Pigeon

I’ve been busy as usual, but I’ve been painting. I recently downloaded the mobile wordpress app. So I’m hoping this may curb my lack of posting (fingers crossed).

A Good Read on Life

This is an amazing video of 12-year-old Neveah Moshe, who lives in the South Bronx and is incredibly fascinated with reading. It’s very inspiring to see how enthusiastic she is about education and going to college.

D.I.Y. NY Poster/Magazine Collage

Working in media/advertising has its perks. One of my favorites is the copious amounts of magazines which are readily available per gratis! The two magazines I can’t wait to get my mitts on every week are Time Out New York and New York Magazine. T.O.N.Y. serves as a practical weekly guide for the New York urban explorer, while New York Magazine crams  miscellaneous culture into every nook and cranny of said explorer’s curious little head.

That said, I have amassed a lengthy collection of both publications since moving to NYC a year ago. I was just about to throw them out when I got the idea for the project above.

What better way to immortalize the two magazines I love while simultaneously cataloging my first year in the Big Apple. This just seemed like such an obvious thing to create and all under $40. Enjoy!

Aaron Smith – Fine Art Painter

Although I’m nowhere near as technically skilled at painting as Aaron Smith is, I can definitely relate to the thought process behind re-purposing artifacts to create new imagery in one’s work.

The High Line in NYC is another great example of this idea:

Gym Rat in Rat Race Illustration

Working in one of the most corporate environments in America, Midtown NYC, it’s very easy to witness the rat race at work. Nothing exemplifies this more than exiting the crowded subway station in the morning, where you have tons of people squirming their way toward the bustling metropolitan horizon.

Everyone sort of looks the same. White-collar shirt, Windsor knotted tie, and usually a distressed or sleep deprived look.

This scenery is not very motivating. So I find that working out on a regular basis helps me combat the drudgery of a 9-to-5 commute. I feel refreshed and energetic and in an overall good mood when on my way to work.

That’s my inspiration for this illustration. The benefits you receive from working out help you manage your overall life, whether it’s work, personal, or social. Stylistically, I wasn’t too fond of the angular (and sterile looking) approach I took, but I feel that it conveyed the notion below very well:

The ‘Rat Race’ is just a little easier when you’re a ‘Gym Rat’