Joe Mills

School Started…but I Have More Artwork!

Even with school in full swing, I make it a point to continue with artowrk. One thing that I find hard to do is sustain longer projects while in school. In turn, I always feel that if I finish a project in a few days it must not be as “good”. I guess it is my own little issue, but I should really start realizing that it is good when it is done…regardless of how long it takes. Anyway, what is new:

I have two new illustrations here. One is an Olympic afterthought and the other is focused on Chicago’s favorite son, Barack Obama.

I have designed a logo for some friends who are getting married next year, and I created a game called Diner Lingo that tests your knowledge of, well, Diner Lingo. Check it out here.

Finally, I will soon complete a mural for a friend of mine. When it is done, I will be putting it here.

I’m sure I’ll have more stuff here…unless I start working on those “longer” projects.

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Chicago Artists Month

I think I would be doing my city and fellow artists a disservice if I did not mention Chicago Artists Month. Basically, it is a way to highlight artists in the Chicago area through gallery openings, special events, demonstrations, and open stuidos. Check out everything here at their web site.

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One Year…No Car

I have tried to avoid posting about things that are not inspiration related, but I think this fits since I am an inspiration to myself. Over a year ago, I sold my car in an effort to be more “green” and save money. And let’s just say, I have barely missed it. Yes, my wife still has a car and I do use it for some things, but for the most part, I bike, take the train, take the bus, and walk. It is amazing how often I have NOT needed the car. When you have one, it seems like you HAVE to have one. Yet, there are so many things that I can do without it. And, I have sort of forced myself to do with public transportation. For instance, I’m not a big fan of carrying of bags while on the train or bus, but I maje it happen. Even thought the public transportation here in Chicago can be frustrating, the time I supposedly “waste” in transit I can use to watch movies on my phone or read. You really can’t beat it. I just hope that when I move out of the city I will still be able to live without a car…

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Burn After Reading

It must seem like I went on a sabbatical, but the beginning of the school year always takes up a lot of time, so other things get pushed to the side…like blogging.

Anyway, lets start with a movie review. My wife and I recently went to go see Burn After Reading. Full disclosure…I had high expectations for this film, so I’m hoping that did not cloud my judgement. In short, I loved it. This movie did something that I had never seen before. It was almost like an hour and a half joke. The first half hour is a littel slow, but the Coen Brothers are basically setting everything up for the final act. And by the time you get to the final scene, they just nail it. It is hard to explain, but their use of absurd characters and situations in this film really flow together well. I had read reviews where they thought the characters were not “likable”. I think these people have missed the point. It is funny, witty, and extremely well done. Yes, it does use a lot of their quirky humor and sensibility, but that does not overshadow the fact that they have made a great film.

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