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!

Idol, Ferguson, and Fraggle Rock...

Hello, all! I'm sitting here with my coffee, getting set to draw my stubby fingers to the bone, and I'm ruminating on my recent TV viewing. It's a motley group of thoughts, but here goes...

I'm happy that Kristy Lee Cook has been eliminated (although she's from my home state) from the big Idol show. I've jumped on the David Cook bandwagon.

My roommate and I attended a taping of the Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson on Tuesday. I really enjoy Craig and I was also happy to see Julie Andrews on the show (along with David Krumholz and Carrot Top – random group). And it's funny... when you see a taping, the show suddenly becomes a big event. But then you realize that they just reset and tape another show the next day and on and on. But I had a great time watching Craig's shenanigans in person.

Fraggle Rock sort of passed me by as I was growing up. I'm not sure why. But I've recently discovered the music and clips from the show on YouTube, and I really enjoy the vibe. And I've got to say that I feel nostalgic hearing those Muppet voices. Henson, Oz, Nelson, Goelz, Hunt and the gang were part of the tapestry of my growing up years. Even though the Fraggles aren't new, they're sort of new to me and I'm liking it.

Anyway... those are my musings for today. Now I've got to get to drawing. Take care all. Peace & love!

Celebrating friends.

I just realized I've neglected the blog for over a week. Where have I been? I'll tell you. I've been working on a few illustration jobs, and I put in some work toward the new website redesign. The current design is a year and a half old and I've been getting restless. Besides wanting to update the aesthetic of the thing, I also need to streamline the site – define the purpose and focus the content. So that's most of what I've been up to.

I've also been fortunate to spend a couple evenings celebrating milestones of a few friends. Saturday found me in Eagle Rock joining in some birthday and housewarming festivities. My friend Erin learned a new skill for her milestone birthday – spinning fire. Wild and inspirational! And then last night was a big surprise birthday party for good friend Nils and the arrival of his 70th year. The room was packed with his family, blood and otherwise, having a great time. He thought he was showing up to play a jazz gig, and even though we switched it up on him, his jazz buddies were there and the evening was full of music and laughs. I can only aspire to be as cool as Nilsie when I'm his age – and to have touched so many folks. Happy birthday Nils!

Well, that's it for now. Back to the drawing board. Next up: a e-book cover illustration that is in the final stages. Take care, all! Peace and love.

My night as a street artist.

I was so thrilled to be a part of the entertainment this evening at the John Wayne Cancer Foundation's Odyssey Ball. The evening followed a New York theme so the main room was Central Park where Roslyn Kind was to put on a concert. I was in the silent auction room & cocktail lounge which was Broadway. A talented cast of four sang showtunes and I created chalk art in the vein of street art. The event planner had requested that I create an impression of the Strawberry Fields mosaic in Central Park and I did so (as you can see above in progress). The piece ended up going for $350 in the silent auction which was really nice.

I've got to admit that while my contribution to the evening ended up going very well, I was worried beforehand. I'd only recently gotten back into chalk work and never in a situation like this. So I was happy (and a bit taken aback) that folks were very complementary and interested in my technique. I even passed out a few cards because of interest in commissioned pieces and mural painting.

And probably the most touching part of the evening was the one fellow who chatted with me for a while and got choked up when he told me about his daughter who is fighting breast cancer. He wanted to share with her John Lennon's message in my Strawberry Fields mosaic art. Imagine. The foundation's motto is "Imagine a Cure". I didn't tell the gentleman about those close to me who are in their own battles – a close relative and a close friend and colleague. Imagine. So many people are fighting, and it was really wonderful to be a part of something that is working to imagine a better world. Take care, all. Hug a loved one. Peace.

Still kicking...

Howdy. I've been juggling five illustration jobs, so things have been busy. It's funny how the work comes in waves. There on the right is a logo I created for a family show written by Scott Martin. It takes place at a camp in 1938 where folks get freaked out over Orson Welles' War of the Worlds broadcast.

In addition to the Little Green Men, I've also been fielding adjustments to the Clean Riverside comic/coloring book. And I'm working on nailing down contract details and rough sketch ideas for an online book cover. I also did a little doodle for Musical Theatre Guild's upcoming reading of Out of This World – a caricature of a lead actor as a Greek god that will be blown up and used as a set piece.

And then there's a job that's sort of out of the norm for me. I'll be appearing at the John Wayne Cancer Foundation's Odyssey Ball at the Beverly Hilton Hotel tomorrow. Following a New York theme, the entertainment will include dancers, singers, and, as requested by the client, a chalk artist. I know... I don't usually work in chalk. But I've created a piece (also requested by the client) representing the Strawberry Fields mosaic in Central Park. I'll be putting the final touches on the piece and drawing something else at the cocktail party, so I look forward to a new adventure. After the gig I'll post my musings as well as a photo of the art.

Well, that's it for now. It's a lot, but I don't think I'd have it any other way. Take care, all! Peace & love.