yep, that be Me.
HELLLLLLLLLLO.
even I thought this drawing was dorky – when it first sprang to life on paper – from my imaginative unconscious !!
way back in the late 70’s. yep.
hey it takes 2 turns of Saturn – to make a man wise – so, I’m down with that.
the girl, with the flying mane of wild hair – well, that was me – fierce, and Aries bright – just like a new copper penny.
but funny how the metaphor of the rider, the sword, and the ‘banner’ in her other hand, as in web ‘banner’ – get it ? all add up to the: web.
you know the www internet.
and you know there were no computers back then, or at least none less than room size !! never mind personal web access.
we were happy just have xerox machines !!
that ‘banner’ – it was supposed to be a paint brush. it started life as paint brush – I am a watercolorist by trade – but it turned into a flame, without missing a beat – and from there it evolved into a flying banner.
well I really like that cartoon-like free hand line drawing, now. pardon my french – but its so pre-sentient, or what ?
took more than 30 years – but, hey . . . better late than never.
so, I’m a late bloomer, or . . . . just really really ahead of my time. your pick.
in this case, since I scrawled this as my ‘business’ card logo way way back in the day – I’m going with: really really ahead of my time – and only catching up – because I’m doing the writing !!
if you’re into art history – the non-objective endless lines of AGNES MARTIN – were all the rage 30 years ago, so yeah, they almost flunked me out of my MFA Concordia Montreal – art program – for this. excuse my french blasphemy.
blast-from-the-past . . . Guido Molinari baby . . . be-me !!
yeah, looking back at it now, my drawing, my logo – I love it.
it’s kind of a force of nature. it’s just – the way I was born. excuse my damn gaga french.
and no, I don’t speak french, dude. that’s why I had to seriously split for NYC in 1981.
what I love most about it, besides the paintbrush turning into a flame and then finally coming to rest as a flying banner – just like knights in medieval armies used to joust by – is how the girl isn’t really riding the horse, but flying right at ya. the in-your-face power of the ‘blog’.
and so the really dorky horse, is what ? the web, duh. the internet.
which is also kinda going kinda dorky, as in wonky bye the way. hijacked by corporate commercialism, and looking to be – way bad copyright laws. whatever.
soon we, all us free thinkers, we gonna have to go back to smoke signals . . . oh, yeah.
and I’ll have to re-claim the ‘fire’, as in the flame part – of the ‘banner’. generating smoke signals, get it ?
I’ll have to say: those clouds in the sky ? really giant smoke signals, how pre-sentient !!
even the tiny hearts on the dress – get ? artlovers !! – stood the test of time.
it’s kind of like those TV specials on NOSTRADAMUS. you know, where they say he saw so far into the future . . . he didn’t know how to give ‘names’ to things . . . that did not yet exist !! so he had to use the metaphors at hand. so the burning twin towers of 9-11 were the twin brothers.
I’m still thinking it would be better off without that dorky horse – but hey, I’ll lay claim to some dorkiness. why not ?
and with the web the way it is now, all corporate big business and hacksville for the rest of us – small indie joints – I’d say, it was wise to have left it in. the web: going nowhere fast, and ass backwards.
free web content – not such a good idea after all, was it. looking to be a long term big business conspiracy to keep the original content providers down, and not the least . . . the musicians, unpaid !! though duh, of course . . . . it’s a great catalyst. like the man said: set your mind free. just if we could figure out a way to siphon off just a little loot, or alot more than those damn google ads pay !! – it would be nice. Google, fun stuff. but their web engines wouldn’t be too interesting, without us. now would they.
ok. that’s my new year’s resolution – change the world.
turn google upside down and make that web coin – disperse.
if the readers are to spoiled now – to want to pay for the content – then google should cough up a fraction of a cent for very hit – it would add up, let me tell ya. Reader’s Digest ‘gig’ – all over again.
you know they were like the first ‘modern’ (1922) publishers to figure out the ‘new’ game plan change: charge a lot of people just a few coins – and it’s a work in progress. nickle and dime em. those were happy days.
actually the comics were the better read, still . . . those guys cracked the code.
HAPPY NEW YEAR, EVERYBODY – NANCY !!
WITH MUCH THANKS TO LUKE MURPHY, that’d be the REVEREND LUKE MURPHY to you !! for getting me out of all the endless hacks, and site crashing . . . upgrades. amen.
that’d be LUKE MURPHY’S celestial randomness playing around – at the top of this page. it’s interactive, too. hit it with your mouse.
and thanks too, to TEKSERVE, for keeping me just alive enough, to see another day . . .
P. S. and, yes . . . . . SMOKE SIGNAL, pun intended !!
SMOKE SIGNAL issue #10 – cover art by JOHN SEVERIN, published 2011 by DESERT ISLAND, Brooklyn.
see: SMOKE SIGNAL
~HAPPY NEW YEAR – FROM NANCY SMITH !! |
Posted in The Bomb | By Nancy Smith | January 4th, 2012, 2:02pm
ha ha ha ha . . . .
I was wondering what was so, uncannily extra double funny about BORIS RASIN’S – ‘Happy New Year’ 2012 – greeting below . . .
well, it’s got a little teensy tiny bit of R. Crumb in it’s fancy party script – but more than that,ohmibatmangodz !! that’s it, yes !! Holy Batman – that’s got to be BORIS BADENOV – you know from ROCKY & BULLWINKLE – !!- in the caricature style.
esp the Khaddafi dude.
yep, him, BORIS and that loser Khaddafi – got those same heavy, triple lidded eyes !! check it out !!
bet BORIS BADENOV wishes he was brought down by a fan in a NY Yankee cap !!
wouldn’t have been too far fetched – for those c-r-a-z-y ROCKY & BULLWINKLE capers, not at all.
calling on SHERMAN and Mr. PEABODY, too. come back – we need you to change the world. and say, what. bring back: Mr. MAGOO, too !!
images scanned from: ‘The Perfect Plan!’ – an early childhood board book. all of 5 pages, incl the covers !!
the book has no date – but looks to be ca. 1960s ?
‘The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle’ series, published by Ward Productions. licensed by Universal Studios.
The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show ran on TV from 1959-1964.
the series and characters: were created by JAY WARD – quite a colorful guy – himself !!
~HAPPY NEW YEAR to BORIS RASIN – FROM . . . BORIS & NATASHA !! |
Posted in The Bomb | By Nancy Smith | January 3rd, 2012, 4:23pm
HAPPY NEW YEAR !! – FROM BORIS RASIN . . . oh yeah.
~HAPPY NEW YEAR – FROM BORIS RASIN !! |
Posted in The Bomb | By Nancy Smith | January 2nd, 2012, 4:05am
HOLIDAY E-CARD 2012 – by PETER GERAKARIS !!
the image is a small ‘detail’ segment of his larger ‘Aquarium III’ – a work on paper – original size, 15 x 15 in, dated 2011.
nice.
animalistic, ritualistic, comic book graphic, art world graphic, design world graphic, color field rich – and still, totally mysterious !!
see: petergerakaris.com
PETER D. GERAKARIS, ‘Aquarium Honeycomb’, 9 x 9 ins., gouache, ink, watercolor & intaglio on Dieu Donne Handmade paper, 2011.
ohmiholybatmangodz . . . I knew there was a comic book lover there. this is the first image on his website,
quelle fun or what !!
we meet PETER GERAKARIS at the recent ERIK DEN BREEJEN, Beach Boy ode of a show, ‘SMILE’ – which is still up at FREIGHT+VOLUME, thru JAN 14, 2012 – and yeah, of course !! what are you thinking – go see it.
here’s: the link to the opening nite pix – the one of Peter and his pal KRISTOF WICKMAN, both recent HUNTER MFA alums, is about mid-way down.
~HAPPY NEW YEAR – FROM PETER GERAKARIS !! |
Posted in The Bomb | By Nancy Smith | January 1st, 2012, 2:36pm
actually the whole title is:
‘Tales From the Sustainable Underground: A Wild Journey with People Who Care More About the Planet Than the Law’ (!!)
. . . the latest tome from STEPHEN HREN – it seems to be written with great wit and determination – and even includes a well-deserved look-see on local New York artist, eco-architect, and intuitive builder: MATT BUA (!!)
just . . . gotta love that intuitive builder genre, or what !!
as well as including profiles on: solar guru ED EATON, and radical urban permaculturists SCOTT KELLOGG and STACY PETTIGREW, to name just a few.
‘Tales From the Sustainable Underground’ by STEPHEN HREN. Published SEPT 2011 by New Society Publishers, Canada.
cover design by DIANE McINTOSH.
from the press release:
“Activists striving for any type of social change often find themselves operating on the fringes of legal and ssocial norms. Many experience difficulties when their innovative ideas run afoul of antiquated laws and regulations that favor a big business energy-and-material-intensive approach. ‘Tales From the Sustainable Underground’ is packed with the stories of just some of these pioneers — who care more for the planet than the rules — whether they’re engaged in natural building, permaculture, community development, or ecologically based art. Ride along and meet (the) courageous and inspiring individuals” . . . at the forefront of – the new wave – heading into 2012 !!
and, maybe, just maybe . . . we’ll make it to 2015 !!
the book is published by New Society Publishers.
here’s the low-down on the book: ‘Tales From the Sustainable Underground’ – New Society Publishers
p.s. – their website in general is quite a trip, that is: worth a look-see – not the least for its minimal design compounded by far reaching content !!
these guys really want to change the world !! – see: New Society Publishers
and don’t forget to hit: their ‘about page’ . . . which includes the image above !!
with 30 years worth of could-be-world-changing books under their belt – they are now coming to ya – outta Canada !!
. . . but back to the book at hand.
apparently, and I believe it – AMAZON says the book is both entertaining and informative.
‘Tales from the Sustainable Underground’ is a “must-read for sustainability activists in any field, or for anyone who wants to learn about more radical forms of sustainability activities . . in an entertaining way.”
there that goes that word entertaining again – but hey, truth be told, and it’s a wise old saying, science backing and all: truth is beauty – especially forward-looking and totally out-of-the box truth. and beauty is entertaining, is it not ??!! esp one that aims to turn around this big sinking-fast ship – of a planet we call home.
and to back it up – leave it to AMAZON to give you a peep at a chapter !! on the left, hit First Pages . . .
and it goes like this, Chapter I – Detroit – (!!) – and you can keep on going till the end of the chapter. . . and you will keep on going.
and if you hit, Surprise Me! and scroll down . . . a little further down on that AMAZON left hand options square – you get some equally marvelous pages that – that contained a passage that caught my eye – !! – page xvi: ” . . . To anyone who’s ever lived underground (i.e. hiding from the law) . . . there’s always that fear of the dreadful moment of getting caught.”
what . . . who, me ?
~’Tales from the Sustainable Underground’ by STEPHEN HREN |
Posted in The Bomb | By Nancy Smith | December 29th, 2011, 2:48pm
“WASTE INTO PLACE” – !!
on Dec 26, 27 & 28th, 2011 – MATT BUA will be constructing “simple warm shelters out of scrap with kids (of all ages)”
from 2-5 pm each day at the NEW YORK HALL of SCIENCE in QUEENS – “COME OUT & BUILD” !!
he’s got some “concept sketches” up on his blog, which is worth a rainy day ramble !!
OCCU-PODS -“Learn how to put your waste to work – construct domes or wigwam frames and insulate them with lost and found clothing – to create a comfortable outdoor dwelling”.
SKETCHES COURTESY: MATT BUA
* * * THE CATAMOUNT PEOPLE’S MUSEUM – in the CATSKILLS / UP-STATE NEW YORK * * *
MATT BUA: THE CATAMOUNT PEOPLE’S MUSEUM, N.Y.
AS WELL: one of the most interesting projects, to highlight just one, to be found on MATT BUA’S blog/journal/sketchbook – is the: CATAMOUNT PEOPLE’S MUSEUM !!
we actually made the opening celebration, back in AUGUST 9, 2010 – check here for the pix !!
* * * o.k. one last look at MATT BUA’s journal – “what’s there now” – at: bhomepark.blogspot.com * * *
~OCCU-POD BUILDING WORKSHOPS by MATT BUA |
Posted in The Bomb | By Nancy Smith | December 27th, 2011, 2:33pm
MERRY XMAS – FROM – MARVEL AGE – WORLD’S BEST-SELLING FAN MAGAZINE !!
CHRISTMAS SPECIAL – Issue No. 109 – FEBRUARY 1992 – COVER ARTIST: SERGIO ARAGONES
~DAY ONE |
Posted in The Bomb | By Nancy Smith | December 24th, 2011, 10:22pm
DAREDEVIL – VOL 1, Issue No. 209, AUGUST 1984 – Published by MARVEL COMICS GROUP. STAN LEE, Publisher – out of New York City, N.Y.
STAN LEE PRESENTS: DAREDEVIL, THE MAN WITHOUT FEAR!
this issue is titled: ‘BLAST FROM THE PAST’
ARTHUR BYRON COVER – writer
DAVID MAZZUCCHELLI – penciler
DANNY BULANADI – inker
JOE ROSEN – letterer
CHRISTIE SCHEELE – colorist
BOB BUDIANSKY – editor
JIM SHOOTER – editor-in-chief
what’s so remarkable about this issue, apart from the cover’s off-the-wall concept !! – is the fact that a young DAVID MAZZUCCHELLI was the artist/penciler !!
MAZZUCCHELLI’s style of realism was very fluid, very animated. very muscle-bound, very dramatic. the intensity was multiplied by his abrupt and diverse compositions, close-up cropping to extreme stage or wide shots. not to forget a framing ‘perspective’ that came out of nowhere, views from the top looking down, up from the street, and plain old (o.k. elevated) sideways, even from the character’s own perspective !! – head-to-toe on every page.
page from: DAREDEVIL ISSUE 209, AUGUST 1984 – DAVID MAZZUCCHELLI – PENCILER
DAVID MAZZUCCHELLI went onto become one of the genre’s most celebrated and influential artists. His work on Batman is considered the apex of the series, and from there his influence trickled down into the wider pop culture at large. Mazzucchelli then went onto various collaborations and independent projects, with his most recent independent publication being the widely popular and critically acclaimed graphic novel – ‘Asterios Polyp’.
see: DAVID MAZZUCCHELLI at the NYC book signing of ‘Asterios Polyp’, June 6, 2009
bye the way, just in case you are interested . . . in the world of traditional comic books,
this is what it means to be a ‘penciler’.
an ‘inker’ . . .
and a ‘colorist.’
~DAY TWO |
Posted in The Bomb | By Nancy Smith | December 23rd, 2011, 11:35pm
remarkable for its steely realism and street-level perspective . . .
SABLE – MARV WOLFMAN / BILL JAASKA / E.R. CRUZ
COVER ART by BILL JAASKA
FIRST COMICS – ISSUE #14 – APRIL 1989
$1.95 / $2.45 CANADA – FIRST COMICS PUBLISHED out of CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.
SABLE was published monthly.
the full page opener – was a classic Santa in the big city scene, again note the street level perspective. . . the dramatic composition, and way intense, vivid coloring. the snow falling is a great pictorial detail, as is the exquisite two-tone coloring, especially with regard to the gentleman on the right’s – trench coat !! not to forget the reflections in the plate glass hi-rise windows . . .
the standard use of ‘inking’ – of using a black outline – is subtle, but forceful, very even handed. contributing – a barely perceptive, but steely dimension – to the overall pictorial punch.
MARV WOLFMAN & CHERIE WILKERSON – writers
BILL JAASKA – penciller
E.R. CRUZ – inker
GARY FIELDS – letterer
JULIA LACQUEMENT – colorist
LAUREL FITCH – editor
. . . . “and the creatures were stirring.”
~DAY THREE |
Posted in The Bomb | By Nancy Smith | December 22nd, 2011, 11:01pm
THE SPECTRE – ISSUE #29
DC COMICS, NYC, NY – SEPT 1989 – PUBLISHED MONTHLY
US $1.50 / CAN $1.85 / UK 80p
GHOSTS in the MACHINE – PART SIX of SIX / MOENCH – ARTIS – GULA
DOUG MOENCH – WRITER
TOM ARTIS / TIM GULA – ARTISTS
JOHN COSTANZA – LETTERER
CARL GAFFORD – COLORIST
KEVON DOOLEY – ASST EDITOR
ANDREW HELFER – EDITOR
~DAY FOUR |
Posted in The Bomb | By Nancy Smith | December 21st, 2011, 10:00pm
