You made it to Friday! Congratulations!!!
I have been making incredible progress here on new work for The One of a Kind Show!
I now know my booth is #X03
YAY!
I will talk more about that location next week....but for now...check out these photos of NEW work:
"Horse Play", 6"x6", Acrylic on Board with scrabble letters! $50.00
"Meat Market", 6"x9", Acrylic on Board with scrabble letters! $100.00
"Near and Dear", 6"x6", Acrylic on Board with scrabble letters! $50.00
AND THEN THERE IS THIS ONE:
"Cache Cow", 12" x 12" Acrylic on Board, $275.00 SOLD!!!
Yup - that one above is already sold. The bigger ones are a lot more work, but are also pretty special! (If I do say so myself!!)
The new work is REALLY getting a lot of attention from my social media blitzing!
So far I have sold this bigger one and 4 smalls!
So come out to the OOAC to see this fun new pieces in person!
And remember - I do commission works!
;-)
(as soon as Dec 6th is done!!)
Have a great weekend y'all!!
Happy Thursday!
I have been super busy getting this new piece ready.
This was a request.
As you can imagine, people always ask why I haven't immortalized "their neighbourhood" in a painting........and I always ask, what is special about your area? What can I paint that would really tell the story of your 'hood? Sometimes it is not an easy answer!
But in the case of High Park, it was really a no no brainer!
Sit back and lemme tell you a story......
High Park opened to the public in 1876 and is about 400 acres of park land right in the middle of the big smoke. It is the LARGEST park in Toronto, and is a mixed recreational and natural park, with sporting facilities, cultural facilities, educational facilities, gardens, playgrounds and even a zoo. One third of the park remains in a natural state, with a rare oak savannah ecology. High Park was and is based on a bequest of land from John George Howard to the City of Toronto.
WORTH capturing in a painting.........like so......
First - I started with the subway tile backgound of High Park Station. The poster part (in blue and green here) is illustration of the Hillside Gardens.
THEN I forgot that you guys like to see the progress and didn't take photos for a day.....and THIS happened:
As you can see, the Hillside Gardens have a formal garden area - it was IMPOSSIBLE to illustrate ALL the kinds of great gardens....so I chose this one!
BAM!
The High Park Subway tile is in - with a bit of sheen! ALSO there is a vintage map of the City of York on the bottom!
Finishing up the map at the bottom of the piece!
This is what I LOVE about these paintings......I was able to include the FAMOUS peacock! If you don't remember the story ......check out this:
If you want more on this infamous bird.........just follow his twitter feed!
ANYWAYS, I wanted to make sure he was included in the painting - I painted him as though he is just popping into the frame - like only for a day - he was free again.
More progress on shadows, and the addition of the Train! If you have kids, you most assuredly have been on the trackless train!
Adding in the words and more washes of colour - and the tape!
The quote "The earth has music for those who listen" is a nod to Shakespeare in the Park Which if you haven't done - is a real TORONTONIAN MUST!
AND HERE IS THE FINAL IMAGE!
It has a bunch more finishing touches that make it really look swell!! Lots of washes and highlights and shadows added!
I am super happy with the final look! I think it is the perfect addition to my series!
Yes.......I will have merch of this SOON! AND YES I will blog about it! ;-)
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....
"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 are the 5 things (as promised) that I am love love loving this week:
1.) As you guys probably know, I do a LOT of research for ideas on my pieces. Lately, my work has needed a lot of backgrounds......so I have been looking to wallpaper for my inspiration....I found this wallpaper company that makes amusing and sometimes NAUGHTY wallpaper! I think it is fantastic!!! Filthy Home:
ok...I might lose you on this one.....but it is soooooo weird I HAD to share......
2.) As you know from LAST weeks #WW, I am loving 'The Bates Motel' on A&E. It is super great!! But thanks to that, a friend of mine, who shall remain nameless, (CINDY) has gotten really into taxidermy. This friend passed along this link.....about the work of Walter Potter. (No relation to Harry!) He made crazy dioramas of animals........Potter (1835-1918) was a self-taught English taxidermist. For technical assistance, he would have had any number of popular manuals at his disposal. For inspiration, he had his younger sister’s illustrated nursery rhyme books and the Great Exhibition of 1851, where anthropomorphic taxidermy was first displayed to the British public:
His first major contribution was an elaborate diorama depicting the death and burial of Cock Robin, (above) which he began at age 19 and took seven years to complete. Each of the animals from the English nursery rhyme are represented, behaving in character; a rook with a book is parson, a mourning dove leads the funeral procession, an owl digs the grave.
So here are some more.........just as creepy.....(click to enbiggen them!!)
Ok.....so there is that. You can read the whole article HERE!!
3.) I know I am not a child....but often I behave that way....to appease my 'not so inner' child I LOVE these Alphabet Factory Blocks ($70) from House:
"These handmade wooden blocks are inspired by the original House Industries factory logo and feature a selection of letters, numbers and symbols from House's renowned font collections. Compatible with all human neurosensory systems and powered by finger oil, children's mucus and a love for learning, the Factory Blocks do not require batteries, software updates or hand wringing over obsolescence."
4.) Ok.......so normally I try to post a cool music related thing......this week......as tribute to the TONY AWARDS (and because I am a HUGE Musical Theatre Geek) I give you the NEW recording of PIPPIN (out this week)!!
Everything has its season... and this season, PIPPIN returned to Broadway for the first time since it first thrilled audiences 40 years ago! The score by STEPHEN SCHWARTZ (GODSPELL, WICKED) includes the favourites "Magic to Do," "Glory" and "Corner of the Sky". The story of PIPPIN is about a young prince on a death-defying journey to find meaning in his existence. Will he choose a happy but simple life? Or will he risk everything for a singular flash of glory? The new Pippin is directed by DIANE PAULUS, (HAIR and THE GERSHWINS' PORGY AND BESS), features sizzling choreography in the style of BOB FOSSE and breathtaking acrobatics by LES 7 DOIGTS DE LA MAIN, the creative force behind the nationwide sensation TRACES.
Oh, and did I mention it has Andrea Martin (who I saw on Broadway in 'Young Frankenstein') and the INCREDIBLE Patina Miller (who dazzled me in 'Sister Act' when I saw her!!)!!!!!
Here is a clip of the AH-MAH-ZING re-interpretation of the show (on Broadway right now):
5.) Ok lastly, I usually leave you with something I found kinda funny this week. BUT I have been so busy, the only things I came across were animal related.....and I AM NOT A HUGE ANIMAL guy.....but I know MANY of my loyal readers are....so for you guys...I give you these....
Cody the Screaming dog.....this (sadly) made me laugh....
OK!! Tha't it y'all!! I hope you enjoyed this!!!
Remember I love your comments!
And if you have something you think I would LOVE please email it to me!!!
I am not gonna waste any time today! Here are 5 things that I LOVE this week:
1.) Rashers. Bacon is the new meatballs! This new little eatery in Leslieville is delightful for a takeaway nosh!! (If you LOOOVE some bacon, like I love bacon.)
I had the bacon sliders. One was bacon, white cheddar and their special 'brown sauce'. The other was bacon, brie and beer mayo. HELLO!!! Yummers.
A snippet of the menu!!
I like the "wall of bacon"!
I will definitely be back for MORE MORE MORE!!!
2.) This is not something I would normally find noteworthy - but I know there are a LOT of pet lovers out there....so this one is for you(s)......you know who you are:
"presenting the 'pet sweep'. the professional animal powered debris removal system. this state-of-the-art design is not only entertainment but also forces your furry friend to clean up after themselves. 'pet sweep' is made of four mops that slip on to fido's paws as a pair of 'dust boots', the mop fibres pick up any loose hair that may have willfully escaped the host as the animal moves about a localized area. the product also comes as a 'pet plow', 'pet dustpan', and of course the 'pet broom'."
3.) Things made of other things. Junk Culture had a series of different posts this month that I really thought were interesting.......here are a few:
A bench of MetroCards
Stephen Shaheen has created a sturdy usable bench made from 5,000 recycled MetroCards and a thin armature of steel. The aptly named "Metrobench" transforms a symbol of movement and speed into an object of rest and reflection. With help from Craigslist, Shaheen gathered all the cards he needed in less than a week and then assembled the bench by hand using various types of glue to hold the MetroCards together.
A gun made of pens.
Alexander Weeks' "Assault Writer" has crafted a kind of skeleton for the object (out of the foam and wood pieces), which he then completely covered to make it seem like it is made out of the pens themselves. This thought-provoking sculpture questions the role of weapons in our society. Alexander explains, "The irony stemms from Edward Bulwer-Lytton's saying, "The pen is mightier than the sword." Through this piece I want to ask: how effective is violence in bringing about change in the world?"
BUT THIS TOOK THE CAKE:
All these chairs are made of PAPER!!!!!
Vincent Tomczyk creates amazingly detailed replicas of iconic chairs fabricated entirely from paper. Each object is meticulously hand-crafted and all the colors and woodgrain textures are hand-painted without the use of digital printing. "I am interested in how personal chairs can become over time - almost taking on the characteristics of their owners." Vincent says.
CRAZY, huh? Stuff that looks like other stuff.
Super cool Junk Culture!!
Imagine one part Tina Turner, one part Amy Winehouse, one part Mary J Blige....but that is my take - I will let you decide:
This is her cover of Twist and Shout!!!! YEOWSA!!!
Here is her wiki-description: She is an English singer, songwriter, and record producer who released her debut album in 1995. Widely labelled as one of Britain's greatest soul singers! In 2006, Knight solidified her transmission into the mainstream by starring in BBC One music TV show, Just the Two of Us. After releasing a platinum-selling compilation album in 2006, Knight went on to tour the UK with a reformed Take That. She has also hosted four series of the BBC Radio 2 show Beverley's Gospel Nights, which explores the origins and impact of gospel music. Knight is an ambassador for many charities such as Christian Aid and has travelled to areas affected by disease and poverty to help raise awareness. She is an active campaigner for anti-Aids organisations such as the Stop AIDS Campaign and The Terrence Higgins Trust and is also a vocal campaigner against homophobic lyrics in urban music. On Saturday 15 August 2009 she performed live at the 4th annual UK Black Pride event in Regents Park.
After more than a decade in the industry, Knight was made an MBE by Queen Elizabeth II in February 2007 in recognition of her charitable work and the contribution she has made to British music. In September 2005, Knight was made an honorary Doctor of Music from the University of Wolverhampton. After receiving a host of awards, including three MOBO Awards, Knight was presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2004 at the Urban Music Awards in London.
I am enjoying her old (2007 album) music City Sole...
This cover is good too:
SO GOOD!!
Go buy her music at iTunes!!!!!!!!!
(Thanks Cindy for bringing her to my attention)
5.) SNL with Justin this weekend was GREAT! Good for him. This was my favourite skit - these tow 'former porn stars' make me laugh every time.....you will HAVE to click on the link to the Global site to see the JT one:
