CULTURAL DISTILLER

Tonight! Good music and design

2012-02-28T21:43:00.001-08:00

"Go away & Get away"

2011-11-09T18:39:00.000-08:00

New Print available!

New Typography Design - Print poster Available on Society6

2011-11-09T18:35:00.000-08:00

New print! If you love typography check out the poster print on Society6

"Wander with me"

2011-11-09T17:29:00.000-08:00

New print!! Check it out! Many of you know I love to travel! This print was inspired by this. Hope y'all like!

"A lifetime will not suffice" - New Design!

2011-11-04T11:57:00.000-07:00

This one took a while but finally got something...

Also don't forget to check out this print on my online shop! :) Thanks guys!!

night owl at heart

2011-11-01T15:32:00.000-07:00

Latest Design & New on Shop!

"Miles to go" New Design

2011-10-29T17:27:00.000-07:00

New Design on Shop!

2011-10-29T17:24:00.000-07:00

Amanda Mocci

2011-10-29T17:16:00.000-07:00

Lovely illustration by Amanda Mocci!

... Gotta love Paul! Love the Beatles!

"La Vie en Rose"

2011-10-26T10:14:00.000-07:00

Latest Design & New Shop open!!

2011-10-26T10:11:00.000-07:00

Check out my latest design and new shop on Society6.

Another

Charcoal Drawing

2011-10-25T17:27:00.000-07:00

My old drawing from undergrad years… “Intro to drawing”

My first Video Production

2011-10-25T16:55:00.000-07:00

Check out my first video production. Created with 4000+ still photographs and shot with a Canon SD Powershot

Print 2 - Owl Illustration Series

2011-10-17T17:37:00.000-07:00

New illustration!

2011-10-17T17:33:00.001-07:00

This idea forced me to wake up in the middle of the night! But I like the results. Hope y'all like it too!

Conceptual design!

2011-09-28T00:29:00.000-07:00

More eye/brain candy! Hope y'all enjoy. This is a personal project I'm working on...more to come soon!

Latest Design!

2011-09-24T16:19:00.000-07:00

A 3-poster series titled "Lone Star State of mind", dedicated to my love for Austin, Texas. Copyright, 2011.

Latest Design!

2011-09-24T16:10:00.000-07:00

Check out my latest design. A promotional flyer for The Love Riot a photography website run by lifestyle photographer, Alan Cruz.

2011-09-09T00:08:00.000-07:00

The Love Riot - Painting

2011-09-08T17:49:00.000-07:00

This is a painting I did for The Love Riot a fashion & photography blog run by lifestyle photographer, Alan Cruz.

New Project coming soon!!

2011-07-30T22:03:00.000-07:00

Working on a website for a friend... 1st time I code on the road but proving to be interesting! Keeps me busy!

2011-06-02T09:20:00.000-07:00

Agreed! Those who don't feel don't create! Makes me feel more positive about this roller coaster of a life I've had.

Im in love with this cover design!

2011-05-03T21:44:00.000-07:00

I love when I have a great find! Meet Laura Varsky from Argentina, a very talented graphic designer + illustrator (something I hope to get better at)

Enjoy more of her work at www.lauravarsky.com.ar

Great artist find!

2011-04-25T20:23:00.000-07:00

Here is another great artist! I love art in this form, when it can make a statement. Actually I think all good art should make a statement. Its the most natural form of communication we have, when we're first born we speak with our hands before we speak with our voice so when artist use great photography to communicate... this is simply amazing!

"JR is a french artist who won the TED prize for his exhibition “Women Are Heroes” which has been shown on slum housing in Paris, bridges in Africa and the walls of favelas in Brazil."

Bande Annonce Women Are Heroes by womenareheroes

Childhood Innocence rocks :)

2011-04-19T21:51:00.000-07:00

So tonight I got a cute picture from my niece and her little cousins all under 4years old and I just randomly thought about how being a kid totally rocks :) Anyways made me think of this great artist! Meet Melissa Haslam, great illustrator.

See more of Melissa Haslams work click here!

Thought of the day!

2011-02-08T09:34:00.000-08:00

Here's to seeing things in an unordinary way.

Here's to the creatives

To the people that look up at the sky and see shapes

To the ones that look at an empty lot and can see a building

To the people that see a texture and can imagine a design

To the dreamers

To the world wanderers

To the people that think they're weird but really we're just creative!

Have a fantastic day everyone! :)

2011-02-01T06:32:00.000-08:00

So excited!!! My artwork is featured at UT's official page! Check it out!

http://www.utexas.edu

http://www.utexas.edu/know/2011/01/31/barbara_smith_conrad/

Tuesday Inspiration!

2011-01-25T09:20:00.000-08:00

Great tuesday finding... its a photographer who seems to have made a living out of taking photographs of ruins, he's been featured in TIME magazine. And this morning I'm just loving his photography... really refreshing to see this unconventional way of making a living! It reminds me that you really can make a living out of following your passion and your dreams. I love what the photography subtly suggests about the beauty that lies within abandoned things and the spirit of mankind and how we can define what our own treasures are and then go out and spend the rest of our lives in search of them be they ruins at rest. And if we're lucky and persistent enough we can hopefully get paid to search for our personal treasures. It just never ceases to amaze, I mean really amaze me at how if we all take the time to look we can learn to see things in a different more beautiful manner and we can revisit old perspectives. I can't say it enough it's amazing what happens when you see things through the eyes of love.

Checkout the statement on ruins...

Ruins are the visible symbols and landmarks of our societies and their changes, small pieces of history in suspension. The state of ruin is essentially a temporary situation that happens at some point, the volatile result of change of era and the fall of empires. This fragility, the time elapsed but even so running fast, lead us to watch them one very last time : being dismayed, or admire, making us wondering about the permanence of things. Photography appeared to us as a modest way to keep a little bit of this ephemeral state.

These are just some of his photographs...beautiful and inspiring!

By the way I can't help but compare this last photograph to Salvador Dali's "Clock Explosion" its art and life and everything in between!

Latest Design!!

2011-01-18T08:42:00.000-08:00

Check out the latest work!

Please note this project was in collaboration with Maria Ramirez, graphic designer

Jonathan Harris Someone you should know!!!!!

2010-11-17T07:55:00.000-08:00

So I've been fascinated by Jonathan Harris' work for the longest time and he popped into my head the other day. Check out his work and Ted talks! Brilliant brilliant man!!! There needs to be more design/art like this :)

http://www.ted.com/speakers/jonathan_harris.html

Also kind of a related link... very similar

http://twistori.com/#i_wish

Latest Project...kinda!

2010-11-15T07:23:00.000-08:00

We're almost done with this project here at work! Play debuts this upcoming Thurs!

Gorgeous rooftop terrace!!

2010-11-07T18:09:00.000-08:00

Awesome article on Yahoo

2010-11-04T10:21:00.000-07:00

Jobs that Let You Flex Your Freedom By Yahoo! Education Staff

Career #1 - Medical Assistant

Career #2 - Graphic Designer

Career #3 - Police Officer

Career #4 - Medical Transcriptionist

Career #5 - Sales Representative

Career #6 - Web Developer/Designer

Career #7 - Teacher

Career #8 - Registered Nurse

________________________________________________________________________________________________

Career #2 - Graphic Designer

Graphic designers create and communicate ideas visually, verbally, and in writing. As a graphic designer, you could find yourself developing and designing publications, creating brochures for products, or even designing logos for businesses.

Freedom Factor: Freelance graphic designers often work from home offices and can set their own hours. If you're a creative person, you may find many jobs repetitive and stifling... but not this one!

Training: Earning an associate's degree or certificate in graphic design from a two-year or three-year professional school should qualify you as an assistant to a graphic designer.

Salary: According to the American Institute of Graphic Arts, staff-level graphic designers had a median salary of $45,000 in 2008.

Latest Project!

2010-11-03T09:36:00.000-07:00

If your in the Austin area, please come support The Graduate School Office at the University of Texas at Austin, by purchasing one of our upcoming shirts, commemorating the 100th year anniversary of the Graduate School.

Shirts and mugs should be out for sale to the public on Nov 12!

You can also check the official CoOp website, if your out of the area!

http://www.coop-bookstore.com/

Thanks all who support! :)

A little nostalgic about home tonight...

2010-11-01T20:02:00.000-07:00

I found these images a loooong time ago I can't remember if it was Malibu or Santa Monica...I think SM...

Wall Paper!

2010-10-22T07:53:00.000-07:00

2010-10-22T07:19:00.000-07:00

The Real Lesson of The GAP Debacle

Finally a good article in FastCompany that justifies my un-enthusiasm for logos! Although I have designed a couple it just never sparks my interest too much.

"Simply put, no one really cares about the logo anymore. Today, people are more interested in what a brand can do for them. Great brands are discovering that logos or advertisements are losing relevance..."

Simply great copy

2010-10-18T11:32:00.000-07:00

Copy like this makes me really want to see this film!

Copy for the NY Export Opus Jazz film

Another beautiful painting!

2010-10-18T08:25:00.000-07:00

Artist Unknown

Beautiful Image

2010-10-18T08:23:00.000-07:00

Artist Unknown?

Found Artist!

2010-10-13T08:06:00.000-07:00

So I was researching at work the other day and found this great artist... his clientele includes Kate Hudson and Jay Z check out more of his work at www.julesarthur.com

Thought of the day...

2010-10-11T12:01:00.000-07:00

So I'm at work reading a play for this playbill we're designing at work and I like something I read...

"Last week I had a conversation with the Chinese writer Da Chen about street art. In China, he told me, there are artist who do their calligraphy on the sidewalks using just a brush and water. Their art will only be visible to passerby until the water dries."

Something about this excerpt made me think that this is how we should live our lives, just do things for ourselves who cares who views your accomplishments. We need to get over that 5 year old in us that wants all of our artwork to be put up on the fridge and just create to create, sometimes this is more important and this leads to good things...

2010-09-21T12:20:00.000-07:00

Beautiful logo...

2010-09-20T12:52:00.000-07:00

I entered a contest for TOM Shoes =) Check em out!

2010-09-17T09:45:00.000-07:00

Love this... wish I knew who it was...?...

Artist SCAD Student unknown

2010-09-15T08:14:00.001-07:00

"The last few decades have belonged to a certain kind of person with a certain kind of mind - computer programmers who could crank code, lawyers who could craft contracts, M.B.A.s who could crunch numbers. But the keys to the kingdom are changing hands. The future belongs to a very different kind of person with a very different kind of mind... creators and empathizers, pattern recognizers and meaning makers. These people - artist, inventors, designers, storytellers, caregivers, consolers, big picture thinkers - will now reap society's richest rewards and share its greatest joys." - Daniel Pink A Whole New Mind

Found item!

2010-09-10T08:59:00.000-07:00

Found this online! Suuuper cute and efficient!!

http://www.lufdesign.com/

Steve Jobs talking about brands

2010-09-07T19:58:00.000-07:00

“People with passion have the potential to change the world for the better…"

I love this old video of Steve Jobs...great thinker!!! If your short on time check out the video at 6minutes great campaign!

"Here’s to the crazy ones. The misfits the rebels the troublemakers the round heads in the square holes. The ones who see things different, they are not fond of rules and they have no respect for the status quo. You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify them or vilify them. But the only thing you can’t do is ignore them. Because they change things they push the human race forward. And some may see them as the crazy ones we see genius. Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world are the ones who do."
-Jack Kerouac

New Painting!!

2010-08-11T00:11:00.000-07:00

Check it out! "The Things We Do" 2010 Acrylic on Canvas

http://cultural-distiller.blogspot.com/p/photographypaintings.html

Age Old Q... What's Art?

2010-07-28T18:11:00.000-07:00

Found this advertisement at Heathrow in London, it was interesting enough for a pic.

Art Finds...

2010-07-28T18:06:00.000-07:00

Something very interesting about graffiti in another language...

Purchase a Custom Pin

2010-07-24T00:44:00.000-07:00

Add to your good karma! Purchase a pin 3 for 5$ or make a donation today and help me fund my grad school education. Thank you for your support!

Multilingualism + Design

2010-07-23T17:41:00.000-07:00

Hmm after reading an article on how "multilingualism is now the key to success", I started thinking... how can designers become "multilingual" in our designs? Design is after all communication but when we communicate are we communicating in just one language or many? I know our designs can transcend language barriers, but can we push these limits even further?? One of my favorite films, "The Spanish Apartment" slightly touches on the idea of what happens when we are suddenly exposed to many languages. Our brain kind of explodes with new ideas, fresh ideas and I think this is waiting to happen in design too. In a sense its kind of happening when people stop going straight for the comuter to design and bring in "real" elements. I think the only way to get to 'multilingualist-design is to expose ourselves to different languages and also different influences, and to look for inspiration in different things. As designers if we look to the same things for inspiration, then our ideas will be the same and boring even, but if we look at different, even unusual things for inspiration maybe what comes out in our designs will be different? I wish there was more classes in school were the curriculum was more... internationalized...Hmm, again more randomness.

Words VS Images

2010-07-22T12:25:00.000-07:00

I've often wondered about this, while Im designing or after I've designed, and Im just curious what do you guys think? Do people think in words first or images first? What naturally pops into your head first? Words, phrases, quotes or images, photographs, ect? If we had more words would we have more images too? More pictures floating around in our heads??... I guess one way to figure it out is to think what inspires you? Do you read a book or look at anything with pictures? ...again just curious! Thx for your thoughts :)

About the Title...

2010-07-22T01:20:00.000-07:00

The title for Cultural Distiller came about from this random thought that I believe about designers

As graphic designers we need to be socially conscious of the kinds of designs we create, our designs can inspire and influence people and communities. So maybe we won't change the world just people's perspective of it. And this say's a lot about the power of design. This is why I believe designers have the power to be CULTURAL DISTILLERS and this is how the title of the blog came about. Hope you enjoy my work!

Sign the Petition to Restore the Gulf

2010-07-21T23:04:00.000-07:00

Sign the Petition to Restore the Gulf