Collaboration, A Major Tribute

Last December I wrote about an artistic collaboration with my friend, artist and illustrator Chris Piascik; my contribution to the project was a narrative introduction that would reflect the sentiment of Chris’s work within the self-published zine, Daily Drawings.

Both Chris and I were hopeful about the prospect of future collaborations and in the months that followed, we were able to come together for a tribute to one Massachusetts’ favorite sons — Marshall Major Taylor, a velodrome world champion in the early 1900’s from Worcester, MA.

Chris’ latest zine entitled, Good Habits, Clean Living, captures the ethos of a world champion, using the very words penned by Major Taylor himself in his autobiography, The Fastest Bicycle Rider in The World — I am excited to have written an introduction for this tribute and Taylor’s rules are depicted with a typography flair that truly embody them as words to live by.

Collaboration, Daily Drawings Collection 2

I have known artist and illustrator Chris Piascik for a year and in that time we have come to appreciate each others creative hustle and our mutual respect has blossomed into a solid friendship.

Chris is known to many for his hand-drawn typography and has been publishing a daily drawing featuring his creative style for more than a year. In that time he has self-published prints and tees, been featured in an exclusive artists video, contributed his flavor of type for branding of a local bicycle shop and since the Fall has been a contributing artist for a webcomic online.

Recently, Chris reached out to me and mentioned that he was in the process of preparing a zine of works featuring his daily drawings and asked if I would write an introduction for the collection. It was an opportunity that would have been foolish for me to take a pass.

I spent a few days looking over each drawing and after a time felt comfortable enough that I could capture in words the sentiment that resonated throughout. When I forwarded the final draft to Chris, he was ecstatic.

He then took my words and made them his own — an effect which truly speaks to the nature of Chris as a creative soul.

Chris’ Daily Drawing Collection 2 is available for purchase on MagCloud as well as his other collected zines — each one as creative as the next.

NIU Support Collabocast

At Northern Illinois University, six lives were tragically taken by a lone gunman who opened fire in a lecture hall. Since then, many have reached out to the families, students, and faculty of the university.

Lovespirals singer, songwriter, (and friend), Anji Bee wrote me last week about a special collaboration project she was putting together for one of her listeners, Nik, who is a student at NIU.

Along with 16 contributors, I was able to be a part of Anji’s project, forwarding a brief introduction and an appropriate song that I felt reflected the love we all have in our hearts for everyone impacted by the shootings.

The 90-minute NIU Support Collabocast can be downloaded directly from Anji’s site. I am proud to be a part of this collaboration, and encourage everyone to take some time and listen — and see what love really sounds like.