Upcoming Events!

 

I'm part of a group show in Detroit to accompany the release of the Black Eye anthology.  Here's the info from the curator, Ryan Standfest's site.  The opening is June 5th.

 I will be on a panel discussion at the Printer's Row Lit Fest with Ivan Brunetti and Elio.  It's scheduled for Sunday, June 5th at 2pm.  If you're in Chicago, please stop by if you can.  We'll be discussing comics, obviously.  (Click graphic for more info)  Speaking of Ivan Brunetti, the Chicago Tribune ran a feature on him and quoted me.

 

Signing for the Black Eye anthology is set for Friday, June 24th!  I'll be there with Ivan Brunetti, Lilli Carré, Paul Hornschemeier and Paul Nudd.

 This is the illustration I did for the Harold Washington Literary Award reception dinner.

"Black Eye no. 1: Graphic Transmissions to Cause Ocular Hypertension"

I'm very proud to announce the release of the dark humor comics & graphics anthology, "Black Eye" edited by Ryan Standfest and published by his Rotland Press + Comic Works.  The cover above was drawn by Paul Nudd and myself using watercolor, ink, and graphite on stained paper.

The book includes work by over 41 artists and writers from all over the world including Ivan Brunetti, Lilli Carré, Stephane Blanquet, Al Columbia, Paul Nudd and many others working the in the dark humor arts.  Please visit the Rotland site for a line up of contributors and ordering info.

I also contributed a two page spread of one-panel gags entitled, "Blood Clots."  Above is one of them.  The rest are much, much worse.

In addition to the cover, Paul Nudd and I also made a collaborative letterpress print for Black Eye.  It was printed by the great folks at Rohner Letterpress here in Chicago.  This is also for sale at Ryan Standfest's site.  More info and photos of Paul Nudd and I editioning the print can be found here.

"Not Armor but a Cage"

These drawings were published in Robert Pranzatelli's "The Folio Club" number 3, Fall 2010.  I called the series, "Not Armor but a Cage." 

Small Press and Comics Symposium of Chicago

I will be speaking on a comics panel with Aaron Renier, Corrine Mucha, and Chris Ware on March 24th at the School of the Art Institute.  All the necessary info is included on the wonderfully designed poster above made by Lilli Carré.  Here too, is the website for the event.  New City has already wrote up something about it here.

New Print and New Exhibit - Opening this Friday!

"Invocation of Abundance" - a 2-color screenprint at 18"x24".  Made especially for the exhibit, "Power In Numbers" curated by the Chicago Art Department.  Opens this Friday, March 11th in Pilsen at 1837 South Halsted, 7pm-10pm.  This is an international exhibit of prints with over 40 artists participating.  The prints will be on sale during the opening and for the duration of the show (until March 25th).  If you can't make it to the show and are interested in purchasing one of mine, let me know.

For more info, click the graphic below:

I quit smoking...

...on January 17th.  It's better this way.

Show Write-Up in Chicago Tribune.

(click for larger version)

Here's a nice little preview write-up in the January 14th 2011 Chicago Tribune for the show I was in at Western Exhibitions.  I was quite pleased to see they printed the drawing I did for it too.  Nice little bloody feather in my cap...

Two Exhibits This Friday.

 

Ten x Ten is a show of ten prints made collaboratively with ten bands, all from Chicago.  There's also additional artwork from all the artists.  Here is more info on the show. And, as in my previous post, there is another exhibit I'm part of too, called "Heads on Poles."  Again, here is the low-down on that show.  I'll be attending both shows for a brief time.  Come on out if you're local.

Both are Friday evening.  Click above links for more info.

New Print - "Some Assembly Required"

 

This is a single color screenprint I did for an exhibit curated by Paul Nudd.  It's for the art book to accompany a show of severed head sculptures and features other drawings and prints by some very notable artists such as David Sandlin, Bruno Richard, John Hankiewicz, David Shrigley and many others.  Here is some info on the exhibit at Western Exhibitions here in Chicago (I did the illustration for the promo as well).

10x10 Project - New Print with Spudnik Press & Homeroom Chicago.

This is a 3-color screenprint I made for a project entitled, 10x10, put together by Spudnik Press and Homeroom Chicago.  10 artists based prints off of 10 selected music acts' songs - all from Chicago.  I made this based off of a song by my good friend Keith Helt's new project, "Sky Event."  The pre-order of this suite of prints and 10 recorded tracks is only a mere $20 until mid December and $30 afterwords.  Here is more info on the project (artists and music acts) and how you may order this awesome package.

Recent Doodles.

"There Will Come Soft Rains" Concept Art.

This is a concept drawing I did for a project.  It's for Ray Bradbury's "There Will Come Soft Rains" and shows robotic "mice" vacuuming in vain as the house is burning down.  Read more about the short story here.

New Illustration.

This is an illustration I did for Columbia College's Encyclopedia Show.  It's a wrap-around cover for their program publication.

Lithograph - "Workman's Comp"

 (click for larger version)
"Workman's Comp" is a lithograph printed by the awesome folks over at Anchor Graphics, 2010.  Although this is my first lithograph, I really only did the drawing on the stone and the rest was taken care of by Chris Flynn over at Anchor.  It is a (very) limited edition of 20 and is for sale through Anchor Graphics and myself.  It measures at 19.25" x 15" and is printed on an off-white paper.

New Drawing.

Spontaneous Human Combustion.  Acupuncture.  Healing Crystals.  This is a new drawing of a man skewered.

"Framed: The World of Comics"

This is the awesome poster Andy Burkholder did for the comics exhibit at Columbia College called, "Framed: The World of Comics."  The exhibit ran from November 2009 till Februrary 2010.  It featured his work along with numerous other hidden talents at Columbia.  I exhibited the originals I did for Hotwire Comics #3 (Published by Fantagraphics Books).

I was also interviewed by the Northwestern University Medill School of Journalism along with Ivan Brunetti who co-curated the exhibit.  Go and check out the video interview/news story on it here.  There's also an video interview on the Columbia site with the main curator, Justin Witte.  Check it out here.

I've Got Balls... I've Drawn On.

These are the ping pong balls I drew on for Nick Black's project last summer for a Hyde Park Art Center festival.  There were several other artists that did the same for his ping pong blower he built (see below).  The blower worked on a compressor with a kiddie pool for the base complete with strobe lights and openings for folks to catch the balls as they flew around.  

 

"The Folio Club" Issue No. 1

The is the wrap-around cover I did for Robert Pranzatelli's literary/art book series, "The Folio Club."  He also featured seven of my drawings from Claptrap #2 in it.  Here's a review for it from Fine Books & Collections.  Robert also wrote a nice entry on his blog about my drawings.  You can purchase the book through Amazon here.

"Onholder"

This is a comic that my friend and fellow cartoonist, Andy Burkholder drew after I doodled a character in the first panel.  You should really go check out his stuff.

New Illustration for The Common Review

Here's my version of "A Picture of Dorian Gray" for The Common Review.
Update on the Manifest Design Contest: I didn't win it. Thanks though, to all you folks who voted for me! I appreciate it.