Let me hop in the custom DeLorean and set the digital alarm for 1995. We are in Las Vegas, Nevada at the now closed (then open) Hands Ink Advertising. The firm is near I-15 and Meade Ave. A disgruntled production designer has been working for the company for three years and has put his time and due diligence into the company. Eager to have his wages reflect what he feels owed to him. He still tolerates a company that is not so eager to grow creativity. He visits a local Photography company called Adventure Studios and meets a photographers assistant Sergio “Checko” Salgato to discuss what this town really needs is better creative. Most creatives discuss these things but rarely have the chance to express nor develop these ideas. Then opportunity struck. Production Manager Bob Dempsey decided to ask the team at Hands Ink to design and develop the new “Concert of Love” for Opportunity Village. Everyone heard of OppVillage but very few heard about the “Concert Of Love.” A spectacle of Vegas’s top acts performing one or two acts to raise funds for Opp. Village. The show was a highlight reel of Vegas’s finest. The opportunity was exciting and such a change from the drab work of the daily grind.
After exploring several options. We needed Sergio’s photography and the designs to merge to a poster design that would set the tone of the whole show. After working several nights with loss of sleep and dedication towards creating a work of art, The new design was taking flight. I designed and developed two concepts, mounted them and prepared them for client viewing. The next day the owner came in made the announcement that the client was coming to see the creative, yet not one single designer answered, except m3. The owner took one look at the work and bluntly stated they sucked and he doesn’t want to show the work at all. By the time he mentioned that statement My hero walked through our front door. Linda Smith, CEO of Opp. Village. She is bright full of life and was very excited to be there. After basic cordials I presented the work and she was speechless until she slowly mumbled Its Beautiful!! I absolutely LOVE IT!
The owner must have forgot what he said about the work since he all of a sudden loved it too. Luckily for him he didn’t have to pull strings for a photographer to shoot the four elements using light filters and cool objects. And countless hours of research to develop a theme for the event! - Inside turmoil and steam were building, I couldn’t believe the owner pulled such a switcheroo. I had to go get fresh air, I took Linda’s advice and visited Opp.Village and to my surprise all my worries, a majority of my stress went away. The place had workers that absolutely loved hat they were doing and when I entered the room everyone greeted me with a smile of hug. The people at Opportunity Village allowed me to drain my current frustrations and fill my DeLorean up with fuel. As guests of Linda Smith we were able to see the show and our design won a couple of ADDY’s, they were my first of many to collect dust on my studios shelves. More importantly, we set a standard for the Concert of Love for the next few years! The poster was simple in a challenging format. How does one “grasp a concept of Love?” worked in Venus (Greek myth), a bed of Red Roses and elements of photography to represent the heart. It was a big event for Opp. Village they deserve all the support and luster from our town.
Hop back in the DeLorean, rev back to 2010, last weekend, went to Sam’s Club to do my ritual of snack and Graze and Noticed a New book on display, “Helping Hands, Healing Hearts” the story of Opportunity Village. I thumbed threw the pages to see how Linda would share her venture. Then the Designer Karma hit me harder than an elbow to the face from a UFC match. The very design that would give me permission to defend myself is still be honored (Page 153). I was floored, Thank you Linda Smith, Peggy Smith, Bob Dempsey and Sergio Salgato my deepest thanks! You never know when designs will later in life be gifts of inspiration!
Looking forward now to reading the story!
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