COLLABORATE OR PERISH!

Watch the micro-documentary above. Produced in collaboration with Access Sacramento & the California Arts Council.

Eben has been writing comics independently since 2007, starting first in webcomics before Eben07: Covert Custodian before establishing new ventures, B-Squad: Soldiers of Misfortune and Tiny Wizards. Coming from a background in short fiction and sketch comedy.

Eben is probably best known for collaborating on various publishing projects with the Burbank-based animation studio, Starburns Industries. He aided the early development their boutique publishing division, Starburns Industries Press, which produced numerous graphic novels, cassette tapes, and books before shuttering in the wake of the pandemic. During this time, both B-Squad and Tiny Wizards were being shopped for development as an animated series via Adult Swim, Netflix, and other major channels.

As an advocate for the use of comics in schools as literature, most significantly, he developed a curriculum for teaching comic book storytelling to youth in 3rd grade and up. In early 2014, he worked alongside a Sacramento non-profit to produce two youth-written and adult illustrated comic books. Since, Eben can frequently be found out in the world teaching kids and adults how to bring their stories to life. Most recently taking him as far as the Sharjah International Book Festival in 2019 (here is an interview with Sharjah’s Pulse 95 Radio)and Maker Faire: Cairo in 2019 and 2020.

Amid the pandemic, Eben has begun to offer on-line versions of his workshops conducting comic book workshops for Girl Scouts and scouting troops, workshops for libraries and art museums, and doing so all while continuing to mentor individual youth artists and story-tellers for senior projects.

In addition to writing, Eben remains an accomplished international artist using masking tape to create fantastic creatures and sculptures. His artwork has been a featured part of Maker Faire events in China, Lithuania, Rome and Cairo — in addition to many exhibits in the United States from New York, Los Angeles, and San Francisco. Focused on teaching, he has inspired thousands to try making their own art out of every day materials and turning their hands into 3D printers!

Eben is based in Sacramento, CA with two cats, two dachshunds, and one very special lady.

Instagram

Breonna Taylor deserves justice and the officers who killed her in her sleep must be arrested and prosecuted. Justice for Breonna. Arrest the officers. #blacklivesmatter art by Allison Gore @allisongore

Did these quick little signs to encourage mask wearing at the brewery. Covid cooties are still creeping around. Wear a mask and help stop the spread.

Been really fun to play games and conduct workshops the last week. These some doodles I did today to help students figure out mascots and carnival barkers.

Get some food.

My golden gal.

Margot engages puppy-periscope in the deeps of the cuddle puddle.

Vivienne.

Repost @thegrio ・・・ A crowd gathers at the Wendy’s in Atlanta where #RayshardBrooks was shot and killed by Atlanta police to memorialize the 27-year-old man. Flowers, original artwork, signs, t-shirts, etc. are adorning the location. 🎨Mural by @ashleydpaints

I know way too many friends who have stories where they had a little too much to drink and slept it off in their car. These police officers, amid massive global protests about excessive forces and racist brutality, still couldn’t deescalate the situation and killed Rayshard Brooks — shooting him in the back as he fled from police. Rayshard fell asleep in his car trying to get something to eat — a day before his daughter’s birthday. For contrast, Dylan Roof, the mass shooter that hatefully gunned down black people in prayer in Charleston was apprehended alive *and the police bought him cheeseburger* after he was arrested. Rest in Power Rayshard. Black Lives Matter.

Black Trans Lives Matter Reading about the recent attacks on women like Iyanna Dior to murder of Riah Milton and Dominique Fells and police brutality behind Tiny McDade. It is pride month. We all should take a moment and pay respect to these beautiful lives, but also reflect on how we can become more tolerant and loving to our LGBTQ+ neighbors, brothers, sisters, fathers, mothers, friends, family, coworkers — love is love and the shape of love is boundless.

Recommended viewing. Stranger Fruit is a documentary that examines a lot of the physical evidence, manipulation of first hand testimony and subsequent cover-up by police department, the right-wing media driven defamation following Michael Brown’s murder at the hands of an out of control police officer in Ferguson. Available on Hulu.

My best friends!

It is a joy to see these horrid statues that once flaunted the lies of white supremacy and continued the “lost cause” of the Confederacy continue to die out. These horrid statues should be so lucky to be dismantled in the beautiful and artful ways. Bravo. The next Confederate statues that need to go are Lindsay Graham and Mitch McConnell. Vote. 🗳 Vote 🗳 Vote 🗳 Vote.

#DefundThePolice

We couldn’t make the protests today, but I did bring the protest to our street here in #Sacramento. Mixed in words from @official_stevanteclark + @killermike & on of my favorite quotes from James Baldwin. My wife took some pictures of the sidewalk chalk mural I did on the corner outside our house in Land Park. Link in bio to donate to over 70 community action groups across the USA. #8CantWait #BlackLivesMatter #plotplanstrategizeorganizeandmobilze #everybodyloveeverybody

#Repost but you should follow the @thegrio to get more news and culture from black voices and thinkers in your feed, too! ・・・ “Black Lives Matter” mural painted on the road to the White House in Washington, D.C. D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser announced that section of 16th Street near the White House is now called "Black Lives Matter Plaza." 🎥 @simoneyvetteleigh

Take action today for Breonna Taylor. LINK IN BIO. In honor of Breonna Taylor's birthday, here are some concrete action items people can do to commemorate her life and fight to get her justice. Complete as many items on the list as you can and share the link to this campaign so that other people can complete it too. #birthdayforbreonna

More teachable moments from the giving tree. SWIPE to read.

She’s right you know.

This is all happening amid a pandemic, just even here in my hometown multiple police helicopters have been flying over the peaceful protests EVERY HOUR of day. What is that costing our fight toward the pandemic? How many after school programs is that going to defund? How much progress will it erode? We need leadership that is ready to DEESCALATE and EDUCATE. Our @mayor_steinberg has been listening and attending the peaceful protests the past few days, I hope he’s learning some hard truths and is considering how to create bridges instead of walls. #sacramento

#Repost but you should follow the @thegrio to get more news and culture from black voices and thinkers in your feed, too!
・・・
“Black Lives Matter” mural painted on the road to the White House in Washington, D.C.
D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser

Eben’s studio space, nicknamed BurgooneyTunes Studios, is hosted at the Sierra 2 Center in Curtis Park-region of Sacramento. Visiting hours are typically weekdays from 11-4, but are currently by appointment only due to the on-going Covid19 pandemic.

Masking Tape Artwork

Derpy unicorns, tape worms, and crazy characters all made out of masking tape! What can I make for you?

Peep the Art

Amazon Author Page

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