FRIDAY HOUSEKEEPING: NEW PRESS....AND NEW WORKS ON LESLIEVILLE ART CRAWL

Hello! Happy Friday!
What a week for me!
Yes....it is true.....I am still in the midst of trying to find new studio space for myself. The hunt in not really revealing much so far in the way of great spaces at affordable prices.....but I am not panicking.
Something will reveal itself when the time is right!
Ok....also this week my photo spread in "Neighbourhood Living" (East and Beach) came out!

READ IT ON THIS BLOG FROM MONDAY!
It was super to get this press.
BUT THEN.....there is also this......remember when I was a BIG WINNER at the Cabbagetown Arts and Crafts Show? Re-READ this post to remember!

To jog your memory....I received the Richard Silver Special Award. Yes. An award for specialness! You can read about it on the Cabbagetown site......

NOW you can also read a little interview about my first experience WINNING something!
Check out this LINK to Torontoism.com!!!

Thanks Richard Silver/Jackie Marchildon for this little piece!! 

I appreciate the free promotion!!!!

ALSO..........if you are looking for something to do after brunch this Sunday.....may I suggest checking out my new work Toronto/Rural landscapes on reclaimed wood at MJG Gallery

You will LOVE the new work....and I can't wait for you to see it......here is a bit what you will see:

"Build, Moron!",  acrylic on mixed medium, 10" x 20" 

Each piece is painted on a segment of reclaimed wood from my Grandpa's old barn.
The barn got torn down a few years ago....and my Dad went and took a load of the wood home for me. Honestly.....I thought I would make a bench or something cool with it.....but as the years passed.....
I realized - I am not as skilled as a carpenter as I am as a painter.
So these WELL PRICED little gems are my first use of the wood!
It was weird cutting it up, but I like the idea that the McCord Barn lives on in people's homes!

"Cha-Ching",  acrylic on mixed medium, 10" x 20"

 Yes....they have less words on them - but they still have a little bite!!

"Outside the Box",  acrylic on mixed medium, 10" x 20"

So go by MJG Gallery this weekend and check these out!!!

After that..........you can swing by and see my new tin toy piece at Atomic Toybot - whose show 'the devil's in the details' opens that day too!!! 

I will show you my NEW piece for Atomic Toybot on MONDAY....

(as it is STILL not done!!)

Be the first to see it at the crawl! SERIOUSLY......GO AND CHECK OUT THE CRAWL!!!! 

Here are all the deets:

Check out the FACEBOOK page with more details about this SUPER FUN crawl!!!!!

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

ROBOT ATTACK!!!

Recently, I was asked to do a commission that was Space-y.

The result was FATASTIC...ad you can read about it HERE.....

I had such fun painting a robot again...that I returned to it......and created another one!

Here is the process I went trhough creating this brand new painting!

I hope you enjoy this:

This was my original photoshop/sketch illustration.
(I did this a last year.....but never did the actual painting.)

I felt like I could improve this simple illustration by incorporating the design techniques I used in my 'Sign of the Times' series........and came up with this NEW AND IMPROVED drawing:

As you can see....I added a bunch of other details to it!

As you can see - sometimes waiting to finish something can provide superior results. I had fun creating the space themed luggage tags, the blueprint of a rocket, the coaster, and the post card!!

Step one was drawing and then blocking in......

The blocking in is the WORST PART!!

When it gets to this stage - it begins to get FUN!

Adding the line work helped me flesh out the details on Mr Robot!

More done.

  At this point....I started some colour correction in the illustration, and started adding the shading and details that make each piece really 'shine'.

The folds and washes and tape and such.......LOVE doing this part!!

 And that is that.......here is the final piece!
I could not be happier with it. It has a nice colour scheme with peaches and oranges and blues - that is something that is not my 'usual' palette.

"When Robots Attack", 30" x 24", Acrylic on Board

This piece is going to be exhibited at a group show called "Monsters and Robots" at Atomic Toybot:

ALSO.....I made a print from this piece.

EXCITING? OH YES!!!!

Here is what that looks like (unframed):

Yes...it looks better in person!

The framed print will debut at the Atomic Toybot show next week!!

HORSING AROUND: MY LITTLE PONY

Howdy y'all.
Sometimes I get 'stuck' artistically. I know you may find it hard to believe (given how much work I produce in a year) but it is true!!!
Sometimes inspiration comes in the oddest of places.
My friend Cindy suggested I create something for an upcoming show at Atomic Toybot.
The show is called "The Pony Paddock" and it opens on Wednesday February 13.
It is a show all about My Little Pony.
Yes, you heard me.
I know it seems like a strange fit for me, but sometimes, you just need to do something ELSE to kickstart your creativity. This was EXACTLY the kick in the pants I needed!!!
I will have more deets on the show in the next couple weeks....
But until then, please enjoy my take on the MLP phenomenon:

Yes. "Friendship is Magic" is actually their 'motto' or 'credo' or whatever it is......

My take is perhaps a bit more cynical.

What do you think??