A must read for “makers"

I came across this article today and was really struck by it. It’s a manifesto of sorts by Jesse Thorne. Although his background is in public radio, this piece will ring bells and raise flags for anyone interested in earning a living from the things they like to make (music, art, comics, cakes, whatever).

More Bay Bulls in progress

My little Bay Bulls painting trudges forward. I’d been avoiding the rocks but now they are pretty well done. One more attack on the sea and sky should bring the battle to a close.

White tree 2

Another pixel tree but with more interesting shape and colour.

I wonder how a junk of pixel tree would perform in the wood stove?

White tree

Just a bunch of pixels from the iPad but it’s got a pulled-print flavour, I think.

Copper Shoals

I was framing a few pieces today when I realized I never posted this one. It’s an acrylic and plaster piece. I had a lot of trouble shooting it because it has copper highlights which are hard to capture without also getting a lot of glare from the varnish.

Should have in the shop later today.

Copper Shoals
Acrylic and plaster on Masonite
20" x 16"

Bay Bulls painting in progress

A little progress on the Bay Bulls painting. Still has a ways to go but it’s moving forward.

Happy Valenstein!

I remade this cartoon on the weekend for publication in the current edition of the Northeast Avalon Times. I’m happy to say Doodlepalooza will be running in each issue on a go shoreward basis. Thanks Katherine! (Will link to your site when it’s up and running.)

Bay Bulls underpainting

Apparently I won’t be satisfied until my basement is filled with unfinished paintings so I started another tonight.

Just the bare bones at the moment... roughing in shadows and highlights. Much squinting. A few hints of colour.

The photo is of the coastline in Bay Bulls, Newfoundland, taken by Chris Hammond.

It’s a small one (8” x 10”) so I’m going to make a good effort to see it through in the next few days.

Panda PM

I suspect editorial cartoonists across Canada are clambering to come up with panda gags based on this story in today’s National Post. So I thought I’d throw my hat in ring. Drawn in Illustrator with a splash of colour added in Photoshop.

Cupid cometh

This image is available on a t-shirt and other products at my Cafe Press shop.

Blue man group auditions?

Plaster paintings and studio sounds

Even though I’ve got 4 or 5 oil paintings in progress, I needed to walk away from them for a while.

For a change of pace, I started mucking with plaster and acrylics again. Not sure what I’ll do with them yet... at the moment I’m just enjoying the textures and giving them a few coats of gesso.

My latest studio upgrade includes a “new” stereo, thanks for my buddy Johnny. A few hand-me-down components from him and a few pieces from a “previously loved” shop made up a whole system. Every bit of it is 20+ years old but it sounds great. The record player is covered in punk rock stickers so I thought it would be a good spot for my appalled nun painting. (Don’t worry sister, I only own Beatles records.)