Michael Everett

Awkward photo of Mike leaning back on the coach after getting back from urgent care. His wrist is in a brace and arm in a sling.

Additional pupdate adding to the newsletter...webmaster down!

Lola upended me at the park yesterday and sent me sprawling. I fractured my left radius and probably my wrist. Have to get a CT to confirm that tomorrow.

Fortunately I'm not in pain and Lola is ok.

Tell me, Clint, what have you done to make yourself a stakeholder here? Why do you get to decide this for us? Why do we deserve your shame and not the benefit of the doubt?

I blocked you because of your approach. You could have shown a modicum of respect. Instead you went to knee-jerk trolling. 5/5

Yes, I'm aware of the problematic "free speech" position Substack has taken by platforming eugenicists and Nazis.

It bothers me but I don't have the capacity to uproot from another platform at this moment. I could give you the personal reasons why I'm overtaxed, but I don't owe you that. 4/5

Michael ended up being the face of a NYT feature story about generative AI because I made a big fucking deal about artist rights on Twitter.

That was before we left over Alex Jones' reinstatement. Before I was harassed by Nazis, who you suggest I am sympathize with. 3/5

I'm guessing you're unaware of the political history here because you're invested in this to the level of 1 skeet.

We've walked away from audiences of over 100K followers in the last two years taking stands on issues of gun violence, fascism, platform abuse, and intellectual theft. 2/5

To be clear, I blocked you because you flagrantly did something that I just asked you not to do.

I've reminded activists in the audience to engage directly first instead of stunts like this because you/they lack information that might be helpful to know. 1/5

Way to read the room, Clint.

I’m aware of the issues. What I would like not to do is explain to everyone why I personally do not have the capacity to leave yet another platform at this moment.

It is a spiffy new scan of the painting!

DID YOU KNOW? Superman star David Corenswet's grandfather is Edward Packard, author and creator of the Choose Your Own Adventure books. H/T @90skidslibrary on ig #comics #books #film

Photo of Edward Packard with some of his CYOA books next to him. Again shoutout @90skidslibrary on ig. These books were huge for me growing up. HUGE.

Why didn't you tell me about this, @jamesgunn.bsky.social?!

Yep. I got it! Thanks. =)

That's great! The button on the post is a simple mailto link. You can always send directly to webmaster@michaelwhelan.com. Let me know if you have any issues with that.

I have so many tabs open when posting across socials. Adding an art drop and a contest announcement makes me wish I was an octopus. 😂

Michael has long talked about turning the tables and having writers wrap a story around his art. When Audrey mentioned a contest, I thought it would be a fun idea. Don't let me down...get working! 😉

Stray dog wandering in a dry creek bed

The same creek two weeks later, the day after heavy rains flooded central Texas.

The creek was dry when I rescued Lola two weeks ago. Glad I got her when I did.

The second photo was after the rain and flooding we had here.

I never saw the "triple-decker" in action, but when Michael was struggling with his eyesight before surgery, the combination of all three lenses at once was what he needed to focus on small detail.

I've seen Michael nose-to-painting before so I'd say you were doing it right.

I hadn't realized Paul Allen displayed the painting outside of the SF HoF. Was MONUMENT (his portrait of Isaac Asimov) there as well?

Last I checked the original was hanging in the SF Hall of Fame. 🤩

We offered a photoprint that sold out long ago, and I keep suggesting releasing a new edition but no plans for that yet.

It's been on our shortlist for prints in consideration for quite awhile now. It's an artist favorite and hangs in a prominent place in the house so I've always thought it was likely.

There are no plans currently but I'll be glad to mention it.

Lola (dog) in her crate with towel and toys looking out at something off camera

Piper (cat) nestled under the table looking toward Lola off camera

Piper steps out from under the table and stretches

Piper approaches from the opposite side of the crate, getting braver

Overtures are being made.

No pics of the face-to-face since I had to be attending Lola, but she was submissive with Piper. Tiny cat was hissing and swiping when Lola got too close, but good girl is doing her part. She walked up to Pipes with tail wagging this evening.

Lola on leash standing on grass. She turns back to respond to her name. She’s home a stick pointed forward so it resembles a cigar.

“I don’t tell you how to pick up my poops. You dont tell me how to hold a stick, poop handler.”

- Lola the insult comic dog (apologies to Robert Smigel).

Day one - A brown/black stray dog perches on a rock in the park. Her head is tilted as she looks curiously at the camera. She’s clearly a bully breed with a white patch on her chest.

Day one - The stray tentatively peeks under a traffic barrier to the sidewalk at the edge of a bridge.

Day one - Closeup of brown/black stray down turning her head to the side. The background is pretty green leaves.

Day two - Lola, as she has now been named, has been loaded in the car with the help of a couple of good samaritans and some doggie treats. She sits in the backseat, peeking her head around the headrest of the passenger seat. Her tongue is out and she’s looking directly at the camera.

Rescued a pup that I’ve been seeing during my daily walks at the park. No chip to scan when I reported her found. Likely dumped at the park.

Her name is Lola (like the song). She wouldn’t let me pet her yesterday morning. It’s been all love since she got in the car.

And the changes look amazing!

I was worried I'd stepped in it, but Michael was a good sport. Sometimes distracting the artist—even with deadlines looming—to engage in a little fun turns out to be the cherry on top! 3/3

Since Michael didn't have a title in mind, I made a suggestion that he ran with—a left turn from what he visualized, but he seized on the idea of traffic and headed back into the studio.

My inadvertent "art direction" prompted his addition of the vehicles and traffic lights to the final scene. 2/3

I'm so pleased how this one turned out! And there's a funny story about my involvement in that...😂

We were up against deadline sending out the preview. I had the frame but not the art when Michael provided his work-in-progress photo yesterday morning.

The clock was ticking...😬 1/3

We get a lot of notes about how readers picked up a book because of the cover art.

I LOVED this book and I hope people continue to discover it because of Michael's art. ELISTE is one of my favorite paintings. Everything down to the type is just gorgeous.

Any time. Feel free to send questions if there's anything the FAQ doesn't answer.

It was a conscious editorial decision to keep Michael's description in there! 😂🙌

Also in our past exhibitions in the website gallery:

www.michaelwhelan.com/gallery/

3/3

The Art of Michael Whelan | Substack Fine artist of Imaginative Realism. Illustrator of Science Fiction and Fantasy. Winner of 15 Hugo Awards. Inducted into the SF Hall of Fame in 2009. Click to read The Art of Michael Whelan, a Substack...

While he's been reluctant to offer tutorials, he has painted in public at events like IlluXcon and has always been generous sharing advice.

You'll find a lot of process in our social media posts here and in long form on Substack:

theartofmichaelwhelan.substack.com
2/3

This is a frequently asked question that Michael addressed in the website FAQ under Technique at some length:

www.michaelwhelan.com/faq/#technique

Short answer: no, he's never felt comfortable making videos because he takes a unique approach to each painting. 1/3