My comics and illustration group is holding two Valentine’s Day shows this month, because we are wildly ambitious, and because a single building’s walls are not enough to contain our artistic greatness.

The first is at Cafe Racer, and it opens Thursday, February 10th, 2011. Better, prettier information and flier to come once these things are in my hot little hands.

The second is at the Fantagraphics Bookstore. It’s called Lovesick, and you can see more, including the rad flier drawn by one of our number. It takes place Saturday, February 12th, as part of the third anniversary of the Georgetown Art Attack.*

I’m working on some complementary pieces, and I think I’m going to aim at making them into a set of prints. Here are a couple of my wee sketches for these.

I’ve been doing a fair amount of drawing lately. I’ve passed the halfway point of penciling Furlough 3 (AT LONG LAST, OH MY GOD, IT’S HAPPENING), and I’m doing a lot of other art too. Other art. Sounds a shade sinister when put that way, no? Here’s a pencil drawing I did at my art group last week.

So that’s me. Day job work + exercise + comicking + the occasional gulp of air – adequate sleep = the life of Breanne Boland, urban sophisticate and gal about town.

But you should have a larger life, one that includes going to galleries for fabulous-as-hell art shows. I hear it’s nice; report back.

*Doesn’t it sound like I’m inviting you to a vigil? I’m not, though.

I’m going to be part of an art show tomorrow – go look. It’s the Halloween show for my illustration group, which means even more nerdery will abound than usual. I’ve seen some of what’ll be up, and some of it’s truly lovely.

Here’s a little excerpt from one of my two pieces, which is now watercolored and pretty.

I’ll post both full images in a few days. In the meantime, get thee to Cafe Racer and check it out in all its glory – alongside the incredibly cool stuff that’ll be keeping it company.

P.S. I’ll be at APE in San Francisco next weekend. Do come say hello.

And guess what I’m spending the next 24-hour period doing. No, guess.

The Seattle event I’m attending (and there’s more than one here, which is super cool) starts at one. I need to get my supplies together, get my sleeping bag out of my closet, see to my cats, and feed myself. Notice I didn’t say “think,” “outline,” or “script.” I know, I know – that’s the idea of this whole thing, but it’s an entirely foreign one to me. When I found out that some comics artists/writers don’t know their dialogue until they write it into their completed art, I almost fell over. I’m a writer first (by a nose), so my comics are wildly planned out. I’ll show you a page sometime, next to its completed comics version.

It was tempting to cheat, but I’m not. I’m just going to show up and see what I come up with. The last thing I made with this method turned out pretty well.

See you in about 26 hours. I’ll be the one bent into a C shape, clutching her aching wrist, but wearing an expression of triumph (I hope).

True fact! You can see the proof here and here. We’re selling our limited-edition (aka COLLECTIBLE) comics anthology box, which will include minicomics from 18 of us. We are a very talented us. My contribution to this is Sausage Stew, which you’ve seen a bit of.

Our splendid event will include the box (the box!), original art, and live drawing. For a buck, you can have your choice of a one-of-a-kind pie, a two-handed corn portrait (you must see this to believe it, it is wonderful), a historical pickle (that’s my contribution), and others I haven’t even heard of yet. My word!

So come on over. Bring some ones, bring your art-buying shoes, and have a rad night. I will be.