My submission to the ReadyMade Magazine’s “How Does Music Inspire You?” contest has been selected to be part of their exhibit during the South by Southwest festival.

I wish I had more time to create multiple submissions. It would have definitely helped my odds (the Grand Prize winner submitted 9 different pieces to the contest).

Her Grand prize-winning entry is a good one though, so I’m happy her hard work paid off.

And I’m really proud and excited to have my work displayed where people are partying in public.

Here are some close-up images to show the details:

This site is a work in progress and as his campaign contributions continue to come in we should be adding more professional photos, a blog and maybe some more cool stuff.

He supplied me basically a yard sign as a logo, which I was then able to use as a palette for this sleeker, cleaner header design.

He seems to be really excited about the new site and it definitely sets him apart from his competitors online.

This past week I had a chance to help re-brand and design a logo for the children’s ministries at my church.

After my client got really excited about my initial design concept which used the compass rose and typeface from the church’s main logo (which I did not create), we tried a few variations.

I really wanted to desaturate some of the colors she had provided to keep things clean and simple like the sample above and below, and we both wondered if the “KIDS” could be in a more kid-friendly font…

After a few revisions and some time to think, she preferred her original colors and decided to stick with the first concept I had supplied.

As someone new to freelancing I’m learning how to be less attached to my own personal feelings about colors, etc. in logo design.

It is really difficult, because sometimes I not only have a good feeling about what will really work, but also my own personal attraction to one concept (or color or type) over another.

When it comes down to it though, it is the clients logo, not mine…

and if my client is happy and excited about their new logo, then so am I!

This is my most recent submission to Design by Humans.

I call it Y2K

It really turned out nothing like I had planned. Once I had the original idea for a 10-year anniversary Y2K shirt, I initially thought it would be a hand-drawn type concept inspired by some of my daughter’s recent hand-lettering.

A happy little accident resulted in this overlayed lettering and a challenging new style for me personally.

If you could take a minute to cast a vote here, I would be honored.

Mysteries: Afloat, 2000

I enjoy artists like Kenneth Noland.

I really appreciate anything that is simultaneously very simple and very challenging.

Each of his works challenges something inside me.

He also strikes me as a rule-breaker.

Which I like.

All are editorial in nature, and some of them are quite personal.

I like to think that each image can tell a story… even without the accompanying article.

I guess that is why I love illustration, and especially illustrating in this sort of minimalist style… the most concise storytelling you might find.

Bon Iver

From just a quick, funny thought about the differences between Bon Iver and myself.

Guess the Smell

A fun illustration from another brief but funny piece.

A Hard Rain’s Gonna Fall

A very personal illustration created on a day I received what may be life-altering and death-impending news from  my doctor.

The Real Wolverine

One of my longer articles about Autism and evolution. It was a reaction to another article I’d read that day regarding Autism in the workplace.

Denial

Another very personal illustration about cancer and the luxury of denial.

Thanks a lot, God

More personal thoughts surrounding my own lack of faith even in response to answered prayer.

It only takes a day of easy life for me to feel entitled to the reins of my life.

Do any of these resonate with you?

Do they actually tell the stories that I imagine?

I’d love some feedback to see if I’m hitting the mark, if these illustrations make sense, or make you uncomfortable, or you can identify with any one of them, or whatever….

What do you think?

Vintage book cover from grandma’s house.

I love the simplicity and the color.

I think it is fantastic that the title can be so simple… and because of a fabulous Golden Guide brand, the buyer knows exactly what to expect.

During the eighties and nineties, album covers began to lose meaning… what had originally been a visual representation of the body of work contained on the record became just another sales tactic, marketing-driven graphics hoping to convince impulse buyers to purchase the CD.

Now that more people are buying music online and fewer on an impulse based on the album cover, most album art is hardly seen at all.

However, the cool thing is that now that visual marketing has less value in record sales, there seems to be a beginning of resurgence in album cover as art… and more talent is required to create album covers that may only be seen as a thumbnail by most.

Here are a few of my favorites from this year.

Neko Case – Middle Cyclone

(This also happens to be my favorite album of the year.)

Camera Obscura – My Maudlin Career

Yeah Yeah Yeahs – It’s Blitz!

St. Vincent – Actor

Dirty Projectors – Bitte Orca

The Swell Season – Strict Joy

The Antlers – Hospice

The store will feature all her hand-knit and other hand-made creations… all totally cool and super-functional.

Check it out!

I designed their logo earlier this year and I’m excited to finally see it in action!

I’m still in the process of replacing some of the stock photos with my originals… but I hope you check out their new site.

And if you are looking for a site for your non-profit, please let me know!