ReadBoston's Storymobile kick-off

ReadBoston's Summer Storymobile Kick-off event was a smashing success. It's always an honor to be a part of anything that ReadBoston does. The organization is top-notch and the counselors who run the program are so dedicated and passionate about what they do. I got to see the SLUG van in person for the first time. That was pretty surreal! Even more surreal is that they were passing out ReadBoston T-shirts to everyone with Slug on it! And they even had a Baghead cake, gave away free copies of Baghead to every kid in attendance and if that wasn't enough, Mayor Meino read the book. It's not every day that you get to hear an elected official read your book. Talk about an honor!

Here is a video of the Mayor reading Baghead followed by some pictures from the day.

old press

During some spring cleaning, I came across this old newspaper clipping. It's from a few years ago...
...and by a few years ago, I mean 1983. I'm with my cousin Garret and playing my Smurf guitar.

drawings from kids, Slug style & upcoming event

Speaking of Slugs, join me along with Mayor Menino and Lisa Hughes of Channel 4 News as we kick-off the Slug storymobile for Summer 2008. It all happens this Thursday, June 26th at 11 AM at the Frog Pond at Boston Common.

Sketchbook Saturday

Trafalger Sq #2

Pig and Goat fan mail

If you have any drawings, I would love to see them. They can be
emailed to me via props@studiojjk.com or mailed to:
Jarrett J. Krosoczka
PO Box 60155
Florence, MA 01062

Sketchbook Saturday

Santa Maria Novella
Florence, Italy

It was a good "Stroll"

G and I had a great time at "The Strolling of the Heifers" last weekend. If you live within driving distance of this annual event - it's by far worth the trip. Where else can you see hundreds of cows and funky art projects marching down Main St?

See below the kids who are carrying signs that depict the picture books featured in "Livestock".
The art students of Brattleboro High School made this Punk Farm van for the parade.
And these Brattleboro students brought the rock to what was probably one of the greatest readings ever of the Punk Farm books.

On Monday, Scott Nash and I gave a lecture to the art students at Brattleboro High to thank them for their work. I first saw Scott's work back in '97 when his first book, Saturday Night at the Dinosaur Stomp, was published. I was taking a course on writing and illustrating picture books in college and my professors brought it in as an exemplary book. I soon became a big fan. 11 years later there we were at the news desk....
We are pictured here with his wife Nancy (another incredible artist!) and Kirsten Cappy. Authors, illustrators and publishers take note - this woman is incredible. She puts together incredible book events - the aforementioned Livestock and runs the unbeatable Lunch Box series in Portland, ME (remember the guy wearing a sheep costume or the clay slugs?). Bookmark http://curiouscitydoings.blogspot.com and keep track of this literary rock star!

I mean, just check out all of the awesomeness she has created for authors and illustrators via Curious City's Flick pages - http://www.flickr.com/photos/curiouscity/sets/

drawings form kids

This Punk Farm inspired party comes from a talented young artist in Virginia.

If you have any drawings, I would love to see them. They can be
emailed to me via props@studiojjk.com or mailed to:
Jarrett J. Krosoczka
PO Box 60155
Florence, MA 01062

Sketchbook Saturday

Trafalgar Sq #1

Radio spots

I have a few radio spots coming up ahead of my appearance at the Strolling of the Heifers.

I stopped by the River studios to talk to Monte on The River Morning Show. Our chat aired this morning, but to hear Monte's piece on Punk Farm and The Strolling of the Heifers (and to hear Monte reading PF to his son) head over to at his page on www.wsri.com.

Also, listen to Bill and Ella as they stop by my studio for their show Spare the Rock, Spoil the Child. You can listen at 103.3 FM or 93.9 in Northampton, 101.5 FM in Brattleboro, VT, streamed live at www.wsri.com and then archived at www.sparetherock.com.

awesomeness

Talk about your warm welcomes. Kathy Crane and her crew at Coleman
Elementary went over the top. And these pictures only scratch the surface of what they put together!

Blue fan mail

I love it when everyone is involved...



If you have any drawings, I would love to see them. They can be
emailed to me via props@studiojjk.com or mailed to:
Jarrett J. Krosoczka
PO Box 60155
Florence, MA 01062

Sketchbook Saturday

London phone booths

Schtroumpf

Did you know that the Smurfs are celebrating their 50th anniversary? NPR just did a great piece on the history of the little blue creatures who are three apples tall. Listen to their feature here. Like many kids of the 80's, I had my collection of Smurf figurines. But I took my Smurf fandom a step further. The evidence:

I had Smurf Colorforms...
A Smurf birthday cake...
I even had a Smurf Playhouse...

Not pictured - my Smurf Big Wheels, Smurf board game, Smurf guitar, Smurf drums... I was fanatical about the cartoon. I was lucky enough to have seen Smurfs on Ice and if you needed further proof, please note the below legal documentation.

Materialism aside, the Smurfs made a great impact on me creatively. Some of my earliest drawings are of Smurfs.

In 2001, my friend Kevin and I traveled to Italy. We had a blast. And because we're both artists, we saw museum after museum. Some of the greatest works of art on the planet were just inches in front of our faces. On our way home, we had a 7 hour layover in Brussels. After a long trip, we just wanted to get home. But then we came across a flyer in an Italian cafe...there was a cartooning museum in Brussels. And Belgium of course was home to Pey0 - creator of the Smurfs. In Italy, Smurfs are called "Puffis". In French, they are called "Schtroumpfs". When we landed in Brussels and got in the cab, we asked, "Comment obtenez-vous au musem de l'Schtroumpfs?" (It looks more elegant than it sounded.) While we weren't headed to a museum dedicated solely to Smurfs, The Belgian Center for Comic Strip Art had plenty of Smurf stuff. They had an exhibit set up of Smurf artifacts - as though the Smurfs had been an actual species that had since died off and this was what was left. And they had Smurf statues and lots of amazing artwork from Belgian cartoonists.


And now apparently there is a 3-D movie trilogy in the works. I'm there!

Strolling of the Heifers - next Saturday!

Mark your calendars. There will be hundreds of cows, me reading Punk Farm books and a punk band dressed like farm animals, rocking out.

Sat, June 7
Parade starts @ 10:00 AM
JJK reading/signing @ 1PM
Strolling of the Heifers
Brattleboro, VT
Reading, Signing and a Punk Farm cover band will perform

"Hood’s Livestock will be rockin’ with book-related activities for kids, including performances, readings, drawing lessons, and treasure hunts. Nationally acclaimed book authors and illustrators, Scott Nash, David Elliott, Jarrett J. Krosoczka, Suzy Becker, Lori Korcheck and Marshall Taylor will be on hand to read to and greet their fans."

This event is being put together by Kristin Cappy of Curious City/Lunchbox fame, so it's sure to be killer.

Here are a few pics of previous "Strolls" found via the program's website.

I have spies Part 2

Friends are powerful allies to authors. They walk into book stores, ask for your book, and cause a raucous if the book isn't being carried.

Friends are also powerful allies because they humble you.

For instance, not too long ago my friend Justin called.

"You'll never believe this. I'm at a yard sale..."

"And they have your book."

"And it's signed..."

"And personalized. It was dated, too. And I realized I had been at that signing, the one in Portland. How crazy is that?!"

So did he buy it? Not at $2....

I have spies

It's one thing to have a friend walk into a library, find your book on prominent display and send you a picture.

It's a whole other thing to see that the library in question looks as cool as the Camarillo Public Library in California.

Sketchbook Saturday

Over the next few months, I'm going to be posting some watercolor paintings from my sketchbook. These are all from European travels between 2000 and 2002. Hope you enjoy them! And Happy Summer!

Venice

A study in art ala Baghead

These young Virginian artists sure know their art...and their Bagheads!

Dalí

Monet

Mondrian

Matisse

Cow

Check out this excellent Cow.




If you have any drawings, I would love to see them. They can be
emailed to me via props@studiojjk.com or mailed to:
Jarrett J. Krosoczka
PO Box 60155
Florence, MA 01062

You lookin' at me?

Fogheddaboudit!

Chicken for a Monday

Here's an excellent drawing of Chicken to start off your new week.

Happy Monday!




If you have any drawings, I would love to see them. They can be
emailed to me via props@studiojjk.com or mailed to:
Jarrett J. Krosoczka
PO Box 60155
Florence, MA 01062

Baghead...the musical?

If there was a Baghead musical and Josh had a dream sequence, these ladies would come tap dancing along on the stage...

door decorating contest

Hayes Elementary hosted a door decorating contest on a recent visit to their school. Here are a few pictures - everyone did a great job!

Become PF fan on Facebook

Hey gang, now you can connect to Punk Farm via their Facebook fan page. Add 'em up! You can even add fan photos and fan videos!