"Tag"

I'm pretty dense at times, taking things too seriously when somebody's just messing around with me (stupid trustful instinct). So even when something is literally staring me in the face I'll still miss it. Except in the instance of waking up and wondering why a simple pillow could be so mean, as in reading that ubiquitous, omnipresent tag attached to everything which warns of dire consequences should it be removed. At least I remembered to write down the inspiration this time. As of late been chasing a dream where I remember what I forgot and then forget to note it in the sketchbook, so the next day all I remember is that I forgot another really funny idea, whatever it was.

On a side-note, finally installed a new Topic (see sidebar) to tag any "Wash" posts, which'll slowly get integrated into the blogflow. This is one of the relatively rare panels I personally prefer the watercolor as opposed to the digitally colored one (although I'm still somewhat satisfied with the new, simplified palette), and woulda used that version had I not already sold it when it was still damp while doing demos at a recent show.

"Alaska Bucket List"

I always have to double-check the proper usage of "Alaska" versus "Alaskan," as it's kinda counterintuitive to me. I suppose it coulda gone either way with this as it's referring to an Alaskan's bucket list, or the royal Alaska. And a couple of the terms might be ubiquitous for cabin-dwellers, not so well-known in civilization: slop-buckets & honey-buckets are both hallmarks of our way of life for many residents.

On a more personal note, a couple weeks after this ran in the paper, someone mentioned to me how much they really loved it. This was while waiting my turn to submit artwork to a juried show, which half the time I don't precisely because I already have more readers than the average number of folks who visit the gallery, and arguably someone else could use the exposure. Then again, I can use the validation (or conversely, a lesson in humility), not to mention setting an example for students and peers alike. Anyways, the compliment really made my day.

"No Kings"

Last weekend another full-color editorial cartoon of mine appeared on the Opinion page. For those of our viewers keeping score along with us at home, that's now the second one of the year so far into my supposed retirement.

Some things are worth stepping up for, and unfortunately, shit is getting serious in the formerly United States of America, with the ICE gestapo and other masked thugs terrorizing immigrant communities and escalation of dictator tactics. We already know how Republicans have cosplayed all this out before: from 187 minutes of dereliction of duty while watching our capitol get sacked, to his well-documented outspoken worship of authoritarian violence, their cult leader dictates their dishonor, and rewards criminality with weaponization of governmental institutions and the destruction of American society..

And lest anyone get any impression otherwise, the deeper meaning has absolutely nothing whatsoever to do at all with anything political: everyone up here knows the situation with our salmon. In Alaska, it's all about the fish.

"86 47"

"Cool nugget formation on my tundra walk"

In honor and advance of tomorrow's No Kings Day, here's a snapshot of an unusual arrangement found up in our neck of the woods. Aside from the fact that similar recent commentary like this has reaffirmed evidence of just how deep the disinformation siloing effect continues to divide our nation - with not just alternative facts anymore, but full-on competing realities. Exhibit A would be based on my own personal, extensive experience from over a dozen years in the food-service industry: from New York to Philly to AK; as a dishwasher, prep + line cook (hot & cold sides), host, bar-back, server and manager. The only context you ever heard “86” was either as a directive from the kitchen that a special or menu item was sold out, or, when cutting off a drunk at the bar. Both of which apply in this situation.

"Two Wolves"

Took another shot at the stale Hallmark card platitude/faux wise Indian trope (termed "fakelore"). Also appeared to have somewhat riffed off an earlier panel ("Restless Leg Syndrome") with a similar situation. In retrospect the initial doodle (posted below) was perhaps the better composition, but at least, in comparison there's some major improvement in the drawing side, so I am eventually getting at least a little bit better at that, even if flatlining in the inspiration department. Bonus Trivia: There's also a 2020 Baked Alaska piece ("The Third Wolf") dealing with the same subject matter.

"Dammed" + "Engineer" (+ Bonus Edit "Stripping Bark")

Well woo-hoo ain't I just a rebel pushing the envelope of good taste with such a daring double entendre. Guess I just needed an excuse to draw a devil beaver along with an lil' angel.

"Engineer" didn't have any preparatory roughs or doodles, just one of those that I watched come out the other end of the pen.

And this last one evokes the byegone era of Gentleman's Clubs that once proliferated the Interior nightclub scene have now (aside from a classic tourist trap down in Los Anchorage) all but disappeared.

 

 

"Walk Like A..."

Found myself in agreement with a co-worker that there comes a day and age when you have to admit to yourself it's of far more concern how you navigate crossing an icy parking lot as opposed to defensive driving in winter conditions. In other words, a fender-bender might not be as big of a deal as slipping on the way in to the studio. Like, if I hit the ground there's a pretty good chance I won't be getting up on my own anytime soon.

Risk Management constantly stresses safety awareness, tips and training for all faculty, staff and students here at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. That said, in conjunction with the recurring nightmare of climate change that is ushering in unprecedented weather events and patterns that disrupt our seasons more every year, means these warming trends dis-proportionally impact the arctic, and we become canaries in a coal mine.

Setting aside any the apocalyptic scenarios, there's the far more mundane danger of falling on my ass, but fortunately we can look to the evolutionary adaptations of our fellow residents in icy climes for techniques in navigating our perilous home. 

Consider once more the way of the penguin, who sets an example of ambulatory locomotion. We'll overlook the fact that they don't live anywhere up here, and take a cue from the (built-in) cleats and grippers of the polar bear. Or in the end, admit that I am the walrus.

"How Burls Are Formed"

More burly Alaskan humor! Second one for the year, third in a series.

"Denali Zebra"

In all seriousness this came from the same place as my idea to someday stalk the tundra in Denali National Park wearing a panda suit, which would go over particularly well with one sizable demographic of Alaskan visitors.

In all seriousness though, that plan has a fatal flaw in that plan, since the most potentially dangerous and unpredictable instances of violent behavior are a hair-trigger away when it comes to Homo sapiens. In other words, I would make for a pretty sad specimen on a trophy wall.

After recently giving a series of lectures on the history of cartooning I am once again reminded of how grateful I am to have the opportunity to be in print at such a large scale when compared to the fate of most contemporary features with "syndication shrink."

"Rapunzel's Hare" (aka AK Fairy Tails)

What a let down... as opposed to a throwdown. Yeah okay so this ain't the first time I discovered an erroneous interpretation of what I thought was a common turn of phrase after looking it up online so as to have a handy hyperlink about what it is that I really mean. Except that it turns out I was wrong all along - not that that's necessarily a fatal flaw.

 
If you look at the last image posted here of the initial doodles you can see I even mixed up some Shakespearean references, which I think speaks more to the malleable power of evolving tropes that I remembered so wrongly about these half-buried archetypes of cultural subconsciousness (a fairly recent example would be the "Ghee" piece from a couple years back). Which is a another way to say I hope someone out there still gets it. Mostly it's all about the moat anyways.

I know just enough to seem clever but "jack of all trades, master of none" is my fate. Still, as these previous attempts at climbing the same creative wall illustrate, eventually the initial idea will give rise to a fruiting body from the mental compost heap of concepts, if left long enough to ferment.

Also on a closing note, this particular panel for some mysterious reason was one of the most popular in many years. Now that assessment is purely anecdotal, being based solely on only the opinion of two different folk's comments to me directly in person (one being no less an editor). Yes, that is a very small sampling of viewers, but it emphasizes the comparative, relatively outsized impact feedback has when a panel is published and people remember it afterwards whenever crossing paths in person ("Hey that was a good one").  In other words - thanks, it means a lot!