20/forty

2. Vivienne Flesher
http://www.warddraw.com/index.html
http://vivienneflesher.blogspot.com/




The most difficult part of writing about Vivienne Flesher was choosing the images to post. There are so many incredibly beautiful and strong pieces to choose from, that I had to mull over them for a few days before I was able to narrow them down to the four shown here. Vivienne Flesher is an artist who works in a wide range of media, and with an equally diverse range of approaches. Though I think that most know her pastel work, she is also an accomplished photographer and painter.

What strikes me most about Flesher's work other than its emotional power is the solidity and fluidity of the work. That she is able to make a figure both solid and appear to float as if gravity weren't an issue is a testament to her skill and her intuition. If she only drew figures, that would be enough. That she goes beyond this with taking on controversial subject matter, with gutsy color choices, and an understanding that each assignment needs to be taken on its own, and deserves its own approach, makes her brilliant.

twenty OVER 40

Recently, I have been seeing magazine and newspaper articles touting the talents of people under forty. They are usually titled, "Twenty under Forty", and feature the work of whomever the editors and writers feel deserve recognition for their work.

I am all for showcasing the work of talented people and shining a light on those who are doing outstanding work in their field and have seen and read a lot of good work by these youngsters. I have also seen a lot of derivative work which has been called innovative by writers who seem to not know the source material that influenced these young creators and seem dazzled by their style. I do not want to point fingers or name names, but I have seen and read articles in almost all of the top design magazines touting the work of younger artists, while not always recognizing how heavily influenced by they are by teachers and older pros who spent years developing their voices.

The world of publishing seems to value the look of a work more than the content. Illustrators seem hired, not because they have an original approach to content, or an interesting way of telling a story, but for the surface qualities of their work. This is not always the case, but from what I have seen and read recently, it seems to be the rule and not the exception. One example of this is a series of illustrations I saw in an annual last year. They were almost direct copies of an all too often copied illustrator who pioneered the use of symbolic imagery in American media.

I offer in the weeks that follow, with little editorializing, a sampling of the work of artists whom I feel have done outstanding work over the years, continue to grow and inspire, and yes, are all over 40. I hope that you enjoy their work as much as I have.


Regards,

Bill


1. Ward Schumaker
http://www.warddraw.com/index.html
http://wardschumaker.blogspot.com/






Ward Schumaker's work has appeared in magazines, books, advertising campaigns, and on the walls of galleries. His eloquent brush drawings cut right to the heart of subject matter, and he combines a sharp wit with an excellent eye for color, shape, and simplicity. I recently discovered another side to Schumaker. An expressive and painterly series of images exploring themes ranging from composers to rivers of the world. The work is both symbolic and narrative, playful and serious.

Durham Tee-Shirt Design

Personal piece for a tee-shirt design.

Re; Father's Day

Since yesterday was Father's Day and my family treated me to some nice family time, a few small gifts, and some alone time, I wanted to post something related to fatherhood. In the early days of Gabriel's life I was doing a drawing or two a day of him. I still draw him almost every day, but the early drawings when the newness of fatherhood was full upon me, hold a special place in my heart and take me back to those first few days in ways that photographs never quite do.

Phone Photos

Some phone photos from earlier this spring

Fair Trade Poster

This is a poster I designed for Weaver Street Market, a co-op grocery store where I worked as a graphic designer in the marketing department. We wanted to connect customers with the people and their families who benefitted when they bought Fair Trade products and give a face to the growers of their food.

The colors were determined by the Weaver Street logo and the textures were achieved by scanning in leaves and bits of old metal.

The Morning Grind

Layout with excerpt from a short piece I am working on.

Yellow Canisters part 2

Below, is the Yellow Cannisters image with type.