Wednesday, April 28, 2010

The Night Tree


The Night Tree
12 x 24 inches, acrylic on canvas
$340.00
Opening Reception for "Come on Pilgrim" at the Cameron House, Sunday, May 2nd 5-8pm
with the Ron Leary Band. See post below for info about "the Night Tree" and her companion piece. I took a couple of minutes and looked around my studio/apartment. It's a bloody disaster, really want to get back to some sense of order in here, it's going to take a couple of days, wow, what a mess.
A.Shay Hahn

The Night Tree

top : The Night Tree (red books)
The Night Tree
each piece 12 x 24 inches, acrylic on canvas, framed
$340.00 each

I've been staring at these trees for weeks, they were two of the first things that I began that were "new" for the show (scroll all the way down to February 28th entry, don't bother) and got moved to the side, I'd tried a couple of different approaches with them in regards to figures and tones, but was never happy.

I think what I arrived at over the past couple of days works quite well in regards to the shape and layout. I was complaining about how frustrated I was, "They are just two 12 x 12's side by side! Twelve x Twelve it's what I do!" and was getting quite fumed about the whole thing, but we got to this point and now I can briefly exhale and finish the three/ four other pieces I need to get done for the hang at the Cameron on Sunday.

with relief,

A.Shay Hahn

madcraftshoppe@live.com



Tuesday, April 27, 2010

The White Rowboat

The White Rowboat
20 x 20 inches, acrylic on canvas$400.00

As always come to the Cameron House on Sunday, May 2nd from 5-8 pm for the Opening Reception of "Come On Pilgrim" with musical entertainment by the Ron Leary Band. Advance purchases are reccomended.

A.Shay Hahn

madcraftshoppe@live.com


The White Rowboat II

The White Rowboat II
20 x 20 inches, acrylic on canvas
$400.00

(will post some thoughts here once I finish the companion piece, White Rowboat I)

Andrew Shay Hahn

madcraftshoppe@live.com


Monday, April 26, 2010

Come On Pilgrim, brings some friends along





An Angel for the Carpenters, 12 x 24 inches, acrylic on canvas, framed
$340.00

A Quiet Place to Call My Own, A Cup of Crows, Coffee Dogs, The Book Thief
each piece is 12 x 12 inches, acrylic on canvas, framed
$160.00 each
We are bringing some friends along from, "the wideawake man" my last show at the Press Club.
I want to create a similar "salon" feeling to the what the look of the Press Club had, maybe with a bit more order.
As usual I'll be swapping work in and out as it sells and documenting the visual changes of the walls, which some people find exciting and some find annoying and unprofessional.

A.Shay Hahn


Selene

Selene, Woman with Lanterns II
18 x24 inches, acrylic on canvas
$400.00
Hard at work, will post the Sunday Challenge Results later today. As always come on out May 2nd to the historic Cameron House from 5-8 pm for the Opening Reception of, "Come On Pilgrim" paintings by Andrew Shay Hahn with music provided by Ron Leary and his band.

For advanced purchases or other questions holler into this tin can.

madcraftshoppe@live.com

A.Shay Hahn


Sunday, April 25, 2010

Eight Days til Opening at the Cameron House







Girls Carrying Birdhouses,
12 x 16 inches, acrylic on canvas ,$180.00
Lady with an Axe (Black Dress), Lady with an Axe IV,
The Dog who got Drunk and thought he was a Lion,
The Night Shepherd,
11 x 14 inches, acrylic on canvas, $160.00

Lots of work to finish this week, several more posts coming your way, it is a beastly Sunday outdoors today so I will be inside, dry and waving brushes around like a madman.

Over on Facebook the Second Sunday challenge is under way and I'll be reporting on it either this evening (after 8pm) or tomorrow AM. As always I reccomend buying in advance if there is something that you like, no gurantees it will be there when the show is hung. Really, holler at me if there is something you want and you can pick it up this week.

A.Shay Hahn

madcraftshoppe@live.com





Friday, April 23, 2010

About Axes (and a bit more about hair and colour)

Lady with an Axe (blonde hair)
16 x 20 inches, acrylic on canvas
$280.00

Here are some comments about the "Lady with an Axe" that I collected on facebook, along with one that addresses both her and her hair colour.


IA
They appeal to our ideals of beauty and horror at the same time?
Wed at 8:36am ·

TB
in my case, i loooove chopping kindling because i feel powerful and productive: these women are the spirit of that.
Wed at 8:41am


DVM
there's a certain sense of empowerment behind women wielding tools, and that whole lizzy borden took and axe thing.... most of your fans are sick and twisted like you!
Wed at 11:57am ·

SM
What am I? Friggin Camille Paglia over here?
Wed at 12:01pm ·

DVM
no SM, you just enjoy being intimidated by powerful/crazy women....thus the industry you work in!
Wed at 12:10pm ·

SM
that 'splains it!
Wed at 12:16pm ·

AL
Are the positive responses from men or women?
Wed at 1:05pm ·

Andrew Shay Hahn
the majority are from women, some men have commented how cool they think they are, but it's mostly women who are fans.
Wed at 1:14pm ·

SR
it's the bum.
Wed at 5:01pm ·

AV
I like that they wield axes but you still call them "ladies!" Probably wise.

S. E -this one. I like her black dress, it makes it a moodier piece to me than the girl in the white dress.Curious - you seem to paint a lot of blondes - stylistic choice or materials to hand? Just curious
Yesterday at 5:57am ·

Andrew Shay Hahn
I was just discussing that with someone (it will be on the blog soon) the choice of hair is simply what works best against the sky. The blonde hair pops more against this darker blue, black, brown background.
Yesterday at 6:00am ·

S.E -this is good to know. I am mollified. thanks baby!

thoughts ?

A.Shay Hahn

madcraftshoppe@live.com


A Conversation about Hair and Colour, Pt I

Lady with an Axe, Man with a Hammer (black shorts), Man with a Hammer (white shirt),
Lady with and Axe (black hair)
each piece is 12 x 16 inches, acrylic on canvas, framed
$180.00

Sorry it's been so quiet around here, I've been building frames, sanding, staining and varathaning them for days and of course finishing up a ton of work, the studio is a complete and total mess. And I feel that I am becoming a bit too bogged down in this show and have very little to say. Luckily playwright Tara Beagan sent me a message and got me excited about thinking again, here for your enjoyment is our conversation in two parts.

"Hi Andrew,

i wondered something... and please know that i'm not making any insinuations or calculating to make accusations at all. i'd love to hear thoughts from an artist whose principal pursuit isn't theatre.

i noticed your Lady With Axes (pardon, i can't now recall the exact title. pretty sad for a so-called-writer) and love her, but then realized the thing that made me paint our christmas tree angel's hair dark brown when i was nine: all of the angels on the tree were whiter looking than me (i'm a fairly fair halfbreed) and so i couldn't really feel like they were there for me to cherish.

this may seem nuts, but i wondered at whether you ever paint people whose complexions or colouring is off-Caucasian. i understand that we offer the world those things we know and that speak to us, and that the shadings and palette employed when painting non-aryan folk might make a difference to the overall tone of your images... what are your thoughts on this?

tomson highway believes anyone should be cast in his plays - doesn't care if the actor is non-native and playing native. i don't agree with him, though i understand his point of view to some extent. similarly, i get irked when theatres fill their "native" or "ethnic" quota by programming stories written by a member of dominant society (usually white guys). but then, here i am wondering whether you ever paint more pigmented folk.thoughts?

i'm not on the attack, i swear. i have a bit of a reputation for that, but i'm honestly not seeking prey - i just wonder what your thoughts might be as a visual artist.looking forward to checking out your latest in person.

warm regards and much respect,tarab"

Tara Beagan is a Canadian playwright, her last play "the Woods" is part of Theatrefront's four play cycle, "the Mill".

continue to next post, to do this, scroll down.


A Conversation about Hair and Colour Pt. II

Deep Sea Diver with Banjo, Deep Sea Diver with Accordion, Deep Sea Diver with Moon,
Deep Sea Diver with Guitar
all pieces are 14 x18 inches, acrylic on canvas, framed
$240.00 each.

NOTE: I'm printing the final half of this conversation first since, if you scroll on these things you'll miss certain points. The introduction will be in the above post. This is my reply to Tara with a little follow up.

"Hey Tara, it's a great question, and one I've thought about quite a bit in the past couple of years as I sit alone in the studio.

Colour is incredibly important in my work, but it's the simplicity of the colour that is important. I use only about five colours when I work, I use, white, black, prussian blue, raw sienna and burnt umber ( a little bit of yellow ochre) and if it needs it (like the tip of an axe) a red highlight. This choice is something that has evolved over time. If you flash through an album of my paintings you see the same colours occuring in different densities and mixtures over and over again.I worry about the colour of my "subjects" hair more than anything, it's what looks best against the sky and how it contrasts with the ground, waves, wheat, rocks etc.

The majority of my figures have hair that ranges from brown to black, and then I add a highlight to it. If the sky is more grey than blue, chances are the figures hair will be blonde. It's the compliment of the colours that make these decisions and really nothing else. I have varied shades of skin tones but yes, the figures are predominently caucasian, I have painted other races in my work, but I don't feel it's representative of me, I'm sure that if the image needed a figure of a different colour/race to be used, that is what I'd do without a second thought.

Thematically the colour of a subject, plays no role in my work, it's colourblind casting in 2D, I just paint a heck of a lot of white people.

I'm not sure if this is a complete answer, but I would enjoy continuing this discussion here.

A.S.H

Tara Beagan replies

"Incredibly interesting. thank you! i'll chew on this, with relish. it's beautiful to hear you speak (write) of your colours. makes me wonder what the writerly equivalent is. "

(And then we just started joking around about how I do descriminate against birds as crows are cooler than pigeons.)

As always the Opening for, "Come On Pilgrim" at the Cameron House is Sunday, May 2nd from 5-8 pm with the Ron Leary Band.

madcraftshoppe@live.com

A.S.H


Friday, April 16, 2010

Prometheus

Prometheus III
20 x 20 inches, acrylic on canvas
$400.00
I don't think I posted this Prometheus when I finished it, so here it is.
Come on Pilgrim
at the Cameron House, Opening Sunday, May 2nd 5-8 pm
with Ron Leary and his band
Expect quite a few more of these posts, fewer words, but lots more pictures!
A.Shay Hahn

The Tall Girl at the Beach

The Tall Girl at the Beach
18 x 24 inches, acrylic on canvas
$400.00
I felt so bad for her that I immediately started painting another one to keep her company.
COME ON PILGRIM - Opening on MAY 2nd at The Cameron House, reception from 5-8pm with Ron Leary, I believe it will be a trio of musicians, that's three.
A.Shay Hahn
UPDATED: JULY 21, 2011.
All work is property of the artist, no use without permission.


The March of the Deep Sea Divers cont'd...

The Moon
14 x18 inches, acrylic on canvas $220.00 unframed
It has been confirmed that Ron Leary will be playing the Opening of "Come On Pilgrim" at the Cameron House on May 2nd, from 5-8 pm. we hope to see you there.
I am currently in the shop building frames, this week I've made about twenty one frames and still have to finish about a dozen paintings, but will still find the time for your commissions.
Here's a link to his MySpace page http://www.myspace.com/ronleary

Monday, April 12, 2010

The SUNDAY CHALLENGE! reposted from facebook for your enjoyment

THE SUNDAY CHALLENGE IS HERE!!!!!Who has the better disguise ? Bird Disguised as Cat (Left) OR Cat Disguised as Bird (Right) to Vote, tag yourself on the side that should win.Results to be posted TONIGHT!thanks to Ian Philp and Meghan Thompson for suggestions

The SUNDAY CHALLENGE! began as a conversation between myself and Ian Philp ( see: Milk Run, The Press Club, Jay Clarke and the Jones) at the Press Club, I was talking about how some paintings of mine are purchased instantly, whether it's the day I hang them or if someone sees a photo online and how unpredicatble it is, who knew that a tea cup full of Deep Sea Divers or a Desperado riding a chicken could be so popular. That you simply can't know what people will like, or even will comment on, that some events/ social media become wildly popular while others never get off the ground. You're better off doing your own thing and let people find you, how do some bands become popular while others languish. etc. etc.
At some point it was said, "What is more popular ? A Bird disguised as a Cat ? OR a Cat disguised as a Bird? Well, we decided to find out, and the SUNDAY CHALLENGE! was born. I proposed I plant a seed and then do the paintings and then find out 1) If people even care 2) If they will vote/ debate 3) If someone would buy the work without prompting.
I posted the status, "What is more popular ? A Bird disguised as a Cat ? OR a Cat disguised as a Bird?" On Thursday or Friday and received several comments, one being, "Aha aha ha ha ha ha ha!" which I took to be a good sign, but also there was a very important piece of information from M. Thompson, that the Cat disguise HAD to be of an Owl - well with that kind of interest there was no turning back, I started painting.
I finished the pieces early Sunday morning, I even got up early on Sunday to make sure they were (pretty much ) finished.
Here is the Highlight Reel of the day the first SUNDAY CHALLENGE! was posted
11:00 PM - The SUNDAY CHALLENGE! is posted
12:06 PM - Bird as Cat has a strong lead at 4 - 2
3:40 PM - Our First Tie 5 -5, strangely among the sexes, B.as C has received no MALE votes
4:45 PM - Cat as Bird takes the lead at 9-7 votes
6:30 PM - It's a 10 - 10 tie at this point I've received 3 OUTSIDE votes from either mad craft shoppe members (which is the group I run on facebook, it has 980 members), friends of friends, or people who have been annoyed in the newsfeed, also other paintings in the "Come On Pilgrim" photo album start to get tagged as people I'm not "friends" with on fb
7:45 PM Cat as Bird pulls ahead to a strong 13 - 10 lead and holds it.
8:00 PM Cat as Bird wins 13 - 11 and the first SUNDAY CHALLENGE! Enters the History Books.
11:00 PM one more vote is cast.
QUESTIONS AND FEEDBACK
Well right now I'm in the middle of painting new work for my show at the Cameron House which I'm hanging May 2nd, I would like to do at least one more SUNDAY CHALLENGE! this month.
Would you participate ?
Do you think others would participate ?
I was surprised to start to see people ringing in that I did not know, that maybe were members of my facebook group, "the mad craft shoppe".
Were they asked by a friend to vote ?
Why do you think that happened ?
If you would like to purchase either/both of the paintings featured in this weeks SUNDAY CHALLENGE! they are $ 140.00 each/ $160.00 framed but as a SPECIAL SUNDAY CHALLENGE! Deal you can have them BOTH framed for $300.00 all the best, hope to hear your thoughts/ feedback today

Sunday, April 11, 2010

Meanwhile over at the Alphabet Shoppe....

If you go to the links section located over there at the right of this blog and down a bit you can go and visit the sweet little sister of the mad craft shoppe, "the alphabet shoppe" that's where the nice paintings are displayed, and you can read all about this really cool new style.
best,
A.Shay Hahn

The Two Lovers

The Two Lovers
16 x 16 inches, acrylic on canvas
$240.00 / $260.00 framed
One new aspect of this show that I have just begun to get into (does it seem late to use the word "new" with three weeks to go until you hang the show ? I think not) is the clothing/ time period for the "characters" involved in "Come On Pilgrim" I want to move them from the country and a little closer to the city for this show, something with more of a 50's feel is what appeals to me right now. I've been painting folks in suits and suspenders for awhile, but they've been more "Grapes Of Wrath" in appearance, a more dust bowl look to them, so with this piece I wanted to start looking a some cleaner lines, sleeker clothing for the figures.
That being said I'm sure the next painting I post will be of some hayseed looking Henry Fonda guy, but that's only because I am working on so many things at once, I don't even want to count how many pieces I'm doing right now, plus a funny fb contest that I'd like to get online today, "Cat disguised as Bird OR Bird disguised as Cat, which is the better painting ?" We'll see if I even can get to that.
all the best, talk to me here
A.Shay Hahn

Friday, April 09, 2010

The Log Driver's Waltz



The Log Driver's Waltz I & II
12 x 12 inches, acrylic on canvas
$140.00 ea/ $160.00 framed

Here's the wikipedia entry, you can watch the NFB short if you scroll to the end of the post, I was going to write here about my love of this classic bit of Canadiana, but I just have way too much to do, I'd even composed some nice things to say about the passing of Kate McGarrigle, such a wonderful talent. It was her death that inspired the series of paintings, "Waiting for the Lake to Freeze/ Thaw" as I'd incorrectly thought that they'd written a song called, "the Skating Song" but it was actually called, "The Swimming Song"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Log_Driver's_Waltz

madcraftshoppe@live.com

A.Shay Hahn


Thursday, April 08, 2010

The Dog Who Got Drunk and Thought He Was A Lion

The Dog Who Got Drunk and Thought He Was A Lion
11 x 14 inches, acrylic on canvas
$140.00 / $160.00 framed

How do I want the show to look ? This is something that I think about alot, last year at the Cameron it was just clean lines of 20 x 20 canvases, pretty standard looking stuff, a little closer together than a gallery would have hung them, but I wanted the "field" pieces to be set in a continuous line. If that means anything to you, or if you remember what "Silver" looked like.

This year I want to get the vibe of an English sitting room so I am going to group the pieces very deliberately, a 12 x 24 along the bottom with two 16 x 20 pieces above it, followed by a large piece etc. etc. I did have a sketch for this but I'd have to scan it for you and I don't have the time for that today. I get to hang with me Ma and have lunch which I'm looking forward to, we'll hit up Bau-Xi and Bau-Xi photo for sure, maybe eat at the AGO or get some of that Gastronomystery at The Village Idiot, or just run to Baldwin Str.

This painting is one of those great titles that just rolls around in your head for years until you get around to it and here it is, yes gentlemen we've all been there, biting off more than we can chew, barking more than our bite. (Yes, the back leg on the hound looks a bit odd, but I have since fixed it.).

This month is not long enough by half, I have three weeks to finish about fourteen pieces that are in various states of completion, add some new stuff as new ideas pop up and somehow build frames for all the smaller works, I am not framing anything larger than 16 x 20 so don't ask, and I am getting abit peeved that people expect my work to be framed now, really silly of me to open up that option, it's about the painting, my frames are actually pretty crappy if you take a good look at them.

Anyways, if there is anything that you want, buy it now, as always there are no gurantees that it will be at the show, I run this life without Arts Grants, every penny goes right back into my work to keep me painting. You might think it's crazy, but it seems to be working.

all the best, thanks for listening

A.Shay Hahn

madcraftshoppe@live.com


The Last Band

The Boy Who Played the Banjo
12 x 12 inches, acrylic on canvas
$140.00/ $160.00 framed.
I've gotten a good run for now on "the Last Band" this show seems to be tied to water and instruments, where the last show at the Press Club was about birds and books. I'm going to move off the band for a bit and do some "busts" I was looking at another artist's work yesterday and realized how much time they must save by not painting any arms or body below the chest.
just kidding.
A.Shay Hahn

Tuesday, April 06, 2010

A Cup of Deep Sea Divers II

Cup of Deep Sea Divers II
12 x 12 inches, acrylic on canvas
$140.00 / $160.00 framed

Probably one of the stranger things that I've done that got an incredible response, the first sold the day it was put up, which does happen alot with the singular, quirky experiments that I do, it's always funny and rewarding that people get it.

A.Shay Hahn

madcraftshoppe@live.com


The Canadian Girl Project

Canadian Girl at the Breakwater II
12 x 12 inches, acrylic on canvas
$140.00 /$160.00 framed
from the ongoing series, "The Canadian Girl Project" check the labels section for more on her and stories contributed by other people regarding the Canadian Girl

A.Shay Hahn

madcraftshoppe@live.com


The Last Band




The Boy Who Played the Trumpet, The Girl Who Played the Drum, The Boy Who Played the Drum
each piece is 12 x 12 inches, acrylic on canvas
$140.00 / $160.00 framed.

These pieces fall into that special category of "Stuff I never got around to doing", I have done these sketches at least three times over in moleskines and sketchbooks and kept doing other work before I'd get around to them. I wanted to expand on the world of "The Boy Who Loved the Water", the child in the life jacket who keeps reappearing in my work over the years, I wanted to take the sense of the larger world around the small child and expand on it somehow, finally deciding that now was the time to do it.

I was showing my process to my girlfriend, deconstructing how I spend my evenings doing notes and sketches, starting with what to do immediately in the morning, then some notes on how to hang the show, then some reminders on things to touch up and then sketching, at the end of the session there is usually one good idea, six bad ones and two very funny doodles, well these kept being moved back as I found new ideas in those sessions, but last week I wrote a list of work I'd like to do and hadn't gotten around to and "The Last Band" was pretty much at the top of that list, so here they are. I am also working on a 20 x 20 sized version of "the Boy Who Played the Drum" which I hope to finish today/tomorrow.

I also like the colour schemes in these very much, moving away from the Prussian Blue backgrounds and bases and using a more brown/red influence in the palette. The 20 x20 I'm working on is similar in the fact that I'm using a Pthalo Blue and Sienna ground instead.
A.Shay Hahn



The Carlu


Waiting for the Lake to Freeze IV
16 x 20 inches, acrylic on canvas
$300.00 / $340.00 framed

Work station at the Carlu
Sorry to have been away so long, lots to do here at the Shoppe, and you'll see as post after post is added over the next few days. The Carlu event was a smashing success for CanStage, met alot of great people and was able to almost finish the painting that I'd brought to work on. I'd like to thank A.Hepburn and the folks at CanStage for inviting me to participate. I think there's a picture of me working that will be posted in one of Toronto's local community newspapers, but I haven't been notified as to when, I'll be sure to supply a link when that happens.
I didn't really get to interact with as many folks as I would've liked to, but there were so many great things in their silent auction and such great food that I was more part of the general atmosphere than an attraction, I did get to eavesdrop on some conversations about golf and the stock market, which to the uninformed are two things that are often discussed at fund raisers.
Still trying to figure out when to have the Opening for "Come On Pilgrim" at the Cameron House in May but have yet to pick a date that feels right, I'd originally considered the 9th, but that's Mother's Day, I'll also be making a trip to my home town on the 14th for some light dental surgery so that may muck up that weekend, I may just have to hang the show on the 2nd and have the Opening that afternoon, don't worry it will all be sorted out by midweek, next week.
back to the paint mines,
A.Shay Hahn