Applying myself

I found out today that London Fringe 2011 applications are now available. I had fun doing Visual Fringe this year, so I've decided I'm going to enter again for next year. I haven't decided what I'm going to do for the show yet, but I've got some time to work that out... all fall and winter, in fact.

UPDATE (11/4/10): I've submitted my application and been accepted!

Bloom where you're planted

To celebrate my fresh new studio space, here are some macro photos (click to embiggen) of flowers in a bouquet I received:






Fall's fast approaching and the weather here's taken a turn for the dark n' gloomy this week. Having a burst of bright colour nearby is most welcome. Maybe it'll be a source of inspiration too.

Deconstruct/reconstruct

I've been noticing something as I've been working on the last few pieces. I almost never work in my studio. I work in the living room, the dining room, the office... anywhere but my studio.

Why? My studio's not equipped or organized for working on the kind of projects I'm doing now. It's just not very functional. I need to remedy that. It's time for a studio makeover!

This weekend, I'm going to empty out that little room and start all over again. I'm going to reposition--and possibly reconfigure--the furniture and shelving units. I'm also going to go through all of my supplies and make some hard n' fast decisions about what I'm keeping. By Monday morning, it should be a completely different space.

A Kodak moment (concluded)

Over the weekend I finished off the "A Kodak moment" piece. I'll be shipping it tomorrow. It's a very belated wedding gift and I'm sure it will come as a complete surprise. I really hope they like it.

Title: A Kodak moment
16"x24" - mixed media on canvas










UPDATE (9/15/10): I received an email from my friend tonight saying that they got it and they just love it! Hurray!!

Fear well-founded

Title: Fear well-founded
11"x14" - mixed media on canvas

Inspiration: Some fears are real and for good reason.
The danger is in ignoring them.







At the end of August, I attended Fan Expo in Toronto. For those who don't know, it's Canada's biggest convention for gaming, anime, comics, sci fi, and horror. There are all kinds of fans there. Some folks get very into it, even dressing and acting as their favourite characters. Though it may seem a bit excessive, it's all in good fun.

Shortly after returning home, I was witness to a couple of incidents involving the darker side of fandom. I won't bore you with the details, but I will say it was an eye-opener. When someone takes their love of something--or someone--to the extreme and becomes obsessed, there is no stopping them. That really scares me.

Iron Chef caricatures

I've received requests to share some of my previous work, so here goes.

This series of caricatures was inspired by the original Iron Chef show from Japan. They are hand painted decorative plates. Completed in the spring of 2001, I displayed them in my dining room for several years afterwards.



Chairman Takeshi Kaga









Commentator Kenji Fukui









Commentator Yukio Hattori









Iron Chef Hiroyuki Sakai









Iron Chef Chen Kenichi









Iron Chef Masahiko Kobe









Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto