Plenty of Nothing

Pickup Truck, 2004

Drawing Water

Some of my favorite window shopping online is the vintage Japanese ehon available on ebay.  These books usually wind up selling for big bucks, so up till now I've contented myself with stealing images like this one of a three-volume set of woodcut renderings of water.  Nothing expresses coming-to-be and passing-away like an ocean wave, so it shouldn't be surprising that Japanese artists have thought long and hard about them.  But three volumes!  Click here for an article by graphic novelist Ben Towle on drawing water.  Douglas

Peace Tower

Sarah Glidden as a Pride of Lions

Sarah Glidden is best known for her comic How to Understand Israel In 60 Days Or Less, which is due to be reprinted by Vertigo Comics next year.  In the meanwhile go to her website and see the series of drawings of herself as a pride of lions.

Abbotsford Now On The Map

Obscured by all the noise about getting a seventh NHL franchise into Hamilton, Ontario, is the fact that Abbotsford, British Columbia, is about to join the small number of Canadian cities with pro hockey teams, when the Abbotsford Heat begin play in the AHL this fall.  They'll reside in the city's new 7018-seat Entertainment and Sports Centre and serve as top farm team to the Calgary Flames.  Given the NHL's determination to keep the Canadian content of their league at six teams or less, maybe a few more towns should look at the AHL.  Hey, Kingston, Ontario, they're gettin' ahead a ya!  For Abbotsford is now also a university town, home to the newly created University of the Fraser Valley.

Good Pun Bad Pun

A pun is a verbal construction that simultaneously conveys two distinct meanings.  A good, well-turned pun contains two senses that co-operate and reinforce one another, inculcating delight.

Figure 1 is an example of a good pun, specifically the Home Depot ad at the Braves' home field.  "Drill one here."  Yes!

Figure 2 is an example of a stupid pun.  The Ottawa CBC station has an arts program called "Creative Block", because, you see, it's about creative people, and also, it occupies a block of time.  You'll recall that Ottawa seriously considered adopting the slogan "Ottawa: Technically Beautiful", because, you know, the city is beautiful and has a lot of high tech industry. "Creative Block" and "Ottawa: Technically Beautiful" are akin to the driver who has turned the wrong way onto a one-way street, and is honking at the other cars.  (I've seen this.)  (In Ottawa.)  Dumb, and broadcasting the fact.

Check here for the Atlanta picture.

Emily Carr Naked In The Street

Once again the homeless Portrait Gallery of Canada is living on the street.

Garish

Another Poppy

Evangeline Brandt "Mens Sano In Corpore Sano"