Winter Solstice Concerts

Every December for the last 20 years, Michael Zerang and Hamid Drake have performed at 6 am during the winter solstice at Links Hall. Its a truly extraordinary event. I was privileged to have been asked to make the poster for this year's series of concerts. Looking forward to seeing the friday performance! This poster will be available at the shows and afterwards in my online shop.

Interrupted Sunrise

3 color art print, in Metallic Golds and Coppers, 18 x 24 inches Up now in the bigcartel store.

Superchunk @ Metro Dec. 2010`

4 color poster for Superchunk's show at Metro in December. 4 colors, 18 x 24 inches. Up now in the shop.

Country Solstice

New art print (based on the image used for Low's Christmas tour) in 2 colorways. Up NOW in the online big cartel store. Used Metallic Blue and Silver , and Metallic Gold and Copper in these , respectively.

Low Christmas 2010 tour

Longtime Excellence Alan Sparhawk of Low asked me to make a poster for a West Coast Tour in support of the vinyl (!) release of "Christmas" by the Kranky label in Chicago. I made this; a sort of call and response to the big sky of the album art, which segues nicely into the landscapes I've been concentrating on lately. There is an art print version of this forthcoming tomorrow in Silvers and Blues. The poster here is metallic copper and gold on cream stock.

I will have copies of this available this weekend in my shop.

Holiday 25% off sale? YES.

I'm having a 25% off sale through Monday on all items in my etsy shop= prints, posters, t-shirts, you name it. Lots of new prints coming through the shop soon so I have to make space and well, it IS the holiday season after all and everyone likes a deal. Use the coupon code BLFRI25 when you check out. That's it!

New poster for The National

I was happy to be asked to make a poster for one of the stops on The National's European Tour. This poster is for the show at Anciennes Belgique in Brussels, Belgium. Featuring a giant Bee Hive growing out of the Acropolis on Horseback, this poster is 18 x 24 and is 4 subtle colors, believe it or not. Available now in my Etsy shop.!

Open! House! This! Saturday! Chicago!

Three of the screen-printing and design studios on the third floor of our 4045 N Rockwell warehouse are opening our doors for perusement, schmoozing and refreshments on Saturday Nov 13th. from 3 pm till 7pm . The studios are: Dan Grzeca/Ground-Up , Kathleen Judge/Judgeworks, Steve Walters/Screwball Press, Kyle Baker/Baker Design Studios. Libations and food will be provided, but most likely no juggling, so please bring your skillz..
We will also be letting everyone know that Starshaped Press is having thier open House from 7-10 at 4636 N. Ravenswood #103 (on the west side of the Metra tracks). So make it a tour of 4 printmaking studios on the North Side!

Free Beer Poster contest!

I'm giving away a copy of one of each colorway of my new "Suggested Receptacles for the Drinking of Beer" print! Just leave a comment on my Facebook Fan page (you'll see the thread when you go to the page). I'll pick a lucky winner using my friend the Random Number Generator sometime this week.

Screens and Suds Print

I was asked by Sam Verrill and Brian Gearing to contribute a print to the 2010 Screens and Suds Series and Exhibition in Richmond VA this weekend. A portion of the print run is donated by each artist to help raise money for the MS Society and the Richmond Hospice. I kicked the idea of a Beer Themed print for a week or so until I finally came up with this idea:

SUGGESTED RECEPTACLES FOR THE DRINKING OF BEER.





It was a fun one to make.


Metallic Gold and Black ink on White Stock



Metallic Gold and Black Ink on Cream/Manila stock.

Copies of the print can be purchased in person this weekend at the show in Richmond and online at my Etsy shop.

A couple interviews

Some nice interviews up on the web with me this week.

First up check out the feature on I Paint My Mind.org, Evan La Ruffa's excellent Culture Blog.

And Secondly a 2 part feature on Steve Walters of Screwball Press and myself up on the Print Perspective, a nice new blog by Matt Kuhlman.

Desaturate: Reconstructed North American Fauna

This summer my friend Damon Locks, visual artist and musician (the Eternals) asked myself and 5 other artists (Jay Ryan, Derrick Buisch, Ethan D'Ercole, John Hitchcock, Dan Wang, and of course, Mr. Locks) to create a series of Black and White screenprints that would be shown under the exhibition "Desaturate"
I had been wanting to make some Black and White screenprints for a while, so the chance was finally there in the form of this invitation. I chose 5 North American Animals that have both historical importance and are important figures in Native American Folklore and Mythology.
The prints are more intimate in scale, Paper size is 12" x 12", the imagery is centered nicely in about a 6 inch area on the paper.
I have made both individual prints and the entire set ( bound in a limited handmade portfolio) available in my Etsy shop.

Guided by Voices Poster Chicago

I made a poster for Guided By Voices Reunion show in Chicago at the Riveria Theater this week. It was a fun one to make. The poster is an edition of 100, there are only about 50 available for sale. Its a 4 color print and is 19 x 26 inches on Heavy French construction.

Available now in my Etsy shop.

Deadwood Print show at MPAC, Aesthetic Apparatus

I was asked by my good friend Dan Ibarra of Aesthetic Apparatus to contribute a print based on the HBO series Deadwood for a show/portfolio exchange with 19 other artists at their HQ during the MPAC conference this week in Minneapolis. I chose a scene from the end of episode 2 Season 1, where Calamity Jane is singing 'Row your Boat " to a newly orphaned Norwegian girl. The print is called "Life is But a Dream". It is 15 x 22 inches and is 3 colors , the second being a transparent ghostly silver that is not that evident in this photo.

The print is available now in my Etsy shop!

Retribution Gospel Choir Tour artwork

Here is the black and white scratchboard drawing for a tour poster for the always fantastic Retribution Gospel Choir, the trio from MN featuring Alan Sparhawk of Low. The posters will be available from the band at their Midwest shows this tour.

Built to Spill @ the Vic , Chicago

And here is the final screenprinted poster for tonight's Built to Spill show in Chicago at the Vic Theatre! Get there early to nab one! I'll have my copies up over the weekend in my Etsy shop.

Built to Spill keyline drawing

Here's a sneak peak at the Built to Spill poster for this Friday's show in Chicago at the VicTheatre:

Owls and the Renegade Craft Fair and a Mystery Tube sale!!!

I've been posting so much on my Facebook Fan Page that I've neglected the blog! A very busy September kicked off with new prints and participation in the Renegade Craft Fair in Chicago, now in its 8th year! Its come a long way from the tents in wicker park, this past weekend's fair was huge with over 300 vendors on Division street and crowds in the thousands! Thanks to all who came out! Here's a pic of my friend Erin Paige Armstrong , who helped me this weekend, and my eldest daughter drawing Gypsy Moths in the tent:



5 Owl Totem:
I was asked by the Renegade Handmade crew to make an owl-inspired piece for the HOOT show in their Spotlight Gallery (alongside work from Dolan Geiman, Shawnimals and many other talents.) I had a good time making this Owl Totem, featuring 5 owls (From bottom to top: Great Horned Owl, European Barn Owl, Snowy Owl, Scopes Owl, and Pygmy Owl.)



The print is 14 x 25 inches, and is 4 colors in 2 different colorways. The print is available in the Etsy Shop.

Last but not least. Every year at the Renegade I have a table with clearance prints. They range from test prints , misprints, and stuff I've had for a long time and need to clear away to make space for new work. I am offering up a version of this online, except this is amped up with a few other things as well....

The Mega-Mystery Print and Shirt sale!:

This is a pretty cool thing. Each tube will have 6-7 prints and a random shirt. The Prints will be : Testprints, misprints, slightly less than perfect prints, 2 editioned prints, and a shirt in your size randomly picked from my new line of shirts coming out right now. I have about 50 tubes worth packed up- some pretty neat stuff in these!

IN ADDITION: one lucky person will get a copy of my flying buffalo monoprint which is on wood panel, 18 x 24!!


available now in my etsy shop!!

And now for something completely ridiculous- The Cat-At

I've had this image in my head for weeks: An Imperial Walker with a cat head and features. Just think of the Imperial March from Star Wars Meowed by these guys!!!! I had a blast drawing this - the print is available and shirts will be very soon in the next few days.

OK- Prints and Shirts are up!

Here is a link for the prints:

and here is a button for the shirts

An

Dec 4th 1969

This screenprint is the result of an illustration assignment for the Progressive Magazine. I created this image for the 2011 Hidden History of the United States Calendar. The image is the bedroom of Fred Hampton of the Black Panther Party, who was murdered along with Mark Clark while they were asleep by the Chicago Police and FBI on Dec 4th 1969 at Hampton's Chicago apartment which was at 2337 W Monroe. The Print shows the Bedroom after the assault with a blood red Chicago Flag superimposed over the scene.

This print is up in the etsy store.

Reclamation II

My new art print (the August contibution to the 2010/2011 art subscription series) is up now in my Etsy shop.
"Reclamation II"

Continuing with the theme of very large replacement animals populating de-populated areas, I present to you the North American Buffalo, Giant size and deeply impressive with a metallic gold coat of hair.

6 screens used, 3 split fountains.

17 x 23.5 inches, edition of 225.

D. Rider poster

Ink and poster for D. Rider , the amazing fabulous group out of Chicago featuring the work of Todd Rittmann (U.S.Maple)

Free shirt weekend

I'm giving away free shirts of my Prarie Ghost Bear with every print order in my Etsy shop this weekend! Why? The world needs more bears. Especially ones with buildings and turtleshells in thier heads.

Reclamation and 2010/2011 art print subscription

Thanks to all who came to visit me at Pitchfork/Flatstock 26 this past weekend ! It was great to meet new people and to see familiar faces.
The day before the Fest began I was busy signing the new "Reclamation" art print. I'm really happy with the results on this print. The level of detail reached for me a new height of craziness.
The print is 23 x 17.5 inches on 140 lb white paper and is 5 screens. The edition size is 180. It is available in my Etsy shop or right here, below.

It is also the first print in my 2010/2011 art print subscription. The sub includes the featured print of the month, plus 2 bonus prints, one being a subscriber holder only edition (14 prints total). All subs will also include a shirt exclusive! Shipping will be quarterly: August, December, March and June. That button is also below or go to the Etsy store.

Lots of new things in store for the week , of course! Stay tuned!


Reclamation:

2010/2011 Subscription:

Reclamation #1

I'm working on a new print today called Reclamation. I'm putting #1 after it because there will be more prints in this series with that title. The next one will feature the grey wolf. I've had a few people ask me if this is related to the Gulf oil spill, and the answer is no and yes. Ive had this image in my head for a long time, the central idea of animals reclaiming the world after humans, some larger versions of themselves like this Heron, or partially reconstructed animal forms moving and replacing man-made objects.
So, no, not directly . That being said- how can it not be related? Hopefull we don't face a future of a giant methane gas explosion from the ocean floor. That prospect is scary for sure.

Starting the print of this today. Here is the final drawing:

Melvins, Blank Club 7/9/2010

New poster for the Melvins. Featuring Rhinoceros, Pyramids, Gear, rugs, great eye, etc etc.

4th Of July Weekend Print sale!

Hey. I'm having a buytwo, get one free sale this weekend through the 4th on all my prints and posters in my etsy shop! Get on over and check it out!

Apocalypse Cow is back!

The gents at Three Floyds Brewing have made a 2010 edition of Apocalypse Cow, which will soon hit the stores AND taprooms with this delicious double IPA. I was happy to design the label last year and also make a screenprinted poster. The poster is still available in person at the Brewery in Munster and also online through me, either in my Etsy shop or right here:

Lost Coastlines new colorway

After being sold out for a long time , I decided to reprint "Lost Coastlines" in a different colorway of intense reds and oranges. The edition is 150 and is 19 x 25 inches , 4 screens on French Speckletone Cream.

Buy one right here:

In Silence Copper colorway

I've printed a new colorway on paper of my "In Silence" print. It is Metallic Copper and looks absolutely killer. 25 inches square on French 100# stock, it is signed and numbered in an edition of 200. Available in my etsy shop or right here:

Phish Original Art -Chicago Poster

Here is a , well, not very good photo of the original drawing I made for the Chicago Toyota Park Phish poster. The drawing is on scratchboard, using ink/knives/pens and litho crayon. It is 16 x 20 inches, and yes, it is for sale. Please email me and I'll quote you a price. I'll get a better shot of this up here later today.