Today was a rare moment for a freelance graphic designer. We almost never get to see a printed piece received by an audience.
I was thrilled to be invited to a reception honoring Marcia G. Taylor for her generosity and commitment to the Henry County, Georgia community.
I was able to see firsthand, the reactions on people’s faces when they viewed the women’s journal I had a hand in creating. One sweet lady even asked me to sign it.

This book was by no means the product or effort of any one individual. It was a collaboration of the finest variety. From the marketing directors and project managers, to the photographer, to the writer, and to the beautiful people in the photographs…it was a labor of love.

View the entire journal here:
The Marcia G. Taylor Women’s Center at Piedmont Henry Hospital – Women’s Journal
(This is a tabbed book, so some pages are larger than others. If you click on the link above to view it, you will see that the program used to create the interactive magazine format adds a white bar on the edge of the smaller pages. Blech. Please try and overlook that. )

While in one of my favorite cities – Savannah, over my break during the week between Christmas and New Year’s, my sister and I stole away from the pack and got in some much appreciated antique mall time together. Picker sisters (kind of), but neither one of us likes to get too dirty or work that hard to find our treasures. It is one of my favorite and most happy pastimes.

On this particular outing we were in unfamiliar territory and still managed to sniff out one of the finer antique malls in Savannah. It was a small place on one of the many scenic squares just off Broughton Street. If my SCAD student is reading this maybe she can post a comment and remind me of the name.

I gravitate towards “visual artist/graphic designer” type geek stuff; old paintboxes, signs and letterforms, cameras and designer tools of a bygone era.

This little gem is like a mini overhead projector. Have only plugged it in once, but it works! Basically you just lay it on an image and it projects on a wall…or whatever. Gets mighty hot, so I am not sure I will trust it for long periods. I just LOVE the looks of it, and it will probably just sit there on my vintage book case with my other vintage thingamabobs looking pretty and nostalgic.

For all you vintage geeks out there..it’s BAKELITE! WHOOP WHOOP!

Happy treasure hunting. Tell me about your finds!

As any artist will tell you, we turn these life moments into outward expressions. My favorite mediums are drawing and painting. The painting here is the second in a series of bird and nest themed works. I have several more waiting in the wings. My friends save abandoned nests and cool sticks for me. I have installed a bird feeder outside my studio window. There is no shortage of inspiration.

I am definitely not the first to enjoy this obsession. I discovered a prolific “bird and nest” artist, Maryjo Koch, through my online research. It is positively daunting to see the detail with which birds and nesting are studied.

I only hope to satisfy some yearning and maybe bring a few amateur nest lovers some joy. My nests, eggs and birds probably won’t be accurately paired. (Ornithologists will roll their eyes.) My message will be more about the love of the idea of the bird and its nest. The wonderful detail, care taken, and the precarious places in which they are built, could be a loose metaphor for our own lives I suppose.

My grandfather (Poppy Watts) was a collector of stuff. I can remember his garage packed to the rafters with fascinating bits and bobs. I’m sure these things helped to guide me to the place and person I am today.
I am fascinated with treasure hunting and uncovering the potential in old things…cast-offs to some. Leaving the rust and signs of use and age is just fine with me. I prefer it. (Wabi-Sabi)

Digging through the maze of potential art project, restorations and re-purposed items at this year’s Country Living Fair in Stone Mountain, GA, I definitely felt kindred spirits all around.
There were an amazing number of artisans taking old things and making them into something wonderful. Photos and ephemera sandwiched between thick glass become contemporary necklaces. Bottle caps are flattened and bent into charms. Parts from various industrial machines are made into fabulous bases for tables.
All these things have value; items that were well made and stood the test of time. They survived.

I like what I see happening. With the fascination for the history in old things, mixed with a desire to create something new (Steampunk), anything is possible, and it may very well be the solution to the over-consumption of cheap stuff imported from other countries. I have rescued metal “invincible” desks that were being discarded for press board and veneer. Those desks won’t survive a decade. Mine will be here long after I am gone.

One of my “finds” at the fair was this old 2 burner gas stove. Made in the USA, and surviving on my porch as a plant stand, instead of rusting in a landfill.

Go forth and re-purpose!

I never quite understood social media until about a year ago when I got a direct message about a freelance job. I was thrilled, and it turned out well. That led to more dedicated work on my Facebook page which led to a job offer that I can directly associate to “friending” the right people.
Skip ahead a few months and I pick my Twitter activity up a bit more. Can’t hurt, right? I still did not “get it” at that point. Well, boy howdy I sure do now!!
I just left a fun little interview with reporter Jennifer Brett of The Atlanta Journal Constitution celeb (@AJCBuzz) and style fame. How you say does little ‘ol me meet such fascinating people? TWITTER baby!

That’s right, you can rub elbows (or wings) with just about any Twit or Tweep! (really, that’s what we/they are called)

So my 4 hour wait at the car dealership led to a silly little twitter post about my coupon carrying case, which in turn may land me in the style section of the AJC. Wild, right?!!

Here is Jennifer in her “natural habitat”.

Thanks for the fun!

me and Jennifer.

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month…you know, all the pretty pink ribbons you see all over. Companies even change their logo colors to pink to help bring awareness and lend support to this effort. MAMMOGRAMS, people! BSE – Breast Self Exam! These are things that cannot be ignored, because if women do them they can survive cancer through early detection and diagnosis.

The men in this photo have all been affected by breast cancer in one way or another. A mother, a wife…
They are giving their time and their influence in our community to raise awareness and money in support of Breast Cancer programs.

I am honored to play a part in the design of this campaign for 2011. Being involved with the photo shoot was truly a perk! These men truly are gentlemen.

Thanks to Michie Turpin for taking great photos of these REAL 2011 MEN with which I was able to continue the work done in 2009 and 2010 by Doug Oakes of do! design, and the Henry Medical Center marketing team of Donna Braddy and Michelle Nunnally.

THE REAL MEN of HENRY COUNTY

Left to right:

Andy Pippin, City of Hampton
Shane Thompson, Shane’s Rib Shack
Chuck Spahos, Henry County Solicitor
Montá Brown, McDonough City Council
Judge Jim Chafin, State Court
Jimmy Carter, Southern Belle Farm
Ken Wright, Publix at Eagle’s Landing
Paul White, Chick-fil-A at Eagle’s Landing
Kent Booth, Eagle’s Landing Middle School
Brian Strickland, Smith, Welch, Webb & White Law

WHO ARE THEY???

This recent project was a company-wide acknowledgement of this man’s battle against cancer. An outpouring of affection for a well-loved mentor gave root to an idea that a dear friend and colleague entrusted me to execute.

The employees answered questions in the form of a survey. They were asked about the milestones in their lives that were reached during their employ, and under the tutelage of the beloved company’s founder. How many children were born, first homes purchased, etc. The results were tabulated and the totals engraved into river stones. The stones were placed in a jar engraved with the “milestones” logo, created especially for this one-of-a-kind gift. All of the employees signed pages to be included in a book. Over a dozen pages were filled.
The fabled story below expresses the significance of the ‘stones in the jar’ parable.

A philosophy professor brought an empty jar into class. He filled it with rocks about 3 inches in diameter and asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed it was.
Then the professor picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. The pebbles rolled into the the open spaces between the rocks. He asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed it was.
Without a word he picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course the sand filled up the remaining spaces.
“This is your life,” the professor told the class.
“The rocks are the important things – the things that give your life its meaning; your family and friends, respect for self and others, responsibility and integrity.
“The pebbles are the other things that make life enjoyable, and the sand is everything else – the small things that happen each day.”
“If you put the the sand into the jar first, there is no room for the rocks or the pebbles.
The same is true of life. If you spend all your energy and time on the small stuff, you will never have room to develop the characteristics that make up the rocks your life will be built on. Take care of the rocks first. The sand will fill in the cracks and crevices, making life worthwhile.”

The gift was recently delivered, and I am told, received very well by all involved, and most importantly, the recipient.

It’s projects like this that remind me of why I am drawn to my profession; to express in tangible objects the human emotion, elevated.

See more on my You Tube channel.

I have been glued to my computer editing the photos of 10 handsome Henry County, Georgia men for the Real Men Wear Pink – Breast Cancer Awareness campaign for Henry Medical Center.

I know, I know…you say “Where are the pictures, Terry?” Well, I can’t show you just yet.

Hang tight! They’re coming soon!

She has been very successful on Twitter @reneedobbs, so I know this next stage of her endeavor will be equally successful.

It has been my privilege to help her design the header and some of the other necessary graphics – avatars and favicons, etc.

Tomorrow we will take her profile picture…should be FUN!

Sending out much love to her today.