Pimping Aint Easy

Brizzi: Logo pimpin' ain't easy

"Oh yeah, that one's mine," he says when prodded, pointing to the logo for Wilson's Tavern. When he reaches Charmed Life, goes to the back room where his posters for special events and bands sit on the ground in frames ready to be hung, he pauses as if overwhelmed. "I have to say, when it's in this form and not just tacked up on a wall, it changes the focus a bit." He's inspired by the bold kid-appeal of classic Workers Progress Administration posters (now recognized for the art they are), the starkness of Soviet propaganda and woodcut prints. They're industrial. There's elements of circus and carnival posters. There's a certain flair. And his posters for local bands are very adult (you'll never think of My Little Pony in the same way again), blazing with you-can’t-look-away color. In 2008, he was let go from his gaming industry job and began devoting more time to design work -- on his own terms, strictly freelance. Local businesses and organizations started calling, knowing what they'd get: something classic, timeless (Brizzi points out that it's others, not himself, who call his work "timeless." But it's true.) and churned out quickly and at relatively low-cost (typical range: $250-$300). Brizzi does this type of work not just because he enjoys it -- he sees it as giving something back to his community. He says this and it doesn't sound cheesy somehow.

He lives in Arcadia with his wife, Heather, and 6-year-old triplets, two boys and a girl. Brizzi, originally from New Jersey, loves this area of town, its hidden-gem atmosphere. He calls it "sort of this organically developing sort-of incubator for homegrown cottage industry." COMMENTING POLICY: Readers are encouraged to post comments that are germane to the article. We reserve the right to remove any user, and to delete comments that contain abusive language or personal threats, as well as those that are racist or demeaning. Readers may report comments by clicking "Report Abuse." Once a comment has been flagged, a Baltimore Sun staffer will investigate. Click here for more information on commenting.