In 1983 I painted"Five o' clock..." My publisher felt that it would be a great image to use for my 2nd poster. She thought every secretary would relate to this image and buy one. This idea came from my experiences working in an office. When I was 20 I went to an agency to try to get a job. I was hired instantly by a company at the Pacific Design Center. It was a company that sold modular systems for working environments. They liked my voice so I answered phones in a cubicle, a little light typing and followed up on leads for the sales executives. It was dull and boring, especially working in that little cubicle. This is how I felt at "Five o'clock..." when I would leave this cage, remove the shackles and fly out the door. Not a care in the world. I could leave this job and not bring home any baggage...
The poster was printed and distributed in 1985 and in 1989 I was thrilled to land a puzzle deal with Yamakatsu in Japan. This image along with 3 of my other paintings were made into these amazing puzzles that were popular there. Many years later when I had a greeting card deal with Marisol, I revived this theme in a card for the every day line I created for them. It was a card that had a gift certificate and awarded the recipient to leave work one hour early! The girl in this poster/puzzle was originally conceived for one of my first commercial jobs used on a container for "Beverly Hills Bagel Chips" in 1981. So she went from a container to an idea for a poster, puzzles and then a greeting card. I got a lot of mileage out of this one idea that spanned over a decade!
right: Marisol greeting card copyright 1994
center: Yamakatsu puzzle copyright 1989
left: poster copyright 1985
12 comments:
ohhh, freedom! Sometimes i feel the same, Sometimes I´d like to fly away and go to a silent and pleasant beach
Make that overtwo decades now she's furnished a great posting!
It took me a long time to realise I needed to leave the coup of the office... and even then I didn't do it voluntarily I waited until i got ill... your picture is so inspiring I hope it got others to leave before it got to them!
I love these, Val!When I was young, I worked for several years on a production line in a factory. You did the same motions over and over, like a robot.I was really glad to hear that whistle blow at the end of the day!
The buildings look as though they too are doing the five o'clock dance. These are so relatable...if that's a word.
Very cute.
I too was a secretary/receptionist at just that time!
I would have loved to have had the poster or puzzle.
Her wings are great & the cityscape is neat.
The Whippy Curly Tail's Mom in the Toasty South
Fantastic picture! It works at so many different levels, and ugh, yes, I still feel this way very often.
Wow! I love this. That's exactly how I feel at five every day. A few months ago I got my first nine to five job, and I can really relate to that boredom. I can't help but wonder why I have to be there staring at my computer screen when I don't really have anything to do.
Among the people comments on my illustrations, yours is REALLY worth my going head...
thank you so much! do i need to say that your work is excellent, as well?
:)
Hi Val, You are just amazing. I so enjoy reading your history! xx
You worked in the Blue Whale?!!
I love this! :)
fascinating story... the get out of work an hour early idea was great.
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