February 1-5, 2011 (Patreon)

February 1, 2011
The morning was spent preparing tax information for our accountant.

The evening was spent at the Portland Opera's dress rehearsal of Turandot. Each production, they invite a dozen or so cartoonists to have a free meal at a fancy restaurant, a backstage tour of their stage, a viewing of the rehearsal itself, plus two tickets to opening night and in exchange we have to draw whatever catches our interest. They put the artwork on their website and urge us to do the same on our various sites and networks, I assume trying to stir up interest in the opera outside of their normal clientele. When I cashed in my opening night tickets last time it was... quite the culture shock. I mean, the performance was amazing (Pagliacci and Carmina Burana), but the people watching was absolutely fascinating.

February 2, 2011
Something's off in my head. The last few days, everything feels like an attack. It's completely irrational, I know, but no matter what anyone says to me I feel there's some kind of underhanded insult in there. 

I feel suspicious and paranoid and defensive and vulnerable.

February  3, 2011
Photoshoot with Elisa Lazo de Valdez (Visioluxus) today! She painted me with a concoction of charcoal mixed with body lotion and put a pair of stockings over my head. 

I love working with Elisa. Really, truly, genuinely love it. Even when she's planned a shoot out, they are always full of spontaneous ideas and energy. I love being dressed (...or painted, as the case may be) up and then doing interesting things with my body. Being a part of someone else's creative vision and process is so intensely refreshing to me personally, a re-charge to my own batteries. Well, after I recover from the complete energy drain I feel immediately after we finish, that is. 

More than the performing side, I also really appreciate the time I get to spend talking with Elisa. We see eye-to-eye on so many subjects, from making art to married life to being self-employed and so many other things. It's nice to talk to someone who "gets it", y'know? 

Plus, she makes me look good in photos, so, y'know, there's that.

(2018 Note: Here are some pictures from that photoshoot!)

February 4, 2011
Taken at Floating World Comics during Sarah Oleksyk's release party for Ivy, her first graphic novel that's just been released by Oni Press. Even though I've read all the individual minicomics she originally printed the story in over the years, when I sat down and read the book cover-to-cover that night I couldn't put it down. It's so good, so honest, so real. One of those books that stimulated so many different parts of my brain and emotions, making me both in awe of what she's crafted and... well, to be honest, horribly jealous at her skill. Just a really wonderful book.
(Photo by Matt)

February  5, 2011
Debut night of Turandot at the Portland Opera, to which I had complimentary tickets as a "member of the press". In exchange, my sketches from the dress rehearsal were on display, both pinned on that little fold-out wall and (off screen, on the left) rotating through on a big ol' monitor along with all the other contributions. During each of the three intermissions I stood behind that little table with my studiomates Terri Nelson and Ron Randall so we could answer people's questions regarding cartoonists and opera. 

It's a livin'!

(Photo by Matt)