The Faces and their Inspiration - a long story...

Utitled {Maple Leaf} Utitled {Eye Patches}

each image, twelve x twelve iches, acrylic o cavas

oe hudred ad twety dollars

I have a sick fascination with portraits, and paintings of faces, really uncomfortable {Chuck} close ups of faces,I find it remarkable that they capture my attention instantly, I'd stop doing CPR if someone walked past carrying a good portrait.

Years ago the KMFDM album "nihil" featured a painting that never left my head, look it up, it's striking, actually I'll post it here, maybe that's where it started.

Four/Five years ago at Katherie Mulherin, Margaux Williamson had a triptych of two young boys whose faces were painted white, there was a bridge image between them which was great too, anyways , I was so poor at the time I could't afford them, they sold the day after, I would've given up all my vices to buy those paintings, and yes, I have told her how much I love those kids and that they have never left my memory, they sit right beside that KMFDM cover in my visual rolodex.

Recently I saw a photo of actor/playwright Claire Calnan {see above} that made me decide to move back to portraits, here are two of the series of faces. The first isn't as successful as I thought it would be, I have to work the highlights more, I'll get it right soon. The second is from a photo I stole from my friend Vikki Anderson, which was an image that as soon as I saw it , I had to steal it. That's just the way I am.

A.S Hahn

madcraftshoppe@live.com

Canadian Girl Project

Canadian Girl w/Blue jay, Canadian Girl w/ Crow {SOLD}, Canadian Girl w/Cardinal

each acrylic on canvas, twelve x twelve inches

one hudred and twety dollars each.

ALL PIECES SOLD, CUSTOM ORDERS ACCEPTED

There is a fourth missing from this series that I stepped on while walking through my studio in the dark, it has since undergone repair, and will get posted {at a reduced price}. I apologize for the photo quality, I'll say it's a theft thing, really I wanted to get them posted as I like them very much, so much I smash them with my feet apparently. This bridges my interest that was looked at in the Fables series of women w/ Totem/Guardian figures. Yes, I saw "the Golden Compass" , it was alright.

madcraftshoppe@live.com

Graffiti's TShirt Design

This is a concept TShirt design for one of my favourite bars in the city, yes I know I do have alot of favourite bars, that's just the way I am. I love this, it is very successful as a T Design, I also hope to do a large painting ala those old liquor posters you see in framing shops around your city, it would be fantastic in that format. Not sure if these are going to get printed, but it is so boss, very happy with the design.

Best Live Show of the Year so far :Disfear at Sneaky Dee's check them out online if you like hardcore, it was an amazing show, thanks to Murder Mike and Grizzle for the invite to go, they kick ass.

madcraftshoppe@live.com

TShirts et al.

Yes our shirts are here, the men's large is more of an XL, though no fault of the great guys at wounded paw, it's just what they're supplier sends them. The women's medium is perfect, as J.C demonstrates in the photos. So come with cash to the Cloak and Dagger today to get yours today, they will sell out in minutes, seconds even.

ALL T SHIRTS SOLD OUT.

madcraftshoppe@live.com

Canadian Girl Project

Canadian Girl Project, Clockwise from Left

Canadian Girl Flame One, newfoundland Girl, Scottish Girl, Canadian Girl black,

Canadian Girl Flame Two, Irish Girl

each piece eight x ten inches, acrylic on canvas

Seventy dollars each, Three for Two hundred, Six for Four hundred

Custome Flag Order accepted at the address below.

madcraftshoppe@live.com

Just look at this...

This happened over night.

madcraftshoppe@live.com

Pub Life Sketches Eleven and Twelve

The first image is for a poster/TShirt for Kevin Quain and the mad bastards, if you've never seen them play at the Cameron House Sunday nights you are missing out on one of the greatest live acts in the history of this cursed city. He also plays Monday nights solo at Graffiti's in the market, Tuesdays at the Paddock and at The Rex, can't remember which evening that is, look it up. When you find out what I traded him this design for you will be so jealous your fillings will fall out.

The second image is for an old friend Duncan Nicholls who I went to Grand River High with, he now teaches there, which has to be strange, that's his band the Monster Show, who have a name that just begs for me to do a TShirt/Poster for. Check them out online.

A.Shay Hahn

SONG CURRENTLY STUCK IN MY HEAD: "By the Beautiful Sea" from Sweeney Todd, which if you don't know is where Belle and Sebastien ripped off all of their chops, so Sondheim should sue or maybe he gets a nice royalty cheque every month

madcraftshoppe@live.com

Ongoing

Yes we have been extended at Kahawa until the end of the month, so don't forget to drop in to have a coffee and pick up some letters. We are still showing at Karen Found It in Mirvish Village and since the weather is so gorgeous there's no reason to not go to both places. As always to check out all the beautiful different styles of letters online just click the link below.

A.S Hahn

http://thealphabetshoppe.blogspot.com

Film Stills Series #1 "Untitled {Red Birds}" from Fight Club

Untitled {Red Birds}

twenty four x eighteen inches, acrylic on canvas

three hundred and fifty dollars

As many of my friends know, I love DVDs, I love watching them, listening to them while I work, playing commentaries and featuresttes, I don't listen to music as much anymore as listen to commentary on DVD, music can be incredibly distracting, changing songs, playlists etc, things may not fit the mood of what I'm working on, it just gets in the way, I spend more time walking to the stereo/laptop instead of putting in solid "easel time". What I love is the "Voice in the room" aspect of DVD commentaryI find it relaxing since I spend so much time working alone.

Similarly I think what I enjoy is the idea of process and access to the process of creation on a DVD commentary, I do like to show work in progress here at the Shoppe site from sketch to completion. Shoppe emails have also told me that you out there like to see it also. I started to make a list of certain film stills that I enjoy the composition, find inspiring etc. This is the first, the still, which I have absolutely zero permission to use on this site {apologies} is from "Fight Club" it's a small moment but compositionally it blows my mind, so I adapted it to suit my needs. About two years ago I'd started a painting of a flock of red birds on a white ground, it wasn't working, there was an element missing, once I saw this sequence from Fight Club, the lightbulb {or whatever it is in my head} popped. Over on Facebook of course people start immediately sending "Flock of Seagulls" jokes and rips about the Eaton Centre, but that's fine, if that's what comes out of you, I still want to hear it.

I'm still doing a couple of small touch ups on this piece, nothing too significant, some highlights and toning, nothing radical, I'm happy with everything that's here.

thank the lord the sun has come out,

A.S Hahn

madcraftshoppe@live.com

The Canadian Girl Project

Canadian Girl (Eighth in a series)

twelve x twelve inches,acrylic on canvas

SOLD.

Apologies for the lack of cropping in this image, which help will cut down on theft, but for reasons only known to microchips and other tiny things that live inside laptops, my photo program has a bug up it's ass. That being said, here she is at night. I'm not sure of her mood in this painting, I think she's just taking some time to think, as I have lately.

Keep the comments coming on the ongoing series.

A.S Hahn

madcraftshoppe@live.com

{Also out of interest someone send me an email via this link today just so I can see how it's working.}

potential tshirts for the Shoppe and the Cloak

Once we get the first batch of shirts out into the world, which seems to be taking awhile, we may print this "Batman/Batmite" inspired image for the madcraftshoppe clothing line,depending on interest from you Shoppers. This may get printed in children's sizes.

Below it is one of the most popular catchphrases at the Cloak and Dagger rendered in an "Austin Powers" style 60's lettering, this may be printed by the pub but there seems to be a dispute {as always} between the owners which I won't get into because I don't take sides, I do the designs, they make the decisions, or at least attempt to.

FILE UNDER "It wouldn't be the Internet if we didn't talk about movies"

Just watched "Lars and the Real Girl" incredibly done, but it's distracting to watch a film where you know more than half the actors personally, heck one of them lives just up the street from me. By weight alone it should be a "Canadian Film". I thought the performance of the older brother was spot on. Nevertheless a wonderful film, very affecting music and they use my "wedding song" "This Must Be the Place {Naive Melody} by the Talking Heads, one of the most "real" love songs ever written.

In other news, I don't know about you but I read the paper online, I read the Sun at the pub, but you can get carried away with scrolling, so instead of a headline that reads, "Stolen Rhinoceros Horns could be deadly" my scanning eyes read, "Stolen Rhinoceros Porn turns Heads".

talk to me at the address below.

madcraftshoppe@live.com

Actors, Mothers, Artists of note

Rocking Horse, night

twenty x twenty four inches, acrylic on canvas

SOLD

For the first { long overdue} time I decided to add some links to the Shoppe, here's a quick run down of what is listed. {For some reason, the Life on the roof link, is acting up, I've tried to fix it twice}

The Skeptical Tourist

A hilarious blog by local actor Lisa norton, she posts monthly and you are guranteed to enjoy her views on being a working actor, the current post is the true story of the disaster at the Stratford Festival.

Life on the Roof

My absolute favourite Mommy blog out there today. Jenn also creates incredible quilts that I really love, in fact I had no idea how much I liked quilts until I saw hers.

Tin Can Forest animation

Some of my favourite Toronto illustration/animation, amazing stuff. Marek Colek easily ranks as my favourite illustrator in Toronto, would die to trade for a piece. This is their blog with links to their site.

as always yours, A.Shay Hahn

madcraftshoppe@live.com