When I look back at 2009 I can’t help but say to myself “wow”, it has been a stellar year both personally and professionally I could ask for more. The amount of opportunities, challenges and all around positive situations that have come my way has been unbelievable. I’m super excited to start the new year. My dream of teaching has manifested itself and I am humbled by the opportunity to share my experience and knowledge with the young minds at South Suburban College in South Holland, IL. I’ll begin the new year (January 25) teaching to a Photoshop and Illustrator course and then in the Fall semester a design course. I can’t wait to get started…
I’ll like to point out some key highlights from this past year, which include:
I saw the issues that young designers have in NWI and I wanted to do something about it. With the support of Faith Church, I started the INsight Design Conference. The first event took place in January, a small event that helped creatives start to think differently about their work. We hosted a portfolio review with multiple industry professionals and closed the event with a panel discussion. It took a tremendous amount of work to make it all come together but I was determined to make a difference in our design community. The success of that event sparked a fire under me and the rest of the region. This past July we had a second event. This time it was a full day filled with breakout sessions, networking, a portfolio review , vendor area and much more. To pull off an event of this size took the help of a great committee and the support and confidence of Faith Church. And now we are getting ready to have another event May 21, 2010. I’m truly blessed to have such a forward thinking church like Faith, they have shown INsight a magnitude of support and this next event will mark the envelopment of the conference to the Faith Church family of annual events.
You can listen to my speech at INsight here. {link}
Gasoline Vaseline Show:
I had my first Gallery show this year, “Gasoline Vaseline” it was a three-man show at South Suburban College in South Holland, IL. It was really cool to see all my work in a setting that was not my own room. Plus it was a good time to reflect and view my work as a collection. Friends Kevin and Justin were on hand to help fill up the space with more creative goodness. We were interviewed by SSC360 which I will post as soon as they send me the link.
I attended the Willow Creek Association’s Leadership Summit this year and it changed my life in ways that I couldn’t image. The powerful speakers and spiritual presence all made for a mind-blowing event. I was inspired to become a better person, father, husband, creator and leader. The event is attended by more than 100,000 people worldwide, it is the largest Christian event in the world. It is translated into multiple languages and shown internationally. Aside from attending the 2009 event, I was hired to design the identity for the 2010 event. Out of all the people in the world that they could have picked, it was me! I still think back at how that opportunity came about. Amazing. Above is the direction the new “look” is going. They really want to hit home the global aspect of the event. The map took me over 30 hours to create and many more to fine tune. It was like putting together a puzzle with nothing to look at for reference. I can’t wait to see what’s next.
“St. Catherine Hospital – A Family”:
After more than a year of planing and writing Author Jane Bomberger handed me the content and said “go to town”. The St. Catherine Hospital history book is my third published book. My design portion took more than 5 months complete and get to China. I designed the 12″x9″ 6lb, 400+ page coffee-table-book with every bit of creative juice I had. It was a challenging project but we made it through in the end. We had a great book signing event with Donna Habel, Jane and myself. It was a great way to close that project.
Center for Visual and Performing Arts:
Being an employee of a large Foundation has a whole range of perks and challenges. Combining those two instances into one project would be the rebranding of the CVPA. 2010 will mark the 20 year annivesary of the Center being the cornerstone of the arts in Munster. I complete redesigned the entire brand identity for the center. Everything from the logo to signage, to outdoor graphics and print collateral. Apart from designing the menus, rack cards and countless other things, we have plans for the website in early 2010 that will sure make the Center a force in NWI.
Community Healthcare System Website:
I started working on the redesigning the CHS website back in 2005, with years of planning, meetings, redesign after redesign, we finally did it. I took the bright minds of our marketing team and a little help from others to make it all come together. Our webmaster, Brian Kuss, built the entire site by himself, a task that at times, seemed overbearing. It has been my biggest website that I’ve ever designed and I’m glad that it is finally up and running. The work is not over though, it’s just the beginning of an ongoing adventure.
It was a long time coming and the dream of finally starting my own t-shirt label has finally come full circle. 13Lisa’s is a creative outlet for me. Designing corporate material all day can get stale at times and what better to shake up the creative think box – then to rock out a t-shirt design. The limited edition tees are printed in lots of 13, meaning you and only 12 other people will ever own that t-shirt design. Pretty cool.
Personally, we built a new home this year and moved from Munster to Valpo, moving our family away from what me and Lisa only knew in our life was a big deal for us. We don’t regret a moment of it. We love it out here and things have been going very well for us. Both of my boys are connected with God, pray regularly and enjoy learning about Jesus. I’ve also grown spiritually as well. For the first time in my life I really understood the meaning of Christmas and the power that brings. I understand scripture and all of it is intriguing to me. I was never really connected to faith until this past couple years and I can’t wait to continue to grow in that way. In recent months I’ve stopped eating meat and started a vegetarian lifestyle. The change in diet has given me more energy and helped me focus mentally. I’ve developed new relationships with friends that I value more and more each day. I’m a mentor to one, a business partner to another and a trusted creative source to friend. God puts people in your life for a reason and what you do with them or for them is up to you. I live that everyday.
2010:
In 2010, I have plans on self-publishing my first children’s book with the help of my wonderful wife Lisa. That new venture will be fun for the whole family. I will be also starting a new business with a friend….uh. I’ll keep that one to myself for right now, don’t want to spoil the surprise. I’ve also developed a motivational speech for teens about how to effectively use people in life. The speech is for kids in various high schools across NWI and helping those in need. I’ll talk about the importance of family, friends, a mentor and God in someone’s life, how to obtain balance and reach goals with the help of these four pillars.
I look forward to this new year. Check back often for news and updates about all of these exciting new challenges.
It’s been long over due, but I finally launched 13 Lisa’s my limited edition custom t-shirt line. I’m very excited to finally the my designs out of my head and onto a shirt. The wait is over and now you can visit the site and order any one of the 13 different designs.
Each collection will consist of 13 different designs with a limited run of only 13 shirts per that design. The small amount coupled with the endless colors and styles of American Apparel shirts makes owning a 13 Lisa’s tee almost a one of a kind. With only 13 prints available of each design they are going fast. Be sure to check out 13L’s facebook page as well.
Check out 13 Lisa’s at www.13lisas.com or on facebook at www.facebook.com/13lisas
A couple weeks ago, NWICreative.org launched it’s site. The site is dedicated to NWI professional creatives. It is a platform to share ideas and talk about issues that relate to NWI as a whole. My good friend Atom Groom is the sites creator and monitor and has put in a lot of work to get this site up and running. Thanks to Atom we now have a safe and secure home to place our thoughts and ramblings in one central location. Be sure to head on over there and check out a couple of my post and sign up for this wonderful community of creatives.
Gasoline & Vaseline came to an end today. It was fun to exhibit our artwork in such a cool venue. South Suburban College was good to us. The closing reception saw about 60 students come through and ask some questions, eat some food, and get some inspiration. It was nice to share our experiences with the crowd. It was also great to hear what others had to say about my work and to see their reaction to certain pieces.
Below are some pictures be sure to be on the look out for my next show. If you want a print contact me and we can work something out. Email me at jad_gonzalez@yahoo.com.
I’m super excited to be working on such a cool project. I’ve been selected to create the brand identity for Willow Creek Association’s 2010 Leadership Summit.
With more than 100,000 people attending this two-day event in 140 cities across North America and around the world, The Leadership Summit has become more than a solitary event on the calendar: it is a perpetual movement of men and women whose relentless global mission is to develop authentic leaders for the sake of the local church and their communities. This rich expanse reflects incredible cultural diversity and racial heritage, and does not dilute in the face of tough economic times.
I’ve been extremely blessed to have the opportunity to work on the largest Christan conference in the world. It’s for a great cause and its something that has personally effected my life. This past summit was my first and it was eye opening, powerful and emotional. It changed the way I think about everyday life and what I can do to make a difference – in my family, my career and for others. Since the summit I’ve began to read more, connect with my faith, and learned to help others in ways that I can’t explain.
So to be chosen to work on this project shows the power of what you can do if you work hard and put yourself in the position to be open to opportunities. God puts people in our lives for a reason we all need to be conscious of that and take advantage of what comes your way.
They contacted me because they wanted a new direction visually with the event materials and something that portrayed the global aspect of the conference better. They saw the logo I did for The Centennial Park in Munster and from there they gave me the direction of a world map made up of icons that represented the mission of the summit. Below is an early mock up of what that could potentially look like. A final version is in the works this was used to show the visual direction of creating a world map out of icons.
Check out this years event here: The Leadership Summit Website Speakers included:
Tony Blair | Dave Gibbons | David Gergen | Bono | Dan Heath | Chip Heath | Wess Stafford | Andrew Rugasira
Sign up for the 2010 event! Click here
I recently received my copy of the Big Book of Contemporary Illustrators and boy was I impressed. The quality of Illustrators in this book is outstanding. Martin and his team did a great job finding illustrators all over the world. And out of all of these extremely talented illustrators my work was picked for the cover…WOW! I’m very grateful for this opportunity and congratulate all those that were selected in this book.
Here are some more images from the book.
Here are some of the folks that I share some page space with:
Pulcomayo – www.pulcomayo.com
Derek Bender -www.derekbender.com
Roberto Marras -www.robertomarras.com
Sorin Bechira -www.bechia.com
Frances Beale -www.francesbeale.com
Nik Ainley -www.shinybinary.com
Edward Nugent
Dominic Witter – www.unfold-design.com
Harra's Casino East Chicago - Ironically I helped opened the hotel as a bellman.
I’m please to announce that I’ll be working with Stan of Stan’s Painting and Decorating on creating their new corporate brochure. Stan’s been in business for 25 years and started his business with nothing and is now a multi-million dollar corporation. They are the number one painting service in Lake County servicing every industry under the sun, from medical to municipal every client gets honest, reliable, top notch service and quality. I admire a man that has built his business on good old fashion morals and a strong handshake. It’ll be my job to translate that loyalty and craft in a corporate brochure. I’m looking forward to working on this piece, I haven’t done a multi-page high-end brochure in awhile. I’ll post some of the process while I’m working on it. Stay tuned.
Check them out on their website www.stanspainting.com
Artwork by Jiri Adamek - PseudoPseudo
Well classes are starting up again and I’ll be teaching 3 classes at Indiana University Northwest in Gary, IN starting September 1. I’ll be teaching Photoshop Basics, Photoshop Intermediate and Illustrator through the adult education program at the college. Each class meets one day per week and each will run for three weeks one right after the other.
If you have wondered what it would be like to take your photos to the next level, or have wanted to expand your horizons on a creative level then sign up and learn something new.
Here are the course details:
Photoshop Basics
Unlock the potential of your photos and imagination with Photoshop, the industry standard for creating photo collages, retouching, and image manipulation. Learn the basics, from adding missing people to your group shots to instantly changing the color of you favorite flowers. Learn the techniques for special effects that will turn the most boring photos into works of digital art all in easy step-by-step instructions.
Tuesdays, September 1-15, 6-9 p.m., $125
Register after August 20 – $135
Intermediate Photoshop
This session will dive deeper into the features of Photoshop. For those who have already taken the Basics class, this session will cover advanced selection techniques, color adjustments, blending modes, and how Photoshop works seamlessly with other Creative Suite software. Sign up to learn real world effects that you can use over and over again in a fun creative way.
Tuesdays, September 22-October 6, 6-9 p.m., $125
Register after September 10 – $135
Illustrator
Illustrator is a graphics application that artists, illustrators, designers and anyone who likes to work with graphics can use to create illustrations or trace existing ones. These illustrations can be modified to produce professional quality artwork that can be used in a brochure, ad, or publication or integrated into a page layout software document.
Tuesdays, October 13-27, 6-9 p.m., $125
Register after October 1 – $135
There are SEVEN ways to register for one of these classes so hurry before they are all filled up. Visit the college website to pick the best way to register for you.
Poster by Justin Wolf - mdctrl
I posted about our show awhile ago and since the show starts on Monday I figure I’d post again.
Gasoline & Vaseline is a three man showcase of Kevin Bruinsma, Justin Wolf and myself. The show will showcase our artistic talents which could be anything from a paintings and illustrations to a sculpture made of hand grenades. The show is a collection of personal work from three graphic designers. The show will kick off the new semester at South Suburban College. Join us in the Dorothea Thiel Gallery from August 24 -September 30. There will be a closing reception on September 30 for students and faculty, and a public reception for friends and family sometime in between.
Here are a few samples from the Show:
Kevin Bruinsma: Drifter: Visit him at his website.
Justin Wolf: MediaCtrl: You can visit Justin at his website.
And me:
Come on out and let us know what you think we look forward to hearing all your feed back and we are happy to be sharing a little piece of us with you.
Gallery Hours are Monday – Friday from 9 am to 4 pm. Visit them online here.
Join us on August 26th for the primer of the St. Catherine Hospital history book entitled St. Catherine Hospital – A Family. The we will be signing books from 2 pm to 6 pm with a reception at 3 pm. Purchase your books in advance or buy one at the door either way it would be great to see some familiar faces and to meet some new ones. I posted awhile back about the book and some details about it (here). But to just to remind you, I designed all 416 pages of this beast from cover to cover and it took about 4 months to complete the design portion and over a year and a half for the entire project. So we are happy to see it come to life. If you are not busy stop by and say hello we are expecting between 300 and 500 people to attend so don’t be late.
If you need directions to St. Catherine Hospital click here. The event will take place in the lobby of the main entrance.
Its been almost a year now since I was contacted by Author Martin Dawber, he and his staff found my website and liked my work, they asked me to submit some files for review and one thing lead to another and they picked three of my illustrations to be featured in their new book entitled the Big Book of Contemporary Illustrations. As time went on he asked for an interview with some great questions that were not typical interview questions, like “where do you get your inspiration from” they actually made you think. (which is why I can remember any right now) A few months ago Martin contacted me stating that one of my illustrations was in the running for the cover. I was pretty excited but with more than 160 international artist I didn’t think I had a shot. Then one day I open my email and what do you know. I got the cover. I’m very excited and my friends over at allmightys are happy too. I originally designed the illustration for their design competition “Mother Nature” The design depicts the dual forces of us as people using up resources and nature leaving us as we fend for ourselves.
The book is for pre-sale on Amazon and here is the description:
Following the hugely successful Big Book of Fashion Illustration, this exciting new volume covers the broadest range of illustration available today. From digital drawing, pixilated pictures, and Photoshop fantasies to traditional sketching and painting, it’s a showstopping display of style and technique from more than 160 international artists. With close to 1,000 images, the illustrations range over such categories as architecture, fashion, logos, manga, maps, nature, people, packaging, and pop culture. This is an essential anthology for artists, creative professionals, students, and anyone who appreciates the fine art of illustration.
Here is the link to Amazon: Buy now
Here is the link to Allmightys: www.allmightys.com
Drying UP: You'll get a signed hand numbered poster when you order one of these tees
Four months and 416 pages later, I am happy to say that the St. Catherine History Book has just came in from Korea and it looks great! St. Catherine Hospital – A Family by Author Jane Bomberger is our second completed book to date. We have one more to complete for St. Mary Medical Center. This book marks my third published book and my largest project to date.
I designed this book from cover to cover, the nearly two inch thick, 9″x12″, perfect bound, hard cover, coffee table book is great for a paper weight (6.3 lbs) but also a design delight. It also comes with a dvd of photos to add to the more than 900 photos already included in the book (which 80% of those were retouched by me). Each page was designed and no two pages are alike. The book boast a painstakingly detailed time line that took more than a week to complete. There are many design gems throughout the book. The cover and other design elements are consistent with the Community Hospital history book which I was recognized (read The Times article) in the Graphic Design USA In-house Design Annual for. When all three books are done with will make a complete set.
A special thanks goes to Carl Heule and his staff at HeuleGordon for the print management of this book.
August 26, 2009 will mark my second book signing and first first for this book. The event is by invitation only from 2 to 6pm. I’ll post pictures after the event to this blog. In the mean time here are some shots below.
Far left: Author Jane Bomberger and I in a secret office signing books for the St. Catherine Hospital Executive Board
{Left to right} Donna Habel, Jane Bomberger and me, Dona was our key point person and avid historian.
To order your copy or to learn more about St. Catherine Hospital visit these links:
www.cfnibooks.com and www.comhs.org.
(Artwork by Justin Wolf)
I’m pleased to announce the Gasoline & Vaseline gallery showing of Justin Wolf (Mdctrl), Kevin Bruinsma (Drifter) and myself (Miracletwentyone) the show will run from August 24 through September 30 at the South Suburban Art Gallery (gallery tba).
Each of us are graphic designers by trade and we will all showcase our artistic and design skills. The show will kick off the new semester at the college. We are slated to have a closing reception where you will be able to meet the artist and ask questions about their work. More details are to come so check back often and mark your calendars.
Here are some samples of what I’ll be showing. I will also feature some hand drawn pieces as well as a couple canvas pieces. The show will be a good time.
You can see more of my pieces at www.issuu.com.
Your portfolio is the face of your talent, the first impression, and the one of the most important items a designer should have.
Due to the importance of the job creating item we will have an event long portfolio review at INsight. You will have the chance to meet one-on-one with a industry professional, they’ll give you invaluable feedback on your book and you’ll walk away with information that could land you your next job.
If you are a seasoned pro or a new graduate you will benefit from getting real world insight into what employees are looking for today. Learn how to improve your weaknesses and what are your strong points.
If your portfolio is not complete or is out dated then bring that too, we’ll show you ways to update old projects, put the finishing touches on your unfinished portfolio and give you advice on how to present your work and much more.
We will also be giving away some great prizes for the best portfolio and best business card.
If you are not registered for INsight, then you are missing out on an opportunity to one up your competition. Keep in mind that in Chicago and NWI alone more than 500 designers will be entering the workforce each semester not to mention the thousands of creatives that are already in the field. You must separate your self from the pack if you want to get noticed.
Meet our Reviewers
Aside from our speakers we will also have some guest reviewers at the event. You’ll be be able to meet with them to review your portfolio.
Reviews are first come first serve. Sign ups will be at the event and open to all that attend. All are invited to listen in on the reviews and see some of the work that others are doing. Its a great way to gage your skill level against your local creative community.
Joe Dascenzo – CHANGEffect
Partner, Vice President, Mayor of Ideatown
Joe’s 14 years of experience in communications includes exhibit design at The Field Museum of Natural History, interactive media design at Harper Collins and eight years of agency experience. He has creatively solved communication design challenges for many organizations including Willow Creek Association, Moody Bible Institute, Trinity Christian College, Illinois Institute of Technology, John G. Shedd Aquarium, and a variety of non-profit, faith-based organizations. Joe offers a unique combination of hard work and love for communicating that has produced award-winning projects.
To learn more about CHANGEffect visit them at www.changeffect.com.
Garrett Niksch- Headplusheart
Designer
Garrett Niksch is an artist and independent graphic designer native to northwest Indiana. He has practiced design for 10 years, nine of which were spent as a Senior Designer and Associate at Studio Blue in Chicago. As part of a collaborative team of designers, strategists, and production managers he produced books, websites, branding systems, signage and exhibitions, and printed matter of all shapes and sizes for leading cultural and educational institutions throughout the country. Garrett has collaborated with a diverse spectrum of clients including the Art Institute of Chicago, the Milwaukee Art Museum, the Krannert Art Museum at Illinois University, Harris Theater in Millennium Park, Metropolis magazine, the Otis College of Art and Design in Los Angeles, the Museum of Science and Industry – he even had a hand in the design of the concession stands for the San Diego Padres. His work has been recognized by the AIGA, Type Director’s Club, Print magazine, STEP magazine, ID magazine, and is part of the permanent collection at the Art Institute of Chicago.
For more information about Garrett and to view samples of his work visit him online at http://www.headplusheart.us
Justin Wolf – Mdiactrl
Designer
Justin is one of NWI premier designers he has worked on branding some of the regions most noticeable businesses. He has completed projects for U.S. Steel, Taltree Arboretum, Meals on Wheels, Monarch, Maxwell’s, The Liquor Stockhouse, Champions, Coaches and the City of Whiting’s brand overhaul.
Justin has worked for NWI designs studios and is currently with Greenlight in Hammond, Indiana.
To learn more about Justin and to view samples of his work please visit him online at www.mdiactrl.com.
Your portfolio is the face of your talent, the first impression, and the one of the most important items a designer should have.
(Click on the image to register.)
We are giving away FREE admission to the Insight Design Conference on a first come first serve basis. Register now to take advantage of FREE admission to one of the most anticipated events of this summer.
Join us July 31, 2009 at Faith Church in Dyer, IN for a day filled with informative breakout sessions, networking opportunities, portfolio review, vendors area and much more. The graphic and web design communities of NWI and the business communities will be in attendance for an event the region will be talking about for months after.
Visit www.insightdesignconference.com to register and for more information about this event.
