Allan Guy Featured in the Press

This past week the Manassas Observer did a wonderful write up of Allan Guy, focusing on his present creative interests and how they relate to his "hometown" upbringing in Manassas, Virginia.

Some of the topics included in this article are the influences of illustrator and painter Richard C. Guy, father of the artist, the history of Virginia, including the work of the Manassas Museum, as well as the skilled producers of wines, beers and spirits, that help make the culture of the Northern Piedmont region one of unique interest.

One photo included in the article shows Allan Guy with some of the products he has designed for various Virginia concerns: A rare Martha Washington Rum for Mount Vernon, white wines produced by Philip Carter Winery in Markham, Virginia, and Potomac Point Winery in Stafford, Virginia, A table wine produced by Vino Curioso of Manassas, Virginia and a "7" port style wine produced by King Family Vineyards of Crozet, Virginia.

Also discussed are the paintings of Allan Guy, which are in private collections from Connecticut to Florida, though many remain in the collection of the artist. Some of these oils and watercolors, inspired by open views of the land and the remote buildings they contain, can be seen viewed online, at: www.aguystudio.com/aguyfineart.

The Manassas Observer is the local newspaper of note and to have such an article run is personally rewarding as well as professionally beneficial. Kudos go to Gretchen O'Brien for her writing and photographic talents, as ell as the editing talents of Randi Reed, owner and publisher. The efforts of both these individuals made this article a success and are greatly appreciated.

Vino Curioso: Manassas Fest a Success!

The annual fall street festival, in Manassas, Virginia, has but a few wineries displaying their wares and Vino Curioso Wineryis one of those wineries in attendance.

Featured Vino wines include the signature "Franc the Tank" Cabernet Franc and their Sangiovese, one of the hardest types of quality wines to produce, given the Virginia climate.

Other wines produced by Vino Curioso include a cabernet sauvignon, a red wine blend called"Assemblage," a chardonnay and a chardonnay blend," "Chardontage," and a Viognier, among others.

The Vino tent was a hit, with customers of all ages and types being drawn to the quality vintages. Even the mayor of Manassas, "Hal" Parrish, stopped by for a quick hello!

This dog doesn't belong to Vino Curioso. He is just a cool pooch that came and hung out.

To learn more about Vino Curioso, and especially their soon to open facility/tasting room, The Wine Factory, please contact owner/winemaker Michael Matthews (seen in these photos as the man in glasses and a black shirt): 703 447 0648.

You may visit their site, for information and shipped orders, at www.vinocurioso.com.

The Cultural TImes: Designing for the Arts in the Rocky Mountain Region

A. Guy Studio, L.L.C., was asked by Mr. Stewart Mosberg to create a magazine in a style that communicated the open, wide-ranging spirit inherent in the arts of the Colorado High Country. Developing a unique visual style, A. Guy Studio gladly completed this charge. The result, "The Cultural Times," was an eye-catching publication that quickly became known throughout the region for it's visual communication as well as it's valued content.

Upon reflection, it became apparent that a simple, functional layout, along the lines of most magazines, would not be adequate for this type of publication. Rather, the content, look and feel of The Cultural Times had to be just as expansive as the high peaks of Breckenridge, Colorado. Therefore, sophisticated layouts were developed in a tabloid format. Expanses of negative space were handled with deliberation, thus making positive design elements, such as headlines, articles and photographs, all the more effective.

The design of this arts magazine required, among other things: a corporate logo, a "masthead" logotype for the contents/publishers page, an eye-catching "swash logo," used for promotional purposes such as signage and vending machine frontages, and spread layouts for contents, running articles, feature stories, editors pages and advertising pages. Attention was given to the smallest details, such as the design of individual page numbers.

The design of The Cultural Times magazine helped to spread its readership from the High-Peak Country and Denver to Colorado proper and beyond.

The Cultural Times publisher, Stew Mosberg is a design legend. A long time corporate leader in the branding, design and marketing fields, he has created successful campaigns for many national and international markets. He has headed too many design and marketing organizations to count. All the while, Stew has served as a compassionate mentor to may "up and comers," including myself.

Hailing from Brooklyn, N.Y., Stew now lives in Colorado with his Husky, Shayna. He writes for various publications statewide and also is a talented voice-over artist. Throughout Colorado, he is a known and respected art critic. A creative writer, Stew headed a group that of other, published "High Peak Authors" and now has a novel of his own in development.

This city boy now journeys upward! Stew has learned the joy of fishing and combines the pleasure of catching wild brookies with hikes up to their lairs, often wetting a line by streams that are over 10,000 feet high.

Focus on Change Subject of Museum Exhibit

The Manassas Museum, one of the top-ranked regional Museums in the country, recently paid homage to the Virginia Piedmont region. The exhibit developed is part of the heritage series “From Cows to Condos” that uses educational programs and interactive learning to educate students and museum visitors about the significant changes in the county through the years.

A cultural and economic crossroads, from pre-colonial settlers, to historic railroad systems shipping local produce to market, to the commercial airways of today, Manassas's varied story deserved to be told. With the whimsical title "From Cows to Condos," it was!

A. Guy Studio L.L.C. was asked by the museum curator, Roxanna Adams, to develop a logo that told the story of this exhibit, while being adaptable enough to be reproduced for a plethora of uses.

The name "Cows to Condos" provided rich "fodder" for the visual imagery used in this logo. The barn in the background is a rendering of a historic "brick barn" located in the Manassas city limits. The road dividing the logo symbolizes the line of commercial development that has occurred in this area, with rural lands being toward the west of Manassas and business towards the east.

The cow...is just a cow.

{Logotype as seen in the Washington Post}

Promoting Pioneering Technologies

With alternative energy resources a priority, many companies have attempted to develop products that reduce our individual carbon footprint. Poulson Hybrid, of Stratford, Connecticut, is such an industry leader.

Poulson designs and produces such items as hybrid car adapter units, which turn every automobile into a gas saving electric vehicle, to solar hot water system for the home.

In developing this last item, Poulson hot water systems needed promotional items to communicate to their target audience: home contractors and builders. A. Guy Studio, L.L.C. was asked to design a brochure for this marketing effort, that communicated both efficacy and ease of installation.

Combining simple schematics, familiar to those in the building trade, with a bit of "green graphics," this brochure is now being used throughout the northeast with great success. A. Guy Studios is proud to contribute to such eco-friendly companies as Poulson Hybrids.

Successful Promotional Brochure Designed for the City of Manassas

The growing City of Manassas, Virginia, needed promotional material. The charge was demonstrate to large corporations that this is the place to locate their businesses. Crafting an image equal to this task, A. Guy Studio, L.L.C. developed a stylish brochure, highlighting the inherent strengths of the City of Manassas.

Manassas has many stellar qualities: easy access to east coast travel hubs, City owned utilities and water supply, an educated workforce, a "business friendly" atmosphere in City Hall, among others.

However, Manassas is small in physical size. Therefore, a key to this design project was to visually communicate the expansive nature of Manassas's business attributes. This promotional item did just that.

With an elegant black background, watermarked with the "Manassas M" logo graphic, this piece immediately projects quality, style and timelessness.

The deliberate use of panoramic photographs on each spread "expand a feeling of expansiveness," while visually highlighting Manassas's strengths.

Key elements, critical to providing information for each topic in this promotional item, are laid out with cleanliness and precision. This allows for ease of visual and verbal communication.

This successful promotional item is currently being used, locally and nationally, by the Department of Economic Development for the City of Manassas.

A. Guy Studio Client, Philip Carter Winery of Virginia Wins Big at Recent Wine Event

Philip Carter Winery, of Markham, Virginia, is coming into it's own, garnering well earned recognition for it's line of fine wines. This press release except from Philip Carter says it all:

"Silver and Gold...

no not the Burl Ives song, awards for Philip Carter Wines!

The American Wine Society’s 2009 Commercial Wine Competition was held this October. This year 86 wineries were represented with 476 wines entered. Philip Carter Winery proudly has taken home Gold and Silver.

Winning in the Gold category is Philip Carter’s white, 2008 Governor Fauquier. The Silver Medal went to Philip Carter Winery’s 2008 Chardonnay.

Try the Gold winning Governor Fauquier with your Thanksgiving and Holiday celebrations or give as a wonderful Gift. This white has a fresh, green nose like honeydew melon and lemongrass. The front palate is full of tropical fruits and apple flavors. The finish is herbaceous with highly acidic notes and a nutty ending.

Stop by and pick up a bottle or call us at 540-364-1203 and we will ship it to you, just in time for the holidays."

Kudos! -A. Guy

WIld Scotsman Single Cask, Single Malt Family Launch

Wild Scotsman Whisky is known for it's top notch blended products, crafted with care by proprietor Jeffery Topping, in Linwood, Scotland.

Now, Wild Scotsman Whisky is going a step further, expanding it's line of premium spirits to include rare single cask, single malt scotches.

Initially consisting of Glen Grant single malt and Caol Ila single malt, an appropriate brand image was developed by A. Guy Studio to place these whisky's firmly on the top shelf.

To project the timeless quality this growing product line deserves, a central label, complete with a custom die, embossing and "metallized inks", was developed. An image, based on an ancient Scottish fighting weapon, the "targe shield" was used in the background of this label. The targe was used in conjunction with Scottish broadswords even after the Jacobite Rebellion. Therefore, the addition of a graphic, Celtic targe and cross completed the livery of this label perfectly.

A secondary strip label was developed by A. Guy Studio to carry legal copy, product information including the distillery name, as well as an original signature of the Wild Scotsman, Jeffery Topping. This arrangement not only provides an effective system for organizing needed information, but allows these elements to be handled with elegance.

The strip labels are also cost efficient. The product information in these labels can be printed separately, as needed, when further single cask, single malt products are to be launched. In this way, A. Guy Studio's good forward thinking creates a practical design, allowing flexibility of production.

This product line is now making it's way across the Atlantic! Look for these scotches soon, as they reflect unique Celtic artistry and heritage, inside the bottle and out.

First Colony Winery bottling 2007 and 2008 vintages

First Colony Winery, in Charlottesville, Virginia, is gearing up to bottle wines from 2008, as well as older vintages.  As the artist for First Colony, A Guy Studio is preparing new art for press, specifically Claret, Rose and a Special Edition Port wine as well as a new offering -"Zephyr." 

 Zephyr is a light, blush style wine made for pairing with summer foods.  The name, meaning "of the west wind" aptly describes this light, intriguing wine.  

Design wise, First Colony's design equities had to be maintained for brand recognition purposes but these elements were giving a twist, making for a winning, fresh look.

Painting for Philip Carter Winery Celebrates Virginia Heritage

An original oil painting, depicting the Crooked Run Valley as seen from the crest of a ridge on Valley View Farm, has been created for Philip Carter Winery by Allan F. Guy.

This painting will be featured on a line of a white wines that are named for Virginia's Governor Fauquier.  A generous portion of the sales for this item will be donated to local conservation groups.  The goal is to help preserve the unique culture and landscape of the northern Virginia Piedmont. 

Governor Francis Fauquier, whose name was given to the county that contains Crooked Run, certified the first recognized wine American of merit, in 1763.  The wines that received praise were made by Robert Carter of Cleve Plantation, a direct ancestor of the current proprietor of Philip Carter Winery.

The labeling of this fine wine features a rendering of Crooked Run in the fall and the signature of Governor Francis Fauquier, taken from authenticated documents of the period. Combining painting, history and package design, this was an absolutely rewarding assignment for A Guy Studio.

A Guy Fine Art Site Up!

Steve Ollice, my web guru, put up a small site for me featuring my painting. Please check it out:

www.aguystudio.com/aguyfineart/

It is still being worked on, but Steve Ollice (web guru) has set up a very good template for me to use, showing a range of my painting/sketching styles. Soon, my commercial site will be linked to this site, for ease of use.

More needs to go up and it will. (As soon as I get more of the work shot, that is. Photography takes so much time!)

Anyway, enjoy...and if this site is down, being worked on, please check back later.

Thanks-Allan

New Projects, New Projects...

...of various natures are rolling in.  Just for a quick update, here are some of the things either in the works at A. Guy Studio, just starting to be designed or are coming out soon:

1. Wild Scotsman Whisky:  An ultra premium single cask single malt offering, aged 12 years, Speyside, Scotland.  The design has a multiple labeling system, incorporating areas for hand signing, hand numbering and cask number registering.  This whisky is bottled at the House of MacDuff in Linwood Scotland and is full dram with a velvety finish and perfect viscosity, leaving fine "legs" on the glass.  Enough said.
2. First Colony Winery:  A new summer blush wine...details still secret until the launch!  www.firstcolonywinery.com.
   
3. Manassas Museum:  Launching now, a new line of A. Guy Studio branded products has been created, expanding their product portfolio into items like a stainless steel, eco-friendly reusable water bottles, various kitchen products...just a ton of "good stuff" which will be posted soon.
   
4. George Washington's Historic Mount Vernon/Mount Vernon Distillery-#1 stop on the National Whiskey Trail:  Two lines of authentic spirits are in design development by A. Guy Studio for GW's fascinating, rebuilt and operational 18th century distillery.  One new spirit is priced for the average consumer and history lover, the other for the American whiskey connoisuer.  More details about these items cannot be divulged until the product release. However, this design and marketing plan for this historically accurate pair has been crafted to hit sales and marketing goals (plus they look of the period-with some twists-and are great fun to design).
5. Chesapeake Bay Distilling Company, Chesapeake, Virginia, makers of Blue Ridge Vodka: These guys have two new tasty products coming out...Blue Ridge Honeysuckle Peach Flavored Vodka (the name says it all...over ice on a hot summer's day, c'mon.) and a sister product with a refreshing taste "profile" unlike anything else on the market.  Too bad it is in the final stages of development, or I would divulge more.  Look for it soon!  You can't miss the all natural look of the brand packaging.  It utilizes a charming rendition of the rolling Blue Ridge Mountains behind graphic and illustrative flavor cues, plus a cheerful use of their mascot, a Virginia cardinal.
6. Vino Curioso:  The boys at Vino Curioso's Wine Factory have successfully launched their newest red blend, "Yesterday," (see post below) and are hard at work, crafting new varietals and blends with packaging and imagery to match.  Will post some shots when they are released.  Until then, you can find their wines at many VA ABC stores, at a wine fest near you!, online at www.vinocurioso.com and soon at their new tasting facilities at the Virginia Wine Factory outside of Manassas, VA...not too far from DC, so city-folk!  Come out to "the country" and have great wine with a fun design look.

More items in the works, this is just a taste.  Check back soon!

Wintergreen Winery supports new festival: Amherst-Neslson County Summer Solstice Wine & Farm Festival

 Jeff and Tam Stone, of Wintergreen Winery, are not only a branding and package design client of mine, they are good friends and talented winemakers.  They are proud of being a Virginian winery and pleased to support local, Nelson County events, so it is natural that they will be underwriters at a new Nelson County Festival this weekend, the Amherst-Neslson County Summer Solstice Wine & Farm Festival.

The Festival will celebrate LOCAL wines (including Wintergreen, perennial winners of wine awards up and down the eastern seaboard, including the prestigious Virginia Governor's Cup), foods, music, arts and crafts, and sustainable and organic farming, healthy cooking, and the advantages of buying local. You’ll want to take part in the high noon Summer Solstice ritual performed by the Grove of the Seven Hills.

Kids, teens, and grown-ups will love the incredible BOUNCE DEPARTMENT venue with over forty inflatable bouncing setups – waterslides, sumo wrestling, climbing towers, bull-bucking. Little ones will flock to the “Tiny Tots” and “Toddler Town” areas.Go check the festival out, support locally made products, Virginia wines and especially the fine wines of Wintergreen Winery!

http://www.summersolsticefestival.com/

Vino Curioso Pouring Tasty Italian Style Wines at 5th Annual Manassas, VA Wine & Jazz Fest

This weekend, June 21, Old Town Manassas shuts down to host a whole ton of booths, including a sort of "wine alley," featuring premier Virginia wineries.  There will also be a slew of fine Jazz music, including  Doc Gibb's of Emeril fame, among others.

My clients, Michael Matthews and Michael Sawyers of Vino Curioso are the real home-town wine guys attending the Fest.  Though they have grapes growing from Winchester to the Northern Neck, Vino is soon to open their "Virginia Wine Factory" at a huge, split level, absolutely industrially cool location near Nissan Pavillion, right outside of Manassas.  

Check them out before they get too full of themselves...nibbling teensy baby quail complimented with a room temperature fromage avec la réduction de grenouille et de crevette d'airelle (thems good eats), chatting with lots of nice, wine-loving people in one of their two lounges (the upstairs one is especially sweet) and quaffing their top notch Sangiovese out of grossly oversized snifters (garnished with umbrellas), all the while referring to each other in made up, foreign pen names.  Like "Monsieur Le Plume."

Plus, you can watch them make wine at the Factory...amusing and educational!  (Really, they  are fun guys and you can see how they make their absolutely great wines.  Neat.)

Check out this shot of the owners (above) and you will know who you are talking to when you attend the Manassas Fest on Sunday.  Michael Matthews is on the left wearing a stylish golf beenie.  Michael Sawyers is on the other left, greedily clutching for his own an entire bottle of fine, fine red.  Nobody knows who belongs to the ghost hands floating on either side of this photo, but they appear thirsty.  

Check out more Festival detailed info here: 

http://media.visitmanassas.org/events/viewevent.aspx?id=2051 

Photo Credit:  Steve Urry, HMI Marketing and Events Coordinator.  Thank you, Steve!

Manassas Police Department Association Commemorative Run For Fallen Officer

Manassas, Virginia Officer John D. Conner the 3rd tragically fell in the line of duty.  

The City of Manassas honors his memory in many ways, including an annual 5-k run.  His next run is to occur  May 2, 2009.

A. Guy Studio was asked to design promotional materials for this event.  A  sample is shown here.  This sample is of a running banner to be used throughout the marathon route...the route that helps in the effort of promoting Officer Connor's brave memory.  

It features his badge and standing honor guard, as well as the traditional black/blue/black stripes worn in honor of a fallen officer.

Any person wishing to participate in this race, either running or volunteering to help the organization of the event, would be certainly welcome.  Please contact the Manassas City Police Association (MCPA).

We appreciate your support.

Historic Battle of Manassas 150th Anniversary Sparkling Cider

The Manassas Museum requested that a logo, created by A. Guy Studio, commemorating the 1st & 2nd Battles of Manassas/Bull Run, into a label for a Virginia sparkling cider, soon to be released.  This commemorative apple cider will be available via the Manassas Museum store "Echoes" in a short number of weeks.  Please use the link at the top right for further contact information.

The Manassas Museum asked A. Guy Studio to design a logo in commemoration of the 150th anniversary of the battles of Manassas/Bull Run.

(Town names were used by Rebels and natural markings were used by Yankees, for labeling  battle engagements.  Manassas is the nearby town.  Bull Run is the name of a local creek, known by the local term as a "run").

This logo shows the First National Flag of the the Confederacy on the left, the American flag on the right.  An authentic cannon used to win the battle of First Manassas for the Confederacy is shown in the middle.  It is on display on the Museum grounds.

The "printer's ornaments and frames" are of the period and totally authentic, though altered slightly for design purposes.

This logo will be used for various branding and promotional purposes via the City of Manassas Museum.  Those interested in this this logo, this commemorative or products related to this historic event, can be reached by contacting "Echoes," the Museum store.  

Please see the link in my "Favorites" list on the right of this page, near the top.

Philip Carter Strother shows New Featured Painting at VA Wine Epo

At the recent Virginia Wine Expo, in the Commonwealth's capitol of Richmond, Philip Carter Strother (owner of Philip Carter Winery of Hume/Markam, Virginia) is shown a newly created painting of his family farm.  

Painted by Allan Guy, this painting is to go onto a special sub-brand, produced by Philip Carter Winery, with portions of the proceeds to go to charity, benefiting the beautiful northern Virginia Piedmont region.

Each year, specifically, a Virginia artist will be asked to contribute a Virginia scene (in his or her medium of choice) to this cause, benefitting the region that is the homeland of the Carter/Strother family...as well as that of Allan Guy, since before 1650.

The painting is an oil on prepared on fine, Molvin' d' Arches French watercolor paper and depicts the view of the headwaters of creeks leading into Crooked Run Valley, from the family farm named Valley View.  It is a working farm to this day, with productive orchards and cattle also being produced in abundance.

Look for a launching of this wine, featuring this artwork in the late spring!

Also, please look into Piedmont Virginia magazine, who kindly provided this photograph, but also provide a wonderful publication worthy of subscribing to! --special thanks to Margaret McCann.  This photo and her article describing it has been recently published in this fine magazine.

Poster based on new Vino Curioso art released

Just released!  A new poster, with original art created by Shea Matthews, daughter of Vino Curioso Winery owner Micheal Matthews, has been created.

A. Guy Studio was asked by Vino Curioso to format Shea's artwork into a label for a soon to be released white wine.  The artwork is so special, a poster for promotion was a natural thing to create.  

This poster is being used for promotional purposes and was most recently featured at the Virginia Wine Expo in Richmond, Virginia.

So, kudos to the budding artist-Shea Matthews!

VA Senators Celebrate Washington's Birthday With A Drink

A. Guy Studio's George Washington Whiskey design featured in the Virginia Senate!

Story below is from the AP news service.

"RICHMOND, Va., (AP) -- How better to mark the birthday of George Washington than with a taste of All-American whiskey?  Sunday was Washington's 227th birthday.  Members of the Virginia Senate found green keepsake boxes left on their desks, containing a single, 1.7 ounce bottle with a blend of 11 major brands of American whiskeys.

Each box, courtesy of Historic Mount Vernon and the Distilled Spirits Council of the the United States, also contained a shot glass.

The labels, as diverse as Tennessee's Jack Daniels, Missouri's Platte Valley and home-state Virginia Gentleman, were mingled, vatted, bottled and labeled at Mount Vernon, Washington's Virginia estate.

Strong drink in Richmond's corridors of power isn't new.  Presenting it on the Senate floor is rare.  Senator Ken Stolle of Virginia Beach said he has never seen the like in his 4 1/2 terms."

A. Guy Design wine entered in international competition

The "7" Port style Virginia wine, created by winemaker Matthieu Finot for King Family Vineyards and designed by A. Guy Studio, has been entered in the 2009 Lodi International Wine Awards.

This prestigious, world-wide wine competition, based in California, is judged by many well known vintners and premium goods designers, whose credentials can be viewed here:  http://www.lodiwineawards.com/judges.aspx

King Family Vineyards is active in the Virginia polo community and "7" refers to the "7th chukkar"-chukkar is a period in a polo match.  Polo has 6 chukkars and the "7th chukkar" is reserved for after match relaxation and enjoyment.

The name is also a reference to the exclusive 7 Society of the University of Virginia.  The King Family is a big supporter of U.V.A. and also has connections to the 7 Society, therefore, this product pays tribute to both institutions.

Falconwood White Table Wine Promotes Virginia Artists and Contributes to the Community

Philip Carter Winery of Virginia has created an on-going project, combining landscape art, civic pride and the art of wine making.

Each year, a Virginian artist will be chosen to create a painting that will be featured on a Falconwood label.  The scene must be of  the northern Virginia Piedmont.  To quote winery owner Philip Carter Strother, "Through this label...the winery honors the people of Virginia's northern Piedmont, whose unique culture, defined by it's historic, rural landscape, is fondly referred to as America's Hallowed Ground."

The artist's information will be featured on the wine's back label and the original painting hung in Cleve Hall, at Philip Carter winery.

With community in mind, Philip Carter Winery of Virginia will give one dollar from each bottle sold to it's designated community charity, the Leeds Ruritan Club, in Fauquier County.  Some of these funds will be used to protect the local landscape.

This years painting, an oil on canvas by Andrei Kushnir, is called "Evening in the Valley" and is a view of the Carter-Strother family's historic Valley View Farm near Paris, Virginia.  

It was an honor for me to be asked to design the packaging and branding for Falconwood, as this wine promotes and features local artistic talent and contributes generously to charity.

www.pcwinery.com

A Guy Oil Painting Raises Money for Wetland Conservancy

At a recent Ducks Unlimited dinner/auction event, held in Old Town Manassas, Virginia, an Allan Guy oil painting of Crooked Run Valley went for top dollar, raising much needed funds to help preserve local wetlands.

Ducks Unlimited is a premier organization in terms of preserving wetlands nationally and internationally. The Manassas chapter of DU is a top fund raiser in the VA Commonwealth. Artwork of all types are high ticket auction items, raising funds for this worthy cause.

In this case, A. Guy Studio's oil painting was done on prepared Molvin d' Arches 100% cotton rag, cold pressed watercolor paper. It shows the view from a hillock on Valley View Farm, overlooking the headwaters of Crooked Run Valley, on the eastern slope of the Blue Ridge Mountains, near Paris, Virginia. The farm is owned by the Carter-Strother family, of Philip Carter Winery, who generously donated to this event in many ways.

The painting was purchased by, and is in the art collection of, Councilman Wallace Covington, of Prince William County, Virginia.

Prince William Ducks Unlimited Event February 6th, 2009

Every year, the sportsman of Prince WIlliam County/Manassas City get together for a fine dinner and auction to benefit Ducks Unlimited. I am proud to be associated with this chapter of DU.

If you don't know of DU, they are quite an old conservation group, dedicated to preserving our nations wetlands, though Ducks does conservation work abroad, as well.

Early on, duck hunters found that the habitat needed for waterfowl was rapidly eroding and so sought to band together, saving these delicate, all-important environments for posterity.

Later, people who did not hunt, but were fishermen, crabbers, watermen, oystermen, or folks who just wanted to preserve nature for animals of all types, became involved in this organization.

Today, Ducks Unlimited is the nations largest preservation society of it's kind, bar none.

All types of environments have the benefit of DU's attention, including "pothole ponds" of the prairies, riversides ripped apart by modern construction, wetlands along our nations shores and bays (often due to over-development, for such things as retirement golf courses, which deposit vast amounts of chemicals directly into sensitive marshlands)...these all are "rehabilitated" by Ducks Unlimited...and more.

So, if you are in the area, tickets are available for our Virginia fund raising event. A wonderful dinner is serves, a bar with fine wines and liquors is available, and auctions (everything from shotguns to oil paintings and all sort of stuff in between) and raffles of all sort make for a good time.

We even sponsor scholarships for young people to go to school to learn about environmental management...your ticket fee will go directly for a very good series of causes.

Contact Chip & Nancy Rohr: (703) 368-3000‎
Location: Portuguese Club, 9509 West Lee Avenue, Manassas, Va 20110
Doors open at 6:00 P.M.

New Wild Scotsman Mini Bottle Created

Wild Scotsman Whisky, distilled by The House of MacDuff in Linwood, Scotland and blended by Jeffery Topping (THE "Wild Scotsman") now has a mini bottle to extend it's product line.

A blend of top quality single malt casks, this mini offering contains a design translation of the new labeling, produced recently by A. Guy Studio for their 750 Ml. products.

Featuring a red, dragon-like "WS script in the background, Celtic knotwork patterns, a Scottish buckler-shield as a crest and a brand new, recognisable logo based on an ancient Columncille type form, this packaging has elevated the general livery of this brand.

Look for this mini (and the 750 size) at stores near you or contact Jeffery directly at www.wildscotsman.com!

"Rugby Red" wine designed for UVA Rugby Club

The acclaimed French winemaker, Matthieu Finot, who is also an avid rugby player, created a red wine vintage to raise money for the University of Virginia Rugby Club. A blend of Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Tannat, this wine is a hearty, well balanced offering.

Sales of "Rugby Red" will help keep the UVA Rugby Team going...established in 1961, this team is the oldest rugby club below the Mason-Dixon line. Players invloved in this club come not only from the South, but also from France, Australia, England, Ireland and South Africa. It was a privilege to design a wine for such a diverse group.

Matthieu (we just, with sincere kindness, call him "Frenchy") not only created this fine wine but also contributed to the labeling design. And he looks forward to kicking (mostly English) butt on the rugby field, so he is not just your average winemaker!

Mid-Atlantic WIne Resources on the Web

If you are looking to vistit a winery in the Mid-Atlantic/South region and do not know where to go, you should go online and look up a winery (or an entire wine trail) via one of the sites listed below. All are well done, easy to navigate and provide invaluable information for those interested in quality American wine!

VA - http://www.virginiawines.org/
MD - http://www.marylandwine.com/
NC - http://www.visitnc.com/what_to_do_wine.asp?s=fw
PA - http://www.pennsylvaniawine.com/

New Philip Carter Winery Branding & Packaging

Philip Carter Winery, in Markham, Virginia, has a few new wine lines. The example shown here shows one of many middle tier red wines produced at this wonderful winery.

This label features an icon of Cleve Plantation, where Philip's ancestor made the first award winning American wines during the colonial period (see below).

Whites are being produced as well and also an easy drinking line called Falconwood, with artwork from Virginia artists gracing the label, unique for each vintage. Some of the proceeds of the sale of Falconwood will go to charity, helping preserve the unique and historic landscape of the Northern Viriginia Piedmont region.

Digital printing services for this product were provided by Labels Unlimited, U.S.A. of Virginia Beach, Virginia. Tele: (757) 340 8893.

Historic Manassas Museum Launches Branded Products

The Manassas Museum, located in Old Town Manassas, decided to launch a line of branded products highlighting the history and tradition of this very special region of the "Old Dominon."

Located in the heart of the Virginia Piedmont and the site of two major battles in the War Between the States-First Manassas (Bull Run) and Second Manassas (Bull Run), Manassas has many historical points of note and the Museum sought product design to leverage this rich history.

To name but a few...

It was here that "Stonewall" Jackson got his nickname of...well, "Stonewall," so given because of his unyileding battle lines. Also, Manassas is the site of the first military railroad...in the world. Spies and subterfuge made this part of Virginia a hotbed of clandestine activity. Colonel John Mosby, Confederate raider, literally roamed this area with impunity, giving the region the name "Mosby's Confederacy."

Shirts, mugs, rulers, bookmarks, historical tins...a whole line of items have been produced and I was pleased to be asked to work on designing these interesting projects.

Shown here is the tin for the old Hopkins Candy Factory, an enterprise that once dominated Old Town Manassas. With quality candy in this tin, the period piece graphics, developed by A Guy Studio, reflect the time of this business's hay-day.

Also shown is a bookmark with a timeline of Manassas highlights on one side and vignets ont he other, including an image of a cipher disk on the front...a cipher disk used to send messages between agents of the Confederate Secret Service.

Other items to be posted soon-

White Hall Vineyards, Cuvee Des Champs Redesigned

White Hall Vineyards, a top tier mid-Atlantic vineyard located on the eastern slope of the Blue Ridge Mountains, in White Hall Virginia, looked to re-brand their products. White Hall did not have a logotype that was prorietary, a look that was visually "ownable" on shelf.

So, I was referred to Toni Champ, the owner of White Hall, by the Virginia Wine Board Marketing Office to be a consultant. After a few meetings, we came up with a line of creative that hit the mark. The new branding uses the clean simple style that White Hall prefers while making a look that is unique to this particular winery.

Starting with their Cuvee Des Champs ("fruit of the fields" and a play on the owners name), the new branding features an elegant oval label, die cut from the fine, 100% cotton rag, textured stock, hot stamping and triple beveling. The ink lay introduction was double-thick, so in hand, this is as much of a delight as the product in the glass.

If you are west of Charlottesville, Virginia, stop by their lovely winery. Gracious people, lovely area, great wine...worth a visit, trust me.

(Try the syrah)

Image coming soon-

Steve Ollice Design, Web Designer for A Guy Studio

Steve Ollice...a fellow East Carolina Grad...is quickly pulling together elements for my web redesign (long time in coming and sorely needed!).  Located in the Raleigh, N.C. area, Steve is a very talented, trustworthy and easy going artist who has my high recommendations.

My web presence has been improved immeasurably by his skills.  If you are interested in working with Steve, view his work and contact him via his site:  http://ollicedesign.com/

Links to Wine & Spirits Clients

Many people have been asking where to find such and such wine or spirit, so I would like to post the websites of some of my clients.  

Check out their sites.  Good people, all and you can find out how to get everything from a quality Virginia port to a superlative blended Scotch whisky!  And more!

In alphabetical order...

Christensen Ridge Winery - http://www.christensenridge.com/

First Colony Winery - http://www.firstcolonywinery.com/

King Family Vineyards - http://www.kingfamilyvineyards.com/

Philip Carter Winery of Virginia – http://www.pcwinery.com/

Potomac Point Vineyards & Winery - http://www.potomacpointwinery.com/

Vino Curioso Winery - http://www.vinocurioso.com/

White Hall Vineyards -

http://www.whitehallvineyards.com/

Wild Scotsman Whiskey - http://www.wildscotsman.com/ 

Wintergreen Winery - http://www.firstcolonywinery.com/

Video Graphics for Robert Lokody Project

My friend, Rob Lokody, a very talented free-lance writer and poet, recently asked me to do typography and graphics for a spot ad he recently produced.  Rob is a former ad executive and the office head of Saatchi and Saatchi Advertising, Budapest.

The ad is for a church in Connecticut and far from being "preachy," it is quite original and fresh. Though his church is not mine, I was pleased to be asked to help with this project, as this organization is open and welcoming in it's views.

So, a final cut of this ad will be posted soon, along with contact information, should anyone want to contact Robert Lokody for copywriting, advertising and producing work.

Clip coming soon-

New Wild Scotsman Whisky Branding Unveiled

Jeffery Topping, owner and blend master of Wild Scotsman Whisky, needed a new image for his brand. His top-quality Scotch whiskys were not getting the proper shelf attention to garner the price point they deserve.

So he hired me to redo his image and together, we developed something truly unique, arresting and effective.

The new bottling has been recently shipped to the U.S. and is on sale in various locations that can be found be visiting Jeffery's site: www.wildscotsman.com.

The package has bold new branding, with a red, serpentine "WS" background coming out of a black background. Some areas include a subtle Celtic knot-work background pattern. Gold accents and a thistle and shield crest make this a tribute to Scot history, but with an edge. This is a premium dram, yes, but not your grandpa's whisky, for sure.

A line of whiskeys based on this new branding is being developed, with different ages and blends as well as sizes. A mini bottle version is being developed as well.

If you are looking for the "real stuff," bottled by the House of MacDuff, supervised by Jeff, as well as the legendary whisky maker John MacDougall...here you go. The slogan, "History of a Nation in Just one Dram" says it all.

Digital printing services for this product were provided by Labels Unlimited, U.S.A. of Virginia Beach, Virginia. Tele: (757) 340 8893.

Vino Curioso at Culpeper Wine & Food Festival

Late in the season, there is a great wine festival in quaint, downtown Culpeper, Virginia. Old railroad town, antebellum buildings, the whole bit. Great place to hold a festival when they block off the streets and put in booths and a bandstand for music.

I helped pour for my friend and winery owner/wine maker Michael Matthews (in the photo), of Vino Curioso (Winchester, VA). These shots are from the end of the day, so don't show the crowds, but it was a good day in general and the quality wines of Vino Curioso...one of the few wineries in the Commonwealth to make a Sangiovese wine...were a big hit. Sold out, in fact.

Check out Vino Curioso wines at http://www.vinocurioso.com.

Digital printing services for Vino Curioso products were provided by Labels Unlimited, U.S.A. of Virginia Beach, Virginia. Tele: (757) 340 8893.

Philip Carter Fall Festival

This is a little late, but I just came across a few photos from a festival a wine client of mine held this fall and the place is so nice, I had to post.  The winery is Philip Carter Winery, in Markham, Virginia, in a bit of a hollow on the east side of the Blue Ridge Mountains...beautiful piedmont country.

Philip Carter is a direct descendant of Robert "King" Carter, an impressive, colonial Virginia landholder.  Philip's ancestors at Cleve Hall, an old family property, were the first to create quality wines in Virginia.  Their wines won a gold medal from the London Society for the Encouragement of the Arts in 1762...the first recognized fine wines in America.

You can check out his winery at www.pcwinery.com.

Some of these views are from the winery cuploa...worth a trip to the winery just to take in the landscape!

George Washington Straight Rye Whiskey! This product is the precursor and pair to Martha Washington Rum. I was asked to design this package as they had no idea what type of package George had back in 1792, but we know h
e was the largest distiller in the Colonies, by far, at that time.

This being the first distilling of his whiskey since the 1700's, we had to come up with a design that would fit-hence this hand blown decanter, wooden stopper, with on glass etching and hand labeling.

George's original distillery has been rebuilt on the original Mount Vernon site and the whiskey remade via his original mash-bill, using a period copper pot still.

Many master distillers were involved in this project, from Ron Call at Cruzan Rum, to Bacardi, to Jim Beam, to...well, you name it, all coordinated by Joe Dangler, the master distiller at A. Smith Bowman. They make Virginia's premium red-rye bourbon, Virginia Gentleman.

The distillery was inaugurated with a celebration attended by Prince Andrew of Scotland, since George's whiskey maker was Scottish. Later, there was an auction at Mount Vernon...the first bottle sold for $100,000, to Marvin Shanken, the owner of the magazine Wine Spectator, after an evening of fireworks and a meal overlooking the Potomac.

Good going for George! His whiskey is now currently being remade for public consumption. I did some mini bottles of this product you can buy if you visit Mount Vernon now, and various forms of his recipe will be available in larger bottles in the new year.

Digital printing services for this product were provided by Labels Unlimited, U.S.A. of Virginia Beach, Virginia. Tele: (757) 340 8893.

Martha Washington Rum auction at Mount Vernon

Product Photo: Andrew Harnik, http://www.andrewharnik.com

This past fall, I attended an auction at Mount Vernon for the launching of the product I designed, Martha Washington Rum. A bottle of this rum went for 20,000 bucks, in auction! The beautiful evening at Mount Vernon started with private tours of the place, up to the usually closed off 3rd floor, hors d'oeuvres on the lawn, then, a short speech by the Deputy Minister from France.

After a moment of silence for fallen soldiers while looking at the evening over the Potomac, the Marine Corps Brass Band came in and played a number of martial tunes, and exactly when they stopped, (EXACTLY, the whole band is so disciplined, they were in complete synchronization...amazing) fireworks went off over the Potomac!

We ate via white glove service (the Wellington was excellent!) in a tent on the lawn which was tastefully interrupted by Senator Tom Harkin giving a small talk and an auction of the rum, featuring a re-enactor of George Washington on the dais. Senator John Warner of VA was also recognized, as well as a few others. Finally, coffee (espresso) and candied pears with chocolate for a spectacular finish.

Below are links to a few stories about the event.

Tom Harkin, Frank Keating Honored for Commitment to Spirituous Liquors, U.S. New & World Report

Martha Washington's rum fetches $20,000, Washington D.C. Examiner

Yaaarghh! A $20,000 bottle of rum, Baltimore Sun

Digital printing services for this product were provided by Labels Unlimited, U.S.A. of Virginia Beach, Virginia. Tele: (757) 340 8893.

Welcome to the A. Guy Studio Blog!

Allan Guy Design & Illustration (A. Guy Studio), of Old Town Manassas, Virginia, specializes in premium brand imagery for the quality goods markets. 

Currently focused on the growing Mid-Atlantic wine region, this blog is here to keep current all of the new things that are happening...new designs, new paintings, wine fests for my clients, new distillery projects from Virginia to Scotland!

Please read more about me and some of my clients in the "about me" section, so you can get a better idea of who I am and what I do best.

Enjoy and happy 2009-

Regards-

A. Guy, prop.