What the hell happened to 2011?

So we're officially halfway through March 2011 and I have yet to muster a single post. There must be a good reason, right?Well yes, there are several. Procrastination, lameness, avoidance and denial to name but a few. It's hard to remember my personal resolution, made back in January to update this blog more regularly - at least twice a month I vaguely remember muttering to myself as the festivities subsided. I'm not exactly sure why I find this task so daunting, but I am sure I'm sick and tired of starting every post with an apology, so remaining true to my procrastinators heart, my New Year's resolution is officially taking effect in Spring and this post will be the first of a veritable torrent of fascinating information that will forthwith be outpouring from my headquarters here at Fullarton Acres.News? You want news? okay well lets start with two, yes 2 illustrations for the illustrious Utne Reader. The first, below, is already appearing in the current issue, and illustrates an article entitled 'The Art of the Police Report'. It's currently languishing at number one in the 'most read' list on the Utne website (not that I'm letting my handiwork take the credit for that) which means my work is being viewed by literally tens of people! It's actually a fascinating article about how one LAPD patrolman manages to imbue his supposedly subjective police incident reports with a very distinct point of view - worth a read if you have some time to kill.

Next up we feature an illustration that will appear, in satisfyingly linear fashion, in the forthcoming issue of the Utne. This one, which I have only just finished, will be used to illustrate an entertaining little little bio piece about a quirky and charming near-octogenarian who goes by the excellent name of Vernon G. Bandy. Mr Bandy is a Dowser - a man who plies the inscrutable art of finding objects or liquids with a divining rod or stick. Actually where I come from they are known as Diviners, and mostly they spend their time finding water, but apparently old Vern can also locate, with something approaching regularity, just about anything: water (both pure and contaminated), gold, drugs, oil, dead bodies, and snakes. Hence the visual.Astute readers will notice there are no words on this one. You can't say the winds of change never blow through my vast and unimaginably luxurious studio!