(click to enlarge)
Irresistible distractions of a Google search
I’m drawing a fireplace mantle for this new project and I thought I’d like to punch up my drawing with a few details. So I do what I normally do. I search online images and find a few that work wonderfully. But I can’t just do that and move on to the next drawing, can I? Of course not. That would show discipline.
No, I have to focus on a black and white photo of a repulsive, zombie-like Santa with a child and a donkey. Text accompanying the image says, “10 Creepy Santas Whose Laps We Want…”, and now I have to know what’s after the dot-dot-dot and see all those creepy Santas. Obviously. Click. I’m looking at the column of photos. Oh, it’s as satisfying as I can imagine. Num num num num. I’m just eating up all the Santa creepiness. Delicious and ugly Santas. Underneath the last pic are suggestions of other time-wasting lists. “15 Celebrities With Physical Deformities.” Yep, I’m doing THAT now. There’s Seal, Damon Wayans, Ke$ha. Then I see Kate Bosworth, and I’m thinking, come on! Deformed?! Really? Differently coloured eyes constitute a deformity? Well, maybe the compiler of this list showed her editor the first draft without Kate Bosworth and was told to make it more sexy. I’m now completely consumed with imagined scenarios of the process by which this list is constructed. And I’m really not liking the imagined editor at this point, and want to stick up for the genius first draft.
Then I see Ashton Kutcher on the list of deformities. The accompanying text says he revealed his webbed toes on a BBC chat show hosted by Jonathan Ross. Straight to YouTube! And I type in “Ashton Kutcher Jonathon Ross”, and it autofills “webbed toes”. It AUTOFILLS webbed toes. A LOT of people have done this before me if it autofills webbed toes. In the video clip, Kutcher takes off his socks, puts his foot on the host’s desk and Jonathan Ross brings a little travel pair of scissors dramatically close to the webbed toes and…
Do you have to know what comes after the dot-dot-dot? Did you stop reading this to find out? I don’t blame you.
But what is this all for? That’s the state I’m now in. Embarrassed and self-critical for giving in to such pointless distraction.
Alright, I’m done with the momentary self-pity. Time to regroup, and on to my next drawing. I need an image of a Victorian bicycle. Over to Google I go and…what’s that? A dog riding a bicycle? And there are videos of other animals peddling little bikes? Better see what YouTube has to say about that…
Check out my last published book and other fun things on my online shop:
You can’t please everyone
Oh boy, oh boy, it’s time for fan mail! I’ll take a look at the ol’ Facebook message box. I got one! Let’s see what it says:
I love fan mail!
I’ll start with my humble thanks. I’m not being sarcastic. Seriously, thank you, dear critic. Although veiled, this is a huge compliment. To be compared with someone as uniquely talented and accomplished as Edward Gorey is a compliment of the highest order.
Next, let me address my critic’s question of where my work originates. I guess my brain?
My critic is not the first to compare me with Edward Gorey. Gorey is an obvious influence. Dark humour is a very small niche category and Mr. Gorey has made a staggering mark as one of the greats. My black pen drawings and affinity for short poems make comparison easy.
My drawing of the legendary Edward Gorey, originally posted on Facebook February 22, 2010
While I’m carving out my place in the world, it’s inevitable that I will be compared with others more famous and established. It’s human nature to categorize, and it works in my favour. It helps people figure me out, and hopefully helps publishers and shops categorize my work so it reaches a broader audience. Since I started exhibiting at literary festivals and comic conventions nearly two years ago I have heard hundreds of comparisons. Edward Gorey comes up. Tim Burton. Charles Addams. Shel Silverstein. Roald Dahl. Heinrich Hoffmann. On a few occasions I have been compared with Edward Lear, a sentimental favourite of mine.
I am indebted to those who came before me. They paved the way to give my work a frame of reference. They made whimsical, weird and dark humour my happy home.
This is the point where I insert a little note. Here’s my “but”, if you will. While I remain humble in the shadows of Gorey, Burton and Addams, there is a point when every creator must assert that his work stands on its own merit. I acknowledge the greatness of others because their work is truly awe-inspiring and deserves recognition. But, I don’t think I need to acknowledge the greatness of others in order to give my own work legitimacy.
I have fans that have never read a book by Edward Gorey, and appreciate my work. What my critic might find interesting is that I have fans that are the most loyal Edward Gorey fanatics you could meet, and they appreciate my work just the same. One of the reasons I keep doing this is the resoundingly positive and encouraging feedback I receive. Every creator endeavors to find his medium, and this is mine. I am bursting with passion for the work I do. If you’ve read recent posts on this blog you know that I am shopping for an agent with my fourth book, and I am currently working on my fifth. I have filled many notebooks and sketchbooks with scribblings, so you can be sure to expect a lot more from me.
And if you want to share your thoughts and comments, please feel free. I appreciate the feedback.
Adventures in agent hunting
Full disclosure – Please read the following for what it is: an author who knows nothing about the publishing world and jumps eagerly into his research online. This is not a criticism of the industry. I’m far too new to publishing to presume an opinion. Rather, the following is my experience trying to decipher legitimate online advice from bunkum, which is difficult for a novice who can’t recognize credentials and gets thousands of results with a simple search engine question. I can only imagine what seasoned agents think of some of the stuff online. Please read to the end for my epilogue. That’s my preamble. Here’s my article:
My search for a literary agent is enlightening, to say the least. Cyberspace is bloated with heaps and mounds of “expert” advice on how to format a submission and how to find the right agent. I don’t think it’s a stretch to assume that expert advice should, by definition, come from an expert. Apparently, that is an egregious assumption. Online “publishing expertise” is a big, faceless, foggy swamp of quicksand that swallows hopeful new authors whole, and drags them to a bottomless pit of blind contradiction and wrongy-wrongness.
People who know me think I’m a calm and happy person. I am. Normally. But something about my experience spelunking the depths of publishing has sprouted a Lewis Black persona with the outrage knob turned to 11.
What I was hoping for when I started this journey was to find an industry standard that I could use as a template to fashion my own professional approach. After some dedicated research, I found the standard I was looking for. I was so relieved. Now I could speak the language of publishing and meet industry-seasoned agents as peers. I thought publishy thoughts, like drafting a “query”, and formatting a relevant author bio. Boy, was I happy.
Then I found another standard and it was really different. But that couldn’t be right, could it? Oh yeah, it was. This other standard had things under the “DON’T” header that were in the other expert’s “DO” list. One expert’s standard practice was another’s amateur misstep. And then I found more standards written by other experts.
I have a theory for all this contradiction. I think there are two enormous forces that publishing has spawned. Think of the forces as two raging storm fronts barreling through the sky towards each other at a frightening velocity. One storm front is made of a billion clouds of mediocre talent, each dressed in a clown suit and screaming bloody murder in the hopes of standing out from the crowd of other mediocre screaming clown clouds. The other storm is made of a billion hoops made by agents who use past success to find future success. Each hoop swirls in a frantic, unpredictable pattern and constantly changes shape and size and sometimes disappears. When the two storm fronts meet, the clowns try desperately to jump through the hoops, and the hoops are doing everything to avoid the clowns, and the noise and the hurricane winds whip the clowns and hoops into a thunderous tumult that cracks the earth and rains sadness and rejection on wounded egos. Then these wounded egos cry and write dumb advice online.
It’s a theory. At least the outrage is out of my system now.
I haven’t found an agent yet, but I’m not giving up. My new book must find a home.
Epilogue – While it’s hard for the novice author to verify the legitimacy of certain expert advice online, I have managed to find truly helpful instruction. All legitimate agent sites have specific and easy to understand instruction on unsolicited submissions. It’s a matter of spotting and discarding the other skewed information. While it sounds obvious, it seems the best approach is patient research with a critical mind. The comments and suggestions I have read from working agents have been the most helpful. They sometimes contradict each other, but it makes sense when you consider the fact that a gardening book specialist has requirements that are very different from an infant picture book specialist.
Sample illustration from my new book. I hope to find an agent soon so this can be published!
I’m now available in shops!
For the past few years, my books have been available for purchase exclusively online. That will change as of now. I’m starting with independent shops like Big B Comics in Hamilton, Ontario.
I was introduced to Big B last week by my good friend Josh. It’s a wonderful shop filled with everything you’d imagine a comic shop could have. The shop even has a basement crammed with thousands of $2 comics. I picked up a few Groo comics by the inimitable Sergio Aragones. I’m also a sucker for classic Mad magazines and they had plenty. I grabbed a couple of early 1970s issues from the basement. I was tempted by some that were much older, better condition and a little more pricey, but I’ve learned to bring in only what I can consume.
Browsing the newer comics, I couldn’t resist picking up a couple illustrated by my college classmate, Chip Zdarsky. One being the much-lauded Sex Criminals, volume one, illustrated by Zdarsky and written by Matt Fraction. I’ll have to get some signatures on this at the next comic convention.
You can visit Big B at 1045 Upper James Street, just off Lincoln Alexander Pkwy. They are currently stocked with my soft covers.
Next, I’m heading to some favourite Toronto shops. If you want to recommend your favourite bookstore or comic shop in southern Ontario, just send me a message and I’ll check it out.
Bryan Cranston has no attachment to an outcome
Something has been stuck in my head for a few days. I was in my studio one evening and I found a YouTube video of Marc Maron interviewing Bryan Cranston from 2011.
This YouTube video is from Maron’s podcast, WTF. Cranston is talking about the typical progression of an actor’s career and relating it to his own, and then this beautiful moment happens:
Marc Maron: Were there points in the career where you were like, this isn’t happening fast enough or this isn’t working out?
Bryan Cranston: No.
Marc: Really?
Bryan: No.
Marc: That’s amazing, sort of, determination.
Bryan: Well, I think it’s because I didn’t have any attachment to an outcome. I think when people enter this business with that, like, you’ll hear people say, “I’m going to give it a year. I’m going to give it a good, solid year, and if I haven’t made it by then…” , and I’m saying, what do you mean? What’s “make it?” What does that mean, “made it?” Everybody has their different idea. But that’s attaching your life to an outcome. But if you love this artform and you commit your life to it, then all you really want is opportunity to be able to make a living. It’s never A to B to C to D. It’s always a different way.
That’s what has been stuck in my head: Bryan Cranston describing how someone gives their life’s passion “a shot” before giving up on it forever. I just picture a vibrant and smiling young actor ready to take on the world at the outset of his acting career, and then flash forward to same person twelve months later with slumped shoulders and a defeated scowl, shuffling off to a job that he will hate and resent for the rest of his life. All because he made up an arbitrary goal with an even more arbitrary deadline that he’s (also arbitrarily) decided will define the rest of his life.
Cranston points out the stupid trap so many of us build around ourselves. We take this beautiful, pure thing that we love to do and we mess it up with self-criticism, comparison with others, and a lot of rules about how to achieve it.
In my own experience, this rings so true. Starting something new means that any goal I define is likely loaded with misconceptions and misguided assumptions.
Failure is just a dumb thing that you tell yourself to believe. The good news is you don’t have to. I like Cranston’s approach: commit your life to something you love right now, and don’t attach yourself to an outcome.
Before I end this post, I thought I’d give a bit of a teaser for my new book. I’m being careful with how much I reveal, so bear with me. This is a photo of all the book’s finished drawings in a stack on my studio floor. I want to show you more so stay tuned.
This is it! All the artwork for my new book is in this stack of illustration boards.
My secret book revealed! Well, part of it, anyway.
Thanks to all who came out to my art exhibition reception on Sunday. I appreciate your support. It was wonderful chatting with everyone and reconnecting with folks I haven’t seen in a while.
It’s time that I tell you about a book that I’ve been working on in secret for quite some time now. If I count the very first rough draft and sketches from which the book spawned, it has been seven years in the making, possibly more. I’m happy to announce that the book is complete. Like my other books, this has been a labour of love and I can’t wait to share it with you! Unfortunately, I can’t make it available just yet because I’m not publishing it myself. I’m shopping this one around to literary agents, trying to find that special someone in the publishing world who understands what I do and can distribute the book to the world.
This announcement amounts to little more than an unveiling of a promise that a new book is coming. I wish I could say more, and when the time seems right, I will.
In the meantime, I can reveal a couple of the graphics that appear in the book. 
This is how I draw many of the little graphic bits and pieces for my books — just floating freely in a sketchbook. I then scan the drawing and move it around in InDesign when it’s time to do the layout.
Stay tuned. This publishing journey has just begun.
Just a reminder that if you want to see, or indeed, buy original artwork from my published book “Dwellers of Lurching Swill”, it’s on display at Vesuvio Pizzeria & Spaghetti House until July 14. You can find the restaurant’s address and other info by clicking here.
Artwork is hung
My fantastic mother-in-law, Helen looked after the kids while Jaime and I hung my artwork in Vesuvio Pizzeria & Spaghetti House. Thank you Helen! Couldn’t have done it without you. Below are some photos from the set-up.
Here’s a link to the exhibition details. Reception is Sunday, June 8, 3-5pm.
Please note: If you wish to stay and eat after the reception please call ahead and reserve a table. Phone number is (416) 763-4191.
If you would like to be notified about my future exhibitions and events, please email dhsoelberg@gmail.com
Countdown to Sunday…
Art exhibition starts today
I’m ready with supplies for my show, which starts today. Pictured from left to right are the artwork tags, my artist statement, and a sample of the published book. The book will be available at the bar for restaurant patrons to read.
Artwork is framed and ready to hang for my exhibition at Vesuvio Pizzeria & Spaghetti House! My wife Jaime has become crucial to my exhibition preparation. She helps with the framing and hanging to make each show a breeze to set up. I most definitely could not do it without her. We will be hanging the artwork in the restaurant this afternoon.
I have a long and happy history with Vesuvio. When I started out as an exhibiting artist nearly ten years ago, my work caught the eye of the owner, Piera. Piera has graciously invited me to exhibit in her restaurant every year since then and I am thrilled to do it. She is a fabulous host and her customers are incredibly supportive and receptive to my work. It’s a beautiful relationship that is blissful and effortless.
Artwork is framed and patiently waiting on my floor.
The show this time around consists of original artwork from my most recent publication “Dwellers of Lurching Swill.” Each artwork includes the poem associated with it. This is the fourth and last instalment of artwork from the book. Piera has told me that patrons routinely get up from their tables and walk around the restaurant to read all the poems. The most common question asked by diners? “Is this artwork from a book?” Because the book is now published there will be a copy of it at the bar for everyone to read. You can see sample pages and purchase your own copy at my online store. Click this link to check it out.
The second most asked question is “Do you have prints of the artworks?” I can now answer YES! This show marks the first time that I will have signed prints of every artwork. $15 for each print or two for $25. I will be adding the prints to my online store soon.
Reception is this Sunday, June 8, 3-5pm. Details are below, and you can let me know that you’ll be attending on my Facebook event by clicking here.
Art Exhibition June 2 – July 14
My first exhibition of artwork from the book “Dwellers of Lurching Swill” in November, 2011
Over the past two and a half years, I have been exhibiting artwork from the book “Dwellers of Lurching Swill” at Vesuvio Pizzeria & Spaghetti House. It’s been a gradual reveal of a work in progress. I have literally been exhibiting the artwork as I finish it. The book is finally done and my upcoming exhibition is the big finale! It’s been an exciting journey and I’m thrilled to see it come to a successful close. It is my great pleasure to invite you to this event. At the reception on June 8th, I will have the finished book in soft cover and hard cover available for sale. I’m also doing something new: I will have signed prints of every original piece of art on display.
Details of the exhibition are below. Vesuvio Pizzeria contact info and map are here. Please join me!
Dan Holst Soelberg 