1997 - present
Freelance Designer, Illustrator & Writer.Award-winning graphic designer, art director and writer for the entertainment and leisure arts fields. Editorial Art Director / Designer for print, software and high-end collectibles. Book cover and publication design for science- fiction, young adult and juvenile books. Graphic design, Illustration and scripting for comic books and animation projects such as Star Wars, Wolverine, Batman and Superman. Clients include DC Comics, Dark Horse Comics, ibooks, Image Comics, Marvel Comics, Platinum Studios, RoughHouse / RuffShod Records, Springhead Animation, Vanguard Productions, Warner Bros. Stores and Wild Hare Studios. Part-time instructor: Fantasy Drawing for Children, Basic Drawing for Adults- Mountainview Arts Center, Marietta, GA.
1993 - 1997 DC Comics
Manager / Art Director Creative ServicesDUTIES
- Design and art direction for all DC Comics corporate and promotional materials (announcements, greeting cards, trade ads, etc.) and retail products.
- Editor / Art Director of SHOPTALK, the newsletter for DC's freelance talent community.
- Talent scouting and developing new illustrators.
- Creative liaison between the editorial department and the licensing departments.
- Artistic supervision of all DC Comics related product created outside of the company's standard style guides for quality and appropriateness. This included the Six Flags theme park attractions, action figures, high-end collectibles, video games, audio books, and products for the Warner Bros. Stores.
- Consultation with the Editorial department on general creative direction and special packaging of publishing line.
HIGHLIGHTS
- Design of interface screens for DC Comics' first AOL sites, editorial art direction of other interactive products.
- Artistic supervision over DC Comics main offices at 1700 Broadway in Manhattan. This included corporate signage, 'Planet Hollywood' -type displays in visitor lobbies and the ongoing curation of the permanent art collection exhibited throughout.
- Art direction of Trade Show booth.
1990 - 1993 Byron Preiss Visual Publications
Editorial Art Director / DesignerArt direction and publication design ranging from fantasy and science fiction to children's books. Production co-ordination for a wide range of illustrated books and interactive products.
1986 - 1989 Main Artery Inc.
Partner / Art DirectorCo-founded design firm specializing in packaging and promotional marketing materials for Canadian entertainment industry. This focused primarily on record covers, videos, posters, ads, concert tours, corporate sponsorships and event promotions. Clients included American Express, J. Walter Thompson, Ogilvey and Mather and Harlequin Books.
1981 - 1986 Modern Imageworks
Owner / Art DirectorOperated studio specializing in graphic design for Canadian entertainment field: Record companies, film companies, agencies, tour promoters, specialty stores and book & magazine publishers. Clients included A&M Records, Capitol Records, CBS Records, Concert Productions International, RCA Records and WEA Music.
1979 - 1981 CBS Records Canada
Art DirectorDesign for album, cassette and CD covers, videos, posters, POS, print ads, corporate presentations, artistic supervision of in-store displays by regional display representatives.
1978 - 1982 The Ontario College of Art
Part-time Instructor- Strategies for Photo-Electric ArtsTaught integrated multimedia course involving photography, video, film, electronic sculpture, holography and other disciplines.
1976 - 1978 Holt Rinehart & Winston of Canada Ltd.
Staff Illustrator.Illustration and publication design for various Children's Books, activity books and catalogs, both trade and educational. This included production work, darkroom, and press checks.
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
- Awarded CASBY and JUNO Award (the Canadian equivalents of the Grammy Award) several times. Three record jackets also appeared in the 1997 Taschen book, 1000 ALBUM COVERS, an international collection of the most memorable record covers of the past fifty years.
- Stage designs and graphics for a variety of performers and stadium events, including THE NYLONS and magician Doug Henning. Design and poster illustration for the MACY'S 4th OF JULY FIREWORKS 1987 promotion.
- Conceptual & engineering drawings and packaging art for a popular line of dolls for Irwin Toys: THE TEA POT TOTS.
- Creator of 80's comic book sensation, MISTER X. Writer and illustrator of THE PRISONER comic book series based on Patrick McGoohan's cult television show. Creator, designer and writer of the acclaimed retro-futuristic comic book series TERMINAL CITY, nominated for the industry's prestigious HARVEY and EISNER awards in 1997 and again in 1998.
EDUCATION
Fanshawe College, London Ontario. Fine Arts \ Recording Arts and Sciences.
Post-graduate studies with Marshal McLuhan at the University of Toronto's Center for Culture and Technology.
AWARDS
2009 Print Magazine Regional Design Award- Cover. Mister X: The Archives
2002 Eisner Award Publication Design- Batman: Nine Lives
1985 Toronto Art Directors Club, Best of the 80's - Album Cover- Honeymoon Suite
1985 Casby Award - Album Cover: Jane Siberry: No Borders Here
1984 Juno Award - Album Graphics: The Nylons: Seamless
1983 Juno Award - Album Graphics: Anvil: Metal on Metal
NOMINATIONS
2006 N.M.E. Mine Black Music Award - Package Design: Westlake 99: It's a Black Thing
2005 Harvey Award - Excellence in Presentation: Mister X: The Definitive Collection
1998 Eisner Award - Best Mi ni-Series: Terminal City: Aerial Graffiti
1997 Harvey Award - Best New Series: Terminal City
1997 Eisner Award - Best Mini-Series: Terminal City
1995 Eisner Award - Publication Design: The Ray Bradbury Chronicles
1986 Juno Award - Album Cover: Metal for Breakfast (Various)
1985 Casby Award - Album Cover: The Tenants: Visions of Our Future
1984 Juno Award - Album Cover: Honeymoon Suite
1982 Juno Award - Album Cover: But, I'm Just a Kid
1981 Juno Award - Album Cover: Loverboy
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