Marketing a moonlighting gig...

It's time to embrace the live gigs. I've been drawing live at parties (corporate events, proms, grand openings, motorcycle rallies, etc., etc.) on and off for almost 10 years now. I've at times been a little dismissive since the art I most want to be known for is my studio illustration. But every time I take on one of these live gigs, I'm reminded of so many benefits. The pressure of quickly capturing likeness after likeness is exciting, rewarding, and educational. The money is great, and I usually get to work with other artists (some super talented folk). And while I love love love working from home, it's nice to take the show on the road now and then.

So while my studio work has never been more in demand (and thankfully getting more popular every day), I will also be putting some muscle behind marketing the live gigs. Above, you can see the business card graphic I've created. This is based on the website design of "JustinMakesFaces.Com" which will go online sometime soon, along with some listings on various sites for advertising this sort of thing.

So that's a bit of what's up with me. Other than this, I've been toiling away at a healthy stack of caricature commissions and logo designs as well as looking forward to visiting Chicago in a couple weeks and heading to Music Theatre of Wichita in a month. Life is full and I'm loving it. Take care, all! Peace & love.

I'm not a cook, but...

I have friends that are really good cooks. Anything Betsy whips up makes me incredibly happy. Kev and Julie grill and entertain incredibly well. Nancy makes amazing holiday dinners and Aaron also grills like a fiend. And of course nothing can compare to Mom's home cookin'. I will never be a culinary genius. But tonight I done good, and I just polished off a plate of the results – a great light meal of grilled chicken breast and fresh veggies lightly simmered in a soy sesame marinade. It's always great to eat better, and it's been a goal for me lately. I've had the ingredients in the fridge for a week and after a day of getting a lot done – illustration work and a bunch of errands, including laundry – I thought that today was the day to take a crack at some healthful eats. I'm happy it all worked out.

Anyway... back to the drawing board. So many projects in the works. Peace and love, y'all!

The Andrews Brothers and Grandpa...

The drawing board has been a flurry of ink because of the piece there on the right. My friend Roger Bean commissioned it as an opening night gift for the team involved with bringing The Andrews Brothers to the stage at Musical Theatre West in Long Beach. I've just returned from the opening festivities and I've got to say that everyone has to see this show. The cast consists of just four fantastic folk – Darcie Roberts, Larry Raben, David Engel, and Stan Chandler – and was helmed by the amazing Nick DeGruccio, Roger Castellano, and John Glaudini who leads a crack band.

Roger (the Bean type) authored the show and after seeing it I had to thank him so much. So wonderful! The basic story follows a team of USO entertainers – a pinup girl and three 4F stage techs – who are preparing to put on a show headlined by the renowned Andrews Sisters. Said group is sidelined, and the reluctant boys don the dresses and attempt to go on with the show. The antics are hilarious and the music is wonderfully nostalgic and incredibly performed.

Have you ever found a rush of emotions in an unexpected place? I have to say that the show made me think very fondly of my Grandpa and miss him very much. He was a sailor in WWII and Korea, and any time I hear the fantastic tunes of the 1940s I think of him and Grandma. Beyond the nostalgia I felt from the great music, I also had to smile at the memory of Grandpa and his buddies crashing the ladies auxiliary meetings of the American Legion – providing entertainment by showing up in dresses and wigs and putting on a comedy skit for their wives. As a kid I remember being disappointed at putting a coin in a toy vending machine and randomly getting a pair of earrings (at the Tom Tom Restaurant in Albany, OR), but I decided to see the silver lining and donate them to Grandpa's costume stock. I miss Grandpa's smile and his laugh and how I always knew just how much he loved me and the rest of his grandkids. His beautiful energy lives on in Grandma and I can only hope some of it has passed on to me.

Anyway... That's all for now. Hug a loved one, y'all. And may your days be full of love. Peace, friends!