Talking about The Understanding Monster

Zack Smith at Newsarama just interviewed me about my new book. It's the most I've talked about it so far. You can read it if you want. I also just got an advance copy in the mail from Secret Acres. It feels quite surreal and exciting to have it exist in physical reality for real.

photos from opening night

There's a bunch of photos from my gallery opening up at the Giant Robot site, including a weird one where I look possessed by spirits while a young couple embraces in the background. This one's my favorite. Two time travelers from ancient Japan traveled to the future of 2012 to see my show! I couldn't feel more honored. I'm crazy thankful to everyone who came out. I met so many awesome people that night, and it was nice to feel so much encouragement to keep doing the work that I do.

The Understanding Monster, Book One

Here it is. I'm finally ready to show you the cover (and a detail from the  back cover) of The Understanding Monster, Book One. I'm going to write more about the book soon, but  for now I'll just say that it's the biggest leap into my subconscious that I've made with my art so far. I have no idea what people will think of it, but creating this book was a startling and rewarding process. It's a hand colored, oversized, hardcover book. This first installment is one piece of a bigger puzzle that I'm building. I can't wait to find a studio space so I can get back to work on book two. The next scene I want to draw has been haunting me.

collaborative comic with Craig Thompson

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I've been meaning to show you this comic for awhile now. Right before I moved from Portland to Missoula I got together with my good friend, Craig Thompson and drew this collaborative comic. It was a fun time! For a number of years, Craig generously shared his home studio with me while he was working on Habibi and I was working on Capacity and Sleeper Car. I would walk to his house once a week or so and work at his extra drawing table. It was truly inspiring to watch him tackle such an epic and complex project and talk with him about comics and the world a large. While working on this collaborative comic, I got to have a sneak peek at the top secret all ages book he's been working on. I wish I could tell you about it. It's going to be awesome!

collaborative drawings with Alex Chiu

Every time I get to hang out with Alex Chiu, we try to do two collaborative drawings that we work on simultaneously, passing the drawings back and fourth until they're both done. We've done six so far. Someday, when we have enough drawings, we'll put out a zine! It's fun to have a long term project that's all about hanging out with a specific friend.

More show pieces

Available to see/own

The whole show is now up online at the Giant Robot art shop. A nice number of them sold opening night but some of my personal favorites are still available. It's the biggest show I've ever done and it's only up until August 15th!

Werewolf time, all the time

 I had forgotten about the window display space at Giant Robot and really wanted to be able to make something for it, so Alex Chiu helped me make a giant xerox print out of a tiny drawing I had with me and we glued it to a big piece of wood in his backyard workshop. Staying with Alex and Ann Chiu is always the best!

six eyes, one mouth, two ear-like protrusions

I had an amazing time in at my gallery opening in LA this weekend, but now I'm trapped in the San Francisco airport for the night because my flight arrived too late to make my transfer to Missoula. Only one flight goes out to Missoula from here each day. I guess that's the downside to living in a smaller city now. I'm making myself feel better by remembering how awesome it felt to get to become one of Yukinori Dehara's characters while taking a break from hanging my show at Giant Robot just a couple of days ago.  Have you seen his sculptures? He's great!

about to fly

 I'm sitting in the Missoula airport waiting for my flight to LA with a suitcase full of art. It's probably the mellowest airport I've ever been in. I figured since I had a moment I'd let slip a few more pieces that will be hanging on the walls of Giant Robot in a couple of nights.

Saturday, July 28th, Giant Robot, Los Angeles

 After a whirlwind adventure packing up everything I own and moving with my family to Montana , I got to have a little down time to finish up a few final pieces for my solo show that's coming up this Saturday at Giant Robot. I'm flying down to LA tomorrow to hang the show. It's my biggest show yet. Nearly 70 pieces! I'll be in LA just long enough to enjoy the opening party, then it's back to Montana to house hunt.

Small Press Expo

I just finished drawing this flyer for the Small Press Expo. If all goes as planned, I'll be there at the Secret Acres table with my new comic, The Understanding Monster Book One! 

Missoula

This is a photo I took of the Rattlesnake creek in my home town, Missoula, Montana. I'm about to move back there with my family. Both of Griffin's Grandmothers live there and it feels important for us to be around family right now. We're also excited for the slower pace, the mountains, and old friends. I'm hoping to finally be getting a studio again and become more prolific than ever with my books and art making. I'm going to miss a lot about Portland. Especially the amazing friends I've been lucky enough to make here. I'm already planning a trip back in November for some book readings though, and I'm hoping to get some of my Portland friends out to Montana for some big collaborative art projects.

Griffin and Mortimer

 When we first brought Griffin home I wasn't sure how Mortimer would take to him. When I held up our new baby so he could have a look, he smelled his forehead for awhile then rubbed his face on each of his tiny hands. They've been friends ever since. Griffin's totally crazy about him, and Mortimer is amazingly patient with having his face grabbed. They've both been great company to me while completing my upcoming book and working on all the pieces for my solo art show that's opening later this month. These are good times!

Griffin celebrates his first summer with a maple tree helicopter mustache!

photos of importance

To me, these are some of the most beautiful photos ever taken. They haunt me and make me want to create my own costumes inspired by them.