Hello Beautiful People,
One of the selections for this month’s Bookshelf Picks was Dogs Rule Nonchalantly, by Mark Ulriksen.
Here’s the fancy blurb about Mark:
Mark Ulriksen is a San Francisco-based artist and illustrator whose instantly recognizable portraits and whimsical take on life have led to projects for a variety of major clients. He specializes in figurative work that blends humor and darkness with psychological insight. After initially working for 13 years as a graphic designer and magazine art director, Mark went through a relatively early mid-life crisis and gave up a world of monthly deadlines for a world of weekly ones, pursuing a new career as a freelance illustrator and artist.
His editorial illustration work began in the mid-nineties, and since then his paintings have appeared in many of America’s leading magazines and newspapers. Ulriksen is best known for his work for The New Yorker, where he has been a regular contributor since 1993, with more than 45 magazine covers to his credit.
Mark’s varied interests are often the subjects of his acrylic paintings, be they politics or dogs, people or sports. He covered the 2008 Masters for Golf Digest and has created murals for United Airlines and the Chicago Bears that grace the walls of the United Club at Soldier Field. His dog prints adorn the halls of Kaiser Permanente hospitals throughout the San Francisco Bay Area. He is the regular illustrator for the San Francisco Jazz Festival, as well as a children’s book illustrator, and the recipient of numerous awards, including Gold and Silver medals from the NY Society of Illustrators. His 2006 New Yorker cover parody of the film Brokeback Mountain was named the year’s top magazine news cover by the Magazine Publishers of America. Ulriksen’s work is in the permanent collection of The Smithsonian and the Library of Congress.
Mark now balances his time between illustration assignments, children’s books, gallery work and private commissions, primarily family portraits and dog portraits. For more commission information, contact him by clicking right here.
Here’s what I think about DOGS RULE NONCHALANTLY:
It rules. (Too much? I didn’t think so.)
The pictures are vibrant and beautiful – they practically leap off of the page with personality and warmth.
The sentiment is sweet, poignant, and thoughtful.
Ulriksen, after all the pages of poise and paintings really reminds us of a few simple factors – don’t take life too seriously, enjoy the little moments of the everyday, and, everything’ s better with a dog.
HERE’S SOME EXCITING NEWS:
In the spirit of Giving Tuesdays, you can win your very own copy of Dogs Rule Nonchalantly. Follow us on Instagram + Twitter + Facebook to find out the details.
Live, Love, Learn,