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

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

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!

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

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.

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.

Bird beak

Man, I'm diggin' the new doodles from my meetings at MS. The team has seen most of them. A few told me today and they watch me move my hand back and forth like a jackhammer, cranking out the crosshatching in these doodles that keep me awake during the meetings. It's fun trying to come up with an idea. I just pick something out of the air and then it takes a different form when the pen hits the page. I smell the basis of a book of Doodles...
Yeah, like I have the time right now for putting that together.
Maybe once the winter hits. Which up here in the PNW is the day after Labor Day and that's only 30 days away!!! Yikes! We didn't have much of a summer this year so I'm hoping to vacation in the sun once every month in the winter this year.
Enjoy the doodle!