1000 Reasons to Buy This Book
While curating my previous books, I was always left with the empty feeling of not being able to share all of the amazing work that I desired, from the talented folks around the world. Presented with the chance to assemble and design the poster entry into the ever popular 1,000 series for Rockport Publishers, I knew just what to do. Then something unthinkable occurred – I was still left with tons of work left behind! Each and every piece within these pages is as awesome as the diecut cover you see before you. This is a must have. Speaking of which, it might be time to start a new poster book already…
Highlighting the current move towards hand-made design (and the incredible work of so many stellar firms/individuals) the nice folks at Rockport Publishers took the plunge with me once again via “Dirty Fingernails: A One-Of-A-Kind Collection of Graphics Uniquely Designed By Hand.” Despite having lived with these images for months on end, I can not lie – they still take my breath away! Complimented by my informative writing style, the assembled serves as an informative/inspirational touchstone for an important time in the history of design (if I do say so myself – and I do!) You have to get one in your hands to see the splattered joys of the spot varnish, so get down to your local book behemoth or start your wait at the door for the UPS guy and those sexy legs.
I sometimes labor over solutions, agonizing my way through every minor detail and burying myself in research until I find an idea that suits me – and then I usually need to come up with at least two more! This isn’t one of those moments. In capturing the essence of this program, pairing emerging writers with the area’s most creative musicians, I knew what to do immediately. Sometimes the obvious (to me at least) solution is the best. The key is in how you execute it. Finding the perfect book, I still managed to agonize over photographing it at just the right angle – haha.
Opening August 24th on the fine campus of James Madison University is this selection of work from yours truly. With humble hopes to do the walls of the Sawhill Gallery justice, I would like to think that my work still resonates with today’s youth and at the very least that I can creep them out a little with a three-eyed masked wrestler! It will be wall to wall Foster in there, and if that wasn’t enough for you my little pretties, then get your motors started for the Q+A when I arrive for a tour of classes and one of those fancy talks I like to give on September 14th. (It has to be fancy – I mean it says so right there on the poster!)
Duke University put on a summer series of concerts featuring North Carolina’s finest and who better than the dynamic duo that formerly fronted the beloved dB’s? While remaining a complimentary pairing, Chris Stamey and Peter Holsapple have always been the sweet to each other’s sour, the jangle in your rock, the treble in your bass, the playful in your dour. More than anything they have always reminded me of competitive brothers trying to one up each other and so how could I resist this wonderful image.
Americans for the Arts has always been one of our favorite organizations and though we have worked with them for over 12 years (can you hear my knees creaking just typing that?) we had yet to work with them on the BCA 10 program. Giving the celebration of corporate support for the arts a fresh and exciting look was truly our pleasure as we couldn’t agree more with the focus of these awards in light of the current availability for funding the arts. 
West Main Development is a pretty special record label in Baltimore that treads in the cast off and unloved world of the live track and b-side. Ensuring that such gems do not go unheard, they work tirelessly to find a sweet little spot in your playlist for some of the most adventurous music being produced today. Putting some of these acts under one roof – actually smack dab in the middle of a beautiful old church in downtown b’more for a one night only showcase – we wanted to make something memorable and quirky to properly “represent” as the kids say. (My kid doesn’t say that, but I am pretty sure I read about such vocabulary in a reliable source.) The first person to e-mail me the name of the figure on the top wins a prize pack of mystery posters. Seriously. No hints though.
Spending countless hours (days and months at this count more likely!) digging through crates of vinyl, I have become addicted to the intoxicating mix of visual discovery and tactile sensation that accompanies the scent of the hunt. Absolutely nothing brings me peace like two hours in a record store can. Unfortunately, those stores have slowly disappeared over the years, but that has made events such as this all the more enjoyable. Used as a promotional device, as well as a commemorative piece of merchandise, I could only hope to capture but a sliver of the happiness this day brings me.