New Ideas, new direction

I've been racking my brain on a new concept. I'm developing a new website, applying a business model to it. I'd like to launch it this summer, during the height of t-shirt season.

Until then, I'm still coming up with new T-shirt, mug and sticker designs in, for and about Bend, Oregon. If anyone has any ideas or areas that they'd like me to create a design about, by all means, let me know.

A shout out goes to the folks who bought my stuff in March!

Practical Joke #175 Volcano team in Bend

So you and your friends are planning on visiting Bend soon? Imagine going into a local pub, say Deschutes Brewery, and all of you had this shirt on.

While all of you enjoy a refreshing brew, you'll be entertained as you watch the people sitting around you point, whisper and stare at you and your heroic team. But if anyone asks you about the shirt say, "sorry, we're not allowed to give out any information at this time."

The tension level in the room with escalate, just like a Pacific Northwestern volcano!

Staying Spicy

I spent a good portion last year writing articles for local and regional magazines, promoting Bend, Oregon. I had a wonderful time exploring what the city has to offer. I enjoyed meeting the artist, the visionaries the undiscovered gems who make the town shine.

I remember interviewing a chef about his restaurant about this time last year. He talked about the direction of the culinary arts in Bend. "If you serve spicy food, like Cajun, stick to your guns, stay Cajun" he said as I sat in his office scribbling every word in my note pad. "Who cares if a larger portion of your clients want it a little milder." He stood up pointing to me, "STAY SPICY."

I'm following this advice. My t-shirt designs will remain spicy.

Thanks to all who have posted and backed up my concerns as of late.

I'm Banned in Bend

It's a sad day. I had plans on selling some of my designs this summer for fun at the Bend Summer Festival, Bend Fall Festival and Munch & Music. I decided to ask if I could participate in the jury selection and this is what C3 events wrote:

Thanks for your inquiry. While we can appreciate the humor in your artwork, the purpose of the festivals is to promote Bend in a positive manner and introduce artists artwork to the community. My guess is the jurying committee would not select your work for admission, even though we all can find the humor in it.I appreciate your checking with us first. Good luck in your promotion of your products.

Man, whatta bummer. I do understand this event promoter's position. By allowing me to participate would put the group's sponsorship money at risk. But...it still doesn't feel good. Banned....Censored...Prohibited to express.

Any ideas on where I can sell my shirts aside online?

Welcome to Bend, Texas

Howdy ya'll. Trade yer oil wells with real estate and golf resorts. Compare the political attiudes and you'll discover that we're not living in Bend, Oregon....we're in Bend, Texas.

Urine Trouble Working in Bend.

Urine trouble if you think you'll find a good paying job. Urine trouble if you think employers will go the extra mile in benefits. Urine trouble if you think you're getting a raise. Urine trouble if you think that you won't get tested.

Here's a mousepad for those who are searching the classified ads for a job in Bend, Oregon.

New Tires or Sasquatch

Last year during Memorial Day weekend, my wife and I went to the Columbia River Gorge Amphitheatre and attended the Sasquatch Festival. Man, that was one of the best concerts I've ever went to. We saw Bloc Party, Arcade Fire, Modest Mouse the Pixies and many more.

This year the festival is hosting, Ben Harper & The Innocent Criminals, The Flaming Lips, The Shins, The Tragically Hip,BECK, Death Cab for Cutie, Queens of the Stone Hendge, Matisyahu, The Decemberists, Nine Inch Nails.

We found out that Beck, The Falming Lips and Ben Harper are coming to Bend the same weekend at the Les Schwab Amphitheatre and decided to stay here.

I really wanted to make it to Sasquatch, so I made this design to tribute our sacrifice. You'll probably see me wearing it at the Bend Concerts.

I also made a new website for my designs. I'm calling it The Ruthless Bastard I wanted to start selling some vector art for those who want it as well as t-shirts. It's all just a hobby.

I love Bend, California

I so glad that Govener Schwarzenegger decided to waive the sales tax for Bend, California residents. Our lovely state of California makes enough money from the property values gained from the Oregonians.

I don't like the fact that the California Highway Patrol has established a speed trap near the High Desert Museum though. All in all. The whole change over from Bend, Oregon to Bend, Califonia has been a mild and uneventful transition.

LA...We love it!!

I love Roundabouts

Never thought there'd be the day I said, "you know this intersection needs to be a roundabout." Sure enough, I caught myself saying that very thing a couple days ago in the old mill district off of Wilson where cars were waiting in line to turn.

Before I loathed them, now I find them quite amusing. It's fun to watch the Bend, Oregon tourist try to figure out where the hell they are on the westside. It's fun to watch their angry, desperate and confused faces while the passengers are pointing to the exit or pointing to the oncoming car.

I don't know why but California drivers stop while going through them if they pass up their exit. I haven't seen any other state license do it, just the Califonians. In fact, I once saw a Californian licence plated driver put it in reverse, baking up to the missed exit.

What at first seemed like a city-planning joke turned into a mass production assembly line of road circles. Last summer when they were making the roundabout on Newport ave and 9th, a pedestrian asked me, "why are they making one right here?" I replied, "how else will the chosen ones find us and land their spaceships?"
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St. Paddy's

My favorite cities to experience St. Pactrick's day is Portland, Oregon and Chicago, Illinois. Chicago does such a good job celebrating the holiday, turning their river green and dancing in the streets. Portland also does a great job pouring the green ales and proudly displaying their Irish pride.

This holiday, I'm celebrating St. Pactrick's day in Bend. A friend, who I made while attending the U of O, invited me and my wife to a homebrew chug. I'm not exaclty sure what's going on in Bend during the holiday, I know that the McMenamins St. Francis School will be rocking. I made this beer stein for Bendites who love their green beer.

Ruby Tuesday

Yeah, I've been there. I arrived to that point of no remembrance, the point of, "I did what last night?"

Most of us have, (with a few smart and lucky one who've not). The thing about drinking in Bend, Oregon is that the bartenders like to pour stiff n' powerful, knocking their toasting clientele to the state of absurd oblivion.

This one is for the folks who can't exactly remember what happened to them last night. We're all hoping that the memories won't surface.

Pilot Butte Summit Society

I have to admit. I was a little worried about blogging about these tees that I've been creating for people to buy without going through the experience for myself. So, I decided to buy one and see how the process goes for that "someone" who buys one of my designs.

This afternoon, during lunch, this tee was stuffed in my mailbox. About 5 days ago, I bought the value tee for about 10 bucks. Brutally honest, I wasn't happy about the 4 bucks tagged on for postage, but I like the Hanes tee that was folded and packed in a plastic mailing bag.

I like this design because everyone knows that Pilot Butte is the natural landmark of Bend, Oregon, of which thousands of people walk up each year. I use to climb the beast when I was a child growing up here, then in high school I ran up it in Mountain View's Cross Country team. That's why I like the tee, it's a part of me.

Please, if you haven't walked up the Butte. Do not buy this tee.

hosting an image

I'm hosting an image here for other sites.

SnarkyBend Request

A while back, someone from SnarkyBend asked me to make a shirt saying, "I'm SnarkyBend." I've heard all about this group of bend blogging militants who target hot button issues and (after reading the blog)poke fun at the folks at KTVZ.

This is kind of a touchy issue for me, you see, I use to work for KTVZ and still I have some friends a the television station. The newscasters hate...I mean hate the SnarkyBend bloggers. But should that mean that I don't give a potential patron a design?

So I made this button for both the newscasters and the snarkys, hopefully creating a product that both sides will embrace.

Snarkies...Here is a secret button that reveals your allegence to the tribe. Newscasters...here's the target for you to shoot at.

Hope you, Snarky and Newscaster, both like it.

Brilliant Bendite Notebook

Here's a notebook for those super smart Bendites. Here they can write their great ideas down, like "make more roundabouts," or "prevent affordable housing," or "pay as little as I possibly can to my employees," or "destroy historic landmarks like Big Red," or "Let's design a city with absolutely no form of drainage protection!"

Is it Beer:30 yet?

I made this for you Chugnutt.

I wanna BBQ

I'm starting to get a mild case of cabin fever. I'm looking forward to enjoying the longer days while grilling up some good grub, enjoying it all with a nice cold beer.I'm known for my BBQ'd corn, carefully wrapped in foil, simmering in its water-soaked husk.

I've got a few friends who make the experience a year-round thing, as it should be.

I made this apron for all of the folks who grill in the sun, rain, sleet and snow.

Bend, Oregon Real? Estate Market

Some day, hopefully soon, my wife and I will be home owners in Bend. Growing up here adds insult to stupidity of not cashing in on a shack when things were cheap.

If I would've bought a shack, say on the Deschutes River, or with a spectacular view of the mountains, I could have possible sold it today for 20 times more.

I made this shirt for the folks who did buy their shacks on the river and sold them, now living the lottery lifestyle.

Bend Limping

I sold my first design! I'm so happy. I told my wife this morning that it's more payment to me to hopefully see someone walking down the street sporting my design than the one-dollar I add on to the base price of the design. You see, I was the kid who always hung my artwork on my mom's fridge. A warm thank you goes out the the person who bought the tee. I hope you or whoever you give the tee to gets some good laughs.

I like the Bend parody trend I'm going down right now. I decided to make one about Bend Living Magazine,sticking to the Outlaw way, not focusing on just one Bend organization.


The person in crutches is me, crippled, lame and destroyed from the publication.

That's okay, broken bones heal and so do reputations.

I love Pronghorn

Have you ever been to Pronghorn? There you'll find 5 million dollar homes, a golf course that almost seems unreal, tuscan architecture, a beach like swimming pool with water park slides. All hidden behind a long curvy road out in the old Bend, Oregon outback.

This place is something else. I made this shirt for folks who love Pronghorn, or are PRONGHORNY.

The Godpaper

It's a ritual. Every morning I do the essentials and open then open the door to find a paper that's delicately wrapped, protected from the elements.

I was walking around today and saw dis poster of "The Godfather" and I thought, what other thing do I know of starts with "duh." Then it hit me...."The Bulletin." Put the two and one together and you've got "The GodPaper!"

This is to all the members of the family who make sure that my paper is delicately wrapped, protected from the elements.

Bend Beatbox Records

Remember that commercial featuring the Gorillaz as a soundtrack, having a magic black dude sitting down at a park bench with a beat box? I don't know why but I was thinking about that while watching LOST. That show has such a retro influence. Anyway, I made this design while having both of those influences run through my mind.

There's no such thing as Bend Beatbox Records, but if their labels sounded like the Gorillaz and had some LOST style, I'd buy a record.

Mt. Bachelor Employees need a Break tee

I work at the Mt. Bachelor part-time on the weekends. I work indoors and when ever it's slow my boss always lets me go on ski break. It's a win-win thing if you are not there for the money.

It has been recently reported on KTVZ, the local TV station, that some folks are going without breaks for up to 8 hours. The guy who they interviewed sounded like he worked outside and he was there for the money.

I feel for this dude. The temperatures can easily go way below zero with blizzard like conditions up top almost 80% of the time during the dead of winter. Everyone deserves a break from those type of conditions. Even when I'm out there playing, I need to go inside to warm up.

I made a sweater for you, fellow Mt. Bachelor employee! This will keep you warm and remind the bosses that you need a break!

Click here to Purchase.