This July our exhibit will feature photographs shot on Polaroid or instant film.  For a while in 2008 Polaroid film was actually discontinued but now it’s back.  As Polaroid users will testify there’s something magic about the lighting and picture quality of a Polaroid, as well as the instant gratification.  This July 1st Thursday we’ll display the work of over 10 photographers, most of whom are from Portland.  We will also have enlarged digital prints of some of the images for sale.

LISTING INFORMATION:

WHO: Rikki Barney, Robin Bogert, Brandon Van Buskirk, Michael DeMeo, Norther Emily, Brock Fansler, Yona Kifle, India Leigh, Alexandria Liegel, Alyssa Noches, Chris Ramos, and more…
WHAT: Polaroid and instant film photography exhibit
WHEN: Thursday, July 1st, 6-10pm
WHERE: Floating World Comics, 20 NW 5th Ave #101
(more…)

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This June we are proud to present the work of Farel Dalrymple, creator of the award winning Pop Gun War series and artist of Omega The Unknown by Jonathan Lethem.

The original Pop Gun War series was collected and published by Dark Horse Comics in 2003.  In the past two years, Farel has been self publishing the sequel, Pop Gun War: Chain Letter as limited edition books with silkscreen and letterpress covers.  We will have the brand new second issue and a new printing of the sold out first issue at our opening event, June 3rd.

http://fareldalrymple.com/

http://www.arthurmag.com/2009/08/18/pop-gun-war-2-chain-letter-by-farel-dalrymple/
LISTING INFORMATION:

WHO: Farel Dalrymple
WHAT: Pop Gun War: Chain Letter release party and art exhibit
WHEN: Thursday, June 3rd, 6-10pm
WHERE: Floating World Comics, 20 NW 5th Ave #101

BIO INFORMATION:

Farel Dalrymple – Originally from Oklahoma “by way of California”, Dalrymple is one of the founders of the New York City based Meathaus Colllective.  He attended New York’s School of Visual Arts as an Illustration major and was awarded the Society of Illustrators Gold Medal in 2002.

Best known for his work on Pop Gun War and Omega the Unknown, Farel also contributed to DC’s alt-anthology Bizarro World and will contribute to the follow up to Strange Tales, Marvel Comics’ new alt comics anthology.

Farel is also working on a new original graphic novel called The Wrenchies, which will be published by First Second books.

Farel’s artwork will be on display and for sale until June 30th.

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To Teach: The Journey, In Comics
William Ayers and Ryan Alexander-Tanner

“This fascinating and, yes, educational book will certainly be of interest to teachers, but it will also teach, inspire, and entertain anyone else who picks it up.” —Publishers Weekly

This graphic novel brings to life William Ayers’s bestselling memoir To Teach: The Journey of a Teacher. These illustrated stories begin with Ayers’s early days teaching kindergarten and follow this renowned educational theorist on his “voyage of discovery and surprise.” Readers meet fellow travelers from schools across the country and watch as students grow across a year and a lifetime.

To Teach: The Journey, In Comics is a vivid, honest portrayal of the everyday world of teaching and what it means to be a “good” teacher—debunking myths perpetuated on film and in starry-eyed hero/teacher fictions. On the surface, To Teach is primarily the story of William Ayers and his class as they navigate the kindergarten year from introductions to graduation.  In the process, we see how Bill Ayers engages with the children as individuals, translates their questions and concerns into fun and educational projects and handles the “weird” people with clipboards who stop by to check his actions against the Regional and National Curriculum.

Fans of scholarly graphic works such as Studs Terkel’s Working: A Graphic Adaptation and A People’s History of American Empire: A Graphic Adaptation will appreciate this pioneering work from Ayers and Alexander-Tanner, while fans of graphic novel memoirs will find much to love in To Teach’s powerful and progressive message.

Dave’s Killer Bread and Ninkasi will be providing food and beverages!

LISTING INFORMATION:
WHO: William Ayers and Ryan Alexander-Tanner
WHAT: Book release and authors’ talk
WHEN: Sunday, May 23th, 6-9pm, authors’ talk 7-8pm
WHERE: Floating World Comics, 20 NW 5th Ave #101

BIO INFORMATION:

Ryan Alexander-Tanner’s art brings to life the learning processes familiar to everyone who has ever been a student or a teacher. Lauren Weinstein, Girl Stories, captures the book’s essence perfectly: “Ayers organizes a classroom like Alexander-Tanner lays out each page: with inventiveness, clarity of purpose and a close attention honoring their individual subjects. I wish I’d read this book before I started teaching and making comics a decade ago; it’s chock full of practical and philosophical advice…I know this book will inspire a generation of teachers to come.” To Teach: The Journey, In Comics is a unique book that reminds us how curiosity, a sense of adventure and a healthy dose of reflection can guide us all.

To Teach: The Journey, In Comics is also a landmark work of collaboration. Ryan Alexander-Tanner lived with William Ayers for over 6 months, at his home in Chicago. This includes the period of time during the 2008 presidential election.  The result of a fruitful partnership, To Teach is not just Ayers’ story – the authors also show how other teachers have found ways to engage with, and learn from students. To Teach is a timeless work that challenges the student/teacher dichotomy and opens up a world in which the hard questions aren’t avoided, and it is acceptable for a teacher to say, “Let’s learn this together.”

William Ayers is a Distinguished Professor of Education and Senior University Scholar at the University of Illinois at Chicago. He is the author of many acclaimed works on social justice. http://www.billayers.org/

Ryan Alexander-Tanner is a Brooklyn-based art teacher and Xeric Award–winning comic artist. This is his first full-length graphic novel. He is online at: http://www.ohyesverynice.com/

May 1, 2010/ 144 pp./ Paperback, $15.95/ ISBN: 978-0-8077- 5062-9

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This Saturday May 1st is FREE COMIC BOOK DAY.  We’ll have dozens of new comics that are all totally free.  Publishers often offer books that are great starting points to check out new series.  We do not limit the number of books you can take, although we do ask that you don’t take more than 1 of any title.

From Noon - 3pm we’ll have special guest, Amy Mebberson, in attendance to do sketches and sign books.  She has worked for Disney and Laika animation studios, and is now the artist for many popular Boom Kids series like Muppet Show, Toy Story and Monsters Inc.  We’ll have free Muppet Show posters that she can sign as well as a limited edition Chicago ComicCon Muppet Show exclusive “blank” cover for sketches.

See samples of Amy’s work here:    http://www.flickr.com/photos/16422686@N05/

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This May First Thursday Floating World is growing twice as awesome.  Grass Hut Gallery is sadly closing down their east Burnside location.  But Grass Hut lives on as they will be moving their gallery into Floating World this month!  We will both continue to curate monthly shows.

This May features the artwork of Adrian Riemann, who has designed a series 16 prints with He-Man and the Masters of the Universe – except they’re all wearing and modeling current fashions and designer labels.  We also invited the following artists to do their interpretations of cartoon or comics characters in modern fashions:  Matt Furie, Nick Gazin, Brandon Graham, Corey Lewis, and Angie Wang.

http://www.behance.net/Gallery/MASTERS-OF-THE-UNIVERSE/213057

LISTING INFORMATION:
WHO: Adrian Riemann, Matt Furie, Nick Gazin, Brandon Graham, Corey Lewis, Angie Wang
WHAT: PROJECT R.U.N.W.A.Y. – cartoon fashion show
WHEN: Thursday, May 6th, 6-10pm
WHERE: Floating World Comics, 20 NW 5th Ave #101

BIO INFORMATION:

Adrian Riemann - Born 1988 in Stuttgart, Germany.  Grew up in various cities in the southern regions of Germany.  In 2002 lived in Melbourne for almost a year.  Graduated from school in 2007 and started studying graphic design at the State Academy of Arts in Stuttgart the next year.

Adrian has been drawing since he can remember. He grew up with a pencil in his hand and has practically never put it down. As a child of the late 80s and 90s one can find various allusions on the pop-culture of that time in his works. Maybe it’s his way to overcome some childhood traumas – if you also grew up in that time you know why.

Since he started studying he also did some works for musicians and music labels, designing record covers and posters and at the moment he is working on a t-shirt line with two friends called TRINITAS as well as a few personal projects, including some Star Wars inspired stuff.

http://www.soleils.org/

Matt Furie - Matt Furie was born in Columbus, Ohio in 1979. He graduated from Ohio Wesleyan University in Delaware, Ohio in 2001. Matt is a leo, he enjoys long walks in the park, bubble baths, and an occasional glass of wine. He currently lives in San Francisco. His comic series “Boy’s Club” is published by Buenaventura Press.

http://www.mattfurie.com/mattfurie.php

Brandon Graham – Graham grew up in Seattle, Washington, where he was a graffiti artist. His book King City  was published by Tokyopop in 2007 and was nominated for an Eisner Award. In May 2009 Graham announced that King City would continue publication at Image Comics and his Oni Press title Multiple Warheads would also resume publication.

http://royalboiler.livejournal.com/

Nick Gazin – Nick is a comics illustrator and also the comics editor for Vice Magazine.  He also hosts the popular Comic Book Witch Hunt which is a comic review battle royale.  Nick reviews a bunch of comics and then makes a video of himself and friends burning the crappy ones.

http://skeleteen.livejournal.com/

Corey Lewis - Born in sunny California in 1982, living in Washington since. Currently in the big city of Seattle.  Enjoys making artwork for a variety of companies, including: Marvel, Oni, Udon, DC/Zuda, Image, Pink Gorilla & Etc, on properties like Street Fighter, Darkstalkers, Rival Schools, X-Men, and my own original creations, Sharknife, Peng, Dead in the Now, Pinapl, Seedless etc, etc.

http://www.reyyy.com/

Angie Wang - Angie Wang has not gone to art school and has not won any awards for illustration and got no job and no cats no dogs and no birds so don’t give her no shit.

http://www.okchickadee.com/

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