It’s been a while. I’ve been busy with assorted offline activities.
Good news, I have brand new work to upload. In the next few days, most likely the weekend, I’ll post some new comic/sequential content. Late December I’ll begin updating on this blog again.
In the meantime, I’d like to thank everyone who contributed to my Patreon, brought from my re-opened Etsy shop, purchased from RedBubble, and supported my webcomic. I don’t promote my Patreon or my other channels as much as I should. Thanks to offline responsibilities, I had to put my WEBTOON series on the side. In a week I’m going to pick up where I left off.
Other news. Was pleasantly surprised by a positive review of my last printed comic, The Temptation of Squeaky, which I published last year.
Two of my illustrations were published in a local zine, simply titled Ridgewood Zine. Available locally. Details in another blog post.
I designed a logo for a wonderful lady, who has her own shop. Nightbird Enchanted.
As for my radio show, I made the decision to put it on hold until further notice. Basically I wanted to get back to my own artwork. Simple as that.
Until then, Happy Holidays, Hanukkah, Festivus, Krampusnacht, and all that good stuff.
This is extremely short notice. This Tuesday, July 30th, 2019, I will be giving a small talk about my illustrations and artwork at the monthly Trans-Cen-Der. The event runs from 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm. The location is at Brooklyn Fire Proof in Bushwick, Brooklyn NY. There will be four other artists as well, working in all mediums. Admission is free but seating is limited.
Monthly Trans-Cen-Der artist event/lecture at Brooklyn Fire Proof, in Bushwick, Brooklyn NY.
This Saturday will be a busy day. During the day I’ll have a table at the Trashland Zinefest II, located at The Footlight in Ridgewood, Queens NY. Admission is free, the event runs from 2:00 pm – 6:00 pm. I’ll be selling my comics, greeting cards and other items.
Poster for the Trashland Zinefair II, taking place at The Footlight NYC. Located in Ridgewood, Queens NY. Event August 3rd, 2019.
At Trashland Zinefest II, copies of my latest comic The Temptation of Squeaky will be on sale. Drop by my table and buy your own copy.
The Temptation of Squeaky. Latest comic from artist and writer Michele Witchipoo, on WitchesBrewPress. 2019.
On Saturday evening, I will be attending the MF Gallery opening party for their Rocky Horror Picture Show art exhibit. Opening party is from 7:00 pm – 10:00 pm. Costumes and Rocky Horror cosplay is encouraged. There will be a screening of the classic cut film as well.
MF Gallery’s flyer for The Rocky Horror Picture Show art exhibit. Opening party Sat. Aug. 3rd, 2019 in Brookyn, NY.
Below is the painting I did for the Rocky Horror art exhibit. It’s classic Dr. Frank-N-Futer. The mediums were acrylic paint and glitter, inside a refurbished vintage wooden frame.
Painting of Dr. Frank-N-Futer, main protagonist of the classic cult film The Rocky Horror Picture Show. Mediums: acrylic paint and glitter, inside a refurbished vintage wooden frame. Painting by Michele Witchipoo, July 2019. Painting for sale.
If you’re local in the NYC area, then come down to at least one of these events.
This past weekend in NYC was an oppressive, blistering heatwave. It impacted the majority of the East Coast to the Midwest of the U.S. If you were local, and wasn’t impacted by any blackout, you were lucky. Either way we all sweated our asses off. Global warming baby – embrace nature at it’s worse!
But you know…as I’m typing this blog post, with perspiration dripping down my face, the last thing I want to do is talk about this heatwave. It’ll only make me hotter. I’m sure you feel the same way too. Therefore let’s focus on something else; Apollo 11. The 50th anniversary of the U.S. moon landing.
Which leads us to the Psycho Bunny sketch of the week for July 21st, 2019. Posting this sketch early. This week will be a little tad on the busy side.
Psycho Bunny lands on the moon. The 50th anniversary of U.S. landing of the moon. July 2019. Based on the comic written and drawn by Michele Witchipoo, on WitchesBrewPress.
If you haven’t read my previous posts, I will be selling my latest comic “The Temptation of Squeaky” at Trashland Zine Fest II. Saturday Aug. 3rd, from 2 – 6pm. Admission free., location in Ridgewood, Queens at The Footlight. Afterwards in Brooklyn, there’s going to be an opening party at MF Gallery, for the Rocky Horror Picture Show. I’ll be one of the artists showing work. There’s also going to be a screening of the classic cult film, costumes and other goodies. Waiting word for a third event on a different day.
This Saturday I’ll be at this one day zine fest happening near L.I.C., Queens, NYC. It’s free admission from 2-6pm, located at 34-09 Queens Blvd & 43rd Avenue.
Flyer for the Artist & Craftsman Zine Fest happening in L.I.C., Queens NY on Saturday June 24th, 2017.
So I’m finally trying to get my website together. Here I was, typing my bio to post on my future website. As I was listing stuff I’ve done, I remembered contributing artwork for a UK club fanzine. My long time friend Jason used to publish a little ditty titled ‘Urban Groove.’ After his last trip to the US, Jason decided to put together his own ‘zine. The zine’s content focused on what he loved the most, which at the time was raves, music and clubbing. Jason asked me for some artwork, and at the time I thought nothing of it. This was way before I had decided to use a ‘pen name.’ Ironically, it was my friends Jason and Bejay who had always encouraged me to do something with my cartooning, artwork, and whatnot. I still consider those two, along with a few others to still count as my friends. Everyone else I knew back then…they’re long, long gone.
Jason’s skills as a professional printer back in Newport, Wales, proved to be in his favor as he was putting together issues of Urban Groove. Here’s the cover of one of his Urban Groove issues, dating to Winter 1998-1999:
UK based “Urban Groove” fanzine, winter 1998 – 1999. Published by Jason Mee. Some of my early artwork was used for this issue.
The photo of the skyline you see on the cover is when me and Jason went to visit the U.N. He used the NYC background as part of the fanzine cover design.
Another page from this issue. My artwork hadn’t fully developed yet, but the core was there.
Page from the UK fanzine “Urban Groove” dated winter 1998 – 1999. Published by Jason Mee. Angel cartoon drawn by Michele Witchipoo, dated 1997. That drawing was later used for some handmade Christmas/holiday cards, given to my friends around that time.
Here’s the centerfold of the ‘zine, with my drawing placed in the middle of the layout:
Centerfold layout from the UK fanzine “Urban Groove.” Published by Jason Mee during the late 1990s. Drawing by Michele Witchipoo, dated either 1997 or 1998.
I hadn’t looked through issues of “Urban Groove” in years. To my dismay, I had totally forgotten a photo Jason had published of me. This was back when I was thinner, and much cuter. Still surprised that this snapshot was used. This was back when I was a redhead. I’m the shorter one, on the left.
Advertisement in the back of the UK fanzine, “Urban Groove” for subscriptions. Photo taken in 1996 or 1997. Urban Groove was published by Jason Mee during the late 1990s.
I don’t think I would ever pose for a photo such as this today. Maybe as a joke. Similar to when I took part in a zombie beauty pageant back in December 2011. I knew I had no chance in winning, but did it more for the laughs. Being obnoxious, I suppose. But to pose for something like this? Not likely.Then again, the person in the photograph is nothing like the person I’ve become nowadays. After all, people do change.
Urban Groove stopped publication a long time ago. Jason moved on, and now finds work as a photographer. He mostly photographs sexy pin-ups.
Last month, I forgot exactly when…saw that Hyperallergic was accepting entries for their mail art exhibit. Since I used to love mail art, thought it was worth a shot. So I was really happy to find out my piece is going to be shown, along with other wonderful artists at this show:
Wish I had a JPG to show you what piece I had submitted. Alas, lost the flash drive it was on last Thursday. Oh well. At least this gives me an excuse to visit the exhibit. (Shrugs)
Still, I’m very happy to have been accepted into this show. Again, mail art and other creative postal stuff was something I was really digging during my younger days.
Here’s two other links connected to the Hyperallergic mail art show:
After attending King Con in Brooklyn, the next day was spent in Queens. What Queens had to offer was the fifth annual NY Art Book Fair, held at MoMA/PS 1.
Before arriving at PS1, there was the NYC Marathon taking place. Here’s a cell pics:
PS1 wasn’t too far off from the NYC Marathon path. Once there, I caught some examples of arty pretentiousness, but overall it was still interesting to see an alternative press fair. The event took over the entire space over at PS 1, located in Long Island City. The NY Art Book Fair was presented by Printed Matter, who is world”s largest non-profit organization dedicated to publications made by artists. Basically it showcasing underground press, both old and new.
Strangely enough, when I saw a lot of zines from days of old, that old retro feeling started to creep in. That old retro feeling was something I was not expecting.
There was three floors full of variety of the NY Art Book Fair, so I took crappy cell pics of the sights that caught my eye.
Display at NY Art Book Fair 2010
Act-Up T-shirts from the '80s/early 90s. Having gone to high school in Manhattan, and hanging out downtown after school, seeing these shirts brought back memories.
Another artifact from the underground past. The Riot Grrl movement produced a lot of fanzines from early to mid 1990s.
Here's an art scandal from the 1980s. For those who don't know, artist Jeff Koons was married to porn star Cicciolina. Cicciolina, also known as Ilona Staller, served as a member of the Italian parliament. After having a child together, they soon divored.
More items on display.
World War Three Illustrated table at the NY Art Book Fair 2010.
Guerrilla Girls also had a table at the NY Art Book Fair show.
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