NEWS
-- February 14, 2010(Toronto) Quietly Rustling in the wind, slowly pulling apart
So I cut some poetry into a peeling birch tree for some aw..shucks lovin'. although i dont have so great pics, the whole is what it says above...
-- January, 10 2010(Toronto) Public Space show and other Silly Stuff...
Do come out to the PUBLIC SPACE show happening at the Propeller Gallery Thursday January 20th-30th. It's being curated by The Globe and Mail's Architecture critic Christoper Hume (man, do i feel like I'm in the BIG leagues now....lol) and supposedly he's giving a lecture along with all the free booze so it should be a fun time all around. Check it out if you have time--Propeller Gallery more or less at Queen and Ossington. I'm also stoked that our image got on the cover of all the mail outs and postcards...
Also, I'm feeling silly so here's to a boy Twee Tree and girl Twee Tree blissfully holding hands. I'm only doing this because I finally got to make a plush toy stand on its own!
-- January, 5 2010(Toronto) Eyes in the City...
Happy new year and that other blah blah blah jazz...so it's cold out again, but not cold enough for some ice hands which i'm dying to do so i've decided to run with a series tentatively titled 'eyes in the city.' The technique is nothing new-- i assume a bajillion artists have slotted styrofoam cups into chainlink fences -- but I'm digging this series because of it's figurative qualities in the city and the play on 'eyes on the city,' or 'eyes in the city' and the whole big brother thing. Not that I think I'm referencing big brother here, but it's always arresting to see faces, etc. staring at you and where they're placed. I'm also interested in seeing these eyes disintegrate as either nature or people begin to remove the cups. I'm also planning to make an entire face, but that'll be further down the road.
and for the intelligentsia/academic out there, I'll try to write something a bit more profound than what I just said later...
-- December, 4 2009(Toronto) TWEE TREES...
No idea where this idea came from except some REAL late nights smoking and drinking and doing pretty much nothing else, but I'm digging how awfully disgustingly cute these bad boys are...and I'm throwing them up on trees around town just in time for some badly needed Christmas decorating. In that vein, I'm tentatively calling them Twee Trees with the story being that these guy are woodland creatures(man, never thought I go all Lord of the Rings here...) or something that appear after the leafs have fallen or some nonsense like that. If you can think of a better story, I'd like to hear it so give me a shout through e-mail. And, of course, I'm also hustling these guys if you happen to bump into me...
Me being such a nice aw-shucks kind of guy, if you do happen to come across them, I encourage you to take one down and bring 'em home--I think it'd make a nice Christmas present or decoration!
On another note, considering that these guys are just so friggin' cute, I guess I've just blown up all my supposed badass street cred. oh well. LOL
-- November 13, 2009(Toronto)
So finally got enough cash to do some bigger Orphans. More to come super soon!
Basically, I made all these plush toys and figured it would be interesting to see them on the street real big! I like how the patterns and b+w photo-quality work with its surroundings...
-- November 1, 2009(Toronto) "My Favorite PPP"
Having flipped through a shwack load of Poster Pocket Plant photos, this was my favoritie image of the Poster Pocket Plants done back in August with Sean Martindale. Something about folding away the mouth and turning it into a planter screams STFU...
More to come next year...
--October 25, 2009 (New York)
So I got to head down to New York for the weekend alongside Teeth and Sean Martindale and put up some work alongside a whole shwack load of artists for the 2nd NYSAT project headed up by the very cool Jordan Seiler (who, in my own humble opinion is a splitting image of Trent Reznor...). Had loads of fun putting up my work, didn't get arrested(like some unlucky few) and, hell, got a chance to go back to New York.
Thanks very much to Toronto's own legendary Posterchild for putting the crew up and inviting us all down! Although he's tearing it up in NY, I'm glad he's coming back to good ol' Toronto to inject some much needed energy here!
Unfortunately, my cell phone sucked and died before I could take any decent pics, but here's a couple shots grabbed from the 'net and the appropriate links to the photographers. If you're the photographer and absolutely hate having your photos shared, give me a shout and I'll take them down.
--
I guess due to popular demand, I've set up a BULK PURCHASE ORDER form for The Orphans Plush for anybody wishing to stock the Orphans Plush in their store or to simply hoard some for their own nefarious purposes....check The Orphans Plush mini-site for more info.
--October 14, 2009 (Toronto)
So Google Streetview finally descended upon Toronto and, oh, looky here at what it found back in the summer! It's those pesky Poster Pocket Plants tearing into a precious (illegal) billboard! Lulz! Thanks to Sean for the acute observation...
--NUIT BLANCHE!!!! October 3, 2009, 2009 (Toronto)
So this is what we did for NuitBlanche in Toronto at the Gladstone Hotel. Essentially, I gathered five real awesome artists and we went wild in the room, splattering paint everywhere and pasting our crazy shit on the wall. We put it all on canvas so that it maybe be preserved for some other gallery show or, if you're ballsy, you can purchase a piece per square foot...
And here's the stuff I wrote for the exhibit:
"OUR SKETCHPAD EXHIBITION CELEBRATES THE LISTLESS, ANXIOUS CHAOTIC ENERGIES OF OUR THOUGHTS CONSIDERED IN ARCHITECTURAL TIME AND SPACE. GIVEN THE ENTIRE ROOM, WE HAVE PRODUCED A QUADRUPLE ACTION PAINTED, ADRENALINE INFUSED, THOUGHTLESS, CARELESS, STREAM OF CONSCIOUSNESS FREEZED FRAMED MOMENT OF RESTLESS ENERGY APPLIED AND WRAPPED AROUND A ROOM TO CREATE AN EVOCATIVE SPACE OF THE SKETCH, THE THOUGHT AND ITS RESULTANT 'ARTISTIC' DETRITUS." Does that sound artsy enough to you? Man, next thing you know I'll be musing and writing like this guy.
Thanks very much to:
Kayo
Sean Martindale and
Nicole Torok
for participating! To emphasize, thanks very much to Piero Arico for pulling himself out of a gorgeous sunshiny Italy to be here in Toronto. The guy doesn't give himself enough credit for being an artist so I'll hustle for him--the guy's awesome and possibly the next great undiscovered raw talent--contact him here.
--September Something...i forget, 2009 (Toronto)
Sooooo....... Sean and I -- "The Poster Pocket Planters" got invited to discuss our work on the very cool "Late Night in the Bedroom" art video website. Very cool people and you should support these guys by checking out the Whipper Snapper Gallery--possibly one of the better artist-run-gallery out there. If you're wondering why I look a bit distant it's because, admittedly, I drank one too many prior to the show(hey, it was free for heaven's sake!) so kudos again to Sean for backing our asses up on this one--what an eloquent guy...
--August 10, 2009 (Toronto) The Show at Rolly's and Cool Ossington Stories Part 1...
This was the Rolly's show about two weeks back. I got to deck out the outside and inside. MMMM....it was a big fat delicious hit. Resulting from the show was a fantastic consignment with KID ICARUS which is now stocking The Orphans Plush that are waiting for some TLC and also one of the better Ossington stories I have:
Basically, I was uninstalling the show and two lovely people named Chris and Tara came up on a Friday evening and dropped down $300 on a 12' canvas pasteup. Yes, $300 is an absolute steal for a 12' canvas but I kinda like it when people make crazy impulse purchases beyond the regular stick of gum at the grocery store. Now, I'm thinking a dude with a 12' wall in a condo must be INSANELY rich or something.... anyways, an awesome piece of the show is now most likely gracing the interior of a penthouse suite in the King and Bay district...LOL...now if only I could get somebody like David Bowie or Prince to drop by...
Oh yeah, I've also tentatively been signed up for the KENSINGTON BLACK OUT FESTIVAL happening outside Kid Icarus on August 16th. Check it out and cross your fingers it won't freakin' rain this time... . peace
I also apologize for the level of 'assness' of my photos. I've been taking these off my mobile until I can afford one of those shiny new digital cameras. And my flickr site reached 200 photos so I won't be updating that for a while unless I can pony up for their 'pro' service... care to help?
--July 18 and 19, 2009 (Toronto) Two Big Fat and Delicious Hits
SATURDAY "a peek of things to come...":
So the very cool girls at Rolly's Garage at 124 Ossington gave me free space(!!!) for 2 weeks at the end of July to throw my stuff up.
I decided to run with The Orphans and did up the exterior wall this weeked. Met a very cool artist named Wax.Head and I threw up some of his work on the wall as well. Dude's only 16 and he's already pumping work out like mad and hustling his own shirts Dov Charney style at Spadina and Queen West. Man, the kids these days are absolutely amazingly talented. The only thing I remember doing when I was sixteen was sitting in front of the tele and burning my retinas with images of Metal Gear Solid on the good ol' PS1. Watch out for this guy--he's going to tear shit up in the very near future. Oh, and I'd buy one of his shirts before he becomes rich and famous... check his flickr site here.
So the work is all part of an upcoming improntu show happening at the end of July with an opening tentatively set for Saturday July 25, 2-6pm that piggy backs onto the Nightfall Market starting 7pm-midnight at Rolly's. So overall, a very cool day to be out on Ossington.
The opeing will be the perfect day to meet me in person(although I'm probably kinda boring and disappointingly not that awesome) and a chance to see an improntu art show happen right before your very eyes as well as possibily purchase a piece or two from me as well as other awesome crafters/hustlers such as these guys(they're "white collar...pink slips" shirt is pure genius..).
As I'm not that famous the prices are currently ridicously awesome ranging from $20 posters, $25-35 plush dolls, to massive 24"x48" live street art work going for $100!!! See the invite, etc. here and spread the word.
SUNDAY:
So Sean and I decided to take out a billboard with our Poster Pocket System. Loads of plants this time, and we were a bit wiser to use succulents, grasses and spider plants that can take a beating and keep on ticking. This time, the boys and girls from Torontoist decided to tag along, getting up at 5am in the morning(!?) to take photos and just see what all the crazy fuss was about. Very cool of them and especially thanks to editor-in-chief David Topping for being an enthusiastic supporter. I guess I owe him a beer or two or three for ruining his Saturday night.
The funny thing with the billboards is that these things get wildposted so quickly. I guess I was optimistic about this one as the first set of planters lasted quite a bit, but those poster boys went to town on this one a day later. Sheesh--vicious like rabid dogs they are.
So I guess the lesson learnt here is don't fuck with the billboards(even the illegal ones) and watch out for the Yoda-like Old Chinese Women who come by and try to steal plants(and that's a story I only tell if you get to meet me in person...)
Sean and I like this idea so much we're producing a blog to keep track of our thoughts and installs over at posterpocketplants.blogspot.com
--July 6, 2009 (Toronto) Urban Wall System No. 1
A further addition to our Natural Urban Interventions. I see this as an improntu architectural green wall system(or a satire of one) that is cut out of existing poster spaces. Some may call it a little guerrila gardening but I see this more as an 'Urban Hack' in its ability to jam an urban system and provoke reaction.
Anyhow, I like the idea so much and it seems pretty fun to do, that we're tossing the design out 'there' for free for you to use. Go to town and make your city awesome by clicking and opening the .pdf here. For such a craaaazzzzyyy idea, the planter is actually pretty simple folding geometry and I'm confident that you can develop much more refined and complex planter systems and shapes. Such as:
Kudos to artist Sean Martindale for the help and colloborative talk on the Spadina post. He diligently developed it from my random, chaotic cutout concept into a more refined corkscrew pattern and, along that line, established a more minimal planter cutout through the use of conical geometry. Plus, the dude got up at 5am on a Sunday to help me out with the planting! Dude is super cool--link to his website when it's up.
And I actually wrote thoughts on this one in my poorly updated blog. Muse through my ideas here.
--July 1, 2009 (Toronto) cools:
Another post on Torontoist's 'Vandalist' blog. 2 in a month-nice. Check it here
*UPDATED JULY 5, 2009*
--June 8, 2009 (Toronto) TOOT TOOT TOOT TOOT TOOT TOOT TOOT TOOT
Not to toot my own horn, but some cool stuff came up over the past couple days:
1)
Got on the cover of the HOME issue of the "Don't Panic" magazine in London. As the cover was about 'The Orphans' I figured giving it away as a 'free print' for the dudes to find a home seemed like a good concept and having them on the cover of an alt. magazine was appropriate in that respect.
More importantly, if YOU would like a a super limited edition signed cover(only 10 available!) I'm essentially tossing these badboys away for FREE--you're just paying a flatrate shipping fee of $15 to where ever you may be...(for the collectors out there, the cover is a 9"x9" print on kraft paper signed and numbered by me) click the PayPal link to grab yours. SORRY - SOLD OUT
You can also check the Don't Panic website and see a bunch of pretty (drunk) English girls and boys holding the mag up the right here.
2)
Got me a radio interview on CBC's radioactive with regards to the POST NO BILLS, POST PRETTY ART project back in Edmonton. Awesome. Don't know how they'll spin it, but at this stage, any exposure is good exposure. Listen to it here and check their site here
3)
Got posted to Torontoist's 'Vandalist' blog after being here for only 3 days. LULZ. Check it here .
--May 26, 2009 (Edmonton)
More Stuff from "Post No Bills, Post Pretty Art"
Dance! Just some doodling on a board.
Paint Chip art! Here's your mission: go grab a bajillion paint chips from your local paint store and create a nice mosaic around town.
I find stapling these up easier than pasting as the edges of the paint chip start to curl.
'The Creation of Whatever.' It's always nice to see recontextualized masterpieces in our urban core.
-- May 10, 2009 (Edmonton)
Revision: "Post No Bills, Post Pretty Art"
So I'm in Edmonton, AB. and I put some work up a derelict building and rather than simply leave it at that, I thought it would be an intersting urban experiment to let other artist's put up their work to make the building less sucky and more awesome. Hence, I've started a poorly organized 'urban regeneration' project called 'Post No Bills, Post Pretty Art' that looks at putting up some nice pieces over the boarded up windows on this downtown building. When I say poory organized, I mean that I'm just looking for other Edmonton artist's to talk to and see if they're interested in making a downtown block awesome. Check the .pdf here for more info.
For those wondering about the revision:
My original intention was to call it Make It Not Suck 2009 in tribute to a previous street art install in Edmonton, but the organizer of that event seemed extremely offended by the prospect(although I'm wondering if I was just talking to a prankster....). So I've pulled a 180 and changed the name to something I had originally posted, but I believe the intentions of making something cool are still there, albeit spun in a different way. I guess, in the end, I don't have enough skinny jeans or fixed gear bikes stuffed in my closet for me to obtain Edmonton street cred.??? Apologies to all those that I have offended--I didn't mean to and I admit I don't have the best silver tongue when approaching people.
--April 28, 2009 (Toronto)
oh shizam...we got accepted into the 'sketchPAD' exhibition happening October 3-4, 2009 in Toronto, ON., Canada at the always awesome Gladstone Hotel. I know this is super early to announce this, but hey we're pretty stoked abou the whole thing...
--April 20, 2009-420!!! (The Entire World...hopefully) Orphans Plush LAUNCH
Released the Orphans Plush into the wilds--check 'em out here! `So I totally disappeared into the studio for the past month or so to design and make these little guys and it's with great relief and pleasure to have them finally leave the comfy confines of the studio. They'll be making their way around a smattering of gallery shows during the up coming months, but you can always pick one up online!
--March 14, 2009 (London)
Old studio pics of The Orphans in progress. The scale is impressive in an interior setting... but totally p.o.'d the landlord...
--Feb. 14, 2009 (Edmonton) ICE HANDS!
I though this idea was quite a nice addition to the Natural Urban Interventions series...
More thoughts about these on our on our poorly updated blog...
And the hands are NOT making gang signs. Considering it's V-Day, I figure the hands signing 'L-O-V'E' seemed appropriate, if a bit aw-shucks sappy.
--Jan. 30, 2009
New site update, with all that fancy CSS and actual HTMLing this time. And it's super yellow...enjoy.
--Dec. 6 2008
Up and running! But looking kinda ghetto... Will promise to make this look so much more awesome in the months to come.
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