s k e t c h b o o k

I prefer the spread-eagle while Jenn executes a pencil-dive.

My hometown friend Mike C., who is gettin’ hitched to the lovely Alice S., asked me to create a “Save the Date” for their west coast wedding this fall. They wanted a beach scene, with bright colors and a dynamic pose.

The years have come and gone, but Mike C’s afro has remained through it all. It’s a fine specimen and, at least for me, a key identifying characteristic. Alice also happens to have beautiful hair. So I pitched a close up double portrait ( #1) instead of a drawn-back beach scene. They really liked the idea.

I was going to grid out the type in the rectangle space of the sky, but the couple suggested a bird / banner combo reminiscent of a previous save-the-date. Put a bird on it? Sure will. I took another visual cue from Alice, who has a small  flock of frigate birds tattooed on her arm. (How great is THAT?)

So there you have it.

One time I wore my racing speedo to the pool during Pre-Teen Night at the YMCA. It was humiliating.

One night after the football game, my friends tried to get me to start a fight, but I wouldn’t do it and walked home.

I would cry uncontrollably at the end of the 1957  film Old Yeller. Then I would watch it again.

I was always the tallest flute player. Flutist. Flautist.

My sister and I would tape record ourselves singing our favorite songs from the hit movie musical Newsies.

Surprisingly, I was the only boy to dress up as a cheerleader for the 5th grade Halloween party.

I would repeatedly watch our recorded PBS special  on VHS tape of Stephen Sondheim’s Into the Woods and pretend that I was the witch, played by Bernadette Peters.