surprise shoulder monkey, by and © goopymart, reproduction authorized by a Creative Commons license.

San Francisco artist Goopymart is, by all appearances, obsessed with monkeys.* Not for Goopy the feces-tossing variety, however –- his monkeys* are, frequently, the angels of our better nature… and, even when they ape the less-than-ideal aspects of humanity, they are oddly charming. Goopy has a set on Flickr called Monkey Monday, as well as a specialized set dedicated to “Chimples,” whom Goopy declares “the all-purpose monkey.”

Goopy’s not only about monkeys*, mind you. His quirky worldview embraces subjects as diverse as Teh Internets, taco trucks and the revenge of Schrödinger’s Kitty.

* And apes.

Today I discovered Simon Kolton’s Flickr stream (screen-name ••fly••), which exhibits many brilliant black-and-white and color images from Southeast Asia. These strike me less as travel photos and more as social documentary with a dramatic and intimate tone.

The image above depicts rice farming in the northern, Isaan region of Thailand. The low perspective and stark, monochrome processing brings out an ominous sky that matches the World to the intensity of the farmer’s expression and labor. Largely due to the farmer’s posture, but also the oppressive mood, this image reminds me of Diego Rivera’s Flower Carrier painting.

Drawings above and below by Jamie Fales, a/k/a Noosed Kitty, on the envelope in which she sent me a print of “Minor Headache.”

Via Caitlin Burke, I discovered the art of Noosed Kitty, especially her drawing “Minor Headache,” which depicts the genesis of the protagonist’s headache as a miniature walrus of dubious intent and secure perch. Formerly subject to daily, severe and major headaches, I ordered an 8″ x 10″ print straightaway.

When the print arrived, I was delighted to discover that Jamie had added a couple of postcards with her drawings to the shipment, gratis. She had also decorated the outside of the envelope with the Shipping & Handling Walrus and the cat depicted above.