Psyche-d

Just did the paperwork to apply to the University of Hartford's ISDP MFA program (Hartford Art School). The check is in the mail (along with a little chat about this and that...and the basics on who you are, where you live and what have you done with your life). This is pretty exciting business. I will start summer 2008, graduate 2009 with another thesis and more focused time on all this illustration stuff complete with the Tinkelmans and team. Am pretty psyched.**

I guess this means my head is moving elsewhere. Syracuse feels almost done. The work is completed, the paper is coming back marked up...All we need is to finish the two hot weeks and the "defense"--and we can get a transcript and go. No need to worry about the alumni association chasing us down.

**- If you are considering Hartford and want to get more information than the website provides, contact Carol Tinkelman directly (her phone ## is on the MFA site). She will be able to flesh out the program more than the existing web stuff will provide.

Psyche was the gal Cupid fell in love with. She became the goddess represented by butterflies...

Saturday


K was off frenchifying (or is that frenchfrying?) at Ecovillage with swimming and crepemaking at her chic teacher's house. So, I got AliBob to myself. We had lunch chez Falls and then Work!. We went through his closet and drawers, piece by piece with my raising each piece and asking "stay or go". We made short order of his stuff and bagged it. We organized his dresser by identifying what goes where. He seemed to like it. He is organized. He knows what he has, fits. And all the things that he hates and has been giving house room to, are gone.

I then bagged the low hanging fruit in my collection. We moved all the bags to the front porch, brought the now summer tired Wonderbus around and loaded 7 bags. Big 'uns. Why wait? I thought--So off we went to make a delivery to Sals. Sal's has a pullup in the back (new news for us as I have always dragged the stuff through the front door). And it was short work. Refreshing!

On the way back, I thought again, "why not, its here"--and stopped at Hillendale Golf Course and dragged ole Bob with me (he didnt kick up too much of a fuss), to find out about lessons and meet the nice pro. Hillendale is really nice--not too upscale--but humble with a restaurant that recalls the old days at the Elmira Country Club (on a smaller scale), and a proshop in that same vein. It seems tangible and friendly. I can see a fit. All lessons are given after 5, so i am going to call the pro and pencil in a few prior to school getting out.

We went to the Village Greenhouse to discover that Rose has the same deer issues (though she has a fence). They ate all the sunflower seedlings. I have noticed, they do not eat iris...read between the lines... Those pains have started eating (not nibbling) all the hosta on the quadrangle side of the house...leaving the stems in some cases. Same with the sedum. So I got some spraycomprised of various "oils of" (cloves, cinnamon etc) in a base of egg whites and magic. If this nice stuff doesnt work, then it's the sprinkle type called "Critter Ridder"(love the name) to ratchet it up a bit. If that doesnt work, A and I have ideas from watching the Luca Brazzi scene in The Godfather. There are options to being nice with these beasts.

Sprayed everything. Also bought 4 Monarda plants (deer resistant, I have read) and weeded.Socked them in.Its a little tidier. A little.

K. attended the "YouthFest" at the HS with all the high school bands playing. The scene was fun. She seemed to have had a good time. Yesterday was her off day.

A. off to be with Marcus at his lake place in Geneva. K is getting the same clothing "stay or go" treatment and regents review with me today. She is not such a willing participant. However, I am dragging her out of bed around 10:30 so she doesnt blow the day with her beauty sleep.

Shady Grove "ate K's homework" by ripping pages out of her open bookbag--looking for snacks. She found some Celebrity Cruise candies, a bag of frosted flakes (she neatly punctured the corner and in her ladylike way strewed them everywhere). Tea at midnight?

More later>>

close, but no cigar.


We lost--close, but lost. Lots of good spirit. Alex G. hit a triple...These guys are really out of the babyhood league and are connecting in a great way these days. Lots of little errors-- The parent contingency were riled up as the ump, on his way out of the field, declared that the Tburg team were unsportsmanlike. One father chased after the ump and questioned that. There was lots of talk about the next steps and who they were going to talk to. Urg. I thought it was a game.

Trucktown is in Tburg this weekend. Jeff, the wonderful, my mainstay at Maguire said they were actively moving cars (which is good) and rehabbing the trade-ins as fast as possible. No more snowtires...amazing how quiet the ride is.

A and I had dinner around 9 at Carls. Driving through our village at 9 was amazing. There were a ton of people out and about. Our new Aceto/Stiles Gallery was open with a real crowd milling around with people sitting at tables, congregating on our new sidewalks etc. Even the silent A. remarked on the buzz. It was great.

Stayed up late. Finished the Papillon piece and started the grinning dog. Have Christmas by the tail--did a nice rendering (albeit it is almost logo like) of a deer, also a stack of presents with one of them being the globe. I think the client has a nice selection to choose from. It was interesting to use red and blue (instead of red and green as it immediately neutralized it...but without a strong white element, it did not even read as "patriotic". Stole the a bow from the dachshund project for the present piece for the comp. Created a mail piece for a thing Darren, otherwise known as the Ape, from Little Chimp Society. Made up two pieces wallpaper with my new kit of butterflies (what a nice resource!! new parts!) and sandwiched the Papillon piece in between. Slid the whole magilla into a clear envelope and made a handcut butterfly label with Requiem type. Tres elegant. I made a few more after I saw how good they looked. I might offer them to a client as a special thank you to send to key donors. I love having parts and pieces that can morph over into other layouts...even if its for a sketch to move the work forward. Maybe some month will be parts month...might really be worth it to create a bunch of stuff I love and need. What do you think?

Started work on a simple illustration website with Erich. We are thinking about how and what as it needs to happen soon (I am making August 1 the deadline as it would be right and tight to finish the SU program with some more serious marketing going on).The other approach doesnt seem to have any energy behind it. I have bought www.qcassetti.com for the illustration work--nothing there yet.

Interestingly, I was considering dumping one of the portfolio sites I have had for the past year. I had a very engaging and informative conversation with a guy who I respect for his web savvy and understanding of the illlustration market. Any new discovery I make about illustration--he has beaten me to it--has engaged and added value). He advised that it takes easily three years to get traction...(this doesnt surprise me...as I preach it takes 5 years to my newbie clients who want to be in a profit mode immediately), and that the things I have been doing with multiple portfolio sites make sense (along with a few communitities I participate in). He said, rightfully, that if someone is looking for an illustrator, and they go to one site(and you are there) and then go to another site (and you are there) and so on...its good. You are remembered. You are available. You are there. Building brand recognition is what I tell my clients--so listen up (I say to myself).

I told him my gaff about telling future illustration clients that I was a graphic designer. He confirmed that telling art directors that stuff is sudden death. Seems simple, but not for this numbnut. Stay in your role as an illustrator. Don't be helpful that way. All good information. I am sticking with my representation there and doing foliooplanet too. More is better with this sort of marketing. I guess a good way to look at it...is if you buy a list, mail some postcards (just one time through you are spending $3,000). Take the same $3,000 and put it towards 5 portfolio sites. I betcha touch more people. I betcha it yields that same amount of work (to dat $0). My clients are the place that I am getting work/paid for illustration.... Maybe there is something there.

Later>>

IF: (public) Rejection: Avian Flu


Remember last summer when the news was all about the Avian Flu? It hasn't gone away. Somehow, the public or is it the news media have decided that this is not fun stuff to talk about and have rejected opportunities to surface this very real, and very present danger to all of us, our health, our economy, our families, and the quiet lives we live today. Yes, we all sleep better at night without this tugging the corners of our minds, prompting us to focus and plan--but is it the right thing to do?

Ulysses Swallowtail


No. I have not seen this butterfly. Just love the name. Holiday cards coming along. May have a dozen approaches to ship out tomorrow. Just have been looking at the digital watermarking feature of photoshop and discovered this cool almost Carbonite-y product for the MacNation. BlackJack is "a Macintosh Online Backup Service". Need to find out more about this tomorrow.

Pioneer Printing


Pioneer Printing
8466 Main Street
PO Box 210Lodi, NY 14860

K summed it up by likening the Pioneer Press to Willie Wonka's factory. Nailed it. Pioneeer Printing is in two small, wooden buildings in the one block long Main Street Lodi. Lodi is essentially a four way stop. This place is a marvel...one of those dream candy shop, laboratories for old graphic designers. They do letterpress, diecutting, foil stamping and multilevel stamping. Many jobs are too big, most never too small (an invitation of 10 is not out of the ordinary). The place is chock a block equipment from platen presses backing onto platen presses. Old cutting equipment. Four color work run a color at a time, dry trapping the color. Letterpress jobs--they have metal and wood type. Hand bindery stuff. Certificate holders that are perfect bound with ribbons and faux watered silk papers under them. Padding. Custom playing cards with handmade boxes...Joe Seppi, the owner, calmly walked us through his shop talking with passion about the tails of sheets, humidity and the machine projects he has to complete so as to offer other services. The work is sweet, the owner engaged and inspired. Nearby and neighborly. My head is spinning.

Cheryl Schaffer is selling her iris now. Lots there. We stopped on the way out..I was tempted, but my patches need to be split--they are just too happy.

No win yet


Game was close...but we lost. Everyone looking very strong and confident in their skills-It just all needs to be knit together a little better. A. very frustrated as he was struck out. Was a field of dreams kind of evening--yellow orange light, long shadows, and Maxfield Parrish clouds which towered and glowed, promising rain. We heard rumbles and roars coming up the lake...but didnt touch us. K lay in the freshly cut grass with Shady Grove and laughed and laughed with our gal pal, Bongo. It was a very rich slice of time...slowed down just enough to see it tick tick tick.

remind me to tell you about the bumblebees. Picture is of holly for one of the holiday cards.

Wednesday

No rain yet. Chet the Lawnmower man is here. My big monitor is up and running. I've got the wacom plugged in --and I am using the wacom wireless mouse which really is nice (I don't understand why I haven't tried it up until now). K. has tests...but it was the last day of classes yesterday, which she was delighted with. She read me her yearbook autographs while I grilled last night...which was sweet and very warm. We walked the dog and talked further. K was commanding with Shady Grove--which is impressive as she has no training in dog handling...but it works with our poochita. A. and I stayed up late to watch the Spurs/Cavaliers game last night...so he was a little weary this morning. Big game tonight. Starts at 6. Coach Nick and the Prep Team...Big Blue.

More later.

Live from Valencia


My brother, Tom, is crewing on an older America's Cup, The Valiant, in Valencia. He speaks of the spinnaker custom made for this wonderful boat for Freerange:

"We flew the FreeRange spinnaker today at practice (out with th Alinghi a*nd Team New Zealand, the America's Cup contestants, who were also out practicing, and it was awesome. We attracted a great deal of attention. I think when this regatta starts on Thursday, the big buzzard (as my crewmates refer to it) will be the talk of Valencia.

We also had dinner...the at head of the sailmaking operation for Team Oracle/BMW Racing (who has been living in Valencia for the past 3 years, and he had on a FreeRange hat when we walked in!"

>>More later>>

Brush-hoggin'


Back behind the back 40, they are brush hoggin' old Mrs. Dean's seven acres. Shady Grove and I crept back to the property line to check out the happenings. They are making that lot look like a suburban heaven. Peonies are blowing out.

As an aside, the folks at The Believer are having a sale because they have hit some rough times. From their note:

As you may know, it's been tough going for many independent publishers, McSweeney's included, since our distributor filed for bankruptcy last December 29. We lost about $130,000 -- actual earnings that were simply erased. Due to the intricacies of the settlement, the real hurt didn't hit right away, but it's hitting now. Like most small publishers, our business is basically a break-even proposition in the best of times, so there's really no way to absorb a loss that big.

We are committed to getting through and past this difficult time, and we're hoping you, the readers who have from the start made McSweeney's possible, will help us.

Over the next week or so, we'll be holding an inventory sell-off and rare-item auction, which we hope will make a dent in the losses we sustained. A few years ago, the indispensible comics publisher Fantagraphics, in similarly dire straits, held a similar sale, and it helped them greatly. We're hoping to do the same.

So if you've had your eye on anything we've produced, now would be a great time to take the plunge. For the next week or so, subscriptions are $5 off, new books are 30 percent off, and all backlist is 50 percent off. Please check out the store and enjoy the astounding savings, while knowing every purchase will help dig us out of a big hole.

So check them out. Help them out. The teeshirts are cool and the back issues fun for the summer.

Sugar cube


I couldn't resist giving you a peek. Cute? Right?

Had a nice exchange with a fellow SU ISDP student--someone who will graduate with our group of 3 (we have 2 adds who dropped out and will finish this summer). He is a good graphic designer who took an approach to his thesis doing a digital woodcut look. I sent him my sketch thesis to find out we are listing some of the same inspirations--his more direct than mine...so it should be interesting to see the work together this summer. His work is very blocked out and far more graphic than mine. Makes me want to try going that bold...and beefing up the tigerteeth to see where it goes. To compare them, my work is more "painterly"(?) using a range of colors and shading and his is more linework with a very limited palette.

The Papillon integrates the shiny learning from the dachshund--letting two tones of grey (or can be purple) to pick out the highlights to render the form. The eyes are really simple but still work. I laid in a single color for the eyebrow and cheek color and it got too flat( which, now as I say it...maybe I should take the black forms with the grey shadows and do a really flat one too...)so I added 3 orange to brown colors to give it some shape.

These dogs are cute and showstoppers strictly as the content is so winning. I think if I have 8-10 of these...They could be really merchandised and sold. I wonder if there is some type of little specialty kids store (maybe online) that there could be a fit? Need to think. Maybe that is selling "down"?

Finally, the "card" came. I found this rare and necessary technical component by digging around on the web which will allow my power tower to work properly with my new tool, a 30" Apple Cinema Display, sweetness personified. I have had the whole world of wires and technology plugged into my powerbook for about a week to take advantage of the monitor--and having the big box back in play is now welcome. I now am bitten by the bug to be like Al Gore (saw this confirming picture of Al in his office...as messy as mine--with Al, upfront and center in front of his computer--flanked by three 30" cinema displays all with newpapers etc on them). Way to go AL. There is never enough wonderfulness when it comes to this stuff.

There is a tiny deer baby--the size of a small dog--gamboling outside my window. Too bad they are such pests. Speaking of pests, while Shady Grove and I were looking up at the trees (Shady for squirrels, rabbits and groundhogs (she thinks they might live in trees as well as holes)) I noted the meat-headed turkey vultures sitting on the tippy top of the tall pine trees that surround the quadrangle. They are still here. And then I heard a tap tap tapping to see a damned woodpecking pecking the margin board of the house. What does this bird think the house is? A square tree? So like a crazy person, I ran around clapping my hands and shouting at the woodpecker. It is moments like this that I am thankful our neighbors are at a bit of a distance from us...

Iron Butterfly


Extrordinary weather. Low humidity, coolish (mid to high 60s). Socked in the poor zinnias--looking a little shopworn and raggity. Worked the better part of the day on an illustration of a branch of holly for the Christmas extravaganza happening here on behalf of our jolly customers who want to be on point before the snow falls. The holly, surprisingly is slow going...but will be nice when its done.

Yesterday was a work day. K needed to work on the paper that represents 20% of her grade. She somehow thought it was something she could knock off after riding the day before it was due. I thought it needed more work. I took charge.So, after my railing at her and coming up with a plan that every hour and a half, I would see results or she would have to sit by me in order to do the work (a fate worse than death), we got a typed draft and first round of edits done. Yesterday was another round of edits with discussion (positive and thoughtful) around what she wanted to say...and saying it. This is the approach we are going to take in the fall too. The work got significantly better and I think she saw it too. A., in fear of the toxic mommy, read his book, did his work and had "a party" to go to at his friend's house.

Baseball was rugged yesterday. Coach R. ran them and drilled them such that when we came to get A. he was wavering and feeling worn to the bone. The baseball boys are going to be better players after a month with their beloved Coach. Their coach was jogging with them and doing all the stuff he demanded of him (which for me is the way to drive respect and attention because the import is being demonstrated not just talked about). After a huge jug of salty gatorade and some grilled chicken, he wasnt complaining as much and had a bit of a bounce in his step.

K's yearbook came yesterday to her delight. I find it amazing that every yearbook looks the same. Almost Groundhog Day-ish in the same pictures, same "har har" funny photography, same antics and bad graphics. How does this happen? I am stunned by it.

I have another dog picture in the works. It is a papillon surrounded by butterflies. It is sacchrine in it's cuteness...and could work as an example for children's book illustration or a cute thing to frame for a kids room. I like where this is going. A little more levity, a little less quiet. Making some nice progress on it.

D went to the lake to redd up--and we didnt communicate so he couldnt get in. I had him work on the porch and like lightening, I asked, "could you mow?". So hopefully, the grass won't be up to our chins by the time our knight comes home from his pilgrimage.

Will chat later. Feeling a bit guilty I haven't given you anything in a few days.

Saturday 06.09.07


Yesterday was one of those days that was pulled into amazing focus. We attended an extrodinary person's memorial service that honored her in a way she would have approved of--and for those of us attending, her energy, spirit and generosity was palpable. People brought flowers and food to place under a white tent filled with flowers and big green checked tablecloths. The clouds cleared as we stood (some sat) outside the big, beautiful barn for a service of singing, readings, poetry and tributes to her spirit, her loves and her relationships. It was heartwrenching to see how special her world was, and that she had to leave it all in her prime with all the richness and fullness of how she lived, the people she affected and how her efforts affected a community that was and is feeling tremendous loss in her passing. We all mourn her and reach out to her family --now and as time goes on--in the future.

R. left for a whirlwind trip to Europe to meet people, see things, negotiate opportunities and steer clear of others if they dont feel right. I think it will all go swimmingly, and he will have a fruitful and hopefully, fun time. K, A, and I bought white baseball pants with a blue belt. We also went to the new skateboard shop and admired the boards, the shoes and the skater lifestyle stuff both K and A. dig. Then a little this and that shopping and up we went to Taughannock for a lovely walk in the park to the waterfall. We all loved it. Shady ran from K in the creek to me on the path back and forth like a black bullet. A. and I stayed on the trail and talked of many things. The shadows were blue and purple. Hemlocks with new growth, lightly shading--layer by layer. The waterfall was robust--It was beautiful and fun. Our key observation outside of a chipmunk or two was a nighthawk. Both K and I saw it to our surprise and delight.

Then home for movies... and sleep.

Today is the socking in of plants, the sorting of things and a little time spent on my holiday cards. But, if today is anything like yesterday, we will do some more walking.

looks like rain


Nice big downpour last night. Baseball game with the "prep team" was great. Perfect field, wonderful coaching, the boys all in good spirits but very serious about the job they were doing...However, we lost. But, losing is a good incentive to move forward, so there is much to gain with practice.

Starting a bunch of Christmas images for a client. New tactic from last year. One, do a bunch of images that are appropriate. Meaning: tasteful, non-denominational, and seasonal. If some things are red and green or if snow or pine trees are in it--that qualifies as seasonal. I will present 8 ideas. If none will be acceptable to the group, they will need to lob a direction this way (maybe something a little more friendly than "global" and with no religious, sect, geographic region orientation) to take it further. If we start out with all the no-s on the table, nothing will happpen. I have to make a stab at it and truly consult. We'll see.

The Baker Institute Annual Report samples delivered yesterday. Nice! We used a really nice #3 paper (which means not the premium) for price--and it is a lovely silk finish we then put a matte coating on. All the color pops, copy is legible and the final looks better than the comps (except the epson puts down a matchless matte black that really cannot (or I havent seen it) be printed on a printing press. This publication should work for the folks at the Baker...and we now have to start thinking of topping this one. I have ideas. But how can you miss when the images one can show is of horses, dogs, cats, llamas or camelids (goats, sheep and camels are in that group), wild cats and foxes? Plus, the Baker does phenomenal work, so why not show it off?

The peonies have popped. Hosta are expanding. Bought a bunch of big (and inexpensive) salmon pink zinnias yesterday and plan on socking them in today along with 3 dicentra (bleeding hearts), and 2 hellebore. Will also plant some additional peonies that I think I will try and naturalize with other wild plants as the deer truly do not (or havent been tempted to) devour them. What with the 500 daffodils and 50 allium we put in last fall, it made for a very happy spring with vases filled with a diversity of color and shape that hopefully will continue to revisit us every year.

Maybe now is the time to get the snowtires off the wonderbus?

IF: (do I) suit you?


I know, I know. It's not that time of year....but for some of us, those jingle bells start jingling now and are done by August so that things can be printed and put in the mail by the end of September for the season of spending. This picture is for a client's holiday card. It is a work in progress.

This poochita wants to know if she suits? Does she?

(check out the Little Chimp Societyto see some cool new work, get some cool new suppliers, learn about new illustrators>>!)

Click the poochie to see it bigger.

Cool Resource


Arsenal: Professional Design Weaponry
Vector Packs

"...these ready-made vector images are a godsend."
Becky Colllier of Computer Arts Magazine

"The most Kick-ass Design Products. Royalty Free. Instant Downloads"

The kitchen sink of the whispies and curlies that I have spending a lot of time looking for. These vector packs make doing this style of work time consuming and research driven. Now all you need are these files and time to get going!

Learning a bit


I've been tooling around the web, looking for places to link my blog or become part of communities to drive more traffic outside of the pop that Illustration Friday gives me on Fridays> Mondays when I submit. I have joined Technorati, Blog Catalog, Gather,Blogarama, BF Directory and 2-Review (nice little buttons on the side). I have really enjoyed this process to learn by acting about tags, placement etc. and its made me to really realize that content is key in the world of blogs (and the world in general). A blog filled with picture is okay, but thin. So my blabbing on has a little more value than that I have been giving it. I need to give this more attention to better understand this world and how the Rongovian Academy of Fine Arts can work harder for me.

I had to do a totally clean redo of my OS etc. on the other computer and have discovered the terrific new browser, Flock (linked to Flickr and that world)--which is great and am enjoying it as much as my former fave, Firefox. It pops images up from your Flickr account--and runs them across the top of the page, it imports all the bookmarks etc. from your former accounts. they have incorporated the Flickr uploader into the whole package. And you can open and access your blog through the account. This is terrific and smooth...the only catch for me would be that the design might not be so great. But, with any tool, its who is using it...not what it does. However, it is like buttah.

The other fun thing I have discovered is an add to Firefox called, StumbleUpon. They say about themselves:
Channel surf the internet with the StumbleUpon toolbar to find great websites, videos, photos and more based on your interests. StumbleUpon learns what you like and makes better recommendations.
You essentially download a little widget for the Firefox toolbar that once installed, you can click the Stumbleupon button that clicks you through a progression of websites and blogs that you can give a thumbs up/thumbs down, rate it as a friend or a favorite and all of this registers on your personal page at StumbleUpon. It is a nice way outside of bookmarking, that you can refine what you like, and learn more on the web. Saw some cool little toys like this:

Ultimate Flash Face>>
Ready Mechs>>
Barcode Yourself
Hero Machine>>

Toys to amuse you today. Aimless dumb stuff. Gotta go and find a notary to get K's Art stuff off to Albany. Big concert tonight.

Identity?

After a nice chat with the leader of the Ithaca Art Trail, I was left to ruminate over the topic that Light in Winter is addressing next January. There might be an opportunity for those of us on the Trail to have a little show of work that addresses their theme of "Identity". This is a tough one. Where to start? Is it gender identity? or personal identity? or identification within a community or the Communitity's identity within the world? Is identity what we identify with, but diverge from? It is all too confusing. Therefore, with the confusion, a picture may emerge. Thank goodness I have more than an hour to think about this.

Some new news. The Rongovian Academy of Fine Arts is now listed on this interesting new blog catalog called surprisingly, the Blog Catalog which will allow us to get our Mission, Vision and Values of the institution to a larger world. We will see. I spent a little time tooling around on the site and saw some pretty cool stuff. I am sure I will be linking you to them as I find em.

The picture above is a little creature that leapt into my notebook without me seeing him. He is smile-y but could bite! Watch out!