Sales of this cutting-edge fashion item will benefit Tone Madison’s independent journalism.
I did not set out to draw an unflattering portrait of former Madison Mayor Paul Soglin. It just sort of happened, during a fast-paced online drawing workshop that illustrator Rachal Duggan hosted last week to benefit Tone Madison. Rachal didn’t give us a name up front, but instead gave us descriptions of facial features, and workshop participants began putting it together, police-sketch style. I had my suspicions that Rachal was describing our beloved Soggy, but was not certain until she told us to draw that mustache, in all its salt-and-pepper virility.
From there, our wonderful Madison Twitter friends assimilated this upsetting image into some very local-specific discourse, suggesting that we pair it with the words “Save State Street”—a cry that recurs in Madison throughout the ages, usually associated with some gimmick or other. Maybe it makes sense, maybe it doesn’t, but it’s bound to start a conversation or two.
We are now selling the shirt through Bonfire as our spring 2021 fundraising drive continues. We need at least 50 orders to get these printed, and as of Monday morning we are getting close.
We are roughly $400 away from meeting our match goal of $4,000 as of Monday morning and we’re deeply grateful to those who’ve supported us so far. If you are or become a Tone Madison Sustainer at the $25 per month level, email me with your shipping info and size and color preference and I’ll send you one.
We have it on good authority that Soglin’s favorite color is taupe. In honor of that, this is available as a cream-colored premium tee (plain white is also available). Again, profits from these sales will support Tone Madison‘s ongoing efforts to publish fiercely independent journalism about culture and politics in Madison, and all who wear this shirt are guaranteed to have a hot Soggy summer.
