Karen Found It

"Karen Found It " is a fantastic antique shop located in Mirvish Village right across from the Victory Cafe

and only steps away from The Beguiling and Suspect Video . If you are looking for incredibly well priced vintage home decor and accoutrements you can't go wrong here

You especially can't go wrong because for the next couple of months Karen Found It will have lots of paintings of antique toys, letter sets and such, courtesy of the madcraftshoppe. This summer we will also participate in car free Sundays in Mirvish Village via Karen Found It, where we will sell STACKS of letter sets.

She was also telling me that she may get a fishtank full of fish so the kids have something to look at whilst you browse for yourselves. I can't stress how cool the stuff she has at the store is folks.

Dates for Car Free will get listed here at a later date. Oops! Here they are in me moleskine , so it must be a later Date right now.

MIRVISH VILLAGE PEDESTRIAN SUNDAYS

June 8th, July 13th,Aug 10th. please forget to bring your car or people will look at you funny.

Karen Found It Wed-Sat 11-6, Sun 12-6

http://www.karenfoundit.com/

madcraftshoppe@live.com

OOOH Here is the Final Design and it is boss

The first in the madcraftshoppe's {that's where you are now} clothing line. This is a exclusive limited run that is getting printed so I don't starve this month and must be reserved via email.

T Shirt is avail. in men's large or women's medium,

White shirt with navy ink, twenty dollars each

Currently reading, "Blood Kin" by Ceridwen Dovey, which is a South African, Afrikaner name I assume, her name is the most beautiful new word I've ever hurt my mouth trying to say. I would name my daughter Ceridwen but if I was calling her name across a field by the time I figured out how to say it right, she'd already have joined the circus. The book is painfully human and simple, my favourite style.

madcraftshoppe@live.com

The Canadian Girl project continues

Canadian Girl six SOLD and seven

twelve x twelve inches,acrlyic on canvas

SOLD

Or subscribe to Canadian Girl monthly and I'll send you four {that's one a month for four months} for three hundred dollars. Return to this post at a later date as I've collected dozens of quotes from people about how the Canadian Girl makes them feel, imagine that Walrus magazine.

Here are a few to get us started...

J.P wrote
Good boots for standing on an east coast beach. No way would I think that was the Pacific - although I'm not sure why I'm so certain.

D M wrote

I've always felt that this picture conveys the same feeling of other Canadian icons like the railroad trilogy, The Rheo's Northern Wish...comfortable in the face of a giant chunk of land

K P wrote

if walrus publishes, will canadian girl be worth millions?? because there's a version of her in my living room right now, and i could stand to be a millionaire. it's the east coast for me, too. the wind is brisk and probably stings. her hands are tucked in firm and close, and her eyes are a little watery. cheeks and nose rosy, but they go with the outfit. those are posh gum boots for a 7-to-12-year-old. waiting for something... a sign or a mood to pass. lonely. but the kind one seeks out.

R I wrote

This makes me think of the shores of Lake Ontario. Not far from me, down the hill towards the Beaches.On the small crest of sand; a foot or two high, above the shoreline, looking out across the vastness of water. Wearing her flag, facing the U.S. to the immediate southeast.

K P wrote

funny - with my east coast setting, i was just thinking, "is she looking for england?"

D A wrote
I bet she's playing some mean-ass recorder on the other side - probably the theme to friendly giant....although its obviously to windy for anyone to really tell...

P F wrote
I am really loving how the bottom of the flag aligns with the horizon of the ocean...this piece makes me feel rather wistful myself.

A Y wrote

A delicate ballance between arty and party - perhaps a comment on federalism. With the beret and red party boots she has a Montrealer's fashion sense, but tellingly she is wrapped in the Canadian flag.

A P wrote

She looks as though she's waiting for someone to come home.

D A wrote
Maybe its a boy in girl's boots who's taking a wiz off of the clif. What would that say about federal politics????

A S C wrote

I think it is a lake.And the flag seems to smother her ,rather than comfort.Is it holding her back?Is she free to move her arms?A northern lake,above the tree line.I hope the flag gives her warmth.

Currently reading "Angle of Repose" Wallace Stegner, one of the best books ever, the ending is a wee cheap, all is forgiven in the writing though.

Send your thoughts on the Canadian Girl to me via emal at madcraftshoppe@live.com or leave a comment here, God only knows we haven't had a comment in a long while, but we do get lots of email, we'll do a mailbag section next month so send us your thoughts. {Lord that sounds lame}

A.S Hahn

A-E Alpha Dragons

Top Red Dragon A-E, Green Dragon A-E

approx Twelve inches x Thirty inches

acrlyic on canvas w/frame

Two Hundred Dollars each

Gathering from the response over at Facebook, where I sell lots of work to lots of people all over Canada, if you want one for your child or a child's friend , or anyone else under three foot tall, you should get in touch with Shay very soon. My email is all over this place.

madcraftshoppe@live.com

The Canadian Girl

Canadian Girl, fourth in the series

twelve x twelve inches

acrylic on canvas

SOLD

When I think of icons or images that I feel succeed, graphically, emotionally, something that resonates, images that people continually tell me that they love, she is always in that conversation.

Everytime I paint her she's a little different, the wind on the flag is stronger, her hair longer, the sky darker or lighter, depending on my mood, once she even stood in front of a fire.

For the next couple of weeks I will add another Canadian Girl to this site and we can track the changes together.

To reserve and share your thoughts on her, contact me here,

A. S Hahn

madcraftshoppe@live.com

and as always don't forget our sister site for children of all ages

http://www.thealphabetshoppe.blogspot.com

Mad Craft Shoppe TShirts

TShirt Design for the Mad Craft Shoppe {that's me}. Shirts are white with navy printing, limited run of twenty shirts, five Women's Medium, Fifteen Men's Large reserve now.

Sets, Hot and Cold taps, six x six inches, acrylic on canvas, fourty dollars a pair.

Hot and Cold Running Love Taps, same msrmts. sixty dollars for the set.

When I am fiscally adjusted I will write for days, until such times, my succinctness must suffice.

Let me say, I love these, yes they are "home decor" oriented on the surface just thik a little more, if they were hanging in your home, what do they say to you ?

Can't wait to hear from you readers.

A.S Hahn

madcraftshoppe@live.com

Insomnia and plastic toys

Medecine Set Two,

each piece is Eight x Ten inches, acrylic on canvas,

set of three one hudred dollars, set of six two hundred.

Plastic food for Hungry Painters One

eighteen x eighteen inches, acrylic on canvas

two hundred and fifty dollars

Plastic Food for Hungry Paniters Two

sixteen x sixteen inches, acrylic on canvas

two hundred and fifty dollars.

My mind is mercurial, this is no surprise to anyone who knows me, follows this site etc. Then suddenly when I fixate on something I can't move from it. These pieces are certainly a testament to that.

I will say more later, or is more necessary?

hurray, tomorrow is my birthday

A.S Hahn

madcraftshoppe@hotmail.com

Letters and Sets on a Snowy Day

Here is a great new set of Steel Wool packaging from the ages, which makes me laugh every time I look at it and two new "Alphabet Shoppe" sets. The Steel Wool set is Eight x Ten inches {times three} forty dollars each or the set for one hundred dollars.

The slate A-E set are eighty dollars, five x seven {x five}

The horizontal are the same as the slate

A set of five Six x six inch letters or numbers is seventy five dollars, you can order any comination, it is a minimum order of five letters.

Done in this "School House style, not the more complicated style of the Twelve x Twelve inch Alphabet Shoppe paintings, which are Sixty dollars each, or three for one hundred and fifty dollars.

news to come, just in the middle of doing some more TShirt design work.

Shay.

madcraftshoppe@live.com

Crazy Sets

Medicine Chest Set, Love My Chicken Set, Army Men Set,

Each piece Eight x Ten inches, acrylic on canvas

forty dollars each, set of three for one hundred,

set of six two hundred

This is a new approach for me, small sets of three for the home.

More news to come, have to finish T-Shirt designs today for the Mad Crafty Clothing line, the first design will get posted soon, shirts are twenty dollars each plus shipping.

A.S Hahn

madcraftshoppe@live.com

Ladies of the Flowers

March

twenty x twenty four inches, acrylic on canvas

four hundred dollars {sale price for this month}

news to come.

madcraftshoppe@live.com

Revenge Toronto "Style"

My new articulated hand a gift from D.C, thank you, thank you

And God Created...The Whale

twenty two x twenty eight inches, acrylic on canvas

four hundred dollars.

So it seems that a "passive aggressive/quiet rebellion" has manifested itself in the neighourhood. To show displeasure at people who have not shovelled their walks residents of my street are letting their dogs poop on these peoples sidewalks. I am certain they feel quite proud, in that secretive kind of proud way like when you write a witty response to grafitti in a public washroom. Unfortunately I cannot tip my hat to the dog owners as the rest of us now must negotiate not only narrow icy sidewalks but also nature's little ladmines. I am going to move to Fergus.

Of course there is no photo to accompany this, don't be silly.

In other news, I have stopped the "One Thousad Fiances" piece, it was driving me to drink and have instead begun sketching a series with that title for my next show, it's too good {loaded, referential} to give up. The piece itself would succeed if it was four feet x four feet but unless you're Julian Schabel or Chuck Close we all know where pieces of that size end up, they end up staying in your studio and taking up space - unless you commission the Shoppe to create it.

the loyal madcraftsman,
A.S Hahn

And God Created....the series

And God Created...The Cow

And God Created...The Horse

each image, twenty four x twenty four inches

acrylic on canvas, three hundred and fifty dollars each

six hundred for the pair

Here's a new series that I have started while I agonize through quitting smoking, I'm on the patch and realize that the twenty one milligram dosage is too strong, last night I had a headrush/panic attack. Today my system is so charged with nicotine that I don't even need to wear a patch, when my heartrate gets to normal again I will move to Step Two of the program.

As always the fundraising sale continues,

hope to hear from you soon,send comments and etc. 's to

A.S Hahn

madcraftshoppe@live.com

Portraits of Figurines, Shoppe SALE

Gentleman, portrait of a figurine,

Lady, portrait of a figurine,

eighteen x twenty four inches, acrylic on canvas

three hundred dollars each.

pair for five hundred.

Ever since my parents first took me to the ROM to see the dinosaurs, I've had an obsession with dioramas and maquettes. I don't know if you remember this, there were little windows cut into a wall and small scenes were on display, {Allosaurus eating a Diplodocus, a mammoth in a tar pit etc.} I would plead for my Mother to buy me a plastic dinosaur to take home and I would try to mimic the displays in a shoebox.

Fast forward a number of years and Iwas working as a scenic artist in the theatre, where it was my job to mimic what was presented by a designer in a maquette {a scale model of the set}. I also would build my own maquettes out of cast off pieces and make small figurines out of clay, those have been lost to the ages, I did however sketch some of them. Recently I've wanted to sculpt more figurines to use for compositions and will begin this effort sometime soon, in the meatime here are a couple of those sketches rendered as paintings.

The fundraising SALE continues, help us reach our goal of Seven Thousand dollars raised at the end of the Month, and don't forget to ask about commissions, favourite photos, portraits etc. rendered for your pleasure, prices on commissions are not negotiable, yet not that expensive either.

contact A.Shay Hahn here

madcraftshoppe@live.com

Also hop on over to the Alphabet Shoppe to see the first of our archived series of sketches for "The Mad Crafty Kids", we will publish pages soon for your reading pleasure.

A Long night of painting...One hundred and forty nine posts

I have nothing to say about this.

Pastoral , SALE

Pastoral

twenty four x twenty inches, acrylic on canvas

five hundred dollars

Hello Shoppers, two more posts coming today, this is SALE month, so make an offer on a piece that you've had your eye on and we'll see what we can do. Consider it a fundraising drive if you will to finance A.Shay Hahn's first self produced graphic novel, "The Mad Crafty Kids" we need to raise Seven Thousand Dollars this month so let's start, check the archives for past work, waterfalls, flower dresses, pit terriers, the works.

PLEASE notify all of your friends, this is too good too miss.

email address in prior posts

sorry, you know I have ever learned how to delete photos , so here it is again...the Urn Returns.

He asked me, he said, "Father where do they when they die?"

the dead brush urn,

they say that when it is full Van Gogh will rise from the dead and marvel at the placemats, calendars and coffee cups that we have printed his work on and he will rejoice, telling us we did just as he'd hoped.

Hello Shoppers, sorry to have not posted in quite awhile , I'm currently working on a very large commision and two new "pastorals" that I am enjoying and hope to have posted here at the end of this week along with a long entry on process {those pieces are't finished either, I know, I know soon come} and some other recent "life" notes which I haven't done in awhile, yes I've neglected you once again and here I am apologizing, what a cycle we're in.

To alleviate your ennui go to "The Skeptical Tourist" it is a hilarious blog by local actor Lisa norton, sure to give you plenty of larfs.

madcraftshoppe@live.com

your humble Shoppe Keeper,

A. Shay Hahn

Process: The Whole Sick Crew

Kahawa Coffee House Opening

"Ostrich and Friend", "Tiger and Moo Cow"

twelve x twelve inches, acrylic on canvas, SOLD

"Two Scared Pigs"

twelve x sixteen inches, acrylic on canvas, SOLD

Yes it has now been proven scientifically, the Hahn Family dollar store addiction is genetic, like my Mother I am hooked on shopping at the dollar store. Small toys for my nephews ? PPpsshaw of course not, small toys for me Shoppers and then the inevitable rendering of said toys which, as said below I think are quite fun and make others uncomfortale.

KAHAWA Coffe House Get Together

Sunday the Twenty Seventh of January from Four to Six PM

Kahawa is located three doors down from the Cloak and Dagger on College, East of bathurst. Then we adjourn to the Cloak for Irish Coffee and Gospel Sunday entertaiment, I couldn't plan your days better if I tried my friends, thank me by showing up. Special Alphabet Shoppe Appearance and the work comes down on the Thirty first so on Sunday you can purchase it right off the wall, no pesky delays.

RSVP or whatever here.

madcraftshoppe@live.com

all the best,

A.Shay Hahn

Process "One Thousand Fiances"

DESTROYED

Here is the second process based piece that I have just begun, and I suppose it would be wise to disclose why I start with the title. Many of you know that I have written several plays that have been produced in Ontario and Vancouver. Many, many moons ago I also had a very popular book of poetry published and have recently begun writing and illustrating a series of childrens books {don't ask this they will take awhile to finish, let alone get published}, needless to say words are a huge part of my life so when I wanted to find a new way to work I needed a jump off point.

As I wander home from pubs or catch bits of conversation, read the papers etc. I wait for a phrase to get stuck in my head, hence "Chinese Paint" and this title "One Thousand Fiances" that was a rather self deprecating joke about my romantic life that I told at a dinner party a couple of days ago, which I thought was funny but as usual made everyone else uncomfortale {strange how often that happens}.

your loyal mad craftsmen ,

A.S Hahn

Process "Chinese Paint"

Many of you who follow this blog know that I love to work in series, I will usually render five or six similar images until I get it out of my system, sometimes returning to the pieces to continue "unfinished emotional business" {see "Playing the Martyr"} or because of commisions {see "Small Towns"}.

I've decided in two thousand and eight to start working cumulatively, building on a piece every few days after staring at it for hours, this is the first in that process "Chinese Paint" that will be documented here.

I begin rendering with simply the title of the piece {first pic} and then start to layer over top of it until the themes and images start to flesh themselves out. I'm not sure how long I'll work this way, you do go through alot of paint to get somewhere that may not even be near the end of the finished work, but I promised myself I'd do three and see how I felt.

This is the first.

A.S Hahn

new stuff at the alphabet shoppe

Ah the new year is upon us Shoppers and with that we will once more assault and delight you with many new styles in the Shoppe, I don't know about you but I am particularly fond of the "A is for Apples", and how will I know if you are if I never hear from you, so get in touch with Mr.Fun himself, A.Shay Hahn at
madcraftshoppe@live.com
unless of course you are a African king in some kind of trouble, or the contact person for the Euro Millions lottery, I apologize but even in two thousand and eight, we doubt your sincerity. {Really call Al Gore or someone from a Gap add}
{As always letters are sixty dollars each and three for one hundred and fifty for the months of January and Feruary, plus shipping costs}

See more styles at http://thealphaetshoppe.logspot.com/

"From Armless to Aimless" OR "Murder Squad Everywhere I Look, Murder Squad

Yes Shoppers it wouldn't be the new year without more Murder Mike and Murder Squad shirts and stories, so here are the new designs we are finishing for the band, who will be flogging their wares at some huge death metal festival in Montreal in February, I don't know what it's called and I know you probably aren't going to attend {Mom} so just go see Murder Mike at the Death Metal brunch at Grafittis on the weekend and he'll sell you the shirt off his back or out of the hockey bag full of shirts that he carries, that were all designed by yours truly.

Things were going pretty well for the guys and they are going to start working on the new record in February if Mike's landlord ever fixes the whole in the ceiling. Until then for your true hardcore fix Rammer and Three Inches of blood will be at the Mod Club soon.

God bless, TJ Ford Mason and Ellis happy day lil' guys.

let me know you're still out there Shoppers, sometimes I just feel its me and my Llasa records.

A.S Hahn

The Year in Review

"Proposed new name for the city of Toronto"

There is no Year in Review as blogger screwed up and just lost two hours of work, sorry folks, it was really great too.

It's like the road to Oz, this life of mine

It's official Shoppers A.Shay Hahn is now your go to guy for lions, tigers and bears. This was a good project, painting hair on a lion teaches you alot when it comes to layering and patience, you have to do it when they're sleeping.