Always Summer Inspiration

AIGA Jacksonville recently interviewed us about the upcoming Always Summer Poster Show + Mix Tape coming up in October. We were glad to share some of the history, inspiration, and some of our memories from past events! You can read the interview below, but also be sure to check it out on the AIGA Jacksonville website.

What was your inspiration for creating the Always Summer Poster Show?

Shows like this are great for spreading awareness and can get a really great group together since each participant can take ownership and promote the event to their inner circles.

When I came in as Membership Chair at AIGA Jacksonville, one of my goals was to create more events where members (and non-members) could participate and have their creativity showcased in a gallery/party like setting. I had some experience putting on events around the beach that encouraged participation from the art and design community.

The initial idea for a platform show that combined a song/DJ with a poster design actually came from Dennis Eusebio. With my goals as Membership Chair and this being a membership event, the idea was perfect and I took the reigns and ran with it.

What was your first ASPS poster that you made?

Sublime – Doin’ Time (Uptown Dub) – While working on the creative for the first event, I couldn’t get this song out of my head. The iconic lyric “Summertime and the livin’s easy” seemed appropriate and it made sense to pursue this as my first Always Summer poster design. This was the first screen printed poster I had ever designed and I was stoked that Sean Tucker of Dog and Pony Show Prints printed it for me and did a killer job.

What’s your favorite poster you recall seeing at an ASPS event?

There have been so many great ones, but the one that sticks out in my mind is Levi Ratliff of Halftone Def Studios poster from the inaugural show. Not only because he incorporated my all time favorite number 63, but mainly because it had a kick ass layout, colors and subject matter. The poster features a 1963 Impala. This was a great year for cars, and I used to have a 1963 Volkswagen Beetle so the poster struck a chord with me. The song was Tim Armstrong’s (frontman for Rancid) “Wake Up.” I have always been a Rancid fan, and this is a great summer song. Not surprisingly, Levi’s poster took the first place People’s Choice award for the inaugural event.

How do you feel about the event as it goes into it’s 6th year?

Six years already? It’s fantastic to see the show continuing to grow, evolve, and retain interest. I didn’t really know what to expect when we started it, so it feels great to see the foundation of the concept and format of the event are effective and people seem to enjoy it. It makes me proud that we have such and awesome design community in Jacksonville, particularly with the support and infrastructure of AIGA Jacksonville, that can continue to put the energy around this event to keep it going so well.

Your favorite summer song. Go.

You know this is a tough question and it always seems to change. I spent many summers of my youth at Warped Tours, so a lot of those band make me nostalgic for summer. If I had to pick one for this summer I’d go with Red City Radio “Two Notes Shy of an Octave” from the 2013 album “Titles.”

Join us on Saturday, September 27th for AIGA Jacksonville’s Always Summer Poster Show. If you’d like to attend the event, reserve your ticket today and save $5!

This year’s Always Summer Poster Show is sponsored by Print Resources, a leader in printing and graphic design solutions for businesses in Jacksonville, Florida. They help their clients manage their brand through print media and graphic communications. Learn more about their mission and services at their website. And check out their beautiful poster prints at the show!