The Last Unicorn Art Show - Opening Night

Here's some photos from The Last Unicorn Art Show opening night on 16th April at The Tattoo Factory Gallery, Chicago.

It was a huge success, with 400 or more visitors through the doors on the night. Peter S Beagle and his manager Connor were in attendance and apparently thoroughly enjoyed it. Well done Jeremy!

Here are some photos courtesy of Jeremy Scheuch, see the full set on the official site here

Finally, here's a lovely lady modeling beer! You can see my piece on the wall, top left.

Inky-Super-Duperness!!

White Rabbit & Mushroom

2008

I have something really cool to share today. About a month ago I was contacted through Etsy by a girl who had seen my White Rabbit and Mushroom print for sale (above). Her message was really sweet and she was asking my permission to have the image tattooed!! To say I was thrilled and excited and honored is a bit of an understatement. Most of my favorite artists on the planet have a page on their sites dedicated to tattoos of their artwork permanently inked into people's skin. To think that someone wanted one of my creations, with them... yep, for the rest of time, just blew me away.

Anyway, I emailed her back to let her know that I was very happy for her to use my design, with one rule... she send me a photo when it was done!

Despite my excitement, I guess at the back of my mind I thought I probably wouldn't hear from her again. People are always coming across stuff that would make a great tattoo, but most of those are rarely realized in skin, probably because too much time passes and it's forgotten about or something else comes up.

So you can imagine my UTTER DELIGHT when I read my emails this morning and found this:

WOW WOW WOW!! I love how the tattooist "traditionalized" the design a bit and added their own style - I think it's looks really cool! I can't stop looking at it, and it's seriously made my day, maybe my month! I don't know the name of the artist - but if I find out I'll let you know.

I'd like to say thanks to Aubrianne a.k.a. WickedClean, firstly for getting my artwork tattooed on you! And secondly for being so well mannered by asking first! And that's probably some pretty sound advice for anyone thinking about getting a tattoo of someone's art - yes, they'll most likely be honored, and likely to say yes, but don't assume that's how they'll feel. Go ahead and email them, ask them... if they say no, you'll have just to accept it, it's their intellectual property after all. If they say yes, GREAT - just be sure you send them a photo!!

Eastery-ness, Rabbits, Eggs & Jesus

Hope you had a nice Easter... two weeks late right?! I had an amazing ELEVEN days off work. I didn't get alot of art done as we were DIYing instead but I did do this little ditty inspired by Easter-ness, no Jesus though, only bunnies and eggs.

14 x 14 cm

Watercolour, coloured pencil and gouache on Somerset paper

I had a lot of fun with this, it was a bit of an exercise in trying to keep the colour palette pastely and light... I usually have trouble holding back from slapping on the colour pretty much neat. I also loathe attempting symmetry - in retrospect I should have traced it. One rabbit is waaaay bigger than the other.... what? You hadn't noticed?!

 

The Last Unicorn Art Show - opening tomorrow!

The Last Unicorn Art Show

Opening Reception

7-11 pm

Friday 16th April 2010

Tattoo Factory Gallery, 4443 N. Broadway, Chicago IL

So if you're in the area, or not... why don't you make your way down to check out the show?! I'm not sure of exact timings but I'm guessing the show will be up for several weeks.

Curator Jeremy Scheuch has also organized two screenings of the film surrounding the show at different locations. Peter S. Beagle will be in attendance at both with a Q&A session for the attendees:

Saturday 17th April @ 3pm

Gorilla Tango Theatre

1919 North Milwaukee Ave., Chicago IL

------------------------

Sunday 18th April @ 3.30 pm

Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo

Screening Room 1, McCormick Place, 2301 S. Lake Shore Drive, Chicago IL

Here's my piece which made it just about in time - thanks Fedex!

+ click to enlarge

"Hope"

20 x 24 cm

Watercolour, colour pencil & gouache on Somerset paper

I tried to incorporate my favorite elements from the story; in the border on the right is the castle, below is the Red Bull, above is the singing moth she encounters on her journey and to the left is her home forest. I wanted to incorporate more, like the witch, the unicorn as her human self and other characters but I thought it was simpler and better balanced like this.

Some details:

+ click to enlarge

I'll upload some of my process shots (which are of course still on my camera). Most of my original ideas and colour combos were excluded from the final piece and this was my second attempt, the first looked more like my sketch book studies - but it was destroyed in a fit of frustration! I'm pleased though because it resulted in this second one which I'm much happier with.

If you are interested in purchasing "Hope" please contact Jeremy Scheuch.

20% of the sales from this show go to The Children's Defense Fund.

I'm hoping to get a hold of some opening night photos, as I obviously won't be attending, and put them up after the opening - because frankly I just can't wait to see all the art together! In the run up to this show I've seen some amazing work for it pop up on the web from various artists involved, including some awesome 3D and plush work! Should be a truly spectacular and varied event.

Yeh, Unicorns rock!

Last Unicorn Sneak Peek

I finished my piece for The Last Unicorn Art Show @ The Tattoo Factory Gallery, Chicago, IL opening 16th April, mentioned here.

Here's some sneaky peeks, yey!

 

+ Click to enlarge

Safe and (not completely) sound

Yey! January's pieces from the Mail Me Art project finally got posted online… the response was so massive it's taken the poor and very patient people of Mail Me Art several months to sort, and I presume photograph, all the mail.

Was very thrilled to see my piece in amongst them and chuffed to see they photographed both sides.

Then I looked a little closer, and what's this?! What the hell? I was expecting the top right corner to be adorned with a rather vintage looking Royal Mail ink stamp… guess the ink at the Royal Mail was running low that day so they just handed out CHARCOAL instead! I mean come on, I paid a POUND and all I get is a huge strike through pencil mark?! I think I deserve a stamp don't you?! Ah, I knew some crap would happen. Still, at least he got there. I quite like the battered corners though, they have a certain appeal.

Here's my hand picked favorites from the huge array of wonderful and weird and very different styles of work that was posted in. Names where possible.

Jennifer Lawson                                      

Shona Shirley MacDonald                                                                                           Amy Lau

Steve Coleman                                                                                       Emma Nicole Home

Check out January's gallery here.

Facebook group with details of the July exhibition of all the Mail Me Art 2 submissions