Art Directors Club of Houston

Once a year, our world opens up when we invite some incredible talent down to our oh-so-balmy city to judge our work, as well as to share their own work, show us that there is life beyond oil and gas, and inspire us with the kind and quality of their projects and work.

At the Meet the Judges event last Thursday night (graciously hosted by Frank White Photography and sponsored by Inmagine) members old and new caught up with old friends and colleagues, peaked at the generous giveaways the judges brought with them, and enjoyed some of the food and libations before settling down to watch the show.

And what a show! It was inspiring as judge after judge showed us the kind of work they’re doing. Mary Fallon opened with Catalyst Studios’ delightful “About Us” film with Tom Jones’ “It’s Not Unusual” for the soundtrack. The 13-person studio is doing great projects with unexpected clients, like the new Target visual arts exhibit rolling out in Dallas this month.

Chris Buzelli does a lot of editorial illustrations for medical, psychology and financial magazines. He had more than a few stand out pieces, including an eerie one of a girl with a mental disorder that causes her to hurt herself.

Don’t be surprised to see Chris Neal’s work on the cover of the next book you buy or in the New York Times Book Review section. His recent piece incorporates an ASCII handgun and the profile of a woman. It’s for a book about a woman who solves crimes using her copyediting skills, a topic that hits close to home. Because that’s what every copywriter does between projects.

Jude Buffum’s iconic work with The Owner’s Manuals (babies and dogs) and his quirky sense of humor had us chuckling longingly as much at his client list as the projects he’s done.

And the way photographer Gary Ness can capture the ice crystals in a martini, had everyone with a Lone Star looking wistfully at their beers.

After the presentations, fabulous door prizes—including a signed Gary Ness print, a Baby Owner’s Manual, a number of cool SnapWrap kits, and a plush Bitz doll—were awarded.

If the quality of the judges and the record-breaking number of entries is any indication, this year’s Houston Show is bound to be spectacular and inspirational.

Written by JoAnn Takasaki.

On July 25, ADCH had a Meet the Board social at Marfreless. You’re allowed to deny you know where it is. The blue door? Under the stairs? Anyway, we packed the place with with industry folks and gave out a pair of tix to see the Astros play the Padres. See photos of some of the many happy attendees.

Here’s the slate of candidates for the 2007 ADCH Board elections. Review their information below, and when you’re ready, vote for who you’d like to see represent the club using our ONLINE POLL. [The voting is over - please see the Board page for our current members.]

Luis Clavell | Art Director and Designer
Luis Clavell joined Zenfilm in the city of Houston as Art Director and Designer, and has already been awarded with a platinum Remi Award at the Worldfest Houston International Film Festival, for his participation in the making of the City of Houston shortfilm, “One Day in Houston”, Clavell is an accomplished broadcast designer and animator with a Masters Degree in Visual Communication from The University of Barcelona. Prior to his arrival, Clavell spent over four years with A&E and The History Channel Latin America. There, he worked on such shows as Investigative Reports, Cold Cases (garnering an award from The New York Festivals 2005), Biography and The Nature of Things. These shows broadcast in more than 20 countries and 11 million homes from Miami to Argentina. He also worked as an Art Director for a small advertising agency where he developed the Sopranos (HBO) launching campaign for Latin America, and was awarded in 2000 with an ANDA award (World Federation of Advertisers) for a Kellogg’s package that he designed. While in Barcelona, he was a founding member of Vectorsoul, a creative studio that works on projects for The World Health Organization and Nickelodeon. After earning his Masters, he went to Raffles Design Institute in Shanghai and lectured in the Visual Communications Department. During that year, he also worked for Mei Wen Ti Productions in the making of a feature film released in China on March 2006. Clavell is also fluent in Spanish, English and Catalan, and a member of the Emmy Awards, Texas Lone Star Chapter. You can see some of Luis’ recent work now in the Only in Houston Broadcast Gallery OiH TV Gallery.

Raegan Hill | Division Director of The Creative Group
I have a ‘Masters in Life’ and a career history that would make any multiple personality disordered professional proud. I am a self-taught programmer and was a long-time Web Designer for BMC Software. During the onset of the dot.com crash (hey everyone has at least one story wrapped around the dot.com crash, don’t they?) I checked myself into the Chronically Obsessed Developers Ease clinic, more commonly known as “CODE”, a clinic that helps programmers break the addiction to writing code so that they can move into web marketing. Yes… marketing.

And as if that weren’t deep enough down the rabbit hole, I added corporate sponsorships, event management and trade show coordination to my menu of random talents. In 2003 I landed in a 1 year contract with the NFL managing the 2004 Houston Super Bowl XXXVIII Volunteer Program (7000 people). I used to tell my friends that if someone on the Super Bowl Committee didn’t throw up from the pressure, it was a good day. Point? I’m not afraid of a little stress. Currently, I am a specialist in the placement of creative professionals on short and long term projects and I love being a position where I can help others.

It takes one heck of a determined person to constantly reinvent themselves professionally in order to adapt as the market changes, and your vote for me will secure a new member on the Board who is 100% committed to putting ADCH back on the map where it belongs!

Daniel R. Jarvis | Illustrator
To me, art is about physical strength. If you have muscles, you will be able to draw better. If you have a good cardiovascular system, you will paint longer. You will need to exercise your biceps as will as your mind-ceps. It is important to have a healthy appetite for charcoal. It is imperative that you read narratives. I guess what I’m really saying is that a block of cheese is essentially spoiled milk, and when you’ve removed all doubt life can get a whole lot cheesier. There’s a basic formula that goes into the creative cauldron. Start out with a gallon of intestinal fortitude, mix in two dozen raw eggs, and add a splash of egotism. Seriously…. do it. What you will get is so much more powerful than yogurt. Which is also just spoiled milk. I understand the formula. I know the process. I will lick the envelope if necessary. Make me a board member… I won’t let you down.

Miguel A. Martinez | Graphic Designer
Graphic Designer working for Studio Martinez for over 2 years now. Graduated with my BA in Graphic Design from the Art Institute of Houston. My passions are graphic design, poetry, illustration, thinking, cooking, MUSIC (KEXP seattle & old Jazz ) - I respect legends, saul bass, alan fletcher, bob gill, bill cahan, john bielenberg, stefan sagmeister, rick valincenti, seymour chwast, dj stout, peter saville, the KING tibor kalman and modern dog design. love shooting photography and starring at work from andrea kertesz. things that rule, are the bauhaus, the menil collection, mexican folk art, writers charles bukowski and pablo neruda, GRAPHIS, teaching, hiking, trail running, traveling, dreaming, a big heart, the frio river, rain, trees, mountains, birds, monkeys, machinery, trains, belgium beer, good food (especially soup and steak), small pleasures, rudyards pub, laughing, visiting sri lanka and peru someday, docter seuss, the Houston ASTROS!, everything that surrounds us! From what you can sum up from above is that I have a lot of passion for art and a hunger for life. I would love to share my influences and motivation with others. I am looking to help out in the education area. I would love to give back to education which is the root of my success and will always remain the most influencial element to my work and that is the hunger to continue to learn and grow.

Jenny Quattlebaum | Art Director
Jenny Quattlebaum is a native Houstonian that has been on the advertising Merry-Go-Round since 1998, working with standard issue Houston Oil clients to local restaurant chains and technology companies. After working client side for apparel manufacturer Sierra Pacific Apparel, she found her current home at Design At Work, where she enjoys close client relationships and a broad array of creative opportunities. When she isn’t in her shed making estate sale finds refabulous, she’s at home reading up on midcentury architecture and carpentry, and reupholstering anything and everything in white vinyl.

Carleton D. Smith, Jr. | Illustrator/Designer
Carleton Smith deserves a break. First of all, he was born and raised in Detroit where he had no brothers his entire life. Only sisters. Four of them. All older. Also, he hardly ever gets to ice skate outside anymore. He did earn a BFA degree in illustration at Detroit’s prestigious Center for Creative Studies, which would be incredibly impressive if he hadn’t lost it. Likewise, even though he’s a brilliant cartoonist in his own mind, he can’t prove it. So this ADCH board position would be a great first step toward breaking the scourge of anonymity that haunts him every day as he hangs out at Axiom creating fine art and “polishing up his style.” You can help. Vote for Carleton. In return, he’ll do everything within his enormous core competency to bolster the worldwide, global reputation of ADCH and all who cast their vote of confidence for Carleton D. Smith, Jr., as its newest board member. Seriously. And not just by showing up at the mixers, either, although he’s willing to make that personal sacrifice, too.

ADCH was one of many organizations present at the HCA event on June 14, 2007. We hope you made it out despite the weather - people from every creative and marketing organization were there. Check out photos from the event.