BAD @SS!

Hello friends! Happy Friday!!
Today I wanted to show you a new piece that I just finished that I will be showing at my "Auto Fixation" exhibition. But here is the thing........it is a titchy bit illegal.
Ok....truthfully it is flat out trademark infringement.
Thus the post name. Yes, I know when you think of me you immediately think 'bad @ss'
I am a rule breaker. As you can see, I may have used the imagery from a certain game......
I know, I know, that is not good...but it just happened!!!
Just the once.
We have all done something suspect in the past, am I right??
There is an illegal skeleton or TWO in your closet as well..........isn't there??
Anyone???????

Don't call the Monopoly police.......please!!!

Ok, so as I am writing this I am thinking of a few other times I have bended the rules ever so slightly when it comes to trademark/copyright issues.
Let's call them unintentional painting malfunctions.
Here are some other UPM's!
Enjoy:

Look at the tiny trademark infringement in the top left corner....don't mention it to Disney!

Dear Disney. Please pay no attention to the elephants on parade in the background.

I paint a LOT of toys. I am not sure if that is infringement or not? Should I be expecting a Fisher-Price Smackdown?

I also paint a lot of places and a lot of signage......is this Hooters sign illegal to paint? The better question is:
Is it wrong to make money on big boobs and overpriced wings??

So there are a couple examples.
Please do NOT scold me.
I will NEVER consciously do it again. Or at least I will try!!!!

WONDERFUL WEDNESDAY.....PART SIX

I know what you are thinking.......

IT IS WEDNESDAY, AND THIS IS YOUR FIRST POST OF THE WEEK.

LAZY WHITE WOMAN!!!

I know, I know, before you berate me with your wicked words.......just remember it wsa Easter weekend.

I was busy hiding eggs and eating rabbit and such......

Ok...that is a total lie...I was just lazy!

So sue me! ;-)

Luckily I am back with a great WONDERFUL WEDNESDAY post.

Here we go. These things have really impressed/influenced me this week!

I am gonna start with something fluffy and fun.

1.) Y'all know I love me some Gaga. I know, she is not everyone's taste, but I HEART her. I especially love "Born this Way". Here are 2 VERY ENJOYABLE remixes. One has a FANTASTIQUE Bollywood sound, the other has a wailing mouth harp (aka harmonica):

Now that we are all done with the dancing portion of #WW, let's move on!

2.) Now, I want to sare a fabulous font reference. (I know there are those 'non-artist types' out there that could care less.......BUT these are super - here is a screen sot from the page. Y-U-M!

3.) Ok. here are a couple photos that I want to share. They are of abandoned theme parks. Creepy and MANUFIQUE!

These are from Darkroastedblend.com :

The first 3 are taken from 'Okpo Land' in South Korea:

The next 5 are from Skip Bolen Photography and are so super creepy - I love them YOU MUST CHECK OUT HIS SITE!!!!!!!! They are taken from a Six Flags that was devastated by Hurricane Katrina!

Ok....and the last set of photos are from Timm Suess. (not Seuss...) and are from Chernobyl Amusement park. They are great too. (sad - but great) also you can check out this 360 tour of the  park....a great time waster!!!! 

#4) For something completely different. And for all you comic book nerds out there,  I love this:

#5.) Finally, since we are geeking out. I HAVE NOT seen this show yet, but I am looking forward to seeing it. It is HBO and it is hard to wrong with HBO! Check out this trailer:

Have you seen it? Is it #WW worthy? 

If not, and i am completely off base with this, then just forget the above trailer and check out this awesome tour of the scenery"Boardwalk Empire" (which was also HBO)

Ok...that's all folks!

Hope you enjoyed this weeks edition of #WW

As always, I LOVE your comments!

ON THE MOVE 2.0

Hello all. I hope you are enjoying your day off, and are taking the time to read my latest blog posts!!
Happy Bunny day. Or passover. Or Cheaster (Chinese Easter).
This is gonna be short and sweet.
Here is my latest painting.
BEFORE:

2007

I wanted it to be more appropriate for my "Auto Fixation" show, so I redid the car in it.
A little change, but I think a good one!!

2011

Whadda ya think??

#WW 5: WHY CAN"T EVERY DAY BE WEDNESDAY?

Welcome again friends to Wonderful Wednesday.
The top 5 things that I just HAVE to share with you.......because I am a people pleaser.
(please do NOT mention this to husband)
Ok....let's get to it..

1.) I got an album - yes, you whippersnapper I know we no longer call them albums - that I am enjoying. It is what I would call an early evening cocktails mix of country-inspired standards. "Countrypolitan Duets" Yes, I said Countrypolitan. And no....spellcheck didn't even TRY to fix that word!!!!!! Anna Wilson is a jazz singer and you can check her website out at: www.annawilson.com On this cd, she sings duets with everyone from Kenny Rogers and Lady A, Keith Urban and even Matt Dusk. Below is a duet with Matt Giraud (from American Idol Season 8):

If you are looking for a cool jazzy patsy cline-y jam - you gotta get this cd!!

2.) As many of you know, I started my illustrious career in the thee-a-ta (theatre). I worked for a number of years painting backdrops and scenery for a whole host of theatres all across Ontario. I have also seen hundreds of productions of shows. But I have never seen a show curtain like this one: 

I mean, COME ON!!!!!!!!!!!! You must read all about it HERE! It makes the show curtains I painted PALE BY COMPARISON!: 

For Huron Country Playhouse's production of Mame - JUST KIDDING - It was obviously painted for Oz
- painted with Sylvie Boulanger

Also for Huron Country Playhouse - painted with Sylvie Boulanger
(MANY MANY MOONS AGO)  

Painted for The Regent Theatre in Picton ON.

3.) Matthew Myers. I LOVE his work. It is very illustrative, and beautiful! I like the tagline on his home page "work so good you'd swear he was dead!" All his work have this clever cuteness!!! Check out these screen captures:

This is just the navigation background for his different galleries!

FUNNY

Love that he uses "pre-loved" materials

Sick...sick sick!! ;-)

You should check out his work. He does a lot of illustration for children's books. Super talented!!!

4.) This cart if FONT-TASTIC!!! I know it is not much of an inspiration for most....but I am salivating over the different fonts. YUM!

Font-tastic!!!

5.) Finally, look at this charming mural. I love colours......and the distressed look. YUM!

Dontcha wish your dining room was hot like this? Dontcha?

Ok....that is it for another week!!

I hope you enjoyed it!!!

EMBARRASSING!

Hello all!
I am revving up for my new show opening soon. Which means I have less and less time for blogging.
Sad but true.
But I wanted to show you a couple old works........and a comparison to some new ones.
The contrast is HORRIBLE and more than slightly embarrassing.
But I do love a little self flogging.
I could have self-floggging blogging Mondays??
OR NOT.
I have 2 terrible examples today. Truthfully, I never thought I would EVER paint people in my works, but it has happened. It has happened despite pieces like "Danseur Malheureux"

This is from 2003.
She is DISASTER! My husband affectionately nick named her 'Frau Blucher'.
(go ahead, google her)

2011. Her face is much better!
I HOPE I do not look back in 8 years with regret!

Sorry for the horrible quality of JPG.
More sorry that this painting from 2003 is so CRAP-@SS!!

Much better!!!

Ok. I guess the point is, that I would never have gotten from Frau Blucher to my current work without the 300 or so paintings that have come in between! So for all you that are putting off doing something....

DO NOT! Start today and who knows where you will be in only a few years!

There is your Oprah moment for the day.

You're welcome!

;-)

THE AUTO FIXATION TRIPLETS

Hello everyone! I am gonna keep this short and sweet, so I can get back to my painting.
No, the AFT are not a singing group!
They are the 3 30" x 60" canvases that I have completed.
I will be showing them at Art Trax Gallery in June (yikes)
Here they are:

"Ready, Set, Go" 

"Mustang Sally"

"Live for Danger"

The last one I JUST finished. It is my ode to 007. For those of you who don't recognize the car, it is an Aston Martin....the kind that James bond drove.........

Also, I have this invite for the "Auto Fixation" Show.

I think that  is all the news I have this week.
Bye bye!

#WW 4: WONNERFUL WEDNESDAY AGAIN!!!

Yes. I mean WONNERFUL!!
Ok, I have a confession. I used to think I was a creative genius.  Mind you I also once thought that I was straight, so if that will give you a little context.....
Anyways, ever since I started #WW, I realized that I am not a genius at all!!
Although this revelation has shocked me to my core, I press on......KNOWING that there is such great original stuff out there that IS genius!!
sigh
Ok... on with the show......
My top 5 this week:

1.) COLOUR. I love it! LOVE LOVE LOVE. I especially like the use of colour in these stills and inspirations from 'The Princess and the Frog". They are so good.

orange + pink = yum

PURPLE! Scream it from the rooftops!!

Green and magenta. LOVE IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This palette is so warm and inviting.

Almost monochromatic. 

Love this one. Orange, pink. purple and blue. C'mon!!!!!!!!

2.) "How to Steal Like an Artist" This blog post if fantastic for artists!!!!!  He makes some great/smart observations. The only thing I disagree with is his "get a day job" theory. I do not think that works for everyone. I have been working full time on my art for the last 5 years, and in that time have completed an enormous body of work. I have been able to push myself and grow and refine my artistic vision. I would have taken a lot longer to get here if I was shackled to some soul sucking crappy-ass day job! Maybe he could refine that part? Or add "find a rich husband"? I dunno.......different strokes for different folks!! But id you are an artist - it is a must read!!!!

http://www.austinkleon.com/2011/03/30/how-to-steal-like-an-artist-and-9-other-things-nobody-told-me/

3.) How about a little reto-eighties fantasticness?? Check out Fitz and the Tantrums. I dig this band. Here is a youtube of their latest video, it is really good:

Also check them out at "Live from Daryl's House"
ABOUT DARYL'S HOUSE:  Daryl Hall started Live From Daryl’s House, the free monthly web show in late 2007, after having the idea of “playing with my friends and putting it up on the Internet,” and the show has since garnered acclaim from Rolling Stone, SPIN, Daily Variety, CNN, BBC, Yahoo! Music and influential blogger Bob Lefsetz, who have cited Live From Daryl’s House as a perfect example of a veteran artist reinventing himself in the digital age by collaborating with both established colleagues and newer performers.
(Thanks to Dale for bringing this one to me!!)


4.) Tom Whalen's 'Who Framed Roger Rabbit' poster. SO GREAT!!! I love the limited palette of colour, and the way he incorporates so much visual information in such a simple way. GENUIS! Actually take a minute to check out ALL of his posters:

Check out his site: Strong stuff - it is well worth a look if you like this illustrative style!!!

5) Those of you who follow me on Facebook know that I have made a new resolution to NOT discuss the weather.....but here is a small deal breaker. These photos are from last week, and they are neato! Those of us who do not live in perpetual fog (like some New Brunswick livers I know) will find the pictures haunting! Enjoy!

Photo by Cliph.

http://www.blogto.com

Photo by Bruvyman.

Photo by Brandon Tarek.

http://www.blogto.com

http://www.blogto.com

So there you go my top 5 this week!
Got something you think I need to feature?
EMAIL ME!