Monday, December 29, 2008

2009 Calendar and Book sale!



One great Calendar for 2009 and one terrific Art book for all time.
Two great gifts for the artistic person on your list or for someone who just likes fun stuff! Your choice of either the Monito Hermoso Calendar which will keep you up to date on all the important times in 2009,... or the lovely and witty Monito Hermoso Book, from which the calendar gets it's images. Have a safe and sane New Years!
-Mike

Saturday, December 27, 2008

The day after Xmas!


You KNOW Santa's all worn out the day after Xmas,... time for dinner with the family. Hope everyone had a great Xmas! Myself,... it was nice and relaxing,... having some extra time to kick back and enjoy the season and work on some of my other stuff. I'll have some new paintings posted soon and I hope to have the first section of my graphic novel up on a site for everyone to start reading. I've been drawing it and re-writing it for the last 8 months. It will most likely take another year to finish. Send me any comments.
By the way....

Get 'em while they're hot ladies and gents! My NEW Art Calender, which features art from my latest Art Book: Monito Hermoso is on sale for the next month at this site:
http://www.redbubble.com/people/mikecressy/calendars/2233376-1-mike-cressys-monito-hermoso-art-calendar

Then there is my Art Book: Monito Hermoso, which will continue to be on sale at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Powells and any local book seller.

Buy now to beat the rush!
A Happy and Successful New Year (2009) to all!!!

-Mike

Tuesday, December 23, 2008

SNOW day!


I did this one about 10 years ago for a kids magazine. Since I've been stuck inside for the last 5 or 6 days I thought it appropriate image to post. Hope you are getting out and about where ever you are!
-Mike

Monday, December 22, 2008

Need a Holiday Gift?



Two great gifts for the artistic person on your list or for someone who just likes fun stuff! Your choice of either the Monito Hermoso Calendar which will keep you up to date on all the important times in 2009,... or the lovely and witty Monito Hermoso Book, from which the calendar gets it's images. Be safe and sane for the holidays and if you are snowed in like I am,... take a flight to somewhere warm and sunny! (I keep telling myself the snow will melt eventually but it keeps on snowing damnit!)
Happy Holidays everyone!
-Mike

Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Santa's Trippin'!


I don't think I had this one on the site last Xmas when I penciled it on the way back from Denver so here ya'' are! I'm actually thinking of a story to work on for this sketch. Maybe a new kid's picture book in the future. I've got to finish this graphic novel and another picture book that I've written after that, before I can start on a new one. Plenty of book ideas!!!!
In the mean time, I'm looking to spend the holidays working on the graphic novel, eating with friends and sleeping. The weather these last few days has made me very tired in the evening and haven't got much done lately. I also have a friend in town this week for cancer treatments and we are planning to live it up this weekend! Whoo-hoo!!
See you next post!
Enjoy the season!
-Miguel

Sunday, December 14, 2008

Santa's elephant in the room dream...



I'm sure the old guy is tired at the end of a long Xmas season and he's got issues that haven't been addressed, hence the elephant. This year give Santa a break and help the economy and buy some stuff. Look for the next installment of the Xmas images! Enjoy the season!

Sunday, December 7, 2008

Santa's missing 7 minutes of tape....


This is a painting I did for Los Angeles magazine back in the day. They wanted me to do a version of the great old Haden Sundblum coca cola art and that's what they got. I had a blast doing this painting. Notice one of the elves is Spock (Leonard Nimoy) reading into a microphone. He's done a fair amount of books on tape (Now CDs) and was featured in the article. It was a two page spread. A nice showcase for me in those days.
Stay tuned for more Xmas Art over the next few weeks leading up to the last holidays of the year.
Hope you are enjoying the season.
-MC

Sunday, November 30, 2008

New Art Book Xmas Sale Deal!


Buy my NEW Art Book between now and December 25th and receive 5 mini prints from the book! Wow! What a deal! That's right, 5 mini prints all yours for buying just one copy of my Art Book Monito Hermoso, A collection of paintings Vol. 1 by Mike Cressy! Send me a copy of the receipt and I'll send you the 5 mini prints for free! Act while prints are available because there is a limited supply! Buy now before the prints run out!

Saturday, November 29, 2008

1st Christmas image of the season!


Ok, it's like Santa's got himself only a short time to fatten up before the big day! Why does he do this to himself every year? He think's "Why can't I just stay skinny? I'm healthier this way and have more energy!! Why do I have to get fat for the holidays,... some some snot nosed kid can catch a peek of me putting gifts under the freakin' tree??? What a crock! Oh well, back to the dinner table...
Look for more Xmas images as the days pass, so come back for more,... often!
Hope everyone had a nice Thanksgiving!
-MC

Sunday, November 23, 2008

T-day Massacre!


This is the only Thanksgiving day art that I've done over the years. I love the holiday but I've just never been moved to do much in the way of art for it. I hope everyone has a great T-day and that it will be sunny and warm where you live. It's supposed to be that way here in the PNW but things can change between now and then. It was a beautiful day today and I took a long bike ride. I'll have tons of Xmas art to show over the next month after T-day so come on back often and leave comments on every image! Ok? Here's to a good holiday season this year!!!
Be well!

Saturday, November 22, 2008

Eye, yi, yi...


Sometimes working on artwork for long hours can make my eyes hurt. I like to imagine that I could run a batch program to finish some of the sketches/paintings/computer images... and then go take a nap, or ride my bike. Perhaps a nice long weekend doing physical chores. Thanksgiving is next weekend,... hhhhmmmm...
Meanwhile I'm going to put together a package for my cousin Jimmy's birthday. A funny guy.

Sunday, November 16, 2008

The Wake


(This first part is from last Sunday, so excuse the references to "Today")
About 4pm on Sunday November 9th 2008, I got it in my head to buy some flowers and take them to where Holly and I were often seen in public.
So I bought a dozen roses and drove down the hill from my house to Coulon Park. Holly and I used to walk there every day that she would stay with me and afterward, in the summer or if the weather was nice, we'd sit on a hill and watch out onto the lake. We'd have long talks there and snack on grapes or sandwiches we'd bought. I went to a pier and one by one, threw out 10 of the twelve roses onto the water. One of them landed on a big rock below. The others scattered in the water. The one on the rock might have been Holly symbolically. The rest of the roses on the water drifted over to the spot where we used to always sit. That's when I started crying. After a half hour, it started to get dark. I was dark enough with all the clouds we had today.
I got in my car and drove over to where Holly and I first met. Enatai Beach. It was the half way point from where I used to live and Holly's condo. I always road my bike through there and that one day I stopped and met Holly. I walked over to the spot where we met, third fence poll from the end of the cement dock where she was sitting in her chaise lounge. I placed the remaining two roses on that spot and thought back to when we had met. Tears were streaming out of my eyes by then. I looked around and it was so beautiful in the oncoming darkness of the evening. It was 5:30 and I heard a noise behind me. There were two long kayaks being pulled out of the water onto the beach by 6 people. I stayed for a while longer thinking of Holly and left to get some tissue to blow my nose with. I cried all the way home.
My eyes were still wet while writing this.
Hope you are well. I am embracing Holly's memory today.

The day after that was the official date of Holly's death. After work I met up with my friend Anne, who knew Holly well and we went to see a movie. (A terrible thing call "Rachel getting married") and had some dinner. That helped with the day but I still felt bad inside.
Wednesday night I went to the SCBWI meeting and that was fun. Thursday our bosses at Microsoft decided to give us a free evening of pool at a swanky new Billiard palour in Bellevue. Free food and drinks. That was also much fun. I thank them for being so kind to me on this week.

Sunday, November 9, 2008

Holly McClure's suicide






Monday, November 10th 2008 is the one year anniversary of Holly McClure's suicide. It's been a very rough year since then but recently I think I've actually feeling better and can see daylight. Holly was the sweetest woman I've ever known. She cared for me more than any woman I've been with. (With the exception of my mother and sister) I loved her the best I could and it wasn't enough to save her from herself,... the demons in her mind that she fought bravely. I can't imagine what she felt or thought but I do know that it didn't stop her from being so loving. Perhaps it was her attempt at a last grasp, holding on to life. She would try her best to help me with my life and I did the same for her, even though there were times when she wouldn't allow me to help her change. We all resist that from time to time. I thought if I chip away slowly at those things that she needed help with, then it might make her life better. Now that she is gone forever, I'll never know if she could have over come those things. I don't want to make this date an anniversary to remember. Honor her surely but a suicide is not something to wear on one's sleeve for too long. I'd rather celebrate her life on the occasion of her birth then to wallow and be held down on the day of her death, by her own hand. I don't know how she would have wanted it but I know what I want from all of this. I will rise from this tragedy and move forward in my life. I am alive now and will make the best of my life without her. That does not mean that I will forget her, but I have to love and be loved in order to enjoy life. This I promise myself. If there is anything that Holly's suicide has taught me is to appreciate what I have. Continue to give to others. Love when I can. Have fun. Learn as I always have done. Create, play, laugh, celebrate, enjoy myself with no regrets from here on out. I invite anyone who reads this to do the same. Your life is just this one time. Don't squander it!
Love and peace to you. Appreciate the day always, good or bad.

Tuesday, November 4, 2008

PRESIDENT OBAMA!!!



LANDSLIDE!!!! (In your face Bush, Cheney, McCain, Palin!!!!)

WASHINGTON (AP) - Barack Obama was elected the nation's first black president Tuesday night in a historic triumph that overcame racial barriers as old as America itself.
The son of a black father from Kenya and a white mother from Kansas, the Democratic senator from Illinois sealed his victory by defeating Republican Sen. John McCain in a string of wins in hard-fought battleground states - Ohio, Florida, Virginia and Iowa.
A huge crowd in Grant Park in Chicago erupted in jubilation at the news of Obama's victory. Some wept.
McCain called his former rival to concede defeat - and the end of his own 10-year quest for the White House. "The American people have spoken, and spoken clearly," McCain told disappointed supporters in Arizona.
Obama and his running mate, Sen. Joseph Biden of Delaware, will take their oaths of office as president and vice president on Jan. 20, 2009.
As the 44th president, Obama will move into the Oval Office as leader of a country that is almost certainly in recession, and fighting two long wars, one in Iraq, the other in Afghanistan.
The popular vote was close, but not the count in the Electoral College, where it mattered most.
There, Obama's audacious decision to contest McCain in states that hadn't gone Democratic in years paid rich dividends.
Obama has said his first order of presidential business will be to tackle the economy. He has also pledged to withdraw most U.S. combat troops from Iraq within 16 months.

(AP) In this two picture combination, on the left, Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama,...
Full Image
Fellow Democrats rode his coattails to larger majorities in both houses of Congress. They defeated incumbent Republicans and won open seats by turn.
The 47-year-old Illinois senator was little known just four years ago. A widely praised speech at the Democratic National Convention, delivered when he was merely a candidate for the Senate, changed that.
Overnight he became a sought-after surrogate campaigner, and he had scarcely settled into his Senate seat when he began preparing for his run for the White House.
A survey of voters leaving polling places on Tuesday showed the economy was by far the top Election Day issue. Six in 10 voters said so, and none of the other top issues - energy, Iraq, terrorism and health care - was picked by more than one in 10.
"May God bless whoever wins tonight," President Bush told dinner guests at the White House, where his tenure runs out on Jan. 20.

(AP) Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., visits with volunteers at a...
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The Democratic leaders of Congress celebrated in Washington.
"It is not a mandate for a party or ideology but a mandate for change," said Senate Majority leader Harry Reid of Nevada.
Said Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California: "Tonight the American people have called for a new direction. They have called for change in America."
Shortly after 11 p.m. in the East, The Associated Press count showed Obama with 338 electoral vote, well over the 270 needed for victory. McCain had 127 after winning states that comprised the normal Republican base.
The nationwide popular vote was remarkably close. Totals from 58 percent of the nation's precincts showed Obama with 51 percent and McCain with 47.9.
Interviews with voters suggested that almost six in 10 women were backing Obama nationwide, while men leaned his way by a narrow margin. Just over half of whites supported McCain, giving him a slim advantage in a group that Bush carried overwhelmingly in 2004.
The results of the AP survey were based on a preliminary partial sample of nearly 10,000 voters in Election Day polls and in telephone interviews over the past week for early voters.




Mike Cressy
www.mikecressy.com
http://mikecressy.blogspot.com/
http://MikeCressy.imagekind.com/
http://www.lulu.com/content/1997580

Monday, November 3, 2008

VOTE!!!!




Last day to think about it all. I hope everyone has figured out who they are voting for, if not, then hit the internet and find out what's keeping you from making a decision! Let's turn this country around to a better course. The last 8 years have been pretty bad! Time for NEW blood and doing things to help this country!

Friday, October 31, 2008

Scary Cat Tree!!!


More BOO!!! A painting I did about 8 or 9 months ago but had Halloween in mind. Come back for more Halloween scary images this weekend!! Have a spooky, creepy, fun and safe Halloween night tonight!!!

Thursday, October 30, 2008

Scary Night!


More frightful images for Halloween week. This one from this past year! Enjoy. Come back for more images before The day of the dead on Sunday!

Tuesday, October 28, 2008

Three friends...




I just found these. Totally forgot that I did them at least 4-5 years ago!
Frankenstein's Monster, Bride and Vlady the vampire! Another round of Halloween images. More to come for Halloween! Hope all are doing well! Come back for more scary art!

Sunday, October 26, 2008

Frankie's credit card problems...SCREEEECH!!!



Also an oldie. I did this for a credit report company years ago. They were trying to put a smiley face on some scary problems that people have regarding their credit cards. I took their words and used them directly, without much metaphor,... hence the Frankenstein holding credit cards and a smiley face mask.
More scary images to come this week, so come back often!!!

-MC

Saturday, October 25, 2008

Ok,... Like, BOO,...



Another oldie. I did this around ten years ago. I never got around to doing a color version of it but it sure is scary ay?!
Nothing like Skulls on sticks. Enjoy. Bbbwwwwaaaaaaahhhhhhhhahahahahahahahaha!
(That was a scary type of laugh in case you didn't get it.)

Another Halloweenie image very soon!

Tuesday, October 21, 2008

Fright Machine...


What would be more frightening than having your head on a metal body that could rust, break or dare I say it?... destroy?!
This is a sketch from one of my older books,... 6 years ago roughly. A bloody good scary sketch. Enjoy till the next Halloween image!
-MC

Sunday, October 19, 2008

Devil's night...


About 5 or 6 years ago I was sitting in this coffee shop with my sketchbook and this image pops into my head. It was very clear what the image was. I think I scribbled for an hour and a half till I got it down on paper. I wasn't thinking about the old Hardy Boys books I had as a kid but I'm sure they have been rattling around in my nogan for many a year. I had to make it into a painting and show it to the world. It ended up being one of my promo postcards that I send out in the mail. It got me a book cover for a young adult novel.
This is the first in a long line of Halloween images that I will be posting over the next 2 weeks. Stay tuned and be spooky!
-MC

Saturday, October 18, 2008

Joe the plumber, Joe Camel, not much difference!


All the talk this last week about Joe the plumber got me thinking of a Joe Camel that I used to illustrate for Camel cigarettes back in the day. I did this along with many others about 19 years ago now. I can't believe it's been so long already. I know it was a terrible influence on young people but it paid the bills very well. Helped fund my trip to Italy back then.
Hey, it's getting colder up here in the PNW and I've started turning on the heat a few nights this last week. Bummer!!!! I miss summer soooooo much!!!
My tomato plant is all but dead, my cucumber plants were so withered I almost thought to leave them to be blown away by the winter wind and my other deck plants are suffering the cold at night. I may have to bring some of them inside. I'm sure they are filled with many many bugs by now. Mostly ones that I'm allergic to!!!
Halloween's a comin' and I've got several parties to attend to keep my spirits high. Over the next several postings I'll be putting up some of my Halloween art I've done over the years. Come back often to check that out!!!
Enjoy some sun!

Sunday, October 12, 2008

Burt's wrong arm...


I don't know where this title came from. I was doodling away when this image came into my head along with the title. Sometimes you just have to go with the flow. Maybe there's a book in there somewhere.
I've been working on the graphic novel sketches all weekend and lying around the house. I've got two other stories that are pokin' at me to write and illustrate them but they are going to have to wait their turn, I'm going to stick with the one I'm working on now till it's done, even though it's probably going to take one more year to finish.
Starting in November I'll be taking the rest of my spare time to write the standard novel version of my graphic novel for the NINORIMO contest. (For the whole month of November one needs to write a certain amount of words toward finishing a novel. The winners are awarded in December.) I got as far as 20,000 words last year and not even close to half way through the novel. I will continue that effort this November. Cheer me on by stopping by my house and doing my chores for me, please. Seriously.
Enjoy the doodle. More soon!
Happy Columbus Day on Monday for all those who celebrate that sort of thing! Also Happy Sukkot Day on Monday. (Whatever that is!)
-Mike

Saturday, October 4, 2008

NEW Doodle!



Another in a long line of Doodles! I'll post later. Not so much in a writing mood right now.
Enjoy.

Monday, September 29, 2008

IMPORTANT!! READ NOW and ACT PLEASE!!!


Hey friends....I hope you can give us artists a hand on this issue. It is time sensitive, urgent and critical that as many people as possible speak up. The financial crisis is providing cover so this bill is able to sneak through.

Because of the scramble on the bail-out bill, this Orphan Works bill was passed in the Senate under the radar. It's about our copy rights for visual artists, writers, photographers and songwriters...anyone in the creative field. If this Orphan Works bill passes through the House , we artists will be obliged to pay Google, directly or indirectly, $200 for each piece, song, image, etc. we create in order to protect our copyright.

At this time, all we have to do is sign our work, put the date and the"circle c" and we have a copyright. If we want more protection, ie. from court costs on infringement issues, we can send our images and $30 to the Copyright Division of the Federal Government, and then we are registered.

I don't think any of us want to further enrich an huge and very wealthy company and make it easier for them to catalogue and use artist's work without their consent. As we have seen, especially in the recent weeks, the corporations (and the government in cahoots with them) have not served well for the ordinary US citizen. And, for most of us artists, our copyright is one of our most valuable assets. If we have no protection unless we pay, what for most of us, is big money for each creation, then we have no way to make a living.

Please click on the site provided...there is a form letter there and it's easy...send it out and help your artist friends. I included quotes from some of my friends and the Illustration Society, if you want to read more about it. Thank you so much. Jennifer Carrasco

Here's the site http://capwiz. com/illustrators partnership/ issues/alert/ ?alertid= 11980321


"While this is marked “low importance”, it’s exactly the opposite—congress is trying to hotline a bill through that would significantly change the copyright laws. As individuals involved in the generation of creative works, you would be required to register your work with two bureaus for $100 a piece—if not, then your work will be considered “orphan” and you will lose your ownership rights.

Please read more about this bill, and if you agree, send a letter to your congress people letting them know how you feel—links are below in the e-mail to do this, already written out, etc.

As you know, copyright is granted automatically in the US when the work is created—you would lose this under this addition to the copyright code. Interestingly enough, Google is a huge supporter of this legislation, as it will eliminate having to get your permission for them to catalogue your work, and repurpose it however they see fit.

Thanks for your time, and thank you for reading.

Wednesday, September 24, 2008

Graphic Novel alert!!



Just a little sketch from the Graphic Novel I'm working on. I hope to have some pages with text posted sometime over the next month. I'll add to that every month and maybe every week if I'm getting caught up with things. It's now COLD, DARK and RAINY up here in the PNW!! It feels like November already. My least favorite month! (Especially these days.) Don't get me wrong I love Thanksgiving but I hate everything else about November. There I've said it and it's off my chest. At least till November!
Hope everyone is well. See you next posting.
-MC

Saturday, September 20, 2008

Fun ROBOTS!


While I'm sitting here on a dark, rainy, cold, Saturday morning,... thought I'd post a fun illustration for a game I worked on over at MS research a year and a half ago. That was a fun team and it was great to work with everyone there. I'm working for a fun team these days as well, and a fun game that I can't say anything about right now. I'm hoping for a bit of clearing in the skies here in the PNW but I'm doubtful that will happen. But if it does, I'm going bike riding and maybe kayaking!!!
Instead, I'll most likely be working on my graphic novel, which has so much more to go.
Hope you all have a nice weekend!!
-MC

Thursday, September 18, 2008

Doodle bash!


I love doing them doodles during meetings and here's another recent concoction! The week has gone by too fast and here it is Thursday already. Greek dining at Santorini's after work on Friday, then off to Seattle to sketch at one of my favorite coffee joints. I've got to hustle if I want to finish this graphic novel. Anyway enjoy the doodle while I see what can be done about the new cold/dark/rainy weather that came to town today and looking like it wants to stay for a while.

Tuesday, September 16, 2008

2days!



I gotta start with Monday this week. Work went well and whizzed by quickly. I planned to go to Town Hall in Seattle to try and grab a last minute ticket to Garrison Keillor, who was in town to speak and promote his new book (Liberty), which came out today. I got on the I-520 freeway, which normally is crowded beyond belief and I no possibility of getting into Seattle not only in time for the show but that the show was more than likely sold out.
Shazam! I-520 was clear as a bell and I sailed into the city in record time, got to Town Hall and there were plenty of tickets left. Who knew it would happen like that? I slapped down my $5 and walked across the street to pick out a nice Panini for dinner.
Garrison Keillor talked for 2 hours once he made it on to the stage. It was hot in the hall but I sat at the back near an open window that had a cool breeze coming in from 7th street. Here's the link to Garrison at the local NPR station:
http://www.kuow.org/program.php?current=WK1

I took off Tuesday from work to get some things accomplished. Dentist appointment at 8am. They couldn't get my lower right jaw numbed enough, so they had to give me extra shots. Then, with numbed out lower jaw and tongue, I washed my car, had some light, soft lunch and went out for a haircut.
Once back from that, I threw my kayak in the back of my car and drove down the hill to Lake Washington and slide my kayak into the lake for a paddle. The lake was choppy and I only stayed out there for an hour.
I came back and called my cell phone company to tell them my battery wasn't holding a charge and they told me they were going to send me a new phone. Hurray!
I felt bold after that and called earthlink because I had not been able to connect to the internet and had been having that problem for the last month, off and on.
Feeling even bolder, I called my dentist's office and asked the receptionist out on a date! She agreed and gave me her cell phone number.
In a few hours I'm going to head into Seattle for a group of people who read their old storied from the teen years. It's call the Shame read off, or something like that. It sounded funny.
What a day so far!!!
More days off that this one!!
Hope you are enjoying the little bit of extra summer we are having.
The image is from a game I worked on two years ago and the colors always reminded me of summer.

Here's a good Garrison Keillor column:

'Throw the bums out!' — say the bums
By Garrison Keillor
September 11, 2008
So the Republicans have decided to run against themselves. The bums have tiptoed out the back door and circled around to the front and started yelling, "Throw the bums out!" They've been running Washington like a well-oiled machine, to the point of inviting lobbyists into the back rooms to write the legislation, and now they are anti-establishment reformers dedicated to delivering us from themselves. And Giuliani is an advocate for small-town America. Bravo.

They are coming out for Small Efficient Government the very week that the feds are taking over Fannie and Freddie, those old cash cows, and in the course of a weekend 20 or 50 or (pick a number) billion go floating out the Treasury door.

It is a bold move on the Republicans' part - forget about the past, it's only history, so write a new narrative and be who you want to be - and if they succeed, I think I might declare myself a 24-year-old virgin named Lance and see what that might lead to. Paste a new face on my Facebook page, maybe become the Dauphin Louie the 32nd, the rightful heir to the Throne of France, put on silk tights and pantaloons and a plumed hat and go on the sawdust circuit and sell souvenir hankies imprinted with the royal fleur-de-lis.

John McCain has decided to run as a former POW and a maverick, a maverick's maverick, rather than Mr. Bush's best friend, and that's understandable - but how can he not address the $3 trillion that got burned up in Iraq so far? It's real money; it could've paid for a lot of windmills, a high-speed rail line in Ohio, some serious research and development. The Chinese, who have avoided foreign wars for 50 years, are taking enormous leaps forward, investing in their economy, and we are falling behind. We're wasting our chances.


And a former mayor of a town of 7,000 who hired a lobbyist to get $26 million in federal earmarks is now running against the old-boy network in Washington who gave her that money to build the teen rec center and other good things so she could keep taxes low in Wasilla. Stunning. And if you question her qualifications to be the leader of the free world, you are an elitist. This is a beautiful maneuver. I wish I had thought of it back in school when I was forced to subject myself to a final exam in higher algebra. I could have told Miss Mortenson, "I am a Christian, and when you gave me a D you only showed your contempt for the Lord and for the godly, hard-working people from whom I have sprung, you elitist battleax, you."

In school, you couldn't get away with that garbage because the taxpayers know that if we don't uphold scholastic standards, we will wind up driving on badly designed bridges and go in for a tonsillectomy and come out missing our left lung, so we flunk the losers, lest they gain power and hurt us. But in politics, we bring forth phonies and love them to death.

When you check the actuarial tables on a 72-year-old guy who's had three bouts with cancer, you guess you may be looking at the first female president, a hustling evangelical with a chip on her shoulder who, not counting Canada, has set foot outside the country once - a trip to Germany, Iraq and Kuwait in 2007 to visit Alaskans in the armed service. And who listed a refueling stop in Ireland as a fourth country visited. She's like the Current Occupant but with big hair. If you want inexperience, there were better choices.

Garrison Keillor's column appears regularly in The Sun. His e-mail isoldscout@prairiehome.us.

Saturday, September 13, 2008

Another summer rerun...



Avert your eyes!!! I'm not talking about my art here I'm talking about the election year snipping! Instead, stop by my blog every week and see and NEW (to your eyes) image from my past career. This week is something I did for spec for a publisher about a book that I was going to write and illustrate. It was about 10 years ago and I still think it's kinda cool. I may get back to that story yet. It's finally summer up here in the PNW and I'm going kayaking in a little bit, but I'll be posting more this week. Hope you are enjoying the weather while it's here and not paying attention to anything else but my occasional posting.
Be well.
-MC

Sunday, September 7, 2008

The Trees


Another doodle from my workplace. Hey, it keeps me awake during meetings.

Check out some new photos I've posted on my "Mobile Me" Mac site. I was at Greenlake all afternoon today. Sunday the 7th, which is two days away from the one year anniversary of Holly's first suicide attempt. But last year it was on a Sunday so I'm not feeling very comfortable today. I still have Holly moments every day and when I'm not at work it's all day long. Sometimes at work I have memories hit me and I have to focus extra hard so I don't start crying at work. Microsoft doesn't like crybabies.
I rode around Greenlake all afternoon and took pictures. I took Holly there every Sunday that was sunny. We walked around the lake a lot and used to pick up a snack at the corner bakery, sit outside in the sun and talk and laugh. She always made sure we were comfortable and well taken care of.
It's hard going there on Sundays but since Holly doesn't have a headstone anywhere that I can go to and talk to her, I've settled on Greenlake as that place. Many of my memories of her are associated with that park, so it's like I'm visiting her.
Now I have to get through the next big anniversary. That's going to be even tougher than this one.

Be well, enjoy life and keep summer in your heart.
-MC

Monday, September 1, 2008

Vacation in Detroit!







I got back from my Michigan vacation last Wednesday. What a blast!
Family reunion, Celebrating my birthday, Celebrating my Aunt May's 80th birthday, Saw the DIA, Went to Cranbrook, rode the people mover (which is like the monorail in Seattle only it goes to a bunch of places!), Toured inside GM's head quarters on the water front, Watched the Tigers loose in 11 innings, Ate in Greek Town, Saw Tropic Thunder, Got a lot of love from my family and stayed at my brother Scotty's townhome. (Thanks Scotty!)
The whole trip lifted my spirits at a time when I really needed that. This is the time of year, last year, when Holly was trying to kill herself at my house and then succeeded two months later. So all this is on my mind, but family helped a great deal.
Also on my trip, I managed to back my rental car into a fire hydrant and the rental car company took $1000 from me when I returned my car. I also managed to break a tooth when I was brushing one night. The tooth broke off in my mouth. That should cost another $1000.
But it's all ok because I had a great time!!!
I hope all my sibs can come out and visit me in Seattle soon!!!
I would love that very much!
All be well!
See you next post!

Saturday, August 16, 2008

Monito Hermoso on Amazon.com!!!!



The time has come for the overflow of PR and Marketing that I'll have to do to get this book sold over and over but the first part is done. Monito Hermoso is now available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Powell's and all booksellers! So go to your favorite bookstore and order a copy or stop by one of the afore mentioned online booksellers and buy you a copy of this fun and visually exciting book. Volume 2 is in the works, as is the Doodle Book and RED Sketches book. Not to mention the Graphic Novel that I've been intensely working on for the last 4 months. (I'm into the second quarter of it. It's a big book,... long story.)
So stop by Amazon.com and leave some comments please. I'd appreciate it.
Thanks and have a great summer weekend!
-MC

Saturday, August 9, 2008

Another Summer rerun...



In keeping with the summer rerun ritual, I've posted another blast from the past. This is one that I did for a magazine about 10 years ago when I was doing a totally different style and technique. I think it was for a magazine article that had to do with singles parties at museums. This last Thursday was Art walk night in Seattle in Pioneer Square and I took a bunch of my art prints and stacks of one of my kids picture books (still available on Amazon.com by the way) "Look, my tooth is loose" and my NEW Art Book of paintings that I did over a year and a half. I sold three of each. Wha-hoo! The money made it worth going there and it was fun! Look to see me with my table in September on 1st Thursday Art Walk.

Sunday, August 3, 2008

Arizona


I'm not sure why I called this piece Arizona,.. something in the sketch reminded me of some time I spent there about 10 years ago. Anyway, I thought it looked a bit like sumer, since we are not having much of a summer up here in the PNW, I thought a nice reminder of summer would be nice. Peace out.