
It is a yearly challenge I create for myself. The challenge is to come up with an idea, create art and print up a unique calendar. It began in 2005 with the YEAR of the DRAGONS calendar and twenty years later it continues in 2025 with the FULL MOON FOLLIES calendar.
Over the years I have explored a variety of subjects when coming up with ideas for the calendars. I’ve depicted the complete cycle of the twelve Chinese Zodiac animals, four elemental carousel horses, a house of cards and Season Heralds. I’ve imagined the Western Zodiac as sports team mascots in one year to go on to illustrating their mythological origins in a Tales of the Zodiac calendar in another year. Playing with the idea of a perpetual calendar, I developed a new kind of Tarot card called TIMECARDS to symbolize historic events in that year.
After an idea is found then I will do research about the topic and find the best way to represent the idea. I employ pen and ink to create the art for the calendars. After the inked drawing is done I scan the image into the computer and then digitally color it. I digitally create the “calendar part” of the work and then place the art into the finished calendar file.
The 2005 calendar was an ambitious fourteen page spiral bound piece made up of black and white art. Subsequent calendars have varied from 2 to 4 pages unbound with black and white or full color art. Overall the majority of calendars are a single sheet with a full color illustration.
I enjoy sharing the calendars with friends and patrons. For this 20 year milestone I want to go back and reexamine the various calendars I created and share my behind the “pages” process. Next time 2005: The YEAR of the DRAGONS.