2013 wrap up

dear dave,

saying goodbye to 2013.  A good year, but looking forward to a fresh start in 14!

Did a lot of repeating in 13 - shows at dolcezza (a huge success), and another at Axis (so so). Reprinted a lot of prints - park, consequences, bear owl, I chews you.  Some fun new commissions, but other ones I super struggled with.

That was the big story of the year though: commissions!  Lots of prints of dogs, and some wedding things, and nursury things.  For the most part good.  After I buckled down, I could find my way in the design or drawing.  Others were (are) much harder to figure out.

Towards the fall I started to feel burned out and bogged down, so I turned down a few jobs that were weighing me down (and didn't seem to have a great finacial reward).  That was a good feeling.

Buzz went well with cards and prints, but not like the first year.  Still going, but I could see it slowing.  Cards went well in spring, but I think my lack of new designs hurt later in the year.  Halloween was a little over ordered, and Christmas was way too late.  Nice to be in PULP!, and good sales of cards in Trohv (and Buzz really), but I can do better in '14.  PAPER SOURCE.

Speakeasy was fun, but I lagged it big time once 90% were done.  But all worked out.

Great business with Hallmark in the Fall, and can only hope that continues!  So out of my hands though.

Shirts went well, but can be soooooo much better.  Trohv and street fairs.  MCA fall was GREAT, MCA spring sucked.  Skipped Hyattsville, 17th st was good, and Dog Days was GREAT.  (alexandria show good too)

Late summer I finally made the jump to Alternative for american, and am still transitioning.  KEVIN was a huge instigator, but fit on him is still a little wacky.  Now that I've come around to liking thier old fabric, they switch to thicker new.  Still have this big desire to go brighter, but always reel myself back becasue of the transfers.  A constant constraint and limitation.

Happy to revamp my site, with new shirts and pics of Kevin and Allison.  Anxious to move forward with all that.  Keep the variety going, and the push towards new.  Way too reliant on OTTER and SQUIRREL.  Wish I could move on.

<more about prints>
Not so new and experimental.  More mini's and smaller things, and a lot of reprints.  Not a lot of room time-wise to make new things, so when I did, I was usually pretty conservative.  I look back of the days when I made JAKE, GAGGLE and branches, and can't believe I was so adventurous.  I want to get that spirit back.  I've become way too lazy, taking easy paths, and focused on the sale.

Thinking minis would be a big, and they kind of were, but not so much.  Feedback and sales are always so hard to interpret.  For the holidays they are perfect, so in '14 I just need to load up with them in the fall.

Creativity and inventiveness are such a function of sales, and movement.
make > sell > make
Withought the sell, the make gets stalled.  Blah Blah Blah (13 was kind of a stall)

Anyway, moving on:

Kevin - awesome inspriration for Branddave moving forward.  So happy to have found him!!!!
Buzz - big hopes for navy yard.  Anxious to switch everything out, and do better.  More More More.  Better quality prints, and consistant sales.

Trohv - smae as buzz, bith more tees.

Hallmark - fingers crossed

Corcoran - hope spring will be the end for me there, but I don't know.

ok - tired of writing.  Goddbye to 2013, and bring on 2014!!!!!!

2012 Wrap up

2011 Wrap up

2010 Wrap up

2009 Wrap up

ps - how could I not write about the studio upstairs??  A big source of angst and upset all fall.  A great space, and full of potential and excitement.  But int he end, I was overwhelmed, and afraid of all the pitfalls.  The technical lease just sealed the deal.  Really regretful, but can't look back.  I don't get to enjoy all the benefit, but I'm also relieved of all the burdens (finacial and mental).  Anyway, had to include.  A big part of 2013, for better or worse.

lazy weekend.  saturday was fine, capped off by massage.  but sunday dragged a bit.  rainy and cold and too much couch.

nice to be back at my desk today.  little tweaks to branddave.com led to major redesign.  I know, I should be drawing!  but this is fun.  and feels like a good time to do it - I've been using the same basic template for a few years now.

ready for new content.  PHOTOGRAPHY (kevin inspires), and shirts and prints.

anyway - FUN few hours, reinventing branddave.

2013 in pictures

found a wonderful new model Alison!

Coffee @ Peregrine every morning with Hexy. 

all packed up for another install (axis early in year)

new cards for spring

boxes for Axis

 Spring planting: Flowers for Jimmy's beds.

Lovely Jocey came for a visit!

One of many commissions (love caption)

I painted the gate (controversial)

chicken party with the bsur girls

RIP hansel.  Such a beauty.

Another yard sale in august!  Hot hot hot

Ruff-est commission of the year (to print)!

best sellers of the year. (xo)

commission concept

laying out prints for Dolcezza show

Best new developement of the year: KEVIN!!

sold out at Dolcezza!!

new product: hats!  sold ok

the studio upstairs - not meant to be :(

Another commission!

Another BUZZ to branddave!  navy Yard

Joren moves out, Tom moves in. ch ch ch changes

finally got around to uploading shoot with Kevin last week.  really fun collection

christmas 2013 was great.

sour cream coffee cake
fire
Sue.
potatoes
roast
pecan pie
parcheesi. (congrats to Hex and Sue for WINNING)

lazy day spent shopping and eating.

hex and I bought a ham to cook.

Merry Christmas.

just before my shower friday morning, I stretched my tight shoulderblade, and wrenched it.

Knew I was screwed, the day was lost, so I took meds that I got a few years ago when the same thing happened.

Meds conked me out.  Friday lost, and most of saturday.  So no sidewalk sale on the crazy warm weekend before the holidays.  I guess it wasn't meant to be.

Back got much better, thankfully.  Good quick day today, wrapping up loose ends before Christmas.

Sucks, but I'm kind of anxious to move beyond the new year (work wise, not personal wise).  Ready to turn the page, and start over.

good day.

things winding down (slowly)

super fun shoot with Kevin this morning, and a quick drawing + delivery this afternoon.

party at Hank's tonight.

fun chicken with bsur girls last night.

I'm all about the quick run-down.

print packed

Bonsai to rescue

new

finished prints > buzz navy yard > buzz ballston > studio > blah.  pretty much sums it up.

crazy and busy last few days (same old same old)

finishing up at the corcoran.

dealing with crazy fabric printers, lack of space, lack of supplies, and dwindling time.  Really happy it's now OVER.

Fun celebrating Christmas at john and brendas last night.  ham and cheesy potatoes, and way too much cookies.  All ours are gone (until we bake the rest)

Everything going fine.  Sales are coming in, and all that.  Anxious for the holiday, time to relax, and just enjoy the season.

honestly - kind of grumpy

it's cold!!!!  Things worked out fine today, but I feel kind of blah.  Momentum lost, or burned out, or can't find my mojo.  I don't know -

anway - lot's of baking last night - which went well.  Christmas at John and Brendas this saturday.  last printing day is Saturday, but I'm planning to go tomorrow.  Bad weather predated Sat.

No pizza tonight with Lee.  Gym open.  Kind of on time.

Leaving for the night, and hoping I'm more excited tomorrow.  Anxious to gain some steam, and start selling again.  Slow week.

same story, different day!

time goes by fast.  I do a lot, waste a lot, then it's time to go home, let remi out, rush to gym, meet hex, eat dinner, watch tv, and go to bed.

repeat.

productive saturday at corcoran.  This week is the final, so I'm trying to go out strong.  Went back Monday and got a few mini prints done.

sunday was speant in Rockville hanging their tree and playing parcheesi

it's been a weird month.  I keep looking at it like it's already over.  Lately my mind is moving beyond it.  A new year, and fresh start.  I need to do some new things, and old things differently.  I'm kind of excited to try again.

rainy gloomy draggy, but getting work done.

prints selling here and there, and drawings are progressing.

fun time with kevin yesterday.  Lucked out on warm weather, so after a failed attempt at relocating, we drove back to tennis courts and had a great time.  Supe nice and fun and cute.  I love finding these inspirations.

Ended on a sucky note, because we realized just before he was leaving that he didn't have his glasses (probably left on car).  I retraced our steps, drove back and scoured the park, but they were gone.  so sad about that.

Havent loaded shots yet, becasue I know its a black hole of fun and non productivity.  All I will want to do for hours is edit and play.

things are getting done, slowly.

out to ballstaon to install (bunnies)!  Looked great.  poor print has had such a poor showing.  hex won't let me hang it ever!  He is wrong - it's great.

Hexy turned 49 today!  We are celebrating with chicken at Sheons tonight.

early shoot with kevin tomorrow.  So late on holiday stuff.  I feel like I'm sitting this year out.  It feels over before it's started.  Or i'm not in the mood to push push push.  More artist less salesman lately.  I just want to work on my own little pet stuff.

more hallmark assignments.  Terrific!

thanksgiving:

turkey breast, chinese checkers (Hex 1 / Dave 1), fun w/Sue, fudge, lost wallet on coffee table, last minute apple pie.


Friday:

fun with Cord in Great Falls with Remi (last minute choice!)


Saturday:

Platypus drawing


Sunday:

Fun in Rockville - parcheesi w Sue & Jimmy (sue 1 / Dave 1)

days going by fast!

staying close to schedule, but I feel like tomorrow is christmas,  or next week.  This abbrviated holiday is stressful!

made it to corcoran to print BEAR OWL, and dropped JDI cards off, and mailed women's tees to trohv.  awkward packages and boxes to lug to car and postoffice in the drizzle and cold.  HATE this weather.

oh well - tomorrow is a "catch up" day.  Hope to make major drawing progress.  fingers crossed.

PRO

DUC

TIVE

monday.

made tons of shirts for TROHV (not enough).

worked on framing new prints.

and that is it.

shopped yesterday at montgomery mall (new and modern and strange)

new jeans, socks, underwear, coat, sweater, shirt, t-shirts, lounge pants.  LONG OVERDUE.  kind of fun.

ok day at the corcoran.

feeling really desperate to change things up, and give it up.  I want so badly to have my own print studio, and to stop being so stuck there.

tired
crabby

fine day, but not fine enough.  not productive enough.  morning push led to afternoon lull.

dang

good, quick day

drawing going well -- walrus, driving dog, hallmark

got a new tree out front (and had to replant some of the perennials.)  a kentucky coffee tree!

holiday cards came in, and were poorly folded, so reprinting.  biting nails about JDI - better be perfect.  Sad about bossy squirrel.  Change?

All confused about what to do in studio.  Want to leave corcoran, but how to make it work?  Anxious to resolve.

Movie tonight with Sheon and Ronnie, so I'm off early.

goodnight.

It's crazy beautiful outside, and I'm feeling good after an anxious morning.

mondays are always kind of blue.

Saturday was productive at the corcoran.  I shook off a bad-ish mood and printed what I could.  Got a great new version of REST made, and a funny new print of "jesse", or at least her doppelganger.  Same drawing used for new holiday card.  The NAUGHTY dog.

Corcoran has such a strange and unsettling vibe.  No students, a few of us regulars, and deteriorating infrastructure.  All supplies are dried up or used.  Drains clogged, squeegees missing, sponges torn and filthy, inks disappeared, and the drying cabinet FULL of coated screen refugees.  It's all just weird, and feels like a sinking ship.  There is no mom.  Nobody that cares.

I keep thinking I need to find an alternative, but then get stuck.  What to do?  I feel so locked in there.  Comfortable and scared to make any change.

Saturday night celebrating with Bud & Terry at cafe asia all-you-can-eat.  YUMMMMM

Sunday we went to Rockville, which is starting to become a regular thing.  Headline:  Hex's apple pie was well received.  "Crust is maybe even better then Jimmy's"

w o w .

week ended on a weird note.

felt sick most of yesterday, and went home and sat in bed watching RHOM and binging on popcorn.

shoot with Kevin and Vicky was schedulaed for 3, so I came in (they were little late), and felt much better.  Really fun time with them, and happy photos turned out in bad light.

that was the highlight.

All other times I have been dragging, a little lost, blurry, watiing on email, and blah.  I keep getting stuck in these no-mans-land days where I feel so detached from the world, what I'm doing, and what I need to do. No emails coming in, no check received, no inquiries, no movement.  A bad loop of "why bother".  (where will I sell this?  who is going to want it?  nobody's interested)

A creative week, and finished up with Hallmark, and had great time with Kevin, but …  I feel like I could have done more.  I dont know --

kevin

More from shoot yesterday

so so day.

weird, I bounced into a bad mood mid-morning, and still feel afterglow.  Not sure why.

worked on drawings, made progress, but notlike yesterday.

hate freezing weather, and darker days.  I don't know -- actually everything is fine (great).  Maybe I'm just hungry.

great productive day(s)

yesterday I finished up all new prints for…

Buzz navy yard, which hex and I installed this morning at 11.

Pretty easy, but the big blank wall is a little intimidating.  Hard to find a rythm (without making a million holes in the wall).  Found my way, thanks to hex's drive --  a force of nature.  Only took about an hour, which is unheard-of.

Today, feeling good about this morning, I managed to pull together Holiday cards 2013.  Really amazing how things flow.  All of a sudden I have 3 great new cards.  I'm kind of shocked.

So tomorrow is finishing up Hallmark, and others.

good night.

weekend pics

productive saturday

rockville attic

first branddave card

new buzz!

freak out last night, but good came from it.

good day today.  Positive feedback from hallmark, and cleared my plate of some veggies.

long work days.  I'm getting through!

no shoot with Kevin, which worked out fine.  So anxious to load new shirts to site.  But that will just have to WAIT.

please hold

just a minute

here's an update

it's coming

in the works

on my list

working on it

few more days

Geez-another super fast busy day.
Car passed inspection
Met with Catherine at new navy yards buzz!
Drew
Finished some framing
Got disturbing news from Hallmark
And stayed late to format speakeasy designs.

Tomorrow is another day!

Ahhhhh

Weekend good and busy and productive.
Long day printing (alone!) Saturday. Such a weird semester at the corcoran.
Great (fast!) shoot with Allison sunday. So worried about the light, but all worked great.
Busy day today drawing. So much to accomplish. I just need to be positive! All will work out well.

Goodnight

this week:

drawing, fretting, no shoot with kevin, bjork, making money, drawing, printing.

happy halloween