Un-Suck Your Avatar with The Unselfie Project on Geekadelphia!

Hello all, I've got some exciting news! I've just bought my first ad space ever for The Unselfie Project! I decided to put it on Philly's leading tech blog, Geekadelphia. Since there was only a small space to work with, Brian created an  animated gif which showcases some of my favorite Unselfie portraits a bit better than having a bunch of tiny little hard to see static images. You can see the ad on the right hand side of the Geekadelphia blog. Go check it out! And thank you for your support!

Unselfie Ad for Geekadelphia

Portrait Illustration of Michael Bloomberg for Governing Magazine.

I just finished this portrait illustration of well known Philanthropist and former mayor of New York City, Michael Bloomberg, for the April edition of Governing Magazine. The article, written by J.B. Wogan is titled "How Bloomberg's Still Changing the Ways Cities Operate". It talks about how, since 2010, "Bloomberg Philanthropies have given more than $150 Million to mayors in nearly 70 municipalities to support experiments in government innovation".  Here is a link to the article , it is definitely an interesting read.

I was asked to illustrate the portrait in black and white so that the designers could place Bloomberg's face onto a 100 dollar bill template.  I love the way that it turned out and am honored to have been chosen for the assignment. Enjoy!

Michael Bloomberg

Splash page illustration

I was recently approached by a start up sociology based journalism client to create a splash page illustration as a placeholder for their upcoming website. I cannot say much about the company as they are still in the planning stages but they graciously gave permission to post this piece. I wish them the best in their future endeavors and am looking forward to their launch later this year!

Your'e needy, empty and you need a new nose.

Here's a fun spot illustration that I did for this week's Philadelphia City Paper. The article is a hilariously snarky rip on super dated, dating book, "The Rules -Time Tested Secrets for Capturing the Heart of Mr. Right". It is crazy to think that some poor, misguided souls probably bought that book for it's "advice". I wanted to laugh and vomit a little bit at the same time. Props to Mikala Jamison for the good read!

A Fun A Week.

Have you ever met one of those people whose face looks like it would crack if they smiled? Or one of those super serious people who can't laugh at themselves and always seem to have a stick up their butt? I am convinced that these unhappy people are like that because they can't remember when was the last time that they had any fun.

It is no secret to those who know me that I have a "fun cup" that needs filling on a regular basis. People tend to forget and some even scoff at the idea of how important it actually is to have fun. "I don't have the time"  or "that's too expensive" are very popular excuses along with the fear of being judged and perceived as being childish or silly.

The truth is, fun feeds the soul. It fuels creativity, inspires adventure and can cause an overall sense of well-being.  Fun can be anything. It doesn't have to cost a lot of money. Of course, if you have the cash to take a fancy trip to a far off land then, by all means, have at it! But you can always make your own fun. My idea of fun might be different than what you consider fun, but the possibilities are endless. Build a bonfire with some friends, go for a hike in the snow, take a day trip to a place that you have been wanting to visit, etc.

"But it's easy when you don't have kids" - yes and no. I might be kid-free but that does not mean that I'm any less busy than you are! So go do something fun with your kids! They will thank you for it! And hey, if they whine and complain, they'll get over it. I know many people who do fun family activities almost every weekend and I'm not talking about those kid-centric/bored parent canned "fun" activities. Use your imagination and go do something that you think is awesome!

Deadlines, responsibilities and other obligations sometimes leave me with no time for fun. Hey, it's unavoidable - it happens to everyone. But have you noticed that after a too long constant grind that you get cranky? Uninspired? Blah? When this happens my concentration and creativity begin to suffer. That's when I know it is time to top off the fun cup!

Ready to take on the mountain!

From now on I am making a point to try and make time for "a fun a week". It can be anything. Two weeks ago I went to see an absolutely crazy metal band that I like. Last week I tried snowboarding, loved the challenge and now I have something new to learn. See how it works? Fun inspires you to live your life and try new things. The world is a big place, and there is a lot of living to do. I'm off to a good start!