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DI: What is the main principle, idea and inspiration behind your design?

: The confluence of the 75th Anniversary of the 1939 World's Fair and the 50th Anniversary of the 1964 World's Fair also coincided with the100th Anniversary of the founding of the New York Numismatic club, who commissioned the medals.

DI: What has been your main focus in designing this work? Especially what did you want to achieve?

: The design of the 50th Anniversary of the 1964 World's Fair Medal was in close in collaboration with Eugene Daub, who designed and sculpted the 75th Anniversary of the 1939 World's Fair Medal. Both these medals were designed to visually relate to one another in order to make the historical and aesthetic connection.

DI: What are your future plans for this award winning design?

: To simply appreciate that it will on display permanently at the Queens Museum,which is at the site of both World fairs, in Flushing Meadows, New York. I am further gratified that the edition will travel among the collectors and populace world wide.

DI: How long did it take you to design this particular concept?

: Six months.

DI: Why did you design this particular concept? Was this design commissioned or did you decide to pursuit an inspiration?

: I attended the 1964 World's Fair as young art student and was swept away by the Pieta of Michelangelo on display in the Italian pavilion.

DI: Is your design being produced or used by another company, or do you plan to sell or lease the production rights or do you intent to produce your work yourself?

: Reproduction rights are my ownership. I have no definite plans at this point as to enlarging the edition.

DI: What made you design this particular type of work?

: As always, the subject matter and history that is to be depicted drives the entire creative process.

DI: Where there any other designs and/or designers that helped the influence the design of your work?

: The entire lineage of Artwork done from ancient times ,right up to the the medallic artwork done at the "Golden Age" of glyptic art.

DI: Who is the target customer for his design?

: Collectors and the general public.

DI: What sets this design apart from other similar or resembling concepts?

: Everything, in that it is the unique creation of an individual artist. Of course this is true of every and all designs, the difference always comes down to the unique quality of any given design. in the final analysis,it's like statescraft or diplomacy, it comes down to the individual sensibilities of the designer.

DI: How did you come up with the name for this design? What does it mean?

: Purely descriptive of the historical facts of the subject matter: "The 50th Anniversary of the 1964 World's Fair"..

DI: Which design tools did you use when you were working on this project?

: My brain, some of my heart, my eyes and a pencil.But before everything comes the research to make certain you are connected with your subject.

DI: What is the most unique aspect of your design?

: Please see my answer to question 10.

DI: Who did you collaborate with for this design? Did you work with people with technical / specialized skills?

: The assignment was born from a concept of the New York Numismatic Club President, Constantin Marinescu. I collaborated with Luigi Badia, who beautifully sculpted my design, and Eugene Daub, who designed and sculpted the 75th Anniversary of the 1939 World's Fair Medal.

DI: What is the role of technology in this particular design?

: Considerable, as I refine my drawing in photoshop in many stages of scans printouts and and re-scans, much like the process of intaglio printmaking, which I was trained in. Of course, the bas relief is rendered into a production ready plaster which in turn is subject to all the technology available to create dies for the mint to strike the medal.

DI: Is your design influenced by data or analytical research in any way? What kind of research did you conduct for making this design?

: Thorough, exhaustive and extensive, as always.

DI: What are some of the challenges you faced during the design/realization of your concept?

: This is a non-variable, the struggle to achieve what is envisioned without losing sight of the ability to allow the design to find itself, so to speak.

DI: How did you decide to submit your design to an international design competition?

: I came across the invitation via an email sent to me by a colleague.

DI: What did you learn or how did you improve yourself during the designing of this work?

: That would be best for the panel to judge.

DI: Any other things you would like to cover that have not been covered in these questions?

: Yes, I want to stress how much cerebral work goes into the research and conceptual aspect before a pencil is even lifted.