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rye

2011-10-20T15:02:00.000-07:00

A logo I recently made for Rye Delicatessen and Bar in uptown minneapolis. Photo of the sign being installed on Hennepin.

pacifier

2011-10-18T11:11:00.000-07:00

Pacifier opened a new location in the City Center in Minneapolis. I worked with the existing brand to further develop brand elements, and to give it a little more personality. This is the new brand statement wall behind the cash wrap. Photos to come!

hearts

2011-10-13T17:46:00.000-07:00

A recent print I put together for a wedding gift.

MCAD 125th Anniversary Poster

2011-09-13T21:38:00.000-07:00

I was asked to design a poster for MCAD's 125th anniversary. Actual size is 20"x30" printed with matte ink on matte paper. If you want one, I have extras!

Macy's dressing labels

2011-09-02T16:30:00.000-07:00

Spotted: The labels we did for Macy's gourmet line of salad dressings.

review from city pages

2011-06-09T11:38:00.000-07:00

Masu Sushi & Robata is state's most impressive sushi joint
It's a Japan grand slam
Written by Rachel Hutton | Photo by Sasha Landskov

Can somebody explain the pachinko machines at Masu Sushi & Robata? They look rather like smaller, vertically oriented pinball games, decked out with videos of Speed Racer and Godzilla. There are knobs to spin and buttons to push, but how these things influence the little metal ball's pinging off pegs and zipping through chutes is something of a mystery.

Masu's mini pachinko parlor, along with its bright geisha imagery, traditional sake barrels, and cartoon-like Munny dolls, are elements that Shea's design team selected to replicate the energetic rush of urban Japanese culture. But the restaurant's concept is actually much simpler than its flamboyant decor: join several powerful culinary forces to create the state's most comprehensive Japanese restaurant.

Continue reading at the City Pages.

masu patio

2011-06-09T07:33:00.001-07:00

Masu patio railing is up!

masu coverage in The Journal

2011-04-26T21:49:00.000-07:00

(From left) Stephan Hesse, Katsuyuki “Asan” Yamamoto, Alexander Chase and Tim McKee of Masu in Northeast.

Mighty Masu
written by Jeremy Joss | photo by Robb Long
Japanese pop culture has a long history of “combining mecha,” a trope in which multiple robots combine into a bigger, more powerful form. These amalgamated machines can defeat any adversary in their way, and their exploits have been translated for American audiences for decades.

That may seem like a strange analogy for a restaurant, but it’s surprisingly fitting for Masu Sushi & Robata. The new Japanese restaurant in Northeast brings together a notable assembly of culinary talent, and the comparison doesn’t stop there. The menu offers up a diverse selection of Japanese foods. The décor combines traditional Japanese symbols with modern American style. There’s an awareness of both time-honored traditions and sustainability for the future. With so many elements converging into one restaurant, it’s no wonder that Masu makes thoughts turn to Voltron.

While many restaurateurs might be annoyed at being compared to a cartoon, the minds behind Masu will likely be pleased to hear it. After all, the concept behind the eatery was to create a different kind of Japanese restaurant.

“We want fun and energy,” said David Shea of marketing and design firm Shea, Inc. “We don’t design restaurants. We design experiences. And Masu is an experience. It’s approachable, it’s got lots of light, lots of energy. We wanted to give the market something different.”
Continue reading at The Journal.

sketch

2011-04-23T10:48:00.000-07:00

Sketches for a new project. Could turn into something good?

masu in the media

2011-04-19T00:43:00.000-07:00

Masu Sushi and Robata
Written by Peter Lilenthal on August 2011

Aspiring restauranteurs would be well-advised to take a page from the playbook of Sushi Avenue, the local food service company that recently opened Masu Sushi and Robata.

Continue reading at msp magazine

Masu Goes Beyond Sushi
Written by Rick Nelson on July 21, 2011

A winning collaboration brings flavorful attention to the art of Japanese cooking. Masu is turning out some of the most artful nigiri, sashimi, and makizushi in the Twin Cities.

The Twins should be so lucky to have an opening lineup as starry as the one at Masu Sushi & Robata.

Continue reading at The Star Tribune

Preview Dinner at Masu Sushi & Robata
Written by John Garland on April 18, 2011 Photos by Lars Swanson
"The vibe at Masu Sushi & Robata is equal parts authenticity and whimsy. A row of pachinko machines flank the lounge and giant geisha-eyes stare down diners while Gummi Bears and scratch-off lottery tickets adorn cocktail rims. Sprinkle in tastes from a diverse menu and a certain measure of chaos during Saturday night’s preview event, and we were left with a frantic bite of what could be a much needed shot of adrenaline in the Northeast dining scene. ..."
Continue reading at Heavy Table.

Curiocity: A Sneak Peek Of Masu Sushi & Robata
Written by Sara Boyd, WCCO | photo credit CBS
"A new restaurant opening Monday in northeast Minneapolis has seemingly found the ideal balance of attracting opposites.

Masu Sushi and Robata boasts of traditional cuisine in a modern setting, combines a touch of sophistication with a nod to playful Japanese youth culture and dances from casual to chic depending on the diner’s mood.

Upon first impressions, the restaurant is truly something to behold. Sleek lines, bold colors and somewhat kitschy decorations take you straight into a modern Asian atmosphere, complete with iconic touches of Japanese culture. A pair of mysterious eyes from a Geisha model fills the back wall of the main dining area, stretching the length of the room. (Sidenote: The lovely model who lent her deep stare to the wall’s décor stopped by Saturday to see the finished product. And a film-strip-like collage of all her poses can be seen on the wall leading into the stylish restrooms.)..."
Continue reading here.

Masu Sushi & Robata: A Sneak Peek
The new Tim McKee-approved sushi restaurant will surely prove to be Northeast’s darling new hotspot for the stylish set.
Written by Mecca Bos
"The latest effort by chef/consultant/gastronomic superstar Tim McKee, Masu Sushi & Robata will surely prove to be Northeast’s darling new hotspot for the stylish set. And stylish you will have to be to glam it up in these sleek new digs that feel like a cross between a teenage boy’s anime fantasy and a cover of Conde Nast Traveler.
Clean white lines make a nice backdrop for colorful, artistic touches that vie for attention with one another like the cast of Looney Tunes. Over here—Japanese war movies on flat screen! Over there—a wall of Japanese money dolls so colorfully rendered they’re mesmerizing. Over here—a series of gorgeous Pachinko machines, a national obsession in Japan. ..."
Read more at Twin Cities Metro.

Masu Sushi & Robata: A sneak peek Inside
Written by Joy Summers, Friday, April 15 2011
.... " The room is filled with hip, thoughtful design details, the handiwork of the creative minds at Shea, Inc. ..."
Read more at the City Pages.

masu art cheat sheet

2011-04-16T12:11:00.000-07:00

A cheat sheet explaining our thoughts on some of the art pieces at masu. The entire project was head by David Shea, the crazy genius at Shea. I've learned a ton about what goes into designing/opening a restaurant from David, Tanya, Dan, Peter, Heidi, and of course the chef, Tim McKee (how many proofing rounds does it take to sign off on a menu?.. approximately 300!) :)

MASU: ART CHEAT SHEET

PHOTOGRAPHY
Inspired by geisha, wanted to make an impact and do something a little different and attention grabbing We were going for a sexy, modern, geisha.
Photographer - Michael Haug
with local talent

COMIC ART
Inspired by Japanese Anime and Manga. Add an element of surprise as well as something unique and cultural.
Comics done by local talent

PACHINKO
Inspired by the ever popular Japanese pachinko parlors. We can experience a little bit of authentic Japanese culture without hoping on a plane or buying a passport, which is my favorite part of the restaurant. The pachinko parlors are very loud and vibrant with flags above the machines, we wanted to recreate/simulate that atmosphere with our custom flags. It's also a plus that the bright red lights can be seen through the windows at night!

TOY WALL
Inspired by the designer vinyl toy splendor. We partnered with Tomodachi of Rosedale to work with local artists who created custom Munny dolls. These artists are total geeks about these dolls and put a lot of work into them. The dolls are also scattered throughout the space. Instead of using a standard shelving system, the dolls are treated more as an art display on a custom backdrop. You know me, I had to make it difficult!

SAKE BARRELS
Another element of authenticity, we display the sake barrels of the sake we carry.

JAPANESE KANJI
We wanted to make the experience as authentic as we could so we incorporated a lot of Kanji translations, which chef Asan and Alex of Masu helped me with. :)
The "masu" kanji also appears painted directly to the floor in the main dining room!

masu pachinko wall

2011-04-16T07:22:00.000-07:00

The fish wall and the Pachinko wall at masu! I put together the graphics on both walls, and helped art direct the comic art. I love seeing flat illustrator files turn into 3d materials!

masu menus

2011-04-15T14:07:00.001-07:00

The menus definitely tested my ability to fit as much text as possible in a relatively tight space. The pattern on these is developed from the "under-structure" of the masu logo.

masu sushi and robata

2011-04-15T13:37:00.000-07:00

The masu website is live! www.masusushiandrobata.com

The client requested the site to be like nothing else you've ever seen before. Well, I tried!

masu toy wall

2011-04-14T20:13:00.000-07:00

Peter and I at Tomodachi mapping out where all the Munny dolls will go on the wall display for masu. There were many, "OMG this one is soooo cute," quotes that morning. I think I turned into a giddy 12 year old for most of the day, as usual. :) I was pretty excited about the day of the dead one shown here.. and I did find myself petting the furry abominable snowman.

masu invite

2011-04-13T08:23:00.000-07:00

The Masu opening party invites went out last week and we've been receiving lots of great feedback, Todd Walker, FOX 9 emailed our PR person that our invite set a new (restaurant industry) standard. Jacqueline summed up all the comments with, "The invites have really helped build the excitement surrounding the opening party and the restaurant itself."

I'm stoked to be receiving feedback from the Minneapolis community, and cannot wait to meet some of these fine people on Saturday! I'm even more stoked that it's been positive!! The munny zipper pulls have been a huge hit as well. :) It's a double sided 6x7" card rolled into a clear mailing tube with the munny zipper pull slipped inside.

masu exterior

2011-04-10T16:55:00.000-07:00

The masu sign and awnings are up! It's so fun watching everything come to life that I've been slaving over for so long!

masu photo

2011-03-30T17:22:00.000-07:00

Masu photo is installed.

avenue eatery

2011-03-29T14:17:00.000-07:00

A logo I whipped together for a shop in North Minneapolis.

ids center

2011-03-13T10:00:00.000-07:00

I have a shiny new folder fresh off the press in my hands! It has silver metallic ink and two spot varnishes, a matte coat on the grayed out city and a gloss coat on the IDS building. This guy holds all the marketing pieces together for seeking out new tenants at the IDS.

masu: photoshoot

2011-01-18T14:51:00.000-08:00

Behind the scenes from our masu photoshoot.

masu: stationary

2011-01-10T11:34:00.001-08:00

Business card and letterhead for masu.

masu: window graphics

2011-01-09T20:34:00.000-08:00

The masu temporary window graphics are installed! Instead of just painting the windows black during the construction phase we splurged for teaser posters! You can check them out at 330 East Hennepin Avenue in North Minneapolis.

masu sushi & robata

2011-01-09T11:00:00.000-08:00

The masu sushi and robata landing page is live! Check it out here. Masu is a restaurant concept that my peeps at Shea and I developed with the fine people at Sushi Avenue. The menu was developed by local celebrity chef, Tim Mckee. More images and info coming soon!

malones

2011-01-08T13:09:00.000-08:00

Logo design for new restaurant, Malones, open in Maple Grove.

tu dance

2011-01-08T13:00:00.000-08:00

At Shea, we are working with TU Dance on their new dance studio in St. Paul. We developed this post card with ideas for future exterior signage that they could hand out to investors. I had the privilege of seeing them perform at the O' Shaughnessy in St. Paul and was instantly a fan.

pet hotel

2011-01-07T18:32:00.000-08:00

Some naming and logo options for a new pet hotel concept named, Adogo, that I developed with my peeps at Shea.

go green!

2011-01-05T18:30:00.000-08:00

An accordion fold brochure which invites the reader to learn how to make small or substantial green changes to their building, suggesting to contact Shea for help, of course!

yes!

2010-03-22T17:26:00.001-07:00

After watching Jamie Oliver's TED presentation, I was super thrilled to hear he was given a TV a show, Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution. I'm looking forward to tuning in and learning how to mend my poor eating habits.

reading list

2010-03-13T18:20:00.000-08:00

I began reading The Spell of the Sensuous by David Abram. The subject is thought provoking, Abram has given a new perspective on our relationship to the natural world. You can learn more about the book here.

I picked up Never Sleep by Andre Andreev and Dan Covert hoping to gain some insight on the design profession. I like the different types of information, each written by different people, it helps keep my interest. Having pretty pages to look at doesn't hurt either. Learn more about the book here.

greetings from kuwait

2010-03-12T14:24:00.000-08:00

A package from Chad, it came with about 20 military grade glow sticks, which came in handy. A friend used them for a light saber match with his 3 year old. And that shirt.. Chad thinks it's hilarious. The little round things are magnets of all the bases he has been to.

civilians shirt

2010-03-12T14:13:00.000-08:00

A Shirt I made for Chad, he requested the card be made into a shirt. I sent it to him with some silly string and canned goods for Christmas.

soldier book

2009-09-29T16:40:00.001-07:00

I'm starting a new project! Just because I graduated doesn't mean I can't make awesome books. Click the image for a closer look.

response

2009-09-29T16:27:00.000-07:00

Front

Back

After I sent a card to Chad with a simple illustration of a gun, he wrote back and explained that I had drawn the wrong gun. He told me he uses an M4 and included an extensive list of all the features it has. He also included a picture, for reference, so I could correct myself if I wanted to. This is my response, in the printed world it is double sided.

cards

2009-09-29T16:23:00.001-07:00

A few cards I made with blank insides to send to Chad.

knitting

2009-09-29T16:09:00.001-07:00

This is my first knitting project, half way into becoming a scarf. I'm itching to finish now that we're seeing colder days.

motion

2009-05-07T12:08:00.000-07:00

The motion portion to the typographic fiction project.

wheat paste

2009-05-07T05:13:00.000-07:00

Type fiction poster up in the town.

a love affair

2009-05-04T00:47:00.000-07:00

Final book for a typographic fiction.

what sister said

2009-05-04T00:43:00.000-07:00

It's coming together.

title

2009-04-23T12:02:00.000-07:00

A sketch for the cover for the typographic fiction book.

graduation

2009-04-22T20:07:00.001-07:00

I picked up the commencement invites today, I'm pretty excited.

to be continued

2009-04-22T15:31:00.000-07:00

Soon this poster will be around Minneapolis. What is it trying to say?

check

2009-04-21T20:29:00.000-07:00

The last round of play has come to a close. Now for final formulations, how to package this all together.

closer

2009-04-08T22:10:00.000-07:00

More process for typographic fiction.

Troop send off

2009-04-05T15:40:00.000-07:00

I attended the send off ceremony for the troops yesterday. It wasn't as tear jerking as I thought it would be, it was, however, much more cheesy than I expected. How many times can you say "America" in an hour? They leave April 19th for further training at Fort Hood, Texas from there they will depart for Kuwait. Above is my favorite training photo of Chad being shoved into the Howitzer canon by Schultz.

Experimental Jetset: Carry that Weight!

2009-03-27T22:15:00.000-07:00

I feel very lucky to have had the experience to attend a workshop with Experimental Jetset’s Marieke Stolk and Danny van den Dungen with my fellow classmates. We were given a project titled, "Carry that Weight!" we were to examine the usage of sandwich boards and make our own. Dolly and I teamed up and made complimentary tee shirts. Mine said, "Me my," while hers said, "And shit." They are meant to be read across to form, "Me and my shit." (I'll have a complete photo of the shirts soon.)

Thank you Tom Garrett (the design chair), Erik, and Kindra for the opportunity. The photos are by Erik.

Maybe

2009-03-25T23:00:00.000-07:00

More process more

no?

2009-03-19T12:08:00.000-07:00

More typographic fiction process. Thanks to Erik for the call out on geotypografika.

yes?

2009-03-11T20:24:00.000-07:00

More typographic fiction process.

typographic kisses

2009-03-02T19:40:00.000-08:00

Process for a typographic fiction. Featured on geotypografika.

fun with letraset

2009-03-02T19:13:00.000-08:00

pretty functions

2009-03-02T16:37:00.001-08:00

A series of posters for critical studies. Scanned in magazine ads/ added flowers/ manipulated text/ each printed out at 17" x 23."

a typographic love affair

2009-02-25T17:56:00.001-08:00

Advanced GD headed to the MCBA and geeked out with wood type. Dolly Vu and I collaborated on this piece. Thank you Erik for the experience, the encouragement and for being the class photographer! See more images of the class at work on geotypografika and the flickr page.

Hammer Chocolate

2009-02-23T23:03:00.001-08:00

Thanks Amy, I'd rather have this than a chocolate bunny any day.

Page O' Dogs

2009-02-21T14:30:00.001-08:00

Some logo designs for What Sister Said.

The Boom Is Over. Long Live the Art!

2009-02-19T15:30:00.000-08:00

An article from the New York Times sent over from Clea Felien on the art market and its relation to the meta-narrative of the economy.

Truck Alphabet

2009-02-19T14:43:00.000-08:00

A beautiful typographic find from this blog. I wonder how long it took to collect the entire alphabet? Oh, patience indeed!

John Baldessari

2009-02-19T14:34:00.000-08:00

Much thanks to Clea Felien, my critical studies instructor, for showing me the way of John Baldessari. His work "The Pencil Story, 1972 - 1973" so perfectly illustrates my mind set this semester.

1986

2009-02-19T10:54:00.001-08:00

Cher and Madonna

Top 100 list of 1986
24. Sara, Jefferson Starship

Spotted: Pixel System 26

2009-02-16T00:01:00.000-08:00

Found on an MCAD student, who also goes by Sarah, earlier today. A similar character to Erik Brandt's Pixel System 26!

Pixel System 26

2009-02-07T16:23:00.001-08:00

A re-visit to the presidential poster using a typeface designed by Erik Brandt, Pixel System 26. You can download the font for free at fontstruct. This poster is featured along with a few other classmates on geotypografika.

Zombies Ahead!

2009-02-06T22:15:00.000-08:00

New road signs? Read all about it on the Star Tribune website.

Presidential Poster

2009-01-30T20:41:00.000-08:00

Strictly a b/w typographic poster containing President Obama's inauguration speech. Original size 24" x 36".
Verena Gerlach was so generous as to let our class use her new typeface: FF Chambers Sans, which is available through Fontshop. This poster is featured along with a few other classmates on geotypografika.

Puppies!

2009-01-28T17:22:00.000-08:00

For my senior project I am working with Shannon McKenzie from Underdog Rescue for her new apparel company, What Sister Said. The project includes an identity, t-shirt designs, and an online store. Here are some preliminary sketches for the identity, and Sister herself.

Packaging Design

2009-01-28T12:54:00.001-08:00

A re-design attempt for Pearl Street Brewery in La Crosse, WI. This is my uninhibited take on beer packaging.

Operation Collaboration

2009-01-28T11:54:00.000-08:00

A collaborative project with Andrew Scott. The book is a transition of a day from morning to night in a first person perspective. After waking up in the bedroom, the "character" attends three events including the farmers market, Concrete & Grass, and a salsa dancing night. The day also concludes in the bedroom.

An Interview with Gun5.

2009-01-28T11:22:00.000-08:00

This project was near and dear to me. If you've read my blog or just talked me more than once you'll know that my brother, Chad, and his fellow National Guardians are heading off to patrol the Iraq and Kuwait border quite soon. In my own way I wanted to let these men know that I am thinking of them and wanted their individual voices to be heard. The book begins with an introduction to the National Guard and the general mission in Iraq. Each solder is given his own section with an introduction, an outstanding quote, and an interview in the bulk of the book.

It's Been a Nice Ride.

2009-01-28T10:59:00.001-08:00

My summer through winter internship at Thorn Creative has come to a close with my full attention turned towards my final semester at MCAD. Here's are a few logos and an identity for Upstream Strategies that I worked on.

Dear President

2009-01-14T23:41:00.000-08:00

A product for a school wide project Dear president ____. The messages were made with the intent of sending them to the new president after been shown throughout MCAD halls. See the chart in it's original context here.

Google yourself.

2008-12-21T15:02:00.000-08:00

I was so bored today that I googled myself. What I found was quite amusing, for one there are a lot of Sarah Pfeffers on facebook and I didn't make the image search. For two there's a site with a photo of a gravestone for Sarah and George Pfeffer at St. Mary's cemetery in Wisconsin. My dads name is George and I went to St. Mary's catholic church and elementary school in Bird Island, MN. It's weird to see my dad and I buried next to each other.

UFO

2008-10-23T19:08:00.000-07:00

For a school wide project titled, UFO.

Book Covers

2008-10-23T17:48:00.001-07:00

Spine

Back cover

Front cover

Inside cover pattern

A redesign of a series of three book covers. The original books were pocket size and on random subjects.

Manifesto

2008-10-21T20:06:00.000-07:00

An excerpt from Bruce Mau's Incomplete Manifesto. In homage to Publication Design for we are meeting at the Minneapolis public library this week, complete with group meetings in a conference room.

Exhibition Design

2008-10-20T18:38:00.000-07:00

An exhibition project. The intent was to curate, gather content, and compose a design strategy for an exhibition to be held in the MCAD main gallery. In an attempt to learn more about this thing called, sustainability, being green, and to become more globally aware I set out on a project I titled Urban Density. I researched photographers who loosely worked with this theme in their work. In the catalog the work is accompanied by artist profiles as well as text and statistics on the state of our Earth. In the series there is a poster, invite, ticket, and catalog.

Cringe

2008-10-20T18:02:00.000-07:00

Adequately titled, Cringe, is a book of old diaries, journals, letters, notes, songs, and poems. The book is a byproduct of a monthly reading series, which is hosted by Sarah Brown. It started in April 2005 at Freddy's Bar & Backroom in Broolyn, New York. People are asked to stand on stage and read a piece of his or her own adolescence writing. This captures my love for awkwardness, randomness, and self humiliation. I would be so lucky to catch a reading one day, or read one of my own. Check out the hostess' blog here.

Pure Sweetness

2008-10-20T00:14:00.000-07:00

For the past couple days I have been entertained, fascinated, and jeleous of this. After some real searching I figured out that Uniqloc is a marketing campaign for a fairly well known clothing company Uniqlo. Jancourt's calendar project eat your heart out.

*Note: For full effect turn sound on.

Deja vu

2008-10-19T23:24:00.000-07:00

Photo courtesy of Chad Pfeffer

From Justin Newhall's Axis and Allies

As I was looking through my brother Chad's latest training photos, I couldn't help but think of a certain photograph from Justin Newhall's Axis and Allies show that was in the MAEP galley at the MIA back in fall 2007. Crazy similarity, no?

Summer spells...

2008-08-02T18:27:00.000-07:00

Adventure. Last week we went on our camping trip to Cass Lake, MN. We hiked the Lost Forty (never forested land), biked the scenic trail at Itasca State Park, went on a 20ish mile boat ride through the mississippi to a sand hill, and kayaked the mississippi for a couple hours.

Intern Sarah

2008-06-20T17:51:00.001-07:00

Summer has finally set in. It's been sunny and 80 degrees for a few days straight and I am officially part of the team at Thorn Creative. Ryan finished my Thorn Park character (I'm the one in yellow), except.. I still need a bike. I've worked there two weeks and have already been to a baseball game with one boss, and played Rock Band at the studio during their monthly happy hour. I feel all warm and cozy, and have been referred to as a "rock star" by Traci and as "dominating" (as in.. awesome) by Ryan.

In the bottom picture from right to left. Randall, me, and Randall's brother.

Mud Painting

2008-06-01T12:50:00.001-07:00

A random gesture of dirt mixed with glue and adhered to glass.

Icons

2008-06-01T12:34:00.001-07:00

A series of four different icons describing different qualities of a graphic designer. The four include humorist, humanist, scientist, and communicator.

Intonation

2008-04-25T22:16:00.000-07:00

Type in motion to a dada poem performed by Marie Osmond.

Kellie O' Identity

2008-03-16T15:21:00.000-07:00

The identity for Kellie O' is finalized and ready for print.

Merits

2008-03-16T15:17:00.000-07:00

This is the first show of all my best work. My work takes on a different quality, and looks rather beautiful when displayed together in this fashion. Let's hope I win some merit scholarships.

Brother Chad

2008-03-12T19:06:00.000-07:00

An update to my previous graph on Chad. He gave me a surprise visit today! This is the first time i've seen him since AIT (basic training). I was happy to see him, but queezy at the same time. All I could think about were the fears I previously mapped out. Of course, his explanations of all the weapons he's learning to use doesn't help any.

Title Sequence

2008-03-04T15:20:00.000-08:00

A romantic comedy title sequence with credit information taken from a recipe for better than sex cake.<

Pie Chart

2008-03-04T13:54:00.000-08:00

In a class, Global Context of Design, we were asked to create pie charts or other cheesy graphs using Excel. My mind kept wandering back to my ever-present issue of dealing with the thought of my brother, Chad, going to Iraq. In a strange way, this graph helps to lesson my fears.

UPDATE: I am proud to announce that this graph is noted on www.geotypografika.com on the resources page by Erik Brandt. See the post here.

Appropriation Screen Print

2008-03-04T13:49:00.000-08:00

An appropriation of an Islamic tile pattern turned into a kitsch-like message. This screen printing class is starting to become a means of experimentation, it's not a serious design class, and it's a mixture of majors. It's my time to really let loose and do what my heart desires, even if the outcome isn't very designy.

Chris Jordan

2008-02-29T14:25:00.000-08:00

Above: Plastic Bottles, 2007. “Depicts two million plastic beverage bottles, the number used in the US every five minutes.”
I am so moved by these photographs. I am currently working on a project on Urban Density and waste so that alone creates an interest for me.

Visit Chris Jordan’s website here. http://www.chrisjordan.com/
This blog was originally on http://geotypografika.com/.

Bolger

2008-02-29T14:03:00.000-08:00

A representative from Bolger came to speak to my graphic design three class. He gave a very interesting lecture on what questions to ask about printing green, told us to watch out for "green washing," and taught us how to go try to be a green designer in Minneapolis. The main point was clarifying the difference between the SFI and the FSC. The FSC paper certification is obviously the better choice. He also braught up a question of, "Where does our recycling go?" Apparently, our plastics end up in China, and is probably not handled well. http://www.bolger.com/html/index.html

Thomas Couderc & Clément Vauchez

2008-02-29T13:51:00.000-08:00

I love this design. I hope to achieve such a level of complexity and spontaneity in my work.
View other work at http://www.helmo.fr/.
I found them on http://www.manystuff.org/.

prom 2003

2008-02-25T15:34:00.000-08:00

Um, yeah. This is me in a past life.

bananas!

2008-02-22T18:11:00.000-08:00

This is a screen print of falling bananas. Or rather, flying bananas according to my classmates during critique.

Yes, I know. Screen printed bananas automatically remind me of Warhol too. But you know what. I did it, and I had fun.

KFAI

2008-02-22T17:49:00.001-08:00

In a group three other students we worked together to create advertisements for use in local papers like City Pages. KFAI is about reaching out to people who are unrepresented by other radio stations. The programs reach a wider audience than I ever thought possible. You can listen to past radio shows through their website.

The Orange Building

2008-02-12T19:59:00.000-08:00

For a class, Global Context of Design, we are working on documenting the visual vernacular of Minneapolis. Mena’s business center is the one building that really struck me on Nicollet. Why is it orange? What’s with all that signage? Why is the type trying to be 3D? The signage looks to be in Spanish. Why would anyone go in there? When I went inside the building the colors and the atmosphere was welcoming. There was a lawyer’s office, a little store, and an upstairs for rent, nothing to be intimidated by. The owner was working in the small store, with what looked to be his wife and teenage daughter. He was pleased to speak with me. We shared a few smiles and made a lot of hand gestures.   I asked the owner, “Why did you paint the building orange?” His answer, “Because I like the color.” After a little more encouragement to further his explanation he added, “This building used to be white, all of the other buildings on this street are white. I wanted to stand out, to create an interest.” This conversation was mind changing for me; I realized that this guy was just an ordinary guy. He seemed like the type of person you could count on for anything. My favorite part of this building is the sign telling me to, "Please call again."

Books I'm Reading

2008-02-10T22:11:00.000-08:00

The World Without Us by Alan Weisman
The world Is Flat by Thomas L. Friedman

The chapter on plastics, Polymers are forever, from The World Without Us is available for free here. After reading this chapter I was shocked. Eventually, I became aware of how much plastic I used on a daily basis. How much plastic does a person waste on getting groceries each year? On frozen pizzas? This is a must read.

Spring Fever

2008-02-09T22:37:00.000-08:00

Sunlight. A photo taken in 2004.

Bella+Beethoven=Bellathoven

2008-02-09T21:52:00.000-08:00

The puppy of my life. My brothers, Jeremy, Chad, and I gave this Blue Heeler to my dad for his 50th. He loved a heeler before I was around, his name was Beethoven. My dad calls Bella Bellathoven on accident. True story.

Stevens Community

2008-02-09T21:15:00.000-08:00

Examples of a series of photos taken of Stevens Community in Minneapolis.