TOAE COUNTDOWN - AND CANNIBALIZATION!!!!!!!!

Hey.....have I mentioned my upcoming show in Nathan Phillips Square (City Hall, Toronto)???
I am sure I have?!
Don't you remember this?

GRRR......GIANT ROB TAKE OVER SQUARE ....ROB SELL ARRRT.....

Here is the post that has all the deets AGAIN!

So....to get ready, I have been painting my arse off.

Here is a BRAND NEW PIECE - that is great......let me tell you a story about it:

PICTURE IT.

IT's 2011, and I am looking to challenge myself by doing 'pin-up' related work for my "Auto Fixation" show. I take a bunch of time, and suggestions from the gallery that is showing my work..and create this:

"Fast Enough", 36" x 48", Acrylic on Canvas

Read my post about this painting HERE.
A year later in 2012, I thought I would like to repaint it.
WHY?
Read why - and HOW HERE.
This time, it was for my "Town and Country" Exhibition......

"Hoedown",  36" x 48", Acrylic on Canvas

At the time, I was pleased by the renovation of this piece.

Then a year passed. And let me be frank. If any piece lasts around the studio for more than a year, I know that it may not find a home! HOW DO I KNOW?

Well, generally, things just don't last that long. 

That is NOT bragging!! HONESTLY!

I am very fortunate to have some great collectors out there, and I am CONSTANTLY working on showing creating and selling my work!

So I did what I always do....I sacrificed the painting for something new.

TWO somethings new.....(and maybe a third - LATER)

I did the unthinkable - and cut up the canvas!

(Insert GASPS here!)
Here are the results:

"We Tend To Build", 18" x 36", Acrylic on Canvas and Board.

So, as you can see I took HALF the landscape part from "HOEDOWN" and I pasted it into this new size - to give it a new life.
With new life - comes new intention!
I also created and painted some poster inspired art.....'we can build' and 'tend your garden'.
I also added this quote from Mondrian "Good things just have to grow very slowly."
I like what this says about East Toronto.
As an east-ender myself, I like that we have taken a little longer to 'gentrify' and have been able to keep out the big boxes and  all the condos....
I premiered this piece at The Riverdale Art Walk almost a month ago!
So...then this month, I reworked more of the pieces from 'Hoe'....and came up with THIS:

"Escape", 36" x 18", Acrylic on Canvas and Board (and Mixed media).

Now....as you can see this is the other half of the landscape.
This time, it didn't quite fit the frame of the 36 x 18...so I added some mixed media elements
(the street signpost is a painted dowel with balsa board signs)
AGAIN, I changed the intention of the piece.
"The trouble with our age is that it is all signposts and no destination" - Louis Kronenberger

is the quote that is painted on a faux restaurant bill.

The poster I created simply says "Escape for a while".

and the background I created with lots of little vintage travel icons.

There is also a baggage tag.

I am REALLY happy with this one. I think it really works.

Actually - I feel like they BOTH work really well!!!

I know what you are thinking.....but what of the pretty lady??

Well....currently she is above my easel......watching over me, just waiting for her day of repurposing to come!!

So....come out and see BOTH of these great new pieces NEXT WEEKEND at TOAE!!

Nathan Phillips Square, Toronto City Hall, 100 Queen Street West
July 5: 10:30 am- 7:30 pm
July 6: 10:30 am- 7:30 pm
July 7: 10:30 am- 6:30 pm

BOOTH #12

WW123: LAURENCE VALLIÈRES, URBAN TORONTO and PHOTOSHOPPED CELEBRITIES!

I KNOW WHAT YOU'RE THINKIN'!

Rob....you be lazy!! What have you been doing this week?

Well.....loyal readers, I am up to my t*ts in tigers. (AKA I'M BUSY, Y'ALL)

With The Toronto Outdoor Art Exhibition sneaking up (next weekend) I have kicked production in to high gear. BUT....I know how you would feel sad and dejected if I missed my weekly Wonderful Wednesday post!

So here are 5 things I LOVE this week:

1.)  Laurence Vallières is an artist from Montreal who creates AH-MAH-ZING animal sculptures using layered cardboard cutouts taken from found boxes. Laurence says of her work, "I create art that maintains both visual appeal and an understated sense of humor. I want the meaning of my pieces to both capture the eye of the viewer initially and leave them with something to consider long after they’ve left. I sculpt monkeys, elephants and rhinoceroses, thinking about their human correspondents or the ideologies they represent." THEY ARE INCREDIBLE!!! See for yourself!

Find out more about Laurence's work here.
via [Junk CULTURE] via [Lustik] via [DecoverMag]

2.) Hey Torontonians....I just discovered this. LATE TO THE PARTY!! I have been enjoying my daily emails from URBAN TORONTO...... There are a lot of great regular posts daily...

The picture of the day:

Updates on construction (and proposed plans) around the city........like the Student Learning Centre at my alma mater (Ryerson university):

 Projets around the city (like the pedestrian walkways by the St Lawrence Market):

 And STUNNING before and afters:

  

 Go and check out URBAN TORONTO and get the RSS feed into your mailbox daily!!!

3.) Thank gosh I subscribe to 'If It's Hip, It's Here'......or I may have missed this furniture....

Good Vibrations is part of a collection designed for Fratelli Boffi with the name "F* The Classics"! it is a crazy mash up of antique furniture with modern elements. OH BOY!!!!! I LOVE IT SOOOOOOO MUCH!!

I want to go to there!!!!!

See more on Fratelli Boffi's site! 

4.) Thanks to my friend Ben on Facebook....I am not HYPNOTIZED BY THIS PRODUCT. It is Rust-Oleum's liquid-repelling product, NeverWet. Ok...I am gonna let the vido speak for itself:

OH-MAH-GAW!!!!

See?????? You just Spray the silicone-based coating on ANYTHING and it appears to become almost completely impervious to moisture. SPRAY DOWN YOUR CHILDREN (or sloppy Husbands)!! 

YES....I am worried what toxic crap might be in it.......but....just think of how long my ADORABLE canvas runners will last with this product!!!!!!!!!

[NeverWet via LancasterOnline]

5.) THIS IS GREAT:

Frustrated about how over-retouched all the celebrity pictures are, New York-based artist Danny Evans decided to retouched them the opposite way by taking away all their glamor. “It was a reaction to the insanely over-retouched photos of celebrities that are everywhere,” says Danny, who started so-called Celebrities Make Under project back in 2006.

Here are some examples:

for more go to his Facebook page...
(thanks Cindy for this one!)

NEW WORK: GETTING WOOD

Good Friday all! I am super excited about this piece that I just finished.
I wanted to do something with birch trees.
WHY???
Well, show after show AFTER SHOW......I watch Canadians buy birch trees.
I am not sure why we are OBSESSED WITH THEM??
Personally, I don't really get it.
I love trees and all.....but I kinda think it is a bit tired. (ooooh SLAM ;-)
CHALLENGE ACCEPTED!
I decided to paint a birch tree painting with my own personal flair.
I started with the poster part........
Picture it......
...a deer...
...in the forrest...
........and it says 'if a tree falls in the forrest....'
When I went to paint it.....I found it a bit HO HUM......so I went back to the old drawing board.
I am glad I did! It ended up looking like this:

"Sustain Wood", 30" x 24", Acrylic on Board

Fun....and a bit 'salty'!!
So......let's break it down.
The poster has a man chopping down a tree.......he is shirtless and presumably sweaty.
(why is this beginning to sound like  Daniel Steele book??)
And of course the new poster is 'Getting wood is easy!"
It made me laugh.
Yes......I am a man-child......but COME ON!!
The background for the whole piece is nuts, acorns, pinecones and squirrels.
The letter has a quote from Bryce Nelson that is SUPER SERIOUS
"People who will not sustain trees will soon like in a world that will not sustain people."
But you know I don't like to be too preachy.....so that is why I felt it was necessary to 'fun it up'!
Also on this piece, a chunk of wood, and of course a woodpecker!
So to summarize....
Wood - nuts - pecker
YUP! I am definitely on fart joke away from starring in a Judd Apatow movie.
You're welcome!!!!

REMEMBER TO COME OUT AND SEE THIS PIECE IN A FEW WEEKS AT THE TORONTO OUTDOOR ART EXHIBITION:

For more info on TOAE you can read this post!
OK....now go and have a great weekend!!!!!

WW122: TRUE PATRIOT GRUB, BRAVE, and PENN STATION NYC!!

Hey y'all.......here are 5 things that I LOVE this week......enjoy:

1.) This week I am pleased as punch to make this my #1!!! I am excited to announce my dear friend Cindy Scaife's first solo exhibition. Her show "True Patriot Grub--A Tribute to Canadian Cuisine", will run from June 21-July 14, at Atomic Toybot, 978 Queen Street East, Toronto Wed-Sat 11-6, Sun 10-5, Tel (416) 466-4506. "

Whats it about???
This series brings distinctly Canadian food to life in a series of acrylic on canvas paintings featuring anthropomorphic characters in the geographic settings in which they originate. Accessible to Canadians of all ages, the show celebrates the food that makes us unique and unites us from coast to coast to coast.
Each of the paintings represents food that was either invented in, or strongly associated with, Canada. Iconic Canadian delights are depicted as illustrated characters set in their natural habitats. From a Nanaimo bar riding a chairlift against a scenic mountain backdrop, to a poutine figure skating in front of the Chateau Frontenac, the paintings celebrate the vastness of our Canadian landscape as well as our often elusive culinary identity. In addition to recognizable vistas, some of the paintings also offer a unique historical perspective. One painting depicts a bag of Hawkins cheezies scurrying to douse a fire, paying homage to the fire that leveled the company's factory in Tweed in 1956, leading it to relocate to its current home in Belleville. Here is another 'teaser' image:

I hope you can make it out to the HUUUGE Opening Reception from
7-9pm THIS FRIDAY!!!!!! 
(June 21st) 
at Atomic Toybot on Queen Street East!!!!

2.) I have been really enjoying this song......and accompanying video. I know it is straight up pop music. But I enjoy Sara Bareilles!! SO THERE. I also like the message in this song!

On her website.......I also like the idea of filling out this card on her website.....

some of her fans did:

3.) The 'SD TabletWear Samsung Galaxy Tab'. Recently, I bought a larger tablet device.....that required something to make it more secure when transportable!! Thankfully I have my friends at Mobile Fun who were able to get me a really inexpensive solution!!!!

 First.....I gotta tell you I LOVE it! Not only doest it fits like a glove without restricting any of the tablets functionality..........it also easily allows you to hold tablet in one hand!!!! EASY PEASY!

 Magnetic closure is great.....and ALWAYS stays securely closed in whatever handbag I am carrying it in!!!

Lovely from every angle!

Very SIMPLE and stylish!!

The simple and minimal design looks GREAT without drawing unnecessary attention to my tablet!!!
I am really pleased with this cover.....but Mobile Fun carries lots of great techie stuff that you will want to own........check them out!!!!

4.) I think THIS, my fellow NYC lovers. would be AMAZE-balls:

SOM  has a vision for a more livable New York! Responding to a design challenge put forth by the municipal art society of new york to redesign the busiest train station in North America, the proposal calls for the transplantation of madison square garden to an adjacent site, while fantastically expanding the cramped penn station into an efficient, green vortex of circulation. 

 JUST LOOK AT THIS PROPOSAL!!!!! It is remarkable in it's approach to density and seeks to strike a balance between consolidation and expansion.

 They focused on making penn station a dignified gateway both with striking architectonics and more intuitive circulation. The expansion of the transit hub's footprint by two additional blocks makes for the accommodation of high-speed rail lines from the northeast corridor as well as direct rail connections to major airports and commuter rail services for the entire Tri-State area.

 In keeping with the idea of the complex as the civic heart of midtown  west, the grand architectural gesture consists of a central, large-scale transparent ticketing hub lined with retail spaces. the layered, vertical park sports green space four times the size of Bryant Park while asserting the center as an important and multifaceted urban gateway.

 Four mixed-use towers monumentalize and consolidate city programming, boasting more offices that Rockefeller Center and more cultural hotspots than Lincoln Center to punctuate the green-clad funnel

of circulation that would so characterize the skyline!!

AH-MAZE-BALLS!

5.) This is the MEANEST thing I have ever read.....I almost didnt want to popst this.....but I think a few of you may be amused by it....Nathan Fielder is kind of a jerk he texts (orincourages others to text) their significant others, “I haven’t been fully honest with you,” and then not reply for an hour. The results...are AWEFUL!!!!

READ MORE!!!

 [via buzzfeed]