Jon writes:

“Hi Lilla!
Holiday just launched at Starbucks. I illustrated most of the campaign in a completely different style than I usually work in. The inspiration comes from classic Art Deco artwork from the 20s and 30s. I worked mainly on the illustrations and the talented designers in the Starbucks Creative Group translated them into signs, coffee bags, gift boxes etc… I hope you like it!
Take care.”

Wednesday: Suzy Ultman – Felt Creations

See more of Jon’s work here.

Wednesday: Lisa Congdon’s booth at Renegade Craft Fair

Jon did this image and we had it printed on fabric seven feet tall for our Surtex show booth. Luv ya, man.
He got a LOT of interest in this piece. For example, lap top skins.

Monday: The lovely Galison Booth at the Stationery Show

Jon just sent me these pieces that he completed for commissions for jobs. Great stuff.

On Monday: Helen’s New book: Embroidery for Little Miss Crafty: Projects and patterns to create and embellish

I’m going to tell you something a little surprising. I’ve been rep’ing Jon for a lot of years. (That’s not the surprising part.) At first, Jon didn’t get a lot of work. Hard to believe. He is perfect for editorial. Why didn’t he get work? I think he was ahead of his time. It happens. Don’t use that as an excuse. You will know if you’re ahead of your time if really great art directors love your work but there’s not a lot of jobs yet. Don’t despair!
I’m happy to say that that is a distant memory and Jon is a very busy artist.

BTW, these pieces are all work from illustration jobs.

Monday: Brand new work & new style by Jillian Phillips

Tomorrow: See pictures from Helen’s trip to Odessa.

It’s funny about Jon. I think he’s been with me for eight years. I’ve loved his work and his warm ways (“I’m ‘Jim’ on the Office” says Jon.) But the funny thing is, as I started to say before I interrupted myself, is that, even though he helped create the look of Starbucks collateral and interior store imagery, he was slow to be received in editorial and in surface design. Clearly, he was ahead of his time. I am happy to say that now he is very busy with wonderful jobs. I’ll post his children’s book work here at some point.

Enjoy his napkin collection and the banners he did for Surtex.

Recent illustrations by Jon. These are great spot illos.

Jon’s amazing illustration of “My Travels with Clara”, a picturebook published by the Getty Museum, wins the prestigious AIGA 50/50 award. Here’s what AIGA has to say:

AIGA 50 books/50 Covers of 2007
After careful and considered review of more than 900 entries, the jury of “AIGA 50 books/50 Covers of 2007” competition selected a group of 100 examples of outstanding book and book cover design produced in 2007.

The jury’s selections will be mounted as a public exhibition scheduled to open at the AIGA National Design Center in New York on September 10. The exhibit will travel across the country to AIGA chapters and student groups during 2009. In addition, selections become part of the AIGA Design Archives, a searchable visual database of exemplary design, are documented in 365: AIGA Year In Design 29, an annual print publication and the physical artifacts join the AIGA Design Archives at the Denver Art Museum.