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Wednesday, February 29, 2012

WW51:

This "Wonderful Wednesday" post is gonna be short and sweet!
I load in my booth for The Artist Project tomorrow!
If you don't know what I am talking about......you are WAAAAY behind on reading my blog - as it is all I have talked about for WEEKS........so here it is - my short WW post:

Lately I have been a 'Yesterdays-news-Yanni'. You know what I mean?? I have been finding out interesting things for this blog way past the time when they are relevant - and newsworthy..........but there are 2 movies from the zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.....Oscars........that I really want you to check out if you haven't already!!!

1.) The Artist. Husband says it is too gimicky...but I thought it was fantastic.  I thought it was super clever in concept and very entertaining to watch!!!! See it!



2.) The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore. One word. SPECTACULAR! Here it is in it's entirety.......it is well worth the 15 minutes.........I think it is BRILLIANT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Did I mention I LOOOOOOOOOOOOVED it??

3.) Stickers and Stuff is a blog I really enjoy!!!! 




S&S explains itself as a "scrapbook of inspirational things, places and spaces I hope you enjoy it too." Look at these things that were posted in the last few days!!!





4.) You know I love the whole 'steampunk' movement. Not so much that I want to wear a leather bomber jacket and aviator eyeglasses.....but I still do like it!! I really like these...



lindsey bessanon began her creative career as a jeweler in arizona, USA in 2003, casting insects in gold or silver. 
however, bessanon's work soon morphed into one more sculptural in nature as she hoped to appreciate the coloring of each bug 
by adding metallic parts, resulting in a collection of robotic bugs. 

bessanon first acquires dried, dead insects from suppliers on ebay, special collectors or entomologist websites. 
when ready to begin work on a piece, the artist re-humidifies the specimens in order to properly shape them. 
bessanon then repositions the legs and wings, fanning them in her intended arrangement. following the initial appendage setting, 
the artist pins the insect to a piece of styrofoam, allowing her to more easily add the cogs, gears, levers and steel mechanisms to the insect. after a period of two weeks, the intricate robotic bug sculpture is completed-- the colors of the insect play off of the silver and gold of the gears, bringing together the two media preferred by the artist.




5.) This is funny............enjoy "Movie: The Movie". Thank you Jimmy Kimmel for being a lunatic!!!!! Check out this clip - you will NOT regret it!!!!

Monday, February 27, 2012

STRANGERS ON A TRAIN.....

Hey y'all.
BUSY BUSY BUSY!!
So busy, I am not gonna make idle chit chat.....I just want you the see my newest painting.
I will be showing it at The Artist Project this week.
YES!! THIS WEEK!!!
If you have not idea what T.A.P. is....read all about it in my Friday blog post HERE!
If you are already getting your tickets for the biggest indoor art event in Toronto......then feast your eyes on this:
"Strangers on a Train", Acrylic on Board, 24" x 36"
I LOVE THIS ONE!
LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOVE IT!
I was happy with everything about this one.
Yes, the quote is ridiculous......but if you have ever ridden the subway, you KNOW the kinds of people that are "making friends"!!
I have painted an old time (1960's subway car - which was in a reddy orange colour) and an old time-y transfer (based on one from the 50's)
I used the DYMO font that I like so much, and the usual tricks and fake tape and stuff.
The background is faux bois (aka fake wood) and was a lot of fun to paint!!
(It reminded me of my theatre days....painting wood to look like other wood...)
Anyways.....so come out and see this one LIVE        LIVE         LIVE!!!
You will like it better in person!
;-)
THE ARTIST PROJECT INFO AGAIN!!


Friday, February 24, 2012

NEW WORK!!!

HELLLLLOOOOO!
Well, it is 5 days until I load in my booth for The Artist Project.....I wanted to show you another new streetcar image before I get to the 411 about T.A.P. Check out the latest painting:

"Feel the Excitement", Acrylic on Canvas, 30" x 24"
I am gonna admit something, I am not SUPER jacked about how this turned out.
I was thrilled with the concept and the drawings, but then it just doesn't knock my socks off as a final product! But, like children, they can't ALL be my favourites, can they?
If you live in Toronto, you may recognize that the 'poster' depicts Dundas Square.
As you can tell, I am not a super fan of that either. ;-)
I feel like we are trying to hard to be NYC........and failing....(thus the keychain of NYC)
I love the quote: "Be a first-rate version of yourself, not a second-rate version of someone else!"

OK....so where can you see this???
THE ARTIST PROJECT 2012
Let me tell you all about it.....


The Artist Project is a meeting ground for artists, collectors, and art enthusiasts. View and purchase original Canadian and International art from over 200 juried contemporary artists and enjoy an eclectic program of talks, special features, and art installations. Whether you are a first time buyer or seasoned collector, this four day art fair is a rare opportunity to meet and purchase directly from independent artists. Now in its fifh year, The Artist Project returns to the Queen Elizabeth Building at Toronto’s Exhibition Place.
March 1 – 4, 2012
BOOTH #201 (map below click to enbiggen it!)


SHOW HOURS: 
Thursday, March1st,      7PM – 10PM (Opening Night, 19+ Event)*
Friday, March 2nd,        12PM –   9PM
Saturday, March 3rd,    11AM –   9PM
Sunday, March 4th,       11AM –  6PM
*A portion of Opening Night ticket sales will be donated to the Canadian Art Foundation.

SHOW LOCATION

Queen Elizabeth Building
180 Princes’ Boulevard, Exhibition Place
Toronto, Ontario

REGULAR ADMISSION

Valid any day between Friday, March 2nd to Sunday, March 4, 2012.
Adult$14 At the door
Adult$12 Online
Senior (65+)$10
Student (13-17)$10BUY >




Opening Night Tickets
$25 At the doorBUY >
Opening Night Tickets$23 Online

MORE TO DO:

SO COME OUT AND SEE ME AT TAP NEXT WEEKEND!!
I love to see familiar faces!!!

Wednesday, February 22, 2012

WW50: MI4 and Mispronunciation



1.) MISSION IMPOSSIBLE: GHOST PROTOCOL. Ok, I know I am really late on this one.....but I saw it in IMAX last night. It was heart stopping action. No seriously!!! It was one of the best action movies I have seen!!!! I am not a Tom Cruise fan, thankfully it is more about an ensemble.......I liked the addition of Simone Pegg and Jeremy Renner in this!!
This is the directors (Brad Bird) first full length feature film with non- animated characters (he worked for Pixar before this). So I just loved it. LOVED it!! Love all the great gadgetry!!!!!!!!! Although this scene in IMAX made me a bit barfy!!!!!


Catch it is its last days in theatres, or get ready to rent it.....it is a spy thriller worth seeing. Heart stopping action!!!


2.) Pinterest. 


I am loving all the time I can waste on this site. What the heck is it?? Think of it like a online bulletin board. You can make 'boards' that you 'pin' images you like onto. It is great for inspiration!!! You can re-pin and follow people, and I think you will like it!! If you want a way to organize all your great recipes (by the images) or maybe inspiration for your living room or even stuff you want as xmas gifts...this is the place to keep that. You can make your profile private......or share your need finds with everyone. I encourage you to check it out- and follow me!!!!!! I post every couple of days new stuff that I LOVE. So, if you want to see more stuff that I think is "inspirational" - check me out!!!!!


3.) I thought these were cool art pieces. Inspired by the atmosphere of chaos and uncertainty of today's global economy, artist Dimitri Tsykalov created a series of giant unraveling credit cards made from yarn. The credit cards were part of an exhibition titled 'Money' at Galerie Rabouan Moussion.






4.) SMASH - the music. I blogged about this one BEFORE it came out.......read my pre-review of the show HERE. Thankfully I am enjoying the show. I really like the songs too. Some are borrowed (a la Glee) cover tunes....but the series features original music by composers Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman. (Hairspray the Musical). Here are a couple you tubes of the songs I like:
Katherine McPhee singing an original song:

Megan Hilty singing a cover of Carrie Underwood's song "Crazy Dreams":


5.) This made me laugh........you have all seen these on YouTube.......they help new english learners to sound out familiar words....i.e."


and then there are these ones that are funny but SERIOUSLY UNHELPFUL for people learning the language!













Go to the You Tube for more....they make me laugh!

Monday, February 20, 2012

VALUE VILLAGE AGAIN AND AGAIN!!!

HEY Y'ALL!!!
Well, it is Monday, and as usual, I had devious brunching yesterday......followed by some browsing around the Queen St E area! Here are some of the 'finds':
The Jones family all went to the same plastic surgeon.
Their Doc specialized in rhinoplasty and worked on some famous noses.........
......like Michael Jackson....and Lord Voldemort!!!

When it is just to expensive for surgery...........THIRTY BUCKS!!!!!!!!!!

Adrienne insisted that this was a genus name.
It is not very often that a product name tells you EXACTLY what it does.
It rotates your potates!

The Head Wizard. Sounds like a movie I saw once!!
(sorry about that)

James and Brittany were ALIVE in pastels!
I always feel so bad for the families I see for sale at the VV!

It is NOT a hat. It IS a bird feeder.
Nothing smarter than training birds to live in hats!

I know this is a child's toy, but strangely, it was for sale in the small appliance section!
EW.
What I learned......that panty hose used to some in 'queen size'.
It only made me ask more questions!!!!!! I know a bunch of queens that these WOULD NOT fit!!

Creepy. What a cat and a fish do in private is their own business..........but I don't want to see it!
;-)
I leave you with two baby foxes....or squirrels.....or something??
CREEEEEEPY!!
Yes, at every VV there is at least 1-3 Anne Geddes prints!!
So...that's all folks!
As always, I love your comments!!!!!!!!

Friday, February 17, 2012

LIFE LESSONS #1: SHAME SHAME SHAME......

SHAME OF FOOLS........go on....sing it with me......
Hello readers!
This dark fall.....as many of you know.....I hit 40.
Or rather, 40 hits me......it the face.......with a shovel...........repeatedly....... ;-)
When "Black September" hits.....I want to embrace it!
The thing is, I have realized that at best, my life is probably half over (depending on when of the upcoming Zombie Apocalypse happens)
It is kind of a scary thing to realize......and in the words of Liz Lemon "realizations are the worst"!!!
So, it seems to me I can either become sad and step in front of a streetcar.....thus increasing the value of my artwork..........or try to become a teensy bit introspective!
So........in the spirit of introspectionalism.....(yes, I am SURE that is a word) I give you a new kind of post.
I am calling it "Life Lessons".
Now don't get me wrong, I am in no position to give advice to you. I am no Dr. Drew!
I am just reflecting on the hard-won lessons that I have learned in my almost 40 years on this earth, and sharing said observations with you  - through story!
So...let's give 'er!

Lesson #1: Shame is lame. (Yes....it is akin to 'Crack is Whack')

This past weekend I celebrated the 40th year anniversary for the Ryerson Theatre School.
For those who know nothing about me, in 1994, I moved to Toronto to go to University at Ryerson - in the Theatre Technical Production program. I graduated 4 years later, BFA in my hot hands.....ready to set the world on fire......with the knowledge that I would work in the "thee-AH-tah" for the rest of my life!!
Oh. Wait....
ANYWAYS.
It was nice to run into my former classmates and hear how their lives have changed in the decade since leaving the hallowed halls of RTS. We spent a few hours reminiscing (and drinking vodka)  - and I was reminded of a story.....a story that illustrates the point of my first 'life lesson'!
Picture it! It was a misty Friday evening in 1997, I had assembled a small get-together at my apartment
(I was gonna say soiree - but that makes it sound like a different class of party!).
Like any University party.......there was copious amounts of drinking and carrying on.
It was 2 years B.V. (Before Vodka) and there I was, pounding back my rum & diet coke's.......and my many Corona's........(YES...BEER - SHOCKING I KNOW!!!)......it was an often lethal combination of booze.......that caused my inhibitions (of which there are few to start with) to disappear. To be honest, I cannot remember most of this night.....in fact....most of the 90's is shrouded in an alcoholic haze.........but I do remember feeling like this the next morning:

yes.....those are my pjs.....and my natural hair.
So.....to make a long story short.........that night a few people crashed on my floor.
The next Monday I returned to school. People buzzing about about a party on the weekend.
It was being dubbed "The Bread and Underwear Party".
As one of the only gays in my class/school, I was immediately disappointed that I had somehow missed what seemed like a colourful and flamboyant party............how could I have missed such an event??
What I didn't realize, was that I WAS the colourful and flamboyant event!!!!
The story was re-told to me like this:
After everyone had passed out on the floor, I got back up.......in my alcohol induced stupor......carefully navigated OVER-TOP the floor dwellers, to the kitchen, where I got a single piece of bread. (I was a bit of an expert drinker - maybe even a professional - and I knew the importance of eating something to sop up the booze in my tummy!!)
With bread in mouth, I returned to bed carefully stepping over heads.....and passed out on top of the bed........here is the kicker.....I did this......in my underwear! (Sorry for the visual, folks!!)
So you can image, lying on the floor watching as a drunken homo stepped over your head....crumbs falling atop you........all the while getting an eyeful of his man-business!!!!!!
YIKES! To make things worse......when my classmates left the next morning, I was still passed out......splayed across my bed.........in my gitch, with bread still hanging out of my mouth.
GLAMOUROUS!!!!
CLASSY! (Sadly, this wasn't even the night/morning in question!!!!!)
So, imagine me, 15 years later, laughing my head off as the story was re-told at the RTS 40th Anniversary.
So......why am I sharing said story with you??
Because I don't really have shame. I didn't feel bad then.....and I don't feel it today.
I hope that I did not cause too much extra therapy for some of the straight guys who were up-close-and -personal with my undercarriage....and I truly hope that no one wakes in the middle of the night - in a cold sweat - with this flash-back...screaming BREAAAAD!!!
But the thing is, feeling ashamed of something gives it a power that it need not have.
Own it.
Whatever your story is.....OWN IT.
This little story is probably only a 3 on the embarrassment scale for me, and there are plenty of other more horrifically embarrassing stories that I feature in! But I think if you can laugh at how ridiculous you are, and people will laugh WITH you.

So that is my lesson.
What say you?
I love your comments!!!!

Wednesday, February 15, 2012

WW49: GEEK OUT!!!

1.) The Just-Us League of Stupid Heroes is a set of collectible action figures where MAD Magazine character Alfred E. Neuman is creepily mashed-up with familiar superheroes from DC Comics, like Batman, Superman and Aquaman. The figure’s Series 1 will be available to purchase at DC Direct starting on April 4, 2012. THEY ARE SUPER CREEPY....especially Wonder Woman.........enjoy:










Thanks to http://laughingsquid.com for this one!!!!


2.) Speaking of super heroes....I love these illustrations. They are clever. The Dr. Seuss-styled Batman character vignettes were created by DrFaustusAU, an artist who posts his work on DeviantArt. Check him out!!!!!







also check out my source.........with the longest freaking blog name in history of blog names!!! 
"The Adventures of Accordion Guy in the 21st Century, Joey deVilla's Personal Blog"


3.) OK GO. You know I love 'em.......and I have enjoyed their partnership with Sesame Street:


4.)Are you geeking out yet? You know you can geek out in the kitchen too!!!!
    I love me some THINK GEEK.COM ! Here are a few things you can buy for your inner geek:

     a) Robot Tea Infuser (I got this from my Mother-in-law for Christmas - and LOVE IT!)    


     b) Robot Measuring cups (Also a Christmas gift - from husband) SUPER FUN:

     c) I love these S&P shakers!! They even wind up!! What F U N!!!!


     d) How about a pizza cutter that goes where no cutter has gone before?? RIDICULOUS!


    e) Ok...this is the last one...how about some AWESOME cookie cutters:  

5.) Ok, here is the last one. I usually don't feature 2 artists........but I really thought these were smart!! As you probably don't know......my mum was a bit of an amateur genealogist.......so these stuck my fancy. If you have any old victorian pictures of your descendants.....you will totally see why this is funny:






Los angeles-based artist alex gross has created a collection of reconfigured cabinet cards from the late 19th and early 20th century. The vintage photographs have been altered by means of mixed media to portray the figure depicted the image as an imagined or contemporary comic book super hero. the photographs, originally a commercial printed portrait standard forms gross' collection. These cabinet cards will be on display along with nineteen new mixed media pieces in gross' solo exhibition 'product placement' at jonathan levine gallery in new york city beginning february 25th, 2012.


I HAVE TO LEAVE THIS ONE WITH A LAUGH...........


That's all folks!!
Hope you enjoyed this weeks dork-polooza!