On the road

Will be doing a little travelling today to see my pals in Corning. Big meeting day tomorrow too. Need to get the intrepid Erich loaded up to keep forward motion on all of the things that have surfaced.

Mr Palmer made great progress yesterday. Today, it's crush and run...crush and run and topsoil "sprinkling" as he said early this morning. He was shocked that here in sunny Tburg we didn't have the solid frost and ice on the windshields like he had out at the office. It will be nice to have the new driveway finalized and changing the way people approach the house.

Reading a bit in Graven Images--learning a bit about the transformation of the european cherabim into the soul effigies or heads/ heads with wings that are realized in these early colonial gravestone images. These heads are either simple and articulated or stripped down to a few lines with eyes, nose and mouth reduced to basic geometric shapes. Fueling the fire.

The prelim lulu book part two is being shipped. We should see how the crown quarto shape works out. Another thing to think about is that our friends at PSPrint is having a sale on folded greeting cards. For example, a folded 10"x 7" (finished 5" x 7"0--250 cards printed four color one side, or four color over one--$96. Not bad.
May send them some images from Memento or some of the birds. New chicken still in the works. Need to get back on the chicken...need to do at least a dozen.

more later>>

Big, bad, dozer man

Mr. Frank Palmer arrived this morning with a smile on his face and a bounce in his step to begin the two day odyssey to create a new driveway with new crush and run, and a new place for my team to park (also crush and run). With him he brought a big dump truck and two big dozers (one a bucket truck) and the great earth moving and digging begins. And they are at it...to every ones delight! The ground is still very pliable as the freeze has not set in...only two nights of cold--albeit we will not have a good shot at growing grass before the snow. But, I could be wrong. Grass seed can surprise you. Mr. Palmer was effusive about the soil he had "back at the office" which we could use to supplement ours if we needed it. Given how jazzed he was about this dirt, I would like to say bring it on...just to see what good really is.

Am on a mission to write a lot today. I've got some proposals to put out which I have been mulling over as each new idea or job is distinct and demands its own approach. I used to think that if you had a nice boilerplate that you could plug numbers into--that would be the solution. But it never is. This document will have a verbal description of what we would like to do along with a diagram with decision diamonds etc. to graphically make a snapshot of our thinking. I don't know if I will personally be able to propose this, so the document needs to do all the work. Plus, another toughy is that the folks interested in the work may not have a good handle on how much this stuff really costs. I want to propose a value solution without going so cheap I devalue my own work before I even start. I often end up feeling this was as I want to price according to minimum, and to some degree invest in a possible long term relationship. Urg. The stuff they don't teach you. Onward. I think I will start with the chart. Seems like the simplest thing to do first.

Was at the House of Health this morning with all the Russian ladies. What are Russian ladies? They are the stocky ladies in dark swim suits that wear entire head covering bathing caps, dark swimming goggles and all assume this stance when observing the pool. They are ageless and all the same in this rig..and they get in the pool and swim like maniacs. I call them Russian ladies as a bow to the National Geographic articles I read growing up about Russia and what the Russian people are like and what they do. Inevitably, there were pictures of ladies at public pools, outside swimming in the rivers in the winter or something of that ilk...and they all had the Russian lady look. Dourly sizing up the situation with arms akimbo, legs apart, with no expression and the headgear/suit combo that doesn't let any of us know who she is...a swimming version of the burka. I love watching them. Who knows...I might become them.

More later>> must get to my charts.

Who would have guessed?

as part of the "visit Pittsburgh irregularly, and discover what is good about the place" insight:

Pittsburgh is a bakery place. A place with the corner store having a bakery near by from the Patty Cake Bakery in Bloomfield, to Prantl's on Walnut Street in Shadyside to the magnificent Waldorf Bakery in Squirrel Hill. There is always a place nearby with high transfat sugar cookies, decorated within an inch of their lives, miles of cookies extruded out of a gun, sprinkled and dolloped and decorated with sparkling sugar or little blurps of colored goo, endless trays of sticky buns, tea cookies, small cakes, cupcakes, petit fours or iced swirly cakes that look like a fixed version of a soft serve cone. There are pepperoni loaves, cheese loaves and bread dyed in every shade of the rainbow for tea sandwiches. Prantls is known for their alligator shaped bread along with snakes and turtles. Prantls is known for their absolutely scrumptious burnt almond torte...a stellar Pittsburgh culinary moment equal to a Primanti capicola, egg and cheese sandwich with coleslaw and fries under the top piece of greasy bread. A true show stopper (and a heart stopper, too!).

So, visiting Pittsburgh for the wedding of the decade (they served burnt almond torte and klondikes!!) we discovered the fabulous Oakmont Bakery.No end to cookies, cupcakes, minicakes, and tons of wedding cake examples with my favorite having the wedding vows transcribed on the verticals of each level in brown and accented with leaves. They had endless cakes and cakes decorated to be other things like bright orange pumpkins, steelers logos. You get the jist. More crisco than you would know what to do with. Amazing. I will take pictures over thanksgiving. It is way too wonderful.

Monday Mori

Back to Memento Mori. Released a sample to Lulu to see how the new size was working. Am changing over to the Crown Quarto size (wider and a bit taller than the 6 x 9 size). I did something new with my layout. I worked in InDesign as spreads, then released the spreads in the document setup page prior to setting up the acrobat document. I worked in the actual size and then changed it (again in document setup) by expanding it with the bleeds--and tweaking the image area with the bleeds before creating a pscript file). It worked like a charm...unlike the last book. Also created an 8.5" x 11" color pub for a sample to look at color, screens, type sizes and weights with the digital production. We saw some little dots etc. with the all black work...It will be curious to see how that all resolves itself.

Back on Graven Images too. Lots on colonial belief in guardian angels and bad angels. Whoa.

the 'burgh

There is a bleakness to Pittsburgh that becomes apparent when you don't visit for a while. A dullness, a greyness, everything verging towards the middle...no sharp contrasts from the way people live, to the industrial landscape that rots versus other types of architecture that inspires. The people live in clusters from tiny little brick houses piled one on top of the other craning for a view of the river or the road from those without much to those with quite a bit...the brick houses get a bit fancier and the yards a bit bigger...but not in a hugely contrasty way. There are piles of stones--massive public buildings that are tidy and maintained all clustered together in a very heroic and monumental way that go on for blocks--becoming museums and hotels, universities and hospitals and then abruptly, smashed right into that explosion of public buildings and works is another clustery pile of little houses that tumble into the hollows or climb the hills out of the valley. Vestiges of steel rolling plants rust by the railroad tracks which claim the most beautiful views the city offers versus those who need nature to continue to be inspired, to see glimpses of the valley that the early settlers saw, loved and lived in. Endless bars with no windows, strip clubs and dirty store fronts that offer little enticement to spend your money to embellish yourself or your little house, to distinguish yourself from the others. Little in the way of trees, places to walk or much else. Just a grey, beigy, pall.

Makes me happy to be back on my plateau.

Three weddings in Heinz Chapel

My cousin Liz married Charles Altman in Heinz Chapel in 1976 (seen above). Her daughter, Sarah married Brian Bumstead yesterday in Heinz Chapel(photo at absolute top 02.14.08--what a total valentine for all of us!!). Her mother, my aunt Jean (seen below), was married as the first bride to have this privilege in 1946. There was a story in the Pittsburgh Post Gazette yesterday to flesh it out. The New York Times had this to say about that>>

Jean Eddy Succop and John C. Succop walk down the aisle of Heinz Chapel after being the first couple to marry there in 1946. Their daughter, Elizabeth Altman, was married there in 1976 and their granddaughter, Sarah Altman, will be married there today.

It was a lovely wedding with happy people, jolly cousins, lots of music from bagpipes to a R and B Tribute Band all at the Soldiers and Sailors Hall...a wierd amalgam of civil war styling and architecture. We had a terrific time albeit with bookend long drives. Back to Pittsburgh for Thanksgiving...so the speediness of the visit was not too bad. Loved seeing all my cousins and their offspring. It is curious to see the faces of one's grandparents and uncles and aunts peering out of faces of the next generation. Almost a little spoooky...but cool nonetheless.

IF: (tip of the) HAT

"A politician should have three hats. One for throwing into the ring, one for talking through, and one for pulling rabbits out of if elected."
Carl Sandberg

This next week, please vote.

November 1

Hardly feels like it. Was an early evening last night...with a bit of candy left over, all the lumieres extinguished and pumpkins drying out. The party is over. Lots of cute kids--even the teenagers. Lots of neighbors stopping by to say hi. It was fun.

Being considered for a nice big job with a significant college at Cornell--with lots of brainwork and guidance, pure consulting that could evolve into a bunch of design and communications. I am going to need to find a handful of writers as this may be needed sooner than later.

Possibly may be visited by a local gallerist who was unable to make the Art Trail weekends. "We're always looking for new people". We'll see.

gotta go.

Sugar coated mourning

Perfect day for costumes and gummy eyeballs. We carved and changed the lightbulbs until late last night. We should see around 300 kids between 5:30 and 9. I have a new girl friday from the source of all good workers, the high school, coming this p.m. Her first new assigment is to fill 100 paperbags with a scoop of cat litter and a tea light. Then place them...and at around 5:15--lighting time. Also, there might be some raking to add to the jumbo composter we have. R. checked it the other day after loading it with leaves and that baby was literally smoking. Hot compost!.

Just started the Ludwig book.The book was written in the sixties as a graduate thesis that got funded and we now have this invaluable reference. I love what he says about the context of writing this book:

"The sixties were, among many other things, a time when high art finally succumbed to low. All kinds of objects crept into the museum, which were previously banned by the keepers of the gates. The very definition of what was art was challenged by the likes of Johns, Rauschenberg, Lichtenstein, and Warhol. Most universities were often far behind the museums in their willingness to accept these new developments. Cultural history in general and art history in particular were based on the trickle down theory. According to the mantra of the day, culture flowed from the top down. At the bottom of the barrel, below quilts and samplers, lurked kitsch."

"I stumbled into what was then considered the chaos of low culture when I got lost on the way to an outdoor pig roast and found myself looking at the Thomas Cushman stone of 1727 in Lebanon, Connecticut. I remarked at the time that it looked like the kind of stylization that would have appealed to Paul Klee. The more I discovered, the more I became convinced that here was the early religious art of New England."

This was the beginning of his journey. We will share it together.

This is your treat. No tricks here.

The Bible for Gravestones

I was surfing around and this name, Allen Ludwig kept popping up. Mr. Ludwig photographed a huge portion of the important stones and the key to learning about him was through a university library website and the collection of originals that they have of his work. So, off to Alibris and then finally to Amazon to type in his name and find out that yes, his work and writing have been published as a book,
Graven Images, New England Stonecarving and its symbols, 1650-1815
Looks like I have something to read. Really Read. Jam packed with reference from very primative stuff, to portraits with lots of information on carvers, geography, art, handbills of the time. Sets this funerary stuff in the social context of the time.

day before the candy

I wanted to show you one of the Vermont stones...very feminine and florid. Look at this square jawed preacher. So proud with the set of his mouth, the vacant eyes, the square jaw and the funny hairdo (maybe you can't see) that consists of a band around his head with two little bumps on either side (in the vicinity of the eyes) that I think is either a wig or a colonial do. And those wings? Wow.

Did 8 death heads inked in circles yesterday. Going to keep rolling with that and see where it goes. When I am in the automatic writing mode...things can get interesting. Need to keep an eye on reference or things go off the rails. I was thinking of skeletons masked or in clothes. Funny thing, the more I think about adding that type of detail it either becomes halloweeny or day of the dead-ish...and off my focus of remembering one's death/or one's mortality. Adding clothes and masks make the topic go silly.

Lots to do today with driving in between. Holidays with the new client. Tee shirts and brands for the Museum. Posters and newsletters for the big client. We are busy...and with the add of Halloween, the wheels are rolling.

More later>>

first frost

Frost on the pumpkins. Serious hard frost. So, we are officially pointing towards the cold weather. Brilliant trees, brilliant blue skies.

Bought five big $3. pumpkins and 4 $2. pumpkins from the famed Brownies farm stand south of Jacksonville on my way back from swimming at the House of Health. The Brownie empire had the pumpkins arranged by size and thus price...in the front yard...gloriously bouncing off the blue sky and rich, thick grass. We are ready to carve tonight. Tomorrow is the prep for Tburg's annual best attended holiday, Halloween...and with the biggest, scariest house in town, we try to keep up with the zealous decorators...and rarely succeed due to the scale of things here. We will put out over 50 lumieres, do some lightbulb changing in the windows of the house and get some music (I like the ponderous work from Philip Glass--R. has other ideas). We spotlight the gravestones that came with the property...and let people come in the front hall. Other than that, gummy eyeballs or juiceboxes are what we offer. I would love to offer hotdogs like an enterprising family in Pittsburgh did while I was growing up...but when you start running the numbers and the health issues that could surface, high fructose corn syrup comes to the fore. We easily get 300 kids in 3 hours. We like it as it is really nice visiting time with our neighbors and friends. People without kids come around to say hi. We may offer drinks as treats for the grownups.

Working on a series of small projects. Need to resolve another Christmas Card for a new animal client. Some logotypes for the Museum of Glass and a tee shirt. Need to get my parts and pieces together for the slide show for SU.

Octopus on the skull live from the sketchbook. Was thinking about Memento Mori and creating some lists (after looking at a german book on Andy Warhol's print editions). Warhol would do a group of pictures with an over arching theme--flowers, Mao, Nixon, the ten significant jewish people of the 20th century--and pick away at an idea through a body of work. I am thinking a list of symbols, a list of shapes, a list of epitaphs. This might be a nice go to when things get stale.

wow,wow,wow

Back to the world of self promotion:

New ideas. Buttons from Justbuttons.org have a 1.25" black and white button (qty 100) for $20. in color $22.
That seems doable.
Easy way to get the work out.

Another, the Stickerguy.com. These are California guys that print just black and white or black and red stickers on vinyl. This must be the type of shop that the board and surf guys go to. My desire is to do a 3.5" die cut circle sticker in black and white which costs $61.for 250 pieces. Only downside is that it takes between 2-8 weeks to get them. if you order in "bulk"more than 1000 pieces) it can go faster. The cheapest is a business card sized sticker for $20. Hello Memento Mori stickers. Put them on your dumpster, put them on your bumper, put them on your coffin? I think these guys are going to get my job...and I will hope they are good. However, how great is the risk?

Hot on the trail

Pricing out labels for promotion (to put little death heads on) and 4" round vinyl stickers to bundle with the Memento Mori cards and discovered that JakPrints have great prices on all the stickers, and this new concern, www.ezclickprint.com for a 4" vinyl circle(weatherproof die cut). EZclick sells 250 1 color stickers for $186. which seems reasonable...and then I can pretend I am a skateboard company or local band or coffee shop--doing that guerilla sticker thing. Even take some to Huntington beach, CA and sticking mine with the real guys.

Christmas Chicken

I have this sneaking feeling that things might begin to blow out around Christmas. There were a lot of people looking and not buying during the Art Trail where $50. seemed to pinch a little. But hey, around Christmas, when you are stuck and a $50 present is not out of the ordinary, calling that lady in Rongovia seems like the right thing to do. The vibe is pointing there. And, with a bunch of work going to Corning for their Christmas Show/Sale--I may want to double up on some of the images and keep it in the back room for the"do you haves". I will really need to remember to sign the work (not important to me, I guess) as I have had to disembowel 3 images sold on the art trail to sign it ...and seal it up again and deliver. Big URG.

As I had said in Art Trail Recap--more chickens, more water birds, more stuff people know. Dogs are breed specific (to that, a blonde lab, a chocolate lab and a black lab are in order...but not now). Cows, pigs and horses are probably better options. With this in mind...a new chicken is amongst the dead on the drawing board just to slowly begin to move the needle. The Birds of Rongovia is open again...with the progress posted to see how this picture develops.

The Seminar talk at SU is starting to gel. Instead of soup to nuts in 40 minutes, I am going to show a brief overview of design work (exhibiting competency and experience) and spend the bulk of the time on illustration (electronic) and the commercial outflows (with a quickie overview with screen shots of how I do the vector thing as the students have some grasp of photoshop...and little to none of illustrator). Then, talk about the impulse and personal aspect of the Memento Mori project, the plans and manifestation and the immediate market use of some of these personal and impulsive images. End up with the idea that you can do your own thing, do it well, get it "out there", stay open when things come your way and see where things take you. Planning only gets you started. You cannot plan the end (just like death!)> You can only plan for now and stay relaxed intellectually> but put brawn behind all of the aspects of work, thought, connecting.

I think this sketch may point out, I am almost there.

Your thinking?

Getting ready for ski season

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.

IF: Trick? or Treat?

Any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in Mankind; And therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee.
John Donne

In the spirit of Halloween, remember your own mortality and inevitable death...and act accordingly. It's not necessarily about candy corn, pumpkins and costumes. Halloween can be a moment to stop and reflect.

A view of the world from the lap pool

I am swimming laps every morning before the office officially opens. Its been great-- a little stunning how it shuts your brain off almost entirely except for the ability to breathe and count the laps...(even the counting can be a little shaky. I have thought that getting a little knitting counter and pinning it to the front of one's bathing suit might be the goofy answer. Or having a handful of rings that you move from one finger to the next. To be honest, I have tried...and almost just given up counting...making it a time based experience. We'll see.) I am feeling spoiled to have this glamourpuss place to go to with lovely lockers, glass doors on the showers and all sorts of amenities along with all the weights and machines if you want them. I hope I can keep it up as I have more energy...and thats what its all about. Coffee only gets you so far. This really is much better. My shoulders hurt. I swam daily through college and the first few years of work at Corning. Then walking...And to be honest, I like swimming the best. I somehow think that as we, as beings, are made up of so much water that there is a balancing that goes on with swimming and lake paddling. Chlorine gets in the way of the total flat line (brainwise). That's all for my non scientific babbling.

Spent the better part of the day on the almost Memento Mori project for a client using some of the scrap from my first phase of drawings--filling in the time while things print or save drawing octopus and skulls. Be YouTiful...hard and wiggly. Rigid and organic. A wealth there. I dont know if it is true to the Memento Mori...or as hard line as the rest, but I write the rules...and the more out there I go, the work gets more interesting. Did a nice star of david and cross. Not totally calligraphic, but inspired by the thicks and thins.

Gotta get started on the stuff I want to send down to Corning's 171 Cedar Street Christmas Bazaar--art and cards from the Ithaca Art Trail, and some new things in frames. Barbara compiled what we sold, quantities and total dollars on each "sku"-- so we actually have "data". Maybe a tiny bit of cash there too. Who knows. Erich says he thinks the cards will sell. I agree.

Am re-reading the Great Elizabeth by my all time favorite historical biographer, Carrolly Erickson--a great writer who tells a good story studded with bits and pieces of life, lifestyle, intrigue, gossip and sidebar information that somehow makes the individual she is writing about absolutely breathe. She has written about Elizabeth, Henry, Ann Boleyn, Mary Queen of Scots, Marie Antoinette, Catherine the Great (of Russia). You get the jist. Its terrific. I should also go the library ( here in Tburg, our library is a Philomathic Library..is yours?) and get a new, hot off the presses book. They always have things that I never thought I would like...and do.

Memento Mori continues. Today with Octopus. I have been working with skeletal hands...and have a little groove happening with them. You know...this work is evolving. Wow.

Gotta sleep.

new resource

While I was surfing around, I discovered that the publisher, Dorling Kindersley, a publisher known for their simple and elegant books for kids sometimes and for adults sometimes have a photo resource they are beta testing for possible reference and definitely for stock. Their signature type of image is often an animal or creature with a good expression or pose silhouetted on a white page. Their layouts are simple and strong and allow the gesture or expression to really shine through. We have all loved the Eyewitness books and videotapes as they communicate well, are well written and can hold the imagination of kids that are more interested in television than static boring things...like books. Imagine having that as a resource for all of us.

weather suggests fall

Rainy.Dreary. Promising colder weather.Leaves finally falling. Day filled with news and ideas. Lots of things moving off the desk and into production. Need to go as its late, and more stuff needs to get resolved and done. Have been invited to a commemorative Rotary meeting about the Chris Bond Run.

Am working on detail-y pics like this with shapes blocked in. Interesting. Have done about 4 of them and figure I need to work with it to see what works and doesnt. Working on the funeral project for my luxury client. Stars of David, Crosses, urns and willows are all the vocabulary they need. Sketches due Friday.