#1 6/10/08

I s'pose the best way to start off our first discussion, (and by discussion I mean myself rattling on nonsensical jargen while you read on helplessly..unless you leave of course..please don't leave..I get soo lonely..) sorry, I get off track sometimes, bear with me. Anyhow, I will start off my first "blog" with a discussion about the letter A. A is for art. I am an artist as well as an art school dropout, (Maine College of Art, or "MECA" for those who care). This little cartoon on our left is a little poke at the rediculous cost of said art school, (about $30 grand a year last I checked) hence why I am no longer there. But my purpose is not to piss and moan about my financial failings, but rather to promote my work as well as my person.

First, I guess we'll get the actual introduction out of the way. My name is John and I am an artist based out of the fabulous little city of Westbrook, ME- white trash capital of New England! It was great, I guess this past weekend they had the annual "Westbrook Day" or "Together Day" or "Brookfest" or whatever the hell it's called. It's basically Westbrook's knockoff of Portland's "Old Port Fest". Unfortunately, I had to work, so I missed the spectacle. I can only imagine what it was like! A parade, a carnival, and white trash (or Brooktrash as I call 'em) as far as the eye can see. One of my buddies from work said he stopped by and that it was a menagerie of "cut-off jean shorts, huntin' camo 'get r done' hats, faded steve austin t-shirts and toothless smiles". Perhaps they even had a beauty pageant! The Miss Westbrook Pageant, sponsered by Allen's Coffee Brandy(a staple in every kitchen cabinet and dresser drawer) Good god I can only imagine the beastly specimens that would populate such a prestigeous event! All the while, the Allen's girls give out shots of the crap. Remember, Allen's Coffee Brandy! Cuz it's how y'got yer wife! est. 1867.

That was one of those tirades I was talking about. Expect them a lot. Anyways, I live in Westbrook, but I'm not FROM Westbrook. It's not that they're aren't plenty of nice people here as well as attractive ones, but it's fun to generalize and stereotype from time to time! I'm a cartoonist, it's kinda what I do; I make fun of things- a lot. And that's what a good chunk of the work that I am going to be promoting is- cartooning.

Cartooning has always been a passion of mine. Ever since my cousin Travis and I were young and we first collaborated on a cartoon called Opps the Mouse. We were about 7 and 8 respectively and he came up with this idea for a comic strip about an explosive-happy rodent. We both wrote and drew the strips. It was about stuoid cartoon violence, God bless it; good times!

I can get into plenty more on my background, but I'll save stories for later, as I'm getting off track, even though that's kinda hard when you don't know where you're going in the first place...