Mulholland Drive @ Crazy 4 Cult 5 - Gallery 1988

Mulholland Drive  |  SOLD  |  11"x14" gouache on cold press paper

I was so excited Gallery 1988 LA asked me back to make a new piece for their annual "Crazy 4 Cult" show, now in it's 5th incarnation.

After thinking it over and watching lots of Lynch movies, I was super inspired by "Mulholland Drive."  [Here is a fantastic analysis of it.]

Finally, Lynch's freeform, bat-shit-insane storytelling had a place to actually make sense. Mulholland Drive is a really great movie - and actually shows off Naomi Watt's acting chops.

Honestly, I don't enjoy Lynch movies.  I can't.  This is the exception, I think.  And the theme song is good.

...................................................

Grandpa, if you're reading this -

DO NOT SHOW DAVID LYNCH MOVIES at SENIOR MOVIE DAY

Just forget I mentioned it.

BLT & HBML

While I was transferring my files from my old PC to my new iMac, I found some old pictures from HBML!  Nostalgia!

HBML = Happy Birthday, Mike Leslie

A fantastic melange of pop and circumstance, HBML Junk Shoppe was a cult institution here. Sadly, it closed, so here's some memories.

But it's turned into FYC now! Still need to check that place out.

Jake asked me if I wanted to take over the space, turn it into an art gallery. It was very difficult to turn down, and I spent lots of time thinking it over; but ultimately couldn't accept.

But if you're a creative person looking to make cool things like this - you should apply for grants! If I had known about all the cool grants, I'd have done it a long time ago and it put it towards this place.

HOLD the PHONE - bacon rum tart?  Yes, please.

Been really crazy lately, apartment got a new roof, we got new downstairs neighbors, dog got a hair cut, I got a hair cut, finishing up coloring Pirates of Mars, bought a Mac for work purposes, selling a ton of clothes, penciling comic pages, and hanging out with Lindsay ♥ (at the diner, up there)

Pirates of Mars in Color

Hey friends!

Pirates of Mars is officially all colored - woo!  I think it looks pretty snazzy.
Available on the NOOK Color very soon!  Stay tuned!

*note the creepy robo-maid dressed to resemble Capt. Lovelace

Gardening is "Fun + Easy"

for Worcester Magazine 6/23/2011 

Did I grow these begonias?  Of course not.  I bought them.  I gave them filtered light, fertilizer, even misting of water... everything the card said to do.

And they are 90% wilted now.

This is what it looked like 3 weeks ago.  To show you what it looks like now would be just too sad.   I even had the woman at the nursery teach me how to care for this thing, and I followed her instructions to the letter!

I guess I just have 死手  [hand of Death]

Anyway, have to finish up lots of client projects before it's off to my photography class at the Worcester Art Museum!

This week...

The studio, about 4 days ago

Finished up the Mulholland Drive painting for Gallery 1988's annual "Crazy 4 Cult!" show, set to open July 8th, 2011 (when will I get to actually go?  someday I'll see CA)

I think it looks sharp in the white frame!   More on this piece later.

my favorite tools lately - Acryla Gouache 

a succulent from Breezy Bend

Having greenery in the studio really puts me at ease.  I still feel worried whenever a leaf drops that I've somehow killed it instantaneously.  Gardening can't be a "stress-reducing" hobby, it's definitely gives you stress.  You water it, it dies.  You give it sun, it dies.  

Ah well, everything is trial and error, right.

It made me smile though, to find a little snail buddy in the "Veronica" plant!

Breezy Bend

I pass by Breezy Bend all the time but never stopped there until this week.

It was literally like walking into some magical flower world, the same ones I dreamed about as a 10 year old reading The Secret Garden.

But this one has llamas!!  So it's far better.

 I got some Veronica flowers :) (naturally)

Needless to say I walked out of there with 2 begonias, 1 veronica, 1 flowering maple and 1 succulent.

Alex Toth: Genius Isolated

One of my favorite books in our library is Book 1 of Alex Toth's GINORMOUS 3 part biographical series "Genius Isolated"

I mean, this thing is huge...

hugely AWESOME.

I'm not going to go on about Toth's long and hugely impactful career.  You can read all about him here, and this for some comics and here too.

His legacy is constantly expanding, and even people who don't know his name certainly know his work.  If you've ever seen a Hanna Barbera cartoon, Jonny Quest, Space Ghost, SuperFriends, etc - or even a Cartoon Network spoof like Harvey Birdman, The Venture Brothers etc - all essentially built on a Toth foundation.

So when Andy got me a page from one of his personal sketchbooks for my birthday, I had a small cardiac arrest.

I'm going to look at his work everyday to stay fresh for work on Frankenstein!

my hero

I wonder what he thought about The Brak Show ??

This album is freaking hilarious, by the way - but totally bonkers

Marblehead, MA

Many thanks to 

the Abbott Library and Marblehead Public Schools 

for inviting us to speak!

 We stayed at the adorably charming "The Pink House" bed & breakfast, run by UK expats Nancy & Jim Ferguson.

organic market in town

neighborhood garden 

The library's courtyard