Design

Here on this page it is more about the who than the what. To get to the entities I have you have to be more than good, you have to be very good.

Design also has a philosophy. You do a job for someone and though others might think it is the greatest thing since the Coke Polar Bears if the client doesn't like it then it is no good. I was doing the Art for the CD Fearless by a band named Universal Honey. I was already thinking JUNO for art when they changed on me midstream. Yes I tried to change their minds but in the end they got what they wanted to the absolute best of my ability because it was their money and they got what they wanted.

Inspirational Imagery You've seen them and usually around the work place. I have my own idea of inspirational images and accompanying words. Successories does some very nice pieces. I just like my pieces better! I have another 9 pieces that are not displayed here. You could email me for information about the others. G.R. Hambley

G.R. Hambley email

Next are accolades, accomplishments and some thoughts.

	What you see is my first corporate logo. I received many, many compliments over the years on this beauty and it remains as one of my favourite works. What I'll also tell you is some dummy who shall remain me never had the thought he might move or have phone numbers change some years down the road when he did the art work. On completion I flattened this baby out, saved it and then a couple days later went "uh oh". No, it never happened again. The lettering can be read both up and down. Hammer Custom Image going down and Imaging Gary Hambley going up.
	One of 30 jobs any Canadian boy who grew up playing hockey would love to have. I Interviewed to be the web director for the New Jersey Devils of the NHL. When I walked in to the office of the Vice President, displayed on the mans desk was the piece I did that sealed the deal to get me there, Ice On Fire. We were talking off and on  during the Christmas, New Year season and it felt like I might not get the chance to interview after all. I did the piece, concept to completion in about 12 hours straight a couple days before New Year and made sure it was in Jersey before the close of business December 31. Sitting in that office down in the Medowlands the signatory of the letter said to me, "creatively and artistically you are the best". The Devils needed someone who could write Pearl right away and I just didn't have the skills to do it. These many years later the accomplishment hasn't changed. I got the NHL tryout solely on my talent and my initiative. I'll always have a soft spot for The Devils, for their interest and in the manner I was treated. If The Boston  Bruins don't win the Cup I hope Jersey does!
	Design By Larissa Bridal and Event Consulting. I did this companies first site and the colour scheme is essentially the same  today. One of the great compliments anyone in the industry could receive came from Larissa to me, "Gary, you are a damn good photographer". Larissa was employed by "Color Image" in Chicago when she gave me that compliment. One of the things I tell people is the camera is an extension of my eye and my eye is not an extension of the camera. That doesn't ever change. FYI, I shoot with both eyes open. One eye in the view finder and the other eye assessing my surroundings.
	Sportlines International in Toronto was essentially "Dunlop, Slazenger, Maxfli". I am still that good and that fast. I swear I saw more golf balls during the time I was doing the Freelance logo work for Sportlines than 100 recreational golfers would see in their combined lifetimes. Okay, I saw a lot of golf balls.
	Toronto Olympic Bid 2008. This was also the initiative that drew a lot of attention from "The Bread Not Circuses" coalition. I just happened to meet a woman downtown who was a major cog in the Olympic Initiative while we were both watching Wyland paint a Whaling Wall on the Redpath Sugar Building. We started talking as I'll talk to pretty much everyone and that is what got my portfolio seen by the 2008 committee.
	Something Special was a home business that did specialty gift baskets for mostly corporate entities. In their more than 10 years in business they never had or even saw the need to change their branding. We worked together to give them a timeless look. When the work was complete they were handed all the completed works. They never had to come back to me again for changes or enhancements. The body of work included Business Cards, A Flier, Letter Head and Envelopes as well as a starter web site with instruction on how to use an online payment site if so inclined.
This and That Stuff	See that Mickey Mouse image over there on the left that isn't there. One of the items that went the way of the dinosaur over the years was the letter from Disney World after they had called for my portfolio. That is another job I'd of loved. Essentially it would of been doing poster art. I love poster art! My HCI Logo above and Animal Inspiration pieces on the photography page are examples. Disney as with the New Jersey Devils, it was my talent, drive, initiative and determination that got me looked at. MetaCreations The makers of a number of graphics applications that fed my imaging apps junkie habit! I did a couple major trade shows and some product roll out. MetaCreations liked me because I pushed, used their products in my creations. I also extolled the virtues of their products with other artists and designers and my own clients. Kai's Power Tools, Painter, Poser, Canoma before it released, I had all the toys and could show them off! The only thing I didn't like when doing shows for Meta was they gave me a MAC to work on. I never could figure out how the hell you could work effectively with, at the time, a one button mouse. They loved my work and communication skills. I could relate to both the power users, casual users and beginners. My relationship with MetaCreations had reached a point where I was going to go with them full time. Next thing you know on about the last day of the year they folded up operations. The applications were sold off to among others Corel. Painter has never been the same! There were a couple jobs I turned down. One in Chicago and one in Washington D.C. come to mind. I didn't think Chicago would be a good fit for a couple reasons. It just didn't feel right. The one in D.C. was a small company and relatively new in the industry. They were set on a position that they wouldn't reconsider or change. There was no way I would of got the chance to be Art or Creative Director. I just couldn't see myself going there with no chance for advancement! In the hindsight is 20 / 20, nah I can't even say that because I made a conscious committed decision to stay the course. Stay the course of my marriage. It would of been 1997 as I recall and it was in January. I was in turmoil and needed alone time. Sort myself out time. I went alone down to Rhode Island to be with my family. The young lady used in "Blue Spectral Beauty" and "Spectral Beauty Through The Window" was having her sweet 16 birthday. Her Dad my cousin's husband worked for Packaging Graphics Inc which at the time was in East Providence RI. It was arranged for me to meet with an individual on the art side of PGI. I went in prepared to show off, to dazzle em'. While we were talking it was said to me, "if you're ever serious about moving let me know". What happened next all took place in my mind and it happened in two seconds, maybe three. Hanging on the tip of my tongue was this, "If I weren't serious I wouldn't be here". Being close to my family is going through my head. I'm also thinking that I would probably be in Boston sooner or later because as I understood it, that is where the art was. The morning I left Toronto for Rhode Island my wife asked me if I was moving to the States. I looked her straight in the eyes and said no. I gave her a kiss and a squeeze and a smile and was gone. Back to the man across the desk and my response, "If I decide to go you'll be my first call". When I got back to Toronto she and me talked about my time away and she told me she was surprised by what I did the morning I left. Another thing that had gone through my mind in that two or three seconds was my family in Toronto and how much they matter to me. No I don't regret it. I made the right decision for me in the moment. Had I pursued PGI, Disney and the Devils probably would of never happened and I may have never known that I am that good! So what do we know from everything you've seen here? I am different, a bit of an oddball even (what artist isn't) and I am not a misfit!

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