meet the new kids

Each of these new monster kids are hanging out on the wall of Pony Club Gallery all month. They like visitors.

New life

Thank you to everyone who came out to the art opening last night. It definitely made me nostalgic to be showing work at Pony Club again. It's good to see the gallery being run by such a great group of artists. The fact that my son is going to be born any time now made it feel like an especially monumental occasion. The waiting is getting suspenseful. Our friend Aimee Swallow made a belly cast of Heather and we hung it in the window of the gallery. Aimee painted the outside and it looks amazing. I'll post a picture as soon as I can get a good photo, but until then, this is the inside, negative space that I painted myself.

The show will be up all month if anyone wants to see it. above is the Understanding Monster Mask I made.

This one is a parallel reality shock absorption mask. The idea is that if you witness a parallel reality, putting on this mask will help your brain cope with the shock, so you can enjoy yourself instead of freaking out. It's good to be prepared.

I'll post the rest of the art soon, including the large scale drawing I finished for it. Good times!

coming soon!

pumpkin patch field trip

today at the drawing table

I'm working on 9 well dressed monster children woodcuts, a large doodle, and a couple of masks for an upcoming art show in November.

two collaborative drawings with Alex Chiu!

Nursery Rhyme Comics

I did a two page adaptation of "As I was Going to St. Ives" for a collection of nursery rhyme comics edited by Chris Duffy and published by First Second. It's going to be in stores October 11th. The book turned out great! 50 cartoonist, 50 nursery rhymes. It's nice to have work in the same book as so many artists I'm excited about.

Habibi Art Show

My friend, Craig Thompson just released his huge, amazing graphic novel, Habibi, that he's been working on for the last 6 years. He's doing a signing at Floating World Comics at 400 NW Couch st. on the evening of Thursday the 6th. There will also be an art show of different cartoonists who have made work inspired by the book. I just finished my piece the other day.

It's going to be an excellent night for seeing art. My friend Alex Chiu has a solo show that same night at Grass Hut Gallery, which shares space with Floating world.

Yoyo art show!

There is a yoyo art show at SoHiTek gallery on NW 6th between Flanders and Everett. 30 or so artists made art on handmade yoyos made by TMBR Toys. I was excited that I got to do one. The show is on the evening of Thursday the 6th.

cosmonaut longboard

I did a drawing of a Cosmonaut for the new line of boards from DB longboards!

Space Cadets

I've been doing album art for the new London based record label, Space Cadets. Their first record just came out and the second one is on the way, both by the awesome electronic musician, Oak. Space sounds and cosmic patterns. I need to get a record player! Their website isn't done yet, but there should be a lot to see soon: www.spacecadets.co

birthday art and insane gifts!

For my friend, Sean Christensen's birthday, I decided to make him the most "Sean" inspired picture possible. Anyone who knows him understands the resulting picture. I want to do more art directly inspired by friends like this.
This is one of my very favorite art pieces by Sean. It was in his most recent show, and I found myself obsessively thinking about it after I saw it for the first time. Every time I'd see Sean afterwards, I'd end up mentioning the piece at least once or twice. I guess I mentioned it one too many times, because he ended up giving it to me! It now lives in my house where I look at it all the time. I don't even know how to respond when someone gives me something so amazing. The collection I have of art made by friends is one of my most valued possessions. I'll have to post more of the pieces in my collection sometime down the road.

invisible doors

I want to thank everyone who commented on my post about Dylan, and everyone who talked to me in person about it. It helped me to know that the photo I took of him was able to reach so many people who cared about him. Dylan's funeral was a day of raw emotion. It's hard to believe it was already a week ago. I felt like a lightning rod as I stood there listening to everyone speaking from the heart and from the gut about the friend we all held in such regard. I was unable to speak out loud myself; I felt mute and paralysed, but as we were all gathered around Dylan, I felt as if something profound and difficult was being achieved by each of us, standing together as a group. I've been carrying that feeling with me ever since, and even though I find myself unable to even articulate what that feeling is, I've been doing my best to use it as fuel for my work. The best way to honor someone who loved and valued art is to try open those elusive, invisible doors even wider, and follow my own weird calling as completely as possible. This is the photo I took at the Chapel of the Chimes right before Dylan asked me to take the photo of him I shared in my last post. I referred to it as an "unidentifiable animal" but now I see that it's obviously a feline hippo. I'm not much of a photographer. I'm always snapping photos, then never doing anything with them, but I had to search back and find this one, since it suddenly felt like an important monster to me.
A couple of days after Dylan's passing, I got together with a few of my favorite artist friends: Sean Christensen, Amy Kuttab, Daria Tessler, and Jeniffer Parks; all of whom have been encouraged and inspired by Dylan is some way or another. We decided to collaborate on a large drawing to give to his wife, Emily.
I've never collaborated quite like this before; five hands simultaneously working on the same piece. It seems like the result would have been chaos, but the image somehow achieved a strange kind of harmony. It's pretty amazing to have so many friends who draw. It's always been such a private act for me. It's funny to think back on how uncomfortable I used to get when anyone wanted to see my drawings.
Spending time with these other artists has taught me a lot about the relationship between individuals and their work. Each of these artists has such a distinct world that they build. Talking to them, and watching them work, I can really see that the art they make is a living, changing thing that is with them wherever they go, and it is a relationship that is completely unique to them.This is the closest I've ever felt to being part of an actual art movement. I don't know what I would even define it as, but I appreciate having people around me who are constantly working to reach new hidden layers, and unlock some new thing they've been feeling.

This is what I was working on when the news reached me of Dylan's passing. It's not done yet, but this piece will always feel connected to him now. It's part of an exploration of the idea of parallel realities, which I'll write more about when the piece is done. The first piece in the series was the one from two posts ago, titled "Outside Inside" which was in a show that just happened to be curated by Emily.

Dylan Williams Forever

I don't want to accept that Dylan Williams was taken from us this weekend by cancer. He feels too important and complex a person to somehow not still be with us. Ever since I heard the news, I've been trying to reverse the fact in my mind, and wishing I actually had that kind of power. For those who didn't know him, Dylan was the visionary publisher behind Sparkplug Comic Books, an accomplished cartoonist, and force for good in the world of comics, art, and culture. It's painful to imagine not having his necessary influence and enthusiasm here in Portland and in the world of comics.

Before I moved to Portland, I didn't know any serious cartoonists. Making comics was something weird that I did off on my own. I had been inspired and encouraged by the kinds of books that Sparkplug had been putting out and remember being excited that I was moving to the city Sparkplug was based from. Dylan was always putting out unusual books that made the reader have to rethink and rediscover what comics could really be. Sparkplug was proof that unique and unclassifiable work could make its way onto the shelves of bookstores and be appreciated. The existence of those books inspired me during a time when the publishing world seemed like an inapproachable beast. I met Dylan not long after my arrival in Portland. He was one of those people I immediately liked and respected, but it took me awhile to get to know him. Over time I really came to realize just how much he did for those around him. So many vital voices in comics are now heard because of his belief they should be heard. I had a lot of conversations with him about running a small business, and the importance of individual, idiosyncratic, honest personal expression. He was always adamant about maintaining the integrity of his company, staying small, and holding close to the reasons why art and creative culture are important. I watched him maneuver the often tricky and perplexing dynamics of the publishing world like a gentleman. I always walked away from our conversations with a lot of thoughts in my head about the bigger picture, about making things work without bending your ideals. He was someone who really thought things over and struggled to improve himself. He was someone who really got it.

I've been thinking a lot about the road trip I went on with Dylan last summer, down to a comics show in California we were both guests at. It was the most solid amount of time I'd ever gotten to spend with him, staying with his mom in Berkley, going on morning walks together, and exploring all of his old favorite books stores with him. One of the mornings we had breakfast with cartoonist Ben Catmull. After we'd eaten he told us that we really had to see a place near his house called the Chapel of the Chimes. It turned out to be a huge labyrinth of a mausoleum, filled with pillars, weirds statues, and walls of urns. We wondered around in awe of the place's strangeness. I was taking a picture of a statue of an unidentifiable animal when Dylan walked up to me and asked if I'd take a picture of him. He lead me over to a cement wall with metal letters affixed to it that read "Life Eternal". I took the picture and we both started laughing. For some reason, taking that picture right then had felt to me like getting away with something important, and I found my thoughts going back to that moment a lot during the rest of that trip without knowing why. I told him I'd email a copy, but it remained buried behind dozens of photos on my digital camera. I'm terrible about that kind of stuff. I should be more on top of things. As far as I can recall, it's the only picture I ever took of him. Now, with Dylan taken from us, far before his time, and long before the many, many people who's lives he's touched ever thought they'd have to let him go, I've found myself thinking about that photo, about that moment, about how Dylan never got a copy of it, about what he might have been thinking when he brought me over to that wall, wanting me to take his picture. The other side of death is the deep scary mystery that we humans, even after all this time, don't really know how to truly approach or comprehend, but I need to believe that such a vivid and thoughtful person as Dylan can't just stop existing. I need to believe that this photo is some kind of message from Dylan from the other side of his life and not an irony. This photo needs to be a victory. Whatever the truth is about what is in store for us all beyond death, Dylan knows the secret now. I know that nothing can fill the void of his absence, and I feel stung by the fact that he's not down the street at the Bad Apple right now, filling out Sparkplug orders, watching a 70s Kong Foo movie, and drinking green tea. I want to stop in and say hi to him really bad right now. His wife, Emily is one of the sweetest people I know, and I feel helpless knowing that she's in so much grief right now. Every moment you spend with the people you care about is important. We all miss you, Dylan.

Inside Outside

I made this piece for an art show of diptychs and triptychs, entitled "This World and The Next", curated by Emily Nilsson, at the Pony Club Gallery at 625 NW Everett #108, in downtown Portland. The opening is tonight from 6-10 pm. It's nice to be showing work at the gallery I helped start years a few years back with my friend David Youngblood. The gallery is now run by a great group of artists and they've been putting together consistently excellent shows.

Letting it Happen!

Goodbye, Guapo Comics!

I'm going to miss this place. I was thrilled to discover a great comics shop 6 blocks from my house when I first moved to Portland 5 years ago. Since then, the owners, Allie and Jeremy have become friends of mine. Guapo comics has been an amazing community hub. They've supported my books, I've contributed to their art shows, read my work at events, and met friends there to draw for as long as I've lived here. It's hard to picture the neighborhood without them. I've heard that the coffee shop half of Guapo will be sticking around, so at least there will still be a place to draw near my house. Allie and Jeremy just welcomed their daughter, Clementine into the world, and I'm excited for them and their next big chapter. Tonight's their big blowout sale and party. I'm heading over there soon!

This Way That Way

I'm back from an excellent trip home to Montana with my wife, camping and visiting family and friends. Spent a few days doing nothing but wading in creeks, staring at campfires, and balancing on logs.

I just spent the last two days moving out of my studio. I'll miss that place, but I feel like I accomplished some good work while I was there. The entire first volume of The Understanding Monster now fits in my backpack, whereas up until recently, there were pages and cut out panels and missing pieces in piles everywhere. I've done a lot of work on scenes that won't be seen until the third volume or so, but this will hopefully allow me to have a steady momentum between volumes. I'll give more sneak peaks as I finish pages.

Tomorrow (Sunday the 21st) I'll be down at the Portland Saturday market with a table of books and art, if anyone wants to stop by and say hi.

Turtle City

I just finished this commissioned piece a few days ago and sent it off in the mail. I don't usually do a lot of commission work, but a request for a turtle with a city on it's back seemed like a good thing to take on.

Return of the Gnome

I haven't been in an art show for awhile. I'll have two pieces in the group show at Grass Hut Thursday evening the seventh. Extreme Gnome navigation stunts, mind powered technology, puppet co-pilots, 3rd eye helmets. I made this one this morning...

Mental music playback recorder, brain enhancement super hero wear, lava proof boots, hyper intelligent bike with banana seat, animal companion with psychic link. I made this one awhile ago, but I added new details this morning just for fun...

There's so many great artists in the show. Definitely worth coming out for. www.grasshutcorp.com I'll probably be there, staring at all the art and wishing I could buy everything at Floating World Comics, which shares the space with Grass Hut.

House Gnome on the Go!

The Black Forest

I was excited to get a copy of The Black Forest in the mail a few days back (cover by Andy Kehoe). It's filled with some great art and comics and put out by the wonderful folks at Unicorn Mountain ( www.unicornmountain.com ) I've got 6 pages of work in the book, and they did a great job making it look nice. It's fun getting to be part of awesome projects like this.

Getting by as an artist has been becoming increasingly tricky. Today I have to give my month notice on my studio space, because I just can't afford it right now. At least I got a taste of how nice it can be to have a space to work and think. Riding my bike to my studio and getting to close the door and submerse myself in my work has been a true pleasure. It's interesting working with the ever present pressure to have art amount to income. The personal nature of the process usually takes me a long ways off from the world of marketing and selling. I feel like I've been working an imaginary job and I'm constantly having to prove that it somehow has relevance in reality in order to keep afloat. I've learned a lot doing this, but I've never felt like I quite have the head for it. Lately, when I'm lost in my work, I've been getting this charged feeling, like I'm reaching new ground and I just want to keep going. For the last 5 years I've been making as much art as possible and getting by. My new book keeps inching closer to completion and working on it is truly a thrill. I'm going to make this last month at my studio count. That being said, I'm going to ride my bike there right now and get to work! Thanks for all the kind support and encouragement from everyone who reads this blog and checks out my work!