last week i was honored to be part of an event that took a look into the the idea of what illustrators and art directors are doing to expand their work beyond the traditional printed page. the panel consisted of Anita Kunz, Yuko Shimizu, Christoph Nieman, Bridgid McCarren Art Director of HOW magazine, and Tyler Darden Art Director of Virginia Living magazine.

having anita kunz introduce my work the way she did was a highlight of my career. she was a  huge inspiration in the beginning to me. Yuko clearly has an amazing ability to teach, and her personality just glows. Christoph is an entertainer! easy to talk to and has an insight and clarity that is admirable. it was good to see Brigid McCarren from HOW again and to hear her challenges of designing for designers put things into a different perspective for me. Tyler Darden is a gentleman who reinforced that well thought out, executed and designed promotions can cut thru the endless solicitations he receives and can make an impression.

i was told there were 700 students in attendance for the symposium…

i have to admit having lunch, diner and sharing a panel with the likes of that group made me feel a little out of my element but talking with all of them was pretty natural (even for this farmboy)

there were some good points brought up about collaboration and how many are built upon strong relationships and even friendships, and having your preparedness help put you in the best place when opportunity is ready to intersect with your work.

some good innovations were featured with such things as hanock piven’s face making app for the iphone to the innovative They might be giants business growth and the idea of taking content to the marketplace. i spoke on a few of the animation collaborations, along with mumpuppet, target giftcard, books, and specifically the artalog and the collaboration between Magnet Reps and Frank Sturges Reps. and i ended with an inprogress collaboration between myself and my son.

i also learned that savannah is not the town you want to forget to take a camera to… beautiful!