A.Shay Hahn's "The Royal Families" at the Cameron House, Closing Reception

It's the end of an era and a start to something new and wonderful as I finish packing up my studio in the West End and moving to the East End, it's been a great four years here and I really feel that I came into my own working in the space day in and day out. Almost everything has been moved except these two big "coffins" which I've used as easels/painting and supply storage for a number of years, once they get set up I'll really know that I have moved.

I'd like to remind you to come on out this Saturday, June 25th from 5-8pm to the Cameron House for the closing party of "The Royal Families" music will be supplied by Little Jimmy's Chicken Pickers, it would be great to see you there, the show is up at the Cameron until the 30th of June and you can see the work if you just scroll down the blog. Also if you want to go by early Corin Raymond and the Sundowners are playing the front room today and they are not to be missed, yes, I say that alot about the bands in the front room of the Cameron but I do so with good reason, they are some of the best this city has to offer.

cheers,

A.Shay Hahn

madcraftshoppe@live.com

Andrew Shay Hahn's "the mad craft shoppe", what I do...

Hey welcome to "the mad craft shoppe" the main site for all the work that I produce, you can see new paintings, works in progress, posters and TShirts for bands and everything just by navigating the links section.

• For band concepts posters etc, see the link "pub life sketches" also "Tshirt designs"
• For current and past shows head to the links "The Royal Families", (50), "Come on Pilgrim", "Silver", "Lost Houses" and "Fables" you can navigate these and see what I've been up to over the years.
• If you've arrived at this site looking for my popular kids letters that brighten up rooms all over the place just go to the link (right side bar "links") "the alphabet shoppe".
• and if you're here because you're interested in the ongoing development of my series of books "Any How Town" you can get the advance into in the links section at "Any How Town"
• You can also join my page on facebook, Andrew Shay Hahn's (the mad craft shoppe) which is new as my HUGE group was archived for no good reason, and you can follow me on twitter to know when new posts come up (see right sidebar).

A reminder that "the Royal Families" is up at the Cameron House until the end of June, the Closing Reception is Saturday, June 25th from 5-8pm with music by "Little Jimmy's Chicken Pickers".

I always appreciate getting emails and feedback from folks who've come to the site, feel free to send me a message
best,
A.Shay Hahn
madcraftshoppe@live.com

The Reverend Uncle Bastard TShirt.

                        Here's the almost finished design, just a few touch ups and she'll be good to go!
                                                      When the shirt is done, you'll see it here.
                                                                          A.Shay Hahn

madcraftshoppe@live.com

Concepts, Creation and Dancing Nuns

I love doing design and poster work for bands, it's a great switch from painting, but I hate inking, most of the work I do is as simple as possible, the name of the band and a "one hit" image (see the link pub life sketches for other concepts I've done). I believe band posters/ T's should be as simple as possible, legible from a distance and easy to remember.

A couple of days ago I was chattin' with S.Barber at the Cameron and he was talking about going out on a tour by himself, maybe bringing along another musician but he wanted a name for the solo tour, I immediately started scribbling down names and we settled on "the Reverend Uncle Bastard".  I headed home and started doing some small sketch breakdowns.

The first (top left) looked a little too Vault of Horror to really show what the tour was about. Mr. Barber likes playing Honky Tonk songs and gospel tunes, I moved away (top right) from the horror lettering and got into the classic tattoo look, channeling some ideas about snake handlers, I liked the vibe and will finish this design in time but I feel that the Ed Hardy clothing line has really done a job on Classic Tattoos and has made them look tired and trite (which is a shame as half the work I have is classic styled). I did hit on something with the snake handling and decided to instead do some dancing snake handling nuns.  This made me smile.
so (center) here's the first breakdown awaiting his approval, hopefully this is what will be used as the TShirt and poster. I think it has "cross" appeal and is fun and could be worn by anybody.

Head to the Cameron to see "the Royal Families"
all the best,
A.Shay Hahn
madcraftshoppe@live.com

UPDATE 2:35 pm, Client loves final concept, will proceed with final drawing, will post shirts when printed.

The Royal Families, coveted, "This Guy" Status Expanded.

So the work has started to shuffle it's way out of the Cameron House and I will be bringing down the Deep Sea Divers and skeletal Mariachi from the Press Club, to add to the walls over the next couple of days. I'm still pretty burnt out and am just working on some small commissions for now I simply don't have the energy for anything else. I'll be sure to post photos of what goes up at the Press Club and the new work at the Cameron. A reminder that the Closing is Saturday, June 25th, 5-8pm with Little Jimmy's Chicken Pickers supplying the music.

Awhile back on fb I jokedthat I had finally reached "This Guy" status as an artist in Toronto, as in "I love this guy's work!", "This guy's work is awesome.". Below is a post that gets us a little closer to name recognition.

"Decided against a 5 star, simply because my limited experience in the area would make that a very hasty call. That being said, I friggin love this place. The few times I've been so far were welcoming and relaxed experiences. Really nice layout and vibe, excellent artwork by A.Shay.. something. The bands have also always been very entertaining, great showmanship and good pace. From a newbies perspective, this place immediately feels like home."
-Alex H. reviewing the Cameron House on "Yelp.com"
http://www.yelp.ca/biz/cameron-house-toronto

enjoy the sun, contact me below
A.Shay Hahn
madcraftshoppe@live.com

The Royal Families, Welcome to the Cameron House (photo tour)

Here's a quick photo tour of "the Royal Families" at the Cameron House for the month of June, all work is 10x12inches, acrylic on canvas, framed $160.00 each.

The painting "Woman with Wings (coup sticks) has sold, all other work is currently available for purchase in advance from the bar staff, don't worry you can take it home on the date of purchase and there is an atm on site.

The Closing event is Saturday, June 25th from 5-8pm with music supplied by Little Jimmy's Chicken Pickers if you would like to meet me in person in advance of the Closing to discuss the work, please contact me at the email address below.

what a beautiful day,

A.Shay Hahn

madcraftshoppe@live.com

also here are some great bands playing the front room this week that are not to be missed,

tonight Kevin Quain 9pm, June 6th The Sure Things & the Magnificent 7's 6-8pm, David Gavan Baxter 10pm,June 7th Elana McMurtry 6-8pm, June 9, New Country Rehab 6-8 and Jack Marks at 10pm

The Royal Families, oh where oh where have you been ?

Hey folks, this is the longest I've gone without posting since going to Cuba, yes it's been three or maybe four days without a new painting being posted but I took the week off. I have been moving more stuff  from one studio to the new studio, got the show up, the Closing Reception is Saturday the 25th of June from 5-8pm at the Cameron House with Little Jimmy's Chicken Pickers, and just decided to take it easy for a week. I'm sure that if I pushed it I would've ended up with a cold and that wasn't going to cut it.

 I'll be slowing down on the posting for next week also, I have two or three small commissions to work on but I want to get into a more relaxed groove finishing them and doing the final builds for Any How Town (see links) and then after that I think I'm going to try to write and maybe finish most of the first story the following week. What I mean is write the big wide draft of the story and then start to fill it in.

Oh yeah, my phone is acting up so if you are trying to contact me via  phone, just send my an email instead, should have a new phone by Monday or so.

hope you'll head to the Cameron either on the 25th or before if there's something you like, have a great weekend.
A.S.Hahn
madcraftshoppe@live.com

also tonight is the Press Club's 4rth Annivesary under the Hickey Brother's stewardship so head there to hear Alan Pigguns play at 10:30 or hit up the beautiful patio out back. Also this weekend you can see Casey McGlynn's (my favourite Toronto Painter) new show at Bau-Xi gallery or Kirsten Johnson's new show "Prom Storm" at KWT Contemporary, both will be great shows to see and all within walking distance of the Cameron House.

The Royal Families, The Room of Portraits

The Royal Families is now hung at the Cameron House, Closing Party with "Little Jimmy's Chicken Pickers" will be Saturday, the 25th of June, 5-8pm, more on that as we get closer to the date. There seems to be a problem with the photo uploader right now so let me say all the work that you see below that is tagged, "the Royal Families" is there. Each piece is 10 x12 inches, acrylic on canvas, framed $160.00 Work is already selling so if there is something you like you can go and get it. If you can't wait and want to see some photos of the work in the Cameron House head to my fb group, "Andrew Shay Hahn (the mad craft shoppe) and it's all there for your perusal. This week I'll be finishing some other pieces that I didn't have time to get to before I hung the show and replacing work as it sells. I can't stress enough that if there is something you want, you have to go get it, I don't do reserves because of past let downs for prospective clients.

all the best,
A.Shay Hahn
madcraftshoppe@live.com

The Royal Families, Inspiration

 Artemis (II)

10x12inches, acrylic on canvas, framed

for the Royal Families, to be shown at the Cameron House, June 2011

$160.00

Blondes, bows and hoodies ? What is this ? An Abercrombie and Fitch catalogue ? Nope, far from it the inspiration for this entire painting comes from this piece of paper that I have scanned for  you from a poster at the Cameron House that I was so taken with the colours and shape I had to take a piece, sometimes I may make up stories to make the work seem more interesting, this isn't one of those times. If I was using the "good" camera you could see the matching tones, so instead go see the work in person Sunday afternoon. Date for the closing reception still TBA

A.Shay Hahn

madcraftshoppe@live.com

now I do think that Abercrombie & Fitch should hire me to paint a catalogue for them, if someone could hook that up it would be much appreciated.

The Royal Families, The Hunting Party

The Hunting Party

10x12inches, acrylic on canvas, framed

for the Royal Families, to be shown at the Cameron House, June 2011

$160.00

wish I could spend all day here on the blog rambling about all the great ideas I had last night while I was sketching, but there simply isn't time, expect another piece to show up soon.

If you've come here from Tumblr or have found one of my invite cards, welcome, there's lots to see.

best,

A.Shay Hahn

madcraftshoppe@live.com

The Royal Families, Fireflies

Fireflies

10x12inches, acrylic on canvas, framed

for the Royal Families, to be shown at the Cameron House, June 2011

$160.00

I'd been looking for something with a similar power to the Prometheus image, I thought I'd try this image of jarred fireflies, though it isn't as dramatic, I like the more relaxing or lyrical feel of the piece.

A.Shay Hahn

madcraftshoppe@live.com

The Royal Families, the Family Tree

The Royal Families, at the Cameron House, June 2011

all work is 10x12 inches, acrylic on canvas, framed

$160.00 each

I love doing one of these grid shots when I have a series that is uniform in size, I wish I could've fit another row into the shot, but I stand on a chair in my basement studio to do this and the ceiling is only so high. I'll be framing the whole lot on Saturday (that will be a long and bloody day full of cursing) and then hang the show Sunday aft at the Cameron House, which I hope to do as efficiently as possible and then you can come in Sunday and buy the work directly and disrupt the whole aesthetic, that's fine by me.

back to the easel,

A.Shay Hahn

madcraftshoppe@live.com

Press Club Wall May 24th

PRESS CLUB WALL May 24th

Red Devils $80.00 each, The Running Man $80.00,Deep Sea Divers (7x9) $80.00 each, Mariachi Skeletions $80.00 each, Steve Austin $80.00, The Falconer $200.00, Deep Sea Diver (large) $200.00, Woman with Two Axes (small) $140.00, Woman with Two Axes (large) $180.00, A Cup of Crows $140.00, A Quiet Place $140.00.

the Press Club is located at 850 Dundas West. you can pay with cash directly to the bar staff.
A.Shay Hahn
madcraftshoppe@live.com

The Royal Families, just look at that sky

Black Hammer

10x12inches,acrylic on canvas, framed

at the Cameron House, June 2011

$160.00

I can't wait to shoot this whole show with my new camera, these photos never do my work justice, but it sure does cut down on image theft. I think this is my 600th post since beginning this blog about six years ago. I wish I was able to write more for you to read, but just keep coming back and watch the show grow. All work is available for purchase once it's hung, (probably Sunday) and cash can be paid to the bartender and you can leave with the piece when you purchase it.

cheers,

A.Shay Hahn

madcraftshoppe@live.com

The Royal Families, studies in excellence

Untitled (study in grey)

from the series "Royal Families"

to be shown at the Cameron House, June 2011

10x12inches, acrylic on canvas, framed

$160.00

Looks like I might hit 600 posts today, the work is coming along really well.

A.Shay Hahn

madcraftshoppe@live.com

The Royal Families, sketch appeal

Untitled (Violin player)

from the series "Royal Families"

to be shown at the Cameron House, June 2011
10x12inches, acrylic on canvas, framed

$160.00

 I spent a good deal of time yesterday sketching how I'd like the show to look and then as usual scrapped every idea and I'm just going to do a straight hang, no salon look, no groupings, I want the continuous line presented by the horizon to just run down the wall. The way I'll choose to hang the pieces will then be based on the sky tones and how they move from one to the other. I've never hung a show based on this before, I'm sure it will take awhile to get it right.

Of course this will change over time as work is bought and replaced, I think I'll be having a closing instead of an Opening and will maybe continue to paint until the end of June, still haven't decided that yet.

Expect a couple more of these posts today as I have three pieces that are almost finished and heck, it's only 7 AM I should be able to get them finished.

A.Shay Hahn

madcraftshoppe@live.com

The Royal Families, Victoria

Victoria (white coat, rubber boots)

from the series "Royal Families"

to be shown at the Cameron House, June 2011

10x12inches, acrylic on canvas, framed

$160.00

There's been no shortage of things going on here, I've been getting parts of the studio set up in the East End, finishing work here and getting prepped to build about thirty frames later in the week, and of course cutting the heads of plastic animals and swapping them with other heads.

I wasn't sure if I was going to do an axe piece for this show, the decision to do one was more based solely on how well these tones go together than the subject matter, people may think my work figures on what is going on in the frame, but I find the arguments that I have the most with myself when I'm painting aren't about the subject but about balancing colour in the work.

I've been finishing Season Two of "Damages" today as I'm painting and I have to say it's a hot mess compared to the first Season, so many people still alive, so many tiny threads to tie together an ugly beast of a story, big fail, they wanted to differentiate so much from the first Season that they boned themselves.

Hope everyone is having a great long weekend

best,

A.Shay Hahn

madcraftshoppe@live.com

The Royal Families, wet n' wild

Yellow Raincoat (pitchfork III)

from the series "Royal Families"

to be shown at the Cameron House, June 2011

10x12inches, acrylic on canvas, framed

$160.00

And once again I put out a big box o' books for folks to pick through and find a new treat and that same ahole comes along and takes the whole box. I'm sure they're going to a store and selling them now, but damn, at least bring the box back.

Send us your thoughts,

A.Shay Hahn

madcraftshoppe@live.com

The Royal Families, The Pilot by Night

from the series "Royal Families"

to be shown at the Cameron House, June 2011

10x12inches, acrylic on canvas, framed
SOLD.
Here we are back at it on a sunny Friday, have a great long weekend, if you're looking for something to do check out Meadowlark Five, Milk Run and The Big City Hicks at the Press Club this weekend. I'm sure they'll have the patio open. There is also a fine selection of mariachi, red devils and deep sea divers there for you. I think anxiety week began for this show yesterday, so it can be said that it's here a little early for my tastes. I have about ten more pieces I'd like to finish, some are currently an absolute mess and then I'll be in the shop building frames like a crazy man, yes a crazy man, next week.

Not sure when I'm hanging the show, but I'll let you know soon.

A.Shay Hahn

madcraftshoppe@live.com

A sad goodbye to Randy "Macho Man" Savage one of the greatest of all time.

The Royal Families, fashion. madness, stretchy clothes

Untitled (Houdini Escape III)

from the series "Royal Families"

to be shown at the Cameron House, June 2011

10x12inches, acrylic on canvas, framed

$160.00

I have some things to say about this image, but I'm a little choked up right now after watching, "Get Low", I can't reccomend it enough.

A.Shay Hahn

madcraftshoppe@live.com

The Royal Families, National Life Jacket Day

Shovel and Pail

                                                                from the series "Royal Families"

to be shown at the Cameron House, June 2011

10x12inches, acrylic on canvas, framed

$160.00

Today is National Life Jacket Day, keep is safe out on the water this long weekend folks. I must have been staring at my May calendar for days until I finally read that today was National LJ Day, I assume it has influenced this pieces all along.

A.Shay Hahn

madcraftshoppe@live.com

The Royal Family, today in Canadian History

Red Cross

from the series "Royal Families"

to be shown at the Cameron House, June 2011

10x12inches, acrylic on canvas, framed

$160.00

Today in 1909, Parliament passes Legislation creating the Canadian Red Cross.

A.Shay Hahn

madcraftshoppe@live.com

The Royal Family, man I'm sleepy

Untitled (suspenders)

from the series "Royal Families"

to be shown at the Cameron House, June 2011

10x12inches, acrylic on canvas, framed

$160.00

Well, it's been a great day here at the studio, amazing what you get accomplished when you get up at 5:30AM, I'll see if I can finish something else today, but I'm fading pretty fast.

A.Shay Hahn

madcraftshoppe@live.com

The Royal Family, tools of the trade

Pitchfork II

                                                           from the series "Royal Families"

to be shown at the Cameron House, June 2011

10x12inches, acrylic on canvas, framed

$160.00

I don't know if the pitchfork will ever replace the axe, but it has good shape to it.

A.Shay Hahn

madcraftshoppe@live.com

also I got a copy of Hatari! at 7-11 for $4.99 ! Clasic Howard Hawks with John Wayne, Red Buttons, the dude from Flight of the Phoenix with the glasses and most importantly the music of Henry Mancini, this is the film that "baby elepant walk" was written for.

The Royal Families, Regattas and Yachts

Sailboats

from the series "Royal Families"

                                               to be shown at the Cameron House, June
                                                      10x12inches, acrylic on canvas, framed

$160.00

What I'm really enjoying about this series is how mundane it is but still has a very grounded and powerful aspect to each piece, I think it's really going to show when all the work is hung together in a couple of weeks. I don't really want to sell any work in advance for this show, I'd really like to see it all together first in one place. I should have a couple more posts for you today as alot of the work is finally coming together, but I am still sketching new things all the time.

If you're looking for a way to deal with a cold and cloudy day, hop on over to my other blog Any How Town (see links) and there I've put up a tutorial for making and painting your own mutant plastic animals.

cheers,

A.Shay Hahn

madcraftshoppe@live.com

The Royal Families, the photos they didn't want you to see!

Untitled (the Duel), Propellor

10x12inches, acrylic on canvas, framed

for the series, the Royal Families at the Cameron House, June 2011

$160.00 each

Okay well until those posts that were removed come back you can look at the pictures.

Also hop on over to the Any How Town blog (see links) to check out Marc Giai-Miniet a wonderful French artist.

A.Shay Hahn

madcraftshoppe@live.com

The Royal Families, The Air Force

The Pilot

  from the series "Royal Families"

to be shown at the Cameron House, June 2011

10x12inches, acrylic on canvas, framed

$160.00

I guess there was some kind of burp here at blogger yesterday and two of my posts vanished, I'm sure they'll return at some point, but if not I'll have to repost, until such time that this decision is made, here's a wonderful pilot for you. Also of interest I may be attaching a paypall account to this site, I have received a payment via paypal recently but am surpised, and maybe this is because of the high security they use to maintain the site I received a payment Monday, it cleared Thursday is being transferred soonish and may finally clear by the end of May, so secure yes, speedy ? far from it.

A.Shay Hahn

madcraftshoppe@live.com

The Royal Families, the Wednesday Challenge

Pick Axe, Sledge Hammer

both pieces are 10x12inches, acrylic on canvas, framed

$160.00 each

for the show, "The Royal Families" at the Cameron House in June

So over on fb we ran a competition, "the Wednesday Challenge" this time it was the Pick Axe versus the Sledge Hammer and after thirteen votes, Pick Axe came out the winner.

A.Shay Hahn

madcraftshoppe@live.com

The Royal Family, Houdini Escape II

Untitled (Houdini Escape)

from the series "Royal Families"to be shown at the Cameron House, June 2011

10x12inches, acrylic on canvas, framed

$160.00

Yes, I am currently obsessed with clothes being stretched out of shape, and Deep Sea Divers are making a powerful return in this upcoming show for the Cameron House.

more to come

A.Shay Hahn

madcraftshoppe@live.com

My Mother is a Saint, Cowbell is coming down

Here's a kickass view of one of my palettes, I love how they build up like a topological map. I am taking down the Cowbell show on Tuesday of this week, many thanks to Mark Cutrara and his fine staff for hosting me there for the past three weeks and we will be back again at a later date. A very happy Mother's Day to me Mum, you are one of the brightest lights shining on this Earth, such a generous, giving person you outshine the stars, thank you for raising me right, your patience, intelligence, sensitivity and unflagging support of my life (even when I strayed from the path) have shown me how important tolerance, patience, second chances, late learning and responsibility for the self can be taught just by waiting for a person to find them in themselves, you don't have to force it, just guide a body in a direction and they will find their own value and stature and also you were always a far superior sketch artist than I could hope to be.
Good God, I love you Mom.
best to the Mothers and to you their Sons and Daughters,
A.Shay Hahn
madcraftshoppe@live.com

p.s also as you may know facebook is archiving most of the groups there so I have started a page, Andrew Shay Hahn (the mad craft shoppe) here is the link if you'd like to join it and reccomend it to your friends, thanks so much http://www.facebook.com/pages/Andrew-Shay-Hahn-the-mad-craft-shoppe/108410249247444#!/pages/Andrew-Shay-Hahn-the-mad-craft-shoppe/108410249247444

Royal Families, pants on fire.

                                                                                The Liar.
                   from the series "Royal Families" to be shown at the Cameron House, June 2011
                                                    10x12inches, acrylic on canvas, framed
                                                                                SOLD.
 I've been wanting to do this for quite awhile, as long as another piece that I'm doing, "the man who loved cocktails". I think for something based around a children's taunt it turned out quite well.

As always it would be great to hear from you in the comments section or send me an email at the address below.
best,

 A.Shay Hahn

madcraftshoppe@live.com



The Royal Family, Woman with Wings/ Coup Sticks

Woman with Wings / Coup Sticks

from the series "Royal Families"

to be shown at the Cameron House, June 2011

10x12inches, acrylic on canvas, framed

SOLD.

The show is really coming together, I think it will be among the best looking I've hung at the Cameron House (see the labels, "Silver", "Come on Pilgrim","Lost Houses" for a retrospective look at shows I've had at the Cameron and the evolution of my style/language) I hope to have finished twenty of the 10x12's and about 12 of the 8x10's by the 31rst.

A.Shay Hahn

madcraftshoppe@live.com

The Royal Family, Lion Headed Girl

This is Luna Somethingsomethingorother,  from the Harry Potter movies/books, she has become a bit of a hero to me over the past couple of weeks.This is a still from "the Half Blood Prince", which is probably the best of the Potter films, full of drugs, raging hormones, smoky people and the murder of Santa Claus, they should've done another film set in Hogwart's with the crew as teens, there was so much more going on there.

Everytime I think of this brave little individual with a lion on her head, I can't help but smile.

Other things I am doing while trying to finish this show, I am putting things outside the studio and see if people take them, I put out the birdhouses that I built (all but the smallest, I'm keeping that one) and they're gone, I put out a bunch of books and may put out more, most of those are gone. I think tomorrow I'll put out a bunch of cd's and see how long it takes for them to go. I have to reduce the amount of things I own by at least a third, maybe more. Honestly, alot of these things have just been sitting here gathering dust, I make things, I don't keep them.

I've been trying to get through Jim Steranko's great run on Nick Fury (thanks K.Hudson) it's hilarious, action packed and wordy and just keeping a good bunch of notes in my head for Any How Town, which I'd love to write as a serial, similar to the Hardy Boys or Enid Blyton, short 200 page books that look at a couple of aspects of Any How Town (see links) and also has a greater story that would culminate around book five or six.
talk soon true believers, time for oatmeal with protein powder and a nap,

 A.Shay Hahn

madcraftshoppe@live.com

p.s alot of traffic came through this blog after I posted Kevin Quain's bit about what happened with Mr.Hindmarch a couple of Sunday's ago, I asked Kevin to write a follow up about what happened the following Sunday, but haven't heard back from him. If I hear anything I'll let you know.

The Royal Families, Private Yachts and process

      Private Yacht

from the series, "Royal Families" for the Cameron House, June 2011

10x12inches, acrylic on canvas, framed

$160.00

Here's a three step example of getting to a finished piece, the one aspect I did want to maintain from the original block in was that "Degas high white"  on the highlight, but of course I had to wait until I'd fully corrected the arms and the size of the figure, which shrank significantly from the block in, that figure seemed too close and gave the impression of being more muscular, which wasn't what I was looking for.

 I hope someone is up reading this, it's 4:30 am by my clock.



 A.Shay Hahn

madcraftshoppe@live.com



Royal Families, The Middleton Thing and etc.

A Brave Choice

from the series, "Royal Families" to be shown at the Cameron House, June 2011.

10x12 inches, acrylic on canvas, framed

$160.00

General thoughts on the series so far, without edits, in no particular order of importance.

The above image is a bit of a joke, on a few levels, my first thought was, "this is too much." or "MI5 will be crashing through my window the minute I post this". Believe me, I mean no harm, I was just looking at a dry cleaning bag that was hanging in my closet and then was thinking back over the weekend and just how much my best girl talked about how much she liked K. Middleton's dress, the thing just kind of fell together. The last piece being I had considered including guns in some of the Royal Families pictures, I have never painted guns, the only guns I painted wer for a couple of cowboys riding on chickens. I subscribe to the same belief that in theatre the minute a gun comes out, the story is pretty much over, I'm smarter than that. I can imply a gun or violence, I don't need one mucking up my paintings.

What else, I suppose the first image from Royal Families "Pitchfork" reminds me of Jackie Onassis, something about the baggy sweater and bandana, if she ever wore these things I'm not sure. The Life Jackets definitely get me thinking about the Kennedy burial at sea of JFK Jr. and Carolyn Bissette. Expect a couple more of those to show up. I'm surprised how long it has taken me to settle on what I'm doing for the Cameron House show, there were some false starts and lots of small works leading up to this run of productivity, but everything feels to be in the right place, but I said in earlier posts, I haven't had a cigarette in a few days so I am trying to keep my hands as busy as possible so if there is a bombardment of crazy stuff showing up here, that is also a factor.

This series seems to have more "fashion" in it than past work, I'm spending alot more time considering the clothes that the folks are going to wear in the images, there may be some patterns showing up, who knows.

I am also working hard to avoid thinking about my show at Cowbell, the paintings look great in the space, but if I leave that room with everything that I brought down, I'm really not sure how I'm going to feel, not about the experience, but about having to drag more work back to my studio. Work that is of a quality that I know is very, very good, is admired and is well priced. It's getting to be a bit much. Luckily, while all this is happening I am writing notes for the (now) sprawling world that is "Any How Town" and (maybe as always) if some patron smiles down on me with the showing at Cowbell I can take a little time (just a little) to write the first book of the series.

thanks for listening, best

A.Shay Hahn

madcraftshoppe@live.com

The Royal Families, for the love of lifejackets

Life Jackets I

from the series "Royal Families"to be shown at the Cameron House, June 2011

10x12inches, acrylic on canvas, framed
SOLD.

One of my favourite symbols is the lifejacket, to me they are loaded with meaning, memory, story etc. but for longer blog entries you'll have to wait, I am currently going mad at the easel, broke as a joke and three days without a cigarette.

    Inspiration #1 for this series, going to one of my favourite galleries and seeing two absolutely shite shows, that always gets a fire under me. (more reasons yet to come)

                       Please head to Cowbell Restaurant or the Press Club to see my work live and in the flesh, scroll down to see what is displayed at each location.

A.Shay Hahn

madcraftshoppe@live.com



Royal Families II, the Cameron House

Untitled (Houdini escape)

from the series "Royal Families"to be shown at the Cameron House, June 2011

10x12inches, acrylic on canvas, framed$160.00

So I haven't had a cigarette in two days, expect things to get a little weird around here.

A.Shay Hahn

madcraftshoppe@live.com



the Royal Families, the series

Untitled (pitchfork)

from the series "Royal Families"to be shown at the Cameron House, June 2011

10x12inches, acrylic on canvas, framed$160.00

So we have a name for the show in June, that's great, I love deciding on a name, that name of course has nothing to do with the direction or content of the show, it just has to be a good name and I like this name quite a bit.

Okay Gods of Art and Commerce please converge on Cowbell Restaurant for a feast so that I am able to finish this series.

best,

A.Shay Hahn

madcraftshoppe@live.com