The Daily Zoo

The Daily Zoo Heads to Paris

2012-01-06T16:04:00.001-08:00

Greetings friends and Happy New Year! I have good news for those of you who live in Paris (or for those of you looking for an excuse to take a vacation to Paris - though do you really need an excuse to vacation in Paris?!). There will be an exhibition of original Daily Zoo sketches and paintings at Galerie Daniel Maghen this month. There is an opening reception on Thursday, January 19, 2012 at 7PM (19:00 for you locals) that is open to the public. And that's not all: I'm exhibiting with another animal artist, the very talented Joe Weatherly.

Please note that the opening reception has been moved up a day from the date originally given in the Daily Zoo e-newsletter.

This is the first time that I'm offering Daily Zoo originals for sale, so if that has been something on your wishlist please check it out. The Galerie will be offering the pieces for sale through their website too, so you don't have to trek to Paris to adorn your wall with an aargh-madillo pirate or a pumped-up porker.

What: Animal Art Exhibition featuring the work of Chris Ayers and Joe Weatherly
When: January 18 - February 4, 2012
Opening Reception: Thursday, January 19, 2012 7PM (19:00h)
Where: Galerie Daniel Maghen
47 quai des Grands Augustins
75006 PARIS
www.danielmaghen.com

Below are some of the pieces included in the show.
Hope to see you there!

CTN Animation Expo this weekend!

2011-11-17T04:39:00.001-08:00

Hello everyone! I figured now would be a good time to send out a reminder that the CTN Animation Expo is happening this weekend in Burbank. This will be the show's third year and it seems to get better each time. There are a ton of panels and lectures on the schedule that are sure to inform and inspire plus an exhibitor hall full of goodies. And don't forget, it's a great place to network too!

I'll be in the Exhibitor Hall towards the back at Table T-35. Please feel free to swing by, say hello, and check out the new MY Daily Zoo drawing activity book that came out earlier this year. As always, I'll be more than happy to personalize a copy of any of the Daily Zoo books with a sketch of your favorite animal. I'm also scheduled to give a drawing demo at 11am on Sunday, Nov. 20 on the Main Stage.

If you still need to pick up tickets, you can save 10% by using the coupon code CHADX11.

Below are a few teaser images of new Daily Zoo images that you get FREE in the CTN attendee gift bags! One is in the program guide and one is a 4x6 print. That should be reason enough for you to go to the show, right?!!!

Please check out the CTN website for more details.
What: CTN Animation Expo 2011
When: Friday, November 18 - Sunday, November 20, 2011
Hours: Fri (12pm-7pm) Sat (10am-7pm) Sun (10am-5pm)
Where: The Burbank Marriott Hotel (across from the Burbank Airport)
2500 Hollywood Way
Burbank, CA 91505

See you there!

Book Signing in Ventura!

2011-09-26T13:50:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to let everyone know that I've been invited to participate in the Bank of Books Children's Book Festival next month. I'll be signing from 1-4 PM on Saturday, October 8, 2011 at the Bank of Books store in Ventura, CA. They will have books for sale at the event, or if you already have a copy and would like it signed and personalized with a sketch of your favorite animal please stop on by. Hope to see you there!

When: Saturday, October 8, 2011 1-4 PM
Where: Bank of Books
748 E. Main Street
Ventura, CA 93001
805-643-3154

Additional Daily Zoo presentation: Thursday, Sept 8, 2011

2011-09-07T17:32:00.000-07:00

A quick heads up to anyone in the southern Minnesota area: I'm going to be giving a slideshow presentation followed by a book signing tomorrow evening, Thursday, September 8, 2011 to the Cancer Support Group at the Mayo Owatonna Clinic in Owatonna, MN at 6:30 PM. It's been on my calendar for some time, but I just learned that it is free and open to the public.

What: Daily Zoo Slideshow Presentation and Book Signing
When: Thursday, September 8, 2011 6:30 PM
Where: Mayo Owatonna 26th Street Clinic
2200 26th St NW
Owatonna, MN 55060
Please call 507-444-5023 for more information.

Mayo Owatonna Website link

Exhibit, Presentation, and Book Signing in Owatonna, Minnesota

2011-09-04T21:29:00.000-07:00

Happy Labor Day everyone!
Sorry for the last minute notice (things usually happen at the last minute here at the Daily Zoo) but I wanted to let you all know that an exhibit of Daily Zoo images will be opening at the Owatonna Arts Center in Owatonna, Minnesota, this Tuesday, September 6, 2011 and run through September 25th. There will be 46 Daily Zoo prints on exhibit, including about ten that have yet to be published in any Daily Zoo book.

There is a reception that is free and open to the public taking place this Saturday, September 10 from 1-4 PM. I will be giving a slideshow presentation at 2 PM to share the story of my journey with cancer and how art and creativity played a significant role in my healing and recovery. After the presentation I'll be signing books for anyone interested (and come prepared to tell me your favorite animal so I can sketch it in your book).

Owatonna Arts Center
The Daily Zoo Exhibit
September 6-25, 2011
Gallery Hours: 1-5 PM Tuesday-Sunday
Admission is free!

Artist Reception, Presentation, and Book Signing:
Saturday, September 10, 2011
1-4 PM
Artist Presentation at 2 PM
Book Signing to follow

Owatonna Arts Center
435 Garden View Lane
Owatonna, MN 55060
507.451.0533

Click on the link below for more info:
http://www.oacarts.org/

Below is one of the new images on display, Curly Sue - Day 1442.

Drawin' Up A Storm at UCLA Children's Hospital

2011-07-15T17:34:00.000-07:00

This past May I was once again honored to draw with some of the young patients at UCLA Children's Hospital thanks to the invitation of the Lollipop Theater Network. I vividly remember during my fight with leukemia how wonderful a distraction drawing was to the pain, discomfort, and daily grind of being a chemo patient. My hope was that we could give some of these budding young artists the same distraction, along with a healthy dose of laughter and fun. Judging by the smiles we saw and the number of spent crayons and markers, I'd say we did just that.

In the photos below, the patient wanted to draw a mutant frog-man superhero (no surprise there if you check out all the superheroes he has hanging on his wall!). He followed along line-by-line as I drew a quick cartoon. The last one shows our finished heroes, ready to fight for justice one giant leap at a time.

Comic-Con Book Signing!

2011-07-15T17:15:00.000-07:00

It's time once again to get out your spandex, Vulcan ears, stormtrooper armor, and facepaint. It's July. It's San Diego. That can only mean one thing: Comic-Con! If you're one of the hundred thousand plus brave souls planning to get your geek on this week at the 2011 San Diego Comic-Con International, why not stop by the Design Studio Press booth (#1701) on Saturday, July 23rd from 4-6 pm to say hi and check out the recently-published Daily Zoo drawing activity book! I'll be signing during that time and will happily adorn your copy with a sketch of your favorite animal. You can also check out the other latest titles from DSP, several of which are being unveiled at Comic-Con. Hope to see you there!

What: Daily Zoo book signing (we'll have copies of all three Daily Zoo books on hand)
When: Saturday, July 23, 2011 4-6pm
Where: Design Studio Press - booth 1701
Why: As always...why NOT?

Six Years of Remission

2011-07-05T15:59:00.000-07:00

Today marks my "new" birthday, the anniversary of my stem cell transplant. Six years of being in remission from acute leukemia! Woohoo!

And for a very brief update, I'm currently freelancing for DreamWorks Animation as a character designer for one of their upcoming features, along with juggling several other freelance projects and promoting the latest Daily Zoo book. Busy, but good!

Even if you're not a cancer survivor, please give yourself a moment today to take a deep breath and pause while you reflect on the many things you are grateful for in your life!

Festival of Books This Weekend!

2011-04-28T22:04:00.000-07:00

Hello everybody, I just wanted to give you ultra last-minute notice that I'll be having a booth again at the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books this weekend. The Festival has moved from the UCLA campus and will be held instead at USC.

In addition to the Daily Zoo books, prints, t-shirts, etc. I will also be DEBUTING my latest book: MY Daily Zoo - A Drawing Activity Book for All Ages. It will be available through most book outlets sometime next month, but we air shipped a few cartons over for the Festival. If you want to check it out, swing on by booth #420 and say hello!

LA Times Festival of Books
The Daily Zoo - Booth #420
Saturday, April 30, 2011 10am-6pm
and Sunday, May 1, 2011 10am-5pm
USC campus

Admission is free!
Hope to see you there.

The Daily ZooMart: Now Open!

2011-01-18T00:11:00.000-08:00

Greetings, folks. Just wanted to let you know that after much procrastination, I bowed to popular demand and now have a webstore up and running: The Daily ZooMart. There you can find DZ t-shirts for men, woman, children, and infants as well as notecards and prints. Prints are available of any of the DZ characters.

You can also order both Daily Zoo books. As always, I'm happy to sign them and do any animal sketch you might request.

Currently I'm busy working on my next book, MY Daily Zoo, a drawing activity book for all ages due to be published in May 2011. I hope to post the cover and some preview images soon.

Until then, be well and draw, draw, draw!

A Real Wiener...

2011-01-05T23:45:00.000-08:00

Happy 2011 everyone!

I just noticed that I made 26 posts to this blog last year. I had no idea I was so proficient! Just kidding. Sort of. I was actually surprised that I had posted that many times, but I also realize that I will not be nominated for the Blogging Hall of Fame any time soon. I will try to populate this corner of cyberspace with more news and, more importantly, more images in the coming year.

To start things off, below is a Daily Zoo piece that is hot off the press. You might even call it a hot dog. Ba dum bum. See why I don't blog more often?

In another case of unexpected Hollywood connections, it turns out that the banker who helped me set up an account last summer has the dual alter-egos of a film producer and screenwriter. One of his upcoming projects at Fromage Pictures is a film called Wiener Dog Nationals and he asked if the Daily Zoo had any resident dachshunds yet. It didn't, so I remedied the situation on Monday. Enjoy - and I'll see you in a few months for my next post. :)

Oh, and for those interested in the media used, it was watercolor, Tria design markers, Prismacolor Col-erase pencils and watercolor colored pencils, Faber-Castell Polychromos and Pitt Pastel pencils, and a little bit of a General's Draughting pencil. And of course eye of newt.

CTN Animation Expo This Weekend!

2010-11-18T11:19:00.000-08:00

Italy was amazing, but more on that later. Right now I'd like to remind any animation fans out there that this weekend is the Creative Talent Network's annual Animation Expo in Burbank, CA. It promises to be three days of art, animation, and fun. Live demos, panel discussions and presentations, a chance to meet recruiters from many studios, tons of talented artists exhibiting their wares...need I say more?

I'll be exhibiting at Table T-31 in the Talent Marketplace Hall and have Daily Zoo goodies for sale including books, shirts, and prints. If you can make it, please stop by and say hi.

Also, I'm scheduled to do live demonstrations on Friday and Saturday.
Friday: 2pm in the Atrium
Saturday: 4pm on the Main Stage in the Talent Marketplace Hall

Creative Talent Network Animation Expo 2010
www.ctnanimationexpo.com
Nov 19-21, 2010
Marriott Hotel in Burbank, CA
(across from the Burbank Airport)

One of the perks of being an exhibitor is that I was invited to contribute to the limited edition Expo Program/Sketchbook. Here's my piece. To all my wattled friends out there, remember that Thanksgiving is only a week away...

Italy-bound!

2010-10-26T16:11:00.000-07:00

Well folks, in a few short hours I'm boarding a plane for Italy to exhibit at the annual Lucca Comics & Games Festival. I only discovered I was going a few days ago when my publisher, Design Studio Press, needed a last-minute replacement to operate their booth. So, if you happen to be in Tuscany this weekend, please stop by the booth and say hello! The show runs from Friday, Oct. 29 - Monday, Nov. 1.

Where: Lucca, Italy
When: Fri. OCT 29, 2010 - Mon. NOV 1, 2010
Hours: 9am-7pm
I will be at the Design Studio Press booth near the entrance of the big gaming tent. Stand Nr A023, Magazzino Merci - Viale Carducci

Lollipop Theatre Network

2010-09-11T01:09:00.000-07:00

This summer I had the pleasure of joining forces with the Lollipop Theater Network to bring some sketchin' fun to the children patients of the Mattel Children's Hospital at UCLA. Lollipop Theater Network is a great organization that brings art, creativity, and movie magic to sick children in hospitals around the country. One of their many activities is to organize red carpet screenings of first-run films at hospitals for kids who would otherwise be too sick to go to an actual movie theater. Often a few stars from the film make a special appearance.

For our July drawing sessions we weren't accompanied by any movie stars, so the kids had to make do with just myself and Lollipop staffers Sara and Chelsea, but we still had a lot of fun. I started by sharing a bit about my journey with cancer, showing them some of the Daily Zoo characters, and then drawing a little with each patient. It was moving to see the children get excited about creating art - some didn't need much encouragement at all, their imaginations were already on fire! While it was tough to see these children hooked up to machines, looking pale and weak, it was equally impressive to see their courage and inner strength in handling their situations.

Below are my partners in crime and a grumpy goldfish I drew for one of the children who then went on to draw her own seascape filled with fish and other sea critters.

The Pet Playground Radio Interview

2010-08-25T10:35:00.000-07:00

As promised, here is the interview from last week's Pet Playground. My gratitude to host Sage Lewis for inviting me to be a guest and share my story. Introducing people to the Daily Zoo in a non-visual medium such as radio can be a little tricky, but I think it went well.

You can either stream or download the interview here.
or you can visit www.thepetplayground.mypodcast.com and look for the August 15, 2010 show podcast.

Enjoy!

Tune into The Daily Zoo on MN AM radio tomorrow evening!

2010-08-14T09:32:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the late notice, but I just wanted to let you know that I'll be one of the guests on The Pet Playground, a live local Twin Cities radio program this Sunday, August 15th at 6:00pm CST. I believe I'm the first scheduled guest and will be on shortly after 6 - so if you're bingo game gets cancelled or if you can't wash your hair because you forgot to pick up shampoo on the way home from work, please tune in! It should be fun! If you miss the live show, the broadcast should be available at the website listed at the bottom of this message a few days later. I'll post a notification here on my blog once it is available.

Here's hoping I don't get too tongue-tied!

The Pet Playground - Your Place to Play
Every Sunday night from 6-7pm
AM950 KTNF
Listener Call in #952-946-6205

"It's time to play with Sage Lewis, The Creature Teacher! The Pet Playground is an entertaining and educational call in show for pets and the people who love them. Find out why your pets act the way they do and how to help them (and you) create a happier, healthier, more balanced life together. Whether it's you who calls in to talk to The Creature Teacher, or your pets, Sage can talk to both. Tag, you're it!"

http://www.thepetplayground.mypodcast.com

Daily Zoo T-Shirts at Comic-Con!

2010-07-23T12:49:00.000-07:00

For those of you who are in San Diego this week and have spilled coffee or ketchup on your shirt and are in need of a new one, why not head over to the Design Studio Press booth (#1701) at Comic-Con and pick up a hot-off-the-press Daily Zoo t-shirt? I hope to expand this into a line of many designs, but for starters we just have Day 302 - Eye to Eye available. There are a variety of styles and colors to choose from for infants through adults, but the quantities at the booth are limited, so don't delay!

Comic-Con 2010

2010-07-10T10:11:00.000-07:00

Just a quick note to let you know that I'll be available to sign books at the Design Studio Press booth at Comic-Con in San Diego on Saturday, July 24, from 3-4pm. Please stop by and say hi!

San Diego Comic-Con International
Book signing
Saturday, July 24, 2010
3-4pm
San Diego, CA

Orange County Children's Book Festival

2010-07-10T10:02:00.000-07:00

Please consider joining me at the Orange County Children's Book Festival this fall! Though this is the Festival's 7th year, I'll be exhibiting there for the first time. I'm also going to be doing a drawing demo with the kids (exact time TBA). I will post more details when I know them.

Hope to see you there!

Orange County Children's Book Festival
Sunday, October 3, 2010
9:30am - 4:30pm
Orange Coast College
Costa Mesa, CA

Profile Page at CTN-X

2010-07-09T15:32:00.000-07:00

My profile page just went up at CTN-X 2010, the Animation Expo this November in Burbank, CA where I'll have a booth as an exhibitor. It's got a brief bio & summary of The Daily Zoo project if you're interested. I mentioned the Expo in a previous post, but it's worth mentioning again. I had a great time last year with wonderful opportunities to hear from some exceptionally-talented artists such as Mike Mignola, Peter de Seve, and a great panel of character designers (Dejas, Deamer, Vignali, Siepermann, etc.) that left me (and probably many others in the audience) with the impulse to drop to our knees and shout, "We're not worthy!" I highly recommend the experience for anyone interested in the field of animation.

The early bird pricing for registration has expired, but you can still get a 10% discount off passes by using this code: CHADX10

Hope to see you there!

Sketch Club 6/25

2010-06-29T00:31:00.000-07:00

Here are a couple of pieces from last Friday's Sketch Club. I tried out some watercolor on very toothy hand-made paper. While I'm not crazy happy with the results, it was still a fun experiment and I hope to play around with it again in the near future.

The Nabbit Frog

2010-06-27T00:06:00.000-07:00

I was recently asked to design a new "spokesphibian" for a company called Nabbit. It's a neat, FREE service that allows you to "Nabb" a song's title and artist while you're listening to the radio. You can do this by a variety of means: texting, mobile web browser, and even a free iPhone app.

Anyway, here is what we came up with. He is hot off the press with the digital paint drying just about two weeks ago. That is quite a difference from working on a movie - usually a year or more passes from my work and the final product being released.

The Daily Zoo at Bethesda Hospital, MN

2010-06-23T13:43:00.000-07:00

For anyone in the Twin Cities metro area of Minnesota, I just wanted to let you know that an exhibit of Daily Zoo prints from the first two books is on display at Bethesda Hospital in St. Paul, where I did a drawing workshop with some of the brain trauma patients and a book signing this past April. The show went up at the beginning of June and will come down at the end of July. Initially there were 60 images on display, but some have been sold and taken down already. The exhibit is in The Cafeteria Gallery, so if you're in the area why not stop over for a bite and some art? (I can attest that the food is pretty good there.)

While preparing the images for exhibit, I found myself continuing to tinker with some of them (the curse of the artist I guess - a piece is never truly "finished"). Here are a few examples of some of the tweaked pieces. They differ from the versions that appear in the books mainly by the replacement of the tan paper backgrounds with the new colored versions seen here. Incidentally, the Content Kitty print (shown at bottom) has been a popular one at some recent charity auctions and has done well in raising funds for some great causes such as the National Bone Marrow Registry, Alcott Center for Mental Health Services, and the Minnesota Angel Foundation (helping children who have parents facing cancer). Fundraising auctions are a common event for many charities, so to all of you artists out there please consider donating a bit of your time and talent to help out a cause that is important to you.

Join me at the CTN Animation Expo, Nov. 2010!

2010-05-09T14:13:00.000-07:00

If you're an animation fan, then you will definitely want to try to attend the annual Creative Talent Network's Animation Expo November 19-21, 2010 in Burbank, CA. This is the expo's second year and I had a great time at it last year. It's like a (much) smaller version of Comic-Con, but devoted strictly to the world of animation. There were some fantastic and educational panel discussions with industry pros, an extensive exhibitor floor, and live demos by some amazingly talented artists.

This year I'll be exhibiting there for the first time. Please stop by and say hi!

www.ctnanimationexpo.com
November 19-21, 2010
Burbank Marriott Hotel (across from the Burbank Airport), CA

And if you want to receive 10% off the cost of a 1-day or 3-day pass, just enter this discount code when registering: CHADX10

Hope to see you there!

Upcoming Events: Minneapolis & Los Angeles

2010-05-09T13:24:00.001-07:00

Hi all,
I just wanted to give you a heads up that I will be participating in two upcoming fundraisers.

First up is one in Minneapolis and it is to benefit the Penny George Institute's Art of Healing Program. I currently have a bunch of Daily Zoo prints on exhibit at their location in Abbott Northwestern Hospital and they have invited me back to be a part of their Discover the Art of Healing event Thursday, May 20, 2010 at the Nicollet Island Pavilion. More than 30 local artists (I guess I count as local since my roots are there) will be exhibiting their work. Hors d'ouervres & light refreshments will be served. I'll be giving a short presentation around 6:30 pm and in my booth I'll have framed and unframed prints for sale, as well as books, notecards, and the first Daily Zoo t-shirts (hot off the press!).

Event details:
Thursday, May 20, 2010
5:30-7:30 pm
Nicollet Island Pavilion
40 Power Street, Minneapolis
$20 per person
RSVPs requested (612-863-6510)
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Then on Saturday, May 22, 2010 I will be in the Los Angeles area selling various Daily Zoo sundries (how long has it been since you've heard that word?) at the Be the Match Bone Marrow Registry fundraiser. Consider joining us for a night of dinner, dancing, comedy, celebrity appearances, and helping out a great cause. Be the Match works to find life-saving marrow/stem cell donors for patients in need of a transplant.

Event details:
Saturday, May 22, 2010
6 pm
Stevens Steak & Seafood House
5332 E Stevens Place
City of Commerce, CA 90040
There is an entrance fee (I think it is either $55 or $65 per person - remember, it's a tasty dinner, a night of entertainment, and for charity!)

The Alcott Center and LA Contemporary present “The Many Faces of Art”

2010-04-20T22:40:00.000-07:00

This is the latest fundraising event that I'm participating in. Please consider attending if it sounds interesting to you and is within your means. It's a great cause.

"The Alcott Center, a non-profit organization that works with clients who struggle with severe and persistent mental illness, presents its annual artWorks fundraising event. With the recent cuts in State funding, this event has taken on even greater importance in order to service those in our community who suffer from schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and chronic depression. Funds raised at this event will benefit residential programs, such as the Graduate House, which provides transitional/permanent housing and encourages Alcott residents to live as independently as possible and lead more meaningful lives.

This year’s event, “The Many Faces of Art,” will be held on Sunday, April 25, 2010 at the prestigious LA Contemporary, a venue which has been host to numerous well-known artists’ exhibits. Artists include such well-known names as Chris Ayers, Farzad Varahramyan Daniel Alonzo, Les Biller, Huguette Caland, Laddie John Dill, Linda Jacobson, Muromasa Kudo, Brett Livingstone Strong, Jeffrey Manpearl and Suzye Ogawa. Located in the heart of LA’s exciting La Cienega art district, the evening, which begins with an exclusive VIP Champagne Reception, promises to be a fun-filled celebration of art with an auction, delicious food, good wine and interesting guests."

When: Sunday, April 25, 2010, 6:00 to 9:00 pm
Where: LA Contemporary, 2634 S. La Cienega Blvd., Los Angeles CA 90034 (310) 559-6200
What: Art show, auction, food, wine
How: Purchase tickets $75 by contacting the Alcott Center at (310) 785-2121
Special: VIP reception at 5:00, tickets $125

Los Angeles Festival of Books - April 24-25, 2010

2010-04-16T13:36:00.000-07:00

I will have a booth at this year's Los Angeles Times Festival of Books. This annual celebration of all things literary on the UCLA campus is filled with books, food, and fun for the whole family. Author signings, panel discussions, music, and children's activities galore. Come check it out and stop by the Daily Zoo booth to say hi!

The Daily Zoo
Booth 030 - Zone B

Los Angeles Times Festival of Books
UCLA Campus
April 24-25, 2010
Saturday: 10am-6pm
Sunday: 10am-5pm
Admission is free!
http://events.latimes.com/festivalofbooks/

April Events - Midwest Book "Tour"

2010-04-16T10:16:00.000-07:00

I don't know, can it really be called a book tour if it is only a week? I guess so. Anyhow, I will be in Minnesota and Wisconsin in a few days to do a variety of Daily Zoo-themed events (presentations, gallery reception, workshops, book signings, etc.). Many of the events are in conjunction with the Midwest Arts in Healthcare Network which is having an Arts and Health Community Celebration during the month of April. Please see below for a complete listing and details of each event. If you have the time and are in the area, please consider checking one out!
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Penny George Institute: Presentation & Book Signing
Sunday, April 18, 2010 - 2-5pm
Penny George Institute for Health and Healing
2833 Chicago Ave South
Minneapolis, MN 55407
612-863-3333

As I mentioned in my previous post, fifteen Daily Zoo prints are on exhibit at Abbott Northwestern Hospital in Minneapolis through May 26. There is a reception this Sunday afternoon from 2-5 pm at the Penny George Institute. I'll be presenting the story of The Daily Zoo and will have books available for signing if anyone is interested. There will also be presentations/readings/live music by other artists. Light refreshments too. This event is free and open to the public. Map & directions here.
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Bethseda Hospital: Lunchtime Book Signing
Monday, April 19, 2010 - Lunchtime (I should be set up shortly after 11am)
559 Capitol Blvd
St. Paul, MN 55103
612-232-2000

Bethseda Hospital in St. Paul, MN invited me for a book signing and also to do some drawing workshops with some of their patients in the afternoon. The lunchtime signing is open to the public. Map & directions here.
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Hudson Hospital: Healing Arts Event
Monday, April 19, 2010 - 7-8:30pm
Hudson Hospital Conference Center
405 Stageline Road
Hudson, WI 54016
715-531-6250

Free and open to the public, however registrations is requested (please call the Health Resource Center at 715-531-6250).

At the invitation of Hudson Hospital's Healing Arts Program I will be presenting a digital slideshow at 7pm and then be available for signing afterwards. I will be specifically addressing how my artwork has been a healing factor in my experience with facing cancer.

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University of Minnesota - Boynton Clinic: Presentation & Book Signing
Tuesday, April 20, 2010 - 12-1pm
Lunch will be served at 11:50am
The Roen Room

At the invitation of the University of Minnesota's Center for Spirituality & Healing I'll be sharing my cancer experience and the therapeutic properties of creating artwork with medical professionals as part of the U of M's Continuing Medical Education program. Sorry, this event is not open to the public.
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University of Minnesota Campus Bookstore: Book Signing
Tuesday, April 20, 2010 - 4pm
Coffman Memorial Union
300 Washington Ave SE
Minneapolis, MN 55455
612-626-0559

I'll be signing at 4pm. More info here. Map and directions here.
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Hennepin County Medical Center: Presentation & Book Signing
Wednesday, April 21, 2010 - 11am-12pm
HCMC Blue Bldg, Room BL.320
900 S. 8th Street
Minneapolis, MN
612-873-2208

I'll presenting & signing at the Hennepin County Medical Center as a part of the Inspire Arts program's participation in the month long celebration of arts in healthcare. This is free and open to the public.

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Holy Family Elementary School: Student Workshops
Wed-Thurs, April 22-23, 2010
Green Bay, WI

Two days of art workshops with the K-8 students at Holy Family school in Green Bay, WI. Sorry, this one is not open to the public.
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The Reader's Loft: Book Signing
Thursday, April 22, 2010 - 6-8pm
www.readersloft.com
2069 Central Ct, Suite 44
Green Bay, WI 54311
920-406-0200

Map and directions here.

Hope you can make one of these!

Daily Zoo Exhibit & Presentation: Minneapolis

2010-04-05T11:31:00.000-07:00

Greetings all!
An exhibit of 15 prints from the first two Daily Zoo books just opened at Abbott Northwestern Hospital in Minneapolis. It is being put on by the Penny George Institute for Health and Healing as a part of their Healing Arts program. The show is located on the lower level of the hospital by the LiveWell Fitness Center and will be on display until May 26, 2010.

Additionally, I'm going to be presenting a slide show and telling the story of my cancer and the Daily Zoo at a reception on Sunday, April 18. The reception is from 2-5pm and will include a talk by fellow exhibiting artist Sarah Schaleger, as well as live music, poetry readings, and light refreshments. I'll be signing books for anyone interested after my presentation. Both the exhibit and reception are free and open to the public.

The exhibit can be viewed during clinic hours:
M-Th 8am-9pm
Fridays 8am-4:30pm

A PDF file with directions and parking suggestions can be found here.

I hope to see some of you there!

LLS: Man & Woman of the Year Campaign

2010-04-04T14:36:00.001-07:00

Each year, many local chapters of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society hold a fundraising campaign called the Man & Woman of the Year. Candidates are nominated and then spend the spring raising much-needed funds for cancer research and patient services. The candidate who is able to raise the greatest amount is bestowed the title of Man or Woman of the Year.

This year, the local Minnesota chapter of LLS asked me if I would be their honorary chairperson of the campaign. I've been involved with them in the past, presenting the story of my cancer and The Daily Zoo at a Survivor's Night celebration last year, as well as donating signed books and prints to some of their other fundraisers. Needless to say, I was honored to be asked and as part of my involvement I created some artwork to be used as a secondary logo for the campaign. The LLS staff suggested a pair of animals adorned with the red sashes that are given to the winners. I decided hippos might be fun. (When are hippos NOT fun?) The final piece is shown above and below are some in-progress images showing the development which led to the end result.

If your local chapter of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society is having a Man & Woman of the Year campaign, please consider donating (or even participating as a candidate yourself!).

Everything started out with some quick thumbnails done with water soluble wax crayons. I liked the idea (and challenge) of doing the final piece in watercolor. By no means do I feel very confident with this medium, so I did a few small test "renders" of the hippos, experimenting with color, paint application, and detailing with different types of additional media (colored pencil, ink pen, etc.)

Then it was on the actual final artwork. I lightly sketched the hippos out with a Col-erase blue pencil before painting with watercolor. As you can see from the in-progress shot, the color palette was much different than what I ultimately ended up with. It just wasn't working for me, so when I scanned the painting into the computer I played around with color adjustments and settled on a drabber blue-gray color for the hippos which I felt worked better with the red sashes.

I also drew a separate line drawing of the two characters, scanned that in separately, and added it as a digital overlay. Why not just do this step on the final image and avoid the compositing work in Photoshop? Well, I wasn't exactly sure how it was going to look, and since I didn't have much time to do the piece, I didn't want to do something I would later regret. That's one of the benefits of having a digital component as part of your workflow. I could experiment more freely and not worry about having to start over completely. When overlaying the line drawing on the painting I was able to control its opacity and add it only where I felt it was needed.

"Happy" Anniversary

2010-04-01T23:47:00.000-07:00

Today is the first of April. April Fool's Day. It also marks the fifth anniversary of my leukemia diagnosis. Usually we don't associate bad news - such as being told that you have a life-threatening health condition - with cause for celebration, but I take a long moment each April 1st to reflect on the many ways that my life has changed since that fateful moment in the doctor's office. Many lessons have been learned, many questions have been raised (a few of them have even been answered), and the current of gratitude coursing through my life has become ever stronger.

It also marks the beginning of a brand new year of The Daily Zoo. Year Four was completed last night and a new sketchbook was pulled from the shelf to begin the journey of Year Five. Yes, a blank page can sometimes be intimidating, but it can also be a vast playground where anything is possible. Let your imagination run wild!
Onward ho!

The Daily Zoo's Newest Fan

2010-03-16T00:48:00.000-07:00

A friend and college classmate of mine just shared these photos with me and I thought they were too cute not to post. Congratulations to Paul & Megan! And to you, young Julia, I simply say, "Welcome to this party called life!"

By the way, Paul is an accomplished photographer. You can see his work at www.PaulRetherford.com.

Sketch Club - Missing the Mark

2010-03-15T00:50:00.000-07:00

Here are a few more sketches that were a result of hangin' out with the Sketch Club gang. During each lunchtime drawing session, the group picks out The Mark, an interesting looking person who we are all supposed to draw from memory later that day. I have not had much luck so far in successfully achieving this. Either I've had to leave the group before a mark was selected, been too busy to do it, or - as was the case two weeks ago - have been too engrossed in conversation with another Sketcher that we completely missed the mark when she walked by...twice. So that's the other image posted here, me and Omar "Missing the Mark...Again."

Chemo-Couture: Cancer Stinks!

2010-03-08T03:05:00.000-08:00

Allow me to introduce you to Chemo-Couture, an online boutique offering a variety of cancer-themed gifts ranging from inspirational t-shirts, books, and cozy blankets (you can never have too many of those when you're going through chemo). It was founded by Jane and Julie, two creative entrepreneurs whom I had the pleasure of meeting last summer. They decided to take the fight to cancer with a sense of humor and compassion, realizing that these are two powerful tools to have on your side when facing the disease, and are donating 5% of sales to cancer charities.

While brainstorming ideas for their line of apparel, they envisioned a shirt with a skunk that proclaimed, "Cancer Stinks!" and after seeing The Daily Zoo, they asked me if I would be interested in designing it. Two versions were produced and they're available in both children's and adult sizes.

www.chemo-couture.com

The Gifted Artist Show - a Success!

2010-03-08T02:35:00.000-08:00

The Gifted Artist Show was held this past December in Rancho Cucamonga, CA to benefit the Loma Linda Children's Hospital, auctioning off originals and prints from many talented artists in the animation community. The show was a big success, raising over $3,500 for the hospital!

In addition to donating a few prints, I was invited to share the story of my journey with cancer and The Daily Zoo (thanks Thomas Brillante!). You can check out a video of my presentation below (made possible by Santosh Oommen). Also, please check out www.giftedartist.blogspot.com to see samples of the art that was auctioned off. This was the first year of the event, but I believe they are hoping to do it again next year so if you are an artist, please consider donating a piece to help out a good cause!

Chris Ayers-Gifted Artist Benefit from santosh oommen on Vimeo.

Sketch Club

2010-03-08T02:16:00.000-08:00

Recently the inspirational Marcelo Vignali invited me to come sketch with him and his cadre of friendly and talented artist friends at their lunchtime Sketch Club. They usually meet at a restaurant or other public place and draw the (sometimes) unsuspecting people surrounding them. I've been able to make it a few times now and enjoy the conversation, trading art tips, and the opportunity to draw from life again - it has been far too long! Here are some of the results.

Daily Zoo Year Two - Now Available!

2010-03-08T01:58:00.000-08:00

Yes, the latest volume of The Daily Zoo is now available from a variety of sources including:
Amazon
Barnes & Noble
Design Studio Press
Bud's Art Books
or check with your favorite local bookstore!

Like the first Daily Zoo, Year Two is available in both hardcover and softcover versions and 10% of the proceeds go to The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. You can view sample pages on my website where I've also added a DZ2 gallery.
Grab a copy today!

Daily Zoo Book Signing - Minneapolis!

2009-12-12T15:27:00.001-08:00

I'll be heading home for the holidays and will be having a book signing for the hot-off-the-press Daily Zoo: Year Two.

I will have both volumes of The Daily Zoo available for purchase as well as notecards (great stocking stuffers!) and perhaps a few prints.

All are welcome. Hope you can make it!

The Daily Zoo: Year Two...a sneak peek

2009-12-10T19:30:00.000-08:00

Here are a few images from the new Daily Zoo to whet your appetite. The books should be arriving any day now...

The Gifted Artist Show

2009-12-08T19:55:00.000-08:00

This Saturday, December 19, 2009, I'll be participating in The Gifted Artist Show in Rancho Cucamonga, CA. It's a charity art show and auction to benefit the Loma Linda Children's Hospital. Artwork by many talented friends and colleagues will be on display and up for bid. I'll be telling the story of The Daily Zoo and my battle with cancer - I think around 8pm - and have copies of the just-published Daily Zoo: Year Two available for purchase and signing. Additionally, if you bring an unwrapped toy you will be entered in a drawing for prizes.

Come for some fun and to help out a great cause!

Saturday, December 19, 2009
5pm - 10pm
CCAA Museum of Art
12467 Baseline Road
Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91729
www.giftedartist.blogspot.com

See the flyer above for a map and a list of participating artists.

The Daily Zoo in Spectrum 16

2009-11-18T02:16:00.000-08:00

Last spring, I was thrilled to learn that two images from The Daily Zoo had been selected for inclusion in the latest volume of Spectrum, the annual compilation of some of today's top sci-fi and fantasy art. Good news: Spectrum 16 just hit bookshelves and is another fine collection of some amazing work by many talented individuals. If you're not familiar with Spectrum and you like dragons, femme fatales, and big kick-ass robots, you should do yourself a favor and check it out.

My thanks to the jury for including images from The Daily Zoo and also to editor Arnie Fenner for including a mention in his Year in Review essay: "The Daily Zoo: Keeping the Doctor at Bay with a Drawing a Day by Chris Ayers [Design Studio Press] was an inspirational, often hilarious chronicle of defiance as Chris battled leukemia by drawing a new creature everyday for a year."

The Daily Zoo: Year Two...cover revealed!

2009-11-02T00:56:00.000-08:00

It's official. The follow-up to last year's Daily Zoo - Vol. 1 has gone to press and will hopefully be available in early to mid-December. After completing my initial goal of drawing an animal a day for a year, I kept right on drawing on Day 366. The Daily Zoo: Year Two continues the journey with another year's worth of armadillos, babirusas, and zombie frogs along with further commentary on my artistic process as well as more reflections as I continue to learn what it means to be a cancer survivor. To whet your appetite, here's a look at the cover.

The Daily Zoo on Exhibit

2009-11-01T11:46:00.000-08:00

Greetings all! Forty-five prints from the first two years of The Daily Zoo are now on exhibit at the Lillian Davis Hogan Galleries on the Saint Mary's University main campus in Winona, MN. I'm exhibiting with the talented sculptor Maureen Costa and the show runs through November 11, 2009. The gallery is open from 9am-8pm, M-F and is free and open to the public.

I will also be signing books at a gallery reception on Friday, Nov. 6 from 4-6pm. This is also open to the public. If you're in the area with time to kill, please stop by and say hi.

More info on the event can be found on Saint Mary's blog here.

Next Day Flyers Blog Interview

2009-10-01T23:34:00.000-07:00

(Yes, yes, I know. I'm one of the worst blog-posters...at least in terms of frequency.)

Next Day Flyers is a printing company here in Southern California that I use for my Daily Zoo promotional materials and greeting cards. They also recently started a blog with periodic design tips, tutorials, and resources. One of their newest features is that they spotlight various artists from time to time. Last week they were kind enough to feature me and The Daily Zoo. Please check out the interview if you're interested. My thanks to Karen Daniels and the Next Day Flyers team!

Time to once again return to blog-hibernation...but hopefully not for too long.

Comic-Con International 2009

2009-07-23T22:19:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the lack of posts recently. I hope to change that soon. In the meantime, I just wanted to let anybody who is interested know that I'll be at the Design Studio Press booth (#1701) from 2-4 pm on Saturday, July 25, signing copies of The Daily Zoo. Please feel free to stop by and say hi!

The Others #2: Daily Zoo 'non-features'

2009-03-16T18:37:00.000-07:00

Here are a few more Daily Zoo sketches that didn't get featured in the book. (If you're just joining us, I started drawing an animal a day on the one-year anniversary of being diagnosed with leukemia. More info on the story and book can be found here and on my website.)

Day 051 - Caiman
First up are sketches done on back-to-back days. On Day 051 I drew a caiman (a small species of crocodilian native to the Americas) experimenting with just slight exaggeration of the snout and brow.

Day 052 - Crocodilians
Upon returning to the subject matter on the following day, I started with a more pushed version of the same caiman in profile and then did a few more sketches playing with different angles and proportions.

Day 159 - Vulture
Next up is the crafty vulture done on Day 159. Vultures seem to have a bit of a bad rap in general society, but I think they're awesome. They do nature's dirty work of cleaning the savannah of decaying corpses and they have quite a unique visual appearance. Their heads have no feathers so when they're burrowing inside a rotting carcass all day, they don't have to spend a wing and a leg on vats of Prell. I find that their bald noggins also give them a cool resemblance to dinosaurs. The tree that he is perched on is dead and thorny to echo his reputation of being associated with death. This sketch wasn't completely fulfilling for me on an artistic level, so I drew another one on the following day. To see that one, however, you'll have to check out The Daily Zoo: Keeping the Doctor at Bay with A Drawing A Day.

The 'Zoo' Goes to the Zoo

2009-03-10T02:47:00.000-07:00

About a month ago Dr. Susan Sencer, head of the hematology and oncology programs at the Children's Hospitals of Minneapolis and St. Paul, invited me to participate in their annual party for patients and their families. The event just so happened to be held at the Minnesota Zoo. Very fitting!

I had a great time signing some books and meeting some very courageous kids (and their equally courageous families). It was impressive to see some very sick children still find ways to laugh, smile, and LIVE.
My thanks to Dr. Sencer and Children's Hospital for allowing me to be a part of their celebration.

The Others: Daily Zoo "non-features"

2009-01-24T05:18:00.000-08:00

Introducing a new feature to this blog: The Others. One of the problems I encountered while compiling the Daily Zoo sketches into book format was that 365 images is a lot of content to work with! Just the scanning alone was a time-consuming task. Then, while creating the book's layout, I had to choose which images were going to be featured in the main body of the book. Because of production costs (and not wanting to be blamed for the complete deforestation of the rainforest) my publisher and I decided that the book would be 160 pages. Unfortunately, or fortunately depending on your view, this meant that I could not show all the images at a large size. Of the 365 sketches from Volume One, I managed to "highlight" 145 in the main body of the book while the entire year's worth are shown as small thumbnails in the back as a sort of visual index.

One of the thoughts for this blog was to periodically feature some of the sketches that didn't get their fifteen minutes of fame in the book. Give 'em a little love, so to speak. So with that in mind, here are the first two, requested by Aaron from Portland. (If you have requests to see certain thumbnails larger without using your grandfather's magnifying glass, feel free to send me an email - I make no promises, but will see what I can do.) Click on the images to see them larger.

Day 028 - Alligator Salesman
I guess he's not really a salesman. Perhaps "salesgator" is more accurate? He joins the Serval Salescat (Day 176) and the Insecure Traveling Salesmonkey (Day 192) as animals peddling goods and services. I don't know what it is about salespeople/animals that makes them keep popping up as subject matter in my drawings. I have not liked most of the salespeople I have met...maybe turning them into animals is my way to make them more tolerable?

Day 143 - Wallowing Hog
When you're not tracking it across a freshly-mopped kitchen floor, mud is AWESOME.

Spoils from Santa

2009-01-10T22:55:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year!

In addition to featuring my artwork on this blog, I'd like to periodically share other cool art that I happen to come across. Today I'd like to share two very cool books that I just got my hands on.

First up is Fantastical Creatures Field Guide: How to Hunt Them Down and Draw Them Where They Live by Aaron Lopresti. It is filled with whimsical creatures and characters; wonderful art and well-written and humorous text. A sort of Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy-esque look at our planet's obscure fauna not yet recognized by science.

Second is Evolution by Jean-Baptiste de Panafieu with photographs by Patrick Gries. I haven't had a chance to read much of the text yet, but I was completely awed by the images: hundreds of black and white photographs of complete animal skeletons (aardvark, sloth, orca, lizards, primates, bison, coelacanth, you name it...) Really fantastic reference material - great for creature/character designers!

And so it begins...

2008-12-23T14:31:00.000-08:00

Finally! Time to get this blog-journey started! Thanks for visiting - I hope you will find some things of interest and stop back periodically.

Briefly, an introduction: I'm a Los Angeles-based artist working in the entertainment industry, specializing in character design. You can find out more about me and view samples of my work at www.chrisayersdesign.com

The purpose of this blog is to share more of my artwork and musings, as well as post updates on my latest creative endeavors. With that in mind, let's start with the first update!

I just had the first book of my artwork published about a month ago. It is titled The Daily Zoo: Keeping the Doctor at Bay with a Drawing a Day and is a collection of 365 animal sketches that I drew one per day as I recovered from and reflected on my battle with leukemia. You can read more about it and view sample pages at my website. It is published by Design Studio Press and available through most major book retail outlets such as Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Borders. Or check with your favorite local independent bookseller!

Best wishes to you and your families for a peaceful holiday season and healthy & hopeful New Year!