Fish Out of Water Series

I just started work on a new series of paintings, loosely called the Fish Out of Water series.

Here's the 2nd in the series called

"Something Fishy at the Masquerade Ball"

30" x 36" acrylic on canvas

More in this series to follow...

Look for this and others this Sunday at the Ottawa Farmers' Market as I make my colourful return to this delicious venue.

AMACO Challenge submissions

Well it's one day past the final deadline for the 2009 AMACO Friendly Plastic Challenge.

Here's what I submitted in the fancy box...

1. Bottle of Hope based on a quote from Isak Dinesan: There is nothing that cannot be cured by salt water- tears, sweat or the sea.
friendly plastic: metallic red, metallic royal blue, light blue, print turquoise, metallic silver, metallic blue swirl, metallic african violet, metallic gold, metal alphabet beads, glass beads, ribbon, glass bottle with plastic lid.

Every side of the bottle was covered with a sea-like textured mix of Friendly Plastic.

I made a small mermaid and a happy fish to punctuate a ribbon on which I wrote the quote.

The ribbon is glued to the lid but the ends trail off freely over the side of the bottle.



Inside the bottle I placed a happy fish with the word "Smile" which can be seen through the neat see-through bubble lid.















2. Valentine's Day Jewellery Sets

a) For You Madam earrings and necklace
friendly plastic: metallic black, metallic white, metallic red, metallic mauve, metallic silver, glass beads.

b) Have a Happy Heart earrings and necklace with googly eyes!
friendly plastic: metallic red, metallic white, google eyes










3. Butterfly of Hope for Children's Holocaust Museum project


a) Branches openwork butterfly made of branches and leaves.
All friendly plastic: indian red, chameleon, print green, avocado, metallic green

Here's the link to the original post describing the challenge. Cannot wait to see the other submissions!

http://plasticmasters.blogspot.com/2008/09/friendly-plastic-lovers-we-have-news.html

Gulp Earrings

aka Businessman's Lunch

In honour of meeting another friendly plastic master, Liz in the UK, I've decided to start posting images of my fp works again. I've gotten away from it, which was supposed to be the focus of my blog, but since there are so few people out there doing this stuff I guess I may as well help educate the masses.

I love this design. Kind of like hoops, but not. Kind of optimistic, or not. Sort of glass half full? Or glass empty? I can never decide if the little fish is outta there or not. Sometimes I re-title this one Businessman's Lunch. Depends how I am feeling.

I love fp for the colour. I try my best to keep the bright uncompromising shiny colour. I have never found any material to equal it. The thing about friendly plastic is it mimics several mediums. People just don't know what it is. It is very similar in colour and patterning to dichroic glass. Also it has been mistaken for leather. One time for wood(?) The real surprise for folks is when they pick it up. It is light. Very light. You can make a huge pin and it weighs nothing. Same thing here. These earrings are about 1.5" across. They weigh nothing. I just calculated that they'd weigh about 1/5 of an ounce. You can see how this confounds the average person. They think they know what it is, pick it up, and then it's light as a feather. I love the look of wonder that crosses their face at that moment.

Illustration Friday: Multiples

The Many Moods of Fish 24" x 24" acrylic on canvas

So many fish; so many, and varied, moods.

Day Olds - Dec 29 2007 - Swamp Things #1 and #3

I made these years ago, maybe 2001? Maybe earlier. 1998? I had just started experimenting with drawing and painting and mixed media. I remember that I was selling in the lobby of the General Hospital here in town, and I had several different subjects in this style. They were all triptychs, as in a series of three related pieces, all made in this way. I had giraffes, dragons, moose, frogs, fish, cats and dogs. All of them had friendly plastic accents. Some were more successful design-wise than others. For what they were, there were a lot of steps. I haven't made these since. I do lots of one-offs, lots of experiments, and I usually just bring them to a show, hopefully sell them, or if I don't, they come back home with me and I misplace them to be found years later.

BTW I was at the General Hospital with my friend Tim of Mobius T-shirt fame and we loved going there to sell as they had THE BEST HOSPITAL FOOD ever! I know, I know, this is really not what you expect, but their scones! OMG they were to die for... oh. Probably I shouldn't say that when talking about a hospital eh? Hmmm.

Fish Faces

I completed these just minutes ago, took my trusty camera and recorded them for all posterity.

Four fabulous fish faces.
6" x 6" acrylic on canvas paintings.

Made Fresh Today - July 4th, 2007

The Happy Cannibal

Unrepentant Joy.

He is what he is, no excuses.

Not only is he what he is, he is happy about it.
A lesson for us all.