Red Fish, life jackets, Press Club Wall by A.Shay Hahn

Life Jacket 1 of 4

24x24inches,acrylic on canvas

$500.00

The life jackets will be hung on Monday at Red Fish 

 " former Fishbar chef, David Friedman, is slated to open in the next few weeks at 890 College Street (formerly home to Mitzi's On College). The new restaurant will be involved in Slow Fish Toronto and will feature an Ocean Wise approved menu." (from blogTO)

Not sure of the opening date, it may be this week, but I get to go for a tasting, I'll get some shots of the interior and I'll let you know the full details as I get them.

You can scroll down and see the other lifejackets, they are available for advance purchase as I don't believe they'll be hanging at Red Fish very long before they go home with some lucky pescatarian.

Here is the Press Club (850 Dundas West) wall as I left it last time I was there, Rayguns! are 8x10inches,acrylic on canvas,framed  $80.00ea or two for $150.00 and all other pieces are 10x12inches,acrylic on canvas, framed $140.00

may as well spill the beans, I'm getting married in about three weeks and every sale helps

take care,

A.Shay Hahn

madcraftshoppe@live.com

twitter

@madcraftshoppe

A Dog On Stilts

Dog on Stilts

10x12inches,acrylic on canvas,framed

$140.00

A while back omeone on facebook mentioned that turkey vultures look like black dogs on stilts and the line just stayed with me, it took some time to get around to painting it since I'm busy doing the grounds for the November show at the Cameron House but I'm also working through some old sketches that I'd like to finish and have nothing to do with the concepts I'm exploring for Popular Mechanics.

I googled "Dog On Stilts" to see if any other artists had approached the concept before and came across a great sculpture by the artist Ron Pippin, it's worth checking out, didn't grab the link, it was just an image search. Our approaches are completely different so I was happy to continue with the concept and get it on canvas.

This will be at the Press Club show (about half older work, half newer) in August if it isn't picked up before then. You can go there this weekend for Press Fest all kinds of great bands for four nights in a row and check out my dedicated wall of art. Just scroll down on the blog to see what's there.

have a good one, enjoy the cool

A.Shay Hahn

madcraftshoppe@live.com

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Andrew Shay Hahn (the mad craft shoppe)

CALM Gauges, limited edition

I have four of the above "CALM" dials for sale each is approximately 6x6 inches, acrylic on masonite and framed. $40.00 each. Call this excercise a little advanced fundraising for my show at the Cameron House, "Popular Mechanics" in November.

If the top left is #1, #2 and #3 sold within a half hour of posting on facebook so get them for your office while you still can.

back to work, any questions will be considered by contacting me at

madcraftshoppe@live.com

best,

A.Shay Hahn



"Popular Mechanics" finding my way

In the early stages of figuring of what the show is about, I have a few concrete ideas that I 've begun but I 'm also just trying things and seeing if I like the look, The purples and blues in this piece and the treatment of the "sky" take time to get right, there has to be a balance, and I'm not there yet.

This Harold the Helicopter ride from Six Flags is figuring pretty heavily in the language of the show, love this guy, I may remove the face from this piece, like I said I'm still playing with where the show is going as a whole. There are about forty canvases in the studio that are dedicated towards figuring it out.

I don't want to spoil the surprise by saying too much at one go, but you can see the process

over on facebook at "Andrew Shay Hahn (The mad craft shoppe)" in the Works in Progress album.

Also Press Fest is this weekend so head to 850 Dundas West to hear all kinds of great bands, chill out on the patio and check out my dedicated wall.

And if you want to check out an amazing band head over to Youtube and listen to the Paddingtons it's the best rock'n'roll I've heard in years.

cheers,

A.Shay Hahn

madcraftshoppe@live.com

twitter

@madcraftshoppe

Farewell to Constant Companions

If you work at home like I do you may have developed an attachment to certain objects in your home. This coffee cup has sat beside me in the studio for over five years. He was always there for me, if I went upstairs I brought the cup, if I left him upstairs and then went downstairs I would go back upstairs to retrieve him instead of filling another cup. This cup achieved almost totemic importance in my creative process.

 Think of the things he witnessed, the secrets and curses that he heard.

He will be dearly missed, and so begins the quest to find a replacement, yes we have a shelf, a shelf very similar to a shelf in your home where our coffee cups are kept and looking through them today I was only reminded of my loss. There will be a new cup on it's way, it's been added to my "To Do" list, but the cup I find will not truly be a replacement, it will be the start of a new chapter, a new partnership and inevitably, somewhere down the road, another loss.

Thank you Mr.Rooster cup, you were a good friend.

A.Shay Hahn

madcraftshoppe@live.com



Small Towns Commission

 Here are two works in progress and a photo of my studio assistant being no help at all. He likes to sit right under my chair while I'm working. If you'd like to see a bunch of shots of the work as it progresses just go to my page on facebook Andrew Shay Hahn (The mad craft shoppe) there are all kinds of process shots to click through. Or follow the label (see right side of blog) and you can see Small Towns that I've done in the past - and yes they can be commissioned.

If you're in Toronto, stay cool folks, stuff your shirt with Freezees.

A.Shay Hahn

madcraftshoppe@live.com

Trends In Toronto Art, Antlers

Work In Progress for "Popular Mechanics" at the Cameron House in November

12x16 acrylic on canvas

Just a quick note/observation/caveat to all those young painters out there who are unsure what to do with their "unfinished" looking figurative work. Please stop yourself before painting antlers (deer horns etc.) on your paintings of young girls. It's been done to death, I've seen it over four times in the past four years from at leastfour different artists - you're confusing people, you're better than that, find your language, sticking horns on paintings of kids may  look cool (sure it looks cool) but what does it really do for you except put you in a group ?

Keep your language pure, avoid antlers.

A.Shay Hahn

madcraftshoppe@live.com

Vintage Life Jackets

Top Life Jacket #4

Life Jacket #3

both pieces are 24x24inches,acrylic on canvas

$500.00 each

Detail #4 and Detail #3

Here are two more life jackets, I'll be taking a break from them now to work on a "Small Town"

commission and speaking of small towns, congratulations to Eric Coates AD of the Blyth Festival on his appointment as AD of The Great Canadian Theatre Company in Ottawa. I worked in Blyth for a few seasons as the scenic artist and it was a great experience, Eric is an excellent choice for the job and I wish him the best.

Holler at me if you want a life jacket, first come, first served.

A.Shay Hahn

madcraftshoppe@live.com



"Popular Mechanics" Picking the Palette

The first decision I made working on "Popular Mechanics" was a change in palette and for this show (obviously influenced by the lifejackets I've been painting for Red Fish restaurant) I chose, or rather, the colours chose, Deep Crimson, VanDyke brown, cadmium yellow medium, cadmium red, orange, yellow ochre and a new tone in the skies a strange mix of prussian blue, deep crimson, burnt umber and white that has really tied the "ground" colours together.

It is a "daytime" series, not alot of night time adventures for the hooded characters and puppeteers who are now ranging around a landscape that is more reminiscent of a farm or a battlefield than the river's edge or tall grasses that I've been setting my characters in for the past five years.

If you would like to see the work develop just log onto facebook and go to "Andrew Shay Hahn (the mad craft shoppe)" to see. I'm not going to post all the photos here, there are far too many process shots and it's easier to dump them in a fb album.

As I'm sitting working on the pieces one thought (and doubt) is at the forefront of my mind, that this isn't a show about my work - it's about being an artist and what it takes to advance as an artist, not staying in one place, changing things up and taking a few risks. I am very happy with this decision - the doubt is some people saying "I liked his other work better, etc" but there's no time for that. If you buy one of my pieces you are buying a piece by A.Shay Hahn, irregardless of colour, pose, props etc.

This is where my work is now - it's where it's supposed to be.

I'll be sure to let you know when the pieces are hung at Red Fish (expect the final two to be posted today or tomorrow) and as always please head to the Press Club (850 Dundas West) to see my work - all priced within the $80 - $140 dollar range (scroll down to see work on display).

send us an email

A.Shay Hahn

madcraftshoppe@live.com

follow on twitter

@madcraftshoppe

Popular Mechanics, work in progress for the Cameron House

Here's another process shot of a 20x20 that I'm working on for the November show at the Cameron House, so far we have Carnival Rides, puppet shows, screaming girls and control panels. It should be a very interesting show. I'm working differently this time out, I have image files that I've been filling for over two years for this show and want to use them to establish new elements of my visual language.

I love my Deep Sea Divers, Axe Women standing in stormy skies etc. but I want to expand the "world" and bring in new themes and approaches, to let the paint speak more than the image.

I'm having a great time with it so far.

To watch the work unfold simply join my facebook page Andrew Shay Hahn (the mad craft shoppe) and you'll be able to watch the work as it's being created.

A.Shay Hahn

madcraftshoppe@live.com

follow on twitter

@madcraftshoppe

Press Club Dedicated Wall, June 28th

RAYGUNS! $80. ea/ two for $150.00
Red Fish, The Real Anchorwomen of St.Johns, Caesar (Canadian Girl), Woman with Two Axes, Canadian Girl, Tribute to Maurice Sendak, Real Anchorwomen of St. Johns II, Ballad of Daniel Larusso, The Man Who Stopped to Read, Violin
all 10x12inches,acrylic on canvas framed, $140.00

Here's our monthly update of the Press Club wall (850 Dundas West). I still have the other work that was posted at the end of May, just wanted to change the wall up and make it fresh.

A.Shay Hahn

madcraftshoppe@live.com

follow on twitter

@madcraftshoppe

also go to my page on facebook "Andrew Shay Hahn (the mad craft shoppe)" to see the process of creating new paintings for my November show at the Cameron House.

Popular Mechanics, works in progress

Here are shots of the start of two paintings for my show at the Cameron House in November, currently titled "Popular Mechanics" if you would like to see them develop "flip book" style you need only go to my page on facebook "Andrew Shay Hahn (the mad craft shoppe)" and click through them there. Hope to have more photo sets added to the page today.

To see work currently showing in Toronto you can go to the Press Club, (850 Dundas West) and view my dedicated wall, also the Life Jackets should be up on the wall at Red Fish restaurant on College the first week of July.
Don't hesitate to comment or get in touch, I'd love to hear from you.

follow on twitter
@madcraftshoppe

A.Shay Hahn

madcraftshoppe@live.com

Small Towns by A.Shay Hahn

Top

Lost Man ,Found Dog

Small Town (pale green)

from the series "Small Towns"

24x24inches each, acrylic on canvas

$400.00

can be commissioned

It's nice to be doing the lifejackets and once they leave the studio this week we'll be working on a commission for TWO "Small Towns" . Check the "Labels" section at the right side to see more.

I sold the last of this series a month ago and it's nice to be asked to create a couple more.

Small Towns can be commissioned.

enjoy the weather,

A.Shay Hahn

madcraftshoppe@live.com

Life Jackets for Red Fish by A.Shay Hahn

Life Jacket (three of potentially six)

24x24inches,acrylic on canvas

$500.00

See posts below for information or contact me directly

A.Shay Hahn

madcraftshoppe@live.com

be aware in the twitterverse and follow

@madcraftshoppe



Life Jackets by A.Shay Hahn

Life Jacket (two)

24x24inches,acrylic on canvas

$500.00

Good morning, good morning I'm A.Shay Hahn and here is your first life jacket of the day, hope to have a third for your by dinner time. If it's your first time here please feel free to scroll all around the blog, check out posts and paintings from years  past and maybe head to the links section to check out the "Any How Town" blog where I show models that I build and other comic related fun.

stay cool,

A.Shay Hahn

madcraftshoppe@live.com

twitter @madcraftshoppe

fb Andrew Shay Hahn (the mad craft shoppe)

Lifejackets for Red Fish

Life Jacket (one)

24x24inches,acrylic on canvas

$500.00

The first of the lifejackets is done, this pic is just a little crooked, didn't notice until I cropped it. I hope to have the second in the first series of three finished today. There will be six in total that I hope to have finished for the end of the month, three will be hung at Red Fish all of them are for sale and can be purchased in advance by contacting me here.

I'll sell three before the restaurant opens and the other three will be on display there.

Working down in the basement studio wearing a full coverall, reminds me of my last studio.

A.Shay Hahn

madcraftshoppe@live.com

twitter @madcraftshoppe

facebook Andrew Shay Hahn (the mad craft shoppe)

Marvel Universe Sale

Each piece is 10x12inches, acrylic on canvas, $100.00 each or 2 for $160.00

Read all about the pieces at the Any How Town blog

http://anyhowtown.blogspot.ca/ 

In other exciting news we are confirmed for our annual November show at the Cameron House!

 Very exciting, apologies for being away between wedding preparations and dog raising I haven't had the time to finish anything, but I do hope to have two or maybe all of the first life jackets finished by the weekend.

A.Shay Hahn

madcraftshoppe@live.com

Lifejackets, not the first artist to do this

Here are some process shots of the lifejackets as of yesterday, they're coming along nicely and I'm enjoying using lots and lots of paint on them, building up big bold surfaces, which is not at all how I usually work.

 I'd also like to point out that I'm not the first person on Earth to paint lifejackets. Awesome Toronto artist Holly Farrell http://www.hollyfarrell.com/ who is a stunning painter has done them and so has an artist in the USA named Jane Hambleton. What's funny is that all three of us are using the warm greyish/burnt umber tones for the backgrounds, they really pop the oranges right off the canvas.

 I thought it was important to mention that other people have tackled the subject, not to defend myself against any charges of copying or intellectual theft but that these objects are important to people, they have an instant impact when seen, I'm sure my thoughts on them are completely different than the other artists I've mentioned, probably completely different from yours.

As mentioned in previous posts I'm also working on three more of these and they will be on display at Red Fish Restaurant when they open at the end of the month.

Talk soon,

A.Shay Hahn

madcraftshoppe@live.com

twitter @madcraftshoppe

facebook Andrew Shay Hahn (the mad craft shoppe)

Scarecrow with Guitar

Scarecrow w/Guitar

12x16inches,acrylic on canvas, unframed

$160.00

Awhile back musician Corin Raymond had mentioned that he'd never seen a scarecrow posed with a guitar, so I decided to oblige him. Corin is the mastermind behind the great Canadian Caper to fund the recording of his next record with Canadian Tire Money, a campaign that has reached the United States and been reported in the Wall Street Journal, you can read all about it and contribute here http://www.dontspendithoney.com/ and I suggest that you do.

A.Shay Hahn

madcraftshoppe@live.com

Vintage Life Jackets for Red Fish

We are plugging away right now on these three 24x24" paintings which will be on display at Red Fish restaurant at the end of June. These are beautiful, I was a little stuck as to what to do but after a very productive meeting with Chef David Friedman some ideas started to come out. Actually, I was amazed that I hadn't thought of exploring some of the nautical themed work that I've done (and there's alot). If you go all the way back to "Fables" (see label) and even further to my first show at the Cameron , you'll see the life preserver has always been around as one of my symbols and of course the series "The Boy Who Loved the Water" from around 2009, can't remember which show they were in, featured a kid wearing a life jacket.

These are going to be amazing as a set, you're gonna love em.

A.Shay Hahn

madcraftshoppe@live.com

Playing the Martyr - The Series

Top Photo

Studio Assistant contemplates a diptych

The three following pieces are the beginning of a new series that owes alot to work I did about five years ago. If you click on the label "Fables" (right margin) you can see the first two pieces (maybe three) from the "Playing the Martyr" paintings. I love this work, this is when I'm happiest, I don't question the what and the why of the painting, I don't care if they sell -it's what makes them definitive for me - it is my work at it's purest. So enjoy.

We'd love to hear from you.

follow us on twitter @madcraftshoppe

A.Shay Hahn

madcraftshoppe@live.com



Irish/Canadian Flag, Canadian Girl Project

Irish/Canadian Flag

Canadian Girl Project

10x12inches,acrylic on canvas,framed

$140.00 (commission)

Man am I not happy with the photos I've been taking of my work as of late, promise to do something about it soon.

A.Shay Hahn

madcraftshoppe@live.com

follow on twitter @madcraftshoppe 
all images property of the artist
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Red Fish restaurant

Red Fish

10x12inches,acrylic on canvas,framed

$140.00

Double, Lord of the Woodpile!

Why all the sketches and studies you ask ? I'm designing three 24x24" pieces for a new restaurant Chef David Friedman is opening on College Street named Red Fish. I've been mucking about with colour choices and composition while doing other work like the piece above. Stay tuned as the project develops.

Also, my dog is so ridiculously awesome I can hardly stand it.

This weather sucks,

A.Shay Hahn

madcraftshoppe@live.com

The Real Anchor Women of St.John's

Anchor Woman (White Dress), Anchor Woman (Black Dress)

10x12inches,acrylic on canvas,framed

$140.00 each

We have so much going on in the studio right now, sketches, studies, notes, commissions and two more 10x12s that I have to finish today. So much has happened, wish I had the time to catalogue everything and write about it. But the one thing I'll say that has been on my mind all week is what a great honour it was to be left off of this list,                                                                                                    http://blog.piccsy.com/toronto-creatives/50-visual-artists-from-toronto-you-should-know-about

 because it means that I've already arrived. Sure the extra publicity would have been nice for a couple of blog hits, but that's it.

Also, here's a photo of the studio assistant chillin' on the dock on the long weekend, damn he's a cute little fella. Other things today is the Press Club five year anniversary here's a link to the fb event

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.216993071722494.57107.108410249247444&type=1#!/events/308138549263521/

enjoy the rain plants, you've been very patient

A.Shay Hahn

madcraftshoppe@live.com

Press Club Dedicated Wall, May 27th 2012

Press Club Wall, May 27th 2012
RAYGUNS! $80 ea/ two for $150.00
Come Out And Play, Pick Axe, Caesar, The Real Women of Gilligan's Island, Canadian Girl, Tribute to Maurice Sendak, Ballad of Daniel Larusso I & II, Deep Sea Diver, Fencer
all work 10x12inches,acrylic on canvas,framed $140.00 each

Here's a look at the Press Club Wall, man it is fine so head on down to Dundas West and pick yourself up a painting.

any questions? Send us a message and follow on twitter @madcraftshoppe

it's gonna be a muggy one

A.Shay Hahn

madcraftshoppe@live.com

follow on twitter @madcraftshoppe

                                          facebook Andrew Shay Hahn (the mad craft shoppe)

For the Students (and the cats)

Cat III (Xandar)

6x6inches,acrylic on masonite,framed

commission

Pour les Etudiants (Canadian Girl Project)

10x12inches,acrylic on canvas,framed

$140.00

Whoo it's hot outside! Not alot to say this morning I just woke up and walked the dog, still pretty fuzzy after a sweaty and fitful sleep last night. The cat in the painting above will be NINETEEN years old this month, I don't  and know alot about cats, but I'm pretty sure that's freakin' old.

A.Shay Hahn

madcraftshoppe@live.com 
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More Pachter than Pachter,Canadian Girl Project

Canadian Girl

10x12inches,acrylic on canvas,framed

$140.00

I wanted to talk about the sense of fun in Pachter's work, the irreverence, I like that and feel close to it,  not all my painting have a sense of humour, but a good number of them do. I was also reminded why I initially began with the "Caesar" image, my girl and I went to see a touring production (from Philadelphia, I think) of Julius Caesar, it was set in contemporary times with an Obama like Caesar and African American First Lady, everyone in business suits etc. The production toured with a white floor and when it was time for the Senators to draw their letter openers (it worked) and stab him, there wasn't any blood! This big white floor and no blood! What a gip! We go to see Julius Caesar for two reasons so your can recite, "Friends, Romans, Countrymen (and nothing else from the speech)" along with the actor and to see Caesar get whacked.

What a let down.

So as the gears turned I realized that one thing I do like about the Canadian Flag is the red, I like it, it's bold and it reminded me (in this instance) of blood.

So that's how two things get together and become a painting.

Stay hydrated

A.Shay Hahn

madcraftshoppe@live.com
follow on twitter @madcraftshoppe

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Canadian Girl Project (Caesar)

Canadian Girl Project (Caesar)

10x12inches,acrylic on canvas,framed

$140.00

And another Canadian Girl (see labels) joins the project. This should be at the Press Club on Thursday or Friday for purchase (or holler at me here). Had a bunch of thoughts re me and Charlie Pachter but there's lts to do in the studio and I'll have to post what I was thinking here another time.

A.Shay Hahn

madcraftshoppe@live.com
follow on twitter @madcraftshoppe

facebook Andrew Shay Hahn (the mad craft shoppe)

The Real Women of Gilligan's Island II

The Real Women of Gilligan's Island II

10x12inches,acrylic on canvas, framed

$140.00

Just a few more hours until the long weekend.

A.Shay Hahn

madcraftshoppe@live.com