THE GREAT MISSPELLING IN GORE PARK!!!!!

HELLO!
So..if you tuned in yesterday, you will have noticed THIS POST.
It was essentially the background of this painting....

"Gore Park", 36" x 24", Acrylic on Board, 

I thought it was great, so I did the blog post and social media-ed it up the wazoo.....

Then re-tooled the photo and sent the image to my printer - so that prints could be made......

BUT THEN TRAGEDY STRUCK.....

My oldest friend (old in the duration of friendship - not in age :-) noticed a spelling mistake in the art..........THANKS Michelle! Here is her website (she is a singer/comedienne/spelling bee champion)!

So...........can you find my error????

I'll give you a second....

Evidently I am a MO-ron, and overlooked the CORRECT SPELLING of "Nighttime".

WHAAAAA??

Yes......hard to believe it, but Night-time has a BUNCH of spellings - none of which include a version with only one 't'! I was one 't' short of a full nighttime.

So I spend more time....repainting out the sky and repainting in the CORRECT spelling of the words.

UGH!

I think it looks wrong! But it is not......but you be the judge:

"Gore Park", Acrylic on Board, 36" x 24" -- the REPAINT! ;-)

SO.......the NEW NEW painting will be on exhibition at the Queen & Jackson Art and Craft Market:

80 QUEEN STREET SOUTH, HAMILTON, ONTARIO. JUNE 13-14, 2015, 

11:00AM-6:00PM

(And yes.....there will still be giclèes available in June!)
THANKS!!!

TORONTO OUTDOOR ART EXHIBITION 2014

Hey Howdy folks!
I wanted to share more info about my next big show.
Now……first let me tell you all about The Toronto Outdoor Art Exhibition:

The 53rd T.O.A.E. is at Nathan Phillips Square, Toronto City Hall, 100 Queen Street West

It runs.....rain or shine…..(but hopefully mostly SHINE)….

Friday, July 4: 10:30 am- 7:30 pm
Saturday, July 5: 10:30 am- 7:30 pm
Sunday, July 6: 10:30 am- 6:30 pm

About 350ish artists are chosen from about 1300 eager artist applicants! As one of the largest of its kind in Canada, the Toronto Outdoor Art Exhibition offers a fresh-air and free alternative to conventional art shows and galleries. Side by side, established artists, undiscovered talents and innovative students sell their work directly to the public and make lasting connections with art dealers and collectors.

A catalogue featuring the art will be available on the TOAE website VERY SOON!.

I am grateful to be a part of the leaner - more easily navigated version of this show! 

This will be my 9th showing at TOAE since 2004.
Which is pretty good (insert pat on back here ;-)

I have a completely different location this year.....(click the map below to en-biggen it!)
BOOTH A36:

I am right up at the North end of the square - close to City Hall!
I am excited to be at this location -- I have never been up there before!
To get ready for the show, I have A LOT of brand new work….90% of all the work is mixed media.
EXCITING!
Here is another new piece that I am excited to show…..with an old story…..so let me take you back……...you may recognize this piece….THIS it used to look like this in 2007….

At the time I was happy…..but by 2009 it STILL hadn't sold.
:-(
Now….I am fortunate that most of my work travels to new homes pretty fast…but NOT this one…..
So I thought I would rework it again…..adding a piece of metal…so it looked like this:

This time, I was THRILLED with the metal additions!
I showed it for a few more years……and then…..this week………
I totally re-jigged it…..so NOW it looks like this:

"Greener Grass", Acrylic and mixed media on wood, 10" x 30".

BLAMO!
I think it is way way way better! I think there is a lot of 'movement' in the painting…..
And it has cows!!!
COME ON!
Also there is a bunch of wood applied to it…
I WILL EAT ME HAT of this fine piece does not sell!
Could it be to you?????
I hope so!
See it (and me) in July!!!!

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

EATS & BEATS (and ART) IN RIVERSIDE......and a new painting.....

Happy Friday!!!
So this weekend......in the rain.......I will be showing my prints.....and originals in Jimmie Simpson Park in Toronto. Here is the Riverdale Art Walk information again:

Then....if that weren't enough, there is also music and great eats..... 

Check out EATS AND BEATS

Come by and see a brand new piece!!!!

NEW NEW NEW

Ok....so......here's the story......this painting is 'repurposed'.

What do I mean?

Well......I painted this one last year.......but then was NEVER happy with it:

"Hoedown", 48" x 60" 

So....I cut up the landscape....

(INSERT SHOCKING INWARD BREATH HERE)

In fact, I cut into TWO pieces. 

(INSERT DOUBLE BREATH)

Here is my re-draw of it......

The quote was from Piet Mondien. 

So I thought that I would use that theme.....but then I DID NOT like it......

So I did a redraw......

I was much happier with this layout. 

I wanted it to be about how the East of Toronto has been becoming a destination.

I like that it has been developing slowly and more methodically. 

I also I like that there is so much green space in the East end. 

The new painting is in a 18" x 36" wooden panel. 

Here it is:

So....let's break it down......the background is my version of that retro cherry wallpaper.

The poster I designed and painted to look more water-colour-y...and be about "building".

 I made the 'tend the garden' more of a postcard size and moved the quote onto a post-it note - to better balance my composition.......and kept the little shovel!

The bottom on the other side just says Queen and Broadview.

Finally I put my washes and tried to balance it all out.

So there it is!

What do you think???

Come out tomorrow (in the rain!!!!) I would love to see you!!! 

THE TORONTO FLATIRON BUILDING AND DUNDAS SQUARE (again)

Hey everybody!!!
It's Friday! Boy, have I gotten a LOT done this week!!
I wanna show you my latest paintings that are finished and ready for my October exhibition.
"Sign of the Times" at Gallery 129 Ossington:

Ok.....so here is one that was a re-paint.
I know, I know, I said I wouldn't waste time on another repaint after my last show...but I wasn't happy with this one.....so I thought I would change 'er up. Here is before:

 and after:

What's different?

Let me tell you.....I reapainted the tiles in the background - because the old ones were just too yellow!

(Yes, I know that tiles in Dundas station ARE actually deep yellow - but I took a little artistic liberty!!)

I repainted the poster part to seem a bit more graphic.

Once I did all of that....the keychain really stood out.....so I repainted that too!!!!

Also this week I finished this one:

"Age and Beauty", 36" x 24", Acrylic on Board.

Ok...so THIS one I am REALLY happy about.

In the background is a vintage inspired Art Nouveau wallpaper...that I have aged with washes.

The poster part is of the Gooderham Flatiron building (which is a Toronto landmark!)

I painted it once before - but not as poster-y. See that one HERE!

(The previous painting had a whole different look and it was sold - sorry! ;-)

I LOVE the lettering and the fanciful boarder that I used on this one. 

I think it really works well (given the age of the building)

I painted a little pink piece of trompe l'oeil paper with the address of the building on it, and a quote that I made up. "Sometimes beauty and age are not mutually exclusive." This is only the second time EVER that I have not used a quote from a smart dead person.

Also on this painting is an Art Nouveau hand mirror. I was really happy how it turned out!!!

As always, there is a lot of aging washes and burnishing to make it seem old & some fake tape too!

Whadda ya think??

LOVE IT?

hate it?

I love your comments!!!

Remember, we are less than a month away from opening of this show.......and all my work looks better in person!!! So come out to see it in October!!

EXTREME PAINTING MAKEOVER.....TTC Streetcar Style

Happy Friday folks!
So, I still have my nose to the grindstone........producing the last of my paintings for my "Town and Country" exhibition opening July 19th. DETAILS HERE!!
I am finally in the home stretch!!!
So here is the latest. This (below) is "Miss the Train":

I have never been a super fan of this one...and it never seemed to speak to others either....
So....I re-imagined it....and here's how:
-First I tightened up the painting.......and bumped up the colour saturation.
-Then I cut the canvas off its frame......and glued the area I thought was the strongest to a new wooden panel board.
-I painted a new quote (from Dr Seuss' "The Lorax") on board and mounted it ontop of spacers - and then on top of the canvas painting.
-NEXT....I recycled (and painted) the stretcher frame that held the old painting together - adding them on top of the new piece. I also added a metal strip with pop-rivits.
-On the bottom of the new piece I painted "the better way".
-I also cut a streetcar shape out of scrap wood - painted it and added it on top.
-finally did a bit of shading and some washes to make it all look cohesive!
I think the end result is TERRIFIC!!!
I am super happy about the final result!!!
From an ok canvas painting to a great mixed media piece in only 2 days!!!!!!

"Better", 24" x 18" Acrylic on wood, canvas and metal

Well......what say you?

Improved...no???

Remember to come out and see it live (2 weeks from now!!)

Have a great weekend all!!!!!

HOEDOWN: THE REPAINTING DO-SI-DO

Hello friends!!!
As you probably already know, I am busy getting my "Town & Country" exhibition for July ready.
READ ABOUT IT HERE
I seem to be on a roll of repainting....which is probably the HARDEST way to create new work.
Starting from scratch would be easier than trying to re-invent my older works.....
But there's just one thing.....you see.....we nev-vah,  ev-vah do nothing......nice.....and easy......
(yes....that is a Tina Turner - Proud Mary - reference)
So here is the work I have most recently reinvent!
BEFORE:

"Fast Enough" 2010

Ok...so there was a lot I liked about this painting.....I was happy with it (read about it here)
Enlarge it and you can see what I liked. I thought the keychain was super 'tight' and pretty well painted.
I LOVED the poster.....a good design.....I also thought the car itself was well painted...
I was pleased with the lady too.
What bothered me was the fact that everything was competing for attention.....
So when I went back to the drawing board....I decided to keep the general layout.......and the lady.....
So on went the gesso.....and then the repaint began....
Here is the painting as I began to repaint it:

As you can see it was A TOTAL MAKEOVER!

A "move that bus" kind of re-do!

Here is the final painting:

So.....let me brisk down the NEW elements...(*all of which are painted - of course)
1.) there is the "Jilly's" building at Broadview and Queen St. E...with 2 meeting streetcars.
2.) there is the square dance poster
3.) the lined paper with the quote "we do not look in out great cities for our best morality" (Jane Austin)
4.) the 'hoedown' ripped paper
5.) I painted out one of her arms - and repainted a new arm  - to make her more dynamic!
6.) the background has dance steps (do-sa-do)

So there you go......a TOTAL re-do.......what do you think?
Do you love the new direction?
I LOVE your feedback!!

REPAINTS: Town and Country

Hey y'all!
So I am busy getting my big show together for July.
Just in case you missed the deets on this show check out THIS POST!
So the theme is "Town & Country" and I will be showing lots of great new work...
But I will also showing a bunch of paintings that I am 'refreshing'.......
I have re-painted one already....and now I would like to show TWO MORE that are refreshed!
The first painting is called "Different" and it has been around for a couple of years.

I have shown it 3 times.....and it hasn't found a home.....but I am thrilled with the new version:

As you can see, I have put an old streetcar in the composition.
I also added some 'trompe l'oeil' elements including a piece of paper, a post it note and a button that says "one of a kind" (which replaces the vintage imagery that said the same thing)
I removed the quote from the sky to give the landscape a bit more "breathing room"...
I also pumped up the colours to make it more dynamic!
I think it works much better in its new form!!

Also....I have never been happy with this piece from my Arcade Series:

Big City Condos, 2010

So I gave it a refresh!
I found the old yellow very jarring - so I toned it down.
In fact I tweaked the whole colour palette adding a lovely turquoise in place of the green
I also changed the composition slightly....I made the buildings at the rights side come up higher....
and to balance that made the trees and the crane on the opposite side taller as well.
I made the clouds a bit more graphic....and I think it is much better!
I also changed the bottom less 'peacock-y'...and added colour in the holes that were black before.
Lastly I added some more text - just to get the point of the piece more obvious.....
Tear it down - build a condo.....

Whadda ya think??
NEW and IMPROVED??
Well worth the time? Or not so much??
I would love your comments!!

NEW SHOWS - NEW WORK!!!!!!

Hey guys......
Sorry I have been kinda lax with my posting recently - the summer tends to go that way.
But I want to share a few things today.
On Friday last week I confirmed my summer exhibitions!
As you know, I won't be showing at the Toronto Outdoor show this year. As a result, there are only 2 opportunities you will have to see my work this summer.

1.) I have a few paintings on display at Ethel (a wonderful antique store on Queen East). There will be a grand re-opening for Ethel's new store, (tentatively June 28th) and I top you can make it out. I will have more details coming soon.

2.) A solo exhibition at Hangman Gallery. I am putting together new work and some re-painted older works to bring you a new exhibition. "Town and Country" will include art from my Landscape and Urban series. I am really excited about this summer show.....here are the deets:


Town and Country: a new exhibition of works by Rob Croxford

July 17^th - Aug  5^th, 

Opening reception: Thurs July 19^th, 7-9pm. 

Hangman Gallery,

756 Queen Street East

Rob's new exhibition explores the relationship between city and country by juxtaposing retro-styled imagery with urban and rural landscapes. By employing humor Rob's work entertains while addressing both environmental and sociopolitical issues. 

I will have more info and some new images for you soon.........to wet your whistle, here is a painting I recently overhauled for the T and C show:

You may remember this painting from the distant past:

I liked this painting, but I never LOVED it. Truthfully if a painting lasts more than 2 years without selling, I figure it is in need of a repaint- as most of my work doesn't last that long unsold! (knock on wood) 

So last year, I tried updating it for my show "Auto Fixation" here is the blog post about it!

I think it was a TOTAL change. I showed the re-vamped version twice, and still didn't LOVE her....(or more importantly no one else loved her enough to buy her). 

So third time is a charm. I KNOW it!!! Here is the last version of "City Girl"......

What are the differences???? 

1. I completely re-designed and repainted the paper that she is holding.

2. I cooled the plaid/roses background a bit, so it reads a little less 'hot' than before.

3. I added darks to her skin tones, dress & hat (so that the black in the cityscape was less jarring)

4. I changed the 'one way' arrow to lead your eye back into the centre of the canvas.

5. I repainted and tightened up most of the buildings adding lots of blues and greys back in - and toning down the lime green that seemed to be the overwhelming colour. I was aiming to make her seem like she is more married into the overall colour scheme of the painting.

Well? WHAT do you think? Well worth another day of painting? I'd love your opinion! 

Remember to come out and see her in person at Hangman in July!

WHAT'S UP ROB?

Hey loyal readers.....I was gonna post AGAIN about my NYC trip.......but then realized that you might just need a break this week from that!!! So.....I am gonna show you a couple projects I am working on.
PROJECT 1:
A commission for a client "Gravy Train (Too)". This is the second piece that I have done with this name. When the first one was bought, my client asked if she could have a second one.....so I went to work.
I don't EVER do the same thing twice.....as I want each piece to be important and unique, so  I created this piece with different imagery and a different layout. Here it is:

So, the imagery in this painting is from my painting "Going Somewhere" (which is sold) and "Plan Ahead" (which is also sold). I then added some wooden trim, children's magnets for the word 'gravy', a toy train and track, and an actual antique "Canadian National Railway" soap!
Then I added some colour washes and some ink work on top. I think it turned out SWELL!!

PROJECT 2:

Revitalizing an old master? So, as a favour for a family member, I did a little restoration project. I was given an old oil painting that had cracked and gotten damaged over the years. A lot of the paint had actually peeled off and it was terrible looking.....so I matched all the paints and filled all the white spaces and retuned it to its original "splendour':

It was a boatload of work - probably because it was a 'freebie'........I had to fight the urge to do this:

PROJECT 3-10:
As my deadline for The Toronto Outdoor Art Exhibition is looming, I thought I had better get to work on some new stuff. So I have stared creating more from my "Mixed Message" Series. Here is a computer rendered drawing for one:

Reboot

AND HERE IS A BRAND NEW PIECE:

"Top Dog", 6" x 9", Mixed media. 

This piece is made up of some new imagery and some old. The Tops are new....painted on the wood.....the dogs running are from "Hard" (which is sold) and the Tin Toy Dog is from my "A-Z Series" (and is also sold) I added paint and ink-work ontop.....and some coloured washes......

I also added a little plastic doggie in the corner just for fun!

So....there you go. Busy as ever. If you have a great idea for one of my 'Mixed Message' pieces....
I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR IT!!!!!
Have a great weekend all!!!

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!!

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??

TIME FLIES......AGAIN

HAPPY MONDAY!!!!!!!!

So, I am jumping head first into my work for "Auto Fixation".

But before I start sowing you the progress of this, I thought I would show you how my last commission worked out. 

I think it is splendid. I think the client will be thrilled - and that is what is MOST important!

Check it out:

This is my computer rendering. It is a series of drawings and some scans  that I have reorganized in photoshop.

HELLO YELLOW. This was a MAJOR error. The colour I mixed didn't seem that yellow until I was done it.
YIKES!

Repainted in a more neutral beige-y yellow. 'Yelaige'.

The plane is really coming together at this point. I JUST LOVE SHINY THINGS!!!

TAA DAA!

 So that was it.

Done like dinner.

Now onto my autos!!!!!