wertzateria portfolio updated!

Hi friendlies,

the portfolio page has been updated with a bunch of new images from all the work from 2009. There’s work from the 2010 calendar in there, but be sure to scroll down to see the work we did for Camper Van Beethoven and Cracker, Monks of Doom, the Developmental Studies Center, Barnes and Noble, the Driveway Follies, and Cisco.

2010 started off with a BANG. We’re already hard at work on the follow up to my kid’s book A Curious Collection of Cats (provisionally entitled “A Dazzling Display of Dogs“) as well as a cool (and truly bizarre) collaboration with Jim Winters for a print show called Songs in Reverse. Stay tuned for images. At the very moment, I’m working on a spot for PC World Magazine. Speaking of magazines, if you get Via Magazine, you’ll see our work gracing their pages as well.

Happy New Year. We deserve it.

xm

the wertzateria shop – we’re always open

hey kids,

if you’re seeing the snow falling on your screen, you’re in the right place. happy holidays!

the poster i did for the camper and cracker kids are up in the shop for your shopping pleasures. in fact, the shop is just brimming with poster-y (and book-y) holiday goodies.

if you’re interested in a poster for xmas, make sure you get your order to me by the 16th of december at the latest, else the poster won’t arrive on time! i can’t guarantee any orders made after the 16th will get to you, and i don’t want to see any moist eyes on christmas when the kids realize that santa didn’t bring them the two-headed praying mantis print or the zoodiac zodiac book they asked for. they’ve been good kids! even though they gave the cat a haircut and dressed it in a diaper, they’re still good kids. and you! treat yourself! brighten up that cubicle with something made with love by hand.

so click on over to the wertzateria shop for some hand-made home-made goodness. just be sure you do it by the 16th.

xm

2009 cracker van beethoven poster : color sketch

for the cramper folks. the 2009 end-of-year poster. they have been really sweet – this is my third year making a year-end poster for them! here’s the first, here’s the second. this will be printed in two colors. i wanted something holiday-like, but not *too* holiday. dig?

xm

A Curious Collection of Cats Launches!

(a hairball? no, not a hairball…)

Friendlies,

we had such a marvelous time at the book launch for A Curious Collection of Cats. Many, many thanks to Diesel Books in Oakland, thanks to Abigail and Hayley at Tricycle, thanks to my sweetie who set three of the poems to music so we could sing ‘em. There were about 60 people in attendance, and we sold out of books! If you want a book, call Diesel (510-653-9965). They are ordering more books (and doesn’t it feel good to support the indie bookstore instead of the nameless behemoth bookstore?) and should have more copies soon.

For those of you who came to the Launch, thank you so much! If you couldn’t make it, we’re scheduling a few more “singings” for the book: Betsy Franco and I will be doing a talk and signing at Kepler’s Books in Menlo Park on June 28th at 11:30. I am also scheduling a singing for San Francisco – stay tuned for that info!

In the meantime, here’s some video my brother Tim took of us singing:

xm

‘A Curious Collection of Cats’ gets a stellar review!

Me-WOW! Elizabeth Bird at School Library Journal has written quite the post about my up-and-coming kids’ book, A Curious Collection of Cats. You can pre-order the book and see a preview of the whole book here.

Huzzah!

xm

super furry 504 @ oakland’s café 504

Hey there folks!

Fine artist Dave Warnke and illustrator Michael Wertz are at it again. Couldn’t make it all the way down to Santa Cruz to see our latest? Well come say hello and see a *bunch* of new work – from wooden wall hangings to screen prints to cardboard pieces to small gocco prints. Come on down and enjoy a tasty adult beverage, some snacks, and live music, too!

Totally Psyched! We just found out that Heller High Water is going to be gracing the show with their own special brand of Berkeley Hillbilly-ness and four-part harmonies! Yaa-hoo!~

See a preview of the work here.

March 6, at 7 pm, at Cafe 504, 504 Wesley Avenue in Oakland, CA.

See you there? Your current reply is YES!

xm

2009 peace calendar for lee wood press

Here are the FREE and FABULOUS calendars that we’re giving away to friends of the Wertzateria! ‘Tis true! Just drop me a line with your snail mail address and we’ll pop one in the mail to you! These aren’t your run-of-the mill calendars of puppies and bunnies, no. These calendars are chock full of Wertzy goodness to behold, a month-at-a-time. My sister Julie and I designed these for Lee Wood Press in San Francisco.

The only thing I ask in return is that you do a little bit of thinking about Peace (the theme of the calendar). What does it mean to you? How do you cultivate Peace?

What’s so funny ’bout Peace Love and Understanding?

xm