From ALTERNATIVE COMICS to UNUSUAL ANIMATIONS

HEY APATHY! Alternative Comics Mythology ...

Before I proceed in sharing the good news of my recently acquired good fortune, I would like to take a moment to recount a brief history of the development of HEY APATHY! in order to best contextualize this new point of interest. I had, up until the garbage strike of 2009, been working fulltime as a professional street artist and performer. I spent five years practicing my comic book styles and stories in full public and interactive view. The time spent drawing in the downtown core is and quite possibly always will be remembered as the best times of my life.

However due to the aforementioned political pollutant which ransacked our sidewalks throughout the busker season last year, I was forced off of the streets and had to discover new ways to present the mythology. As things progressed I I booked numerous festivals became increasingly adept at utilizing the computer, quickly discovering many new exhibition opportunities. The transition has been a fairly smooth one, and while I will still do a minimal amount of street painting I have gotten a lot farther a lot faster in terms of both my technical and communicative processes since returning to the studio environment. Primarily exemplified by the production of full length graphic novels which could not be completed on the street.

One of the primary differences and difficulties of the transition has been the necessity to express my verbal narrations, so successfully concurred on the pavement, into written words. As it were, I had not written a word in the five years as a public performer nor had I a moments rest in which to read the words of others, so the task of playing author has been entirely experimental to me. ( Which is why I blather so much on this blog, in the namesake of practice!!!) Fortunately, as seems to be the case in each of my crazy assertions, the experiments have begun to pay off.

Yesterday I received notice that I have been awarded a considerable sum of money by the Ontario Arts Council to used to further the experimental mythos I call HEY APATHY! What to me seems more exciting than even the fiscal reward, is the fact that the decision depended so heavily on the 500 word essay which I composed as part of the application package. Therefore I can only assume that I am making process with this new (but very old) art form and have chosen the right path to continually excel in my endeavours. Simultaneously of interest is the fact that the proposal requested finances intended to aid in the creation of an unusual animation based on the comic works. This animation, like the books, requires attention that cannot be achieved in the streets, and has the potential to share the narratives to the broadest of audiences.

In celebration of this fine occasion and epoch I would like to share with you my first award winning essay in hopes that there will be many, many, many more! 

 

"A PUBLIC PROCESS" by Mike Parsons

“HEY APATHY!” is an ongoing artistic investigation into the city , people, and existence in general. In the initial ink drawings the metropolis is revealed as an ominous gear, propelled by an endless sea of faceless denizens. In recent artworks, the city remains a giant gear, only now it is all the different kinds of people, not anonymous cogs, who fuel the machine. In order to achieve such realisations I developed a particular artists process involving public interventions, exhibitions, street performances and ultimately new media installations. I combine the use of fine artworks, merchandising, and multi-media technology, in hopes of inciting dialogue and provoking change. For my next project I intend to express the unique findings of my anthropological experiments through the creation of a one of a kind, hand drawn animation. The importance of this artwork will be examined through a brief analysis of my artistic intentions, the technical relevance, and the cultural significance of the proposed artwork.

The pursuit of edification, “HEY APATHY!“ aims to develop artworks of social importance as a vehicle for instigating mass dialogue. To achieve such aspirations, it became necessary to externalize my inquiries by means of an “unconventional interview”. The plan being to immerse myself publicly in an attempt to answer the questions: “WHAT IS THE CITY?” & “WHO ARE ALL THESE PEOPLE?” I have since executed the “interview” through numerous pedestrian presentations and public interactions. Each intervention has permitted an immediate dialogue with insurmountable amounts of people. As a result the investigation has led to increasingly intricate discoveries about architecture and others, and ultimately more accessible artworks. Today the experiment is primarily concerned with the creation of drawings that are simultaneously intellectually provocative as well as accessible to children.

Through out the entire project, a trend of increasingly new media presentations has evolved. For the proposed animation I intend to re-examine my combination of art and pop culture, by creating a unique and socially significant installation. The animation will be presented as a “Living Painting” flat-screen , exclusively designed for gallery display. The technical process will differ drastically from the “Cell” or “After-Effects” industry standard. Using the research, craftsmanship, and methods of presentation associated with fine artworks, I will assimilate the popular technology necessary to discuss humanist topics of great concern by means of an abstract , yet accessible, language.

A fine balance of global issues and playful optimism is apparent in all of my artworks, an invaluable technique in the alchemy of connecting with both the public and the intellectual. In this constituently technological age, it has become second nature for the artist to adopt, infiltrate and subvert the mainstream. To an artist interested in mass communication, the probabilities of new media exploration facilitate necessity. The proposed animation will critique and subvert popular media, compare, contrast, and combine classical and commercial art forms, and most importantly, invite younger audiences into an alternative stream of communication. Potentially a pinnacle achievement in my aggressive attempt to reconfigure pop, art, technology, and self.

visit http://www.heyapathy-comics-art.com/

ALTERNATIVE COMICS Wizard World Review!

HEY APATHY! Alternative Comics at Wizard World

So this past weekend Toronto was host to the Wizard World Comics Convention and I decided to take part in the festivities by exhibiting my own unusual brand of monster comics and art. I have been a huge fan of finely written strips and graphic novels for as long as I can remember and used to attend these events as young fan boy. My first exhibitions on the circuit of the weird were way back in 2002 and 2003 after which I sort of took an extended hiatus from picture books to show my ink drawings in art galleries and as a street performer. Recent circumstances, brought about primarily by age, led me to return to my first true love and restart developing my comic book artworks. Since those days as a wee-one it has always been a dream of mine to complete an entire graphic novel so that's what I am going to do. My first step in the process was to return to the cons and present the initial chapters, books zero, one and two, at Wizard World.

 

Me at my booth reloading the HEY APATHY! comics bin on Sunday Morning

The show was amazing and not entirely unlike those art exhibitions I have been frequenting over the past few years except that the animosity, professional jealously and out and out pretentiousness is traded for introverted weirdoes, costumed curiosities and hyper-active children of all ages. I met Darth Vador, the Predator, Captain America, Wolverine, Jean Grey, Spidey, Burlesque Dancers, Cobra Commander and more anime characters than I could possibly name. The fans come to exhibit as much as the exhibitors! I guess one of the major attractions is the tax-free reduced prices on all of our favourite comics and toys but the real draw is the dress up. My next door neighbour was a creepy clown named Mullet who is not only the star of his own book but has a series of hilarious (and hilariously no-budget) comedy films on the internet. The energy was overwhelming and unbelievable. I have been suffering from superhero withdrawal since leaving the festival, why isn't the Green Lantern walking down College Street?

Mr. Mullet my new friend and neighbouring exhibitor at the Convention

I also ran into an old friend Tyrone at the Con who was sporting a little monster named Kyrian (sorry if I spelled that wrong). I'm guessing the future freak was about 1 and half old. Congratulations Tyrone and Alana. Tyrone is also an amazing comics artist and was promoting his guerrilla printing company which specializes in small and independent press publication.

 

a shot of the floor duing set up (Damn I was too busy to get the floor full of freaks which is what it's really all about!!!)

 

I had some concerns about the event because of an overwhelming amount of bad online press but was more than pleasantly surprised by the awesome show. If you've never been to one of these things you'd be wise to check it out. I can't wait until the Fan Expo later on this summer. Anyways I hardly got any drawing done at the show because I was too busy telling stories and also to my delight meeting new and strange folk. Probably about a 30 -70 % split on people familiar with my art and an all new audience. It was great to see all my friends from the street performance days and really amazing to discover new ones at the Wizard World. Overall a complete success and incredibly amazing, astonishing, and uncanny show!

Future Comics legend Blackbeard getting ready to duel with a Creepy Consumer of people's bodies,minds, and souls...

ALTERNATIVE COMICS A Lizard Dream...

HEY APATHY! Alternative Comics dream hiatus

It has been said by the Buddhists "that the minute you speak of something, it is lost". In contrast, it is common knowledge amongst sorcerers and black magicians that quite often it is the verbalization of an action which ignites the consequence. For both of these reasons, (understanding and fear) I had decided it in the best interest of all parties involved not to share the following experience unless the matters at hand were first clearly resolved. Early this afternoon such actions were taken in order to reach a reasonable conclusion so as to permit me to tell you the tale of my recent Lizard dreams.

In my brief hibernation, taken to recover from this past weekends comic book convention, I endured the most terrifying of sensations. During my sleep I happened to notice that a small dragon creature had suffered a severe and almost certainly fatal injury. The lizard was nearly split in two at the gut and was writhing and projecting telepathic screams in a desperate fit attempt to relieve itself from pain. I could see no means of saving the monster despite all of my books and training ( I have performed numerous amateur yet necessary and successful surgeries on my own reptilian in the past) and so with a broken heart I decided to end the life of the dream lizard in the namesake of mercy.

You can probably get an inkling of the black feeling overtaking me if you remember your own pet's end, however it is more than likely that an emergency did not force the euthanization out of your own hands. But what was worse was my attempt to save the beast from it's suffering continued to fail. Neither the ringing of her neck, nor the injected poisoning, nor the attempted affixation I inflicted would take.

Instead of passing freely the tiny life perpetually agonized increasing from each attack. She shrank and withered, lost most of her skin, lost all of her colour and her eyeballs fell inside of her skull. But no ,the creature would not die, I could not release her from the pain, and my constant attempts had certainly pushed her past any hope of being saved.

I awoke in terror and immediately went to the tank to inspect my miniature dragon. She seemed happy and healthy and without a care in the world. I placed her in the sunny window and pondered the message dredged up from my unconscious. It did not take me long to analyse my guilty subconscious as I was full well aware that my lizard, named Goose, had not been fed since at least a week. I was also aware that my avoidance of feeding was correlated to my concern for another little dragon sitting in the pet store.

The lizard entrapped at the store was withering away, malnourished, discoloured and undersized in comparison to it's dominant sibling. I had been avoiding the store, and the purchase of Goose's food, for fear of seeing the other little one suffer. On my previous trips the proprietor of the shop had sensed my solicitude towards the situation and treated me with disregard shuffling me out of the shop quickly to avoid reparations.

Realizing my empathetic fears could potentially ignite disaster, I resigned to visit the store, purchase the food, and was determined to avoid checking on the small dragon. Upon arrival, the owner's greeted me with a more than usual enthusiasm (they'd always been friendly prior to their own dragon's illness). I ordered some crickets and unconsciously strolled over to the lizard aquariums. Much to my surprise and delight the dragon was looking proud and strong. Her colours were growing as was her tale. She had almost caught up to her brother, a magnificent specimen once three times her size.

 I returned home and watched the little Goose monster hunt and gobble the heard of insects like a giant Japanese monster awakening from a thousand year slumber. Having faced my fear of the pet store and alleviated my guilt, I  resolved the black terror which engulfed my being persistantly through out the night and early morning to such an extent that I am unashamed to share the occurrence and freed from the worry that talking about the problem might cause an imaginary horror to manifest.  more stories at  http://www.heyapathy-comics-art.com/

A picture of  my good friend Goose a happy, healthy lady lizard chilling out in the park.

p.s. I can't get the Wizard World Convention picks out of the camera due to minor technical difficulties but I promise to review the event tomorrow!!

ALTERNATIVE COMICS at COMIC CON!

ALTERNATIVE COMICS Blackbeard kicks some MONSTER at WIZARD WORLD Comic Convention

Just got back to planet reality after a long needed and much enjoyed vacation at the Wizard World comics festival. Saw many strange things, met many bizarre people and had the most amazing time. After the teleportation back to this familiar and dull plane of existence I am fairly exhausted, in costume withdrawal, and need to go into temporary hybernation for a breif  period of reality adjustment. Full recap of the weekends events tomorrow. visit http://www.heyapathy-comics-art.com/

ALTERNATIVE COMICS at Wizard World

HEY APATHY! ALTERNATIVE COMICS at the WIZARD WORLD COMIC CON

Wow am I ever tired. Stayed up way to late reading some Lovecraft and was up and at it since 7:30 this morning. The first day of the comics con was really fun but exhausting. I almost suspect to having had passed out at my table, however the amount of drawings I completed and people I talked to suggests otherwise. I met tonnes of folk and although they were primarily locals and Americans, they were most certainly of all sorts. Instantly I can recall discussions with people from almost every age group and of numerous cultural backgrounds. Moved some books (every comic in such a sea of mainstream is a tiny triumph!), told some stories and witness many strange and fictitious characters inhabiting our plain. (Vador, Electra, Wrestling Stars and Capt. America just to name a few) I was really happy to be out in public again, it has been a long and secluded winter for this little story teller. Anyways I posted the Sound of the City drawing here because it was one of the most well received of my collection today. I finished some cool monster drawings and cityscapes today but left them erroneously behind. I'll scan them tomorrow and add some photo. Now I sleep ... visit http://www.heyapthy-comics-art.com/

Alternative Comics Elective Surgery and Pharmaceutical Forget Me (Not’s)

HEY APATHY! Alternative Comics Elective Surgery

I had to check my self into a clinic early this morning following a terrifying sequence of apocalyptic events. The entire ordeal started out simply enough, a twitch in my digitus minimus. The sensation, albeit it miniscule, had become a point of consideration due to the persistence of the irritation. I had some time to spare a thought it might be worth checking out.

I arrived at the specialist table shortly thereafter where a group of medical students hoarded around me. The master surgeon entered moments later and proceeding in questioning his students as they yelled out numerous plausible diagnosis'. I myself, excited by the game show, interjected "maybe it is the patients diet" knowing all too well that I'd been living on coffee and sugar for the better part of my existence. " maybe the patient needs to stretch before he lifts weight with the digit." also knowing all to well that I had been in the practice of moving extremely heavy objects as a regular part of my profession.

Before I could receive a rejection of my own hypothesis the surgeon removed the back of my cranium and had begun re-arranging various spaghetti like substances from within. "Here is the problem" he announced " Nothing a few botox injections to the forehead won't fix!" His students clapped, they sewed me up and prescribed me a number of expensive but assuredly necessary pharmaceutical.

I was told to return on a scheduled basis in order to update and upgrade my prescriptions. "These wonder drugs will work, however the human body has a tendency to fight the medications and develop immunities to the only thing that might actually save you from amputation of the aforementioned irritation." The nurse was very kind to provide all the pertinent information regarding the prescriptions.

Amazingly, the surgeries worked, and worked wonders. The pain in my hand was no more! And in addition I began to experience temporary God-like states of euphoria beyond description but most certainly linked to the prescription. In one of these magnificent states of epiphany I had the most tremendous vision. In my oneric hallucination I saw a small shard of glass sneaking it's way into my appendage and resting in a precarious spot between the cartilage and bone of my joints. In my heightened state I became aware of the slivers voluntary exodus towards the surface of my epidermis and in a heavenly fit of inspiration I dug into my skin with a small pair of tweezers and extracted the particle from my hand.

When next I reported to my physician I recounted the experience only to receive the most terrifying response. The Doctor informed me that such fables were a definite symptom of narcotics abuse. I was diagnosed as an addict and sent to a privatised specialist for further examination. So it would appear my days as an alternative comics illustrator were done and my new life as a methadone addict had just begun.

I was no longer concerned with the pain in my little finger and was fairly sure that my home surgery had healed without infection so I refused further treatments and left the clinic of my own free will. Getting off of the prescription was fairly difficult so I threw up a bit, drank some water and got on with my life.

P.S. Tomorrow is the Wizard World Comic Convention so I plan to get a good rest and be prepared for a hectic set un in the morning...

... visit http://www.heyapathy-comics-art.com/

Alternative Comics hitting the Wizard Comic Con this Weekend!

Scene from HEY APATHY! alternative comics

Wizard World Comic Con this Weekend!!!

Not to much artwork getting done today as I spent the better portion of the morning organizing my merchandise for this weekends Wizard World comic convention. Got a whole bunch of t-shirts and piles of comics packed in Tupper ware bins and ready to go. The show runs from Fri- Sat. at the Direct Energy Center over at the C.N.E. grounds. I haven't done any comic conventions since 2003 and have never attended a Wizard World event before but I expect it to be exciting. I'll be showcasing three comics and likely some live drawing during the Saturday portion of the con.

The first book is "The Last Optimist", a one shot graphic novel now in it's second printing featuring a lost soul as he attempts to find his way and deal with the monstrous metropolis. The 36 page black and white alternative comic is basically the prologue to the new HEY APATHY! series. I have been drawing some in-between comics as part of my online catalogue which will fill in the blanks between the first book and the newer ones.

 

The second book is HEY APATHY! book one. This book introduces us to the city of gears as it is under siege by an attack of the technological tentacles. Strange electronic devices are assimilating man kind in a surreal and extreme take over of the human mind. A tiny hero rises to retaliate but is quickly detected and forced into battle with three giant billboard-like Robots. The whole ordeal is told from the perspective of a young street artist as he performs live ink drawings in the middle of the chaos.

 

HEY APATHY! Book Two is the newest addition to the alternative comics mythology. This will be the premier showing of the book as I never exhibited when I was doing my street performances and it wasn't quite ready at last years Toronto Outdoor Art Exhibition. Book two is a story-telling extravaganza exploring the lives regarding a wandering Ronin and a group of misfit vigilantes intertwined in the historical politics of the City of Gears. Once again the narration comes from the vantage point of the little bald street painter as he attempts to share his crazy ink drawings and art with the denizens of the Gear. Each book in the series examine a different heroic persona from the imaginary metropolis while simultaneously revealing more about my true life experiences as a Torontonian street painter.

Wow life moves so quickly I forgot to mention that between yesterday's post and today's I also did a lecture and demonstration at the OASIS Alternative high school in down town Toronto. It was really fun and strange , all of a sudden I'm old and in front of a class instead of the little kid sleeping in the back! There was one guy snoring but for the most part I found the group attentive, interseted and really enjoyed the experience. My favourite part was how no matter how engaged I'd become with the youths if I looked any of them in the eye they would cross their arms and turn away. It must be fun and hard being a kid (not like I don't remeber, I never really grew up but I kind of wish I hadn't of grown old) HEY APATHY!

Alternative Comics Commissioned Jazz Portrait

Gary Bartz alternative comics portrait

I was posting the progress reports on this commissioned comic portrait of saxophonist Gary Bartz a week ago or so and eventually , as often happens when one is busy, I forgot all about the painting. I finished the ink drawing and delivered it to the client last Friday but just discovered the snapshot this morning while cleaning out my camera. The entire drawing took about 7 hours to complete but the work was spread out over a 10 day period as I had a number of more pressing tasks to complete simultaneous with this commission. At any rate the drawing is part of a series/style I invented depicting some of my favourite jazz musicians, each caricature is made up of a New York cityscape complete with little tiny people spiralling through the urban chaos. When I listen to this music I always get a strange visual sensation likening my imagination both to the tribal roots of the forest and the concrete and bricks of the big city. I hope that the artworks represent that same mysticism derivative of the improvisations played by all these magical musicians.

Ok, Gary Bartz is one of my favourite players but I'm going to do this any ways... The coolest alternative music performance of his career ( and one of the craziest of all time) was when Gary played at the Isle of Wright with Miles Davis. I know, I know, nobody wants to be remembered for playing with Miles because they all went on to create their own musical landscapes but the fact is that the shadow cannot be overthrown. I suppose it's a sort of curse catch 22, like a Mafioso king anyone who played with Miles was pretty much a made man in the world of funky jazz, however they are all also pretty much destined to be remembered best for their work under the sorcerer. (Wayne Shorter, who has worked with a vast number of musicians including Art Blakey and was the band leader for the chart topping Weather Report, still advertises as the saxophonist from the Miles Davis Quintet) So sorry for the reference Gary but this playing was sick...

Gary comes in at the 3 minute mark and you ain't never heard anything like it !!!

(warning make sure your cat is not in the room)

for more ink drawings visit http://www.heyapathy-comics-art.com/

Alternative Comics Distopian Vices

Alternative Comics Monster and totem from beyond

A cloudy and dismally greyish Monday means productive studio bound hours. Lot's of inking and sketching and scribbling and thinking and eventually claustrophobic contaminations. I set out for an afternoon's read to avoid being crushed by the ever encompassing and continually shrinking of the walls. I'd  hopes of finding a reasonable place to read. Unfortunately the rain did not slow down the rats and the cafes were consumed. I found it very difficult to find seating in any of the windows and eventually made my way to the only bench with an over hang and free spot.

It was certainly warm enough and the drips could pass as pleasant once situated under the shelter but it did not take long to realize why such a lovely spot remained so easily accessible. With in moments a number of shadowy figures had regrouped and surrounded me. I gathered the re-grouping from their brief and abrupt sentences bellowed at volumes obviously meant to prove something. These shadows began to boast and boast to vulgarities.

In between each line of my book I was forced to contemplate a new drug or the size of a man's valour, even civil pleasantries were announced with the most foul of language. The group disbanded and reformed in numerous capacities.  Each time the central core returned  it was perpetually accompanied by new companions who did not stay long. Some of the additions to the hideous troupe were hideous but recognisable as apparently respectable members of the neighbourhood, however none of them were above participating in these ridiculous rituals. Each time they turned the corner I had hoped they would leave. Each time they would return and stifle my read.


There went a shop keep, followed by a thug. Then a young student, then a group of cultural deficient’s, then a business man, a homeless addict, the butcher, and finally the wannabe gangsters arrived and left blasting threats from a radio. The core group, whom I smelled, yes they smelled like a garbage old and over turned, continued to disperse and regroup until I had no choice but to forfeit my book.

I took to observing as a police officer strolled by , and I forced down my coffee inducing a high. But not like the high's being traded in sin, with each and every person the boasting was in. So without the words to read, enjoy and distract I realized quite plainly and obviously I had sat in the center of traffic. Here in plain sight, and irrefutable distaste were 4 little drug dealers who lives are a waste. Yeah it's on the corner of Ke-----on and A-----a at Louie’s coffee shop not like it’s news everyone knows and every one goes and the customer seating only sign is only for show. 

more art less rambling at http://www.heyapathy-comics-art.com/

Alternative Comics Real Life Zombies and International Hypnosis

A couple of fashionable denizens from the HEY APATHY! alternative comics

First of all I must admit that almost everything of what I understand to be occurring in popular culture, rather in the world, is from hearsay. Or is it heresy? I rarely leave the tiny laboratory that I've dug for myself deep beneath the concrete in the west end of our troubled metropolis. I say ours because it is just probable that my dwelling is under any one if not all of the major cities. We all eat the same food, consume the same music, and experience similar films and fashions. We are also all at the beck and whim of our reporters who in turn are at the mercy of a singular ideology which in turn is likened to a zombie virus. For example I did not see it in person, nor did I catch the crustacean on the tele, for I watch even less than I stroll, but it has come to my attention that the latest thing or rather latest celebrity (a thing) has determined the newest thing or rather newest trend. Bearing down a red carpet dawning a taxidermy aquatic arthropod as a head piece. Of coarse the notion is no longer absurd or even relevantly shocking. In fact the occurrence passed as making perfect sense. Either the latest thing concurred that she no longer wished to be imitated or she decided that the was the most suitable of garments to be imitated. The results are yet to be scene. I did however witness with my own two eyes another strange yet less plausible anomaly the last time I left my buried habitat. In a single afternoon I saw three, yes three individuals wearing vibrant navy blue overalls rolled to the ankle accompanied by neon yellow turtle necks and likewise coloured sneakers. The kind with the white plastic toes. Yes all three of these unique “please look at me’s” in a single after noon and within a reasonable circumference. I had no option but to surmise that the lobster veil had not yet made it's way to our fair metropolis but instead some other broadcast was responsible for the infected zombies. Individuals beware, I know you are all individuals but beware all the same, for one day you might turn the corner landing face to face with you carbon copy magazine cut out doppelganger. Of coarse this doppelganger will only be half the latest thing that you are and you may reassure yourself that you did it first by purchasing not a lobster for your cranium but a ring of shrimp and wearing them between your thighs. visit http://www.heyapathy-comics-art.com/

Alternative Comics Metaphysical Biography

HEY APATHY! Alternative comics ego metamorphosis

As a younger artist-person-insignificant cog, I had some extremely harsh realizations about the monstrous metropolis, people, and existence on this planet in general. Having decided (unwillingly) to follow my vocation I accelerated a personal theory of mine entitled you are what you eat. This theory involved a notion that the universe was composed of an enormous conglomeration of artificial, superficial and down right evil untruths. In order to avoid succumbing to the mass hypnosis and added to the decimation I stopped consuming mainstream and alternative ideologies that I easily deemed irrelevant. I have never played a video game, read a magazine, nor watched a bad film, or anything made in Hollywood, I don't know anything about modern "music" and I cannot stomach the lies, I mean the news. But cutting all of these trivialities out of my diet, I created a new mental and metaphysical workspace in which I had hoped to discover both myself and the truth and ultimately creating artworks out of a restricted and mystically natural bubble. Around 2002 I actually went as far as removing all of my personal possessions, limiting my self to functional clothing free of the constraints dictated by fashion and cut my self out of all the social "scenes" I had once partook. I had always had a hard time with the general stupidity of the world and was once and for all fed up. I decided ( naturally and unconsciously) to pursue a life of creating alternative comics knowing that I was not the only person who did not believe in our planet's current state and that if my ink drawings could tap into a higher state of awareness I might be able to perpetuate some sort of new hope. Alan Moore saved me as a child and maybe my comics could perpetuate the salvation to another generation.

The HEYAPATHY! online comic book moves in and out of my mythological parables and auto-biographical situations in order to tell a story simultaneously personal and universally political. In the panels above I have used a pretty little metamorphosis to express my ego shedding and reluctance to fall victim to the mass commercialization known as civilisation. In reality I had forsaken all the luxuries of a young north American lifestyle in order to pursue my investigation of existence. I stopped making auto-biographical works and began focussing my energy on the external problems of the monstrous metropolis and the socialization of it's denizens. Like wise in the comics the biographical content is starting to shed away in favour of a surrealist examination of urban atrocities. However over time, and as a result of this disowning of self, my individual experience begin to resurface as examples and incidents of importance. The alternative comic likewise will move back and forth contextualizing the outer and inner body experiences in my life as an artist. In real life I actually had to rip off all my skin and throw it on the ground and that's what made it so easy to draw, I mean one can only successfully write about topics one has first hand and in depth knowledge of, right? P.S. I still am what I eat so you can take all of that crap and have the buffet with out me. I'd rather read a good book or sit in the middle of the streets and talk to real people.

picture of me sitting in the middle of the streets where I talk to real people

Alternative Comics Apathy, Despair, and Secret Rooms

apathy & despair covers from the HEY APATHY! online comics

So yet another diligent day at the drafting table. Spent all of my working hours on the commissioned toy design project and have finished the first stage of the process which involves several variations on the character's costume and features. The next step will require some discussions with my employer and a final draft of the figurine. Upon completion of my work I decided to go for a late day stroll and noticed a peculiaity previously unseen in the stairwell exiting my house.

Where as I was certain that there were only six units in the building, each occupied by individual tenants in ,  came across a seventh door in the middle of the hall. How was it I hadn't noticed this before? The door was impossibly situated along the steps and left little room within the structure as to accommodate any sort of compartment behind it. I decided to press my ear against the entrance (as strange as it may seem) to see if I could determine whether or not this was yet another apartment.

The door flung open and six dark figures were sitting around a reasonably sized room filled with computer equipment. One of them glanced in my direction. He had a strange curly moustache, like the kind one might associate with a stereotypical artiste, and was continually typing into a computer as an endless feed of paper rolled out from the printer beneath his feet. His eyes turned red in the dim light then he spoke out in a jolly voice "You have a really cool password". I don't know why but I am certain he was referring to the code I use to protect my computer files. Immediately following this brief discourse, one of the other figures stood up cutting between me and the strange scenery. With authority the figure grasped the door and said "this is official business." The door slammed in my face abruptly but without as sound.

When I returned from my walk I could not find the room, and in fact the entire architecture of the house seemed once more logical as though no such room could have ever existed. I chose not to inquire further in to the matter as I clearly must have  succumb to some sort of temporary intervention of the imagination. However upon I arriving in my own lodgings I found a brand new video game system and a set of virtual war programs sitting beside my desktop. I disposed of the gaming system and all though I have no intention of investigating the whereabouts of that room, I fear that I may see it again.

 

visit http://www.heyapathy-comics-art.com/

Alternative Comics Online pages and digital inking

HEY APATHY! online comics, Metropolitan Nightmares

and the disowning of personal possessions...

Another amazingly sunny and warm Torontonian Thursday today. And yes another extremely exhausting and productive work day. The earliest part of my day was spent reading at the cafe (7:30 - 8:30 am) followed by a whole bunch of scanning and digital inking for the online comics pages (9 am -12 noon). I posted two of these pages here but actually did seven in total ready for another instalment soon. Following the inking I put a few hours in on my toy design project (12-3). The toy is the brain child of Jacques Lamour, an investor I met while working out on Queen St. almost two years ago now. He has invented a modern superhero type character and back story and I am responsible for developing the design and potentially drawing a comic to go with the action figure. As an artist (whatever that means) I don't really get involved with typical design projects, however when the concepts jive with my own body of work and can be considered part of the HEY APATHY! mythology I usually get involved. Following the toy sketches I broke down and head for the park, it's + 17 outside for crying out loud. I brought some boards and worked my way through 2 more new comics pages while enjoying the kind and spring like weather (3-6pm). Played with cat, passed out and awoke regretting having not eaten first and here I am. Blah Blah more alternative comics and hopefully more comprehensive writing on the schedule tomorrow (must finish toy drawing, 2 essays, and a back load of comic pages for the scanner before the weekend or else...)  visit http://www.heyapathy-comics-art.com/  

Alternative Comics pages in process and unexpected set backs

Alternative Comics Raw scan and messy text unedited

Short post for a long day. Morning read at the cafe interrupted by loud mouth know it alls with nothing to say devouring the coffee shop bench with bellowed irritations. You sorts know who you are: No one wants to listen to your b.s. and I suppose that's why you all insist on talking so loud. Brief return to the studio to work on commissioned toy design, pretty neat little project involving an action figure and comic, we'll see what happens... afternoon read in the sunny +17 park weather was also disturbed by terrible and terribly loud guitar players who insisted on sitting within 5 metres of the only person reading in the entire reserve. Returned home to change cat's litter and discovered I was too late. This mishap and procrastination cost me my mattress and several hours at the laundry. Venus cat is a good cat but it is important to change her litter or else she finds other options... put together a hey apathy online comics page and posted it on twitter, did text for monster comics and just got back from the laundry with sheets that didn't dry properly. No mattress, no sheets, and exhausted. The above page is a raw scan from the online comics, to see the completed pages (digitally inked and edited together)  check out my online comic book.

Alternative Comics "CHAMBER MUSIC" and Online Comics

Alternative Comics Page unlettered montage of artistic process'

The beautiful sunny start to the week continues as we reached a moderate +14 today and expect even higher temperatures tomorrow. The spring weather always means a heavy workload. I was it contact with both a toy designer and the co-ordinator of the annual buskerfest this morning discussing future projects. Then I took the mid day off to see a free classical concert at the new Opera House on Queen Street. The free show was advertised as a CHOPIN tribute and I pretty much just went to check out the hall with a friend when much to my surprise and delight, the tribute was declared an homage and all three pieces were contemporary compositions by up and coming professionals. I saw a few elderly folk exit after the first piece and a child blurted out "this sounds crazy" in the middle of the second orchestration. The stuff sounded more like Stravinsky than it ever did CHOPIN, and I laughed to myself at the disappointed, yet utterly mislead audience.

I got back to the studio, barely escaping the urge to read in the park,  finished two pages of online comics, posted one of them on twitter, and scratched away an hour at the Gary Bartz portrait. With the new projects coming I have got to wrap the jazz caricature up. More art at http://www.heyapathy-comics-art.com/

Alternative Comics, Commissions, Headaches and Fine Art

Commissioned Portrait in progress

 funky jazz saxophonist Gary Bartz

Another grey and dismal Monday morning in Toronto. One second it's sunny and + 15 and the next the wind is howling through a rainy 4 degrees. I haven't been online since Friday so this morning's report shall simply be examined through a chronological account of the past two day and a brief presumptuous analysis of things to come (this afternoon).

Saturday morning Julii and I went out for an early coffee in Kensington Market, followed by a northern excursion to the used book store on Bloor Street. We both got copies of paperback Poe short works and poems, as our fine hardcover and illustrated edition is getting worn as a result of my recurring addiction. Julii also picked up a collection of Windsor McCay illustrations and a how to write comics script book by Dennis O'Neal. She is currently working in wardrobe on a television pilot but has been getting a bit of story boarding work and wanted to do some research. Familiar with Dennis's work I had no choice but to encourage the purchase certain of the resource's validity. After a big breakfast I hit the Gary Bartz portrait and scribbled away most of the afternoon hours. I posted the progress above, note the saxophone has not been worked on since the last posting. You can get a good sense of how much detail I added to image by comparing the line work of the sax with that of the figure. So far I've put about 6 hours into the piece and plan to finish it today.

On Saturday Night I head out to Front and Parliament to attend a weekly musical jam session with friends. Good Times! The sessions are random improvised noisy and bizarre, but every now and again it actually sounds like music. I will post some audio if I ever have time to edit it.

 

exploding heads ink drawing

 

Sunday I fell victim to the pressure systems of our Torontonian Spring. The air was heavy and windy and drizzling and I awoke with a terrible head ache. Likely enhanced by the late night music session, the schizophrenic weather patterns suffocated me. I've experienced these sorts of pains sporadically throughout the early spring seasons since I was fifteen. It happens when the weather changes quickly. This past weekend

instantly morphed from +15 sunny and calm to 0 windy and wet. I spent the entire day in bed asleep or watching "Tales from the Cryptkeeper Cartoons". On the bright side, this crippling experience always dissipates within a week despite any further pressure systems and is usually a premonition of winter's end.

This morning I got a few emails which will dictate the coming weeks events. The first is another commissioned project. I have been hired to design a toy for to be produced in a limited edition series. I can't give any more details as of yet because I am having difficulty opening the email attachment with all the info on it. So therein lies my afternoon. The second letter of importance was in regards to the purchase of some fine artworks over at Extempore Studios. I had some customers in last week who took home a nice big painting, and a friend of the aforementioned patron contacted me today to purchase a similar piece. Having seen the canvas artwork recently hung, the acquaintances decided to purchase one for themselves. So some more money keeps the comics alive. Funny how the grass is always greener, I am certain there are designers out there who would love to have the toy gig, and painters who wish they had regular customers for their artwork, and yet to me it's like a part time gig to finance the comics and animation projects. But who am I to complain the grass is pretty green on this side too, or at least it's black and white.

4 x 6 foot HEY APATHY! acrylics on canvas artwork

Alternative Comics and Animations

 
ALTERNATIVE MONSTER COMICS! Heroes and Perversions

 Inspiration bound, yet unable to locate severall of the necassary tools I required to pursue the ensueing creativity, I had little choice but to tidy my studio yesterday morning. Despite the time taken to regulate my disorder and find my ink refills, the venture into the piles of papers and supplies proved fruitful. With a clean set up I had a clear mind and was very productive the rest of the day. I also found a small set of 5 x 5 inch ink drawings I made a while back  while working the streets.

It was interesting to find these illustrated panels because only days earlier I was thinking about all the works that I made and never documented. In particular I recall one of these 5 x 5 drawings depicting the first astronuat landing done during he Christmas season 2006. I have a poster of the landing in my studio and am frequently reminded of these artworks. So it was really nice to find them. I fixed them up with some digital inking magicianship and posted them here like a comics page. The photo below shows you what they actually looked like. Note the exploding building illustration in my hand, you can actually differentiate the parts done with marker ( shimering grey in the sunlight) and the india ink explosion ( flat black in the middle of the arcetechture.

The HEY APATHY! online comic is made in a similar manner to the panels I posted above. The strange adventure compiles all the comics I've made since 1999 chronologically in order to tell a larger tale. I am adding new pages in between the reprints in order to connect the anthology. The stories are made up from both fully drawn shorts and collaged artworks (like the ones on this page). It is also of interest to note that although some parts of this comic book have been printed before, most were only released as photocopy zines, and the print runs did not exceed 200. Chances not to many people ever saw them.

The most exciting, and ultimately frustrating act, of publishing the books online is the way I can intermingle stories, illustrations, and videos into the "Book" seamlessly with out the restrictions of paper back publishing. However my computer skills are novice at best and I am finding difficulties in accomplishing even some of the most simple online tasks.

Today I added sound to one of my animations. I planned to embed the video from youtube (as I can't seem to do it from my desktop, novice I know ) right into the story as comics panel you could watch. Well unfortunately the video capture for the animation comes from the middle of the movie and doesn't match the panel to panel narration.  The colour contrast is also way off on the film and I may have to re-shoot the stills digitally. This copy was made from a video transfer of ill-exposed 16mm film stock. Some one changed the aperture on me during the shoot and the whole thing came out yellow and grey instead of black and white. Anyways I dig the audio, it's a clip of me playing this awesome electric piano ( the piano is awesome not me) at one of the weekly jam sessions I attend with friends.Consider this a work in progress....

 

short HEY APATHY! animation from 2002

Alternative Comics Studio Tour and Commissioned works

OASIS ALTERNATIVE HIGH SCHOOL TOUR at Wolselly Street...

Another extensively exhausting day in the life of an Alternative Comics artist. This morning I cleaned studio because I couldn't find my pen cap, blank drawing boards, or ink refills or just about anything at all! This place was a mess. Then two o’clock I met up with a group of students from the OASIS Alternative School here in downtown Toronto. I took the Kids on a tour of EXTEMPORE STUDIOS a shared workspace and gallery were I hold  my business meetings. I showed them how the co-op works and shared with them all the advantages of working with a group. Then we got into the comics. I told a bunch of stories and the kids asked a lot of good questions. They really got into it, I haven't had this much fun since the streets!

OASIS STUDENTS at Extempore Studios

Following the studio tour we walked through graffiti alley and I took the group over to the Wolselley street mural (first picture). The class is focussing on public art and murals for the next few weeks and will studying the likes of Diego Rivera and Freda. I think they enjoyed seeing a large scale local monster-piece as an introduction to there new studies. It was really fun to take them over and show off the wall. After the March break I'm going to go into the alternative school and do a little lecture and live painting demonstration. It's going to be really wild and the kids, a rowdy as they are, seemed to enthusiastic towards the HEY APATHY! ideologies.

Following the question and answer sessions I made my way back to the home studio (where I do most of my non-business business) to get some drawing done. I worked on the Gary Bartz portrait throughout the afternoon and got enough of the outline done to post a picture below. More updates on Gary's construction and new pages of the online comic are on board (in ink) for tomorrow. I'm extremely tired!

 

Gary Bartz portrait in progress

MONSTER COMICS, and COMMISSIONED works

New panel from MONSTER COMICS!

Another busy day in the life of an alternative comics artist! First thing this morning I put some work in on the Gary Bartz commission I wrote of yesterday. The ink drawing is about 20 x 30 " but the patron is in no rush so I thought I'd take it easy on that piece. Another client of mine however, is in a little bit more of a hurry. I have been commissioned to paint a Mural on the barn doors of the PASSE MURAILLE theatre here in Toronto. The local live theatre has gotten some funded to paint the door with a quote from the declaration for human rights regarded the importance of public expression and the fine arts. I was honoured to be chosen for the job and the theatre's representative Andy Mckim approached me because of my reputation ( a good one I hope) as a public street artist and local performer. I spent a bit of time piecing together concepts for the mural. The tricky part of this job is that the doors themselves are quite magnificent and it seems a shame to even paint them. I am trying to come up with a design that won't change the architecture to much. I made 10 little computer sketches like the one below showing a number of options, including various graphics and fonts but found this idea most interesting. The following sketch represents a scene of the door open a crack with the audience inside watching audience.

 

Having gotten some work done on both of my freelance projects, I decided to spend the afternoon working on MONSTER COMICS! The first picture I posted today is a raw scan of one of the panels for page 2 of my new online creature feature. The alternative comic mixes mythological horror with non-fiction and auto biographical references. Basically I couldn't come up with any imaginary hero or character that I could believe in so I used my self instead. It just seems easier and more fun that way. This auto-biographical content is one of two major characteristics which differentiate my fine artworks and my art comics. The comics use my real life experiences as a tie-between catalyst for the stories whereas my fine artworks do not include any biographical depictions although the themes are often interchangeable between both mediums. My online comics are also digitally inked and the original drawings are small and unfinished. On the other hand the fine artworks range from minute to enormous and are completely hand rendered. Well that's enough of that. I'm going to try and get the lettering done and post the new HEY APATHY! comics page a.s.a.p.

 

Alternative Comics Commissioned Portraits

Alternative Comics Portraits! Although I succumbed to a trend or two as a teenager, my underlying and recurring interest in jazz has pervaded possibility over the years. Comics, in a similar manner, have perpetually and persistently entered and exited my life since childhood. Interestingly enough one of my favourite influences, Robert Crumb, has taken to combining the art forms and creating numerous book and CD compilations sharing the wonderful stories and music of past decades. When I listen to music an inspirational entity ensues so I thought it would be fun to channel that energy and do my own style of homage’s.

There were about seven pictures in the series and I exhibited them at SUBLIME CAFE in Kensington Market. The cafe features great coffee, live jazz, and a huge selection of rare records for sale and being played. I didn't meet the lady who bought this Billie Holiday tribute, however the rest of the collection was purchased by the cafe owner. Rez, the proprietor and curator of the LP library, has recently asked me if I could do a GARY Bartz portrait to add to his collection. I'm an avid listener of Gary Bartz and huge fan of the 70's Miles Davis stuff so naturally I agreed. As soon as I finish this post I'm off to th art store and will start the new drawing this afternoon. visit http://www.heyapathy-comics-art.com/

Street Painting, Sunny Days, and Alternative Comics!

ALTERNATIVE COMICS in the STREETS! HEY APATHY! The sun is shining and the temperature is rising, and soon it will be time to hit the streets again! A major part of my monster comics and art is the inclusion of my unique brand of street intervention. Each spring and summer I pack up my gear and head out to the public walkways to display, discuss, and create my artworks in front of and interacting with the general public. This aspect of my artist's process has proven invaluably influencial and entirely particular in the development of my visual vocabulary. Improvising all my creations on site allows me to experience the people and the metropolis in a manner unparalleled by the studio environment. On the street things actually happen, I derive imagery and story-telling from the strange and unpredictable occurences offered by the pedestrian and commuter traffic. For example some one might approach me and engage in dialogue concerning their own life and times or the latest newsand the exchange becomes a muse sending me off in new directions otherwise unimaginable. As the only professional street artist in the entire city of Toronto, these moments of inspiration permit me to express and examine not only my personal concerns and interests but those of the community and even the globe. Monday mornings are notoriuos for attracting tourists to Queen St. West as no one who actually lives here ever wakes up before eleven. For the better part of the past six years I have worked full-time on the sidewalk and gathered an unbelievable wealth of information regarding the lives, motivations, and goals of others. This year I won't be working the streets on a regular basis, but will still be performing at numerous outdoor and comic book festivals as the time has now come for me to combine and  document the extensive research accumulated over the years. I will certainly be performing some more public interventions ( as I miss it dearly and can almost taste the reflecting sunshine on the concret) but will be more selective and reserved in my presentations, simply because it is really difficult to produce sustained artworks, such as comic pages, out doors. Enjoy this beautiful day Toronto and any where else it might be sunny right now!  

Altrnative Comics Welcome to the The City of Gears!

HEY APATHY! ALTERNATIVE COMICS! In the distance we can see the city is made up of giant windmill-like cog wheels filled with an infinite spiral of faceless little bubble people. Endlessly filing into the monstrous metropolis the anonymous hordes fades forever into the distance representative of "the big city" and the perpetually lost souls. As we move in for a closer inspection the faceless denizens exit the architecture and begin moving down the concrete walkways. Here we realize that the Kierkegaardian crowds are not made up of an unidentifiable conglomeration, rather the streets are consumed by all the crazy and unique individuals moving through it! This 10 x 25 " pen and ink drawing was made on location, at Queen and Spadina in downtown Toronto. The drawing took about 30 street hours ( a street hour differs greatly from a studio hour as it includes set up and take down of a portable display, constant interactions/discussions with various passers by and numerous unexpected interferences such a by-law officers, rain showers, wind storms, car accidents, and short trips to the local bar to use their facilities ,not to drink) to complete and is probably my most popular representation of the urban beast to date. see more from HEY APATHY!

HEY APATHY! Rise of the City Monster ...

Rise of the City Monster! All the cars, people, wires, and bricks of the monstrous metropolis take influence from an unseen energy. The hustle bustle shopping and routines over flow the concrete walk as the spring sun and warm weather touch the city. Unstoppable and unknowable the force of the activities initiates a transgressive metamorphosis as the inhabitants, both animate and otherwise, are pulled forth into a new existence. As a giant mecha-beast of Kong like qualities, the city monster is risen! This 30 x 40" pen and ink illustration was made on site at Queen and Spadina, downtown Toronto. The drawing took approximately 60 hours to complete, however as one might surmise from the illustration, the streets were quite busy with distraction. In fact such a drawing could likely have been achieved indoors in a third of the time, however the imagery could never have been realized if such were the case.

HEY APATHY! is an ongoing artistic investigation of the city, people, monsters, and existence in general. My entire body of artworks reads like an unconscious narrative slowly revealing the true nature of the big city. In my earliest artworks I used simplistic imagery depicting people as faceless bubbles and the buildings like an ominous gear. Since then I have persistently moved both my artist's processes and exhibition techniques into the public forum. At first I started working in cafe and bar patios, and performing at outdoor festivals. As I spent more time drawing around the city the little faceless bubble people started to identify themselves.  Eventually I took the show to the streets and set up shop in downtown Toronto on a regular basis. It was during these experiments that I found the most inspiration. Although technical processes were at the whim of the elements and much craftmanship had to be either sacrificed or adjusted, the experiences and interactions more than made up for the lack of ceilings and studio walls. Each year since I've been doing this I have managed to completely reinvent my own perception of people and of buildings, and likewise each season I have unintentionally recreated   my artistic expressions. I've curated the whole ordeal as a thirteen chapter catalogue over at http://www.heyapathy-comics-art.com/ .  The city monster above is from chapter 10, one of my favourite collections in the ink stained mythology.    

Artist's Resume

Another attempt to explain my self,  anonymous nihilistic metropolis (left) and the crazy City of Gears!  (right)

HEY APATHY! Is an ongoing artistic investigation into the dynamic relationship between functioning of the metropolis and the individuals of which it is composed. Using a multi-media amalgamation of popular culture and fine artworks including drawings, comics, animations, and performances, the project expresses a stern, yet optimistic warning towards our future. Primarily concerned with creating a visual vocabulary simultaneously intellectually provocative and accessible to viewers of all ages, the drawings utilize cartoon like imagery to incite dialogue regarding topics of great concern. The social significance of this anthropological exploration will be examined through a brief analysis of the projects overall development, current practices, and near future.

 

The entire body of HEY APATHY! artworks reads like an unconscious narrative inquiry into the identity of the metropolis. In the earliest drawings the city is announced as an ominous gear propelled by an endless sea of faceless denizens. At that time (2001) I was working out of the seclusion of a suburban basement and envisioned the urban landscape as a conglomeration of misdirected commercial and superficial ideologies. In order to better understand the phenomena in question, I hypothesized an unconventional interview in which an exploration of the lives, motivations, and goals of others would aid in my epistemological quest. I have since initiated this interview through a perpetually public process including gallery & festival exhibitions, wall murals and street interventions. Through this constant and aggressive public immersion, I have engaged in unparalleled interactions with peoples from all over the world and of all walks of life. The artworks are created, exhibited, and discussed entirely in front of live audiences presenting a unique, unusual, and uncompromising approach to artistic communication. In more recent artworks the city remains as a giant gear, only now it is all the unique individuals, not anonymous cogs, who fuel the machine.

 

As a result of my public experiments, the project has assimilated various multi-media presentation techniques. Facilitated by the necessity to communicate inclusively , HEY APATHY! incorporates animations, comics, fashion, and fine art. While the original drawings maintain the craftsmanship and exclusivity associated with the gallery setting, the accessible artworks and merchandising have permitted a wide spread dialogue capable of connecting with vast and varied audiences. In my current practice I am developing an online forum in which my public process and performances can be regularly documented and shared on a global scale. Using live streaming, social networks, and web comics, I intend to extend my intervention and exhibition processes in accordance with modern communications. Similar to my street performances, the online project will feature full disclosure of all creative processes including daily sketches, forums, and stories, weekly live paintings, and annual fine art exhibitions . The ultimate goal being the expansion of the alternative expressions I’ve presented on a small scale in the streets and galleries, to include a global audience. The internet exploration has the potential to invite masses of unassuming viewers into the positive, challenging and stimulating dialogue known as HEY APATHY!