Yggdrasil

my interpretation of Yggdrasil, tree of life from Norse mythology.

Commissioned by Ray Hicks IV.

Dear Dairy, sorry I have spent so much time away from you, last month the month of July was the first month since my launch d8 in Febrewary 2010 that I didn't post up any fun or funny pictures into this diary or blog. I meant to get this entry in by the end of the month, but I wanted to finish a few paintings before I did it. Summer is one of the slippiest and slimiest months, and July just managed to slide away right under my very own nose. But don't worry everyone, this post is PACT full of gr8 stuff, we got DRAWINGs. we got PaintinS, stick around till the end and I've got some pictures of a couple dogs for ya! Ha-ha!, You better believe I do! & don't worry about my slip-up last month, that'll NEVER happen again, God's Promise. We got lots of fun and stories coming up, so don't touch that dial!

here's a lil' leftover paints paintin', below how you can see how I screwed it up/made it better with some more/different ugly colors.

I think I ought to just cut ma'losses and move on..

that's real blood on that drawing, folks!

went to Lyonel Feininger exhibit @ Whitney Muzaam. I thought it was very interesting to see how an artist who started out as a cartoonist evolved through many different styles in several mediums. Fascin8ing!

^^thumbnails from a comic story in which I use MTA trip planner to plan my trip, ran to the train, only to see the train I was planning to get on leave a minute early. That part happened. In this story I start freaking out and screaming on the subway platform, and when a MTA employee attempts to subdue my hysterics, I push him in the tracks in my rage. A train comes almost immediately and the poor employee is slaughtered in cold blood! I get on the train, oblivious to the murder I have just committed and finally relax in the cool embrace of the E train air conditioning. I'm not so sure I'll ever make it into a fully polished comic strip, it might be a little too fucked up and not funny enough to justify it. In my defense, it was really hot that day. It is the first time I've killed somebody in a comic story though, not that I'm planning on making a habit of it or anything, but it's a milestone nonetheless.

I took a three 90-minute-sessions comic book class through MOCCA with Peter Kuper (co-founder of World War 3 Illustrated and current artist of Spy vs. Spy for Mad Magazine and creator of many graphic novels). It was held at his studio, and it was a great mix of personal anecdotes, cartooning tips w/ examples of his work as well as advice/critiques of our work.

Mr. Kuper told us this quote, I copied it down because I thought it was funny/interesting. I searched for it on the 'net, and I couldn't find it, so it is an *alleged* Chris Ware quote.

We had two short assignments for the class, the first was to do a one-page comic based on a song. I did Don't Take Your Guns to Town by Johnny Cash. That can be seen on my tumblr HERE. The second assignment (above) was to do a 9/11 comic in one page. I didn't want to do it, since I've already done some comic work about 9/11 (HERE). But since it was the assignment, I did a reasonably faithful adaptation of the account of my experiences I wrote when I was 10. Click it to make it big enough to read, it's not going on my tumblr because it is too serious.

(L to R) Gary Panter , Chris Ware , Art Spiegelman

keep in mind I drew these very small from very far away. I drew them @ their panel @ the Whitney Muzaam about the intersection between fine art and comics, which was presumably connected in some way to the Feininger exhibit. Erina Davidson and I posed as Whitney members Theresa Nygard and Tom Pratt and went to see these amazing geniuses talk amongst themselves free of charge!

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For a short time I became a canvasser for an environmental organization called NYPIRG. The best thing that came out of it was some quality time with two dogs I met. At first they acted all tough and started barkin the shit outta me, but once I crossed the lawn's threshold they backed away like scaredy pups and once I extended the hand of friendship we became thick as thieves! I pet them for a long while, standing in these random people's yard for far longer than is socially acceptable.