I’ve been called many names throughout my life. Bus bullies called me “Hulk.” Not only did I look just like Lou Ferrigno from the Hulk TV show, I also scowled a lot. I didn’t know it, but I was nearsighted. I appeared to be “always angry” to my classmates, coaches, and P.E. teachers. Later I was tagged “Bubba” and “Hawkeye” in Savannah during my years at SCAD. My high school and college girlfriend dubbed me “Pookie.” Every weekend I’d travel to Charleston for the epic parties they’d throw. When I opened the back gate I’d be welcomed by the entire party crowd screaming “hey Pookie!” along with a beer funnel with my name on it.
With stale beer memories in Savannah, Charleston, and Athens fading in my rear view window, I arrived in Atlanta. At my first official post-college job I learned to fly. It took me ten years, but I did eventually take flight. I conquered many challenges during my time in the Art Department, both artistically and interpersonal. I finally learned how to practice active listening. That was a major accomplishment for me as I had arrived on the scene in January 1996 with a rather inflated ego. After four years I left TWC and founded my own home grown design studio. They were my best client for four years. I later returned to TWC for two more years designing and comping theme week graphics for the Promotions Dept.
When I left The Weather Channel for the second and final time they gave me a Superman poster covered in metallic ink appreciations and affections from my fellow designers and some who have become lifelong friends. That poster hangs in my studio today always reminding me where my career not only started, but also that we’d built a solid, fourteen-year collaboration years later filled with more team awards and fond memories. Every time I worked full time at a design studio or post house my friends at TWC followed me requesting my talents yet again. During my TWC tenure I traveled to many design and technology conferences and trade shows like NAB and Siggraph. I enjoyed many a fine meal and magic hour sunset during my trips primarily to California.
During my first four years at The Weather Channel while working in the Art Department, I had the pleasure of flying out west to California for a design conference. My favorite memories during that trip were sneaking into Industrial Light and Magic’s original Kerner location, enjoying steak dinners at Clint Eastwood’s Mission Ranch in Carmel overlooking a picturesque prairie complete with herds of sheep, and exploring 700 miles along the California highway. Little did I know that one day I’d be gifted a special Superman poster from my friends and fellows at TWC. I proved to my teammates that it is possible to “believe a man can fly.”
I’d gain another super friend nickname from the Dark Knight birthed through Detective Comics. When my daughter was nine she started calling me “Batman.” That one stuck, and I’ve stepped into quite a crusading life always looking out for the little guys, and crushing the oppressors. Yes, I do have quite the collection of bat toys. In the summer of 2017 I designed my own Batman logo in about half an hour. As a graphic designer I always wanted to design one that was built out of hidden typography spelling out the letters B-A-T-M-A-N. Here it is below. See if you can figure it out. I included the answer key graphic below it.
