This artist's book chronicles a lifetime of drawings by performance/ video/installation artist Michael Smith. Smith is best known for his alter ego, "Mike", whose blend of satisfaction and yearning, humor and pathos make him an all-American anti-hero. Smith's wide range of art activities in television, live performance, stand-up and puppet shows, as well as installation, sculpture and video, have made him highly influential on an entire generation of young artists.

Drawings: Simple, Obscure and Obtuse gives a keyhole view into Smith's production and process. It is a project overflowing with manic energy and stream-of-consciousness connections. Sketches, notations, diagrams, storyboards, and even childhood drawings are included, giving the reader a fly-on-the-wall view into Smith's mind as well as his creative workings. Those familiar with his work will recognize drawings related to some of his best-known videos and projects; those readers unfamiliar with Smith will be amazed by the freshness and honesty of the work. Most of the drawings in this book have been culled from private notebooks and materials and thus have never before been exhibited or published.

Drawings, distributed by D.A.P. Inc., measures 7.25 x 9.5 inches, contains 144 pages (all four-color images), and retails for $35.