Wonderfish One.


Inspired by the Free Library of Philadelphia's Wonderfish collection>>

Translation of Work:
A big Wonderfish (Ein grosser Wunderfisch)ca. 1820 - ca. 1840
Decorator: Anonymous
Scrivener: Anonymous

A big wonder fish which was caught with effort near Geneva, the beautiful city. The same had a man’s countenance and on his head a crown with crosses; on his body a sword, two war flags, a cannon, and three rifles as well as three skulls. As this drawing shows in detail the same was three ells high and also five ells long, as can be seen in the following hymn with more. Such a miraculous sign on the 12th of February A.D. 1740.
In this fish’s name I now begin; you people all together, who stand by me quietly, hear: this great miracle happened this year on water and on land. This is certainly true. First I will describe Geneva, the beautiful city, where on the 12th of February a fish was caught by man in the sea. It was felt it for five whole days; it was caught with great effort. Three ells high, it was, and also five ells long. Everyone wondered who looked at it. The fish had a true human head. Everyone was amazed who viewed the fish. He has feet like the swans, on the head a crown, a sword, two war flags, as can be seen. Three skulls with it, there are seen down there. What can be the meaning? Who knows the fish’s miracle? Many people came together to view the fish. On the sea there came a wonderful man, who was adorned on his body exactly like a fish with big and wide scales. He carried a simple sword. The man said to the people [continued on reverse]

Look at the sword rightly. It signifies the world and refers to a sharp conflict. Kink and sponsors called themselves strongly to the field. Each must risk himself just like a brave hero. Love has disappeared entirely. No one stands by the other. Many sell their brothers for money, mothers and fathers, as well. O woe to the evil world. How will you fare in this short time, nothing but war and quarrel will you hear of. It will be consumed in laments that the best friends will beat each other and become arch enemies. When everyone is against the other and everything is stirred up, then peace will make an end. God’s son, Jesus Christ, will strike therein with his sword. The spoil of pestilence will do great harm in many lands and borders. Amen.

Monday Morning Update


Kitty and Rob are in Philadelphia for Kitty's portfolio showing to Tyler. I send them both good karma and confidence (as luck is not needed--her work speaks for itself). They called from their hotel enjoying the time together, a nice dinner out, and having a drink (Kitty had water) in the hotel bar. Sounded civilized and very nice for a girl to have with her dad. Alex and I got our work done--and it was early to bed for both of us. I rushed into the school this morning to get the H1N1 paperwork done so that both offspring could get shots tomorrow (or at least I hope).

Holiday wrapping continues. I hope to get some packages in the mail today. There is a lot of work for the major client--and it may keep me from job#2 for a while. I ordered holiday cards from simplecard.com--one for Alex to use, and a picture postcard for me to send to family. What is great about simplecard.com is that they are in the business already. Simplecards is part of the Modern Postcard empire--so they know about on demand printing already--and have through a really easy offering, an easy interface and terrific pricing for low quantity cards and postcards, make it so that everyone can have custom everything without breaking the bank. And, as I know Modern Postcard, the color will be good, and the production will also be great. Alex wanted a card to send to his XC friends, so we used a picture of his coach and he scripted some rather insider text that those of us outside the group are clueless to make out. I made up a postcard with a picture of Kitty and Alex from their costume party this spring. Good picture of both, and thats what we all love and want from our friends...and family. So, delighted to have an option to the fraktur card I made with psprint.com (another great resource for quantities over 50. I have ordered print materials for my clients as I believe in their quality/price value. I have ordered postcards, printed greeting cards (all sizes), and stickers from them. I cannot recommend them enough.

Oh, look. Here is the Richard Meyers team from Skaneatlas,NY to install storm windows on 11 windows on this big house. I forsee a warm winter, a tax credit and two busy people today. More later.

work in progress...


Been coloring in a bunch of stuff. Not quite there on all fronts, but moving there. It has been a wild week with Erich being out and the workload (normally running both of us quite ragged--) was on my shoulders. So, its been a bit harried. We are just two-- Alex and me today with Rob and Kitty down in Philadelphia for an interview at Tyler School of Art and the portfolio showing. Kitty, Rob and I worked on her portfolio yesterday--collecting scans and uploading them to a site Kitty was designing on Wix.com. Wix is pretty cool as it is pretty intuitive and has a bunch of flash./animation that you can upload your images/content to. Plus, its free. Kitty took to it easily--and was in business in no time. After a bit of tweaking, she got the bones of the design up--and it will go live this week to upload with the Common App. Next step, all sorts of essays for Hartford, Tyler and Hampshire. Oy.

All of us went to Mt. Saviour Monastary to hear my father in law speak on the design of the monastary and the dynamics surrounding that. He did a great job--and it was good for Kitty and Alex to see him in this context. Alex was struck by Ron's love and passion for architecture and was impatient to be charged up about something/anything. As you all know, sometimes passion is something that comes on slowly, about things that you least expect to be passionate about. Or, you find as you peck away persistently at something that you may just need to do, you find passion in the pecking or even passion in what is being pecked. Passion can be unexpected--and those things that you find that you love can be of the moment or for the span of your life--changing and growing as you do. Ron was eloquent and spoke from the heart--it was a family moment for all.

Alex and i had some good car time--with his telling me about things on his mind, issues, people --his likes and dislikes often with more passion than what even he thought he had. It was good to spend time together syncing our heads--and having him open up to me more than he usually does. Now there is homework on his side and present wrapping for Christmas on mine. So much to do before Thanksgiving--work/presents/cards and kids. Early to bed tonight. Much excitement in store tomorrow including work in powerpoint (yikes).

Back


The trip to Newark and then on to Florham Park was uneventful. Smooth sailing via Continental and picked up at the International drop off by an wonderful driver I have had before. John, or Johnnie as he calls himself, is an engaging person who is passionate about a hobby he, his grandfather, his great great had, coonhunting. Johnnie breeds, trains and runs a pair of coonhounds, bringing in sixty pelts a season and proudly trading them for a fur coat for his wife. He loves doing that...picking up the phone, calling the furrier in the Catskills (who is also the grandson of the furrier his dad did business with) and telling him that he and his wife would be up to make the trade. His pride in the closet of fur coats his wife has was palpable...and his love of his dogs and their world made the trip so quick it was remarkable. John's dogs are from the dogs his father and grandfather had. He told me all about flea and tick prevention, their food, and the way he handles them "I have soft hands". He told me about the relationships he has with farmers in the New Jersey countryside that allow him to work his dogs in their fields ""They"[the raccoons] love corn fields"--and how those relationships are generational as well. He was going to swap dogs with a friend of his from Maryland--taking his puppy and leaving his younger dogs to teach them. He prides himself in his soft approach--playing with the dog evolving to training and learning. He believes that six weeks with a puppy can move its behavior from being disinterested to really wanting to go out and tree the raccoon. It was great getting a dose of him. I love talking to drivers, its always a rich slice.

The meeting and my overnight was at the Hamilton Park Hotel and Conference Center. The hotel is very nice, very comfortable and accomodating. However, the conference part of the deal was GREAT. First off, they have a floor or two of conference rooms. Each room is equipped perfectly with plenty of supplies, water etc. No drippy water pitchers, no overdo of anything. There was plenty of electric for the powerbooks that were snapped open. The coffee "thing" which generally is to the side of the conference room (often really looking bad,messy and stinky) was set up outside in a central coffee station that had everything you would want in appropriate (no passionflowers or cut fruit decorations), business style. No mess, no fuss. Then, at lunch, instead of the clattering teacart carrying stacks of plastic buffet boxes of messy sandwiches no one wants with huge slice and bake cookies no one should eat...with more stinky drinks and coffee...we were ushered downstairs to a generous dining room with tablecloths and service to help ourselves to an enormous, high quality, buffet with everything from perfect greenbeans, to soup, to the big dinner to tidbits for lunch. Everything was beautiful and accomodating with the service being on the mark and receeding. They even had compostable paper and plasticware for lunch. Again, knowing the needs of business and delivering it. And with all this lovely treatment, the meeting went smoothly and was effective.

The purpose of the meeting was to talk about the document review process--with many of the big marketing and communications managers/directors, some doctors and lawyers, writers and administrators all working to hammer out a better process. It was a bit frustrating as a corner of the room kept on focusing on how understaffed they were and how they couldnt do their work owning this process--and were unable to get their heads out of now and into "what if" which was unfortunate. If I had any criticisms, it was that they were not managed bettter to keep the tone of the meeting from kvetching to actual dreaming. Ah well.... this is why I like being on my own.

Then back to the airport, sharing a ride with a really great guy, an australian who runs the marketing and sales for a very cool little esoteric lab that develops very high end tests-- one current splash is the H1N1 virus test that is a boost to my client's bottom line. He was insightful, funny and poor guy, tired as he had taken the red eye to get to this meeting in New Jersey and was off to Ohio for a meeting the next day. Its for guys like that that these business style services and kind treatment at the airport helps to move him forward. Had an uneventful time at the airport...reading my library of books on the now established Kindle (and downloaded Dante's Inferno for FREE as its one of those classics that are free)--with a quick ride home to Ithaca sitting with a guy who is involved in textbook publishing. It was a fun chat to make the time go faster!.

Erich is home with the flu, so it's just me today.
Lots to do...but first, coffee and the scanner!

Proud.



Pictures posted from last night's performance. Please excuse a proud mother from posting pictures of her daughter, but she was very good and we are proud of her ability and her comic personas. She was great. We had a nice dinner at the Pourhouse and saw the Zydeco Trail Riders along with the fun people we have in our little village. Off to New Jersey for a long day meeting tomorrow and back late tomorrow evening. Must prepare!

getting going


School One Act plays were great. I was very much the proud mama with our Kitty being the ham she is able to be with great confidence and aplomb. It was a very fun evening with people laughing in the right spots--and no perceived forgotten lines. Matt P. took the audience with him with his very funny roles of a mourner in a funeral and as Medea's husband (complete in toga, black socks and shoes, plastic breastplate and helmet with a plume). Alex looked tall and elegant in his suit as one of the mourners at the funeral (in the funeral play).

I decided that I would lean on lynda.com to teach InDesign to the class at the High School. We watched 5 video clips (I learned quite a bit) and was happily surprised that the students seemed to glom onto these lessons. Onward. Feeling brave, I came home to InDesign and taught myself how to port Microsoft Xcel spreadsheets into an InDesign file to dress it up and make it look more designed. Surprisingly, not hard--but not a sure bet the first time out. But, I did it and now...one more tool in the toolbox. Next step, can I format the type etc. in InDesign so when I import the file, it will be immediately formatted within the type frame? Wouldn't that be total slickness? I think so.

Illustration wise I am betwixt and between. I have entered the Society of Illustrators Show in NYC, the same in LA (did I mention I am now a member?). Communications Arts I need to check the deadlines as this is a good one too. The new Creative Quarterly should be out soon--so a bunch of my stuff should be there too. I will post the link to the page of the pieces that did not get into the printed piece. I have 3 out of the 5 Hangar Theater posters done....need to get the other two : 39 Steps and The Piano Lesson done. One is typographic, the other illustration (a double portrait, I think). Got Bethnal Green done (you saw it this week) . I am also doing a bunch of little odds and ends for others who have things out there. All gratis of course. But in the cracks, I am working on an illustration of a lady riding a rooster (a partner to the little man riding the horse in the Fraktur work). I was thinking about the imagery and type that these Pennsylvania Germans use and putting the hat on of that wonderful artist , whose name escapes me, who creates these full sized vignettes of colonial people beautifully dressed in colonial garb made out of african kente cloth. He takes one idea and just twists it a bit to make it evolve to a new, fresh message. I like the idea of these little colonial people doing ordinary things...but evolving to less ordinary and more modern or whimiscal things. I like the idea of taking the birth and death, marriage and house blessings and twisting it with modern phrases and words. I like the idea of keeping a simple palette and taking the imagery to another place. Must mull on that.

I am fascinated by being fifty. It seems that many of my friends and acquaintances are all changing their thinking to change their lives to do what they really want to do, to pursue their bliss, to take all that they know and love and spend time doing it. Its interesting as so many are opting for more creativity in their lives for a bit less in the paycheck. These are folks with jobs, often good paying jobs with benefits and vacations and perks....but somehow crossing fifty with many of their obligations of family winding down with kids going to college or even kids having kids, that the measure of their lives, how they spend their time, and the second career or chapter seems to be something open to them. The prospect of the new vista with more time is charging people to regard themselves, their community and their role in that community with new energy and focus. It is an interesting thing to have these boomers focus their trained brains on a new place. Life should be richer for all of us. It's pretty exciting to be on the front end of many of their thoughts, thinking and plans. I view myself as blessed.

Rob is home at one. I have to order my new favorite thing for cast parties --italian subs, hold the dressing. These babies are scarfed down in short order--and all I have to do is pick them up. Another key to these treats working, -- they are cut into little 3" pieces...so its enough, but low High School waste factors. We have more play today along with a cast party. I am opening up boxes of things I have ordered for Christmas and starting to wrap. But you were the first folks on my list as I have been remiss in our chats.

tomorrow, then...if not sooner!

update

Okay. So we have Rob, who is going to the SOFA show in Chicago today, tomorrow and back Saturday. Company plane going to Chicago/commercial back. Takes the pain down to a low level. He should have fun. SOFA is at the Navy Pier in Chicago and defines itself as the annual international Sculpture Objects and Functional Art Expositions (in NYC and Chicago). Its fun and I am sure totally inspiring. Rob always comes back charged up.

We have Alex running all day at big regional meet at the Chenago County Golf Course. He has food to take, drinks to drink and clean running gear (always a last minute event). He is back in time to go to the last rehearsal prior to our Friday and Saturday performances. So, a busy day with lots of friends and teammates to his delight. Alex loves his people.

Kitty is motivated beyond what we have ever seen these days. She has dropped math (not loving calculus and not a must to graduate) and has gotten herself enrolled in a year study of astronomy and another class, production design which includes time in the woodshop. I couldnt be happier with her taking charge and doing this with great confidence and pleasure. She is also ready for the play and says that she and her fellow actor in the one act " DMV" have people in stitches. She plays the touchy DMV functionary--with lots of funny lines. She too, loves her people and looks forward to her debut tomorrow.

I keep getting thrown off course with trying to wrap things up. Little firebombs of "I need it in an hour " "I need an entire presentation by tomorrow" is getting in the way of completing a 60 pp book and wrapping up a 16 pp calendar that also have deadlines. We are pedal to the metal here...literally from 8 til 7 and the weekend beckons for work too. It puts me in a dilemma as being employed and working/ getting paid and adding value to my customers is important. I understand I need to bend and go with the flow, but when is enough too much? When is it appropriate to squeak? Or can I as I am perceived as a virtual member of the team, something that is, an enviable position (or at least to my thinking))? I also did some dumb stuff by taking on some gratis pieces that I want to commit more time to...and the time is just not there. Dumb me, dummy!

I am sure I will get through this moment, its just I have got to think about what it is I am doing, keep tight lists, and not stray.

Gotta Go.


Mid week review. Need to order a bunch of stuff...assess Christmas and what we are doing. Need to order a car service for pick up/deliver for a meeting I am going to next week in the big metro city nearby. Need to get sub makings for Alex as he has a big Cross Country Day tomorrow. Probably will receive my half a pig today (meat, that is) and need to scrunch up everything in the freeze to make it fit. That's pretty much the domestic front.

Kitty is starring in one of the one act plays and a member of the cast of another. Alex is a walk on as a funeral director in another of the plays. Friday night and Saturday night in our own elementary school theatre as the High School is under rennovation for now. So, if you are local, plan a bit of local theatre in your schedules.

Just got handed another blaster project. Frame up a product personality (times three?) for a product with a name that doesnt fit with the industry...complete with slides, descriptors, palettes and fonts. My head is spinning.

The poster above is getting close. A bit more...and then off to England for them!

Morning Sunshine!


Today, it feels like things are going to happen. We have a big document review conference call with Webex this morning which should be illuminating (at least, I hope). We review documents for one of our clients for identity issues but it has expanded to language, actual design/communications criteria and in some cases total redesign (in less than a day)of brochures, newsletters etc. that have reached this approval process and goes to the end customer in a sad visual state. I get all righteous when I see that some pretty lame/amateur designs created by someone who just needs a communications piece and has no resources--particularly when it goes to the end customer representing this company which is one of the largest in it's industry and should look "Fortune 100", instead of clip art, twenty different fonts (including one of my favorites--Comix Sans), and all the wild stuff you can do with MSWord. Did I mention for the hundredth time that MSWord IS the devil's tool?

As I look out the window, the high sky day only a half an hour ago now has become leaden and promises rain. I saw a multipointed buck, posed as if for the illustrator's camera--nicely blending in with the yellow, gold and beige colors of the fields and flickering leaves still hanging on to the branches. He was glorious...and smart enough not to race across the road to confront the Wonderbus. So, we both have a nice morning...not one of sadness and hurt.

Alex was musing in the car about why we need to rake leaves as they always end uup on the ground, again and again. Rob's response was that we get to make nice compost for the village. Somehow I am more with Alex on this one...I don't think our fellow villagers rake the leaves for nice compost. Perhaps for good citizenry? or better, the layer of leaves are not terrific under the snow for traction? Either way, Alex C. was on point, as usual.

All the alarms on my desktop are reminding me my call starts in ten minutes. I think I have to "powder my nose" prior to this electronic adventure into approval.

More later

Monday first Monday in November.


Working a bit on the Star poster. Its a hand holding the star (which up until now, they have not done one like this)--with some little flying spirit effigies in the background. Not sure on the coloration, and may put a little banner with the word "Onward" or something along that line in the layout. I am planning on a tone on tone thing in the background/some floral insanity hopefully. But, this is the beginning (as you can see the star is still being worked on.

Yesterday afternoon, I generated dinner for the week: a pot of chili, 2 pans of lasagne, a shepherds pie (with leftover mashed potatoes from last week and the left over browned meat for the chili), along with roasting 4 chicken carcasses with leeks,carrots, celery and leftover parsley stems for stock. It was a cooking afternoon of cranking. I feel like the cook has been here and all I need to do is pop it in the oven and not have to scratch my head and wonder what I was going to serve up. It was a great exercise in opening up boxes and bags to also see what weathered the constant summer infestation of "flour" bugs. I just hate them...but, those bugs force one to review, compost and or devour quickly all flour related food as they have the ability to dig into any vessel (except for mylar sealed packages).

It was deadline on top of deadline today. So much so that I worried about it from around 3 a.m. until 5:30 a.m. without any real solution other than to call the client and ask her to help us prioritize the emergencies that were heaped upon each other. That drove a lot of sanity for us...and surprisingly, we got through quite a bit of the work that was there. Tomorrow, I feel I can catch up and get back to zero/ or at least a levelset I can handle. I laid out 2 dozen slides from scratch, amended a logotype for the Museum, reviewed a bunch of stuff, reconfigured final art for a tradeshow exhibit skin, and began a layout for a tradeshow "abstract" paper. Numerous emails and confirmations along with a few scheduled calls. Yikes.

And, now I need to worry about tomorrow. Also, need to worry about Christmas, cards and the whole shebang around that. And, did I mention the taxes due in January? It just keeps coming. Bring it on... I will try, try very hard, to be ready!