SO U KNOW PART 2: IT'S ALL ABOUT ME!

In this second part of my transparency excavation, I wanted to show you something: many of you might not know it but I was once a graphic designer. In that role, I created tons of collateral for many non-profits such as arts organizations,  schools and health care systems. I even spent 3 years living in Tokyo where I worked on the biggest design projects of my entire career which included the re-designed identity campaign for a 90 year old department store and topping that, a 300 year old [13 generations I think] restaurant which supplied the emperor with eel! BTW I did get to see the emperor's final ride to the cemetary thought through my neighborhood [where he's buried]. He was the longest reigning monarch in modern times!
 
Back in the day, there were few opportunities for an illustrator in the regional markets of the rust belt [Pittsburgh, PA].  Well, there WERE illustrators but the clientele were primarily in the realm of advertising.  Everybody knows what I mean; my friend, a graphic designer still working there, called it "menu art". Think big airbrushed strawberries for Eat'n'Park for example! Or, as my colleague David says..."yuppie napkin art"! For whatever reason, probably stated in my previous blog post, I didn't seem to fit in entirely.  Shops invariably called my work "editorial" and suggested New York. Worse yet, they called it "fine art".
 
This was in the days before rock'n'roll and satelite radio. No faxes, computers, or internet.  I carved out a small niche with design work.  I thought, somewhat foolishly, that by doing graphic work one could avoid the dumb criticisms that one  heard from the local illustration buyers. I acted as the holistic shamanic practitioner applying the Toyota concept of KAIZEN to the mega-max like a guerrilla ninja repleate with vintage bomber jacket and fatigues!!  I did everything, which, when you get down to it, is pretty much par for the course in my life. I'm a team player but only with myself! WINK ICON!

So I thought that I'd share some of these and I hope you enjoy them as much as I do and did!