Growing up in the 1980s and liking art, I was easily influenced by pop art super heroes like Keith Haring. His super identifiable line art style and iconographic symbols makes his work unique and simple. However, don't let the "fun" style sway you. His subject matter was many …
March 1, 2023
1 min read
If you live in the Chicagoland area and ever need a day trip idea to get out of the city and clear the mind and soul — I highly recommend the Anderson Japanese Gardens in Rockford, IL. Only about an hours' drive from the city, you will enjoy …
February 1, 2023
1 min read
In a past life I wanted to be a dj. Growing up in and around Chicago, I would often find myself seeking out stores that sold (vinyl) records to play and mix. One of the best places to ever come into my life was Gramaphone Records. It is …
January 1, 2023
1 min read
I have been a fan of (and inspired by) Jennifer Sterling's work for as long as I have known of her. I believe it was way back in the late 1990s (or possibly into the early 2000s), that I formally became aware of her work while she was …
December 1, 2022
1 min read
To say Steve Jobs was a complicated man is an understatement. The world of course knows of his business acumen, marketing savvy, and technological innovations. We all also now know how difficult of a personality and human he was in regards to his relationships both personally and professionally. …
November 1, 2022
1 min read
I love beverages—especially sparkling water; and I am always looking for new brands and flavors to taste test. One such water brand I discovered a few years ago from New Zealand that caught my attention is called "Antipodes". Pronounced — an-tip-o-deez; the meaning of the word is  – …
October 1, 2022
1 min read
I am always on the prowl for design inspiration — especially new type foundries and faces. I recently ran across this tiny little foundry called "Blaze Type" based out of France. Their font offerings are pretty diverse running between body and display styles, as well as monospaced and …
September 1, 2022
1 min read
If you know nothing about art, you still probably know of the name Andy Warhol. If you do like art, particularly pop art, then you know Andy Warhol is the best known and admired of this genre. What most people don't know is the details of his personal …
August 1, 2022
1 min read
David Carson is a well know graphic designer and one of my earliest inspirations. He got his start art directing magazines such as Beach Culture, Transworld Skateboarding, Raygun, amongst others. He has also dabbled with designing less traditional items such as surfboards, skateboards, cars, and now — a …
July 1, 2022
1 min read
Mark Gonzales (born June 1, 1968), also known as "Gonz" and "The Gonz", is an American professional skateboarder and artist. He is known as a pioneer of modern street skateboarding and was named the "Most Influential Skateboarder of All Time" by Transworld Skateboarding magazine in December 2011. However, few know how prolific …
June 1, 2022
1 min read
ICONS, published by TASCHEN, is a dynamic retrospective of the extensive collaborative project between NIKE, Inc. and Virgil Abloh. ICONS explores how the partnership works to unify all the intangible cultural threads connected to sneakers. The book traces Abloh’s investigative, creative process through documentation of prototypes, original text …
May 1, 2022
1 min read
The "Jean-Michel Basquiat: King Pleasure" exhibit presented by the family of JMB opens April 9, 2022. The exhibition is located on the ground level of the Starrett-Lehigh Building. Entry is on 27th Street, near 11th Avenue at 601 West 26th Street, New York, NY 10001. As a fan …
April 1, 2022
1 min read
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