3/29/10

Nora Yost is two!



Still scrambling to get Losers Weepers #2 finished in time for MoCCA. I'm about four pages away from being done! Me n' the indomitable Victor Kerlow will be sharing a table again, and we are lucky enough to be neighbors with Supertalk Enterprises and Rabid Rabbit! All talented and somewhat hygenic individuals!

In other news, my little niece Nora turned two years old last week. I made her this little card:

3/27/10

Shout-out on Secret Identity Podcast!


Matman & Brian from Secret Identity Podcast were kind enough to give me a shout-out during a piece on the upcoming MoCCA fest here in NYC. Secret Identity is a twice-weekly show they do to ostensibly escape their wives and nerd out on comics for a while. They're going to come by my table for an interview during the show. They both seem like laid-back friendly & funny guys, so I'm looking forward to it. Plus, they compared my work to Tony Millionaire, so I'm predisposed to like them.

Here's a transcript of what they said about me (but don't be lazy, click on the link above and listen to the show):

"One of the great things about the MOCCA Art Festival is walking into the show with about 200 creators. Most of them you don’t know who they are or what they do, so you are introduced to a ton of new and unusual stuff. At the same time the worst thing about this show (from an interview standpoint) is being overwhelmed by all the new faces and their creations.

One of the new faces (at least to us) at this years show is artist / writer J.T. Yost. The more we dig around about J.T. the more we like. J.T. is an animal lover who does Peculiar Pet Portraits. These are paintings of your beloved pets in cool poses. Not only are they cool, but proceeds go to animal friendly organizations. He is a gifted writer, whether it be his comics or his blogs. He is an exausted new father and he is a brilliant artist! J.T. has a very untraditional look that serves whatever project he’s working on. In his book ‘Losers Weepers’ he reaches down visually to the pits of human despair (drug addiction) yet in ‘Tales Of Good Old Snoop Doggy Dogg’ he draws with a much more humorous look. But whatever the project is; comics or sketches on his website, it all has the same fun feel and style. He is very much in the Kyle Baker or Tony Millionaire (Maakies and Sock Monkey) mold of visual storytelling.

On his site, you’ll find a bit of everything. Not only does he do peculiar pets, but will also paint your beloved (animal or human) with incredible detail. He has a great collection of holiday and greeting cards and some incredible prints including one that could help your marriage."

3/25/10

Paws For Charity Book



I've been invited to contribute to a wonderful project by Sara Harley called "Paws For Charity". She puts out art books, calanders and cards full of animal-themed artwork by a variety of artists (photography, painting, etc.). ALL proceeds are donated to a different charity each year. This year they will be going to Avon Breast Cancer Crusade.

The sample pages of the book I've seen so far have me very intrigued. They look beautifully designed, and the artists are all hand picked. It seems that she does not invite just anyone who does animal themed work, but artists she actually likes.

Here you can see a promotional poster (My painting of Wilfredo the chihuahua is in the center column, 2nd from the bottom) and the back cover (photo by Melissa McDaniel). I am really in love with that back cover photo.

So, everyone buy one of these books when they come out. It's for a great cause!

3/23/10

Snakepit 2009 available for pre-order!


You can now order "Snakepit 2009" at Birdcage Bottom Books. Orders should ship a few days after the actual release date (I'll be working the table at MoCCA).

It will be officially released at this years MoCCA comic fest in NYC on April 10th & 11th, so come on by and pick one up (along with other titles). As an added incentive, you will get a free (out-of-print) quarterly collection of Snakepit from days gone by with any purchase!

Snakepit 2009 collects the ninth year of aging punk rocker Ben Snakepit's comic diary. Put it by your toilet, and you may never leave.

It's a 96 page trade paperback with color cover, b&w interior.

3/14/10

Losers Weepers #2 cover


LW#2 is now all sketched out, and I'm beginning the laborious process of transferring everything from my sketchbook to bristol paper with blue pencil. I just finished inking & coloring the front cover, so here's a sneak peek. It'll be printed on colored cover stock like the last chapter.

Alright, I've gotta get back to work!

3/6/10

Lulu Speaks Hebrew

I'm closing in on the last few pages of Losers Weepers #2 (although I still have to ink and assemble it all before April 10th!), and Snakepit 2009 has been sent to the printer.

Meanwhile, please enjoy this video of Lulu caught speaking Hebrew (or may be Yiddish...I don't know how to speak either one).