When life gives you lemons, draw them, 11 x 14 inches dry pastels, graphite on paper

"When life gives you lemons, draw them." (Nikki)

"Color! What a deep and mysterious language." (Paul Gauguin)

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The Monte Files



OK, so who is Monte (pronounced “Mon-tee”) and what are the Monte Files?
The original Monte was created in 1971

Borne in a grade six science class in 1971, Monte was drawn everywhere on my friends’ notebooks, on everything I owned, even painted him on the back window of a friend’s car in the late ’70’s, Drawing behind Monte's backwhich I have no photo of unfortunately. Monte has managed to come back to life every few years since then in some form or another.
The cartoon head is originally blue and drawn along with different hand gestures, but the basic shape can morph into any figure simply by changing the eyes, adding hair, ears, nose, teeth, 4-finger hand gestures, or adding a body.


 

Monte snow sculpture, Winter 1989 Ottawa, Canada

1989, 4 ft tall Monte snow sculpture

 


Monte as the Joker on an extra large deck of playing cards, designed and handpainted for my neice and nephew, 1980The Monte Files were listed on my very first website (2003) with the invitation for you, whoever and wherever you are, despite your age or artistic capabilities, to send in your version of Monte or a character inspired by him, and add it to the collection. Well, The Joker's sceptreThe Monte Files are back, and the invitation stands.
Your character can be created using any sort of media. Scan any version of Monte here and re-invent him, trace him or print out pages from the Monte Coloring Book at the bottom of this page, write a quip or add hand gestures. There are no rules except have fun with it; Monte’s up for anything!

Children, adults, artists or not, send a jpeg image of your Monte interpretation to nikki_coulombe@hotmail.com, and I’ll post it here.

Above left: Monte in 1980 as the Joker on an extra large deck of playing cards designed and hand-painted for my niece and nephew.



 

Guest Art: Camille's Monte, Shredded colored paper, 2009

2009, My niece Camille scanned and printed Monte, shredded then glued the image back together as a beautiful mosaic. Awesome Job Camille!

 



 

Baby's bib, 1987

1986, Monte Bib for my nephew, Jake

 



 

The basic Monte face can change entirely but still be used as a starting point for ideas toward a new character

1988, 5 ft. tall cardboard prop for Leslie Park Elementary School Christmas play. The basic Monte face can change entirely but still be used as a starting point for ideas toward finding a new character.

 



 

Mr. Not Stale, Knoxdale Elementary School's annual Bake Sale mascot, named in a contest by a Gr. 2 student

 1990, “Mr. Not Stale”, Knoxdale Elementary School’s annual Bake Sale mascot (Ottawa Canada), named in a contest by a very clever Grade 2 student. She won one of the two 12″ stuffed characters I sewed and awarded to the top two winners.

 



 

Monte Descending A Staircase, 2005, ode to Marcel Duchamp

2005, Monte Descending A Staircase, ode to Marcel Duchamp

 



 

Momarch Butterfly, 1999 model home wall mural in baby nursery, inspired the Mommy Nature series

1999, “Mom”arch Butterfly, model home wall mural in baby nursery, inspired the Mommy Nature series

Sunny, mural detail

Sunny, 1999 mural detail

 



 

Momarch Butterfly, Mommy Nature series, 11 x 14 Acrylics on canvas 2004. Prints and Cards available, see link above.

Momarch Butterfly and Beeing a Mom

2004, The Mommy Nature series, 11 x 14 inches acrylics on canvas 

Prints and Cards available, see link above.

Beeing a Mom, Mommy Nature series, 11 x 14 Acrylics on canvas 2004. Prints and Cards available, see link above.

 



 

Monte Rocks! Spotted during 2011, 2014, and again in 2016 in rock form.

Monte face seen in a rock

Monte Rocks, 2014

2016 - Monte rock, Fred Gingell Park, Tsawwassen, BC Canada

 



 

In 2011 we had our first grandson, and every year I’ll make him a book. The first one was a Monte book, “Colours for Cameron”, quilted unbleached cotton over heavy cardboard, then buttons, colored fibers, textured fabric and velcro handle. Kinda big, and kinda one-of-a-kind!

Colours For Cameron, first book for my grandson Colours For Cameron, first book for my grandson Colours For Cameron, first book for my grandson

Colours For Cameron, first book for my grandson Colours For Cameron, first book for my grandson Colours For Cameron, first book for my grandson

Colours For Cameron, first book for my grandson Colours For Cameron, first book for my grandson Colours For Cameron, first book for my grandson

Colours For Cameron, first book for my grandson Colours For Cameron, first book for my grandson Colours For Cameron, first book for my grandson

Colours For Cameron, first book for my grandson Colours For Cameron, first book for my grandson Colours For Cameron, last page has squeaker inside, taken out of a dollar store dog toy

Colours For Cameron, velcro carrying handle detail Colours For Cameron handle detail  For Cameron velcro handle detail

 



 

Monte patches from my son Adrian (2015) MonteFlag

Monte is alive and well in 2015. Thanks for the patches and flag Adrian!

 



 

Digitized play with Paint Shop Pro mozaic effects

2005, Paint Shop Pro computer effects

 



 

Paint Shop Pro effects

Is That You, Monte? Paint Shop Pro effects

 



 

Monte Sock Puppet, Pencil on paper, Adrian Coulombe 2005

2005, Sock Puppet by Adrian Coulombe, pencil on paper

 



 

Digital drawing by Jim Drury

2005, Digital drawings by Jim Drury

 

Digital drawing by Jim Drury

 


 

Digital drawing by Jim Drury

More digital effects by Jim Drury, 2005

 



 

Girls' car, driving from Alaska to New York Monte travels to New York city (before I get to!)

When we were in California during 2008 we met some ladies at a rest stop who were driving to New York City from Alaska in a beat up old car. Friends, and people they met along the way signed their car. Monte now travels!

 



 

Cookie Monte, traditional Sugar Cookie recipe, stamp made from polymer clay

2007, Cookie Monte, traditional Sugar Cookie recipe, stamp made from polymer clay

Cookie Monte, stamp made from polymer clay

 

Cookie Monte, traditional Sugar Cookie recipe, stamp made from polymer clay

 



 

Request made to use "Montecello" on Limoncello drink label.

A guy contacted me with a request to use the Monte lemon symbol on a drink he was reproducing to sell, Limoncello. Of course I said yes.

 



 

Monte Cycles, 2007

2006, Monte Cycles 

Monte Cycles bike decal

Monte Cycles bike decal

 



 

On the cover of Colorado Cyclist

On the cover of Colorado Cyclist

(Not really! I just added him digitally.)

 



 

Monte Is My Homey, digital 2006

2006, Monte Pac – Monte is my Homey, digital drawing

Monte Pac - Monte is my Homey

 



 

Monte Studios - YouTube logo

2004, Monte Studios You Tube logo, (The opinions expressed on You-Tube videos are not necessarily those of Monte or his Artist!)

 



 

Computerized industrial embroidery machine program by Adam Coulombe, 2008

2008, Computerized industrial embroidery machine program by Adam Coulombe

 



 

Adrian's Computerized industrial embroidery machine, testing colored threads and fine tuning with Monte program, 2009

2009, Testing colored threads and fine tuning Adrian’s new computerized industrial embroidery machine

 



 

Monte Hat by Adrian Coulombe, industrial embroidery, Jan. 28, 2009!

 2009, Monte Hat by Adrian Coulombe, industrial embroidery

 



 

Monte Balloon, Paint Shop Pro effects

Monte Balloon, Paint Shop Pro effects

 



 

By changing a few small details Monte can morph into anything 1) Look Ma, No Rules 2)

1) By changing a few small details Monte can morph into anything, and 2) you don’t have be cutesy, as in “Look Ma, No Rules!”, where parts were assembled from magazine cut-outs.

…or… Monte Speaks

Monte speaks - if you would rather write a poem or cartoon quip and send it in, that would be great too

If you would rather write a poem or a story about Monte, we’d love if you share it here!
 
 



 

Monte paints walls

2011, a crazy year of painting walls and ceilings in Dallas, driving back and forth from Texas to Oregon and back 3 times, then from Texas up to Alberta. Drove across Canada to Ontario, completely renewing our rental there, which included painting 2 stories and a basement full of walls. Finally drove back across the US to our new-old home in Portland, where every single wall and ceiling had to be painted… and painting does not just mean one coat.. it’s usually 3 coats. The entire year was amazing and exhausting…but mostly amazing! Thanks to Monte, I had a go-to basic character and did a lot of quick sketches and cartooning that year. It’s the best way to keep smiling.

 



 
Where’s Monte? Wellon the tourist’s wall at The Great Wall of China near Bejing of course! 2016

Where's Monte? on the tourist's wall at The Great Wall of China near Bejing, 2016

Detail, Where's Monte? on the tourist's wall at The Great Wall of China near Bejing, 2016

Here’s Monte! Can you find this section in the photo above it?

 



 
Monte's feminine side - colored clay fridge magnet - Summer School in Zibo, ChinaThe most recent Monte sightings (2020)

Our oldest son who teaches English in China held a Monte-themed Summer Camp this year. Colored clay fridge magnets made by Summer Camp children in Zibo, China He had stickers printed and patches made, children colored some of the pictures shown at the bottom of this page, and so creatively, they made fridge magnets of their version of Monte. Adorable, hilarious, awesome, each and every one!

Colored clay fridge magnets made by Summer Camp children in Zibo, China

Colored clay fridge magnets made by Summer Camp children in Zibo, China

Colored clay fridge magnets made by Summer Camp children in Zibo, China

Colored clay fridge magnets made by Summer Camp children in Zibo, China

 



 

Monte maskot face mask
2020, Monte “maskot” face mask for our social responsibility while out and about during COVID19

 



 

And finally, a few cartoon faces to print and color.

         
Artist   Lemon   Strawberry
         
Birds   Girl   Boy
         
Fish   Montester   Sunny
         
Carrot   Cupcake   Monte Cycles