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Some clarity on my sentiments…

I just wanted to write a follow-up peice to my blog post about an independent Crimean Republic. I am very upset about what the Russian Army has done in Eastern Europe and ideally they would leave – and give Crimea back to Ukraine along with everything else. Yet, the reason I suggested this compromise is that America is no longer sending a significant amount of funding to the Ukrainian Military.

This cut in funding from the United States, combined with China’s military support, significantly changes the equation for peace in Eastern Europe, in my opinion. I pray Zelenskyy and Putin can come to terms that each can accept.

A great deal of blood and treasure has been spent on both sides, and the toll only continues to grow. We need to be doing more to stabilize all the conflicts raging around the Globe. The World needs to come together to end war and focus on cleaning up the environment. I am pleased I have been learning more about servicing hybrid and electric vehicles. It would be so nice to come together and clean up the The Great Pacific Garbage Patch instead of killing each other.

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The Old B’nai Jeshurun Temple

I have been visiting historic places around the New York City area and found an old gem in Newark, NJ – the original B’NAI JESHURUN Temple. The congregation has since moved, yet this temple was built in 1848. I decided to do some drawings and watercolors of it as a subject. I have also started signing my artwork as “magiczyn” instead of “magick”, due to my namesake and grandfather coming to Brooklyn from Warsaw at 2 years old in 1928.

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An Easter Miracle – the 1st Ceasefire since the War began

I was so happy that Volo and Vladimir agreed to a ceasefire for the Easter holiday. I pray this is a sign my idea for an independent Crimean Republic with part of Eastern Ukraine that is a Russian protectorate has been considered. I emailed a video of the idea with a map to the Russian Federation Embassy in Washington last week. I also want to thank our Texan Secretary of State – Marco Rubio – for all his work in the “Struggle for Eastern Europe.”

Joyeuses Pâques

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ADTPR blog Capitaland Magick Mechanic Mechanic PR Professional

Captured by Capitaland

I have evolved from a tire shop mechanic into a dealership mechanic. I was very sad to leave Larry O’Shea, yet Capitaland made me such a good offer that I could not refuse. I have also decided to stay on probation here in New York and not pursue a trial by jury for the cases in Texas. I have wanted to focus on improving my mechanic skills and Subaru/GMC are both brands that I really enjoy servicing.

My grandfather died before I was born, yet he fought in the war with Japan and so I like to work on Japanese cars. I was also named after him and the original “Matthew Szal” grew up in Brooklyn. This is another reason I wanted to go to Pratt so much was on account of him. I also like GMC vehicles, which are really good American family vehicles, and utility cars/trucks.

I may still do graphic design work for Adirondack Tire, yet I may have to stop working for them entirely and stop running Magick Mechanic. I hope to start a family soon now that I can support one and I have never been more hopefully for the future.

Buy your next vehicle @ Capitaland Subaru/GMC!
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New Job @ Adirondack Tire and some deck revisions

I was blessed to start a new job at the corporate headquarters of Adirondack Tire a few weeks ago. I am so happy to get to work on cars and do graphic design, combining two of my unique skill sets. I worked at Warren Tire for almost a year and never met the owner. I worked at Adirondack Tire for one day and met the owner plus his son.

I only have my son Roman visit during the summers, so seeing Sean and Larry together makes working for them a pleasure. It is so nice to see the owner preparing his son for his future role in a direct fashion. I gave everyone at corporate unique decks of the American Game for Christmas.

Roman and I (Summer 2024) at the MOMA in NYC

However, I have gazed at the cards on the wall for a few weeks now and have decided to make some minor changes. The Los Angeles card that might evoke a connection with the Los Angeles Chargers is changing completely. A few other cards will have minor edits, and I will update the master portfolio page. If you would like to exchange your deck for the updated version, please email me at mattszal@gmail.com, and I will gladly send you an additional deck for no extra charge. Thanks to everyone who has supported my work and family by purchasing a deck. God Bless you. I used the cards to do a reading for my cousin Ryan on Christmas Eve. We discussed the upcoming book that I am writing to accompany the deck.

My cousin Ryan (the famous architect) and I

This book shall be in the fashion of The Pictorial Key to the Tarot by Waite.

This is one of the tentative new versions of the LA card #2
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Art/Design blog Design The American Game The American Game Deck

Final ‘American Game’ Designs finished!

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Art/Design blog Design The American Game The American Game Deck

The American Game – Suit of Hearts

The above image is a highlight reel of the 13 cards encompassing the entire hearts suit. I have decided to go back to the original design for the suit symbols (the previous version had outlines for each symbol instead of solid-filled). I made my first deck more than five years ago, using a plain bicycle deck and spending a lot of time drawing and painting directly on each card. After the ink and watercolor dried, I laminated the cards so the colors/images would not deteriorate with excess shuffling.

It is refreshing to work on a large design project with such a fascinating concept for the entire deck. Yet, each card is designed one at a time and requires a lot of dancing with compositions and colors. I have been looking at different printing companies, yet since the deck has a spiritual/metaphysical component, it is essential to use the best materials. The use of such old emblems from 5 centuries ago was to give the deck a timeless and mystical quality that seems to contain some ancient, forgotten truth or wisdom. The images felt very familiar when I first looked at the Rider-Waite Tarot Deck. After reading ‘The Pictorial Key to the Tarot‘ by Waite, I started to appreciate how much deeper each card could be dissected and the deck’s use of symbols/visual metaphors. I am considering writing a booklet to include with each deck that explains which card represents which thing beyond the surface level place or zodiac sign.

Even if the decks take a while to sell, they have a long shelf life. The residual income will help support my creative projects and eventually fund my philanthropic aspirations. After the deck is sent to the printers, I plan to start a series of oil portraits of all the Presidents of the United States, from Trump to Washington.

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Art/Design blog Home Studio Personal The American Game The American Game Deck

The American Game Deck for sale!

All sales of “The American Game” cards are on hold until the new redesign is finished and the new designs have arrived from the printers. We apologies for any inconvenience.

I have changed the cards several times, and I am on 5 different redesigns for the entire deck. The deck was officially released on Thanksgiving, which is when all pre-sale orders shipped. Thank you so much to everyone for supporting my artwork and designs; if you have any thoughts or comments on the designs, please email me at mattszal@gmail.com.

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blog Personal Professional The American Game The American Game Deck The Flying Dutchess

Armistice Day & Emblem Cards Update

In light of Judge William P. “Bill” Brandt’s military service, I have removed the last press release about him in honor of Armistice Day. One of the officers I was close with and who I designed things for in the Department of the Army (with U. of S. Carolina back in 2017-18) emailed me that Judge Brandt served in the United States Air Force for several decades.

During his distinguished military career, including active and reserve service, he has served in numerous flying, staff and command positions all over the globe–including Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom. 

https://www.judgebillbrandt.com/about

World War One is my favorite conflict to study in history, along with the Napoleonic Wars, the English Civil Wars, plus the civil war between Sulla and Marius in ancient Rome. We get Veterans Day from the original Armistice Day, which is the anniversary of the eleventh month and the eleventh day that the armistice was signed to end the First World War. I would also like to thank my uncle John Szal (Captain in the Marines) and my old roommate Wes Ellett, who went to TCU on the G.I. Bill after serving in Iraq, for their service today.

This is a Flying Dutchess character concept I made based on an English Admiral that uses the Tarrant County District Attorney as a reference – Phil Sorrells.

In other news, I am working on the 4th different version of my “American Game Deck” of cards, which will be available for sale on my website starting Thanksgiving. Each card has a different NFL team, a different zodiac sign, element sign or special major card, which all equal 52 playing cards like a traditional deck for playing poker or spades. The NFL teams only have the city name and team colors since their logos are copyrighted. I have selected +500-year-old emblems mostly from Claude Paradin’s Devises heroïques, first published in 1551. I have redesigned the emblems to coordinate a theme idea and color palette to represent each of the 32 teams. So you could shuffle the deck in strange ways to help you pick your predictions for some sports gambling at West Gate in Las Vegas, then play go-fish with your friends while you watch the games.

I want to elevate American culture to an almost metaphysical place and have this deck hold a space similar to the traditional Rider Waite Tarot Deck. These timeless emblems from centuries ago still have a familiarity yet an elusive quality that makes each one feel eternal. See the “Atlanta Card” for an example. It has the official CMYK red of the team with an emblem featuring a falcon-like bird (Atlanta Falcons). Some teams are doubles, such as New York and Los Angeles. Yet, with color and imagery, I attempted to make each design fairly easy to distinguish. The teams are the number cards and the four elements (32 teams + 4 elements = 36) – Earth, Wind, Fire & Water.

The royal cards are the 12 zodiac signs and four unique cards from special emblems, which I thought would increase the mystique of the deck as a whole composition. Some cards have emblems with related imagery, like Capricorn, which has an actual sea goat on which the sign is based. Other cards are more subtle references, such as Taurus, which features an emblem with a “Dexter Dei” (hand of God) with a sword and a trowel, which makes a shape similar to the horns of a bull.