Month: January 2010

I sent off 32 pieces of art to Spectrum the other day. Spectrum is an annual compendium of the best sci-fi/fantasy art created each year.

Its standards are high; it’s very tough to get in each year. I usually submit 24 pieces and get just three to five in each year.

I’ve happily won a number of Spectrum awards which is one of the coolest award designs ever, a sort of Lovecraftian pyramid.

I was a judge one year and was highly impressed by how fair and non-political the judging is. Cathy and Arnie Fenner do a great job of keeping the judging fast, fun, fair and efficient. And they host great meals in the evenings!

Our rains here in southern California seem to be over for awhile. My front porch faces the San Gabriel Mountains (I live near the foothills). They’re beautifully dusted with snow right now. The air is crisp and clear; cold, but not wet anymore. I’ll be painting on my front porch every day until the end of the month (big painting deadline). If you drive by and see me, wave!

Last night my wife and I saw a wonderful play, Brian Friel’s Molly Sweeney. The award-winning Irish playwright’s drama about what it means to see has been re-envisioned in this Los Angeles production. It is worth attending if only to experience the astonishing, intelligent and incandescent performance by Melina Bielefelt as Molly. I was riveted throughout the performance by Friel’s compelling tale about a blind Irish lass given a chance at regaining her sight.

I wish you all could have the opportunity to see this incredible show. It’s at the tiny Son of Semele Theatre, 3301 Beverly Blvd. in Los Angeles (not too far from Alvarado).

This is the final weekend with Saturday night performances nearly sold out. Their Sunday matinee is selling well too. They just added one more performance on Sunday Evening at 7:00 pm.

Tickets are still available to all performances, so reserve your seats fast!

http://www.facebook.com/l/41f2e;www.brownpapertickets/event/86716

Here are some brief critical comments on this intimate production:
LA Weekly – “GO!”

“…a tender, profound staging of Brian Friel’s Molly Sweeney…”
“…intercut personal arias that are so rich in local color and composition…(Melina) Bielefelt’s Molly has an intoxicating mix of intelligence and tenderness.”
– Steven Leigh Morris, LA Weekly

“Randee Trabitz directs her excellent ensemble on a stage divided by two translucent scrims.”
– Amy Nicholson, LA Weekly

“Molly Sweeney is such a beautifully constructed play, but very tricky; director Randee Trabitz and stand out performers made it all look effortless.”
– Jennie Webb

According to this morning’s Los Angeles Times, the new Fox TV show I participated in, Our Little Genius, will not premiere this Wednesday as previously scheduled.

Mark Burnett, the show’s producer, has decided to reshoot the episodes.

I may be called back to participate in the reshoots; I don’t know yet.

Meanwhile, I just completed the cover art to two new collections of my fantasy work coming out this Spring from Flesk Publications. Randy Dahlk has already taken my cover art for the first book and has designed a gorgeous cover. I’ve been seeing my Flesk dinosaur books, Dinosaur Discoveries and New Dinosaurs A to Z in lots of bookshops now.

It is heartening to see the kids book (A to Z) so enthusiastically embraced by budding dinosaur fans.

I’m still getting lots of orders for both books (as well as my murals book) from this site and I’m still drawing a sketch in each ordered book.

Thank you!

Happy New Year!

This is just a quick heads-up for Stout collectors (I know you’re out there…because I can smell your brains!*).

Check out the latest issue of the UK magazine Record Collector (#371, January 2010). On pp. 10-11 there’s an article on my friend, rock photographer Ross Halfin. The spread is not on his brilliant photography, though. It’s on his music collection which includes the largest collection of the original art to my bootleg record album covers in the world. Eight different covers appear fully or partially in the accompanying photos.

Ross also has a few very nice things to say about me and my work.

Record Collector is one of my favorite magazines (along with Q and Mojo); I’m proud to have some of my work included in Ross’ profile.

* The Return of the Living Dead dialogue reference.