I graduated art school with a degree in painting in 1998. I floundered around for a year or so, but by 1999 I was scooped up to go work at a Dot Com Startup, where I could learn how to “code” HTML on the job. I also learned how to make simple animated movies using Flash, and got my first experience using Photoshop.
I couldn’t believe the money those companies threw around on perks. Herman Miller Chairs were more than $1000 each! And, when the bubble burst and we all inevitably got laid-off, what became of all the Aerons?
Two recent panels
Last Saturday I was thrilled to be included in a panel conversation featuring local artists and musicians held at The Middletown Public Library. A really excellent group of people making things mostly for the sheer joy or making. To be honest, Middletown New Jersey isn’t what I’d call an “artsy” place, we’re not like Asbury Park or Montclair. I always value getting to meet and interact with other creative folks from around here.
There was a lot of great advice given. I especially always appreciate the sentiment that you should take your creative practice seriously, no matter what. Take your art seriously, and take yourself seriously.
Then on Sunday I got to go into Manhattan to be part of another panel, this one held at Books of Wonder on 17th street. A really excellent children’s book store. I got to meet Matt Tavares who was debuting his basketball-themed middle-grade graphic novel, HOOPS, and Magdalene Visaggio who was there promoting her new book, THE OJJA-WOJJA, which has nothing to do with basketball, but seems excellent nonetheless.
Upcoming Events
I have a number of public library events on the horizon, and a few new school visits lined up, but I want to call special attention to this comics-making workshop I’ll be presenting at Snapology in Tinton Falls on April 25th.
This will be a special reformatted edition of my workshop and all participants will receive a signed copy of The Fifth Quarter. If you are local to Monmouth County and have an aspiring young cartoonist in your life, please consider signing them up!
When I got hired at Medium in 2013, I decided to level up from the shitty desk I'd used since I was a teenager and got an Airtouch standing desk. I got one used for about half the retail price and drove out to a warehouse where a guy had a bunch of them. He said he gets them from tech companies that liquidate and then sells them back to new companies starting up, then gets them back again in a few years when they fold and lay everyone off. I got let go two years later, but I type this from the same desk all these years later.