I made it.

Its been a while since I've written into this template, but I was having withdrawals, and not to mention, I have had a million and a half things happen since I did last. So let's recap the events.

First things first: I graduated from Portfolio Center. It was great. I was very ready to finish. Check out my updated portfolio of work on EricDewyngaert.com.

Second: I went to New York for a portfolio review/celebratory weekend with my fellow graduates. It was halloween weekend, so needless to say, fun times, from what I can remember. I met some great companies, and definitely saw interest in my work, which is what is was all about. I was their from Thursday-Monday evening, and the review fell on the Friday am. I met a recruiter during who set up a meeting with me on Monday am after the review, in which there was an interest for a position. Very long story short, by the time I was La Guardia bound in an accidental stretch limo with some friends, I was considering this being the last time I am leaving New York for a while. I had landed an interview for the next thursday, which I was required to get back to Atlanta, get things in order in about a weeks time, to be able to board a flight that Wednesday back to New York. One way.

Third: I did the move. I landed a sublet on the upper west side of Manhattan with a friend throughout the end of 2010. I put all of my life into 3 suitcases, said my very hard goodbyes, and set sail for my new life that abruptly fell into place. Moving to NYC meant I was going without a job, a temporary home, no family and only a handful of friends, and all of my belongings sitting in storage in Augusta, including my Xterra that I would still be making payments on in my mother's driveway. Still, something told me to go. Years of dreaming for this, those all seamed like petty hurdles for me to figure out, at a later time.

Fourth: As I moved to NYC, I was contacted by another firm who had met me in May at the portfolio review, and again at the review in October, mentioning they wanted me to come by the office to meet some others, which at the time I did not realize was an actual interview, I would be presenting to the Executive Creative Director. I guess the unknown kept me calm. Long story short, I interviewed with both companies, and the Monday before Thanksgiving day, had found a home as a full-time junior designer at Momentum Worldwide in the lower west side of Manhattan, start December 6th. On top of that, I also received a full-time freelance week from another firm for the week prior to start Momentum, in which I made enough money to move into an apartment (paying my 1-month security deposit and first month's rent). Crazy how that worked out.

Fifth: The first week of work could not have gone any more amazing. I was received with huge open arms, friendly faces, a Herman Miller Aeron chair, and the potential to work on some amazing work. That week, I found myself with an offer for an apartment in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, which I will be moving into on the 1st of January. I am one stop away from Manhattan on the subway, and have a beautiful view of the Williamsburg bridge from my bedroom window.

Sixth: As the first week of work ended, I was starting to feel like things were becoming evident that I made the right move. On Saturday night, I received a call from a retired dentist in Augusta making me an offer for my Xterra, which was the payoff of the car, taking it off my hands. It was the biggest relief and stress reliever that could have happened.

So, I am very happy needless to say that New York City is indeed my new home. I do miss friends and family, but I am living a long awaited dream and its just as amazing as I could have imagined. I am very thankful and blessed for what has happened for me, and can't wait to see what the new year holds. Stay tuned.

Next agenda item, driving all the rest of my stuff up here. Here are some pictures of life so far:

The video is shot from the rooftop of my office building. It really doesn't do it justice.

My morning subway commute. Packed.

My friend Kristel and I in Strawberry Fields in Central park on December 8th. Cool experience

My office, well, part of it.

My desk at work.

Staying southern in the laundromat

Almost there!

One week from today I officially sign off from art school (I present my final portfolio to a body of my fellow students). I graduate the next day, Friday Oct 15. Its going to be a great next couple of weeks. At the end of the month, I along with the rest of my quarter will travel up to NYC for a portfolio review, where hopefully I'll connect with someone to get me up there quick. Here is the poster that my friend Jamie designed for the event.

A sincere thank you

Next week is my last official week of class at Portfolio Center. Wow, 2 years flew by. I am definitely ready as I have been working literally around the clock. I still have a good bit of work to get finished, but I am starting to see a little light at the end. I am pretty excited about the prospective jobs I am looking into once I finish.

I wanted to just take a second and thank the ones that have stood behind me and supported me through this. Though some may not have understood me quitting my full-time job and going back to school, but I know in the end I really can see the ones that stuck with me along the way and as I celebrate this accomplishment, I celebrate it with each of you.

I have made friends at school that have become literally brothers and sisters to me. When you go through emotional turmoil of too much work, the ones that see you at your lowest lows definitely become a little closer to you, regardless if they like it or not.

My mom and sister have been firm foundations on keeping me going, from the very beginning of me quitting my job and finding better in life. Through simple emails, calls, texts, short day visits, and the monetary assistance that I required sometimes, they have become to absolute reason of why I was able to remain strong and driven during the hard road. My uncles and aunts, and grandparents, through facebook or blog posts, or emails, have always let me know of their support. Even though they are pressing hard for me to be a west coaster, I have never had a doubt that they only want me to succeed and be ultimately happy. Through little comments here and there about the crap I was blogging, those are the things that kept me hanging on. My girlfriend, Megan, has been with me through severe ups and downs, and has done everything in her power to make this last leg of school as relaxing and stress free as she can when I'm with her. I love her to death and can't really figure out how I made it this far in life without her. And the loyalty of my friends who knew I had to disappear sometimes because I got under so much work. They stayed with me and now that I start to see where I get my social life back, the ones that kept faith in me through it now have become just like family to me.

Though this may come off as a cheesy post, in the same sense that academy award winners spat off nervously at a microphone, I felt it absolutely necessary.

Hang on to those who hang on to you. God has them in your life for a reason, and the ones that believe in you are part of the who you really are. And I definitely can say that the ones that have supported me I am in huge debt to for the rest of my life, and I will continue to strive upholding the promises I made of being the absolute best person I can be.

Alright, enough of that...holla

Getting close to the end...

Oh how things are really starting to get crazy and exciting. I just started my 8th and final quarter at Portfolio Center. This 3 months is all about tightening up and perfecting my portfolio, and preparing us to set sail into the industry on a search for the perfect job. It is probably one of the most exciting times of my life thus far, and I can't wait to see the outcome.

Along with the completion of the portfolio I am accepting an intern position at Realm Advertising, just up the road from the city. I will have opportunities to work with some of the video and motion graphics I have been getting interested in lately.

So keep posted. I will have all the finished work up on my website around the beginning of October.

Here are some dates for my finishing up:

October 11th & 12th - I will sign off at school. (Present my finished portfolio to my peers)
October 15th - Graduation at school.
October 29th - Portfolio review in New York City.

Motion to advertising

And here is an example of motion being done INCREDIBLY inside advertising. Enjoy.

Jack Daniel's "Label Story": "Old No. 7" from Brand New School on Vimeo.

Making it move...

So, I have been getting into motion graphics lately. It is all the rage in the industry, and where a good bit of money is as well. Its mostly dealing with After Effects, a program that does many of the effects you see in movies and such. I have a LOOONNNNGGGG way to go to get to this point, but hopefully one day I'll be apart of a team to create something like this. Enjoy.

Lilac Wine from kimcool on Vimeo.

Actually, Nevermind

I went and tried out Tumblr, but I think I still prefer using Blogger more. So I will just keep posting on here, but keep my Tumblr as well. I have a post coming up soon about this current quarter I just started, which is also my last. The big 8. So get ready.