WW106: DAILY CONTAMINATIONS, THE OSCARS, and GOATS YELLING

Let's just get to it....5 things that I LOVE this week!!

1.) Peanut Butter Popcorn: I WANT TO GO TO THERE!

Ingredients:
1/2 cup light corn syrup (or golden syrup)
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
6 -8 cups popped popcorn

Directions:
-In small pan melt together corn syrup and sugar.
-Add peanut butter and melt.
-Be careful not to boil mixture too much, the peanut butter will start to burn.
-Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.
-Stir mixture over popcorn.

(via http://fegutesfatonsa.tumblr.com/post/43826026031/peanut-butter-popcorn-recipe )

2.)"Daily Contaminations" - these photographs by Luca di Filippo are all about the invisible electronic traces we leave in our daily activities. The insects are made of electronic waste. I LOVE THEM! But here's what she says:

"These little creatures are born from all the trashed electronic gadgets we used for years and years. They are very smart, harmless but curious, very curious.They roam around looking for informations about our habits."

(Thanks to Junk Culture for this one!)

3.) THIS IS NEAT! It's a  12,000 square foot facility divided evenly into two spaces, utilizing 17 recycled shipping containers to construct a reusable workspace. The mastermind behind the concept is Ken block who shows his new team headquarters along with a new team name - known as the 'hoonigan racing division' - which will house the 'gymkhana' mastermind race car. Check it out:

I wish my boss would pony up for a cool workspace like this one!!!
(via Design Boom)

4.) Ok....it was LOOOOOONNNGGG.....and maybe a little less exciting than I hoped, but the 2013 Oscars provided some enjoyment for me.....and that was the scenery. Here are a few of the MANY looks that I thought were TERRIFIC!!! (all thanks to Derek McLaine - one of Broadway's best scenic designers) I love the repetition of the Oscar - and the lovely lighting......So great to see good design!!

5.) OK....these clips made me laugh out loud this week.......they are both SUPER POPULAR....but just in case you have been living under a rock......I give you these:

This poor girl....whose range of emotions in just seconds made me laugh and laugh and laugh:

These yelling goats:

THESE yelling goats...enjoy:

AWKWARD AT THE ARISTS PROJECT

Ok...I don't have the time today to get into ALL THAT HAPPENED at The Artist Project this year.
I will post  something on Friday about it....but I wanted to share this video.......
MAN O MAN am I glad I have been taking those "hand movements for Dummies" classes....
Really pays off in this video!
If you watch it without sound - it looks like I am an interpretive dancer........
Enjoy my awkwardness (I cannot speak to the other artists that are represented here):

You're welcome.

CREEP OF THE WEEK....AND MY RENOVATION

Ok....so this is a BIG WEEK for me. It should be the post-T.A.P. meh-laise.....which I get it every year! This year it will be delayed.........(the Meh-laise is simply the time when my mind and body finally relax again! - It is not serious. It does not require mood enhancing drugs......although I am open to that! ;-)

BUT this year it will be delayed.........I will do a full TAP wrap up later in the week.....

BUT TODAY my contractor starts my bathroom renovation......which I will also blog about later next week.......here is a preview of the 'bathroom before':

Yes, that is duct tape on the wall!!! IT WILL MAKE FOR A DRAMATIC "AFTER"!!!

So......sufficed to say, with ALL THIS renovation in addition to reorganizing my studio from the weekend's exhibition.....I am not able to come up with too much NEW to blog about. 

So let me share this quick Toronto-centric "Creep of the Week":

These graffiti-covered and seemingly mothballed TTC vehicles near the commission's Wilson Subway Yard do, apparently, serve a purpose. According to Brad Ross, executive director of corporate communications at the TTC, the H4 series subway cars and city bus are used by Toronto Police Service for training exercises.

All the photos above were take by Peter Muzyka and uploaded to the blogTO Flickr pool

Thanks guys!!

Just wait for great stuff later this week!!!!

NEW "MIXED MESSAGE"S!!!

Hey guys. Well......The Artist Project is on RIGHT NOW!!
Come down (GET THE 411 HERE) to say hello!
Why?????
Well, I will be showing new work.....including these 3 swell and AFFORDABLE pieces :

"Face Value", 9" x 12", Mixed media

This piece I did to enter into the "Faces" competition at T.A.P. this year.
It is imagery borrowed from one of my favourite Pin-up paintings "Lured" - which is STILL AVAILABLE to buy....go on.....it needs a good home! Of course it is freshly re-painted!!
The background is vintage play money.
The word 'value' is some tiles from a board game.
It also has some wood trim and a few washes of colour.
I really like it - and it will probably be gone this weekend!

"Penny for your Thoughts".  6" x 9", mixed media,  $100.37!

TOPICAL, no?? This one has .37 in vintage currency. (HA HA)
It also has a copper wash on top!
The imagery is repainted from this sold painting "Miraculous".
There is a number 4 kids magnet.....and some wooden trim!
I hope it finds a new home this week!

"Star Struck".  6" x 9", mixed media....only $100.00

Finally this bright little piece is a sure fire seller!!
The imagery is from an old painting....and is repainted.......(which I know is unnecessary....but)
In the centre is an "S" from a vintage wooden game.
The truck is from a vintage jigsaw puzzle.......that I bought at ETHEL (and was missing a piece).
That puzzle has been a GREAT buy!!!
There are also some wooden mouldings and stars.....and a bunch of colour washes to finish her off!
This one will also MOST DEFINITELY be gone by Sunday!

I sure hope you can make it out this weekend!
It is a great day out!!

WW105: CHIC HOTEL, OSCAR REINVENTED, and 22 THINGS YOU ARE DOING WRONG!

ok...as you loyal readers probably know, I am up to my armpits in T.A.P. preparations.
(The Artist Project opens Thursday February 21st - READ MORE HERE)
But I wanted to make sure I had a Wonderful Wednesday post for y'all!
I know, give, give give!!!
So...let's not waste any more time:

1.) The Academy Awards are this upcoming weekend...and I am IN LOVE with the poster. Each Oscar statue represents the winning movie of that year.....look at it larger.....it is FANTASTIQUE!!!

2.) Let's go vacationing!!! HERE!! The Chic & Basic Ramblas Hotel was envisioned by lagranja design and is located few steps away from the emblematic Barcelona’s Ramblas. This hotel wants you to "reminisce about the thrills of a genuine cultural Spanish period". It is super!!!!!!! LOVE IT:

READ MORE (and see more photos) AT http://freshome.com/

3.) These Toronto photo "mash ups" are super cool!!!Alden Cudanin mixes old Toronto with new. The effect is both jarring and fantastic!!! It is cool to see how much things have changed!

Here is part of Alden's Artist Statement:"For over 100 years Torontonians have defined their identity and heritage through the buildings they have raised. Toronto Before: Arches is a collection of Then and Now Remixes that offer a glimpse of the city’s civic buildings and the people who gathered in their public spaces.The entrance arches of Ontario Legislative Building and Old City Hall set the stage for the re-entry of these historical photographs into our modern digital world."

You can check out his Facebook page....or his blog.

4.) ok....THIS article will CHANGE YOUR LIFE!!!!!!!!!

"22 things you're doing wrong" - sounds awful.......but is actually both USEFUL and surprising!!!!
Here are a few that amazed me:

READ ALL 22 HERE!!!! You will wonder how you ever lived life without these tips!!!!!!
I kid you not!

5.) This is from my nephew Jake. It is for all you geeks out there. It made me laugh and laugh!!! I give you 'Harmonica Darth Vader':

NEWS! THE ARTIST PROJECT AND MORE!

Wow. What a borrrrrrrring  blog post title!!
Gimme a break....it's Friday!
So.....I wanted to share another new piece of art that I just finished for this years 'The Artist Project'.
If you don't have any idea what that is......TAP is:
It is my big indoor art show for the year.....

Hours

Thursday:  7PM – 10PM (Opening Night, 19+ Event)

Friday:  12PM – 8PM
Saturday:  11AM – 8PM
Sunday:  11AM – 6PM

Venue Location

Booth #631 http://www.theartistprojecttoronto.com/

Better Living Centre
195 Princes’ Boulevard, Exhibition Place
Toronto, ON

Cost

Here is a link to get half price on the opening night, $12 instead of $25, there will be drinks, food, music and well, art. The discount for the opening night is good today only.

http://www.teambuy.ca/en/toronto/28144970

Here is a link for $7 tickets instead of $15, not for the opening night. You can buy tickets anytime using this promotion code.

Enter TAPEX13 into the “Promotion Code” field

https://www.microspec.com/tix123/eTic.cfm?code=TAP2013&disc=TAPEX13#.URqE0KU80po

Read more about The Artist Project in THIS POST!
Ok......so here is the latest painting....

"Judgement", 24" x 18", Acrlyic on mixed media.

So....the landscape is of The Evergreen Brickworks here in Toronto.
To read more about The Brickworks check out my blog post about it!!!
The bottom is painted on wood and (although you cant tell in this photo) it is bowed out.
These 3 buildings (Castle Loma, The old City Hall and Massey Hall) are all ones that have been built using bricks from Don Valley Brickworks.
The Quote is from Dr. Wayne Dyer......who is super smart! (And very much alive - unlike most of the authors of the quotes I use.)
And the band at the top is based on an Art Nouveau flowers/leaf pattern.
Ok.....so come out and see it next week at TAP!!

ALSO......I am mentioned in a Q&A on the Spacing Toronto Blog today!!!!

READ IT HERE!
I have a few more things I was gonna share today...but I think that is enough.....I will mention the rest on MONDAY! Have a great weekend y'all!

WW104: HENSE, VINTAGE LONDON and SOME SWEARING!

I BET YOU WERE EXPECTING A VALENTINES DAY THEMED WONDERFUL WEDNESDAY.......well......you are WRONG.....but please do enjoy these 5 things not so romantic things.....

1.) Barbara Franc from the UK creates beautiful bird sculptures using found and recycled metals! According to her bio she is fascinated by the shape & sculptural forms of animals. "I try to capture a feeling of their movement and presence in my sculpture." Franc says, "For this I use wire and other materials in a way that suggests drawing in three dimensions. This allows me greater freedom to add changes whenever I want during the construction to keep the feeling fluid and to reflect the diversity of movement and form." OK. Sure. I just know they are SPECTACULAR!!!!!!!!!

Check out more of her AMAZING sculpture on her website!
(thanks to junk-culture.com)

2.) HEY LONDONERS! This one is for you!!! Check out Vintage London's Facebook Page. It is really really really GREAT!

Here is a sample of some of the AH-MAH-ZING photos you can see on this Facebook page:

3.) Atomic ToyBot. Part toy store, part art gallery, part bookstore, Atomic Toybot has a little something for everyone. It is a great little store on Queen East here in T.O.

Lots of great - fun stuff!!!

ALSO I am showing a little original art piece for their Pony Paddock show (a show all about My Little Pony) Here are the deets:

Hours of Operation - Wednesday-Saturday 11am-6pm, Sunday 12pm-5pm
978 Queen Street East, Toronto

4.) This mural project is incredible! Atlanta-based graffiti artist Hense recently completed a new mural installation in Washington DC. The private commission involved completely painting a historic Church in Ward 6, an up and coming area located directly across the street from a planned 20,000 sqft museum. Hense completely transformed the church with latex paint creating a monumental installation. This is another great example of art vs architecture, where today’s artists are transforming neighborhoods and skylines with murals and paint. Remember to check out his website for more great stuff!!

(via designformankind )

5.) This is SUUUUUPER OFFENSIVE. Please cover your children's ears. Sadly, I cannot get the tune out of my head!!!! (I assure you the words are just as unsuitable to READ - but read them HERE)

(thanks CINDY for your filthy forward)