeys modified to express their chess roles (king, queen etc)--also expressing tribal roles (king, queen, shaman etc). Well worth the trip to see.

Also saw a nice show on illustration and book design. Fabulous Ben Shahnprotest serigraph/poster that says Stop across the top with this wonderful ripped shape that becomes a bold and jaggety devil's head. This is really pushing my buttons because the take-away for me from the Fight movie is that so much of this insane crap going on in the government and world is truly beyond our reach. We are not being communicated to...and that our role as US citizens is to stand aside and shut up...and take the dumbed down media, stupid news, obvuscated truth--and smile....and pay the $3.00 a gallon and buy a new big dumb car. We illustrators, designers, communicators must get up off our lazy duffs and at least spend some time in expressing our disgust to begin to move the everyday headset off the big, dumb and stupid (and right wing), unquestioning idiocy before it is too late.

So to that, I am inspired to do some Ben Shahn inspired protest work and challenge each and every one of you to do the same. I don't want this to be the world we hand our children. Our work can make a difference.

Images are by Ben Shahn. Thought you should get a little looksee at what I mean--Aren't they gorgous? simple? and a straight shot?

Back from a wild night out

Well, the Hot Club of Rongovia was good and very sweet. Lively group--with many of the tried and true Rongovians doing a little guest spot singing to bring it all a little closer to home. We had drinks and chips there with a new best friend. It was great...felt like we were on vacation in our own hometown. Then, over to the Pourhouse for some music full of energy and Tburg "family".The Pourhouse group was younger and just as tight...and they were so into their work and music that the floor shook as the music rang out. It was charming with the lead violin and his inciente partner singing sweetly together while this old shrew anticipated the first year with their first. Car seats, diapers, late nights and learning what patience really is! Certainly, a lot of learning together! What a great way to go into the future, singing! It was great to have such huge choices literally within the same block.

How lucky are we?!

Rongovian Hot Foot Club


In the hamlet of Rongovia, tonight at the Embassy--the Rongovian Hot Foot Club will be performing. As noted on the site:

"free , 6-9pm , Performing classic compositions in the spirit of Django Reinhardt, originals by Dave Davies and the best of the Blues Age. Harry Aceto- Guitar Dave Davies - Guitar, Trombone, Vocals Doug Robinson - Guitar, Vocals Eric Aceto- Violin Brian Earle - Clarinet Jim Sherpa - Washtub Bass or .Bernie Upson - Upright Bass"

The Acetos are wonderful--and worth the trip--plus with all the other musicians, it promises to be great music in a small town, tonight!

Picture is a crop of a gouache sketch for my SF Saint Francis. He is very dour and inspired by the stellar byzantines. It is, however,unfortunate that he looks somewhat like Mr. Bin Laden (not a patron saint of San Francisco).

peek under the tent

The heron yesterday is a little peek under the tent insofar as work in progress. As I said before, more birds of California for the SU SF project. Got a California Quail (state bird), Brown Pelican--Blue heron in the works. Possibly a plover and maybe one more.Am concerned the critique might center around how I am knocking off Nancy Stahl--but I am not. I am working on a vector look and feel that jumps off the work done for NYC. Nancy's work is gorgeous & inspiring, but she can't be the only person to do an egret using vector work. Plus, my work may be vector, may be illustrator(flat colors)just like her, but her sensibilities and aesthetics are different than mine. I bring my own history, my experience as a graphic designer, and my me to my work. I shouldn't worry about this...and shouldn't step around doing images because someone else has "done it" before. But, I am full of insecurities around this. Hopefully, I will get over it.

Would like to do a dodo bird (as Kitty and Alex are requesting it...albeit Alex wants his to have a "Horatio Hornblower" hat and a sword with his). Nancy doesnt have a dodo.Maybe go extinct and own that? No mo' Moa..etc.

The dodo is a gouache sketch for future reference.

Another day in paradise

I love dogs...and the way they can express things that one might be reluctant to have another creature express.Brilliant day today. Saw a big fat ole turkey girl traisping in front of a bank of forsythia at the lake. Those turkeys are such ninnies...not graceful walking or when necessary, flying. Brilliant day.Going to be a bluesky week. Turkey vultures still doing their thing.

New Juxtapose is great. Was reading all the ads (my favorite) and came across the most wonderful inspiration. To backtrack a little, we saw the movie, Walk the Line, and though the movie was good...the poster was a homerun. I was jealous of the artist who illustrated itbecause it was totally dead on...Flat planes of color, could be a woodcut--really descriptive lines, powerfully simple stuff. I thought it might be the Hatch Press people (they are based in Tennesee and do some beautiful, limited edition work)...but it turns out its my new favorite guy, Shepard Fairey. Wow. And, Walk the Line was nothing compared to the body of his work (particularly the posters). See for yourself here. He rocks!

slow going

Not much going on today. Rain. Everyone off. Running the show by myself. Busy trying to keep all the balls in the air.Hope things pick up this weekend..or I might put myself to sleep. We may go to see "Thank you for Smoking" this p.m.

Spring is coming!

It was animal planet in the front yard this morning. These smarty pants deer were having a nice old time, eating whatever looked good (not close enough to the hosta to worry)-- So, I ran out on the front porch,stomped my feet and the bold things didn't even flinch. Then,I ran down the path & the four legged ones got the idea when I came within 10 feet of them that the buffet had closed. Go somewhere else for your springtime breakfast sandwich. And no, we do not throw in the homefries.

Bold as paint. Dumb as paint too.

Big nasty turkey vultures have returned and started their spring rituals in the back yard. I think they nest in some of the really tall pine trees--and caw and crow and circle until you are made crazy by it. Then, they strut around (neighbor says that they do this to dry their wings), flapping those big wings...and close enough to see their heads which look like its made of raw meat--framing their yellow, beady eyes. I think there may be a picture in there. I used to think they came for carrion, but now that we have been here for 3 winters, it seems they come for their spring holiday--to "share the love". And we do.

Avian Flu

This is an example of the 13 Avian Flu images that I did late last year. I have been alarmed by the prospect of this disease for well on a year now--and am startled with the blaise attitude the media, artists and people in general have with this threat. If it is anything like the flu that struck in the early part of the last century, it could wipe out as much as a third of the population. And, what with our being more global--where it is easy to fly from coast to coast or from country to county...if it engages...we could be looking at more. For all the flu shots and medicine we have, this is another surprise attack (a la 9/11)--albeit natural--that could level us as individuals and as a nation.

This image is called "It started with a goose"-- you get the idea. This was created in Adobe Illustrator CS1, and finished in Adobe Photoshop CS1. Hand-drawn images are merged into this design.