Tandem Illustrations
Uncut – Rejected Rug Sketches
Sport Graphics
Sketches for competitions, fitness programs and t-shirt applications.
Tater Heads
2017 Poignant Observations
Another year concludes with some poignant observations. After 18 years of working at Grant Design Collaborative I still give my heart and soul to the business of design. Our clients, along with Bill, Liz and Kurt, continue to push me to be more strategic, imaginative and faster at what I do. Time is never on anyone’s side and I admire families who can raise children in today’s world. I got to know my nephew, Devin, a bit more this summer when a one week stay with us provided many fond memories. There is never enough time to do everything that I want to do. I want to create more fine art, exercise and travel more. I’m still discovering things that I am naturally talented at, and bad at editing things out that I am not good doing. If I am not continually challenging myself or experiencing new things I get bored and anxious. And, I take health and family for granted way too often. With my uncle’s passing (Don Lechman) this year, I had the short and rare opportunity to hang out with my cousin Stephen, a talented architect in Detroit, and see some of the revitalization of the Motor City. My other Uncle, John Walson, who practices and taught art for many years in West Michigan, moved with my aunt to Chicago to be closer to my cousins Joslyn and Janna. Although we don’t see or speak often, he continues to be a huge influence in my life today. Life goes on...
Experimental iPhoneography
Various portraits and landscapes taken with an Apple iPhone over the years.
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When Business Becomes Personal
As a commercial artist, the passion to create hangs in the balance with compromise. Subjectivity and criticism go hand-in-hand with crafting successful solutions and project accolades. Having thrived in the design industry for over thirty years, the best way to persevere is with very thick skin, extreme patience, fanatical customer service, and a curious dose of creative imagination. Sometimes the intensity for creativity is misunderstood and relationships are challenged. Like this moment where I defended a proposed typographic composition by stating that basic typographic principles were being overlooked. This one I wish I could take back, but I learn from my experiences and move on to the next big opportunity with timid confidence.
“Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back — concerning all acts of initiative (and creation), there is one elementary truth that ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then Providence moves too. All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred. A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in one’s favor all manner of unforeseen incidents and meetings and material assistance, which no man could have dreamed would have come his way.
Whatever you can do, or dream you can do, begin it. Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it. Begin it now.“
Partly by Goethe