Treelines: Issue 03 – "That's A Wrap"

Greetings, Friends –

I'm writing to you early this month with Christmas is just a week away. Hopefully this means you're gathering with friends and family and not tying a bow on that final project of the year. If you do take the time to read this—thank you. Chances are you've played some part in my "freelance journey" that began in the summer of 2022. Whether you purchased something from my shop or we worked together on a project, I'm truly grateful. As we stand on the precipice of a new year, I wanted to look back at 2024, by the numbers:

Enjoy the holiday season, however you celebrate. I hope to work together in the coming year!

– John

Silent Night. The December illustration from my 2024–25 wall calendar.

Treelines: Issue 02 – "Stick Season"

Hello Friends,

It's stick season, which means I'm waxing my skis and compulsively checking weather apps. I was glad to see a few ski mountains in my neck of the woods opened last weekend; and if the forecast holds, we could be in for a good ol’ fashioned Thanksgiving snow storm. So start flushing ice cubes down the toilet, wearing your pajamas inside out, or whatever you do to make the white stuff fall. In the meantime, here's a roundup of some recent projects I've been working on:

Tree Juice

 Back in May, I partnered with UnTapped Maple to design a product catalog and two custom water bottles for the Vermont-based company. UnTapped produces maple gels and waffles for performance athletes who rely on all-natural fuel to compete in endurance races; and for weekend warriors like me, who like a packable, oh-so-delicious snack to give me a boost of energy while skiing, hiking, or biking.

The product catalog includes pricing and spec charts, wholesale information, and more. The water bottles were inspired by two UnTapped team athletes—Ted King and Ian Boswell—legends in their sport of cycling and who both had input in the final designs.

It was fun work and the team at UnTapped couldn’t’ have been easier to work with. Try their products—you won’t regret it!

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Connections

The Fall 2024 edition of Empire State University's Connections Alumni magazine

I just wrapped my first project with Empire State University, SUNY’s leading online university. I designed the fall edition of its alumni magazine, Connections, featuring bulletin items, academic updates, and profiles about faculty and alumni. One is a Q&A with Norma Jean McVey, an ESU alumna who starred alongside Leonardo DiCaprio in Martin Scorcese’s recent film, Killers of the Flower Moon.

Read the Fall issue of Connections here.

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Apres Drip

It’s officially sweater weather, and Mountain Gazette has you covered for your upcoming holiday parties and apres ski hangs. Keep an eye out for the new apres sweater, designed by your truly, in the MG shop soon. (Updated: You can buy it here).

It has just the right balance of retro rad-ness with a sprinkle of Christmas charm. "It's a real nice surprise, Clark."

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A Personal Touch

I'm a big fan of things that are printed. I’m also a fan of sending written correspondence. So, I've created a set of six holiday themed greeting cards that you can preorder on my website now! If you're interested in purchasing one as a poster print, shoot me an email.

That's all I've got for now. Have a great Thanksgiving and pray for snow!

Thanksgiving 2024 Playlist

2024, so far, has been a year of growth and some hard lessons in running a small business. One thing's for certain: I couldn't have gotten this far without the support and encouragement of friends and clients. As a humble sign of my appreciation, I've put together a playlist to enjoy, wherever your travels take you. Some songs are chill, some will make you want to get up and dance some of that stuffing off. I recommend listening in order for greatest effect, but hey–who am I to tell you how to listen.

Wix won't let me add the Spotify player to this post, but here's a LINK to the playlist.

Enjoy, be safe, and Happy Thanksgiving.

John