The Daily Zoo in Spectrum 16

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!

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

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.