Ice Cream and Illustration

Ok, so one of my very first big illustration projects was back in 2000 for an ice cream company called Philly Swirl and the photo taken below was from a few weeks ago. Often times it seems like illustration can be a bit "seasonal" in the world of branding, but these characters have withstood the test of time and helped give the Philly Swirl brand a solid fun look. Over the years, the company has used my 6 action illustrations on all types of packaging, games, and promotions. Some really cute kids I know spotted my art and snapped this adorable fun summer photo...reminding me of my early days and the power of an image on a package. I'm also posting a few of the originals, still some of my favorite creations...

New Icons

I've been working on some new art...focusing on bold icons and hand-drawn textures. I'm working with india ink and those really old metal ink nibs. It's not too far from my really smooth digital look, but it's a bit less controlled, which feels nice. I'm starting with a few whimsical sea life images. Ever since I worked on the Shedd Aquarium project, I seem drawn to the shapes and designs of the underwater world. Nature, animals, plantlife, all of these things inspire me so much and I love getting to the essence of image. Let me know what you think, I'm going to be posting a bit more regularly and would love feedback! enjoy.

Mural Design in Cincinnati

I had the honor of designing a mural and working with a great group of students from Springer School in Cincinnati, Ohio. I developed the imagery around the theme of the environment and the students filled in my icons with their own designs. The 45 foot wall really looks dynamic and everyone was really happy with the playfulness of the art and the special touch each student brought to the overall design.

Shedd Aquarium Exhibit Book

I'm really excited to finally be able to post the work I did for the Shedd Aquarium in a book format. The exhibit book was actually designed by Subzero Design and the photographed by SR Studio. We worked on it all summer and finally have a fantastic book to show for it! We got the books printed at www.paperchase.net and I found this amazing site called www.issuu.com that has a seamless way of turning a pdf into beautiful digital pages. I love finding great new sources of creativity!

The Shedd Aquarium: Chicago

I just finished a huge project for the Shedd Aquarium here in Chicago. If you’re in town, check out the Polar Play Zone at the new Oceanarium. I created tons of underwater characters for activity signage, interactive play exhibits, a 70 foot mural and lots of branding elements used throughout the space...over 60 illustrations were created to bring this exhibit to life. The aquarium is so full of amazing creatures and characters. It was great to be part of a team that helps create an environment where kids can explore and learn! 

More Shedd Aquarium

Art with Heart

Art with Heart is a non-profit that creates artful activity books for children who are sick. I was honored to do the cover art for a book geared towards the siblings of young patients…so fun and meaningful! More info and art books at http://www.artwithheart.org

Crumble. Crackle. Burn.

This was my illustration for ”crumble. crackle. burn,” a book project by Von Glitschke. It's filled with illustrations that combine textures with illustration. I've seen this book all over the place...borders, art stores, museum shops, etc. it was a great opportunity to be in the book with so many other talented folks.

Walgreen's School Supplies

I worked with a manufacturer last year on a license with Walgreen's. We created a nice big back to school collection with my colorful patterns...folders, binders, journals, notebooks and pencil cases!

Snap & Glow Target Gift Card

From Time to time I get to work on Target Gift Cards. This was a fun, interactive one...you snap it and it glows in the dark...pretty cool idea!

Happy Hanukkah Target Card

Here's another Target Gift Card I did for the holidays.

ToyLab Murals

I did this artwork for a toy store in Cincinnati called ToyLab. I created the logo, a ToyLab typeface and all the graphics and materials for instore signage and merchandising. I did this a few years back...and it's still one of my favorite projects!