Big Moves

       It's anything but rare for a post on this blog to start with some iteration of the phrase 'it's been a while...' It is rare, however, for a post here to have little or nothing to do with art, and a lot of personal info. Brace yourself, here comes some artless personalizing!

       A few, some, maybe even many of you know me IRL (as the kids say) and thusly know that my family (loving wife and scornful cat) have recently made a big move from the thrills of Chicago to the old comforts of home (kind of) in the beautiful and buggy town of Lawrence, Kansas, where Martha grew up and where I was schooled. As readers of this blog may remember, I have kept in touch with the good Lawrencians in my life by visiting every year (at least once) and hosting art camps with kids that I taught in preschool so long ago that a few of them are nearly taller than me... 'Cause I'm old

       

       The question we heard the most since making and publicizing the decision to move was, "why?" Now, having been a teacher of the younglings for more then nine years now, I have a strong habit of giving well-thought-out, honest answers to this question, mostly in the mind of stopping it from perpetually repeating in an all-too-common black hole of curiosity. There are plenty of reasons, and I won't bore you with them here, but we moved, and before we did, we tried our damnedest to soak up every last drop our favorite people and things in Chicago. Here is the criminally short list:

Oh, Lake Michigan... We never did spend enough time together.

The Museum Campus spider-gym at night

My dearest nephew, Mutley, the only dog Smokie ever didn't try to murder.

The fireworks from the bridge at Paul's parents' house in the suburbs...

Where we were lucky enough to get our WASP on with the Munro's, four Fourth's running.

Okay, some of this post is art stuff; Indoor and outdoor art markets, where I feel like I was finally getting an audience. I'll be back for these, though, worry not, Chicago nerds! Above is my last Chicago Flea in June, below is the Revolution Craft Show in July.

Oh, the Charleston; Where my brother and our wonderful friends threw us an amazing surprise going away party. Seriously, the best place in town.

There are two people who I couldn't have done without, and who will be desperately missed. Above, my brother Charles, Charlie, Chu - no, never Chuck. We were lucky enough to become better brothers and real friends, something I can't say enough about. What a guy. 

Below, that trouble-maker on the left: Mary. Oh, Mary! You know what I'm typing about. Think of the very best person... She's like that, twice. 

And all of you jerks (you know who you are) who I love, my bros and my ladies, you know you are on this list, I just can't post a picture of everyone. You know, though... and so do I. Much love to everyone! Come visit!

Last but not least, Playgroup, my job and family for the past six years. These kids and their parents did almost as much for me in Chicago as anyone. A job's a job and work's work, but the majority of my time in the company of these little goofballs felt less like work than the vastness that I've done elsewhere.

       We moved! And, while we hated to go, Kansas, so far, has been good to us, and more or less what we signed up for. Everything is a little harder than you think it will be, it's fair in my mind to say that is a universal truth. Saying goodbye (or at least, see you later) to our friends and coworkers, to my brother and to the kids and families I'd grown so fond of, was not easy. I've rarely felt more loved than when it finally started coming time to go. So long, Chicago! See you soon.

P.S. Smokie was very good on what ended up being a 13 hour drive. Good kitty... Don't kill me. 

Fun, But No Sun

       Summer is a busy time, more-so when you live in a big city full of fun people and lots of events, more, more-so when you are moving soon and you need to get things done and people seen! More, more, more-so when you are trying to stay on top of art commissions and personal fun projects! Here's my summer in review! 

These dead/alive Yoda screen prints were the last thing I made in my printing on paper class at Lill Street. I had two hours of open studio left when I finished my final project, so I grabbed a razor knife and some paper and sliced this minimally-cool Yoda design for my dear friend Ted, who is Yoda. What a great class, go take it, Chicago people, and tell The Ginz I say 'hey!'

       Immediately thereafter I signed up for the screen printing on fabric class ('cause I have so so much free time, y'know), which was great also, so go see Camille. The first things I made were these tote bags using the Dynamic Duo design I had used previously on paper. It made for some pretty sweet bags, and I have three left, so holler if you'd like one! 

       While pondering my next project, I had a brainstorm, but Martha put in my mouthguard, so I was okay. That's a joke form 30 Rock but I couldn't find the clip. Anyway - screen printed NERD dolls! Maybe I'll call them Sidekicks, or Sidehugs... First up was Chewbacca! I drew the layers on tracing paper to burn the screens, then started printing on soft, off-white canvas. 

Wesley tested and approved a prototype for me. I ended up having to leave that one at Playgroup; It got a little too much love to consider sellable. 

The Smokie test went almost as well, but there was a marked deficit in enthusiasm.

Next, Batman (naturally). I printed on grey this time, as I learned a lesson with Chewie - that soaked up a lot of brown ink. 

The layers went together with only a few casualties, and the hand drawn look makes it very personal, not just a Batman doll... It's my Batman doll. 

See that look in Juju's eye? That's the look... MINE. Go ahead, try to take it - you'll lose a finger. 

One big happy, nerdy family, with enough construction finished in time for the Revolution Craft Show, which was my last in Chicago (as a resident). 

There's my table!

        The very last thing I screen printed at Lill Street. Man! I miss that place - great facility, generous open studio hours, wonderful people... Hey Nora! The Harry dolls are going to be great - I'll have them put together and looking cute for the first art/craft show I'm doing in Kansas, Craft Collective, in November. 

       Amidst everything else, I was still teaching the little behbehs at Playgroup all summer, and we had some graduating to see to! As every year, I made the kinder-bound kids some parting gifts - yearbooks and these tooth-boxes, which have gotten better every year. The graphic on top is decoupage applied cut paper. 

Nine this year! I painted the portraits on watercolor paper and deco'd them in place with a shiny, waterproof lacquer. 

I had a Zora and a Zola - had to be veeery mindful to not switch those spellings.

Zola loved hers - and the likeness was spot-on. 

       I spent some time in the wood shop, too, getting the next generation of Hunting Trophies ready. They're cut and sanded and waiting for paint - I mean to have two or three ready for the November show.  The metal-leaf on these looks so pretty in the sun.

See if you can guess what this one is going to be when it's put together. I'll give you a hint: Quack. 

Wait, Triceratops quacked, right?

I made this sleepy dog for a friend on Instagram in exchange for two very cool mugs. 

Follow Dan - she's neat! 

       Next, I was off on a handful of puppet commissions. Some personals, made in the likeness of the client or their spouse or friend or what-have-you, and this one, which I very much enjoyed, as it was my design (not a caricature) from the get-go. A scarecrow, "not unlike but not exactly" Scarecrow from The Wizard of Oz. 

Burlap doesn't sew very neatly. Luckily this is a scarecrow and the look fits. I think i inhaled about a pound of burlap dust while making this guy. 

To skip a few steps, here's the finished product! He has buttons for eyes, and I went a bit further on this very fun project - he had legs and clothes! 

This guy was fun and turned out great. I used a new method to try and hide the stitches. It worked really well on the head (which it really needed to) and pretty well on the arms and body (I was less picky there). 

This dapper fellow went all the way to Australia, a gift from a cool mom to her muppet loving adult-son. 

I used some of the doll eyes I had left over, it was a new look, and I think it was a welcome improvement to the flat dots of felt I had used before when going for something a little 'beady.' 

This was the last one in Chicago, a 'normal guy,' as described by the friend who bought it for the recipient. The guy was pretty normal looking, I agree. The client loved the puppet, so all is well! 

That was IT for art before the move. These next two are the first commissions I received Kansas-side. They were fun to make - a couple of well known public figures. 

Mr President! Where is your shirt?!

       And for you football fans - RGIII. The braids took a few years off my life, but the look couldn't be achieved in any other way. That's it! That's all! Go away! Get some sun! It's Autumn for pete's sake - get out there and carve a pumpkin! 

Bats and Wizard Hats

       Screen printing is my new favorite thing (I may have mentioned that before). Here are two prints from the last month, one layer at a time. To paraphrase Lucius Fox, just so you know how hard it was! 

LAYER ONE! Red. 

LAYER TWO! Yellow.

LAYER THREE! Blue.

LAYER FOUR! Black.

       Just to keep the nerd-train rolling, I strayed within my very narrow safe zone, from Batman to the always loved Harry Potter. I had been listening to the audiobooks (again) and remembered how very dear to me the third volume is. The Dementors and Sirius Black are such great villains and provide such a welcome break from the Voldemort show... so good! This is my homage to The Prisoner of Azkaban.

LAYERS ONE AND TWO! Grey and Yellow.

LAYER THREE! Red.

LAYER FOUR! Black.

       A closer look, above. The alternate version below - I dropped the Dementors and the face details and came up with a very minimal and wider-reaching composition.

       These are all on 11" by 14" bristol illustration board, and though they aren't anywhere on my etsy shop yet, let me know if you want one! Both are limited to 25 one-of-a-kind prints. Fun stuff, I hope you like it as much as I do!