Dec. 23: SPX 2002 made Time.com's best ten comics of 2002! Weighing in at number 10, Andrew Arnold compares the book to "a Philly cheese steak," saying "the fat, cheap SPX 2002 satisfies any hunger through sheer volume." (See here for the original review from September.) Mmmmm, Philly cheese steak...

Dec. 17: Check out my interview over at comicreaders.com. They have a Small Press section on the site, and they are interviewing some of the artists from SPX 2002. I talk about how Machiavelli came about, how I got interested in comics, and what inspires me to make them. It's actually a lot more coherent than the "About the Artist" page on this site. Perhaps I'll rewrite my bio, using the interview as a template!

Nov. 22: Thanks to everyone who came to Akiko's reception. The show will be up until the end of the month, so if you haven't seen it yet, there's still time to head on over to the library and check it out.

As for myself, I'm currently working on a portrait commission (which will be finished in the next month or so, when it will be viewable in the Portraits section of the site) and I'm also working on a six-page comic written by Russ McIntosh. It's called Departure, and is a hard-boiled detective story. More details as they come.

Oct. 30: Akiko will be having an exhibition of her paintings at the Watertown Library during November. The reception is this Sunday, Nov. 30.See her part of the site for all the details.

Sept. 26: Eddie Campbell, immensely talented artist of From Hell, and Alec: How to be an Artist, among others, gives some props to emerging comics superstar Don MacDonald on his website. Check it out! In the photo about halfway down the page, torn from the headlines of donmacdonald.com, Eddie is shown to be reading a copy of Machiavelli! Top of the world, Ma! He links to my site and sends hits my way. Unlike the drooling fanboys quoted elsewhere on the site, Don is given the respect he deserves: "[Don,] who actually has a story in the brick-like SPX 2002 anthology comic - commented less fervently at his website, where we nicked one of these photos from. But his is bigger, as the actress said to Brian Bolland." He's referring to the photo. I think.

Sept. 20: Time reviews SPX 2002! Time.comix' Andrew Arnold says: "Another outstanding anthology, 'SPX 2002,' appeared in conjunction with the convention. This extremely entertaining book has many of alty comix' best artists creating biographies of everyone from St. Francis of Assisi to Terry Sawchuck, hockey's greatest goalie." Alas, I'm not mentioned in the review...still, I'd like to think I'm one of "alty comix' best artists."

Sept 12: SPX was a blast! I'm working on a view-from-the-front account of my experience there. I passed out tons of minisand am already looking forward to making ashcans of enough chapters of Machiavelli to justify my getting a table next year in Baltimore.

Sept 1: Machiavelli was selected for inclusion in this year's SPX Anthology! I hope to see you at the expo, (I don't have a table,but will be there) but if you can't make it, be sure to pick up a copy of the Anthology, available early September. My workis appearing alongside that of a lot of great artists and I'm very pleased to be included in the book. Click the link below forthe complete lineup and more info about the Expo itself.

March 5: The painting of Machiavelli featured on this site is actually the cover page of a graphic novel that I am now working on. The six-page prologue was selected for inclusion in SPX 2002,Right now, I am involved in research for the project. I may be posting my research notes, if they are interesting enough. At the moment, they consist mainly of quotes from the books I'm reading. This project will definitely take me into 2003 if not beyond. I may post the pages individually as I do them, or as I complete chapters, I haven't decided yet. What I have decided, though, is to shift my focus from gallery work to this sort of project, which seems to suit me much better. The Dark and Caravaggio were both short stories incorporating images and text—although at that stage (around 1994) they were simply illustrated stories (as opposed to a graphic novel.) Although it is clear they were painted and written by a college student, they nonetheless remain two of my favorite works, perhaps because of their use of text and image to tell a story.

We'll see soon with Machiavelli if ten years of experience have made any difference...

I was featured on the cover of the May 10 issue of the Watertown Tab & Press for the watercolor demonstration I gave for for the Watertown Art Association. Thanks to all those who made the trip!

 

Portraits - February, 2001. I showed a collection of portraits at the Watertown Public Library. Click to see pictures from the show.

 

 

 

Watertown Art Association Annual Exhibition - March 2001. The cover for "Machiavelli," won an honorable mention.

 

Watertown Education Foundation Fundraiser -April 27, 2001. Akiko and I displayed work in the Watertown Arsenal Commander's Mansion in a fundraiser for the Watertown Education Foundation. Click to see pictures from the show.