Busted: Variations On A Theme

No doubt about it: I’d love to do some illustration for WSJ Weekend, the Saturday-Sunday edition of The Wall Street Journal. Weekend contains news stories and opinion, along with an eclectic mix of profiles, reviews, and lifestyle features.

To that end, I thought I’d audition by posting work inspired by actual Weekend stories.

The March 18-19, 2017 edition had a story called A Boom In Busts, by Tim Gavan. It asked:

Can the head shots of the sculptural world, back in vogue after decades in the wings, work in homes that aren’t mansions? Or are they just too la-di-da?

Some excerpts:

“A bust’s effect really depends on its expression,” said Caleb Anderson of New York Design firm Drake/Anderson. “Whenever you look at them, you feel their emotion… they’re like another personality in the room.”

“They’re part of the party,” concurred New York designer Sasha Bikoff. “My dogs think a bust I have is a real person…”

“A bust becomes the focal point,” advised Natalie Shirinian, founder of NES Creative, a New York-based creative agency. “Have a balance of books and personal objects… to make the space feel like a home and not a museum.”

Busts needn’t be serious. New York designer Jesse Carrier says such busts “may not be considered ‘high art,’ but (they’re) beautifully crafted and deliver comedic relief at the same time.”

“Busts are captivating,” Mr. Anderson said. “People want to know whom they’re looking at– is it a character, a famous person, a regular person. What’s their story?”

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Thoughts? I’d appreciate your feedback.