The Monte Files
OK, so who is Monte (pronounced “Mon-tee”) and what are the Monte Files?
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, 
which 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.
1989, 4 ft tall Monte snow sculpture
The 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 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.
2009, My niece Camille scanned and printed Monte, shredded then glued the image back together as a beautiful mosaic. Awesome Job Camille!
1986, Monte Bib for my nephew, Jake
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.
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.
2005, Monte Descending A Staircase, ode to Marcel Duchamp
1999, “Mom”arch Butterfly, model home wall mural in baby nursery, inspired the Mommy Nature series
Sunny, 1999 mural detail
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.
Monte Rocks! Spotted during 2011, 2014, and again in 2016 in rock form.
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!
Monte is alive and well in 2015. Thanks for the patches and flag Adrian!
2005, Paint Shop Pro computer effects
Is That You, Monte? Paint Shop Pro effects
2005, Sock Puppet by Adrian Coulombe, pencil on paper
2005, Digital drawings by Jim Drury
More digital effects by Jim Drury, 2005
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!
2007, Cookie Monte, traditional Sugar Cookie recipe, stamp made from polymer clay
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.
2006, Monte Cycles
Monte Cycles bike decal
On the cover of Colorado Cyclist
(Not really! I just added him digitally.)
2006, Monte Pac – Monte is my Homey, digital drawing
2004, Monte Studios You Tube logo, (The opinions expressed on You-Tube videos are not necessarily those of Monte or his Artist!)
2008, Computerized industrial embroidery machine program by Adam Coulombe
2009, Testing colored threads and fine tuning Adrian’s new computerized industrial embroidery machine
2009, Monte Hat by Adrian Coulombe, industrial embroidery
Monte Balloon, Paint Shop Pro effects
1) 
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
If you would rather write a poem or a story about Monte, we’d love if you share it here!
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? Well, on the tourist’s wall at The Great Wall of China near Bejing of course! 2016
Here’s Monte! Can you find this section in the photo above it?
The most recent Monte sightings (2020)
Our oldest son who teaches English in China held a Monte-themed Summer Camp this year. 
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!
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.
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