Fried-Day

Ak! Still working through interviews, but answers are coming slow -- so, a wee post this AM, in hopes of a fuller one later today. Besides, I've got some major drawing to get done today. You'd rather have me at the drawing board than the keyboard, yes?

So, a little CCS followup for today, including news from one beloved CCSer who I wish I could have interviewed. But she won't be at MoCCA, she's savoring a great life adventure elsewhere (read on!). I'll also note that CCS pioneer class graduate (and the school's first Xeric Award winner) Alexis Frederick-Frost is interning at Drawn & Quarterly up in Montreal -- but that hasn't kept us from seeing to his interview, which will appear here next week.

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First up, this from Sam Gaskin, fellow CCS pioneer class grad (and Xeric Award winner) whose interview and art was posted earlier this week:

"Ran into your son, Danny, in Turners Falls tonight, by the way. Saw his band play, and they were pretty darn good, might I add!"

Cool! A shout-out howdy-do to Dan, too, and hope to dine with you this weekend, son!

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Second, I was overjoyed to hear from recently-departed-from-2006-2007-CCS freshman Jaci June, who is on a major adventure of her own. Here's a bit of her news, which is mucho exciting:

"If you haven't already heard the news I'm in Illinois preparing to sail down the Mississippi River on junk rafts. We are headed for New Orleans (an estimated 6 month long journey). I was staying on an organic farm for my first month here. So far a lot has happened. We have 4 rafts in the water. The Miss Rockaway raft and her sisters, and the Kirksville Krew Raft... The Garden of Bling (a raft I am helping build and living on) is a huge ass raft that is part costumes and wardrobe and part organic garden. Another raft still in the works is Chill Rice's skate ramp raft including a half pipe and junk art. The last raft being built is The Morning Glory Pirate Radio Station raft, which will be broadcast at a humble distance along the Mississippi and will also be streamed on the internet."

Once Jaci gets that link to me, I'll post it here -- 21st Century Mark Twain on the airwaves!

Jaci's news is terrific and it's great to hear from her. "I've been real busy drawing, building, cooking, sewing costumes, rehearsing my role in a play... and swimming. Everyday is super hot and the trees on the banks are GIGANTIC and form a huge canopy of GLORY. There are all kinds of cool animals here too. Deer, mayflies, lightning bugs, june bugs, corn snakes, majestic midnight geese, those weird mini-beavers with rat tails that I forget the name of [nutria], toads, and herons... Back at the farm I shared domain with goats, ducks, chickens, a horse, rats, and guinea foul.... This Saturday and Sunday we are having a performance including giant bug costumes, polka music, and tall-bike jousting. And guess what I'm playing a giant FLY!

So the plan was originally to leave the 17th of June but we are a bit behind schedule so it looks like the end of June. Anyway once we hit the river we will be making constant stops to perform, bike ride, and party with the locals. If you are in the midwest or south come and see us!"

Again, I'll post that link for the internet broadcast ASAP, which should help steer those of you interested and able to attend these events to them as the rafts dock and shows go on.

"Oh yeah I sold a caricature for 20 bucks last night to a drunk guy who stumbled on our raft. Aren't you proud CCS?! I'm living the dream!"

You sure are, Jaci! Good luck, and happy trails!


BTW, Jaci's 2007 minicomic The Cumbersome Adventures of Dyke Kitty is on sale now at the Quechee Valley Gorge Antiques Mall (booth for dealer #653), and

online via I Know Joe Kimpel (scroll down a bit), your one-stop venue for most things creative coming out of CCS.

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And some news from Dan Barlow, on the Trees & Hills Comics Group and their new anthology, which is debuting at MoCCA next weekend (and features a new two-pager by yours truly) --

"First of all, thank you to all the contributors of the second Trees & Hills anthology. We've received an amazing range of cartoons and are really excited about getting this book out for MoCCA next Saturday, June 23... Printing of the book looks likely next week and several of us will be gathering at the home of Keith Moriarty (my frequent co-write on several mini-comics) on the afternoon of Thursday, June 21 to staple and fold our run of 250 copies. The work should be starting around 3 p.m. If anyone is interested in joining us, please e-mail Keith at keithmoriarty@hotmail.com..."

So, if you can pitch in, get in touch with Keith. For those of you living faaaar away, and not attending MoCCA, I'll post sales links for the Trees & Hills anthology ASAP.

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Dan adds, "Also, Alison Bechdel (Fun Home) will be signing copies of the new paperback edition of Fun Home that evening [June 21] in nearby Brattleboro, Vt. (just 25 minutes from Keene) at Everyone's Books, a unique and politically progressive book store on Elliot Street, located just off of Main Street (my love for the store comes from the fact that my girlfriend once worked there and is actually one of the organizers of this event)."

Be there, Bechdel fans!

Or, catch Alison at MoCCA (Museum of Comic and Cartoon Art) in the Puck Building (293 Lafayette at Houston) in New York City. Alison writes, "They’re giving me the Festival Award! Come to the presentation on Saturday, June 23rd, 1:30-2:35. They give me my award, and I talk about my work."

Here's the link to Alison's site and book tour info (including the MoCCA info and link), be sure to see her if you can.

Alison is great, as is her work, and she's a grand CCS supporter, too.

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Well, better get on with my day. It's been a busy week here in other ways: our eagerly-anticipated 8' x 10' shed was delivered and constructed yesterday, and I've about finished the painting chores. Our driveway is being paved as I write this -- it was the only real drawback of our new home, and the heavy rains were beginning to wash it out a bit. So, we're having it paved, which will also make the coming winter a bit easier (yep, Vermonters think about winter in June). I also emptied out one of our three storage spaces this past week, getting us down to an easier-to-afford two (which I'll have down to one by August 1st, now that our shed is up and ready to store my backstock).

Marge is at her last day of school today, so her summer vacation begins next week -- though I should also mention, we at CCS have already met (once as a group, one more time James Sturm and I alone) to pull together our coming fall semester, and James, Robyn Chapman and I met earlier this month to pull together the July CCS summer workshops. Whew! The work is never done...

OK, enough of that --

OK, see you all here later... have a great Friday!