The SUNDAY CHALLENGE! reposted from facebook for your enjoyment

THE SUNDAY CHALLENGE IS HERE!!!!!Who has the better disguise ? Bird Disguised as Cat (Left) OR Cat Disguised as Bird (Right) to Vote, tag yourself on the side that should win.Results to be posted TONIGHT!thanks to Ian Philp and Meghan Thompson for suggestions

The SUNDAY CHALLENGE! began as a conversation between myself and Ian Philp ( see: Milk Run, The Press Club, Jay Clarke and the Jones) at the Press Club, I was talking about how some paintings of mine are purchased instantly, whether it's the day I hang them or if someone sees a photo online and how unpredicatble it is, who knew that a tea cup full of Deep Sea Divers or a Desperado riding a chicken could be so popular. That you simply can't know what people will like, or even will comment on, that some events/ social media become wildly popular while others never get off the ground. You're better off doing your own thing and let people find you, how do some bands become popular while others languish. etc. etc.

At some point it was said, "What is more popular ? A Bird disguised as a Cat ? OR a Cat disguised as a Bird? Well, we decided to find out, and the SUNDAY CHALLENGE! was born. I proposed I plant a seed and then do the paintings and then find out 1) If people even care 2) If they will vote/ debate 3) If someone would buy the work without prompting.

I posted the status, "What is more popular ? A Bird disguised as a Cat ? OR a Cat disguised as a Bird?" On Thursday or Friday and received several comments, one being, "Aha aha ha ha ha ha ha!" which I took to be a good sign, but also there was a very important piece of information from M. Thompson, that the Cat disguise HAD to be of an Owl - well with that kind of interest there was no turning back, I started painting.

I finished the pieces early Sunday morning, I even got up early on Sunday to make sure they were (pretty much ) finished.

Here is the Highlight Reel of the day the first SUNDAY CHALLENGE! was posted

11:00 PM - The SUNDAY CHALLENGE! is posted

12:06 PM - Bird as Cat has a strong lead at 4 - 2

3:40 PM - Our First Tie 5 -5, strangely among the sexes, B.as C has received no MALE votes

4:45 PM - Cat as Bird takes the lead at 9-7 votes

6:30 PM - It's a 10 - 10 tie at this point I've received 3 OUTSIDE votes from either mad craft shoppe members (which is the group I run on facebook, it has 980 members), friends of friends, or people who have been annoyed in the newsfeed, also other paintings in the "Come On Pilgrim" photo album start to get tagged as people I'm not "friends" with on fb

7:45 PM Cat as Bird pulls ahead to a strong 13 - 10 lead and holds it.

8:00 PM Cat as Bird wins 13 - 11 and the first SUNDAY CHALLENGE! Enters the History Books.

11:00 PM one more vote is cast.

QUESTIONS AND FEEDBACK

Well right now I'm in the middle of painting new work for my show at the Cameron House which I'm hanging May 2nd, I would like to do at least one more SUNDAY CHALLENGE! this month.

Would you participate ?

Do you think others would participate ?

I was surprised to start to see people ringing in that I did not know, that maybe were members of my facebook group, "the mad craft shoppe".

Were they asked by a friend to vote ?

Why do you think that happened ?

If you would like to purchase either/both of the paintings featured in this weeks SUNDAY CHALLENGE! they are $ 140.00 each/ $160.00 framed but as a SPECIAL SUNDAY CHALLENGE! Deal you can have them BOTH framed for $300.00 all the best, hope to hear your thoughts/ feedback today

A.Shay Hahn
madcraftshoppe@live.com

Meanwhile over at the Alphabet Shoppe....

If you go to the links section located over there at the right of this blog and down a bit you can go and visit the sweet little sister of the mad craft shoppe, "the alphabet shoppe" that's where the nice paintings are displayed, and you can read all about this really cool new style.

best,

A.Shay Hahn

madcraftshoppe@live.com

The Two Lovers

The Two Lovers

16 x 16 inches, acrylic on canvas

$240.00 / $260.00 framed

One new aspect of this show that I have just begun to get into (does it seem late to use the word "new" with three weeks to go until you hang the show ? I think not) is the clothing/ time period for the "characters" involved in "Come On Pilgrim" I want to move them from the country and a little closer to the city for this show, something with more of a 50's feel is what appeals to me right now. I've been painting folks in suits and suspenders for awhile, but they've been more "Grapes Of Wrath" in appearance, a more dust bowl look to them, so with this piece I wanted to start looking a some cleaner lines, sleeker clothing for the figures.

That being said I'm sure the next painting I post will be of some hayseed looking Henry Fonda guy, but that's only because I am working on so many things at once, I don't even want to count how many pieces I'm doing right now, plus a funny fb contest that I'd like to get online today, "Cat disguised as Bird OR Bird disguised as Cat, which is the better painting ?" We'll see if I even can get to that.

all the best, talk to me here

madcraftshoppe@live.com

A.Shay Hahn

The Log Driver's Waltz

The Log Driver's Waltz I & II

12 x 12 inches, acrylic on canvas

$140.00 ea/ $160.00 framed

Here's the wikipedia entry, you can watch the NFB short if you scroll to the end of the post, I was going to write here about my love of this classic bit of Canadiana, but I just have way too much to do, I'd even composed some nice things to say about the passing of Kate McGarrigle, such a wonderful talent. It was her death that inspired the series of paintings, "Waiting for the Lake to Freeze/ Thaw" as I'd incorrectly thought that they'd written a song called, "the Skating Song" but it was actually called, "The Swimming Song"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Log_Driver's_Waltz

madcraftshoppe@live.com

A.Shay Hahn

The Dog Who Got Drunk and Thought He Was A Lion

The Dog Who Got Drunk and Thought He Was A Lion

11 x 14 inches, acrylic on canvas

$140.00 / $160.00 framed

How do I want the show to look ? This is something that I think about alot, last year at the Cameron it was just clean lines of 20 x 20 canvases, pretty standard looking stuff, a little closer together than a gallery would have hung them, but I wanted the "field" pieces to be set in a continuous line. If that means anything to you, or if you remember what "Silver" looked like.

This year I want to get the vibe of an English sitting room so I am going to group the pieces very deliberately, a 12 x 24 along the bottom with two 16 x 20 pieces above it, followed by a large piece etc. etc. I did have a sketch for this but I'd have to scan it for you and I don't have the time for that today. I get to hang with me Ma and have lunch which I'm looking forward to, we'll hit up Bau-Xi and Bau-Xi photo for sure, maybe eat at the AGO or get some of that Gastronomystery at The Village Idiot, or just run to Baldwin Str.

This painting is one of those great titles that just rolls around in your head for years until you get around to it and here it is, yes gentlemen we've all been there, biting off more than we can chew, barking more than our bite. (Yes, the back leg on the hound looks a bit odd, but I have since fixed it.).

This month is not long enough by half, I have three weeks to finish about fourteen pieces that are in various states of completion, add some new stuff as new ideas pop up and somehow build frames for all the smaller works, I am not framing anything larger than 16 x 20 so don't ask, and I am getting abit peeved that people expect my work to be framed now, really silly of me to open up that option, it's about the painting, my frames are actually pretty crappy if you take a good look at them.

Anyways, if there is anything that you want, buy it now, as always there are no gurantees that it will be at the show, I run this life without Arts Grants, every penny goes right back into my work to keep me painting. You might think it's crazy, but it seems to be working.

all the best, thanks for listening

A.Shay Hahn

madcraftshoppe@live.com

The Last Band

The Boy Who Played the Banjo

12 x 12 inches, acrylic on canvas

$140.00/ $160.00 framed.

I've gotten a good run for now on "the Last Band" this show seems to be tied to water and instruments, where the last show at the Press Club was about birds and books. I'm going to move off the band for a bit and do some "busts" I was looking at another artist's work yesterday and realized how much time they must save by not painting any arms or body below the chest.

just kidding.

A.Shay Hahn

madcraftshoppe@live.com

A Cup of Deep Sea Divers II

Cup of Deep Sea Divers II

12 x 12 inches, acrylic on canvas

$140.00 / $160.00 framed

Probably one of the stranger things that I've done that got an incredible response, the first sold the day it was put up, which does happen alot with the singular, quirky experiments that I do, it's always funny and rewarding that people get it.

A.Shay Hahn

madcraftshoppe@live.com

The Canadian Girl Project

Canadian Girl at the Breakwater II

12 x 12 inches, acrylic on canvas

$140.00 /$160.00 framed

from the ongoing series, "The Canadian Girl Project" check the labels section for more on her and stories contributed by other people regarding the Canadian Girl

A.Shay Hahn

madcraftshoppe@live.com

The Last Band

The Boy Who Played the Trumpet, The Girl Who Played the Drum, The Boy Who Played the Drum

each piece is 12 x 12 inches, acrylic on canvas

$140.00 / $160.00 framed.

These pieces fall into that special category of "Stuff I never got around to doing", I have done these sketches at least three times over in moleskines and sketchbooks and kept doing other work before I'd get around to them. I wanted to expand on the world of "The Boy Who Loved the Water", the child in the life jacket who keeps reappearing in my work over the years, I wanted to take the sense of the larger world around the small child and expand on it somehow, finally deciding that now was the time to do it.

I was showing my process to my girlfriend, deconstructing how I spend my evenings doing notes and sketches, starting with what to do immediately in the morning, then some notes on how to hang the show, then some reminders on things to touch up and then sketching, at the end of the session there is usually one good idea, six bad ones and two very funny doodles, well these kept being moved back as I found new ideas in those sessions, but last week I wrote a list of work I'd like to do and hadn't gotten around to and "The Last Band" was pretty much at the top of that list, so here they are. I am also working on a 20 x 20 sized version of "the Boy Who Played the Drum" which I hope to finish today/tomorrow.

I also like the colour schemes in these very much, moving away from the Prussian Blue backgrounds and bases and using a more brown/red influence in the palette. The 20 x20 I'm working on is similar in the fact that I'm using a Pthalo Blue and Sienna ground instead.

A.Shay Hahn

madcraftshoppe@live.com

The Carlu

Waiting for the Lake to Freeze IV
16 x 20 inches, acrylic on canvas
$300.00 / $340.00 framed

Work station at the Carlu

Sorry to have been away so long, lots to do here at the Shoppe, and you'll see as post after post is added over the next few days. The Carlu event was a smashing success for CanStage, met alot of great people and was able to almost finish the painting that I'd brought to work on. I'd like to thank A.Hepburn and the folks at CanStage for inviting me to participate. I think there's a picture of me working that will be posted in one of Toronto's local community newspapers, but I haven't been notified as to when, I'll be sure to supply a link when that happens.

I didn't really get to interact with as many folks as I would've liked to, but there were so many great things in their silent auction and such great food that I was more part of the general atmosphere than an attraction, I did get to eavesdrop on some conversations about golf and the stock market, which to the uninformed are two things that are often discussed at fund raisers.

Still trying to figure out when to have the Opening for "Come On Pilgrim" at the Cameron House in May but have yet to pick a date that feels right, I'd originally considered the 9th, but that's Mother's Day, I'll also be making a trip to my home town on the 14th for some light dental surgery so that may muck up that weekend, I may just have to hang the show on the 2nd and have the Opening that afternoon, don't worry it will all be sorted out by midweek, next week.

back to the paint mines,

A.Shay Hahn

madcraftshoppe@live.com

What I'm doing tomorrow

Wait, there's no painting here!

Just to a quick note to say hello and post a couple of things, this is what I'm doing tomorrow at the Carlu

http://www.canadianstage.com/donorevents

I have been asked on occasion to paint for events, I don't find it too stressful. I was hired by HRDC Canada one summer to paint pictures in the lobby of The HRDC building at Yonge/Sheppard and at City Hall, so I work and people ask me questions about what I"m doing, if I'm starving, point out that I missed a spot etc. and generally vocalise their discomfort with being in the same room as someone in the arts.

If I were to hold an event like this I would have a table of guys who fix your laptop for free, but that's just how I think.

I am looking forward to promoting the show at the Cameron House in May, handing out business cards and doing some painting. I will be sure to take some photos of the event and the Carlu so you can pretend you were there sipping champagne with the Swells.

Here's a link to the Carlu site so you can look around and listen to some smoky trip hop

http://www.thecarlu.com/thecarlu.html

I hung the piece, "Untitled (the Hammer Team)" at the Garrison yesterday, I was going to hold it back from display until the show at the Cameron in May, but I knew it would look really great in the space so I took down the two 20 x20' and put it up, I forgot my camera but will get a shot next week, I've got to sell that baby, it would make everything alot easier until the show in May. I am going to do a couple more large pieces with the globe as a focus, expect them sometime next month.

all the best, buy some work

A.Shay Hahn

madcraftshoppe@live.com

A.Shay Hahn

madcraftshoppe@live.com

Things I'm Doing and Not Doing

Top Selene, Pilgrim with Lanterns,

Middle Pilgrim with Wings II,

Bottom Pilgrim with Wings I

each piece is 16 x 20 inches, acrylic on canvas

** * Current Pricing, this is new and important, early prices for the work $260.00 unframed, prices will go up at the Cameron House Show in May, so buy now, pay less, buy later, pay more***

I have settled on "Come On Pilgrim" as the title for the show at the Cameron House in May, yes it is another Pixie's song title, yes, Frank Black is excellent at naming things (see, "the Crazies" post below). Why did I choose the title ? This I can answer, it's a new way of looking at these people who have been walking away from you since last June (see Tag, "Silver") , they are carrying things to a new place, they are transporting, light, wings etc. to another land, they are taking the most simple and important things and bringing them with them. I had started to do a piece with a suitcase full of trees, but it is giving me a Heck of a time, have to come back to it.

I have begun, slowly, to raise my prices, I did mention this a few posts ago, so what I'm doing is for the rest of this month, prices will be as listed here, and then start to go up, first the new work will have higher prices, any work that I display at functions will be price adjusted, so don't go by prices here if you're seeing the work somewhere else and finally when I hang the show in May I assume that I'll be bringing in some work from the Press Club Show, "the Wideawake Man" it will be price adjusted (^) then too, so the old prices of $120.00 for an unframed 12 x 12, $140.00 for a framed piece will be no longer available after this month. If you want anything at this price you must buy before the end of March. I need to make a living at this and have no choice, I sell a lot of work, I'd say I sell more "original" art (not prints or reproductions) than any other artist in this city (and I'm not exagerating, ask anyone) but I don't need to always feel like I'm a hustler. So take advantage while you can.

Here is a link to my current inspiration, Theatre Rusticle's, "Birnam Wood" all you need to know is there, this is why I have trees stuck in my head.

$10 performance of Birnam tonight, PWYC tomorrow @ 2:30, regular Friday. $10 and PWYC??!! http://www.artsboxoffice.ca

http://theatrerusticle.org/Theatre_Rusticle/Upcoming.html

and here's a link to the Theatrefront site, Part Three of "The Mill" has begun, this part written by Tara Beagan, you may remember I donated a piece to their fundraising several months ago.

http://www.theatrefront.com/

hope to hear from you, cheers

A.Shay Hahn

madcraftshoppe@live.com

The Multi Taskers

Deep Sea Diver w/ Guitar, Deep Sea Diver w/ Banjo,

14 x 18 inches, acrylic on canvas

$200.00 each.

from the series, "the Multi Taskers"

Had a great weekend discussing what I do, I don't mean that it was great to be asked questions about what it is that I do, but it was good for me to hear what I think of what I do. That I can articulate my methods, philosophy etc. to someone else and not have it sound unprofessional, weird, arrogant or anything unseemly. Actually, there were quite a few solid conversations that came from a get together that was held on Friday night at a pub in the East End (the where ? Yeah, I know.). These conversations served to inspire the beginnings of the above series, "the multi taskers". We're all multi taskers, these days I guess you kind of have to be to keep up in the world, to maintain your relevance, whether it's social, parental or professional.

I chose to begin with the Deep Sea Diver as it is one of my most favourite uniforms, it's an astronaut that walks the Earth, a figure in disguise, but is recognized, a "neutral man". I"ve actually planned three other Deep Sea pieces to accompany this one, but I thought I'd move off them for a day or two to work on another stream of this series that I'm calling, "The Pilgrims" so expect a couple of those to show up in the next day or two.

A.Shay Hahn

madcraftshoppe@live.com

Untitled (the Hammer Team)

Untitled (the Hammer Team)

30 x 30 inches, acrylic on canvas

$1200.00

I'll write some thoughts about this on Monday, but it's the weekend and I'm taking some time away from thinking. The Cameron House is confirmed for May 2010.

A.Shay Hahn

madcraftshoppe@live.com

Untitled (the Painter's Assistants)

Untitled (the Painter's Assistants)

30 x 30 inches, acrylic on canvas

$1200.00

Working hard on the second globe piece, so not much to say right now, may put this up at the Garrison tomorrow, will see what the reaction is.

happy birthday to me.

A.Shay Hahn

madcraftshoppe@live.com

the alphabet shoppe, the other blog

Happy Robots

12 x 12 inches, acrylic on canvas

$60.00 ea/ 3 for $150.00

Here is the link to "the alphabet shoppe" which is the blog that has my artwork for kids on it, actually it's not just for kids but the majority of the work has been commissioned/ bought with children in mind. So have a click and have a look.

http://thealphabetshoppe.blogspot.com/

A.S.Hahn

madcraftshoppe@live.com

Get your Brows here, both High and your Low

I have never rented the original George A. Romero directed filn "The Crazies" (1973) which upon reflection is strange since I've seen almost all of his films, ( he shoots and lives mostly in Toronto, he was at the Press Club the month before my show opened, damn.) I couldn't have seen it in the Theatre or Drive In, since I was only a year old when it came out.

I believe that if you're going to give something a name, give it a damn good name and as horror films go the title, "The Crazies" is about as good as it gets. I was sitting in a movie theatre with my girlfriend when the trailer started and I said quietly, "Oh my God, they're remaking the Crazies." .I'm not sure if she heard me, it's weirder if she didn't, I was amazed that after just seeing under a minute of the trailer I knew exactly what horror film it was.

That's the power of a good name, think about it, a movie that I hadn't seen, but knew the outline of the plot from a magazine on horror films I probably read in the 80's, I knew it was the Crazies before the title card that said, "the Crazies" even came up.

I may not get to see this film in the Theatre, my girl wants to see, "Shutter Island" but she screams every time the lady with the thinning hair points at Leonardo DiCaprio on the commercial, so I doubt we'll see that either.

I just wanted to take a minute of your time and talk about a good name.

As a side note I love pitchforks.

Today we'll be working in the bedroom as half of the lights in the studio are out do to an electrical problem, I would've run an extension cord but after looking for mine, I realize it was stolen from a job site.

A.S.Hahn

madcraftshoppe@live.com

The Thing About Working on a Large Scale

The thing I'm learning about working on large scale works is that they have to feel large.

The second 30 x 30 I was working on didn't have what I knew I was looking for, it was too vague, had no impact. It was like that famous screenwriting teacher says (whatever his name is), "Writing without a plan is like taking your talent for a walk.". So I abandoned that idea entirely and decided to focus on something big, something that would fill the piece and give it the gravity and demand I was looking for.

Yes, this entry reads like a big pun but I'm much happier with this.

A.S.Hahn

madcraftshoppe@live.com

Prometheus commission

Prometheus II

20 x 20 inches, acrylic on canvas

commission

Here's a commissioned version of Prometheus that I am incredibly happy with, the client and I collaborated on the smaller details of the work, hair, location and she suggested the tiny plants that are around her feet called, "The Devil's Paintbrush" (a new favourite plant, how often does that happen?). There is a second piece that I worked on simultaneously to give another take on the woman carrying her buckets of fire, but it was not as successful, her pose made her look weak, this one is strong and regal. If I fix the other one I'll post it here - but I'm thrilled with this piece.

A.S.Hahn

madcraftshoppe@live.com

Tern Art Supplies

Tern Art Supplies has closed it's doors and I'm going to miss them.

When I first moved down town to my Walnut Street studio building Tern was the only art store that I gave my business too. I loved the staff, David, Kathryn Bemrose, Michelle (Oh God I'm sorry your last name just slipped my mind) not only would I shop at Tern, but I'd hang out there, grab a coffee and spent some time chatting. Everyone was encouraging of my career and what I was up to, that was the Queen West that I loved, it was truly a neighbourhood.

Walking between Spadina and Trinity Bellwoods now the stretch of Queen seems so different, some businesses that I love are still there, Neurotica, The Fruit Market, The Done Right Inn, Rotate This,Squirrely's, but many are gone, empty store fronts and Cheque Cashing stores where there was once a more vibrant neighbour hood. The condos didn't help, the rents didn't help, the neighbourhood has moved West, people predicted this, but not to the extent to make this area look more like a slum.

I have more thoughts on this, but I find it's depressing to write them down.

Thank God they didn't raise the rent on the Park.

A.S.Hahn

madcraftshoppe@live.com

Small Towns/ The Gulliver Project

Blue Roof I, 16 x 20 inches, Slate Roof I, 12 x 24 inches, Red Roof I, 18 x 18 inches

all paintings are acrylic on canvas

$300.00 each

I'd started these small towns almost a year ago, there were two of each colour, conceived as pairs. As the months went on they remained unfinished here in the studio.

While I was going over some old sketches I came across notes and drawings of figures sleeping amongst the houses, I'd completely forgotten the notes, maybe that's why I hadn't shown them. I do love the Small Towns on their own and had wanted to continue playing with them to see what direction they could go in - to add something new to the image. I suppose at the time I'd started working on the series, "the Woman Who Slept" a series of four paintings of a woman sleeping in a row boat, this was the next extension. I'm working on one more and we'll see what the response is, I'm still tweaking the light on some of the above pieces, but they won't look radically different from their current state.

A.S.Hahn

madcraftshoppe@live.com

...say no more.

A.S.H

madcraftshoppe@live.com

Last Day of the Press Club, rest four hours and resume

Continued looks at the development of two 30 x 30 inch pieces and some trees in early stages.

I like to sketch and plan, it's what I do best. Paint all day and then leave the studio to sketch and write about how I'd like the show to feel and look, how the overall themes and chosen images relate to each other, adding one element (like the trees) to my visual vocabulary, then the next day continue the process.

The entire show at the Press Club was done this way and it was very successful, of course that means that I work a 12 hour day, approximately. And those twelve hour days have added up. I am exhausted, this week I will take tomorrow and Tuesday off, just let the work come if I want to do it, maybe work for three hours a day and spend the rest of the time walking around.

The Press Club show was a great success, the addition of the month of February was more lucrative than one would think. But today we say "Thank you and goodnight". I'll be there from 7-9 pm, no earlier, no longer, no later.

A.S.Hahn

madcraftshoppe@live.com

The Second 30 x30

Perspective really is everything, as an artist who enjoys representing things in different scales, giant birdhouses, giant chickens, tiny people etc. I'm amazed at how working on paintings of this scale makes everything else seem so small. As I begin these blockins for the work I'm also finishing a commission/request on a 20x20 inch scale, and it looks so tiny. I have paintings arranged in my studio by size and the 20 x 20's used to be the "big stack", well add 10 x10 inches and suddenly a 20 x 20 looks like a pretty small fish.

A.S.Hahn

madcraftshoppe@live.com

the first 30 x 30, let's see who reads this

So it took a few days to do it, but I finally put the brush to canvas on the first two 30 x 30's, I thought I'd begin in comfortable territory and work on the above, "Waiting for the Lake to Freeze" but render the piece with cooler tones, than the previous paintingss in the series, work the clothes differently, give it a cool "black and white" tone palette. I'm going to enjoy just pushing the paint around, there's so much space to use.

I'll start the second block in today, a woman holding a string of lanterns, it only took about three hours of sketching last night to get to where I wanted to be for the second piece. I also did about three pages of sketches of women holding trees as if they were umbrellas, not sure if we're going down that road.

I'm hoping to have six of them finished for the first week of May, I'm pretty confident that once I get going that won't be a problem. As I consider what the show at the Cameron show should look like I see that I'd hang four of them in the room and keep two on reserve for studio visits and sales.

I've been drawing alot of chairs lately, I think we'll start to see a bunch of chairs showing up paintings, trees too, I've started two paintings of trees and I figure I'm making my way through them at a good pace - it's a learning curve. You'd think, "Trees, what's the big deal ?" well you have to find your way there, I've built trees and painted them for Theatre sets, painted drops and scrims of trees, but they weren't A.Shay Hahn trees, they were filler, these are front and center trees, it's just like painting a person - if that person were a tree.

Anyways, the last day of the Press Club is Sunday the 28th of February, I'm going to be there from 7-9pm. I will be available to negotiate prices on the work that is there, volume discountst, that kind of thing, so come on by. I have to raise my prices for the May show. Why am I doing this ? People tell me that I don't charge enough for my work - so guess what, I'm raising it, if you don't like it, blame your peers, it was their fault.

all the best,

A.Shay Hahn

madcraftshoppe@live.com

If you do read this, let me know.Always curious, add a comment here or on facebook when this post appears.

Size Matters (cont'd)

So we got up very early this morning, did our stretches and headed to Gwartzmans. Today was the day, after shaking off the nerves we entered the store and asked the nice young OCAD student employed there to, "Go get the Big Ladder".

A hush fell over the store.

(Really the only people there at the time were me, her and Mr.Gwartzman, but hey.)

And up, up, up, she climbed to the top of the rack and brought down two 30 x 3o inch canvases. To give you an idea of how big they are 1) they come in their own bag and 2) I prepared the above demonstration of what scale I usually work in all the way to what I purchased today. From the bottom, 6 x6 , 8 x 8, 12 x 12, 16 x 16, 18 x 18, 20 x20 and finally 30 x30.

I am terrified.

A.Shay Hahn

madcraftshoppe@live.com

Animals With Day Jobs or Always Be Painting

From Top Left Justice Snake SOLD, Nurse Fox

Bush Pilot Husky, Butcher Gold fish

each piece 8 x 8 inches, acrylic on canvas

$60.00

(there are currently no framed pieces for this series)

I paint, it's what I do, I watch TV while painting, listen to music while painting, I have tried to play xbox while painting but that just doesn't work.

A few days ago the Olympics began, my girlfriend and I have absorbed about 9 hours of it so far, she falls asleep and I paint. A couple of days before the Opening Ceremonies (I paint) two friends and I were joking around at the Press Club and came up with the concept for a web series called, "Justice Snake" about a snake who is also a lawyer/ street vigilante. Having no current ideas in my head while I'm researching/sketching/preparing to start working on some larger canvases (see next post) I decided to paint Justice Snake and see how he looked. Well, as you can see, he looks great, so since I can't control myself I just started painting other animals and giving them day jobs. Yes, one would assume that a husky already has a job pulling dog sleds but that is an insult to their potential and an unfair stereotype.

I occasionally ask people over on Face book to contribute ideas, here is a sample of what came my way within seconds, a fat cat, sitting behind a grand desk, smoking a cigar. Black Labrador Retriever Lifeguard. Pig chamber maid. Owl bartender. Owls who are painters - like wall painters, not artist painters.Construction worker bears. A parrot who is a chef. Mail Delivery Squirrel. Meter Maid rooster. Penguin pharmacist. UPS rabbit.Housewife Dog. Dinosaur Pilot. Cat florist.Librarian eagle. Mouse butcher and a maitre'd horse.Seahorse Lumberjack.octopus hairdresser,lizard priest.cat acupuncturist, there are more but I'll stop there.

In the past I have painted pictures of peoples pets for them as gifts, I can now say that I probably won't ever do that again unless they give their pet a profession - and then maybe I could be persuaded. If you have any suggestions or would like a picture of your pet hard at work at their day job you can talk to me here.

These pieces (the unsold) are hanging at the Press Club until February 27th, but I doubt they will be there for long.

A.Shay Hahn

madcraftshoppe@live.com

Size Matters

Cup of Crows IV, Cup of Roosters, Cup of Crows V, Cup of Deep Sea Divers

each piece is 12 x 12 inches, acrylic on canvas, in a reclaimed wood frame

$140.00

at the Press Club until Feb. 27th

I was at my parent's house a couple of days ago for a quick visit to the Dentist I was in the living room with my Mother talking about what was on my mind for the Cameron House show in May, what I'd been thinking about and what I'd like to do. While I am still able to have shows at the Cameron House I have got to take advantage of the height of those walls, the largest work that I have done recently was the show last year, each piece was 20 x20 inches and while the volume, I think I had 17 paintings on display made the work look large this year I'd like to go bigger.

I have been asked by people in the past if I have larger work than what I display, I usually say no, for a reason. When I left my last studio to move in with a friend I took all these huge stretchers/ canvases that I had and threw them in the street (they were picked up by other artists in seconds, don't worry). I don't work in that format because I don't want a house/studio full of giant paintings. You end up stuck with the stuff, I don't want my own work in my home, I want it in your home.

Anyways, I had a more more eloquent post in mind when I started writing this but let's just say this.

There are going to be some big paintings at the Cameron House in May

you have been warned.

A.Shay Hahn

madcraftshoppe@live.com

and yes I am getting sick of painting these cups, but just can't seem to stop

All's Quiet in the Studio, why is that ?

Coffee Dogs II $140.00, Cup of Gorillas (the Gorillogy) Commission

each piece 12 x 12 inches, acrylic on canvas, reclaimed wood frame

Things are slowing down around here, I've noticed a bit of a change over the past week or so. The Press Club is still up and work is selling (or at least business cards are being taken and used for filters in record amounts) but I've been working a little less than I normally do. Yes, there is an xbox360 sitting by the television, by I'm so horrible at killing zombies and the like that I rarely play for more than 2o minutes.

So what's up ?

Well, I've given myself a break. That's right I'm taking a little time to just slow down and not worry about producing as much. I've been compiling and researching instead, see I've got the Cameron House show coming in May. so I've got three months to get new work ready. I've got almost three moleskines full of sketches and probably seventy references stored on the computer, and when I'm ready, I'll start.

I'm just not ready yet, I've been trying to picture the over all feeling for the show, the themes that are important, "Silver" held itself together really well as did the original hang for "the Wide Awake Man" and I want to approach this show the same way. I'd like to mix sizes, but I really want to do a few larger pieces than I normally do, I need some freedom of movement.

I'll probably hold back on posting the work too, I'd like to build a little bit of excitement around the show, I put so much work up here on the Internet that I'd like to hold back a bit and surprise some folks. I think I may also invite some Gallery Owner folks to come out to the Opening, maybe it's time that I reach out to them.

The Press Club is up until the end of the month

A.S.Hahn

madcraftshoppe@live.com

Guinness Pigs and a Questionable "Winter" Olympics

Waiting for the Lake to Freeze IV, V

9 x12 inches, acrylic on canvas

$100.00 each

This Little Piggy Loved Guinness I & II

8 x 10 inches, acrylic on canvas

$80.00 (top)

SOLD (bottom)

madcraftshoppe@live.com

A.Shay Hahn