2012 is shaping up to be a a big year for me. So, for the record, here are some of the things i have in the works and some projects i’m hoping to complete

1. Super Bowl XLVI: Indianapolis. We head to Indy this year for our 11th Super Bowl! Looking forward to it especially after the unveiling of the artwork late last year at the National Art Museum of Sport with Colts wide receiver Reggie Wayne. We’ll be at the NFL Experience, the Taste of the NFL…and who knows where else.

2. The Ride: Have you heard of it? Well, if you haven’t yet, you will soon! It’s a fantastic new, interactive, bus tour/broadway show attraction in NYC and I have some exciting plans  brewing with them for this year, so stay tuned!

3. London Olympic Games: I’m heading to London this year to commemorate my seventh Olympic Games for the United States Olympic Team and i’m very much looking forward to that!

4. The Fazzino Arts Education Initiative will finally receive its formal kickoff this year with a workshop and reception at my studio in March with the Edgemont School District. Will share more when we have more news.

5. Of course, i have some wonderful new releases planned for this year, including “Moonstruck Over Manhattan,” “Vampires…The Twilight of New Orleans,” “Jerseylicious,” “Google It…Facebook Me…Tweet It…LOL…OMG” (Can you GUESS what that ones about? ), “O Beautiful for Spacious Skies…America (a tribute to America’s National Parks)”…and some new works on Beverly Hills, Rock and Roll, and of course, Broadway! I’m excited about all of them.

6. I’m proud to be working on the official artwork for the 40th anniversary of the Hineni Center, an incredible organization.

7. New puzzles of my work are planned for Barnes & Noble this year and new luggage is being released by Heys USA. Stay tuned for more exciting product announcements in 2012!

8. The Major League Baseball All-Star Game is headed to Kansas City in July…and so am I!

9.  My tour continues with trips to Japan, Germany, London…and domestic stops in New Jersey, Long Island, Florida, California, and beyond….I’m looking forward to travelling with my Heys USA Luggage

10. I’m very proud also to have been chosen the official artist for OpSail 2012. I’m honored and looking forward to painting all of the tall ships!

Ok, so there’s the top 10 for 2012….i do have some other big announcements up my sleeve but will have to hold onto those for now.

I’m looking forward to seeing you all on the road and in the galleries this year. I hope you all have a wonderful, joyful, healthy, and fun 2012!!

–Charles

The original painting is currently on display at the Oh My Godard Gallery in Atlantic City, NJ. Contact your favorite Fazzino or Godard authorized gallery or email us at info@fazzinocollectors.com for more information about purchasing this very special limited edition.

Don’t miss this one-of-a-kind collaboration between two of the world’s premiere artists, both of whom share a legacy as the future of American pop art!

In 2001, I actually appeared as a guest judge on a similar show that airs in Japan called “Anyone Can Be Picasso.” It was a talent show for artists and i had a great time. The winner, in fact, won a trip to NYC and a gallery art show. I remember going….it was fantastic. Unfortunately, it occurred on September 10, 2001 and I remember coming out of the show and looking up at the Twin Towers…thinking how beautiful they were, looming ever large. That was the last time I saw them.  I know that’s a bit of a segue but i will always associate that show and the television appearance that led to it with the tragedy of 9-11. I guess everyone remembers “where they were when….”

Good luck to the cast of Work of Art. Hope the second season is fantastic…and by the way, i’d gladly accept an invitation to be a guest judge on an episode

I am proud to have been asked by Diplomat Magazine in the United Kingdom to create the cover for their October, 2011 issue – a tribute to the new Taiwan!  My friend Jeannine Saba has been talking to me about doing the cover for more than a year now and we finally found an issue for which i could come up with a great design. I asked Jeannine to send me some language to describe to you what Diplomat is….here are HER words:

Diplomat provokes intelligent discussion from the heart of the diplomatic community in London. This 64 year-old magazine provides a unique insight into the minds of the most prominent world leaders and governments. Diplomat’s mix of international writers, political commentary on world affairs and interviews with Heads of Mission makes it essential reading for the diplomatic community and many foreign professionals living in Europe. 

And there you have it. I was particularly excited about doing the cover for the Taiwan issue because Taiwan was actually the very first Asian country i ever visited. I was flown there by a company called Small World Importing and i spent a month for them developing a line of children’s flashcards, learning games, and banks. It was an INCREDIBLE experience and seems like it was ages ago.

It’s only fitting that i would create an image to celebrate Taiwan’s 100th year. The egg splitting open as the central portion of the image represents Taiwan’s rebirth. The rest of the images represent Taiwan’s booming economy and celebrate the country’s bright future. The building in the middle the Taipei 101, the second tallest building in the world.

Enjoy!

–Charles

Art Of Modern Luggage Comes To Life With The Launch Of Heys USA’s Colorful Fazzino Collection

NEW YORK, NY – Macy’s Fashion’s Night Out – on September 8^th, 2011 marked an important launch for fans of 3-D pop art icon Charles Fazzino who likes to travel: that night, Heys USA launched its Fazzino Travel collection at Macy’s Herald Square flagship store, in the 9^th floor luggage department.

Fazzino – on hand for the event, which included a poster-signing – was joined by Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Model Chrissy Teigen and 2011 Miss New York USA Amber Collins.

Heys’ Fazzino collection includes four distinct contemporary, colorful luggage sets printed with Fazzino’s destination-based art. Each set depicts one of four popular vacation destinations: New York, Venice, Paris and London, as only Fazzino can portray those lively cities, with his signature bold, detailed pop-art.

The brightly-colored unique luggage sets all include four different pieces of “The World’s Lightest Carry-on Luggage,” invented by Heys USA, a leader in hard side luggage manufacturing. In each set, there are 22’, 26’ and 30’ upright rolling hard side spinners, plus a matching beauty case, making the sets perfect for both business and leisure travel.

Fun Luggage Sets that Take You Around the World

The Fazzino collection is the result of a perfect match: an icon of modern art in collaboration with a leader in the art of modern luggage. The result is an exciting new collection of unique luggage by Heys USA, printed with Fazzino’s fun, whimsical 3-D art.

“We are very proud to have collaborated with such a famous artist as Charles Fazzino,” said Harry Sheikh, President & CEO, Heys USA Group. “Heys USA is thrilled to bring ‘the art of modern luggage’ to a new level of fashion and travel excitement with the launch of Heys USA’s Fazzino Collection. Our customers have come to rely on Heys for the leading edge of fashionable, highly stylized travel goods that reflect the best of functionality and usability in the industry. Charles Fazzino’s collaboration with Heys USA Group portrays our goal to shine through current offerings and bring our customers trendy alternatives for all their travel needs – and reflects the company’s overall commitment to offering fashion-fresh products to our customers.”

Fazzino is equally thrilled about the collaboration. “I am very excited to have been asked by Heys USA to collaborate with its team to launch Heys USA’s Fazzino Collection,” he said, adding that he was thrilled to have Teigen and Collins join him at the Macy’s launch.

There is no doubt Fazzino fans will enjoy traveling with these whimsical, boldly-printed, high-quality artistic luggage sets featuring the cityscape artwork of this international icon of 3-dimentional art. Not only do the pieces look great – they are also incredibly lightweight, extremely durable and flexible. The patent-pending AirGlide® 4-wheel spinner system allows the pieces to smoothly glide across any surface. There are many other high-quality features – a built-in 3-digit TSA approved lock; heavy-duty zippers; a cushioned handle grip; stylized, fully-lined interiors that compliment the shell art; and a built-in divider and mesh pocket for easier organizing.

It’s a perfect merging of fashion and function, that will please both Fazzino fans, and fashionable travelers who are just discovering his vibrant work.

About ‘Fazzino by Heys USA’

“Fazzino by Heys” USA will consist of four colorful new collections inspired by the international destination art of Charles Fazzino. The four luggage sets, New York, Venice, Paris, and London, will each include three upright rolling spinner bags and a matching beauty case. Heys product development team adapted Fazzino’s award winning art into picture-perfect masterpieces to integrate into the manufacturing process for travel goods.

Best known for his bright, whimsical, and wonderfully detailed, 3-D pop art, Fazzino uses a unique, hand-assembled layering technique that brings his creations to life. His frenetic energy has led Fazzino to become an international icon in 3-dimensional art, with his creations exhibited in hundreds of art galleries worldwide. “Heys USA Group product development team adapted Fazzino’s award winning art into picture-perfect masterpieces to integrate into the manufacturing process for travel goods.

The images of Fazzino’s interpretation of New York, Venice, London, and Paris will debut in sets that will include a 22”, 26”, a 30” upright hard side spinner set; along with a matching beauty case; ideal for business and leisure travel. Fazzino’s artwork has been incorporated onto the luggage surfaces using an exclusive manufacturing process. Each piece is lightweight, extremely durable, flexible and absorbs impact. The uprights all feature a patent-pending AirGlide® 4-wheel spinner system that creates a smooth glide during transport across any surface, as well as larger “smart wheels” in the rear for greater control. Additional features include a built-in 3-digit TSA accepted lock, heavy duty zippers and a cushioned handle grip, stylized, fully-lined interiors that are customized to compliment the shell art, as well as a built-in divider and a mesh pocket, so organized packing is a breeze.

About Charles Fazzino

A native of Manhattan, Charles Fazzino’s pop art can be found in the private collections of such celebrities as Julia Roberts, Michael Eisner, Hillary Clinton, Presidents Bill Clinton and George Bush, Paul McCartney, and Michael Jordan. His diverse appeal has made him the Official Artist for the GRAMMY Awards, Country Music Awards, Daytime Emmy Awards, the Olympics, National Football League and Major League Baseball. He has created works for the Rosie O’Donnell For All Kids Foundation, the USO, the MS150 Bike Tour, and many more. For more information about Charles Fazzino, visit: www.fazzino.com.

About Heys USA

Heys USA Group is a global travel goods manufacturing company whose vision is fashion, innovation and excitement through high-quality products at affordable prices. Heys USA is one of the strongest consumer branded, travel goods franchises in the world, with a global brand portfolio that includes Heys, Travel Concepts, Crown Edition, Intus, Britto by Heys, Disney, Fazzino by Heys, and Raku. Its products are sold in over 28 countries across six continents. Heys USA’s Crown XX carry-on was named “Best Bag for Traveling Light” by INC. Magazine in 2010, a Consumers Digest Best Buy in 2010, recipient of the 2009 Product Innovation Award by the Travel Goods Association, and an award winning leader of hard and soft-sided luggage, travel bags and business cases. EcoCase was named by The Oprah Magazine – ‘the O list’ as a favorite of Oprah and her team. Heys USA’s BioCase was named by Popular Science Magazine as a Must-Have product in June 2009. Southwest Airlines’ SPIRIT MAGAZINE called Heys’ Xcase “The bag to get you there in style.” The 20” Xcase was recently chosen as the official bag of the Annual Emmy Awards and the Dr. Phil Holiday Special, and Heys sponsored the 2011 Critic’s Choice Awards Official After-party. Headquartered in Weston, FL, Heys USA Group also operates a Fifth Avenue showroom in New York City to accommodate buyers from all channels of distribution. For more information visit: www.heysusa.com.