2019 New Evolution
2018 was a year of death and rebirth. New ventures, shedding my old skin and also getting back in touch with my roots. I let go of a lot. I left my secure job to start my own business. I took on new opportunities to do things that scared me. I shared more openly and honestly. I had breakthroughs and failures alike. I forged new alliances. I saw new lives come early and others go too soon. I keep learning to let go without remorse.
Through it all I continue to dive deeper into my own practice of awakening and unfolding, leaning into the sharp places. Embracing it all, the comfortable and the uncomfortable. Accepting and letting it come and go.
A process that is still ongoing as we step into 2019.
Read on for some new project updates, BIG news and two, count them TWO playlists. I decided to wait a month to roll out my 2018 Best of list because we get so bombarded with them at the end of the year. So you'll find my favorite jams from 2018 and my current list of music I've been really enjoying this year so far.
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Making the Music Web Work
We're excited to announce the launch of a new website for local nonprofit Musicworks. Musicworks is intensive artistic and social program, offered after-school in the city of Asheville to children in underserved populations, that uses music education as a transformative and empowering tool to teach life skills.
The old site was not very representative of the vibrancy of their program nor a great tool to promote themselves or interact with parents. So we set to work to fix all that. Some of the needs we had to meet were improving user experience, facilitating and managing donations, simplifying what was previously a cumbersome tuition payment process and bringing the old site up to something professional that they could be proud of. To ensure quality content to build the site around, they enlisted some professional photography from Gaither Studio. We used the Squarespace platform, which had some limitations, but overall checked most of the boxes and keeps it simple for the nonprofit to be able to update it themselves going forward.
Full disclosure: my wife works there and my children are in the program. See, here's my son. (Sorry, proud papa couldn't resist.)
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Speaking of Sales
WordPress.tv just posted the talk I gave at Wordcamp Asheville this past year on Sales and Customer Service for the Introverted Designer.
Is an hour long vulnerable knowledge drop on why and how I think about fear and sales.
In it I share some personal story around my start as an introverted artists and designer who was socially awkward and how I overcame that to become a top producing salesperson. How not being a salesperson can be your strongest asset in actually making sales, if you find your authentic voice, know your craft and get interested in the art and science of creative communication and psychology.
Link to my talk
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Sunny Days
I joined forced with GIGANTIC! to help produce the sign package for the new home of Asheville Sun Soo in the River Ridge Shopping center. Weeks of preparations and production culminated in two days on a lift in the rain making this happen for my dojang. I'm also a student there where I happen to spend time getting my butt kicked, in a good way.
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New Bigger Collaborations
Speaking of GIGANTIC!, this seems like a good time to break the news that I have officially come on board full time as Co-Creative Director there!
As Creative Director in charge of Operations, I play a key role in the upper management of GIGANTIC!— working in close liaison with the Creative Director in charge of Sales & Marketing / Founder, Scott Smith.
Together, we form a stellar team that differentiates GIGANTIC! From its competitors in several key ways.
Our core focus is developing and delivering art and branding packages for independent brick and mortar businesses. Our packages create thoughtful interior and exterior assets and embellishments. These may include custom designed murals, color selection, painting, art, architectural details and hand crafted signage of all types.
When partnering with GIGANTIC!, we leverage your space to tell the visual story of your business in a comprehensive way. Our packages convert space into an experience that is share-worthy. By leveraging social media and digital behavior trends, our packages drive business back into the brick and mortar location. Our team is local and independent, reflecting the core values of our clients. GIGANTIC! solutions help business that value increasing their bottom line, by increasing their curb appeal.
This year let's go beyond big - Go GIGANTIC!
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So what does this mean for Hornsby Creative?
Over the last year I've realized I really missed collaboration with other creatives and being part of a team. Teaming up with Scott made a lot of sense as I started my professional art career as a scenic production artist. Scott and I have known and respected each others work for some time and become friends along the way. Now I'm able to combine my previous production art expertise with my decades of sign expertise in a way that's both refreshing and familiar.
So, Hornsby Creative will continue is a smaller and more niched capacity. I will still be producing custom art and illustration commissions on a more limited basis as well as focusing more on creating and selling my own art prints. Basically focusing more on projects that I am both really passionate about and can dedicate adequate time to. Some of the services I've offered may roll under the GIGANGIC! umbrella.
My intention going into this year... to work to keep the balance required to hit the marks I am selectively aiming for, while continuing to grow a bigger mustache.
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Display Design
We're working with local energy savings solutions company eleEOS on designing a new product demo display.
eleEOS products make Going Green, Living Healthier and Reducing Electric Bills EASY for any Home or Business.
Here is a work in progress transformational reveal. We're teaming up with local big bold branding magic makers, you guessed it... GIGANTIC! to fabricate the final display unit. Here's a sneak peak of a the nearly complete display.
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Book Illustrations Under Way
I've been working with Scott D. Marder, M.D. on the illustrations for his upcoming book "5 Steps to Tame the Overwhelmed Mind". Scott is a psychiatrist who's upcoming book is on how to deal with and overcome the overwhelmed mind. I'm wrapping up work on a series of illustrations for it to help characterize various mental states. I'd also like to give a shout out to Julieta Fumberg who is helping me push the layouts for it over the finish line.
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Ready to collaborate on your next project?
Contact me today!
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Asheville Affiliates Celebrating 20 Years.
Recruiting New Board Members, Nonprofits & Sponsors for 2019
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The Affiliates are looking forward to it's 20 year anniversary in 2019. They're actively recruiting new board members. If you are an Asheville professional looking for a volunteer opportunity that grants you a fun way to contribute to multiple organizations throughout the year, they want to hear from you! My time has come to roll off the board, so come fill my shoes!
Interested in being a season sponsor next year and promoting your business to their network of over 3000 members, while doing good for your local community? Visit www.ashevilleaffiliates.com
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Here's a recap of the event branding I created for this past years events.
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Music plays a huge part in my life and my creative process. I love discovering and sharing new and old music alike, of all styles. I'm continuing my monthly playlist share. So, click the button below for a playlist of some songs that I've been digging on this month.
What are you listening to right now? Reply back and let me know.
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And here's my top jams that I had on heavy rotation in 2018. Got something good to share? Send me a message and let me know.
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Final Thoughts
This week I had a melanoma removed from my foot resulting in a big old Frankenstein set of stitches along the side of my foot.
As of late, I have been working on my relationship with pain. Of welcoming it when it comes, as a necessary and important companion. Cultivating gratitude toward it for doing its job, of alerting me to the fact that there is a problem in the body. Even if I am already well aware of it, there it is, the consistent and indiscriminate messenger. Yes I still seek to alleviate my pain but I also welcome the opportunity to expand my capacity to be present in dialogue with it, to relax into it rather than resist.
Pain is after all, an inevitable part of life and death, the agent of birth, transformation and growth as well as death and destruction, and one worthy of our attention. Able to bring even the mightiest among us to their knees, it teaches us both how to persevere and also to surrender.
Take a moment of gratitude for the simple mobility you posses. To move your body through time and space an co-create with the mysteries of world is a daily miracle.
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Ready to collaborate on your next project?
Contact me today!
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