new alien

I believe this one is extracting caffeinium.

acrylic on Rives BFK paper 8" x 10"

alien menagerie x.18

~ observed late June 2011

acrylic on Rives BFK paper 8" x 10"

post-it note alien #2

~ oxide red on 3"X3" post-it.

Uchujin X.17 & Norm Saunders

Here's alien menagerie x.17~

While I was working on it, I realized this might be a good opportunity to acknowledge the influence of Norm Saunders on my art.

Norm Saunders was the artist who painted the Mars Attacks trading card series, and that was the work I associated with his name. It wasn't until recently that I learned he was also the principle illustrator of some art, a series of stickers, that had a profound influence on my young, impressionable mind. They were crazy, imaginative monsters with prosaic names...like Mike, Steve, Don and Bruce. To me, these were over the top cool. I may have drawn from them, I don't know, but I stuck them all over the headboard of my bed, probably a few other places too. The images remained stuck deep inside my head I'm certain

I remember buying them at a little convenience store in the neighborhood I lived in through 2nd grade. When our family moved out into suburbia in 1970, I never saw them in a store again. Over time I lost whatever I'd collected, and also completely forgot whatever they were called. It wasn't until Daniel Zimmer of The Illustrated Press published a book of Norman Saunders art that I rediscovered them. I was looking at the book for the art from Mars Attacks. I had no idea I was about to reacquaint myself with the awesomeness known as UGLY STICKERS! I recognized nearly every one of them. At one time, I must have had a lot! Suddenly I realized some of the joy I get from alien menagerie is in part a recreation of these outlandish cards.

I'd love to get them all, but the only card I've bought on eBay is this one, "Julie". It's one I clearly remember, and one of my favorites from the series.

It's number 17.

ugly stickers at www.normansauners.com

Norman Saunders at The Illustrated Press

Spring • 春

This is a quick sculpey maquette I made for my alien menagerie "spring" painting that I'm doing preparatory work on. I'm enjoying the change of seasons as we're finally feeling spring here in NYC. The backyard cherry tree is in full bloom and the koi are out of their winter stupor. I've pretty much settled on a color palette for the painting and getting ready to prep a panel for it as well.

I decided a while back that each alien in the alien menagerie/seasons would have 3 eyes. This is the only one though that it's not readily apparent on as they are distributed radially around it's head. Yes, this is the sort of thing I obsess about.

3 x 3

An entire month has past since my last entry. A lot of other work, (and a spring vacation ) have kept me away from painting anything on the alien menagerie project. Time now to move forward and do more than work in my sketchbooks.

This is a post-tax filing, post-it note art post.

acrylics on 3 x 3 post-it

Artists Help Japan

Dice Tsutsumi, an art director at Pixar Animation Studios has founded the Artists Help Japan Earthquake & Tsunami Fund. It is partnered with Give2Asia which has a great reputation when it comes to humanitarian efforts in Asia.

For my part, as a way to help out, I will donate 100% of the sale of these alien menagerie extracts to the Artists Help Japan fund. The price for a painting ~ $100. You get some artwork, and 100% of the money will be donated to relief efforts. These are acrylic on Rives BFK paper, 8"x10"

Shipping is by USPS priority mail. US $7 • Canada & Mexico $13 • Overseas $16

I've sent $500 to the Artists Help Japan Earthquake & Tsunami Fund.

Thank you everyone for helping me achieve this!

x.11 SOLD

x.12 SOLD

x.13 SOLD

x.15 SOLD

x.16 SOLD