It's been a delight to see Kelsey's work develop at the studio and her ceramic artistry has become really popular. Since we're hosting a pop-up with her on Saturday April 13 (click here to RSVP), we thought it would be good to ask some questions and get to know the artist behind the work!
How long have you been creating pottery?
I took my first pottery class when I was 11 years old (so more than 20 years ago). I may have been the youngest in my class, but I begged my parents to sign me up for a summer session at the local college. I barely managed a collapsed cylinder, but after that, I was hooked. I focused on the sciences for my formal education, but I took every chance I could to sign up for a class or play with mud. I took a few classes in through the Craft Studio on my college campus and signed up for some one-off workshops. I really just enjoy creating, so I also explored painting, cooking, baking, sewing, paper crafts, even macrame. There was a short time I taught craft classes at a stationery store—dream gig. While never my day job, art was always close to my heart. Like many things, when life picks up, we’re quick to cut back on luxuries. I would argue that art is never optional, but we get fooled into thinking that when the daily grind gets in the way. I had put a pin in pottery around 2012, but came back in 2020.
When did you start Green Ware Studio?
Like most folks, 2020 and a global pandemic forced me to reconsider where I put my energy and how I spent my time. I was inspired to return to ceramics after seeing so many amazing artists on social media and discovering the wealth of talent and resources we have in Pittsburgh. (Yes, I also binged the Great Pottery Throw Down like everyone else.) Since moving to the ‘burgh in 2017, I am constantly surprised by all the city has to offer—ceramics was no different. There are several studios that offer classes, many more spaces that can be rented, an insanely supportive community of artists, ample opportunity to be inspired by others’ work and showcase your own, and the nationally celebrated Standard Ceramics supply just minutes away in Carnegie. I was able to secure my first spot in a class at the Union Project in 2021. Shout out to the family and friends who graciously accepted my tiny, lumpy pots and semi-vases while I got centered again—clay pun intended. After a few years of giving pieces away, finding new uses for tiny pots around the house, and building up a cabinet’s worth of extras, I decided to put my pieces out for sale during the Greenfield Community garage sale last summer. I felt extremely exposed to showcasing my artwork on however small a scale. I sold a few pieces, but what made a world of difference was feedback from everyone. I was still intimidated to sell my pieces more officially, but I was inspired to try.
The perfect opportunity arose when Matt hired me to help around the Studio on weekends. He has been insanely supportive while I (still) figure out my business. I eventually landed on Green Ware Studio—a nod to the Greenfield neighborhood and my process of doing most of the detail and carving on greenware (unfired clay). I also discovered I love layering several techniques and colors and I hope that care is apparent in the work. The finished product is the funky functional ware I’m selling today—mugs, earrings, planters, kitchen ware—pretty much anything that could make your everyday a little brighter. During the 2023 holiday season, Matt and I decided to try a few pieces to see how they did in the Studio. I wouldn’t describe myself as an emotional person, but seeing the first few pieces go to new homes meant everything. Over the last few months, Matt has kindly let me expand my footprint and I now have a variety of pieces available, with new ones being cycled in almost every weekend.
What is your favorite thing about selling at Alternate Histories Studio?
I’ve tried to describe this in a less cheesy way, but I cannot imagine a more supportive space to start Green Ware Studio. I cannot say enough about Matt’s mentorship and support…seriously. Fans of his work and the Studio have also been so welcoming. The space he has created just radiates community, and I consider myself lucky to be part of that. The Studio really has become an integral part of the Greenfield community and it has been so fun to see people interact with my art. I have really enjoyed the opportunity to talk about my work and meet so many great folks, many of them just streets away.
Where do you create your work?
I’m very much “on the road” at the moment. I throw pieces at Union Project in Highland Park during their open studio sessions. I have cleared out a space in our attic to do the trimming, attaching handles, carving, and design. The pieces then go back to UP for firing and I use open studio time to glaze the pieces. Once they are fired again, I bring them home for finishing touches before they’re studio-ready.
If you get a chance to support the Union Project by donating, going to one of their events or classes, or just sharing their story, please do. They are an amazing nonprofit aimed at making art accessible. Their focus on community-building and empowerment is apparent in everything they do.
What do you like best about the work you create?
The uniqueness of each piece. In ceramics, many people evoke the kiln gods to watch over our work through each stage and firing. At any point, you can lose the piece and you can’t truly create an identical one again. I have really leaned into that as part of my process. I use the same general styles, but I don’t try to make sets. Even my earrings are literally one of a kind. All of my designs require several layers of color and carving and I am still amazed to see the final process at the end. I also like that that uniqueness can then be taken into something you use every day. Having a favorite coffee mug, or plant, or dish on your counter can really brighten your mood. I try to use colors and themes that support the goal of brightening the everyday.
I'm also excited because they asked me to curate a far-out playlist of space age goodies, which I did! It's three hours of exotica, space age pop, instrumentals, surf rock, and more. Click below to enjoy, and be sure to visit Hidden Harbor this weekend!
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Ever since I did a reading at Bottlerocket Social Hall with While Whale Bookstore, I've been chatting with the folks there about doing some kind of project together. I love their space, their vintage vibe, the great diversity of events they book, and it just seems like a fun fit.
Finally Chris and I sat down to discuss and what we came up with was ATOMIC CINEMA, a bimonthly (every other month) screening on Tuesdays featuring introductions, games, performances, and other stuff that make these much more than just a movie.
Years and years ago I managed the film program at a performing arts center, and while that was a ton of fun, we were often hampered by our budget & restrictions on what we could do, working as part of a big organization. I love moviegoing, but I also think there's a place for things that enhance the experience, or make it more of a performance. Atomic Cinema is based on a bunch of those ideas I never got to do.
I'm working on some fun stuff coming up, including a supercool 60s sci-fi epic with DJs providing a new score, a drag tribute to one of cinema's greats on his 100th birthday, a night of shorts, and much more. Stay tuned! This is gonna be a ton of fun.
PLANET OF THE VAMPIRES: FREE SCREENING
March 26, 7:30pm
Bottlerocket, 1226 Arlington Ave, Pittsburgh, PA
Atomic Cinema returns to Bottlerocket for an astonishing event of science fiction & moody music madness! We’ll be showing Mario Bava’s 1965 PLANET OF THE VAMPIRES, an atmospheric Italian sci-fi shocker with vivid technicolor sets and fetish leather jumpsuits, as DJ Formosa from Jellyfish spins an entirely new soundtrack made up of Italo disco, dance pop, vintage sounds and much more! The film is also an acknowledged influence on Ridley Scott’s ALIEN and it’s a dream to see on the big screen...especially with this new soundtrack! Best of all, the event is FREE!
Click here to reserve your ticket
Past events:
GODZILLA - FREE SCREENING!
January 23, 7:30pm
Bottlerocket, 1226 Arlington Ave, Pittsburgh, PA
You’ve heard of Godzilla Minus One? Well this is Godzilla Plus FUN! Join us for a FREE night of monstrous mayhem, games, prizes, and a screening of the original 1954 Japanese film that started it all. Hosted by Pittsburgh’s own Yinzilla, and it's FREE! There’ll be games, giveaways, and some secret fun stuff too. Join us on January 23rd at 7:30pm…IF YOU DARE!
Click here to reserve your ticket
2023 is almost over and what a year it's been! Thanks to everyone who has followed along, bought something, or shared my work. Here's just a FEW of the things we did this year:
• Hosted outdoor Happy Hour pop-ups with dozens of local artists and a half dozen different breweries, as well as thousands of attendees
• Wrote and published an entirely new book (National Park Monster Ranger) and republished a second edition of an old favorite (Pittsburgh in Olden Times)
• Played host to several community events including Park(ing) Day, a food pickup, and the Greenfield Yard Sale
• Released not one, not two, but THREE calendars for 2024, including two brand-new designs. All of which are still available for sale; plus 10% of the sale of each Masterpieces Calendar goes to BOOM Concepts here in Pittsburgh, a creative hub dedicated to the advancement of Black, Brown, Queer, and Femme artists.
• Sold work at a bunch of different events, including Crafts and Drafts (which I curate), the Hilltop County Fair, the KSD Maker's Market, Renegade Chicago, Handmade Arcade, Krampus Market, and probably others I am forgetting!
• Had my first-ever beer collaboration with good friends and new neighbors Necromancer beer with the Greenfield Ghoul (still available at Necromancer!)
• Created a spooktacular VHS Horror pop-up for Halloween that looks like it'll have to become a recurring thing
• And created Holiday Saturdays, a weekly pop-up series for November & December featuring different artists, makers, & sellers.
I'm not gonna lie - this year was a lot! I've included the above photo (from a failed shoot where I was trying to make it look like a bunch of products were being tossed gracefully in the air) because I think it really illustrates what being a small business owner is like.
It's a constant juggling act, between coming up with ideas for new work, making that work, packaging it, promoting it, selling it, selling it wholesale, shipping it, dealing with lost packages, handling returns, running your finances, making mistakes with your finances, hiring staff, hosting events, collaborating with people, finding new ways to promote your work when Instagram decides to just not work anymore, and on and on and on.
It's exhausting and it's fun and I wouldn't have it any other way. And the only reason I can keep doing it is because of YOU, you the person who is reading this right now, who keeps supporting me and my nonsense.
So once again, yes I know I say it all the time but goshdarn I really mean it, THANK YOU. Sending you best wishes for a great new year, and as Ray Davies once wrote, I hope tomorrow you find better things.
]]>Join us at the Alternate Histories studio starting at 6pm for Greenfield Ghoul in cans to drink to take home, plus treats from Midnight Whistler and holiday tunes from DJ MB. We may even show “Santa Claus Conquers the Martians,” who knows? Come get some Greenfield Holiday cheer on Fri, Dec 15!
]]>Here's a selection of mostly 1980s songs & movie themes that I used for the Alternate Histories Video pop-up! Perfect for spooky music on the porch during trick or treating...IF YOU DARE!
]]>I'm doing a preorder through October 18 for these hoodies, which can be picked up at the Studio in mid-November, or shipped anywhere in the world! This is a super-soft, poly blend sponge fleece zip hoodie printed here in Pittsburgh by Commonwealth Press.
Click here to buy now! You've only got through Wednesday, October 18 at 11:59pm EST to order.
]]>Announcing an Open Call for a new program here at the Alternate Histories Studio: Holiday Saturdays! We're inviting a different local artist, maker, or vendor to sell in the studio for every Saturday in November & December, giving them a chance to pop-up in a free, low-pressure environment. Plus it lets locals in Greenfield and fans of Alternate Histories learn about and be exposed to new work.
We're also prioritizing folks who live in or near Greenfield; we want to show off everything that our area has to offer, so please apply today! Vendors will be announced in October.
Plus there may be a few surprises as we gear up to celebrate the holiday season and share our space with friends new and old.
Click here to apply for the Holiday Saturdays program; more info is below.
The Holiday Saturday Pop-Ups will take place on Saturdays during the months of November & December, 2023. Submitting your info means you will be considered for a pop-up on one Saturday, not multiple days. Preference is given to makers who live in the Pittsburgh metro area, with special attention given to makers who live in Greenfield and the 15207 zip code.
If you are chosen to participate, there is no fee. Vendors will get a six foot space to display their products from 12-5pm on a mutually agreed upon Saturday date. Vendors will be responsible for selling their own items. All pop-ups will take place at the Alternate Histories Studio at 517 Greenfield Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15207. Accessible bathrooms are provided. Space will be provided inside unless vendor & Alternate Histories agree to set up outside.
All applicants will be considered without attention to race, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran or disability status. Makers & vendors from intentionally marginalized and exploited communities are strongly encouraged to apply.
Position involves:
The majority of work will be done in the Alternate Histories Studio at 517 Greenfield Ave (accessible via the 58 bus). Staffer must be open to wearing a mask during retail hours and other times in the studio, to provide for public safety. Masks will be provided.
Retail experience preferred but not required. Generally flexible scheduling between 9am-6pm, although employee must be able to work 12-5pm most Saturdays. Must be able to lift 40 pound boxes. Knowledge of social media is great; familiarity with SEO techniques would be fantastic. Artists and small business owners welcome, with opportunity to use some Alternate Histories resources (shipping supplies, storage, printing, etc) for your own work.
Alternate Histories is an equal opportunity employer. All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to race, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran or disability status. Candidates from intentionally marginalized & exploited communities are strongly encouraged to apply.
Click here to apply, or you can mail a resume to:
Matthew Buchholz
Alternate Histories
517 Greenfield Ave
Pittsburgh, PA 15207
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The next Studio Happy Hour is May 27, 3-7pm with my pals from Golden Age Beer in Homestead pouring their crisp, drinkable lagers & pilsners, and La Palapa returning for some spring fun. Artist Morg Cunningham will be here with zines and amazing artwork, BeeBoy honey will be selling local (and delicious) raw honey, and rounding it out is music from DJ EZ Lou (of the Upstage 80s night and more). This event is free and family-friendly; non-alcoholic drinks are available from La Palapa. Leashed, well-behaved dogs are welcome to attend. Click here for more info.
The full schedule is below:
]]>
Last year when people bought this counterfeit they actually received a really crappy, badly printed version of my work-in-progress images. This year I don't even know if people get anything or if the scammers just take their money and run.
I do know that the whole thing has damaged my reputation and made hundreds (thousands?) of people associate my work with inferior customer service, bad imagery, and crappy overseas printing. All of which is antithetical to everything I have tried to create.
To be clear: I don't blame people who see a link on Facebook for a fun calendar and click "buy now." I get it and I'm flattered. I blame Facebook, who forces me to keep reporting counterfeits over and over while never banning the bad actors, never helping people get refunds, and never refunding the money they make from these promoted posts.
Some people have asked what they can do to help. If you want to report a post as spam, go ahead; l'm not sure if it helps but it certainly doesn't hurt. I know that as the copyright holder only I or a licensed agent (a lawyer) can report the listings as copyright infringement.
What I will say is that you don't need to tag me in the counterfeit posts on Facebook. I can find them on my own, and while I appreciate the support, being tagged just continually reminds me of how depressing this whole thing is.
A few people have tried to point out that the silver lining here is that more people have seen my calendars and sought me out and bought my work because of it. Which is true! But honestly, I'd trade all of that if it meant this never happened. It's been a source of real depression, helplessness, and as I said above, I have no idea how this affects me and my business in the long run. I wouldn't wish it on anyone.
So anyway...uh...happy new year? Onward to new and different and more fun things.
]]>The longer version of the story:
Fans of my work may recall the saga last year where some counterfeiters in China got hold of the images of my 2022 National Park Monsters Calendar and proceeded to spam social media and e-commerce websites using my exact product photos to sell cheap knock-off counterfeits. I have no way of knowing how many were sold, but I think it numbered in the thousands.
And speaking of thousands, I spent thousands of dollars in a fruitless legal saga to try to get them to stop. What I learned can be boiled down to these points:
So what's the good news?
If you got a counterfeit copy of the calendar last year or couldn't get one of mine after they were sold out, you can buy the same National Park Monsters Calendar now, updated for 2023 but with the same images! I also have a brand-new calendar for 2023, the Wish You Were Here calendar, along with a puzzle featuring the cover of the National Park calendar. All of these are available through my website, AlternateHistories.com or my Etsy store, alternatehistories.etsy.com
The calendar is also available online through a few authorized wholesale resellers. But how can you tell which is real and which is fake? It's actually pretty easy.
Let's take a look at two listings selling my calendar online: Revenge of Comics, and Spinpaper.com
Revenge Of comics has the calendar listed at a normal price ($24.99). There are no typos on their website, and they list a physical address and phone number. They have an active Instagram and social media page, and a quick google shows that they're a verified business with a physical location in Los Angeles and a lot of positive reviews. In other words: if something goes wrong with your order, they are publicly visible and accountable. You can call them up or stop in and talk to a real person (they also seem really great and I'd love to visit their awesome-looking store).
Now let's look at the listing on "Spinpaper.com." This is a site that is advertised on google and Facebook. Right away, we see that the price is "$24.72." Weird. There are multiple typos and strange phrasing on the sale page ("Free shipping for all order," "Company Anniversary Offer"). At the bottom of the page it does list a phone number and address in China; however that address doesn't seem to be real. And a google of the company shows virtually no information, along with a bunch of bad reviews and questions about whether the site is legit. Clearly this is a scam site that is selling fraudulent calendars.
Additionally, if you see a cool product on a Facebook ad but you're not sure about its legitimacy, google it! Putting "National Park Monsters Calendar" into a search engine will bring up my website, Kickstarter, and blog posts pretty quickly.
This doesn't just apply to my calendars; at this point, if you're buying something online from a site you haven't used before or don't know, it's important to spend a minute or two doing this kind of due diligence.
It really sucks that this where we're at with the internet and e-commerce; that you have to be a detective in order to not get scammed. All because giant companies run by millionaires and billionaires COULD fix this problem but they don't WANT to because then they'd make less money.
Anyway. I will do my best to post a list of authorized resellers of my calendar below, but I'll tell you right now: if it's coming from China, it's not me.
I really do appreciate all the support that I've gotten from folks who just like my silly little artwork and got cheated out of money because they wanted to buy my calendar. I hope you'll take a minute or two to double-check your purchases this holiday season. Thanks so much.
AUTHORIZED RESELLERS OF THE 2023 NATIONAL PARK MONSTERS CALENDAR:
Enjoy!
]]>I started Alternate Histories in 2010 with a show at Wildcard in Pittsburgh. Since then I've desgned dozens of greeting cards, hundreds of prints, published several books, printed thousands of calendars, designed a few t-shirts, had several art exhibitions, released a vinyl album, and finally this year opened my first Studio and Storefront.
None of that would be possible without YOU.
As we wrap up a tough year in 2022 and head into the future, the Kinks' song "Better Things" is going through my head. Specifically I'm thinking of the time on Sep 21, 2001 when the band Fountains of Wayne performed it on Late Night with Conan O'Brien, in a city still shell-shocked from the events two weeks earlier (you can click here to watch that performance).
I'm not the most inherently optimistic person, but darn it I'm going to try to be less critical and more positive going forward. Be aware of the hardships and challenges of life, be a good ally, and support friends & family as well as intentionally exploited and marginalized folks everywhere. And no matter what, keep rocking out and having fun.
I'll see you in the New Year. And thanks again.
Here's wishing you the bluest sky
And hoping something better comes tomorrow
Hoping all the verses rhyme
And the very best of choruses to
Follow all the doubt and sadness
I know that better things are on the way
Here's hoping all the days ahead
Won't be as bitter as the ones behind you
Be an optimist instead
And somehow happiness will find you
Forget what happened yesterday
I know that better things are on the way
It's really good to see you rocking out
And having fun
Living like you've just begun
Accept your life and what it brings
I hope tomorrow you'll find better things
—Ray Davies
The Studio is open Thursday December 22 from 4-6pm for shopping and pickup of online orders, in addition to 12-5pm on Friday December 23rd. The Studio is closed on Saturday December 24, and will re-open on Saturday, December 31 from 12-5pm. Beat the weather and come hang at 517 Greenfield from 4-6pm for some vinyl tunes, good vibes, and maybe even a few cookies!
Thursday, Dec 22: 4-6pm
Friday, December 23: 12-5pm
Saturday, December 24: CLOSED
Saturday, December 31: 12-5pm
The UNDER $25 GIFT GUIDE is just what it sounds like; a collection of products ranging from $4-$24.99, all in stock and ready to ship or be picked up at my Studio in Greenfield.
And for locals in my neighborhood, enjoy the GREENFIELD GIFT GUIDE, with all my local products, including a new gift box for the holidays!
]]>The essential info: the 2023 calendars are out now!
First things first: the 2022 National Park Monsters calendar is sold out. IF YOU BUY IT ANYWHERE, EVEN AMAZON, EBAY, OR ETSY, IT IS NOT AUTHORIZED AND IS A SCAM. There is one store that has copies and is opening soon; once they're open, I'll let you know:
Okay. Now that's out of the way, let me explain what's going on.
Starting around November 18, the images and text for my Alternate Histories 2022 National Park Calendar were stolen by fraudulent scam artists working out of another country. Initially there were dozens if not hundreds of posts on Facebook advertising suspicious-looking e-commerce websites selling my calendar alongside dozens of other stolen items. On November 23rd, I noticed that the scammers had jumped to Amazon.
Over the past week this has consumed my life. I've felt violated, furious, depressed, a whole range of complicated emotions, stemming not just from this theft of my work, but from the inability of the various corporations involved to take any significant action. This would be a much longer piece (which I hope to write or take action on at some point), but suffice it to say: Amazon, Facebook, etc require me to do all the work. They have no apparatus for banning the actual people doing the scamming,. It's like playing whack-a-mole or trying to bail out the Titanic with a thimble. Even if you manage to go through the long, convoluted process and they take down an ad or a listing, twenty more appear.
This was a special calendar to me, a tribute to my recently deceased parents who took me on trips to many of the National Parks featured here, and inspired by going through old family photos. To see it used like this has been really trying for me, and I've been struggling with anger & depression at the same time.
The only good thing that has happened is that these ads are so transparently fake that a lot of people have googled and found my work and bought the calendar from me, so I've sold out of even my second printing of the calendar. But honestly, it's not worth it to me. I'd much rather this never happened.
But it did, and I am trying to move on from it, and move on from spending my every free second reporting and arguing with electronic ghosts.
I know a lot of you were disappointed that you couldn't get the calendar this year. For that I'm very sorry. But I will be reprinting this calendar next year for 2023, along with a few new things. You can click here to sign up to be notified when the 2023 calendar goes on sale.
Thanks for reading and for supporting a small, independent business. It's literally just me, Matt Buchholz, trying to deal with this, and your support means a lot.
]]>(Oh but feel free to buy from me on this website, AlternateHistories.com! I run it and pay for it myself through Shopify)
The Longer Version: I've been selling with Etsy since August, 2010. Initially I loved it; sales on Etsy allowed me to start a new life in Pittsburgh and later let me quit my full-time job. I bought stock when Etsy went public in 2015. In 2016 I was selected to be on a panel of artists to create the (now-defunct) idea of Etsy Maker Cities; I even went to the headquarters in Brooklyn for meetings and workshops about the concept. I was all in and appreciated the personal support I got from the company.
Then in 2017 things started to change. The new CEO (Josh Silverman) and management team began changing metrics of how things appear in searches. You had to pay to appear in their ad searches and fees were still going up. More and more fees were being passed to the sellers while Etsy made more and more money for its stockholders. Etsy Wholesale, a big chunk of income for a lot of people, was closed with no explanation or fanfare. And what had been a small problem, overseas companies producing ripoffs of work in China and selling them on Etsy under the guise of being "handmade," was becoming a huge problem.
I sold my stock in protest somewhere around this point, after repeatedly being denied the opportunity to voice my discontent, even as a shareholder and seller. And things got even worse. Etsy essentially forced sellers to offer free shipping or be relegated to the bottom of search results. I've slowly been relying more and more on selling through my own website, AlternateHistories.com
February 24th was the last straw. In an email from CEO Josh Silverman, we were told two things:
So I'm closing my Etsy shop from April 11-18. I may have to reopen, as Etsy is still a large part of my revenue, but I'm hoping this action sends a message. I hope you'll join me and help #boycottEtsy. Click the link here to learn more and sign the petition. Thank you.
]]>If you have a question about when an order might ship or if you need something by a specific date, send me an email (Matt@alternatehistories.com) before you purchase, and I'll be glad to help. Thanks for your understanding and support!
]]>Back to the album. This has been years in the making.
In 2017 I launched a Kickstarter to produce an album called "Forbidden Sounds for a Future Age." It was going to be a collection of sounds, dialogue, and music from some of my favorite science fiction movies. All was going well until I ran into problems with music licensing for clips from the movies, due to my inexperience. It became a big headache and I had to cancel the project.
No one had been more excited about this idea than my dad. He loved sci-fi movies and music and was very interested in the vinyl revival that was happening. He loved telling me about his vintage tube amp and even stopped in the record plant that was going to be pressing my album so he could see what it was like.
Amidst the grief and uncertainty, I kept coming back to this album idea, and how excited he was about it. I knew that I wanted to make an album in his honor, as well as something everyone could enjoy. My dad gifted me his love of 1950s and 60s music as well as science-fiction movies, so I decided to combine those loves for this album, and make a sort of soundtrack, a travelogue of space age sounds and more.
I reached out to the Numero Group, a label and publishing company that reissues music from that era (and beyond) as well as bringing lots of new music to light. They were enormously helpful and kind, guiding me through the process and helping me locate rights and licensing to produce the album. It was a delight to dig through their archives to find music and then weave it all together; some space-age pop, some garage rock, some soul music, a little bit of everything. Thanks to Rob, Addison, Jacob, Lucas, Madelyn, Colten, Jessica, and everyone at Numero/Secretly.
My friend and audio engineer Madeleine Campbell mastered the album for me. And I was also fortunate to work with the great folks at Third Man Pressing in Detroit, who once again guided a newbie through the process, even giving me a tour of the plant when I went to pick up the clear green vinyl records at their amazing pressing plant and record store in Cass Corridor. Thanks to Madeleine and everyone at Third Man, especially TJ.
This album was a labor of love: collecting the music I love and sharing it with you as an act of love for my dad.
]]>
The background: As I've detailed previously, this has been a really wild holiday season, with scam artists creating fraudulent listings for my 2022 National Park Monsters calendar and spreading them everywhere. First across Facebook, then Instagram with links to fake e-commerce sites, then listings on Amazon, Etsy, Walmart.com, you name it.
This has made me insane, hurt, depressed, stressed out, and exhausted from trying to keep up with filing listings to take them down. All of the pressure is on me to submit these takedowns, not on the giant multi-billion dollar companies making money from the fraudulent sale of my work. That part is ongoing and I hope to have more to say about it later.
The one good thing to all of this is that many folks notified me about these fake listings, or just googled and found my website. As a result the sales of my calendar went through the roof. I sold out of my initial printing, then reprinted more. I sold out of those in a weekend and reprinted even MORE. Those took about 3-4 days but they too are now sold out.
Lots of people have asked if I'm going to be printing more this year. And to be real, I simply cannot manage it. This experience has drained me in ways I never thought possible. Alternate Histories is one person, me, with my girlfriend helping out by packaging calendars. I run everything out of one bedroom in our small house in Pittsburgh. I simply do not have the capacity, physically, psychologically, or emotionally, to print more this year.
Next year I'm hoping will be different. I'm planning ahead to have a studio space where I can hire help and get these calendars printed and marketed in a big way. The 2023 National Park Monsters calendar will be bigger and better than before; it'll have the same major artwork, with a few changes, new text, and lots of fun stuff.
I know a lot of you were disappointed that you couldn't get the calendar this year. For that I'm very sorry. I hope you'll sign up to be notified when the 2023 calendar goes on sale, and that you'll check out some of the other things I have going on. Follow me on Instagram or Twitter to stay in touch.
Thanks again to everyone who reached out, who bought a calendar, who sent a supportive message. It means a lot.
]]>I saw a post about Black Friday starting today and thought it must have been a mistake. NOPE! Big retailers (who have made record-setting profits during COVID) are already pushing Black Friday deals, Black Friday weeks, Black Friday pre-sales and more, more, more. All to increase their already massive profits at the expense of small businesses. Meanwhile folks like myself can't afford to offer significant discounts during the holidays because that's when we make most of our money for the year. I personally make between 50-60% of my annual income in November & December each year; yet everywhere there are marketing blogs and Instagram posts urging us to stay competitive and offer sales, free shipping, Black Friday deals, and more. I know I probably sound like a broken record but I like to chime in every now and then to say two things:
1. Small businesses are the backbone of modern-day commerce. We're the ones keeping money in communities and in circulation, not in billionaire's pockets. We're the ones opening brick and mortar spaces instead of closing locations. We're your friends, your neighbors, your family. We're the people you see and shop from every day. And right now, more than any other time of the year, we need your help, whether it's buying online or from a brick and mortar store. Please, if you can afford it*, shop local and shop small.
My new book NIGHT OF THE MONSTERS is available for purchase on my website but also out in the world! I know sometimes with a book like this it's easier or more fun to flip through a copy before you buy it, so I'm thrilled to have these great retailers in Pittsburgh selling my book:
All copies are signed; it's been so much fun to see this labor of love make it out into the world. I don't have a publisher helping me with this; the book is self-published which makes it all the more amazing. And hey, if you know a store that you'd like to stock NIGHT OF THE MONSTERS, have them contact me at matt@alternatehistories.com for wholesale inquiries!
]]>From a distance, the rings of Saturn appear to be knife-sharp blades encircling the cold, dead planet. But move closer, and the shape of the rings reveal themselves to be billions of asteroids and debris, held in tight orbit by the planet’s massive gravitational pull.
Rocks and meteors tumbling, turning, crushing, and crashing into each other a thousand times a day, particulate matter forever locked in concentric circles in the cold void of space. So much debris that it creates something like an atmosphere, a place where life might even exist.
A place where life does exist.
In the 22nd century, large space creatures were found living in the bits of debris and atmosphere within the rings. Thought to be mutated bacteria from waste vessels, with no natural predators the creatures grew and thrived within the rings. More importantly, their mutated life force contained a plasma powered by solar energy, which proved to a new source of fuel for intergalactic space flight. Much of humanity’s existence in the stars now depends on the hunt for these creatures, dangerous work carried out by criminals and androids who risk their lives to fly into the rings and hunt the beasts while heavy cruisers skim the surface.
They are called whalers.
***
Above the rings of Saturn cruises a spaceship, the Rachel. A small salvage vessel, searching for wreckage and abandoned goods that could be sold for scrap.
Inside the Rachel, Commander Gardiner is the only human occupant. Slick with the grit that accumulates after several days without a shower, she picks up a signal floating in the ring debris below.
A black box.
All starships maintain a black box or “log,” a data recovery system, that tracks everything that happens on board. Useful for insurance companies and financiers who keep track of what happens on their multi-billion dollar whaling ships.
Gardiner locks onto the signal from the black box. The transponder is damaged and doesn’t give the ship’s ID number. She sighs, puts on a spacesuit, and heads for the airlock to bring back the box manually. As a young girl on Titan she never dreamed she’d find a spacewalk normal, even tedious.
She locates the log and brings it aboard with no trouble. The box’s surface is scarred and beaten, as though it had been floating in the debris for a long time. Or had survived some kind of immense catastrophe.
Gardiner takes off her helmet and sits down at her workstation. Lit by the glum flourescent lights, she plugs in the black box and watches as it interfaces with her computer system. The black box hums as the computer comes to life.
Gardiner turns on an external screen and an identification prompt flickers to life:
“Call me Ishmael.”
***
The rest of the story continues as follows in this brief synopsis:
The Pequod, led by the monomaniacal Captain Ahab, leaves spacedock from Titan, heading for the rings of Saturn. Ahab is obsessed with hunting down one of the alien creatures, a pure white beast that is altogether different from what the whalers are used to dealing with.
Ishmael watches and records everything that happens on board the Pequod: Ahab’s fights with his first mate Starbuck, the struggles of the android harpoon operators, and the crew’s desperate hunt for the white creature, leading to a deadly final confrontation.