Sketch Reed

Sarah Allen Reed known as ‘Sketch’ rocks. She is a TriDsiciplinarian of the first order. She roosts in the self described ‘reclusive cartoonist’ domain AND ALSO records music! Given she does comics she writes them, rounding out the Tri in TriDsiciplinary.

Her website is very classy with a hand drawn splash page that is a very nice touch, introducing and promoting the work within.

Thoughtful, snarky, cynical and observant, the comics often don’t occupy more than a page. (There is possibly a reductive tendency to TriDsiplinarians.) The comics slice the situational and make a sandwich out of sub-culture. Her ‘FunHouse’ series is quite good. ‘Two English Dandies and a Time Machine‘ are a personal favorite.

Her music sometimes has spoken word over it but is often synth compositions that work as little evocative stories themselves. Heavy on rhythm and mood they center quite heavily on melody and loops. This is quite successful. They illicit visuals and setting quite well. ‘Living the the Dream‘s ‘It’s not the Medication, So It Must Be How I Really Feel (I Want To Kick Your Face In)’ Is a personal favorite. The album covers offer visuals but it seems almost secondary to the imagery the music itself evokes in the mind.

Her short story writing is unrequited longing in text form and almost too personal. I find more facets and less pain when it is paired with illustration. It is certainly more confident. It however does lay raw feelings of loneliness that seem engrained and necessary structure from which the art is built.

All in all this is great stuff. Check it out.

-NSH