Life is far from perfect but it sure is happy.
My studio is a prime example. I could use more space, better organization, a faster computer, did I mention more space? but it’s still the best studio I could have wished for. The light is just right, the space is perfectly cozy, I’m surrounded by my books and when I’m tired and bleary eyed from hours of painting or computing I can take a break and look out over the city skyline. It makes me smile, it makes me happy.
So in lieu of posting new work this week (most of the new stuff is either unfinished or technical illustration of the blander kind) I thought I’d share my studio with you…
…one day start sleeping.
I must confess I’m not a big fan of sleep. I feel like I’m wasting time somehow. There aren’t enough hours in the day as is and you want me to do nothing for 8 of them? Preposterous. Even as a child nap time was not spent with my head on a pillow, but with my butt planted at the top of the stairs waiting until a enough time had passed that I was again eligible to run around free instead of being chained to my bed (No they did not really chain me…although I might have actually napped once in while if they had)
What am I trying to say? I’m super busy! and it’s all exciting, fun, movin’ on up sort of busy. I have one big commission on the go and another one out of my inbox and off into the wide world of the web. The latter is a project I recently completed for Desmong Liang. This gig was a load of fun and Desmond was kind enough to give me a ton of freedom to funkify these little creatures….
I am.
Couldn’t make the helmet auction in person?
Don’t worry your pretty little head ’cause it’s online!
Check out the other helmets and place a bid to support Kids Help Phone!
Finishing up with one project and on to the next!
Coming up this weekend is Small Print’s Roald Dahl Festival. Festivals celebrating the wonderfully bizarre tales of Roald Dahl are held yearly across the UK and we’ve decided Toronto needs one of it’s own! Come to Wychwood Barns next weekend and check out the plethora of workshops, dances and readings we’ve got lined up. Not to mention a workshop given by Patricia Storms and yours truly that will focus on showing children how illustrators take great stories like Dahl’s The Twits and translate them into pictures.
Head to www.smallprinttoronto.org for a full schedual and advanced tickets…
And don’t forget that Friday night is the launch of the helmet auction for Kid’s Help Phone (See my last post for a preview of my helmet). Show starts at 8pm at Longboard Living. Come pay me a visit and bid on some hand painted protection for your dome.
This time of year seems to have a tendancy of offering new challenges. As the world snuggles into fall I’m usually found cuddling up to my drawing table. Here’s my latest challenge. Let me tell you painting on high gloss plastic was interesting, but a blast! It’s turned out beautifully.
The helmet will be auctioned off on Friday, September 10th at Longboard Living (74 Oxford St., Toronto, ON). 8 p.m. Come say hi and grab yourself an artist painted helmet to surf the streets in style.
PHEW! The move is complete and the studio is in mostly working order. I’m so happy I could burst! However, instead of messing up my fantastic new digs by exploding on them I focused my energy on painting.
Here are the promised progress shots of the helmet for the Toronto Longboard Meet. I just completed this sucker last night so expect photo’s of the finished Brainsaver later this week. It was a fun challenge and I’m tickled pink by the results.
Pretty simple update this week. Although packing has me nearly cross-eyed I’m still painting and super excited about this new project. A Brain Saver helmet for Longboard Living, Think First and Triple 8 to be auctioned off at the Toronto Board Meet on September 11th. The lady above is the sketch for one side of the helmet. Keep an eye out for progress shots!
Here I go again! I’m moving for the LAST TIME, well at least the last time this year. It’s been a tough four months between moving, new jobs and generally restructuring life. Things have been chaotic and, to say the least, trying. But karma has been there to remind me that hard work and perseverance are rewarded. It all pays off in the end.
Two more weeks and the studio will be back in full force. It’s going to be like sliding into a hot bath after a long day. Pure bliss.
P.S. The painting sale is still afoot… more work to be added next week.
I’ve opened up a tumblr account for all the inane tidbits I wish to share but don’t fit in here. Check it out.
You can get updates on my new posts both on here and tumblr through my twitter account.
Let the social media frenzy BEGIN!
