Elvis Swift of Joanie Bernstein Reps created the new logo for San Francisco Rib Whip Food Trucks.

(Courtesy of Patricia Reaney for Reuters) - American writer and illustrator Maurice Sendak, whose children's book "Where the Wild Things Are" has been a standard bedtime story for at least three generations, has died at the age of 83.

Sendak died during the night at Danbury Hospital in Connecticut from complications from a recent stroke, a hospital spokesperson said on Tuesday. He lived in nearby Ridgefield, Connecticut.

"We are terribly saddened at the passing of Maurice Sendak. He was a glorious author and illustrator, an amazingly gifted designer, a blisteringly funny raconteur, a fierce and opinionated wit, and a loyal friend to those who knew him. His talent is legendary; his mind and breadth of knowledge equally so," Susan Katz, the president and publisher of HarperCollins Children's Books, which published his books, said in a statement.

"Every once in a while, someone comes along who changes our world for the better. Maurice Sendak was such a man," she added.

Playwright Tony Kushner once described Sendak "as one of the most important, if not the most important, writers and artists to ever work in children's literature."

"Maurice Sendak captured childhood in brilliant stories and drawings which will live forever," Richard Robinson, the chairman, president and CEO of Scholastic Inc publishers, said in a statement.

Sendak, who was born in Brooklyn in 1928 and was dubbed by one critic as the Picasso of children's books, illustrated more than 50 books during his long career and won a number of prizes for his drawings. The Queen of Sweden presented him with the Hans Christian Andersen Award for children's book illustration in 1970.

Sendak, who was a sickly child, spent much of his time indoors. He enjoyed books and drew throughout high school. He became a professional illustrator after working briefly as a window dresser at the F.A.O. Schwarz toy store in New York and taking classes at the New York Art Students League.

He illustrated his first book, "The Wonderful Farm" in 1951 and won international acclaim in 1963 with "Where the Wild Things Are" about a boy who imagines a world of toothy monsters. The following year the American Library Association awarded him the prestigious Caldecott Medal for his illustration in the book.

Dozens of other children's books followed including "In the Night Kitchen" in 1970, which is dedicated to his parents, and "Outside Over There" in 1981.

In 1996 then-President Bill Clinton awarded Sendak the National Medal of Arts.

Sendak also worked as a costume and stage designer for operas by Ravel, Mozart and others.

"Bumble-Ardy," the first book in three decades in which he did both illustrations and text, was released in September by HarperCollins Publishers.

Sendak worked on the book while caring for his partner, Eugene Glynn, who died of cancer in 2007.

"I have nothing now but praise for my life. I'm not unhappy. I cry a lot because I miss people. They die and I can't stop them. They leave me and I love them more," Sendak said in an interview last year on Fresh Air with Terry Gross on NPR radio.

"There are so many beautiful things in the world which I will have to leave when I die, but I'm ready, I'm ready, I'm ready."

The Original Article can be found HERE

The artist who helped George Lucas envision the galaxy far, far away of Star Wars, Ralph McQaurrie, has died at the age of 82 in Los Angeles. McQuarrie was best-known for creating the looks of the movie’s characters—such as Darth Vader, Chewbacca, R2-D2 and C3PO—aliens, light sabers and spaceship dogfights. McQuarrie started out as a technical illustrator for aeroplane manufacturer Boeing and designing film posters, according to BBC. He also worked on the original ‘Battlestar Galactica’ TV series, E.T. and Close Encounters. He won an Oscar in 1986 in the Best Visual Effects category for his work on Cocoon. His influence on the aesthetics of modern sci-fi/fantasy filmmaking resonates to this day, and he will be missed.

“I am deeply saddened by the passing of such a visionary artist and such a humble man,” George Lucas said, according to CBS News. “Ralph McQuarrie was the first person I hired to help me envision Star Wars.”

“His genial contribution, in the form of unequaled production paintings, propelled and inspired all of the cast and crew of the original Star Wars trilogy. When words could not convey my ideas, I could always point to one of Ralph’s fabulous illustrations and say, ‘Do it like this.’”

“In many ways, he was a generous father to a conceptual art revolution that was born of his artwork, and which seized the imaginations of thousands and propelled them into the film industry. In that way, we will all be benefiting from his oeuvre for generations to come.”

“Beyond that, I will always remember him as a kind and patient, and wonderfully talented, friend and collaborator.”

The story that accompanies the Star Wars gallery on McQuarrie’s official site supports Lucas’ sentiment:

As unimaginable as it may seem now, when George Lucas initially showed his script for Star Wars around Hollywood, the reception he received was far from enthusiastic.  In fact by the time it reached United Artists and Universal it was greeted with outright rejection. A decision they doubtless regret to this day. . .

“I think it was a sin that those people looked at it and didn’t grasp the scope of the images George wanted to relay, but they didn’t see any drawings.” -McQuarrie

George resolved he wouldn’t continue relying upon studio execs to use their imagination. He decided he would utilise Ralph’s talents to spell out how the movie would look.  When he made his pitch to Alan Ladd Jr. at 20th Century Fox he did so with a table full of Ralph’s art.  The rest as the say is history.

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British street artist Banksy gives his two cents’ worth about advertising.

In a piece that is said to be written by him, he comments on how advertisers have made themselves powerful by making their consumers feel inadequate and small, but that consumers don’t owe these advertisers anything and they should feel free to choose whether or not to consume:

“People are taking the piss out of you everyday. They butt into your life, take a cheap shot at you and then disappear. They leer at you from tall buildings and make you feel small. They make flippant comments from buses that imply you’re not sexy enough and that all the fun is happening somewhere else. They are on TV making your girlfriend feel inadequate. They have access to the most sophisticated technology the world has ever seen and they bully you with it. They are ‘The Advertisers’ and they are laughing at you.

You, however, are forbidden to touch them. Trademarks, intellectual property rights and copyright law mean advertisers can say what they like wherever they like with total impunity.

Fuck that. Any advert in a public space that gives you no choice whether you see it or not is yours. It’s yours to take, re-arrange and re-use. You can do whatever you like with it. Asking for permission is like asking to keep a rock someone just threw at your head.

You owe the companies nothing. Less than nothing, you especially don’t owe them any courtesy. They owe you. They have re-arranged the world to put themselves in front of you. They never asked for your permission, don’t even start asking for theirs.”

After 4 months of being played non-stop on radio, Jay-Z and Kanye West have finally released a video for the single, "Ni**as in Paris". Directed by Kanye himself, the dark, apocalyptic clip features live concert footage from the Staples Center in Los Angeles, spliced with some dynamic imagery and even a slightly reworked beat.

As part of its campaign to promote the new season of Mad Men airing from March 25th, cable network AMC has plastered New York City’s subway stations with blank ads to spur fans’ imaginations. The minimalist canvas features the signature “falling man,” and with a little help from the public, he is now seen breakdancing, bouncing on a trampoline, eaten by sharks and even being saved by Superman. It might not bring back the graffiti covered subway trains of the 1980s, but it's a cheap and creative way to promote Season 5.

There's also a clean digital version from AMC here for you to lend your creativity into the popular drama series.



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Ellen Barnes shoots a destination lifestyle piece for Ritz Carlton.

Anne Werthiem brings us closer to ocean life in this COA Youth & Family Center’s bus ceiling. The outside of the bus is wrapped to feature the local aquarium.

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