jen

mao — Thu, 28 Oct 2010 22:41:12 GMT

Hey all! I'm having another original art sale. This time it's 16 pieces, all 4"x6", all $50 and under. Take your pick! Hope you like blue, because I used a lot of it. Sorry the scans are a little gross. I used a watercolor paper with heavy grain and it was a bit tough to clean up in Photoshop without compromising the original colors/textures.

http://www.etsy.com/shop/jenwang

On a side note, here's an interview I did with Newsrama recently about "Koko".

Belatedly, thanks to everyone who came by at APE! I had a good time signing with Cartoon Art Museum and the panel went great (even though the dim lighting made me a little sleepy halfway through). I'm not sure what my next event is, but I'll be sure to hit up a bunch of cons next year. So far I'm thinking, MoCCA, TCAF, Stumptown, SDCC, and SPX, for sure. If there are any comic or book events next year with a well-rounded comics presence (meaning not just the "Hollywood" stuff) you'd recommend, feel free to throw them out here. I'd be happy to take a look.

And yeah, I should be taking this blogging thing a lot more seriously. :/

mao — Thu, 14 Oct 2010 22:51:58 GMT

Hey everyone! Just a reminder that I'll be at Alternative Press Expo this weekend. I don't have a table this year but I will be signing at the Cartoon Art Museum's booth (#239) on...

Saturday: 2:00 - 3:00pm
Sunday: 3:00 - 4:00pm

I'll also be on the "Art of Storytelling" panel on Sunday from 2-3pm. So looking forward to this!

Here's a painting I did last month. I had fun painting that lamb.

mao — Thu, 07 Oct 2010 22:21:51 GMT

Those of you in or around Pasadena, the Central Library is having an ArtNight event tomorrow night from 6-10pm. I'll be part of the Graphic Novels section of the event so you can come to me and talk about comics. Click the banner below for more info.

Also, no point in keeping this on the down-low anymore, but yes, I have a Twitters.

mao — Fri, 01 Oct 2010 00:48:45 GMT

Some more updates!

Thank you to everyone who came by Secret Headquarters the other night. I was a little under the weather but I had a lot of fun. And thank you to everyone out there buying books! The response has been great so far and I'm very happy to read all your lovely emails. :)

About a month ago I did a studio interview with MTV for their new comics themed site. The site doesn't officially launch 'til Monday, but I've gotten the go-ahead from the producer to post the video! Check it out! I'm usually camera shy but they managed to edit my mumblings into some coherency, so kudos to them. The producer Brad, used to work on the TV show True Life, which I love, so it was fun pretending I was on an episode of True Life: I Want To Be A Cartoonist or something.

Alternative Press Expo
I have a couple signings at the Cartoon Art Museum booth and a panel this year at APE. Here's the current schedule:

Signings:
Saturday 10/16 from 2:00 - 3:00pm
Sunday 10/17 from 3:00 - 4:00pm

Panel:
2:00–3:00pm The Art of Storytelling—What role does art play in telling a story in comics format? Enjoy this discussion of art and comics with APE special guests Lynda Barry (What It Is), Renée French (H Day), and Megan Kelso (Artichoke Tales), plus Tom Neely (The Blot) and Jen Wang (Koko Be Good). Moderated by Greg Means (Tugboat Press).

I'm totally stoked to be on this panel (Lynda Barry!), so if you're coming to APE, please come to this!

mao — Thu, 23 Sep 2010 22:52:03 GMT

I've been getting lots of wonderful emails from people who've read Koko and enjoyed it. My heart swells! Thank you everyone!

Some events in Los Angeles this weekend for those of you in the SoCal area:

Friday night Sept. 24th: Secret Headquarters signing @ 7:30pm
http://thesecretheadquarters.blogspot.com/2010/09/koko-be-good-book-release-party-friday.html

Sunday, Sept. 26th: West Hollywood Book Fair panel
FEMME FANTASTIC: CUTTING EDGE WOMEN WRITING THE YA GRAPHIC NOVEL
1:30PM-2:30PM
Lillian Diaz-Przbyl (Moderator)
Hope Larson (Mercury)
Ariel Schrag (Awkward)
Jen Wang (Koko Be Good)
Esther Pearl Watson (Unlovable)
Signings @ The Comic Bug booth
http://www.westhollywoodbookfair.org/

Sorry, cancelled. I have a fever right now so I'm afraid I woke be able to attend. Apologies! :(

See you guys there!

KOKO updates!

mao — Fri, 10 Sep 2010 23:07:07 GMT

Lots of things going on! KOKO BE GOOD comes out next week, September 14th! Look for it at your local bookstore, or order it off Amazon!

Those of you in the San Francisco or Los Angeles regions should come to...

...the release parties! Come pick up a copy of the book and support these awesome local comic shops with me! The San Francisco event is next Friday, September 17th, and the Los Angeles one the Friday after that, September 24th. For those of you into the Facebook thing, Mission Comics put up an event page here. Please attend!
"Koko Be Good" Book Release Party

Also, the book's been getting some nice press! Here's a quick round up of things that've gone up this month:

- First off, a really flattering review from BoingBoing. Koko Be Good: complex and satisfying graphic novel about finding meaning in lifecomplex

- Interview with me via the Wall Street Journal blog, Speakeasy: ‘Koko Be Good’: An Artist Finds Direction Through Cartoons

- In depth book interview with me on Comic Book Resources: Jen Wang's "Koko Be Good"

There should be some more links and events coming up soon and I'll post those as they come. In the meantime thank you so much to everyone who's been spreading the word and taking an interest in my work. I really love drawing comics and I hope you like what I've done!

San Diego Comic Con!

mao — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 20:15:18 GMT

Hey! Those of you going to Comic Con International this week should stop by First Second Books at booth #1323. Check out a preview of KOKO BE GOOD, and pick up one of these postcards!

I'm only going for a day or two, and just as a spectator this year so you won't find me tabling anywhere. But if you do happen to spot me, feel free to say hi! I've been out of the con circuit for a while so looking forward to seeing all my friends in San Diego!

prints

mao — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 00:07:37 GMT

I put some affordable prints back up in the Etsy shop. All under $10. If you're not too broke from taxes, give 'em a look!

http://www.etsy.com/shop/jenwang

KOKO BE GOOD

mao — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 20:48:07 GMT

Finally, annoucements! I've teased about this for a long time and you may have already seen this on my Flickr, or elsewhere, but I got the advance copy of my book "Koko Be Good" this week. Check out the video flip-through:

And we have a release date: September 14th!

As you've probably guessed, it's a revamped long-form novel version of my short comic "Koko Be Good" (2004) you can read here. It's 300 pages, watercolored, published by the wonderful, wonderful, First Second Books. It should be available at regular book and comic stores, and while the messiness between Amazon and Macmillan isn't quite over yet, I'm sure by then you'd be able to order from them too. Just order from Powells instead. ;)

That seems like a long time, but it's relatively short compared to what's come before. Since I've been mostly silent about the subject, here's a breakdown of the timeline:

Winter 2006: Started scripting a few chapters in my notebook.

April 2007 - April 2008: Penciled the entire book. Printed it up, and sent it to my agent.

May 2008 - September 2008: The Waiting Game, part 1! Wrote another script, shelved it in time to get picked up by :01. Signed contracts, started going over tweaks and edits.

October 2008 - April 2009: Inking and coloring marathons.

May 2009 - now: The Waiting Game, part 2! Mainly copy-edits, cover design, etc. This was the longest wait, but now that it's here it's been pretty worthwhile. The book looks great. This really was a labor of love for me and my publishers did an fantastic job putting it all together. I hope when it finally comes out, you really enjoy it.

Anyway, that's it for now. I'm saving more stuff for closer to the actual release date. Until then, enjoy the teaser!

mao — Fri, 25 Dec 2009 22:40:25 GMT

Happy Holidays, everyone!

More!

mao — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 18:58:25 GMT

Thanks so much for everyone who checked out/bought the last batch of paintings! They went much faster than I expected, so I spent the past week knocking out a couple more before the holiday is over. Check 'em out!

http://www.etsy.com/shop/jenwang

original art

mao — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 05:28:01 GMT

I'm a little late on the holiday art sales train, but I just put up some original pieces up on Etsy. Some old, some new, and a range of prices. Here're some of the new:

Go here! http://www.etsy.com/shop/jenwang

Purrcaso

mao — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 20:04:35 GMT

Are you around the Bay Area next weekend? Do you love animals? Berkeley Humane Society is putting on an arts and crafts auction with all benefits going to the shelter. In the past lots of great local artists, including folk from Pixar, have donated art for this show. This is my piece. The info is here:

Evening Auction: November 7, 2009, 7:00-9:30pm (bidding ends at 9pm!)

Craft Fair: November 8, 2009, 12:00-4:00 pm.

Location:
1809 4th Street
Berkeley, CA 94710
(next to Bette's Diner)

More info on this website.

Happy Halloween!

[p.s. Thanks to everyone who responded to my last post! I didn't reply to all of them but I've taken all your comments to heart. After talking to a few more people about raw milk I chickened out a little, so I'm just ruminating on it for now. :) ]

milk

mao — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 05:20:15 GMT

I feel bad posting without a drawing, so I found one. It has nothing to do with my question however...

...about raw milk!

As I've mentioned before, I've had some health problems this year. At this point its pretty much fine, but I haven't stopped being paranoid and really sensitive about it. Particularly since I no longer have health insurance and I had to spend my well-saved travel money on that this summer. So then at APE I got into a conversation with someone who brought up raw milk as the magic antidote to his recent ailments. I'm a teeny bit lactose intolerant, but apparently it's the pasteurization process that breaks down the lactase-producing enzymes our bodies need to fight it, so chances are it won't bother me. Sounds too good to be true?

I read some articles (a good Salon one) and did research on the pros and cons and it seems like while there are risks to unpastuerization, it isn't much more dangerous than eating raw fish, or really raw anything if you buy from a reputable, clean, source. And the anecdotal benefits sound positively mythical (it helped my asthma/allergies/IBS!) and even romantic (I grew up on a farm and drank it every day!).

So! Any LJ readers out there have experiences you'd like to share? I'm going to pick some up at the local health food market tomorrow but I'm curious what advice the internets has to offer. Much appreciated! :)

[EDIT] I should be clear I'm not looking for a miracle cure! I eat healthy, I exercise, I get good sleep. I was interested because the person who made the recommendation and I are both vegetarians. Picking up some meat has been something I've debated this year, so the suggestion was in line with the type of thing I've been thinking.

I know, I know.

mao — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 09:55:44 GMT

I am the very worst at updating this thing even though I constantly think about how I miss Livejournal, and Livejournal being the primary hub of my internet social life. There are a number of reasons why this is so, but I want to put it all behind me. This is a summer of (positive!) transitions, and I want to get back on the horse! The horse that is "sharing".

To start with, here is, of all things, some fanart.

I've been dealing with a gallbladder problem this past month (I'll maybe get into that a little later) and during my more bedridden days I starting watching Mad Men and became instantly hooked. I'm not a big TV watcher, but my all my previous favorite shows have been completed or off the air so the little TV hole in my heart was slutty for new love, and it found what it desired. It helps that all the women in the show not only really interesting, but decked out in amazing draw-able outfits.

Poor, poor Betty. I'm actually surprised a quick search didn't turn up more internet fanart (save for Dyna Moe). Have people seen what the show looks like?? It's practically a drawing!

The only other thing I want to add is I've done almost NO drawing and ALL painting for the past 6 months. I felt so rusty and awkward trying to pencil these that I actually had to paint them in order to feel comfortable. Terrible. Over the next few months I have only writing and drawing to look forward to, so I welcome that. I really like to paint, but I love to draw.

Let's Live Out of Out Suitcases

mao — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 03:19:57 GMT

Happy New Year!

little seamstress

mao — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 07:34:50 GMT

#2

mao — Sun, 30 Nov 2008 00:02:35 GMT

Happy Feast

mao — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 08:23:19 GMT

Happy Thanksgiving! Hopefully your day was like this.

Mine, personally? I spent it sleeping since I've been doing the graveyard shift for my job at a youth hostel. Basically I'm on vampire hours. When I got into bed this morning the sun was coming out and it was looking to be a sunny day. By the time I got up it was dark, and my sister made pumpkin pie so I ate that and dinner while watching "Life After People" on History Channel. Now I'm back at work. But tonight is the one day of the year all the shops downtown will be awake as early as I am, so I'm going to take the opportunity not to go to bed and get things done. I'm gonna grab breakfast with my friend Shannon and then we're going to buy frames for my paintings!

As mentioned before I have a another show coming up at Opposable Thumb Gallery + Cafe off Belmont and 33rd St. in Portland, Oregon starting next Friday December 5th. It will run for a month, and whatever doesn't sell there I'll probably sell online after. This one's all me so I have a bunch to post, and for fun I'm gonna post one a day for the next several days. The cafe is a great space. It was my regular rainy day coffee/reading/drawing spot when I used to live across the street. At least half of my comic (TBA) was drawn there. If you live in Portland (I know a lot of you do), you should check it out. And PS, give an extra tip to the barista Dylan, he's awesome!

Small Stuff 2

mao — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 17:52:54 GMT

Long time no paintings! Here are two going up for sale at Bear and Bird Gallery in Lauderhill, Florida this weekend. Check the website for more info.

Both are approximately 8"x10".

The show is called Small Stuff 2, and the opening is this Saturday, November 29th from 7-10pm. The show runs until January 10th 2009.

And THEN I have a whole buncha paintings for another show coming up real soon that I'll post about later today when I get some scans done. That's a whole lotta painting and ass-planting going on in my world. Thankfully it's an appropriate time of year and I've gotten newly addicted to "The Wire". It is like they say and very good. I'm always 3 years behind on TV shows, but now I can finally listen to those 10 hours of Fresh Air interviews that were previously kind of annoying to wade through!

I was looking for this.

mao — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 07:27:31 GMT

This is pretty cool. Photos of Nov. 5th frontpagers from around the world. The above was my favorite.

\ (^_^) /

The Election Post

mao — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 13:54:45 GMT

It's been gaining a lot more attention now, but California's Proposition 8 race is tightening. I do genuinely believe that an acceptance of same-sex rights is something I will see happen in my lifetime. But that doesn't mean its opponents are any more right now just because of the times.

Here're some photos I took during the initial rush of marriages in San Francisco in February 2004. If you've been following this blog for that long you've already seen these. But I think they're worth reposting now. Sorry for the grain, these were scanned from photographs and I was learning to use a camera then.

And tangetially related, this blog post on early voting in Indiana got me teary eyed:

"For me the most moving moment came when the family in front of me, comprising probably 4 generations of voters (including an 18 year old girl voting for her first time and a 90-something hunched-over grandmother), got their turn to vote. When the old woman left the voting booth she made it about halfway to the door before collapsing in a nearby chair, where she began weeping uncontrollably. When we rushed over to help we realized that she wasn't in trouble at all but she had not truly believed, until she left the booth, that she would ever live long enough to cast a vote for an African-American for president."

Friday night woo hoo

mao — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 09:32:13 GMT

I ate an ITS-ITS tonight I think I'm coming down with a cold?? Say it ain't so.

I was planning a work night but now I might just make mac n' cheese and finish watching "Californication".

Also, I borrowed a copy of "Wizard of Earthsea" to read! I haven't read any of these yet and I'm super stoked. I sort of missed out on these as a teen as there was a period between 14 to 18 when I didn't read much literature (I was too busy watching anime and reading manga, duh). But I had read and loved some of Ursula K. Le Guin's children's books as a kid and figured they were probably worth checking out at some point. Also, she gets points for being born and raised in Berkeley. Holla.

p.s. Anyone on my local Friends-list hosting a debate viewing next week? I have the night off and I am going to watch some frickin debates.

Oldest pet story in the world.

mao — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 03:40:50 GMT

Mercy, I just about had the fright of my life. I'm fostering kitties for the Berkeley SPCA now, and currently it's a sweet lady cat with lungworm. I don't know her history but I'm guessing by her weight she was outdoors for a while before being rescued. Tonight my dad forgot and left the door open for a minute and I was sure she bolted out the door since she was headed in that direction. During rush hour. I spent the next 15 minutes meowing in the dark and playing out the sorry phone call I was going to make to the Foster Coordinator...when she just trotted out from under the bed.

And now she is pooping.

...Cats.

Movies!

mao — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 20:47:11 GMT

The Harvey Milk trailer is up. Can't wait! How about that, Josh Brolin is playing Dan White and George W. Bush this fall.

And also, any experts out there recommend some German language movies? Classics, Horror, Mainstream, Documentary, you name it. For frame of reference, I've seen "Run Lola Run", a couple Fassbinder films, a couple Herzog, and "The Lives of Others" last week. I'm sure there's a ton more, but that's off the top of my head.