Author Archives: Panda in Chief

About Panda in Chief

Anne Belov paints, writes, makes prints, and is the founder of The Institute for Contemporary Panda Satire. You can find her paintings at the Rob Schouten Gallery and Fountainhead Gallery, her cartoons on The Panda Chronicles, and her new book here. She also writes regularly for The Whidbey Life Magazine, a free journal of art and culture on Whidbey Island. Her main regret in life is that there is no MacArthur Grant for Panda Satire.

I feel truly Fabulous on Fabulous Furry Friday

…because my kickstarter project is doing so well in the first two days. As of last night we have passed our initial funding goal, but are we stopping there? No we are not! One of the things that Kickstarter advises, is that you ask for the bare (or ‘bear’) minimum that it will take to both do your project, and fulfill your rewards.  This is because it’s an all or nothing deal.  If you really need $10,000 or the project can’t happen, It doesn’t make any sense to give you the $5,000 if that’s all you’ve raised, because then you can’t do the project, or fulfill the rewards, and then people get kind of snarky. (For good reason)

But, if you’re thinking ahead, there are always more parts to the project than you’ve first presented, and if you make secondary goals, maybe you can do some of them too, if you raise enough money. So get on over to the project, and sign up for a book or some original art.  There will be some new rewards later today as well as some clearly stated additional goals.

Of course the panda kindergarten wanted to lend a hand with the fundraising, and who am I to say “no”?  (Nobody says “no” to the panda kindergarten!)

fundraising on Kickstarter

Ha ha! George Clooney… where do those little pandas get these ideas?

But just because we are doing well, it doesn’t mean that we are out of the woods (or that we are doing what bears usually do in the woods!)

The panda kindergarten has been SOOOOOO helpful in past campaigns:

Says Babette de Panda:  "It's all about MOI` "

Says Babette de Panda: “It’s all about MOI` “

And here’s a little something from the panda kindergarten as they celebrate valentines day…

How splendiferous is chocolate? Let me count the ways

How splendiferous is chocolate? Let me count the ways

Princess Pinky Returns in our Salute to the Olympics

Princess Pinky is standing behind me and stamping her little (adorable) foot in impatience, but she is just going to have to wait a few seconds longer, while I send out a HUGE round of thanks to my Pandamorphosis supporters who showed up in the first 24 hours of my 15 day Pledge drive.  I will be listing names on the roll of honor as soon as I get Pinky’s new cartoon posted.

Sheesh! Mr. Wu was never this bad. (Or was he?)

Sochi Winter Olympics, Pandas

I keep hearing the song “bears on the Run” going through my head…the ski run, that is!

Thank you all again for supporting the Kickstarter campaign to fund Pandamorphosis.  Oh, you haven’t done that yet?  You can click the link on the side bar or this one right here.

Funding is already at 48% in the first 24 hours. You guys are the bears!
Bob T. Panda

The countdown has begun!

Oh my!

Last night, as I woke up at 4:darkhundred, the sky cleared for a little while, and the moon shone brightly through the trees.  I’m pretty sure it is a sign!

what would YOU wish for?

Is it a sign of good things to come?

There is only about 30 minutes until I kick-off my Kickstarter to fund the publication of Pandamorphosis.  I will do the countdown over at my page on Facebook  (known to pandas everywhere as Fezbook) and on twidder. My twidder name is @pandachronicle and you can look for the hashtag #Pandamorphosis, if you’re into such things.

If you are imaptient to get the link, which I won’t have till I launch, you can search for: Pandamorphosis: A fable of magic wishes, cats, and pandas

I’ll be back here later today with a new cartoon.  I apologize in advance for posting twice in one day, but Princess Pinky told me she wanted her OWN post, and didn’t want to share it with any pandas who were, um..not her.

The minutes till blast off are ticking down!

Be the (excited) Bear
Bob T. Panda

It is Kickstarter eve!

Oh my! It’s kind of like birthday eve and Christmas eve all rolled into one.  You never really know how a Kickstarter campaign is going to go till you are actually in the middle of it,  but I have been working on this book for so long, and have  had so many enthusiastic comments about it, that I believe that you all are going to sweep me off my fuzzy feet.   (You do celebrate your birthday eve, don’t you?)

Huzzah!

Here’s another of my favorite drawings, of the cat telling the stuffed panda just what is what, and who is the boss and the most loved around here.

cat and panda

“I am the favorite around here and don’t you forget it!”

I have apparently messed up the link for the preview of the Kickstarter project in the email I sent out earlier today, but I think I will ask you to go with the excitement of anticipation a bit longer. I will post the link to the live project here and other places as well!

Tomorrow at Noon PST I will let loose the bears on an unsuspecting world. Be ready.

Be the bears!
Bob T. Panda

Getting ready for Pandamorphosis! Huzzah!

Just a quick note to remind you that my Kickstarter project launch will come sometime later this week.  I’m starting to add book images to The Pandamorphosis Project Page (you can get to it by clicking on the link above) and I will feature the “daily artwork rewards” here with links to the Kickstarter project, for those of you who are so inclined.

Here is one of my all time favorite drawings from the book:

pandamorphosis illustration

Don’t you just hate it when your refrigerator is infested by…pandas?

Is it time for cake?
Stay tuned and Be the Bear!
Bob T. Panda

It’s the Year of the Horsie!

What with getting ready for our Kickstarter project ready to launch this week, and putting the finishing touches on The Panda Chronicles Book 4: The Book of Wu, we are way behind with everything else.

But here at long last, we bring you The Panda Chronicles Salute to The Year of the Horsie, as only Mr. Wu, the Twinkies, and Princess Pinky can salute! (Does this mean that Wu, Twinkies, and Pinky are the part of the new panda kindergarten class? I think you know the answer to that!)

panda cubs on rocking horses

Huzzah! It’s The year of Pandas on Horsies!

Uh oh, it looks like Princess Pinky found the latest hiding place for her magical wand.  Better find a new, better hiding place, mom!

Hope you are all having a wonderful weekend. We woke to snow this morning, almost a whole inch! Hey, don’t throw stuff at me! It’s not like we don’t have our own form of lousy weather here in the Northwest!

Be the Bear,
Bob T. Panda

Stay tuned for some special announcements this week!

The Winter Olympics start next week…

…at the Panda Chronicles.  I know in the “real world” they start today, but what with the panda kindergarten threatening cuppycake mayhem, we just haven’t gotten to our Winter Olympic cartoons yet this year. Just so you can get into the Olympic swing of things, here are some of my favorites from the last Winter Olympics that the pandas participated in….

Pandas using performance enhancing substances? Say it isn't so!

Pandas using performance enhancing substances? Say it isn’t so!

'and for the record, it's just "giant slalom." It's not just for pandas.'

‘and for the record, it’s just “giant slalom.” It’s not just for pandas.’

and who could forget Babette's exciting trip to Rockefeller plaza Ice Rink?

and who could forget Babette’s exciting trip to Rockefeller plaza Ice Rink, as she practiced for the figure skating event? Big pandy thanks to her friend Frances A. who escorted her around NYC!

Ice dancing, the really, really really big ski jump, hurling…oh wait…isn’t that “curling”? all these events will be coming to YOU in the next several weeks!  Stay tuned to the Panda Channel!

Don’t forget that all this month we will be donating $1 to Pandas International for each one of my Panda Chronicles books that sell this month.  Book 4 is coming soon too!

Be the Bear!
Bob T. Panda

Mr. Wu has a surprise coming….

…and it is not necessarily a good one. Sigh…There comes a time in a young bear’s life, when he is pushed out into the world.  We don’t know if Bai Yun and her betrothed bear Gao Gao will hear the flapping of the storks wings one more time, but nevertheless, unlike so many young people these days, living at home with mom providing three meals and laundry service is not an option for Mr. Wu.

Sing ‘ho” for the life of a bear.

Xiao Liwu and Bai Yun

Too soon, too soon, a Wu and his mom will go their separate ways…

There is still work to be done to prepare for the launch of the  Pandamorphosis kickstarter project. But also in panda satire news this month, Here at The Institute for Contemporary Panda Satire, we are donating $1 to Pandas International for each Panda Chronicles book sold for the entire month of February. Huzzah!

Here’s today’s image from Pandamorphosis!

"Just what does she see in pandas?" thought the cat...

“Just what does she see in pandas?” thought the cat…

Stay tuned….
Be the Bear!
Bob T. Panda

 

 

Pinky has a problem….

…with the results from the recent Giant Panda Zoo Awards.  Now, we’ve tried to reason with Princess Pinky, but she is completely inconsolable that she did not win the cubby of the year award.

“Doesn’t being a princess count for anyting?” she wails.

Bao Bao is unhappy

Could Mama Mei Xiang really be contemplating letting Pinky loose on the pandy kindy?

Meanwhile, Pandamorphosis plans are moving ahead, as I gather my wits and my materials to launch a Kickstarter project to take Pandamorphosis from random scattered drawings in my file drawer to the printed page.  Mark February 12th on your calendar, as that is my anticipated launch date.  Here is another of my favorite drawings from the book to whet your appetite for all things panda(morphosis):

An unexpected transformation!

An unexpected transformation!

I’ve been working on my list of rewards to entice you to support my quest to publish Pandamorphosis, including some of the original art! There is definitely a part of me that wants to keep all the drawings for myself, but in my long life as an artist, I’ve learned that I am happiest when my creations go out into the world to bring enjoyment to others.

If you are already on my mailing list, you will be receiving an update next week (OK, now I DO have to write it) and if you’re not, there’s still time to sign up for my mostly monthly newsletter.  Just go to the second form at the top of the right-hand column, that says, “Get even more pandas” and add your email address.  Mailchimp will take you through the sign-up process, and you can unsubscribe easily at any time.

Be the Bear and Happy Groundhogs Day.
Bob T. Panda

 

It’s Chinese New Year AND Fabulous Furry Friday!

WEll, it’s a good thing that Chinese New Year lasts for 15 days, which will give me a chance to do a new cartoon or two for this year.  Which is, of course, the Year of the Panda and…oh wait…what? It’s not the year of the panda?

Then when IS the year of the panda? What do you mean there isn’t one?

I need to sit down for a minute and…um…maybe have a cuppycake or two. But first, take a look at the video I made in preparation for the launch of my Kickstarter project to help get Pandamorphosis published:

In the meantime, here are some encore presentations of Chinese New Years past!

the year of the dragon, panda kindergarten

Huzzah! it’s the year of the Dragon!

What do you mean by "was?"

What do you mean by “was?”

The year of the bunny.....

The year of the bunny…..

Oh that panda kindergarten!

Oh that panda kindergarten!

Be the Bear, and don’t forget you can support Pandas International by buying my books! starting February 1st (that’s tomorrow!)

Bob T. Panda