September 2009

posted: September 28, 2009

When I was a kid (in TX) I started a Frog Farm. It's true. At it's peak I had 37 Frogs (Toads actually) that would meet me out under the street light in our cul de sac for our nightly ritual: snacking on Crumple-Wing June Bug. Mmmm.

How it started: I borrowed a neighbor's bike (the kind with a basket, you know the girly kind) and pedaled to each of the other street lights in our area. I then grabbed and basketed the June Bugs AND frogs. Pedaled us home. Then we had dinner. It was awesome. I never knew you could FEED frogs yourself. Try it. They'll love you for it. Mine loved me so much they came nbspback night after night for several summer months. It was a real frog farm. Or restaurant.
Then the punters came. "wow look at all these frogs" someone said. Then picked on up and punted it over into Richie Cass's yard. I was horrified. But strangely, it's common (the punting). People are sick. I love frogs, dont you?
But the real enemy of frog farming is the automobile. One night in late August I came out to find my street littered with flattened and dried frog carcasses. Dozens of them. I haven't fed a frog since.
image for upcoming series in Design Observer: Designers and Their Animals. I currently have 3 small and 1 large Bullfrogs living in the pond out back. They feed themselves.

To make this story relative to design here is a fairly recent drawing of a frog I did for Landor. It too was killed violently.

posted: September 23, 2009

When in Rome I snagged a paperback: Bruno Munari "Design as Art". Its a decent read too. Unlike Paul Rand's academic design diarrhea. A nice sense of personality at play here.

That's Munari there on the fourth row, though I think they're all a little him.

I zeroxed and printed them out for my kids to look at while they draw faces here in the studio. "Daddy, that ones not nice". Oh but yes, they are all nice I say.

They just never get old, do they? Look at them. They're looking at you. Don't be afraid.

Let's face it: these exercises display an uncommon talent. No wonder Bruno Munari is on every bookshelf in Italy. He's our Paul Rand equivalent, only friendlier.

posted: September 7, 2009

One of the first things I do in the morning is check Eric Baker's "today" for inspiration. There is almost always something in it worth keeping. I don't know how I got on the list but I certainly appreciate his time and thoughts putting it together. Here is a piece by an "unknown" artist he sent out (there are usually 40-50 images in each "today" e mail)

With all the health care mess going on I knew I could take this and make a strong statement. Something alluding to a collision or impending crash. Something bad. About midway through I felt the idea was strong enough to send it out to a few art directors. I first sent it to Jason Treat (The Atlantic) then Nicholas Blechman and Leanne Shapton (NY Times). A few hours passed then the phone rang. It was TIME wanting a cover! Wow. I don't get too many covers because I'm not sleeping with TIME art directors like Edel (slut). Anyway the cover job turned into a single page but for shits and giggles I went and sent this to Thomas, the AD, anyway.

Mr Treat (as I like to call him) is going to run this as a "Gallery" in the next Atlantic so I may offer this as an imagekind print if I can get off my lazy ass and register. In the interim, I'd like to finish the idea...

which would look something like this. the only frame I'm uncertain about is who is going to make a clean getaway. The banks seem to have no problem lately. The media? They're always getting hammered. I'm liking the hurst action though. Maybe theres an ambulance in there too. Your thoughts? (thx to T Fuchs for his slinging his opinion as I was striking out. six pack of Beck's is en route).

illies

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