Welcome to the Virtual World of Illustrator and Designer Michael Sturgulewski

TIMELINE
Major events, as well as events relating to creative influence, are highlighted

1968
* Born July 3rd, Miami, FL to Raymond and Gretchen Sturgulewski

1968-1969
* Became the subject of many family pictures

1970-1972
* Developed a fascination with dump trucks. I have no idea why.

* Made many trips to Walt Disney World, Monkey Jungle, Parrot Jungle, and Lion
Country Safari.

* My parents got me a bunny for Easter one year. He was hidden in the back yard
under a clothes basket as we went outside under the guise of an Easter egg hunt.
When I lifted the basket expecting to find a motionless egg, a live animal hopped out
at me. After the initial shock, I fell in love with him. His name was Peter

* Graduated from Kindergarten. At the ceremony, each student got on stage and
recited a short one-line speech in honor of a letter of the alphabet. I was the letter "F"

* My grandfather, William Bloomer, passed away. The memories I have of him are
very fond ones. He treated me as if I were the heir to an empire. My last memory
of us together was him holding a red towel off the side of an armchair and playing
Matador and Bull. I was the bull.

1973-1974
* My parents and grandparents moved to PA . . . and they took me with them.
Goodbye, warm winters; hello, sub-zero temperatures. (although I have to admit I
did enjoy playing in the snow)

* Introduced to super heroes, thanks to reruns of the 1967 animated Spiderman
series and the George Reeves Superman series. Thus begins a life-long obsession .
. . in fact, I'm watching some friendly neighborhood Spidey episodes while writing
this. How nostalgic.

* Went to Kennywood Park, an amusement park in Pittsburgh, PA. I was shorter than
ALL the cartoon characters guarding each ride, so I couldn't go on anything. The only
attraction I was able to go on was Noah's Ark, a fun house of sorts. The entrance to
the dark interiors was via a whale's mouth. Halfway down the tongue I cried in terror
and had to be taken out. I didn't get to ride anything that day.

* Became conscious of the fact that a werewolf lived under my bed.

* Asked my parents for a brother (maybe to fend off the werewolf).

1975
* Wakened during the night by my dad to tell me the good news that I had a
brother. Welcome to Earth, Eric!

* Watched I Was a Teenage Werewolf on television, starring a young Michael Landon. It
would take months to recover from this.

* My first attempt at painting: a paint-by-numbers zebra

1976
* Dressed as a minuteman for Halloween. My parents hand-made the costume.

1977
* Childhood was re-defined when I saw Star Wars and became one with the Force.
I was captivated from the opening shot of the Star Destroyer looming overhead.
On the way home, I imagined X-wings and Tie Fighters engaged in battle in the
night sky.

1978
* Dressed as Chewbacca for Halloween. My mom made the costume and my dad
sculpted the head. Temperature inside the costume: 180 degrees (but I didn't care).

* Superman came to life, thanks to Chris Reeve

1979
* Read my first Batman comic book (issue # 313, a Two Face story). 680+ issues
later, still reading.

* I have to credit my parents and comics for fostering creativity in me as a child.
My dad is also an exceptional artist in drawing and sculpting mediums, and my
mom often worked on ceramics and needle arts. I was frequently at a card table
with paper and pencil in hand. The subject matter was always either super heroes
or Star Wars. I remember wanting to draw a Batman comic book in which he went
up against every one of his villains. I drew 3 or 4 panels and couldn't figure out
what should happen next in the plot, so the project got shelved. Little did I know
that, 14 years later, such a story would appear in the Batman comics.
Let it be known, I thought of it first.

* My dog Sparky was killed in a dogfight. I cried a lot.

* At summer camp, I adopted an inchworm. This was my first time away from home for
a really, really long time (only a week) and I couldn't wait for it to end. The worm kept
me company. His home was an empty Dentyne mint case and I put some grass and
dirt in there to make him feel at home. When my parents picked me up at the end of
the week, we went to Denny's to eat and I left the mint case on top of the back seat,
right in the sun. When we came out to the car, the worm was toast. I cried again. This
was a bad year for pets. My dad made a tiny casket and tombstone for him, inscribed
with his name (which I can't remember) and we buried the worm in the back yard. This
was the only pet worm I ever had.

1980 - 1984
* On the way to the mall, the car in front of us booted a dog out the door, apparently
just to get rid of him. My mom coaxed him to our car and he ended up spending the
rest of his life with us. Rusty was a very good, very friendly dog. My mom was always
taking in strays, which is a trait I inherited. At this time, we also had seven cats.

* I knelt before Zod and devoted my soul to Atari.

* My family got our first VCR. It was the size of a small truck and weighed even more.

* Issue #1 of The New Teen Titans was released. I would collect this series until
its retirement in 1996. This series was truly awesome, and very well-written.

* Darth Vader is Luke's father??!! Holy freakin' crap!!

* I got pet mice. They were so cute. Then they multiplied and I got many more pet
mice.

* My great-grandfather, William ("Pap-pap") Boley, passed away. He and I were
very close, as I spent time at his place every week, usually on several occasions.
He embodied what every grandparent should be like. This was my first encounter
with the death of a loved-one after being at an age when I was old enough to
understand its meaning. Before the burial I did a simple, small drawing,
accompanied with a written sentiment (I wish I could remember what it said)
relating to his passing. My great-grandmother suggested I place the note in his
hand during the viewing, which I did. I also recreated the drawing for her at her
request. A part of me is at rest with him today.

* My dad made me a clay Tauntaun out of Sculpey, because we couldn't find one in
toy stores. It wasn't poseable, but I didn't care. I had a Tauntaun, and that's all
that mattered. This wasn't the only time he made something for me simply because
he knew I wanted it. Anytime I would ask him to draw me something, he would
draw it, and I loved just sitting there and watching him create something on paper.
Had it not been for his inspiration, I may have devoted time to interests other than
drawing.

* I saw The Amityville Horror on tv. I'm still in therapy.

* As a book report in Jr High, I had to read The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe
by C.S. Lewis. This was my first real leap into fantasy fiction. I loved the
characters and thought the allegorical link between Jesus Christ and Aslan was a
work of genius. During its reading, I often forgot I was reading it as an
assignment. In December 2005, I went to see The Mask of Zorro with Jonathan
and Lola Myers. Before the movie, one of the trailers was for Narnia. Jonathan
said I had tears in my eyes at the end.

* My mom introduced me to Dark Shadows and The Hardy Boys. I was instantly
hooked.

* Princess Leia is Luke's sister??!! Holy freakin' crap!!

1985
* I bought my first album by Michael W. Smith (The Big Picture), and to this day, he is
my favorite recording artist. I have all his CDs and videos/DVDs. I've seen him in
concert six times since 1988. He's simply awesome.

1986
* Graduated high school from Orchard Hills Christian Academy in Apollo, PA. There
were five in my class, including myself. It was a small town.

1987
* My parents moved to the city of Pittsburgh, PA. Goodbye, small towns. I loved
the city.

* Began higher education at Robert Morris College, Pittsburgh Center campus. My
major was Communications. I was contemplating a career in journalism. That later
changed. I really did not get that much out of RMC, partly because I was still
figuring out what I wanted to do after college. I did enjoy an art history class I
took there, as well as English Composition. My English professor was very good.
One assignment was to describe pizza without describing how it tastes. In my
essay, I described it to an alien who landed on earth for a short visit. I got an A.

* A Klingon serving aboard the Enterprise? Inconceivable!

1988
* Began employment at Family Christian Stores in Bridgeville, PA, after being a regular
customer for nearly a year. My employment would continue off and on (due to school)
until 2001. I worked with great people, both at the Bridgeville and West Mifflin
locations, and had some of the best managers anyone could ask for. The occasional
backstage pass for a concert was a nice perk too. Towards the end of my
employment, my brother and sister-in-law would work there as well. We had fun.

* Saw the Lead Me On tour, featuring Amy Grant, Michael W. Smith, and Gary
Chapman. This was the first time I had seen them in person. It was, hands-down, the
best concert I've ever attended.

* Began dabbling in the watercolor medium and also pastel landscapes. I saw
shows from Bob Ross' Joy of Painting series and did some pastel adaptions of his
work. The pastels turned out half-decent, considering I didn't really know what I
was doing. A few years later I tried my first oil painting at a workshop conducted
by Ross' son Steve. I was impressed with the medium and how I was able to
achieve the effect I wanted. Ross' technique is a good way to start off in oils, just
to get used to how the paint works. My formal training in painting would not begin
until the mid-90's. To date, oil is my medium of choice.

1989-1991
* Began dabbling on the keyboard and found out, much to my pleasure and
amazement, that I was able to pick out the melody to a song without knowing how to
read music. However, I could never get the hang of chords. Playing is still a hobby of
mine. I find it very relaxing. You'll never hear me play professionally. Bummer.

* Switched from audio cassette to CD format.

* I left PA to continue my education at Pensacola Christian College in Pensacola,
FL. At this time, my major changed from Communications to Commercial Art. I
stayed for the 1989-1990 school year, then returned the following school year for
the Spring 1991 semester. I would not return agian until Fall of 1993.

* My great-grandmother, Esther Boley ("GG", as I called her), passed away. She
was the most kind and loving person you could ever hope to meet or ever hope to
become, always giving of herself to others. She treated every drawing of mine like
it was a Rembrandt, regardless of whether is was Superman, Spiderman, X-Wings,
or Tie Fighters. I'm sure she didn't know what half the drawings were, being
unfamiliar with the subject matter, but she still treasured them all. I can still see
the pride on her face and the glimmer in her eye. I still miss her very much.

1993
* Returned to Pensacola to continue my education via a work-study program. The
first year was spent working on the grounds crew, then the next four years were
as a full-time student. While on grounds, I made some really great friends and
actually had fun on the job, most if the time. As an art student, I had the privilege
of studying under the guidance of Frank Hicks, Jim Hutchinson, and Brian Jekel (a
second-generation student of Norman Rockwell), each of whom were able to
pinpoint my strengths and weaknesses and make me a better artist and draftsman
as a result. I also tried to spend as much time at the beach as possible.

* Great Scott!! Superman dies at the hands of Doomsday . . . but, thank Krypton, he
is later reborn. You just can't keep a good man down.

1994
* My friend Tony Roberts (I have many stories to tell about Tony) introduced me to an
acoustic guitar and I found much enjoyment in picking out notes to songs. Later, my
parents got me my own guitar for Christmas.

* As an assignment, I tried painting a still-life in gouache. I discovered gouache is
definitely not my medium. It was a disaster. There are some things you don't have
to try twice to know when you simply suck at a medium.

1995
* Through summer grounds work, I met fellow student Jonathan Myers, who had
just transferred in as a sophomore. Within a few minutes of meeting, we found
common ground in art and comics. For the next few hours, instead of cutting vines
and clipping weeds, we talked art and Batman. Over the summer we became very
close friends, a brotherhood which continues to this day. Sometimes you just
instantly know when God brings someone into your life for a special reason. This
was just such a time.

* Under the tutelage of Frank Hicks, I tried my first attempt at painting
photo-realistically in oil. I was very pleased, and even more-so surprised, with the
result. One night while working on this project, Jonathan stopped by the campus
art studio and we began drawing comic book characters. We each drew our take
on various heroes and vilians in the Batman universe. Hours later and after
consuming a bag of jellybeans, the painting was no further along then when I had
begun that evening, but we had a bunch of cool drawings of Batman and
characters from his allies and his rogues galleries.

* Jonathan and I decided we would one day create our own comic book.

* At this time, I began asking why I believed the things I did concerning God, and
whether or not I had the proper theological perspective. I felt as if my faith was a
puzzle with some missing or loosely-fitting pieces. I began studying the writings of
classical theologians, such as Augustine, Aquinas, Luther, Calvin, Edwards, and
Spurgeon, to name a few. I began seeing a strong correlation between Scripture
and Reformed theology, or "Calvinism,"as it is often nicknamed. After extensive
research, analysis, and playing "devil's advocate", I became convinced that such
an approach to Scripture was not only accurate but also extremely rewarding, as I
began to view my utter helplessness in the hands of an all-powerful and
ever-gracious God. Shortly after, I wrote my own personal creed, or article of
faith, which I titled "The Death and Life of Man: Ten Articles on the Covenant of Grace",
which you can read HERE. Another good friend, Tim Spanjer, also an artist and
"Calvinist", became an oasis for me during this personal reformation, in an
environment where Reformed thought was considered wrong.

* Jonathan and I sat in a hallway while hurricane Opal passed over. I enjoyed Opal,
since I was in a safe building. Being in the calm eye of a hurricane was amazing.

* I was introduced the art of Alex Ross when Marvel Comics released the
four-issue miniseries Marvels. I couldn't believe the detail he placed in every
fully-painted panel. I also appreciated his adherence to the more iconic
representations of the heroes, especially regarding his later renditions of the DC
characters. His paintings are truly dramatic, even if you're not a comic book fan.

* I began using Photoshop, FreeHand, and Pagemaker, which formed the building
blocks for graphic design projects which continue to this day.

1996
* Rest in peace, Calvin & Hobbes (November 18, 1985 to December 31, 1995).
Your fans miss you.

* My parents got me my own computer, a Mac. This was a life-saver, since my
senior art exhibit was scheduled for this year.

* Introduced to the internet! Yahoo!

* For fun, Jonathan and I created a short Batman story, done in comic book
format. He drew the panels and I added digital effects and lettering. That evening,
we went to the campus Communicative Arts Center to print the pages. I sent the
pages to the spooler and we waited for our print job to come through the printer. A
few minutes later, I heard a shocked and somewhat angry yell from another
student that someone had printed a comic book on her only transparency, which
was for a project due the next morning. I simply looked at Jonathan and said, "We
gotta' go." This was my first artistic endeavor in a comic book format.

* Senior art Exhibit, Pensacola Christian College, November 10-23, 1996.

* My parents took my brother, my grandmother, and I to Walt Disney World for
vacation. We spent Christmas Day at the park, which was really special. It was a
great trip. My grandmother, being unable to walk extensively, was wheeled around in
a chair, which meant we were allowed to go to the front of the line every time, and
which also proved that amusement parks are best seen when in a wheelchair. After
graduating the following May, I revisited the park with my buddy Tim Spanjer.

1997
* Graduated from Pensacola Christian College in May with a B.S. in Commercial
Art. Lola Myers (then Lola Geyh) was also in my graduating class. I continued to
work on campus until the end of summer in fulfillment of my work-study contract.

* After graduation from Pensacola Christian College, my friend Tony Roberts
invited myself and another friend, Kevin Young, on a trip to northern Arizona and
southern Utah. We hiked halfway into the Grand Canyon, drove through Monument
Valley, spent a day at Lake Powell, then went on to visit Canyonlands and Canyon
De Chelly. I also learned to like the music of Neil Young (Tony was a fan). We had
a blast, and I found a new appreciation for natural beauty. This trip sparked my
interest in scenic photography. I shot about 40 rolls of film in a week.

* At the end of the summer, I had the opportunity to do a road trip of my own, from
Oregon to Florida. Even though I did the trip myself, it was fantastic. I went to about
15 national parks in about two weeks. This time, I shot around 60 rolls of film. I only
got lost once, in San Francisco. My alternator died in Arkansas and I ended up pitching
my tent in a total stranger's front yard (with his permission) until I got the car fixed
the next day.

* Moved back to Pittsburgh, PA

1998
* Thanks to my parents, I switched from Mac to PC.

* My brother got a wife and I got a sister!! Welcome to the family, Sandy!

1999
* My friend from college, Daryl Bozone, invited me on a trip to the United Kingdom. I
flew from Pittsburgh to Hethrow, London. We spent three days in London, headed
east to Canterbury and Dover, west to Salisbury and Oxford, then to points north, as
far as Edinborough and Inverness, Scotland. Means of travel: backpacking. Weight of
backpack: about 70 lbs. I should have packed lighter. Rolls of film used on this
trip:120. We stayed in hostels and B&B's over a three week period. It was amazing.
The English treated us as if we were members of the Royal Family. I will return one
day.

2000
* Jonathan and I developed an entity we called Ambition Comics, under which we
intended to produce our comic book(s). The first title we developed was called
Phantascape, which was to be a comic book anthology of original stories. We had
some fun ideas for Phantascape, but nothing with which we were ultimately
satisfied.

* Began switching from VHS format to DVD. Welcome to the world of Buck Rogers.

2001
* Moved to Apalachin, NY

* August 28. I adopted my first cat, named Toby (named by Lola). He was only
eight weeks old and small enough to hold in one hand. When I'm at home, he is the
center of my life . . . whether I like it or not (but I do like it), he's my shadow. It
was literally love at first sight. He looks much like a family cat, named Kitty
(eventually, you run out of names for cats), we had in Pittsburgh. I was very fond
of Kitty and had him spoiled rotten. I got what a cat needs at home, then went
back the next day to buy him. He was the best $30 I ever spent.

* On a sunny Tuesday morning in September, the world was shaken when four
passenger planes were crashed in New York, Pennsylvania, and Washington D.C.
in an attempt to bring terror to American soil. Rather than succeeding in their
goals, the would-be terrorists instilled pride in Americans, turned strangers into
brothers, and condemned their own souls to the justice and wrath of God. Like
many all over the world, I was riveted to the television as I watched the events
unfold. Shortly after, I purchased an FDNY cap, which I wore with pride. It is my
prayer that we never forget those who perished, nor forget the unity we felt - not
just as Americans, but as brothers and sisters, regardless of race or class, who
share in each others joys and sorrows. The evil in some brought out the good in
many. Freedom lives on while the infidels continue to perish. The following lyrics
are from a song titled "There She Stands" written by Wes King and Michael W.
Smith about a year after the 9/11 attacks:

We've seen her flying torn and tattered
We've seen her stand the test of time
And through it all the fools have fallen
There she stands.

* The first installment in Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings trilogy was released. I
tried to read the books when I was a kid, but was unable to capture Tolkien's
vision until I saw these movies. Each film was, in every way imaginable,
beautifully done. They captivate me no matter how many times I watch them. I
now have a horde of Rings action figures on my shelves, and two cats named after
Hobbits. This movie series really opened me up to how fantasy should be written,
and has helped tremendously in projects with which I am currently involved.

* After Fellowship of the Ring was released in theaters, and with our brains
consumed with hobbits, orcs, and things of that sort, Jonathan and I completed our
first full-length comic book, titled Venture. Venture was set in a fantasy world and
the story followed a group of heroes and misfits banded together for a common
purpose . . . to rid the realm of darkness, what else? We both wrote the plot, which
I then scripted and Jonathan drew the pages, which I digitally colored in
Photoshop. In the end, we decided the story did not have enough originality and
ended up shelving it to pursue other ideas. However, working on Venture did help
fine tune our skills a bit more for future projects.

* Ambition Comics was renamed Ambition Studios as we shifted the focus less on
a company mindset to that of a creative brotherhood of artists and storytellers
who assist and support one another in our artistic endeavours. Later, Alexis
Fajardo becomes a member of Ambition Studios.

* Swamp Fox is born! Jonathan conceived of a revision of the life of Revolutionary
War hero Francis Marion, told in a format enjoyable for both children and adults.
He, Lola, and I began working on the first graphic novel and promoting the
upcoming project at the Pittsburgh Comicon and local conventions in New York's
southern tier.

2002
* I decided I wanted a black cat. About this same time, a black kitten, four months
old, was abandoned and found by my mom. She took the kitten, who had fallen in a
container of used motor oil, nursed her to health and kept her until I was able to
make it down to PA to pick the her up. I named her Pippin. When she's not running
around in a frenzy or destroying things, she can be a total cuddle-bug. She's a bit
of a nut case, but I love her anyway.

* Toby takes an interest in Pippin. Toby gets neutered. Toby takes it well.

* Spiderman, directed by Sam Raimi, was released in theaters. I got tears in my
eyes at the sight of first seeing him come to life and swinging on his webs in
Manhattan, which I suppose makes me a nerd. However, a self-conscious nerd is
better than a nerd who's oblivious to the fact that he's a nerd. They really should
have stuck to a more traditional Green Goblin. Yup, I'm a nerd.

Swamp Fox: Birth of a Legend is released as a 150 page graphic novel,
self-published through our Ambition label. The project received critical acclaim in
both local media and by several national comic book reviewers. Over 500 copies
were sold to comic book retailers nationwide (including a few international sales)
through solicitation in Diamond Distributers' Previews magazine.

2003
* August 14th. Lights out! Much of the entire northeast was blanketed in darkness
due to a massive power failure. With TV and computer both out of commission, but
with oven still in perfect working order, I decided I'd make my first meat loaf.
With flashlight in position, I got my hands messy and began the long, tedious
process. It turned out o.k., but was more trouble than it was worth. I'll stick to
store-bought.

* My adopt-a-cat marathon continues with the addition of Merry, eight months old.
Merry is a very good boy. He likes to do somersaults to get attention.

2005
* Switched from VCR to DVR. Life just got easier.

* I became uncle to a beautiful little girl, Emily Marie. She continues to be the light
of my life.

* Through Jonathan, I became acquainted with fellow artist Mark Ryberg, former
art director for Last Unicorn Games. About this same time, Mark founded Bawn
Shaunts Design Studio through which he would produce a card game based on
Gnemo, a fantasy world created by master painter Tom Kidd. Mark took me on
board as the chief graphic designer for the studio and I immediately began
working with Mark and Tom on the game. Other game projects quickly became
slated for production as well.

* My good buddy Rob Zuniga, an excellent manga artist in his own right, moves to
Owego, NY. I met Rob in college, the same year I met Jonathan. Rob and I had a
few classes together and he, Jonathan, and I developed a reputation among the art
instructors as being among the most imaginative of the art students. It's certainly
nothing short of Divine Providence that brought us together. The brotherhood the
three of us continue to share is something I will always value. Shortly after his
relocation to NY, the three of us begin work on Legend of the Storm, an illustrated
novel based on the Japanese Gempei War.

* In December, I took in a stray cat to get him out of the wintry cold. The cold
weather left, but the cat stayed. I named him Squirt (he had a saliva problem).

2006
* Ambition Studios disbands to be revived as Whimsical Entertainment. Alexis
would continue to produce his projects on his own, while Jonathan, Lola, Rob, and
myself would continue our projects under the newly formed Whimsical studio.

* The Third Kingdom miniature skirmish game is developed by Jonathan. Along
with Mark Vining, an expert in resin casting, the game begins production as the
figures are hand-sculpted by Jonathan, then passed along to Mark who creates
molds from which each figure will be mass-produced.

* My summer vacation was spent driving through the Adirondacks and I
discovered a gem of a place called Whiteface Mountain. Ascending to the summit
was a highlight of the summer, not just in scenic splendor but also as an emotional
and spiritual refresher. It is places like this which brings a person to rediscover
the majesty of God's creation. Standing on the fifth highest peak in the
Adirondacks, I felt as if I were on top of the world. At times like this, the words to
an old hymn come to mind:
This is my Father's world
The birds their carols raise;
The morning light, the lily white,
Declares their Maker's praise.
This is my Father's world!
He shines in all that's fair;
In the rustling grass
I hear Him pass
He speaks to me everywhere.

* Squirt died unexpectedly. I buried him in the back yard. He was an extremely
good cat, very playful and affectionate. I couldn't keep him off my lap sometimes.
Even though I had him for just eleven months, I do miss hearing his raspy cry. He,
like the others, was always right at the door to greet me when I got home.

* Due to the growing variety of items we are producing, Whimsical Entertainment
is sub-sectioned into various branches, for the purpose of producing a specific type
of product under a specific branch. Thus, Whimsical becomes the parent studio for
Dream Satyr Comics, Millennial Age Publications, Whimsical Dreamweavers, and
Rabbit Hole Publications. Please visit their respective homes under
Whimsicalentertainment.com for further info.

* Apple released their new Ipod, a whopping 80GB, and i jumped on the
bandwagon. Woohoo, I got an Ipod! It's my constant companion. The 80GB will be
old news and worth only a fraction of the price in less than a year . . . but, woohoo
anyway, 'cause I still got an Ipod! The power of my entire CD collection, all in the
palm of my hand.
One Ipod to rule them all . . .

* Got Tivo! Life just gets better and better.

2007
* Began work on Song of Atlantis.

* God blessed me with a second niece, Sara, born to Jonathan and Lola Myers.
Ironically, her arrival brought out the sun and ended a seemingly perpetual winter.
She's my little princess.

* My cats and I took our first "family" vacation together. When my mom went to
visit a close friend in Nebraska, I stayed with my grandmother, Mary Bloomer, for
the week while my mom was gone. We had a great time just spending time
together, playing Scrabble, playing more Scrabble, playing with the cats (My mom
and grandmother have three cats of their own. There were cats everywhere.) . . . I
enjoyed taking care of her for that week and it is a time I will always treasure.

* Swamp Fox goes full color! The original black and white graphic novel is now
published as a weekly comic strip under Dream Satyr Presents. Once the entire
coloring process is done, the story will be published in full color book format and
re-solicited nationwide through retail outlets.

* During the summer of '93, I picked up a tiny book called 31 Days of Wisdom
and Praise, containing readings from the Biblical books of Psalms and Proverbs,
designed to guide the reader through the two books in their entirety during the
course of a month. I finished the book in about a week, and developed a new
appreciation for the truth and beauty of those two books of Biblical poetry; in
particular, the Psalms. Later that year, I really got into the Christmas spirit as I
read The Virgin Birth of Christ, by J. Gresham Machen, the quintessential author
on the topic. This book brought to life, as never before, the Biblical narratives of
Jesus' birth. In 2007, I decide to revisit these two topics and begin work on dual
book projects. The first, Sketches from the Cradle, will be an illustrated book
examining the story of the birth of Jesus in the light of the history and culture
during which it occurred. The second, titled Selah: The Eternal Song, will be a
reprint of the book of Psalms, with each chapter accompanied with decorative text
and illustrative paintings and drawings. More info on these projects can be found
in the Current Projects section.

* Whimsical Entertainment welcomes Joe Holley to the studio. Be sure to check
out his work.

* Michael W. Smith came to Binghamton, NY on the opening night of his "It's a
Wonderful Christmas" tour. Needless to say, I was there. This was the first time I
had seen him on one of his Christmas tours, and it certainly did not fail to please.
Also, since I am currently engrossed in studies on the Birth of Christ for Sketches
from the Cradle, my enjoyment of the concert was doubly enriched.

2008

* I, along with Bawn Shaunts founder Mark Ryberg, will soon begin production on
a new RPG. The game, of which I can't reveal details just yet, will feature a cover
by renowned illustrator Michael Kaluta. First, I get to work with Tom Kidd on
Gnemo, and now Michael Kaluta. How cool is that!

* Another cat! He needed a home, so I took him in and named him Mooch. He lives
up to his name. He's as big as an ox and as playful as a kitten.

* Became uncle again! This time to an adorable little nephew, Matthew. He is so
precious.

* I went to the annual Creation Festival for vacation. It's held in the mountains of
PA and is three days of speakers and open-air concerts. This was the first time I
had been back in attendance since 1993. Also, since it was the 30th anniversary
of the festival, they had Amy Grant come in for a surprise performance. For me,
the highlight of the festival was a concert by a relatively new band called Tenth
Avenue North. Not only does their music sound great, but their lyrics touch at the
very heart of what it is to be a Christian and have a personal relationship with the
Creator of the cosmos. I left the festival with renewed energy and the
determination that I really need to get a bigger tent.

* Dark Knight Dark Knight Dark Knight woohoo woohoo woohoo

All images in this section, unless otherwise noted, are copyright Michael Sturgulewski. All Rights Reserved.

The following properties are copyright-owned as listed and images retating thereto are used by permission. All Rights Reserved.
Swamp Fox, Legend of the Storm, Forgotten Kingdoms, and Third Kingdom are copyright Whimsical Entertainment
Gnemo game system is copyright 2005 Bawn Shaunts Design Studio; Gnemo story and art are copyright Tom Kidd.

ARTISTIC INSPIRATIONS

Keith Parkinson, James Christensen, Robert Bateman, James
Bama, & Frank Frazetta
For their painting style and technique; and for Frazetta also for
his sheer volume of work
Jonathan Myers, Tom Kidd, & James Gurney
For their abilities to create worlds from their imagination and tell
entertaining stories set within these worlds. Fortunately, I have
the honor of working personally with two of these individuals:
Jonathan (on numerous projects) and Tom (on Gnemo)
Alex Ross
For his iconic representations of DC's superheroes
Tony Diterlizzi, Norman Rockwell, & Brian Froud
For their ability to blend cartooning with realism in their
characters
J.R.R.Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, Calvin Miller
For their excellent fantasy fiction
Frank Miller, Neil Gaiman, Alan Moore
For their contributions to the graphic novel art form

Kitty and Toby

Venture comic art

Toby, day 1

Institutes of the Christian Religion
by John Calvin

For weeks I toiled over what to include in this section, since writing
about myself is not my usual custom. I was undecided on both
content and format. In the end, after much weeping and gnashing
of teeth, covering myself in sackloth and ashes, and sacrificing a
goat, I came to the conclusion that I should just have fun with it
and write it in a fashion which would be a pleasure to write, and
hopefully just as much fun to read. It is my sincere pleasure to
share my story with you, and I hope you have fun in the reading.