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08.25.08

Calagraphic Design

Design firm

www.i2iart.com/Cala

Duration: I started Calagraphic Design in 2004 and I’ve been illustrating for about two years.

Staff: It’s just me and my wonderful team of artist reps at i2i Art Inc. I also love to collaborate with other designers and illustrators and I do so whenever possible.

Education: I graduated with honors with a BFA from Tyler School of Art, Temple University. I was a graphic and interactive design major with a focus in Web design and an art history minor. Afterwards I graduated from Tyler School of Art with an MFA in graphic and interactive design with a focus in illustration and print design.

Cultural Influences: Pop Art, Op Art, optical illusions, Polish poster design, psychedelic posters, classic and early 1990’s grunge rock music and posters, the art of Shigeo Fukuda, the illustrations of Christoph Niemann, AIGA design lectures, science fiction TV and movies, politics, anything and everything, my teachers, my students, my family and my friends.

Environment: I live and work in the top floor of an old Elkins Park house with bay windows and hardwood floors. The dark blue and brick red walls are covered with framed posters and prints from the masters of illustration and design—Joe Scorsone, Rafal Olbinski, Milton Glaser, Seymour Chwast, Woody Pirtle, Chuck Close, Peter Max, Lanny Sommese, James Victore, Paul Kepple, Modern Dog and Heads of Stat—in the hopes that some of their talent might transfer to me.

Philosophy: I do what I love and I love what I do. Never stop working for free. Design is a powerful weapon and with great power comes great responsibility (I borrowed that one from Spiderman). You don’t have to get a job; you just have to get people to pay you to do your hobby.