longliveirony

Beauty Is Embarrassing and Having It All

admin — Mon, 20 May 2013 18:35:35 +0000

We watched the fantastic documentary Beauty is Embarrassing* this weekend. It’s fantastic. Did I mention it’s fantastic? I love Wayne White for so many reasons: Pee-wee’s Playhouse, his beautiful word paintings, his general vibe of ‘I’m gonna try everything and if you don’t like it then fuck off,’ his belief in economy of materials and using whatcha got. But an auxiliary benefit to watching a movie about Wayne White is getting to learn about his amazing and wonderfully named wife, Mimi Pond.

She was a successful cartoonist before he was a successful artist, and plied him with good food and a warm bed in his lean years. In the film she concedes that she gave up a bit of her career to raise their two awesome kids. Holy humble housewifery! Pond wrote the first-ever episode of The Simpsons. Researching her I was glad to see she’s still found time to put out a half-dozen books and has a new one coming out with Drawn & Quarterly soonish. Hooray.

To be clear, the film in no way portrays Pond as bitter for giving up a bit of starry glow so that her husband could shine. Instead, it explores the idea that behind every seemingly manic artist there’s usually a strong and adorable family (with really cool names), offering support and inspiration and criticism and more good food.

As a female artist the movie split me in half. I want to be Wayne White. And I want to be Mimi Pond. I want a cool, beautiful family. But I don’t want to stop doing anything for a minute millisecond. I want the world. While somehow managing to ignore every insipid article in the endless debate about ‘having it all,’ Beauty is Embarrassing is the piece of cultural artifact that actually hit the issue home. All in all, writing a few graphic novels and TV shows and having a wonderful family probably is having it all. Plus, Mimi Pond has amazing glasses.

*Free on Netflix now.

Other stuff:
I’ve been remiss in updating this website, because it’s So. Much. Easier. to just throw stuff up on Tumblr and FB. Meet me there?

On Bartering, Part 2

admin — Tue, 12 Mar 2013 13:58:56 +0000

I’ve written about bartering before. My general takeaway was that it’s fun but has its limitations. Like most things. Then, last week, my friend Howie and I finished a trade that brought us both so much joy I thought my heart was going to explode (which would have curtailed the joy, and made a mess of the carpet). Howie asked me to make a painting of his adorable family. Instead of paying me, I asked him to make a song for my daughter, Plum. Both our spouses loved these gifts so much they grew misty-eyed upon receipt of them (sorry to ruin your manly man mystique, hubs). So if you’re contemplating tradesies with a friend, remember that the transaction has the possibility of adding up to way more than the some of its parts. Just make sure your heart is capable of withstanding the joy onslaught.

Bonus media – Plum Bounce! Howie’s wonderful song for my daughter.

I’m on a profiterole!

admin — Sun, 06 Jan 2013 13:13:19 +0000

Sometimes, when I get to illustrate something so perfectly up my alley, I feel I should pinch myself. But I don’t. Because it would hurt. I got to do an illustration of a woman in a giant éclair for the Post this week. Career high. The piece, by Mireille Silcoff, is both hilarious and depressingly accurate.

Chart attack! and other news!

admin — Thu, 20 Dec 2012 20:59:59 +0000

Yesterday, I was graciously invited to be Chartist in Residence over at I Love Charts, one of my favourite ~~proscrastination tools~~ SITES OF ALL TIME. Here’s a link to my day of charting.

In other wonderful news, I’m writing a book. It’s due out with Penguin in 2014. I am really excited. I need to stop reading I Love Charts and start working on my book.

Happy Holidays!

Toronto Poster Project #2

admin — Sun, 02 Dec 2012 19:58:26 +0000

I nerded out making puzzle-y infographics for my next installment of the Toronto Poster Project. There are 27 pictograms of TO restos, places, people, etc…Some are quite hard. Some are terribly easy. The city-themed wrapping paper appeared in the Saturday edition of the paper.

admin — Thu, 22 Nov 2012 20:28:35 +0000

Fun illustration I did for The National.

Womentorship, a new visual essay

admin — Wed, 07 Nov 2012 13:06:07 +0000

A handful of recent interactions inspired this essay on mentoring:

Open publication – Free publishing – More illustration

Introducing the Toronto Poster Project

admin — Sat, 03 Nov 2012 12:20:27 +0000

Here’s the first in a brand new monthly poster series for the National Post Toronto section. Each month a new poster that will attempt to illuminate, beautify, iconify (is that a word?) our dear burg.

Halloween for Anti-Halloweenists

admin — Fri, 26 Oct 2012 14:31:50 +0000

Boo. I hate Halloween. But I love coming up with costume ideas for other people.

Assorted Design Work

admin — Wed, 24 Oct 2012 13:12:03 +0000

Posters and logos for an array of clients.