Father Augustine The Cat, In Progress

Cartoonist Matt Bors (an excellent illustrator from the other side of the political tracks) once commented on his blog regarding my habit of posting unfinished cartoons, or as I like to call them-cartoons in progress. Something I learned from my many years drawing and painting in the front lobby of the Rio Hotel in Las Vegas is that folks who can't draw a stick figure remain forever amazed by those who can. As an artist it's all too easy to discount this fact, as most artists are usually never happy with their own work as it is (and goood, I say). My regularly drawing and painting portraits from photographs upside down (helps to see the spatial relationships; and the canvas and photos were upside down, not me) usually flipped people out. The attention was embarrassing but it all helped to pay the bills. George Foreman was one of my most appreciative celebrity admirers, but he kept me and my faithmouse fiancee Chris waiting a few hours for a photograph which never arrived, so we gave up and went to the Maxim for a $3.95 chicken dinner instead. I still feel a little bad that Nancy Sinatra didn't have a better photograph of her with her father to work from, but it's hard to draw a portrait from a photo where you can't see the eyelashes. Probably the sweetest celebrity I ever met was Dana Plato; I've thought often of using her as a character in the cartoon, but I feel too sad about her life and death to do so.

Here's a cartoon in progress which is part of the Gaybear/Francis series, which following the news of the suppression by Archbishop Harry Flynn of the homilies of local priest and celebrant at my wedding Father Robert Altier I feel strongly inspired to get back in gear. For those who enjoy prattle, I've added some extensive comments to the 'Barebutt' blog post. Needless to say, there probably won't be an update to the current ACLU toon, which really deserves more life that the time I had available for it; my idea to reposition the bottom text as writing in the snow may have to remain in my (and your) imagination.