6/2/14

So much going on this week!

Today marks my very first day as Class of 2016 in the MFA Visual Narrative program at SVA. Super excited and nervous and eager to see how my working method and storytelling evolves over the next two years. Also looking forward to meeting new folks with different approaches to telling and presenting stories. My first (most likely intense) week back in school will be followed by two events this weekend…

You'll find me and the rest of the Three Armed Squid gang selling silkscreen goods and comics at the Grand Comics Festival this Saturday from 11am-7pm. I'll be debuting my Uncanny Alien Raver postcard set, featuring 7 delectable mutants heroes and villains.

Right after GCF I'll be high-tailing it to Grumpy Bert's for the opening reception of Life on Mars, featuring work from Apak, Monica Ramos, Scott Albrecht, Brendan Monroe, Evah Fan, Andrew Bell, Ramiro Davaro-Comos, Theo Ellsworth, Michael Hsiung and myself! I'll have two pieces appearing in the show, one of which I've posted for your viewing pleasure above. Prior to the reception, special guests will speak about the current happenings on the planet Mars. Seating is limited, so shoot an email to bert (at) grumpybert.com to secure your spot! Special guests include Miriam Kramer (Staff writer, Space.com), Caleb Scharf (Director of Astrobiology, Columbia University) and Chris Patil (Mars One Project candidate). I'm sad to miss this discussion but hopefully I'll be able to get the cliff notes version when I arrive. Don't fret if you can't make it; the show will be up through July 13th.

5/16/14

TCAF RECAP! It was my very first time at the Toronto Comic Arts Festival (and Toronto/Canada). It was held at the magnificent Toronto Reference Library (5 floors of books!) during a gloriously sunny weekend. The festival ran smoothly, thanks to The Beguiling and the TCAF volunteers. Saturday was especially packed, with the diverse crowd oozing excitement and eager to engage. By Sunday, several highly sought after books were sold out (like Jillian and Mariko Tamaki's This One Summer). Some exhibitors were so popular as to be extremely difficult to approach; it took me 15 minutes to get close enough to Peow! Studios' table to just glance at their gorgeous risograph books. There were familiar faces in the vast sea of exhibitors: Andrea Tsurumi, Keren Katz, Molly Brooks, Nick Bertozzi, Pat Dorian, Josh O'Neill and Andrew Carl of Locust Moon Comics and of course my table mate Estrella Vega.

Now calls for lots of reading (sadly I have not yet taken a picture of my TCAf haul but I promise you there is one) and working on some upcoming group shows (more on that soon!). And of course, Grand Comics Festival, which will be held on June 7th at Bird River Studios in Williamsburg. Thank you TCAF, The Beguiling and Canada for making my trip a memorable one! Hopefully I'll be back soon!

5/8/14

TCAF poster by the grotesquely talented Michael DeForge

I'm heading to Toronto, Canada this weekend for TCAF! This marks my first time visiting Canada AND going outside the US. Color me excited to get my passport stamped! You'll be able to find me on the 2nd floor at Table 220, which I'll be sharing with good friend and fellow squid Estrella Vega

I'll have issues 1, 2 and 3 of Three Armed Squid on hand, as well fresh goodies from the silkscreen oven: TCAF exclusive Alien Raver Pancake Pin-up prints and a second edition printing of my book Narwhal.

The 2nd and 1st printings of Narwhal side-by-side

See you soon, Canada!

4/8/14

T'was a grand ol' time at MoCCA this past weekend! Thank you to everyone who stopped by my table, adopted my silkscreen books and engaged in small talk with me! I sadly didn't get to chat with everyone at their tables but I was able to visit some! It was really hard sticking to my MoCCA allowance this year. So much good work out there!

In an unexpected yet pleasant twist, I won a MoCCA Arts Festival Award of Excellence for my silkscreen book, Narwhal! I'm so grateful to this year's judges and the Society of Illustrators for the honor. A special thank-you goes out to James Strum for rallying behind my little narwhals! Congratulations (and many high fives) to the other winners of the Award of Excellence: David Plunkert, Greg Kletsel, Luke Healy and Jess Ruliffson!

While this year's MoCCA has come to a close, my festival circuit has just begun. Next up: TCAF!

4/4/14

Hoo-ray, MoCCA Arts Fest opens tomorrow (see map here)! Above is a sampling of what I'll have on hand at the Three-Armed Squid table (D12). Additionally, I'll have copies of my Narwhal and Pulpo silkscreen books, Owl Maiden totes, and Llama Salutations greeting cards!.

We'll also be debuting the new issue of Three-Armed Squid's anthology, The Four Elementals, featuring work from Andrea Tsurumi, Jess Worby, Pam Wishbow, Will Varner and more!

3/26/14

MoCCA Arts Fest is quickly approaching! I will be tabling with fellow squid Alden Viguilla and Mauro Balcazar, a contributor in the upcoming issue of Three-Armed Squid. We’ll have lots of new comics, posters and silkscreen goodies at our table, D12, so drop by and say hello! MoCCA Fest is held at the 69th Regiment Armory, April 5-6, and will be open 11am – 6pm. Previews of everything I’m bringing soon!

12/16/13

Thanks to Andrea Tsurumi for taking a lovely solo shot of me!

Thank you to everyone who braved the storm and stopped by the Degenerate Craft Fair this weekend! I had a good time but it left me completely exhausted. All my wares were well received and I even sold out of my Frida Llama notebooks! Luckily this is my last fest/fair of the year, so I can hunker down and work on new things for the spring.

12/13/13

This weekend I will be selling my comics and wares at the Degenerate Craft Fair, along with my Three-Armed Squid buddies Estrella Vega and Alden Viguilla. I'll be debuting a few new items, including a holiday Llama Salutations card, a new Alien Raver in Wonderland mini-book and Frida Llama blank notebooks. Hope to see you there!

11/25/13

I made a batch of Gingerbread Llama greeting cards last week! You can buy one at the Degenerate Craft Fair on December 14th - 15th.

10/10/13

Many thanks to my friend Ann-Marie, who stuck with me all day and took this lovely picture of my table!

Last weekend was the Locust Moon Comics Festival, held in Philadelphia, PA (or as the highway signs like to say, Phila). It was held at the Rotunda, an old church in the University City part of town. It was an unseasonably warm day, which got warmer as the place started filling up. Luckily, the Locust Moon staff handed out water bottles throughout the day. I must have drank my body weight in water!

Aside from the constant sweating, I had a really good time. I was glad to see some familiar faces in attendance and make some new friends in the process, including Andrea Tsurumi, Pat Dorian, Dean Haspiel, Gregory Benton, Mike King, Boyoun Kim, Sue Jean Ko, Frank Reynoso and Alex Eckman-Lawn. I only regret not being able to walk around at a leisurely pace to see everyone's work! The Locust Moon crew did a really job putting the festival together. Hopefully I will return next year with some comic debuts (and a portable fan, just in case)!

I'm also working on a new Alien Raver in Wonderland mini-book. This one has Alien Raver attending the Mad Tea Party with his "friends" standing in for the Hatter, March Hare and Dormouse. You can follow my silkscreen progress on Instagram or Twitter!

10/2/13

This Saturday, you can find me at the Locust Moon Comics Festival! I'll have copies of my newest book Narwhal, Owl Maiden tote bags, Llama Salutation greeting cards and more! LMCF will be held at the Rotunda in Philadelphia from 10am - 6pm. Follow the map to find my table. Hope to see you there!

9/18/13

Some of my silkscreen books and Llama Salutation greeting cards will be on sale at Grumpy Bert's table this Sunday at the Brooklyn Book Fest. If you find yourself in the area, swing on by and say hello to Bert!