This Saturday, February 18th, from 6-9 pm, come out to the Phoenix Trades Depot (2415 East 5th Street Austin, TX 78702) for an art show featuring the work of:

Frank Botello
Matt Mason
Nathan Sanchez
Justin Telepak
Aaron Bir

The Phoenix Trades Depot is a brand new gallery in east Austin. This is a small pre-opening to give the space a test drive before the big even, featuring over forty artists, on March 3rd. Come out early and see this developing space before the crowds show up on opening night.

If you’re on Facebook, RSVP at the this event page!

On top of showing at the Phoenix Trades Depot, I’m also the new curator for the space. I’m incredibly excited to be part of the big plans… and we have a lot of them. To give you an idea of who we are, here is the mission statement:

The Phoenix Trades Depot is a multipurpose facility focused on use by creative individuals in the arts and trades aiming to become an important part of the east Austin community through the integration of arts based events, a store front and gallery for local artisans, active micro-business space, open air markets, and affordable rental space for outside organizations and events.

Like I said previously, this is a pre-opening. We are having a re-convergence of the artists I showed with at the East Austin Studio Tour and is just a fun way to explore and test the space. The BIG show is on March 3rd… Over 40 artists,  music by DJ SiloSix, and drink specials from our neighbor, St. Roch’s Bar. Keep your eyes peeled for more details on that show very, very soon.

It’s finally here! The first part of Thomas the Headless Boy is available on Dean Haspiel’s Trip City. This book has been a labor of love and with the incredible writing abilities of one Jeffrey Burandt, it’s a available free and biweekly.

I conceived of Thomas three years ago, and started a small little zine, but I’ve never been able to put the idea aside. Unfortunately, I also was never able to move forward.  I began working with Jef on several projects, including Americans UK: Mixtape, and found a real sychronicity in the way we work. Being more of an artist than a writer, I asked if we join my in making Thomas, he said yes… and here we are!

What are you waiting for! Go to tripcity.net! Read it! Love it!

Oh.. and have a preview page of the installment coming in two weeks.

Preview of Page 18, Thomas the Headless Boy Part 2, Chapter One

Click her to RSVP on Facebook!

I’m going to be exhibiting at the Austin Nerd Cave Showcase at Tribe Comics and Games on the 15th of January. It starts at 6pm and runs until 9pm.

Check out some of the best artists from Austin’s “nerd” community. They’re all coming from and/or inspired by such nerdy things as comics, video games, movies, sci-fi, fantasy, cartoons, what-eva!

I will, personally, be showing original pages from my upcoming graphic novel, Thomas the Headless Boy (made with the amazing writing talents of Jeffrey C. Burandt), along with original paintings, and illustrations from another work in progress. I might even have some swag for sale and for FREE!

Come on out! RSVP on Facebook!

OH! As an added bonus to this post… Check out the interview I did for my last art show during the East Austin Studio Tour for KLRU!

Aaron Bir from KLRU Collective on Vimeo.

Cover by Blake Sims

The second issue of the rock and roll comic anthology, Americans UK: Rocktronic Mixtape Vol.2, is finally available! These are some amazing post-punk, sci-fi fiction stories about or inspired by real life rock band, Americans UK.

The creators are not only some of the best cartoonists and comic makers in business, but also generally great guys… except Ben. Nobody likes Ben. This includes: Jef UK, Michael Lapinski, Blake Sims, Zees, Ben Rosen, Sam Vaughan, John Mathias, Ben (boo!), and your’s truly.

I wrote and illustrated a story based on the song, “Jobs: We Don’t Have Them.” I tried to channel my inner punker for it and think it came out pretty rad.

This comic would be right at home at the counter of your local, indie record store. Show your indie cred and buy it here!

A detail from the comic "Jobs: We Don't Have Them" by Aaron Bir

I’m in a sweet periodical, out of New York, called Slice Magazine. This is the ninth issue of this beautifully designed and conceived literature and arts magazine. Each issue is built around a general theme and, in this case, our theme was “Into the Wild”. I (along with Andrew Goletz under the Grayhaven Comics’ Gathering banner), made a two page comic, entitled “It’s a Jungle Out There,” exploring the similarities between dating in the modern man’s world and the mating habits in the wild. I believe this the first comic that Slice has ever published. This on top of being in an issue that includes an interview with Maurice Sendak makes me incredible proud.

You can look here to see if the magazine is available in your town or here to order it online.

A panel from "It's a Jungle Out There" for Slice Magazine