Squid Row

A touching tribute to the man behind Cul de Sac…

by brig on November 20, 2014 at 11:05 am

The comic strip, Cul-de-Sac, has been around since 2004. It was syndicated in 2007 and ran until 2012. It wasn’t in my loop of comics readership… but that’s about to change.

This short documentary on the cartoonist, Richard Thompson really touched me. As the video explains, he is succumbing to Parkinson’s and had to stop his comic strip, Cul-de-Sac. Having seen the work Thompson has done, and the skill with which he cartooned, he makes me want to be a better cartoonist.

Richard Thompson

It’s twenty minutes long. Make some time… you won’t be sorry.

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Make & Bake photos & Squid News

by brig on November 13, 2014 at 10:05 am

Posted In: Blog-entries

Well, last weekend’s Make & Bake was a big success!

The awesome folks at Somos do such a good job every year. This was the fourth year of M&B and the first year it was a 2-day event. The live music on the Somos Stage was exciting and fun to listen to… and the vendors were fun and diverse. So thanks to Will and Imelda for a job well done… and thanks to those of you who came and visited the Squid Row table! I have included a photo gallery (photos by Peter) for you to peruse.

Now onto some Squid News!

I am currently working on the holiday edition of Art-o-Rama… entitled Holiday Fun & Games. I am having so much fun with this issue… it will be full of silly things to enhance your holiday experience and also to distract you from the usual craziness… I encourage you to procure a copy for yourself… either by sending me an email saying “RESERVE ME A COPY NOW, DANG IT!” , or …by ordering up an issue on Etsy… here’s the link…

ALSO, TOO… you could get a subscription to Art-o-Rama for yourself or as a gift! It’s a great deal that comes right to your mailbox! You don’t even pay for shipping! You can do this through Etsy as well… (or email me through the contact on this site!)

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Making and Baking later this week…

by brig on November 4, 2014 at 10:16 am

Posted In: Blog-entries

If you live in the Salinas or Monterey area, and you like crafty stuff …. you don’t wanna miss this fun event in Oldtown Salinas. It also happens to be First Friday. I will have a table set up with new hand drawn buttons, book specials and, of course, Harold will be there!

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The REAL Squid Row…

by brig on October 16, 2014 at 11:48 am

Posted In: Blog-entries

Did you know that Squid Row is an actual place? Well, actually, it is a street in Santa Cruz… and it is probably the shortest street in the city!

This photo was snapped by Andrew Lenz (Of Lenz Arts… art supply house), who lives in SC. And I love the composition. You have Goodwill in the background, with the donation center sign and arrow pointing… and the one way sign pointing up. And I love the two telephone lines there, too. For me, there’s a quiet symbolicalness here.

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Salinas Valley Food & Wine Fest

by brig on October 9, 2014 at 11:58 pm

Posted In: Blog-entries

From 12-5 on Saturday, October 11th, you can drop by my booth on Main Street in OldTown Salinas (200 block). I will have all the Squid Row wares out, including the latest book, Down But Not Out on Squid Row.

Come by for some TOAST and a Flat Randie.

Speaking of Flat Randie… here’s some of her latest adventures, compliments of Squiddie, James T. Green. I had no idea Randie even knew the Obamas. And the tiger there is actually how Twinkie sees himself.