Dear Comrades,

with the Mona Lisa. Bitch totally photobombed me.

I’m writing to you from the black and brocade lobby of the Vondel Hotel in Amsterdam.

I’ve spent the past week in Europe, at the behest of my beloved Royal Talens, the art supply company that showers me in nifty toys. The ink, acrylics I use? The motherfucking Arches paper? Is by them.

Royal Talens brought nine of their favorite artists, from a variety of disciplines, out to Paris and Amsterdam.

Nike of Samothrace, my favorite sculpture as a kid. Nary a tourist in site.

We got to eat violet macarons, have a private tour of the Louvre, and see the Rijksmuseum, Van Gogh Museum, Rembrandt House, and even the Royal Talens factory.

It was at this very place I had that surreal, late stage capitalist experience of seeing the disassembled versions of the paint tubes I struggle with daily.

Van de Linde art supplies gave each artist a huge package of art toys, selected just for them.

On my off time, I worked on a portrait series called Amsterdam Demimonde. I drew and spoke to escorts, digital rights activists, erotic filmmakers, and the co-organizer of Vondelbunker, an artspace in a former bomb shelter. Hope to put it online in the next few weeks.

Venus de Milo sketched from life.

Kate, with epic hat

It was an honor and  a delight to see two of my favorite cities again.  Also to meet the other artists- big ups to Casey Baugh, Willow Wolfe, Kate Zambrano, Amir Fallah (founder of Beautiful Decay) and Jessica Lopez.

We all nearly got killed by bikes

Next stop- London, for some meetings.  And then, Athens with journo Laurie Penny, to create Discordia.  Discordia, our art/journalism mashup about Athens during  Eurozone crisis, will be released by Random House UK as an e-book in fall.

Thank you so much to Canson, Royal Talens, and Kyle Richardson, who organized the trip.

Best ass in art history, sketched from life at the Louvre.

Amsterdam, looking like Gingerbread land

The Louvre during our private tour. Wanted to roller skate.