New Cafiero Logo is DONE!!!

I am so excited! I've been talking about remodeling my logo for months now. The previous logo was nice and classy, but was missing something that really distinguishes it. An icon that represents who I am, where I come from, and what I stand for. THANK YOU JENNY for making this for me! I have tried outsourcing my concept to some really high-end branding consultants. While they seemed to know what I had visualized, I just wasn't feeling it when I got their drafts. Meanwhile, Jenny, who is a pro graphic designer has been telling me that she wanted to do it. When she saw that I was less than ecstatic of my previous drafts, she took it to herself to make me a logo. It turned out EXACTLY what I had been hoping for. Even better, actually!

And here you have it:

Now to explain this logo... The only thing that has really changed is the addition of a flourish on the left edge of "CAFIERO". I wanted something that just subtly resembled the form and design of an old Gibson mandolin. I wanted an icon to honor my grandfather on my dad's side of the family. He was an artist, an Italian jazz mandolinist from New York, playing as a kid at the local pizzeria, eventually earning impressive recognition, while his music even brought him to Vegas. His timing was always so precise. The sound that came from his instrument was gentle and unique. The instrument he used (the mandolin) was a work of art in itself. I remember the bridge was worn through the stain to the wood from his hands working the strings. His fingers could move so fast and with so much finesse across the frets, it often looked like a blur. His music represented our Italian heritage and was an important part of each and every family celebration we ever had, be a birthday, holiday, or reunion. The music and the great Italian food are just two of the things that make me so proud to be a Cafiero. I chose to name my business simply put, "Cafiero" to honor the family that I come from. I'm one of the last Cafiero guys in the family.

I strive to be like my grandfather in more ways than one. His artistry in Italian music inspires my artistic expression through photography. Wedding photography, even! I can't play the mandolin, but I've gotten to the point where the camera has become an extension of my body. My camera is an instrument that I use to create artwork. Visual, rather than audible, but the objective is the same, to bring people closer together; to create a piece that will elicit a heart-felt response.

On another note, I knew my grandfather as one of the kindest, most gentle humans ever to step on this earth. His smile was genuine, his laugh contagious, and always seemed to put other people before him. He adored my grandmother.

He passed away one Christmas Eve. It was a sad moment, but one thing we all have to remember him by is his music. He left us with sounds that bring us back to the greatest times of our lives. That is the goal behind my photography business. I hope that when my clients are old and grey, they can look back at the images I create for them and remember their day EXACTLY as it unfolded.

Thus, a tribute to my grandfather, Joseph Cafiero.

Artwork by Chris Daniels for my grandfather's last recorded album, Mandolino.
http://www.chrisalandaniels.com/index.html