Such a Good Boy

When you discover Jay Howell went to art school for only six months, you might think, that long? If there's anything that an art education is guaranteed to crush, it's a young man's appreciation for dogs and boners. Fortunately, Howell escaped, and his art, a very happy cartoon style that could be called "notebook low brow" (we aren't afraid to label things), has caught fire. His dogs are wonderful, all of them as happy as dogs can possibly be, but there's also something to be said about the boners, since the men who have them are also very happy and not at all ashamed about having theirs in, you know, public. After moving here from Sacto, amply equipped with lowbrow authenticity, Howell has become a major force in his own scene, creating zines and art and launching the record label Mt St Mtn. He also released a few nearly professionally-bound books, such as Let Me Tell You Where to Stick It, an instructional guide to all the different places you can stick it, from the good (warm laundry, a birthday cake, a bag of bunnies) to the bad (an ear, a bucket of nails, a owl's nest). Yes, we're still talking about boners.

Today he brings new paintings, photos, an animation to his first major solo show, "Punks Git Cut," which shares the name of the zine he's been publishing (or printing up and leaving around) for the last 12 years. The opening reception with music by the Jizz starts at 6 p.m.
March 6-29, 6 p.m., 2008