Here’s this week’s cover for The Economist on the issue of Obama’s first year in office.

I have had the great honor to be the Artist-in-Residence at the University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC) since 2006. My experience has been enriching and extraordinary. I have worked along side talented and generous colleagues and with energetic and engaged students. Now my rewarding experience has been captured in words by writer and editor Richard Byrne. The inaugural UMBC magazine profiled me in their recent cover story.  You can read it here: UMBC story

My students describe me a demanding creative force. I guess that is a charge I will not deny… as I am very demanding of myself!  

I drew the cover for The Economist this week on the threat of inflation arising from emerging markets (tough one to illustrate, right?!). I worked closely with the cover designer in London and we came up with this solution. I played around with a variety of monsters under the staircase as you can see below. I finished the art using gouache and india ink. I’m looking forward to seeing it in print!

I had a second idea of having the creature hidden in a different way which you can see below. Maybe we’ll use it another time!