Buy Issue 20 split with Clutch HERE

Hello. The newest issue of Invincible Summer, my annual split with Clutch, is here!
You can get it on etsy at my shop, Spinstersummer.

R.I.P. Dylan Williams

Post Revised: 9/14/11

This is a classic Dylan face.

Hi Friends.
I'm sad to say that my friend Dylan Williams passed away yesterday.

I taught with Dylan at the IPRC's Comic Certification Program, where he helped design curriculum, organized workshops, and taught World Comics.
I've been trying to figure out a good way to say that Dylan wanted to be part of this comics program in order to dismantle the comics program. If you knew him, then you know his taste went towards unconventional comics and art. The weirder the better. He didn't want our comics program to suck the weird out of anyone's drawings by teaching them our opinion on "The Right Way" to draw comics.

He leaves a huge hole in our hearts and in our school.
There's no one else quite like him, and we were lucky to have had his influence while we could.

I will keep Dylan's influence with me forever.
I will think of him every time I go to the Paradox Cafe, every time I sit in front of a class at the IPRC , and every time I attend the Portland Zine Symposium.

I don't know what else to say. I've been walking around like a leaden zombie this week, so apparently more places and things remind me of my friend than the three listed above.


We can't fix this, but there are a few things to do in the meantime.
One is to buy something from Sparkplug. This will help Sparkplug live on as much as possible, and could help to support his wife Emily.

The other isn't done yet, but some people are considering starting a foundation to provide support to artists and students in his name. If you're interested in helping with this, you can email me : nicole at nicole j georges dot com.

Wait- there's a third I just thought of- DRAW COMICS. Please make comics! Forget about panels and rulers, be as free as you want to be. I think Dylan would be really happy to know there were more weirdos out there doing sequential art in his honor.


Take care,

n.g.




p.s.
I've included some recommended Sparkplug published & distributed titles below.

Find them all by clicking here

Twitter and Calendar

Hello there.
I'm working on the 2012 Invincible Summer Calendar now.

Also, I broke my pact with Kirk Read and joined Twitter.
You can keep track of when the calendar is ready for pre-order or order via twitter, or on here.

I had a long conversation with the writers and artists at the Radar Lab about the helpfulness of the It Gets Better Project.
Here is my It Gets Better comic that was in the Portland Mercury a few months ago.

I didn't realize until after it was published that in the end it looks like I turned out to be a tall butch. Not true. I'm the one with black hair in the last panel. My bad. Oh well, you can imagine that Jeb is the grown up me if it makes more sense.


Also, in case you wanted a virtual front row seat to the most excellent moment of my snorkeling life, Chris Vargas has edited our sea turtle encounter into this one minute, twenty four second video. Strap on your water socks and dive in!


Keep your eyes out for: Sea Fans, What I think is a school of Blue Tang Surgeonfish, and the for-real dorkiness that is snorkeling gear.

NEW SPLIT COMIC WITH CLUTCH

Hello Hello, Issue 20 is here!

You can order it on my Etsy page.
If it's not there, send me an etsy convo and I'll post another.
Take care.
xoxo

p.s. if you got one at the Zine Symposium and are wondering,
I LOVE COMICS MADE BY KIDS. This is why I spend all my time working with students, helping them create their own zines & comic books! Okay! Ol-e!

o

Did I ever show you these pet portraits?

A trio of pet portraits!
I even got to meet this trifecta of furriness.

If you want to see all the portraits I've done (give or take) in the past year or so, click on the label Pet Portraits below, or click here.

xoxo
n.g.

This, That, The Other. (Doilies, Retreat, Sparkplug)

Hello!

1. It is the end of summer, and I am selling a batch of hand-drawn one of a kind Dog Doilies on my etsy page. They range from $12- $24, and for this you are buying a piece of original art. Which is neat. Here are a few examples, with links.

Italian Greyhound

French Bulldog

Boston Terrier

Whistling Hound

and Fun-Loving Yorkie
2. We are turning in my book to the publisher on September 1st. Knock on Wood Knock on Wood.

3. Thank you to the Radar Lab for offering a free, tropical residency for queer writers and artists.

4. There is a new Clutch/Invincible Summer split, AND a new copy of Tell It Like It Tiz (the oldies zine). Neither is in my clutches, but both will be SOON!

5. Sparkplug Comics founder Dylan Williams is a friend of mine who has fallen seriously ill. As he is a comic book purveyor and not an office-man, he has no health insurance.
A great way to support Dylan and Sparkplug would be to buy something from them!
I suggest:
Passage by Tessa Brunton
(I love Tessa's comic In The Tall Grass, which you can buy from Sparkplug. My copy of Passage is on its way to my house as we speak.)


or

Whirlwind Wonderland by Rina Ayuyang (I haven't read Whirlwind Wonderland YET but I hope to soon).


6. I can't think of anything else. I'm starting a podcast soon. I'll tell you all about it.
In the meantime, here's Beija:

Tattoo Talk, or "Tat Chat"

Hello!


Have you ever wanted to get a tattoo of one of my drawings? I say do it. Just do it, and then send me a picture.

I am not trying to be presumptuous.
Maybe you hate my art and you just visit my blog to feel superior. Maybe you think tattoos are for circus freaks.
Whatever your vibe is, I thought of this post because someone posted their giant , beautiful back piece on my FB wall, and my very humble owl is sitting in the center.
This made me want to do a tattoo round-up.

Here it is:

It's not creepy, it's nice.

Speaking of tattoos & not being creepy, I have a tattoo based on art by my friend Ryan Jacob Smith, who recently moved back to Portland. Check him out!
(below is an example of his art, not of the thing I have)

Also, my tattoo artist Dan Gilsdorf has just relocated to San Francisco for the year and is taking walk-ins. Make wait-listed Portlanders jealous by strolling in there and getting some of the nicest work from Dan on the spot! He'll be working Mondays and Tuesdays at Black Heart Tattoo in SF, & Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays at Freddy Corbin's Tattoo 13 in Oakland.

Look at how nice he is!

Okay. Take care and keep your tattoos covered in sunscreen this summer!

n.g.

p.s. Do you want me to draw a custom tattoo for you? If so, check out the pet portrait page on my website. The same prices and process applies. It's a little expensive and takes forever, but I am happy to do it.

p.p.s.
On a very non-tattoo note, I wanted to tell you about my new favorite thing to get in the mail, that being chocolates from Lagusta's Luscious.

Look at how nice she is!

Lagusta is located in New York and makes "heartbreakingly delicious and painstakingly made by hand" vegan chocolates which you can order by mail or receive in person!
She is also a feminist and has an entire line of chocolates named after her feminist heroes. Can you get better than that? Oh, you can. You can add this to the pot:
All our chocolate is organic and fair trade, and more than 95% of our fresh ingredients are certified organic. We are a completely vegan business using 100% post-consumer recycled paper and packing materials. We compost all kitchen scraps, use all eco-friendly cleaning products, and generate almost no waste! We make all our chocolates in our lovingly renovated chocolate shop, carefully built with the most eco-friendly materials our budget could buy. We walk the walk!
So....
I recommend to you the rosemary sea salt caramels, the furious vulvas, and any of the truffles. Bon Appetit!