The Idea Box Journal

“I want to make paintings that aren’t real, but feel true.”

I recently sat down with Lafayette Wattles at Other Cool Birds to discuss my work and process. You can read the interview here.

The literary site LitPick recently interviewed me on being an illustrator. You can read the discussion here. The Facebook version includes photos.

In promotion of Fat & Bones, the folks at Lerner Books asked me a couple of questions about my influences, favorite lines, and advice to the aspiring. Read the interview here.

Let’s talk about art. Here’s a recent interview with playwright and producer Kim Terrell that digs into my inspirations, emotional notes, and dedication to the unknown.

So that was a joke. April Fool’s Day is great because it harkens to the importance of the trickster spirit. From the myths of Loki and Coyote to more contemporary Marcel Duchamp, Bugs Bunny, Banksy, Ali G, and the Onion, there’s a long legacy of playful deception that cracks off the rust of taking oneself too seriously. Hope everyone enjoys a good gotcha moment today!

Last night I watched Ender’s Game, a story close to my heart since reading it in my formative years. I won’t rail on the movie, which is fine, but can’t hold a candle to the book, nor is it helped by the abundance over the past decade of child savior narratives. Being back in that world did compel me to dig up a collection of logos I made for my youngest brother in early 2000. He was something of an Ender as a teenager, leading troops in on online army game called Counter Strike. I think I spent the entire weekend in my apartment in LA working on these, which served as the emblems for his team’s squadrons. Seeing the depiction of kid soldiers and the Battle Room reminded me of the legacy that story’s had, within me and so many others. So I’m dusting off this old collection and am sharing it out of a sentiment for teamwork and brotherly love.

Recently Nightmare Magazine locked me in a closet and chewed on my brain to find out why I leave out eyes, work off of a blank surface, and see painting as an investigation. Or just have a light snack. In either case, you can read it here.

My heart is with my dear city of Boston today. The annual Marathon is an event that has been bringing an ever increasing 20,000 runners and a supportive community of 500,000 together for well over a century. One cowardly act of terrorism is a sucker punch. A sad and pathetic cry for attention that will only make us more united, fill us with more love for each other. We mourn our loss and stand taller.

Part of making good work is knowing when to let go. Oftentimes a painting feels great when it’s completed, but following time away you realize it doesn’t flow just right. I took a pic while wiping this bird away, partly appreciating its abstract, broken quality. I’ll only let something I’m happy with take its place.