Trash, art & thrift with Mike C.

My friends Michael & Marlena are retiring to Newfoundland next year (I’m choked about it) and they’re starting to divest themselves of possessions they don’t want to haul across the country – especially Michael who is an unrepentant crap-hound.

Michael C.

This weekend Michael had a sale in his gallery in the Ortona Armoury. Among the priceless treasures on offer were pieces from his Trash Art and paint-by-numbers shows. (The items that radiate sunbeams are the things I bought).

Moose.

Lenticular 3D Little Red Riding Hood scene.

Paint-by-numbers.

The needlework Jesus on the right has come full circle – I gave it to Michael some years ago and now I have it back, along with the same scene depicted in paint-by-numbers.

Also had to have this Jesus bust (no, honestly, I don’t have a Jesus fetish).

I snuck next door into Michael’s studio to document the stuff there – which wasn’t on sale (this time – there will be more sales).

Downstairs there was another large room filled with fine objets for sale.

Behind the ghastly glare are two lovely Hawaiian lithos that emulate black velvet paintings, by an artist called Cross (who I have had no success googling).

Blanket coats.

Six plates from the King Eddy Hotel, 1904-1982.

Very swank.

My Saturday

Breakfast: pancakes with real maple syrup, sausage, two eggs sunny side up and endless cups of the most wonderful smelling and tasting coffee.

What the heck? The Emergency Relief thrift store was open on Good Friday but not today?

The new art gallery under construction. It seems you either hate it or hate it. I think I like it. Right now it looks like something collapsed – this is what it’s supposed to look like when it’s finished:

webcam

Bought my ticket to see this dude.

To the library for cds and dvds

but my membership had lapsed and I didn’t want to wait in line to renew and risk a parking ticket.

Made the thrift rounds in the northeast part of town which I don’t get to very often.

…because it sucks. No thrift finds. I also trolled a couple of Giant Tiger stores I hadn’t been to before for remaindered dvds.

Score.

Late lunch at Sunterra market on the south side. Delicious soup (more like a stew) chock full of chicken chunks in spicy coconut milk broth. Then grocery shopping at Spinelli’s for pizza fixin’s.

Homemade pizza with bocconcini, feta and olives.

Enjoy your Easter.

Bad Paintings of Barack Obama

I disagree. I think they’re beautiful.

http://badpaintingsofbarackobama.com/

The Week in Thrift

femme nue sans yeux

Christmas in July

Thrift Item of the Moment

The Art of Eleanor Chambers

I bought the two ladies above and the gentleman below.

They have such a lovely old-fashioned look to them, like old family photos. I have no idea when they were painted but the styles look to be from the 1940s (?). I can tell you nothing about the artist beyond her name.

Details:

Some features, such as hair and jewels, were applied very thickly, giving a relief effect.

Moving Weekend 2

Help Me, 3D Jebus

We got in too late Friday night to offload Gary’s stuff at the storage place so we’re doing it this morning with a crew of Gary’s uncle Laurie and friends.

Uncle Laurie

Advice.

Bundles of records. Gary got rid of about half his record collection this year so this is only half what he usually has to move.

The crew. With so many studly dudes helping out we’re done in no time. Laurie lends Gary ‘n me his truck so we can tootle around town.

We’re in good company with dashboard Jesus and friend. First stop: Chinatown for some snacks.

Then we pay a visit to our Tiki Central pal Slacks Ferret at the community art centre where he works.

His latest painting The Birth of Pele is hanging in an exhibition of staff works.

Time for some thrifting.

The eyes on this plaster dalmation at the WINS store weird us out. It’s not for sale – too bad.

This also weirds me out – inverse plaster Jesus. If you hold it the right way it looks as if the face is jutting out instead of an impression in the plaster. There were a bunch of these at the BFM, including…

this one that was painted gold. Another weird thing is that if you hold it sideways

you get what appears to be a profile.

Good luck on the new job, Gary. I hope there are interesting thrift stores in Cranbrook.

Ellensburg, WA

tiki faces in strange places?

Dick and Jane’s Spot:

Dick & Jane’s Website

Dick and Jane’s Spot on Roadside America

Thrift Item of the Moment

“How to Draw” Books

I’m not a visual artist, but I’m really drawn (sorry) to the Walter Foster “How to Draw” books. They’re large and beautiful and the pages are crammed with luscious color illustrations, black and white sketches…

…and a bare minimum of helpful instructional text to make me believe that with a few lines and circles and a little bit of shading, I too can draw a horse/leaping buck/tastefully disrobed woman.

I’m not sure when they were published because they’re not dated, but my guess would be late 50s or early 60s. The earlier ones (I presume) have a cover price of $1.00 (“Not more than $1.25 in any foreign country”) and later ones are priced $2.00. I bought How to Draw Horses last week for 69¢.

My sentimental favourite is Animation by Preston Blair. I loved it as a lad and was delighted to find it again recently. My career as a “cartoonist” never happened, but I wonder how many animators were spawned by this book.

Won’t you give a child a name?

Here I am with my latest thrift store painting purchase. I was attracted to it by the child’s big eyes, glowing skin tone and freakishly small arm. Before I can add it to my online thrift store art gallery I need to give it a title. Won’t you help me give this child a name?

Frankentoys

According to 5 year old Sammy, this mutant toy is called Mr. Ugly Head and he chokes people. At Happen’s Toy Lab in Cincinatti, Ohio, children create their own toys from recycled toy parts. The non-profit program encourages kids and adults to share in the joys of artistic creation. In one hour workshops “trained toy technicians, skilled in the art of toy assembly” assist participants to realize their creations. Every toy created is photographed and posted in the Toy Zoo on the Toy Lab website along with a description of its function or special attributes. I really love this idea and if I was anywhere near Cincinatti I’d borrow a kid or two so I could take part.