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April Showers

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Hey there Sports Fans, Al here with the latest:

So, the beginning of April started off to a crazy start for me, as another of my pieces sold within the first week of being up. I've been pretty fortunate to have such a quick turnaround for the shows that I have been in.

All Pieces that sold at the Goodfoot Lounge.

Images from the sold pieces from the Goodfoot Lounge Show, January 2025.

That means that a lot of the money that I have collected has immediately been used to resupply art materials (more boards and etching tools, varnish, wood glue, and wooden frames).

Posing with my piece while in my work uniform - how mortifying.

Target Earth Add Ons 2 - placement. A photo taken about 20 minutes after piece left the show.

More large-scale prints have been made and are available to be shown at more shows in the future.

Large Scale Prints 18”x24” from Pearl Printing.

I am excited by this process because even though there has been a lot of movement in the work over the last couple of months, I know that the cost is still something that people bite their collective tongues on.

Ouch.

Also, there has been a huge increase in productivity for the work. Lots of new imagery and concepts are being explored. It's as if a dam had broken open and spilled out with wild out-of-this-world ideas.

T-shirts and magnets are the thing! Currently, I have been working with Stickermule.com to produce both. The new “Flick the Switch” tee and magnets (of the same image). The magnets are something new to the list of items that I have been working on.

Flick the Switch T-shirt design https://www.stickermule.com/dff417293639371/item/17510210

In Other News:

Possible job as a curator.

Now this is a concept for me that I had played around with. Over the years I have watched closely how art shows were and have been done in the past from several other places around the Portland metro area and a few other galleries in the Washington State area.

There are several common themes and then there are a few items that change depending on the curator.

Chris Haberman and Jason Brown had putting on group shows for years by the time I moved to Portland. All great group shows gave any artist the chance to present your creations.

Joey Mass was the first. He saw the potential in the work that I was doing for Habberman and Brown in the group shows. And based upon that drive gave me my first solo show.

But there was something else I wanted to do while creating. Curating.

So I started to take notice of other galleries that I had been to around town (Bite Studios or the Guardino Gallery, Verum Ultimum Art Gallery) I noticed the way shows have presented the work.

All this comes down to the choice of stepping onto the stage.

I am keeping a bunch of things close to the vest as I begin my pitch for doing something

AND NOW SOME OTHER SHOW NEWS:

Within this week (the 18th of April to be specific), I do have another show going up this week. The majority of the 18”x24” Pasquinade Project pieces, along with others that have been completed at the end of the Goodfoot Show run, will be going up at a new place here in Portland called Flattop and Salammander.

The outside of the Flattop and Salamander Cafe.

What’s unique about this place is that the show will be up for a couple of months. Unlike other shows that I have been in the time of place is open 7 days a week but from 8AM till 3PM. so most of my regular show attendees probably won’t be able to come to the show. Like me, most of them are 9-5 Monday through Friday with the weekends scheduled with their pets and /or kids.

But a different kind of crowd might be just thing that pushes the work forward.

Been a little while

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Hey there, a sports fans, Al here with the latest;

Hey guys, so I just thought I would bring you up to speed there’s been a couple of new developments with some new artwork being produced. It’s been a lot of fun because I’ve been mixing in a lot of traditional comic book illustrations, and stuff such as Sady Starkiss, but I’ve also been mixing in celebrity images to the work.

These images are based on photographs and screen grabs from the Internet, such as Debbie Harry, or Sam Elliott, along with my traditional illustration. It’s looking good.

Just a quick update as I am currently working on more 8”x8” images.

End of the Year 2023 - A review

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Hey there, Sports Fans; Al here with the latest:

Just a leap of faith!

Well, it has come around again, that special time of the year when you see the old man with the scythe walk away with a downtrodden look, a look of weariness that can only be described as a "Thank God, that's over!". 

I, like so many people and not just Americans, mind you (even though they constantly surround me. And I happen to be one.), am just tired of the constant news feed of fear and loathing of our species: war, disease, classism, diversity, equality VS equity.

And that is real life crashing down on creatives like myself. 

All artists are empathic to some degree; otherwise, we wouldn't be able to render our work the way we do. We are giving you, the public, the heart that beats within every one of us.

But this has been a hard year for the kid.

The relocation to a new environment and feeling settled has always been an elusive goal. Over this last Christmas break from work, I was able to spend some time with my younger brother, who is in basically the same financial boat that I am. I voiced a fear that I never felt settled. There is a reason why I still have things in cardboard boxes around my apartment: I never know when I am going to get that typed or handwritten letter. "You are going to need to move. We need the space ... blah, blah, blah". 

This is nothing new to anybody else, but if you have moved as many times as I have over the decades. I don't feel settled. I probably won't till I kick it- six feet down, ash and all. And I have seen a bit of Death's handiwork that recently, up close and personal. 






And what of artwork?

A group of prints of work that I have been doing along with a lot of swag this last year.

 

Art has been a trial this year, BUT There has been an uptick in work sales and associated material. I have managed to navigate a show, get the frames for it, and prep for another art show for the upcoming year. The commissions have been a big help in alleviating the finance of paying for the new materials needed for a show. 

And for that, I am grateful. 







So, what do I hope for next year?







12”x16” Scratchboard Commission #3 of the USS Enterprise 1701. “The Mutara Nebula”

That a few world conflicts come to a close. No more war; atrocities are accounted for, and the world's emotions are on a decline. People would stop being rude to each other. Those are always lofty hopes.

But on a closer and personal nature, I would hope that I would have found success in selling the artwork and having successful art shows around town as well as the merchandise that I have been working on currently.

One of the Sunrises in town on the way to work.




And the judgment is?




2023 is gone — no more than a fart in the wind. Things are always going to change; people are going to fight and die over stupid things rather than embrace breathing in the air or watching a sunrise. New friendships will be forged, and old friendships will continue to age like fine wine. 

I'm an artist who loves to draw and illustrate. I love a good story, and I love a good beer. 

I am looking forward to the new year. 


The Last Month of the Year

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Hey there, sports fans. Al here with the latest;

Well, it’s October (Now December) or at least late October, now getting close to the month of the end of October and Halloween—my favorite time of the year. There is nothing wrong with November mind you.

Also, I should mention that prints have been made and now not only but also T-shirts as well! UPDATE: AND on top of the prints and t-shirts, I have been working on a smaller idea with stickers! Just a fun little way to get things out there.

“Juice Box” T-shirt design.

I’ve been putting together swag bags for some people who bought products from me. It’s a great time, and hopefully, I’ll be able to get my investment back as quickly as possible.

Not to bore you with the absolutes of business, but returns are always an excellent little supplement when you’re putting a lot of money out to make yourself look good.

Anyway, I’m looking to see if I can add another option to the website for clothing and other materials to be bought, so hopefully, I can be able to actually start supplementing my artwork a little bit better than just standard commissions.

As far as commissions are concerned, I have two more in the works. I have one that I just started, another enterprise piece, and after that, I have another solo piece that’ll be mentioned later on. It’s going to be a unique-looking piece. I can say this much.

So there you go.

And this kid is out of here.

Half and Half Art Show - an UPDATE.

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Hey there, sports fans, Al here with the latest;

The new month is nearly upon us (it is now).

So the Half and Half Art show is about to race into next week on Tuesday. It had been pushed back one week by the curator, Ace Troy, of the Slingshot Lounge.

Unfortunately, Troy got back to me after I had already made a poster design and set an invite on Facebook and other invites online. But I should say that that should be expected when you’re dealing with other artists. Communication always seems to be lacking when we’re trying to communicate with each other because we’re all involved in our projects. 

Two of the featured pieces for the Half and Half Art show!

That being said, things are moving forward at a good pace. Again, unfortunately, I am done with my three-week vacation. In that time, I have managed to finish off one commission, start another, complete the work set up for the show, and get a couple more pieces and individual pieces done for another show later on, so it is not nearly a lousy vacation as some people might think. 

Blast Off! t-shirt design!

Get Ahead another t-shirt design.

There’s also been some new stuff dealing with T-shirt designs. So I’m excited about that because I haven’t done T-shirts in a while, and these are being made to order, not unlike prints.




Half and Half Art Show!

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Hey there, sports fans. Al here with the latest:

Well, it finally happened: I have an art show. The only drawback is I have to share it with another person, so it’s not a solo art show, though this is not a jab at them.

I’ll be sharing the art show with a woman named Amy Gan. She is a photographer.

This brings me to the show's name - The Half and Half Art Show! It brings both illustrative work and photography together in one show.

And in one place I dearly love, the Slingshot Lounge. Not quite my home away from home but close.

It is run by some of the coolest people I know Eric Mims and his wife Jordan Walden.

I have been very fortunate to have known these people who offered me a solo show at the Slingshot by then curator Joey Maes.

The One-Man Show or OMS was a success in so many ways that I can't even count.

So it is always very exciting for me to show there again.

What's been going on?

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Hey there, sports fans, Al here with the latest:

Well, I have tried posting something new in the last month, but nothing happened to stick to landing. That is until I decided to take a staycation to work on artwork that had been sorely overlooked and neglected due to moving and other living things.

Image of the Pasquinade Project - “A Pitcher is Worth a 1000 Words” in progress. 18”x24”.

“The Wode Less Traveled” 18”x 24” Scratchboard. The transfer sheet is completed and soon to be scratched out.

So eight out of ten pieces of the Pasquinade Project were finally varnished, and the last two are being completed.

And on top of that, also working on a new poster for Sady Starkiss and Heavy Metal art show.

I still need to come up with a good name for that show. I might christen it "Back, Villain! Show."

I realize that a better-drying group of boxes is needed for off-gassing than cardboard. One day, I can hope to either find a flat file system that I use for the 12" x16" pieces that can accommodate 18" x24" work without breaking the bank.

An image from outside of my apartment of the off-gassing boxes. Need better storage than these.

But I still need to get to that point. But I am always keeping my fingers crossed.

Also, I realized during my staycation (and as delightful as it was not being bothered) I found myself falling into the intoxicating realm of the pure creative process.

During a break after work and heading to a friend's art show on film noir (which was very cool, by the way). My friend Leslie had asked me if I was completed with Richard Parker.

I had said I was done with the work, and it was formatted, but finding a publisher and an editor is very hard.

It reminded me of immensely talented artists I have known over the years, and they just seemed like they couldn't take that last step.

I had fallen into that same trap. It's almost a narcotic, in a way, addicted to creation. Years ago, I had a conversation that touched upon this very topic. And it was hard to stop then as it is now.

Only then was there a difference in the need to create artwork and produce as much as possible? Only back then was a need to express ideas, this time as finished pieces.

I feel that I haven't had the luck of having a show or even being asked to do a show this year seems - odd.

Whatever the reason I am not privy to, I will complete this work and be ready to go.

On the Horzion

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Hey there, sports fans, Al here with the latest;

Well, I wanted to keep you all in the loop. I've already shared some of this with you in the previous blog, but I wanted to bring up the latest piece with you regarding the poster design for the Pasquinade Project. Regarding how pieces of artwork are moving forward, I've had two individual pieces and two commission pieces coming together fairly quickly. 

Yesterday, as a side note, I was showing a piece of artwork for the poster I was working on for the Pasquinade and showed it to my friend Jacob. He had told me, "Hey man, I'll pay you for that poster." I wasn't going to sell him a poster. I'm not worried about that. 

So we agreed on a trade. "I'll do you a trade when it comes time for me to take the big pieces for the Pasquinade show to be photographed and copied for prints. You can help me take them over, and you get the poster for free."

This way, he helps me out with my show. I get the artwork photographed and moved from one place to another, and he gets a free poster from the deal.

So it works out best for both of us. I'm excited about that, so now I have someone who can help me out, and I'll also help someone who enjoys my work.

On the topic of the show, nothing sells my artwork better than freaking robots (maybe with the exception of a brain in a jar)!

Using Heavy Metal as a character and part of the poster builds up his side of the Sady Starkiss/ Heavy Metal connection.

So there you go, little text, but the art is rockin'!

An I am outta here.