WINE O'CLOCK!

Happy Birthday! Oh....wait........it's MY birthday.......
(No....no.......no presents necessary!)
BUT my present to you, is this BRAND NEW PAINTING!
This was a commission.....I know what you are thinking.....
HOLD THE PHONE..........ROB.........YOU DO COMMISSIONS???
Yes.......yes I do!
And a fair number of them!!
This one was pretty fun.........My client wanted me to do a painting called "wine o'clock".....and wanted it to be  12" x 12"....like my other "Mixed Message Series" paintings.
Now.....full disclosure......this client is also my 2nd cousin.......which may have added a little pressure to really knock it out of the park.......but still.....super fun challenge!
I got some parameters - it had to be white wine......and beyond that....it was up to me!
(WHICH IS PERFECT!)
Thankfully I have been to their home......so I kinda remembered lots of earth tones and some yellows, reds and browns in the decor........so I tried to keep the colours in that family.
I handled it a bit like a traditional still life oil painting, which may have added a bit of extra time to the painting of it, but I am SUPER HAPPY with the results:

"Wine O'Clock, 12" x 12", Acrylic on Wood"

Kinda subtle....no?
It was a challenge to work in this palette.....but I think it works quite well!

It is kinda in the same vein as this piece:

"Cock and Bull Story" 24" x 24" 

"Cock and Bull Story" is a bigger piece -- which will be available at The ONE OF A KIND SHOW:

AND NOPE.....sorrry......there are no prints of either of these 2 works!
(They are just way too reasonably priced to reproduce! :-)
I may use the term 'wine o'clock' again though......anyone interested in that???!

ANYWAYS......thankfully, my 'cuz seemed to like the final product too!
(Which is the MOST important thing!)
HUZZAH!

As you can see, dear friends, I am 'adaptable' in style if it belongs within my painting Series!
So.......keep that one in mind -- Christmas is coming!!
Also if you ever have suggestions for upcoming works....I would be happy to entertain those!!
Thanks guys!

"a-MOOSE-ments" IN The 'Peg!

HELLO!
Welcome to Monday!
Today I wanna share more photos from my recent trip to Winnipeg!
If you missed the EXCITING and occasionally funny PART ONE of my report....
GO HERE!!!!!
Now.....let's continue.......as a treat - my hosts took me to a 'cottage' for a few days......and to some of the smaller towns around the 'Tob.
(Yup - I just shortened Manitoba! YOU'RE WELCOME!)
There is kinda a theme to this post.....see if you get it - or rather take a shot each time I reference a moose.....there.....that's one shot! Here's another.......

The "largest moose in Manitoba" just happened to be in Riverton where I was staying.
I.
COULDN'T.
BELEIVE.
MY.
LUCK!!!!!

Hey Riverton - nice caboose!!!
I was excited to check out this little museum/visitors centre....
sadly it was not open.....during the day, in 'tourist season'.........

.......so I handled it like an adult should! I waited for death on a train track.....
.....you know.....as you do......

...went to the beach......

.....did I mention it was the coldest week they had all summer????
You know how POWERFUL of a weather maker I am!
Here I am in my swimsuit! 

ON THE BEACH I SAW A MOOSE.....near the abandoned Beach eating shelter..... 

UM.....OKAY?
Rivertonians feel a real kinship with the people of NYC.
It must be because of all their similarities........... 

I simply can't go a day without a workout!
You guys.....you know that about me.....right???

THE NEXT DAY.....we drove to scenic Hecla Island!!
I called it "Heck Ya"!

It's a beautiful provincial Park! If you like that kinda thing.

We did a nature hike - so that I could see another moose.....a live one......

THIS IS A MOOSE VIEWING STATION!
moose view
moose view
moose view
SAY THAT 3 times fast!

"the fall rut" is also the name of my mood....because I DID NOT SEE THE PROMISED MOOSE!

.....thanks iPhone panorama......

.....for making me look like a total a-hole!

In the town of Heck YA, I went door to door spreading the good word.

"Do you have a moment to talk about Moose?"

DRAT! I missed this!!!!!!

Land fishing. I think they need more than a blessing to get fish this way......

Meanwhile, I found these TREASURES in the general store.....

Uh huh....sage advice......

The perfect gift for Papa or grandpapa or your sister-wife.....

...or.......neither......

Clever!
Yep......I'm drunk again!

....and speaking of clever.........

HILARIOUS!!
Women! Am I right??
Totally made by a women - FOR women!!!

It's funny because it's misogynistic!
You go girls!

Next door to the general store....

This machine was part of a saw mill.....sadly the blade was gone......

MOOSE!!!!!!!

This is a moose condo....or a lighthouse.....I DON'T KNOW....I AM A CITY SLICKER!

The marina was nice.......

Marina members

SO THAT WAS THAT.
Driving back -- we saw this:

BEE-DO-BEE-DO
I love this sign....
"looki work??

....save it for Instagram, Rob!

Next day the tour took us to the scenic town of Gimli....

De plane. 

DEEEEEEALS
FOOOOOOR
DOLLAAAAAAAAARS
(say it like it is everyone's favourite gameshow!)

Gimli Hotel is "where good friends meet".
Um.....I seldom meet my friends at a hotel.....is it just me? 

The bird slums of Gimli.

I felt the burn from this far away!
Have I seen too many movies......or does this look like the kind of place that sinister things happen???

Okay.....on to Winnipeg Beach.......

We went to the arcade to play all the latest games.......

AH

MAH

ZING

It was frozen in time.....AND I LOVED IT.......

This was the wall of heroes.

Remember when John Travolta was kinda cute,
and not like a cross between uncle Fester and Pugsley from the Addams Family ?!?

FEED THE MACHINES.....tuppence a bag!!!!

Let's review.....
Monkey on phone,
Monkey short-order cook,
and......
Super Hasidic Jew Man???

BEEFCAKE!!!!!!!!

THESE were the prizes!
It was wonderful!

I would LOVE you to tell me what is happening in this sequence of events......

a) I finally snapped and decided to do the world a favour by blowing up a croc manufacturing plant

b) I was wearing a pair of striped socks and ruby slippers.....then all of a sudden.......

c) Moose Attack

d) ? You tell me!!

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My host tried to tell me that these were moose....but you can't fool me:

STARE MUCH?????
.....this was seriously disturbing to me!!
STOP IT!! YOU'RE FREAKING ME OUT!!!!!!

So to recap....no f^&*ng moose......but lots of great rural memories to make me thankful that I chose to live in a city! ;-)
Okay....so that is more from Manitoba!

BUT WAIT......I have more to show......the next one is a "Bargain Hunt" post......

(By request!)

You're welcome!!!