GMiX NEWS

Marine Mammals and Turtles of the U.S. Pacific

Sun, 16 Dec 2012 10:13:40 -0800

In 1995 as an aspiring young natural history illustrator, I met Kate Wynne, marine mammal specialist extraordinaire. I was summer commercial fishing around Kodiak and I was diligently drawing every fish, bird, and mammal I came across. I was using the Guide to Marine Mammals of Alaska to identify bigger species.
Because of hours memorizing every page, I considered myself somewhat of an expert.

One sunny day, in mid season, while ebb tide picking a gill net with my good friend and site owner, Erik Van Eaton, a skiff approached from a site across the bay. Holding the gunnels with one hand and her other on a pair of binoculars, was a woman introduced by the fellow bay fisherman as a Sea lion and Harbor seal specialist.

Although Erik and I weren't fond of what the shredding and Sockeye stealing seals and Sea lions did to our nets and catch, we both knew they were making a living just like us.

During a brief, skiff alongside skiff, conversation, I told the specialist I knew a thing or two about harbor seals and offhandedly rattled off some Harbor seal stats like I was an expert. When the specialist told me I was actually incorrect, I went "um" and couldn't wait to get back to the cabin where I kept my references.

After the skiffs were safely secured and pulled out on the running line, I shuffled up the beach, stripped out of my Grundens and immediately checked my knowledge by finding the marine mammal guide.
My friend Erik was the first to laugh when he saw my realization that I had just met the author of the book I so revered.
I tried to contact the site she was working at by CB, but by then the Widgeon float plane, her and all her gear, was off the water.

Returning to town after winterizing all the the gear and settling with the cannery, I met Kate again at her office in Kodiak. She liked my species drawings, and a couple years later she wrote and I illustrated the Guide to Marine Mammals and Turtles of the U.S. Atlantic. A response of multiple printings, a national outdoor guidebook award, and years of approved on the water use by marine species observers on the Atlantic, showed a need for a Pacific companion.

Now in 2013 Kate Wynne and I are finishing her marine mammal and sea turtle guide series with this new Pacific guide.
Working on the Atlantic guide I was only illustrating, but with this new book, my years of newspaper work pays off in that I also get to lay out and InDesign the entire book :)

Sea Turtle class at ScienceWorks 2012

Fri, 3 Aug 2012 11:16:13 -0700

Like Sea Turtles? Creating crafting projects for my second class at ScienceWorks Hands-On Museum in Ashland, OR, worked out very well. Eighteen energetic kids ages 7-10, colored and crafted with lots of smiles!
Special thanks to Dr. Chris Pincetich of the Sea Turtle Restoration Project and www.seaturtles.org, for taking the time to video-conference and answer so many questions about sea turtles and ways to help in the conservation of them :)

40th Anniversary Marine Mammal Protection Act placard

Mon, 9 Jul 2012 17:28:35 -0700

If you like having super cool, and bigger than life, marine mammals swimming the planet's oceans, the 40th Anniversary of the Marine Mammal Protection Act is a great celebration to acknowledge. In 1972, Congress enacted the MMPA, establishing a national policy to help prevent the extinction or depletion, of marine mammal populations from human activities. There would be far less spouts, fins, and inquisitive seal eyes without the MMPA…

As an Illustrator/Designer, that scans into the waters of every beach for a spying seal or a distant water spout, it was an honor to create an anniversary MMPA logo and I.D. placards celebrating 40 years of conservation, science and recovery :)

Oregon State Championships GMiX Promotions

Sun, 8 Jul 2012 21:52:10 -0700

OBRA sanctioned, Oregon State Championships for Cross-Country and Super-D!
Working the graphics for this two day racing event wasn't too difficult because it was an updated revision of the original Stagecoach branding GMiX Designs worked on with Echelon Events the previous year. (Echelon Events was awarded a two year contract, so the O.S.C will also be in Southern Oregon for 2013.)
It's great to be part of a chance to promote the phenomenal riding in Southern Oregon with a State Championship venue!

5.5 x 8.5 Sea Turtle NOAA 2012 Placard

Sat, 2 Jun 2012 10:59:47 -0700

2012 NOAA NMFS Atlantic Sea Turtle Placards. Created as companion info for the larger Tri-fold designed to educate and define identification of turtle species. Info on how to assist stranded turtles is basic and truly life saving.
Working closely with expert biologists, GMiX Designs is currently adapting all data to become useful guides in smartphone and tablet apps...
Pretty cool :)

11x17 Sea Turtle NOAA 2012 Tri-fold

Sat, 26 May 2012 11:00:24 -0700

Looks like it's Sea Turtle month for GMiX Designs!
Working with the NOAA NMFS Protected Resource Division in Gloucester, MA, I got the chance to design and illustrate a very informative tri-fold on Atlantic turtles. To help existing and future Sea turtle populations it's important to understand manmade threats and ways to help. If a dead or stranded turtle is found, it really helps in rescue and research to know which specie it is and ways to assist :)

Bella Vita swimwear

Thu, 24 May 2012 22:32:22 -0700

Just in time for summer 2012!
Working closely with the beautiful and talented swimwear designer, Amanda Evey, we came up a retro look that never goes out of style ;)
p.s.(the fan holding, hibiscus in hair, girl in the "B", was illustrated with Amanda as the model!)

Spring Thaw MTN. Bike Race

Mon, 7 May 2012 07:53:14 -0700

Every Spring mountain bikers in Southern Oregon celebrate the receding snow line of Mount Ashland and the uncovering of Summer riding trails. The Spring Thaw, now in it’s 21st year is a two day event of competitive cross-country and exciting downhill racing on a very beautiful course.

Race promoters, Echelon Events, did a fantastic job taking over the reigns in 2011 and organized and put on a great race! For 2012, they invited GMiX Designs to design promotions with them and its been a really fun project to work on.
One of the coolest components of the project was designing the shiny medals for the riders that earn a spot on the podium. The gold, silver, and bronze medallions turned out quite fancy and I look forward to designing more; Echelon Events is organizing a couple more races this year, including the 2012 XC & Super D OBRA Oregon State Championships!

For info on Echelon Events Racing info check out:
www.echelonrace.com

Shootout Super D Enduro MTN. Bike Race

Tue, 17 Apr 2012 11:18:54 -0700

Mountain bike racing season has begun in Southern Oregon! GMiX Designs is working again this year with the race organizing gurus of Echelon Events to promote and put on several great races this year.

From new logo designs, to promo posters, to custom designed medals, it’s been a blast creating it all by race deadlines! (It won’t be long now until I can take a break from bikes on the computer and bike for real :)

For info on Echelon Events Racing info check out:
www.echelonrace.com

Kodiak Island Espresso

Sat, 7 Apr 2012 09:49:17 -0700

If you lived on Kodiak Island, Alaska, you’d soon see this new logo at an espresso shop near you. It was great to create this logo for Island Espresso seeings I was raised on the beautiful island and drew my first King Crab when I was 4 years old. It was also very nice to have a client let me work in the style that I’ve been developing for parts of my kids’ book about a family of Island living steampunk biologists and adventure naturalists :)

Displayed are two finished versions of the logo and the final pencil sample used to create the final vector logo.

Dream Fabric Aerial Dance

Sun, 19 Feb 2012 11:28:06 -0800

I've always been fascinated by vintage posters of old world traveling circuses. Aerial dance using long silks, is a beautiful and very disciplined art. Perfect imagery for a classic poster treatment.
Inspired by Tarot cards, Cirque Du Soleil, and the vaudeville spirit: Original graphics created for master aerialist, Susan Sherrill's instructional courses in the art of aerial fabric and aerial yoga.
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Dream-Fabric/257516177643804

Stuff The Truck Food Drive 2011

Tue, 1 Nov 2011 11:16:10 -0700

When clients hire me to work on graphics that are for a good cause it becomes more than just a job to me. Once again the good folks at Arbor Care Tree Specialists in Astoria, OR, are doing good things. The Stuff The Truck Food Drive project, now in it’s third year, inspires community support and three major grocery stores to fill the local food bank at a time of year when many people need it most :)

Microscopic Giant Logo Identity

Tue, 1 Nov 2011 10:37:14 -0700

Created for Bellingham, WA rockers, Microscopic Giant.
Illustrating the tiny giant and a microscope for this project was volume “11” on the neato scale for me.
www.microscopicgiant.com

361st RCS Timberwolves, USAF emblem

Sun, 11 Sep 2011 11:31:19 -0700

It’s a complete coincidence that I finished this emblem, today, on the anniversary of 9-11. My old friend, Jason L. Fish, SMSgt, USAF contacted me a couple months ago to create a new logo for the 361st RCS. I’ve always wanted to illustrate/design a classic emblem like this for any one of the branches of the US Armed Forces that serve(d) and sacrifice(d) for the nation.
To all the men and women that have been or are in the military, THANK YOU!!!

Whale Week 2011 at ScienceWorks

Mon, 15 Aug 2011 09:05:59 -0700

One of the highlights of my summer: Teaching a bunch of really fun 7-10 year olds during Whale Week 2011 at ScienceWorks in Ashland, OR. We drew whales, made whale models, videoconferenced with a renowned marine biologist from Alaska, and painted a 24 foot Gray whale. It was especially good research and testing of graphic material I’ve been creating for a kid’s whale guide & activity book...
Here’s a recap poster I made:

Cathedral Tree Preservation Project

Tue, 9 Aug 2011 10:33:16 -0700

“Observe Arborists in Action!”
I’ve always wanted to put that on a poster. The green folks at Arbor Care Tree Specialists in Astoria, OR gave me the opportunity with this cool poster build promoting a preservation project on the “Cathedral Tree”, a local celebrity.
A great cause I enthusiastically support.
www.cathedraltreepreservation.com

Mountain Bike Race promoting

Sat, 2 Jul 2011 02:22:01 -0700

I think it’s always cool to work on the evolution of a brand. Integrating the look into promotional pieces like this poster for the Stagecoach X-Country Mountain Bike Race presented by Echelon Events LLC race promoters of Southern Oregon, makes for really fun design work!

Cake construction

Mon, 20 Jun 2011 17:54:06 -0700

One of the neat things about being a designer is getting to work in different mediums. For this little project, all the building materials are edible. And like a sandcastle that washes away with the tide, cake art is ephemeral. Cakes are enjoyed in two ways tho: The eyes and then the belly :)'

Kid’s book.

Sat, 14 May 2011 17:26:13 -0700

It’s all pretty Top Secret, this neato book I’m writing and illustrating about a family of island living, Steampunky naturalists...but a little peek is good :)

UnTethered Aerial Dance

Thu, 10 Mar 2011 10:34:07 -0800

Style, identity and poster created for Aerial Dance Troupe, UnTethered of Ashland OR. A lovely group of talented and, well, very athletic women. Aerial dance using long silks and trapezes, is beautiful and amazing to watch!

Papa’s Sweets logo identity

Tue, 1 Mar 2011 14:57:11 -0800

Brand new Logo created for Papa's Sweets specialty chocolates and coffee shop. Opening in historical downtown Fairhaven, Washington. A really sweet spot that also has a wonderfully diverse selection of real licorice and gourmet popcorn!

The Aviators Club logo and Tee

Wed, 23 Feb 2011 12:38:40 -0800

Whenever I get to illustrate goggles, wings, and an animal all at the same time, it's like it's not even work. Logo and shirt for The Aviators Club headquartered in Bellingham, WA.

GMiX sea otter painting chosen for display in Alaskan calendar

Thu, 13 Jan 2011 13:01:35 -0800

Renowned distributer of Alaskan art, Taku Graphics of Juneau, AK, has chosen a Garth Mix painting “Aleutian Cove” for their 2012 calendar. The month of October will display sea otters in a very “Kodiak” scene.

Wildlife Conservation Society & GMiX marine species

Sat, 20 Nov 2010 13:52:11 -0800

Know your sea turtles and dolphins while in the Caribbean? New ID guides created for the Wildlife Conservation Society’s research station on Glover’s Reef atoll in Belize.

Poster for new Production set in Alaska

Sun, 7 Nov 2010 08:19:43 -0800

A poster created for an excellent new play by LM Heitman Bruce. A true Alaskan original, the story follows the lives of Alutiiq individuals and families 20 years after the Exxon Valdez oil spill. Honest with intimate insight, it is a play of a peoples heritage, identity and the responses of the human spirit to societal misconceptions and corporate ambivalence.

Mega Puzzles!

Tue, 14 Sep 2010 08:36:22 -0700

BIG 3-D puzzles of animals. The work put into illustrating things like this is complicated. Making sure everything lines up with the die cuts can make or break an illustrator. Teamed up with my friend and brilliant illustrator, Jeremy Friesen, produced some pretty neat stuff under some really tight deadlines.

NOAA & GMiX marine species placards

Thu, 15 Jul 2010 14:31:44 -0700

Whether in a boat or on a beach, low tech and durable ID placards are great for identifying whatever amazing whale, dolphin, seal or sea turtle you may see. GMiX designed and illustrated with NOAA for Atlantic species identification.

Local Artist Prints makes available Garth Mix art prints

Sat, 5 Jun 2010 12:28:58 -0700

Thanks to Nate Marohn, creator of Local Artist Prints, high quality archival prints of images by Garth Mix are available. They come in all sizes and so easy to order! Just look for the Local Artist Prints icon...