Tag Archives: 2015

Bloomingdales live paint portraits | Greg Betza

Bloomingdales

I was commissioned by Bloomingdales to ‘live-paint’ portraits of their customers. It was so nice to see their clients’ faces when they saw their likenesses appearing on paper. I don’t often talk about art with people who are not artists and it amazed me how impressed and fascinated they are by the process of creating art. Their observations and opinions are diverse and genuine. I learned a lot.

I went into the day thinking mostly about the job that I had to do and how I would execute it. I came away with so much more…meeting new people, of all ages, and hearing their thoughts on what I was doing and how much they enjoyed the process.

Thank you to Bloomingdales for asking me to live-paint portraits of your patrons. Great day!

Bloomingdales live paint portraits | Greg Betza

Bloomingdales live paint portraits | Greg Betza

Bloomingdales live paint portraits | Greg Betza

Bloomingdales live paint portraits | Greg Betza

New Jersey Monthly Downtowns | Greg Betza

Downtowns for NJ Monthly

New Jersey Monthly Downtowns | Greg Betza

I was commissioned this summer to work on a reportage assignment for NJ Monthly magazine. Being born and raised in New Jersey it was just that much better to be asked to drive around the state to visit and draw different “landmarks” throughout to help make the case for the best downtowns in New Jersey. I had a great time. Here are the drawings which appeared in the magazine (out now!) and the additional ‘rejected’ pieces that I made as well.

New Jersey Monthly Downtowns Cape May | Greg Betza

Cape May, NJ

New Jersey Monthly Downtowns Montclair | Greg Betza

Church Street, Montclair, NJ

New Jersey Monthly Downtowns Princeton | Greg Betza

Palmer Square, Princeton, NJ

New Jersey Monthly Downtowns Summit Diner | Greg Betza

Summit Diner, Summit, NJ

New Jersey Monthly Downtowns Red Bank | Greg Betza

Waterfront, Red Bank, NJ


These below were unpublished:

Downtown Red Bank, New Jersey | Greg Betza

Downtown Red Bank, NJ

Cape May, New Jersey | Greg Betza

Cape May, NJ

Raymond’s, Montclair, New Jersey | Greg Betza

Raymond’s, Montclair, NJ

Summit Train Station New Jersey | Greg Betza

Summit Train Station, Summit, NJ

Palmer Square Princeton New Jersey | Greg Betza

Palmer Square, Princeton, NJ

Porta Jersey City New Jersey | Greg Betza

Porta, Jersey City, NJ

In Dylan Town Cover | Greg Betza

Bob Dylan Cover

In Dylan Town Cover | Greg Betza

Last year I attended a Bob Dylan concert at the Beacon Theatre in New York. I made a few drawings, and David Gaines, the author of a new book on Bob Dylan, saw one of the drawings which I had posted on One Drawing A Day and asked if he could use it for the cover!

As a fan and admirer of Dylan, I could not be happier that I made those drawings. Here is the book, a display at BookPeople in Austin, TX and a few more drawings from that dark evening in New York. Thank you David and Iowa University Press.

In Dylan Town Cover | Greg Betza

In Dylan Town Cover | Greg Betza

Bob Dylan | Greg Betza

Bob Dylan | Greg Betza

Bob Dylan | Greg Betza

Bob Dylan | Greg Betza

Bob Dylan | Greg Betza

Art in Space | Greg Betza

Art in Space

Art in Space | Greg Betza

I’m excited to share this latest bit of good news with you. I was contacted earlier this year by a company designing a new Chicago office space for a global consulting firm. The company had seen my reportage drawings of Chicago and thought they would make a great addition to the space. I’m truly satisfied when I do work that I love and enjoy doing and someone finds a use for it. Here are a few photos from the new space. You can see the rest of my reportage here.

Art in Space | Greg Betza

Art in Space | Greg Betza

Art in Space | Greg Betza

American Family Insurance | Greg Betza

American Family Insurance

American Family Insurance | Greg Betza

I have been working on a large series of illustrations for American Family Insurance. With Father’s Day just passing I’m happy to post this first illustration because I was able to use my son as my model.

This Shel Silverstein inspired ad is appearing regionally in issues of Sports Illustrated.

American Family Insurance | Greg Betza

Chicago Magazine Moving on Up | Greg Betza

Chicago Magazine

Had a chance to do some intricate line drawing for this illustration! It was interesting, and almost therapeutic, drawing all of these buildings and windows and streets and antenna and, and, and… And then I got to loosen up and work on a few lifestyle spots of  things happening in front of the architecture. Great layout by the AD too.

Chicago Magazine Moving on Up | Greg Betza

greg-betza_Chicago-spot1

Chicago Magazine Moving on Up | Greg Betza

Chicago Magazine Moving on Up | Greg Betza

Chicago Magazine Moving on Up | Greg Betza

Four Seasons Magazine | Greg Betza

Four Seasons Magazine

Four Seasons Magazine | Greg Betza

I was recently asked to create an illustration for Four Seasons Magazine. The story is about how children in Shanghai, a city with very little “green”, are being educated about the environment. I was really inspired by the opportunity to add a cultural feel to the illustration. Here is the final watercolor.