Mirthquake | The House of Mirthquake

Well, summer is here with a vengeance, and there is nothing better than standing in 115º heat, grilling food over an even hotter grill. WAIT! Yes there is! Eating barbecue that someone ELSE has cooked!

A new competitive barbecue team is making a local splash… HookEcho Bar-B-Q! Headed up by Wichita resident Bruce Nelson, HookEcho (named after the pendant or hook shaped radar signature that accompanies a tornadic thunderstorm) came to me to do a logo for them to brand their new professional smoker and promo materials.

Main Logo for Kansas’ own HookEcho Bar-B-Q by Mirthquake

The hot rod flames harken back to Bruce’s interest in sports car racing, plus (of course) where there’s smoke, there’s fire. And as mimicking a radar anomaly would look messy, I went for the more dynamic tornado byproduct.

“Several guys that tour nationally on the BBQ circuit said that was the most kick ass logo that they have ever seen,” said Bruce proudly. I’m proud too, and cannot wait to try some brisket and pork butt!

[Show as slideshow]

I was also given the opportunity to participate in some branding for a local company, by providing a caricature of entrepreneur Bill Coleman of Bill’s Homegrown Heat, an all natural, all-purpose hot pepper seasoning.

Advertisement for Bill’s Homegrown Heat dried pepper mix. “Bill” caricature by Mirthquake. Design by Logo Envy

A case of Bill’s Homegrown Heat dried pepper mix. “Bill” caricature by Mirthquake. Design by Logo Envy

Think I need to get these guys together?

Seems like I’m always making this excuse… You know the story of the cobbler who was so busy making shoes that his own children went barefoot? That is kind of my relationship with this blog. But I hope to get better about it… (famous last words.)

Well it’s been quite a year so far. Far and beyond the biggest thing that has happened is that my wife, the amazing Realitychick, is currently gestating this decade’s designated Mirthling, codenamed ZEPPO. About once every 7-9 years we bring forth a new version to wreak havoc on the unsuspecting populace. Of course, that you have the forethought to peruse my blog on the oft chance that I actually UPDATE it, you now have fair warning. As is the common cinematic parlance… He’s “coming this October” to a delivery room near… home.

So I’m staying plenty busy with my art projects, making sure that we can stay afloat once October comes.

Here’s something you might be interested in…

I also had the honor of being a guest at the 2013 Texas Frightmare convention (My first as a guest!) and had a great, though remarkably busy, time. Being a guest is a WHOLE different thing than being a attending as a patron or working it as staff though. I sat less than 20 feet from Danny Trejo the entire weekend and never got the opportunity to talk to the man. But I *did* make some great contacts (it helps when you’re “art directing” the show), and its always good to see friends from previous years. Looking at the pictures from the show though has started me on the long haul back to a reasonable weight. It’s a hard row to hoe, but I’m gonna do it. Mock me if I don’t!

I’m gonna stop here, for now. Next time, I’ll show off some of my recent logo work! Won’t THAT be exciting?

Summer: Where there’s Smoke (-d meat) there’s Fire (-y peppers).

Hey, what’s shakin’?