joepeery@me.com

I have transitioned back to freelance work these past two weeks, I’ll be storyboarding at Trick 3d next week through September and continuing work on a Bruce Hampton documentary. This is keeping me busy on the work front. Next, my rental house in Grant Park is undergoing some updates in hopeful anticipation of new renters this Fall, and finally- the ASIFA figure drawing class is moving to a new location!

I’ll have more information on the possible new location(s) for the figure class soon. In the meantime, if you have any ideas for a great location please let me know!

Here is some history of the ASIFA figure class:

I started the figure drawing class in 1998 at Primal Screen, for the animators that worked with me at the original Monroe Drive address (next to the Park Tavern near Tenth Street). Owner Doug Grimmett graciously opened the sessions to outside artists as well, and the weekly classes attracted a regular following.

Yep, it was just about a year ago I was included in the lay-offs at Turner Studios, where I had worked in the animation department as Senior Animation Director. I had been there for about eight-and-a-half years, and suddenly found myself back in the freelance world. Fortunately, I was able to find work and it didn’t seem as bleak as I’d heard, until I got stiffed for about $4,000 on a freelance job. I was finally able to collect some of it (still trying to get the rest) but the ordeal reminded me of the downside of self-employment. I did have some positive experiences working with new clients and some contacts from the past that I enjoyed collaborating with again. It was also great working from home in my studio across the hall from my girlfriend Rebecca’s office. We enjoyed being able to take breaks in the back yard with the chickens and hiking over to the Village for tacos. It was a good time for me to work on a variety of jobs, and pursue some different creative outlets. Finally, I visited the folks at “Floyd County Productions”, creators of the “Archer” series on FX. I had met them originally at an ASIFA “Blowin’ Smoke” event, where I first saw their show “Frisky Dingo” (Under their old moniker: “70/30 Productions”). I loved the look of the show, and it was hilarious. At the time I remember thinking I would like to work with them at some point. Well, the opportunity arose when they earned a second season for Archer. They hired me on to help storyboard the new episodes, and after a month we both agreed it was a good fit. They need the help with a very tight schedule and thirteen new shows to produce. I am happy to be drawing again every day, though I must admit I had become rusty doing this particular type of drawing. I’m working hard to recover my chops, and inspired every day by the extremely talented crew around me. It’s good to be a part of a fun loving, hard working team; and there seems to be a genuine affection among everyone involved in the production. I look forward to improving my skills every day. Oh- I’m also a reference model for the the main character! Actually, just the body (killer suit). So I get to play dress-up from time to time. Look for my action poses when the new season starts- I’ll keep you posted… http://www.fxnetworks.com/shows/originals/archer/

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Come on out tonight and enjoy some quality drawing time at the Clermont Lounge! 8-11pm, bring a friend! www.drsketchysatlanta.com

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(Continued from previous post- click on “Events” to the right and scroll down to find Part One)… I called my friend Ashley Zeltzer, who had been doing promotional material for the Dames Aflame burlesque group. Ashley is crazy talented,

(click below for the rest of the story)

and had been creating the graphics and photography for the groups shows which were held at the Laughing Skull Lounge, in the back of the Vortex restaurant in Midtown atlanta. She was into it immediately, and introduced me to the owners Michael and Kristen Benoit.

Talented artists themselves, they also liked to the idea and wanted to use the event to draw more attention to the Dames Aflame show, which was already the best burlesque show in town. To that end, they arranged a meeting with performer Mike Geier and his wife Shannon, who manages the  Dames.

We batted around some ideas and finally Mike decreed that the event be named something like “Zeltzer Fantastico’s Shots and Hotties Boozer Doodle and Tater Tot Bonanza, Featuring the Legendary Dames Aflame in the Laughing Skull Lounge”, which would include the delicious free tater tots we would serve at the event, as well as the  smokin’ hot Dames. Paring it down to the bare essentials (drankin’ and drawin’), it became known simply as “Boozer Doodle”:

Ashley created the poster and went about the hard work of organizing the event. I already had a lot on my plate- organizing a weekly figure drawing class and working with ASIFA Atlanta, a local animation group, as well as working my (then) full time job at Turner Studios as a Senior Animation Director, so Ashley agreed to take on the heavy lifting for this event. My participation would be to help promote it and make sure plenty of people showed up, and working with the performers to let them know what the artists would need from them.

Here’s the sold-out first show. Our first performer/model was one of the Dames best- Luna Luxx!!

She did a great opening performance as Marie Antoinette, preparing a disastrous recipe with delicious results. There I am on the front row! The folks at the Laughing Skull Lounge do everything full-on, and this event had it all: from a full stage show to free tater tots and plenty of prizes for the artists, including art supplies and shots!

Above is Kat Hagan, winning the first drawing contest.

One of my favorite contests is the “Round Robin”, where four artists collaborate on a drawing. Every five minutes you move over one seat to the next artists drawing and take over, so you end up working on four different pieces. It’s a great way to loosen up and enjoy the other artists approach. Then, you can win a shot!! Above are winners Steve Sweney, Joyce and John Ryan (not sure who that is next to John?). Ashley and Luna help celebrate! For the rest of the pictures, check out the Vortex’s flickr site.

Future Boozer Doodle host Lucky Yates trying his hand. Lucky is one of the many talented and cool people I’ve gotten to know through these events. I’m constantly amazed and inspired by the way this whole thing has unfolded.

But- it hasn’t all been so pretty…

Next post: SCANDAL!

My first attempt at using “Brushes”, an iPhone painting application. This is “Freckles”, our chicken who is ailing from an eye infection. It’s a little tricky figuring out the program on such a small canvas, but it works pretty well!

Dione modeled in July ’09, eight months pregnant. She came back to pose in January with her beautiful baby Ruby!