Happy Holloween!

Toothy. Pastel on craft paper. Actual media, man! Will be bringing this one to the gallery at Nucleus

Happy Holloween, folks! Glucose central everywhere. I'll try to avoid eating any. I'm manning the door at home. My kids are going to wander about. They're teens, so likely they're too cool to really get into it, though some of their friends might go whole hog. We'll see. Have a safe one. I might just put "Alien" or "Poltergeist" on a loop. Oh, wait, "The Thing!" Or maybe screen for the kids this Korean scary movie about sisters Pete Sohn lent me. Creepy. That oughta keep me in the spirit of things.

Be well.

Gallery Crunch

So, I'm shaking in me boots. I've not hit the spot of where I suspect the images can be. I can almost divine where they need to come from but I'm too frazzled and over-scheduled to tell which end is up. All disclaimers are in effect: I'm dancing as fast as I can. At the very least I hope to celebrate the grand event that Tadahiro Uesugi is actually going to be here, and that's worth going to the show, my friends (I'm hoping to come away with Uesugi work to keep and treasure myself). My work on the walls is a way to create volume, much the way packing peanuts fill shipping boxes of delicate precious things.

Nucleus Gallery
Tadahiro Uesugi
Enrico Casarosa

Nine Lives

Permit me to plug a Movie. I think that I'd mention this movie if you all were sitting around having cofee with me and the topic came around to, "So, seen any good movies lately?" As a fan and appreciator of good performances, I would throw in "Nine Lives." I had the good fortune to have worked briefly with Julie Lynn( she is a joy to work with, I swear. She had enough spirit, spunk and craftiness at the end of our workday when the rest of us were dishrag spent) and she mentioned this little movie she was producing, directed by Rodrigo Garcia.

Robin Wright Penn's performance in her segment with Jason Isaacs was rivetting. I know that description gets bandied about carelessly about performances but I was literally mesmerized by her on the screen, going through ranges and surges of emotion and not an inauthentic tic in that whole ten minute single take. And I find out from Julie that they did that thing from top to tail over several times! I marvel at what focus and discipline it would take to make those moments happen again and again as if they were going on for the first time.

I can go on about Holly Hunter, Lisa Gay Hamiltona and Kathy Baker...but do check it out yourself, it's already playing in N.Y. and L.A. and opens in 25 cities starting this weekend.

From the movie website: "NINE LIVES is a moving exploration of the individual experiences of nine women as told through nine single unbroken takes. As characters from one story reappear in supporting roles in others, Rodrigo Garcia interweaves a grand tapestry of universal resonance that hinges on performances from an incredible ensemble. By depicting nine different characters at emotional crossroads, NINE LIVES examines how we so often find ourselves captive in relationships, both past and present."

Nine Lives Website

Jose Luis Agreda

"Strange Fruit" cover art by Agreda.

I don't know if you remember me, I'm Jose Luis Agreda," the email says. Silly man, of course I do. Striking style he has and lively characters. He apparently, from what his neighbor Pablo Velarde discloses, makes up 50% of working illustrators (Pablo being the other 50%) in this very hot (literally) town in Spain. We are fans. And why not? Take a gander at his blog. The above image is not the typical Agreda image we're used to. This is:



Agreda blog

Prangstgrup videos. If a laptop startup sounds out in the forest...

Startup Souind films the setup in a library of unsuspecting students where a certain computer's startup sound commands and rules all. Precious reactions. A novelty for the Monday. LINK

Check out "Lecture Musical." Very rousing and likely invigorating for the students who were treated to the production number. LInk below.

Prangstrup.com

Beauty Kit

Beautykit is a series of spurious ads about how commerce is really just responding to demand (isn't it?) and this jaw-dropping take brings it to a sobering check point. LINK

Note: Not for kiddies to see.

via

Book sightings

I've taken pictures of my books in stores for years. This is just one of many, obviously. Not that I have many books in so many places, I'm just thrilled each time I see them. Simple joys, okay? That's Lindsey Bear top left. With a name like that you gotta be in a world where stories surround you.

Actually, I knew they would be there. The Pendragon on College Avenue supports local authors and, yes, that includes leetol ol' me. They've carried the last two books and are so nice to deal with. Berkeley independent bookstores are my favorite--and they're close. But I was surprised to see it promently displayed. Warms the heart.

Support your local independent bookstores. Piedmont Avenue has The Spectator and The Black Swan. Close to my favorite coffee (free wireless) shop, Rooz.

Back to reality. I pitched to Herr Direktor and Herr Writer (names are withheld to protect the innocent) and they responded very well to my labor of days and nights (seven hundred thirty-three board frames). Welling up with the ocular devices there. Great compliment paid to this old storyboard dog. They asked before the pitch, "What do you think?" meaning, about the material. Making these things you wonder if the people doing sequences for you are into the characters.

"I was having fun doing the sequence."

"That counts," We both agree. And away I went and pitched. Actually, I had a time just trying to assemble the darned thing--tech issues cropped up like so many third act complications. But in the end the pitch was everything I had hoped it would be. A very good vote of confidence afterward. All a story guy could ask for.

Sigh.

Now, if all these pitches were like this.


Pendragon Bookstore
Rooz Cafe

October Angst. Oh, and New things from Apple

Photoshop with Cintiq. Tired, slopped on drawing. I love digital painting. No brushes to clean. But I gots to paint, I mean actual paints, but quick!

Sigh. Been swamped at work but loving the late nights sinking my teeth into a sequence. I haven't been able to say that for a while. Well, that's all because I've been doing other stuff besides boarding. There's also a ton of things to do and I've no time to do them all justice. Mail? Oh, forget about it, I'm so way behind. My apologies to all who're wondering what kinda jerk I am. The disorganized kind, that's what. I'll plod along as best I can (sheepish). There's a gallery opening with the master, Tadahiro Uesugi next month (there I go again. Breathe...relax...). Where was I? Next month, yes. I have pieces to make and frame.

All will find its level. No need to wig out. Right?

In anycase, this is such a big deal, I'm really surprised that I'm not going as bonkers as I thought I might. Maybe it's because I've learned that shrieking about the sky falling never helped the situation none. Finding the time to do the work, I could use. Somebody else mind the sky.

Did any of you catch the Apple announcement? I watched it at work. Man, that Steve, he's having fun up there, ain't he? All I know is that I'm buying that new iMac. Poor Ken Bruce just bought a new one last week. He can return it, I'm sure. I got the Nano the very next hour it was announced a few weeks back. My very first ipod, can you believe it? I bought everyone in the family one but myself. Now, Daddy wants that new video iPod (rabid), I gots to have 'em all!

Gizmondo link to Apple announcement report.

Luxo has a report on it, too.

Stream the annoucement, why don't you.

Afterworks signing at Super 7 success!

Hey, aren't you the world famous Louis Gonzales of Afterworks fame? Why, yes! Yes, I am. You must be the fabled Nathan Stanton of E-ville press. Well, now, we're all well met! Let's hit the canapes!

Afterworks were sold and signed by the gauntlet of artists of E-ville press last Saturday at Super 7. The place was packed and any notions of sitting down to sign the books were easily discarded as folks shimmied through the crowd from one author/artist to another.

All the other books by others who’re E-ville compatriots were in the offing as well. Congratulations to all for a successful evening. Thanks to our friends at Super 7, Brian and Dora flynn for setting up the event and continuing to support our leetol gang of the drawing afflicted.


Flickr photo album
E-ville website