ALPHA: Abidjan to Paris, -a graphic novel

The landscape of graphic novels is as vast as the Sahara. ALPHA follows an African refugee on a tortuous journey across that very desert. The story is by Bessora, a French author of African and European ancestry. French illustrator Barroux’s  lush ink wash drawings bring an immediacy to the journey. Alpha, a carpenter, is compelled toContinue reading “ALPHA: Abidjan to Paris, -a graphic novel”

Bak’s Book: Island of Memory

The adventurous graphic novelist T. Edward Bak is coming to Kutztown University to speak about another adventurous explorer from the 18th century.  Bak’s ‘Wild Man’ tour includes stops at the Center for Cartoon Studies in Vermont, SAW in Gainesville as well as KU. The KU event is Free. Boehm, Lecture Room 261, Tues. Nov. 19Continue reading “Bak’s Book: Island of Memory”

Opportunity Knocks: Grab Bag for Illustrators

The Sequential Arts Workshop, SAW, in Gainesville, Florida is once again offering two mini-grants of $250 to artists working on a comic or graphic novel project. True, this is not a lot of money, but if you need to buy time to work on your art every cent helps. What I like about this grantContinue reading “Opportunity Knocks: Grab Bag for Illustrators”

Dr. Lakra’s Grand Canvas

Dr. Lakra is not a real doctor. He is a tattoo artist and collector of classic porn. He is, of course, more than this. The cutting-edge magazine Juxtapoz often features his art. I met Dr. Lakra late one night last week in a warehouse across the main highway from the center of Oaxaca. The warehouse encounter wasContinue reading “Dr. Lakra’s Grand Canvas”

5 questions about illustration for Matt Phelan

Matt Phelan is coming to Kutztown this weekend for the 2012 Children’s Literature Conference. Even if you can’t make the conference you might go to the KU bookstore to pick up his books at a discount. He is a prolific and popular illustrator. He writes as well. A piece of Matt’s original artwork from hisContinue reading “5 questions about illustration for Matt Phelan”

High on the High Line

The Trailing Edge of Digital Photography. This February, Rona Macias spent a week in NYC and shot pictures from the High Line. The High Line, if you are not familiar with it, is a long and narrow public park built on the site of the historic elevated freight train line. It runs North/South two stories above theContinue reading “High on the High Line”

Hate Trolls, Love ELPHS

My next camera will be a Canon ELPH. The wonderful photo above is by Austin-based travel writer Shelley Seale. She captured the colorful street in a small town on Ometepe, a volcanic island in the middle of Lake Nicaragua. Oddly enough, Shelley doesn’t think of herself as a gifted photographer. Do check out her ‘TradingContinue reading “Hate Trolls, Love ELPHS”