I Walk the Line...

New poster in the shop.

READ THIS BLOG

http://thebloggess.com/

I don't know this woman, but I want to. I think I might have a girl crush on her. This afternoon I came across a post on Facebook where one of my awesome friends (and you are ALL awesome) posted a link to this woman's blog. Being the curious individual I am, I clicked, I read, I laughed out loud ("LOL-ed" for you younger folk if you forgot what that really means) and I kept reading.

I was ravenous to read more. It was like reading all the thoughts I think but either rarely have the courage to do so, or when I do, I'm surrounded by people who judge me rather harshly. So, as a kindness and an act of sharing, I'm suggesting all of my two regular readers to go to her site and read up. You will be begging for more.

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On another note, I have not forgotten about the Joplin Poster donation process. The sales have slowed, and I'm setting up my Paypal account to directly donate to authorized charities. Expect a follow up soon.

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....aaaaaand another note; I am a recently engaged woman. This is not a lame attempt to get congrats or be fawned over.... I hate that. In fact, I've already told a young woman helping try a dress on to stop calling me a princess or we would have issues. So, why am I telling you this? It's more of a warning. I'm in full planning mode, and because I have no clue what I am doing and I'm not your average bride to be, I might be posting wedding crap I've designed on here for feedback and suggestions. Forgive me. Please.

Get the word out....

I have many outlets via social networking that have been incredibly influential over the years. Regarding my last post on support for the Joplin, MO tornado victims, I have tweeted, tumblr-ed, flickr-ed, facebooked, blogged and pretty much nagged all of my friends to help spread the word. Now I'm putting it to the test.

In my efforts to support the individuals who desperately need help, I've discovered a few things. In the event of natural disasters, there are a lot of creeps out there. Looters, con artists and scammers are abundant in the news lately. People claiming to raise money for relief and disappearing, others taking personal information of others and selling it, some claiming to have found missing individuals and posting flee information and even people offering to help with the clean up and stealing what little some of the tornado victims have left. Hearing this literally breaks my heart and makes me want to help more.

First and foremost, I want to calm any fears immediately that I might be taking in any of the profits off my support poster sales and keeping them. I've personally opened an account in my Pay-Pal so that the money doesn't transfer to any of my personal accounts. I've also decided to completely document the donation presentation process along with providing a list of those who helped contribute.

I've pre-purchased the supplies to produce a total of 100 posters to be sold at $20 a piece, which would result in two $1,000 donations, a grand total of $2,000. As of three days into my journey to reach this goal, I've sold 15 posters, two of which are being sent internationally!

This is the part that I'm putting to the test. It has become my mission to sell at least all 100 posters. I can't do it alone. I need your help with putting the word out and asking everyone (yes everyone) to step up and help. I'm not asking all of you to purchase, because I know some are giving in so many other ways.

I am asking as a friend, an acquaintance, a complete stranger. If you don't do anything else, then help spread the word about this cause. Take a few minutes to tweet, facebook, tumblr, email or reblog about this cause. If thats all you do, then you are still making a difference. You're putting the word out. You will be a part of something. This could be big in a good way, and I'm asking you to help make it so.

I know there is good in people. I see it from time to time. Prove to the individuals who are hanging on to hope by a thread that there is so much good that we can mend that thread.

CLICK HERE TO SUPPORT THE TORNADO VICTIMS

UPDATE 5.28.11: I've also edited my website to add to the coverage.

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Please Support the Victims of Joplin, MO

It seems like every time I get a chance to post on here lately it happens to be something totally random and not very... I'm grasping for straws to find the right word here. I feel like I haven't really promoted my hands on art as of late (?). That still doesn't seem right. I feel I'm neglecting this thing honestly. I feel like I was swooped up into the working world again only to get carried away with getting caught up and my time became less open.

Its times like that when something occurs. Something so surreal that it pulls you back down to reality with such veracity that you realize even though life is a highway, there are many rest stops and scenic routes you really shouldn't pass up. No, I am not talking about the rapture. My screeching to a halt moment happened to be Sunday, May 22, 2011. If you have been watching the news, then you'll probably know that I'm speaking of the Joplin, MO tornado.

I've lived in Missouri my whole life, so this really hit close to home. I have lots of friends in that area, and one of my oldest friends had a very close call. I found myself completely sucked into the news and media coverage about the whole situation. I soon found myself connecting with people I had never met and wishing them the best in finding loved ones and getting shelter. I couldn't believe how upset I had become over the entire situation. I wanted to do something. I almost drove down to volunteer, but I couldn't find the sound of mind individual in me to prepare for what I might actually see. Plus, I knew they already had their hands full of individuals who were already showing up left and right.

This still didn't deter the feeling that I wanted to do something. I decided to put my skills to use for good. Below you will find a link. It will direct you to my Etsy shop where I have four separate color posters for sale. They all have the same design; they all feature a poem written by Langston Hughes, titled Still Here. Hughes was born in Joplin, and this poem seemed nothing less than fitting for the situation.

This here is the important part. I'm taking all of the proceeds from each poster sale and donating them equally between the Red Cross and the Salvation Army efforts for Joplin. All that I ask of you is simple. I don't expect everyone to purchase a poster, however if you don't, what I would ask is that you share it. In that, I mean tell your friends, tell your co-workers or even post it on Facebook or Twitter. The more exposure the better. I don't plan on profiting off this in the least. It just my way of making an effort to something that has affected so many people around me and so many people I know.

So please, help me to make a difference, because if a lot of people pull together,

the impact could be amazing.

Etsy Shop... Please be sure to note there are four different color options.

Get your Bigfoot Poster

I've had an etsy account for a while now, but I finally decided to put it to some good use! If you're interested, I'm currently selling limited versions of my designs/illustrations as posters. I'm going to hopefully posting one a week (if life permits). Some more should be going up soon, just be patient and keep checking!

If you're interested in commissions please hit me up on the contact page.

Prints as of late

I've been working on some type poster prints lately. I've picked three separate quotes on three separate topics. Here are the first two on art/artists. Hopefully I can finish the third tonight. I've been thinking of making up some posters to sell. Whatchoo think?

UPDATE: I'll apologize now for the crappy display image quality.

Sea Lions For Shore - Again

I've been really excited to be playing again with my doodles. I've been having such a blast with this lil' Sea Lion guy that I'm tempted to do some more. I've been thinking of doing a whole zoo animal series. If you have a request for any specific animal I'm open to making a list. I have been really yearning for some playful creatures to do some prints of.

2.28.11 2

2.28.11 2

Originally uploaded by Bigfoot Creative KC

I'm going to give you a glimpse into my world. This is my workspace at home. It's where I keep all my supplies and mostly doodling doodads all over the desk. Behind the chair is a huge storage shelf FULL of supplies, drawing tools, paper, photo supplies, a few board games and tons more. I feel it looks like an unorganized mess, but believe it or not, this is after I cleaned it up and threw out half of the stuff I haven't touched in years.

Note the dog kong by the bottom of my desk. Sometimes I can't even put my feet all the way under because of Malcolm hiding underneath.

Polaroid love...

Polaroid
Originally uploaded by Bigfoot Creative KC

a little polaroid doodle I whipped up in a few minutes for my valentine's card.

Good Riddance 2010, Wait... What!?! Is it 2012 yet!?!

So we're all back from the holiday hurdle. Well, most of us that is. After the shenanigans that I have been through in 2010, I was glad to welcome the new year with open arms. A clean slate right? Don't we all get that feeling when the new year comes around? I guess I can't speak for most of you but I sure do. I always feel like the new year brings a whole new set of promises or opportunities, if you will.

After starting a new job, breaking some ribs after a nasty fall, learning I'm allergic to glutens, the Christmas excursion across the state then being broken down on the side of the highway at 9pm Christmas eve, getting back home to find that I needed a whole new engine in my car and finally braking the passenger-side window in our only remaining car, I have never been more ready for that clean slate. Now, I've embellished a bit here. The broken window happened after midnight new year's eve, but I did lose a button today on a jacket I've only worn once so that makes me a bit more jaded toward 2011 already. BRING ON 2012! The fact that I'm so willing to embrace the year of our apocalypse according to the few out there who still think that is

going to happen, speaks volumes.

Okay, this isn't a woe is me post. Really. I'm not asking for a pity party. Really, I've been up to a ton lately. I've been super busy with work, which is awesome, and I've been super busy pushing myself to the limits with my creativity.

Back in September, I got another opportunity to work with Clifton and Chase over at Reactor. They asked me to do an illustration for Intelligent Utility magazine. Not only was I proud to work with these awesome guys again, I was super proud to learn that it was going to be a cover illustration with some highlight spots on the inside.

I also started Sketching a ton more in my sketchbook lately.

Some of these I can't offer any explanation for. It's just my brain working without parameters.

KC AIGA Reach Out and Read Poster Contest

Kansas City AIGA hosted a call for entries in a poster to support Reach Out and Read® Kansas City. The theme was based off the idea of early reading to help reduce illiteracy and help build early child development. Working with one of the copywriters at my work, Doug Salva, we put our heads together and submitted a few ideas. Like old fashion I had so much going on that I waited until the last day/minute to submit our work. 

Of course the results won't be in until February, but I was still excited to take part. It was a really fun experience and a nice change of pace from the very commercial work I've been doing lately.

You can read more about it here.

I love awesome people...

A little over a year ago, some GREAT friends of mine hired me to do some quick sketches of them for their business cards. These awesome friends are from REACTOR design studio. These guys, Chase and Clifton, are awesome. No, scratch that, they are EPIC. To my surprise, the business cards received some mention on the AIGA site for their A6 awards. What pleased me was that they included me in the mention, and it totally made my day. I have to say that being a part (even if it was an incredibly small part) of their project was great.

So, I proceeded to parade around for five minutes cheering for myself, and I shall spend much longer continuously cheering for the guys over at REACTOR. Congrats to them for being so mind-blowingly awesome at making sure print is indeed not dead, and for being such awesome people to work with.

Having Technical Difficulties...

Becoming a Free Agent

It's been a long while since I've been here. 
To be quite honest, I believe it's been too long.

I'm not going to apologize. I learned once that you never apologize for being busy. In fact I'm embracing it. Lately, in my life I've been too busy; too busy to keep up with ALL my projects, and too busy to worry about it. If some of you out there have been frequent followers, I'm sure you will be able to recall me saying I had three jobs. Not for much longer. I've been working around the clock to achieve freedom from one thing or another. Soon it's going to happen. There are big things on my horizon, and it's so close I can almost touch it. 

A taste of what I've been working on lately ...

... and a taste of some of my personal projects. 

To keep up with my 365 Photographic odyssey, please check out my FLICKR account.

I've been backlogged so much it would be insanity to post here.

The Loch Ness of Summer Colds - I caught it.

Again, I've been home sick. I'm not normally one of those people who reverts to an infant when they develop something as simple a sniffle. I normally like to put on the brave face and take it. This 'virus' as the doctor calls it, is quite possibly one of the most painfully debilitating illnesses I've encountered that has only involved a runny nose, and a cough. Who knew all those little things that can get screwed up due to your nose draining the wrong way!? I've been out of commission for literally days now. I'm trapped in my apartment. I tried going to the pharmacy earlier just to 'get out' (and re-stock), and holy moly was that a mistake. I thought I might have to call my Jim to come get me.

So, what have I been doing since Friday evening when this evil virus struck? I've been sitting on the couch. I've been watching movies and sleeping. I've been wiping my nose raw, and eating cough drops like candy. Seems like a lot of waste right? Well there is a window of time after taking my medicine that I actually feel (somewhat) decent. During one of these few moments of clarity I must have had the TV set to some mythical creature show, and I began to get this goofy idea. I've spent the last two and a half days throughout my intermittent moments to throw it together.

Pardon the bizarre posts while Abby is heavily surfing the cold medicine wave.

She really can't help it.

Happy 100th Post...

 

I couldn't have gotten through it without a lot of this.

ClearPoint Church - Karaoke Christmas Poster

Erm, the one that wasn't picked. Click HERE to see the other one I created that was.

Roasted Coffeehouse

The fun ensues. . . . My team and I had about ten cups of coffee each this morning while we enjoyed the surroundings of our new venue at Harrah's Casino NKC, Roasted Coffeehouse.
More photos to come...

The Exciting Life of Toast

Did you ever realize how exciting toast can be?!

NASCAR - T-Shirt Comission