hammy mcChum

meet my latest creation, hammy mcChum.  i've had this idea for ages and recently felt motivated to get one started: customize a figure into a great white shark, using real-life shark teeth. i did stab myself with the shark little teeth plenty of times, but i absolutely love the contrast between the real teeth and the painted clay. i couldn't have been happier with the outcome, seeing as i didn't even know if it would work at all. this is just the start of using real animal accents on my figures. so many ideas, so little time.

unfortunately for me, i predicted my sister (hunter of sharks teeth) would see hammy and "claim" him and i'd lose my new favorite figure. instead of putting myself through the pain, i stayed unattached as i worked on it, and mentally prepared myself to give it to her for her birthday (although it broke my heart into a million pieces to give him away.) best present ever.

REAL SHARKS TEETH!

sometimes i love my figures pre-paint as much as i love them all painted and finished.

boo, ben, and scout

ok back to some real art after yesterday's nonsense. i was commissioned to make a painting of 3 pet rats. boo, ben, and scout, snuggly rats who are always in each other's business. 

rats are adorable.

hurricane adventures

saturday night, at 2 AM, our power went out.. which just happened to be perfect timing as i just finished watching a movie, commented on how loud the wind was as our curtains were puffing out despite our windows being closed, and literally the moment i opened the front door to check out the storm, everything went black. the following sketches are my documentation of the remainder of the night. tim only let me light one candle, so i couldn't see.. and i might have had a few drinks to relieve my anxiety..  so don't judge me on my power outage sketches.

the "blackout" night mostly consisted of unnaturally gassy tim pacing around with nothing to do, sitting and staring out our open back door at the insanely loud and world-ending wind blowing the trees over, (with a walkway we share with neighbors) where one of our friendly neighbors walked by in the pitch black and we happily said "hello" while she grunted and kept walking. i love our neighbors.

the fact that i took the time to share these sketches is a little sad. but it was a fun black-out for us and i wanted to draw/document it since i had literally nothing else to do, except sleep and what fun would that have been?

i strongly suggest all to read tim's amazing documentation after the jump:

shell-shock coverage

some autumn society SHELL-SHOCK coverage from this past june, including images of the pieces and interviews by the artists, including little old reluctant me. we all know i hate speaking. you're only allowed to watch this video if you promise not to mock my awkward nervousness that makes me sound like a complete airhead or that weird eye-rolly thing i do. i should be banned from being on camera. but it's a great fun coverage, so take a looky.

follow this link for the video: http://cinemassacre.com/2011/08/23/tmnt-art-show/

thank you to stephanie yuhas and cinemassacre.com for a job well done

earthquake on the east coast

i know that all the rage is talking about the unexpected earthquake that happened yesterday, and i know that we've all heard more than enough about it... but i'd like to document my own experience, solely for myself, since i know that i will undoubtedly fully forget about it less than a week from now (not to mention that it was also my first quakey ever.)  i was home alone in my tiny, little bathroom when my walls, paintings, shower chair, etc started shaking. i thought i was just randomly feeling dizzy and disoriented, as that actually does happen from time to time. i naively thought there may be something going on only outside my apartment complex, while considering but absolutely ruling out the idea that it was an earthquake.  it was a nice day so our windows were open, and after i rushed out of the bathroom, i listened for my normally loud, obnoxious neighbors to see if they experienced it as well. they did and after my phone refused to call or text anyone, i knew something had actually happened and that i wasn't crazy. did i mention i hate being alone? weird day.

this is the painting hanging in our bathroom that i watched swaying back and forth for what felt like much longer than it actually was. this painting (a painting i did for timmy based on an old drawing of mine he liked) is the reason i knew i wasn't making it up or about to pass out. i never cared so much for this piece, but i assume i'll always associate it with the first earthquake i've had the "pleasure" of experiencing.

blue player two

i'm incredibly excited to take part in my very first international show. the autumn society's going to  paris, france at LA FLAQ GALLERY: "8-BIT CHAMPIONS"! (produced & curated by CHOGRIN and Thomas Olivri-in association with geek-art.net ). the theme of the show is to illustrate an 8-bit game... and while the first game i saw on the list was circus charlie, (which instantly became my absolute favorite arcade game once i visited the amazing FUN SPOT in new hampshire,) i chose to illustrate bubble bobble. my favorite NES game of all time.

it was an easy decision to make, but once i tried to choose specifics from the game, it became impossible. i wanted to include the potion. i wanted to include the BIG diamond. i grew up on this game and it became clear to me how obsessed i really was with this game when i went home the other day and heard my dad whistling the entire theme song flawlessly without having played or heard it anytime recently.  not to mention it's been my ringtone for months.. :)

in the end i chose level 1.  it may not be my favorite level and it's not the most exciting or eventful, but it's the level we always played no matter what. (and by we, i mean my sister and i.)  we always started from the beginning. there was no saving, there was no continuing at a later date. level 1 is the level we have seen more than any level.  i wanted to include all my favorite items and prizes, but i kept it simple and accurate, something i have trouble forcing myself to do.

i chose to highlight player 2, the blue dinosaur, rather than player 1, the green.  the blue dude was always mine. i spent literally more than half my nintendo time watching my sister play or being the inferior player 2. my sister (righfully) hogged player 1 in any game, so no matter what i was player 2, and that blue little dinosaur represents me as a gamer. the epitome of my entire childhood-video game-memories-life-ish.

last little detail about this piece, i made my player 2 on a 3-dimensional bubble.  an old accessory from a munny figure was a half-sphere with little pegs for "dunny" ears.  i took off the ears, added some clay and smoothed it out for a round surface.  perfect for a bubble. you can see below the 3-D effect. i just wanted a little more emphasis on the 2nd player, seeing as how much he means to me. i know it's just a video game, but it really feels like a huge part of my memorable little childhood.

 

if only i could go to france!

figure teaser

whose sharp teeth are those?

tiana 1EG

man oh man i have all these finished pieces surrounding me, but i can't post any of them just yet and it's killing me. slowly they will start popping up.

so instead of all the cool exciting stuff i'd rather be sharing, here's a 1EG sketch.  i have been watching and craving all the "old" disney movies. i'm at the point were i'm going to buy a vcr just so i can watch and singalong obnoxiously to all the classics. most recently, tangled has proven to be just as good as the classics, so keep an eye out of some sketches of her.

today i have tiana. you should be able to guess what she's from.

time to get crackin' on those disney flicks

chogrin presents "monster creeps show"

go chogrin, go chogrin, go!!!  thanks to chogrin for having me be part of a tubular event!



Wednesday, August 10, 2011
MONSTER CREEPS - VIDEO (by Kris Rubio)

Shot and edited by Kris Rubio (www.krisrubio.com) for 4to4 Productions.

Artist Chogrin (chogrinart.blogspot.com) tribute to the films by Fred Dekker (Night of the Creeps & Monster Squad). The event featured art tributes by selected artists from the Autumn Society (www.theautumnsociety.com) and other special guests.

Tech Stuff:
Shot on a Canon T2i with a 50mm 1.4 prime lens @ 24fps. Audio recorded on Zoom H4n later synced with FCPX. Audio in FCPX was highly enhanced and modified via "Hum Remover". LCDVF viewfinder with D-Focus follow focus.

twsa in VA teaser

i want to surf every day. this weekend was a tease.

updates on my amazing time in the ocean coming soon. soon-ish. after i go through the wildly large amount of photos.

twsa round 2

on my way to virginia beach for

round 2 saturday, august 13.

they will surf again

(read round 1 again)

dr suess 1EG

from my new sketchbook. i designed these some time ago, and recently put some ink and color to them. some dr. suess to spice up the day

MONSTER CREEPS!

one-night only MONSTER CREEPS art show, tribute to fred dekker's MONSTER SQUAD and NIGHT OF THE CREEPS! appearance by fred dekker himself! followed by a screening of the monster squad with Q&A with fred.

...in california

....so i sat home dreaming of a sunnier life on the west coast. when is it my turn to live there?

 my 1950's ax murderer 3D painting

the man! fred dekker signing.

huge thanks to THE man fred dekker and the MAN chogrin!

thanks to dark delicacies for hosting a fun show!

huge thanks to strange kids club / fright rags / dead of night radio / the autumn society and especially chogrin !

i "stole" my photos of the show from chogrin, so check out the rest on facebook.

i fell

having my own apartment is really great and all, but i've spent years putting a blind eye to certain things i didn't want to acknowledge, things i have "confidently" reassured others would never be a problem. i like to tell myself i'll never have to deal with these things, but of course on my very first night by myself, i felt like an idiot when i finally faced a long-time concern.  i don't live alone, but i recently spent my first night of all time completely alone. no parents or sisters upstairs, no roommates or dormmates. which meant, if i just happened to fall out of my wheelchair onto the ground, i would have no one there to help my weak little body get back into it.

needless to say, when my manly man roommate went on his camping weekend man-trip, i ended up on the floor of my apartment at 4am after i lost my grip as my chair slowly slid away from the bed.  there was not a soul nearby to help, and the first thought to pop into my head was an argument with my dad only hours before when i was too impatient to fix the brake on my chair that did not work and how convinced i was that i could deal with a non-working brake (hence the reason that you have not heard this story until reading this now, mom and dad...)

it was emotionally draining and i had not a clue how to resolve it, even though it should be one of many things a wheelchairy person should know how and be able to do. i was on the ground and my bed seemed higher than ever. i was a serious mess of tears, emotions, anger, and hopelessness, all those overdramatic feelings. i attemted to lift my dead weight up and onto the bed but i wasn't even halfway. i piled some pillows under my butt to lessen the height back up to the bed, but flattened pillows weren't much of a help.  i finally faced my chair head on, raised my legs up and placed them onto the seat of my chair.  i figured since i can't lift my lower half myself, it might help to have it already elevated a bit. lucky for me, (though still after much struggle and frustration) i grabbed my night stand with one hand and the bed with the other, and lifted my limp body up and backwards onto the bed. it actually worked.

i've been asked dozens of times what i'd do if i fell out of my chair. my response has always been that it would be fine and that i would never be alone anyway. that is a flat out lie i've always told myself, considering i was often alone even before moving out. but i stayed in my little fantasy world and just assumed i would never have to deal with getting into a wheelchair, from the ground, by myself. reality check. we all need one sometimes.

 i'm sure most disabled people must be more prepared than me (at least i really hope they are).  and i know it was fully my fault and my ignorance and my stupidity, but i can't help but feel proud of myself for actually succeeding, for actually finding a way to overcome a concern/fear that i've been avoiding for years and years and years. it wasn't so bad...

boomer

this cute little flesch-craver is boomer: zombie owl.  i was comissioned to make a zombie owl, and we had talked about giving the owl the character of a "boxer."  sadly after working on it, i made the decision that the boxer addition would likely take away from the piece as a whole. it wouldn't have necessarily made the piece "bad", i just felt the zombie owl holds itself well on its own. what's meant to be will be and he is meant to be solely a zombie owl. and an amazingly awesome zombie owl he is.

 

boomer is all munnyworld parts: boomer's head is a kidrobot's trikky head with the ears cut off, with the body of a rooz. if this just sounds like nonsense, go check out kidrobot.com and see all the do-it-yourself blank vinyl figures. they will change your life. but only if you're talented and motivated. ok, i guess you don't technically have to be talented.

 i felt a little guilty that i failed to turn boomer into a boxer in 3-D form, so i did a quick sketch of boomer as a boxer to (try to) make up for it. not my strongest character design, but a little more work will make him the best zombie owl boxer of all time!

i hope boomer enjoys his new home !

wheelchair hero

i wish i was a wheelchair hero

alfredo

THE PIZZA SHOW!

this is alfredo, the sweet dormat of a rhino who can't get enough of making some delish homemade pizza pies!  with his greedy friend lix, who can't get enough of stealing and devouring alfredo's delish pizzas.

my piece for the pizza show this THURSDAY! this piece was painted in 3d, with alfredo painted on the glass, with some spots of color (raised 1/4 inch above the background)... and the background of color with even more color spots. nothing crazy. maybe in the future i'll remove him from his black hole of eternity to give him a kitchen/restaurant background to live in happily and healthy. we'll see. maybe he's already perfect right the way he is. who's to know.

"uhh- duuuh"

THE PIZZA SHOW! 

 Art and pizza have many things in common. Bring your friends, bring your enemies, bring some spices.

Thursday, August 4 · 7:00pm - 10:00pm

Home Slice Pizza 1030 North American St. Philadelphia PA

facebook invite

Curated by Rev. Eric Clark and Luke Leyden

Work by:
Luke Leyden

Eric Clark

Alexis Novak

Tim Roselle

Kasey Tararuj

Maryia Iaskevich

Derek Byrd

Leah Wishnia

John Mitchell

Matt Dragh

 

seriously, who doesn't love pizza? pizza art is the next best thing. (at least after all the hundreds of other delicious foods out there)

1950's ax murderer

CHOGRIN PRESENTS: MONSTER CREEPS, an art show & tribute to the films by Fred Dekker (Night of the Creeps / Monster Squad), featuring art from members of the Autumn Society & other special guests!

monster flicks from the 80's are pretty much the greatest of all time, so being invited to participate in the MONSTER CREEPS show is super exciting. i have no idea how this is even possible, but i didn't grow up on monster squad the way i should have. it should have been on my "love" list with all the other classics. i'm ashamed of myself (or should i blame my parents?) but they are both amazing movies and i chose to illustrate night of the creeps, which i only saw for the first time maybe about a year ago. i'm sure most of the tributes (maybe?) are for the more popular monster squad, so i gave some love to the awfully awesome 1986 zombie movie. chogrin suggested i do a cool 3D painting of the opening scene with the ax murderer in the classic 1950's black and white, and after rewatching the movie, i couldn't resist. i wish i could go out to california to see the one-night show, and meet the writer/director Fred Dekker. new jersey, always holding me back!

here are the layers to my painting, with glass layer raised 1/4 inch above the background: 

on glass: ax murderer about to strike the worried unsuspecting lady victim (whose boyfriend just wandered off to check out a loud noise... or something like that)

+

background: the look-out-point (lover's lane? make-out point?) complete with alien comet coming to invade earth (by having brain parasites enter through human mouths, turning them into zombies)

sure this was just a minor part of the movie, but it made for a creeptastic awesome painting.

FEATURING: An appearance & signing by writer & director Fred Dekker

WHEN: Saturday, August 6th (8pm-10pm)

WHERE: Dark Delicacies ( http://www.darkdel.com/ / 3512 W. Magnolia, Burbank, CA 91505 )

SPECIAL SCREENING: A special screening of Monster Squad will be held at the Banshee theater (limited seating) featuring a special Q&A with /FILM's Germain Lussier & Fred Dekker ( http://www.theatrebanshee.org/ / 3435 W. Magnolia Blvd., Burbank 91505 )

ART: View the art featured in the show (updated weekly) http://monstercreeps.blogspot.com/p/art.html

MORE ABOUT: Read on how this show came to be http://monstercreeps.blogspot.com/p/about.html

SPONSORED BY: Stange Kids Club (http://www.strangekidsclub.com/) / Fright Rags (http://www.fright-rags.com/) / Dead of Night Radio (deadofnightradio.blogspot​.com) / The Autumn Society (http://www.theautumnsociety.com/)

ABOUT CHOGRIN: Chogrin (www.chogrin.com) is an illustrator, gallery curator, and a co-founder of the Autumn Society. Chogrin's art is a fusion of retro american & Japanese cartoons with a sucker punch! Chogrin has produced and curated art shows like The 3G Show, The 3B Show, and most recently Shell Shock (a Ninja Turtles Tribute). He currently works on the hit animated TV show, Adventure Time, on the Cartoon Network. If you dare, you can contact / follow Chogrin @ chogrin@gmail.com / twitter.com/chogrin

facebook event

Poster & "Monster Creeps" banner by Justin Gray (burntobuild.blogspot.com)