Back in March I told you about an art show I am having on January 7th in Hastings, Nebraska. I meant to write about it more regularly and document the process, but that didn’t work out. Maybe I can make up for it as I cram for the show which is rapidly approaching.

Partly because I am a designer, and partly because I need to start promoting the show in the next few weeks, today I worked on the posters and postcards. The theme of my show is: “Portraits of Christ: recent work by Adrian Hanft, III.” The posters are printed on old prints of Christian paintings. My friend Tony was kind enough to give me a stack of over 200 of these prints that were most likely used for Sunday school lessons. About 100 of them contained a picture of Jesus, and I have been appropriating some of these images in my work. It seemed natural to use these prints as the posters.

The size of the posters are going to be 8.5 x 15. I printed a white frame around the face of Jesus in the poster and printed the show info at the bottom. Each poster is individually numbered and signed. I am planning on having 50 posters and 50 postcards. The fun thing about the posters is that aside from some doubles, they are all going to be different. You can see the first four of them above, and you can click on them for a larger version. If I don’t know you and you are interested in receiving a postcard or a poster, contact me and I will see what I can do.

I love looking at drawings in sketchbooks. The rough gestures, the raw ideas, the immediate connection between thought and visual representation – all recorded without the tedious constraints of needing to stand on their own. They are hypnotizing. Mesmerizing. Fascinating. So today I was feeling bad because I haven’t kept a sketchbook since college. How can I be an artist and not have a sketchbook? In the past I have rationalized my neglect by pointing to the fact that I always have a camera with me. Why should I draw something when I can take a picture of it in a fraction of the time and record it more accurately? Today that excuse seemed especially flimsy. I need a sketchbook. I decided that I should buy a sketchpad or make one and carry it around with me everywhere I go. I will force myself to draw daily. I actually felt ashamed of myself for a little while. Then it hit me…

I carry a notepad with me almost everywhere I go and I write in it all the time. I am constantly filling it with thoughts, lists, and ideas. This is my sketchbook! I looked through the most recent pages of my notebook and although I rarely draw on the pages, I can clearly see the development from concept to a finished project. Isn’t that really the purpose of a sketchbook? You organize your thoughts. Outline ideas. Plan. Map. Explore. Build. Erase. Sketch.

So, yeah, I do have a sketchbook, sorta. Now that I think about it, it kinda makes sense in the context of my process as a designer. I usually have a pretty clear vision of the finished piece before I ever start constructing it. I don’t do many variations because I know generally what I need to convey and have already made a plan to execute it. The design is dictated by the message and the various components I am trying to organize. My designing happens by organizing the messages and deciding the best way to present the information. My sketchbook is where I make my battle plan. Is it any wonder that my sketchbook is filled with groups of words, arrows and lists instead of doodles, drawings and cartoons? We all have different methods and mentalities, and I wonder if that fingerprint can be seen in our sketchbooks. What does your sketchbook say about you?

I found out that I will be having an art show next January in Nebraska at Hastings College. I had a show there in 2004 with my friends Suzanne and Bennett Holzworth and I am looking forward to being in the gallery again. I get the back room, and the main space will display the controversial work of Robbie Conal. I was reluctant at first, but the more I think about it, the more excited I am about the show. I have wanted a reason to explore more deeply the Christian themes that have until now been little more than a footnote in my body of work. I will leave much unsaid for now, but you can expect more details in future posts.

We have a bunch of fabric sample boards in our office for some RV brochures we are doing, and someone commented that they look similar to the painting I have above my desk. Ha, ha very funny, but when I looked at it she was right. The image on the right is a painting I did in college. The bad thing is I hate the fabric. But the good news is my paintings would look great in one of those RVs.