I had Oleg's hi-res files for Masha and White (below) for over a month and toyed with several ideas for a collaboration. I have to admit I was a little stumped for a bit. I had thought to do a "tear-out" effect and only illustrate certain features of his characters and place them over the original. I had thought also to embellish filligree in the negative space and lightly over the face... the usual fair of illustration/photographic collaboration. After sketching and brainstorming however, I reallized anything I were to add to Oleg's originals would not be an improvement, but would instead detract from their simplicity and power. I didn't want to tamper. Let a good thing alone—they were perfect as they stood. Instead I decided to create illustration "based" on his pieces, redrawn in my style, whatever that means. The two would sit side by side for a spread. The following 2 images were created quickly in a few hours (pencil, watercolor, digital). They will appear in the second issue of Design Collector Magazine, along with more artist collaborations from some friends. Huge thanks to Design Collector and to Oleg for having the trust to let me mess with his beautiful work.

I couldn't be more thrilled to report that through all of your support ZSO-NYC has been going swimmingly, and in less than a week we are halfway sold out of our Edition I. Trantrum Scarf. It's through your support that we'll continue to release future products and more designs. I can't thank everyone enough for all the kind notes, blog posts, emails, and general kindness and encouragement—and of course for your orders from all around the world!

Some press about the internet this week include: NOTCOT, Design Collector, Digital Abstracts, Thee Blog, SGCNY, and Industry & Interest. 

This week I've finally launched the sister site for ZSO-NYC, my new small illustrated textile boutique. Over the coming year I hope to add more products based on interest and demand. The majority of the imagery and all lookbook imagery was shot by my buddy John Christenson, and I served as the reluctant model. Please help support and spread the word! Very many thanks.

Photos by John Christenson. Edit by yours truly from our photoshoot of the illustrated scarves I've been working on launching for over a year now. So, so close...

My friends over at Staf Magazine asked me to do one of their monthly logo interpretations. It must have taken me 5 months to finally get down to it (thank you for being so patient)—and even still I was of course rushing. The irony is that it only took a few hours of drawing time. Isn't that how it always goes... The imagery was inspired by the lovely spring.

Admittedly, I wish I had more time to work on the digital color. Another day of experimentation could have yielded something really bright and playful, but muted greens was all I had time to get a handle on in time for May 1. Hopefully this will just be version one.

A very dear friend of mine, miss Donia Khalifa, who I met almost 10 years back at NYU got in contact with me several months ago to help her out with some illustrations and branding for her new business: Astrological Amaranth, a boutique astrology company. Admittedly, at first I was skeptical... I'm a Libra, very rational and thinking, but paired with an extremely heated emotional side. But astrology? I needed proof. And proof she gave. By the end of the request I was absolutely floored. After not speaking for years, Donia had recalled every single person in my family's birthdays (I can barely remember them all myself), every single ex's birthday dating back to high school, and she also recounted my personal current events of which she would otherwise have no knowledge since we'd drifted somewhat. I was a believer immediately. Since November Donia has been advising me through one of the most difficult stretches I've ever seen, telling me about myself, those in my life, bringing levity, growth and hope. My perspective feels wider and I could not recommend Donia both as a person and as an astologer any more highly. I am the biggest skeptic I know, and she won me over—hook, line and sinker. I'll continue to post more information about AsAm as it gets developed and launches officially in the summer. In the meantime, here are some explorations using a logotype I created and a preliminary amaranth illustration. 

I met some amazing individuals over the past month who have continued to expand my understanding of my own personal struggles and growth (or attempt at it at least—let's not be haughty!). One of them told me about how on a new moon she had written she and her partners' hopes, dreams, and desires on a piece of paper. Together they literally planted them in the soil as one would sow seeds by the lunar phases for a new harvest. The results, she said were profound—that if we are just willing to send our energy out and sow our dreams into the soil of our own existence, it's amazing what energies and dimensions beyond our physical perception can reap. I'm at the base of a wide branching tree. It's a straight climb up, but once I reach the first sturdy boughs, there are many paths, many trajectories. They are not right or wrong, just varying, winding in their own natural architecture. It couldn't hurt to write my own, no? Would I be too proud, too egotistical to think that I knew how the world worked? Would I tell myself that putting paper in the dirt and hoping for action was ludicrous, or could I accept possibilities beyond my own perception, even if it meant feeling quite silly for a few moments. I don't believe in god or prayers, but I believe in energy. It is real and measureable and scientific. And furthermore, I believe in my own energy. I've seen it falter but I've also seen it soar. And so I wrote my manifesto of hope to myself, wound it up, and put it in the earth.