Coney Island Jewels

Hello Lovelies!

I hope this Monday finds you all doing well wherever you are. I have been busy as usual in the old Mill, making some great things for you all and for various other endeavors.

First, I did a little spring cleaning and re-organized my shop by subject so it's easier to find the things you seek. I have also added a "Soon to be discontinued" section to phase some older stuff out and make room for the new. When these items expire, they're gone for good! And lastly, I also re-organized my website so you can more quickly and easily view my photography and paintings! It's all about you Dearies.

To complete the business portion of our programming, I have listed some great new photos from my New York trip that I think you'll appreciate. Picture below are just a few: Coney Island Mural, a new Facon de Parler entitled Dark Playland, and Nathan's Hot Dogs

Ooo! I have to tell you all about a book my Sweetie gave to me recently. As you know, I am a huge Camille Rose Garcia fan. Like, huge. I would like to eventually own all of her books (in lieu of an actual print or piece of work... sigh). I just added Saddest Place on Earth to my collection! It covers some of her earlier work and discusses the philosophy behind some of her exhibitions. Not only is the work top-knotch, but the feelings she describes trying to illicit from her viewer were in fact elicited from me while I was viewing... which is rare I find. Check it out!

Speaking of original work that I'm coveting, I have recently stumbled upon a clearing house for original art and illustration I want to share! The Inkwell Art House site has a little bit of everything; Dr. Seuss, Maurice Sendak, Jack Davis, Al Jaffee and a ton of other illustrators I love, all for sale! Now, some are nutso price-wise, but there are a few romance novel covers (I know, I can't believe it either), that I really like and may buy. I mean, Jack Davis?! For a Mad Magazine/EC Comics dork like myself, this is big.

I have also found a wonderful illustrator via Threadless who I want to point out. Esther Arrts' shirts fly right off the shelves over there and I managed to nab two and felt lucky. Her portfolio is even better. Check it out y'all! Very neat sort of 60's mod-inspired stuff.

Let's wrap up with a weird news story, shall we? I have a doozy this week. Did you kids read about the Berlin woman who was arrested for trying to smuggle her deceased husband onto a plane in Liverpool? Yeah, she claims he was "alive when she left the house" but then, upon arriving at the airport, "he suddenly appeared so lifeless, like a wax figure"... This did not however, keep her from pushing him around the airport Weekend at Bernie's style with sunglasses on until she was in fact, arrested. Yiiikes, yikes people. Whew.

Life of the party indeed...

Until next time: unpleasant dreams...

Warm Weather & Dark Thoughts

Hello Lovelies!

Well, Easter weekend was busy, busy. I spent some time with my Sweetie's family and enjoyed the beautiful spring weather. I think I actually broke a sweat for about 2 minutes, which is highly unusual for Maine in April.

I have a lot of fun things coming, but nothing to show yet, except this very nice treasury that my Dark Car print was a part of. Some very beautiful pieces here.

Oh, and I am donating a piece to the Ronald McDonald House of Portland's Purses with Purpose event. Money raised will of course benefit the Ronald McDonald House in Portland. Such a great cause, if you're local and an artist/crafter, you may consider donating a piece!

I found the neatest tutorial over at Go Media Arsenal that I thought I would share for those of you who may draw or paint like I do and want to start using the Wacom Tablet as an additional medium. This is a 2-hour tutorial put together by Go Media's Jeff Finley and it discusses how to create work and then add texture and effects via Photoshop. I mean, check out that rad skull! I love it.

I have found a couple of artists who I want to share with you Lovelies. First, Mark Weaver. Take a look below and at his photo stream and I'm hoping you'll see what I do; very unique, beautiful and elegant collage work with a retro mid-century vibe. Each piece has common color schemes and shapes that bring his body of work together, but each one is also so unique, I personally could own every one. The little boy below is a self portrait and it's my favorite.

Seb Lester is another artist and type designer whose work is amazing. You've probably seen his work around, but on his site, he shows some process shots and it's amazing to think that such elegant type was created by hand. This is where the artistry comes in... lovely work.

Let's wrap up with some crazy news, shall we? Did you read about the 82 year old Michigan woman who arrived at her hair salon and proceeded to crash right through the front window? No one was injured, and here's the crazy part: when the police finished processing the scene... she got her hair done. What?!

And she probably looked like this after the crash.

Until next time: unpleasant dreams...

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...