TYREE GUYTON AT SOUTHFIELD LIBRARY

Join us Tuesday May 17th at 7:00 PM in the Meeting Room of the Southfield Library,located at 26300 Evergreen Road in Southfield. Artist Tyree Guyton and Jenene Whitfield, executive director of the Heidelberg project will give a presentation on their book project Connecting the Dots and present a screening of the award documentary “Come Unto Me”. The program is free, for all ages and open to the public. The Heidelberg project is one of the most significant displays of public art in the Detroit area and is held in high esteen around the world.

Call Book Beat at 248-968-1190 /or order online before May 17th, and we will save a keepsake copy of this lavish illustrated book collection on the Heidelberg project signed by the artsit Tyree Guyton.

In its 20 years of existence, the Heidelberg Project has inspired awe in visitors from around the world, drawn praise from the international art community and provoked extensive discussions in its own backyard. In 1986, Tyree Guyton created the project with the idea of visibly transforming the environment of his decaying neighborhood, which was marred by crime, prostitution and gangs. Using the materials around him cast-off toys, discarded car parts and other debris along with his trademark brightly colored polka dots, Guyton eventually transformed several houses and vacant lots on Heidelberg Street into Detroit’s most recognizable art environment and one of its leading tourist attractions. Connecting the Dots, the first comprehensive collection of writings on the Heidelberg Project, attempts to get to the heart of Guyton’s project by considering it from a number of fascinating angles including legal, aesthetic, political and personal.

Come Unto Me, The Faces of Tyree Guyton
is a portrait of one artist who has created a massive “junk art” project in the heart of Detroit’s blighted East Side. Since 1986, Tyree Guyton has transformed his entire block using thousands of gallons of paint and a cacophony of cast away objects. The film tell the story of his struggle to create art from inner city rubble, even as he faces heated opposition from community and city council members who see it only as junk. The controversy over the Heidelberg Project culminated in 1991 when former Mayor Coleman Young ordered its demolition. Come Unto Me documents the creation, destruction and subsequent rebirth of Detroit’s most evocative expression of outsider art.Total running time:29:30

Primarily a painter and sculptor, Tyree Guyton has also been described as an urban environmental artist. He has waged a personal war on urban blight on Detroit’s East Side, transforming first a street in his neighborhood and then two city blocks into a living indoor/ outdoor art gallery by using discarded objects he found – everything from old shoes to bicycles to baby dolls – to embellish abandoned houses, sidewalks and empty lots.

Jenenne Whitfield serves as the Executive Director of the critically acclaimed Heidelberg Project. After taking a wrong turn onto Heidelberg Street and talking with Tyree Guyton she switched careers. Under Ms. Whitfield’s direction, The Heidelberg Project has expanded its goals to include acquisition and restoration of property in the Heidelberg area, development of an artist-in-residence program and implementation of community art and education programs. Her leadership and commitment have enabled the project to extend its reach by participating in joint projects with museums, universities and other educational organizations.

The 2008 Michigan Notable Books program and tour are made possible thanks to the generous support of Borders, Cooley Law School, ProQuest, Meijer, the Library of Michigan, the Library of Michigan Foundation, LaSalle Bank/Bank of America, Auto-Owners Insurance, Delta Dental, the Michigan Center for the Book, the Michigan Humanities Council, the National Endowment for the Humanities and Schuler Books & Music. The program’s media partners are the Lansing State Journal, WKAR and Queue Creative.

Books will be available from BookBeat for purchase and signing.

*photo above source: thedetroiter.com/ Nick Sousanis

READ IN THE PARK: Book Fiesta!

Join us Sunday, May 18th from 1 PM- 4 PM on the front lawn of Berkley High School for the 2nd Annual READ IN THE PARK Book Festival! Aimed to promote reading for children and young adults, there will be authors, celebrity readers, music, storybook characters, food and fun activities for the whole family. Authors planning to attend include; NPR host Charity Nebbe, Susan Collins Thomas, Denise Rodgers, Howard Fridson, Stephen M. Jones and Bryan Chick. Sponsored by the Berkley Educational Foundation and the Book Beat bookstore, funds raised at the Read in the Park festival go to support community literacy programs. Elevate your mind and Discover the Joy and Fun of Reading!

Suggested donation: $3.00 per person; $10.00 per family

Meet the authors and their books May 18th, now here’s a preview:

Our Walk in the Woods (Hardcover) “Nothing is more fun than a walk in the woods on a sunny spring day. Abbey and her dog Kirby get up early every Saturday to explore the hills above the river, but they don’t always see things quite the same. Abbey likes to smell the lovely spring flowers. Kirby likes to chase the small animals he smells along the way. Abbey checks out the animal footprints in the mud. Kirby loves to burrow in the dirt. Abbey sits in the sun on the riverbank, feeling the wind on her face. Kirby paddles in the water, chasing the ducks and geese. Although they may not always agree, they’ll walk in the woods again tomorrow.” - Mitten Press

Chinwag Theater producer Charity Nebbe spent much of her childhood in rural Iowa of the 1850’s. There she enjoyed milking cows, churning butter, and tending the geese. Attacked by an enraged goose, young Charity’s life was despaired of–but a scientist, Dr. Sylvester Lapa-Lapa, At Des Moines’ famous Zoroastrian Hospital, put the child into a primitive form of suspended animation. Thus, she came to live in this century, Raised by her great-great-nephew’s family. This experience accounts for her unusual knowledge of, and interest in, Iowa history, odd experiments, and Daniel Pinkwater.

In this century Charity claims to have been born in 1975, she has two brothers, two foster brothers, a foster sister, and two parents (one mother and one father–actually collateral descendants). She grew up just outside of Cedar Falls, Iowa where she spent the bulk of her time raising baby animals (her family rehabilitates wild orphaned and injured animals with state and federal licenses), reading books, pretending to be Wonder Woman, and playing with the dogs and cats. Charity went to Iowa State University where she majored in political science with minors in English and Biology.

She now lives near Ann Arbor, Michigan with her husband (Rob), two dogs (Sara, pictured above, and Mandy), and five cats (Arthur, Vivian, Toby, Chance, and Q). She works at Michigan Radio where she produces The Todd Mundt Show from NPR and cleans the restrooms. Nebbe is the host of All Things Considered on Michigan Public Radio. “Woods” is her first book.

Howard Fridson: Our Family Treasue (paperback) An inspiring book about creativity, friendship and family. The story is taken from the author’s own family history and tells the story of his lovely eccentric aunt Else who collected odd bits of things and made her life a joyous creation. The book is a heartfelt journey of two friends who share a creative afternoon. Fridson’s illustrations are soft pastel pencil and crayon drawings that add to this timeless tale of memory and family. Included is a diagram to help children and adults create their own version of Else’s cut-out paper square dance.“When Howard’s Aunt Elsie turned 75, Howard wrote a story about her and drew a few pictures to present at her party. Elsie had always been like a second mother to Howard and his brother, Marty. After she passed away, Howard thought it would be nice to finish the book as a gift to all the cousins and their children. In this way they would always remember their wonderful Aunt Elsie. To his surprise, Howard discovered cousins he never knew existed, from Canada to Viet Nam. The cousins were very excited to read the book, and they insisted that everyone should be able to read about their aunt. The result is “Our Family Treasure.”Howard Fridson is an artist who lives in Huntington Woods, Michigan with his wife Cathy. They have three grown boys named Nate, Blake and Russel. Howard studied art at Wayne State University where he drew a comic strip for the school newspaper called “The Adventures of Captain Bopper.” He majored in Fine Arts and began painting murals upon graduation. Since then he has continued to paint and has illustrated books, including “Maya’s First Rose” by Martin Scot Kosins.

Steven M. Jones: Charlemagne Mack: Rise of the Queen (Paperback) It’s time to discover “The Urban Harry Potter”Detroit, Michigan based playwright Stephen M. Jones has created a buckle up and hold on rollercoaster of an adventure novel for teens in his new book Charlemagne Mack: Rise of the Queen.It all began with a toad in a bowl of Jell-O. Smart, sassy and cool Charlemagne (Charley) Mack is a twelve year old African American, living in The City. Raised on MTV and VH1, Charley is a pure product of our culture. She’s an honors student (or a “colored egg” as she refers to herself), a gymnast, and … the queen of the Sky Conjuring People??Most little girls dream of being a princess, but Charley is thrust into her position as queen at the age of twelve and finds that the glamorous benefits of royalty are swept aside in the face of mystery, danger, adventure and responsibility.Charlemagne’s journey is that of a child who reluctantly leaves childhood behind for a reality nothing like she could ever have imagined. The book is filled with the desire and struggle to; find out who you really are, to learn from adversity, to embrace curiosity and education, and to cherish the value of friendship along the way.America’s first African American princess is on her way, hip hop, pop and lock and dreadlock. Steve speaks to a generation of urban youth and we believe is the next great African American author. Stephen M, Jones is a copywriter and playwright, with his first play “Back in the World” voted best Play by the Detroit Free Press. Charlemagne Mack is the first of a trilogy and Stephen Jones first children’s book.

Take a look at what critics say and why Charlemagne Mack Rocks “The intelligence of this novel has real warmth to it, and mythology and cultural history unfold throughout like delightful discoveries. The salient detail is personal empowerment, and the strength and happiness that come from knowing who you are even as you struggle to make things better. Charley rises to the occasion in charming and touching way, I can’t help but wonder what’s in store for her in Journal #2.” — Hatie Haegele, Philadelphia Inquirer“Charlemagne Mack, a 12-year-old African American, is an honors student in a poor part of The City. She lives with her uncle and aunt until the day a giant spider named Miss Lettie comes through her bedroom window to warn her that she is in grave danger. Charlemagne escapes to Louisiana and is surprised to discover that she is not simply an above-average student to whom odd things sometimes happen, but is instead Queen of the Sky Conjuring People. She learns to deal with her new identity, ruins the plans of some very bad, bad guys, and learns about her family…This book definitely helps to fill a gap in fantasy/science fiction featuring strong African-American characters.” –School Library Journal“Harry Potter fans will love this book! Smart and sassy Charlemagne, a twelve year old black girl, learns the value of love, trust and faith in herself as she is transformed into Orisha, Queen of the Sky Conjurers.”– Florence Waszkelewicz Clowes, author of Bones in the Backyard“Welcome to the world of Charlemagne Mack; not your average kid, but a Queen by nature. This story is full of spells, demons, monsters and bad things lurking in the walls of a mystical library. Sit back and take this journey of personal acknowledgement through the eyes of a child….”
APOO Book Club

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Bryan Chick: The Secret Zoo (Paperback) “This book, which is the first of a series, is a fast-paced mix of mystery and fantasy. There is enough action and suspense to keep the most reluctant reader entertained while simultaneously emphasizing the importance of friendship and teamwork. It promises to be the beginning of a popular series.” –School Library Journal

Noah Nowicki and his younger sister live next to the Clarksville Zoo. One night, Megan mysteriously vanishes, leaving behind only a few pages from her diary as clues. Noah and his friends, Ella and Ritchie, who call themselves the Adventure Scouts, set out to rescue her. They befriend a batch of sentient yet nonspeaking zoo animals that include a polar bear named Blizzard; Podgy, a penguin; and Marlo, a Malachite Kingfisher. These creatures, who claim to know what happened to Megan, lead the Scouts into the zoo, which has a secret entrance to a fanciful land called the City of Species where animals and humans live alongside one another.

About the author: Bryan Chick spent most of his childhood bumping into things. Mostly awkward and shy, he wasn’t particularly good at paying attention, and he was bored with things his imagination couldn’t manipulate. His love for writing began when he realized how cool and rewarding it is to flood the contents of his mind across stacks of paper.The idea for The Secret Zoo came to Bryan when he was only nine-years-old. He used to wonder what it would be like if zoo exhibits had secret doors for kids to get in—and the animals to get out. Why would the exhibits have secret passages? What would this mean? Over time (lots of time—like twenty years), the idea matured in complexity and length, until finally developing into what it is today, a story outlined as seven full novels.

Bryan lives with his wife and three young children in Clarkston, MI. Overall, he’s a pretty simple man—a father and a husband before anything else. He is terrible with remembering names, simple math, and geography (on last account he could name maybe two-thirds of the fifty United States—and don’t ask him to convert that fraction to decimal).

May 3, 2008 on 2:32 am | In Book Beat / shop history, reading, Detroit & Michigan, author signings | no comments

DETROIT SOUND: A ROCK N’ ROLL SEMINAR

Join us at Book Beat bookstore on Saturday, May 24th at 6:30-7:30 PM for a mini-seminar on the early history of Detroit rock n’ roll.

We will have two local music experts that will each give a presentation followed by a group discussion. On hand will be James A. Mitchell, author of the newly published IT WAS ALL RIGHT: Mitch Ryder’s Life in Music and Marilyn Bond, author of The Birth of the Detroit Sound: 1940-1964 (paperback). A book autographing for the authors will follow the presentation. For any questions or to reserve autographed copies please call 248-968-1190. The Book Beat is located at 26010 Greenfield in Oak Park.

An epicenter of American music by the mid-1950s, Detroit built its reputation upon a wealth of talented singers and musicians, the vast amount of clubs and theaters available to them, and a multitude of enthusiastic industry professionals who helped bring their unique sound to the world. Many record labels, including Fortune and Fox, also thrived in the metro Detroit area in the days before Berry Gordy’s Motown Records gained international recognition.

The Birth of the Detroit Sound chronicles great talents like John Lee Hooker, Hank Ballard & the Midnighters, Jackie Wilson, Jack Scott, Andre Williams, and Nolan Strong. Featuring a rare collection of vintage photographs, the book also spotlights record industry personalities, deejays, and long-forgotten venues where the giants of Detroit music once performed. &&&&&&&&&&&&&

Songs performed by Detroit rocker Mitch Ryder, such as Devil with a Blue Dress On/Good Golly Miss Molly and Jenny Take a Ride are among the most well loved of the twentieth century, but his fascinating life story is unknown to many. It Was All Right is a portrait of Ryder built on firsthand road stories—a rock-and-roll travelogue that is also an insider’s look at fame and popular culture in America.

In all, Ryder’s abundant commentary and Mitchell’s easy narration combine to give readers a fast-paced tour of a turbulent musical journey that is still unfolding. Whether blending musical genres or dabbling in political activism, Ryder’s one-of-a-kind experiences will intrigue music fans and anyone interested in musical or cultural history.

“Whether the soundtrack of your early years included Mitch Ryder and the Detroit Wheels or if you’re new to American pop culture of the volatile 1960s and 1970s, It Was All Right will galvanize you. It’s an intimate, spot-on look at the world of rock, celebrity, and Detroit’s continuing contribution to world culture.” — Loren D. Estleman

James A. Mitchell is a writer and community journalist based in southeast Michigan. He is also the author of Applegate: Freedom of the Press in a Small Town and the forthcoming But For the Grace: Profiles in Peace From a Nation at War, based on his travels to an orphanage in Sri Lanka’s war-torn northeast.

Marilyn Bond is a music industry insider and promoter who began working in the business in 1955. She currently coordinates shows featuring classic Detroit music throughout southeastern Michigan, and manages many artists as well.

PATRICA POLACCO READING & SIGNING MAY 17th

Join us on Saturday, May 17th from 11:30 AM- 12:30 PM at the Oak Park Library, located at 14200 Oak Park, Blvd., in Oak Park, for a rare area appearance and book signing event by children’s author and illustrator Patricia Polacco.

Children’s book authority Anita Silvey has noted, “Polacco’s most touching stories focus on cross-cultural friendships…. her exceptional talents were clearly evident in her first book, Meteor! (1987).” Polacco is one of Americas most cherished and bestselling author-illustrators, with over two dozen published books including the classic autobiographical folktales; Babushka Baba Yaga, The Keeping Quilt, Pink and Say, Mrs. Katz and Tush, Casey at the Bat, and Rechenka’s Egg. It is a great honor for us to be hosting this event in our community. The Book Beat will have on hand many of Polacco’s stunning picture books including her most recent titles, The Lemonade Club and Ginger and Petunia.

More about the author:

Although she struggled in school and was unable to read until age 14 due to dyslexia, she found relief by expressing herself through art. Polacco endured teasing and hid her disability until a schoolteacher recognized that she could not read and began to help her. Thank you, Mr. Falker is Polacco’s retelling of this encounter and its outcome.

The early years of Polacco’s childhood were spent at her grandmother’s farm in Union City, Michigan, the setting for many of her published stories. The farm, originally called The Plantation was established in 1859 and was part of the Underground Railroad. President Lincoln actually visited the home during his presidency. A meteorite that fell into the front yard of that farm “(Meteor!)”is now used as their family’s headstone. Although Polacco’s grandmother died in 1949, when Polacco was only 5, “babushka,” or grandmother, nevertheless appears in several of Polacco’s books.
Following the 40-year absence from the home of her youth, Polacco returned to Union City, where she currently resides. Her home is often opened up to the public for writing seminars and children’s literature festivals. Polacco does all of her own illustrations, and since she does not own a computer, responds to all letters with a hand-written reply. Whenever Polacco speaks with children, her advice is always the same: “Turn off the TV and LISTEN…LISTEN…LISTEN.”*

Studying in the United States and Australia, Patricia Polacco earned an M.F.A. and a Ph. D in art history, specializing in Russian and Greek painting, and iconographic history.
To find out more about this illustrious author and artist, visit her media rich website at Patrica Polacco. com. For any questions regarding this event or to reserve books in advance for autographing or inscription, please call Book Beat at 248-968-1190.

Photo credit for Mz. Polacco above right: Karen A. Lloyd.

*Source: Penguin Publishing.com: “Children and adults alike ask me where I get my ideas…I get them from the same place that you do….MY IMAGINATION… I would guess the reason my imagination is so fertile is because I came from storytelling and, WE DID NOT OWN A T.V.!!!!!!!!! You see, when one is a writer, actor, dancer, musician; a creator of any kind, he or she does these things because they listen to that “voice” inside of them. All of us have that “voice”. It is where all inspired thoughts come from….but when you have electronic screens in front, of you, speaking that voice for you… it DROWNS OUT THE VOICE! When I talk to children and aspiring writers, I always ask them to listen to the voice, turn off the T.V. and LISTEN…LISTEN…LISTEN.” — Patricia Polacco

MONSTER ISLAND AT MOCAD

The “Rehearsal for the Destruction of Mu” is a live shadow theater & musical lightshow exotica coming May 10th at the MOCAD cement pastry palace and funky prayer & novelty shop in the heart of the art ghetto. Monster Isalnd’s cosmic calamity troupe will dazzle and bewilder the young and old with their ancient and modern low-fi psychedelic pyrotechnics. Performing will be; narrator, synth and harmonium player Aliccia Berg, on sitar, bass and guitar: Matthew Smith, lighting FX and percussion Jamie Easter, violinist: Mary Alice, puppeteer artist Tom Carey, samples, lighting, etc., Cary Loren.    Come See the CTHULU monster awake from a dreaming sleep! Come See a Clash of Planets collide in a firey ball of destruction! See the mysterious and exotic hanging gardens from ancient Babylon! Hear the celestial bells and droning eternal rhythms! Witness the flood and cataclysmic debris! See the Lost Princess of Mu and the ghost of Alfred Jarry! Showtime at 9 PM.

DOUGLAS OF DETROIT

DOUGLAS OF DETROIT: MASTERWORKS OF THE MALE FIGURE is an exhibition of rare works by a relatively unknown master of the male nude. These photographs will be exhibited at the Book Beat gallery, opening Thursday, May 8th and will continue on display through July 15th. An opening reception will be held on Thursday, May 8th at 7:30 PM. The Book Beat gallery is located at 26010 Greenfield in Oak Park, Please call 248-968-1190 for more information. The exhibition will be part of the Art Detroit Now project, a collective of Detroit area galleries highlighting art from the Detroit area.
Douglas was a nationally known and highly respected photographer from the late 1940s until the late 1950s. He is considered to be one of the finest printers and innovators of male figurative photography in the world. His prints are highly valued and collected, known for their delicately rich dark tones and superb lighting. In the late 1950s, the photographer was involved in a famous censorship battle held in Detroit that destroyed his career and the lives of many of his models. The Detroit police ransacked his house, confiscating and burning almost all of the photographer’s negatives and prints. The incident left Douglas in shambles and he never fully recovered. In the 1950s images of the male nude were banned under the law. Douglas was one of many casualties suffered by artists under a deranged and backwards justice system.

Douglas was born Douglas Juleff, in Detroit, 1919. After serving in the armed forces he took up photography specializing in the male figure. His work was published in dozens of fitness and bodybuilding magazines of the time. He kept correspondant with many artists around the world and collected and traded works of the male nude. His knowledge of photography was expansive. Douglas spent his entire life in Detroit and died in 1999.

The male nude has been a highly volitile and suppressed artform, especially during the first fifty years of the twentieth century. Douglas was one of a few masters of this genre. The exhibition at Book Beat is the first to ever feature his work. We will have some classic images including a few rare manipulted double exposed negatives and some early color works. In addition there will be a few historic images by other photographers of the male nude including Lon of New York, Don Whitman and Bruce of Los Angeles, from the collection of Cary Loren, curator of the exhibit.

Douglas of Detroit images can be seen at the online gallery: Douglas of Detroit. In 1998 Jansen Verlag of Germany published the only monograph of his work. The book helped bring Douglas a brief period of fame and print sales. The book sold out quickly and is now a scarcity on the rare book market. An online biography of Douglas is maintained by photographer, author and collector Reed Massengill.

For more Information on this exhibit please contact the Book Beat at 248-968-1190.

TEACHING DIGITAL LITERACY

‘Inanimate Alice’ tells the story of Alice, a young girl growing up in the
first half of the 21st century, and her imaginary digital friend, Brad.

Over ten episodes, each a self contained story, we see Alice grow from an eight year old living with her parents in a remote region of Northern China to a talented mid-twenties animator and designer with the biggest games company in the world.

Mark Beyer: Otherworldly Life

[Image left: Raw #6 Cover by Mark Beyer.]

Mark Beyer is a reclusive self-taught American Crawling Eye genius. One of the finest contemporary artists of today, he has sadly (yet profoundly) given his life to comicstrips and self-exiled obscurity. Like a modern day Kafka, he has stretched the boundaries of his chosen medium, and produced an uneasy and delicate jewel-like body of work, seemingly hard to penetrate but well worth the effort.

His art has had a heavy influence on graphic design and our culture’s sudden embrace and affection for the comic artform. Bending almost every rule of “comic design”, Beyer has created a unique illustrated space where story, line and shadow are stretched to their limits and emerge in a strange new world, somewhere both dangerous and joyful - a metamorphosis brought to life. His work can be both intensely psychedelic and down-to-earth in the same moment. His stories ring with the immediate truth and struggle of existance.

A collection of Beyer’s Amy & Jordan strips was beautifully produced by Pantheon books a few years ago, and was sadly ignored, despite Publisher’s Weekly’s ernest comments, “This work is a major release by one of the masters of the form, and is a must-have for anyone interested in the potential for profound art in the comics medium.”

Dark Horse also produced the most lavish Amy & Jordan bendable figure set ever: a Kafakaesque sculpture that jumped off the page: as their promo slyly states, “a ray of sunshine and sweetness in an ugly world.”


“Beyer’s work centres around two recurring characters, Amy Tilsdale and Jordon Levine, who look like lumpy rag dolls and behave like the characters in Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf, constantly badgering each other for their inadequacies.


Living in a dingy New York apartment, they suffer an endless torrent of urban indignities: an overbearing landlord; a sink full of dirty dishes, a kitchen teaming cockroaches and other scabby insects, streets filled with drug addicts and criminals. And when they try to escape for the fleeting pleasures of a day on the beach, they are harassed by nasty teenagers and scabrous sea-creatures. Beyer’s skills in capturing the verminous and squalid make these unpleasant experiences all too real.


Although they’ve been roommates for two decades now, Amy and Jordon don’t do much to help each other survive in their hostile universe. While Amy is a fussbudget and busy-body, Jordon is even worse: lazy, selfish, quick to anger, lacking in generosity and mean to children. At its most intense, Amy and Jordon strips capturethe suffocation of living in a close space with someone you don’t care for.


Described in these terms, Beyer’s work sounds too painful to endure. Surprisingly, this is not the case: Obsessive and tightly focused as they are, the Amy and Jordon strips are also bleakly hilarious and life-affirming. Part of their power comes from
sheer repetition. Appearing week after week in the New York Press, Beyer’s strips were a testament to how strong life is even in the face of a hostile environment.


Like so many other newspaper features, comic strips are not about giving us the “news” as in offering the habitual pleasures of re-iteration and redundancy. Week after week, Charlie Brown is insulted, Beetle Bailey goofs off, Dagwood Bumstead runs into the mailman, Amy and Jordon fend off threats to their existence.


Within this treadmill cosmos, pleasure comes in the form of seeing what new variation can be wrung out of the old formula. In this area, Beyer is a genuine master: he’s done hundreds of Amy and Jordon strips, each one of which plays with the horizontal format.


Decorative ingenuity is constantly on display, with panels reinvented as: triangles, circles, cones and waves. Describing the comic strips of the early 20th century, Coulton Waugh noted that they rarely made any “pretense at depth” but rather were willing to settle for a “flat, sensible world of their own.” This “strong, two-dimensional appearance” gave the classic strips “a sort of stylized, textile-design effect.” The same is true of Beyer: not chasing after the optical illusions of perspective and depth,
Beyer patterns each strip into a unique unit.” Source: Mark Beyer’s Raw Roots by Jeet Heer, National Post

“For those of you who thought the comic strip was dead by the end of the twentieth century, here are 292 pieces of proof that you were wrong. Mark Beyer was breathing delirious, heartbreaking, otherworldly life into it by means of Amy and Jordan. Obviously, you weren’t reading New York Press... One of its most impressive aspects was the way Form served the Content—no matter how eccentric the layout got, it somehow never confused the narrative. And what narrative: it was as if Candide had been transported to the East Village and split in two like an amoeba and holed up in a squat on Avenue C. Along with giant bugs from outer space.” — Chip Kidd

A KILLER VEGETARIAN CHILI

Ingredients (use ALL organic as available):

1 cup lentils, 1 can beans (red or black, mixed, kidney etc.), 1 red pepper, 1 stalk fennel, 2 stalks celery, 1 carrot, 1/2 tub soft tofu, 1 can tomato paste, 1 large can 25 oz. diced tomatos,

spice: 1 tea. chili powder, 2 tea.paprika, 1 tablespoon fennel seeds, 1 bay leaf, 1/2 tea. turmeric, 1 tablespoon brown mustard seeds, salt and pepper to taste. (for more heat add additional chilli powder, tabasco, cayenne pepper etc.)
1. boil water, add lentils, slow boil for 20 minutes until soft 2. in large pan: fry onions in 1 tablespoon olive oil and canola oil, about 3 min. until soft, add brown mustard seed  3. add 1/2 tub crumbled tofu 4. add sliced carrots, celery, fennel and red pepper, cook about 3 min. 5. add rest of spices, stir well 6. drain beans and reserve liquid 7. add beans, diced tomatoes and tomato paste, cook about 7 minutes on medium heat 8. add 1/2 of the cooked lentils adding some bean liquid to thin out if needed.