Cancer Treatment Op-Ed

Here's a recent Op-Ed assignment for the Boston Globe. I worked with Art Director Heather Hopp-Bruce on this one. Cancer is hard to define in visual terms, so I focused on the prevention side of the argument, with a human figure removing symbols of the hazards and risks that we encounter in modern life. It's a big, dark, ominous-looking shape, but the topic is weighty and in a way, frightening.

Gun Violence

I received a couple of assignments recently. New territory, unfamiliar subject matter. I am a pacifist and  I have never used gun images in my illustrations before. But this issue has forced its way into the collective consciousness in brutal and unimaginable acts, inflicted on the innocent. It has sparked debate and demanded action in terms of gun awareness,  gun ownership and gun control. 

Kory Kennedy at Entertainment Weekly commissioned a series of illustrations from some incredible artists, including Gary Taxali, David Plunkert, Eddie Guy and Dan Bejar. The article examined the role guns play in the whole entertainment market, from television to movies to video games. I was given the topic of guns and television. Here's my contribution:

I was really honoured to be a part of this series. Here is a couple of spreads from the magazine.

 

Schools should be a safe place for our children. We have to do everything we can to prevent what happened in Newtown from happening again.  Gun violence has cast a shadow over these places. Something has to be done.

This piece was commissioned by Phoenix Magazine.

On a personal note, the lettering for this illustration was taken from the school where my son attends and my wife teaches.