Happy turkey day from Medford!
Thursday, November 27, 2008
Giving Thanks.
I've just added two new images to the library. The first is a landscape i did recently... it was for a contest i'm still awaiting the results from, so cross some fingers and so forth. The other is a piece i did today after having recently been reading lots of Lovecraft and having rather bizarre dreams as a result. I thought the two images provide an interesting contrast in terms of my polarity. So please enjoy!
Also, it's early thanksgiving morning. Today is one of my favourite holidays not just because of the gluttonous aspect of it all, but because it's just one of those days that gives you no excuse not to take stock of all you've been blessed with. Even in today's economic peril, we can still find things to be grateful for.
..So, take a moment today and let someone know you're glad they're around.
And make sure to call your Mom and tell her you love her. She likes hearing from you.
-craig
Also, it's early thanksgiving morning. Today is one of my favourite holidays not just because of the gluttonous aspect of it all, but because it's just one of those days that gives you no excuse not to take stock of all you've been blessed with. Even in today's economic peril, we can still find things to be grateful for.
..So, take a moment today and let someone know you're glad they're around.
And make sure to call your Mom and tell her you love her. She likes hearing from you.
-craig
Thursday, November 20, 2008
In a moment of inspiration...
as those who know me are already aware, i have a distinct fascination with all things spiritual and arcane and... well, unusual. symbolism is something i've always admired greatly. and i have a certain 'thing' for eastern philosophy and aesthetics. so i got out the ol' calligraphy set today and came up with my own rendition of a traditional chinese 'chop' or a Baiwen seal. you'll probably be seeing it on my work from hence forward. just thought it was kind of a cool thing, so there it is.
also, if anyone knows anything about making rubber stamps, i'd like to talk. thanks.
-c
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Yes, he did.
it's a new day in America.
today i'm proud to be a citizen of this nation. centuries ago, we massacred the native inhabitants of this country and slavery was commonplace. just a few decades ago, racism was rampant. one of the great modern peace leaders was struck down. then came the cold war era and just eight years ago, we began the great decent that was the bush administration. little by little, the tide began to change. ideas evolved and today, on this historic day, we can finally leave the ghosts of the past behind us. america has elected the first black president in an unprecidented landslide victory. it's a different time and attitude in the same old place. today, we can look forward to a future where the lower class and minorities in this country can TRULY believe that they, too, can grow up to become president. ideologies of the past are irrelevant. america and the rest of the world have spoken and we've laid the groundwork for a fundamental change that will pave the way to the future.
this is a bbc article that really sums up what today means to the rest of the world:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/us_elections_2008/7711321.stm
this is a blog written by one of my favourite people that sums up EXACTLY how i feel:
http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=71848725&blogID=446534926
i urge you to read and celebrate what's happened here. and also, i must say, Sen. John McCain took the defeat like a man and stepped down with class and dignity. his concession speech was delivered remarkably well. despite the negative campaigning, he took the high road in the end and earned the respect of myself and, undoubtedly, many others.
it's been an exciting election season and in a way i'm glad it's finally over. part of fme will miss the lunacy of some of it because it made for some great entertainment. but i look forward to the future and i'm happy to know that today america has spoken and i think this will open countless doors and change the way we think all across the nation AND the world.
congratulations, President Obama.
-craig
this is a bbc article that really sums up what today means to the rest of the world:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/us_elections_2008/7711321.stm
this is a blog written by one of my favourite people that sums up EXACTLY how i feel:
http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=71848725&blogID=446534926
i urge you to read and celebrate what's happened here. and also, i must say, Sen. John McCain took the defeat like a man and stepped down with class and dignity. his concession speech was delivered remarkably well. despite the negative campaigning, he took the high road in the end and earned the respect of myself and, undoubtedly, many others.
it's been an exciting election season and in a way i'm glad it's finally over. part of fme will miss the lunacy of some of it because it made for some great entertainment. but i look forward to the future and i'm happy to know that today america has spoken and i think this will open countless doors and change the way we think all across the nation AND the world.
congratulations, President Obama.
-craig
Friday, October 31, 2008
Happy Samhain
...or Halloween. whichever suits you. :) in the spirit of the season i present you with this:
in other news, remember to vote this tuesday. if you're registered, do it. i don't care who you're supporting as long as you're making your opinion heard. it's a luxury we're afforded in this country that many around the world simply don't have. so go out and do your civic duty and let's have our voices heard. the nation is in some trying times and we're all eager for new leadership. let's make a difference. it's been a strange and, at times, alarming election season and i think i'm going to miss the craziness a bit once it's over.
also, when walking home from work, a van turned the corner ahead of me. i heard LOUD bass-thumping disco, yes, disco music blaring out the windows. as the van passed me, i saw it was a police wagon... a police wagon. i laughed the rest of the way home.
finally, the world's largest pinata is being constructed a few blocks from my apartment. it looks not unlike the trojan horse dressed in drag.
i think art bell was right when he said 'the quickening' is upon us. strange things really do seem to be occurring more and more frequently.. hahaha
be safe out there tonight!
-craig
in other news, remember to vote this tuesday. if you're registered, do it. i don't care who you're supporting as long as you're making your opinion heard. it's a luxury we're afforded in this country that many around the world simply don't have. so go out and do your civic duty and let's have our voices heard. the nation is in some trying times and we're all eager for new leadership. let's make a difference. it's been a strange and, at times, alarming election season and i think i'm going to miss the craziness a bit once it's over.
also, when walking home from work, a van turned the corner ahead of me. i heard LOUD bass-thumping disco, yes, disco music blaring out the windows. as the van passed me, i saw it was a police wagon... a police wagon. i laughed the rest of the way home.
finally, the world's largest pinata is being constructed a few blocks from my apartment. it looks not unlike the trojan horse dressed in drag.
i think art bell was right when he said 'the quickening' is upon us. strange things really do seem to be occurring more and more frequently.. hahaha
be safe out there tonight!
-craig
Thursday, October 2, 2008
61 degrees and falling.
it's a chilly one today. i always loved this time of year... i always feel most inspired around the fall. maybe it's the colors changing or the 'electric' feeling that just seems to hang in the air. it seems like everything in nature just tries to cling to vibrancy a little more just before the snow. it's like last call at the bar... everyone wants to keep the party going but the guests know there's only a little time left so they party a little harder to make up for it.
the other day i saw Choke. i'd been waiting a year to see it since it was announced, and if you're reading this you probably know how much i love chuck palahniuk's work. the movie did not disappoint. it certainly did the book justice. with a running time around 1:45, they managed to include almost the entire storyline without editing much. and all the dirty awful objectionable parts made it in. so go check it out and have yourself some guilty laughs.
that same day i took a trip to borders to buy some books and do some research. i ended up buying a couple resource texts about the buiness and contact info, etc.. book stores are a GREAT resource for freelancers. your market is publishing, right? so why not go right to the source and read a few mastheads? all the info you want is right under your nose, quite literally. bring a notebook and a digital camera and get your research on!
a little thing i'm trying with my new batch of mailers is including reply cards. i've heard mixed opinions of them (people rarely use them, they might just end up in the trash, people would rather email, blah blah...) but i thought i'd give them a shot. i made reply mail cards complete with stamps and a comment section and a simple checkbox system in case the recipient is pressed for time. check the appropriate response, toss it in the outgoing mail. 'nuff said. i'll let you know how many i get back.
finally, i've been working on some new pieces when i haven't been doing mailer and promo stuff. i'm trying to get in gear to participate regularly in illustration friday (http://www.blogger.com/www.illustrationfriday.com). check it out. it's a fantastic idea and i've been wanting to get involved for a while. i'm also working on my company's christmas card and some personal work too just to keep myself sharp. here's the newest illy i put together. personal piece, mixed media, digital, etc...
-craig
the other day i saw Choke. i'd been waiting a year to see it since it was announced, and if you're reading this you probably know how much i love chuck palahniuk's work. the movie did not disappoint. it certainly did the book justice. with a running time around 1:45, they managed to include almost the entire storyline without editing much. and all the dirty awful objectionable parts made it in. so go check it out and have yourself some guilty laughs.
that same day i took a trip to borders to buy some books and do some research. i ended up buying a couple resource texts about the buiness and contact info, etc.. book stores are a GREAT resource for freelancers. your market is publishing, right? so why not go right to the source and read a few mastheads? all the info you want is right under your nose, quite literally. bring a notebook and a digital camera and get your research on!
a little thing i'm trying with my new batch of mailers is including reply cards. i've heard mixed opinions of them (people rarely use them, they might just end up in the trash, people would rather email, blah blah...) but i thought i'd give them a shot. i made reply mail cards complete with stamps and a comment section and a simple checkbox system in case the recipient is pressed for time. check the appropriate response, toss it in the outgoing mail. 'nuff said. i'll let you know how many i get back.
finally, i've been working on some new pieces when i haven't been doing mailer and promo stuff. i'm trying to get in gear to participate regularly in illustration friday (http://www.blogger.com/www.illustrationfriday.com). check it out. it's a fantastic idea and i've been wanting to get involved for a while. i'm also working on my company's christmas card and some personal work too just to keep myself sharp. here's the newest illy i put together. personal piece, mixed media, digital, etc...
-craig
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
storm grey is the best grey.
i cannot recommend calumet enough. their prices can be somewhat high, but their house-brand products have never let me down and they're always far more affordable than name-brand equivalents. and you're not sacrificing quality, either. case in point: i just purchased a slick new backdrop support set and a seamless roll of storm grey background paper. it's awesome. and they're great for used equipment too. i'm thinking of upgrading my camera system through them... but that's another story altogether.
in other news, my first round of cards are in the mail. now the waiting process begins. in the meantime, you can't do much else but wait by the phone and do more illustrations 'till somebody calls. i've also gotta update my -actual- portfolio with new prints and so forth, so it seems the to-do list never ends.
this past weekend i spent alot of time outdoors. sunday i went up to bushkill falls with the family for my grandma's birthday. it was a blast. if you're into that kinda thing, it's really beautiful. it's like a big chasm opened up in the middle of the poconos and a big waterfall and some rapids just kinda happened. seems kinda out of place, but that's part of what makes it so cool. it's a really clean park too. and a real nice walk. then on monday i drove back down to philly to work with my mentor. we went out to this amazing remote stretch of forest in the NJ pine barrens called 'apple pie hill' to shoot photos off the top of this fire tower in the middle of the woods. the view is unreal. you can see 35 miles in each direction from the top. on a clear day you can see both philadelphia and atlantic city at the same time. it's wild. go check it out, but be aware that the surrounding area really gives you the 'deliverance' vibes. kinda creepy in a way but at the same time it's one of the coolest views i've seen in some time.
lastly, as promised, this is specially for simay... i shot some photos of Ophie last night. here they are: http://www.craigbillow.com/extras.html
enjoy!
-craig
in other news, my first round of cards are in the mail. now the waiting process begins. in the meantime, you can't do much else but wait by the phone and do more illustrations 'till somebody calls. i've also gotta update my -actual- portfolio with new prints and so forth, so it seems the to-do list never ends.
this past weekend i spent alot of time outdoors. sunday i went up to bushkill falls with the family for my grandma's birthday. it was a blast. if you're into that kinda thing, it's really beautiful. it's like a big chasm opened up in the middle of the poconos and a big waterfall and some rapids just kinda happened. seems kinda out of place, but that's part of what makes it so cool. it's a really clean park too. and a real nice walk. then on monday i drove back down to philly to work with my mentor. we went out to this amazing remote stretch of forest in the NJ pine barrens called 'apple pie hill' to shoot photos off the top of this fire tower in the middle of the woods. the view is unreal. you can see 35 miles in each direction from the top. on a clear day you can see both philadelphia and atlantic city at the same time. it's wild. go check it out, but be aware that the surrounding area really gives you the 'deliverance' vibes. kinda creepy in a way but at the same time it's one of the coolest views i've seen in some time.
lastly, as promised, this is specially for simay... i shot some photos of Ophie last night. here they are: http://www.craigbillow.com/extras.html
enjoy!
-craig
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