one of my favorites

I've been asked from time to time, "do I have a favorite image"...I have a few, but here is one of my first favorites...it was sometime in 1997 and I had just bought my first digital camera...prior to this I had (and still have buried in the attic somewhere) an olympus 35mm film camera...but digital...yeah, no more film, no more film processing, freedom to just shoot and shoot and shoot...if I didn't like something, all I had to do was hit the delete key...what a rush...

for those that don't know me that well, let me try to put things into perspective...in 1979 I started my graphic design firm...you know, designing brochures, ads, direct mail stuff, logos, basically anything that might be printed on paper...that's what put food on the table (and occasionally still does)...so here I am just minding my own business, designing away...life goes on, some good, some not so good...bumble, bumble, bumble and all of a sudden it is 1997...I am getting restless, bumble turns to stumble, my design is stagnating and I am just not feeling the burn...I realize there is something missing and before I begin to see myself turning a corner...convergence is starting to catch up with me...what I think I mean is, computers had become very sophisticated design tools, digital cameras were the new toy, the digital revolution was in full swing and all of a sudden I find myself just falling into an exciting new way to be creative...the missing pieces just magically appear and the puzzle is starting to put itself together...you might notice that I've made no mention of being a photographer...design is what I did and do...the camera just became an extension of what was missing in my head...this was my missing link, so to speak...I could now take my design further than I had ever done previously...the camera was a sort of hand held scanner...it gave me a new way to approach my design work...somewhere over the next five years my images became my first priority and the path to where I am today was formed...

I consider this my first digital art success...I created it for no other reason than to please myself...then when I purchased my wide format printer it was the first large piece I output...it hangs on the wall behind one of my work tables in my studio...I still get a warm feeling everytime I look at it ...

"broad shoulders"

something current

one of the reasons I created this blog was to be able to put new stuff out in a timely manner...and if you subscribe to my blog (see subscription panel near the upper right of this page), you will be sent an update whenever something new is posted...so here is some new stuff...enjoy!

kicks

route 66 has been a fascination of mine for quite some time...over the years I have wandered a few miles here and there, but last year I finally got the chance to do it all, almost twice...it started in march 2005 when I offered to deliver a friend's car to phoenix (from chicago)...that got me approximately 75% of the way (chicago to flagstaff)...then in july, I was able to do the entire 2448 miles from chicago to los angeles...for anyone who has contemplated this trip, it is amazing and one I would encourage you to make the time to take...while much has been lost, there is still nothing like it...the good news is that with all the renewed interest in route 66, some almost lost icons are getting another well deserved chance at survival...

"cars" the new pixar animated film from disney revisits the old route and will surely create even more interest...here are a few images from my travels...all my images are for sale, so if you have an interest, please contact me...

art deco conoco station, shamrock, tx

launching pad restaurant, wilmington, il

sleep in a wigwam, wigwam motel, holbrook, az

buick super, williams, az

studiobrian, the blog

studiobrian, the blog, may become my alter ego of sorts...this is the place where you can discover a little about what drives me...mostly creative, but I'm sure it will extend beyond just that...I'll try to stay on point and not ramble to far from my intended course...for those that already know me, this should prove interesting...come back often (or subscribe), let me know what you think and, most of all, enjoy!


one of my goals is to frequently post new images here...above, for example, is "urban water," a four panel composition consisting of 3# 18" x 60" panels and 1# 24" x 60" panel...I began this composition this past spring while in phoenix...

keeping my website up to date has proved a bit challenging...this blog should go a long way to solving that situation...which, as it happens, my website is going through a tremendous overhaul, so soon I will be unveiling a new look with a new emphasis...you can always stop by studiobrian.com to see if I've gotten beyond this simple promise and have actually gotten something new in place...

...later