courtesy of Jay Howell

Catch artist, publisher, cartoonist and doodler extraordinaire Jay Howell's first major solo show which premiers Thursday, March 6 at 111 Minna. Howell's back story begins with dropping out of art school, but really gets going in Sacramento where skateboards, cute dogs and crazy music informed his man-child-like sense of humor. Those elements—and his idiosyncratic wit—inspired a drawing style that mixes the simple line-drawn characters of David Shrigley with the expansive non-sequitor narratives of Lightning Bolt drummer Brian Chippendale. The show is named for Howell's beloved homemade comic book (now, like everything else, a blog)Punks Git Cut which Howell draws, copies, assembles and distributes to stores like Needles and Pens in the Mission.

With Howell's work, it's tough to know exactly what to expect. Past work has involved crudely drawn renegade bikers and context-free wisdom, such as "everyone always has five bucks in Awesometown." Recent material has moved in a larger-scale direction. At a group show late last year, an enormous Howell drawing—a pyramid of 100 tiny dachshunds—went for $650. Regardless of what appears on the Minna walls, attendees can expect music all night from DJs and a band called The Jizz. How can you not go?

"Punks Git Cut: The Art of Jay Howell"
Through Saturday, March 29
111 Minna Gallery 111 Minna St., 415-974-1719