WW136: JIMMY, LIL' BACI (again) AND DONNA MCCULLOGH

Welcome to Wonderful Wednesday!!!
Er......actually it is more of a Terrific Thursday!
SORRY 'BOUT THAT!
I took an extended birthday break!!
For those of you new here, each wednesday I post the 5 things I LOVE the most in that week!
Here are those 5 things:

1.) JIMMY FALLON. Ok.....this guy is a genius. He is a nice guy.....he is SUUUUUPER talented...and he is super funny! I cannot tell you how many clips I have posted about him.....
Here are two from this week that are SO GREAT!

.....and then there is this one...

OR THESE TWO NEW MUSICAL ONES......

Honestly.....I could post a HUNDRED fantastic clips here!
COME ON!!!!! HE IS FANTASTIC!!!
Give him some love - follow him on twitter - AND watch his show!!!

2.) Yes...this seems like me promoting corporate USA...but I like this.....For its fall campaign, denim company Levi’s worked with agency AKQA and creative technologist Stephen Hadinger, as well as with New York’s Fake Love and creative technologists Matthew Epler andMark Kleback to create "The Makers Tools", a set of vintage items that have been redesigned and repurposed to function as web-enabled tools. IT IS A COOL THING.......

The tools include a 1939 Graflex Speed Graphic Camera that posts to Instagram, a 1953 Bolex B-8 Video Camera linked to Instagram, a 1953 Gibson ES-125 Guitar linked to Soundcloud, and a 1901 Underwood No. 5 Typewriter that posts to Twitter.

 It is very 'steampunk-y'....and I like it!

If you need to know more...you can go HERE
(thanks to Junk Culture for this one!)

3.)I have said it before.....but as yesterday was my b-day.......I went to Lil' Baci for dinner!!

This time I DID NOT HAVE the delicious pizza......instead having a rigatoni with roasted radicchio, walnuts and gorgonzola in a LIGHT cream sauce! SO FRESH....and YUMMY! Located right in Leslieville (892 Queen Street East, Toronto)

The pizza is to die for......but the pasta.....which we ALL ordered.....DEELISH too.....

GO THERE!!! Seriously.

4.) I LOVE this too........Artist Donna McCullough uses vintage gas and oil cans to create sculptural dresses! THey are so great!!!!! She embellishes each dress with flourishes of wire mesh, screening, cut-outs and bits of found objects. The series is called "The Drill Team"  - and she seems to be taking the piss out of cheerleader stereotypes! She creates whimsical works that a-dress (get the pun there?) our oil-driven culture and our passion to be members of a winning team!!!

Speaking about her work she says, "I like the duplicitous nature of steel which can be manipulated to appear feminine and soft while actually maintaining its strength and rigidity—an expression in contrasts and complements."

LOVE IT!!!!!! 

COME ON!!!!
Check out more of her AH-MAH-ZING work HERE!

5.) This made me laugh. It is dedicated to husband:

Thanks guys!!!!

MAGAZINE SNEAK PEEKS......and WOTS (with SPACING)

Today I wanted to share with you 2 bits of news.......
First....my limited edition Giclèes have been picked up by Spacing Magazine.
If you don't know them.......READ THIS blog post.......
They are a SUPER magazine that feature really interesting articles about urban living.
I LOVE reading it!!
They featured my art a couple editions ago & now they are gonna feature my prints in their online store.....

But BEFORE they sell them online.....they are selling them at The 'Word on the Street' Festival this weekend! Here are the W.O.T.S. deets:

(I keep calling it TWOTS - but evidently THAT is pretty offensive to most ;-)
So, go out on Sunday to the Spacing booth.....buy a subscription to the magazine......some cool merch.......AND one of my new giclèes!!
I will have more information about our joint merch selling efforts in weeks to come!
You can also follow them on Facebook or Twitter

OK....next PREVIEW.....
I am only giving a preview (so that I don't get in trouble).

I am going to be featured in 2 local magazines.

If you live in the Beach or in Leslieville/Riverdale (essentially anywhere in East Toronto) you may already get a copy of "Neighbourhood Living" Magazine to your door. There are 3 different versions that come out in Toronto -- "East", "West" and "The Beach". Here is the link to their website.

Basically they produce a lovely glossy magazine that "celebrates local people and supports local businesses"! How fantastic is that?
Lucky for me, I am being featured in TWO of the publications!
Two paintings - on two covers! Here is your sneak peek of both:

 

If that weren't enough..........there is also a 4 page interview with me!
FOUR PAGES!
Thanks to Tracey Coveart (whose writing you can follow HERE)
Not only do I love the look of her site....

Tracey and I really hit it off in the interview......and she is just super!!
I don't know why I am always surprised when I find another kindred spirit who really 'gets' what I am about........I think we spoke for an hour or so!
What makes it better is that she didn't make me sound like a big dummy!
Which MUST have been a challenge!  ;-)
I am NOT gonna show you the article YET, because the magazines don't come out until NEXT WEEK! In fact, I don't really have the 'green light' to show you ANYTHING.......but I couldn't hold it in any longer! I am pleased as punch!
Next week I will show you the whole article...and the covers....and probably talk MORE about myself!
(you're welcome! ;-)
Until then, have a great weekend!!!!

WW135: BLOG TO, JENNIFER NETTLES, PHONEBLOKS.....and more.....

5 things I LOVE this week!!

1.) This is a cool art installation. Michael shvo and paul kasmin gallery turned a gas station in New York City into a sculptural sheep pasture!!!!

This installation debuted to the public yesterday, 'sheep station' is a pop-up, surrealist landscape which sets dozens of sculpted farm animals fixed amongst gas pumps and fire extinguishers in a grass-filled getty station.

25 of late french artist françois-xavier lalanne's epoxy stone and bronze sheep sculptures graze within the white picket fence bound rolling lawn. the installation showcases the largest flock ever shown together of lalanne' iconic 'moutons'. the station will be host to a new public art program in the center of the high line arts district and will showcase rotating exhibitions as a temporary art space.

I LOVE IT!!!
(via DesignBoom)

2.) Ok...this is for my geeks! I NEEED this........so let's support it!!! Phonebloks.

What is it?? It s a great idea!! A new phone that works like lego.......so you can get rid of components that don't work without throwing out a whole device!!! AH - MAH - ZING!!!!! See:

AGAIN.....and say it with me........AH......MAH......ZING!
Watch their video:

Now JOIN THEM! CLICK HERE TO SUPPORT THE IDEA!!

3.) Ok.....this is an article I really LOVED. This is for my Toronto peeps. (Sorry all you non-GTA'ers)
BlogT O is the BEST!!!!!!! Check out this article by Derek Flack! READ IT HERE!!!

I love that the house above (as well as a number around the GTA are just transformers dressed up as houses!) No--- not the robots......but ENERGY transformers!
OR....

Read the rest: http://www.blogto.com/city/2013/09/10_quirky_things_you_might_not_know_about_toronto/

4.) Ok....so I know this is STILL MONTHS AWAY.....but I am looking forward to Jennifer Nettles album that comes out in January.......yes....JAN-U-FREAKING-ARY!!!
I love her from Sugarland........she has a super voice!!!
UNTIL January.......I guess I can just listen to this new song......

It's ok.......enjoyable....but seriously Jen?? January??
I have HUGE expectations! ;-)

5.) Again.....for all my geeks...here are TWO things I just couldn't decide between....first up.....Honest Trailers presents World War Z (BRILLIANT ASSESSMENT - as always!):

OR...........The top 10 best Chewbacca quotes.... here are a few......but you should really read the whole list!!

(thanks Cindy and BuzzFeed!)

ROB - LIVE AT THE FALL HOME SHOW 2013!!!!!!!!!

Exciting show news!
In a couple of weeks I will be showing at the Toronto Fall Home Show!

I know what you're thinking.....the home show??? Rob...really?
But let me tell you about it!
They are having 12 artist/gallery booths that are right by the stage (the heart) of the show.
It is 4 glorious - rain - UNAFFECTED days to show my art!!!
(and my new Giclèes)
So......come out and see some brand new work (without getting wet or sweaty) and while you're at the Home Show pick up a SHAM-WOW!
Come for the hot tubs - stay for the art!!!
I will be posting all about the new work for this show.....so keep an eye out!!
I hope to see you there!

CABBAGETOWN ARTS AND CRAFTS POST-MORTEM!

Hey! Happy Friday!!
I have lots of things on the go right now.....I MEAN A LOT! I will share on Monday!
But I wanted to talk a little about last weekend first!

Here is my micro-summary of The Cabbagetown Arts and Crafts Show.....
So...day one...on Friday....you show up E-A-R-L-Y to stake your place for the weekend.
Literally! "I claim this land in the name of....."
I have been telling people that it is not unlike "The Hunger Games" - that morning, before the sun rises....the competition is ON!
You see, everyone wants that 'special spot' in the park - although I am told there is not "bad spot"! (then again, artists/vendors showed up at 5am just to get "good spots" - so you judge!!)
At 9am the bell rings......(I KID YOU NOT!) and then day REALLY begins.......when the bell tolls - everyone is allowed to unload......and start to set up on their claimed land!
(Let's remember here......that the show doesn't start until 1pm)
I swanned in at 8am.......and I was shocked!! The park was already a beehive of activity. Well...maybe not activity........more like people just standing on their small patch...waiting for a bell - filled with excitement and anxiety!
FUN!
For the record - I thought my spot was pretty good!!!
Ok......so fast forward several hours......and my booth looked like this.

Thankfully it was a lovely sunny day!
Now.........when the show opens - it is kinda slow. I guess people have to work on Friday afternoons!!
WHO KNEW??
As you can see below........it was not so busy at first........yes...look closely and see the tumbleweeds!

I was excited about the show, because I had a number of affordable small pieces...like these:

"Flamboyance", 6 x 6 mixed media
$50.00
YUP!!!! ONLY 50 bones!!!!
CRAZY!!!!

"Half Cocked", 6 x 6 mixed media
ALSO $50.00
This one is STILL AVAILABLE!!

I was also selling some little mixed media pieces that were based on my original paintings......

See the tiny 3" x 4" boxes?
They were only $25.00 a piece!!!!
COME ON!!!!!!!!!!

OK.....so the first day was slow.....but nice weather and a lovely time to get to know your neighbours.

it was a lovely afternoon - with music.....

and food.....

And we packed up that night feeling pretty ok. 

Fast forward to the next morning........

DUM DUM DUMMMMMM

(that was my best "ominous sound" effect!!)

Honestly.....there is nothing more disheartening that TERRIBLE WEATHER!
It started at 8:30am (the moment we arrived to unpack)

...and it lasted until 5pm.

Yes......in that time it began to rain IN my tent - but then after 20 of these shows......my tent was bound to fail sooner or later!! SIGH.

I WAS ALSO FREEZING COLD!!!!

So all and all it was TERRIBLE..........but then I got some good news......

There was a bell ringing and then a crowd......and suddenly....

BAM!
I was special awarded!!!!!!
I was really pleased as punch.
It took 9 years.....and 20 outdoor shows......but I FINALLY got an award!!!
There is the lesson kids.......just stick with it and work HARD and eventually you WIN!!!
And shortly after that....THIS happened......

(Insert heavenly choir of angels singing here!)
So....we packed up my soggy belongings and left the rain and sadness behind.
Generally it was NOT a great day.....but making people call me
"Award Winning Rob Croxford" all day - lifted my spirits!!
The next day.......
PERFECTION.
Lots of people. Lots of sun.

 So......my last outdoor show of the season.....final verdict?
It would have been pretty good if it were not for that pesky rain RUINING the Saturday!!
That same pesky rain that has been KILLING me at all my outdoor shows this year!
Thanks to all who came out!
Thanks to my LOVELY neighbours.....
and thanks to the organizers of the show.
A special shout out to Richard Silver who awarded me!!!!
So...that is the end......dry until next year......
Monday I will be announcing my next show!!