In 2018 Greg Betza was commissioned to create a series of illustrations for the Style section of the New York Times. The illustrations needed to work with photos of different cosmetics as the article was about How to Wear Spring’s Most Inventive New Makeup. Combining the elements was a bit of a challenge but challenges often lead to interesting solutions. The art director was very happy with the work and told Greg it was one of her favorite series of the entire year.
In 2019 Greg Betza was commissioned to create a series of illustrations based around the crisis in the California jail system, specifically Fresno county. Overcrowding, gangs, violence and overall poor conditions have contributed to more than a few tragedies. And the outlook is not promising.
Subjects he was asked to illustrate were difficult and he endeavored to handle them with respect.
This series was short-listed by Communication Arts for their illustration annual.
Included below are the final illustrations as well as some preliminary sketches that were not used but show alternate visuals that Greg explored.
These illustrations are a series of editorial illustrations created for a website called, “Empire Studies Magazine.” The editorials are a series of essays and dissertations written by scholars addressing the topics of History, English and Global Studies. Illustrator Margaret Hurst, with her literary background, was a perfect choice for this project.
Titles, from top to bottom: “James Joyce” – an essay about Ireland and the potato famine; “Kingdoms Under Glass” – taxidermy; “Food Empires” – wheat production in China; “Masks” – female authors using male names; and “Visigoths” – the architectural stamp left by the Visigoths
In 2009, on the heals of one of the most historic elections in US history, Dominick Santise traveled to Washington D.C. to document the 2009 Presidential Inauguration of Barack Obama.
“This was my 2nd or 3rd time in D.C., I wasn’t prepared for what I saw. D.C. wasn’t prepared for what came. The metro lines were overwhelmed, people were climbing trees because The Mall wasn’t big enough to hold the crowds, it was wild. Positive. Jubilant.”
Returning in 2013 and 2017 he has made a personal commitment to document the peaceful transfer of power that has set the tone for nearly 250 years, even if it means from his living room couch during the COVID lockdown.