David Goldin

Pictoplasma NYC

2008-09-09T12:14:23+00:00

Zucchini

2008-08-23T00:27:15+00:00

Zucchinis are coming,

zucchinis are here,

zucchinis are popping out of my ear!

In August zucchinis
Arrive by the dozens,
Sisters and brothers
And even first cousins.

Then early this morning
An awesome surprise,
a zucchini had grown
To a formidable size

Zucchini for breakfast,
Zucchini for lunch,

Pickled and fermented zucchini punch.

Haystacks Calhoun

2008-07-22T01:34:01+00:00

Haystacks Calhoun was a GIANT! Always wearing his bib overalls and trademark good-luck horseshoe hanging from a chain around his neck. Haystacks was 625 lbs and over six and a half feet tall. The barefoot hillbilly, raised on a farm in Arkansas went on to become one of the most popular wrestlers in the 1960s.

When I was a kid I saw him a few times on a grainy Black and White TV.
The other night at a party I met someone who was friends with his driver.
He told this story:

Haystacks led a nomadic life traveling for years to different wrestling gigs. His driver sat behind the wheel of the station wagon. He weighed 350 lbs. Behind him sat Mrs. Haystacks Calhoun. She weighed 450 lbs. and took up the WHOLE back seat. Haystacks himself would sit or lay in the rear of the car. One evening they drove to an " All you can Eat Buffet ".

I don't know how much the driver and the Mrs. ate, but I imagine they made a dent in the buffet.
That night Haystacks ate thirty chickens and perhaps plenty of fixins.
When the meal was over they were given the complimentary dessert - a Dixie cup with Ice Cream.

Haystacks asked for seconds of dessert and was told he'd have to pay for it.
So he asked for ten more chickens...
...Haystacks got his ice cream!

Sulphur Bros. Fireworks

2008-07-08T12:27:47+00:00

This last 4th 'O' July - Independence Day was a blast!
When the Sulphur Bros. light up the sky it's a real show.
Giant displays so close ashes land on you.

It starts with kids screaming and running wild with smoke bombs
duct taped to poles.

Then the small arsenal goes up. Bottle rockets and small displays with reports.

Whoop dere it is...

Emmet Hitz Ninja Style. He taped smoke bombs to both ends of his staff of protection.

Uh, Oh.... unpredictable Chinese Fireworks.... Stand back.

It's finally dark and everything is lit.

After the big stuff there are lots of sparklers for all the pyromaniac kids.

I did get a few jobs that I attribute to my fireworks passion.
I did the cover of the Washington Post Magazine
and some 4th 'O' July spots for the Boston Globe.

One is very disturbing...

" Put some Mustard on it Buddy! "

30,000,000 B.C.

2008-07-07T14:46:52+00:00

Yesterday I gave a friend a gift. A handful of rocks tied up in a handkerchief.
He thought I was nuts. He might be right. There's more to it than that.
I was with the family walking around a lake surrounded by mountains watching the sunset.
It was glorious. When it was time to go I thought of my friend that I would be seeing the next day.
I didn't want to show up empty handed so I grabbed a few cool rocks and we went home and got the kids to bed.
I went to the studio and began playing with these caveman building blocks.

Always using every stone. Stack em up - it's a challenge.

It's very meditative and these rocks feel great in my hands.

There's one round rock in the bunch. It's a good thing to top things off with.

Ooh! a Key Stone!

Flintstones, meet the Flintstones....

For some reason this one makes me hungry.

Last one... it's getting late. Time flies playing with these.
It might have been a strange gift but I'd rather give that than some store bought piece of garbage.
We'll see if my friend enjoys these magic rocks as much as I have. Oh, yeah... my friend is a fellow drawger.

Big Head

2008-06-25T21:26:14+00:00

The prototype had a cat head. It was decided, it wasn't the best idea. Mr. Goldin can you design something?
I had to work with certain limitations. The head was bulbous shaped to fit the mechanism that held a retractable cord.
The head could be pulled off and still attached to the body, thrown. The dog would then retrieve it and when biting into the head - press a button bringing the body and head back together with great speed.

I got sketching. Drawing creatures that resembled past girlfriends.

I cleaned up the sketches and gave them back stories to build their personalities.

With utmost respect, a nod to Salvador Dali.

The approved designs were sent to China.

A Big Head factory was built and also a small city to house the workers.

When the first products came off the assembly line the board of directors held a ceremony to celebrate the auspicious occasion.
Unfortunately I was unable to attend, I had a spot illustration that was due that day.

I was sent some blurry photos of the first NEW prototypes.

It's fun to see the drawings transformed into 3 dimensional toys.

Only samples are available at the moment. One day my set will arrive and I'll send one to Waxman's dog.

My Pal Joost

2008-06-20T14:35:24+00:00

A bazillion, gagillion, fafillion years ago, after my first year at R.I.S.D. it was summer and I was in Amsterdam looking for trouble... and comics!
At night I ran around sniffing out the GOOD cafes, bars, and late nights at the Melkweg. In the daytime I was at the museums, galleries and wandering the city exploring. That's when in a urine soaked alley I found the REAL FREE PRESS. That day changed my life... It was the day I discovered the art of Joost Swarte. I was blown away and had to have it. I'd found a hard cover comic, it was expensive (for me) and I couldn't even read it ... it was in Dutch. Fuck it, I'll starve- so I got it and skipped a few meals. Then I went off on my travels and back to art school in the fall. The next summer I was in Amsterdam again. This time I knew what I was looking for... anything by Joost. I found another bookshop, not as seedy, and found more of his work.

I packed it away and went off on more adventures and back to art school. I graduated two years later and moved to Manhattan and got a job at the Ink Tank animation studio. After being there a year we got a job doing some animated spots for MTV and Joost was going to be one of the artists. He was going to come by the studio! Now I'd been collecting his work all the while. I would find things at the Forbidden Planet on Broadway.

I was now working downstairs as an assistant animator and wasn't going to be involved in the meeting when he came. Everyone knew me and probably sensed that I would have gone Wile E. Coyote to see him. When he came by the Ink Tank the call came- "David upstairs now".
I got to meet him. I was a blabbermouth and knew all about his work, asking questions and all that fanboy stuff. I got his address and would mail him stuff. He wrote back. I kept collecting his work.

I would find his stuff in the Fantagraphics catalog. These were the days before the internet and to collect stuff you had to get off your butt.

Years passed and I met my future wife (woohoo!) and we planned a trip to Europe. I decided to get in touch with a bunch of illustrators to see over there. I wrote letters and planned visits. Joost would be the first. We travelled to Amsterdam and then to Haarlem to his studio. I was in awe as we had tea and biscuits together and talked shop. Jooste signed a few books for us and gave me a set of prints.

What a great guy. My bag was getting heavy with books as we left on the night train to Paris to meet zee French illustrators. But zat ees a nuz zair post.

Turn the Page

2008-06-19T03:01:31+00:00

Check out Issuu and let me know what you think. It's fun to turn the page. The Studio on the other hand was only built a few years ago and is still a work in progress. When we first got this property there was a dead forest where the studio stands. I chopped it down, burned it up. and built the foundation. But that's a whole other post.

Illustration Fashionista

2008-06-10T20:53:58+00:00

I create new characters all the time, naming them, giving them jobs and placing them in all sorts of different situations. Some are modish and some are meant to look like vestiges of the past clinging to their disappearing world.

That's when a fellow drawger hinted that one of my characters looked a little dated. I laughed, he was right.

I didn't realize that my drawing of Morton Wartley Humpshire IV would suffer though. My illustration appeared to be having an identity crisis. Looking in the mirror he no longer liked what he saw. His hat had always made him feel distinguished, well cut and debonair. That's why I drew it on him. Had others failed to notice this? Had they failed to notice that his hat wasn't just a hat, but a Fedora, made of the finest felt from Belgian rabbit fur? And yet perhaps he had fallen out of style...

Morton Wartley Humpshire IV fell into despair. He decided then and there to change his self image... with my help of course... and he put his Fedora away. From now on everything in life would be before or after the Fedora.

I helped by getting him started with a Yoga practice. It wasn't pretty, and there was a lot of grunting, groaning and other embarrassing bodily noises.

Then on to free weights. Every day he fought the urge to quit working out and to put his Fedora back on. But he wouldn't give up.

Soon Morton began to see results and I gave him a new wardrobe. A little more in vogue, armed with a new look, he began to feel unstoppable. Look out world! Here comes the NEW Morton Wartley Humpshire IV.

Thank you, Mr. Hitz a la mode.

Float don't float

2008-05-18T00:51:00+00:00

My friends down the road, Doug Abel and Jenny Brown, co-founders of the Woodstock Farm Animal Sanctuary, asked me to design a float for them for the Vegan Pride Parade in NYC. Hell yeah, who wouldn't want to design a float? A moron that's who! They have a horse trailer to work with, pulled by a pick up. I went down to the farm and took a photo of the trailer. It was uneventful. I've been there before and had a pigeon land on my head.

Then to the drawing board. I asked up front if this should be light hearted or intense. So I came up with this. A giant chicken in a nest with a giant word balloon. They went for it! It would be in the parade May 18th in the village and end at Washington Square Park. Kroninger might see it!

Then I get the first email regarding the float. There were changes. O.K. I always expect that.

Then they didn't have the right permit, or something so it was on hold. Then it was a go. Then it got killed all together. Now instead of a giant chicken quoting a character from a tweety bird cartoon there will be a giant Colon with rotting meat inside. I was offered the chance to make a paper maché turd for the intestine but I just wasn't inspired.
Anyone who's in the area and wants to see Vegan pride check it out and let me know how the colon looks.

The Fruit of Our Labor

2008-03-24T00:58:29+00:00

I get the phone - it's one of "THOSE" calls... no budget, no time, but I'll be famous! ... I'd be lucky to get a free lunch.
I take the assignment. It's from none other than Hitz, our fellow drawger. He's been busy over the winter. After the Cider Day Party, or the CDP as it's know locally, Hitz stashed away kegs of cider in his cellar. Thus began the fermentation process...

The label idea was approved after minor changes. I print them myself and hand deliver them hot off the press. I arrive at the Hitz distillery and bottling company to find Hitz has already lugged the Carboy up from the cellar by himself. Ooh that's heavy!

The first batch is a limited edition, each label is cut out by hand. No two are the same.

Then I'm positioned next to the Carboy and the bottling begins.

I fill the bottles and Emmett corks them. He and I take a quick break to shoot his paint ball gun. Hitz is off applying adhesive to the labels.

Then come the red plastic shrink wrap covers. They are dipped into boiling water and the labels are applied.

Then we were done. We had a beautiful finished product with an acquired taste.

Then came the photo shoot for the ads, posters and billboards.

We enjoy the Fruit of our labor, I get out my accordion an create the most god awful sounds...

And then to my surprise... there is a free lunch after all! ...

Here you go Goldin... Cauliflower!

Cheers!

Pirate Ship

2008-03-17T17:12:48+00:00

Build a pirate ship they said...

So I went to the studio, grabbed a hunk of wood and a pull-saw and got to work.

That was slow going so I got out the power saw and got things in shape pretty quick.

The hull still needed a lot of shaping but that would come later. I realized any good pirate ship needs a maidenhead. A stoic figure on the bow fearlessly facing the seas...

I grabbed a small scrap of wood, did a quick sketch and pulled out my knife.

I started carving. I haven't whittled wood since I was a kid, it's fun.

It didn't take long to get her into shape when suddenly I get a tap on the shoulder... Not that kind of pirate ship goofball! One for little kids for a birthday party. O.K. sometimes I go off in the wrong direction... Coming About...

First I have to make some Jolly Rogers for each guest.

Who'd ever guess I run a pirate flag factory out of my house?

Now on to building a pirate ship. Cardboard is perfect.

That, a roll of packing tape and a box cutter. Make sure the children are not in the box when cutting. Soon it was ship shape and ready.

The "Rum Runner" complete with portholes, hatchway, and rolling waves.

Then the pirates arrived and the pillaging began. Arggggggh Matey!

Gerald the Line

2008-02-05T23:17:26+00:00

The kid wandered into the room where the sketch book lay upon on a desk.

The blank pages were tempting, and the kid picked up a pen and scribbled his drawing over one page and across the next. Moments later, the pen was dropped and the kid ran off, never giving the picture another thought.

And that is how Gerald came to be.

A hideously deformed, top heavy scrawl of a shape. He appeared to have multiple protuberances, a hernia or two, and fistulas covering what you might call a body. He was horrible. He couldn’t stand to look at himself.

Over time, with great effort, he was able to unscrawl himself for long moments.

He could even look quite charming.... but the second he relaxed, even a little,...

back he would go to his natural hideous shape. Unhappy with his position in life Gerald grumbled and cursed, never putting aside his frustration to look within and perhaps see things differently.

This onerous existance caused him to be in quite a sour mood, he was always angry, sulky and mean. The one thing which gave him a remote feeling of happiness was to tease Sneb. Sneb was the scribble on the opposite page, and it gave Gerald a perverted sense of pleasure to constantly remind Sneb that he was even more twisted and grotesque than himself.

Sneb never seemed to mind. He had no one else to talk to, after all, and being tangled was actually quite comfortable to him. Sneb would tell Gerald of his dreams each morning, but Gerald would interrupt him mid-sentence.... “I’m sorry, were you saying something?”

"Look at yourself, you're pathetic!" Gerald would snap, as Sneb was trying to think of a word that rhymed with Orange.

Sneb enjoyed multiplying by thirds and hyphenating quadrants, which made no sense and drove Gerald insane.

There was a rumor circulating among the pages of the sketchbook.... the artist who spent his days filling it’s pages was going to disassemble the book! None of the drawings knew what this was going to mean.

The rumor turned out to be true. The day came, and each page was carefully separated from the others, placed in a frame, and hung on the wall.

All except Gerald and Sneb.

"Why didn't they hang us up?", wondered Sneb.
" It's your fault! " Gerald hissed. " If I hadn't been next to such an ugly waste of ink I'll bet they would've hung me up too ". Crushed by such harsh words, Sneb tried to worm himself as far away from Gerald as he could. He slipped off the edge of the desk and onto the floor, out of sight.

Gerald arched and stretched, trying to make himself look more appealing. One of the pictures on the wall noticed, and yelled to the others, “Hey, look at that freak, he thinks he could be one of us”. Gerald scrunched up to escape the sound of their cruel laughter.

After spending a cold, lonely night without anyone to talk to, Gerald began to miss Sneb. He started to think of how mean he had been, so cruel to his only companion. He began to realize he might never see his friend again.

Suddenly, he was flying through the air, he was going to be on display after all! He was taped upon the wall in the back of the gallery. " Hey handsome", came a voice from the paper on the wall next to him. It was Sneb! For the first time in his life Gerald felt pure joy! And in just above a whisper he said, " I'm sorry ".

He saw how Sneb was a true friend and was never mean to him ever again. Except when Sneb sang show tunes.

No Loose Screws

2008-01-25T00:35:32+00:00

Some think I have a screw loose somewhere. So today I decided to check and sure enough found one - a Bolt to be precise.
So we here at the Goldin Studio tightened things up. No Loose screws ( or Bolts ) here.

d�fense de fumer

2008-01-12T01:58:24+00:00

No Smoking in the Cafes de Paris? The new law went into effect January 2nd, 2008.
I can't believe the French will stand for this. All my memories of Paris always include it's smokey cafes with nicotine stained ceilings.
The haze of Gitanes in the air so thick you couldn't see the clock across the room. Everybody would be smoking, even the poodle on the barstool next to me.

Somehow I can't picture the French going outside to smoke on a cold, rainy night, gathered in a doorway or under an awning... like a bunch of monkeys. Oh, the indignities of it all...

Happy New Year 2008!

2007-12-31T20:58:28+00:00

2008 The Year of the Rat
See you next year drawgers!
Here's to a Healthy, Successful, Illustrious New Year!

X-MAS and Melvin

2007-12-25T21:49:11+00:00

We're lucky... every year at Christmas we have Melvin the Elf to look after us. First I chop down the usual scrawny, stunted, half bald, Evergreen tree, growing in a light deprived and rocky place in the woods...

...and we decorate it.

Then it's time to bake the cookies...

...and I help.

Just before bed we leave milk, cookies and notes for Melvin and Santa. When everyone is asleep I go out to the studio to goof around.

Sometime around mid-night I heard such a clatter and ran outside to see what was the matter. Between the studio and our house I discover Melvin and Santa stuck in the ice. I had to give them a push and then headed back to the house.

I found the milk and cookies had been eaten and there were presents under the tree.

But wait!... there was one gift in the back of the fireplace. It was from Melvin.

I could tell because he wraps gifts in local newspapers. It was for the kids.

Morning came and...
Oh, look! It's my favorite book from 3rd grade. That Melvin, he's the greatest.

Merry Christmas drawgers! Merry Christmas everybody!

The Absorbing Truth...

2007-11-20T01:14:22+00:00

The absorbing truth ... and Character design ... ( not to be confused with character development ), that's another post.
I've created lot's of characters each with very distinct personalities. Sometimes based on people from my childhood, Mildred and Sylvia... and sometimes a combination of personalities I've met along the way.

With anthropomorphic illustration there's not much different except that I get to bring a product, something from the food group, or whatever inanimate object... to LIFE!

One of the first ones years ago was for the New York Times Magazine. A cigarette holding a match and enticing the reader into wanting a smoke.
( I'm not gonna look for that one now). Products are always fun.

Since then I've come up with all sorts of anthropomorphic personalities... a fork, bottle caps, bandage box and a zillion others, you name it ... except one!

Now... I'm up for challenges, and usually enjoy a break from the monotony of daily life. But once in a while I'm called upon to perform a Herculean task... to go where few dare venture. So, when I got the email I chose to rise to the occasion. This one would require hard work, effort, and nerves of steel. The client... top notch, the reader's... the TEENAGE GIRLS of the USA.
First I needed some feminine products. I drove three states away to purchase the needed supplies, y'know... give any of those wanna be illustrators the slip.

The drug store I wound up at wasn't what I'd hoped for, and finding what I needed wasn't an easy task my friends, there's a lot to choose from.

"Are these for you?" Frik'n F-d up bar code! ^%!$!#&^$%@#

Then exhausted and back at the studio I set to work. Evoking the spirit of Dr. Frankenstein I labored all night. Lightning striking all around, fire and brimstone! Until.......

It is ALIVE !!!

The Opening

2007-11-12T16:41:36+00:00

After going into the city for the American Illustration party last Thursday and a few hours sleep on Mr. Flaherty's couch, I headed back upstate to Woodstock - I had to prepare for my Gallery opening Saturday. But first I had to paint the gallery. Nobody else was going to and there was one stain on the wall that particularly disturbed me.

By 9:30 p.m. Friday the walls were clean and white. Now I had to race to the studio and get to work!

Midnight and I was in full production using everything in the place- band saw, drill press, construction adhesive, timber locks, and lot's of paint.

I downloaded a bunch of Black Sabbath and had it playing full volume- works better than coffee.

Adding wheels and touching up paint. There are 4 engines.

3:00 am

I went outside to find it snowing. By 5:00 as I headed back to the house we had over 3 inches of snow. Then I went inside for my 3 hours of sleep.

8:30 am and I'm up and ready to get busy. The sun came out and I trudged through the snow to the studio to start loading up the artwork.

Some pieces still needed missing elements that had been left to dry.

Then bleary eyed I gave everything a final inspection.

Then loaded up tables to bring to the gallery to put the art on. Whew! Now the snow was melting and dripping on everything.

3:00 pm Saturday Nov. 10th One hour before the opening... I still had a lot to do.
I hung everything, raced home to change into clothes not covered in paint, glue, and dust.

4:30 pm I arrive at my opening. It was great... first person I see is a good friend from the Ink Tank days. Then drawgers and illustrators arrived.

The music was arranged by my friend Chase, which included a guitar, ukulele and a vocalist. It was perfect.

More friends arrived... it was a full house.

Pulled off of the tree outside the studio this morning.

And kids.... lot's of kids. They loved the fire engines and couldn't keep their hands off them.
I even hung drawings that some kids from my cartooning class did.

" Hey"       "Hey"

Lid man in his VW

The Fire Alarm was rung by many.

Bob Staake was nowhere to be found, but his car was left parked in front of a hydrant.

Then it was over... went home and the party continued. Mr. Hitz joined us for food, wine and conversation.
Mid-night and most had gone to sleep.... I was back at the studio....     The next day I'm in fetal position with an eye twitch... my daughter's birthday party.... 12 screaming girls tearing our house apart and stomping on all our perennials. Pouring salt into the earth. Then they found a microphone to amplify their shrills of joy.

The Ham Can What Am

2007-11-05T00:21:56+00:00

That's right folks, a quick heads-up to let you know of a fun show next weekend. In all it's rusty glory I will be introducing some of my unique toys and rusty people. It started out as a show on a whim, now it's a bitter battle. Tetanus Toys is a company I started some time ago, building toys out of rusty sharp things. It turns out there is another company doing the same thing... Lockjaw Unlimited. A rivalry began and harsh exchanges took place. This is awkward for me because I am also the owner of Lockjaw Unlimited. Now, being that both companies occupy the same space this became problematic as they often try to sabotage each other while working at oppositte sides of the studio. I'll post photos tomorrow.

Willow Art Gallery
99 Tinker Street
Woodstock, NY 12498
Hours: 12:30pm-6pm Closed Teus, and Wed.
Tel: 845.679.5319

Presents works by
David Goldin
Nov. !0th-Dec. 7th

Opening reception Nov. 10th 4pm-7pm
Live music and refreshments

Schnowzy Kerplopnik

2007-09-14T16:38:44+00:00

I was in Rhode Island at a beach, body surfing. The waves were really rolling in and the surf was pounding the shore. It was almost dangerous, which is what made it fun.I spotted a huge wave and didn't have any trouble catching it. Soon I was surrounded by water coursing over me, moving me, tossing me, out of control. I lost sense of which way was up or down. My head bumped the sandy bottom. Then before I knew it there was another body next to me. We were both at the mercy of the wave as our bodies became entangled, moving as one. Like an aquatic Lambada, the forbidden dance. That cruel wave left us rolling in the foam on the wet sand like a Borat version of "From Here to Eternity". And that's how I met Schnowzy Kerplopnik.

Lots and lots of Apricots!

2007-08-27T22:52:13+00:00

The bowl of apricots was calling like Sirens with the power of charming all who heard them.
Impelled I cast myself into the sea of my desire... and there I was, eating ripe Apricots with half shut eyes...
pouring libation to Mercury... lost in a dreamy half asleep state.

From the bowl of ripe Apricots came notes of music
so ravishing and attractive that I couldn't resist.
I ate them all.

I found myself surrounded by Apricot pits and wondrous visions swelling inside me.

The Whistling Yoo-Hoo

2007-06-23T23:42:11+00:00

I heard a tune and it stuck in my head. Reminds me of a Charlie Parker piece but I can't say which one.
I've tried, I've searched, but can't find who it was or the name of the tune... All I can do is whistle it.

American Illustration

2007-06-07T16:06:46+00:00

This is the 20th time my work has been accepted into the book.
Junk-O-Saurus is from an ongoing Children's book project that might one day get published. And my Eightball dude that I created for drawger while hanging out one night. It used to be the American Illustration parties were the time we'd all get a few moments together. Now it's all the time on drawger.

Tattoos, Tequila, and Edel

2007-06-06T02:14:11+00:00

I'm not known for creating likenesses, but I'm always up for a challenge. Months ago I posted an attempt using our Mr. Waxman as a model. After that I decided to take on a more difficult one... Edel Rodriguez. At first I tried Oils and it turned into a muddy mess. Then I tried pastels... I'm a lefty and smeared the whole thing all over my sleeve. I tried airbrush, sculpture, and even an interpretive dance. While they did represent Edel, non of them really captured the fire in his eyes and rage of passion in his soul. Then in a fit of inspiration I used my good old ink pen and voila! I did it... or at least at the time I thought I did. I was so pleased I decided to get out a bottle of Dom Pérignon Champagne. That's when the trouble began... we were out of Champagne, the only thing I found was a bottle of Tequila. Anyway... all I remember is... well nothing. But apparently I was so pleased with the likeness I went to Pat's Tats and had it tattooed on my arm. Now I love Edel but... not on my arm. Anyone know of a tattoo laser removal place they can recommend?

TAXI Driver

2007-05-24T16:41:48+00:00

1977 and I'm in the back of a cab going down Broadway and It's hot as hell. Back then there wasn't AC in a lot of cabs and it could feel like an oven.
My driver was only a few years older than me, he's not wearing a shirt and sweating and cursing every other vehicle with a thick Bronx accent.
He offers me one of his cans of Budweiser. We've got the radio blasting, we're drinking hot beer and he goes flying through a red light almost running over ten people in the crosswalk.

One of the pedestrians spit on the cab and my driver gets out and he's cursing, waving his can of beer around and about to kill the guy who spit. Then I see he's only wearing his underpants and high-tops. Nobody wants to get in a fight with a drunk, hot, sweaty guy in his tighty whiteys.
He got back in and drove off before the cops came.

Dunlavey's Psychokinesis

2007-05-14T22:50:31+00:00

What sort of paranormal ability does Dunlavey have to influence matter, time and space... and my 4 year old?
I thought I was looking at a Dunlavey original, then my son signed his name to it backwards and sideways. Clearly the residual effects
of someone having been possessed or controlled through a distant mental influence.
Either way, thanks Rob!

Stoned in Woodstock

2007-05-13T02:25:19+00:00

On Little Rocky mountain as soon as the weather gets nice it's time to go outside. The land here is rocky, glacier strewn boulders all around and two stones for every dirt. I hike the woods collecting rocks. I drive around and collect rocks. I've even found big pieces of stone sidewalk in Brooklyn and dragged them back here where they were originally quarried. I stack them, build patios, stairs, walls... and more... There's nothing like lifting a big rock only to discover a snake coiled and bothered. After building with stone-any voids will soon be homes to small animals. Oh what fun!

Earth Day

2007-04-20T17:10:28+00:00

A global holiday to celebrate the wonder of life on our planet. The moment Spring begins and hearts and minds join all over the world.
Turn off the lights, go outside, walk, play, breathe deep, get on a bicycle and reduce your carbon footprint.
Earth Day is Sunday April 22nd.

"All at Sea"

2007-04-13T14:11:53+00:00

This is a great book I found years ago at Guarnaccia's yard sale-at his studio when it was in the Meat District on 14th.
It was a mob scene and deserves it's own post, but back to this little gem...

This is an illustrated book published by MOSS BROS & CO. Ltd.
MOSS BROS is/was a high end department store. I don't know much about this, maybe A.Richard Allen can shed a little more light on this place. ( I heard he shops here).
But this book illustrates going on a cruise and all the different attire you will need and why. You don't want to be wearing flannel to high tea-Tweed is what you'll need. That would have been embarrassing. What should you wear when going ashore in Tangiers? 4th floor.
The illustrations are by Charles Grave. I don't know anything about him and tried to find more. A few small things came up in my search but nothing as cool as this book. If you know anything about this illustrator, Moss Bros, Cruise ships, or Tweed, let me know.

Way Out

2007-04-11T13:09:59+00:00

This is a page from an old sketchbook. It may not be blue, borrowed or new... but... it'll have to do.

I've also always love the 'Wayouts', a band from the Flintstones.
"Way out, way out, that's where the fun is, way out, way out, yeah past the sun"

Little Baby Gumba

2007-04-07T02:13:19+00:00

This is my first child, and now he's over twenty years old. Published in 1985 this little fellow made his first appearance as Baby Gumba. Before that he was "The Poison Baby" and died in the first comic. 'Kills a Rat' is the same premise as all the stories he's in, boiled down to the basic element... Gumba always gets the rat. This was a very limited edition and was not sold in stores. They were given to fans and left at ATMs and left behind in diners and cafes and bars. After a few more books he would go on to be published in BLAB. I work on these things and they get lost on my desk and I find them years later. I just found the Bible I made for a Baby Gumba TV pilot.

Sailors in Boots

2007-04-05T16:57:41+00:00

I found this book years ago at a sidewalk sale in Brooklyn. The illustrated journal of a young graduate of the Russian Naval Academy who joined the U.S. Navy as it prepared to enter the war in Europe. It starts: To all the men who went through the boots training, Especially to Platoon 512, of 1942 Norfolk training station. The illustrations are great. Alex came home from the war and was hired by Vincent Sardi of "Sardi's" to do drawings of Broadway celebrities. Sardi and Gard drew up a contract which stated that Gard would make the caricatures in exchange for one meal per day at the restaurant. The first official caricature by Gard was of Ted Healy, the vaudevillian of Three Stooges fame. When Sardi’s son, Vincent Sardi, Jr. (1915-2007), took over restaurant operations in 1947, he offered to change the terms of Gard's agreement. Gard refused, and continued to draw the caricatures in exchange for meals until his death.

This is another book I found online. I'll bet it's great.

Big Wong's

2007-04-04T15:41:40+00:00

In the mood for some Chow Fun and in Manhattan there's only one place to go...
CHINA TOWN. I love running around this neighborhood. Yep, it's the place where I've gotten beaten at Tic-Tac-Toe by a chicken more times than I'd like to admit. The chicken's gone but not forgotten, so to pay homage to this game master I head to Big Wong's on Mott St. This place hasn't changed in years. This is the first time I took my kid's, " stop using the chopsticks like drumsticks! "

Me and Dr. Suess

2007-03-29T12:47:09+00:00

It was my first week working at the Ink Tank for R.O. Blechman. I had been there maybe two or three days when I was sent out on a fifteen minute errand.
I was walking past a Barnes and Noble of Fifth Ave. and saw a sign- Meet Dr. Suess Today! I got into line. It wasn't moving. I started to feel like I should be getting back, at least make a phone call and tell the others at the studio to come down. This was 1986 and there weren't cel phones everywhere, there was a pay phone half a block away, but if I left my place in line I wouldn't get it back- it was lunch time mid-town and these people were ruthless. Two hours later I got to shake hands with the Dr. himself. I told him I was an illustrator, that I studied with Chris VanAllsburg, that I worked at an animation studio, that I've seen all his movies... I ran all my sentences together and said it fast. People were waiting for there turn to do the same thing. He was tired and looked up at me and said "whaaaat?" I told him I had a Narragansett beer tray he designed. He told me he was 1/4 Narragansett Indian. Then I had him sign four copies of 'Green Eggs and Ham'. One for R.O. Blechman, one for J.J. Sedelmaier, one for me. and one for my mom. Then I ran like a lunatic back to the Ink Tank. They were disappointed they didn't get to meet Suess, but were certainly happy with the books.
A lot of chance meetings took place working mid-town. Other encounters included Ozzie Osborn, Liberace, Mohammed Ali, to name a few.

SPRING!

2007-03-21T15:14:27+00:00

It arrived last night at 8:07 p.m.

Goldin vs. the St. Patrick's Day Parade

2007-03-18T02:25:05+00:00

The only REAL job I ever had was right out of art school at the Ink Tank. Working for the great R.O. Blechman.
Now only people who have worked there really understand how intense it was... whatever the task, it had to be done, and fast!
It was St. Patrick's Day and Fifth Ave. was closed with people lining the sidewalks five rows deep. The Ink Tank was three blocks from
St. Patrick's Cathedral, the heart of mid-town and most congested. Goldin was delivered the task of taking a package to the Tape House (on the other side of Fifth Ave.) for a very important client. It had to be done that moment no, ifs, ands, or buts.
Finally the years of going to Rock concerts and squirming my way to the stage payed off. I got through all the drunken revelers only to be confronted by a very aggressive policeman of Irish decent. Just picture, running across Fifth Avenue, holding the Master Reel of animation, being chased by a cop while running between men in Kilts playing bagpipes. THREE TIMES I crossed the parade that day. One time I ran into a high school friend. I didn't know that at intervals they let people cross the street. D'oh!

SNOW DAY!

2007-03-18T01:44:37+00:00

Because of the elevation... 24" at the studio, 18" at the house and 12" - 14" in Woodstock.
We live in a hollow between two mountains about 1500 ft above sea level, that has it's own micro-climate.
Usually from December to March it's always snowing. Not accumulating, but like a snow globe...
always floating in the air. Yesterday and last night we got it good.
C'mon up and let's play in the snow - quick before it melts!

Baby Dee

2007-03-09T14:09:51+00:00

French illustrator Philipe Petit-Roulet was in NYC for a visit some years ago and having visited him in Paris, I wanted to show him some fun in our great city. One night we went to the Ear Inn on Spring St. We sat between a table of bikers and a table of Fashionistas. Winona Ryder was a few tables away. He and his girlfriend ate their cheese burgers with a knife and fork, dear lord.
The next night we were at a sidewalk cafe and who should spot me but Baby Dee. Y'know that look that crazy people get when they make eye contact? Well he/she spots me, the twinkle in the eye, a slight smile forms, then rides up to our table with head bobbleing on his giant tricycle pulling a harp. Looking at me with a nobody's home expression, starts playing a song on an accordion. Oh yeah, he's dressed like an angel with wings and a halo. Then she grabs a fishing pole and lowers a bucket to our table which we filled with money.

http://www.babydee.org/

Friday Night Hijinx

2007-03-02T23:25:09+00:00

As I stare at my vegetables lost in my thoughts I can only think...
" why wasn't I invited? "

Happy Birthday E.E. Goldin!

2007-03-02T06:39:37+00:00

Four years old today!
What a wild ride. Four years ago, on a beautiful spring day my wife went into labor.
The midwife was called and the sisters, the doula, the doula in training. We were at home up our dead end dirt road,
up on little rocky mountain, having a birthing party. I got the wood stove going and people were scattered about talking and hanging out while my wife and I got into the contractions. My daughter was playing upstairs when there in our living room my son popped out. I carried him over by the wood stove and cuddling him in my arms we sang happy birthday to him.
Then it got gross... The mid-wife asked us if we want to do placenta prints. Y'know me... " Sure! "
I get the nice Arches 140lb watercolor paper and we get busy making mono-prints. Then everyone left and the fun began...

Perfon of the Day

2007-03-01T14:45:15+00:00

Bibendum AKA "the Michelin Man"

While getting new tires on my old vehicle I ran into my old friend Bibendum.
He's about 109 years old and one of the coolest dude's on the planet.

One day while looking at a stack of tires and probably after a few digestifs, André and Edouard Michelin came up with the idea of a man made out of tires.

Bravo gentleman! In his early years he went to a lot of parties, and he is always smoking or drinking or both.

Never one to sit still Bibendum is always seen participating in activities and social events. He's climbed the Alps, led marching bands, helped children, you name it...
...yup, he's dressed like a woman and bottle fed a baby.

Don't be fooled though... this guy is one Bad Ass!

Sunday Morning

2007-02-11T14:54:52+00:00

This is a great short. Gave me a smile on this beautiful Sunday morning. After taking the kids skating and holding them up for two hours yesterday...and the back ache that followed, I stayed up late working. Then got woken up by the same kids throwing up. I'm alone with them all day... I'd better watch this again before I go fetal.

Honey, get the plunger...

2007-02-07T22:01:23+00:00

In reference to Kroninger's earlier post on Lou Hirshman, whom I never knew of until today...
I give you my plunger mouthed man. I'm still working on him slowly. He towers over me, probably 7.5 feet tall. His chest is the catalytic converter cover from my truck. Eventually he'll be blowing a bubble.

Perfon of the Day

2007-02-02T15:38:25+00:00

" Dude, you have Shaloman #1? "
" Of course, dude. You think I got a lame collection? "
These comics came out in the early 1990s'
Shaloman is an Israeli super hero dude.
Defending the citizens from terrorists.
Stopping suicide bombers before they reach their target.

Issues 2,3, and 4 his character develops and we see nothing can defeat him. He's probably at this point in his career,
just appearing on the radar of the League of Super heroes. Maybe even already under consideration for member status.

" Dude"
"Dude?"
"Dude!"
"What about issue number 5 dude?"
By issue number 5 he goes to outer space and meets an alien. Shaloman has jumped the shark.

Lost Cat

2007-02-01T02:02:18+00:00

When I was a kid, you just blew into a conch shell and Dr. Dolittle would come sailing by on a Luna moth, help you find your pet and that would be that.
My neighbor's cat went missing and she called an Animal Communicator. She was told by the communicator ( who could now see through the missing cat's eyes) over the phone, that the missing cat was near a red barn and not far from a pond. Now I'm thinking that she's just described anywhere in New England.
The cat came back on it's own a few days later. Now, I'm all for talking to the animals... but, over the phone and paying for it?

Everybody Loves the Sunshine

2007-01-26T16:21:38+00:00

On this frigid day, with temperatures in the single digits, I pass along warm thoughts. Roy Ayers has a better way of expressing it than I do. Maybe cause I'm still freezing from being outside or because he's an artistic genius. Stay warm!

Everybody Loves the Sunshine

2007-01-26T16:21:37+00:00

Street Cuisine

2007-01-24T19:59:45+00:00

The best Tamales in New York, white truck West 14th only weekends. Best Falafel, 50th and 7th, quilted metal food cart, Lunch only. Noodle cart Centre and Canal, cart w/ umbrella.
Some mighty fine street cuisine to be found in this great city. Anybody got any recommendations? Nothing over $5

HOP ROD

2007-01-22T04:25:23+00:00

Al, my asshole father, had a lot of great ideas, just like me...
Instead of magic beans, he comes home with a Gas powered pogo stick.
Yes, I being the only Goldin who could pogo stick...
was chosen to be the stunt pilot. I jumped and jumped
but I was not heavy enough to trigger the piston in the engine.
No problem, Al just pushes my shoulders down real hard like a football jock,
and.... POW! the gas powered motor is triggered. I went as high as the telephone pole.
Then POW! again, and again. It was a fucking nightmare. I was flying higher and higher. I didn't know how to get off the thing.
So I did a skydive bail where you just crash. I was amazed to be alive, and still wonder about the motorized pogo stick.
I found one on EBAY. I'm not making this up!!!

http://cgi.ebay.com/Vintage-Hop-Rod-Motorized-Pogo-Stick-VERY-Rare_W0QQitemZ220072736062QQihZ012QQcategoryZ30QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

This was my childhood, back when you had to stay out of the house until dinner time.

The 5,000 Fingers of Dr. T.

2007-01-19T20:07:06+00:00

This is what I believe is the only live action Dr. Suess film. Made in 1953. I first saw this at Film Forum years ago. Bart has only one enemy in the world: his piano teacher Dr. Terwilliker. Dr. T has a mad plan to force 500 young boys to practice at his magnificent piano 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Bart is the only hope to save these boys from being enslaved. Fantastic sets, screenplay, and even song lyrics were provided by Dr. Seuss. Features the only piano academy ever known to be equipped with cells and surrounded by an electric fence. According the Theodor Geisel/Dr. Seuss, the film's director, one of the 150 boys vomited on the piano while filming. This caused a chain reaction and they were left with 150 vomiting boys. Geisel said that the film's reviews were similar. According to producer Stanley Kramer, the film's budget would only allow him to hire 150 boys for the piano sequence, instead of the 500 boys he intended to use. When he threatened them with dismissal after they misbehaved, many of them stood up and cheered.

Passenger Safety

2007-01-14T18:11:43+00:00

"Please place your seats in the upright position. The fasten seat belt sign has been illuminated"
"Refer to the Safety Instructions in the seat back in front of you for the nearest Emergency Exit."

I've travelled a little and flown on some of the worst, broke down, horrific airlines and airplanes.
On Garuda Airways, asleep in my aisle seat, I wake suddenly as we hit turbulence and the side of my seat falls off.
Stuck in an airport in Rajastan for 9 hours with only a 10-watt light-bulb to read by. These airline experiences have happened here in the United States as well.
I was a 10 year old flying alone. The stewardess asked if I'd like to have a look in the cockpit ( oh, shut up).
So there I am meeting the pilot and copilot and they're showing me the controls when out of the blue a lightning bolt strikes.
The pilot panics and screams "get him out of here!" and I'm rushed back to my seat and lights start flashing and seat belt signs light up.
Don't worry, I made it.
Anyway... every airline has their own Safety Instructions. Somehow I've managed to collect a few of these over the years, along with a variety of airsick bags.
Some of the graphics are great, I wish I could get an assignment like that.

the GOD Project

2007-01-14T02:41:22+00:00

"As in dream, the images range from the sublime to the ridiculous.
The mind is not permitted to rest with it's normal evaluations,
but is continually insulted and shocked out of the assurance that now,
at last, it has understood..."
Joseph Campbell

We called this the God Project. Don Besom and I sent out a dossier with specs asking well known illustrators to send us a god, deity, idol of worship, whatever they wanted... humorous, serious, it was all up to them. We received about 40 pieces of artwork.
After finding industrial rubber on Canal Street for the covers we began printing, collating and hand binding a limited edition of 60 copies.
Every contributor received a copy and Don and I each got a few extras. Then we picked a bar and called all local contributors to come pick up their God Project. There were so many great images and everyone went above and beyond for this one. We did three different projects; the Hook, the God Project, and Mask. Some fellow drawgers were among those that helped make these projects successful.

I forgot to mention, these happened years ago, before we both had kids.

I still worship this one. Miller is fantastic.

Another beauty. Makes me think of the Wonder bread Spirit.

The Yoo-Hoo God. I built this shrine, added real flowers and lit candles and took a photo.

Going Postal!

2007-01-10T22:23:36+00:00

I love it when a fellow drawger sends me mail. Rob Dunlavey was kind enough, and even did an awesome drawing on the envelope. Looks too good to open. The postal sticker got a little out of shape along the way. Hmmmm..... what could it be? Oh god, I hope it's not a calendar! Even though I did ask for one, I'm in the mood for something a little more exciting. I'm gonna open it....

here goes.............

It feels like it could be a calendar....

It smells, well..... NOT like a calendar.....

It's..... It's..... IT'S.......

Rob, you ROCK! You are my new best friend!
I'm going to call Christoph tomorrow to borrow his Scout book on knots. You sir, have made my day.
I owe you big time.
Thank You!

Harvey

2007-01-08T17:57:54+00:00

One of my best friends growing up was Jeremy Probber.
I spent a lot of time at his home, and kinda grew up in his house.
His father was Harvey Probber. That's right, the famous designer who was one of the inventors of modular furniture. We would play Dungeons and Dragons while seated in these amazing chairs made of the finest leather. Harvey was always busy designing new furniture and rock gardens. In his later years his drawings turned into sexy figures that were also chairs. I'm very lucky to have known Harvey and even luckier to have had him make me his famous scrambled egg breakfast.

Fontenstein

2007-01-05T04:12:18+00:00

This piece reminds me of the scene in the movie 'Crumb', where you see his brother Charlie's sketchbooks
and you see a visual record of his decent into insanity or whatever you want to call his condition. I managed to turn around
or at least steer clear of smashing head on into madness. Eh, whom I kinding, I'm nuts.
This was done for BLAB, a graphic journal, that some fellow drawgers have been seen in. Edited by Monte Beauchamp, Blab has some great art and found treasures from the past.
Boy, you gotta keep me away from playing with found fonts. I'm Dr. Fontenstein

Hereeeeeeeee's Illoz !

2007-01-03T14:51:16+00:00

Move over Rover, and let Jimi take over!

illoz is in orbit! I was there for the countdown, a magnificent night time launch. Everything went smooth and all systems GO!
Check it out..... NOW!

Thai Food

2007-01-02T16:54:38+00:00

Jay Kee Mao, Pad Kra Pow,
or even just a good Pad Thai... I love Thai food.
Traveling through Thailand and eating with the locals was an amazing experience.
Luckily I've got an iron gut and am able to eat some of the spiciest food without doubling over and screaming.
My friend Simon was not so lucky. Often I was left alone while he went off to find a bathroom- often just a squat toilet, where overcome by cold sweats, convulsions, and wobbly ankles he would show up later glad to be alive.

Happy New Year Everybody!

2006-12-31T15:39:45+00:00

2007 the year of the Drawger.

Please contribute your 2007 predictions.

1. Goldin will be asked to create new YOO-HOO soft drink campaign.
2. Flaherty will start an interpretive dance troupe.
3. Fisher and Staake open the first free range, all organic, cream corn farm.
4. J.D. King will lay siege on Rome.
5. Edel starts his own clothing line: Redel-Redel. His first comission is designing new uniforms for the Cuban Synchronized Swim Team.
6. George Bush and Dick Cheney both choke on the same pretzel.

What else might happen?..............

Snotwig and Liverfish

2006-12-28T04:52:25+00:00

Look what I found. We could use these guys now. This was probably done almost 20 years ago, and everything came true.
From global warming, animal mistreatment, to transforming the DNA of a tomato. I won't mention who this was for or why it was never published. All I will say is I feel very strongly about the environment and the amount of waste people create. How the hell did it come to this? When I was a kid, my friends and I all wanted to make this place better... now... don't get me started. I should be commissioned by the government to create an energy awareness package.
Instead we get a government that says things are great, don't worry, be happy. What a load of sh*t that saying turned out to be.

Christmas Tradition

2006-12-26T17:32:30+00:00

Christmas at the Goldins' is always a strange and magical time. We start by plugging in the xmas lights that are still hanging from 7 years ago. Then we hike into the woods and chop down a Charlie Brown tree. Scrawny, miserably stunted, and void of any charm or natural beauty. On Christmas eve we leave milk and cookies by the fireplace for Santa and Melvin, an elf that likes to visit us. Over the years we've learned a lot of lessons. The first year Santa knocked over the fireplace screen and almost choked on the cookies- we forgot the milk. He left a nasty note. The next year we remembered the milk, but in the morning we found a note from the big guy. He found a cat whisker at the bottom of the glass-he wrote that he almost threw up. This year we did everything right... or so we thought. In the morning there was one cookie left on the plate. It had a strange shiny yellowy-white thing sticking in it. There was a note! Santa wrote that the house before ours had very hard cookies and that they must have loosened one of his molars. The one that got stuck in the delicious homemade gingerbread cookies we had made. Now we have a REAL Santa tooth!

Experiment avec Junk

2006-12-21T04:39:43+00:00

Just an experimental image I created a while ago. If you listen carefully you can here the Circus music playing.
The crowd is laughing as Mephisto, the naughty clown, joins in on the fun.

Joy No�l

2006-12-20T18:44:17+00:00

Even though I am NOT in a holiday mood, even though I hate the consumerism, and even though it's unusually warm for this time of year... Holiday Greetings!

Yup folks,
every year I give in and create a Holiday image that I send out last minute. Even this Grinch has his breaking point.