Hot damn, "Pop Surrealism" is all over the new Juxtapoz. Great review, lots of pics from the LA signing in the gossip section. Also- a picture of Joe Coleman with Richard Swimming Eagle that was actually taken in my livingroom.

Tonight is the opening for the new show, Joe Newton and Mike Leavitt. Joe's work is already over half sold, and Mike's is a third sold. I'm taking January off. I'm really excited about that. Then I can focus on the 2 books Ignition is working on, and just chill out a bit. The last few months have been quite exciting, but I'm getting sort of fundamentally exhausted. I feel if I'm not working on a million things at once something bad will happen. It's slighty neurotic but it works.


Joe Newton- "Help"


Mike Leavitt-"R. Crumb"

Oh Tannentiki
Because I have a new home, I find myself getting all worked up over stuff I used to find stupid, like getting a Christmas tree. I strangely really wanted one this year...however, my cats have a strict scorched earth policy when it comes to small breakables- so it's really out of the question this year. Instead- I returned home to find Kenny had decorated our 6ft tall tiki with a garland and lights, so this year we will be gathered around Mobutu the Christmas Tiki. Pix to come.

"What is good? To crush the ornaments, see them driven before us, and hear the lamentations of thier women...."

Dweeby looking guy hunts spectacular looking super rare "Unicorn deer" (has an extra horn growing from it's head). Shoots it. Feels manly.
What a dickweed.

Just got back from my San Francisco trip. The Last Gasp booksigning was held at the very lovely Varnish Gallery. "Pop Surrealism" artists included Anthony Ausgang, Isabel Samaras, and Liz McGrath. Other people in attendance were Frank Kozik and the legendary Winston Smith. Tiki guru Otto Von Stroheim was there but I blew it and didn't get over to meet him til he had left. Afterwards, my Seattle pals Dawn and David and I bailed to go to the Tonga Room, a really fabulous tiki bar/restaurant. They had a band which came out on a boat in the pool they had in the middle of the restaurant. The band played "soft rock" and I had one of the more surreal moments of my life listening to the band play that annoying Kylie Minouge "Na na na" song, watching the inebriated crowd LINE DANCING on the dance floor, all in the middle of an incredible tiki bar. Nothing is sacred anymore. Anyway it was fun and I saw "Pop Surrealism" in lots of places including being very prominently displayed in SF MoMA's very fancy bookstore.

Varnish gallery featuring a nice shot of Frank Kozik's back.

Winston Smith and myself