The Cartoonists’ League of Absurd Washingtonian’s Open Swim theme for Wednesday, February 25th 2015 was Hobo Dollars. The challenge was to invest in your art be improving the currency you brought to the event. There were several winners. So many I forgot to keep track of their order. So, in no particular order, here are the submissions from the event.

“Thriftshop Painting Project Premier”

The “Thrift Shop Painting Project” was conceived to bring a new perspective to old neglected paintings. The goal of art is to inspire the mind, to tell within it a story, persuade a new outlook, to rivet with amazement, or forge a new path of intellectual endeavor where there was none before. When a painting or object of art no longer captivates, it has all the decorative value of as spider web. What you see before you is a new story incapable of being told in the present without the efforts of a creative force in the past. These are not works brought back to life, they are the result of a wonderful metamorphous.

“Seaside Property” BEFORE

“Seaside Property” AFTER – $500

The impetus behind the Thrift Shop Painting Project was the numerous request The CLAW received from public institutions to provide an exhibit of the CLAW’s work. Talking amongst themselves the Talons of the CLAW found that few of their membership had art ready to present for a show. This lead to a discussion of gathering up frames from thrift shops to present new work. This in turn led to the idea of using the canvas that came with the frame. It wasn’t much of a leap from there to decide that incorporating the previous image into the new work would be both unique, and exciting.

“Trojan Rabbit Proof Fence” BEFORE

“Trojan Rabbit Proof Fence” AFTER – $350

The Thrift Shop Painting Project premiered at Tacoma Arts Month Opening Party and AMOCAT Arts Awards presented by the Tacoma Arts Commission and Spaceworks Tacoma on October 2^nd, 2014. The paintings were well received and have since become a traveling show being seen at When not traveling the paintings can be seen at their home port: Tinkertopia. Interested parties who would like to offer their space as a venue may contact painting wrangler R.R. Anderson at Tinkertopia for scheduling.

Schedule of Venues (updated 02/26/15):
2015 March-April: Destiny City Comics
2015 January-February: Metro Coffee
2014 November-December: Bluebeard Coffee
2014 October: Tacoma Post Office

“Mattahorn Passing” BEFORE

“Mattahorn Passing” AFTER – $350 SOLD!

“Post Mechanical Crab Apocolypse” BEFORE

The CLAW has a very limited budget for creating this exhibit. The requirements were that the framed images be paintings, not prints. Also, the budget for purchasing a painted had to be less that $20. The CLAW achieved this by buying some of the paintings in bulk. The proceeds of the sale of painting go back into the purchase of more paintings on which the artists might work to expand the exhibit. All of the paintings are for sale.

“Post Mechanical Crab Apocolypse” AFTER – $350

You can help the CLAW by donating your old landscape paintings to the project. You can drop them off or send them to Tinkertopia, 1914 Pacific Avenue, Tacoma, WA 98402.

“Bigfoot in Park” BEFORE

“Bigfoot in Park” AFTER – $250 • This is a flip painting with “Nessie” featured on the other side. SOLD!

The Cartoonists League of Absurd Washingtonians founded in October 2008. This illustrious league of illustrators quickly became a Tacoma institution. The CLAW’s goal of communal enrichment through silliness and whimsy has been successful on many fronts. Through yearly activities with the Tacoma Art Museum, the Tacoma Public Library, and by the various activities of the Tacoma Art Commission the Talons of the CLAW have left their mark on young and old minds alike. Via the CLAW Student Scholarship, the tender talents of new emerging cartoonists are encouraged. But these are only a few of the many nefarious plans on the CLAW’s agenda.

“Season Two of the Walking Dead” BEFORE and AFTER – $150 SOLD!

“The Monlux Crossing the Wicked Woods” BEFORE

“The Monlux Crossing the Wicked Woods” AFTER – $350 SOLD

“Nessie” BEFORE

“Nessie” AFTER – This is the backside of “Bigfoot in Park” – $250 SOLD!

“Cthulu Loves the Little Children” – $150

As the painting are sold new ones are added to the traveling exhibit.

“Aloha ‘auinala, Tiki” BEFORE

“Aloha ‘auinala, Tiki” AFTER  – $300

by Corey Macourek

This event is open to the public – all ages – and everyone is invited to attend and participate. If you bring children they might end up with a very odd gift more suitable for adults. I’m happy to say that this will be our fifth year of astonishing each other with truly absurd Christmas gifts. Now is your chance to re-gift that present your aunt gave you last year. Or maybe you bought something at a garage sale and your common sense kicked in when you go home, so it’s been living in the garage. Or maybe you found something that has the perfect “IT” factor for this event.
The ‘updated’ rules for the White Elephant Gift Exchange:

1. The gift must be “absurd”.
2. If you buy the gift, you must not spend more than $20.
3. You’re gift must be wrapped, or at the very least fully concealed in a festive bag.
4. Those who bring get to participate.
5. Numbers will be drawn from a fez to determine order.
6. You can select a gift from a table or steal a gift from a person who already chose a gift.
7. A gift can only be stolen three times, at which time it becomes locked-in.
8. The person who went first gets a chance at the end of the round to steal a gift.
9. The Trading, purchasing, bartering or auctioning of gifts after the exchange is allowed.
10. No books on Nazis.

In the event that there are extra gifts, they will be auctioned off to the highest bidder. We take credit cards.