Spring Showers... Dark Flowers

Hello Lovelies!

It's rained for days here in Maine and we're all hoping the rains will bring with them a nice round of spring flowers for us to enjoy. In honor of the coming spring months (for those of us north of the equator), I've added a few fun shots to the shop. I call these guys (not surprisingly) Flamingoes and Orchids. I have also added a new feature to the shop called You Pick 4, which allows you to pick out any 4 regular size photo prints for $65, for a savings of $15! (This will be especially nice for all you folks out there inquiring about the Cigar, Creeper & Dark series being sold as a set, which it will be my Lovelies, when it's complete.)

And to conclude the business portion of our programming, I was recently featured in another great treasury chock full of circus-themed items! Take a look...

Moving on, I have been on a wallpaper kick lately (and by that, I mean, I've been shopping online, not hanging any... yet), and I've found some great ones. First, on the wonderful site Grow House Grow out of Brooklyn, comes Ms. Ward (below), a beautiful wallpaper with bugs on leashes and Victorian ladies, it's basically perfect. Plus, each of their patterns has a back story which is fascinating. (I'm a big fan of the back story.) I am actually going to hang this pattern in the hall we're redoing soon. I'll be sure to post pics of that...

Another great wallpaper (that I have no place for really) comes from Beware the Moon. Yeah, that's flocked skull wallpaper down there folks. I am in love... I want to pet it.

Moving on, Michael Sieben. Ever heard of him? Well, you need to know his work because it's pretty much awesome... His people (I mean, I think they're humanoid?) are cute but not too cute, with a monster edge that I just love. Take a look at these. I mean, those eyes? Come on...

Let's wrap it up with a movie review, shall we? If you haven't had the pleasure of seeing the original Wicker Man circa 1973... you're missing out. (And by "missing out" I of course mean, you're not missing out at all.) I can't believe they remade this flick, first of all. The plot consists of a police detective taking a row boat to an island in the middle of nowhere to investigate a missing persons report. Well, the island is home to a Pagan cult of some sort and after an hour and a half of nudity, unintelligible accents, and a soundtrack consisting of a didgeridoo and a tambourine, you find out that the girl is dead and the island is being run by a man who believes in regular human sacrifice. So there's that. It's totally worth a peek if for no other reason than it's unintentionally hilarious. I give it 4 out of 4 corn cobs.

Until next time: unpleasant dreams...

Two-sided coin...

Hello Lovelies!

So, I'm a little late with the post this week because I went to New York to see the Tim Burton retrospective at MoMA. Wow. I was not disappointed. For a fan like myself, to see all those sketches and notes and original movie props was pretty amazing. Well worth the trip if you're close. They had this really cute balloon outside the exhibit so I took a pic:

I also stumbled across the neatest restaurant quite by accident while there. The Jekyll & Hyde Club apparently opened in 1931 and it's full of old artifacts and neat quirky decor. I didn't eat there (and I'm kicking myself), but I did take a few pictures. I will go back... And I will be adding some neat NY pics to the shop shortly.

And speaking of Jekyll & Hyde, my large painting is finally complete! I of course added my final touches of glitter and metallic paint to give it a three dimensional quality (and because I can't seem to stop falling in love with glitter). Here are some shots:

I posted sketches for my new product stickers awhile back and they are finally done and ordered! Take a look. These will be on your order if you place one. I think they're pretty cute.

I have found yet another great design firm with some clean, modern work. Oh, and I looove their logo. Ketchup & Mustard does a little bit of everything; illustration, type design, regular old design and it's all a lot cool. Take a gander at those coasters! I want one of each if I have to fly to the Czech Republic to get them... seriously.

That is all for now my Lovelies...

Until next time: unpleasant dreams.

Facon de Parler...

Hello Lovelies!

I have been really busy in the rainy old mill this week and I have a lot to share! First, I have finally surpassed 100 sales in my store, so to celebrate, I am having a print SALE this week! The details are at my shop and in the button below... A perfect time to snag those prints you've been eyeballing.

I have added another piece to the Cigar, Creeper & Dark Circus and Sideshow series; Algonquin the Clown. He was a fun one, and I added a little monster shadow there for added creepiness... though, he looks more sad than scary.

I have also started a new series called Facon de Parler, which literally means a manner of speaking or a turn of phrase. I am using it to refer to the seed of an idea, paired with an image that gets the mind thinking about a whole slew of possible things. The first three, Train Hallway, The Birds and Dead Bird are picture below. More to come on those (and not all will be dark, I may do whimsical too... maybe.)

And to wrap up business, I was recently featured in a great carnival treasury put together by Favoritescents, thank you!

I have been on a decorating kick here lately and I love to go to Restoration Hardware's website and look at all their stuff and get inspired. Well, I have been looking for a trunk for the end of the bed and so imagine my delight, when a search for "trunk" brought me to this trunk secretary. Not at all related to my end-of-bed trunk mission, but isn't it fabulous? Wow. (And for the price, I would have to take up residence inside...)

Have you Kids seen the work of Chris Anthony before? Wow. Amazing stuff here. Kind of circus meets horror with gas tanks and masks thrown in for interest. I will take one of each please...

I found an illustrator on Society6 the other day who I immediately fell in love with. Julian Callos's work is pretty amazing. It's like cartoons from the 1940's meet Asian silk paintings meet Edgar Allen Poe and I love every piece.

Let's wrap up with a short movie review, shall we? Sure we will. It's Alive, not the old one, the remake (not that it matters, they apparently both suck). The basic premise is a young woman gets pregnant and through a series of totally preposterous events, she gives birth to... I really don't know what. A demon? An alien? The Tasmanian devil? Regardless, "it" is born and proceeds to kill everyone around her... violently. Like, really violently. Like, buckets of blood being thrown around inside a car violently. I won't spoil the ending (not that it's good). I'd give it 2 out of 5 corn cobs, and even that's generous.

The poster is the best part of this movie.

Until next time: unpleasant dreams...

Jeckyll, Hyde, and some eyes in the dark...

Hello Lovelies!

Well, I have been super busy over here in the Mill as per usual. I mentioned doing a Jeckyll & Hyde piece for my gallery's Ugly/Beautiful show. Well, here are some beginning process shots. It's coming along quite nicely I think. I will keep you all posted as I go. Still a lot to do on this one!

Also, I recently entered a very exciting illustration contest and I did a new piece for it entitled Eyes on Spring. It's below, sort of a "mind's eye wishing for spring flowers" piece. I don't usually do collage, but this was fun. Wish me luck!

Last piece of business, I will be listing some great new photography in the shop this week. I will post all about it next week, but stop by and keep an eye out for that!

I recently found a photographer whose work is right up my alley. Denise Grunstein puts kids out in the woods in masks in the mist and then has them do stuff that's so eerie it both fascinates me and makes my skin crawl... I love it! This little guys look like they'd bite though.

Speaking of wonderful photographers, have you all heard of Tim Walker? Well, if you haven't, you need to get right on it. His work is fantastical, beautiful and I love every one of his pieces/want to live in his world. Check out just a few photos below. What I couldn't do with his budget... sigh. Oh, and he has a book out that I'm coveting as well.

And can we talk for a minute about how awesome the old steam billboards used to be? If you aren't familiar with them, there's a picture below and some info here. Camel Cigarettes really took it to the next level and had them in a lot of different locations across the US. But Lipton Tea also used the technology and they're used very occasionally today. I just love the idea of steam looking like smoke animating these hand-painted billboards... but then, you all know I'm a sucker for vintage.

And speaking of vintage, let me wrap up with a song recommendation. If you like 1940's music, look up Jen Southern's Occasional Man. It sounds old, but I'm not sure if it is. Great song.

Until next time: unpleasant dreams...