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.

Day 9 And now a special request…

Greetings Panda fans.  Many (if not all) of you know that in addition to being the leading practitioner of Panda Satire in the world (Hey! Until I hear different, I’m claiming it!) I’m also a painter, who shows and sells her work.  I live in a wonderful little corner of the world, which besides abounding in natural beauty, has more artists, musicians, writers, actors, chefs and artisanal farmers than you can shake a stick at.  (Shaking only, no hitting please.) A little over a year ago, some dedicated, hard working folks thought it would be a really good idea to have an information resource that benefitted both the creative types that live and work here, but also anyone who wanted one publication in which to read about all the amazing stuff that’s going on around here.

And so, Whidbey Life Magazine was born, an online resource for all the arts and culture on Whidbey Island.! There are a small band of us who write for the magazine, but the magazine is mostly fueled by the hard work of its founders, Jan Shannon and Sue Taves, not to mention our long suffering, cat herding editor, Patricia Duff. So now, they would like to add a twice yearly print magazine to the mix, so as to reach even more people who want to know what all the fuss is about on Whidbey Island. They have started an Indiegogo campaign to make that a reality.

Of course, the pandas wanted to…um…help:

http://www.whidbeylifemagazine.org/

Don’t believe EVERYTHING the panda kindergarten says!

I know that many of you who are reading this might not live here, but I hope you’ll take a little time from your day to see what we are doing here, and maybe even support this project. You can read WLM  here and see if we offer something you would enjoy and like to support. And then, check out our Indiegogo project. And…um…a date with George Clooney is NOT one of the perks.  Just sayin’.

The panda kindergarten is waiting to take your call.

Be the Bear!
Bob T. Panda

 

Day 8 Two pandas are cuter than one

Oh, stand back Princess Pinky, your cuzzins from ‘Lanta have entered the fashion fray!  (I even think Mr. Wu will make an appearance in the paper doll pages as well!)

There’s lots-o-fun coming up in the 31 Days of Pandas extravaganza! Mr. Wu’s adventure, the Wizard of Wu is going to ramp up with multiple episodes in the week ahead, so that the adventure can finish before Mr. Wu’s brother Yun Zi has to go off to his new life in China. (what? say it isn’t so!)

But first, Here are the Atlanta Twinkies with their favorite outfit for relaxing around the den.

Atlanta panda cub twins

Huzzah! It’s Bert and his brother Ernie!

Zoo Atlanta Twin panda Cubs

…and their jammies! Huzzah!

Some computer size adjusting may be necessary to make the outfits fit.  Just sayin, my tech skills are vastly inferior to my drawing skills!

Be the Bear!
Bob T. Panda

 

 

Day 7: Pinky wants another outfit…

…so who am I to say “no?”

Bao Bao in her pajamas

Just the thing for a cozy evening at home with mom and the panda cam!

Bao Bao in pajamas

Tell me a story, mommy!

Stay tuned for the next 31 Days of Pandas installment.  Tomorrow, the Twinkies model their paper panda attire!

Be The Bear!
Bob T. Panda

 

 

 

It’s Day 6 AND Fabulous Furry Friday! Pandas Abide!

I hope you are having fun with Princess Pinky and all her new outfits.  Wait! All, you say? Yes! Here is another new outfit for Pinky, inspired by my recent tour of 19 Art Museums (yes! 19! really!) on the East coast of the US of A.

Since my return, I’ve been attempting to catch up on new pandas for you, oh loyal fans of panda satire! Just to give you a few hints, more of your beloved pandas will get their own paper dolls (move over Babette de Panda!), Mr. Wu will finish his current adventure, and then appear in a short holiday special (It’s a Pandaful Life) and who knows WHAT the panda kindergarten is now getting up to, except that it might involve operations at the North Pole AND cuppycakes!

And without any further delay, we bring you Princess Pinky’s next outfit!

Edgar Degas Little Dancer outfit

Inspired by one of Pinky’s favorite artworks, a sculpture by Edgar Degas, which seems to be in every art museum on the east coast.

And for those of you who are technically challenged (like my self), here is pinky in her new outfit!

Bao Bao in Edgar degas inspired outfit

Isn’t she a vision of loveliness?

And because it’s Fabulous Furry Friday, there must be an encore presentation for the folks playing along at home!

yoga for pandas

All salute the sacred cuppycake!

Stay tuned through the weekend for MORE 31 Days of Pandas! And don’t forget, The Panda Chronicles book make EXCELLENT holiday presents!

Be the Bear!
Bob T. Panda

 

 

Day 5: Bring Princess Pinky Home With You!

OK, not really, but a Princess Pinky Paper Doll is the next best thing..um…isn’t it? The dedicated pandologists at the Institute for Contemporary Panda Satire are committed to bringing you the best in panda satire, not to mention all the fun that pandas can bring.  Many (OK, three) of our fans have already had fun bringing Babette de Panda paper dolls along with them on trips near and far.  Just think how much fun you can have with Princess Pinky!

Princess Pinky paper doll

Princess Pinky and her very first tutu, gifted to her by her big brother Tai Shan!

Your Princess Pinky Paper Doll has been scanned at a higher resolution than most of our cartoons, so it is suitable for printing.  To print, click on the image and then save to your computer. You can glue pinky to cardboard and make a thingie so she can stan up. then you can dress her in her new outfit.  There will be additional outfits added during the month of December.

You know the rules: Pinky is for your own non-commercial use, so don’t make me send the panda kindergarten after you. ‘kay? And if you are inclined to take pictures of Pinky at her holiday parties, be sure to post them to Bob T. Panda on Facebook, or @pandachronicle on Twitter.

Huzzah! Be the Bear!
Bob T. Panda

Day 4 and Episode 13 (gasp!) of the Wizard of Wu

Oh boy! I’m so excited at how many panda satire loving people are showing up for 31 Days of Pandas! But don’t think we are going to leave Mr Wu hanging in the breeze in his most recent adventure, The Wizard of Wu!

Things are really getting scary in today’s episode, the 13th in the series! Hmm…I said that last week, but this time I really mean it!  That cat is just so evil!

(Note to Mehitabel’s fans: it’s fiction. Get over it.)

The wizard of Oz with pandas

Who would have thought cuppycakes could be enchanted?

Oh boy, ‘dis is getting so ‘citing!

Thanks to everyone who ordered books yesterday. Pandas in China thank you! You are the bears!

Be the Bear!
Bob T. Panda

 

 

Oh my gosh, is it day 3 already? 31 Days of Pandas continues!

Note to all: Someone has declared that it’s Giving Tuesday, and so what better organization to give to besides Pandas International? For everyone who buys a book today through my createspace stores, I will donate $2 to Pandas International! Buy them for yourself, buy them as presents, support real pandas, because without pandas, there can be no panda satire! (And then where would we be?)

Oh boy, I’ve managed to keep up with the pandaing for the first three whole days! Huzzah!  There were a few little …um…backstage scuffles as Mr Wu had words with Princess Pinky about who was the cutest bear to ever live, but I think we’ve got everything all sorted out now.

Right? …um…yeah”  “…’kay” “…oh, all right!”

The end of the year is always a bitter sweet time…the days get shorter, my birthday season is just about over, and rain and cold are the order of the day.  It was these melancholy musings that made 31 Days of Pandas an absolute necessity.  Who can be blue, when you have pandas to look forward to every day? So, tell your friends and co-workers, and invite them along for the ride.

You’ll all wonder how you got along all these years without pandas.

Atlanta Twins have a fight

Sweet dreams, little bears!

I hope you are enjoying this year’s 31 Days of Pandas! Stay tuned for more from the Wu self (as he continues his adventures in pandyland tomorrow with Binky, Mr Toasty, someone who looks remarkably like Mr Wu’s brother, and all the rest of the crew!)

If you wish every month was 31 Days of Pandas, consider owning your very own copies of Books 1, 2, and 3 of The Panda Chronicles! Check out our book page and invite pandas to come live with you!

Be the Bear
Bob T. Panda

PS: Today Whidbey Life Magazine launches their Indiegogo Project to fund a print version of their online arts and culture newsletter. I hope you’ll have a chance to check it out (because I write for them too!)

Day 2 of 31 Days of Pandas! Uh Oh, Mr. Wu is not Happy.

Well, it was bound to happen, wasn’t it?  Cuteness competition for Mr Wu has reached new levels as the Atlanta Twinkies (Bert and Ernie) emerge from their den and Princess Pinky (aka Princess Bon Bon) has her naming ceremony at the National Zoo in Washington DC.

Mr Wu tries to take charge

Uh oh. All is not well in Pandyland!

Play nice children! There is more to Pinky than just her adorable tutu!

By the way, we just had a Google Hangout with Dana Sitar of DIY Writing, for the conclusion of ManiWriMo, a month long challenge to write my big idea Pandafesto, Embracing Your Inner Panda. I didn’t …um…finish it, but I got a good start and I will continue it (till it’s done, darn it!) and hopefully get it out there for people to read in the first part of 2014.  Stay tuned, because all the gang here at the Panda Chronicles will be on board to get my pandafesto out to you. (Even Mehitabel want to embrace her inner panda!) If you want to write your own Manifesto, join Dana as she cheers on participants starting today!

Be the Bear and join us for the whole 31 days of pandas! Huzzah!
Bob T. Panda

 

Oh yes, it’s time for 31 Days of PANDAS!

I bet you woke up at 3 AM this morning, while it was still dark, and tried to stay in bed, but you were so excited to see if it had really happened…you snuck down the stairs drawn uncontrollably to the glowing light coming from your computer, just to see if it had arrived….

Was it really the day that EVERYONE waits for all year?

Yes, it is…It is Day One of 31 Days of Pandas!  Huzzah.

Princess Pinky announces 31 days of pandas

I don’t know, Princess Pinky…I think Mr. Wu is going to have something to say about this.

I know you are going to want to clear your calendar, and put all those Holiday parties on hold, because you will want to be the first on your block to read each day of pandas.

Welcome to Pandyland!

Be the Bear,
Bob T. panda

 

Just because it’s Black & White Friday…..

…don’t think that we forgot Fabulous Furry Friday! Of course, we must run last year’s brilliant (if I do say so myself, and I do,) satire of the unfortunate (OK, stoopid) incident at a large discount retailer last year….

Black friday shopping tactics

Ah, fall…or something…is in the air!

And if that is not enough silliness to get you out of your turkey coma….

torch bears, money, selling olympic torch

but now what will they do when they get to the Olympics?…..stay tuned!

And in case you were too busy eating one too many pieces of pie yesterday to see this cartoon….

Last Supper, Cupcakes, DaVinci

Princess Pinky says, she is thankful for cuppycakes and da panda kindygarten and her magical wand!