Down with the Sickness

Disturbed would be pleased, my mother would make me soup, and I am almost ready for bed again.  I haven't gotten much done this week.  At the beginning of the week I was busy denying the fact that I had a cold coming on, and the last couple days it has been incredibly impossible to ignore.

However, I have taken the week to do some things that I have missed out on over the past year and a half, like make friends some cd mixes ( never as cool as making mix-tapes but still pretty cool ), listening to new music and watching some old cartoons.  The break has been kind of nice, even if breathing through my mouth kind of sucks.

Here is the cover that I made for my last mix tape.

This is for my old roommate Chris.  Making mix tapes for him was always difficult because he worked in a record store forever.  It was impossible to try to find something that he hadn't heard, and so I mixed some new BB King in with some Big Business and some Ghostface Killer.  It was a lot of fun to do, and the cover was quite the nice throwback too.

Today it was so beautiful here in Maine that when my intern asked me if I'd like her to come make me soup, I said I'd rather go for a ride.  I feel a bit too sick to be driving.  The last thing I need is to run into someone because I was sneezing.  It was amazing.  Earlier in the day I had posted on google+ that I wanted to go to Twin Lights Park.  The intern doesn't follow my google+ page but low and behold, without saying a word, that is where she took me.  Thanks great spirit.

Here's a cool crest from that trip.

Hopefully I can get some work done soon.  For now I think I will be limited to watching the rest of season 1 of GI Joe.  Holla Back peeps.

Peace
-Mike

A Momentous Occasion

It's my 300th post.  Wow.  I didn't even realize that it was going to be until I read next to the new blogpost button tonight.  I'm pretty pleased to have spent this much time putting this blog out there.  I've heard from some really cool people at times and ran into other people who aren't so vocal online but who do read the blog and tell me what they think in person.  Thank you.

Today is Valentines Day, or at least once I drag myself to bed and then get up again it will be.  Though technically it is....  I've put together issue number 3 of the Pig N Pancake to pass out tomorrow as my Valentine.  I'm going to try to give one to everyone that I know.  I don't want to snub folks.  I remember in grade school, before they made the rule that you had to get a Valentine for everyone, not receiving one from a couple people.  It stung a bit.  I'm pretty much a big softie, as you already know, so to be honest, it's taken me a long time to be cool with the day.

I did my Coup de Grace in Valentine form for my old boss's 6 year old today.  I absolutely love it.  It reminds me so much of my childhood.  I suppose I must be nostalgic or something, but I'm going to take now to refuse to say that is a bad thing.  Here's an elephant for your viewing pleasure.

The third issue of Pig N Pancake will also feature a piece on the inside of the book, which is kind of an amalgam of a couple of other drawings.  The content of the rest of it is solely Valentines related, but the center is just some fun whale art.  I dig whales.

Lastly for this evening.  I was digging through an old sketchbook today and happened across this drawing of a squirrel super hero.  It is definitely ridiculous, but I think that is why I kind of like it.  I'm not that big on taking my ideas seriously, even if I am very big on carrying out said ideas as seriously as possible.

I hope you have a good holiday.  Be nice to everyone.  We are all we got.

Peace

-Mike

Ben Harper - Live From Mars 2 AM Update

I told you folks yesterday that I would give you a block update.  Apparently all kinds of folks wanted to hang out with me tonight, because several friends texted me to come out and hang out, so I obliged.  Even the hardest working man in the art world ( that was a James Brown reference, and not, I repeat not, me being cocky ) must take a break sometime, so you get an update at 2 am.  That is ok, because I get to listen to Ben Harper's live album while I do so, and it is awesome if you haven't listened to it.

I have been very busy putting together blocks, drawing pipes, painting the negative space.  It is taking a while.  I am getting quicker with the process, and the studio assistant has been a gigantic help.  She is awesome.  I can't speak well enough for her.  Hopefully she is getting as much out of the process as I am.

It is amazing for me to think about this project.  It is so big in comparison to the things that I usually put together, and I am really grateful to have both the venue that will support this type of project, and the time to be able to put together something that is so thoroughly planned.  Usually my work does not get to this level.  And so, I am incredibly excited.

Here are a couple updates of the blocks.

I have gotten so the drawing itself does not take long all.  I want to do a video of me cross-hatching one of these blocks so you can get an idea of what it is like.  On the other hand, painting the negative space takes a bit.  I have a pretty steady hand, but not that steady.  I suppose it is a learning process and a honing of skills.  It is great fun either way.

I also put together the piece in the Vertical Pipes series for my chef this week.  I have to remember to mail this out tomorrow.  I am terrible at doing things on time.  I also have to pull together a Valentine tomorrow morning because apparently I have someone dropping by to purchase a couple.  Rad.

 This second piece was just for fun.  I was cleaning my studio today and found a floppy disc that I had originally found while out taking a walk with my friend Russ.  It seemed so random and I thought to myself that I had to make a piece out of it.  I love it.  It is rare that I get to do something off the cuff and intuitive as this these days. 

I hope you dig the new stuff.  I am very pleased with it on the whole.  Let me know what you think, and have an awesome day too!!  Until then.

Peace
-Mike

Seeing Multiples

I have been working.  Recently most of the work seems to have been in sketchbooks, but I started to really get into my studio work again today.  I am getting very excited about all these multiple pipe drawings on blocks.  I think that this project in May is really going to be amazing.  I think that over the course of the next couple months that my hand skills are going to improve a bit as well.

Tomorrow when the sun is out, I will take an image of the accumulating blocks to share.  I want to see if I can't at least finish 100 in the remainder of the week.  I think it's definitely doable.  In the meantime I finished another piece in the Vertical Pipes series to mail to my Chef in New Hampshire.

I like this one a lot.  Pastel colors baby.

I'm going to be putting together issue #3 of the Pig n Pancake tomorrow or the next day, so please let me know if you are interested in getting a copy of the special Valentines Day issue.  There will be a fold out 8.5 X 11 inch V-Day image on the inside of the book, or of course you'll be able to keep the book together. 

I hope all of you are doing well and are weathering this very strange winter well.  Much love.
Peace
-Mike

Valentines for a Couple Awesome Peeps

Those who know me well, know that they will be gifted art, a lot.  This Valentines season I have been trying to hook up my friends and people that make my life a little bit better with Valentines for their loved ones.  It makes me feel good to help other folks out, even though I think the only Valentine I will be purchasing this year will be kitty treats for my boys.

Today I thought I'd share the Valentines I put together for my favorite servers at the Dogfish Cafe.

Hope you like them.  I know that I do.  Catch y'all soon.  I gotta go drop these off and get some half priced appetizers.

Peace
-Mike

Last Second Installations

I was asked out for a drink last Wednesday night, which seemed fairly innocuous, however, this did not turn out to be the case at all.  I was asked that evening to fill in floor space for an opening on Friday night.  That worked out to roughly 36 hours to finish up an installation.  I was granted the space in the corner where the stereo had to stay for the yoga classes that this non profit holds.  Cool.

So I worked together another set of robots, a turntable, and a new write up and went to do an installation.  A hip hop show after part was to be held in the space the night of the opening, so I decided that it had to be music related thing.  Here's what I did.

I ended up removing the chest plate of one of the "robots" to install the stereo, which I thought was pretty darn cool and I also included some of the Vertical Pipe Series of drawings, which was pretty excited.  This made me think that I would actually like to do an entire show of the vertical pipes that covers all four walls of a gallery.  I guess it is proposal time.

I also wrote for the second paragraph of my artist statement on this show, one of my favorite lines that I have written about my work.  "The Robots are Jamming" is an altar to the audiophile, a monument to hidden successes within obvious failures, and the very future of rock and roll".  I like it.
Have a good one peeps.

Peace
-Mike

February TNT Poster

This month's Thursday Night Throwdown poster was very exciting to me.  I have been wanting to push my typography skills a bit more and make them match whatever illustration I happen to be working upon at the time instead of just doing cool typography for in whatever style I please. 

I already knew that I wanted to make this months poster about ice fishing beavers.  My high school mascot was the Beavers, and I've been thinking about home a lot lately.  Along with that I kind of miss regular winter weather this year.  I mean, it would be nice to go snow shoeing again and at this rate it doesn't look like it's going to happen.

After I had drawn some ice fishing beavers I started to think about what would be appropriate to accompany them in terms of text.  I determined that it would be nice to riff of some old Fur Fish and Game or Field & Stream covers because of an old stack my buddy had of his grandfather's the last time I went home.  Upon looking through a few covers online, I decided that my favorite was the old Field & Stream red and black covers.  They typography is fairly simple but really cool and if I used that I could line up TNT in red.  Awesome.  So that is what I did and it turned out pretty awesome if I say so myself.

Let me know what you think.

There you have it.  I've started thinking about next months and after talking to Brittany, my art director and favorite barista, I think I am going with a wild west set up, with a shoot out at high noon theme.  I should be able to get in some sweet type for that.

For now I'm going to go cheer for my home state for a couple hours.  Don't yell at me all of you football hating internet people.  It's just a sport after all. 

Peace
-Mike