Edition Announcement #71 - Jacob Escobedo

Discombobulated Tuesday greetings collectors. I just arrived in Madrid a few hours ago for Photos España and after partaking of some breakfasty items and some not good enough coffee, I stumbled back to my room and fell asleep for too long. This means I have little to report of Spain so far, except for this: the breakfast pastries at the Oscar are yummy and the room I'm in, while oddly laid out, has an entirely too comfortable bed. Hopefully I'll have more commentary of note after this evening's festivities, which I am dashing off to just as soon as I dash of this note to you.

Today's print edition, the obsessively detailed and slightly creepy (why so angry my little bat friend?) Kerry, comes to us from Atlanta-based artist Jacob Escobedo. You definitely want to check out the bigger version of this bad boy, because the details are incredible.

I love this project of Jacob's. He's been making drawings of his friends' favorite animals and all of them are really stunning. When he came by the studio to sign certificates, I think I managed too convince him that being part of the 20x200 fam made us friends, so I'm hoping that there's a similarly rendered otter in the offing. Otters are not necessarily my favorite but my dog Ollie Otter is my favorite creature on the planet so it seemed apropos. Also, some of my other faves? Taken. Apparently I am not the iconoclast I'd thought myself to be. Hmph.

Bats are pretty damn cool, and like the bees they are in some recent, big and mysterious trouble. As with bees, they play a critical role in balancing out our eco-system and managing some pesky insect populations, so the trend of tens of thousands of them dying off is alarming for lots of reasons.

Bat Conservation International is an organization I learned about several years ago via my friend Antony. They've been really active in leading the charge to figure this whole thing out, so go have a look there and consider getting involved. You can also help in a more passive way, by simply drinking coffee. Specifically Bat City Blend a really delicious blend made by Austin-based roasters Katz Coffee. A portion of the proceeds from Bat City blend sales goes to BCI. Both the coffee and the organization are good, so I say: drink up.

Me? I'm off to find some cafe con leche after which I'll be off to the Biblioteca Nacional for a Best Photo Books of the Year event. This probably means that there are more interesting tales from my trip to be told tomorrow. Until then: Adios!

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