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It's totally worth it!

MV & EE Poster

My friend Seth somehow got MV & EE to come play a show at his house and he asked if I'd create the poster. I said yes and decided to collaborate on it with my dear friend Sneary. Here is the result. The show is on the 12th at 8pm located at 121 Roup Avenue. Hope to see you there!

Not So F*%?@#! Serious

Not So F*%?@#! Serious, an art show this October 21st at Unsmoke Systems in Braddock, PA. It's going to be superbly awesome and thrilling. For more complete information on artists involved and what it's about please check out:


http://notsofingserious.wordpress.com

Hope to see y'all out there, it's gonna be a blast!

A Wild & Surprising Success!

Last night all of us comic makers and zinesters were in attendance for the 1st ever Pittsburgh Zine Fair. The event was surprisingly well attended for it being only the first year and that we only had 2 months in which to organize it. I suppose that just proves the determination of few can generate amazing results. Here's some photos of last night's event taken by the gracious Stephanie Tsong. Thanks Steph!

Now In Colors

I plan to print some of these off and we'll be selling them at the Zine Fair!

The Official flyer/poster for the 1st PGH Zine Fair

 

I hope to color this, I think it'll look 110% better. We'll see if I actually do before the event happens.

Pittsburgh Zine Fair

Well this is coming fast. The first ever Pittsburgh Zine Fair is set to take place on September 1st, 2011 from 5-10pm at AIR (Artist Image Resource) on the North Side. The event will feature zine/comic and independent publishers/retailers from Pittsburgh and beyond, workshops, music, food, acivities and much more fun to be announced. I've been attending all of the organizing meetings at Filmmakers and it has been a hoot. So far I've been responsible for a lot of the illustration needed for print and web promotional materials. I'm working on finishing the poster/flyer tonight and I'll be sure to show off the black and white or if I work hard enough the color version.

For more info and how you can get involved in this new project, please visit the website:

www.pghzinefair.com

Polish Hill Arts Festival (part deuce)

So I finished up the poster for the Polish Hill Arts Festival a few nights ago. It's a 3-color creature and took a surprisingly long time to finish coloring. Unfortunately the art I made wasn't proportionate to a tabloid size, but I think I compensated well with the extra white space.  I plan to also screenprint a larger version, but it will likely be in just one color.

.... and here are some Handbill designs created at the last minute....

You all NEED to come to this! Don't worry I'll be sure to remind as the date approaches...

Braddock Again ~ Invasion

Hello to all. I want to post about this, but I'm not sure how much I can leak to you as it's still in it's infancy. So for now I'll be giving you the bare bones and therefore just teasing you.

Over the past 2 months I've been organizing, with Maggie Negrete and a few other folks, a group art show in Braddock, PA at the artspace Unsmoke Systems. The show is set to happen mid-October, the Opening Reception on October 21, 2011. The prospective artists have already been selected, a good handful have since agreed through informal conversations. We'll be sending out our proposal to a little over 20 Pittsburgh based artists next week. The name for the show is not yet decided, but by tomorrow it will be finally decided.

The show will be based in installation, traditional art exhibiting (framed pieces, sculptural, etc.), experiential and on-site/site specific painting or multi-media. So essentially it's a creative free-for-all of sorts. We don't have total creative freedom in this space, but the gallery owner/operator, Jeb, is an awesome dude and is allowing us a lot of flexibility. That is actually the primary reason for having it in Braddock at this particular location. The hardest part will be promoting this and convincing people to travel all the way to Braddock just for an art show. So start spreading the word now. Unfortunately that is all the information I can release at the moment. Once all of the artists have been confirmed I'll make a more complete post. Until then just wallow in your own anticipation please!

Adlib Comic & Polish Hill Arts Festival

So I'm programming a comic and bookmaking workshop during the Polish Hill Arts Festival on July 17th. I've never done something quite like this. What you see above is a 4 page adlib comic that participants can create their own characters/story. I'm not sure how well this is going to work or how interested people will be in completing a partially realized sequence of panels. It's an experiment in that regard. I'm trying to come up with some additional activity ideas to complement this one because undoubtedly there will be some young kids and they'll need a project that's easy to do and more importantly fun. I've been talking with Nate and he's expressed interest in doing some sort of cartooning demo or collaborative activity.

In addition to working an activity table there I'll also be there with selling Andromeda comics, prints, paintings and other crafty junk. Also be on the look out for the poster/flyer for the Arts Festival in your neighborhood/community in the coming weeks. Below is an early concept with no color. Once finished there will be a digitally colored 8.5" x 11" version, a larger screenprinted poster and screenprinted handbills of which the designs are not yet completed. Those handbills will likely be steeped in traditional Polish folk patterning and textile design. Hope that you can all make it for this festival. Last year was my first year and I can say with confidence that it's the coolest arts festival in Pittsburgh. Yes, even cooler than the Three Rivers Arts Festival!

Wild Kindness

Howdy y'all! I want to make you hip to a new record label that is out there in our universe. They're called Wild Kindness, yes derived from that Pavement lyric. It's a DIY independent label based out of Youngstown, OH and is driven by my good friend David Pokrivnak. He's doing lots for burgeoning and talented musicians in the region of Ohio, Pennsylvania and other possible neighboring states. The label is still in it's infancy, but is quickly gaining steam. Not only do they represent musicians, but also visual artists. At the moment the only artists on the label are myself and Katy Gould.

There's a lot of potential in this project and the label is currently trying to extend it's reach for booking and distribution in Pittsburgh. So if you're an avid music lover and you like what you hear from the artists on Wild Kindness, then please shoot me or David a message and let us know. The more positive feedback we receive from the community, the more likely it is that Wild Kindness will be premiering more shows in Pittsburgh. To check out all of the wild goodness go to:  www.wildkindness.com or follow the Wild Kindness link on the left side of the page.

Thanks!

I'm Bad at Blogging

This was the poster I made for "Rock Show, Dude!", art exhibit I curated at Wildcard Consignment shop, way back in January. The time falls behind me and it takes me months to pick it back up. I swear I haven't forgotten people who actually read this once in a while.

Poster for David

My friend David Pokrivnak, fantastic artist and even better musician, has been working with some other great folks to establish a small record label called Wild Kindness. He was looking around for artists to create some work for some of the bands/shows that are upcoming. I agreed of course because I truly am inspired by folks out there doing the work that they know will make them happy and satisfied. The design above was screenprinted in 3 colors for a show in May. The browns and greens came out darker than desired. Still trying to get a handle on the ins and outs of printmaking. Very delicate medium.

Check out Wild Kindness's website ------------->  wildkindness.com

ROCK SHOW, DUDE!

The illustration above was created to promote an art show in January 2011. The concept for the show focuses on the beauty in art utilized, throughout music history, for concert or performance posters. The type of music can be extended to just about any genre, the title is just a clever bit of humor. This is the first opportunity I've had to curate a show and I am proud to include all 16 wonderful artists.

There are about 170 handbills and fliers each. They will be distributed amongst friends and then we'll canvas the surrounding Pittsburgh neighborhoods. I expect this to be an interesting evening as we will be providing special refreshments (a Rock themed cake), booze, live mind-bending music and nothing but GOOD VIBES. Hope to see you all there.

Opening Reception:
January 7th, 2011 -------> 7-9 pm
at Wildcard Consignment Shop, 4209 Butler St. Pittsburgh, PA

PIX-Finally something really cool and rad happening here in Pittsburgh.

Hello folks, I'm here to tell you about something new and exciting that's rapidly approaching the fair city of Pittsburgh. It's PIX, Pittsburgh's first annual Independent Comics Expo presented by Copacetic Comics Company, Toonseum and sponsoring in part from The Sprout Fund. The event is to be held on October 16th and 17th, 10 am - 5pm each day on the top floor of the newly renovated Guardian Storage Facility at 2839 Liberty Avenue (in the Strip District). It's open for free to the general public and vendor/creator tables are only $25. If you'd like a table be sure to do so soon because this event is shaping up to be worthy of notation considering it is only in it's infancy. Special guests confirmed for panels and such include, but are not limited to: Kevin Huizenga, Ed Piskor, Jim Rugg, Frank Santoro, and Tom Scioli.

I will also be there dishing out issues of Andromeda including the release of #6 to the masses. Also in attendance will be Nate McDonough of GRIXLY comics and Stephanie Neary, creator of various minis and gnarly drawings abound (cross your fingers for her attendance). I hope to see all of you there. We really need your support for this one Pittsburgh, I mean why wouldn't you come, IT'S FREE!!

The Walkmen

The Walkmen commissioned me to illustrate and screenprint 150 posters in promotion of their new album "Lisbon". The design above is essentially the one that ended up on paper, except for a few last minute design changes. The project was a success and now you can buy them on their etsy store: etsy.com/shop/thewalkmen

This was an exciting endeavor and the first time I've ever attempted to print using three colors. It was quite a challenge and I feel like I've learned a great deal about the intricacies involved in screenprinting.

Thing I did for The Walkmen and they did not use, so now it is for you.

This was fun to do, too bad they didn't use it, oh well. Hope you all enjoy it.

Getting There.

I'm starting to compile everything for #3 and hope to have a bunch of copies sometime before the end of next week. I finally broke down and bought a monochrome laserjet printer after all these months of freeloading printing services. It should be here by the weekend or Monday hopefully. Then I can truly get down to business.

This will be the cover for this issue, I'm also thinking about screenprinting this and making it available as a poster as well. Not sure on the idea yet, more to come....

Wheelies

For my installation piece in Braddock I created a sort of movable painting. The idea originally came from Maura. She had considered doing something similar in the past and I felt compelled to try and substitute it for my initial plan to paint on-site. Anyway so these bad boys are made from masonite board, painted, pasted with old and new pieces and then attached to a make-shift skateboard. I'm not sure of the intent that I am trying to put forth here concerning expected results. I am just curious to see people interact with them or possibly not at all. Either way will be fine, it's indifferent to the experiment. Interaction on any level is suitable.

Frontier Fun

A poster I designed for a friend of mine's band called The Slant. He wanted to incorporate several visual elements such as Paul Bunyon, covered wagon, an organ, and portraiture among many others. I did my best to cram them in there while still retaining interest. I think it turned out fairly well, I'm especially pleased with the type. I really tried to stay focused and concise on the smaller lettering.

click for larger view