WE ARE NOT A-MUSED.

The first day back in the studio to explore the long in stasis leavings of a fevered mind.

Mixed results were had.

Rusty and squeaky gears, clogged vents, dust bunnies in the corners.

Minor drawing efforts and sweaty palms, dangerously suspended over the abyss of doubt.

Made it out in one piece, minor wounds and glad to be alive.

Going back in today armed to the teeth.

Divine intervention welcomed.

Full report at eleven.

"hang in the there."

M.Z.

ANOTHER DAY, ANOTHER RAY OF HOPE.

Well my dears, I actually didn't do a runner on you all. Though the "ten questions" thing was a bit premature. I was a bit overconfident about the state of my health and my ability to convince even myself I was in better shape than I was/am/. Sorry about that. Maybe some other time, ok?

As of this writing I'm still in a kind of no where state between health and illness. Everybody is as puzzled as I am. The fact of the matter is that I simply don't have the stamina I need to work, and every day that passes without making at least a little something has become a soft, pervasive agony.

I have laid some great plans for things to come, but hypothetical art is no art at all when push comes to shove. The Book continues to advance into a real thing soon to make a mess of what reputation I have left: "old dinosaur drops his trousers in public. No one impressed."

I can't wait. I know you're out there, i hear you breathing.

Oh, yeah, major insomnia this morning. I feel like on of those late night DJ's who play hours of strange melancholy jazz things at three in the morning. All neon in the rain and far off headlights.

I've become my own cliche. Cool. I'd hate to be anyone else's.

Back to the (sort of) subject. The book is still on time for an April release, and I'll be appearing at some convention or another( at a certain point they all merge in ones mind.) on or about the release date. This will be my first public outing since 2003 in NYC...I believe a few more are in the works leading up to a few days in San Diego. Which I'm still conflicted about: I just dislike the "show of shows" on a very deep aesthetic level that is visceral. All Kafka and Tod Browning, if you get my drift. But, business is business. And contrary to the odd rumor, I'm not permanently in an asylum in new Hampshire nor dieing of AIDS in France.

Other than that, lets see........some limited edition tee shirts are waiting to be bought and get all sweaty, possibly a few prints, I dunno about that one, but speculation is the stuff of way to early in the morning coffee and cigarettes. "and next up you night owls, Bill Nelson, with the oh-six release, "Neptune's galaxy"......so sit back you holy fools and thieves and relax".

Oh, the dog thing fell through as per my luck. I swear, it'd be easier to buy an elephant than get a dog these days. You have to wonder.

I guess this is the "tid-bit" section as my enthusiasm wanes.

Lets see: long talk with Neil the other day about stuff I can't talk about.

Karen's been away at her parents place for the past week, so I've not only been sick and frustrated but alone and sick and frustrated.

I don't know if I've mentioned this but my agent the illusive man of mystery Thomas has a kind of strange endorsement deal with the primary(I may be wrong about that, details details.) distributor of Sennelier art products in the US. I use their shit a lot and love the quality: yup Zulli's sold out baby! Seriously though Sennelier rocks. Thy are FRENCH Y'ALL. Tres cool kiddo, and beat me daddy eight to the bar.

Ok. that's it. I'm talked out. Best leave before i get to boring...a good guest knows when to leave.

Usually before a drunken brawl starts. know what I mean?

Later cool cats and kitties.

M.Z.

THE END.

A few things.

1. I'm finally starting to get better.

2. I can't wait for this clusterfuck of a decade to end.

3. This year I'm going to re-dedicate myself to actual painting, as it's been far and away to long since I did. I also will start the next novel. I've already plotted the thing out and have a working title. "Opal: a life in two days."

4. Try as hard as I'm able to get people to commit senseless acts of random beauty.

5. Get back here more often; I still have questions to answer.

Peace to you all in this coming year.

M.Z.

PEACE ON EARTH AND....

This just a very short little note to wish you all a holiday season filled with creativity, love and good cheer. Thank you all for coming here and sharing the ups downs and middles with me.
In many ways, what I do is for you. I promise that from now on no matter what, I'll always strive to make only the very best things I can for everybody.
And yeah, I'm really beginning to mend.

My love to you all.

M.Z.

I'MA WALKIN.......

In a word, "walking pneumonia".

Hospital Thrusday evening- tests-tests and more tests.

For at least a month I've been walking around feeling like the bad end of a manure spreader

and getting worse all the time.

So, the treatment lots of rest and killer mutant drugs that make me feel even worse.

If, after ten days or so, and yet more tests, I'm not better, off to the asylum and under the tender care of nurse DeSade, who will of course, beat the bastard out of me.

Your questions WILL be answered and opinions expressed, but please forgive me if I'm not front and center off and on.

Stay well and don't desert me, I'm around, just a bit shaky.

M.Z.

ps: the photos i've recently put up of blue roses are not died blue. the suntory corp. has really developed a rose that is a real blue and breeds true. i just dig the hell out of it.

m.z.

WHITE. AND.......

Ok, one question down, nine to go. Come on y'all, I CAN'T HEAR YOU.

So, now a kind of answer in another. The White Doberman Pinscher.

If you go looking for information on the COLOR VARIANT I beg you to ignore the DPCA.

Pogroms and genocide are ugly things for a national breed club to endorse, but in my opinion and that of many, many other really fine breeders it is totally unacceptable.

QUESTION AUTHORITY.

Photos posted.

On to something else. It seems I have a face book page.

I'm telling you I am not in any way responsible for it nor does it have my blessing.

I just wish whoever put it there had asked me. Ok?

Right then....lets get them thar questions in...just make 'em good.

peace,

M.Z.

AH, HE'S AT IT AGAIN......

Ok. The only reason I'm back here while essentially having nothing to say is most likely I probably do and I simply don't know what it is yet.

As I type this I'm listening to Bob Dylan's "Series of dreams"...a sort of personal mantra followed by "Jokerman'....which is so Blakeian and rich in imagery that it shakes the foundations of my self.....maybe a level I aspire to in my own work. Funny, I take more inspiration from music than other visual art forms.

Hmmm....what to say?

Ah, got it....( two minutes passed before I just wrote that.)

At one time, a good decade before me and comics collided I had a chance to become a world class wildlife artist. But a move like that requires in equal measures, connections, luck and a big spoon full of personal support. One thing throughout my artistic career that has until now has been a total lack of personal support.

Ok, another idea.....lets see how it flies. If it doesn't work, that's ok, if it does I'm in for some serious writing.

If ten people, all different, write to me with ten good questions, I'll answer them all right here as best and as honestly as I can. How's that? I figure ten questions about just basically anything shouldn't be to much or to difficult.

Go for it. I'm ready.

Love to all,

M.Z.