Bernie and Cat Grass

A photo of the cat grass that I just grew. It's so pretty and I think Bernie Madoff likes it too. I did this quick scribbly pencil sketch of him recently for a project that I have in mind.  

Current Projects

I'm always juggling multiple projects at the same time. This is a panel from a short piece called, "Waking Up Is Hard To Do," that I'm finishing for the Detour Anthology. I just have to letter it. I'm also in the process of finishing up my book, Hot Donut Salad, which will be coming out March 2012. In addition, I'm making headway in my Sexy Vegetables (TM) trading card project. My goal is to complete 20 cards and then shop them around to publishers. Right now I'm working on Caressa Carrot and Yolanda Eggplant. And last but not least, I'm starting to write my next book! It will be a collection of one page comics, all inter-related by a theme of insights about life and wacked-out silliness.    

Back to Class

I'm taking a comics class with my pal Andy Fish at Worcester Art Museum. It's great to get a break from working in isolation. Longtime colleagues Mark Rozeen and Jim Riel are also in the class, so it's like a homecoming.

In our last class, we worked on model sheets. Top left image is the model sheet for a character I'm developing (Mel).

I've also been struggling with a hand position for one of my Sexy Vegetable characters, Caressa Carrot. So I took some time out for some hand studies. I have a really good book, Basic Figure Drawing Techniques, that's helpful when I encounter these problems.

Tropical Winter

I decided a few years ago to reorganize the seasonal calendar to make New England winters shorter. Spring is March - May, Summer is June - October, and Fall is November. This means that Winter is only 3 short, soul-squashing months: December, January, and February! As an additional coping strategy, this year I'm going to buy a huge Bird of Paradise plant (they have them at Home Depot) and let it set up camp and run rampant in my living room/studio.

In Da Haus

My house is an art gallery, a studio space, and a tropical greenhouse.  

Pickins

I love Carlson Orchards in Harvard, Mass for apple picking. I went on a Saturday morning early in the season and had the whole orchard to myself practically. 

I also got figs at a farm in Northborough, Mass (I forget the name.) They grow them there, which surprised me. They are delicious - very mellow in flavor and not too sweet. 

I didn't go potato picking. I think it would be a totally oppressive bummer. Let's all put on ragged clothing, smudge our faces with dirt, and do it.

Grateful to Not Be Amish

We lost power during the recent hurricane so I inked by candlelight.
Fortunately the power came back on the next day.
The experience made me really grateful that I'm not Amish.

Unapologetic Climber

At the beginning of the summer, my neighbor planted a small morning glory at the base of this telephone wire. Over the summer, it climbed all the way to the top of the telephone poll! Last week it bloomed with these beautiful blue flowers.

I Become the Patterns I See

This is so incredible.

To wrap up this series on pattern design, I leave you with a link to an artist who does amazingly fun, colorful, and beautiful pattern design, Helen Dardik. I absolutely love her work. Once at the site, click on Pattern Design.

The Patterns Around the House... They replicated many times and then took over my brain.

I See a Pattern, Part 2 - Around the house some more...

This one might be my favorite.