...MORE TTC STREETCAR MERCH!!!!

Hey guys!
Here we have them....NEW PRINTS!!!
I am about to update my website, and update my Easy account.......but I wanted you to get a preview of these beauties:

To read about the original painting "King of the Road" please read THIS POST!!!
Just like all my other paintings, the original is ONE OF A KIND.
These prints are crazy affordable BECAUSE these are prints (or giclèes - if you are fancy person)
But they are a limited edition....so they will eventually be GONE! ;-)

A Giclèe is a sophisticated inkjet method of printing on acid free watercolor paper. 

They are produced for me by a professional Giclèe Printer on an Epson printer with K3 pigment inks.

You can buy a 16" x 20" for  $75.00 

or 8" x 10" for only $35.00

If you wanna be the very first to own one of these - just email me....
These pieces will also be available at The Spacing Store, starting NEXT week!!

OKAY! Have a great weekend y'all!!!

T.A.P. HANGOVER MONDAY

Good Morning!
Well, it's over.....The The Artist Project is now done!
 was 4 glorious days of art schlocking and hocking!
HERE WAS MY BOOTH:

A huge art fair with 250ish artists.....

If you are wondering whether I won the competition....(read this post about my LONG losing history) the answer is NOPE! Don't worry, I am fine with it! :-)
Here is some of the other work:

I'm not gonna lie to you, it was challenging weekend for me.
Honestly, my person headspace is still kinda cloudy due to London-gate which makes being "on" for the weekend a LOT of work! BUT the thing is, you are there to SELL your work (and yourself) and if you can't do that, then you will have spent a lot of $$ just to sit around an art show all weekend. So I put on my best face, and worked the crowd for 4 days. YAY ME! ;-)
Unfortunately, Mother Nature was not on our side this weekend, so the attendance felt a bit weak.
It is the chance you ALWAYS take with a show!
But the pressure of this show is a bit different. You see, it costs me about $4000 to do the show, and so to make back a profit can be a tall order!
I am fortunate, it has been a good show for many years, and although I did make enough to cover the booth costs.....it's just not enough.
The thing is, if I don't make enough $$ to also cover all the supplies and hours of painting that go into the show, then it just isn't worth it for me.
THAT is the reality of being a full-time artist!
To me,  the "experience" and the "exposure" mean very little if it is not profitable - or if it doesn't have some leads. It may sound anti-art but.....

I make art - because I love it --- I sell art because it is my PROFESSION.

I am SUPER grateful for my clients that made it out this weekend......your consistent enjoyment of my work make me SO DARN HAPPY!!!!!
I am also grateful that I had such wonderful neighbours! Especially:

http://www.erincrowley.ca

http://tempeststudios.net

http://randyengelberg.com

GREAT people that made the days go a LOT faster!
Go and check out their art!!!!

SO.....after 8 years, I have decided that I am going to take a year off from TAP and see what else I can get cooking. I have some ideas.....you'll have to wait and see!

I am also working on a plan right now for the next few months of shows, and I hope to share my schedule of shows with you SOON!

I'll have another post for you on Friday! Have a great week....and thanks for taking the time read this today!

FRIDAY - LET'S DRINK!!!

HOWDY!
If you are a regular reader........you will know that I am in the thick of:
The Artist Project
(you can read more about that big show HERE!)
But here are the deets one last time:

The Artist Project, Better Living Centre, Exhibition Place, Toronto

Tonight (20th) from 11am to 8pm
Saturday (21st) from 11am to 8pm
Sunday (22nd) from 11am to 6pm

See me in BOOTH #502

Also.....I wanna share the last NEW NEW painting I will be showing:

"Drink Like a Fish", 12" x 12", Acrylic on Wood

I LOVE THIS ONE!

Come out and see it in person!

There's nothing like the real thing!!!!!

Have a great weekend -- I hope to see you!

TORONTO STREETCARS - "KING OF THE ROAD"!

Good Wednesday!
But NOT a "Wonderful Wednesday".
Sorry!
If you are a regular reader you will have noticed a lack of #WonderfulWednesday posts since I have been back. The truth is, it is super time consuming creating a post about 5 things that are interesting enough to me to promote and blog about (those posts take me about 4 hours to craft)!
I am still playing catch-up from being away for 3 months.
So you will have to wait for another 2 weeks for #WW to return! :-(
So to apologize......I give you this piece:

"King of the Road", 40" x 30", Acrylic on canvas

BLAM!
So this piece is just me playing with theme of repetition.
For you streetcar nerds.....you'll notice it is mostly the Canadian Light Rail Vehicle (CLRV) -- The one us non-streetcar-nerds probably know the best - and see the most often! There is also a Presidents' Conference Committee Car (the retro one) that is my fave! But there is also a Bombardier Transportation Flexity Outlook (the brand new vehicles rolling out over the next few years).
I had troubles deciding what quote to use. Eventually I decided on "KING OF THE ROAD".
Although, I was almost gonna use "HATERS GONNA HATE".....

So this piece will be exhibited for the very first time starting TOMORROW at The Artist Project:

READ MORE ABOUT The Artist Project....read more about that big show HERE!
Also this "King of the Road" will be available (in 2 weeks) as a giclèe.
It will be available as a 16" x 20" print and a 8" x 10" print.
It will also eventually be available as a postcard.
STAY TUNED FOR THAT ANNOUNCEMENT!

VALUE VILLAGE 2015!

Hiya friends! HAPPY FAMILY DAY!!!!!!
So, ever since I have gotten back, I have had non-stop requests for a Value Village blog post!
For those of you who have never read one of these posts.......buckle up!
I go to second hand stores and antique markets and I handpick items that you, my loyal readers, may find irresistible.......and list all the MUST BUYS.....YOU'RE WELCOME!

Let's begin with some fun and games.......

Yes, good for all ages "Pass-out" will both entertain, and teach your child important life lessons.
Roll a 6 for someone to hold your hair back.....land on a 'blackout card' for a hilarious story about how you remember a key skill from your youth, and insist on demonstrating it. 

Ah yes, the FUN game of child abuse....originally titled "you wouldn't like Daddy when he is angry".
By all means, let's illustrate a mother's sole purpose in life....QUIETLY getting food ready for her sleeping husband.

"Aggravation", from the company that brought you "Provocation" and "Irritation"

There is nothing about this I understand......and I dislike the use of the words 'inky-dinky'

Who doesn't like a game of "Sleeping Queens"?
Wait....I'm thinking of "Sleeping with Queens".....
(a game best played after a drag-out game of Pass-Out OR Aggravation!!)

Really? We need a game for this?
I just call that hockey.

CONTAINS:
1) calming music cd
2) small snack
3) vodka
4) earplugs
What am I missing?? I could not open it!

I love a good pun.......
this isn't it.

All the electronic kitchen helpers.....
...including a battery powered nutcracker??

I wonder if he regrets this.....

(see comment above)

Right from nippers to chippers.
(Sorry Charo - but it's just TMI for me!) 

For sale, one slightly used human sized bear.
Perfect for single gals, or smuggling 80 KG of herione!

Okay ladies, how many times have you struggled sewing in the dark?
Well, thanks to Ron Popeil, you will suffer no longer!

 OKAY.....its time for a game of which original art is the best......here are the contenders......

Dogs with their tongues wagging, playing poker.

More dogs with their tongues wagging, playing poker. 

STILL MORE.....though they aren't playing poker....

 FUN GAME, right?
OKAY - here's another......
WHICH wearable item did I buy.......

This somewhat incomplete Unicorn accessory set.
I believe it is usually sold with a complete lack of self esteem.
yes...it looks like approval from Daddy comes separately.

OR

Insert lascivious piano joke here.
"When he gets upright, I feel grand...."

 OR

From the house of Jimmy Buffet Couture.

OR

THIS STUNNING example of american timepiece craftsmanship was IN THE LOCKED CASE!!!!
I KID YOU NOT!!!!

 OR

This wig.....which was hung on the rack labelled "winter hats".

If you guessed that I bought ALL these items...you are spot on!

Now I would like to show you some of the 20 or so PACKS of trading cards that were available......
Now, admittedly, I may just be jealous that I do not have the face for a trading card......but.....
We could a play a game of Date, F**k, Kill, Trade......

Robert......

Brad Paisley.....

Maxx '95....

Andy.......the crew chief.

...and then there's this:

Is this a drunken confrontation, a new TLC show, or what happened when I last played "Pass-out"?
You tell ME!
**Hint - either way it is HAWT!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 Now to the "collectibles" aisle......

The 3 horned friar is watching and judging!

Cher on a bender is watching, judging and turning back time. 

Insert big COCK joke here.

....and right after a delightful swing, Rocky used the rope to strangle a squirrel for his nuts.

FOR THE LOVE OF ALL THINGS HOLY.......what is it??
and why does she have skin like a bag of microwave popcorn?
Maybe it's just measles......I hear they are going around.....
OH....you haven't heard about not vaccinating your children? Maybe they should mention it  MORE!???

Finally I leave you with this, I promise you, I DID NOT SET IT UP..........
I give you "The Evolution of Woman"........

Seems about right though, huh Ladies? All the ages are defined here......
Baby- toddler - teenager- young woman in 20's - 90 year old - squirrel.

Thanks for reading today, guys!
I hope you enjoyed this post!

A "COCK AND BULL STORY" FOR THE ARTIST PROJECT

Howdy!
Happy Friday! YOU MADE IT!
Today I am gonna share ANOTHER new painting that I am entering into The Artist Project's competition. Each year, TAP has a contest based on a theme. Artists are encouraged to enter a piece to be judged for a cash award!
So, each year for the past 8 years, I have entered a piece created SPECIFICALLY for this yearly T.A.P. artist competition. I know what you are thinking......have you ever won a first, second, third or people's choice award?
No. (Insert "aaaaaw" here!)
I know, I know, a crime. I should probably be sore by now....that's 28 chances....no wins.
My win? I have sold most of the works that I created!
Oh.......and hey.....it's just an honour to be included.
And even if that isn't 100% honest, it HAS always been fun to create something different.
Here are all SEVEN of my losing entries....

"Speed" -- 2008 ORANGE competition - SOLD!

"Chocolate" -- 2009 CHOCOLATE competition - SOLD!

"Beauty Queen" --2010 QUEEN competition - AVAILABLE!

"Lemonaide" -- 2011 LEMON competition - SOLD!

"Energy" --2012 ENERGY competition - SOLD!

"Face Value" -- 2013 FACES competition - AVAILABLE!

"Toronto Harbour" -- 2014 SET SAIL competition - SOLD!

OKAY, admittedly, as I look back on all the entries, some are stronger than others...and there are 2 still available for sale!
BUT THIS YEAR......the competition theme is "TYPE".
Now, any of my work would fit this theme....I have text in almost all of my paintings...but I did a new piece to enter.....here it is......

"Cock and Bull Story", 24" x 24", Acrylic on Canvas.

**A "cock and bull story" is a hard to believe or made-up story.

Well? Whadda ya think?

Will I continue my unbroken record? 

Why don't YOU come out to The Artist Project next week and VOTE FOR ME!?

;-)

HERE IS A POST ALL ABOUT T.A.P.!

I hope to see you there!

Have a great weekend y'all!