The Big Guns

Top to bottom, all paintings 24"x24", acrylic on canvas,
1)American Halo (to be shown later)
2) Streetlamp Dolls SOLD
3) Fifteen Homes vs. One Condominium (to be shown later)
4) Road to Goderich, Road to Kincardine
5) Fifteen Homes vs. Katrina SOLD
each piece $400.00

Tomorrow is the Opening of "Lost Houses" at the Cameron House from 4-6 to be followed by the Cameron Family Singers from 6-8pm. So strange that the woman that all of this was inspired by isn't invited.

best to all, hope to see you there,

A.S Hahn

madcraftshoppe@hotmail.com

One Week Until the Opening

This will be an extended post starting at 3:05 this aft.
Woke up at 7:15 after another completely surreal nicotine patch dream, honestly if smoking just isn't enough for you anymore - go on the patch and really sort out your subconscious. I immediately fired up the typex and emailed the whole dream to JP, I am thinking of turning it into a short comic or graphic novel for others to read, if I'm on the patch for another seven or eight weeks I should have at least a year's worth of material to sort through.

This has been the hardest day so far, Eight days without Alchohol, Seven days without caffeine, Day Four on the patch and that whole Garlic thing. I'm not tempted by alcohol or coffee right now but I really want to smoke about seven cigarettes in a row and then vomit. My emotions are running up and around the room, especialy anger and I thought that with all this cleaning out, I would have that one licked, apparently this anger I've been feeling for the past couple of months is here to stay for awhile.

Some people think that I'm going a little hardcore with this cleansing (thank you for the support, keep it coming) but if you consider what I've been doing to my body since I was fifteen years old, I think a little of that "tough love" is necessary to effect real change both in my metabolism and my behaviours, which are, of course, linked, unless you subscribe to Descartes and I do not. Also I don't want to back slide or slip up, everything I read says I'm allowed to, but if I allow that-- well I'm just not going to. Discipline, for a time, is to be admired, I have to keep this up for at least a month for anything to really happen inside my body and for new routines to establish themselves.

The jogging thing won't start until at least the 2oth once the show is up at the Cameron and my body is more adjusted to it's new routine. Back soon, Supper Time

9:20
Three failed attempts at three new paintings - the closer I get to this particular showing the more agitated I'm becoming, this one is personal, the others were more commercial, we'll see

Lost Houses, The Cameron House Opening Reception Sat. Nov.11th 4-6 Band 6-8
madcraftshoppe@hotmail.com

Best to all,
A.S Hahn

Weights a Minute!

Today at Cleanse Headquarters we are lifting weights for about an hour, beginning a four day a week workout schedule. You will marvel at the miraculous transformation of your host, using the mighty powers of vinyl weights to transform this body from Adrian Brody in "The Pianist" into the stunning physique of Holly Hunter in "The Piano".

Next up Piano Lessons!

And please for those of you with lil' ones, nephews, nieces, friends who have 'em (I'm talking about Children folks) you can visit the Mad Craft Shoppe's sister blog the Alphabet Shoppe! There is a SALE on right now for Christmas!

http://www.thealphabetshoppe.blogspot.com/

UPDATE 9:15 ow,ow,ow,ow,ow,ow,ow,ow.

all the best to you and yours
A. S Hahn
madcraftshoppe@hotmail.com
Sat. Nov. 11th at the Cameron House 4-8pm New Paintings "Lost Houses" check them out below!

Is it bad of me to say, This is why Mormons own Houses ?

Look at this folks, here's my "Vice" spending for today vs. one day last week

the coffee shop 2 large herbal teas $3.oo vs. 2 large coffees $4.00
the pub 2 Cran/Soda $5.50 vs. 4 pints $20.00
the depanneur no smokes vs. 1 pack cigarettes $7.50

total $8.50 $31.50

*figures do not contain gratuities

And yes I will be adding paintings to these posts. In further music news, the new Jon Rae and the River album "knows what you need" is a damn fine time, go by Ronnies in the Market and let him know you love it. Also thanks to the folks at Criminal Records on Queen Street for their music dude smarts.

best, still thinking of you
A.S Hahn

madcraftshoppe@hotmail.com

Here We Go

Above posts,"Put A Little Love In It 1-3" tryptych $400.00

1:20 pm All Hallow's Eve
We are now officially on the Patch, stay tuned. Day 4 No Alcohol,Day 3 No Caffeine,Day 7 No Garlic.

6:20 pm All Hallow's Eve
I believe the Patch is working, not very well mind you, but if you're thinking of exchanging your smoking habit for a nagging headache habit (could also be the lack of caffeine) the patch is the way to go. I haven't chewed this much gum since Grade 5. Good thing I have a mouth guard

10:34pm All Hallow's Eve
The area of my left arm where the Patch is located does feel a bit warm, like a really slow burning warm, my head aches right above my right eye and I think I have the giggles - lightheaded, my sinuses are popping since I probably haven't really smelled anything in Fifteen years and right now I smell pain, my own.

wish me luck Shoppers, est. spent $28.00 patch, $3.15 sugar free chewing gum.
A.S Hahn
madcraftshoppe@hotmail.com

Shifting Gears

Day Two without Caffeine, Day Three without Alcohol, Day six without Garlic, all meals are primarily vegetarian, some chicken, Two days or twelve cigarettes until I go on the patch, (jesus my head is doing flip flops. ) Forty minutes walking each day Three days until stretching/excercise routine starts

I imagine the first two weeks of this cleanse will be the worst,We shall see...although it's not quite a proper cleanse if I'm still taking nicotine into my system, but not sure what else to call it. est. $ saved $48.50

A.S Hahn
madcraftshoppe@hotmail.com

Happy Hallowe'en

1.Heart(Maps) 2.Courage (Gold Lion)
images 12x12in, acrylic $160.00

I hope everyone out there has a great time on this Saturday the 28th of October, also known as Working Person's Hallowe'en. I am still laid up with a bitch of a flu bug that I have to get over. Just thought I'd get into the Season and keep my "people skills" up, still feels abit rusty. I'll probably do a few more touch ups on these and see how they fit in with the rest of the gang of paintings.

Keep Saturday November 11th Open on your calendars folks.

Thanks to Mamacia and Papadon for their visit today, thanks to the Voice and to She Ra

A.S Hahn

madcraftshoppe@hotmail.com

Birdseye

Taking A Break To Rest

All images, 12x12in,acrylic $160.00

It's been a long couple of weeks friends and I have burnt myself out and now need a rest, will be taking a break for a few days to get the fluids up and make sure I'm ready for whatever happens next. As you can tell the bottom image is an altered version of "Hurricane Birds 1" which just wasn't working, so I'll see how I feel about this after a couple of days. And I'm sure I will have this flu bug and these hats out of my system and be ready to explore something new.

madcrafthabit@hotmail.com

all the best to Shoppers and Friends and Ren,

A.S. Hahn

Lost Houses, cont'd

white hats 1&2, 12x12in,acrylic $160.00

I surrender!

A.S Hahn

madcraftshoppe@hotmail.com

Hats and Paper Dolls Dyptych

Why it uploaded one of the images twice I have no idea, I think they look good together but do stand on their own. I may try this again but with another band of paper dolls to really link it together.

madcraftshoppe@hotmail.com

A.S Hahn

both paintings, 12x12 in, acrylic on canvas $160.00 together $300.00

What Gospel Sunday Has Taught Me

Shoppers as I said so many posts ago, I decided to add more personal disclosure, as opposed to this site just being about my paintings, since this current work is so tied to my recent experiences, it only makes sense. Tonight my mind casts itself back to the first woman who really battered my heart, we are new friends to this day and with all of the people about and around in my life, in my state of recent upset, who is the person I called when I was the most busted up ? The first woman who ever handed my heart back to me on a platter, that's right I called "the Voice", maybe that makes a fine point about love and understanding, how you go back to a person who listened, that you have a wonderful opportunity to follow the muddy tracks back to someone, whatever the current incarnation of each of your selves and they will listen to you, that the care in their voice is still present, that you aren't being humoured or fed a scripted line.

thanks to the Voice
A. Hahn
madcraftshoppe@hotmail.com


Playlist
Snoop D0og "Drop It Like Its Hot" remix (Pharrell, Jay Z etc.)
Iron & Wine and Calexico "16 maybe less" from "In The Reins"
Modest Mouse "Blame It On the Tetons" (Tetons are Beef Hormones,yeah I had to look it up too.)
Led Zeppelin "In My Time of Dying"
Yeah Yeah Yeahs "Phenomena"
TV on the Radio "Wolf Like Me" & "I Was A Lover"
Andrew Bird "MX Missiles"

Thanks List
Mr. Kasch, Big Papa Don, Tony the Boot Master, Batman Graydon, Gospel Sunday First Set, The Bullshit Surveyor

Hurricane Birds 1&2,acrylic on canvas, 12x12in. $160.00

Lost Houses Newer Cont'd

Many thanks to the folks at the Cloak and Dagger for their care and attentiveness over the past couple of weeks. Musical thanks to Sean Hayes who wrote the song "One Thousand Tiny Pieces" that the Be Good Tanyas cover on their new record "Hello Love", it's a brilliant song, also thanks to Rock Plaza Central for the song "Anthem for the Already Defeated" from their stunning new record "Are We Not Horses" and to Justin Rutledge for "Lay Me Down Sweet Jesus" from "No Never Alone", Kevin Quain for "Stampede of the Nudes" which isn't a Kevin Quain song but should be and D. Colby - the voice in the wilderness.

as always each piece is 12x12in $160.00
madcraftshoppe@hotmail.com

A.S.Hahn

Lost Houses Newer Pieces

(All images 12x12in. acrylic $160.00 ) 1)Farmer Hats 2) World's Tallest Love Letter 2 SOLD
3) Summer Hats 4) World's Tallest Love Letter 1

Just as I told you friends, the Shoppe will be constantly updating itself over the next three weeks until the show "Lost Houses" opens at the Cameron House on November 11th.

As things have been getting more settled around the Shoppe and more distance and perspective establishes itself in my- what am I saying ? I told you I'd never lie to you Shoppers, I am gripped by a bout of insomnia right now and find myself up at all hours of the night rolling over things in my head and heart and never reaching any conclusion. One way to make the noise go away is to paint, and that is why this show is going to be so interesting for me, I know how it started and now I want to see where it ends up, what's at the end of the brush now that my life has changed, there's something about, what would you call it ? Empty Bed Syndrome, that can make you dread going to sleep, there's too much noise in my mind to sleep but I'm not telling you anything we all haven't gone through at one time or another...

The images above came from Blyth, Ontario, home of the Blyth Festival where I spent four eventful summers of my life painting sets and mucking about Huron County. (Actually it was about half way through Season Four that I lost all interest in set painting as a profession, endlessly painting new wood to look like old wood can really wear a fella down) I've been paging through some of my old sketchbooks that I'd recently unpacked and these pictures stuck out for me. The Second and Bottom images titled,"World's Tallest Place to Write Love Letters 1 & 2" is a water tower that was on the way to a bike bath/excercise trail where I spent alot of my quieter times away from my coworkers, and the other two images were taken from one of my (stir crazy in Huron County) photo projects of the extensive Blyth wardrobe and their massive collection of period hats.

I'm excedingly happy with these, it's a nice step towards something new.

thanks to all who came out to the 25 years Opening tonight, much fun was had.
madcraftshoppe@hotmail.com


A.S Hahn

25 years 25 artists, the Cameron House

This is "Lake Front" the painting I have included at the Cameron House, Two Feet by Two Feet , acrlyic on canvas, (a horrible photo I apologize) $400.00. The Opening is actually this Friday from 7 -9 pm. I really adore this painting, it's worth seeing live to get a feel for all the layers of colour, and there are alot of them. This image was created at the same time as the images shown in the posts below for "Lost Houses" my solo show that happens after, "The Cameron House 25 year" show and my fascination with real estate is better explained below, somewhere around "Show proof"post number Two. I want to work more with this kind of image, my other work has a more Illustrative feel and I was comfortably frustrated with this move towards a more abstract use of my symbols.

Hope to see you Friday at the Cameron fellow Shoppers

madcraftshoppe@hotmail.com

A.S.H

Lost Houses by Andrew Shay Hahn proofs

Hello one and all, here are some advance looks at pieces for "Lost Houses" at the Cameron House from November 11th to Dec 9th. Opening Reception 4-6 pm and then The Cameron Family Singers play. Each of these paintings are 12in x 12in acrylic on canvas. The overall focus of the show being the end of my relationship with the woman who I (rather coldly, yes I agree) refer to as "the Business Partner" on this Blog, it really is an unfair name, but as the Blog was structured around " the Mad Craft Shoppe" being a physical place, well, I went with it as a name for her, and it was a bad idea, but too late to change now. The idea of having to move away represented rather simply in the first two pieces, the tiny airplane, which has been a symbol of mine for years, but if you're familiar with my work, usually the plane is red. The Home on the Crow being a newer attempt at linking my work to a more narrative form, using Children's book illustration, and the final image below incorporates the Red Cross, again another prevalent image in my work, as the two occupants from the row boats, meet to try to reconcile their differences, this piece was painted when there was maybe a chance of healing the rift.

Each of these images will be available at the Cameron House or by contacting madcraftshoppe@hotmail.com $160.00 each

1) crow house SOLD 2) wooden plane 3) rowboats SOLD

show proofs four

The Little Terrier (Scotty Dog ?) from Monopoly makes his first appearance with these paintings, perhaps he's waiting for whoever is inside to come out to play, or that he wants to gain entry to the home and that is impossible. Also here we see the Guardians coming to rescue the House, much the same as in the post below this one. The image of the four houses reminds me of several things, plans that the Business Partner and I had to go to Ireland sometime in the near future, a country I've always had an affinity for and where much of her family is located and also that one House stands alone, maybe not that it is shunned by the other homes, but that it is somehow different, was built differently, facing in other direction.
1) Scotty Night SOLD 2) A visit to Ireland 3) Doll House SOLD 4) Scotty Day

Show proofs three

The Rubber Ball has been around in my group of symbols for awhile, mostly being used when I paint the "Block Letters" (see my other blog "the Alphabet Shoppe" for details) but I decided to drag it into this show, at least for one painting, the Guardian Spirits make an appearance with this show, I think back to being a kid and how many soccer balls, baseballs, etc. end up lost on roofs, in trees and bushes or merely abandoned on a field when Recess is over and the Guardian "Dolls" come to rescue and perhaps return them to their owners. The Gnome is very new, only making an appearance after the end of my relationship with The Business Partner, she loved that Gnome and I decided after she had left that it was an appropriate symbol for her as the Gnome was located across from my paint area and I would sit alone in the Apartment after she had left and look at it while I worked. Sometimes in this show the House represents me, this isn't the most pleasant image, as I am known for often painting pleasant things, but I think this painting is an accurate look at the early moments of a relationship ending and just how that feels. The final image is better explained in the post below

Show proofs two

The birdhouses have evolved into actual houses for this show and I have chose to use them in several ways, here as representation of Toronto itself, there was a time about a year to this date that the Business Partner and I were in talks to purchase a small house, a very exciting and tiring time. We decided to not go through with the purchase. Real Estate is always on my mind, it has been said that property is the measure of a man, that you are nothing without property, houses have been on my mind constantly for the past couple of years (and are obviously the focus of this show of paintings) as friends of mine marry and purchase property. We are almost raised with that entitled feeling, that being the natural order of a life in Ontario, emerge from high school reasonably unscathed, go to University, get a job, partner up and then buy a home but one flip through the Real Estate section of the globe and most people these days would rather sit in the bathroom with the lights off.

Show proofs one

One of the problems with posting photos is that they seem to come up randomly, maybe there's something I'm missing when posting photos, but no matter.The paper dolls on the left were the first one's I did, this image is still being touched up. They have become a very new icon in my small group of symbols, representing Angels or Guardian Spirits even though their appearance appears more to be that of phantoms. The second image "House Lost at Sea" illustrates this point better, the House mourning the loss of the House - which could be loss of partner or self, depending on which day the artist is asked. The painting at left came first and the one on the right is more recently tied to the business partner (see other posts for details).
UPDATE OCT 2oth THE PIECE BELOW WILL NOT BE SHOWN thanks A.S Hahn
Campfire Dolls SOLD

Not the best image I've posted but a reminder that my show at the Cameron is happening in November, the opening will be Saturday November the 11th (Love your Freedom? Thank a Veteran) from 4-6 pm and then the almighty Cameron Family Singers will take the stage. All works will be available for advance preview and sale from this blog site, so please check in regurlarly. Also on October 20th at the Cameron is the opening of 25 years of Cameron House artists, from 7-9pm so come on by and see work by some trailblazers and some happy hangers on !

All the best in the world, because as hard as it gets the new Be Good Tanyas album is out and Justin Rutledge has released his second record, so for all the dischord there are still some good chords to keep us all humming.

God bless you Shoppers

A. Shay Hahn

and please call me Andrew

A House to be A Home

Hello Shoppers and friends I'm sorry it's been so long but there has been some upheaval at the Shoppe, my business partner and I (pictured at left) are no longer working together due to personal differences of the most emotional kind ( I mean just look at his eyes! That can't be good) and the Shoppe has moved itself from the East End back to the old stomping ground of Trinity Bellwoods Park, probably the most beautiful stretch of land in this city and a welcome welcome return, it's a shame for the business partner that they can't make it,but it's - like I said - a personal problem, which leads me to a new aspect of this blog since I'm paying for the internet connection - more disclosure! If I feel it's necessary I'm just going to post it, which should spice things up a bit, but in our age of spin, impersonal utterances, indoctrinated answers and bold faced lies, the Mad Craft Shoppe is taking a stand against all the liars and their ilk, so if I think you're full of shit, you're going to hear about it.

God bless Vince and Tanya, David Lang and Sam Ferrara

Andrew Shay Hahn

Older Works Catalogue

Seen above Little Village Tiger (wedding gift), Red Cross Girl 2005 ,16x20 sold, Gorilla Woman 2002,24x18 (or something) sold.

I've been on a quest recently to track down images of older works that I don't have a photo of for posting on this site and for my general digital portfolio, if you fit the bill please send me a photo of the work at madcraftshoppe@hotmail.com and your picture will appear at this site.

thanks!
A.Shay Hahn

Cameron House Drum Photos ! Finally!

( click any image to enlarge)

Above are the four paintings of drums currently showing at the Cameron House "Group of Cousins" show onto September 15th, each piece is 12x12 acylic on canvas and $175.00. Following this photo is John who was sitting below the work and loves it (just look at his face) and Paul Sannella (pictured above) who is secretly in love with me (just kidding Paul).

madcraftshoppe@hotmail.com

Shay