Jay's Shows

Jay has been busy doing comic and Geek shows with his company, LarsenGeekery.
He also blogs much more regularly at www.LarsenGeekery.com.
And he is active on Facebook.

See you in Portland

Dr. Doom, watercolor 18x24', by Jay Larsen.
Jay and LarsenGeekery will be at Rose City Comic Con September 21 & 22nd.

Recent Art Commission for me Amigo

Ole, I say!

I recently created a poster for Matthew C. Weiss' Internet Opera Project,
The Adventures of Don Carlos.
He wanted cheesy old time western in Spanish California with a musical theme.
Well at least the art is the color of cheese! 8-)
Matt's project is just getting started, so go check it out as it grows.
I hear there will be music and everything.
Viva Don Carlos, the cheesiest music teacher in the West!
-- Jay Larsen

Fossils Vs Rocks

LarsenGeekery will be appearing at Pacific Nerd West, May 10 &12th 2013, Pacific NerdWest 13 - Bellingham WA

Smokin in Bed

I hear it can be dangerous,

Smokin in Bed, by Jay Larsen

Do Robots Get the Flu?

Not many posts lately.  There has been an outbreak of Robot Warfare in the Pacific Northwest.  But several visits to the local mad scientist and a wizzo ray gun or two and things are starting to look up again.  I'm sure the Coast Guard or the Navy will be able to tow the hulking remains of the Japanese Super Robot out of Puget Sound without too much environmental degradation or negative impact to international shipping.  Oh, and before I forget, a big thank you to the Air Force for letting us modify that top-secret drone.  When it [REDACTED DUE TO NATIONAL SECURITY CONCERNS], wow!  That was something!
Well, back to the old work-a-day routine, sans killer robots.

Blue You

Emerging from a blue dream. 
Submerging into the wild blue that is you. 
One more breath and then we shall sea.
 -- Jay Larsen, 2013

I Took On a Challenge

I took on a challenge and the challenge took November.

There is this November Novel Writing thing every year where people try to write a novel in one month.
I decided to write, draw, letter and publish a comic book in one month, November.
This November.  So I have been really busy (self inflicted) but I almost have a comic book finished, so there is that!
No, I did not make a Godzilla comic.
I made an Emperor Jack comic!

More on that later.  There are still a few days in November left...

Don't Get Consumed By Consumption

If you must shop on Black Friday, be safe.
And enjoy those leftovers!
A Public Service Announcement from Comic Mashup Theater and LarsenGeekery.com

Coffee Hero of Canton Greeting Card

Just finished designing a new Coffee Hero Greeting Card just in time for Geek Fest 2012, a concert and vendor fair put on by Seattle Browncoats Charities. 
The show will be in Shoreline, WA this year, and it has expanded to two full days.

Shoreline Conference Center, 18560 1st Ave NE, Shoreline, WA 98155 on December 15 & 16, 2012. Hours: Saturday: 10 a.m. – 6 p.m., Sunday: 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.

This Coffee Hero Card available in our LarsenGeekery Etsy Store and we will be bringing some to the show.

This year is also the 10th Anniversary of Firefly, the Joss Whedon TV Show that featured the irascible Jayne Cobb, the Hero of Canton and owner of the most famous hat in all of Geekdom, the Jayne Hat. 

I hope the Browncoats like the design.

And although Jayne Cobb drinks his coffee with Xiongmao Niao, I don't recommend it.  Only Mudders drink that stuff.

-- Jay Larsen

Get Ready for Geek Fest

LarsenGeekery will be vending at Geek Fest 2012, a concert and vendor fair put on by Seattle Browncoats Charities. 
The show will be in Shoreline, WA this year, and it has expanded to two full days.

Shoreline Conference Center, 18560 1st Ave NE, Shoreline, WA 98155 on December 15 & 16, 2012. Hours: Saturday: 10 a.m. – 6 p.m., Sunday: 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.

We attended the show last year and had a great time.  Listened to great Geek Music and did some Christmas shopping for the geeks in our lives (and there are lots of them, let me tell you).  This year we are excited to be showing our complete line of Geekery Art and Gear.

The Browncoats are a fan group based around the popular show and movie Firefly (and Serenity) by Joss Whedon.  

Proceeds from this year’s event will support Urban Rest Stop, which provides shower and laundry facilities to those in need, and Food Lifeline, which feeds the hungry in western Washington.

So make plans to go to the show.  And wear your Jayne Hat!

(new image by Jay Larsen.  What do you think?  Should it be a poster?)

The Secret is Out!

The Secret is Out!  You can get one of these in a New York minute.
Just visit our LarsenGeekery Etsy Shop to order your very own
You're Smashing! Happy Hulk Greeting Card
Designed by Jay Larsen

If you need more than just a handful of greeting cards, feel free to contact Jay directly.
Use our Contact Us link.
We've been shipping cards to Oakland, St. Louis, Seattle and points in between.  (Hey, East Coast when you going to get in on the fun?)

Our Etsy Shop has the full line of Posters and Prints, as well as Greeting Cards and lots of great 3-D gear as well, Totes, Purses, etc., etc.  So get browsing and shopping or Hulk might get angry.  And you won't like Hulk when he is angry!

Stop Freaking!
Keep on Geeking!

Sam's Tattoo

Here is a pic of Sam's great Big Barda tattoo.

And the sketch I did for her at Bellingham Comicon.

Bellingham ComiCon was a Blast!

Went to Bellingham ComiCon last Saturday and had a Blast!

For an artist, there is nothing like having people pay you to take home your art.
So as an artist, I would like to thank the people who took a liking to my doodles and took them home last Saturday.
I got asked to draw some commission sketches live at the show:  Carlos wanted a Hal Jordan Green Lantern.  So here he is, coming at ya!

And Sam had a really cool tattoo of Jack Kirby's Big Barda.  So she asked me to make her a Big Barda she could frame and put on her wall.  Drawing Kirby characters is always a blast.  I love that old-school 4-color comic look.

Sold a bunch of my new Greeting Cards and some Posters.
And I also sold a bunch of my 5x7 mini watercolors.
Drew a couple of new ones during the show as well: Kite flying monsters and a Scarlet Witch that just turned Doctor Doom into a pumpkin for Halloween.

I hope everybody enjoys their art as much as I enjoyed making it.

I have more photos of the show at LarsenGeekery.com
Oh, and I got interviewed for the local news as well.  Go read the article at Komo News.
And Evelyn sold a lot of her bags and pouches as well.

Pretty exciting all the way around.
A well run show with a great bunch of vendors and artists, and lots of really great fans.
Thanks to everybody involved with the show.
I am already looking forward to next year.
-- Jay Larsen

Get Some Gear at the Bellingham Comicon 2012

This Saturday LarsenGeekery will be exhibiting at the Bellingham ComiCon 12 - Bellingham WA.

10am to 5pm at the Ferndale Events Center.

This is a great family-friendly comic book show.  Details at the Comicon Website.

I will have all my original comics, art and poster there for sale.

If you can't go to the show, you can shop online at the LarsenGeekery Store.

Strange Days are Numbered 7

The mini countdown continues.
7 Days to go until  GeekGirlCon '12.
And this 5x7 mini will be waiting in Booth 307. That's a lot of 7s!.  Doctor Strange, Sorcerer Supreme of miniature watercolors.  In the LarsenGeekery booth along with lots of other magical stuff.

By the Black Mat of Blackmattington, you shall be ready for framing by the time the show arrives, so-called Sorcerer Supreme!  So says Lazy Jay Larsen, Geekery Gargantuan!

Looks like Stephan is making the mystical hand signal for "I Love You!"

So, I guess that makes me the Villain.  Mhuaa-Ha-Ha!!!!

Music Killer

Music Killer
In the wires
In the home
I started this
You can’t even finish it
Seen him in the streets
Like most things
Unspoken
Fa fa fa far better
Vain and blind
In the wires
In the home
Cut me in half
Give me a bandaid
Music Killer

----------------------------------

Credits: Words and Collage by Jay Larsen

With appologies to Adam Ant and David Byrne

Camo Chick Photo from my Brother's Blog

Stalin’s Bed Chamber

I have a new paper
You really should read it
Contains only the truth
And wise insight
In equal measure

I have a new song
You really should hear it
Used only the good notes
And minor chords
In equal measure

I have a new suit
You really should see it
Fabulous fabrics
And stylish cut
In equal measure

I have a new dance
You really should try it
Like stepping on bugs
With stiletto boots

Singing paper
Dancing suit
Equally hard to measure

Ulynov, what is to be done?
Draw my bath
And turn down the bed
Comrade

Coffin Bubble Nail Gun

Lordy mama
Friend of mine
Knotty pine
Hairy rama

Mighty fine
Carnate llama
Buckin brahma
Traffic sign

Strangers meet
Hostile food
Raising brood
Sugar beet

Killing mood
Leaden feet
Cutting peat
Knock on wood

Cutting brood
Hostile wood
Mighty llama
Lordy mama

A Note to The Reader

All the characters in my stories are based on real people and other peoples’ fictional characters. I have stolen them all and mutilated them in my own sadistic ways. All the places in my stories are based on real places and other peoples’ fictional places. None of the events in my stories are original inventions; they are all based on real events and on other peoples’ stories. None of the ideas expressed in my stories are original ideas; the ideas are all collected from other people. Any mishandling or mangling of the ideas, people, places or events is purely my doing. I only take credit for the particular and peculiar configuration of these stolen elements. This admission of artistic thievery may not be common, mainly because lawyers write the disclaimers at the front of books, but I think most artists will secretly agree with me. As a writer and artist I will beg, borrow and steal anything and everything I need to tell my story.

You should not read my stories (or blog entries) if you are looking for flashes of creative originality. I do believe in creative originality, but I have found them to be brief, unpredictable and extremely rare. I have been fortunate enough to have experienced a few of those lightning flashes of originality, personally and in others. The light from those rare events is blinding and indescribable. For a brief timeless moment the boundaries of who we are as individuals and as a species cracks and expands and through those cracks comes a dangerous and elemental light that illuminates what was previously in shadow and causes us to flinch away while at the same time we hunger for more. The lightning proves for one radiant moment that the limitations of who we are is only the boundary of our previous unfolding and that luminous glimpse reveals an infinite space that we may one day hope to grow into.

My stories are not original. Lightning cannot be captured by words or concepts. If I am lucky I can feel the rumble of the thunder and cast back a few weak echoes tangled up in the limited glue that is language and image. What gets captured is never the actual “thing.” Defining anything limits that thing; it puts boundaries around it that do not exist in the real world. But these limited perspectives, these stick figures and thin outlines have to be enough. Hopefully my thunder echoes are enough to orient your inner ear and eye toward the thunder available to you in your journey of unfolding. And I sincerely hope that you will not flinch too much or run away when the lighting cracks the boundaries of your life and your concepts.

One of the greats of jazz, I think it was Dizzy Gillespie, once said something very interesting. I am not going to go to the trouble of looking up this saying and confirming that it was actually Dizzy, for me the idea is more important than the source. The fact that the idea has stuck with me and become part of my inner collection seems much more relevant than the mundane facts of who said what on what day to whom. And I guess that reveals something about how I work, how I collect ideas and images, how I tumble them around in my head until some of them pop out shiny and beautiful even as their origins are lost to the hazy fog of memory. Any way, the saying that might have been Dizzy’s placed in quotation marks that do not imply precise citation in any way: “Don’t go into jazz unless you just cannot imagine living life without making music every day. Only do it because you will not be you if you do not. Don’t go into music expecting to make a living, or to be appreciated. People will not appreciate what you are doing and the industry does a horrible job of supporting musicians. The life of a musician is too hard. If you can avoid it, stay away. But if you can’t imagine your life without music, then good luck to you. You are on your own.”

I have heard similar statements from writers, politicians, painters, clergymen, architects, dancers, from almost every profession and definitely from every type of artist. Don’t create art, don’t go into this job, expecting it to support you and your ego’s needs for attention. There are much easier ways to make a living. Only do this thing if you cannot avoid doing it. But if you are going to do it, give it everything you can and magical things might happen.

So I tell stories. I can’t help it. I speak them. I sing them. I draw and paint them. I write them down. I even think stories to myself in my head when no one else is listening. I admit to secret wishful stories where I am a famous and respected author or artist. But when I am being as honest with myself as I can be, I know that my compulsion to tell stories does not place any obligation on other human beings. As much as I look over my shoulder while writing or drawing, hoping to see a receptive face, I realize that you do not have to read my words or look at my squiggles. Yet here I am, typing, putting words together trying to capture echoes in a thin net of grammar and syntax. If you are reading I must confess a secret desire for a reaction of some kind: let me know if you love it or hate it. Apathy is the hardest silence to endure as an artist. But know that I know this: my act of creative collage, my collection of semi random bits of the universe displayed in words and images, puts you under no obligation whatsoever. None.

So take it our leave it. Your life is your own. You can collect your shiny bits in any way you see fit. My stories are here because of me. They don’t have to mean anything to you. But still, I secretly hope that you will see the sparkle of light caught in their clumsy presentation and that the echoes of the thunder will cause you to gaze at the horizon and hope for a glimpse of the lightning.

Still with me? My apologies. Go and unfold your life as well as you are able. I wish you well.