The Minneapolis College of Art and Design first contacted me (in the person of Peter Gross, who'd taught there for a while) when I spoke at the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis in 2001. Ideas were floated about an online course or an in-person seminar. I went for the latter, and thanks to the good folks at MCAD, the idea became a reality this summer.
I put together a 6 hour-a-day, 5-day seminar in comics storytelling consisting of an hour and a half morning lecture and a whole lot of drawing, drawing and drawing.
The class sold out fast and MCAD added a second week (fine with us). While the first week drew primarily from MCAD's own student population rather than out of towners (about a two to one ratio), the second reversed the ratio. Some came from as far as Texas, Rhode Island and New York -- but none from as far away as we did.
Even as I write this on the laptop, just entering New Mexico from Texas on 54 at 9 pm Mountain Time, Ivy at the wheel, as everybody sings along to TMBG's new kid's album "No!" and mysterious fireworks appear on the horizon, I'd do it again in a heartbeat. Next stop San Diego for the Convention.
Joining me and the girls are: (left to right) Anne Baltazar, Andrew Dobson (with hat), Nathaniel Posner (behind Anne), Tim Mallos (whose account of the whole week can be found here), Erik Bergstrom, Rachel O'Brien (laughing), Ryan Germick, Sara Rosenbaum, Jared Martin (in back), Mark Bender, Christine Lamb, Brett Schlosser (back), Nicky Cook, Eric Erstad (tragically cropped so that an eye and his hair are about all we can see -- sorry about that, Eric!), Brendan Cullen-Benson, Ryan Michlitsch and Craig Ingerto. (Not pictured: Sam Kess joined us in the first few days, but warned that his wife was expecting any day now, and he might have to take his leave. Hoping his absense on Thursday and Friday was indeed a good sign.)
Again, joining me and the girls, including a rather unhappy Winter, are (left to right): Mike Hirabayashi, Patrick "of the Elephants" Lewandowski, Maya Stutzman, Eric Dwinell (in back), Erik Lervold (saluting), Tori Thorsen (tilting), Dan Knowles (way in the back and almost completely obscured by the heavenly glow that threatens to engulf us all), Robin Treadwell (thanks for the Stereolab tape!), Ciaran Benson, Martin Schraut, Ben Zwolinski (back), Casey Camp, Brandy "my hair is a brighter shade of blue than Ivy's" Agerbeck, Matt Lyon, Stephen Hall (front row, and not brain-damaged in the least, despite this bizarre pose), Pen Ward (with goatee), Jun Shoizawa, Becky Laff, Don Jolly and Jeff Curtis. (Not pictured: Michael Henry had to head home mid-day Friday, a bit before this picture was taken).