the dream of having a cartoon strip someday still excited me to no end!...
but it seemed like a long way off yet!
 
at this point in my life....1983-ish….
I was torn between wanting to pursue my art full time
or to become a Religious Science Minister.
(shocking isn’t it)
 
doing a tremendous amount of soul-searching over this issue,
I brought it to the attention of my minister-mentor-teacher 
- Terry Cole-Whittaker - 
understanding my perplexity…she very sweetly and firmly 
brought out the connection that
"my art" is "my ministry"
(it is the way that I reach out to touch-inspire others)
and that I do not have to give up one for the other.
 
knowing how much my art meant to me,
she made me promise to myself that I would
never give up my art…
it is a spiritual gift that is to be honored always.
then and there I made a sacred agreement with 
"myself" and "god"
(I've always preferred "god" with a little "g')
that I will do what I must (and more) to bring my dream to life.
 
I was not aware of just how deeply planted that
 “seed of tenacity”
was planted that day.
I will always be extremely grateful for 
the gift that Terry gave me in that brief moment of exchange.
I carry that seed with me today…..
and it has pulled me through many a discouraging moment.
 
with my art as my ministry…..
it was time to bring this concept to life.
with the depth and excitement of my own
personal and spiritual quest
and my love of 
show-tuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuunes!!!
(am I GAY or WHAT?????)
a song from the  Broadway Musical - "PIPPIN" called
 “corner of the sky”
....spoke volumes to me.....it was my personal theme…..
and eventually the theme of my cartoons.
 
rivers belong where they can ramble
eagles belong where they can fly
i’ve got to be where my spirit can run free
got to find my corner of the sky
- Stephen Schwartz - 
 
to the drawing board i went...and soon a....
CAST OF CHARACTERS
appeared to me in the personalities of

bucky: a soul-searching duck
tiffy: an enlightened metaphysical chicken
skipper: a intellectual seagull
holly: a man-hungry woodpecker
godfrey: a hillbilly cat
stella: a bitchy penguin
 
when the reality of "doing" a comic strip 
does not only mean it has to be drawn...
BUT IT ALSO HAS TO BE WRITTEN
hit me like a mac-truck…and I was TERRIFIED!!!
 
ME….WRITE???!!!???....I AM NOT A WRITER!!!!
I thought I could come up with occasional one-line gags….
but to write a whole strip????…to be funny!!!.......and every day?????
 
so I started and stumbled and started and stumbled
side tracked myself with a line of 
"corner of the sky" greeting cards
(more about that little later)
GOOD!!!....I can write greeting cards.....I think......I'LL DO THAT 
anything to avoid writing that strip!!!

after the cards....it was back to the strip!
(see the link below)
so more starts and stumbles enough to get a little confidence 
 ....more starts and stumbles...
then much to my surprise my toons caught the attention of the 
editors of the a couple San Diego local-interest newspapers:
SAN DIEGO WEEKLY NEWS
CENTRE CITY NEWS
(soon to be the Trolley Line News)
and the
"THE SCENE" NEWSPAPER
an early San Diego Gay Newspaper 
and "bucky" wasn't even aware of his sexuality yet.... more starts and stumbles
he would comment on a occasional "gay issue"
without admitting to himself about his own sexuality!
been there...done alot of that!!!


 
 




 humble...very humble beginnings.....
I WAS ON MY WAY…but to what…I WASN’T quite sure!!!
hey!...what about that line of greetings cards...!!???!!!