Dan Soelberg

I got into a holiday funk of too many priorities and the desire to do none of them. So I decided to do a fun DIY project! I picked up a pair of fuggly old butterfly chairs from a kijiji seller last month. Price: $0. I bought a machine washable faux fur rug big enough to cover both chairs. Cut the rug in half and made a plan to cut and sew it together.

My good friend and expert seamstress Adrienne just happened to be my house guest for a couple days over the holidays and gave me the invaluable advice of making a mock-up test cover before taking scissors to the fur rug. Thank you, Adrienne! Made the full-scale template from an old bed sheet. Modified my plan, and then made the cuts.

I haven't sewn anything on the old sewing machine in forever, so the process involved a lot of breaking threads, 4 broken needles, swearing at the machine and hunched sweating. The first chair is covered! I love it! I'm considering making a DIY video when I make the second cover.

The irreplaceable Sami! It was so good to see you!

Back at Fan Expo!

I met Stephanie yesterday! It was a pleasure to sign and dedicate a book for her. Niagara Falls Comic Con is gearing up for a fun final day. Come by and say hi.😁

Always looking for the funny. Thank you, Richard Belzer.

I just played around with DALL•E, the online artificial intelligence software. First, I just wanted to make weird combinations. Then, I just wanted to make it implode by asking it to render "a drawing of a drawing drawing itself".

Thank you all!

A sneak peek of my 2023 calendar in progress. Proportions aren't resolved yet but I like where it's going. I have my laptop with me at my Fan Expo table if you want to see more. Table number A263 in Artists Alley.

My table without me. Table doesn't care that I'm not there. Jerk table.

Last day of !

Noelle bought a complete set of my books! I offered to sign and dedicate them. Noelle let me dedicate one of them. Noelle's name is spelled right but I screwed up my own signature!

Another sneak peek of my calendar project in progress from my Fan Expo table. Still very much unfinished----this illustration has no colour yet. If you're coming to Fan Expo, drop by and say hi. I'm in Artists Alley at table A263, close to the pillar between the big food court and the convention floor. If you want to be notified when this 2023 calendar is available, dm me your email address.

Because I don't know how to post, here's the photo I MEANT to post. Sorry, Patrick!

I was looking down at my phone and caught a whiff of ten *sniff* correction, eleven....yes, eleven herbs and spices. Suddenly, "Let's Get It On" begins playing (how?) and time slows down as I raise my head and my eye lock with the Colonel...and his hand inside a chicken.

So great to connect with a Zoom student irl. Thanks for dropping by, Patrick. You're a talent who will continue doing great things!

I signed and dedicated this book for Lillian. It's a gift. Lillian is 2 and a half. As far as I know, I haven't psychologically damaged anyone with my work.

The new 2023 Calendar's not done, but I'm previewing it at for anyone who wants to see it. It's a brand new story that I'm integrating into the calendar. My hero is a cat who secretly lives disguised amongst humans Right now, I'm showing the work in progress on my laptop, and I've been taking orders!

is jumping! So happy to see familiar face and talk to new ones, whether it's with masks or not!

*SNORE* [I wake up from a deep sleep] Who?...what's...Is that Niagara Falls Comic Con? Tomorrow?
I'M IN!!
Can't believe it's one sleep away! Gotta admit, I'm scrambling to get my displays and merch ready. I'm super excited!

Hi everyone. I took a very long break from social media, and I'm slowly coming back. I want to share more about my process and new projects. I will have an announcement in the next week that I'm excited to share!
In the meantime, I want to share a story that's been unfolding for the last 2 decades:

24 years ago I loved biking around Bolton, my home town, on Saturdays during the summer to check out garage sales. One particular summer Saturday, I followed a sign that led me to a hidden nook I'd never seen before called Haines Drive. That's where I found the most ridiculous puzzle: a 1,000 piece Jackson Po***ck painting. I didn't care much for puzzles, but this is one I HAD to do! I was going to 3rd year of my Sheridan program after the summer, so I thought my girlfriend might want to help me assemble it. Her name was Jaime. It probably still is Jaime. With a resounding YES, we got a roll-o-puzz (an amazing invention) to store the assembled puzzle, and spent the odd evening during the school year poring over this thing.

One day I pulled out the roll-o-puzz and couldn't find the box of loose pieces. Eventually, Jaime and I had to face the fact that someone had thrown out the box of puzzle pieces. !!!! However, rather than throw out the partially assembled puzzle, I hung onto it. I scoured the internet every few months in hopes of finding a replacement. This went on for years. Because I didn't have the box, I couldn't google the manufacturer or the seller.

In 2016, I finally found an online seller based in Portland, Oregon! I didn't care how much it cost, I had to have it! $33.35 and a few weeks later, I had the puzzle in my hands, just in time for New Year's Eve. I threw out the other one that had been nestled in my roll-o-puzz for 18 years. When the kids were in bed, Jaime (now my wife) and I poured rum and cokes, and started again. The edge pieces were easy to assemble, then we embarked on the rest. For the next few nights, we started saying things like "I've got a mushy blue-beige swirl with a black ex. Do you see any spots like that?". Adding 7 pieces to the puzzle in an hour was an accomplishment.
It's over five years later now. We'd traditionally pull out the puzzle on New Year's Eve to add more pieces. There was a year or two when we didn't touch the puzzle at all. Now, it's coming together faster than ever. Jaime's determined, and her revived dedication to such a monumental waste of time is admirable. I'm in! This has become a mission. The moment is near. OH YES! I smell victory.
To be continued...

Signed books for Sarah and Carmela (Carmela has a gracious stand-in). Thank you all! You're the reason I keep doing this.

Some people just capture a character. Without even trying. I would venture to say this guy has more cosplay talent in his little finger than I will ever have. (Yes, I went there)

Thanks to Francis, Stephen and Janine for visiting me at !

This drumming chicken-man was awesome!

Joao was patient with me. He spent a long time building a great big stack of things he wanted to buy, only for me to say I don't take credit cards. He actually apologized and then came back 10 minutes later with cash. I've managed just fine without a data plan for my phone. Should I cave and get a plan? I don't know...

Another commission done at . .