caanan

Just to remind people, Lemmings do in fact jump off cliffs, but not intentionally. They overpopulate, migrate when their food is depleted, and sometimes, just sometimes, they may find themselves falling tail over tooth in a state of panic. Apparently they’re ferocious rat bastards, but it’s still tragic.

Ok, that’s the serious part of the program over with.
Bring on the entertainment!

MuscularTeeth

Which untamed animal would make the best, next awesome pet sensation to sweep the world? (You can say lemming, it’s ok).

First there are many animals out there in the wild. More than 5 easy. And there are quite a few young children around too. Possibly way more than 5. And its hard to put people in boxes as generally the boxes supplied aren’t large enough. Thus, in today’s modern world it’s not going to be one individual wild fluffy animal that will be a hit, but the ability for the customer/child to choose one that suits them the best.. a bit like redbubble here. So my prediction is – less mass stamping out of one super toy, and more custom made for selective tastes.

But, personally I’d like a hedgehog. Think of the spikes! Naturally it would come with free goggles for eye protection. The goggles I’d supply out of asbestos or another nasty chemical to show the children a little bit about life – sometimes choices arent so easy; What’s right for the now isn’t always good for the long term. and so they’d learn a valuable life lesson.

They’re making a movie of your life! Who would play you? Who would direct it? Who’d do the soundtrack? What is it even called? What’s it all about?

Who would play me? Aaah either Spike Milligan or Gene Wilder. They have the right manic look in their eyes. Who would direct it? thats a tough one, but quite possibly Jacque Tati. Go look him up. Who’d do the soundtrack? well if i could i would do it myself – but let’s assuming you want it done properly then i would ask either; Paul Simon or Amon Tobin to do it for me. Y’all know paul, but go look up Tobin. And this was a choice based on living artists, otherwise id probably grab mozart for it..

What is it even called? HA ! easy – “SYSTEMATIK CHAOS or the life and crimes of Sante El Migel Pan Dranos and his Mystic Dance of Hyperventerlatinglyness.”

Whats it all about? hrmm that is a hard one. Probably something to do with self awareness, or self consciousness, or knowing/finding/seeking one’s place in the world.

What do you remember most fondly from growing up?

I’m definitely still growing up. When i’ve finished, i’ll be able to look back and tell you.

Probably having races across the rooftops of my highschool when i was looking after the lighting and sound systems there… jumping from one roof to another at night. Removing the hinges off the canteen and all of us taking a few drinks and putting the doors back on. Taking the bows and arrows out of the sports area by climbing thru the wall cavities, using them all night then returning them…. LAN parties with friends. Parties and Raves. Family always. Hiking, camping, riding on the backs of Utes, running down hills in the middle of the night. Firing slingshot rocks at each other, traversing underground tunnels, making dodgy music, reading !

What would you like to be when you’re 40?

Well, i’d like to be me ideally. being anyone else wouldn’t work too well thanks. Seriously, i have to get there first. Like a lot of people out there i’ve had it slapped in my face from an early age that mortality is with us every day, and often it strikes without being prepared. So you take life as a gift and hope you get to whenever…

As for what i would DO, well i’d like to be playing live music/video shows regularly by then, hopefully with a better studio for my art, to be writing more definitly and hopefully if i’m lucky to have someone close as well. I’d like to have accumulated enough things so my work moves a little above the amateur level in everything – the vids, the music, the images.

To be me but more; a loving brother to my younger brother and sister, and a loving son and family member. To be part of a great bunch of friends and to be always making and creating and affirming life.

What’s your favouritest tshirt you’ve ever worn?

oh thats easy ! a few years back i bought a kozyndan Tshirt in melbourne – its a rabbit sitting with some headphones…hang on…

this is it here – Kozyndan Bunny shirt

as for why, i love sound, and i love kozyndan work – ive got 3 big framed prints of their work which once i have finished my house will sit in my loungeroom – they look awesome.. as for a redbubble tshirt my favorite that ive bought so far is Pagoda-Walker Shadow07 made by the great Scott Robinson… but i must admit, ive bought my own headphone tshirt and THAT’S being worn a lot more now…

What’s the big idea?

well…

BANG !!! EXPAND !!!. ffssssssssssssszzzzzzzzz

so that was the big bang…

This next bit is called Life. And then it either ends by going into a big crunch or we just sorta fade to death via entropy.

I’m pretty sure there aren’t too many ideas bigger than that..
As for me my plan is to create, and thus leave a little mark on this planet…

If aliens came to this planet to take away Earth’s top five specimens to poke, prod and study, who would we give them?

Aliens you say? nearest star is 4.2 light years away from memory.. so unless they can break the speed of light it ain’t happening. Well if they could warp themselves in orbit, remaining cunningly hidden from all our eyes in space,
they probably could do a scan on everything at once. then conclude bacteria must be the most advanced race due to biomass and start negotiations with them..

I’d volunteer just to get into space. I love space. Thats why i scuba dive – closest i’ll get.

What scares you?

Personally, nothing too much really. Spiders mildly (i once had a spider on my back and i hit it and its babies went all over me – hundreds. that was fun). I almost lost my cool when diving along the coast in Marion Bay and i got sucked into a little hole – some sort of slip stream. Used up about half my air in 5minutes scrabbing out of the crack… that was fun.. being hung upside down on the 3rd floor by my ankles to glaze some windows….
Seeing my grandparents with dementia and knowing my dad will 100% get it scares me i suppose, but of a different nature.

What scares me differently again are things of natures bigger than I – the environment, the rise of fundamentalism in all its forms, the way science is becoming a political tool, the increasing gap of awareness between the generations, the environment again, water in my state is a massive problem, mindless wars for petty things.. but always always i say – it is so incredibly random and lucky you exist at all – how DARE you complain. there are people using leather belts for soup tonight – how on EARTH could i be so freakin self centerd to think i have a right to compain in any way? how can i be scared of such a gift?

What has made you cry with laughter?

Firstly after my septhorhinoplasty last year my tear ducts were swollen and sunlight would make me cry like a little school girl. i looked great walking down the street with tears streaming down my eyes. so the crying side of it has been easy to cover…

How about – its just being with a few great mates and just spouting nonsense to each other. Our loungeroom conversations KILL any show or movie on tv.

When i made that tshirt I AM DEAD i was literally laughing my head off.

Some of the emails i get from you lot at RB have my head spinning.

A good comedy like the goon show will do it for me

Being with either my brother or sister generally does it. youd think we were all 12.

Playing my live set makes me cackle like a madman too.

What is the key to redbubble’s growth as the most awesomest site on the net?

Oh there isn’t one single key because there are a few areas to unlock. lets go thru them, shall we?

First take you my good sir, here you are out of the goodness of your heart making comic strips of the artwork on the site. What’s that say about interaction between people? The community CULTURE is just second to none here on redbubble. i could list a bunch of websites i belong to as long as a long thing, and i’ll tell you none come even remotely close to what RB has here. It’s intangible so you can’t weigh it, nor price it, but it’s worth its insubstantial weight in gold.

The bubblesites are a splendifurous idea – each artist has 2 sites; one for fellow artists and then the bubblesite for a more “official” face for a customer to see. that’s a winner.

we got the competitions – so people are now interacting with each other and ideas are stimulated. Can’t think of something to do? browse the challenges and go create something to fit – it’s the perfect artist’s tool for “writers block” (artist block?) Competitions are a great idea.

the buyers booth – its nice to know what you’re actually getting.

i’m going to mention collaboration again – its amazing. i’ve had people like DieselLaws and zomboy GIVE me artwork to add to my own to make it better… think on that.. can you envision another website where someone gives you their work for free? no way. and look at the things i’ve done to poor Malkman – got him lying on bins and making poses like a fool for my tshirts..

finally the STAFF – ye gads ! give them a standing ovation! well trained, courteous, fast to respond -and HUMAN in their responses ! they have senses of humour, and passion and compassion and empathy.. redbubble must also lace their websites with something, because it’s clearly addictive.

Take a bow, MT!

And take a bow, me, for this is the last Shirtheads. Just as MT says ‘Yay for me doing Shirtheads’ (paraphrasing) I go and do this… ;o)

There are a few factors as to why I finally made this decision. My health is one. I need to not overdo it. I’ve already pushed myself to the brink of a nervous breakdown once, I’m not about to do it again. I’m not even 30!

And the other is the numbers. The views aren’t stagnating, they’re not growing. They’re going backwards! Maybe a strip has no place here in the Bub, I don’t know – there’s so much going on it’s easy to get lost in the shuffle. Did you guys come here to read the strip mainly, or the interviews? There’s so many other interviews going on lately, I’m sure you’ll be able to find others to read…

Anyway, this is not the end. I have other ideas I’m working on. I need to take a month or two to sort out my work that I got majorly behind on when my back went out. I want to get back into doing more tshirt designs of my own, and I want to explore doing some collaborations with people. Shirtheads is just me playing with myself in a public forum (wow, that did not sound so bad in my head!) With this and Celadore which I do all on my lonesome, I’m starting to feel I need to play with others.

One other thing I’d like to do is work on a few ideas I have to try and bridge the gap between the photographers on the site, and the shirty bunch.

Watch this space.

Thanks to everyone who has followed my strips and the interviews, sent messages, left comments, made favourites, bought their originals. Special thanks to those who answered all my questions! It wouldn’t have worked without you. I’m pretty confident of that. ;o)

I hope I helped bring some people to wider attention. I hope I entertained.

Caanan.

Memory lane…

The Original Strip BigFatRobot Chris Richards Paul McClintock David J Cunning Johdie Tambatoys Simon Sherry Ross Robinson Natalie Tyler thickblackoutline rubyred Liesl Yvette Wilson Chris Wahl Jaywalker sparklehen jemimalovesbigted purelydecorative nofrillsart Superteam: Non-Stop animo Tabita LilyM bahgoesthesheep LuckyVegetable o0OdemocrazyO0o MuscularTeeth