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

BETTER LATE.....

Hey-ooo.
Well, it is Saturday, and I thought, since I didn't post anything yesterday, I would post something today.
I wanted to thank those who made it out to my "Auto Fixation" Exhibition opening on Thursday.

For those who didn't get a chance, the show runs until June 20th.

Art Trax Gallery, 110 Lakeshore Rd. E, Port Credit ON
Hours: Tuesday-Saturday 9am-5pm
p: 905.274.3400

So far the show has been well received. On Tuesday, the Aston Martin Club had their monthly pub night at the gallery. So I was at the gallery rubbing shoulders with hard core car collectors. It was good! On Thursday was the regular opening. And Sunday a bunch of the work is touring up to Mosport for the day! So let's hope all this promotion gets some paintings SOLD! ;-)

I thought I would post the 4 mixed media pieces....each is 9" x 12" and is part of my "Mixed Message" Series. Each delightful little piece is affordably priced at only $275!!!!!!!
Here you go:

"Road Rage" (it features a Plymouth Fury aka Christine)

"Sunday Drivers"

"Lead Foot"

"Traffic Jam"

Ok....so there you go.....I will probably only post about this show one more time.
In the meantime, I gotta get to work on new stuff for the Toronto Outdoor Art Exhibition.
(I will post more about it soon!)
Back to the grindstone!!!
Have a  great weekend y'all!

NEGLECTED AND IN THE RAW?

Hello friends!
I know what you are thinking.
ROB.....WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN? WHY HAVE YOU NEGLECTED US??
I am sorry faithful (and semi-faithful) followers, but it has been a CAR-AZY week!
As y'all know I have been busting my hump (yes, I said busting my hump - what of it?) to try to get my "Auto Fixation" Exhibition done. And today....I can FINALLY tell you....it is!!
D-O-N-E....done!
I go in to the gallery tomorrow to hang the work....and then to get drunk!
;-)
I kid, I kid!!
So to add to the stress of getting the last works done, I had the Riverdale Art Walk on the weekend.
For those of you who don't know what it is click on the link.
Honestly, I do not want to talk about it.
I just can't.
Ok...ok, stop hounding me.....I will tell you about it.
Once a year the businesses in the area of Queen East open their doors to exhibit art.
And as part of this event, there is a group show in Jimmie Simpson Park.
In previous years, I have sweated and gotten rained on at this event. It can be challenging!
It can also be very great exposure!!
This year, I took a chance and just opened the doors on my little studio under hangman Gallery instead.
What does it mean?
Well, it means that I didn't need to get up in the early am to set up my booth.......in the rain......
and I didn't need to pack up at the end of a long day.......in the rain....
On the flip side, it also meant that I didn't get the foot traffic that they did in the park.
But we must count our blessings, an d move forward, right?
So, it was a bit of a disappointment, but I like to think of every experience as an opportunity.
And one can never be sure what effect they are having on the universe until it is done.
So, I remain hopeful for some future opportunities - that may not have happened without this past weekend's lack of 'success'?
You with me?
Up with new.....out with old....
(insert another trite, yet uplifting mantra here)
I was gonna show y'all a couple new paintings......
but they are doing 'maintenance' at Blogspot...so...not so much!
But I promise, I will post some new paintings soon!!

AUTO FIXATION: the deets

Hey y'all.
Today is the shorted blog post EV-VAH!
It is a crazy busy day, I am already 11/2 hours behind schedule and it is only 11AM!!!!!!!!
So.... here is everything you need to know about my upcoming exhibition:


"AUTO FIXATION"
A new exhibition of original works by Rob Croxford

Here is my Artist Statement about the show.....imagine me not speaking in 3rd person though...

 ‘Auto Fixation’ is a tribute to the long line of mechanics in Rob’s ancestry, especially his Dad. Truthfully, Rob has never been a ‘car guy’, mostly because he has no aptitude in this area. However, he does have a deep appreciation good design and a talent for finding the beauty in almost any subject matter. The vintage car is the ultimate testament to outstanding design, and the paintings in ‘Auto Fixation’ explore the beauty of this! Rob’s work appropriates quotes & through irony/word puns/satire, re-invents the subject matter to draw attention to current issues. He mimics advertising iconography from pre-1950 to establish a ‘vintage’ visual look in his paintings. The unapologetically happy style enables the work to remain accessible, and helps diminish any political sting. Rob hopes that his work entertains but also challenges people to re-assess their opinions about our values and our traditions. 

The Reception will be a super cool night....come out and share a tasty beverage with him me!

I look forward to seeing you there. 

 I will not have the full catalogue of 25 brand spanking new paintings (YES I SAID TWENTY-FIVE!!!!) on my actual website (www.robcroxford.com) until the day of June 9th!

(but if you spend some time on this blog you can probably see them all)

Remember, seeing the web versions is NOTHING like seeing them all in person.

Also......I will not be showing these works at the Toronto Outdoor Art Exhibition in July.

So try to come out and see these great new works.

There.

Have I built it up enough for you????

I hope to see y'all out on the 9th!!!

FRIDAY....

I believe it was Robert Frost that said "It’s Friday, Friday...Gotta get down on Friday...Everybody’s lookin’ forward to the weekend, weekend.....Friday, Friday.....Gettin’ down on Friday.......Everybody’s lookin’ forward to the weekend.....Partyin’, partyin’ (Yeah)....Partyin’, partyin’ (Yeah).....Fun, fun, fun, fun... ..Lookin’ forward to the weekend."
That was Robert Frost who wrote that...wasn't it????
Anyways....So I have had a super productive work week. 
I finished 2 more paintings and began another (that I will show on Monday!) 
So here you go...the 2 latest:

"Good 'Ol Days", Acrylic on Board, 24" x 18"

 So you might recognize this one. I decided to retrofit an old painting (see photo below) to jazz it up.

Truthfully if something lasts in my studio over 3 years, it is time for it to be re-imagined! I like the new look of the bottom! Don't you?

"Speed Demon", Acrylic on Canvas, 16" x 20"

This one is fun. It was a pleasure to paint and it really moved quickly which is great at this point (as I have only 2 weeks until the big 'Auto Fixation' Show! 
So that is it for this week. Enjoy your long weekend.....and i'll be back on Monday!!

RAINY DAYS ON MONDAYS ALWAYS GET ME DOWN.

Yes, gentle friends, I know that is not the right lyrics, but I enjoy singing to the tune of my own song.
(I know that is not the right saying either.....)
So, I worked all weekend, yes, even on Sunday.
Sigh.
But I got another painting finished:

"3 Wheels", Acrylic on canvas, 16" x 20" 

This is obviously a toy. A 'Shelby Cobra' Hot Wheels.
That is why I have a cobra in the background........that makes a giant '3' in his/her body.
The quote is one of my faves......but is from an unknown person.....I googled the quote and found that there are three alleged authors of this pithy quote.  Jason Love, Eric Parslow, and John Owens.
Actually it has been attributed to someone who calls himself SugarDaddy07....
....but that one seems especially suspect.
So there ya go.
I have another 16x20 that I am working on and hope to post tomorrow morning.....
I am sooooooooooo looking forward to June 9th, when "Auto Fixation" opens!!!

BONUS POST.....

Hey y'all!
So it is Saturday, and I am working like a mad man!
No. Not like Don Draper.
.....like a mad scientist.
Although, I might be saying that just because my hair is on end!
Whatever.
So here is the final painting of the one I posted last night....
to refresh your memory, this is what it looked like yesterday....

And here it is completed:

So, this 20" x 60" Acrylic on canvas is called "Free and Easy".

I was really pleased at the final look.

I like how the sexy lady turned out.

The cityscape is taken right outside the CBC building in Toronto. 

(At the time they had just started the construction on The Ritz-Carlton Hotel)

The "Living Free and Easy" poster was fun to create too! 

(and I love any opportunity to paint faux tape on the corners)

The tin toy is replica of the car James Dean made famous (Little Bastard)

A 1954 Porsche 550 Spyder 

The quote on this painting is:

"Ever notice that anybody going slower than you is an idiot, and anyone going faster is a manic?" 

------George Carlin

This piece will be exhibited at Art Trax gallery in Port Credit in June, for my "Auto Fixation"!

That is it for today!

Have a  great weekend all!!

BLOGGER DOWN.......

Ok, so Blogspot was down for a part of the day.....
Not sure why it was 'down', but I do know it means I am super late with this post.
I am gonna make this a record SHORT post, because it is getting to be my beddy-bye time.
Ya, you heard me. B.B.T.
Here is what I am working on.......I will post a better (and hopefully complete photo tomorrow!!)
Enjoy:

Friends, I am SOOO sick today.
Stupid flu/cold/plague has forced me to spend the day on the couch.....
So this is a record in very short bloggery!
(Yes, I am sure bloggery is a word - do not question the sickly!)
Here is my latest painting for "Auto Fixation":

"Splat" 16" x 20" Acrylic on canvas

Ok...that's it...back to my sleep.
Have a great - illness free weekend!!!

MONDAY MONDAY.

Well, it's monday. MEH.
I, not unlike Garfield, am not particularly fond of the day.....but am a huge fan of lasagna!
It is hard to get my mojo back after taking a day off. (sunday=bunchday)
It is especially hard, as I didn't work on Saturday either.
I spent the majority of the day fixing up my poor dilapidated garden.
But, back 'adder today!!!
I am not feeling the love for a wordy blog post today, so instead, here is my latest painting:

16" x 20" Acrylic on canvas. "Traffic Jam".

Obviously this is for my new show opening up on June 9th.
Read all about "Auto Fixation" HERE.

BAD @SS!

Hello friends! Happy Friday!!
Today I wanted to show you a new piece that I just finished that I will be showing at my "Auto Fixation" exhibition. But here is the thing........it is a titchy bit illegal.
Ok....truthfully it is flat out trademark infringement.
Thus the post name. Yes, I know when you think of me you immediately think 'bad @ss'
I am a rule breaker. As you can see, I may have used the imagery from a certain game......
I know, I know, that is not good...but it just happened!!!
Just the once.
We have all done something suspect in the past, am I right??
There is an illegal skeleton or TWO in your closet as well..........isn't there??
Anyone???????

Don't call the Monopoly police.......please!!!

Ok, so as I am writing this I am thinking of a few other times I have bended the rules ever so slightly when it comes to trademark/copyright issues.
Let's call them unintentional painting malfunctions.
Here are some other UPM's!
Enjoy:

Look at the tiny trademark infringement in the top left corner....don't mention it to Disney!

Dear Disney. Please pay no attention to the elephants on parade in the background.

I paint a LOT of toys. I am not sure if that is infringement or not? Should I be expecting a Fisher-Price Smackdown?

I also paint a lot of places and a lot of signage......is this Hooters sign illegal to paint? The better question is:
Is it wrong to make money on big boobs and overpriced wings??

So there are a couple examples.
Please do NOT scold me.
I will NEVER consciously do it again. Or at least I will try!!!!

ON THE MOVE 2.0

Hello all. I hope you are enjoying your day off, and are taking the time to read my latest blog posts!!
Happy Bunny day. Or passover. Or Cheaster (Chinese Easter).
This is gonna be short and sweet.
Here is my latest painting.
BEFORE:

2007

I wanted it to be more appropriate for my "Auto Fixation" show, so I redid the car in it.
A little change, but I think a good one!!

2011

Whadda ya think??

THE AUTO FIXATION TRIPLETS

Hello everyone! I am gonna keep this short and sweet, so I can get back to my painting.
No, the AFT are not a singing group!
They are the 3 30" x 60" canvases that I have completed.
I will be showing them at Art Trax Gallery in June (yikes)
Here they are:

"Ready, Set, Go" 

"Mustang Sally"

"Live for Danger"

The last one I JUST finished. It is my ode to 007. For those of you who don't recognize the car, it is an Aston Martin....the kind that James bond drove.........

Also, I have this invite for the "Auto Fixation" Show.

I think that  is all the news I have this week.
Bye bye!

NEED FOR SPEED....

Howdy ho!
I wanted to show you the latest painting in my "Auto Fixation" show
(Coming in June to a gallery near you.......actually a gallery near Mississauga)
ANYWAYS...here it is:

"If everything seems under control, you're not going fast enough." 

The quote is from Mario Andretti.

The car is a Porsche 356 Roadster.
It is the car most associated with James Dean. (He died in the Porsche 550 Spyder)
The poster is for the 24 Hours of LeMan, which is the world's oldest sports car race. (1923)
(no, this poster does not exist.......it is cobbled together from this and that and my brain)
I know what you are thinking.....Rob, those shoes do not go with her outfit.
I just needed some more colour in this composition. And I love me a coloured shoe!

What do you think?

PORSCHE.......

Hello gentle readers, well, it is Friday.
NO.....THIS TIME I AM SURE!!
So, I wanted to show you what I have been up to this week.
This is a painting for my new show:
"Auto Fixation" in June.
Yes...june is REALLY soon.....but I just love me a crazy-ass deadline!
I am gonna keep this blog entry short and sweet. so I can back to the easel.
Here is what the painting looks like right now:

As you can see, I am about 1/2 there.

I am almost done the lady and now I am gonna finish her shoes and the flower in her hair.

Then I will move on to the other elements that need to go in.

I may post another tomorrow!!

Short and sweet!

CHANGING GEAR

Hey All.
As I mentioned the other day (via twitter and facebook) I had a meeting out in Port Credit.
What is in Port Credit, you ask...other than me yesterday??
I took some photos on my way there on the Go:

Yes....I am a master photographer!! (and yes, that is my thumb)

I like that metal like structure in the middle (and my iphone strap in the top left) 

Doesn't this look like a vintage photo (with my iphone case strap)

LOOK!!! NO STRAP IN THE PICTURE......shame about the window reflection

SERIOUSLY...pay no attention to the upper left

I arrived in the P.C. an hour early for my meeting.

So I had a fancy coffee and walked down to the water edge.

I was gonna go for a dip....but it was too GD cold.

Out in the P.C. (Port Credit) 

And in the distance.......HOME! (in the foreground DAMN STRAP!)

LOVE LOVE LOVE this font. The guy at the door thought I was a bit shady though!

The icy waters/trees. Cool huh?

This is the gallery......and as you can see, my work is in the window.
And as you can see, I am living in Jane Seymour's shadow - literally - the shadow from her name is right
across my painting.

So then I went of rmy meeting at the gallery.

This is the ad from the gallery.

So....short story long, it was a good meeting.

AND HERE IS THE BIG ANNOUNCEMENT...

I am going to be doing an exhibition in Port Credit!

Auto Fixation: A show all about cars. (or all that I know about cars - which is surprisingly little)

June 9-20th, 2011

Opening Night: June 9th.

BAM!

I bet you're wondering why a show about cars. 

No. I do not even have a car. 

My dad is a mechanic, so I have never been too interested in them. Sad for him, true....

BUT I do paint them fairly frequently in my Urban Series and even in the Tin Toy Series. 

I,  in fact, really enjoy painting the reflections of metal things. 

Yes, like a crow, I am attracted to shinny objects.

So I thought I would theme a whole show about cars. 

I will keep you all posted as the show comes together.

It will be a fun adventure, and a great challenge for me!

What do you think of the idea?
LOVE IT??

BACK IN COMMISSION....

Hey all!!
Well, I am busy and back at work!
No rest for the wonderful. (Yes, i know it is supposed to be wicked.....BUT!)
So, currently I am finally done the first 2 renderings for my upcoming "Auto Fixation" show.
I know I promised more info last week, but my meeting with my gallery in Port Credit had to reschedule for this week! So I won't have the details until next week. BUT until then, check out what I have planned:
I finished this one for The Artist Project:

But here are 2 companion pieces that will be at the new show:

This rendering is kinda James Bond-y.

This one features a '69 Mustang Fastback!

But before I can plow ahead with these paintings, I have a to start/finish my latest commissioned piece:

Very "deco' looking!

So, that is what I am starting today!

I will post photos as I go along on Twitter.

Check me out on Twitter for the latest latest!!

FAMILY DAY......

Feels a lot like just a Monday to me.
There. I said it.
So, I am working hard finishing the last few paintings.
I wanted to post a final photo of my last completed painting.
I painted this one to use in my 'pitch' to some galleries for a new exhibition for the spring/summer.
"Auto Fixation"
A show about cars. It will be an exhibition made up of some paintings from my Urban Series, my Tin Toy Series, a piece from my Arcade Series, and a few Pin-up Girls.
I am hoping to have 15 brand new pieces for this show.
I will keep you in the loop on details as they develop.
Ok....so here is the first paining from this upcoming exhibition:

Whadda ya think?

FUN?

Remember how I love your input!!!