This entry goes out to those talented folks at Invisible Creature. These talented graphic designers always seem to be accomplishing so much and doin' it so well.
Our living room is home to two Invisible Creature posters that were done for the Sasquatch Music Festival in the great state of Washington (somewhere between Seattle and Spokane). We like looking at them so much, we ordered two more. The 2011 version....
And the 2012 version....
I'm not writing to argue my taste in poster design (even though these ARE good!!!!) but to highlight a company that cares about presentation. The posters arrived two days ago in a great little poster tube... (my foot kept it from rolling around and blurring the picture....)
They use there own packing tape as well as a customized circle sticker and an awesome stamp (stamp pictured below)...
When quality is near, you know it. You are aware of it and it is so compelling. Even a small thing like stamping each tube you send out.
Hope all are well out there. Consider what you sell to folks and also consider their experience receiving it.
The house has seen little upgrade this past school year. My wife was having people over this week which had me on a deadline of misery. The only thing that has made all this work around the house worth while is that the place is starting to really look like our "home".
Having my wife (also an art educator) in charge of choosing the colors for our interior has been interesting to say the least. She is a risk-taker with this task...and she always seems to get it right. Our living room needed paint desperately. She handed me this...
Not sure if she was serious, she never did let on that this was some kind of gag as I left for Home Depot (I added the white circle around the dab of paint that they mixed at the Depot....it matched perfectly!!!) When applying the first coat, I was worried. I have to sit in this space! The second coat cleaned up the color but I was still concerned. It wasn't until we rehung the artwork that I was sold. Every piece now feels isolated and important. It has created emphasis on the art as well as soothing the feel of the room.
I'm not sure if this picture captures the color well, but, this is all ya get. The main image of the room, a raven by Ikki Matsumoto is made so much more powerful by this green. The white that surrounds the bird never looked interesting as a negative space until the green was applied. The other two images: a small interesting gem from Jon Klassen of a ship about to fall into an abyss and the other is a cheerful concert poster by Invisible Creature for My Morning Jacket performing at the Sasquatch Music Festival.
This dog hasn't helped this blog either. Helped me calm down?...Yes!!!!! My kids named it Scooby. The little lady sure is cute!
My brother, Capt. Gregg, runs WildFly Charters out of Matlacha, Florida. He knows his craft well and also controls his anger well as he has to deal with a novice angler like myself. He puts you in a great spot and it is your time to sink or swim....I usually sink.
Occasionally I swim....
a very nice Redfish that I believe we ate shortly after this photo....
This was the first tarpon I have ever landed....the lazy slug only jumped once after i set the hook........not so big, but it sure was fun!
Fishing, in general, is not my favorite activity (Golf still wins easily). But when you get to fish the way my brother does, I can see why folks can get pretty serious about it. I love the time I get to spend with my brother and it is made ever better by being a passenger/guest on his boat and fishing along side him. He explains things well due to a vast knowledge about most subjects, he wants you to be successful and he makes plenty of time for his family. He's a good man. I'm blessed.
Check out his website and blog....then go fishing with the man!
Thanks again brother!!!
When the school year ends and the repetitive nature of teaching has sizzled one's mind, the only way I can recover from this mental beating is to shut down for a stretch. We pack up our family and head the 1300 miles, due south, to Matlacha, Florida to visit my folks. It is here that I begin the two week search for mindlessness. I just want simple pleasures intermixed with total relaxation. There is one main problem to this plan that I attempt to implement each summer, natural beauty.
The gulf coast of Florida is a spectacularly beautiful place. If you really want time away from art and true time void of thought in Southwest Florida, you should forget your camera. I spend 14 days each summer snapping hundreds of photographs (new digital technology allows us to delete about 80% of the pictures taken cause they just plain stink! no developing cost either!!!!!) Anywho, I spend the 2 weeks mentally cropping, checking lighting, choosing better angles and changing lenses (sometimes just in case something happens). The beauty in and around Matlacha refuses to let you relax completely. You gotta shoot!!!!
The wildlife watches you as well.
The weather comes up quick and usually with equal severity. As your field of vision is more than half made up by the enormous sky, it takes on an extraordinary feel....one finds himself looking up often.
Not even the grand entrance of my daughter can scare off a creature overrun by the prospect of an easy meal.
Though sometimes as vicious as the daily summer thunderstorms, the wildlife of Florida retains its beauty as well.
