These poster-like graphics worked very well and stood out strongly on the catalog pages.
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Friday, May 29, 2009
Art and design for the 1991 Volkswagon catalogs
The interior art for the 1991 Volkswagon catalogs were strong, very graphic black and white ink line drawings. This was a new technique which I developed especially for this project.
These poster-like graphics worked very well and stood out strongly on the catalog pages.
These poster-like graphics worked very well and stood out strongly on the catalog pages.
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
More work for the Wayne Alexander Company
As I mentioned in previous posts, Wayne Alexander had a small ad agency and did a lot of work for American Motors. He gave me many graphic design projects as well as a lot of illustration work. When I lived in Paris he used to bring me over assignments every once in a while.
Here is an illustration I did that was used on a brochure cover for AMC and Jeep. It was drawn on a canvas textured illustration board with a marker pen and acrylic washes.
Another cover illustration for a jeep promotion. This was just an ink line drawing with overlays for the colors.
Below is a graphic design project that I did for Wayne, the 1991 Volkswagon catalogs. On these covers I used various strong road designs as backgrounds for the photographs of the cars.
This is the rear cover for one of the catalogs. I did a lot of black and white art for the interior pages which I will show on the next post.
Monday, May 25, 2009
A few more New Mexico paintings
More of the paintings that I did in my effort to find a gallery in Santa Fe.
ANCIENT RUINS
New Mexico is a very interesting place for an artist, lots of subject matter to paint.
CAMP OF THE CONQUISTADORES
SANTA FE
Weather conditions can be very interesting as in this scene where it was raining a few miles away
RIDING AT BISHOP'S LODGE
I prefer painting with acrylics on canvas and also often work in the watercolor medium.
BISHOP'S LODGE
THE DARK WIND
Lots of drama out there !
ANCIENT RUINS
New Mexico is a very interesting place for an artist, lots of subject matter to paint.
CAMP OF THE CONQUISTADORES
SANTA FE
Weather conditions can be very interesting as in this scene where it was raining a few miles away
RIDING AT BISHOP'S LODGE
I prefer painting with acrylics on canvas and also often work in the watercolor medium.
BISHOP'S LODGE
THE DARK WIND
Lots of drama out there !
Friday, May 22, 2009
More New Mexico paintings
Some more of the western paintings that I did in an attempt to find a gallery in Santa Fe that would be interested in representing my art.
FRIJOLES CANYON
I found some pieces of pottery down in the canyon and painted them floating in the foreground of this scene.
SANGRE DE CHRISTO MOUNTAINS
The beauty of New Mexico is amazing. Almost everywhere you look there is a scene that could be painted.
HIGH COUNTRY
BLACK MESA
WHERE SPIRITS DWELL
AFTERNOON STORM
My own state, Michigan, is also a lovely place which I enjoy, but the western mountains , buttes and deserts have always fascinated me.
FRIJOLES CANYON
I found some pieces of pottery down in the canyon and painted them floating in the foreground of this scene.
SANGRE DE CHRISTO MOUNTAINS
The beauty of New Mexico is amazing. Almost everywhere you look there is a scene that could be painted.
HIGH COUNTRY
BLACK MESA
WHERE SPIRITS DWELL
AFTERNOON STORM
My own state, Michigan, is also a lovely place which I enjoy, but the western mountains , buttes and deserts have always fascinated me.
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Atlanta Intown Article: Creative Community
Creative Community
Atlanta INtown Newspaper May Issue
Westside Arts District emerges as gallery destination
Atlanta's Westside, between Howell Mill Road and Means Street, has become a burgeoning locale for contemporary art. Long a gathering place for creative people, the area has become home to a collective of nine gallery spaces now known as the Westside Arts District.
Westside Arts District is a mix of commercial galleries, nonprofit spaces, and a coffeehouse: Atlanta Contemporary Arts Center, Bobbe Gillis Gallery, Emily Amy Gallery, Get This! Gallery, Kiang Gallery, Octane Coffee Bar, SALTWORKS, the Robert C. Williams Paper Museum and Sandler Hudson Gallery. Created in January, the district's monthly "Westside Art Walks" are already creating a buzz among artists and art lovers.
"I sent out a blanket e-mail to all the galleries I knew that existed in the area and said I think we should try to get together and collaborate on something," said Emily Amy, owner of Emily Amy Gallery. "I didn't know any of the gallery owners at the time. I was almost shocked at how quickly everyone responded. We talked about forming the organization during our first meeting."
Although the Atlanta Contemporary Art Center, Octane and Sandler Hudson Gallery have been established in the area for more than four years, other galleries migrated to the area in the last two years from Castleberry Hills and the Old Fourth Ward, citing location and lower rents.
"Castleberry has stalled as a visual arts area and become more of a center for nightlife," said Ben Roosevelt, an artist whose work whose work has been shown at Get This! Gallery and will be featured at the Robert C. Williams Paper Museum. "The challenge of Atlanta, with everything spread so far apart, is that there's not really one arts district. The Westside is a great location because it's more accessible to the greater population of Atlanta."
Every Third Saturday, Westside Arts District hosts the Art Walk, encouraging the Atlanta community to engage in a fresh way with contemporary art. From 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. families, students, and art enthusiasts take their sneakers to the streets, touring the art gallery spaces and attending educational talks. The art spaces are all within one mile of each other and two or three lectures or artist talks are included each month.
"There are people out there who are curious buyers, but they would rather get on a plane and go to New York because they don't know what's available here," said Christina Caudill, co-owner of SALTWORKS. "We want to make people aware, both the buyer and the general public, of what we're doing here."
Octane, the only arts space in the collective that doubles as a coffeehouse, has its art curated by owner Tony Riffel and is a place where people gather to discuss arts before and after the monthly arts walk.
Said Riffel, "Art has been a big part of what we have been doing from day one. Our walls are great for different exhibits. We rotate every month, and we only focus on local art. We're really trying to capture the artists that aren't getting attention from other galleries. It's been great to see the creative community grow around us. To see it come to life now is really exciting."
Atlanta INtown Newspaper May Issue
Westside Arts District emerges as gallery destination
Atlanta's Westside, between Howell Mill Road and Means Street, has become a burgeoning locale for contemporary art. Long a gathering place for creative people, the area has become home to a collective of nine gallery spaces now known as the Westside Arts District.
Westside Arts District is a mix of commercial galleries, nonprofit spaces, and a coffeehouse: Atlanta Contemporary Arts Center, Bobbe Gillis Gallery, Emily Amy Gallery, Get This! Gallery, Kiang Gallery, Octane Coffee Bar, SALTWORKS, the Robert C. Williams Paper Museum and Sandler Hudson Gallery. Created in January, the district's monthly "Westside Art Walks" are already creating a buzz among artists and art lovers.
"I sent out a blanket e-mail to all the galleries I knew that existed in the area and said I think we should try to get together and collaborate on something," said Emily Amy, owner of Emily Amy Gallery. "I didn't know any of the gallery owners at the time. I was almost shocked at how quickly everyone responded. We talked about forming the organization during our first meeting."
Although the Atlanta Contemporary Art Center, Octane and Sandler Hudson Gallery have been established in the area for more than four years, other galleries migrated to the area in the last two years from Castleberry Hills and the Old Fourth Ward, citing location and lower rents.
"Castleberry has stalled as a visual arts area and become more of a center for nightlife," said Ben Roosevelt, an artist whose work whose work has been shown at Get This! Gallery and will be featured at the Robert C. Williams Paper Museum. "The challenge of Atlanta, with everything spread so far apart, is that there's not really one arts district. The Westside is a great location because it's more accessible to the greater population of Atlanta."
Every Third Saturday, Westside Arts District hosts the Art Walk, encouraging the Atlanta community to engage in a fresh way with contemporary art. From 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. families, students, and art enthusiasts take their sneakers to the streets, touring the art gallery spaces and attending educational talks. The art spaces are all within one mile of each other and two or three lectures or artist talks are included each month.
"There are people out there who are curious buyers, but they would rather get on a plane and go to New York because they don't know what's available here," said Christina Caudill, co-owner of SALTWORKS. "We want to make people aware, both the buyer and the general public, of what we're doing here."
Octane, the only arts space in the collective that doubles as a coffeehouse, has its art curated by owner Tony Riffel and is a place where people gather to discuss arts before and after the monthly arts walk.
Said Riffel, "Art has been a big part of what we have been doing from day one. Our walls are great for different exhibits. We rotate every month, and we only focus on local art. We're really trying to capture the artists that aren't getting attention from other galleries. It's been great to see the creative community grow around us. To see it come to life now is really exciting."
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Intrigued with New Mexico
I mentioned previously that I had been in New Mexico on a couple of photo shoots for American Motors with Wayne Alexander. Wayne had a small ad agency in the Detroit area and he used me frequently for automotive related graphic design and illustration work. My wife Jeanne usually accompanied me on these outings. We fell in love with New Mexico, especially the Santa Fe area. Santa Fe is one of the largest fine art markets in the country with lots of art galleries. I have always been active in the fine arts and decided to try to do a few paintings and see if I could get one of the galleries to represent me. If I succeeded we would move out of Manhattan and settle in Santa Fe. I had a lot of connections in the ad biz and could still do some commercial work for Detroit, New York and Chicago while living in Santa Fe.
After doing about thirty acrylic paintings we returned to the area and showed my work to several galleries. Unfortunately, I was unable to interest any gallery in taking my work on. That dream suffered a royal defeat. Below are a few of the paintings that I did. A lot of research was involved in doing these works and I really loved painting them. These paintings are based on photographs that I took while working there. It's interesting to note that these paintings were also related to my earlier paintings done for Ford Times magazine when I was just getting started in the business. I'll be posting those in the near future.
THE LEGEND OF ACOMA
The Acoma Pueblo is built on top of a sandstone mesa and is one of the oldest continuously inhabited communities in the U. S. The two eggs are part of a legend of the origin of the place. I don't remember their relevance, but one was a parrot egg. I wrote the legend on the back of the painting which is hanging in the Craig Smith Gallery in Union Pier, Michigan.
TRAIL TO CIBOLA
THE ENCHANTED MESA
VIEW OF SANTA FE
ABANDONED MISSION CHURCH
These paintings were all done using acrylics on canvas
CICUYE RUINS
Being unable to connect with a gallery in Santa Fe was disapointing for my wife and I as we had hopes of being able to move out there and further develop my fine art career. At the time I was gradually moving out of the commercial field and working more in the fine art area.
After doing about thirty acrylic paintings we returned to the area and showed my work to several galleries. Unfortunately, I was unable to interest any gallery in taking my work on. That dream suffered a royal defeat. Below are a few of the paintings that I did. A lot of research was involved in doing these works and I really loved painting them. These paintings are based on photographs that I took while working there. It's interesting to note that these paintings were also related to my earlier paintings done for Ford Times magazine when I was just getting started in the business. I'll be posting those in the near future.
THE LEGEND OF ACOMA
The Acoma Pueblo is built on top of a sandstone mesa and is one of the oldest continuously inhabited communities in the U. S. The two eggs are part of a legend of the origin of the place. I don't remember their relevance, but one was a parrot egg. I wrote the legend on the back of the painting which is hanging in the Craig Smith Gallery in Union Pier, Michigan.
TRAIL TO CIBOLA
THE ENCHANTED MESA
VIEW OF SANTA FE
ABANDONED MISSION CHURCH
These paintings were all done using acrylics on canvas
CICUYE RUINS
Being unable to connect with a gallery in Santa Fe was disapointing for my wife and I as we had hopes of being able to move out there and further develop my fine art career. At the time I was gradually moving out of the commercial field and working more in the fine art area.
Monday, May 18, 2009
More 1985 Volkswagon catalog artwork
There were a total of 36 ink line drawings to do that were used in six catalogs. Many of these drawings were quite complex and had to be done under tight deadlines. If I remember correctly, I also went out on the photo shoot to Nevada and New Mexico for some of these catalogs. My wife and I fell in love with Santa Fe and New Mexico in general. We were living in New York at the time which my wife was not fond of after living in Paris. I enjoyed Manhattan, but after a while we both grew a bit weary of the place.
Some of the art was fairly simple, most of it was mechanical and quite complex.
Santa Fe is one of the largest fine art markets in the U.S. with many art galleries. When we came back from New Mexico I decided to do a few new paintings directed at that market and see if I could interest any gallery there to represent me. In the next posts I will show a few of those paintings.
Some of the art was fairly simple, most of it was mechanical and quite complex.
Santa Fe is one of the largest fine art markets in the U.S. with many art galleries. When we came back from New Mexico I decided to do a few new paintings directed at that market and see if I could interest any gallery there to represent me. In the next posts I will show a few of those paintings.
Friday, May 15, 2009
Artwork for the 1985 Volkswagon catalogs
When I left Paris in 1983 and moved back to the States I set up shop in in New York City. I mainly did storyboards and ad comps for all the major ad agencies. At first I worked with my old reps Neeley Mulvey, then worked with the Yellow Brick Road for a few years. I finally had Diane Boston as a rep, she now has a company called Way Art. I was still getting pretty good assignments through Wayne Alexander from the Detroit area. Wayne had a small ad agency that got a lot of work from American Motors. He now had gotten the assignment to produce all of the 1985 Volkswagon catalogs which included the design, art and photography.
Here is the carton which contained all of the catalogs. One of my Paris black and white paintings was used on the box cover. I don't recall doing any of the graphic design work on this project but Wayne wanted me to do all of the ink line artwork for the catalogs.
These were all pretty much tight mechanical ink line drawings of the products. I had quite a bit of automotive art experience so this was right up my alley.
These were all very tight ink line drawings done with a technical pen on illustration board. I don't recall how the gray were done, I may have used Zipatone for these areas.
Good reference material was provided for me by Volkswagon. I will show you more of the artwork on the next post.
This type of art can be quite complex to produce as you might imagine, especially under the pressure of deadlines which were ever present. The art also was checked for accuracy by the engineers at Volkswagon.
Here is the carton which contained all of the catalogs. One of my Paris black and white paintings was used on the box cover. I don't recall doing any of the graphic design work on this project but Wayne wanted me to do all of the ink line artwork for the catalogs.
These were all pretty much tight mechanical ink line drawings of the products. I had quite a bit of automotive art experience so this was right up my alley.
These were all very tight ink line drawings done with a technical pen on illustration board. I don't recall how the gray were done, I may have used Zipatone for these areas.
Good reference material was provided for me by Volkswagon. I will show you more of the artwork on the next post.
This type of art can be quite complex to produce as you might imagine, especially under the pressure of deadlines which were ever present. The art also was checked for accuracy by the engineers at Volkswagon.
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
More work from the USA while in Paris
Another assignment from Wayne Alexander, designing the 1981 Renault catalogs for American Motors.
Some of my first thoughts for the catalog cover designs. I was pleased with the last two ideas and was considering a silver color for the cover backgrounds.
Further developments of the idea.
The finished cover for the Renault 18i. We hired Dick Martini, a Detroit lettering artist, to develop the cover lettering based on my designs.
The cover for the Renault Le Car catalog.
One of my first rough layouts for the opening spread for the 18i catalog.
Here is a quick color rough layout of the opening spread. I worked up the whole catalog like this which I presented to Wayne. Everything was fine and I went ahead and did comprehensive layouts for the two catalogs which Wayne presented to the client.
This is the comp layout of the opening spread. The whole catalog was done in this form and presented to the client before going ahead with the final photography.
Here is the spread as it appeared in the printed catalog.
Some of my first thoughts for the catalog cover designs. I was pleased with the last two ideas and was considering a silver color for the cover backgrounds.
Further developments of the idea.
The finished cover for the Renault 18i. We hired Dick Martini, a Detroit lettering artist, to develop the cover lettering based on my designs.
The cover for the Renault Le Car catalog.
One of my first rough layouts for the opening spread for the 18i catalog.
Here is a quick color rough layout of the opening spread. I worked up the whole catalog like this which I presented to Wayne. Everything was fine and I went ahead and did comprehensive layouts for the two catalogs which Wayne presented to the client.
This is the comp layout of the opening spread. The whole catalog was done in this form and presented to the client before going ahead with the final photography.
Here is the spread as it appeared in the printed catalog.
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