A new location and identity for Parts & Labour!

I've been waiting to write this post for months and I'm still unprepared on what to say. I was so humbled and so grateful to be asked by Parts and Labour to rebrand their shop. It's a tremendous honor and an enormous responsibility so when Lizelle asked me about working on it, I was deeply touched that she trusted me to take on something so personal for her business. I hope I made something she can be proud of. And to her amazing staff, who I consider my friends, I hope it feels good to walk under that sign each day on your way into work. I know how important a sense of pride is considering how many hours and years you all have put into P&L.

Special thanks to Nick Turkette for doing an amazing job of bringing this to life. Painting, custom wood cuts, and installation must have been a beast for this 20 foot sign. It really stands out on the block.

As for the people of Austin and the millions of tourists who walk down the most famous street in Texas every year, I hope I've added something positive to the rich history of eclectic and beautiful storefronts in our city. Thanks for having a look, it means a lot.

New Retailers!

Things have been moving along pretty swiftly as we close out 2016. I'm happy to announce that I have added 3 new shops to the list of local places to find my work. I want to thank Vincent, Tara, and Tracy for allowing my products to sit alongside other fantastic merchandise on their shelves. A-Town on Burnet Road, The Tiny Texas Embassy on Rainey Street, and the Austin Visitor Center on E 4th street all now stock patches and postcards from my collection. I highly recommend paying them all a visit to see what fun and unique items you can find in these one of a kind shops.

Ballots & Brews

A few months back I heard of a political poster show being curated by the AIGA chapter in Jacksonville, Florida. I rarely put my political beliefs out there, but they had an open call for submissions and I decided to take a crack at a poster dealing with a topical issue that I care about. I decided to make my piece regarding the idea of a border wall. I wanted to create an image that would show the repercussions of a wall that, if built, would cut right down the edge of Texas' only Natural Park, Big Bend. I wanted to design something in the style of old WGA posters from the 50s. By all accounts, the show was a great success and I am happy to be a part of it.

From my description:

To many, the idea of a fortified border wall is just an abstract concept. It’s just an idea that exists to keep “those people”out while keeping “us”safe. The reality of a wall has no impact on everyday life. As a resident of Texas, the threat of a wall emerges from an idea on paper to an actual structure with real world consequences.

The Texas/Mexico border is 1,254 miles long. A stretch of that border runs through Big Bend National Park and specifically cuts through an area known as the Santa Elena Canyon. Great bluffs on either side of the narrow Rio Grande River rise high above into the sky creating a stunning desert canyon enjoyed by native Americans for thousands of years and by thousands of visitors each year. The south bluff is Mexico and the north is America, separated only by the width of the Rio Grande sometimes only 50 feet wide at places.

So when you envision a border wall, this is where that wall would go. And the next time you find yourself in Big Bend National Park at Santa Elana Canyon you can probably leave the camera in your backpack. You won’t want to take a photo of this. In fact, the guide books probably wouldn’t have even led you here to begin with. But hey, at least you feel safer, right?

The Three A's

Every once in a while I'll get asked to create something for a wedding, birthday, or anniversary for a friend or family member. Recently I was asked to design and print a trio of screen prints celebrating a couple's journey together for the last 15 years. They met in Atlanta, moved out to Albuquerque, and finally settled with kids in Austin. I designed these 3 prints over the course of a month that depicted various architectural gems, natural wonders, bars, and restaurants that meant something special to them throughout their lives together. It took 6 separate screens and 4 colors to create these prints that will be soon hanging in their kitchen. I was honored and happy to create something that signifies so much for this nice couple. After spending so much time drawing and printing it was actually tough to hand them over to them as there was so much of me in those prints. But I had to let them go and I hope they bring happiness for years to come.