Rest In Peace…MCA

2012 Canadian Modern Pentathlon Championships

Did I mention that I love posters?

I have been commissioned by Pentathlon Canada to design their 2012 National Championships Poster. For those who may not know, the modern pentathlon is a multi-discipline sport: fencing, running, shooting, riding and swimming. Personally, I have never tried it, but my brother competed in the sport for a brief time as well as a few other friends. From what I can tell, it’s a not a easy thing. If you would like to learn more about it, click here.

Below is the poster. If you live in Canada and happen to see this in the near future, I hope you like it as much as I enjoyed designing it.

Barcelona…deja vú

My wife and I traveled to Barcelona once again last Dec. 2011. This only my second time, but it’s becoming one of my favorite cities. We had a short stay, so we decided to stick around the Gothic Quarter the whole time. It’s such a cool section of the city. Again, we were amazed and impressed with Bar-”ZE”-lona,

Here’s an updated version of a previously designed poster for Barcelona. Buy it here.

Mexico 1968 Olympics

It’s an Olympic year and February is Black History month. Here’s to Tommie Smith and John Carlos. From the wikipedia page:

On the morning of October 16, 1968,U.S. athlete Tommie Smith won the 200 meter race in a world-record time of 19.83 seconds, with Australia’s Peter Norman second with a time of 20.06 seconds, and the U.S.’s John Carlos in third place with a time of 20.10 seconds. After the race was completed, the three went to collect their medals at the podium. The two U.S. athletes received their medals shoeless, but wearing black socks, to represent black poverty.Smith wore a black scarf around his neck to represent black pride, Carlos had his tracksuit top unzipped to show solidarity with all blue collar workers in the U.S. and wore a necklace of beads which he described “were for those individuals that were lynched, or killed and that no-one said a prayer for, that were hung and tarred. It was for those thrown off the side of the boats in the middle passage.” All three athletes wore Olympic Project for Human Rights (OPHR) badges after Norman, a critic of Australia’s White Australia Policy, expressed empathy with their ideals.Sociologist Harry Edwards, the founder of the OPHR, had urged black athletes to boycott the games; reportedly, the actions of Smith and Carlos on October 16, 1968were inspired by Edwards’ arguments.

Both U.S. athletes intended on bringing black gloves to the event, but Carlos forgot his, leaving them in the Olympic Village. It was the Australian, Peter Norman, who suggested Carlos wear Smith’s left-handed glove, this being the reason behind him raising his left hand, as opposed to his right, differing from the traditional Black Power salute.^[7] When “The Star-Spangled Banner” played, Smith and Carlos delivered the salute with heads bowed, a gesture which became front page news around the world. As they left the podium they were booed by the crowd. Smith later said “If I win, I am American, not a black American. But if I did something bad, then they would say I am a Negro. We are black and we are proud of being black. Black America will understand what we did tonight.”

The Rat Pack

My love for Helvetica continues. Another simple poster. The Rat Pack. Available for purchase at simiansoul.com. Get it!

TCU Football 2010 Perfect Season

College football will soon be ruling Saturdays once again, and I, a Horned Frog Football hard-core fan (those of you who know me know exactly how hard-core I am), will be glued to my 129″ plasma TV, screaming and hollering for them Frogs. Move those chains!

I hope TCU has another great football season like last years. That was brilliant. So let’s cheer for those boys and let’s get another championship trophy under our belts.

Anyhow, below is a poster/banner I designed commemorating last year’s perfect season. I will have these for sale, so if you’re interested in getting one, please email me. walter@sozadesigns.com. This is a 20″ x 48″ canvas banner. It’s a perfect addition to your Horned Frog game room. You can put it next to your other TCU Football poster.

Update: This banner is now available through my Etsy store.

The M Streets

There’s a section here in Dallas called The M Streets. Roughly, this section lies east of central (I-75), west of Skillman, south of Mockingbird Ln. and north of Henderson Ave. There’s not an actual district as this area is composed of a few neighborhoods. They’re pretty neighborhoods, with variety of well-preserved historical homes in styles ranging from Prairie to Tudor to Craftman. All very close to the famed Greenville Ave. where on a weekend, you can stroll up and down and experience an eclectic entertainment scene with bars, restaurants, shops and theaters.

If you get the chance, you should experience this area during St. Patty’s Day. It’s pretty much insanity. Good or bad, that will be up to you.

Below is a poster I’ve designed to highlight this section of Dallas. And I may have taken some liberties with what’s really considered “the M streets”. I was inspired by the old NYC subway signs. Click here to see an example.

Hello, Deep Ellum!

So after reading a tiny little bit about Deep Ellum I learned that “deep ellum” is a corruption of “deep Elm” Street. I had no idear!

The latest illustration of my Dallas Landmarks series is Deep Ellum. I used a photo I took of the water tower on the east end of the district. I love the graffiti on the water tank and its rustic texture. I hope you enjoy it. I will have 8.5 in. x 11 in. prints available at the DEEP ELLUM OUTDOOR MARKET this Sat. Swing by and get one. I’ve also created a print for the M Streets, but I’m still tweaking it. I will post it soon.

W

Reservoir Dogs

New poster. Whaddaya think?

Junius Heights

Junius Heights, Historical neighborhood. Dallas, Texas.
I will have prints available FOR SALE at the Lakewood Market and Cafe, November 13-14.
Come by get something for your walls.

I will also have prints of my Vintage Dallas Theaters. Lakewood, Inwood and Granada.