I am such a squirrel


Drawing skulls of Saint Valentine like mad. Spent the better part of last evening working on a pointy one and a freaky, out of proportion one. Poor Saint Valentine...with his skull on the altar surrounded by roses in a state of dying. The smell I can conjure up of dust, italian chiese, and the wierdness the land of italo catholics surrounds itself with (which I adore) of medals, and smells, and symbols and high and low art...all in one place. Poor R. I think he thinks I have totally cracked. But the lure of ink, the line and the sharp and brush versions of pitt pens beckon. My sirens calling....not to dive deep into the water to drown...but to dive into the ouiji board of impulses and see what the "automatic writing" (as in the Shaker ladies that did that sort of stuff with their dreams) provides. There is a thrill to not knowing what your hand connected to your head will produce. Probably not good enough for prime time..but none the less, relevant to me. I have no idea which cubbie this stuff comes from. All I know is that is a rich and deep vein.

Am excited by the offerings the local Ink Shop has to offer. I sense I may (and possibly K or A or Both) may indulge. Here is a tip of the hat to the brilliant Gary Kelley--and the inspiration that both he and Whitney Sherman provided for us to think about getting the work out there in different deliverables than paintings and jpgs.

The work continues. I am possessed by octopus (octopii) in addition to the skull-duggery. Wow. Are they wierd or what?

LA over Xmas....the home team is ecstatic.

gleaned from the pile



Here are two looks at possibly how the images of the artists bump up against the type etc. One can be used in its linked state, and then for the show, pulled apart and possibly used as output on scrim banners to add texture to a show of work smaller than a bread box. The other (the janus approach) can be used as a banner but with the heads together...albeit, we could give them art for them to be pulled apart as well with quieter type that may seem more museum-y. I think I ned a little more work on both of the heads...but this is a "sketch" --and the things that make my hair stand on end...isn't noticed by the client...so I will tweak later. Good chance they will take one of these.

Back from an hour down/hour back/ hour in between to have K and A's teeth drilled, filled and painted. Am working on 3 more postcards for a client. One might be a picture made by me...the others would be a type/illo or type/photo modified thing. I would love to get them off my desk by Friday. Things cranking up a bit here... Need to pencil in the SOI LA and SOI NYC shows to make sure I get something in for those shows.

May be giving some illustration work to a senior at SU who has a nice touch that I feel my dog client will cotton to...and see what she comes up for this small job. It should be fun. Lots of potential with this client. Just need to be strategic and value added as much as possible. Lots of fun work.

Onward!


Am heads down on the book. Worked into the night last night on some skulls...and some skulls with roses. St. Valentine's skull (he was martyred by being beheaded) is pulled out of safekeeping for his saint's day, and surrounded by roses. The imagery is big...along the lines of italian saints' bones all wrapped up with golden bows in their reliquaries...wierd and wonderful.
Here's something interesting:
In the account which says the saint was the one who sent the very first valentine, he falls in love with the beautiful jailer's daughter who studies scripture and prays with him in prison. She had been blind since birth, but one day during their prayer time she is miraculously cured of her blindness. The night before he was beheaded, he sends a note of affection to her, asking her to always remain near to God and continually thankful for her healing miracle. The note is signed "From Your Valentine."

Geoffrey Chaucer's 'Parlement of Fowles' (Parliament of Fowls):
For this was sent on Seynt Valentyne's Day
Where every foul cometh ther to choose his mate.

Valentine is often pictured in icons as a bishop with a crippled or epileptic child at his feet, a bishop with a rooster nearby, a bishop refusing to adore an idol, a bishop being beheaded, a bishop overlooking a betrothed couple, and a priest giving sight to a blind girl.

He is the Patron Saint of affianced couples, bee keepers, engaged couples, epilepsy, fainting, greetings, happy marriages, love, lovers, plague, travellers, young people. He is represented in pictures with birds and roses.

Lets Go!

Amazing Amanda saw the Shady Grove portraits and is requesting a few of her Nota and Sequoia. Took some pictures this am with the hope something is there. I feel that these doggie pix will be additive with my Dog client. May need to do a random cat, llama/alpaca, horse/ hinnie...to round out the group.

Beautiful cloudless evening last night with shooting stars and flickering stars that waiver and twinkle from red to gold to green and back again. Given how exciting the stars have been recently, it wouldnt surprise me if we actually had a shot at the Northern Lights this year.

Chicken Barbeque


get ready! The First Baker Cup Chicken Barbeque Sauce Contest is on August 25 (Saturday), in Myers Park, Lansing, NY. Why is this so nice? Well, it celebrates the creative spirit of Bob Baker, former Lansing resident, Cornell professor, creator of the chicken nugget and for those around here, the sublime Cornell Chicken Barbeque sauce that one can only experience at Fire Halls and fund raisers. Professor Baker also with his family established one of the finest greenhouses and plant emporium, also in Lansing, Bakers Acres.

Water Therapy


I spent the better part of an hour and a half paddling and floating in the lovely water of Cayuga Lake...chatting with the home team, encouraging the black velvet dog to practice her doggie paddle and trying not to get hung up in the aquarium grass that has migrated from people dumping their fishtanks into their sinks and having those plants arrive in our Finger Lakes. It gets downright tall--and you can get hung up in it...my mind races at the opportunity of being brought down by the greenery and chomped by the big carp (which we can see from the dock) with their larger than life teeth. Like monsters under the bed, creating these terrors can cause one to think twice before splashing lightheartedly in the lake. Phew.

I am on full steam with the Lulu book project, the SPCA show (they need the work at the end of the month) and the group show prior to the two weekends of studio visits for the Ithaca Art Trail. So, plate is full (not to mention the work at the office). I plan on a few illustrations for some logotypes needed for the Museum and a few of the 2300˚ postcards needed in the next few weeks as well. So, illustration>> bring it on!

My Lulu book is to be a sketch development--pushing ideas around the idea of Hearts--with the working title being "The Heart of the Matter"--Originally, it started as "The Book of Love" with a a focus on Valentines (which it could still be) but it was going way sacchrine>>thus the migration to hearts so I can delve into poor Saint Valentine and his skull surrounded by roses, the purple heart etc...the sacred heart of Jesus and Mary are tempting too...I have always been fascinated and frightened by their iconography. If it goes towards Valentines, then I will print a bunch and send them to my clients for Valentines day. If it goes toward hearts...(with offensive stuff like the Jesus and Mary stuff), the edition will be much smaller. Lets just see how it develops.

Lulu quotes a perfect bound, 64 pp book, color inside with cover--50 impressions@$13.05 a pop. A singleton of the same is $14.13. The same in black in white...1 is $5.81, and 50 $4.75 @. Maybe black and white? But if I am making the effort, color might be good. This also might be a nice saleable for Ithaca Art Trail next year. Maybe I should be looking at holiday cards for printing/sale?

Feeling a bit sunburned. Anxious a bit to get back to the grind..but it will be reassuring once I have answered the emails I didnt get to on Friday and fixed a few of the little publication issues on the table that the fearless Erich was uncomfortable with.

Move forward>>

Saturday

The dinner last night was sad. Really sad. We were given a significantly smaller room--with 4 tables of eight and in the center a table of four. Someone had created a seating plan, so the whole thing had placecards etc. As we all gathered to for dinner at our respective tables, the center table of 4 remained empty. There were placesettings for the Dean, Arthur Jensen, the temporary secretary and another person from the Dean's office. No one showed. Nothing. No one.**No one from the alumni office...no one who cared beyond those who sheparded us through the maze. There was the traditional, not so good dinner served, and then the antics began.

"I'm one of the best students in my class"--Ken Hine

Ken Hine stood up, and tearfully began to wax on about ISDP Advertising, all the good from the program and how it changed lives and the world. He told us there were many things he wanted to say but he was warned not to be open about all the wrongs etc. which was good because his general pitch was depressing enough with the empty, set table in the middle of the room. Ken reminded us that there weren't even the folders with the blank piece of paper or even the lapel pins that were handed out last year. So. there was nothing to confer the degree with. To put it in the Wizard of Oz context, there was nothing to pull out of a bag to pin to your bosom. And, to be sexist about it, there was not much creative thinking about the alternatives that were all at the campus store, or Target that could have filled the role. But to give these guys credit, it was horribly consistent.

"..thinking, which is very high quality." Robert Colley

Robert Colley, the former ISDP leader from University College, (someone we don't know) stood up and talked about his love of the ISDP programs in Illustration and Advertising--and how through travel and involvement it had changed his thinking and world. I felt a bit sour as a representative of the University, this mouthing of this stuff was inappropriate as the program is in the process of major shut down--and no one really cares--down to ignoring the living.

"...you came back for information." John Thompson

John gave us hugs and said a few nice things. He was dignified and friendly. Traci Van W. gave a very cute little presentation with stick figures and pictures from our show in hand drawn frames to lead us through her narrative. Again, we were all thrilled and proud of what a wonderful person Traci is.

Only two people from the last class made it to the dinner. Nuf said.

Then the Ad folks proceeded with all the Bubbification, singing songs for Ken etc. Ken was maudlin as this was his last year with the program--turning the last year over to John Milligan. Ken proudly told us that the program had just gotten approval to have thesis defense done over the phone using "telecommunications" which would allow everyone an easy time to defend their thesis. He then continued to stick his foot into it by rambling on by name of people who were scheduled (from last year) to come to SU to defend the work but were waylaid by "whatever" and couldnt make it. The magic of telephony! He meandered to talking about the party next year etc. etc. And then there was recognition of wives and the travelling teachers and alumni who were with the Ad folks. It was sad that no one from SU management had anything nice to say about Prof. Hine--and his contribution...sad.

We covened at the bar for a bit after the dinner. John expanded on working dogs--a possible project he has (mr. Jealousy is raising his head)--which was funny listening to him expand on the topic. Darren told us medical and spa stories as K is going to start having facials as a way to manage the acne..and give her a little boost. I promised A. to Traci if she would just wait. I suggested she could be my daughter in law...with the diff of 10 years if she could wait...Lotsa laughs. Ross and his wonderful wife Heather were funny and chatty. The Williams were holding court. They are wonderful. Jen looked totally tall and beautiful--regaling us with tales of her sister who is a Civil War reinactor out of Florida. They make up fake battles just to wear the costumes etc.

And then exhaustion called. Ross will (good chance) be joining me at HAS. Traci is thinking about it. Hugs all around. And then off to dark oblivion...and sleep. The home team came for the drinks etc. complete with the black velvet dog...to enliven things a bit. Maybe hugging Shady Grove (which each of the graduating class did) was a way of conferring the degree.

Totally exhausted.

Am at the lake. Slept the better part of the day. Dinner is cooking. I am musing over my book project. The wind blows, the sky is high and cloudless. We bought a bag of the krispy creme donut peaches and box of tomatoes. A simple dinner with my favorite people will be the ticket to transition.

More tomorrow. My brain needs to stop.

**Note: Thanks to a graduating Ad student, the dinner might have not happened due to the ball being majorly dropped by the front office...but it was a save thanks to her.
A bow to her efforts.

Cowardly Lion


This program is, for me, a training up, a freshening up and as in the Wizard of Oz, the token that celebrates knowledge that is already there. The Lion, when asked what he would like as an award, he quipped, "Courage". He already had it, but when presented the token Medal celebrating his Courage--he understood the gift and could move forward with the knowledge and confidence in his courage. Like the lion, we too, are realizing something that has always been there...twisted and turned for us by the teachers, the professionals and the travel. I plan on wearing my badge of honor with pleasure. The next step will be more than the confidence in being able to create an image...

Whitney Sherman was great. Really great. I loved the fast paced projects that forced everyone out of their respective corners. Every CD was good, every multiple panel job was good. She is very prepared and organized, very articulate and not shy to share every and anything she had/ knows to the students. She is constantly thinking and working, focusing on her students and the projects. She is extremely realistic about the world of illustrations with her focus on non-direct illustration related jobs and projects. She is also not spreading the good news about the life one can make in the world of editorial and book jacket cover illustration. She is focused on personal branding, entrepreneurial behavior, spinning your work into another dimension(ie "this Monkeypus is a great character, why don't you make a stuffed animal of it?"). Good thinking during this time. The industry needs to change it's thinking before it is eliminated. If we can turn our sights, there is plenty of work out there. Whitney is a beacon for change, careful thinking and study, and a positive force for students of all ages and experiences. She was SU's graduation present to ME.

Note:
Illustration West 46
Society of Illustrators Los Angeles
Deadline: September 17, 2007
(Terry Brown recommends)

The Society of Illustrators Annual Show
Submissions due October 1, 2007
(paperwork not distributed yet)

More later on ICON

MA Day

The work is done. The paper presented. The show completed. All that needs to happen is the work is taken down and the "elegant" dinner at the Sheraton. My brain is marinating over the work from yesterday, the promise of the book (Whitney's assignment that both Traci and I are going to do--albeit as graduate girls) and think that I may do something with valentines, hearts etc. and mesh my desire to do a bunch of vector illustrations of the bluebird of happiness, sailor's valentine, saint valentine etc...and sketch and draw alongside the vector stuff to stretch the work to at least 32 pps. Maybe "The Book of Love"? Would make a nice client valentine--So I am way charged. I can also make up a ton of clippie illustrations (like the butterflies from the papillon picture) to create patterns etc. to knock into the layouts as well. This approach seems to embrace more of me--from the drawings to the vector stuff I don't want to leave behind...but mix and blend with. Both approaches have value...and this new thing takes the slash look/feel to a fresher, wider place. So...away we go!!

Roger DeMuth is inspiring due to his energy, his production methods (letterpress, 4 over 4 printing, die cutting etc.). He creates this funny art boxes (case bound) with little boxes and bottles inside for his al fresco work, for his work on planes etc. He has embraced the computer--and generates tons of patterns and pattern books for merchandising...with his work in black in white being very striking..and very merchandisable. He had case bound boxes of little houses. He had big dollhouses in papers. He has complete stationery sets with pencil cups, etc. that are striking, sophisticated and works with a broad range of stuff. He has got something going on..not sure about the wild presentation...lots of laughing, joke making--but he seems to genuinely love his work and projects is. I am inspired by the sheer volume at a very high level. If I were a student interested in children's books, or character creation, I would spend some time with Roger as he understands the "legs" that illustration can have, and the decorative qualities of illustration. More to learn from him.

The burly men surrounding the Williams brothers last night were many of Richard's tango buddies. They loved the work...and it was great to see Richard's alternative family. The advertising folks who were at the show saw my notebooks wanted to know why my work didn't look like the notebooks. What's to say? Is there a message there? Also, a pal of mine wanted to take output of the Whitney stuff to show to some art directors at his agency for a possible project on the table. Imagine! More reason to draw all the time. Maybe knock out some different skull stuff (people love it)--to have developed that a little further. Our show didn't have the energy of last year's show--not the troops of people, no attendance by anyone from the Deans office, not a lot of families.

So, in place of melancholy, and in place of my continuing to kick myself in the head...the horizon is much wider today. I have work to do--drawings to make, ideas to think about, projects to do and a focus to develop as the future is bright for illustration. Hartford awaits.The orange experience is almost done.

Promises to rain and be cooler today.

Ain't life strange?




My eyes are shutting due to the illustration party I threw last night, all by my lonesome. Really energizing time with Whitney--and I am off on a new tangent that somehow is frightening but the right thing as I depart the land of the ORANGE. The kick in the booty is taking advantage of the wealth of my sketchbooks, the new vector point of view and the merging of textures--both hand drawn and photoshop manipulated photos. I am on a whole new tangent. This accordion folded project was an impressive project--everyone rose to the occasion-- and the work had some magic in it..matter of fact, for some, it was the best work they ever had done. In 24 hours, there were fresh ideas--some of them progressive, narrative stories, some of them moments in time, others experimental using the xerox, and xerox tricks to move the work somewhere. Next step is 8-12 new images (this is for NYC), expressing a personal "look book" which could be anything from a progression of work, a work process/methodology, or random topics...it can be comprised of sketches and/or finished work, and/or inspiration or writing etc. etc. The work needs to be delivered as a Lulu book>

Lulu (or Blurb)is a network of on demand printers that can deliver black and white or color books(hardbound, perfect or wire bound)--also comic book (newsprint) books either as a one off or more. Relatively quickly turn around. Provided as a pdf (Adobe InDesign)--etc.Not only will Lulu create the books, but they also will market etc. Whitney showed us 4-5 different books her students created--and the color is acceptable quality color--and definitely "real". One of Whitney's students created a screenprinted dust jacket and screenprinted vellum pages that were tipped into the books that were created by Lulu. Another student embellished the book by enclosing it in a custom envelope with art letterpressed on the envelope along with reinforced holes with a ribbon binding/bow. This really looks like fun for me. I am thinking of a book of random images with recipes from the Luckystone Kitchens with nice quotes from the past year from the blog. Maybe a wrap cover from the epson...Or maybe a bird book with quotations..? There are 22 bird images...which with quotes etc...could easily do 32pps or a little more.

Whitney's books were 3 student books (one a children's book, one a recipe book, the other an art book) along with a book of personal photographs with derivative typeface (by Whitney) recapping the french month she spent last year and a book of student work from MICA of the Katrina work done for the Wendy Popp illustration initiative for Katrina. Very polished and refined. Nice typography--a museum catalog at a discount. Inspiring. These students have the world at their fingertips. Think of all the opportunities with the bookmaking.

Now, my notebooks make more sense. I am jazzed about them again. My work is not ridiculous and the notebooks stuff does not have to be held to the chest (at least not as tightly) as there ia wealth of personal scrap work right there. Now, how to build a few bodies of work--with and without color. The vector time has been worth it. And what about printing/engraving/ etc. How does this filter in? I am leaving Syracuse with questions. No answers. I would say worth the past two weeks of work. This will keep me pushing until Round Two begins.

We had a talk by Roger DeMuth. He is a lot like people I know. He is a Mr Make It-He can bookbind, garden, illustrate, comp, print on a letterpress, illustrate etc. No shortage of energy and talk. He merchandises his work--and is conscious of all of that...(reminder, need to go to the Merchandising/Licensing Show @ the Javits to understand what all that is about). His work is very antiquitites inspired, typographic conventions inspired, in the world of the original "MacKenzie Childs"--with pattern, color, William Morris etc. all folded into a children's book whimsical style. His energy is infectious. He is prolific and is probably an inspiration to the undergraduates. I have a bunch of notes.

Our opening was semi quiet. SU did a nice job...but tranquil with only 5 of us graduating. It is def. that next year's class will not have the SUArt Galleries or the Lubin House as they are both scheduled for rennovations. John will need to get creative with this.

Tomorrow, more work on the future book...drawings. And, the packing of the work (and moving to the hotel room. We have a dinner and then farewell.

I think I have had enough. I am wasted....and lost. I think I got my money's worth this session.

A reminder to me, I need to talk a bit about Whitney's sketching out of the possible feel and what's fixed for ICON 5 in NYC>

More later.

One down, one rushing





We all got the CDs to the crit by 10 this morning. After a little talk etc.until 11, we were then assigned this project: Create an eight paneled, accordian folded book (either 6" x9" or 7.5" x7.5" --lulu.com formats) that are autobiographical. We were to interview each other and then after the art history time, we had the afternoon to essentially draw and noodle and doodle to then construct these pages. All due by eleven tomorrow a.m. Its late here. I need to sleep. I have done around 6 of these things (mainly rendered in the ever wonderful Dr Martins Black Star Matte on weighty trace(dreamy)--and then worked on in illustrator/photoshop. I will talk a little about Whitney's coaching and words of wisdom tomorrow.

shorty

Just a note before I forget. Terry Brown is using Keynote and loves it. Whitney has discovered the benefits of using the Macintosh "Preview" feature to give a slide show. It can do some cool stuff ( like show thumbnails of all your images on the screen at once that one can select an image from and it zooms up (kind of like the way the faces of albums zoom up from flipping them in itunes). It looks good, its built into Macs and it's pretty generic (assuming you are bringing your own computer etc.).

Need to google this to get more information on this one.

More later. Need to move.

Single Day Project


To design and illustrate a CD (all graphics and type) for a CD we each were to bring to the class. Only big requirements...One color, black and white xeroxable. Had some fun fiddling with the type and monkeying with a photograph which seemed to be okay with Whitney. The crowd was grumpy with this project except for the two of us who come from a graphic design background. I like the way the type is looking.

Whitney presented her work, her viewpoint and her hopes for the MICA program under her direction. What is great about Whitney as she is constantly changing and growing, shedding a former skin as she moves forward and all builds one idea on top of the last. She had a lovely month in France last year--under a MICA managed program in France that she encouraged all of us to apply for. The work she accomplished was beautiful and thought provoking. I am very inspired by her as an artist, a person with lots of gumption and brains with a lovely personality and sense of humor. Her strength and opinions should hold her in great stead with her work, her students and her passions benefiting from her energy and intelligence. Whitney Sherman has been a terrific add--finally a thinker that lives beyond oil painting for all of us...not to denegrade the unbelievable Gary Kelly.

There is a lot of talk about the class behind us having their show in NYC during ICON. It worries me as the messaging seems rather wierd...somehow celebrating the knife being stuck in the 28 yr progression of illustration study (ISDP) at Syracuse--with 4 future graduates that might not be as strong a group as there have been in the past. I posed that to John T. and he blew it off as it it was of no import to him. I pushed him to say, that it might reflect badly on the institution or even his undergraduate program...and he again, said it did not affect him. Whoa. I cannot control this, so I need to let this go. It freaks me out a little--it somehow feels sad and tacky at the same time.

More later>>