Roger & Co. / Communication Dept.

...

2012-02-07T18:31:00.002-05:00

Say it Loud! / Spring Street / January 23.

2012-01-25T09:30:00.000-05:00

Brothers

2012-01-24T09:38:00.008-05:00

William Tecumseh Sherman & Ulysses S. Grant

After Sherman's successes in Georgia in the fall of 1864, a bill was introduced in Congress to promote him to Lieutenant General, with a view of him replacing his commander and friend Grant as commander of the Union Army. Sherman vehemently declined the promotion with this memorable declaration of loyalty.

"General Grant is a great general. I know him well. He stood by me when I was crazy, and I stood by him when he was drunk; and now, sir, we stand by each other always."

Word.

Happy Chinese New Year. Brooklyn M Train. Morning January 23.

2012-01-23T09:53:00.001-05:00

Some. Day. Soon

2012-01-20T11:10:00.004-05:00

I want 3 months. And a good book. A gun. A radio. No Internet. No Phone.

Some. Day. Soon.

...

via freecabinporn.com

Perfect for Friday day-dreaming.

Johnny Cash / The Ballad of Ira Hayes

2012-01-11T15:19:00.001-05:00

...

2011-12-19T10:00:00.001-05:00

Fall. 2011. New York.

2011-12-15T10:37:00.003-05:00

Theodore Roosevelt. 26th U.S. President. 1901-1909

2011-12-09T16:52:00.004-05:00

via Best Made

The Miami Marlins debut their new logo and uniforms. A nation mourns.

2011-11-14T17:27:00.009-05:00

I don't even know what to say really.

According to various articles, the teams new colors, red-orange, blue and yellow are said to represent sunsets. And oranges. And the sky. And the Sea. And the diversity of Miami. Well, that's quite an order buddy. Are you going to eat all of it?

I believe it was designed in-house, which means the Marlins Design team was too creatively sapped pumping out beer-coozies, cheap ponchos and bobble-heads to back the creative truck up and look at the big picture. It's not their fault. They probably work their fingers to the bone getting out the multitude of deliverables a MLB team needs. But ownership should have brought in a new fresh team or contracted the job to a reputable design studio. If this is how it went.

What irks me is the historical opportunity wasted here. It's not the tshirts to the local Fourth of July softball tourny. It's a symbol of an entire city and the closest thing America has to a national dress. A baseball hat is uniquely American as much as a kilt is Scottish. It represents where you're from (Northerner? West Coast?) and a bit of your outlook on life (Boston = Fanatic, Yankees = Classic, Chicago = Dreamer, etc).

It's not that hard. Design is not cancer research. It's a communication problem solved with taste and craftsmanship. This logo didn't need to allude to 7 things. It simply needed to state 2. The city it represents and the profession it occupies. These two simple ideas are where they had to revisit every round of designs. If you go back to the brief, you'll never lose sight of that target. But when you don't, you end up trying to shoehorn into a mark too many "brand messages", while ignoring the rich aesthetic history of your client's world.

And you can do that many ways. With simple colors. With a nice, solid wordmark. Well, like this team, the 1968 Miami Marlins.

James & Bobby Purify / I'm Your Puppet

2011-11-11T09:00:00.000-05:00

Smokin' Joe Frazier 1944-2011

2011-11-07T23:29:00.008-05:00

Fight One.

The Fight of The Century.

Frazier victor.

Fight Two.

Ali victor.

Fight Three.

The Thrilla in Manila.

Ali victor.

A song created from Mike Tyson quotes. The New American Folk Art.

2011-11-02T13:34:00.005-04:00

Paris

2011-10-26T18:26:00.006-04:00

Former college roommate, painter, and friend Shane Wolf entertained my "Get out of Dodge" plans and invited me out to see his work in a Fiac filled Paris. I've never been and found it to live up to it's reputation as a beautiful masterpiece. This spring, I had punched into my phone under the banner "Sometime in the future", the challenge "Paris in the Fall". I'm extremely thankful to Shane and Anna Sugarman for the hospitality. And crepes. And Sancerre.

...

2011-10-10T14:18:00.000-04:00

via Boing Boing

Wedding/Austin

2011-10-04T14:27:00.007-04:00

The past weekend, I was honored to attend the wedding of Mr. Glenn Tuma and Mrs. Mariana Keyes in Austin, Texas. While every wedding is beautiful in it's own right, the details in this one really struck me. From the location at Bar Mansion, the bbq from The Salt Lick, typewritten place settings, mariachi band and a god-damn piñata for some of the most adorable kids I've ever met, the entire affair couldn't have been sewn together any tighter. I also plan on massive liver failure this week. Austin IS Weird—mostly because every stranger, including cops, were incredibly nice. It's good to be back in New York. Now get the fuck out of my way.

End of Summer 2011

2011-09-22T11:37:00.005-04:00

It's been real. Sans earthquakes and hurricanes. Next time.

...

2011-09-16T10:43:00.004-04:00

Stand By Me: 1964

2011-08-31T11:49:00.004-04:00

Leatherwood, Kentucky, circa 1964. "Cornett boys smoking by car." Print from a 35mm negative by William Gedney. Gedney Photographs and Writings Collection, Duke University.

via Shorpy

...

2011-08-22T12:07:00.004-04:00

Have knife, will travel.

2011-08-09T13:52:00.009-04:00

About a month ago, while helping friends man a fresh mozzarella stand at the Williamsburg, Brooklyn food bazaar Smorgasburg, a simple question came up.

There was a moment when we needed to cut some rope and I called out for a knife. Someone responded, "Who carries a knife?" Well, no one nowadays. But my grandfather, a market vendor coming from a long line of fruits and vegetable sellers at Cincinnati's Findlay Market, always had a knife on his person. And he still does to this day. His knife is his lifeline. A symbol of utility and craftsmanship. Today, the most ubiquitous item we carry is an IPhone. And since that is fucking sad, I vowed to get myself a knife.

The next day I noticed a little write up on knives in Field & Stream. I've never been into knives per say, but I thought that this nice-looking, classic French designed Opinel was what I wanted.

Manufactured since the 1890's in the French town of Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne, this time-honoured peasant's knife has since become the iconic symbol of French culture and lifestyle. Pablo Picasso used an Opinel to carve his sculptures and the Savoyard alpine guide Roger Frison-Roche never made an ascent without one. The Opinel was also selected in the 1985 Victoria and Albert Museum's "100 Most Beautiful Products in The World", alongside the Porche 911 and the Rolex watch. It's handsome, sturdy and has a great history. Online is costs about 40 dollars with my name engraved. Someday, I'll pass it down to someone equally appreciative of history and craftsmanship.

(Note that I bought the auxillary version with corkscrew, making it even more useful until I master the French Shoe trick.)

Boys of Summer

2011-08-04T11:29:00.005-04:00

Up at the Tribeca Film Festival, two good friends of mine Keith Aumont and Jennifer van der Kwast are debuting Boys of Summer. Chronicling the journey of the 2008 Little League® Baseball team representing the tiny Caribbean island of Curaçao. An island so focused and talented in the game that it's sent it All-Star team seven consecutive years to the World Series. They have a tough match up in 2008 though against a maturing and talented Puerto Rican team. Bad News Bears but far more charming. Check it out.

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2011-08-01T20:06:00.000-04:00

The War in Hipstamatic

2011-08-01T09:42:00.005-04:00

Foreign Policy's photo gallery of Teru Kuwayama and Balazs Gardi embed Hipstamatic photos with the Marine Battalion 1/8 in Helmand Province, Afghanistan. Just a few samples of the multi-platform (photos, social-media/feeds and digital maps) collaboration known as Basetrack.

FP link here.

Cincinnati Dispatch #09

2011-07-22T11:33:00.005-04:00

Back to Cincinnati and the Ohio River for my Old Man's 60th. Lucky to brush up on my boating, baseball and Skyline Chili. Happy Birthday Dad. Keep On, Keeping On.

BoomSplashSplashBoom. NYC. July 4-9

2011-07-11T20:48:00.003-04:00

Strangers Bike Drawing. Greenpoint. June 28.

2011-06-29T00:16:00.002-04:00

Endless Summer. Long Beach, NY. June 17.

2011-06-19T19:38:00.004-04:00

Love Riots in Vancouver.

2011-06-16T11:53:00.002-04:00

via Huffingtonpost

Hello June. NYC. 2011.

2011-06-09T15:18:00.001-04:00

Goodbye May. NYC. 2011.

2011-06-03T11:21:00.004-04:00

BOOM!

2011-06-01T17:03:00.001-04:00

Cincinnati Dispatch #08

2011-05-23T18:28:00.004-04:00

Finally. The Joey Votto, "This Is Sportscenter" commercial I've been waiting for has finally aired. Now, if those Red Legs can just break this skid...

In another odd Cincinnati related note, it turns out that besides being a stand-up guy with a fierce work ethic, Randy Poffo, AKA The Macho Man Randy Savage did a quick stint in the Reds organization. Touching, well written article here in Sports Illustrated.

Life can take you from this...

To this...

To this.

”Ohhh Yeah!” Rest In Peace, Randy.

La Haine (1995)

2011-05-23T07:41:00.005-04:00

An amazing film from my youth that I rediscovered via the CD soundtrack buried in my closet. La Haine ("Hatred"), directed by Mathieu Kassovitz covers three teenage friends and their trials in the riot-burnt suburbs of Paris. It's a beautifully shot portrait of friendship and struggle. Put it in the queue. Trailer below.

Zippo Lighter. South 4th St. May 14.

2011-05-14T19:17:00.002-04:00

Summer has begun. Kuhn's backyard. May 7.

2011-05-08T10:52:00.003-04:00

"Where'd you get the beauty scar, tough guy?". 6th Avenue & W4th. Apr 29.

2011-04-29T14:54:00.002-04:00

Street Prophecy. Graham Avenue. Apr. 21

2011-04-21T13:28:00.002-04:00

Bad Lieutenant/Abel Ferrara

2011-04-19T12:30:00.003-04:00

This classic came up over the weekend with a friend who's never even heard of it, for which there was no plausible explanation. So I thought I'd create a little primer of Harvey Keitel's demons overtaking him on his sordid path to redemption. So many great scenes, subtle emotions. If you get a chance, a rainy day or are drinking alone a lot, this is definitely your movie.

Boring white graffiti. N8th Street. Apr 15

2011-04-16T12:52:00.003-04:00

...

2011-04-15T13:00:00.000-04:00

Book Review: Blood, Bones, & Butter / Gabrielle Hamilton

2011-04-12T17:41:00.005-04:00

Through a friend's recommendation, I picked up Gabrielle Hamilton's book, Blood, Bones, & Butter. Gabrielle built, owns and runs the East Village restaurant Prune, which with my limited 2 experiences I've found to be pretty damn good.

I'm not going to bullet point the book, but autobiographically it covers her early childhood, the fracturing of her family at that young age, her trials earning her stripes in the kitchen, at the bar, the numerous catering jobs and pushing though college. The relationships, the tenuous marriage to the father of her children, his Italian family and of course, food.

There are good and bad streaks in this book. The writing I found solid gold. She can paint pictures with ease and nails those situations that you can express only to yourself in the shower but couldn't do when the moment calls. Her detailing of food, the firing line frenzy of the kitchen, bucolic Italian countrysides and weathered French faces are memorable and vivid. She's a tough broad. She's a doer. A "Type A" killing machine that has learned, through childhood abandonment, to grab what she wants and hold it down by the neck. It's very admirable and you appreciate and understand how she not won, but built, victories.

On the other hand, because of this, she fails, to introspectively tweak herself as she gets older. It's as if she's always the abandoned teenage girl, damning the naysayers, and doing what she needs to do, which is the necessary fuel sometimes. But as one grows older, they usually learn to meld new found wisdom and perspective with that DIY attitude. The caustic arrows of other writers of the kitchen genre, like Anthony Bourdain, are wrapped in vitriol but the arrow is really still love. No matter who he talks shit about, it's a warm, winking, ball-busting. With Gabrielle, it's all heat. A chip. So as the book progresses you have a hard time staying on her team emotionally. She's lacking the love and warmth. Just mounds of respect. And that's not a bad place to be either.

If you like good writing and food, go for it. You might enjoy it.

This machine kills fascists.

2011-04-03T17:13:00.002-04:00

Recently researching for a project and ran across the badge for the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers. I've always been a fan of this mark, as I would see it on stickers, tshirts and vans in the city. The guys humping tool bags and heavy gauge wire from their vans to various buildings around the city. Always loved that fist with the lighting bolts. As if they're reminding us, "We harness that which this city runs on".

Delivery

2011-03-25T22:06:00.003-04:00

I have a special place in my heart for the hand painted lettering and graphic work on New York City's many home heating oil trucks you see in the winter. They're not vinyl. Entire trucks with hand lettering. Look up close next time.

Well, that's comforting...

2011-03-16T23:58:00.002-04:00

R. Crumb NYC Retrospective

2011-03-10T22:14:00.004-05:00

A select retrospective of THE Robert Crumb at the Society of Illustrators in NYC come March 25th. Robert Crumb (b.1943) is considered the premiere underground comix artist of his generation (the 1960 acid-gobbling baby boomers generation). If you have little interest in underground comix and/or can't imagine trekking up to 63rd St. on a Friday night because–let's be honest–that's no-man's land, at least pop Crumb into your Netflix queue. It's both entertaining and intriguing as it turns from critical art documentary to just-a-wee-bit-disturbing psychological profile.

The Pale Blue Dot

2011-03-08T10:16:00.005-05:00

Egypt and Tunisia and Carl Sagan reading from "Earth: The Pale Blue Dot". Enjoy.

Video Poker Animation. Delancy Street. Mar. 3

2011-03-03T14:10:00.002-05:00

Spring is Coming

2011-03-01T16:23:00.001-05:00

Sunsets are coming later. Contrails sticking longer in the sky. Not sure if that forecasts seasonal change but it feels like it. It feels different from the past two months of snow. So I say, "Welcome".

Jaguar. Prince and West Broadway. Feb. 20

2011-02-22T11:31:00.001-05:00

Park City, Utah 2011

2011-02-11T12:15:00.005-05:00

Can't wait till spring.

2011-02-04T10:53:00.008-05:00

Couple shots from the International Motorcycle Show at the Javits Center on January 21st. My quick shot of Ice T and Coco shooting through the crowd blurred out. Damn.

This guy. I love him for being clever, but he had an empty stand with no examples and a sweater tied around his neck. I was looking for the hidden camera. Props for knowing your demographic though.

Eat. At. Ray's

2011-02-03T16:01:00.003-05:00

Sugar Ray Robinson swinging from the awning of his restaurant "Sugar Ray's Cafe". June 19, 1963. 7th Ave between 123rd and 124th. Long since gone.

Rock the Casbah

2011-01-31T09:51:00.007-05:00

Welcome to the most dynamic year in the history of the middle east since 1973. The ramifications of Tunisia, and the possibility of populous overthrow spreading throughout the region has various middle eastern despots nervous, for example Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah's support of Mubarak while calling protesters "infiltrators" who seek to destabilize the country. Protest in Yemen. Protest in Jordan. Guaranteed, this year will be affecting all of us here in the US, so turn off your Pitchfork's Best of 2010 playlist and get down with the real.

Not a good look

Fact: The average age of the Middle East and North Africa is in the 20's.

Combine that with abject poverty and repressive governments across the region, pro-western or not, you've got some revolts and revolutions coming your way. A shit-ton of poor 20 year olds with nothing to lose is no bueno for old dictators. For more Middle Eastern demographics, check out this Pew Research Center article.

News

Also, if interested in probably some of the most interesting imagery from Cairo, check out Al Jazeera English's live feed. Epic. Makes CNN look like Sesame Street.

I also find The New York Times, The Lede quick and helpful.

This entire region will be swinging wildly post the first Arab revolt ever (Tunisia). Now how it affects the complex ties throughout the area will be gripping. Enjoy and feed your head.

Do. It.

2011-01-24T12:45:00.002-05:00

Next. Someday. Tomorrow

2011-01-18T14:18:00.002-05:00

Imagery via designer Jcnaour.

Sketchbook #06

2011-01-17T12:00:00.000-05:00

Sketchbook #05

2011-01-14T12:26:00.001-05:00

Sketchbook #04

2011-01-13T17:13:00.002-05:00

Sketchbook #03

2011-01-07T09:00:00.000-05:00

Sketchbook #02

2011-01-06T09:00:00.000-05:00

Sketchbook #01

2011-01-04T09:00:00.000-05:00

Smokey will tell you. If you listen.

2011-01-03T13:08:00.003-05:00

Haven't heard this since my brother and I would pass our "Platoon" soundtrack tape back and forth when we were kids. I've always loved this song. Goodbye 2010. Hello 2011.

Happy Holidays

2010-12-18T11:05:00.001-05:00

...

2010-12-06T11:59:00.001-05:00

It's all in your head.

2010-11-30T19:50:00.002-05:00

A short film by Brazilian research company Box1824 showcasing their 5 year research on current youth culture.

via Devour

We All Want to Be Young from box1824 on Vimeo.

...

2010-11-18T14:07:00.003-05:00

The Mexican Suitcase: Sept 24 2010-Jan 09 2011 at the ICP

2010-11-10T11:37:00.006-05:00

I luckily had some time to finally see this show at the International Center of Photography here in NYC and if you get a chance, I highly recommend. The Mexican Suitcase exhibit displays some of the 4,500 lost negatives that Robert Capa, Gerda Taro and Chim (David Seymour) shot during the Spanish Civil War. Their work during those years and during that conflict established much of what is considered modern combat photography today.

Besides the photographs themselves, the story of the two suitcases' journey—from an impending occupation of Paris in 1939, through the chaos of the war years, to finally a Mexican film directors bequeathment—is an amazing tale in itself.

New York Times write up here.

The Girl from Ipanema 1964

2010-11-09T22:41:00.005-05:00

While hunting for something regarding a project i'm engaged in, I fell across this old favorite of mine. Getz and Gilberto doing The Girl from Ipanema. Although not on this album, my first jazz purchase was Stan Getz Trio and The Oscar Peterson Trio (pictured) and it really made an impression. Good to run into you again Stan. Enjoy.

Sparky Anderson 1934-2010

2010-11-04T15:55:00.008-04:00

Hall of Fame MLB Manager George "Sparky" Anderson passed today at the age of 76 of complications resulting from dementia. He managed the 1975 and 1976 Cincinnati Reds to consecutive World Series championships. A quote of his...

“I cannot get rid of the hurt from losing, but after the last out of every loss, I must accept that there will be a tomorrow. In fact, it's more than there'll be a tomorrow, it's that I want there to be a tomorrow. That's the big difference, I want tomorrow to come.”

With Johnny Bench. A class act.

Istanbul Dispatch #03: Ritual

2010-11-02T11:55:00.004-04:00

Another random photo from the Grand Bazaar photograph stash I stumbled upon on my trip. No annotation on the back. Just a memorable photo of some poor kids circumcision. I remember when I first saw this photo, how struck I was with the shot. The symmetry and the look of pain right below the look of coolness of his father, uncle or brother. Whomever he is.

...

2010-10-27T16:41:00.001-04:00

Istanbul Dispatch #03: Honest Johns

2010-10-25T19:42:00.005-04:00

During my trip to Istanbul I ended up cruising the Grand Bazaar on rainy afternoons. Most stands have the same stuff, barking the same lines. I ended up in this courtyard off the main path and found a stack of old photographs in a biscuit tin for sale. I spent about an hour sifting through them and gave the guy 50 TL for the lot. There is an entire series of a young Turkish couple dating along the Bosphorus and eventually getting married. I have a project in mind for those. The other set is a random collection of Turks, in the early to mid-sixties, living their lives.

Honest Johns

November 1st, 1962

420 Honest John Tb

Erzurum (Picture taken in the city of Erzurum)

People in the picture

Gürbü Ünlü = from Istanbul

Ismail Krarabiyik = from Ismit

Murat Oral = from Ismit

Recep Iri = from Adapazari

Celebrating in the canteen.

These guys were part of a little piece of world history. After some research I found out that "Honest Johns" were the first surface-to-surface nuclear-capable rockets the US ever made. And in 1962, they would of definitely been deployed by NATO and manned by the Turks. The existence of these nuclear weapons were what prompted the USSR to install it's own missiles it felt were a similar distance from US shores... in Cuba. And that's how you make a missile crisis.

Istanbul Dispatch #02: The Big Picture

2010-10-18T09:07:00.003-04:00

The Panasonic Lumix LX3 is a great camera, but you can only pull so much in with a 24mm lense. Here are some combined shots attempting to recreate the space I was able to experience in Istanbul. Click photos to enlarge.

Looking nowth-west up the Golden Horn from beneath the Galata Bridge.

Hagia Sophia cathedral.

The sea of Marmara meeting the Bosphorus. From the grounds of the Topkapi Palace.

The Blue Mosque.

Watching the Kabitash ferry on the Bosphorus.

Rustem Pasa Mosque. Known for its liberal use of high-quality Iznik tiles.

Istanbul Dispatch #01: Pattern

2010-10-15T07:41:00.009-04:00

Two weeks in Istanbul proved to be the amazing experience I had hoped for. Here is a quick collection of photos that took in the strong underpinning of pattern in everyday Istanbul life. Enjoy!

Cincinnati Dispatch #08

2010-09-30T10:10:00.002-04:00

Winning. In Motion. I'm really excited for the Post Season. Go Reds!

Cincinnati Dispatch #07

2010-09-29T10:21:00.004-04:00

The Cincinnati Reds take the National League Central and head into the post season for the first time since 1995. Give'm hell boys!

Leonard Skinner is Lynyrd Skynyrd is Leonard Skinner.

2010-09-20T16:49:00.003-04:00

In memoriam. A man that sounded like he could roll with it.

All hands on deck.

2010-09-17T02:58:00.002-04:00

...

2010-09-14T21:47:00.002-04:00

No photoshop but the results of a fire in Linevo, Russia.

...

2010-09-08T12:11:00.005-04:00

...

2010-09-03T09:58:00.000-04:00

Dooon't.

2010-09-01T18:45:00.002-04:00

Don't.

2010-09-01T09:00:00.000-04:00

Shinya Kimura

2010-08-27T00:20:00.003-04:00

Shinya Kimura started Zero Engineering in Okazaki Japan in '92. His bikes are amazing works of raw art with a minimalist style. They are absolutely beautiful. In 2006 he opened a new shop in Azusa, California called Chabott Engineering. Enjoy. And ride safe.

Behind enemy lines

2010-08-26T23:45:00.002-04:00

Norwegian journalist embedded with Taliban and their attacks on U.S. or allied convoy. Really incredible footage. The flip side.

Oh So Pretty...

2010-08-21T15:48:00.002-04:00

Late night drinks and this classic come up. I forgot how much I loved it. After repeated viewings, I think the camera man is my favorite. Just Do It.

Re: Mosque

2010-08-17T09:54:00.002-04:00

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Cincinnati Dispatch #06

2010-08-12T14:20:00.008-04:00

Jim Borgman - Cincinnati Enquirer Editorial Cartoonist

When I was a kid, I was obsessed by editorial cartoons. Mostly because I loved to draw and watch the news with my dad. Distinct memories of us sitting on that big cold leather couch watching Dan Rather narrating quick cuts of Sanianista/Contra fire-fights in Nicaragua are crystal clear.

Any nominal skills I have today regarding illustration began from editorial cartoons or illustrations in Time and Newsweek. There was even a time when I could name the artist purely by their styles without looking at their names. And the Cincinnati Enquirer's Jim Borgman was my favorite. In my early teens, instead of smoking pot for the first time or getting girls, I would go see this editorial cartoonist speak at the Cincinnati Art Museum. I fucking loved it in only the way a obsessive nerd could.

Besides his deft touch on politics and family life, I always appreciated his line work. His drawing style is loose but dimensional and heavy at the same time. There's a weight, that might come with years of experience, but also appreciates craftsmanship. A style you can see in older cartoonists work, pre-"Far Side" crudeness that I think opened the doors for a lot of the poor one-panel work we see prevalent today.

Anyway, I was about 14 and had gone off to Boy Scout camp (alright, alright...). When I came back, my mom was really excited to show me this package from Jim Borgman's studio. I didn't know what it was or why it was there, but it was a letter from Jim, encouraging me on my impending high school journey and to keep up the good work drawing. Drawing? It turns out that while I was away, my mom had copied some of my cartoons (lots of George Bush Sr.'s and Dan Quayle caricatures, one-panels, etc.) and sent them to him without me knowing. Jim's letter had authentic misspellings and everything. He even sent me a signed copy of his latest book, "The Great Communicator", a collection of all his Reagan panels) which I still have to this day. He was a great illustrator, Pulitzer Prize winner and good guy. He retired from the Enquirer in 2008.

More about him here.

His last panel September 26th, 2008.

2010-08-09T13:08:00.000-04:00

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2010-08-03T17:00:00.000-04:00

Dalton Ghetti

2010-08-02T14:22:00.006-04:00

Miniature sculpture work on the tips of pencils. Read more about him here.

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2010-07-29T18:17:00.001-04:00

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2010-07-23T10:57:00.002-04:00

Forefathers

2010-07-22T11:52:00.002-04:00

Shout Out to Pablo Schreiber as Jeffer-SON!

Meet Mayhem

2010-07-20T15:21:00.001-04:00

I love these. So well executed. Simple. Great casting.

The brand spot.

Double Rainbow

2010-07-18T10:37:00.006-04:00

"It's so intense." As much fun as this is on so many levels, I will say that it kinda restores my faith in the human condition. Euphoric happiness (drug induced or not) is just around the corner. If you want it.

My favorite remix.

...

2010-07-16T10:41:00.000-04:00

Bourbon & Coke: 1937

2010-07-14T10:50:00.001-04:00

Via Shorpy

The Things We Make, Make Us.

2010-07-06T18:23:00.003-04:00

There are a couple of "Pro-American Spirit" campaigns out there in the ad world right now. Most notably the Levi's Go Forth campaign, with the Walt Whitman poetry/immigrant moxie/contemporary spirit approach. I really liked those. And for clothing brands, which go more aspirational, it makes sense to blend Walt Whitman and Larry Clark's Tulsa. We are young. Badass. "'Loving Freedom' means something different to us but we love it just as much as you" bit. It's good. It's Walt Whitman saying "Go Forth" with Denis Hopper thinking, "Fuck You".

But the other day, I recently saw this commercial for the 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee. And while the demographic is different and the price-point higher, what I really enjoy about it is the voice over's ability to tap into a prevailing American malaise. An insecurity about the nation, our work ethic and faith in our collective future. There's a "Chin-UP!" feel in the end that is resilient yet modest. Encouraging but not Ra-Ra flagwaving and jingoistic. It sets a strong, well-balanced tone. A new favorite. Happy Post-4th of July.