As each project spins off more and more possible outputs, there is no time to bring every new iteration to full fruition, so this gallery documents important watersheds of novel results, framed inside a moment in time in the studio, for potential further examination and exploitation.
The earliest influence for my 2D graphics fascination goes back to my childhood in the 60’s, which birthed an explosion of highly influential graphic content. I mimicked some of those memes to create popular posters for my friends running for school government positions. In the house in which I was raised, there was an enormous illustrated Bible featuring those epic etchings of Gustave Doré. I find them just as mesmerizing now as ever.
Later on, when working at the Penrose Library public information office, not only was I there to design and make all kinds of posters, pamphlets, fliers and signs, I was spending extensive periods in their art, film and fashion stacks, absorbing more influences than I can list here, but Albrecht Durer’s and Rene Magritte’s output have remained favorite artists of note, as have Annie Leibowitz, Diane Arbus, Richard Avedon and Phillip Halsman’s photography.
Also, for three years I worked as a magazine and paperback deliveryman, where the the power of word and image were front and center in my day-to-day life. I delivered everything from TV Guide and Sporting News to Vogue and Playboy, paperback novels too. Print media was a primary way that people got information.
Frank Frazetta was a graphic artist that captured my attention during my youth. His contributions to “Heavy Metal” magazine, as well as numerous popular LP covers, got my imagine fired up. The underground comix of the era were hugely influential beginning with those published by R.Crumb and his contemporaries, also the LP record and book cover art of James Grashow, the brothers Hildebrandt, Bengt Nystrom and Robert Giusti.
Later on, our attention was significantly drawn to Paula Scher, activist collectives such as Gorilla Girls and let’s not forget Polish film poster designs, especially those of Andrzej Klimowski.
The evolution of print media continues to be a major area of interest. Cooper-Union at the Smithsonian is a wonderful resource. The art form is so compelling, we can’t wait for the next gig. Need a poster, flier, zine or logo design? Let’s talk.