Happy Hallowe'en

Pumpkin carving contest at the workplace today ... wishing everyone a happy all hallows eve. Inspired by Tim Burton, so we added a name plate. Added some of this weekends fingers and toes for effect.

The making of my Zombie Clothes ...

We actually had to tell people to drive on these, even though they were in theiddle of a puddle on the road!






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Fingers about to be Pickled

And toes and eyeballs. Now carving the babies head for the last pickle jar. Script already written and handed out to our volunteers and family. Just doing final party preps and details now ...


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And After ... Many more to go!

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Prepping for the party ...

Before ...



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Chagall at AGO

We went to see the Chagall exhibition at the AGO this afternoon; probably not the best timing due to all the forecasted protesters, but I had thought 'how bad could it be?'

Well there was narry a protester in sight, but it did take me two fu@!>#g hours to drive downtown due to some Toronto Marathon which closed half the city. Really pissed and tired by the time I got there, but then hey, I made it.

Turns out the exhibition has been falsely called "Chagall" - it should be called "The Russian Avant Garde" with only 5 Chagall paintings and a handful of his sketches. That's it: practically zero reason to put his name on the show. Very disappointing to those who actually thought they'd see his work.

There were rooms - entire rooms - of other Russian artists works. Sure. Even a couple of Kandisky's. But not what was billed.

Anyway. Wasn't even allowed photos on one's phone, unlike the Abstract Expressionism show (way better). Quite militant about it too. Sigh.




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What we did NOT eat at Thanksgiving Dinner

You know you're in the country when ...



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EAG 47th Annual Juried Art Show

I was accepted this year into the EAG Annual Juried Art Show; very happy about this. I managed a few photos at last nights Opening, which was well attended.

The show itself is terrific; 66 works in primarily painting and some sculpture (mine are two chessboards with players).

I noticed that in general painters who paint together for some time (years?), seem to grow to look like each others works. I'm thinking of a particular group, whose paintings all seem to look alike now, and I miss the individuality of their works. I'm not sure anyone else notices, or are particularily concerned about such a thing. They win awards this way, that part works. Maybe that's why I stay somewhat removed from artist groups, because I fear this myself.

Nuit Blanche 2011

Just posting some photos that I had meant to post days ago, from our night downtown Toronto, Yonge Street, Nuit Blanche.

It was cold; someone should really consider that this event move to September in Canada. Sigh. Otherwise very good; in reality, this event is a street party organized around the theme of art, specifically more installation art in this section of Toronto. Just a comment, neither good nor bad. I like seeing different sectors every year, and this year we'd decided to do the Yonge Street sector.

Yes, I could see the elephant in the window. And those who could see the elephant, should be able to understand my paintings. They based on similar premises, just different media.

I liked the car, liked the buildings in light and movement. Really liked the "drawing with only your eyes" but the lineup was ridiculous. I miss the tangibility of the works, like only the idea and memory linger rather than a phyiscal presence of art, that irritates me like a rash at times. But perhaps that is a way of youth now, an example of the new generation mindset. 

Just painting.

Painting for the sake of painting.


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Forgot to upload final 2nd helmet pictures ...