Vermont's Fine Toons

Last Friday night, the Helen Day Art Center in Stowe was bustling with activity as many fashionable folk in black streamed into its doors for a much anticipated gallery opening. Fine Toon: The Art of VT Cartoonists is an excellent exhibit with pieces by 13 artists with VT ties.

The show’s central connection, of course, is Vermont: The featured artists live here either full- or part-time, or they were born here and moved elsewhere. Most of them are in the first camp — a remarkable fact, given the state’s diminutive size. Then again, the number of artists in Vermont may soon surpass that of cows, if it hasn’t already. Seven Days, Pamela Polston

I like those odds. Although artists provide a very different sort of milk, no less nourishing as Friday night proved.

There were gigantic strawberries dipped in warm chocolate, assorted gourmet cheese platters and a hip art crowd buzzing around the artwork like honey bees. The gallery has a lot to celebrate with a new Executive Director, Nathan Suter, and a new Exhibitions Director, Idoline Duke. Without a doubt, the Helen Day was the happening place to be Friday night!

I shot my very first VT Vlog at this fine event and was lucky enough to talk to James Kochalka - Vermont-based, internationally famous cartoonist/rock superstar!

I was nervous but he was very nice and is not really an elf after all - unless his ears are retractable!? James told us about a brain parasite in humans which is contracted from cats and makes us neurotic. But don't bother throwing out your cat, once you got the parasite, it is there for life. I have yet to research this news but that does explain a lot.

Plus, it turns out that the famous Spandy, who is featured in many of Kochalka's cartoons, is really not all that special after all - perhaps that is what makes her so special?! I am a card-carrying member of the Spandy Fan Club.

I am in the process of editing this piece and establishing a concrete and simple format for the VT Vlogs (short-n-sweet). My goal is to focus on local VT artists and musicians and bring more attention to all the hip and hot VT art happenings. Plus, it gives me an excuse to meet cool artists and that is always good.

In the meantime, here is a brilliant James Kochalka Superstar! music video, "Wash Your Ass" which was shot by local playwright Seth Jarvis. This video needs to be a PSA, for boys and girls the world over who are getting ready to get busy. Better still, it is homegrown and for this, I am proud: