Kim Rosen Illustration

Holocaust Memories

2012-01-27T11:02:00.000-05:00

"My Mother is Drenched in Memories of the Holocaust"
This illustration accompanies a very sad story of a Holocaust survivor who could never forget her past. The author writes about his 90 yr. old mother who's life has been an extended version of the false identity she was forced to assume during the Nazi occupation of Hungary. Through the last half of her life, this survivor has suppressed her agony and heartbreak and managed to get by with a forced smile. Thanks again to Cinders for always giving me thoughtful stories to illustrate.

HOW magazine Merit Award

2012-01-26T11:25:00.000-05:00

I just found out that this campaign I illustrated for the Hot Java Cool Jazz posters sponsored by Starbucks won a merit award for non-profit work in HOW magazine. Awesome! You can see my original post HERE

Thanks again to the wonderful people at Starbucks for such a fun project!

Billabong Surfboard #3

2012-01-24T11:44:00.000-05:00

I recently finished my third surfboard for Billabong. This board will be on display in the Maui store. These boards are so much fun to create and I love the challenge of the working within the format. You can see my other boards HERE. So far my surfboards are being displayed in Soho-NYC, Deerfield-FL, Panama-Canada, Limeridge-Canada, and now in Maui-Hawaii. Thanks Anne for these fun jobs!

Middle East Storytelling

2012-01-02T09:31:00.001-05:00

"How jokes, stories and dreams helped make my Middle East trip peaceful"
The Globe and Mail

Thanks again to Devin for another fun and interesting job. This story is about a friendship between an Israeli man and a Palestinian woman and their dreams of using storytelling to break all the barriers of conflict between the two nations.

December Coupling

2012-01-02T09:24:00.001-05:00

My Boston Globe magazine "Coupling" illustrations from the past month.

Class Action

2012-01-02T09:22:00.002-05:00

This spot illustration in the current Canadian Lawyer magazine is for a story about defense lawyers filing their class-action cases before the case has been certified by the judge. Corporate lawyers argue that a certified class action case creates a poor image of the company before the merits of the claim have yet to be judged.

Father / Daughter Bonding

2011-12-29T08:54:00.000-05:00

Here is another sweet story about a father who was recently fired from his job and made a promise to travel with his teenage daughter. His daughter chose the destination of Vietnam and they formed a tight bond over all the sites, cultures and beautiful landscape. This illustration appears in today's Globe and Mail. Thanks Devin for the fun job!

Hanukkah

2011-12-21T06:41:00.000-05:00

"I have big shoes to fill this Hanukkah"

This is a sweet story in today's Globe and Mail about a new mom wanting to pass along the Hanukkah traditions that her father passed to her throughout her life. You can read the full story HERE. Happy Hanukkah!

Questioning a Doctor's Loyalties

2011-12-19T13:44:00.000-05:00

A woman with MS finds out that her neurologist is being paid large amounts of money from pharmaceutical companies to administer certain prescriptions. The patient quickly loses trust in her doctor and makes sure that her future doctor will have no industry relationships or conflicts of interest. This illustration appeared in The Washington Post this past weekend. Thanks to Brad for the interesting job!

Happy Holidays

2011-12-15T09:48:00.001-05:00

My holiday card for this year. Get some sleep everyone!
You can see some of my past holiday cards HERE

Gillian Welch and Dave Rawlings

2011-12-02T08:08:00.001-05:00

Inspired by their amazing show I saw earlier this week, here is a portrait of Gillian and Dave. Everyone should go and see them live if you get the chance, you won't be sorry.

The Many Moods of Pregnancy

2011-12-01T07:32:00.001-05:00

From all of the pregnant women I know, mood swings seem to be the common thread between them all. Here are six illustrations pin-pointing some of the moods one can expect during pregnancy. The AD wanted the illustrations to have a tarot card feel that would be placed throughout the article. These are in the current Today's Parent magazine. Thanks to Dave for the fun job!

ANGER

HAPPINESS

RELAXED

RAGE

DEPRESSED

EXHAUSTION

November Coupling

2011-11-28T08:11:00.001-05:00

Here are my "Coupling" illustrations for The Boston Globe magazine from the past month.

Facts and Arguments

2011-11-23T06:39:00.001-05:00

"As a Brain Surgeon, I know Patients' Futures Before They Do"

A Brain Surgeon writes about the fate of his patients that he foresees on paper before he even meets them. Thanks to Cinders for always giving me such interesting and emotional stories to illustrate. In today's Globe and Mail HERE

Thanksgiving on-the-go

2011-11-17T12:14:00.001-05:00

This little hipster appears in the current TimeOut Chicago. You can get a turkey and all the fixins on-the-go this Thanksgiving in Chicago. If any Chicagoans are reading this, click HERE for the article.

Retired Lawyers

2011-11-17T12:09:00.001-05:00

Should Lawyers write about their past cases after retirement? This spot is in the current Canadian Lawyer magazine. I also decided to finish a rejected sketch below.

Screenprinting

2011-11-04T14:55:00.000-04:00

This Summer I had the pleasure of taking an experimental screenprinting workshop at Zea Mays up here in Western MA. The workshop was taught by the amazing Jennifer Cooke of Raeburn Ink. Jen was a fantastic teacher and has been graciously letting me pick her brain about screenprinting ever since the workshop ended. I can't thank Jen enough for answering all my questions and inviting me to see her in action at her studio.

I have to say, I am now obsessed with screenprinting. I have turned my basement into a printing studio and I can't seem to stop. I've been printing a lot of patterns and such but here are some illustrative hand painted screenprints that I recently finished.

Check out Raeburn Ink's shop HERE and while you're at it, buy her book HERE!

"Dancers"

"Offspring"

October "Coupling"

2011-11-01T12:15:00.000-04:00

Here are the Boston Globe "Coupling" illustrations for the month of October. I wonder if I should title these, or have you guys figure out the stories yourselves...

"Darkest Before Dawn"

2011-11-01T10:30:00.003-04:00

detail

This image in the current Pennsylvania Gazette is for a story written by Shrestha Singh an undergrad at the University of Pennsylvania. Shrestha spent a semester documenting the lives of homeless women who are on a running team near Temple University. The women are a part of program called "Back on my Feet" which promotes running as a tool of empowerment, a metaphor for moving forward in life. I always love reading and illustrating these stories in the Gazette, thank you Cathy for another fun job.

Utne Reader

2011-10-24T10:29:00.003-04:00

Here is an illo in the current Utne Reader about an actress who is fed up with auditions and has been put through the ringer. Thanks to Stephanie for this fun job!

New England Public Radio

2011-10-19T07:10:00.004-04:00

I was excited to find out that my image I submitted to NEPR was selected to be on their new Art mug. I listen to NPR everyday and it is truly an honor that my work is being used for such an amazing organization. If you live in New England, please donate to nepr.net to not only receive an art mug, but to keep these guys on the air.

Editorial promo

2011-10-18T09:40:00.003-04:00

Here is a new editorial promo image about Alzheimer's Disease. This was originally an outtake sketch that I decided to take to final. If anyone would like to receive one of these promo cards contact me HERE

Art Market

2011-10-03T10:39:00.003-04:00

This illustration is featured in the current issue of Aspen Sojourner. The article discusses the current state of the fine art market and the effects of the economic downturn. The perspectives are from artists who were used to getting six figure price tags, galleries who are seeing fewer sales and trying to convince artists to lower their prices, and collectors who are skittish and unsure whether art is an investment that will hold its value. Ugh. None-the-less this was a fun job. Thanks Kate!

All Hallows Eve Fair

2011-10-03T10:31:00.003-04:00

You can't go wrong with a fair that has Tarot card readers, Pet Mediums, Aura painters and Angel Readers. If you are in Rhode Island this October you should go to the All Hallows Eve Fair. This illustration is in this month's Rhode Island Monthly. Thanks Carolyn for the fun job!

Rise and Shine

2011-10-03T09:53:00.002-04:00

Here are some illustrations that are in the current Runner's World magazine. All about early morning runs and how to actually get out of the door and go. Always a pleasure working for these guys. Thanks Kory for the fun job.

Coupling

2011-09-23T07:31:00.003-04:00

Boy, I have been neglecting this blog a bit. Here are some of my "Coupling" illustrations from the past month or so for The Boston Globe magazine. Enjoy!

Alzheimer's Disease

2011-09-02T12:04:00.002-04:00

"Defining Alzheimer's as a Longer Disease" for Johns Hopkins magazine

Researchers at Johns Hopkins now understand that Alzheimer’s builds up slowly over many years, even before memory issues appear. Advances in technology have helped identify clues that lead to the disease. Scientists are now able to identify early stages of Alzheimers and therefore can start treating the disease long before serious symptoms occur. You can read the full story HERE.

Mystery

2011-08-31T12:43:00.003-04:00

Part 1.

Final illaboration

Here is my latest Illaboration with the great Victo Ngai for the topic "Mystery".
I started the illustration and Victo did an amazing job finishing the image. These are so much fun to do, it's always exciting to see the final outcome. Thanks Victo!

Mobile site

2011-08-31T08:17:00.003-04:00

Hey guys- you can now view my work on your ipads or iphones through The Creative Finder. Click HERE to view the site and maybe you could bookmark it? You can also access this site by clicking the link to the right titled "ipad/iphone portfolio" - Enjoy!

The Breakup

2011-08-23T06:52:00.002-04:00

I guess women often cry and talk to their friends after a breakup and men go out on the hunt for a fling to overcome the pain. According to THIS article in today's Wall Street Journal, that is how both sexes deal with breaking up these days. Thanks to all the social media, we are all obsessed with checking the status of our Ex and this article gives tips on how to deal with the "cocaine-like" cravings of checking those Facebook pages and what not.
Thanks to Pete for this fun job!

End of Summer

2011-08-18T09:22:00.002-04:00

Here is a personal piece I did a little while back as a summer promo. I hope you guys have been enjoying your summer as much as I have been enjoying mine.

Writing through Cancer

2011-08-15T13:34:00.003-04:00

Here is an illustration in today's Globe and Mail in the Facts and Arguments section. A woman finds her writing voice again after being diagnosed with cancer. Writing helped the author cope with her illness and gave her new perspectives and hope.

July Coupling

2011-08-08T10:06:00.002-04:00

Here are my "Coupling" illustrations from July for the Boston Globe Magazine. Enjoy!

Shareholder Activism

2011-07-26T09:59:00.003-04:00

"If Canadian in-house counsel did not feel overwhelmed enough in their role protecting their companies’ interests, a new threat reached their radar screens over the course of the past year: shareholder activism."

Shareholders want more and more say over how the companies that they have stock in are run. According to this article, there are three types of shareholders: Value maximizers who are looking to get the most out of their investments, Corporate governance watchdogs who focus on how executives are compensated and Corporate activists who care most about social responsibilities.

In the current Issue of Canadian Lawyer's InHouse magazine. Thanks to Bill Hunter for this interesting job.

Wait...I'm old?!

2011-07-21T13:30:00.005-04:00

I can't believe I am old enough to have three nieces and a nephew. What happened? Anyway- I am very lucky to have these little ones in my life, they are all amazingly adorable. Being the "artsy" one in the family, a gift in the form of a drawing is umm...shall we say expected to come from me. I have loved drawing things for these special people in my life and I know I will continue to give them handmade gifts until they are at least as old as me. Here are two kid-friendly pieces below...

Paying for Plastic with Plastic

2011-07-18T08:47:00.004-04:00

"When Your Doctor Sells Credit Cards"

Credit-card issuers are now marketing health-care credit cards that are geared towards people who undergo elective (plastic) surgeries. But beware, these cards have 0% interest rates initially which quickly spike up, leaving the borrower in tons of debt.

This was for Saturdays Wall Street Journal. Thanks to AD Mark Tyner for another fun one. You can read the full story HERE

Below are some very rough idea sketches and then the final sketch.

Waging War on Weight

2011-07-05T07:41:00.003-04:00

Cover illustration

Full-page interior

Spot illustration

Johns Hopkins experts explore surgical and nonsurgical solutions to the obesity upsurge.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that about one in three adult Americans is obese, a situation that's exacting a huge toll on society. Some 160,000 people die prematurely every year because of obesity-related ills, according to studies, and a person who is 70 pounds or more overweight racks up as much as $30,000 in additional lifetime medical costs.
A number of Johns Hopkins researchers have been playing a crucial role in the effort to unravel and tame this daunting, complex problem, and on several fronts. This multi pronged approach to tackling obesity has been paying off in key insights, as well as in new treatments whose benefits and promise are being proved in several groundbreaking studies.

Some ideas behind the treatment process:
-Long-Term Success Requires Behavior Change
-Tangible Benefits of Support Groups
-Interpersonal vs. Internet
-Will There Be a Weight-Loss Pill?

June "Coupling"

2011-07-05T07:34:00.003-04:00

Once again my end of the month round-up of the Coupling illustrations for The Boston Globe magazine for June. Enjoy!

Introverts vs. Extroverts

2011-07-05T07:30:00.003-04:00

This was a quick one for The Wall Street Journal about relationships between Introverts and Extroverts. The dialogue was added to the speech/thought bubbles by the AD. Thanks to Pete Hausler for this fun Job!

Profiting in Biotech

2011-06-16T10:47:00.003-04:00

The Traders' Magazine

"Is biotech investing the same as investing in slots? Is there any way to consistently build wealth in this sector? Many investors avoid biotechnology altogether, appalled at the prospect of stocks that can nosedive over 60% within minutes, while others are attracted to the extraordinary gains possible for companies that receive FDA approval. All investors wonder: Is biotech investing a hopeless gamble? Without knowing what the FDA will decide beforehand, is there a way to trade biotech stocks with a high probability of success?"

Elderly Folks

2011-06-16T10:41:00.003-04:00

Different cultures treat and care for their elderly in many different ways. This spot is for Webster magazine and reconfirms my love of drawing elderly people.

Time Out Chicago

2011-06-16T10:38:00.003-04:00

So I guess people still use pick-up lines, who knew? Here is an image for TimeOut Chicago for an article about which pick-up lines are good and which ones to stay away from.

Flannery O'Connor

2011-06-08T12:00:00.002-04:00

Here is a personal illustration based on one of my favorite Flannery O'Connor stories "A Good Man is Hard to Find". If you haven't read it, you must.

Speaking of Runner's World

2011-06-07T09:33:00.003-04:00

I know I have posted before about my year or so long job with Runner's World magazine, but I don't think I have ever shown all of the images together. I was asked to create illustrations for John Bingham's "No Need for Speed" column every month. I loved this job because John's writings were always so inspiring, hopeful and positive. I actually became a runner when I started this job and I still think about John's stories on most of my runs. Here are all the images that accompanied the columns...

OutRunning Cancer - Runner's World

2011-06-07T09:15:00.004-04:00

The fine folks over at Theispot just informed me of my image in this months Runner's World magazine used as a promotional piece for their Outrunning Cancer fundraiser. The image above was originally created in 2008 for John Bingham's column "No Need for Speed" about running for something other than yourself and how that's the greatest gift of the sport.

The Magic of Illustration Art

2011-06-06T07:26:00.003-04:00

I just received my copy of "The Magic of Illustration Art" in the mail and I'm honored to be featured/interviewed amongst some of my favorite illustrators. The book is in Chinese so I can't read anything except the names of other Illustrators, some of which include, Olaf Hajek, Fernanda Cohen, Yuko Shimizu, Hope Gangloff, Melinda Beck, Gary Taxali and many other greats. Thanks Ching Lee for including me in this fantastic collection of artists.

May Coupling

2011-05-31T12:16:00.003-04:00

Here are my weekly illustrations during the past month for The Boston Globe magazine's "Coupling" column. Enjoy!

Angry Birds!

2011-05-19T08:22:00.006-04:00

Angry Birds are taking over. Not only can people be obsessed with the game, they can now buy plush angry birds, dress up in angry bird costumes, eat angry bird candy and maybe soon watch a cartoon on the never-ending battle. Mikael Hed has been named one of the "100 Most Creative People in Business 2011" by Fast Company. You can see the full list HERE

Thanks to Alice at Fast Company for this fun job.

I don't usually show my sketches- but here they are for this job...

Recent Spots

2011-05-19T08:08:00.004-04:00

"The Real Truth in Sentencing"

This illustration for Canadian Lawyer magazine focuses on the possible credit for pretrial custody during the sentence served by a convicted criminal. The argument is one day in pretrial custody should equal one day spent serving the sentence.

"Insiders Guide"

Here are some Summery spots for Westchester magazine focusing on some under-the-radar sites, activities and services of Westchester.

Galway Girl

2011-05-02T12:33:00.004-04:00

This illustration for The Pennsylvania Gazette is for a story written by a Penn alum who recounts her summer spent in Galway Ireland as a waitress. The stresses of school and the unknown future after graduation all vanished when the autor Rachel Friedman was waitressing.

Here is an excerpt from the story:
"Yet in Ireland, I had become someone entirely different: a wild girl who stayed out late, guzzled Guinness, told coarse jokes, and said yes to every invitation. I wasn’t going to be that girl forever, I knew, just like I wasn’t going to wait tables forever, but I liked the parts of myself that I discovered in both places. That summer waitressing in Ireland, I existed wholly in the present moment, maybe for the first time in my life. I had no past or future, which suited me perfectly, since, at that particular moment, I did not wish to reckon with either."

You can read the full story HERE

Game Market- CBS Interactive

2011-04-29T09:09:00.013-04:00

This was a really fun job that just went live. I was hired by CBS Interactive to create the Fair Fairy character along with three banner ads for GameSpot's Game Market which is an online marketplace for buying video games.

The guys at CBS Interactive were looking for a sassy character with a little attitude and a rebellious streak. They wanted her to be young and cool, but with a little uh... gaming vibe. So here are some characters that I came up with in the initial round:

After some mixing and matching and revisions, we went with this version which I turned into a Vector image for animation purposes:

The animated banners were a blast to create as well. The end goal was for the animations to be a bit jumpy and awkward to add some humor to the ads and I think the animators did a great job! Thanks to the guys at CBS Interactive, especially Eric who was great to work with during the whole process.

Here are screen grabs and links to view each banner ad:

View animation HERE

View animation HERE

View animation HERE

And HERE is a link to the actual GameSpot site.

Art for Japan

2011-04-28T13:53:00.002-04:00

Thanks to Meg Hunt for putting together this art auction for the Japan relief efforts. 100% of the final sale price will support AmeriCares Foundation Inc. Here's a bit about the organization:

AmeriCares is a disaster relief & humanitarian aid organization providing immediate response to emergency medical needs & supporting long-term humanitarian assistance programs. Currently, AmeriCares is working to quickly distribute medicines and supplies to hospitals and clinics treating survivors of the devastating earthquake in Japan.

A Giclee print of the image above is up for auction and the bidding has already begun. Check it out HERE
Maybe you'll see something you like and your money will go to a good cause.

Click HERE to go to Meg's Art for Japan site for more information.

Gray

2011-04-25T08:46:00.007-04:00

When I was in Grad school I had the pleasure of nannying for one of the most amazing little boys I have ever met. Gray was an introverted 1.5 year old when I met him. In the two years that I nannied for him, we grew very close and formed a unique bond. Gray didn't talk much then but we understood each other perfectly. I never met a little boy that would take clocks apart to get to the cogs, or create his own books about spider webs and jelly fish and machinery.

When Gray started to draw, I wasn't surprised at all by the intricate details and tremendous talent shown on each page. Now over 8 yrs. later, Gray sends me wonderful drawings in the mail and when we Skype, shows me his architectural landscapes and vast Lego cities. Thanks Catherine and Fred for being such great parents and bringing me into Gray's life. It's been so cool to see Gray flourish as he gets older. Watch out Illustrators- I think we will have some stiff competition.

©2011 Gray Fruisen

©2009 Gray Fruisen
From Gray:
"Steep City"
"I drew this in the car the other day while me and my mom were running errands. I like to draw cities. This is the first time I drew one on a hill."

©2009 Gray Fruisen
"Road Sign Series: 4"
"This one was a toughie. I had a hard time figuring out the masking tape. But I am REALLY happy with it, I think it is my favorite from the Road Sign Series."

©2009 Gray Fruisen
"Road Sign Series: 3"
"My third road sign-inspired painting. It looks really good when it's right next to #4."

Love Wins

2011-04-25T08:31:00.003-04:00

Here are two spots for The Washington Post book review section for Rob Bell's book called "Love Wins: A Book About Heaven, Hell and the Fate of Every Person Who Ever Lived". Pastor Rob Bell challenges the Christian notion of Hell and discusses how the biblical story has morphed throughout the years. Bell's book has stirred up quite a controversy and forced many Christians to reexamine their beliefs of Heaven and Hell.

American Illustration

2011-04-20T15:26:00.003-04:00

I got word that the image above was Chosen to be on the American Illustration website. Sometimes you're Selected and sometimes you're Chosen, I'm always happy to be either one as it's always an honor.

The image above was originally for Johns Hopkins magazine about advancing Autism education throughout the country.

Spring Coupling

2011-04-19T12:09:00.004-04:00

Here are some "Coupling" illustrations for The Boston Globe Magazine from the past month and a half. Enjoy!

Jane Eyre

2011-04-01T06:55:00.002-04:00

"Mirror to our Passions"

A quick turnaround for this illustration in today's Boston Globe- OpEd section.
After 164 years of Charlotte Bronte's novel, we still can relate to Jane Eyre and all of her interior struggles.

You can read the full story HERE

Apartment Therapy

2011-03-30T08:13:00.003-04:00

What an honor to be featured on Apartment Therapy! Thanks to Aaron for posting our painted floor yesterday! Certainly made my day. You can see the full post HERE

Patterns

2011-03-28T08:15:00.005-04:00

The plywood subfloor- BEFORE

and AFTER- with just the edges to finish

I don't usually post this sort of thing, but I'm a bit obsessed with home decor and renovations. I live in a house that was built in 1898 and when I'm not working on illustrations, I'm figuring out the next house project. Here is the latest project that Cara and I have been working on. We have a small section of our bedroom that had some carpet which we ripped out a while ago. Instead of trying to match the original wood floor that's in the rest of the room, we decided to paint on the plywood. After the wood filler, sanding and two coats of primer, I created this pattern and went to town. It's still not quite finished, but soooo close...

Hot Java Cool Jazz

2011-03-16T12:52:00.006-04:00

I was commissioned by Starbucks to illustrate 5 of the best high school jazz bands for their annual Hot Java Cool Jazz event on April 15th. You can read more about it on the Starbucks site. I drew all of the band members and the creative team at Starbucks did a great job at designing the rest of the posters. They work well individually and when the posters are all lined up, they work well as group too. The kind people at Starbucks allowed me to exaggerate the kids expressions and body language and I had a total blast working on every single kid. Here are some close ups of my b/w drawings and examples of the final posters.

Color + Composition

2011-03-09T12:20:00.005-05:00

Like many Illustrators, I get a lot of Illustration students emailing me with questions and what not about the industry and starting out. I enjoy the questions and I always try to answer them as best I can. I know when I was a student I valued the advice from professional Illustrators and always appreciated their feedback.

I often get asked about color and composition and how I come up with my color palette. I don't always get to do this, but sometimes before I start a final I create these small color studies using parts of my patterns. I use these as a guide for composition as well and try to figure out the foreground, middleground and background of each composition using limited color and value. How your eye is forced around a page was something I loved about Graphic Design using type, and color does the same thing in Illustration. Color and composition are some of my favorite aspects of creating an image, so these little studies are a lot of fun and a good starting point for moving ahead to the final image.

Canadian Lawyer

2011-03-07T12:07:00.003-05:00

"Back to Basics"

This illustration is in the current Canadian Lawyer magazine. The story is about how most big law firms handle all of the basic aspects of running a law firm for their lawyers. When a lawyer who is used to working in a large firm decides they want to break out on their own- they are often lost and have no idea how to run the business. They are forced to then learn the basics and this article discusses who is responsible for teaching the lawyers these basics in the first place. You can read the full article HERE

Facts and Arguments

2011-03-04T08:47:00.003-05:00

"A Road Trip to Celebrate 70 Years"

This illustration is in today's Globe and Mail in the Facts and Arguments section. The story is quite touching about a group of childhood friends who turned 70 and celebrated by going on a road trip. The differences in each personality added to the success of the trip. That success led the women to continue to travel and explore places that they've all been wanting to visit throughout their lives.

February Coupling

2011-03-03T13:51:00.003-05:00

Here is a selection of my "Coupling" illustrations in The Boston Globe magazine for the month of February.

The Importance of Foreign Language Education

2011-03-01T12:02:00.005-05:00

This illustration is in the current Hour Detroit magazine for an article titled "The Politics of Foreign Language Education."
This is a really interesting article discussing the various and changing trends in language education in American schools. Because we as a country are relying more and more on business overseas, we need to start learning other languages early on to stay relevant and to open up new opportunities for students who will be entering the job market.

You can read the full article HERE

Tamara Karsavina

2011-03-01T08:15:00.004-05:00

I love portraits. It's always a pleasure to learn about a person and then try to capture them in an illustration. Here is a portrait of the late Russian Ballerina Tamara Karsavina in this weeks New Yorker magazine for a "Critic's Notebook" column by Joan Acocella. Thanks to Jordan for another fun job.

New Billabong Surfboard

2011-02-24T14:19:00.003-05:00

Here is another surfboard I had the pleasure of illustrating for Billabong. Both of these surfboards are used for in-store displays. This new one will be in a Billabong store in Florida. The first board is in five stores throughout the country. Thanks to Anne for such a fun job and for giving me all the freedom in the world.

ALSO

2011-02-16T08:08:00.005-05:00

The wonderful LA-based band ALSO once again asked me to illustrate and design their latest album titled "Music Belongs in the Background." It is so nice to work with people who trust and respect the work that you do and who also give you a lot of creative freedom. Thanks again guys for this great opportunity. Please check out ALSO's music HERE.

First Mass Murder in America

2011-02-08T08:26:00.003-05:00

Here is an illustration in today's Hartford Courant about the first known mass murder that took place in Washington CT and became known as "The Mallory Murders"

Here is an excerpt from the story:

"In one hand, he holds a swingle, a wooden instrument he uses each day on the Mallory farm to extract flax fiber for linen production. The candle in his other hand is the room's only light.

He stands next to the bed where Caleb Mallory lies sleeping. Beside Caleb, in a separate bed, his wife is sleeping with their 8-year-old granddaughter.

Davenport swings. The wood makes contact with Mallory's head. There's screaming, panic. Mallory knocks the candle from Davenport's hand, and it hits the ground, making the room now dark. Davenport continues to attack, first Mallory, then Mrs. Mallory, then their granddaughter. He doesn't stop, not even when the swingle splits and he has to change weapons, grabbing the musket beside their beds. He thinks they're dead.

Down the hall, the Mallorys 5- and 6-year-old grandsons are startled by the noises. Davenport tells them everything is all right. He puts them to bed and proceeds to loot the home.

And then, a groan from Caleb Mallory in the bedroom. More swinging. Then silence.

Davenport changes out of his blood-soaked garments and into some of Mallory's clothes. He lights several fires throughout the premises. Then he leaves the house, the bodies and the two live children to burn."

January Coupling

2011-01-31T12:24:00.004-05:00

Here are the "Coupling" illustrations from the past month for The Boston Globe magazine. Thanks to Josue for the continued work- it's always a pleasure working on these stories.

Associations Now- Interactive Edition

2011-01-28T08:40:00.005-05:00

Here is an illustration for the current Associations Now that was turned into an interactive illustration. The article is about knowing your board members and learning how to deal with all the different personalities in the board room.

Greetings...

2011-01-28T08:17:00.003-05:00

I just received my pack of greeting cards that my rep Jen Vaughn sends out every year as a post holiday gift for Art Directors. Here is my image for the cards. It's so nice to be in the same group as illustrators that I've admired for years such as Calef Brown, Martha Rich, Cathie Bleck and Chris Buzelli to name a few. All of the cards look great, Thanks Jen!

New Illaboration- TENSION

2011-01-05T08:06:00.003-05:00

Here is a new illaboration with Kyle T. Webster. I'll never tire of doing these collaborations! Check out the site: illaborate.com

Tension part 1. by me

Final illaboration with Kyle's awesome additions

A few new ones...

2010-12-29T12:51:00.008-05:00

"The Day I Discovered an Unsung Holocaust Hero"

For the Facts and Arguments section of the Globe and Mail. Dr. Feng Shan Ho was one of the first diplomats to save Jews by issuing them visas to escape the Nazis and the Holocaust. This is a great story that can be found HERE

"My Ivy-Strangled Valentine"

A love connection that never happened for an Alumni of the University of Pennsylvania. Caren Lissner writes about her journey through school and after school running into the same man that she once thought was a romantic prospect. HERE is the full story.

"Best of the Arts 2010"

the tearsheet

Cover for The Hartford Courant Arts section

December "Coupling"

2010-12-21T08:21:00.002-05:00

Here are the December "Coupling" illustrations for the Boston Globe magazine. Enjoy!

Shambhala Sun

2010-12-21T08:16:00.003-05:00

Here is an illustration about a divorced man with his two teenage sons on Christmas. Through the family hardships, the three men find happiness and a way to spread joy during the holiday season. In the current Shambhala Sun magazine.

Grandma's Christmas Gift

2010-12-16T06:47:00.003-05:00

This story made me and Art Director Cinders McLeod cry our eyes out. Here is an excerpt from April Kemick's story in today's Globe and Mail of her visit with her grandmother in the nursing home:

"The years had torn her apart. It had been four since she'd known my sister or me by name. At least three since she'd recognized my mother, her youngest daughter. Two years since we'd heard her speak a single word. Her decline was painful to watch.
But the visit wasn't about me. My mother wanted to hold Gram's hand in Gramps’ absence and wish her a Merry Christmas. Give her a gift and open it for her, too, because Gram's fingers could only fidget these days."

You can read the full story HERE

Sticker Shock

2010-12-14T10:13:00.002-05:00

Here is a quick piece I did for the Boston Globe Op-Ed in today's newspaper. A Nashua based thrift store teamed up with PETA to create guilt-worthy tags on items that are made of leather, wool, fur, down etc. in hopes to create more consumer awareness of animal cruelty. You can read the full article HERE

Federico Fellini's "Roma"

2010-12-13T07:47:00.003-05:00

Here is an illustration for Fellini's 1972 movie "Roma" for the "On The Horizon" section in this weeks New Yorker magazine. I watched a bunch of clips from "Roma" for this illustration- and boy- talk about ahead of it's time. The imagery in "Roma" is amazing and strange and surreal, all the makings of a fun job. "Roma" will be playing at the Museum of the Moving Image in January. HERE is a link to the New Yorker listing.

Is that Love in the air?

2010-12-10T11:54:00.007-05:00

For the past several years I have been sending out holiday cards via email and they all have been, shall I say, a bit sarcastic for the most part. And then I drew this years card and what? Where are the frowns, the sneers, the looks of disgust? I don't know- I guess it is the love in the air. At least the images seem to have a positive progression as the years went on...

Happy Holidays!

2010

2009

2008

2007

2006

2005

FIT Lecture Series

2010-12-02T07:03:00.003-05:00

I am speaking next Wednesday the 8th at FIT as a part of the lecture series called "How I got my first job". If you guys are around come on by the Katie Murphy Amphitheatre at 6:30.

November "Coupling"

2010-11-30T09:36:00.003-05:00

I can't believe it's almost December! Here are the "Coupling" illustrations for the Boston Globe magazine for the month of November.

"Death" Illaboration

2010-11-22T10:58:00.003-05:00

Jorge Mascarenhas asked me to illaborate with him on the topic of "Death". I know I've mentioned this already but, "illaborating" is a lot of fun. It totally makes you think about your work in different ways and allows you to explore in other ways that you don't always get to on commercial jobs. Check out Jorge's initial image HERE.

Society of Illustrators 53

2010-11-18T15:19:00.004-05:00

I just found out that this portrait of Jhumpa Lahiri was selected to be in the SI53 annual! I'm really honored to have made the cut. I guess forking over the dough for competitions really does pay off sometimes.

Some more portraits...

2010-11-15T08:56:00.003-05:00

The Pee-Wee Herman Show on Broadway

David Sedaris - based on his new book "Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk"

First Illaboration

2010-11-12T07:08:00.004-05:00

Final illustration

"Birth" pt. 1

Here is my first illaboration on illaborate.com. Bri Hermanson and I collaborated on the topic "Birth", I started the illustration and she finished it. The whole process was a blast and I already have a few more illaborations in the works. Check out illaborate.com

Illustration + Collaboration

2010-11-09T15:43:00.001-05:00

Illaborate is a new collaborative Illustration site that Bri Hermanson and I have been working on for several months now. Bri did all the programing (the hard part) and I did the site design.

Bri and I are really excited that this site up and running and we think it will be a lot of fun for all that are involved.
Check it out HERE

Fall Coupling

2010-11-02T10:00:00.004-04:00

Here are the Coupling column illustrations from September and October for The Boston Globe magazine. I never tire of these columns, they are always fun to illustrate. Enjoy!

Personal work

2010-10-29T11:48:00.005-04:00

I promised myself that I would do a lot of personal work this year and so far I'm holding true to that promise. One of the aspects of illustration that i love are the problems that need to be solved for each client. I love deadlines and restrictions and researching topics that I'd never thought I'd learn about. As Jon Stewart said to Terri Gross "Creativity comes from limits, not freedom" which I whole heartily agree with, so creating personal work without any limits can sometimes be a challenge. I'm so used to thinking as an Illustrator and without restrictions my thoughts can spin out of control.

What it comes down to is having fun and showing my humor and personality through my personal work. Anyway- here are some illustrations that I've completed lately.

"Social Media"

Portraits

2010-10-18T07:44:00.002-04:00

I love drawing portraits. Whether they are for a client or personal work, I never tire of trying to capture a personality. Here is a portrait of hotelier Jason Pomeranc who is the co-founder of Thompson Hotels.

Facts and Arguments

2010-10-15T09:11:00.002-04:00

"I met my husband through a personal ad"

Before online dating and speed dating and what not- there were personal ads. This illustration is for a story from Adele Gould about how she met her husband years ago from taking an ad out in the newspaper.

I love working on Facts and Arguments illustrations- the stories are always thoughtful and endearing. Thanks always to Cinders McLeod for being a fantastic Art Director who is always a pleasure to work with.

In today's Globe and Mail in the Facts and Arguments section. You can read the full story HERE

The Tallest Man on Earth

2010-10-05T07:43:00.003-04:00

Last week I saw The Tallest Man on Earth perform here in Northampton, and I was inspired to create this portrait. The show was excellent. I recommend seeing Kristian perform if you can... if not, enjoy this "Tiny Desk Concert" series...

Is Fine Dining Dead?

2010-10-01T09:54:00.003-04:00

Philadelphia's famed French restaurant Le Bec-Fin closes it's doors after 40 years. Many of the fine dining restaurants across the city have closed and are being replaced by the more casual gastropub, clad with baseball hat wearing diners. While the fine dining experience might be dead, good food in Philly is very much alive and thriving.

In the current Philadelphia magazine... you can read the full story HERE

Letterpress postcards

2010-09-20T09:27:00.009-04:00

A little while ago I mentioned my apprenticeship at Horton Tank Graphics in Hadley MA, with the great mentor Art Larson. Well, I finally finished a personal project with much help from Art. I illustrated 4 different non-repeat patterns and had some plates made at Boxcar Press. I printed the cards in two different colors with a line of type on the back of each card. It was hard for me to imagine how these cards were going to turn out. Now that I have a better understanding of the letterpress process, I can't wait to start on another project. Thanks again to Art for being so extremely patient with me during this process and for all of his help along the way. Here are some photos of the process...

Plate with red ink

Red plate on the press

Type plate on the Press

Close-up of a turquoise pattern

Close-up of a red pattern

Type on the back of the cards

Final cards in red

Final cards in turquoise

Football is not my favorite... to say the least

2010-09-16T09:38:00.005-04:00

I grew up with a bunch of football loving maniacs (sorry family, but it's true) and I would often ask myself "What happened? How did I get here? Am I adopted?"

So... Happy football season I guess.

Advancing Autism Education

2010-09-09T07:50:00.005-04:00

Here is another one of my summer vacation jobs for Johns Hopkins magazine.

"Advancing Autism Education Near and Far"

Danielle Liso of the Johns Hopkins School of Education has been educating families and teachers here in the states and as far as South Africa about the wide range of the Autism spectrum. Liso believes that "parents and teachers should focus on behavioral training that has been proved effective, especially if begun at an early age, and she recommends “pivotal response training,” which is based on the idea that children with autism must learn a handful of “pivotal” skills before they can learn more complex behaviors. Liso is turning towards technology by developing online resources and videos to help guide a wider range of parents and special education teachers.

Because of Liso's efforts, the School of Education now offers a certificate program to help special education teachers in rural areas of the state learn techniques for working with kids with autism.

JHM has many interesting articles and it's always a pleasure to illustrate such inspiring stories. Thanks Pam for the job!

What Recession?

2010-09-08T09:21:00.003-04:00

Hailing a Jet like a Taxi? Are people actually doing this? Yes, yes they are...

"Pull out your BlackBerry to book a private flight. Corporate aviation is more flexible than ever. Apps, which started out geeky and evolved into pop phenomena, have gone high-end. You can now order a private jet to pick you up, anywhere in the world, within four hours, on your BlackBerry."

In today's Globe and Mail Travel section.

Medicare's "Observation Care"

2010-09-07T06:46:00.005-04:00

"Medicare rules give full hospital benefits only to those with 'inpatient' status"

This illustration is in todays Washington Post's Health and Science section. I was unaware of a lot of the ins and outs of Medicare and it was pretty frustrating to learn about the "observation care" rule. Here is an excerpt from the article:

"Yet some hospitals keep patients under observation for days, and that decision can have severe consequences. Medicare considers observation services outpatient care, which requires beneficiaries to cover a bigger share of drug costs and other expenses than they would when receiving inpatient care. And unless patients spend at least three consecutive days as an inpatient, Medicare will not cover follow-up nursing home expenses after discharge."

When work is slow, book a vacation

2010-09-03T12:42:00.004-04:00

Why is it that every time I plan a vacation of some sort, I get a bunch of work? I know that seems to happen to a lot of illustrators and I think it's just uh, interesting. I'm not complaining, I'm just saying if work is ever slow, book a vacation- the more remote of a destination without any internet connection the better!

I planned a little trip this summer and right before I left I got 6-7 jobs that were all due the day I got back. So, I packed up my computer and scanner and other materials and hit the road. It was actually quite nice to work in a whole different setting. Here is one illustration I did while on "vacation"- I'll post more when they have been published.

This full-page illustration is in this months American Lawyer magazine and is about how mid-level lawyers are unhappy in their current job situations.

The Globe and Mail

2010-09-03T10:13:00.005-04:00

Here are a couple of jobs I did last week for The Globe and Mail...
"The Summer of the ebook"- People are buying lots of eBooks which is changing the face of vacation reading.

"When Buying More Costs Less"- Often times, if you book multiple flights far in advance you get better deals and more flexible terms for your airline tickets.