Category Archives: News

Art, female bodybuilders, Gone Too Soon, News, Portfolio

August Creativity

August 23, 2021 Normal Bob

People’ve been demanding I draw celebs that’re more famous. For some reason I have a difficult time focusing on the big stars. In most cases they’ve been drawn 1,000 times already. And they’ve already been substantially over exposed, by definition. Someone however suggested that like the Amy Winehouse piece, I continue with the Gone Too Soon theme. That was a good idea. So as I was searching for ideas I was struck by how few drawings there are of Kurt which actually LOOK like him. Way too many seem to’ve been drawn by a love-struck pre-teen fan, to the point where he looks like the guy from Nickleback! And even more who took the easy route with his shades & sweaters. Anyhow, I’ve done my best to fix that.

Sitting in AC to escape the heat & humidity of Michigan has made August a creatively productive month for me. To begin with, if you haven’t read my most recent stories of my teenage Hollywood Runaway Punkrock Adventure, you simply must. It’s a 3 parter that’ll give insight on how this grownup problem-child started down this path. Depending on how much you REALLY want to know about my motivations, my FBB Girlfriend story, and THAT whole longing obsession, well I wrote about those too. I’m really enjoying this storytelling, and look forward to writing more from my past, and my id. I’ve realized again how revealing myself only widens the scope of art I want to make.

Finally, I’m still in the magnetic Jesus Dressup business! I lost a lot of stores in the pandemic. Many just aren’t even answering their phones anymore. But I have however been getting them onto your refrigerators through my store! I was reminded of how long this has been going on when Sophia, who’s been playing with my Jesus Dressup so long, now her kids play it! Here they are “dressing up the weird guy with holes in his hands.” And that’s a direct quote!
That is one OLD set of the Xmas & the Original. And who else even has a Lady Gaga JDU any more??
Warms my heart, as I hope it does yours as well.

Amazing Strangers, Anthropology, Art, News

Bringing Union Sq to Book Nook

April 22, 2021 Normal Bob

Wendell Headly framed behind Book Nook counter

As many of you may or may not know, I’ve been displaying my art in coffee shops around here in Michigan. Two shops to be exact. Drip Drop Drink in Muskegon, and Book Nook Java Shop in Montague. I highly recommend both!
Now, Book Nook has invited me to hang as much as I want of whatever I want in their sizely establishment, and I’ve fully taken them up on that offer. About 20 pieces there now. I even framed that Wendell Head just in time for spring, as well as a poster size of that Union Square postcard, which is what I have to tell you about.

Sasha, Gwen & Jake above the Book Nook door

amazing strangers of union square cartoon drawing — All of the Union Square characters for Matchgame Postcard gathered at park digitized in Adobe Illustrator

Now, I’ve been putting off blowing this particular image up to poster size mainly because I sorta didn’t wanna see all those little drawings blown up. The postcard size smallness of the piece hid mistakes. Or maybe I just didn’t want to go down Memory Lane with these faces closeup just yet. Either way, I wasn’t going to pass up this opportunity to share Union with the people of Montague. It was time to blow this baby up, 2 feet by 3 feet to frame for their wall.

I scaled the art, took it to the printers, and when I picked it up along with some others, I didn’t want to look at this one yet. I stress about these things. It wasn’t until it was framed and in my room that evening I actually sat down in front of it (a little stoned) and just stared at it. And lemme tell you, I was BLOWN AWAY.

I’d forgotten how much work I’d put into each of these tiny little caricatures, and all of their personalities came flooding back. All of these details were lost in that cramped little postcard I gave away. I shocked myself. Everybody looks like they actually look. Period. Roman and his gang, Wendell, Quarter Guy, Peepers, EVERYONE! No joke, it’s the first time I’d ever seen ANY of these this big, and it was cracking me up! There’s nothing else like it.

Long story short, I went back to the drawing board, added a few more characters (there’s over 100 people on it btw), plus a lot of Easter Eggs for anyone who’s a real AS nerd.
I printed 50, 24″X 36″ posters to sell to whoever wants one. It’s First Print numbered & dated, signed by me, including this really nice looking glossary sheet with everybody’s name and where they are at the park. You can quiz yourself, and then go find them on the Tube! BUY IT HERE

Not to toot my own horn but it’s really the greatest picture that’s ever going to exist of that corner of New York City at that point in time. If you were waiting for my big tribute to Union Square, this is it. Yet as I write this it’s only hanging in a cute little coffee shop in Montague Michigan… for now!

• AMAZING STRANGERS POSTER comes signed, w/glossary key.

Art, BDSM Jesus, Blog, Final Justice Jesus, Jesus Dressup, Magnets, News, Star Wars Jesus

I’m Still Here!

October 22, 2020 Normal Bob

I’ve gotten enough inquiries lately about whether or not I still sell the Jesus magnets, or how I’m doin, or when I’ll be back at Union Square that I should probably give an update no matter how uneventful. Compared to everyone else this year, I’m fine out here in the middle of nowhere-Michigan away from all the rest of the world’s drama. And no offense, but not being in the city has its benefits too. So yes, I do indeed still have magnets for sale!
I have 6 different versions of Jesus Dressup available:
1. Original JDU
2. Halloween JDU
3. Final Justice JDU
4. BDSM JDU
5. Star Wars JDU
6. Batman JDU
You can get All 6 for $66!
I have all kinds of different stuff for sale besides those, so it’s worth taking a tour of my store to see what I’m talkin about.

I’ve just been drawing. Practicing my pen & ink skills atm. I drew this beautiful picture just the other day, for example. So don’t be worrying about me. I don’t presently have any plans to go to NYC, or anywhere for that matter. By spring maybe I’ll have something different to say regarding all that. But between you and me, 2020 has done quite a number on the business and the stores I do business with across the U.S. I’ve only had TWO stores order magnets for their shelves this year! Only 2. So I really really hope that 2021 has better news waiting for us all in this dept as well.

So again, I’m here, I got magnets, and I’m feeling generous, including little extras in people’s orders. Try me! I appreciate your business and audience to how little I’ve got to show here lately. Thank you for all that.

Art, Dressup Games, Freelance, News, Portfolio

Saving the Past

June 4, 2020 Normal Bob

crucifieddevilv2 The combination of Becka’s art exhibit detailing the last 30 years of my work, and all the free time this isolation in lockdown has forced upon us all, I’ve been re-inspired to archive more of my own history on the internet.

First and foremost, I want to give many thank-you’s to my new friend in Kazakhstan, Aleksei Yu who has a commendable obsession with my dressup games. He singlehandedly scoured the internet & WayBack.com to gather all of the lost and forgotten dressups I’ve constructed over the last 20 years. These were for a wide assortment of clients, most of them having long since disappeared from the web, thus taking their custom games down with them. Then he fixed the coding so they work again, organized them by year, and surprised me through email with the full archive for future generations to study and enjoy. It’s simply unbelievable to me. So many of these I’d forgotten about. Over 60 games!
His actions have subsequently inspired me to piece together several other dressups I started, but for one reason or another never completed, like Danni Daniels Dressup! BTW, NSFW!

These too have been included in Becka Jean’s exhibition. In fact each section of her exhibit has been updated with more art, so it’s worth a revisit if you were into it your first time through.

The Jesus Dressup section of my store has also been updated so it’s friendlier to the eye. Things have really slowed down around here, so if you’ve been considering buying these magnets but just haven’t gotten around to it, your purchases won’t be under appreciated. The Halloween sets are on sale for just $10! Only a few more boxes of those left before they’re gone for good.
On this topic of archiving the past, at the bottom of this page I’ve put together this informative gallery of Jesus Dressup magnets produced in order by year. 13 different versions over the last 20 years! It’s worth the scroll through, if only to refresh your memory.

And since we’re going soooooo far down Memory Lane, I’ve also added links in the right side menu here to 3 different versions of my original site as it evolved over the decades. A glimpse back to an internet long gone. If you’re like me and enjoy nostalgia surfing, these are a fun browse too.