6th Circle: a comic for freaks and geeks (and the folks who love 'em)

Launched just this month, 6th Circle is a new weekly web comic set in a San Francisco tattoo/piercing parlor. The brainchild of stand-up comedian Jackson McBrayer and artist Xander Kent, 6th Circle is a blend of biting social commentary, geeky pop culture references, and metalhead shenanigans. In a word: awesome.

Full disclosure: Xander is my brother, who is a ridiculously talented artist, IMHO. Crafty folks, check out his blog post on his hand-printed stickers, which should be popping up in tattoo parlors and comic book shops around San Francisco.

Eye: Rearview Mirror

Rearview Mirror
Originally uploaded by Zhad_Squad

Taken in front of the American Visionary Art Museum in Baltimore, MD.

A truly inspiring museum for works by self-taught artists, filled with whimsical creations ranging from art quilts to microscopic sculptures carved into pencil leads. You can't help but be inspired here.

Hand: "Tea Time" Shadowbox

This is something I've actually been holding onto for a long time, since late July, to be exact.

It's a shadowbox I made for my Mama's birthday in August, but upon completing it I deemed it far too fragile to ship. So, I held onto it until I could give it to her in person...which wasn't until she and Dad came up to visit for Thanksgiving.

She truly loved it, which I'm so happy about!



I cut the little table out of craft felt, and detailed it with backstiches. The flowers are from a lace trim, which I carefully cut out, and sewed on with seed beads in the center.

The tea set is a trio of pewter buttons I found in a shop on Haight Street, and were the inspiration for the whole project.

The background is layered craft paper and vellum.



The mat was a lucky find, since it matches the buttons so well!

I've mentioned previously how much my Mama and I love going to tea, so this was my little way of always being able to give her a tea party, even when I'm far away (awwww...).

Hand: Living Room Gallery

Birthday Suits

Exactly a year ago today, I hung these paintings on my living room wall. It was a birthday present to myself. Not because they were a gift, per say, but because I had created them...finishing the series of four I had conceptualized more than two years before.

It was the first time I'd finished a genuine series of paintings.

I've since taken an involved painting class and completed many more, but these are special, and still hang on my wall (though my living room looks no where near as spiffy clean).



Please ignore the TV antenna in the detail picture.

It began with the heart, and finished with the diamond. A metaphorical way to sum up the year. Since then, there have been flowers, trees, cakes and a beating heart (of the human variety) committed to canvas in acrylic, with varying levels of success and commendation. I don't know exactly what that means for the last year, except that it was very, very full.

As I hope the next one will be.