~ERIK DEN BREEJEN opens ‘SMILE’ at FREIGHT+VOLUME

just back from the Miami Wars, I mean . . . Fairs – Nick Lawrence opens a ‘sleeper’ of a show !!
with no gallery time lost – this show jumps the new season gun.

‘SMILE’ proposes a thesis – but the paintings themselves . . . are anything but just concept . . there’s some serious power under that ‘Smile’ . . . I would say: stealth killer color field painting might – come close – to nailing it.

so, FILE UNDER: LETTERS, letters everywhere, from comic books to designer robot toys . . . here comes ERIK DEN BREEJEN !!
red rover red rover, let the color furious font men, come over !!

ERIK DEN BREEJEN – ‘SMILE’. big color field paintings – ‘illustrating the entire lyrics to the recently released Beach Boys’ magnum opus: ‘SMILE
opened Sat Dec 10, 2011
the show runs Dec 10, 2011 – Jan 14, 2012
FREIGHT+VOLUME – 530 WEST 24th St – CHELSEA, NY

yeah, check out the F+V website – they are currently featuring a really nice, quiet, and brief – but does the job !! small rotation of gallery – installation shots !!


ERIK DEN BREEJEN with FREIGHT+VOLUME founder/director NICK LAWRENCE . . . at the opening.
Erik’s painting: ‘Good Vibrations’ . . . behind them.


painter ERIK DEN BREEJEN at center. THORPE SHUTTLEWORTH at the left . . . INNA BABAEVA on the right.


the paintings were first and foremost color field paintings. though some might take issue and say the conceit: illustrating the entire lyrics to the recently released Beach Boys magnum opus, ‘SMILE’ – was what turned the trick.


and the man certainly knows how to run – with FONT !!
his painterly DIY font – had comic book ‘block’ calligraphy – by the hand.


but then the surfaces – also heaved and waved – just like . . . music ?
rose and waved out . . . just like classic Beach Boy harmony. classic, so teeny-bopper labelled, and yet so so fashion forward – we are only really getting the whole big picture, now.


this landmark or exhibit ‘title’ painting – actually incorporated the text – into its overall composition: ‘SMILE’, and not just its component brick bat – quickly paced, and boldly juxtaposed color text blocks.


HIBA SCHAHBAZ and MI JU are studio mates.
Hiba is a traditional miniature painter from Pakistan who is studying in the studio fine art graduate program at Pratt. Mi Ju who originally comes from Korea by way of San Francisco, currently lives and works in NYC. She will be having a show at FREIGHT +VOLUME next September.


close-up color block caption-like calligraphy and color block saturated hues – ERIK DEN BREEJEN – ‘SMILE’.


some of the color contrasts were very stark.


and even, extremely: black and white !!


others – were: POP !!


the capital block letters, the individual block unit words, and the contrasting or harmony building color hues – aggregated into waves – from different angles. combined with the frontal plane compositions . . . there was a sense of deep emotion behind the design, behind the concept.
according to the gallery press release, just like: sound waves in music. just like the field of emotions – in the song lyrics.


from left:
JULES De BALINCOURT, PETER SIMENSKY, and ZACK HARRIS.

Jules de Balincourt is a really wired, compelling and animated dynamo – in action. on canvas and in life !! never mind his recent blow-up on the auction charts. he told me I was an: info sponge. quelle right on. he got my number.
wow, for sure – I dug that !!


ERIK DEN BREEJEN: ‘GOOD GOOD VIBRATIONS’ . . .

file under: tragedy, just like ‘PET SOUNDS’ . . . way ahead of its time.
from the gallery liner (press release) notes:
“There is a dark side to the Beach Boys’ career, even though they were arguably one of the most popular bands of their time, producing songs which are just as warm, uplifting and California surf-invoking now as when they were written. ‘Good Vibrations’ broke new ground with its psychedelic overtones and by demonstrating the band’s ability to use the recording studio as an instrument. But many feel the band never lived up to its promise, and remained stuck in teenybopper cult status.”
to which I say – fie on them !! and no wonder Brian Wilson lost it. esp when the Beatles’ ‘Sergeant Pepper’s Lonely Heart Club Band’ swept the Beach Boys’ ‘Good Vibrations’ – apparently – off the charts.
in retrospect – quelle sad loss. what a wrong . . . vote-off.
again from the press release: “Brian Wilson, already sinking into the quagmire of drug-induced paranoia and depression, never quite recovered from that displacement”.

displacement – what a powerful word, if you think about it. in a lot of ways, these paintings are about the ‘displacement’ – of words, as in their meanings – by the overall painting. the meanings taken over by the dance and bold steps of the hi=power contrasts of shifting letter colors, and the resultant aggregate color ‘hue’ fields . .


PETER GERAKARIS, and KRISTOF WICKMAN, both Hunter MFA alum – in front of ERIK DEN BREEJEN’S – ‘GOOD GOOD VIBRATIONS’.


MAXXX (!!) VON WILLMAN has a studio in Bushwick by way of San Fran(cisco) and even, if you stretch it – Marin County, back in the day . . . when Van Morrison ruled.


TRAVIS PRATT and F+V artist ANDREW GUENTHER.


SIMON CERIGO gave Andrew Guenther his very first show in NYC – back in the late 90s when Simon was the Director of the Daniel Silverstein Gallery, and Andrew was the – intern.
as artlovers sometimes music reviewer, Simon is also enjoying a ‘moment in the sun ‘ – his very first review for us in 2005 . . .
ANTONY and the JOHNSONS – are now playing RADIO CITY MUSIC HALL !!
(7 years later)
see: MOMA/THE MUSEUM of MODERN ART/NYC has commissioned ANTONY and THE JOHNSONS: SWANLIGHTS for a one night only performance at RADIO CITY HALL, NYC – this upcoming JAN 26, 2012.


but it was the little blue painting to the left – that really caught our attention . . .
“EVERY TIME I GET THE INSPIRATION TO GO CHANGE THINGS AROUND NO ONE WANTS TO HELP ME LOOK FOR PLACES WHERE NEW THINGS MIGHT BE FOUND” – THE BEACH BOYS by way of ERIK DEN BREEJEN.


painter MARIA CALANDRA, longtime GF/buddy of Erik’s – in front of his atypical – ‘POPULAR SESSION WORK SHEET’.


this particular large canvas – of color coded word blocks – was more typical, and than again not. being so ghostly and more diffused, over-all.


it had a striking ambiance, and broke down, into smaller almost cascading units – really well, too.


“VILLAINS and HEROES” – yes, I remember these Beach Boys lyrics – well.


“UNCOVER” . . . “UNCOVER”. you can see readily the almost comic book caption quality – of the hand painted block letter calligraphy.


though of course – its ultimately, way more: painterly.


I never really thought of this before, but aren’t painted lips – just like . . . letters ?


detail, ERIK DEN BREEJEN . . . “COLUMINATED RUINS . . . ”


“DOMINO” . . . !!
go back and check out – the overall – big picture.
just like dominoes – all falling down, one after the other.


ADAM HAGGIAG, JAMES KALM, and NICK LAWRENCE.
yes, JAMES KALM is the guy who rides around on his bike and videotapes many many Big Apple openings.
see: THE JAMES KALM REPORT
see: JAMES KALM & LOREN MUNK
see: JAMES KALM’S – YouTube Channel


STEVE JOHNSON. and, that little color intense still life veggie painting ? – by ERIK DEN BREEJEN. I told you he was a color field painter.


NICK LAWRENCE with F+V gallery artist – DAVID BASKIN.


from left:
F+V artist ANDREW GUENTHER, F+V intern HANNAH HINDS, Andrew’s friend DANIEL HEIDKAMP, and last but not least, PHILLIP DMOCHSKI, F+V Assistant Director.


MINE GOLD – just think on that !!
ANDREW GUENTHER shows us his new finger tattoo.
wow – everybody’s getting into the letters game !!

PHOTOS: NANCY SMITH, NYC. DEC 10, 2011




~TRIPLE AAA threat: mph x deadzebra x JULIE WEST

or, is that: tripped – out !! AAA threat ?
heads up graphic designers – here’s one for you . . . and, it’s dangerous – as in: two-faced !!

just in from VINCENT YU of MY PLASTIC HEART:

a timely presentation on a AAA — special exclusive offer from mphlabs x deadzebra x Julie West !!

the ‘TWO-FACED A-TYPE’ . . . . by San Francisco artist JULIE WEST – “takes advantage of every surface of the figure.”
plus “one in every 6 is a super limited alternate color variant”.
the figure “has the ability to stand upside down, right side up, sitting down, or even hanging . . . the A-type is built for variety.”
materials: vinyl & ABS
specs: 6 ins. tall x 8 ins. wide (standing)
price: $49.99 ea.

MY PLASTIC HEART – 210 FORSYTH ST – at HOUSTON . . . (pretty much next door to HALF GALLERY).
Tues-Sat: 12 pm -7 pm
Sun: 12 pm – 5 pm
MON: closed




~BIRDS In WEATHER playing to-nite SAT DEC 10 !!

. . . we’re giving HANS VIETS & his band – Birds in Weather – ha. a shout -out, just because they are big fans, and they obviously read the site, and they do good art. and the music is pretty good – (awkward) cool, too.
even our (slacker) music reviewer, SIMON CERIGO – thinks so, so there . . .

and you know what happened to ANTONY & THE JOHNSONS !! Simon’s very first music post way back in 2005. went big-time baby, even art-wise.

Birds in Weather, sample their sounds, here !!

Saturday 12/10, 2011:
Legion Bar 790 Metropolitan Ave (corner of Metropolitan & Bushwick Ave) Brooklynm NY 11211
Wojik 9:00 pm
The Planes 10:00 pm
Birds in Weather 11:00 pm

Sunday 12/11, 2011:
Suffolk Bar 107 Sufflok St (between Delancey St & Rivington St) New York, NY 10002
The Enthusiasts 9:00 pm
Birds in Weather 10:00 pm
Luck War 11:00 pm
Indian Rebound 12:00 am




~HEY, JUST BECAUSE . . .

MY COMIC BOOK WAS CALLED “HATE” DOESN”T MEAN I HATE EVERYTHING . . . DON’T PIGEON-HOLE ME, MAN !

yuk, yuk – PETER BAGGE – nailed it !!

I mean, bagged it !! (whatever was I thinking . . . )

‘PETER BAGGE’ – SCOTT EDER GALLERY, APRIL 9th – MAY 5th, 2011.

SCOTT EDER GALLERY – 18 BRIDGE ST # 2i, BROOKLYN




~DON’T PIGEON-HOLE ME, MAN !! s’mores . . .

MORE !! GREAT PIX !!
FROM – THE 3rd BROOKLYN COMICS and GRAPHICS FESTIVAL, DEC 3, 2011


MATTHEW THURBER . . . signing . . .


1-800-MICE at the PictureBox table.
the testimonial at the bottom ?
“1-800-MICE reads like a mysterious oddball artifact from a much stranger and cooler parallel universe.” – MATT GROENING.


ADRIAN TOMINE . . . signs his books at DRAWN & QUARTERLY.


ADRIAN TOMINE – BROOKLYN COMICS & GRAPHICS FESTIVAL, Dec 3, 2011.


ADRIAN TOMINE, ‘SLEEPWALK and other stories’ – published by DRAWN & QUARTERLY.


ADRIAN TOMINE – page from ‘SCENES FROM AN IMPEDING WEDDING’. DRAWN & QUARTERLY.


DRAWN & QUARTERLY has great graphics . . .


this was their hand-out flyer for the BROOKLYN COMIC & GRAPHICS FESTIVAL 2011.
if you want to put a name to the face, check here: D & Q artists !!, ha.


this looks to be g-r-e-a-t !!
BRIAN RALPH – ‘DAYBREAK’, DRAWN & QUARTERLY.


welcome to the BIG bang-up start – BRIAN RALPH – ‘DAYBREAK’.


and if that didn’t do it to ya – how bout a few pages along . . . quote:
WELL ?
COME, ON
COME N GET ME!
. . . from BRIAN RALPH – ‘DAYBREAK’.


they also had books by ANDERS NILSEN, left, and ‘THE DEATH-RAY’ by DANIEL CLOWES, at right.


yeah the NILS ANDERS, ‘BIG QUESTIONS’ book is BIG.
its also in a limited edition of 1,000 – each signed and numbered !! hard cover – for like $70.


love it.
detail, ANDERS NILSEN – ‘BIG QUESTIONS’.


page from: ANDERS NILSEN – ‘BIG QUESTIONS’.


frame from: ANDERS NILSEN – ‘BIG QUESTION’.


man overboard – frame from: ANDERS NILSEN, ‘BIG QUESTION’.


phew.
frame from: ANDERS NILSEN, ‘BIG QUESTION.’

to see: pix of ANDERS NILSEN signing at last year’s BROOKLYN COMICS & GRAPHICS FESTIVAL 2010 – hit here !!


‘THE HARLEM YOUTH COURT’ – a 2 page story – of original artwork page by KIM DEITCH, signed & dated 03 – $2,500.
at the SCOTT EDER table.


2nd page, ‘THE HARLEM YOUTH COURT’ – KIM DEITCH. at SCOTT EDER.


detail, ‘THE HARLEM YOUTH COURT’ – KIM DEITCH, SCOTT EDER.


SCOTT EDER – an “original art” dealer, specializing in Underground and alternative comix art. . . who also runs a gallery focused on contemporary comic artists, located in DUMBO, BROOKLYN.
3rd BROOKLYN COMICS and GRAPHICS FESTIVAL, Dec 3, 2011.
note: the gallery is mostly open by appointment only, except for the openings !!
see: SCOTT EDER GALLERY, BROOKLYN
for his original comix, see: scotteder.com


he even had some R. CRUMB ‘placemat’ drawings with him. signed & dated, ’97. in the range of $3,000 – $4,500.
the schlemiel’s t-shirt reads: BE A WARRIOR – !!
SCOTT EDER table.

what, me ?
hey, the NEW YORK POST called PRESIDENT OBAMA a “schlemiel” today, for lighting the Hanukah candles, early !! everybody’s a comic these days. you just can’t make that stuff up – nobody would believe you.


and a signed and dated, MAY 1991 – S. CLAY WILSON page – original artwork from ZAP #14. $8,000.
it was fascinating, not the least because – you could see the use of ‘white-out. the image ? – out of the ball park.
SCOTT EDER table.


detail: S. CLAY WILSON, 1991.
SCOTT EDER table.


detail: S. CLAY WILSON, 1991.
SCOTT EDER table.


he also had original artwork by contemporary comic artists . .
this is by PETER BAGGE. SCOTT EDER table.


‘MISS + MRS . . AND WHY NOT!’
signed & numbered artwork by ASHELY WOOD at SCOTT EDER. $150.


‘MISS + MRS’ – by ASHLEY WOOD. at SCOTT EDER.


but what I really liked is the great posters SCOTT EDER produces for his artist shows – !!
(though it looks like he might also have a hand in those contemporary posters above, not sure)
this super well designed poster is for: THE EXHIBITION of ORIGINAL ART from JIM WOODRING’S WEATHERCRAFT.
June 18 – July 16, SCOTT EDER GALLERY, 18 BRIDGE ST 2i, BROOKLYN.


SCOTT EDER also produced this great or what !! poster for a show his gallery mounted – for this year’s featured guest speaker at the BROOKLYN COMIC and GRAPHICS FESTIVAL 2011 – the 87 year old JACK DAVIS !! featuring the famous dude’s self-portrait – of course.

JACK DAVIS: made his mark producing horror and war stories for EC Comics, before finding his metier in satire as one of the original (and longest running) artists for MAD magazine. Davis defined the caricatural style of the 1960s and 1970s – and beyond. ~ BROOKLYN COMICS & GRAPHICS FESTIVAL programming note.

it’s still up. by app’t.

‘DRAWING POP CULTURE: THE ART OF JACK DAVIS’. DECEMBER 2nd – JANUARY 19th, 2011
SCOTT EDER GALLERY, 18 BRIDGE ST . # 2i BROOKLYN.

PHOTOS: NANCY SMITH




~DON’T PIGEON-HOLE ME, MAN !!

MORE PIX . . . FROM . . . the 3rd BROOKLYN COMICS and GRAPHICS FESTIVAL, DEC 3, 2011


DASH SHAW – PictureBox – ‘KRAMERS ERGOT 8’ – booksigning.


FRANK SANTORO – PictureBox – ‘KRAMERS ERGOT 8’ – booksigning.


GABRIELLE BELL – PictureBox – ‘KRAMERS ERGOT 8’ – booksigning.


ANYA DAVIDSON – PictureBox – ‘KRAMERS ERGOT 8’ – booksigning.


SAMMY HARKHAM – founder/editor of the huge comics compilation series: ‘KRAMERS ERGOT’ . . . at the PictureBox booksigning for #8.


you rule !!
CF at the PictureBox – ‘KRAMERS ERGOT 8’ – booksigning . . . GARY PANTER on the right.


CF . . . about to make his mark !!


‘KRAMER’S ERGOT 8’


wow – a peek at the first page. that’s quite a blow-out surprise, for a comics anthology !!
. . . don’t pigeon-hole me, man.
‘KRAMERS ERGOT 8’ had its debut at the festival, and is published this year by PictureBox

p.s. word just in from DAN NADEL: the cover design and the first pages of ‘KRAMERS ERGOT 8’ – are by ROBERT BEATTY !! nice job, dude.


GARY PANTER, also had a beautiful new book out from PictureBox . . .


GARY PANTER, ‘The Land Unknown’.


Best B’art award goes to: NOAH LYON . . . aka RETARD RIOT !!


we heard MATT GROENING . . of BART SIMPSON fame drops by the fest . . Noah sent us the proof positive.
MATT GROENING with NOAH LYON, BROOKLYN COMICS and GRAPHICS FESTIVAL.
PHOTO COURTESY: NOAH LYON.


NOAH LYON, MARIA, and baby ELSA, 3 mos. old.
wouldn’t you know . . . leave it to Noah to have a most beautiful & most serenely calm Buddha baby !!
and, yeah. that Mr T. t-shirt – is his.


Best Art Cross-over award goes to: MIKE TURZANSKI . . .


for this . . . poster by MIKE TURZANSKI.


and this.
a way brash little self-published limited edition (40) artist book . . . ‘PLUNK MUSIC’ – by MIKE TURZANSKI . . see: THE GOOD PRODUCT.COM
from whence comes this quote: “I’M HUMAN, AND THIS IS EARTH.” !!


“I KNOW THE FEELING” – ‘PLUNK MUSIC’ by MIKE TURZANSKI.


best crew walking around, from left:
MARIE O’NEILL, CONOR STECHSCHULTE, ANDY, and LESLIE WEIBELER.
and yes, that be: ANDY BURKHOLDER.
see: ANDY BURKHOLDER on blogspot
see: ANDY BURKHOLDER – TIME TRAVEL
and while we are at it:
yes, that be: MARIE WITT O’NEILL
and, LESLIE WEIBELER.
and CONOR STECHSCHULTE of CLOSED CAPTION COMICS


this is ANDY BURKHOLDER’S new book: . . . ‘ITDN’, see he’s signed it at the top right !!


a glimpse inside ‘ITDN’ . . . . by ANDY BURKHOLDER.


CONOR STECHSCHULTE – pulls out his new book: ‘THE AMATEURS’ . . .
see: CLOSED CAPTION COMICS


while LESLIE WEIBELER . . . pulls out her ‘ESTIMADA’ !!


wow. it unfolds . . .


what the hell . . . this is . . . g-r-e-a-t stuff !!


“DEAR FERGUS — TODAY SOMETHING HAPPENED” !!
LESLIE WEIBELER . . . ‘ESTIMADA’ !!

so . . . don’t pigeon-hole me, man.

and p.s. YES, a few more pix – comin’ up tomorrow. but, that’s all for now, folks!!

PHOTOS: NANCY SMITH

. . . with apologies for the thin blue line. camera went busted, right then & there. must be cosmic comic karma, or something. like that.

or: how about more dough – for original content bloggers. as if being a comic artist wasn’t the pits, dough-wise, too. ha. I guess unless you are Matt Groening. maybe Robert Crumb. what is it about the 1% deal ? what gives with giving 1% the whole suitcase – and off they run. economics 2011 – 101 in a nutshell. YOU tell me – why that damn inequitable and unsustainable formula – is so hard to shake !! and how did we get here.

YO !! – anybody out there ? . . . . . BASEL MIAMI – Up-DATE !!

stuck under the comics review – because otherwise – it’s just too depressing !!

but seriously, I’m NOT really bitchin’ – in fact, thank the lordy for the great exploding-with-creativity & free thought comic artists, and the people who believe in them and publish their work, who come together at this local Brooklyn fest one day a year in NYC – I wouldn’t trade it for that damn played-out art sucky fair in Miami gig for a nanosecond. not even for a huge pile of that-don’t-know-a-rat’s-ass-from-their-elbow-Miami-collectors’ pile o’doh.

or as well said as I can make it – at this point. got to run. (temp) day job calling. ain’t that the truth.

p.s. I hear they are looking for “full-time” art critics in Miami. ha. you know where to call . . . or where to go. there ain’t no scene – without the scribes. the ‘eyeballs’ and the ‘voices’ . . . dingleberries being flung about at high speeds and all. there ain’t no rock – without the roll. right, Charlie (Brown) ?

MORE THOUGHTS ON the MIAMI WANNABES:

well I guess Miami might be a nice place to visit for an art fair. God only knows take one visit here, that’d be NYC – for the art fairs here and you wonder why people come to New York at all, the Piers are such a grim scene.

but art scene-wise, we got it all over ya. first off: we like our art down and gritty, not beachy !!
one artist, HERNAN BAS, in ten friggin years – does not, repeat NOT – make an art scene . . . we get them in waves !! and even then, my gut instinct radar tells me – that he, Bas had a huge network of can’t lose big bucks going for him, anyways. plus ultimately the work’s too soft to really make it. mark my words. urrgh !!

the whole art scene down there is a shell game, pun intended – as in real estate. real estate moguls and developers getting over on you, dude. hey whatever it takes to get LOUIS REYES to the friggin $$ Marlins !! Madoff be damned. yeah, he’s a New Yorker. almost sunk the whole god damn island.

and, DIDDY did buy TRACEY EMIN, laid down a cool $70,000 for one of her neon pieces. did you hear that, WIGGS ?

but hey, he’s New Yorker, Diddy, (!!) and so is Tracey – a Brit . . . we made her an honorary New Yorker, years ago !!

though, I did get a kick out of reading that ALEX RODRIGUEZ showed NATE LOWMAN’S work – !! – in his private batting practice set-up, in his home !! but hey, A-ROD is a NEW YORK YANKEE, and Nate ? Nate’s a home boy, of course.

art and Miami ? – only if you get a paid p.r. perp – to say so !! but, party on, dudes.




~J.T. YOST . . . IT’S DREAM TIME, SNOOP DOGGY DOGG


J.T. YOST – 3rd annual BROOKLYN COMICS and GRAPHICS FESTIVAL, NYC – shared a table with JAMES MOORE and VICTOR KERLOW. Dec 3, 2011


J.T. YOST.
like I said, it was the TABLE of the THREE WIZARDS, one from the left, one from the right – and one at the very center. J.T. YOST was the wizard from the right.
meaning ?
J.T. works from the same deck as CHARLES SCHULZ – a low key, but wicked take on the small things – that really matter !!
you know: traditional Sunday paper comics !! story lines and all. and yes, I have been called Peppermint Patty – more than once over my lifetime, so I would know.


J.T.’s take on the world – is very kind of: very old soul in a young – wish he was hip – body !! and going gently south – – quickly. or is that, cynically, fast ? I guess he knows best – because ‘OLD MAN WINTER’ – is he !!
ARRRGH !!


‘OLD MAN WINTER & OTHER SORDID TALES’ by J.T. YOST – order: BirdcageBottomBooks.com/scroll down
6-5/8 x 10-1/4 ins. 56 pages. $6.95 retail.
Perfect Bound with full color cover, B & W interior.
“J.T. YOST’S first collection of comics is alternately humorous and quietly devestating, but is consistently brutally honest. Winner of the 2009 Xeric award.”


“Hey Dad. Buzz me in !”
a page from: J.T. YOST – ‘OLD MAN WINTER’.


“So, how ya doing, pop?” – “oh, you know me … great! Great!”
detail, page from: J.T. YOST – ‘OLD MAN WINTER’.


“Are you kidding me?” – “You can’t take all this junk with you !! Most of it was MOM’S anyhow!!” – “Surely you don’t need a closetful of women’s clothing. . . or this ashtray.” – “You don’t even smoke!“.
page from: J.T. YOST – ‘OLD MAN WINTER’.


J.T. YOST – ‘THINGER DINGERS’ !!

omg x 1,000 – got to dedicate this to CHARLIE (BROWN) FINCH at artnet – the colorful scribe who put the surly but vastly poetic word: DINGLEBERRY – into legit play in his recent, and vastly mis-guided CATTELAN take-down. yep, you can now throw your thinger dingers in the politically correct, academic, and vastly up-tight, snooty comes to mind, lexicon of art world criticism – thanks to Charlie and his generous editor, Walter Robinson. and I mean that, sincerely.
dingleberry going in the wrong direction – aside !!


ha. a fellow contrarian at heart !!
J.T. YOST – ‘THINGER DINGERS’.


“Ruemates . . .”
“anybody who’s had roommates can attest that it often requires great patience“.
from: J.T. YOST – ‘THINGER DINGERS’.


‘IT’S DREAM TIME, SNOOP DOGGY DOGG’ – A COLLECTION OF CELEBRITY STUDDED DREAMS BY J.T. YOST.
published by Birdcage Bottom Books. $4


serving Dick Cheney’s head in a bowl – to Snoop(y) . . . . priceless.
cover art: J.T. YOST – ‘IT’S DREAM TIME, SNOOP DOGGY DOGG’.


apart from the ‘piddingly’ affordable tomes – J.T. was selling, he was also handing out FREE !! ‘OLD MAN WINTER’ shiny hard cardstock bookmarks ~ wow. combined with the new FREE !! SMOKE SIGNALS from DESERT ISLAND – which were lying around for the taking . . . at the fest’s entry landing, I now have something for everyone !! – on my xmas gift list !!


you can see more of J.T. YOST’s books at: BirdcageBottomBooks.com
and, attention GRAPHIC DESIGNERS:
the first site, so far – to credit the graphic designer – behind the big name talent !!
Birdcage Bottom Books – logo by – MICHAEL LASSITER !!

you can keep up with J.T. YOST – in his own words: at THE HOLY YOST !!

PHOTOS: NANCY SMITH




~JAMES MOORE . . . MAGIC MUSHROOMS


illustrator, painter, sculptor and installation artist . . . JAMES MOORE at the 3rd annual BROOKLYN COMICS and GRAPHICS FESTIVAL, DEC 3, 2011

FILE UNDER: the table of the three wizards.

JAMES MOORE was seated at a 3 man indie table, which quickly morphed into my fave. at the table, situated in the downstairs level, after a few twists and turns – you found James Moore displaying his goods on the left. at the center you found VICTOR KERLOW, and on the other side of Victor, at the table’s right – was J.T. YOST !!

if you know the names – then you can already grasp the leap !!

without wanting to get into any trouble here – I guess you could say Victor at the center – was the centerist. His work had a combination of drawing and narrative. His narrative was self-centered, in that it was all about inspired musings on his life in general, life in general, thinking and thought , and . . . girls. or the ultimate life force !! His calm but evocative graphics were part and parcel of his narrative, his story.

James Moore
at the left of the table. well, he was coming from as far out of left field as a comic book artist could – his solely graphic, make that pictorial work, i.e. no text – though often with some great calligraphy flourishes . . . stemming more from an art world stance, than a publishing venture, even a small indie one. he would be making multiples – but they would be stickers, as opposed to small edition books. he still told stories, but they were literally wordless ones, totally dependent on illustration, and illustrative manipulation.

well, the event does bill itself as: the Brooklyn Comics and Graphics (!!) Fest.
though I don’t recall too many – graphics per se – exhibitors ? and, in fact I think James would rather be defined as an artist – as opposed to a graphics person, and he would be right. well maybe they . . that would be graphic designers . . . were the BIG unseen elephant in the house. all those books, and posters – many of them were made with the generous helping hand of many a talented, and often unaccredited . . . graphic designer – bet on it !!

James would be more likely to explode into an elaborate window installation, as he did recently at DESERT ISLAND or a bonafide art gallery exhibit, then he would be to produce a book. . . unless it might be a collection of his works, ha.

you just have to trip out on his – website / JAMESELLIOTTMOORE.COM – to get a sense for his wordless, creative, explosive dimensionality. the word: magic comes to mind. and so does sci fi – in the terms of where the planet, also known as our home – is heading.

J.T. Yost, who was on the right, on the other hand – is the conservative of the group – he comes straight out of the legacy of CHARLES SCHULZ. Charlie Brown and throw a bone to Bart Simpson. a post on his work . . . comes up next.


JAMES MOORE – detail of the fold-up . . . or is that fold-out ? PAPER Spaceship poster that he did, and which he is holding in the photo at the top.


this is what it looks like – folded down.


JAMES MOORE poster.
you should check around, play around his website to see – what digital magic he did to this.


he had one of the best cards, from an art world, even folk art world, point of view – yes, it did strike me in fact, as being more of a stand-alone art object. a cut-out art object, rather than a business card.


JAMES MOORE, his acorn ‘business’ cards – nice, dancing line quality on the front, enchanting calligraphy, his web contact – on the back.
that’s what I mean by magic. Lord of the Rings . . . meet the web biz.


JAMES MOORE – big mushroom – sticker.


TAYLOR McKIMENS and JAMES MOORE.
by chance, as if to emphasize Moore’s art world background and ambitions – just then, in strolled Taylor McKimens – the biggest contemporary artist to be found at this Saturday afternoon in Williamsburg fest. what, not in Miami, Taylor ? Taylor McKimens is one of the few contemporary, as in cutting edge, artists to successfully straddle the art world, with one big foot dipping, make that dripping ? – into the comics world.


JAMES MOORE – acorn card.


JAMES MOORE – reverse acorn card.


JAMES MOORE – mushroom sticker.


JAMES MOORE – ‘stem re-birth’ – off his website.


JAMES MOORE – the magic of digital.


JAMES MOORE – a view of his DESERT ISLAND window installation/sculpture – from his website. see more views: desert island window

PHOTOS: NANCY SMITH / unless otherwise noted as from James Moore website.
p.s. sorry for the thin blue line in some of the pix – luck of the Irish, not !! my camera broke down – right then & there.




~VICTOR KERLOW . . . SOMETHING BIG


headless woman illustrator – VICTOR KERLOW . . . booksigning at the 3rd annual BROOKLYN COMICS and GRAPHICS FESTIVAL, NY. DEC 3, 2011


his headless woman – was the back cover on this: his self-published, totally sweet or is that dumb-struck swanky ? and possibly contrarian ? slim tome, titled: ‘SOMETHING BIG’ by VICTOR KERLOW.


the next page. or rather the opening page is . . . . ‘LITTLE GUY’ by VICTOR KERLOW !!


here’s a random shot: “BIG CROCODILE TEARS” . . . “NO WAY MAN, YOU’RE ACTING LIKE A FUCKING PSYCHO . . .”
page from ‘SOMETHING BIG’ by VICTOR KERLOW.


“WOAAAAH” . . . “STOP TOUCHING ME.”
page from ‘SOMETHING BIG’ by VICTOR KERLOW.


Victor was passing the time between sales, and even while he was talking to people, drawing . . .


the scene around him.


‘SOMETHING BIG’ . . . BY VICTOR KERLOW
‘A COLLECTION OF COMICS AND DRAWINGS BY VICTOR KERLOW.’

make that, a really intriguing collection of drawings, astute observation, and wry comics on girls, life, and musings on the world-at-large, you know: aka / also known as: thought . . . by Victor Kerlow.
about 22 pages. veering from the linear and minimal – to the shadowy, dark and questioning. $10 US
to order: VICTORKERLOW.COM


“I GUESS I’M COMMUNICATING WITH YOU TELEPATHICALLY”.
a page from: ‘SOMETHING BIG’ by VICTOR KERLOW.


“DON’T TOUCH ME”.
a page from: ‘SOMETHING BIG’ by VICTOR KERLOW.


and dig this. he’s even got some headless men !! on his website.
ILLUSTRATION by VICTOR KERLOW.

PHOTOS: NANCY SMITH, NYC. DEC 3, 2011




~LISA HANAWALT . . . I WANT YOU !!


Brooklyn-based illustrator and comic artist: LISA HANAWALT – booksigning at the 3rd annual BROOKLYN COMICS and GRAPHICS FESTIVAL. DEC 3, 2011.
Lisa was a special guest this year . . . as she did the superb illustration that graced this year’s poster, (behind her to the right). the first woman to get the nod. not bad. from what looks to be a male-dominated game – but, only from the outset. CHARLES BURNS and ANDERS NILSEN did the preceding poster honors.

plus, love love what appears to be her signature tonality – a restricted & minimal sublime green, yellow, and bottle blue color palette. w-i-c-k-e-d.


LISA HANAWALT – ‘I WANT YOU #2’ . . . is an incredibly shrinking young man – kind of book – !! inside that sweet looking person, watch out !! she’s a terror.

you kind of have to wonder at the wild and wicked range of thoughts and emotions that reign free – inside that seemingly harmless bod. she can draw. she can think. and she lays it down, no holds barred in a very dry and funny, actually, way. growing up in the hipster world, and the even MORE crazy world at large – and having to deal with . . . boys !! hairdressers, and way bad sandwiches !!

the comic girls seem to dish it out just as much as the boys. in fact, maybe harder. after all, they’ve got the boys, to run over.
the boy cartoonists – seem more culture-at-large take down ready, while the girls are slinging the zingers, dingleberries ? closer to home.

yes, dingleberry. look it up. and now a credible term of critical note – in the serious art world lexicon. tip of the hat to . . . artnet’s Charlie (Brown) Finch.
ha. brown, get it ? the color of all shyt, Chuck Schultz turning over in his grave, no doubt.

and you thought only the comic artists – had all the fun.


LISA HANAWALT – page from ‘I WANT YOU #2’ – from a story titled: “SHOPPING with SHE-MOOSE” – and yeah, the name of the store on the awning, previous page: ‘Go Fuck Yourself’ !!
and yeah, here’s a few telling titles – from that incredibly charming video selection, depicted at the bottom of the page: “Mate in Manhattan”, “Snail Anal” (!!), and, o.k. don’t forget: “Screw the Pooch” . . . .


LISA HANAWALT – page from ‘I WANT YOU #2’ – “BAD PETS” (!!)
it’s the last one, ‘Marmoseth (Hoboken)’ that threw us – wow. we must know the same people !!


LISA HANAWALT – page from ‘I WANT YOU #2’ . “IF YOU GET TIRED, LET A DOG TAKE OVER THE FLATTERY FOR A WHILE.”
like I said, best $7 I ever spent !!
“BITCH, YOU’RE A FUCKING WILD CARD!”

order from: PIGEON PRESS


ok. two more images.
LISA HANAWALT – “246 TOOTHPICKS” – RYAN GOSLING, “DRIVE”. prints, $3 ea.


LISA HANAWALT – “DOG HEAD”. ha. ha. ha. huh. & duh. wild card, here’s lookin’ at ya – swanky be-atch !!

PHOTOS: NANCY SMITH. NYC. DEC 3, 2011