wrapping and starting up

A lot of projects are wrapping up and a lot of projects are starting up. Here follows an account of some of them.

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I hate the word "tease" and I hate the act of "teasing" even more but, if I don't mention that there was an all-consuming and awesome job from October to January you might think I was sitting on my hands for all that time. All that to say the massive project from the last 4 months is still not released yet so sadly I can't post anything about it yet.

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Another project that is wrapped up is my entry for Flight 7. I don't know if you are familiar with the award-winning graphic novel anthology but it's incredible. I was honored to be invited to the 6th volume (see my 40 page story Walters) and I recently completed my 20 page story for volume 7,

It's an original mythology about the earth sinking into the ocean and the central question is who is going to go and down to hold it up?

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You may have noticed increase in Alice in Wonderland pieces. This is for two reasons. 1, I'm finally getting the time to do the 14 paintings I'd thumbnailed and planned back in September and 2, I'm in the Curiouser and Curiouser show at the illustrious Gallery Nucleus.


I have 14 pieces in the works, one for every chapter plus prologue and epilogue illustrations.

You can click here for a compilation of all Alice posts.

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I'm very proud of my wife, Erin. She's an incredible entertainer, decorator, baker, interior designer, you name it -- she's absolutely wonderful and she puts up with me. So she's basically a saint.

She has a personal project of her own that she's embarking on soon and I'll be sure and mention more about it as it draws nearer. The other day I designed some little logo/mascot characters for her. This one is my favorite.

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Most of the time, the entire year feels like a building, exhilarating lead up to the San Diego Comic Con and afterwards it starts all over again. I'm in the process of putting together some stuff I'm pretty proud of for this years SDCC 2010. A lot of it revolves around the Alice work.

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Finally, I'm very happy to announce that I am leading the Portland Studios animation team in the production of what I feel is one of the most important projects we've ever been privileged to be a part of,

The Last Flight of Petr Ginz.

I hope you'll be able to take a moment and watch the documentary trailer at the link above.

From the site,

By 14 he had written five novels and penned a diary about the Nazi occupation of Prague. By 16 he had produced 170 drawings and paintings, edited an underground magazine in the Theresienstadt Ghetto, written numerous short stories and had walked to the gas chamber at Auschwitz.

Much of Petr’s story was unknown until the 2003 Columbia space shuttle tragedy. Israeli astronaut, Ilan Ramon, carried with him into space Petr’s drawing, Moon Landscape. The publicity surrounding the flight and its explosion led to the discovery of Petr’s diary and additional artwork and short stories in a Prague attic.

Through Petr’s artwork, novels, short stories and magazine articles, the viewer will see Petr make the journey from precocious child to young adult, from innocence to the painful awareness of inhumanity, from gifted artist and writer to prodigy.

But this is not a story of tragedy but celebration—a testament to how a boy’s wonder and creative expression represent the best of what makes us human.

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Well, there you have it. There's a lot wrapping up and a lot starting up, not to mention the continuation of bit and run, and I have a a couple of client picture books going at the moment.

I'm very happy I have the chance to do what I love. I try to never take it for granted and keep on working like the dickens.