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

xm

hey folks,

i just uploaded a new set of stock illustrations to the stock site at the wertzateria. check out the sample below. these and many more are a click away.

xm

A few highlights from the Alternative Press Expo (a.k.a. ‘The Temple of Spendy’):

First of all, I have to mention my yearly APE companion: Anne-Maria. I love going to these things with AM. She talks to everyone. EVERYONE. She is not afraid tell the scary metal-obsessed tattooed boys that she wants their shirt. She draws out the shut-ins and makes them feel human again. She’s a gem.

The Queer Comics Panel hosted by Justin Hall is always a lot of fun. A good discussion of Genre: Slice of Life books vs. Fantasy books. Sat with the Verasphere for this talk, and I think they should start a Mrs. Vera comic ! Was most interested in Cedric Hollows by Sina Grace. I need to get myself a copy. Liz Baillie was also amusing: need to check out ‘My Brain Hurts’.

In other gay comics news: Wuvable Oaf. Bought a couple of issues, and they’re hilarious. I was laughing at loud in the aisle at the image of Baby Wuvable Oaf emerging from his mother’s loins, already sporting a thick beard and hairy arms. Too much.

Big news in lynda barry land (straight from the mouth of the D&Q guy): ‘the near sighted monkey’ is turning in to to a ‘what it is’ style work-book about drawing. All hail LYNDA BARRY!

A few new hardcover books (I budgeted $100 for the expo, aaand spent every thin dime) HOT POTATOE by Marc Bell, and Masterpiece Comics by Robert Sikoryak (who also gave a talk on Sunday with my friend Isabel Samaras). Got these fine fellows to sign my books.

xm

The Wertzateria *loves* Halloween. Seriously. More than Xmas, more than Thanksgiving. Halloween is the national Weirdo Holiday, and I embrace it fully.

This year, I’m celebrating by doing a small run of these posters for my friends Karl and Larry, who spend all year working on their contribution to the Halloween Madness. It’s called ‘The Driveway Follies‘, and it’s quite a marvel. They set up a small stage in their driveway in which they perform with hand-made marionettes – the kind I loved when I was a kid – and it’s just charming as all get-out. Watch carefully for the clown who rips his own clothes off to reveal his skeleton (without missing a single step of his spooky dance).

Here’s a color sketch for the poster. It’ll be two colors on orange paper. It’s a tribute to Ida Rentoul Outhwaite, Australian Illustrator of children’s books. [edit: The posters are done, and you can getcherself one here!]

Here’s my brother and I in 1972, very much looking forward to bellies bloated with 1000 tiny candy bars (and 300 smarties). We used to spend hours drawing perfect haunted houses (complete with ghosts, graveyards, bats, vampires, etc.) and listening to “Chilling Thrilling Sounds of the Haunted House“.

To provide the soundtrack for your happy haunts, The Argyll Adventure Tree is serving up some macabre delights on October 1 from 5-7 pm on Ninth Floor Radio. This is a co-broadcast with UB, the theme is “Spooky“, and it should be a hoot and a holler. Give us a listen! Last year’s Halloween show is also up and available for download.

I did a quick search, and came up with some amazing Halloween blogs from folks who are even more obsessed with Halloween than I. Check out the Franklin Mint Blog, or WFMU’s Beware of the Blog. Check this page for a crazy huge list of Halloween Blogs!

Have Fun, and be safe out there, people.

xm

LoveEvolution 2009
Originally uploaded by ultrapop design

Dear Friendlies,

I’m taking part in a very fun event that you might like to attend. Every year, the San Francisco Center for the Book asks a group of artists to carve a 3′ x 3′ linocut. They lay them down in the street, ink them up, and roll a two-ton steamroller over the top of them to make prints. It’s a lot of fun – a street fair for print and book geeks (like me). I’m almost finished carving the lino (I have had lots of help on this front – thank you Carolee, Pam, and Loriana!), and Andy was kind enough to document the process as it rolls along. The pix are here.

The event is this Saturday the 19th from 12-5 pm, in the lovely Potrero Hill district in lovely San Francisco. I’ll be sharing a tent with my buddy Carolee (whose new book, ‘Good Mail Day‘, you need to buy) and selling the screenprints I’ve been working on all summer. Drop on by and say hello!

Roadworks Steamroller Prints
SFCB’s 6th Annual Street Fair
Saturday, September 19 12-5 pm
Rhode Island St. ‘twixt 16th & 17th, SF

All best, Michael

p.s. if you haven’t checked out the Center before, here’s your chance. It’s one of my favorite places.

Phew! Just finished this, and I’m pretty happy with it. Restricting myself to pretty much one color (black) for the drawing was fun. The final will be available in the shop after the show. It’ll be a nice big poster – 18 x 24 inches, 3 colors. Critters! Geetars! Geetars with roots! Do you know Monks of Doom? Hmmm?

xm

Friends to the Four-Pawed:

Andy and I are doing another ‘Singing’ for A Curious Collection of Cats (a children’s book lovingly illustrated by yours truly) this Sunday at Clayton Books in Clayton, California. If you are in the East Bay, come on out and getcher book signed and see Andy & I act like goofballs! Here’s a little bit from the book launch party:

What: Ukeleles and Kitties and Drawings
Where: Clayton Books, Clayton California
When: 3 pm. Right after naptime.

See you then? xm

Yee-HAW! See you in the desert? xm