Winding Down....sortof...

Well, it's been a busy weekend and month.  I've got art up in four shows and just finished up at a Holiday Craft Show.  Thanks to everyone who came out to the shows and especially for the great people who hosted them!!

So what's next?  For now I'm going back into a run of Cinderbot Hakos and Paintings.  Stay tuned for more havoc and hullabaloo!

Be seeing you...

C!nder

Burnt Toast...

Great Opportunities Come From Small Shows...

...well, more acurately, a show based on small composition works!!

STUDIO Gallery is hosting a show featuring all manner of art works in the diminunitive format.  I'll be sharing space with over a hundred other artists with my Hako , the "RotoBot" and my latest endevour, the custom Rubber Duckie offering, "Chewducca".  Click the link provided for details!!!  I'm gonna try and make one of the receptions just to snap a shot for the "Where the Heck is Hako Now?!" book...

Be seeing you...

C!nder

And here is the Press Release I just recieved:

tiny small pieces under $400 November 4th - December 23rd, 2009 opening reception: Sunday, November 8th, 2-6 pm 6th Anniversary Party: Sunday, December 6th, 2-6 pm STUDIO Gallery 1815 Polk Street (between Washington & Jackson) San Francisco, CA 94109 415-931-3130 www.STUDIOGallerySF.com Gallery hours: Wed-Fri 11-8, Sat-Sun 11-6, Mon-Tue by appt. Let's get small! tiny is the place to pick up a little something for your own collection--or an outstanding gift--all while supporting local artists. And with work on display from 135 artists, you're bound to find that perfect something. Everything is under 7" x 7" and, best of all, under $400, with loads of pieces under $200. We'll have hundreds of pieces on display in the gallery, with new work added every day. (And as an added bonus, we'll be hanging some larger pieces we just couldn't resist from some of the gallery's most popular artists.) The show is so big that we'll have two receptions, one in November and a second in December that doubles as the 6th Anniversary Party for the gallery. We hope you'll stop by, check out the show, and meet some of the talented artists behind the work.

Click here to see a list of participating artists
above: "California Impressions #6," Sandy Ostrau

This is gonna be a great show!

And now for something different....

Vox will be having an Urban Landscape show this November.  At first, I thought it was an Urban Art show working the angel of the Graffiti Landscape or something....oops...

So now the challenge:  Paint a city scape in my own style and still get the idea across....you take a looks and tell me what you think.

Here are the pieces that I have done so far in order of completion.

"Life Beyond the Fast Lane"

16" x 20"

Acrylic on Wrapped Canvas

"TOGETHER"

16" x 20"

Acrylic on Wrapped Canvas

 

"TOMORROW"

16" x 20"

Acrylic on Wrapped Canvas

And here's a flier for the show with more details:

More duckies done!

Tiki Karvin!!

I started this a few weeks back...it's a block of expanded foam that I bought from a sign maker I know.  So far, I'm learning a lot more than I'm getting done.  First off, what defines a tiki from just a usual sculpture and, secondly, how foam cuts with the various tools.  For now, I'm using a hot knife and hot wire cutter.  The keys here are patience and ventilation.  You don't want to go fast and accidentally burn yourself and you need the ventilation due to the fumes that melting foam causes.  Overall, though, I'm having a blast and the work is coming along well enough given the amount of time I've spent on it...just about 2 hours for now.

Legacy of the Cinderbots

 

A long while back..well, more like 5 years actually, I had gotten the idea to start creating robot sculptures out of a batch of old kitchen stuff.  I made about six in the first batch and was pleasantly surprised by how well received they were! I had given them names, like 13-O-13 (believe it or not, no one has figured out that reference!), DŪK (think phonetic) and Alpha-1 or AL-1 (another reference no one seemed to figure out as well!)...yet I hadn't called them anything in terms of a series of work.  All that was established was that they were on a mission, like all characters in any story, and were already lost...

Until Greg Pond Photography opened his doors to them through his 2nd Saturday one night show extravaganzas!!    I sold all of them immediately and requests for more were coming in...so...what to call these characters as a collective?  My wife offered a suggestion: Cinder Bots.  The name stuck and carried over to my paintings, paper models and short stories.  

The mission of the Cinder Bots remained a mystery for some time, until Cool Cat Gallery in midtown hosted a three man group show we daubed the Late Night Science Fiction Triple Feature (can you guess the reference?!?) comprised of two of my artist buddies, Mark Fox and Nic Caesar and myself.  The show was a great success!!!   The best I had done yet and, unfortunately, since.  Nearly all my paintings and sculptures sold!!  Jennifer Keller, one of the gallery owners and promoters, did her job most excellently!  The paintings I did for that show told the story of the Cinder Bots and what their mission was through titles and subjects depicted.   Sadly, both Cool Cat and Greg Pond stopped having shows and the Cinder Bots returned to their nomadic state...

Then, I met Char and Cy at Side Show Studios Custom Tattoo and Fine Art!!  I've been showing there for nearly three years now and yes, the story of the Cinder Bots has continued to be told through all the works I've sold through the shop...it's a great place with people who are just as passionate about what they do as the clientele is about what they want. So the Cinder Bots continue...but I haven't made a metal," kitchen stuff" version  in quite some time.  Mainly because people just don't seem to be interested in them and other projects have taken over my time.  What brought on all this rumination?  A visit paid to an early Cinder Bot who was adopted all those years ago.  He's a bit rusty but DŪK still stands vigilant on the patio overlooking a flourishing urban tomato garden and fruit trees...for DŪK, his days of wandering are done...he's found his place...and I'm grateful that his Humans have cared for him.

Cinder

More Duckies!!!

I figured that since I made a Darth Duckie...it'd be cool to make one unmasked...I call it "Anakin Duckie" because the first time we see all of Darth Vader's face is in Episode IV when he returns tot he light side of the Force and returns to being Anakin Skywalker...



This one is an udate to an earlier version that didn't have ears and was way overpainted...
Now that I've gone and started adding things to these ducks, I'll probably be escalating the results...though, part of the charm is the noticeble rubber duck characteristics!

More to come...

Digging up roots...

This piece was just completed over the weekend. I call it "Bit Me Mickey". It's 16" square and painted in enamel and acrylic on an old silk screen. I showed it to these guys who've collected a lot of my work and both love it, except for the tape around the edges used to protect the screen edges from damage. Personally, I don't think that's too much of a big deal. I mean, when Roth set out to create a mascot for his ideal of self designed excellence, he chose a character that would be the antithesis of Mickey Mouse, whom he didn't appreciate all that much apparently. Rat Fink was born on a restaurant napkin with stains. I wonder how much that rag goes for now...?

Anyway, I dig the Finks and Weirdos, have since I was a wee tyke pissing off the nuns at the private schools I attended. Of course, when High School hit along with skateboarding and punk rock, those characters and ideas festered even worse. So, yeah, this painting is kinda a mission statement for me and an homage to Big Daddy and all those gross and disgusting characters.

So, "Bite Me >insert ubiquitous critic, status quo, gotta-be-cleaner-than-a-fresh-napkin types<"

One more Duckie for the Day...maybe...

What's this...What's THIS??!

And now for something really fun...

Joining Storm Duckie...

Custom Rubber...Duckies, that is...

Follow up on Triclopian DiscoBot Escape!

In other events, here are some photos of that crazed Hakobot that got out.









Ha! Looks like Andy, Zerorider, caught the bugger. Too bad you, Triclopian DiscoBot!

2nd Saturday At Body Tribe Sacramento!!

Don't miss out on a really great show tonight only!!



Body Tribe is located between I and J streets on 21st in Sacramento. Show begins around 5pm and goes until 10pm.




I'll be there with signature Cinder Art at signature Cinder Pricing!!!




Uh Oh!! Looks like the Triclopian Discobot has been spotted!!! Where will he show up next?!?!

CHECK THIS OUT!!!

I recieved this email from Jordan Zweigoron of Psycho Donuts at 2006 S. Winchester Blvd
Suite C, Campbell, CA 95008.

He writes:

"Today was a big day, and the official soft launch of Psycho Donuts. This was intended to be a soft launch, but the word got out nonetheless... We sold out all of our donuts, and we also sold 2 pieces of art already (Jared/Gus - you are the day 1 winners - can fill you in on details!!). Imagine what will happen after a bit of marketing....

Here in Northern California, Yelp is a big deal - and we got some great reviews already: http://www.yelp.com/biz/psycho-donuts-campbell.

So far, it seems like an interesting venue for art that is off the beaten track. Time will tell how things go - but we are interested in keeping up with your work, and looking into other pieces which may be a good fit for our environment. If you know of other artists who would also make a good fit - please feel free to make an email intro accordingly.

Attached are a few photos to help you visualize the environment, and hopefully you can see some of your own works on our walls.

Please feel free to co-promote us on your website, Facebook, blog, twitter - whatever :-) Many of you have asked about when we're ready for some cross-promotion... we're ready... :-)

We also now have an artist page on our website at: http://www.psycho-donuts.com/art/index.html. We are linking to each of you :-)

On Sunday (tomorrow), we have a band called Please Do Not Fight - playing in our store at 1pm. For those of you who are local - please stop by. Additionally, on the evening of March 11 (8pm), Nicolas Caesar will join us for Full Moon Club - where he will create quick-sketch werewolf photos of willing customers... Should be fun...

Great to be working with such a creative team of artists!!

Cheers,

Jordan and the entire Psycho Brigade..."

This is definitely a venue to look into!! Tell them, "Cinder sent me!"

New Art and perhaps a new Series?

Just some new painting. 7x7 acrylic on canvas.

The theme is sort of folky. I like swirls and spirals.


Enjoy.




"Smoking Skull" started off with just the skull in a black outline. I was going for a sense of minimalism, but just could not stop. The story is this ghost whose caught in the smoke of spent desire. Sort of riding the wave of catharsis emanating from the remains of passion.




"Like You Was On Fire" is a kind of nod to that axiom of "Live Every Day Like Your Head Is On Fire". Never really got how that one came about, but I hear it every now and then. The story here is yet another ghost, or perhaps the same one, caught in the tempest of someone or everyone living every moment to the fullest.


Have fun!

C!nder

Ruddy Rat

"Greetings, kiddies! How's they hanging?"

My Little Sentinel

Converting and customizing toys has been a favorite of mine since I was in grade school. It started off with repaints of my Hotwheels and Micronauts and has just continued on.

Many artists have been converting vinyl toys, most popular are the Kid Robot ones and My Little Pony. When I saw the Robot Chicken skit with My Little Apocalypse Ponies I realized that I had to make my own. So I got out on the net and looked around at what other artists were doing. WOW! All you have to do is Google "my little pony customs" and you'll see!

For my custom, I wanted something close to my interests. I decided to go with the Sentinel from the Matrix.

I started off disassembling both the pony and the sentinel. I gave the pony a primer of black to help with previsualization.



I'm using wire pins and modeling putty to join the two main parts


To mark the right spots for holes in the bottom of the sentinel, I painted the post tips with a contrasting color, white, then fit the sentinel on the pony.



After that and drilling out the holes for the pins, I did a couple of dry fits.





I like the second one as it uses all the sentinel parts. The first one, however, shows more of the pony and creates better balance of elements. The other consideration is basing. I'm not sure if I'll base this piece yet. The tentacles can support the form well enough, but wont be adjustable. If I put it on a base,the tentacles can then be positioned however I wish.


The only leftovers I have now are a few of the claws and the pony's head. Well, I do have plans for those...

THE PROJECT COMPLETE


AND WITH A BACKGROUND TAKEN FROM A FRAME OF THE FILM as a stand-in. I'll be painting a 1/2 view background/display for the model. Some would suggest the drop code, but in the film's reality, the sentinel only existed in the war blasted environs of the "real world" and not at all in the "the Matrix".



As you can see, I opted for a simplified form where the pony can still be seen. I had blanked out the whole model, save for the orange of the tentacles, then gave it a base coat of gunmetal (2 parts silver with 1 part black) with silver highlights. The eyes are orange (like the toy's original) with a liberal wash of red (to bring it closer to the movie image).

Two things would really kick the model up a notch:
Red LEDs in each of the eyes and more dimensional sculpting of the body. Overall, however, I'm very pleased with the results I obtained.

Of course, now I have to chase this muse as far as I can. What to do next....

Persons interested in purchasing this pony should contact me directly through email or Myspace Mail.

"Be seeing you..."



C!nder

TOY SALE THIS SATURDAY

Greetings!

I'll be at the Toy Fusion Sidewalk Sale this Saturday afternoon, around 1pm to 5pm or until my ADD brain flies off on yet another whim. Come on out and see all the cool toys!! I'll have some more Star Wars stuff, some board games and a mix of other toys. If I get my arse in gear, I may even have a customized My Little Pony! Check out Toy Fusion for more information!

New Painting!!

This is one of those cases where I'll let the work speak for itself...enjoy.

"Betty's Big Guns"
16x20 acrylic on canvas
by C!nder
available for shows

RUMBLE SIDE IN HAKO TOWN!!!

THIS JUST IN!

Several suspiciously familiar looking Hakos were seen beating the crap out of each other in the neighborhood dubbed "Rumble Side" of Hako Town. Who are these Hakos, and where are the Ultra Team Hakos to stop this brawl?!?!

So, it's been asked of me several times now, "Why don't you make a display/backdrop/some terrain for the Hakos to sit in/on?" Good question. What was up with me not doing that? Truth is: I wasn't sure of how to approach the scale. I've always invisioned the Hakos as being 1:1. A 2" tall Hako is a 2" tall Hako. But how tall is it in it's 0wn world? eehhhh.... After a little more thought, I decided that the 2" tall Hako, being the average size, would be the base scale. Cool!

Now for the layout...eehhhh.. I had several choices: free standing terrain, side scrolling/bookshelf or facade. Well, I never really liked facade. Too flimsy and too "puch out". Free standing would be great, but many of us are space limited. So, since the Hakos exist in a video game/cartoon like world, side scrolling. Great for book shelves, counter tops and can be free standing if you combine them.

Now for the overall style: I figured since there are so many different style of Hakos, why not mix up the terrain too. My first project is the City Street with a recently blasted building.

After it was completed, my son and I held a game. IT WAS AWESOME!!!

Hope you enjoy the pictures. You can see City Street Rumble Side Hakotown at Side Show Studios for as long as it's there. Considering that the display is for sale...


ON A SIDE NOTE: With Valentines coming around, I'll be producing limited run Hakos that will feature opening compartments to put candy, trinkets or a saucy note in for your valentine. Check back for availability and locations.

Sculpture Show at Side Show Studios in Sacramento

Normally I do all the talking. For a change, I'll let my little monsters have a say...







If you'd like to see the pieces up close and personal, head on over to