#maker profile

One thing we've learned on our World Tour… Insta-BFFs are TOTALLY a thing. Some people, you click with the moment you meet – or "meet" in the case of Betty Turbo.

We first spied her work while researching an artist for our 2nd World Tour Gift ::

"Betty Turbo (aka Agnes) is an illustrator with mad style – we knew we were kindred spirits when we saw the word 'rad' in her bio! We totally dig her mix of colors and typography, the all-out ENERGY that just jumps off the page."

Over the past four years, that instant connection has grown into a fast and firm friendship. Agnes may be the only person as obsessed with pizza as we are (so much so that she created two pizza-themed coloring books).

And to this day, we still grin BIG whenever she creates new work. (I mean, check her Instagram. Her mad skills reign supreme!!) It's about damn time we interviewed Betty Turbo for a Maker Profile!

RAH – We LOVE LOVE LOVE that you created a hilarious card based on a video that Hen shared. What typically inspires your work?

Food, powerful women, outer space, signs and packaging, pop culture, things people collect and save...

RAH – You've lived in Alaska, Nashville, Oregon… wide range! Did any place particularly shape your style?

I hope all of them have! Though some effects might be buried deeper than others… Living in Portugal made me a lot more conscious of how surface patterns describe a sense of place. In a more blatant fashion, my years letterpress printing in Nashville directly influenced how I handle type and lettering. I think cultural impressions of Nashville also shaped how I approach storytelling, and the relationships between pop culture and everyday lives.

RAH – Your work is filled with so much FUN – grubbin' food and badass women and general silliness. The art world can feel so serious – was it a conscious decision to focus on happy things?

Goofiness is definitely a natural Way of Being to me, and I'm a firm believer that you can be serious about issues and concepts without taking yourSELF too seriously. I feel like humor is a useful tool because it is an access point to invite more people into the conversation. We can tackle intense, hard things and still find moments of joy and positivity, and there is a place for laughter in activism and protest.

(Love these posters? Download high-res versions to print up – All Are Welcome, Dear Students and We're Open.)

A BIG bootyclappin' thank you to Betty Turbo for takin' the time to answer our questions. Shop a selection of her goods on RAD AND HUNGRY, and check her Etsy shop for more rad work. And BONUS!! Download the special pen wallpaper she created especially for RAHstrs!

1 - First, the basics: pencil or pen, ruled sheets or grid?

Pen! Be BOLD! I do love a luscious pen. Ruled sheets if I can't choose blank! And it better be college-ruled or freakishly small international lines – wide-ruled paper gives me hives and sends me into a panic that I'm wasting space and I'll never have enough room to get down all my ideas.

2 - What's your favorite food to grub on? Drink to sip (or guzzle, you know how we do)?

I know I front like all I eat is ice cream and candy, but I really do love Japanese and Thai food best! I think I could subsist on some incarnation of veggies and tofu forever and ever. As long as there are some jellybeans hidden in my desk.

To sip? I like weird sodas which I find in the wild or make at home. Drinking vinegars are my jam! Shrub a dub dub.

3 - Describe the Portland art scene in 3 words.

Cooperative, self-referential, weirdos!

4 - What's the one thing everyone should experience in Portland?

Eat at food carts!! Their variety and abundance is sure to delight you. A great way to sample different cuisines on the cheap, satisfy a group of friends with varied tastes, and explore different neighborhoods.

5 - You have a jet all fueled up and ready for your own personal World Tour. Where you headed?

Oh my gosh, how much fuel do I have? Can it last forever?? My dream World Tour (if I do have to come home eventually) would include Japan for food and art investigations, Hungary for the ancestral research aspect, Iceland, because I come from the ice and snow and will forever dig on Arctic climes for good times, and Brazil to put my Portuguese to the test!

6 - You know we had to ask – favorite pizza topping?

Our first few days in Ho Chi Minh City, we were scoutin' out a maker for an upcoming RAD AND HUNGRY project. When we saw Trung's sketches, we immediately knew we wanted to work with him. His illustrations manage to be both delicate and have heft – the lines may be fine, but the characters he illustrates be strong, little individuals brought to life. And, super important for us, his art has a strong sense of place. The colors, the characters, the scenery – we'd only been in Việt Nam for a few days, but it all clearly screamed Saigon. Which makes sense, since Trung is born-and-raised Saigonese.

We met up for coffee with him and his friend Justin. We chatted about his work, his city and a rad project he's collabin' on. Afterwards? Scootin’ around Ho Chi Minh City complete with grubbin’ stops!

RAH – You originally studied architecture, and then changed to study illustration in your last year. What made you switch it up?

Actually I feel I’m the kind of a person who can’t have the right decision the first time (laugh).

I didn’t find myself dedicated to architecture all that much. Took me one year to decide I should stop wasting my time and rethink about what suits me better. It was a tough time.

Later I applied to RMIT University where I spent four years training to be a graphic designer. It is funny that illustration was just one small, extra course that I took in my very last semester at school, yet it inspired me greatly. It’s hard to explain but the moment I finished my first artwork, I knew I’d stick to this career path. Illustration lets me immerse in my imagination and allows me to tell stories in my own perspectives. I really feel that drawing best reflects myself as a visual person.

RAH – Obviously you still have an interest in architecture – when we were scootin’ around HCMC, you pointed out a ton of great buildings to us! Do you have a favorite?

Ho Chi Minh City Museum of Fine Arts is a great place to visit. It has very nice, typical French architecture style found in Vietnam from the period of late 19th to early 20th century. And it has interesting Vietnam visual art displayed inside.

You’ll also be amazed at how urban residents show their bold creativity and crazy ideas with cafes, and it’s hard for me to pick one. Up Café fills its space with upside down furniture. Nhỏ Café, Cộng Café and Út Lành Café revive the vintage atmosphere of Ancient Saigon with both architecture and interior.

RAH – We’ve seen on Instagram that you’re working on a children’s book! What inspired the story? Are you involved in both writing the story and illustrating it?

This is a project by me and my friend. We are a team of two that share the same love of making children's illustrated stories. It has been a great experience so far. Together we brainstorm ideas, refine storyline and arrange words. I'm in charge of doing sketches and she colours them on her computer.

This is an Asian-themed story and we do add lots of Vietnam materials in it, yet we still want our message to be approachable by all kids. We try to think about what common problems everyone used to have in their childhood. I think children being too dependent on adults and not trying enough to overcome big or small difficulties is a good topic to start. In my country, Bụt (or Buddha) is a very popular character in folklore, giving miracles to unlucky people who cry for it. But we know miracles rarely happen. We can make things work all by ourselves.

Big-ups to Trung for taking the time to answer our Maker Profile questions! Follow him on Instagram to check out his ongoing work.

1 - First, the basics: pencil or pen, ruled sheets or grid?

Can I choose both? My ideal trio would be pencil for sketching, pen for note taking and A5 ruled sheets.

2 - What’s your favorite Vietnamese food to grub on? Vietnamese drink to sip?

Phở, and I know it's cliched to say but it's true love! What is more reasonable than a Vietnamese who loves Phở? (laugh) I like Phở in the South better. It's tastier, more vegetables and richer flavors. It almost becomes a routine that I can't do without Phở for more than a month.

3 - Describe the Saigonese art scene in 3 words.

Creative, diverse, colourful.

4 - What’s the one thing everyone should experience in Ho Chi Minh City?

Going out in the afternoon to watch countless bikes struggling in rush hours.

5 - You have a jet fueled up and ready for your own personal World Tour. Where you headed?

Cool! I'd love to go to Japan first. I'm in love with its peaceful countryside drawn in Studio Ghibli's animation films (and sushi and video games and manga and anime, of course). Then I’d head for Norway for its splendid scenery. America, Australia and Canada would also be in the list (do we have enough fuel?).

6 - What inspires your style of illustration?

One reason we love makers – they love to share the love. When we announced our #12DaysofMakers contest, artist Betty Turbo nominated Laura Baisden – "Such charming and clever illustrations and, honestly, extra credit for always posting videos of dancing in the studio!" Dancing in the studio?? We know somethin' about bootyclappin' work parties.

Photo by Danielle Kirk

Once we saw Laura's work, we fell in love even more. Under the name Camp Nevernice, Laura creates limited-edition linocut and letterpress prints – two labor-intensive, totally hands-on processes. The level of detail and expertise shown in her work was impressive… and then there was the content.

Unusual band mates, woodland creatures canoeing, an obvious case of wanderlust... like missing stills from Moonrise Kingdom. We had to know more about Laura and her process… which obviously meant we'd found our #12DaysofMakers winner!

We chatted with Laura about her shop, her process, and what life is like in Knoxville, where Camp Nevernice is based.

RAH – We love the name Camp Nevernice! Where did that come from?

My family bought some land about ten miles from our house when I was a kid, and they simply called it "camp." To begin with, it had three rustic cabins, an outhouse and a little path to the river. As a teenager, I had moments I hated going to a place with no running water where it felt like you were somehow always raking leaves. However, over the course of my life, my dad built a legendary rope swing high up in a tree, constructed a swimming hole by strategically shifting the river rocks around, and plotted out volleyball courts in the woods by stringing up a net between two trees and clearing some saplings. He and my mom worked so hard, but their work at camp was their retreat – for themselves – and it created a memorable space for us kids. It wasn't perfect, but it was fun and imaginative and it is a source of pride for our whole extended family. We still have reunions at camp, and my generation of cousins will always treasure the summers we spent there in spite of the spiders, snakes and dirt!

On a larger scale, the name reminds me to bloom where I'm planted – to take advantage of the opportunities and resources I've been given and leave my mark! It doesn't have to be nice, per se – it just has to BE! So many times, I struggle thinking I'm doing the wrong thing or I need to be somewhere else doing something else – when I could just be making an adventure out of what I have in front of me! As a child, I remember the raw potential of a large box and a serrated knife! I just need to remember that, everyday – there is ALWAYS potential.

RAH – You're big on sharing the process behind your work. What has surprised people most about it?

I hear "Is this a drawing?" a lot...I think most people don't realize each color is a different carved surface. It starts with a drawing, but then the drawing takes on a life of its own when you have to take it through the carving process. That's what gives the linework so much character – printmaking is magic.

RAH – Your prints all have a certain whimsy about them. What artists (or others!) would you say inspire your style?

First, it was Dr. Seuss, Beatrix Potter and Shel Silverstein. I loved my books as a kid!! Anything with an illustration! I was always drawing. There was also a certain era of Disney movies that will still make my heart skip a beat: Robin Hood (with the foxes) and Jungle Book especially. The story is very important. I like having a story happening in my images, even if I'm not sure exactly how it goes – I just like that someone could make one up just by looking at it.

Bryce McCloud (at Isle of Printing) taught me how to carve when I interned for him. He was the first person to help me see that art could be fun, and it didn't need to be heavy to be relevant. So many times there's a divide between fine art and illustration or art for hire that's difficult to jump. In college (Cleveland Institute of Art), I was intimidated by fine art and contemporary art, and felt like I couldn't quite find my voice. Working with letterpress and linocut with Bryce finally felt right, like I inherently understood the root words of the language. In school, I had a hard time starting with "why" when I had to talk about my art – which is very important in an art school! I had no trouble talking about the "how" of what I made, and printmaking asks you "how" first. Once I got that ball rolling, the "why" flowed easier, and I felt closer to having a home in the art world.

Wayne White is another guy who validates my feelings about what I make and why I make it. He made the sets for Pee-Wee's Playhouse, among other things, he paints...and speaking of cardboard boxes, he makes gigantic puppets out of cardboard! He has a show in Chattanooga that I'm really excited to see. It's just so awesome to see art that has a sense of humor, but still respected. I love classical and modern art, too, and I studied it in school...but it's so nice to be told, "It’s okay to enjoy yourself and be silly – it doesn't detract from being good at what you do."

It comes back to Camp Nevernice – you just start working where it makes sense to work, follow your nose and you'll end up doing something you like doing! Go through open doors! Participate! Before you know it, you might end up in a letterpress shop, carving a picture of an animal rock band!

Thanks to Laura for answer our Maker Profile questions – and a huge CONGRATS on winning our contest, receiving $500 and a Yearly STMT Subscription to support her work.

1 - First, the basics: pencil or pen, ruled sheets or grid?

You know those twisty top, yellow Paper Mate mechanical pencils? Those. Then tracing paper. Lots of clear tape. Then...fine-tipped Sharpies.

2 - What's your favorite Southern food to grub on? Drink to sip?

Sides. Green beans, collard greens, mac 'n' cheese, brussel sprouts, Swiss chard...you name it! I've always loved the sides as much as the main course. (And I don't mind if there's a good bit of butter, cream or bacon involved...although I just learned I have high cholesterol...so I may have to start caring.) Drink to sip?...a crisp, clean Old Fashioned. Or an iced latte. What time of day is it?

3 - Describe the Knoxville art scene in 3 (ok, 4) words.

Close knit. Side-hustle.

4 - What's the one thing everyone should experience in Knoxville?

Freedom Thighs. My favorite 4th of July tradition.

5 - You have a jet fueled up and ready for your own personal World Tour. Where you headed?

Any and all of the mountains, rivers and lakes (shout out, TLC). Then any places overseas where I have good friends living that I can't afford to go visit right now… so England, New Zealand, Italy… California… New York… to name a few.

6 - You discovered letterpress at a pretty young age. What drew you to the medium? What makes you love it today?

It's like I was saying earlier, I like having a "how"- it helps me with the "why." For example, I loved learning the process of printmaking in college – how to translate line-art, or playing with transparent ink to get third or fourth colors through the layering process… the magic! I feel like I am always gleefully surprised with the end product. The carefully rendered and plotted-out drawing goes on a journey, and disappears for a while while your mind shuts off and you begin the meditative process of carving. Because nothing is digital with my art, there isn't a way to preview the finished outcome – the process leaves a lot for the imagination and some wiggle room to improvise with color or layers along the way. I often feel like I'm in control of the situation, but only as much as a sailor is in charge of the waves – to arrive at your intended destination, sometimes it requires changing course a bit along the way. I enjoy that mystery!

With letterpress specifically, the machinery gives me some welcome physical limitations – for example, I can only print a sheet of paper or a block as large as the press itself. On the other hand, the press enables me to hand-crank larger consistent editions of quality artwork, as well as print custom commercial posters for bands, wedding invitations or other paper goods. It means I get to hand-make artwork, AND make a living! WHICH IS TOTALLY A WIN-WIN.

You know what’s rad? Makers connecting makers. Last year’s World Tour Artist, Sarah Alfarhan, introduced us to Alice Wietzel. We were sold the second we saw her work. We had to work with her for the 6th World Tour Gift!

Photo by Philippe Vaurès-Santamaria

Prints depicting bootylicious ladies, loungin’ poolside, day dreaming, struttin’ their stuff – of course we immediately fell for it! 80s pastel colors, bold yet simple lines… these ladies may be chillaxin’, but they’re obviously strong. No nonsense, no bullshit. They fit right in with the RAH posse.

We got a chance to chat with Alice about her life in Paris and her artwork.

RAH – Are you an illustrator by trade? Did you study it in school?

AW – I haven’t been calling myself an illustrator for long, even though I’ve always wanted to be one. I’m still at school in L’École Nationale Supérieure des Arts Décoratifs de Paris, and now it’s my last year, I finally felt I could get rid of the student status. My internship at Riso Presto also helped me gain confidence in my work.

RAH – We see that you’re currently living in Paris. Is that where you call home?

AW – I call Paris home, but I’ve been living there for ages! I’m planning to leave in some years, I don’t want to stay in the north of France eternally. I would like to get closer to nature and the ocean, I guess we’ll see.

RAH – Any recent projects you’re particularly proud of?

AW – Two months ago, Riso Presto and I released a book, called Solarium. Our collaboration was such a cool moment, I worked a lot and they were very supportive and helpful. They had fun (and pain haha) printing the book with almost five layers on each A3 page. It’s a beautiful object! It’s about women bathing in the sun without sunscreen or swimwear. The hours pass as you turn the pages of the book, and they get more and more sunburned. When the sun sets, they all get back to normal.

RAH – That sounds so rad! Have you created any other books?

AW – I’m also working on an other riso edition with a Spanish studio. It will be a book you can play with, about famous lovers! It’s going to be fun, and I’m really excited to send my work out of France!

A BIG bootyclappin’ thank you to Alice for chattin’ with us and creating limited-edition Risograph prints for the World Tour Gift. Check her answers to our Maker Profile questions – and scope her blog and online shop to see more of Alice’s work.

1 - First, the basics: pencil or pen, ruled sheets or grid?

Pen, and an eraser! Ruled sheets, although I discovered Australian ruled sheets when I was sixteen and never stopped using it. (They’re different in France, because they have a complex ruling.) [RAH note – Seyes ruled! One of our faves.]

2 - What’s your favorite French food to grub on? French drink to sip?

I mostly eat Asian food, but I’m crazy for the Coquilles St. Jacques my grandmother cooks for me. They’re golden, and her cream sauce is to die for. I sip white wine, Chardonnay or Sauvignon, but I never say no to a micro-brewed Parisian beer.

3 - Describe the Parisian art scene in 3 words.

Lively, young and diverse.

4 - What’s the one thing everyone should experience in Paris?

I’m going to sound really cheesy, but I think a sunset is the best. Some areas of Paris have crazy lights when the sun sets, and if you happen to be next to the Seine, the water reflects the rays beautifully. Of course, if you want to fully experience it, you’ll need to bring a blanket along, some saucisson and white wine.

5 - You have a jet fueled up and ready for your own personal World Tour. Where you headed?

That would be so cool! I’d go to Japan first, to see Tokyo and the Japanese countryside. Then I’d go to Vietnam, to eat a real Phở in Saigon and walk around in the jungle. If have some fuel left by then, I would head towards Brazil, to see Rio and São Paulo and finally get to practice the Portuguese I’ve been learning in high school.

Print created for the RAD AND HUNGRY World Tour Gift

6 - We’re stoked to be adding a Risograph print to our collection of World Tour Gifts! The process has been around for awhile, but people have really been gaining interest in it the last two years or so. Why do you like Risograph prints? What’s your favorite thing about working with the Risograph medium?

A Risograph is hidden in my school. I discovered the technique on Instagram, thanks to Clay Hickson’s magnificent prints!

I love the grainy aspect of the layers, the various colors you can obtain by playing with inks and opacities. I think what also attracts me is the limitation posed by the inks; you can only work with specific colors and everyone has basically the same. It means you can either use them pure and enjoy a cool result, or experiment a lot to obtain a different result, try trichromy, random superpositions etc…

My favorite thing about working with the Risograph is when my digital file turns into a real print with unexpected differences, real fluo colors, etc.

I met Bruno during an epic all-day Sunday affair. After returning to Johannesburg from Cape Town, I went straight from the airport to dropping of my bags to hitting up Market on Main – the thing to do on Sundays in Jobug. We ate, we watched Kimboza (a style of dancing), we moved on to the locals’ fave sunset spot (with drink in hand, of course). We grubbed some more, and then we ended up at Lenin’s Vodka Bar.

Bruno served me a drink, and I don’t remember exactly how or why but I quickly discovered that he splits his time between Johannesburg and Chicago. Totally intrigued, I started asking a bunch of questions – and next thing you know we set up a time to hang. Bruno is a photographer, photography lecturer, primary-school art teacher, and occasional bartender and curator. He’s super active in the growing biking community and emerging art scene in Joburg.

We spent an afternoon puttering around the Maboneng neighborhood. We hit up SOMA Art + Space, a gallery and event space. We checked the D'Zair Art and Craft À Johannesburg, an exhibition of contemporary Algerian design at the Museum of African Design. We popped into five8ths, checkin’ out handmade, beautifully constructed shirts. (Liz is originally from Baltimore by way of Colorado!). We hung with his buddy, Marlon, talking all things Joburg while drinkin’ Nestlé instant cappuccino white chocolate (an instant coffee mix that surprisingly tastes good mixed with black coffee!) and waiting out the African Storm. (Holy shit, I’ve never experienced a storm so intense, with power transformers poppin’ off).

Throughout the afternoon, I learned more about Bruno’s current project – photographing the cycling culture in Johannesburg and Chicago. When he first went to Chicago, he got a job as a bike messenger. Bruno instantly connected with the people in the cycling culture. It was a natural fit – the generally smaller group of people stuck together, they “believe that things can be different” and “they create the difference for themselves.” Meet Bruno and you get it. He’s a connector. His group of friends are diverse and every single person is super rad, making shit happen in Joburg. An art gallery manager working to make art more accessible for everyone. A doctor delivering babies one minute, then working to promote legislative changes the next. An interracial couple who own a bike shop and organize weekly bike rides.

Bruno’s goal is to exhibit his cycling photographs, publish a book – and photograph the cycling culture in other cities around the world. YES! We love supporting rad people on their very own world tour. A BIG thank you to Bruno for making time to hang and for answering our Maker Profile questions. Want to see more? Check his work.

1 - First, the basics: pencil or pen, ruled sheets or grid?

Always a pencil, never a clutch. But I do have a weakness for a classic Parker pen with green ink. Plain paper first then grids. I'll leave lined paper to schools.

2 - What's your favorite South African food to grub on? South African drink to sip (or guzzle, you know how we do)?

Having a good old South African braai is amazing. You have to include Boerewors sausage. On a sunny day with lots of black label, Windhoek or 2M beer.

3 - Describe the Johannesburg art scene in 3 words.

Vibrant, brave and socially aware. I know that's 4 words.

4 - What's the one thing everyone should experience in Johannesburg?

The inner city. Both for its exciting gentrification and poorer areas. It's so culturally diverse and unique.

5 - You have a jet all fueled up and ready for your own personal World Tour. Where you headed?

Besides my move to Chicago, I'd go to Central and South America. Specifically the southern part of Brazil, Argentina, Chile and Bolivia. India and Nepal. Russia. Too much to see haha.

6 - Any tips for taking people's photos on the street?

A big smile and good manners. Being approachable is most of the work. Also have your craft waxed. Technology must never be a barrier to your creativity.

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});

To say the world of comics has gone through a revival is quite the understatement. Just a few years ago, the idea of superhero movies and television shows were almost strictly synonymous with nerd culture. Now, everyone has embraced the world of comics in more ways than one. We’ve got our obvious super-hero blockbuster films, but we also have television series (The Walking Dead, Daredevil, and Jessica Jones to name a few) that have sprung from the pages of a comic book to the mainstream. Comic publishers also have gone through a sort-of revival, as not all publishing houses feature the cliché men-in-tights superhero stories you may assume. One such publisher is Image, which proudly hosts The Walking Dead as well as bunch of other comics that are, for the lack of a better term, cerebral. As a major fan of Image comics, I was surprised to learn that a local artist and writer was not only going to be working for them, but also would be featuring one of their most ambitious projects yet.

Head Lopper is local artist Andrew MacLean’s epic tale of a warrior by the name of Norgal and his severed-head companion Agatha the Blue Witch and their journey through the Scottish Isle of Barra where countless  colorful foes await. “It’s a tongue-in-cheek take on Conan The Barbarian meets Hellboy” said Andrew. “I wanted to do something that was very heavy metal and also made me feel like a kid watching the original Conan movies or the original Clash of the Titans.” Head Lopper is also a bit of a step in a different direction for Andrew, who has had a very diverse career in the comic world thus far. “First, I started out drawing from other writers' scripts and still do at times but I write and draw Head Lopper myself” he said. “Also, much of my past work was more Sci-Fi based, which I LOVE, in fact my graphic novel ApocalyptiGirl (Dark Horse Comics) is a sci-fi, but Head Lopper is total fantasy like Lord of The Rings or Game of Thrones.”

Andrew had a youthful passion for comics that dwindled. “I was really young, probably five or younger. I have an older brother and somehow we always had at least a handful of comics in the house. I fell in love with the characters and the art” he said. “I did stop reading comics in high school. I got into music and didn't draw as much at the time and they just didn't interest me as for a while.” Then, Andrew got a taste of what the comic scope became, and was rather excited to get back into them. “I got back into comics when I was maybe 24 or so and I think it was mostly because I found Hellboy and Mike Mignola's work and it showed me that comics were something more than just Marvel and DC superhero stuff” said Andrew. “The art could be anything, the stories could be anything. And just like that comics were exciting again.”

"The art could be anything, the stories could be anything. And just like that comics were exciting again."

One thing that makes Head Lopper a bit different than the others in the same field is the sheer size of it. Because it’s a quarterly comic, there are far more pages than you would see in a more traditional comic, and this was done for a very good reason. “Head Lopper is an action comic, if there is a long fight scene its eats up a huge chunk of the book. But I can put out a 60 page book quarterly and include all the action I want without subtracting from story” he said. “Also, it gives me three months to make each book, which hopefully means I can create a more positive work-life balance instead of spending all day and all night, 7 days a week alone, hunched over the drawing table neglecting my wife.” Andrew and his wife moved to Salem a few years back, and noticed immediately that the city had an awful lot to offer. “My wife and I moved to Salem because it seemed like a fun town, and it is, but I didn't realize how many artists are in the area - including other cartoonists” said Andrew. “So the North Shore is a super great area to be an artists, at least socially speaking.

Andrew, like many of us, has noticed how the town has changed in such a short period of time. “I've only lived here in Salem for three years but it does feel like it has changed. New artsy shops open up all the time, art shows are becoming more and more common, and it seems like the Peabody Essex ‘ups’ its game all the time” he said. “It's been exciting to see. I expect the shift will continue to be more art friendly. With an environment and community like this more and more creative people are attracted to the area. It’s great!”

Head Lopper and Image seemingly go hand-in-hand, as the comic initially was a Kickstarter campaign. Self-publishing was fun, but for Andrew, working with Image has certainly changed the game. “Image is doing great these days and it's in large part because they really respect the creators and treat them well. When I started making the Head Lopper comic I self-published it which is a ton of work” he said. “Eventually I got tired of all the extra, non-creative work, and threatened to get out of self-publishing. A friend of mine who works a lot with Image recommended Head Lopper to their Editor in Chief, who really liked it and contacted me about bringing it to Image.” Head Lopper is due to conclude next October, but Andrew is already working hard on the future to some extent. “I'd like to continue with Head Lopper after we complete this story, but I have other ideas for books some I'd like to write for other artists and I have had other writer's express interest in working together” he said. “But at the same time I try not to plan too far out into the future because things seem to change in a flash in this industry and I don't want to make too many obligations that I may or may not be able to keep when that time comes.”

Andrew MacLean’s jump from Kickstarter to Image was certainly not the easiest transition in the world, but has proven again that sometimes it’s best to take risks as opposed to waiting for things to happen. “Personally, I would much rather fail miserably then go to my grave only ever having sat on my hands” he said. “Besides, it's not like there's a group of people waiting for you to make a comic so they can throw darts at it or something. You want to make comics? The path is simple. Make comics.”

Head Lopper Issue #2 is out on December 9th, and you can pick it up at Silver Moon Comics at the Museum Place Mall, Harrisons Comics on Essex Street, or wherever comic books are sold closest to you!

It’s not every trip that I meet rad people that become my instant BFF, but somehow the 5th World Tour has been all about instant connections. We had such an awesome experience with our first Airbnb booking for our Brazil sourcing trip, it seemed like a no brainer to go the same route for our Mexico trip.

The manager of the apartment building where we booked a room, Maggie, was born in Wales. She’s spent the last 20 years in Mexico and is super knowledgeable about Oaxaca and its culture, connected to the city and its people. Lucky for me, Maggie made time to hang and show me around.

Maggie introduced us to Miguel. A master artisan who’s worked with metal for the last 58 years, Miguel learned his craft from his father and has passed it down to his children and grandchildren. Four generations have been cranking out amazing art made out of tin, from simple ornaments to super-ornate sculptures.

Miguel’s work has been featured all over Mexico, the United States, and Europe. He designed and built doorframes for the National Palace in Mexico City, won an endless number of prizes and awards (he’s most proud of the nine he’s won in Oaxaca), and his work is featured in a Francis Ford Coppola movie. Just like we hunt far and deep for office supplies, Coppola does the same when hunting down props for his movies. Coppola visited Miguel’s home and purchased pieces from his older collection.

A BIG thank you to Miguel for answering our questions and crankin’ out the liptastic tin ornaments for the STMT X Mexico Kit!

1 - First, the basics: pencil or pen, ruled sheets or grid?

Pencil. Blank Sheets.

2 - What's your favorite Mexican food to grub on? Mexican drink to sip?

Food? Anything Oaxacan.

Mezcal. I like artisanal mezcal. Before I used to drink mezcal that my wife made but after she passed away I now go into the Sierra Norte and buy direct from families that make their own mezcal.

3 - Describe the Oaxacan art scene in three words.

Excellent. Total. Very colorful.

4 - It seems like a lot of the art in Oaxaca is politically charged. Do you think so?

No, the art isn’t political. True artists never get involved in politics. Artist shouldn’t get involved in politics because politics should be separate. Good artists pass down their tradition and craft to their family. It is hereditary.

5 - What's the one thing everyone should experience in Oaxaca?

So many things. The food, Monte Albán, pyramids, architecture in the city center… so many things.

6 - You have a jet all fueled up and ready for your own personal World Tour. Where you headed?

Holland. Because of its nature. It looks very green with lots of trees. Maybe Australia? Maybe India because of Gandhi. I’ve been invited to India four times to create a frame for a Gandhi piece. I didn’t go because if I go with all my tools then the people who work here don’t have any tools to work with. I told them to pay me to make tools for them but they didn’t want my tools, they wanted me to create the frame in India.

I was also invited to Egypt to be part of a very big exhibition. They offered to pay everything, my food, my stand for the exhibition, but they planned to sell my work very expensive. I don’t agree with that. I want my work to be more democratic. I would rather sell 20 pieces instead of one. I had some pieces in an exhibit in Chicago and in several cities in Europe. I was always invited to go but I never went. A true artist won’t go out of the country. They stay within their country and create for the people.

I discovered Jorge when I walked by his booth at the Sunday Market at Ipanema. His table had an assortment of brass clips and the version that resembled a jumbo paperclip caught my eye. Jorge saw my interest and quickly began to attach keys on a clip then fasten it to his belt. My interest grew – but the clips were more than a keyring to me. I pulled out my memo book and attached the keyring. A bit bulky and I wasn’t quite sure if it was ideal for using with my memo book. But I was hooked. I purchased a few, in two different styles. I lingered a bit longer, taking a closer look at the clips I purchased. By the time I looked up from my stash, I knew that I had to commission a large order.

A few days later, Jorge delivered the order to the apartment. I had a surprise for him – I pulled a scrap of paper out and showed him how I planned to use the clips to hang art! He had never thought of this use and instantly loved the idea.

And lucky for me, our new BFF Ewa was around to translate! I learned so much about Jorge. Turns out he’s one of the original founders of the Ipanema market. The keyrings are Jorge’s original designs, concepted over 20 years ago. He took a long break from the market until a month ago. A friend remembered his keyrings and wanted one. It motivated him and marked his return to the market.

Discovering Jorge made our Brazil sourcing trip so much more rad – we get to share the awesomeness with RAHstrs and we’ll be working on a collab in time for this holiday season!

oxxo, Hen