The Return of Prometheus (terrible photo)

Prometheus

12x12inches, acrylic on canvas

$160.00

I actually had to do some research before committing to this piece, I went back and check five years of the blog, every single post to make sure I hadn't done this piece before and much to my surprise I hadn't, even the first two "Prometheus" paintings way back in the show "Silver" (see labels) were different, that made me very happy I never repeat myself, I'll change the location the hair, the clothes but I'll never do the same piece twice.

Unfortunately I am not at all happy with this photo, my super smart digital camera looks for faces and details automatically to focus on and was just too stupid to focus on her butt.

 

Here's a couple of quick snaps from Montreal the first is a cute little print (artist unknown, looks like it says, "D.O" that I bought in Mile End at this great print/curiosity shop (I can't find the card) we bought a piece there on our honeymoon so it was great to find something else, I'll post the name when I find it. Also here is the Dale Chihuly tree out front of the the Museum of art.

cheers, its a beautiful day to have lunch with your Mum

A.Shay Hahn

madcraftshoppe@live.com

 

First of the new Flying Hats

Hats (one)

12 x12 inches, acrylic on canvas

$160.00

for the Cameron House in November

Here is the first of three new flying hats, expect a lot of posts to come your way for the next month, I'm back from Montreal and down in the studio seven days a week until the show is ready, I'll also be rotating work in and out of Snakes & Lattes as it sells so you'll have to keep up as to where everything is.

If you need to contact me about a purchase my email address is right under my name.

enjoy this crisp, sunny weather

A.Shay Hahn

madcraftshoppe@live.com

Man's Best Friend. Man's Worst Enemy WIP

Man's Best Friend, Man's Worst Enemy

each 8x10 inches, acrylic on canvas

WIP

Having some fun down in the studio painting some small dogs, expect it to be quiet over the next few days and then expect a whole bunch of posts, I mean rapid fire, three times a day, drive you up the wall crazy with posts. I'll be away just touching up some things to get finished for the Cameron House and the Snakes & Lattes wall and when they're finished, watch out!

I am also spending a good chunk of time playing through the Borderlands 2 DLCs, currently working through the Pirate Scarlett whatever its called and having a blast (literally) my love for the gearbox software and the Borderlands game knows no bounds.

cheers,

A.Shay Hahn

madcraftshoppe@live.com 

Snakes and Lattes, paintings and games

(from Top Left) Twenty Five Retired Superfolk $300.00, Woman With an Axe 1 & 2 $160.00 each, Bird Houses, Wolf $160.00 each, Execute $300.00, Bullshit Gauges $40.00each, Ray Guns! small $40.00 each, Ray Gun! $120.00

Twenty Five Bandit Children $300.00, Consume $300.00, Bullshit/ Calm Gauge $40.00 each, Deep Sea Diver with Drum/ Brave Pilot $160.00each, Ray Guns! $120.00 each

 

Have you ever walked into a place and just felt right at home and instantly comfortable? I think it's a hard feeling to come by these days but the second I walked into Snakes & Lattes (600 Bloor Street West, just west of Bathurst, thanks mom for pointing out my mistake) I knew I was in a great spot. The folks there are friendly and have a great time chatting and working, I am thrilled to be showing work there for the next twelve weeks.

Here's a link to their sight where you can see what game tournaments are coming up and all the cool happenings http://www.snakesandlattes.com/ 

If there is a piece you like be sure to buy it soon, the response was already incredibly positive so if you have your eye on something hanging there better get in touch.

back to the basement,

A.Shay Hahn

madcraftshoppe@live.com

Sixteen Painting Super Sweet Grid

(Ya gotta click on it, it's Super Sweet)

each piece is 10x12 inches, acrylic on canvas

$160.00 each

I love taking photos like this there's probably one posted for every show that I do.

I'd better come up with a name for the show soon.

A.Shay Hahn

madcraftshoppe@live.com

Brave Pilots Take Wing!

Brave Pilot I

10x12 inches, acrylic on canvas

$160.00

can be framed if purchased before November

Here's the first of two pilots for the Cameron House show, expect quite a few things to start popping up here as I finish some touch ups on pieces that I've been working on down in the studio for the past few weeks.

Yes, there's lots going on.

A.Shay Hahn

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The Wyrd Band, Bagpipe player

The Wyrd Band (Bagpipe Player)

10x12 inches, acrylic on canvas

$160.00

If you're wondering what that giant ball of heat is in the top left corner I've installed some 100 Watt bulbs in the studio that are washing out every photo I take, enjoy!

A.Shay Hahn

madcraftshoppe@live.com

Mariachi! Two Times!

Mariachi!

10x12 inches, acrylic on canvas

$160.00 each

for the Cameron House in November

It's a double mariachi morning here in the shoppe, looking forward to a long day of touch ups on some pieces that I've been working on for a couple of week and hearing back from some folks who have contacted me for commissions.

I love this time of year.

Yes you can commission your own mariachi, diver you name it, just get in touch. Also debating whether to do painted versions of the mariachi figures that are on the mural at the Cameron, I have other things to finish first but the idea is rolling around in my head and the noise is a little distracting.

A.Shay Hahn

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The Wyrd Band, Tuba Player

The Wyrd band, the Tuba Player (WIP)

10x12 inches, acrylic on canvas

$160.00

Meet the newest member of the mad craft shoppe family, the Wyrd Band, here's the tuba player and she is having a fine time already. I still have a few touch up to do on the tuba pipes, if  you ever want to give yourself a challenge, paint a tuba, I've only done one before and I needed a three year break before I attempted it again.

A.Shay Hahn

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The Bird Houses Return

Bird Houses

10x12 inches, acrylic on canvas

$160.00

For the Cameron House in November, wow it's been awhile since we've seen the bird houses but they're back to join the party at the Cameron. I'm toying with the idea of selling a 2014 calendar of my work, if this appeals let me know in advance folks on fb seem really into it.

A.Shay Hahn

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A Nick Cave Song III

A Nick Cave Song III

10x12 inches, acrylic on canvas

$160.00

The look on this Shepherd's face is a proud moment in my painting career.

A.Shay Hahn

madcraftshoppe@live.com

 

Honky Tonk Skeletons

Honky Tonkin'

10x12 inches, acrylic on canvas

$160.00

Here's another Honky Tonk skeleton to get you through your busy Thursday.

A.Shay Hahn

madcraftshoppe@live.com

 



Deep Sea Diver With Drum, I'm that guy

Deep Sea Diver With Drum

10x12 inches, acrylic on canvas

$160.00

(framed, for as long as I have frames)

Did I mention I am no longer building frames for my work ? I will include frames with any 10x12 pieces sold in ADVANCE of the November show, there will be no framed pieces in November.

As much as I have gotten used to the look of the framed work it's time to move on.

You can commission your own Deep Sea Divers, Mariachis, etc by contacting me and if anyone ever gets a tattoo of one of my paintings, please send me a photo, I have a dozen tattoos myself and it would be awesome to check out your A.Shay Hahn ink.

A.Shay Hahn

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Fiddler (Skeletal Country Band)

Fiddler

10x12 inches, acrylic on canvas

$160.00

for the Cameron House show in November

Just a quick note that I meant to add earlier, I 'm no longer building frames for my work so if you buy in advance of the November show and I have a frame for the piece, it's yours!

A.Shay Hahn

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For Hank Williams

For Hank Williams

1012inches, acrylic on canvas

$160.00

for the Cameron House Show in November

I figured it only made sense to include some skeletal musicians at the show in November.

Here's the first of about seven of them.

A.Shay Hahn

madcraftshoppe@live.com

King of the RAY GUNS!

RAY GUNS!

12x16inches, acrylic on canvas

$120.00 each

Sorry for the poor quality of the photos, I'm shooting stuff in the basement as I finish it and the bulbs down here throw everything off.

A.Shay Hahn

madcraftshoppe@live.com

 

Girl With An Axe VS. RAY GUN!

Girl With An Axe 12x12 inches, acrylic on canvas $160.00

RAY GUN!, 12x16 inchces, acrylic on canvas $120.00

In today's Wednesday challenge over on face book, returning champion, "Girl With An Axe" was beaten by the new challenger RAY GUN! by a score of 6 to 4. RAY GUN! advances onto the next round, who will the challenger be? Man, I'm working on so many different things right now I don't even know.

Friday is the last day to see my work in the YUMart Group Show, "And the Living Is Easy" just scroll down on the blog to find the address.

Dang it's so humid out I can't even contemplate walking to the beer store

A.Shay Hahn

madcraftshoppe@live.com

 

Deep Sea Diver with Accordion

Deep Sea Diver with Accordion

10x12inches, acrylic on canvas

for the Cameron House is November

$160.00

This is the second DSD with an accordion that I've painted, the first was seated in a chair staring up at the sky. I couldn't paint this and not think of James Gray, my friend and great musician who passed away a couple of weeks ago. He used the other painting as his profile picture on Facebook, he took the photo with his phone when the painting was hanging at the Press Club, the photo was crooked, which I found kind of charming.

James and I shared a lot of bars over the years, I can't count how many times I have seen him play or just sat and had a pint with him. He was a great musician, just a wonder, he often had dinner at the Press Club before heading out to play somewhere and they hung the fork he always used on the wall in his honour.

A.Shay Hahn

madcraftshoppe@live.com



Deep Sea Diver (with flute)

Deep Sea Diver (with flute)

10x12inches, acrylic on canvas

for the Cameron House show in November.

After the final relaxing weekend out of town we are back in the studio and starting to finish some work. Yes, the Divers are back and here's the first.

A.Shay Hahn

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The View from the Studio

We run a pretty tight ship down here in the bowels of the house and every day at the same time my assistant meets me at the top of the stairs for his walk.

A.Shay Hahn

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The Cameron House, planning the invasion

I have over thirty four canvases planned for the November show at the Cameron House, this may be my biggest show yet. I've had a good few days/nights in the studio working off of sketches and references and things are really coming along nicely.

I have yet to finish anything, even the Axe Girl and Pitchfork Woman are not yet complete, I'm working on two or three pieces at a time, switching them out and working on two or three more. It's so crazy that I've started using some older canvases as palettes.

I've also received a few contacts for other work, commissions and designs, two of which were very interesting to me and two that would be impossible to fit into my schedule right now but hopefully could come back to in the spring.

It feels great to get busy again, if you have any questions I am always available at the address below.

It's time for a cold tinny of Beck's on the back porch

A.Shay Hahn

madcraftshoppe@live.com

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we do not tolerate failure

Things have been going really well down in the studio, of course sometimes mistakes are made.

That's what Big Daddy Box Cutter is for.

A.Shay Hahn

madcraftshoppe@live.com

Girl with an Axe VS. Woman with a Pitchfork

Girl with an Axe

Woman with a Pitchfork

12x12inches, acrylic on canvas

$160.00 each

Over on fb today I ran the first Wednesday Challenge, I used to do them once a week when preparing for shows and I thought it would be fun to bring them back. To participate you tag yourself in whichever photo you'd like to vote for. Today it was Girl with an Axe vs, Woman with a Pitchfork and the Axe painting won 8 votes to four.

The Axe painting will go onto the next round and the next challenger, you'll have to wait until next week to see who wins the contest.

cheers,

A.Shay Hahn

madcraftshoppe@live.com

The Mask, The Pearls and the Muckity Technique

Sometimes things get a little stale in the studio and I need to shake it up in order to get my day started. Luckily I have a whole pile of 12x12's to play with so I'm not too worried about marking up a canvas and then hating what I've done, I can just move on.

To begin the muckity process I take two or three colours and then just rub them around, then take one of the colours and make a few lines, usually with my eyes closed. It's pretty self explanatory if you look at the first photo. Sometimes I get lucky and find an image right away and the second photo is what I ended up "pulling" out of one the canvases.

We'll see what comes out of the others.

A.Shay Hahn

madcraftshoppe@live.com



Flying hats, Chernobyl and Final Destinations

Working away down in the basement on a beautiful Sunday with on On Demand to keep me company and what poor company it is. I watch a lot of horror films, I love'em to bits I can't help myself, today I watched "Chernobyl Diaries" which is not a horror film, not at all, it's supposed to be, but there isn't a single scary movie in the film. I did like the mutated fish, but that was all. Also, if I recall correctly there were only two lines of dialogue in the whole film that were repeated over and over, "We have to get outta here." and "Have you seen Chris." please do not approach this film thinking you'll have the least bit of fun, you will not.

You will however have a great and gory time watching "Final Destination V" this franchise knows how to have a laugh and each film actually gets more gory and more funny than the last, so definitely drive straight past Chernobyl to your Final Destination, see what I did there ?

Okay onto Goseph Jordan Lovitz riding a bike.

A.Shay Hahn

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Studio Assistants, World View and the Amazing Spider Man

I bought four 30x30's awhile ago and some 30x40's I was in the mood to do some large work, but I didn't ever start anything, they have been sitting in the studio for months, with the show coming in November I figured that it was time to get back to them. I've always loved the two "World View" or globe pieces that I painted two or three years ago and wanted to do something new with them, as luck would have it I was asked by musician Jason Chesworth if he could use the above "the Painter's Assistants" for a digital ep he was releasing on band camp with some of the proceeds going to the Actor's Fund of Canada, we have many mutual friends from theatre so I figured why not, here's a link to the ep, check it out. http://jasonchesworth.bandcamp.com/ 

The top photo is my dog, who spent most of the day sleeping under my chair in the studio, it was hard not to move around too much and disturb him, but I managed it.

I've had two films playing today, the first, Men In Black 3 was fine if you like the series, I thought Josh Brolin did a great Tommy Lee Jones impersonation and of course enjoyed the supporting role by the brother from Orange Is the New Black,( I'm sorry Sir I don't have time to google your name), the movie itself wasn't that engaging, it followed the MIB formula to the letter with just certain plot changes (time travel! which they did nothing with) and a different villain, the very talented whatshisname from Flight of the Conchords, if you listen you'll hear him under the makeup.

I'm just winding up watching the Amazing Spiderman, the best choice they made was to keep Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone riffing together, they're great as Peter and Gwen Stacey, and of course it was great to see Dennis Leary and Martin Sheen but at two hours twenty minutes, it's way too long and because of this fact has no forward momentum what so ever.
It was very nice to see that Spider Man was created by Stan Lee AND Steve Ditko, because he was, two men created this great character, read all about it in the wonderful "Marvel Comics the Untold Story" by Sean Howe.

Alright back to it,

A.Shay Hahn

madcraftshoppe@live.com



Axe Women as the day goes/ Axe Women all night long

A.Shay Hahn

madcraftshoppe@live.com

Axe Women, Flying Hats and the Late Night Easel

The late night easel, I'm doing double duty these days, trying to write the books or do notes and edits from eight in the morning until noon and then breaking and painting down in the studio until it's time to crash. Here's what's on the board right now (top left) beginning block in for a new Axe Girl, (top right) an old damaged flying hat painting that I'm using as a refresher for the new hats, (bottom left) current Axe Girl Block In and (bottom right) a dinged up canvas that I'm using as a palette. Behind this stuff is a large 18x36 that I hope to start blocking in on Friday.

I was going to take the rest of August just to write but I'd like to get a head start on twelve block ins just so I feel I won't be completely in the long grasses when September begins.

A.Shay Hahn

madcraftshoppe@live.com



Flying Hats, A Return

Black Hats, White Hats

12x12 inches, acrylic on canvas

$160.00 each

all of the above have been SOLD

I rarely return to old ideas, I use certain symbols over and over again in my work but since I work in series sometimes I get burnt out on an idea and leave it. Yesterday evening I was out with friends and I was thinking about the hats that I painted for "Lost Houses" way back in 2006. Wow, that's a long time ago, I had just moved into a new apartment on Crawford Street and was painting for my annual Cameron House show at the same time amidst the piles of boxes.

I thought about the hats all the way home to the East end and by the time I got home I knew it was time to bring them back. The above are three pieces from 2006, which all sold, I have a few things that I want to add to the pieces this time around, you'll have to wait to see what comes out.

If you'd like to commission some hats for your home, just holler at me at the email below, actually it would be really nice to get an email today to let me know folks are out there reading.

Also don't forget to go to Yumart, 101 Spadina, Suite 210 on Saturday for the reception for the group show that I'm participating in.

A.Shay Hahn

madcraftshoppe@live.com

 



Yumart Summer Salon Show

Top to bottom

A Song by Lyle Lovett, 10x12inches, An Elliott Smith Song, 10 x12 inches $200.00 each, The Sisters (the White Glove Test) 11x14 inches $250.00, Girl With An Axe, 12x16 inches $300.00

all works framed, acrylic on canvas

prices to follow

This month I am participating in a group show at Y.M Whelan's gallery, located at 101 Spadina, Suite 210, the opening reception is this Saturday from2pm-5pm here's the blurb and a link to the event on facebook.

Showcasing 30+ artists at the first annual yumart Summer Salon: Deirdre Tara Whelan, SpiteClassic, Robert Chandler, Stephen Forsyth, Richard Bonderenko, Wayne Moore, Dawn Mourning, Karen Miranda Augustine, Les Paterson, Tim Deverell, Gabrielle de Montmollin, Tony Calzetta, Lee Lamothe, Susan Szenes, Andrew James Paterson, Erin MacKeen, Tim Noonan, Janis Warren, Y.M. Whelan, Betty Kaser, Blaise deLong, Barry Coombs, Caroline Ross, Sheryl Dudley, Sandra Lewis, Joseph Lammirato, Kevin McBride, Larry Dickison,
Peter Templeman and Andrew Shay Hahn.

 

https://www.facebook.com/events/170182449833999/

 

I'll be dropping off the work today, not sure which pieces will be chosen to be hung or the prices that's up to Yvonne. I highly recommend checking this out, Robert Chandler is a great painter, love Wayne Moore's work and Kevin McBride does some great work too.

A.Shay Hahn

madcraftshoppe@live.com



The Chairs By Day, Last of the Large Frames

The Chairs by Day (III)

20x20 acrylic on canvas, framed

$400.00

This is the last 20x20 frame that I have in the studio,many thanks as always to Theatre Passe Muraille for the use of the shop, and since I posted the life jackets yesterday I thought it would be nice to repost this piece as well. I'll be putting up some shots of older work for the rest of the summer, specifically ones that have a summer feel to them. I'll be back in the studio at the start of September.

A.Shay Hahn

madcraftshoppe@live.com

Lifejacket paintings 3&4

Life Jacket #3 (top)

Life Jacket #4 (bottom)

24x24inches, acrylic on canvas

$400.00 each

Here are the other two life jacket paintings, I don't like playing favourites, but I really love number three. Prices have been reduced. Paypal accepted.

A.Shay Hahn

madcrafshoppe@live.com 

Lifejacket Paintings 1 & 2

Life Jacket #1 (top)

Life Jacket #2 (bottom)

acrylic on canvas, 24x24inches

$400.00 each

I've lowered the prices on these two beauties, I just can't keep them in the basement studio they have to go out into the world and find a home, yes I do ship all over the place so don't worry if you aren't in Toronto.

If you've got a family cottage or some walls in your home that need to be brightened up, I can think of nothing better than these.

A.Shay Hahn

madcraftshoppe@live.com

Laying In Some Stormy Skies

Before leaving for the cottage I had to do some painting, I had to push some mud around, I had been away from my easel for too long so I decided to grab some canvases and just lay in some skies. I don't usually work this way when painting, in fact its just the opposite the figures choose the colour of the skies whether stormy or clear, situated in a field or standing by the ocean, another painter once asked me if I had a studio full of paintings with skies painted on them and if I just plugged in the figures and I assured her that wasn't the case but this time since I had no sketches that I liked and just wanted to play with colour I decided to just do some block ins.

I was happy that my hands remembered what to do, it was a strange feeling not doing any painting, which I usually do every day unless I'm working on my books (see the Any How Town blog, right sidebar) and want to be outside writing.

I don't know what will happen on these canvases, I don't know what the figures will be doing or if I'll paint over these skies entirely, I just had to get something done with a brush.

It's also a strange feeling not having anything on display in Toronto, there are the murals at the Cameron House but since taking down my "permanent" wall at the Press Club all of my work is in the basement studio I'm not used to having so much of my work around me, it's getting a little crowded down there.

A.Shay Hahn

madcraftshoppe@live.com