Sketches of Fishtown # 91 - Salon Blush

Alanna Ralph is a very talented, creative Fishtown business woman. She works tirelessly with her salon and photography. There is always a new facet of her expanding business. Stay tuned to Salon Blush over the coming months to see what new adventurous and creative endeavor she has in store. She always keeps it interesting and lively.

Sketches of Fishtown # 90 - Ike Williams

Kathy Westfield over at Spirit Newspapers wrote this really heartfelt quote about her Ike. I've know Ike my whole life growing up in Fishtown. Most people have. I even taught his son Nick my first year at North. Ike was always good to me and a lot of people...

Sketches of Fishtown featured in Philadelphia Neighborhoods Project for Temple U

I just came across this post accidentally on the web while searching "Fishtown" on Google:

Philadelphia Neighborhoods Project - Sketches of Fishtown

Melanie Menkevich and Jenn Matusiak came out late last year to interview me for this project run by Temple's journalism school. I was happy to participate, being a Temple grad. Plus, Melanie's brother is a North Catholic student, where I teach and went to high school. So it was an honor.

It was a super rainy and cold day. We originally went to the Milk Crate Cafe to shoot on Girard Avenue. But our plans were halted when a larger film crew came and started shooting at the same time on the same day. So we shot this at my apartment. They ladies were real good sports about it.

There are some video clips that remind me that I have a face for radio. But they were really cool in their story to mention key people like my cousin Sean and Hooker Lynch and stuff.

Sketches of Fishtown # 89 - Fishtown Beer Runners

This one is brought to us courtesy of my buddy David April. Also, I should mention that Brian Potash (of Devilfish Ink) designed the FBR logo. Happy New Year!

Sketches of Fishtown # 88 - A Fishtown Christmas to Remember

Once again, thanks so much to my Dad for his help this week...

Happy Birthday to my big brother Scott!

My brother Scott used to draw a lot when we were kids. My sister MaryKate did too when she was little. My Dad would draw and paint a lot, so he'd give us art lessons. He would also have us pose for paintings sometimes. Over time, my brother and sister just outgrew it I guess.

I'm not sure why I kept with it. My Dad said I kept drawing because my lazy eye made me too uncoordinated for sports. Maybe so. Nonetheless, when my brother was young, he would draw a cartoon character named "Odd Todd", who was a cross-eyed dude wearing a Jeff cap. He also LOVED Bill Watterson's "Calvin & Hobbes" (one of my all-time favorite comic strips to this day). So for his birthday this year, I drew him a picture of Calvin & Hobbes, trying best I could to emulate Watterson's loose, brushy ink style. I made some minor adjustments - putting my brother's hat and freckles on Calvin and my glasses, hat and beard on Hobbes.

Even when Scott stopped drawing, I remember he bought me the book "How to Draw Comics - The Marvel Way" one year for Christmas, which was a catalyst for my obsession with drawing cartoons and comics. So thanks, big brother. You're a great father, husband, son and brother. Happy 36th birthday, old tymer! Many more to come!

Sketches of Fishtown # 87 - Music Fountain Cafe

As many folks know, I am touchy about the subject of gentrification in the neighborhood to say the least. However, I have to give Bob Murphy credit for having faith in this neighborhood long before the real estate boom. I hope more unique, small, family friendly businesses like this open up in Fishtown.

Once again, I've used my niece Erin as a model for one of these issues. This is, however, the first time I used my niece and Goddaughter Kacey. I never used her before because my brother's family moved outside the neighborhood years ago, and she hasn't been around as much these past few years. But Kace has been spending a lot more time with us lately and hangs out a lot with her cousin on the weekends. So we're very happy to have her back in the neighborhood.

Also, I want to give a heads up to Brian Potash over at DevilFish Ink, who designed the Music Fountain Cafe logo pictured here. Brian is a great designer and has his hands in all kinds of art and music. I'm glad to have him as a buddy and a resource to consult with.

Also, Roger Petersen, a close buddy and artist capable of just about any artistic feat, was hired to paint the logo on the wall in the parlor.