After 10 years of living in Salinas where lettuce is king, I have picked up my artist self and moved to Portland, Oregon… where coffee, microbrew, cartooning, books, donuts, gastropubs, bicycles (and more) are king.
Thank you to all of Monterey and Santa Cruz counties for your support and love over the years. 20 years in The Monterey Bay area… I will miss it so… but adventure calls. Love & Hugs.
The Monterey County Weekly (and Walter Ryce) gave me a nice sendoff. Here’s the Artifact blurb.
If you are as upset as I am about how the current president is using our tax money to fund his trips to his Florida resort… moneys that could otherwise be spent on funding PBS or the NEA or Meals on Wheels… then download this “Tell It to HIM” cartoonification and send it off to The Trump White House. ** visit the download/letters link to see more “Tell it to’em” cartoonifications. 
If you want to voice your opinion as a citizen of this country on policy (as is your right)… but say you don’t have the time to construct a letter to send to our government (via snail mail)… FEAR NOT! I have constructed some for you! I have made a few prefab cartoonifications that express how you might feel… All you have to do is simply download, print, sign your name to and tuck it in an envelope to The White House (1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington, DC 20500) … this allows your voice to be heard when phone lines have been downed at the White House… for reasons I’m still not sure of.
A list of these cartoonifications can be found under the Downloads Letters page. More will be added as the administration moves forward. Feel free to use these, share them with friends, or whatever. Stand up and be heard … or be read! We have the freedom to argue, to disagree, and to let our ideas be heard.
Drop by booth #113… The most excellent Betsy Streeter and I are sharing a table. Look for the amazing TOAST! 
October 1 & 2… from 11-5pm
5 East Gabilan Street #205… above First Awakenings in Oldtown Salinas.
Cookies and Silliness.
Lately, I’ve been researching the latest zine topic… ghosts and hauntings/haunted places. In my neck of the woods, one doesn’t need to go very far to find the paranormal. Monterey and Santa Cruz are filled with spirits of the past. The lovely and slightly creepy Restaurant 1833 in Monterey (pictured here) is just such a place… 
Haunted by former owners and full of low light, real candles and ornate wallpapers, the place has a feeling of … some kind of uneasiness… like you’re being watched. It adds a bit of excitement to your meal… especially if you order a glass of “Stokes Ghost”… a “chilling” red wine fit for the spooky atmosphere.
I didn’t stop there… right down the street is The Monterey Hotel… a lovely old establishment right in the middle of Monterey’s Alvarado Street. I had a lovely conversation with the general manager about the spooks that live there at the hotel. She invited me to have a look around, and so I did. I pulled out my iPhone and took some photos. Later that evening, I was reviewing the photos… and sure enough, small green orbs appeared around the ceiling, and a chaise lounge. A larger “ball of light” is seen in the hallway and a ghostish image on the other side of a small window leading to a hallway. As I write, the hair is standing up on my arms!
This spook-filled issue of ARt-o-rama will be available at the beginning of October. Contact me at brig@squidrowcomics.com to reserve a copy.
It’s time to celebrate in the West End! Sand City throws the bestest art/party/event every year called the West End Celebration. There’s art booths, music and lots of wine… and all are free (except the wine part)… so come join me at my booth (Squid Row Comics, #39 on Hickory) and see the news stuff (Coffee Cup Art, buttons, comics) and watch me Art… live. August 27 & 28…. 11-5 pm
The latest issue of Art-o-rama (zine) is out. This whole issue is on keeping a sketchbook. It covers, journal-ing, sketch noting, and urban-sketching.
12 pages, black-n-white and color. If you would like a copy of it, contact me thru the contact button. $5 plus $1.50 shipping.
July/August: Sketchbooking Workshops at The Monterey Museum of Art, Monterey, CA. MMA Events
August 27 & 28: West End Celebration … art and music festival of fun, Sand City, CA. Westendcelebration.com
September 4: SF Zine Fest… County Fair Building, Golden Gate Park, San Fran, CA. sfzinefest.org
October 1-2: Open Studios… The Cartoonery will be open for to browse my space. Monterey County Open Studios Tour
October 8 & 9: The Alternative Press Expo… San Jose Convention Center, San Jose, CA. alternativepressexpo.com