Art stuff by James P Powell

CHICAGO Mascots

2012-01-23T20:44:00.000-08:00

Just looking through some old photos and forgot about this piece I was commissioned to do as a Christmas gift last year. After a show where my Minnesotan Mascots piece was seen I was asked to create a shadow box version of the sports mascots from the Chicago teams.
There are loads of Chicagoites (Chicagonites? Chicagonians?) in Minnesota!!

From top left to bottom right: Staley Da Bear from Chicago Bears (American Football), Chicago Cubs Player* (Baseball)Tommy Hawk of Chicago Black Hawks (Ice Hockey), Benny the Bull from the Chicago Bulls (Basketball), South Paw from the Chicago White Sox (Baseball), Chicago Cubs Logo bear** (Baseball).

*According to Wikipedia: The official Cub mascot is a young bear cub (like the little blue guy I added at the front), which has gone through various transformations through the years. The Cubs have no official physical mascot, though a man in a 'polar bear' looking outfit, called "The Beeman" (or Bearman, B-man), which was not very popular with the fans, was employed by the club briefly in the early 1990s.

**Apparently a mascot by the name of Billy Cub wants to step up and be the official mascot for the Cubs and break the Curse of the Billy Goat put onto the team in 1945. Unfortunately he is not allowed into the Wrigley Stadium due to "no costume" policy.

Illustration Friday - GROUNDED

2012-01-08T19:02:00.000-08:00

A version of this picture has been swimming (fluttering? What do moths do? That!) around with me for a while. I am actually planning on a larger painted piece but thought IF's theme this week of GROUNDED was a good chance to work on some character sketches.

Merry Christmas Bruv'

2011-12-28T18:28:00.000-08:00

I did this piece for my brother this Christmas. It is a picture of him and his son (my Nephew, because that's how family works) Noah, as Batman and Robin. I have thought this should be their costume every year since Noah was born. That or Luke Skywalker and Yoda but Noah is a bit too big to e carried around now.

What made it even better was the fact that Noah got a Batman costume for Christmas.....I didn't even know until after the picture was done....I have psychic paints is all.

Illustration Friday - SINK

2011-12-20T20:58:00.000-08:00

This weeks Illustration Friday topic is SINK. I first thought of quicksand and Mafia hits with concrete shoes then sinks full of water....then synchronised swimmers...then Synchronised Sink Swimmers. I originally wanted to draw the four characters shown as if from an aerial view as they swam in the sink but drew this to establish the swimming team first. I opted for a Frog as the fourth member over a spider that seemed too similar to the cockroach design. It does bug me a bit that having a frog on the team might be considered cheating if Sink Swimming ever gets into the Olympics though.

Heading back down to South Park.....

2011-12-13T17:00:00.000-08:00

Back in July I mentioned how a painting of mine was to be part of the South Park exhibit at Comic-Con 2011 in San Diago. Remember? No? Ok.

Here is a little update, I just receive a print of my piece signed by South Park creators Matt Stone and Trey Parker authorizing it as South Park art and have been told there is more to come.

The original was supposed to be sent back to me this month but Comedy Central have requested it be kept a little longer to be part MacWorld in January 2012, the expo celebrating all the newest apple Technology. I am told this isn't a joke despite the South Park episode "Humancentipad" (you'll have to Google that one yourself)

Old Friends

2011-11-23T23:04:00.000-08:00

Here is my latest Munny for the Old Friends show at TOMODACHI, Rosedale center, MN. The theme was to find inspiration from toys of our past. I didn't actually have a Japanese tin robot when I was a lad but I recently got one because being an adult can be cool sometimes.
If you have time this weekend, stop into Tomodachi Us in the Rosedale Center to see all the Retro toy Munnys!

Minnesota Mascots # 2

2011-11-08T17:34:00.000-08:00

"KILL, DESTROY......PIZZA" New display at Pizza Luce

2011-11-06T12:55:00.000-08:00

"KILL, DESTROY......PIZZA"

New display at Pizza Luce, Seward Neighborhood, Minneapolis.

For the whole month of November some new and some older favorites will be hanging at the PIZZA LUCE RESTAURANT in the Seward Neighborhood as part of my "KILL, DESTROY, PIZZA" display.

PIZZA LUCE is located in the Seward Neighborhood at 2200 E Franklin Ave Minneapolis, MN 55404.

Minnesota Mascots.....now with winning team!

2011-10-25T21:21:00.000-07:00

Working on a few pieces for a November show. This will be at Pizza Luce in the Seward Neighborhood of Minneapolis. I just inked out a new canvas depicting the Mascots of the Minnesota Sports teams...........I have done this before (see here, bottom right) but this time I added another mascot, PROWL of the Minnesota Lynx (that's the woman's basketball team......and only winners of anything recent)
I am trying a new approach to this canvas and inking the whole thing first before I add paint (acrylic) just to see how the details are captured.

Teenage Mutant Paper Turtles

2011-10-15T21:36:00.000-07:00

Last week's Saint Paul Art Crawl, although a little slower than previous years, went pretty well. I used the Fall Crawl to show a few paper cut works. Previously I was just about the Acrylic and Inks then I added the paper cuts of the characters from the movie Labyrinth. This year I added six more cuts based on other famous characters.

This one of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles sold at the crawl but I was asked to make another....so I did.

Other Paper Cuts of He-Man, Doctor Who, The Muppets, Star Wars and a Labyrinth remake will be posted soon.

The final piece is based on a sketch I previously worked on. It's kind of a Chicken and an egg thing. Which Turtle started caused the accident?

Saint Paul Art Crawl

2011-10-08T22:57:00.000-07:00

So a few days ago I posted about the Saint Paul Art Crawl....did you read it? No? This was because one of us made an error. Me or you? Lets not argue and agree that we were all a bit to blame for not pressing the POST button. I forgive you.

This weekend is the Saint Paul Art Crawl - Friday 7th until Sunday 9th - Back on the 2nd floor of the Rossmor building (500 North Robert Street, bound by 10th Street and 9th Street, next to and above Key's cafe)

We Love(D) Vinyl

2011-10-01T15:01:00.000-07:00

The WE LOVE VINYL show has its last day today at TOMODACHI in Rosedale MN. The opening reception had a whole heap of people coming to see the Munny on show raising hundreds for charities Imagine No Malaria and Keystone Community Food Shelf.

"Panda King" my second Mega Munny (and second King design) will be on display at TOMODACHI.

"Gorilla"

"CEO"

"Beneath the castle Walls"

SOLD: "Yellow Sun Tiki" submitted for the silent auction.

For more information and a bunch more photos take a read of this Patch article by Jeff Roberts.

WE LOVE VINYL

2011-09-17T09:46:00.000-07:00

A short while ago I joined together with a group of Minnesotan artists and TOMODACHI store in Rosedale, MN to form an arts group called "TOMODACHI ARTISTS". I would have told you sooner about it but I have been busy preparing for our first new art show using vinyl figures as the canvas base. The show is called "WE LOVE VINYL" and runs from today (09/17/2011) until October 2nd. If you are around come along to the opening reception from 4pm-7pm.

I have three Munny, two mini Munny and a MEGA Munny (complete with keychain Munny earring) on show with (and are you ready to have your mind hole blown?!?) another 80 (yes, count 'em 80!!) Munny and from over 20 artists. Boooom!

A couple of bits about it on line :
Kidrobot's (KRonikle) blog
Rosevill Patch article

YOU WANT A FORMAL INVITE? YOU GOT ONE....

Greetings from Tomodachi Artists!

We are happy to announce that our art show, “We Love Vinyl,” will open on Saturday, September 17th. We would be honored if you’d join us for the opening reception from 4–7 pm.

“We Love Vinyl” is a celebration of do-it-yourself (DIY) vinyl toys. DIY toys are an exciting, new type of collectible pop art that allows artists to work on a three-dimensional canvas. The featured DIY toy for this show will be Kidrobot’s Munny. We’re planning on having pieces from over 20 artists!

The reception will have prizes, music, refreshments, and a chance to meet many of the artists. There will also be a silent charity auction and several pieces at the show will be available for purchase. The charity auction will run from September 17–19, with all proceeds going towards Imagine No Malaria. Current art majors and alumni from Hamline University are working with us to create these pieces. We are also donating a portion of all gallery sales to Keystone Community Food Shelf. This non-profit organization works to help families dealing with hunger and homelessness in the Twin Cities area.

Tomodachi Artists was founded by Tomodachi as a non-profit art organization in the spring of 2011. As a group, we are dedicated to helping grow a Minnesota-based, but nationally connected, artistic community. Tomodachi Artists also works to improve the lives of our fellow artists through programs and events, help them gain greater exposure with regular gallery shows at Tomodachi, and provide them with unique opportunities in the art community.

We hope to see you at our opening reception! If you have any questions, please email us at info@tomodachi.us or call us at 651-631-1777.

SWEET MARTHA!!!

2011-08-28T19:01:00.001-07:00

This weekend I went to the Minnesota State Fair and sampled the sweet corn ice cream (with bacon toffee sauce), deep fried cookie dough, Beer Margarita, Pork Chop on a stick and I may never eat again. In the salt/sugar hang over I was reminded that I actually submitted a piece to the State Fair Gallery earlier in the year.....it wasn't selected but is currently on display at their overflow show at the excellent space at Hopkins Center for the Arts.

Having a piece rejected or not accepted is pretty tough especially when you think of the time spent on it. At first I was disappointed, the traffic flowing through the Minnesota State Fair is pretty epic, but then most people don't really go to the fair for the art, right? Right? Say "right"! RIGHT!
The Hopkins Center for the Arts on the other hand? All about the Art lovers 100%....right?
The piece I did showing the building of a fair favorite, Sweet Martha's Cookies sold on the opening night of the exhibition.

Elf Bot

2011-08-28T07:44:00.000-07:00

Macy's is getting the design for it's next Thanksgiving Day parade float via artist submissions. You had to first go online, find the location where a vinyl elf would be hidden in a Macy's store, get a password to give to the clerk, get the elf home, decorate it, photograph it and then submit it via Facebook, hope it gets selected in the final 85, hope it gets voted on via Facebook, hope it wins so that Macy's rush the design off to be made into the actual balloon for THIS YEARS parade! Hard work. Especially as most of the Macy's staff I encountered had no idea about the project and disputed they should give me anything for free just because I was standing in the young women's section (the location on the day I went to claim my elf) saying "Sweet Potato" (the daily password). I was not arrested however and managed to design this is an Elf Bot.

The actual vinyl elf itself was quite restricting in that it already had the facial features of a large nose and tiny eyes. I recast my eyes with clay making them larger and more cartoony, lining them with silver to show the metallic qualities. I toyed with painting the whole character in golds and silver and having a real "tin man" persona but it didn't really fit with the Macy's theme (which was requested in the guide lines). The digital front display and the jet pack were made from my reliable friend Crayola Air Dry Clay. The fire that was coming out of the jet pack had to be removed when I submitted the piece on Macy's Facebook page and the picture had to be inserted into their elf shaped cookie cutter submission process (the legs were cut off a bit when I did this)

The submission process has now finished and what I can only assume to be real elves, are whittling down the submissions to 85 which will be displayed online via Macy's facebook page to be voted on from August 30th 2011. So go vote for an elf bot so I can be in New York for Thanks giving.....which is part of the prize by the way....I would send you a post card! Promise!

Obsession

2011-07-31T07:50:00.000-07:00

This weeks Illustration Friday topic is Obsession. This little sketch was done in between playing on my phone......I forgot to erase the pencil marks as I had to go back to defeating weird little green pigs with annoyed spherical fowl.

Meet Some Friends of Mine......

2011-07-19T19:02:00.000-07:00

I am going to be at the 2011 Comic-Con in San Diego!!!..................kind of.

I was one of fifteen artists selected by artist Ron English from thousands of applicants from all over the world to appear at the South Park Exhibit at Comic-con 2011 in San Diego, CA. My piece....imaginatively titled "Bus stop" will be hanging next to original pieces by artists including Kathie Olivas, Lindsey Way and Naoto Hattori and also by the creators of South Park themselves.

As well as the art show fans will be transported into the world of "South Park" as they walk into the 15,000 square foot Ultimate Fan Experience located at 450 2nd Avenue (at 1st Ave. & J St.) just outside of the San Diego Convention Center). The "South Park" Year of the Fan Experience, a free and open to the public event, commemorates the series' 15th season. The festivities kick off with a "South Park" themed parade starting at 12:30 p.m. on Thursday, July 21 at 5th Ave. and K St. with the venue officially opening at 1:00 p.m. and running through Saturday, July 23.

Unfortunately, the whole thing happened a bit too fast for me to be able to attend (I found out yesterday after arriving back from two weeks in England and Comic-Con starts this Thursday......in 1 day, 17 hours, 19 minutes and 21 seconds actually, according to the count down on the South park website as I write this) but it is still awesome to be part of it.

All of the pieces can be viewed online at the South Park Studios website.

ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ!

2011-05-29T09:11:00.000-07:00

This weeks illustration Friday topic is ASLEEP. Which from the look of my blog updates of late seems to be all I was doing.....I was doing stuff though....I WAS!
I had a ton of ideas for this weeks subject which while i didn't have time to finish this week (its my wedding anniversary, thanks for asking) I think I will be using in other projects.
The above picture was a lot of fun to do and the first thought i had....There is something too damn cute about it though that always bugs me so I quickly just did the following little sketch reminding people that it isn't always good to fall ASLEEP.

Oooh, Big Projects. Part 2 - The February/March "Secret Tomodachi/Munny/This-is-why-my-other-projects-were-on-hold" Project

2011-03-30T19:01:00.000-07:00

Since February I have been working on commissioned pieces for Tomodachi store in Rosedale Mall, MN. Using the Do-it-yourself vinyl toy from Kidrobot named MUNNY six of my designs were chosen for a project coming in April. I stuck in my comfort zone of air dry clay and Citadel Paints (which include, blood red, chaos black, snot green and the always colourful, vomit brown, in their colour chart....these are the actual names) but tried to add a different media in each one. Of the following six complete Munnys now on show at the Tomodachi store, I also used model grass, paper, string, wood, glass and rice.

The beginning - One down

Devil Munny

Sushi Munny -
based on a the first Mini Munny I made for Tomodachi back in 2009
(made with real rice that can still be found in every nook and cranny of our apartment)

"Believe" Munny"

Fishing Munny

In the Dragon's Keep

(A knight riding on the body, a dragon for the head guarding the Princess in the tower)

(Wicked Witch on the back)

Red Fire Tiki Munny
(from my previous "Blue Ice Tiki" Mini Munny design)

6 finished Munny...and one more to come.

Get to the best store in Minnesota to see a whole load more Munny done by different Minnesotan artists.

Tomodachi Store
156 Rosedale center #655
Roseville, MN 55113
(651) 631-1777

On show until April when they are moved to a new location to be posted later.

Oooh, Big Projects. Part 1 - The January "I asked you to do this ages ago, whatevs" Project

2011-03-16T05:10:00.000-07:00

So in the 2011s my plate started to get full up with all sort of Art Gubbins which is great because I have all these cool projects to be getting on with and then not great because it showed how ridiculously unorganized I am in my real life.

The first project was actually penned in late last year for the "information architects" at London company and META. At first they simply requested a canvas painting of three of the employees for the meeting room. I sketched these out in ink attaching a few images of acrylic work to reference the style. One of these images was of my Devil character, Heaven's Little Reject, playing Poker. The big boss man over at META liked this character so much that he scrapped the original idea in favour of the devil......on a laptop.

This was to go with the tag line "The Devils in the detail" - A few more acrylic on canvas tests later and a new idea was hatched. This time the aim was to have binary code (the guys at META work with figures all the live-ling day y'see?) with the devil hidden within one of the zeros.

A few "try-not-to-be-too-much-like-the-film-"the MATRIX"-and-pretend-you've-seen-binary-code-in-places-other-than-the-film-"The MATRIX", and we finally hit on some final drafts...........then the final piece...........

That was January.

I actually have BIG (yeah, capital letters!) projects every month up until April. So there. I really need to get more organized.......

WARNING! WARNING! WARNING!

2011-03-08T21:09:00.001-08:00

Illustration Friday topic: WARNING

"That's new"

FANBOI

2011-03-04T20:15:00.000-08:00

My three pieces "3G" are now hanging within the Fanboi show at Altered Esthetics gallery in NE Minneapolis. Hopefully the three "G" movies are obvious...otherwise, for shame. For shame.

I was there tonight for the opening (the show is on for the whole of March) and it is pretty damn fine actually! Not only is there the biggest painting of the living Picasso, Steve Buscemi you could ever wish for (you know you wish for that) but an awesome Battle Royale homage in the coolest frame by Matthew Kriske (that'll make you wish you brought your DVD of the movie with you when you moved to Minnesota) but also some inspired work by Lupi Loops O'Fureigh who seems to have this knack of always creating work that has that "Ah, I wish I'd thought of that" aspect to it. Her pieces in the Fanboi show combine Indiana Jones with Star Wars and (Best Trilogy ever!) Back To The Future within her two works. What? Those three movies within TWO pieces? But How? Through genius thats how. I wish I had thought of it!

On Until the end of March

Altered Esthetics - 1224 Quincy St NE, Mpls MN 55413
• 612.378.8888 • contact-at-alteredesthetics.org

Hours: Tuesdays & Thursdays 1pm–7pm, Saturdays 1pm–5pm

LAYER? It's my party and I'll draw Leia if I want to.

2011-02-19T11:27:00.000-08:00

Illustration Friday's topic this week is LAYER. I often just try to sketch the first thing that comes into my head and then evolve that into a final piece. Well, it is my birthday today (Happy Birthday Me!) and I might not have time this weekend to post anything. As it was I did this at 1am last night after cleaning for a party today. I then fell asleep before any "layer" pictures were born.

Having said that my wife noticed that the word LAYER and the Star Wars character's name (Princess) LEIA are quite similar ("exactly the same") to her American ears when I say them to her in my British accent.

So here is Princess Layer......um, sounds a bit wrong. Stick with Princess Leia. Sorry.

Little Big Tank

2011-02-16T18:28:00.000-08:00

I always try to post at lest one thing in between Illustration Friday posts and realised that I didn't post this previously. I actually did a whole bunch of cartoons entitled "people i should have stayed in better contact with" at the start of the new year. This one is of my good friend and athlete/adventurer/developer, Alex Mccormick. You can thank him for the Baby Monkey riding backwards on a pig video I posted a few weeks ago and check out his blog Little Big Tank for more of the same genius and stories.

Alex just quite his job to go traveling around South America probably for the sole purpose of being able to take more photos of him posing in his "STRONG" stance and take some more snaps of fire hydrants. no, really.

Happy travels Mr Alex!

3 Illustrations for "SWEATER"

2011-02-13T08:50:00.000-08:00

This weeks Illustration Friday topic was SWEATER. This sounded strangely to my ears, probably because they are British ears. Even though I know that it was referring to what I know as a "Jumper" there was still a slight nagging in my head when I drew thick woolen garments.

Y'see, what my brain (my English brain) was really trying to put onto paper was the fact that while my mum and my wife are usually complaining about the cold the males of the Powell family always run hot. As they turn up the heat: Myself, my nephew, my brother and my dad? We are SWEATERS!

ORANGE!

2011-02-12T07:36:00.000-08:00

Could someone please remind me to pick this piece (titled "Band Of Orange") up from Altered Esthetics gallery? It was part of their Agents of Orange show in January. I am very much looking forward to their March "Fanboi!" show where I will have my "3G's" series. Three pieces depicting three different movie characters from three early 80's movies. I posted the first one here a few weeks ago, more to come later.This was a sketch I considered painting for the Orange show using my "Heaven's Little Reject" character (or "Devil"). It is Orange.

REVERSE!!!

2011-02-05T16:51:00.000-08:00

Who here hasn't driven their tiny car into a dark villain and monster filled bar and just needed to...........reverse? Nobody! Exactly, we've all done it! Everyone has.

This wasn't the first thought I had for this week's Illustration Friday topic. Actually I had seen something a good few days before the topic of "Reverse" was revealed and I was determined to shoe horn in a picture of a baby monkey riding backwards on a pig......Luckily for me (and you....just wait!) "Reverse" sort of fit with the baby monkey. Why the topic though? It is because my good friend and Athlete, Adventurer, Designer, Mr Alex McCormick brought something into my life. Something that gave me words to live my life by.....

"You got to keep on keeping on,
get on that pig and hold on tight"

It was the greatest 59 second clip I have ever seen. You would not believe how happy this makes me. Just watch it, smile and understand....

Lost Labyrinth Picture.

2011-01-30T08:20:00.000-08:00

This was the picture of Sir Diddymus that I was talking about in my previous post about Illustration Friday before I posted the paper-cut character.
I originally did this picture last year and thought I had a digital copy but it appears I don't. I think it sold. So I re-drew it this morning over breakfast.

The three original Ludo, Hoggle and SirDiddymus paper-cuts can be seen HERE.

SURRENDER!!!!

2011-01-29T08:17:00.001-08:00

I asked my wife what springs to mind at hearing this weeks Illustration Friday topic word "Surrender" and to my shock and awe she said "Surrender Monkey". I thought she was just adding Monkey to any word I said (this is usually a complete winner with me) but I usually have heard of the term. This one I hadn't.Sounds derogatory and offensive doesn't it?

Turns out it is!

What was even more of a shock was that the phrase was coined in 2005 on The Simpsons. This is shocking as my wife has never seen an episode without switching it off.
The phrase first appeared in an episode of The Simpsons entitled "'Round Springfield" . Groundskeeper Willie, the school janitor, is teaching French due to budget cuts, dressed in a striped shirt and a beret. In a heavy Scottish accent, he greets the class with "Bonjourrr, yah cheese-eatin' surrender monkeys!" The "surrender" element of the phrase refers to the Anglo-American perception of the Battle of France as being virtually a "surrender" to Nazi Germany. The Cheese bit being self explanatory and the monkey bit being a comedy word.
This phrase was then picked up by other U.S. media outlets, such as the National Review Online, New York Post and commentator John Gibson of the Fox News Channel towards France who oppose the U.S. in international forums in particular, the 2003 invasion of Iraq.

(All of this info was stolen mercilessly from Wikipedia)

In short this was a huge turning point in my marriage. My wife gave me a an excuse to draw a monkey that was inspired by the Simpsons that might even raise a smile from my British ancestors. I have never been more in love.

ANYWAY - It's not really my thing to be posting stuff against the French so I went with my NO SURRENDER MONKEY. I hope I dodged the bullet of offending anyone.

I also had an idea for it but I had already done something similar before but here is Sir Diddymus from the movie Labyrinth done in paper cut -
Never Surrender!

HEY YOOOOOU GUYS!!!

2011-01-28T05:09:00.000-08:00

The good, good people at Altered Esthetics (yes, that is spelt correctly) have accepted a new series of mine called "3G" for their FANBOI themed show in March. The FANBOI show will include art inspired by fandom and devotion to characters, stories, or icons in film, music, or gaming culture.

I have a series of three pieces themed around three movies from the 80's starting with the letter G, done in the same sort of style I did the Kiss My mASScot series in. The first one above is probably the most recognizable....if not then I may have to re-think the other two.

Opening Reception
Friday, March 4, 2011 - 7pm-10pm at the AE gallery in NE Minnesota inside the Qarma building.

DUSTY

2011-01-23T08:21:00.000-08:00

"So what sounds better? Fairy dust or Angel dust?" I asked my wife, "Neither!" she said.

Apparently, despite my respectable gentlemen about town character, she thought I was talking about drugs. I went with Fairy in the end and the hard life a fairy has cleaning up all the magic dust she excretes throughout the day. A topic not covered in Peter Pan but possibly in one of the Tinkerbell spin-off animations. If it isn't covered it should be. Fairy dust is a b!tch.

The Nature of the Heart...or something.

2011-01-23T08:07:00.001-08:00

Here is something I just finished last week to submit to a gallery in February for their Valentine's show. The theme was "Open Heart", then the gallery extended the submission date and changed the theme to "The Nature of The Heart" or something so the theme now fitted work they had selected. I wasn't selected.
Just goes to show that even in this day and age, some people still can't accept the love between a giant lizard and a building climbing gorilla. Maybe one day.

Maybe one day.

Nobody calls me CHICKEN.

2011-01-18T17:40:00.000-08:00

I nearly got into a full blown fight before over what is the best movie trilogy. I said (quite correctly) that the best movie trilogy ever made was the Back To The Future saga. I stand by this. The other guy said Godfather. Can you believe some people?!

I am sure that like me this picture bugs you a little bit as it never actually happens this way. Marty McFly is not in his orange vest when Biff yells this at him. Actually he never yells this at him in the First movie at all. I am currently hanging my head in shame but thought it wouldn't be as recognizable otherwise.

Munny New Year!

2011-01-12T05:08:00.000-08:00

Here are just a couple of fellas I've been working on at the tail end of last year. If you have never used a Mini Munny as your canvas...........then you should! I found that CItadel Color paint works well and doesn't thin on the vinyl. I got mine at Games Workshop (first time in there...orcs everywhere) which means that they come in such delightfully named colours as "ELF FLESH", "SKULL WHITE" and "CHAOS BLACK".

These two and a few more of my past custom Munnys along with a load more from Minnesota artists of all ages will be on display throughout January at the Tomodachi store in Roseville, MN.

The Girl of Ice

2010-12-27T11:56:00.000-08:00

There is a girl, the girl of ice,
In a strange situation,
Her heart is warm but she is cold,
That's just poor circulation.

This is another character from a book I designed a few years back that I am planning on re-working. I posted the Boy of Fire a few weeks ago. here is The Girl Of Ice. She seems to fit the current view out of the window here in Minnesota at the moment and also the theme of this weeks Illustration Friday topic. Winter.

Kiss my mASScot!

2010-12-11T22:46:00.000-08:00

The Altered Esthetics gallery: Adverti$ing show had their opening night last week. I am the featured artist for the show with my series "Kiss my mASScot".
Despite the snow storm and the 20 minute drive being turned to an hour and a half, some people still risked their lives to be there. Good work people!!!

Meanwhile at the sweatshop, chained up street orphans were being made to club baby seals to death so that shoddy dolls could be stuffed and hidden around the gallery for a spot of self promotion.

I painted my weiner and now its on display at the MOA!

2010-12-11T21:58:00.000-08:00

In England we call them "Sausage dogs" but here in the U S of A its a "Weiner dog".......a weiner is a type of sausage, just so you know. If you go about asking people if they would like to see your weiner it can get you in trouble........or if you are lucky, a damn good time. On this occasion however I was talking about a life size statue of a dachshund*.

Once a year the Home For Life animal sanctuary has their Art Of The Dog event and displays dog houses and statues outside of Nordstrom's at the Mall of America (MN). The event runs from now until the 2nd of January 2011. All the houses and dogs are for sale with all proceeds going towards helping the dogs and cats of HOME FOR LIFE.

Get to the Mall and take a look at my dachshund/sausage/weiner dog titled: GOOD DOG/BAD DOG.

* The name "dachshund" is of German origin and literally means "badger dog", from Dachsbadger") and Hund ("dog")......see, always learning! Every day is a school day!

New Work at Altered Esthetics gallery

2010-12-04T11:29:00.000-08:00

NEW WORK! My "Kiss my mASScot" series is now on show at the Altered Esthetics gallery in NE Minneapolis as part of their "Adverti$ing" exhibition throughout the month of December.

The opening was last night and almost snowed out. I'll update a little later!

The show was also featured in the City Pages A-list Events: Read here!

The boy of fire.

2010-11-12T21:48:00.000-08:00

As my scanner is still against me.....actually it might work now, I haven't checked....we haven't been talking.....anyway, as far as I know I can't scan so here is something I was working on before. A burning character from a book I made a few years ago. I am currently looking at re-doing it, some of the art and stuff.

Illustration Friday - Afterwards

2010-11-07T07:25:00.000-08:00

This week my scanner has joined the ranks of gadgets and technology that continues to wage war on me on an almost daily basis and refuse to work when I want them to. Damn you scanner, damn you.

After wrecking a city you just gotta rock (Acrylic on canvas)

So I couldn't scan any illustrations this week, instead here are things I have been working on that fit the subject matter.

Taking a break after climbing buildings (paper cut in shadow box)

I tell myself every week to update this blog with more than just Illustration Friday sketches but looking over the last couple of weeks, like the old blues song goes, "if I didn't have IF updates, I wouldn't have no updates at all"

Illustration Friday - Spent

2010-11-02T17:36:00.000-07:00

I did have this idea to do an amazingly massive detailed picture and say I "SPENT ages on it".

I didn't do that though. Instead I did a tired robot and panda....

Which would never happen because, as you know, robots and pandas are mortal enemies and can always find a little bit more energy to slap each other silly. Hate each other they do.

Illustration Friday - Racing

2010-10-25T19:42:00.001-07:00

I have sort of dropped the IF ball in the last few weeks due to a bit of a work build up but I thought of this at lunch today. As I was drawing it I realised that it reminded me of a scene from the Disney movie "Bedknobs and Broomsticks"....its like Mary Poppins but with a bed and Angela Lansbury...that sounds wrong on a number of levels but its not. I also found out that my wife has never seen movie "Bedknobs and Broomsticks"........

....shocking news. Absolutely shocking news.

Have you ever written "KILL" so many times that it starts not to look like a word?

2010-10-11T20:25:00.000-07:00

This weekend was Saint Paul Art Crawl, TOMS Shoes at the Mall of America, zombie pub crawl and the Saint Paul Saints.....I'll update everything later until then check out the We Become Panoramic blog, Madhuse6 has written a piece showing art work that he picked out from the craw......including one of my Ludo cards and a Killbot newly titled "Kill robot, kill". I actually think his picture turned out a little better than mine.

SAINT PAUL ART CRAWL ALL WEEKEND!

2010-10-08T23:02:00.000-07:00

Saint Paul Art crawl this weekend, October, on the 8th, 9th and 10th. 2nd floor of the Rossmor building (500 North Robert Street, bound by 10th Street and 9th Street, next to and above Key's cafe)....just sayin'.

24 Hour Comic book Day...in 5 hours.

2010-10-05T09:31:00.000-07:00

Saturday (2nd and 3rd) was the 24 hour comic book day. A "Christmas for comic book artists" from 10am Saturday until 10am Sunday at the Minnesota Center for Book arts.. The aim is is produce a page per hour for the 24 hours. This is actually waaaaaaaaaaaaay harder than it sounds as a purist usually aims to go in without any previously planned story line or characters.

I am not hard-core enough for the whole 24 hours unlike some including fellow table buddy Justin Babb of jbabb's Ink Blots who is currently posting all 24 pages of his comic throughout the week.

The last standing (hard core) few (not me). Google their names for their work! That's a double dare.

I stayed for about 5 hours and then had to go (after winning top prize in the raffle - thanks for coming!) and do some wickedly important things and stuff. I realised that I wasn't going to get 24 pages done so I was planning on doing a story with 24 characters in it........I failed. In the first two pages I only managed 3 characters and I sort of got swept up on the whole intertwined stories.

Here is what I got scribbled, I was using an old Canson 9x12" Manga Drawing pad which as it turns out has pages just too big for the tiny scanner I am currently using.....hence the poor quality.

Illustration Friday - Beneath

2010-10-03T13:39:00.000-07:00

Two drawings for this weeks Illustration Friday topic "Beneath".

Beneath the bed

Beneath the earth

TOMS SHOES

2010-10-02T22:08:00.000-07:00

TOMS Shoes are a company that for every pair of shoes you buy they send a pair to a child in need. One for One. I will be spending this Saturday (October 9th) customizing customer's shoes with original art in front of Nordstroms at the Mall of America from midday until 4pm.

Take a look at their website for their full story and exactly what they do.

You remind me of the babe....

2010-10-01T05:46:00.000-07:00

Sometimes things are said out loud, an opinion, that when thought seemed to be the truest thing in the world but when said provokes so much disagreement and rage in others that fights begin, wars are raged, seas boil and people die. I am of course referring to the statement once muttered that "David Bowie's best work was in the Jim Henson movie: LABYRINTH"
I don't remember who first uttered this notion, they are probably dead now, the stuff of myth and legend. The movie Labyrinth and its characters was the inspiration for a new set of paper art pieces I have been working on though. Here are the first three in the series - Ludo, Hoggle and Sir Diddymus and Ambro sius

All three of these pieces as well as some smaller Ludo cards will be at the Saint Paul Art crawl this month, October, on the 8th, 9th and 10th. 2nd floor of the Rossmor building (500 North Robert Street, bound by 10th Street and 9th Street, next to and above Key's cafe)

You have no power over me!

Illustration Friday - Old Fashioned

2010-09-26T18:58:00.000-07:00

I was sort of kicking myself last week about not doing anything Batman related so that was all that was on my mind, which probably explains this week.....

Some Old Fashioned Justice.

Headin' on down to Saint Paul

2010-09-22T15:42:00.000-07:00

Just a quick note to say that I will once again be peddling my stuff at the Saint Paul Art Crawl. The good people at the Rossmor building have saved a little nook for me again for the three days its on. Those dates are October 8th, 9th and 10th. Got that in your diary? good. It had better be in ink and not pencil.....I'll know.

I'll be getting more information tomorrow in regards to where EXACTLY you can find me so I'll get back to you.

Acro-BAT

2010-09-19T13:19:00.000-07:00

Illustration Friday topic: acrobat.
Character design for Acro-Bat. I used this weeks topic for a character design piece although it has given me a few ideas for some larger scale pictures I need to work on. This little Acro-Bat was pretty much the first design I came up with (although this is the second draft as I overworked the shading so much on the first that I wrecked it a bit), he looks a little reluctant to be on any high wires or trapezes though.....probably due to his lack of thumbs and inability to balance when not upside down.

Illustration Friday - Proverb

2010-09-13T15:11:00.000-07:00

This week has been filled with me trying to get work together for an upcoming show in October. It might be the constant painting or the overdose of caffeine and Netflicks or a combination of the three that made me want to go all experimenty with styles this week and churn out a couple of small pieces at about 1am last night when I couldn't land on one idea.....

This is how my head works:

Think of a Proverb?........The Early Bird Gets The Worm!
Too obvious!! Everyone is going to think of that. There are going to be a million early birds. Idiot! What other proverbs? Ok, I got a bunch of them.........

Can't really depict them all without some sort of Daliesque image being the outcome. Not ready for that at this time of night. So just the characters then....easy......you can lead a HORSE to water, etc. and the early BIRD......
Aw, you should so have thought about doing one with all the animals used in proverbs......that one about the LEOPARD changing its spots, old DOG new tricks, leading a HORSE to water, the early BIRD and whats the one about BIRDS of a feather flocking together?
Damn, I don't like the way the birds are all together. How about the one about the man with an itchy bum shouldn't bite his nails? Ok, maybe not. Well another take on the Early bird getting the worm.....I like the idea, just not the character design.....I'll probably give up before I finish it.....
Way too cute and Doraemon like for this late hour....something darker.....literally....

....................................................That'll do.

Illustration Friday - Dessert

2010-09-05T13:16:00.000-07:00

This weeks Illustration Friday tropic is "Dessert". Just a quick sketch in ink and the good old LETRASET Promarker pens brought I recently had shipped over from my art stuff in England. Welcome to the US my inky page leaking little friends.

September already. Soap factory $99 sale

2010-09-02T07:03:00.000-07:00

I took a little break from the blogging for a while due to moving, being lazy and a couple of projects I have been working on. Reading back on previous posts I'm sure I have said this before but....I am now going to try and update at least every week.
One thing going on this month is at the Soap Factory: The $99 Sale,7pm-midnight,Friday September 24.
"A sophisticated comment on the market and connoisseurship, The $99 Sale is an art-buying party of, by, and for the people."
All the art submitted is on 5x7 inch paper and signed by the artist on the back (so it is basically anonymous) the idea is that you buy the art you LIKE rather than the art by a famous artist. Everything is $99 so you could be getting something worth $1000 or $0.99.

17 days later....

2010-05-17T05:37:00.000-07:00

Hey, what were you doing 17 and a bit days ago? At Altered Esthetics at their sixth anniversary Iron and Candy show were you? YOU SHOULD HAVE BEEN!

AE put on another great show, music, food...although not that much candy actually...a raffle in which you could choose what prizes you would be entered for so didn't come home with some lame leftover dreg of a prize like normal raffles. Not that there were any dregs to be won here mind. I didn't win anything dreggy or otherwise....sort it out AE!! Stick on mustaches, Steam punk themed photos, silent auction and more.
Both of my pieces went in the silent auction. The Candy Dragon which I pictured in my last post and this piece...Iron Giant and the Chocolate factory. Mixing two classic children's stories. I also helped out with the Cartoonist Conspiracy's bad caricatures or "Cankeratures" which was a lot of fun. Despite the warning that they may be "bad", this was really just to protect all those artists that didn't usually do caricatures. These guys at the Cartoonist Conspiracy really know how to draw. Due to my poor blog keeping skills I haven't really mentioned them individually but I will be changing that soon.

All the money raised from the caricatures goes toward the August Lutefisk Sushi D comic book show.

Illustration Friday - Fearless

2010-05-07T10:31:00.000-07:00

I've said it before and I'll say it again....Illustration Friday is an amazing idea.

I wish it was mine.

This weeks topic of "Fearless" also gives me a chance to post a piece I submitted to the recent Altered Esthetics Iron and Candy six year anniversary show. "The Candy Dragon" was in the silent auction and purchased for a figure I don't know by someone equally anonymous.
Using already existing works actually goes against what I like about Illustration Friday (inspiring and encouraging ongoing weekly work etc) but I've been busy.

I HAVE!!!

Art by mail and another CBIG big up!

2010-04-30T06:52:00.000-07:00

Ah, another late update...sorry about that. I was out rescuing puppies and orphans from burning buildings.....or something.

Anyway, The illustration news portal Little Chimp Society e-mailed me this morning to tell me that the Mail Me Art 2 exhibition has been announced. Mail Me Art 2 is the second collection of art done entirely on envelopes sent through the mail. I did a quick ink sketch for it:

Dates:
Friday 30th July – Thursday 5th August 2010
Opening reception Friday July 30th 6-11pm

Location:
Red Gate Gallery
209a Coldharbour Lane
London SW9 8RU
United Kingdom
www.redgategallerylondon.co.uk

Meanwhile in Minnesota.....

The Children's book illustration show is still on at the Minnesota Center of Book Arts!
Here are my pieces there. I was aiming for B-Movie style posters of Children's classics. The Big Bad wolf one is one of about three or four Godzilla references I was working on at the time. What? Stuck on a single thought like a broken record forever producing the same thing over and over, y'say? Oh shut up.

Including Artists of the
CHILDREN BOOK
ILLUSTRATIONS GUILD

Minnesota Book Arts Show
April 8th - June 20th
http://www.mnbookarts.org/

THIS FRIDAY - ALTERED ESTHETICS IRON AND CANDY SHOW!

2010-04-27T20:54:00.000-07:00

What are you doing this Friday? "What should you be doing?" more like it!
The answer: Going to the Altered Esthetics gallery in Northeast Minneapolis!

Iron and Candy

6 year anniversary celebration and fundraiser at Ae

Altered Esthetics celebrates six years of serving artists with a party at their home in the Q'arma building in Northeast Minneapolis. The party will occur in conjunction with their annual spring fundraiser... this year's theme - Iron and Candy!

I'll have two pieces on show there but they also have a whole line up of awesomeness -

- An Iron and Candy themed exhibit and silent auction
- A raffle with awesome prizes and goods from local businesses
- Live music
- Refreshments
- Steampunk themed games and activities
- Bad Caricatures courtesy of the International Cartoonist Conspiracy
- Awesome company
- And more!

Schedule of Awesomeness
(Doors at 5)
7:00pm Refreshments, DJ, flurry of games and activity
9:00pm Silent auction and raffle end
9:00pm Live auction begins
9:30pm Raffle winners announced
10:00pm Music from Apartment 12J
11:00pm Music from Bad September

How can you NOT go? Just in case you are still not convinced then here is a segment of the framed sketch I have there. You'll have to go to see what the Umpa Lumpa is fleeing from. Incentive!

2010-04-18T18:09:00.000-07:00

St Paul Art Crawl - THE INFORMATION!

JAMES POWELL? - YOU'LL BE WANTING THE 2ND FLOOR THEN!

*WHERE:
Rossmor Building
500 Robert Street
St. Paul, MN

*WHEN:
APRIL
23rd (Friday) :6-10pm
24th (Saturday):12-8pm
25th (Sunday) :12-5pm

I am on the best floor, thats the 2nd one. Just go through the main entrance (pictured) and up the stairs and I'll be to the left. I'll work on some signage to guide you.

If you want to see everything in the building then there is an elevator to the 7th floor so you can work your way down using the stairs to avoid congestion. Building artists will advertise in the elevator to make it easy to find your favorite artists!
- Maps and Parking:

*Parking Bargain: $3/all day Block 19 Parking Ramp
-enter from Jackson and 7th
-street parking around the Rossmor is
free after 430pm
on Friday and Saturday
and all day Sunday
EASY parking makes this the
PERFECT PLACE TO START YOUR DAY!

Additional Rossmor Events:

Musical group - "Tortuga" - performing in studio #508 on Friday night at 8:00
Musical group "St. Thomas African Music Ensemble" performing in studio #517 Saturday late afternoon some time - more details to come.

Patrick Clancy Photography will be offering a Free Photo Booth in Studio #508 on Saturday and Sunday. Come have a free portrait taken.

Lobby Musicians!
Niki Beker will play Friday at 6 pm and Saturday at 1 pm
Nathan Eliot Rowan will play Saturday at 4 pm
Nick Strusz will play Saturday at 12 pm
We are still working on hosting a number of solo musicians at various common areas of the building - more to come on that. Anyone interested in performing can drop us a line.

Remember $3 all day parking in the Block 19 parking ramp!

Oh, and just in case that wasn't enough for you then here is a copy of the whole crawl map.

Come by and say hello and steal some candy!*

(*I may or may not have candy)

ST Paul Art Crawl

2010-03-02T12:28:00.000-08:00

I now have a venue for the Spring Saint Paul Art Crawl - The Rosmor

I'm not sure what I am going to hang there yet but will put updates up (priobably a day or two late....naturally) but here is a little bit about it:

Event Information
Date(s): 4/23/2010 through 4/25/2010

Location: Rossmor Building
Address: 500 Robert Street North
St. Paul, 55101 United States

http://www.mnartists.org/event.do?rid=257073&associate=user

Munny, Munny, Munny, Munny....Mun-Ay!

2010-03-02T12:12:00.000-08:00

The good people at the Japanese store, Tomodachi in the Rosedale center are hosting their 3rd Mini Munny contest. I created BLUE TIKI which can now be seen in their display case within the store.

This little guy was taken from a painting I did a few years ago. I seem to have a bunch of paintings that I "intended to use for a series" and this was one of them....the rest are still in the planning process of course. I made the body red originally to represent the background of the original painting but unless you have the original painting next to it then it looked more like I had stuck the head on the wrong body so the blue one replaced it.

Rat heads and dead frogs and me, oh my.

2010-03-02T11:40:00.000-08:00

The more astute of you will notice that I neglected to post anything for the last week of February in Illustration Friday. Colour me failed!!! I then went on to not post anything at all. Anyway, here is a little update.

MIA - FOOT IN THE DOOR. I found my piece in the first room under 84-08. Some hard worker with fingers now worn to the bone has put the whole thing on line. Check it out....and find me here:

http://www.artsmia.org/foot-in-the-door-4/artworks.php

I mentioned in my previous post about MIA's Foot in the Door show. A show held every 10 years at the Arts institute where ANYONE can submit a piece as long as it fits in a 12" by 12" box. Sadly....or not....depending on how you were looking at it....I didn't see any squirrels duct taped to bricks. I did notice a rat head glued to a plastic Micky Mouse body. Art is fun....just not for rodents.
......or frogs. Despite being held by monkeys.

FOOT IN THE DOOR 4

2010-02-17T12:39:00.000-08:00

Don't know what FOOT IN THE DOOR 4 is? Been living under a rock have you? Ashamed of yourself? You should be.

Foot in the Door 4 is an open exhibition for all Minnesota artists, which takes place every ten years at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts. Since 1980, Foot in the Door has celebrated the diversity and enthusiasm of Minnesota's visual arts community. Its the state's largest art exhibition that's all!

While some optimistic artist I have spoken to see this as a chance to get their "foot in the door" of the art world - No, No and no - the title actually refers to the fact that all art entered has to be able to fit into the 12 by 12 inch box called "the curator". Anyone living in Minnesota can submit something so yes, there is a chance that the work you lovingly spent hours on to depict a little part of your soul will be hung next to a squirrel duct-taped to a brick (as long as the squirrel tail is tucked into the 12" area...or tail-less in which case you may as well have just used a gopher or something. Think it through is all I'm saying)

I submitted a piece called "The Skeptical working men's club". I am working on a few projects involving myths and legends and such at the moment so it was good practice for that. The actual piece has been made to look a little more 3- dimension by layering the same image over and over again and is framed behind glass in a shadow box.

Apparently almost 5000 artists submitted stuff this year so its a bit of a "Where's Waldo" ("Where's Wally" for all the British out there) situation as mine gets swallowed up in the ocean of 12 by 12.

The opening reception is this Thursday the 18th. Its going to be packed.....I am both looking forward to it and dreading it in equal measures.

(This blog does not support the attachment of squirrels, gophers or any woodland creature to bricks using duct-tape (or preferred adhesive) with the exception of maybe ground hogs. Smug)

Illustration Friday - Adrift

2010-02-17T11:46:00.000-08:00

Ideas I wish I had first:

1. E-bay and/or Facebook (I don't mind either)
2. Peanut butter and jelly (jam) sandwiches.
3. The word "Shenanigans".
4. The Dolly Parton song "Working 9 to 5"
5. David Bowie.
6. Teenage mutant ninja turtles.
7. Gummie bears.
8. Illustration Friday.

This weeks I.F topic is "Adrift". My original idea was to have a lot of empty space and one little character. The first thing I did was of a little spaceman cut off from anything. I still plan on doing this but on a bigger scale. My end piece was cobbled together from a bunch of ideas I already had for other work and from suggested title. I didn't always have a cannibalistic theme to it........thats the third time I've used that sentence this week. Please send help...or groceries.

FivetoSix charity show or what you should be doing tomorrow night.

2010-02-11T08:14:00.000-08:00

There comes a time when you really should be somewhere. A time when anyone who is anyone is at one particular place. That time is now....well, more specifically...that time is tomorrow! So what are you doing tomorrow? That? No you need to do THAT...you sicko. You need to be at FIVETWOSIX. Yes, as always your bidder of last minute art news is here to tell you about something I should have mentioned a long time ago.
FIVETWOSIX is proud to announce Go LIVE Go RED in conjunction with Go Red for Women http://www.goredforwomen.org/ American Heart Association, MCTC and U of M Design Department, many local artists, neighbors and friends.

February 12 from 7-10 PM

Enjoy seeing the winning designs and meeting the designers of the Red Dress from Heart of Fashion, the MOA show Feb 6th at MOA Macy's court.

Watch hair and makeup stylists create a look for each model wearing the winning designs.

View a very special art show centered around the heart submitted by local artists. All for sale, all from the heart with 25% going to American Heart Association.

Food tasting from Cheeky Monkey and Crave restaurants.
Sip wine from Solo Vino.

MUSIC: DJ Mike Swoop

10.00 DONATION

ART * FASHION * MODELING * MUSIC * MINGLING

I have a piece there which I will post later as its also linked to something else I am working on. Go along if you have time...or if you don't have time. Its charity damn it! Also food from Cheeky Monkey! How can you not go? How?!

Illustration Friday...My 2nd first attempt.

2010-02-10T13:06:00.000-08:00

In a former life I was really bad to technology. Insulting video machines, doubting calculators, kicking small robots and getting into arguments with Speak and Spells. This is what I assume anyway, its all that can explain why in this life technology hates me. Sorry technology. Sorry.

Technology's last jab at me came when it seemed to post my last illustration for the Illustration Friday blog but in fact it didn't. You bastard technology.

So here is my second first submission to Illustration Friday......MUDDY

My first thought was Mudskippers but I figured that it may be quite popular and I wanted to keep away from pigs and hippos. Our sink has been playing up a bit this week so the inspiration probably came from the clogged drain.....I just hope its mud.
I didn't really have a lot of time this week so knocked it out pretty quick which kind of shows but it was a good little experiment for me in regards to mixing water colour and pencil (which is what I did it in) my scanner also didn't do me any favors. Damn you technology. Damn you.........nothing is ever my fault of course.

Illustion Friday

2010-02-03T19:58:00.000-08:00

I have been getting e-mails from www.illustrationfriday.com for what seems like months now and have never really managed to get anything done in time.....like everything else in my life. Not quite sure what I on a day to day basis when I am not doing this kind of stuff. Probably don't want to know.

If you don't know the site, Illustration Friday is a weekly illustration challenge. A topic is posted every Friday and then participants have all week to come up with their own interpretation. You can even submit a topic....guess what? I haven't done that yet either. One day, one day.

Anyway, there is a little extra incentive this month through escapeillustrationland.com who are running a competition to win a copy of Drew Struzan’s new tutorial DVD, Conceiving and Creating the Hellboy Movie Poster Art. For each week of February that you submit work your name will be entered into the draw (so if you do one then it'll be in once, 4 will enter you four times genius!)

For more info on submissions do this....

So anyway, here is my first submission to Illustration Friday - FOCUS.

Self promotion...big up the CBIG massive!

2010-01-28T14:17:00.000-08:00

The whole point of this blog is to keep me organized to keep people up to date with whats going on art wise. To ensure that things are going on I need to get myself :out there". This means self promotion and I think I have cracked the code.
Basically you just have to exaggerate…..is that the right word? Probably, I have seen damn right lies actually but I think the basic equation is something like:

Studied art in Japan, UK, America and throughout Europe
* visited Japan, UK, America and Belgium on a Stag weekend . May or may
not have seen some art. Countries also may not have actually been
visited. Possibly could find them on a map though.
10 years + arts experience
* Scribbling on walls in crayon since the age of three.
Successful artist
* my mum thinks I’m cool.
Exhibition now touring
* I left one of my sketch books on the bus today.
Coming soon
* Bored at current office job, wished for better things.

Despite this I do actually have something showing at the moment.....

“Minnesota Made” Art Show Announced
CBIG Show: This is actually a little late but the Children's Illustrators Guild of Minnesota (represent!) launched a show, "Minnesota Made: Through the Eyes of the Children’s Book Illustrators Guild of Minnesota". It features works features by 20 of the artists and will be held at the University of St. Thomas. I have three pieces there so go take a look. Yep, something for the kids there!

Show Dates: Jan. 22 – Feb. 28, 2010
Opening Reception: Sunday, January 24th from 2-4 p.m.
Location: University of St. Thomas, O'Shaugnessy Educational Center Lobby Gallery, 2115 Summit Ave., St. Paul, MN 55105

Download a copy of the postcard for a full list of participating artists. For more information and directions, call (651) 962-5560 or view the University of St. Thomas St. Paul campus maps.

Also I have a touring exhibition on at the moment.....if anyone finds it please let me know.

It begins....

2010-01-25T13:46:00.000-08:00

Hopefully this will get me and keep me a little more organized........within what I do art wise and letting people know what is happening anyway.

I had planned to start this three years ago.

See you in three years!!