thoughts for april 2006

oh, what a tangled garden which we weed

Posted 17 years, 11 months ago

I believe that’s a quote from Galactus.

Anyway, someone suggested that I go through my illustrations and weed out the images that are the weakest. As it turns out, that exercise is a little like trimming a beard—there’s always one more hair that’s a little longer than the others.

Anyway, I’ve pulled the chicagoland map (I don’t really do maps) and academic lions (which were the dandelions in suitcoats). I’m thinking about getting rid of morpheus, mudhead, and john the bathist.

If anybody has any suggestions, to quote Sio Bibble, “You must contact me!”

guarantee fresh!

Posted 17 years, 11 months ago

sushi kabuki

portfolios dotcom!

Posted 17 years, 11 months ago

That’s where I am, now. Well, here, specifically. I’ll still be here, too. I’ve just expanded.

goodbye kids

Posted 17 years, 11 months ago

Sad news. The magazine formerly known as Martha Stewart kids(2000s_magazine, and later changed to kids has been cancelled. The Spring issue was evidently its last. It was a beautiful magazine and won fistfuls of awards every year. Issues often contained the work of illustrators Marc Boutavant and Greg Clarke. I was hoping some day the magazine would also feature the work of John Aardema as well.

the ramayana

Posted 17 years, 11 months ago

I’ve been on an India jag for a while now, eating at the Indian buffet, or even occasionally visiting the Rama temple down the street. In fact, I rented Lagaan and The Mahabharata from the library.

A couple of weeks ago I was listening to the radio show Hello Beautiful, and they mentioned a musical production of the Ramayana being performed in the historic watertower in downtown Chicago. I didn’t go to see the play, but I knew a little bit of the story. While I listened to the radio, I drew a scene from the Ramayana.

And if you’d like to see another version of the Ramayana, check out Nina Paley’s Sita Sings the Blues.

jarring

Posted 17 years, 12 months ago

I just threw away a glass Welch’s jelly jar. This is significant because I just opened its replacement. Plastic. I noticed a year ago or so that Mrs. Butterworth is now made of plastic. I managed to save a glass version of her. I’m not sure why I did. It’s not like I have Funny Face packages lying around, or Sir Shakes-A-Lot cups, or even a box of Cocoa Hoots displayed in some shrine of kitchen nostalgia. Still, I thought it should be noted.

Perhaps I’ll play a sad little tune on my McDonald’s cheeseburger ocarina.