Updated George Fox logo

The oval George Fox University logo (bottom) had some problems. It featured a stylized rendering of the Centennial clocktower, a landmark on campus, but many thought it looked like a bishop's mitre or a sailboat. The detailed shading lines and the tiny gold cross made reproduction problematic at small sizes and in low resolution applications (embroidery, website).

The logo had symbolic value in the tower with two sections joined by a cross, representing mind and spirit connected and centered around Christianity. So rather than design a new logo, we updated it to correct its flaws.

The updated logo (top) has started to appear online and on signage, and will gradually replace the old version.

Geez stamps

I design a stamp for each issue of Geez magazine's letters page. Sometimes I use an actual stamp as a starting point, others are created from scratch. Most have some tie-in to the theme of the issue.

Instant nostalgia

Ahhh, looking at these old Polaroids take me back; those were the days when I was young and happy... Actually, these were taken a couple days ago. My girlfriend Laura had a Polaroid camera squirreled away, and it still had some film in it. The first shot didn't develop the top half of the image, so we tried to get in the bottom of the frame, and the whole picture (more or less) appeared. It's funny how the faded colors and poor chemicals give these an instant patina of age.

George Fox Journal

I just finished designing the latest issue of the George Fox Journal; it features the George Fox women’s basketball team. They had a perfect season, going all the way to win the NCAA (division III) national title. What makes the story really special is that all the starters graduated last year and they had ten freshmen on the team. This photo captures the intensity of feeling after the final game.

Geez 13 art contributors

Geez 13 featured this piece by David Adey, an artist in San Diego. He uses scrapbook punches to systematically take apart photos of fashion models. He then sticks the pieces onto foam boards with pins, slightly raised from the surface so as to cast a soft shadow. I'd love to see his work in person.



David Firman takes experimental photos while walking, with camera held at arm's length. The images are merged into long montages that capture the feeling and motion of his walks. Several images were included in Geez 13.



My friend Eric Kass in Indianapolis created this piece specifically for this issue. He writes, "my truth experiment is about love and when you feel it transferring from one to another even when you may not want it to. It's a difficult position to be in but one many of us face."





Dylan Royal did not have work in Geez 13, but he has done a couple of personal projects based on past Geez articles, including this blind embossed/debossed piece.

Geez 13 public service "ads"

Geez issue 13 includes half a dozen ideas for experiments the reader can try, presented by the "department of experimental truth." Here are three of them.

Geez 13

Geez magazine 13, the Experiments with Truth issue, is out now. The cover photo and concept is by Aiden Enns. I did illustrations for the opening spreads.

Staccato business cards

I designed business cards for Staccato Design that had four different backs, each saying something about the company. I like the one with the sponge + sifter + pencil, since people would ask what it meant and we could explain that it showed our process: absorb information, sift through it to get to the essence of what we wanted to communicate, and only then start writing/designing.

Staccato is currently rebranding themselves as Staccato Creative Communications Agency, a name that better fits the range of work they do.

Red Cross ads

I don't miss the advertising world much, but it was nice to work on these ads for the Oregon chapter of the American Red Cross at Staccato. I designed them and was involved in the concepting. I only worked on the photo shoot for the top one; the shot with the burning house was done when the fire department was doing a controlled burn for training. It almost looks like the Red Cross woman was Photoshopped in, but she wasn't.

Happy birthday, Laura

A poster-sized birthday card I made for my girlfriend Laura. I used cut-paper stencils and a roller; it was fun to try something different. Fittingly, the paper I used is called Elephant Hide.

Vision PDX logo

Vision PDX was a project by the city of Portland, Ore. to engage community members in creating a 20-year vision for the city. It has now morphed into Vision Into Action. The logo is based on Portlandia, the huge statue in front of Michael Graves' Portland Building. In the logo she is reaching down to the people while holding aloft the ideals of the long-range vision. Portlandia trivia: it is the second-largest hammered-copper sculpture in the U.S. (after the statue of liberty). I designed this logo while at Staccato Design.

Geez issue 13 coming soon

I just finished work on the next Geez magazine, the "experiments with truth" issue, and it will be a good one. Here's a photo I took for it that didn't get used, plus an illustration I did for the opening spreads. More to come when the issue is printed.

Triumph of Love poster

Poster I designed for an upcoming play at George Fox University. The play, an 18th century romantic comedy, has a convoluted plot that includes a princess dressing up as a man to defend her love.

The play is the second in the season that included Thoroughly Modern Millie.

die neue Graphik

Spreads from die neue Graphik (the new graphic art), published in 1959. It has all this great modern graphic design from the 20s - 50s. The top spread shown features the designer Piet Schwarz's personal logo, a P and black square (schwarz means black in German), designed in 1927, while the logo on the right is for Stern Brau (Star Brewery); both smart, simple visual puns.

The bottom spread shows ads for Herman Miller by Herbert Matter; he uses dramatic, abstract-looking photos of the structural forms of Herman Miller's modern chairs.

George Fox website redesign

I worked on the redesign of George Fox University's website, which was pretty white and pretty static before (top image is new, bottom is old). The new site will include more video and more regular updates on the home page. Check it out.

Abandon hope

I went to REI to try (unsuccessfully) to find a wrench to fix my bike. REI is next to Bridgeport Village, the Mall For Rich White People With Good Taste, a pretty depressing place. This was the one bit of interesting urban grit in the whole area.

Everything to live for shirt

T shirt design I did for Twin Rocks Friends camp.

Genesis orientation

A new look I designed for Genesis, George Fox University's orientation event for new students.

Geez 12 divider spreads

I did divider spreads in Geez 12 with stencilled headlines, so I got out the spray paint and stencils and made a mess. The latter section of the magazine had a little flip book animation (visible in the corner of the last spread); I tried to upload an animated gif of it here, but it just came up as a static image. If anyone knows why it won't show up in animated form, let me know...

Geez 12: the activism issue

For Geez 12, the "what-is-commonly-referred-to-as Activism" issue, we started the first story right on the cover, and had the cover image wrap around onto the first spread.

Flip flop tree

A wintery tree photo I took, then flip flopped it.

Geez sermon contest II

Geez Magazine is having their second sermon contest; this is the announcement flyer/poster for it. I recycled an old drawing for this. Find out more about the contest here.

Bad Idea repellant

Another Staccato Design ho-ho-holiday mailing. We wondered if any clients would bring their Bad Idea repellant to meetings with us and threaten to use it, but no one ever did. Click to read the goofy copy.

Miller Brooks peace cards

I designed these peace-themed holiday cards for Miller Brooks in Zionsville, Indiana. I like the earth resting on the pillow best.