The Daily ZooMart: Now Open!

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...

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!

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!

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

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

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!

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