No Nukes for Harvard Law School Bulletin

“I speak because I feel it is my responsibility as someone who has intimate knowledge of what these horrific things can do to human beings.”
-Setsuko Thurlow, activist with the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons

115 portraits and 1 labradoodle

One of the fun projects from 2019 was for Athenahealth. I drew 115 portraits and 1 labradoodle during 15 hours of live drawing in Boston and Texas.

The goddess eats the peach!

The goddess eats the peach!
This year holiday cards are for A is for Org
A is for is a nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing women’s reproductive rights and ending the stigma against abortion care.

PINK Is a Force of Nature

My contribution to the PINK SHOW
By Pen & Ink Brigade at The Diana Kane Boutique
Opening Nov 15 5-8
All proceeds go to FairFight Action founded by Stacey Abrams

Freedom of Speech Cover for Smithsonian Magazine

I was asked by Maria Keehan? to re-envision Norman Rockwell’s painting Freedom of Speech for the cover of Smithsonian Magazine. Growing up in New York City I never felt Norman Rockwell captured the America I knew, so I use a friend from my childhood as my model, thanks Melanie Hope. Freedom of speech is most important when it is threatened, which is true now as it was when Norman Rockwell did his original paintings in 1943.

Freedom of Speech for the cover of Smithsonian Magazine

I was asked by Maria Keehan to re-envision Norman Rockwell’s painting Freedom of Speech for the cover of Smithsonian Magazine. Growing up in New York City I never felt Norman Rockwell captured the America I knew, so I use a friend from my childhood as my model, thanks Melanie Hope. Freedom of speech is most important when it is threatened, which is true now as it was when Norman Rockwell did his original paintings in 1943.

The end of the Village Voice in Print

I did not go to art school for illustration, but learned on the job. Much of my schooling was done creating illustrations, with in hours of shipping, on site, at the offices of the Village Voice. Robert Newman, Florian Bachleda, Jennifer Gilman would call a I show up after my day job at a corporate design studio with ink, brushes and scratchboard. Thanks Stephen Kroninger for one of my first breaks by introducing me to Bob.

illustration before the internet with Bob Newman

Back in the early 90’s, when I was only a few years out of school I had a full time design job on Lafayette street. Once a week I would pack my scratch board, scratching nibs, brush and india ink. This was the day The Village Voice closed, and I would sometimes receive a call from Bob, Florian Bachleda or Jennifer Gillman asking me if I would like to do an illustration for that evening. When 5pm came I would walk around the corner to the Bowery and head up to the art department. They had a great Michael Bartalos mural on the wall.
There would usually be another illustrator there too, the one I remember most is Paul Corio. One of the designers would give us our stories we would then do sketches and bring them in to Bob. He would pick one and then we had two maybe three hours to do the illustration. We would bring our finished illustrations up to the paste-up floor where they had the mechanicals for the whole paper laid out on tables. It was great fun and I’d like to thank Bob for one on my favorite memories of illustration before the internet.

bob_newman

Boom box

“Booming” is an online section of the New York Times which features stories for the Baby Boomer generation. As a regular contributor it is becoming clear I must be a boomer because many of the assignments resonate with me. This was for a column complaining about the overly loud music in restaurants. They are preaching to the choir. Laura Chang, AD.

New York Times: why is music so loud in restaurants?

 

stocking stuffer

My limited edition silk screen poster is now for sale online at the Spur Store. At only $24 it makes a nice stocking stuffer.

 

An illustration for Wired Magazine.

In 20 years of illustration this is only the third time I have done a likeness of a famous person. You can tell who it is, right?

 

a peek at my hoard

The Ben Shahn corner of The Hoard.

Yummy hand lettering.

Yummy line work.

some words of wisdom

I could not help but admire all of the pretty type at opening of the Parson Illustration Senior Show
which I had the pleasure of judging a few months back.

Pretty type by: Alexander Iezzi , Leslie V. Robertson and Hazel Santino.
The show was organized and installed by Jordin Isip and Taylor Mckimens

 

a peek at my hoard

Every Designer and Illustrator has one and here is a little look at some of the Items I have
picked up in used bookstores and junk shops worldwide and some items even saved from the trash.


Some my most coveted items: they sit above my desk.

 


A nice big pile of Architectural Design magazine 1960-1962.


A Le Corbusier Book on the church at Ronchamp and Fortune Magazine with cover art by Léger.

 

a computerless day

Some days I only turn on the computer to listen to iTunes while I work.

remember Tower Records

Jumbo size foam core recreation of record cover art I did for Quicksand in the window of Tower Records (1995).

Draw

It’s nice to take a day off from illustration to make some art. This piece is currently at the “Draw” exhibit at the Museo de la Cuidad de Mexico.

my cuteness hat

I put my cuteness hat on while creating illustrations and hand lettering for the Chicco baby clothing and accessory catalogue.

really big pants

A woman with really big pants is what the cover of every magazine needs.
Illustration for The National Magazine, Abu Dhabi.

Craft Month on HSN

Just in case you have not seen this while fulfilling your late night craft shopping needs on TV. These are some stills from a spot I did for Craft Month on Home Shopping Network.