I was at the University of Chicago at the Comics: Philosophy and Practice last weekend, and live-tweeted most of it. A few people have asked for a link-able, reusable version of this documentation, so here it is (after the jump). I’m working on a comics story about it, for the University of Chicago Magazine, and will update about that here. Continue reading
I’ll be at the University of Chicago this weekend for this absolutely insane comics event. I mean, please don’t let there be a terrorist attack on the NATO conference (also in Chicago this weekend!), because we’d lose the entire top tier of American cartoonists. Continue reading
The MoCCA Art Festival is likely to be the only show I go to this year until January in Angoulême. Matt and I will have a table (B3) and are running a workshop/discussion on Saturday at 1:15. Come see us! I’ll have printouts from my new scifi epic Trish Trash: Rollergirl of Mars to show off, new postcards from my Kickstarter, and lots of books for sale. Matt will have a new minicomic of Tic Tac Toe comics!
The big news for the show is that, although it’s not officially “out” yet, we will have copies of Mastering Comics to peruse (but not buy, unfortunately). Since that’s just too much of a tease, Matt and I put together a little giveaway contest for two lucky entrants. Make a Doodle Comic and bring it to us by Sunday at 2 to win! See the full details here, and stop by out table on Saturday for a handout/starter doodles will be available at our table. (MC will be officially released at TCAF in Toronto next week—Matt will be there.) Continue reading
You haven’t heard about my Kickstarter for a while, but that doesn’t mean I haven’t been busy.
I’ve been stacking up drawings, planning who’s getting which item of clothing, and then I realized that I can’t actually mail any of the drawings out until I get them all done and have the postcards printed. Oops. Continue reading
First of all: a big announcement: Matt and I, and our kids, Aldara and Jasper, are picking up and moving to France in September, for a year. I have no idea how we’re technically going to achieve this feat, but one way or another, come next fall, we’re all going to be speaking French and eating pain au chocolat every morning (because it’s probably the only way we convince Aldara to come along with us). We’ve long had European ties, and I’ve tried for years to get my brain around how we could possibly move ourselves there for a stretch. I still do not have that particular answer. But we were afforded a kick in the ass by the fact that, after teaching ten years there, SVA has awarded us a sabbatical leave (rarely available outside the tenure system). We’re incredibly grateful for it, both for the vote of confidence it shows, and for the small stipend it will mean while we’re away (we’ll earn half our (not high, definitely part-time) salary while on leave).
Anyone in the central Michigan area this coming week, I hope you’ll come out to see me at the MSU Comics Forum. I’ll be giving a talk on Friday night and then “tabling” as the comickers call it, on Saturday.
Keynote Address 7:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
Artists Alley from 11-5
MSU Comics Forum
Michigan State University
Snyder/Phillips Hall
East Lansing, MI
48825
OK, I’m no genius, but if you replace “genius” with “art,” Edison was right when he said, “genius is one percent inspiration, ninety-nine percent perspiration.”
Case in point: Trish Trash: Rollergirl of Mars, my graphic novel-in-progress. How did I come up with this epic space opera? Well, back in 2006, I drew these illustrations for Chapter 10 (“Getting Into Character”) of the first comics textbook Matt and I wrote together, Drawing Words & Writing Pictures.
Another vintage item for my Kickstarter supporters, a red t-shirt from the 70s. It’s simple, plain, but again, it’s the fit that counts. Wabi sabi ripped sleeve trim, very punk. I’d love to give this to someone my age in the picture below, or younger.
(Below: Artbabe signing in at the original Quimby’s, on Damen, circa 1997.)
Not every one of my Kickstarter drawing subjects/gifts is some amazing piece of vintage fabulous.
You know that one pair of jeans that you would have thrown out five years ago, but you just can’t bear to part with them?
From left to right: Dean Haspiel, Josh Neufield, me and my favorite jeans at the Keyhole #1 release party. 1996. Continue reading
For years, this was my go-to shirt when heading out to a party or to go dancing. Vintage 1970s, clingy, sexy, I’ve had it since about 1993, but I just CAN’T get away with it anymore, as much as I would like to. Are you a young, cute, smart-assed, vintage-wearing woman? Do you know someone who is? Donate to my Kickstarter and put dibs on this shirt! It deserves to be worn. If you don’t, I’m keeping it for my daughter.
At right: Matt, the shirt, and me at a drunken party in Austin in 1997.
