My uber-talented neighbor, John Giura, has been making Christmas cards now since 1970 and has been working diligently at his craft. My favs are: 1972, 1974, 1975, 1978 as I wish I could draw as well as that as a young person. The stars he draws ('72 & '74) are just brilliant and really represent for me what it was like when I thought of 'that' star growing up and going to Sunday school in Bedford. 1982, 1984 and 1988 are the best section I think (1982 pictured here), but it may be because I am a true child of the '80's that my aesthetic leans this way. 1988 feels like the pinnacle of good design as it is so clean and balanced. I particularly like the 1992-1993 years as they remind me of the Saul Bass style of using kinetic typography in some of my favorite films' title sequences like 'The Man with the Golden Arm' and 'North by Northwest'. We learn more about the man, the myth, in 1998, the same time I moved to NYC where this poignant card marks the end of an era and a beloved pooch. 1999, 2001 and 2004 are my favs from this final group as 2001 was a card that would touch anyone living in city during that horrendous fall as that view from our roof, shows our now tallest building. 2005's card was the first we received in the mail, and even though I have walked past this sign hundreds of times down West 26th St, I never saw it as he did-so funny and perfect. His final cards include his muse, Malain, one of our favorite smiling faces from the building and a constant on our block and in the elevator. John has displayed these cards so nicely, I just had to share as there is nothing like a little bit of fine art to remind us of the beauty of the season. Enjoy!
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
John Giura's Quest for the Perfect Christmas Card - 1970-2009
My uber-talented neighbor, John Giura, has been making Christmas cards now since 1970 and has been working diligently at his craft. My favs are: 1972, 1974, 1975, 1978 as I wish I could draw as well as that as a young person. The stars he draws ('72 & '74) are just brilliant and really represent for me what it was like when I thought of 'that' star growing up and going to Sunday school in Bedford. 1982, 1984 and 1988 are the best section I think (1982 pictured here), but it may be because I am a true child of the '80's that my aesthetic leans this way. 1988 feels like the pinnacle of good design as it is so clean and balanced. I particularly like the 1992-1993 years as they remind me of the Saul Bass style of using kinetic typography in some of my favorite films' title sequences like 'The Man with the Golden Arm' and 'North by Northwest'. We learn more about the man, the myth, in 1998, the same time I moved to NYC where this poignant card marks the end of an era and a beloved pooch. 1999, 2001 and 2004 are my favs from this final group as 2001 was a card that would touch anyone living in city during that horrendous fall as that view from our roof, shows our now tallest building. 2005's card was the first we received in the mail, and even though I have walked past this sign hundreds of times down West 26th St, I never saw it as he did-so funny and perfect. His final cards include his muse, Malain, one of our favorite smiling faces from the building and a constant on our block and in the elevator. John has displayed these cards so nicely, I just had to share as there is nothing like a little bit of fine art to remind us of the beauty of the season. Enjoy!
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