Category: Uncategorized

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Gorey’s Idles

Edward Gorey Snail unicorn

I was reading an *interview with Edward Gorey today (from 1994) where he said, “By the way, I would cheerfully sell my soul to draw like some people. “

Clifford Rose: “Like whom?”

and, over the next few pages, Gorey lists his idles (most of whom were also named Edward). I’m just going to post pictures of their work, and let everyone contemplate how wonderful it is that Edward Gorey never actually had the opportunity to sell his soul and draw like them.

Gorey’s number one idle was Edward Bawdin:

He also admired Edward Ardizzone:

You can see that Gorey was influence by Ardizzone.

And then there was Pesanello:

beautiful, but still prefer Gorey to Pisanello

And Balthus, and he specified the drawings for Wuthering Heights, which Gorey says, “As illustrations for Withering Heights, forget it. But they are just so compelling.”

While I love Edward Gorey’s personal taste, and I agree these are all fantastic illustrators, I don’t think any of them are as great as Edward Gorey himself. I might gladly sell my soul to draw like Edward Gorey.

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Night of the Krampus Comes in 55 Days!


She looks skeptical, but it’s true! “Night of the Krampus” will be here in 55 days! Patreon Supporter Heather decided my next book should be the real story of Krampus. December 5th, 2019 is release date! More information coming soon.

If you would like a book about your own topic, please become a supporter of my art at the $25 a month or more level, and you can tell me what to write next! Exciting.

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Coming Not Very Soon: Night of the Krampus

Krampus is springing forth, and he’s a musician

When you become a $25 a month Patreon member, one of the perks is that you get to tell me what my next book is about. The next book, as dictated by patron Heather, is going to be about Krampus the Christmas demon, and how he only steals children because he is so lonely. 

Although the Facebook group consensus is that Krampus should be super buff and beautiful but with horns, and also evil or whatever— this is my picture of him, in my mind. He’s just a lonely musician (a good one, though) who wishes he were more loved, like his counterpart, Santa Claus. But he is what he is, you know? It’s those horns, you see. They get in the way of doorframes and all that, but more importantly, people judge him for them and they think he isn’t a nice guy. Also, the cloven hooves. Poor Krampus. No wonder he’s singing the blues. 

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Mother Fools Show

The Tenderfoot Collective (which includes me) will be showing art on the walls of Mother Fools Coffee House at 1101 Williamson Street, Madison, Wisconsin, for the month of August. You are invited to come and see our art and have some coffee and vegan fare any time during August. If you would like to see me personally, I will be there at the opening reception on Sunday, August 4, from 6 PM to 8 PM. That’s this Sunday! I’d love to see you there. -Shoshanah

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Sheep for Sale: Ghirardelli and Toblerone

These two year old ewes are sisters and like to be together. They are a part of a group of dark brown sheep born two years ago that we have named, “The Chocolate Club,” so they all are named after kinds of chocolate. They would be a lot darker if we had coats on them. They are very sun-bleached. These sheep have never lived inside a barn.

Breed: Jacob / Corriedale Cross (More Jacob than Corriedale, about 75% Jacob, 25% Corriedale)

Temperament: Afraid of people. Skittish.

Wool: Dark, thick, dense, soft, and plentiful. They have ten month’s growth on them right now. I have not shorn them this year, and I got to them late summer last year.

Size: Small. 60-70 pounds.

Horns: No horns, but their offspring maybe would have them. These sheep have not been bred.

Asking: $100 Each.

Located in Mount Horeb, Wisconsin. Email me at shoshanahm@yahoo.com if you are interested.

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Sheep For Sale: Hershey and her Ewe Lamb

Hershey is a two year old ewe, and this is her one week old lamb, who is also female.

Breed: Jacob / Corriedale Cross 50/50

Temperament: Honestly a little crazy. Mother does not like people.

Wool: soft, dense and dark. I sheared her myself a month ago. (I am not a professional, obviously. I only shear my own sheep.) I did not shear around the head.

Size: Small. Maybe sixty pounds. You could mistake the mother for a lamb of another breed, she’s so little.

Horns: No horns, though the lamb might have them. It’s too soon to tell.

Asking: $75 each.

Located in Mount Horeb, Wisconsin. Email me at shoshanahm@yahoo.com if you are interested.

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Sheep for Sale: Seven Yearling Wethers

I have seven yearling wethers that I would like to sell as a group.

Breed: Jacob / Corriedale Cross (More Jacob than Corriedale, about 75% Jacob, 25% Corriedale)

Temperament: Surprisingly mellow for being so much Jacob. Most of them let me pet them on the nose.

Wool: Some are dark brown/ black, some are white with spots in the traditional Jacob marking. All have thick wool. (See pictures.)

Size: Small. They are all under 100 pounds, I’m sure. Maybe average 70 pounds. These are wool sheep.

Horns: Yes, big. But they don’t ram people.

Asking: $75 each or $375 for all seven.

Located in Mount Horeb, Wisconsin. Email me at shoshanahm@yahoo.com if you are interested.

Five white with black spots, two dark brown. Ram on the top right not included with offer, but sold separately.
One year’s growth.
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All Before Breakfast

Mimi Jacob

I’ve been waking up at the crack of dawn to feed the little bottle lamb in the barn. Then the puppy, Mike Vivaldi, always wants to go for a walk. I took him along this morning to check and see if any lambs were born in the night.

Not quite… But Mimi was on the ground, moaning. Mike and I went into the pen and I could see a little mouth and a big red tongue sticking out of her lady sheep parts (technical language). As we approached, Mimi got up and ran! She obviously needed help, but she was going to be difficult about it.

I tied up Mike to a fence post, because he is not yet skilled in the arts of shepherding and lamb doulaing (though I expect great things from him, someday). After some awkward running and dodging other sheep, I caught her in a catch pen, stuck my hands up in her, grabbed those slippery slimy lamb legs and pulled out a most enormous ram lamb. She yelled. Pretty sure it didn’t feel that great! Then she just stood there and stared at that slimy, bloody ram on the ground with no recognition, like, “What the hell is that?”

And then I walked Mike Vivaldi back and drove my daughter to band practice. All before breakfast!

I left them penned up together for three hours, went back, and he was all fluffy. Mimi had cleaned him up. She was bonded to him, except when I put a lamb sweater on him, she didn’t seem to know who he was, suddenly, so I took the sweater off again. Fashion be damned. It’s supposed to rain tonight, but honestly, he looks pretty hearty.

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