Poster commemorating WJE’s award-winning restoration of the Miami-Dade County Courthouse in Miami, Florida

I created this image for Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates, Inc to celebrate their award-winning restoration work on the Miami-Dade County Courthouse. “This exhilarating Jazz Age poster captures the heroic essence of this awe-inspiring building,” said Parker.

Built in 1928, the Miami-Dade County Courthouse is 360 feet tall and was the first high-rise building constructed in Miami for the County. For decades after construction, it was known as the tallest building south of Baltimore. The building is in the art deco style of South Florida and is clad in terra cotta with a granite base. The plaza encompasses nearly a square city block and includes granite and slate paving. The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1989.

The William Morris Society Museum in London, England adds “Kelmscott Press” & “Village Press” posters to its remarkable collection

Helen Elletson, Curator for The William Morris Museum holding two posters — the “Kelmscott Press” and the “Village Press,” each dramatic image integrates elements of the trusted Albion letterpress which William Morris used to create legendary Arts & Crafts impressions. These posters were created in celebration of the upcoming 115th Anniversary of the Village Press which Frederic W. Goudy established in Park Ridge, Illinois.

The first poster was inspired by the Kelmscott Press, founded by William Morris in Hammersmith,London, in 1891, where he produced the highly-regarded book, The Works of Geoffrey Chaucer (1896). This poster is a tribute to William Morris and his Arts and Crafts ideas which inspired The Park Ridge Art Colony — from Frederic W. Goudy to Clara Barck Welles and her hand-wrought pieces by Kalo artists that were the preeminent silver of the American Arts & Crafts movement.

The second poster celebrates the artistry and craftsmanship of The Village Press, founded in 1903 by Frederic W. Goudy in Park Ridge, Illinois. The Village Press venture was modeled on the ideals of William Morris and the Arts and Crafts movement. The first publication of The Village Press was the William Morris essay, Printing which was awarded prizes at the 1904 World Exhibition in St. Louis. The Village Press went on to publish The Door in the Wall & Other Stories by H. G. Wells, Rip Van Winkle by Washington Irving and many other classic impressions.

It was Goudy’s international reputation for type design that made this private press so extraordinary. In 1924, Goudy purchased a model Albion letterpress used by William Morris himself. That press is now famously called the Kelmscott/Goudy Press and is in the Cary Graphic Arts Collection at Rochester Institute of Technology.

Nutcracker Holiday Concert

I wanted a singular dramatic image to convey the splendor, magic and enchantment of The Nutcracker in this poster. The stylized shapes, bright colors create a whimsical and delightful toy soldier.

The Park Ridge Civic Orchestra performed Tchaikovsky’s acclaimed musical score December 2017. The Holiday Concert was a heart-lifting celebration, featuring timeless holiday music, from legendary Park Ridge pianist Kent Wehman and jazz vocalist, Sara Marie Young.

California Route 66 Museum adds the “Route 66 Rocks” Poster — a tribute to the classic “Chain of Rocks Motel” sign

The California Route 66 Museum just expanded its collection of “the most famous highway in the world” with an original poster from artist Rex Parker. The “Route 66 Rocks” poster is a tribute to the classic “Chain of Rocks Motel” sign in Granite City, Illinois. It is near the Chain of Rocks Bridge, one of the largest and most seminal spots on Route 66.

Route 66 Mother Road Museum in Barstow, California — acquires the iconic “Classical Gas” poster

As an American artist, designer and illustrator who greatly admires the historic preservation mission of the Route 66 Mother Road Museum, I was honored that the Museum secured my original poster titled “Classical Gas.” The poster is a tribute to the Soulsby Service Station in Mount Olive, Illinois. This Route 66 icon was established in 1926 and is listed in the National Register of Historic Places. The “Classical Gas” poster design is a celebration of vintage gas pumps, road trips and is part of my “Route 66 Rocks” poster series.