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Buttoneyes Birthday

> Buy prints here <

This piece, was inspired hugely by news of the upcoming Cabal Cut release of Clive Barker’s Nightbreed and news of a possible anniversary book; It was further inspired by Bethalynne Bajema’s profound love for all of Clive Barker’s works.

The painting was originally to be a part of “Featured Creatures”, a movie monsters art show at the Ice Cream Gallery, but at 24×36 inches, in acrylic, and with little time to work on it – I knew I could not give this piece the love and attention I wanted to, and ended up submitting a smaller and more free-formed painting of Henrietta from “Evil Dead”.

Over the past months, this is mostly what I have been working on when I sit down to paint, and I have very much been looking forward to finally being able to show it…

Anyway: you can tell I am excited that the movie is coming up on its 25th birthday, and the 25th birthday of the book is upon us now – as well as announcements from Clive Barker and others about this release being a real thing, to add to all of the excitement of last year’s announcement about a possible made for cable Nightbreed Series.

Anyway.. here are some closeup images of the piece:

> Buy prints here <

> Buy prints here <

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Hendrick’s Gin Giveaway

Recently, being some several months ago or less, as “recently” tends to go for me, Hendrick’s Gin contacted me to participate in their “Curate a Box” contest give away.

Though I have been rather up to my neck in getting out the rewards for the Infernal Device Kickstarter (which when done I plan to celebrate by logging all the ins and outs of the experience into a seriously detailed tutorial), I really hate to pass up good opportunities for promotion, especially when it involves interesting new challenges.

So, in between bonding prints to wooden constructs, waiting for layers of decoupage glue to dry, refining screens for printing, and wrestling with packages, I’ve been hopping into the basement workshop and doing some work on this wooden box they sent me – the box and contents to be given away by Hendricks Gin when done, through their fascinating newsletter and blog at Unusual Times.

My plan, as with all things I do, is to make an heirloom quality and long-lasting piece, so I felt I should do a bit of added reinforcement to the original box with some fine bits of oak, birch, mahogany, maple, and/or cherry, which are the sorts of wood I prefer to make my constructs of and paint my paintings onto.

The wooden box, straight out of the package
The wooden box, straight out of the package

The very first step, of course, was to remove the box from the package. There was a wonderful promotional book from Hendrick’s Gin in there as well, but Insects and Angels Author and Editor Bethalynne Bajema so-loved the little book and all the artwork within, that well… she was still thumbing through the book, and I might have lost a finger if I tried to reclaim it. Anyway.. the box, above.

Basic Box opened
Basic Box opened

Another shot of the box, it’s insides just the perfect size for a number of unique 8.5×11 printings of some of my select artworks.

I plan to fill this box with:

1) At least 6 hand-signed fine art prints on a special paper and of a special size to make them one of a kind.
2) A Magickal Bag of Holding
3) A polar bear
4) A bunch of Arctic Salmon for the polar bear
5) Bethalynne says that Magickal Bags of Holding are not available anywhere around here, and are quite likely mythical.
6) An original painting, as the inside top of the box, which fits snugly but can be removed and framed.
7) Tacos! Everyone loves tacos!
8) Apparently the above is also a violation of postal code.
9) Some sort of sea monster… though a rather tiny one, made of clay and hand-painted.
10) I don’t know yet… it seems like a lot so far, so I’ll have to see what else the box can hold…. maybe some stickers and patches.

Stage One: Cut a piece of oak to serve as a sturdy top to the box.
Stage One: Cut a piece of oak to serve as a sturdy top to the box.

The first thing I did was to cut some pieces of oak – two for the insides of the box (one to reinforce the bottom, one to be painted and inserted into the box later), one to make for a hard and sturdy plate for top of the box.

Box Top
Box Top
Panel for Painting
Panel for Painting
panel for the bottom of box insert
panel for the bottom of box insert

Work Space: YeGads!! …

Ground Zero
Ground Zero - dust, wheels, pulleys, cogs, a half-repaired bandsaw, and more dust
Ground Zero 2
brass bits, metal fittings, brass switchplates, knobs, more pulleys...
Ground Zero 3
Ground Zero 3 - saved bits of cherry, walnut, heartwood pine, oak, and mahogany. I use every little bit of wood, down to tooth-pick-sized bits, for everything from furniture, boxes, painting, down to using the smallest bits for fine details and decorative touches.
Ground Zero 4
Ground Zero 4 - animatronic bat machine - in pieces and on hold for a little while more.

Above 4 photos: Ground Zero… I have been working from one thing into another for way too long. The workshop is piled in bits of brass and unsorted wood… and I am pretty sure there are some clamps and other important tools under there somewhere. I should clean up beforehand to make all of this go easier…

… ohhh… maybe after one more cut.

Balls!
Balls! ... made of cherry, flattened on the tops, drilled, and dowels glued into them.
Holes drilled for the "feet" of the box.
Holes drilled for the "feet" of the box.
Feet Attached
Feet Attached - Outdoor quality wood glue on each dowel, pushed into snug holes in the bottom of the box.
Box, Standing
Box, Standing, feet attached
Clamps
Clamps - not the best for the job. I have lots of ones perfect for ths task... which I am sure I will find when I clean the basement.
Stained - top view
Stained - top view - a mixture of red cherry and deep mahogany
Stained-bottom view
Stained-bottom view
Varnished
Varnished - partially... many more steps to go.

A thin coat of poly completes the night’s work. Tomorrow I’ll sand this down with fine paper, varnish it again, wait another day, sand it down with steel wool, varnish again, wait another day, sand with steel wool again, wax, buff, wax, buff, wax, and buff… until the box is looking very nice.

During that time, I’ll also be working on the painting to go int this box, 3 other painting commissions, shipping, and kickstarter rewards… the good thing about all these projects, is that they each have steps that involve waiting for things to dry or to set… the trick is managing that time so there is always something to do on the next while waiting on the other.

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Upcoming Art Show for Modofly Artists

– at the Genuine Artikle in Long Island, NY, in early February. It will consist of myself and other ModoFly artists, such as myself, Bethalynne Bajema, Brigid Ashwood, Bryan Collins, Dwayne Vance, John U. Abrahamson, Freise Bros, and many, many others. If you are a modofly artist, and  interested in participating in this show, please contact Myke Amend (show organizer), or respond via the modofly hub.

Available will be our Modofly Journals and sketchbooks as original art, each illustrated and annotated within. The rest of the details about these books are being withheld for now, but artists involved are doing a lot to make these books extra special part of the show.

Also available, will be many original sketches and paintings from participating artists, as well as prints and giclees – many of which hand-embellished.

If you have not seen the Journals and Sketchbooks I have available at modofly, mine can be accessed directly here, at my page at modofly.net.

"Missed Me" Modolfly Journal
"Missed Me" Modolfly Journal - Raygun Girl and scrapyard on front, scrapyard and "Smile" airship on back.
Antarctic Experiment ModoFly Journal
Antarctic Experiment ModoFly Journal - Airship on front, Icebergs and Ether Crate on back,
Sabicu Modofly Journal
Sabicu Modofly Journal- Airship on front, tentacled trees and fog on back.
Behold the Machine ModoFly Journal
Behold the Machine ModoFly Journal - airship on front, icebergs and starry skies on back.

The ones offered in my store are doodled in and signed, to your specifications, and within reason. $75 gets you a black and white doodle in pencil or in pen, signed to you or to a friend/family member. All 4 can be found here in my store.

Be sure to specify in the notes for this item how you would like to have it signed, and whether you prefer a ruled or sketchbook version.