Old Falka and the Sleeping Giants

A three page narrative that tells the Polish legend of the unknowing blacksmith Falka and the mysterious stranger who leads him through the valley of Koscielisko to a high mountain peak where King Bolesław I Chobry and his knights are slumbering. Segments of the original tale have been included in the text of each illustration. Read the full account of the legend here.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

I decided to handcraft Christmas ornaments as gifts for close friends this year. Owing to my extreme fondness for matryoshka dolls, I initially intended to create a Nativity scene of Russian doll tree ornaments and gift these individually. Unfortunately, I was unable to find the appropriate shape in pre-made wooden crafts so I had to settle with wooden eggs and flat ovals. I had a great deal of fun painting these and exploring the graphic sensibilities of each character design. The Nativity as portrayed here consists of the Virgin Mary and Baby Jesus, a Magi, St. Joseph and Archangel Gabriel.

 

Freelance Business Project

As part of our fourth year business class, our professor assigned us a semester-long project that required us to become entrepreneurial thinkers and build upon our knowledge of effectual advertising. We were asked to create a merchandise line that would highlight the use of our illustrations, Our business venture was geared toward promoting our work in an entertaining and functional manner. I chose to expand upon my increasing interest in English heraldry by fashioning a line of men and women's jewelery that features the decorative families of furs, portents and vairs. These simple and attractive patterns have made their way onto military dog-tags and circular lozenges, housed within a gossamer bag with a full description of the historical emblem's design. While a few represented existing coat-of-arms or national charges, including Richard the Lionheart's and the Polish, German and Byzantine eagles, the remainder were combined tinctures.