This was a commission/custom illustration for my friend, who adores narwhals.
Space Narwhal
Month: June 2015
Mermaid 2015
Didn’t have anything particularly in mind when I started this piece yesterday. I’ve done mermaid illustrations and sketches before. Perhaps I wanted to do something a bit different. While I didn’t think the hands came out that great, decided to post it anyway. Here’s a mermaid, with Neptune in Scorpio.
Photo Recap – Bushwick Open Studios 2015
Two weeks ago I participated in a group art show, as part of the Bushwick Open Studios 2015 festival. It was my second time being part of BOS, the first going back to 2012. The second time worked out better for me, and after the Ridgewood Represent show was over, this round I was able to walk around to catch some of the other events.
Bushwick Open Studios seems to get bigger and better every year. At first, I was hoping to check out the other two completing events: Special Edition NYCC or the indie-based Grand Comics Festival, also taking place in Brooklyn. However, BOS was interesting enough, with this year’s edition of ‘art trucks.’ In other words, people had trucks parted outside in the street showing art, as sort of a mobile gallery. Despite the hipster ratio, I still managed to enjoy myself.
The best part – while I was checking out the other events, someone gave me free art supplies! Can’t beat that.
Below are a few photos from BOS 2015.
Ridgewood Represent! The Ridgewood Artists Coalition Group Show At The Vander-Ende Onderdonk House (Bushwick Open Studios 2015 Part I)
On June 6 and 7th, 2015, I took part of a group art show, as part of the Bushwick Open Studios 2015 event. A new group, the Ridgewood Artists Coalition (RAC) had a showing at the historic Vander-Ende Onderdonk House.
Below are photos of some of the work from the group show:
Below is my personal favorite from the show:
While the show was happening, I decided to explore the Vander-Ende Onderdonk House itself.
The Vander-Ende Onderdonk House has quite a history, becoming landmarked in 1995. A kind gentleman took me on a tour of the house, starting downstairs with the colonial kitchen.
Heading back upstairs, there was rooms sectioning off different eras.
Not shown was the tiny farm in the back of the Vander Ende-Onderdonk House, complete with small chicken coop.
The show received media coverage since it was part of the Bushwick Open Studios 2015 event. Below is a link to one of the many news articles.
http://queenscourier.com/photos-hundreds-of-local-artists-participate-in-bushwick-open-studios/
Part two of the Bushwick Open Studios 2015 coverage arriving in the next blog post.
A Look Back: Psycho Bunny’s Secret Club Mission
So today, I get a notice from WordPress in the upper right corner of the laptop screen, and it’s telling me it’s been six years since I started this blog. Six years. Wow. I remember leaving NYC in 2005 for what turned out to be the biggest mistake in my life. So when I moved back to NYC at the end of 2007, it started a completely brand new chapter in my life.
Also, I was lucky to move back to NYC at the end of 2007, for I got to see NYC before all the sterilization and gentrification began to take full effect. It was like being given a chance to say goodbye to many things familiar to me since my childhood and teen years.
I don’t think NYC is as spontaneous as it was six or seven years ago. Fifteen, or even ten years ago, you could step outside your door, and there would be something to do. Now everything is just too overpriced as it crawls full of hipsters, Wall Street yuppies, or just plain smucks. Don’t get me wrong. New York City is my hometown. I was born in The Bronx, raised in Queens, and attended high school in Manhattan. I’m not some transplant living off a trust fund. I’m someone whose roots are deep inside the Big Apple. Despite all my bickering, I still love New York. NYC landlords are shifty, the subways never run properly, the buses feels like cattle transport, cyclists on those Shittybikes, aka Citibikes are always trying to run you over, finding work sucks, it’s hard to find a decent relationship of any nature in this town, and sometimes people are just plain jerks. A lot of my friends have moved out of NYC, and many others constantly talk about moving out. Guess what – I don’t care what others say. I love New York City, warts and all. It’s MY town. Even if it seems as if it’s been overrun with arrogant transients with a sense of entitlement.
Don’t get me wrong. If I had an opportunity to live in Europe, I just might take that chance. In a way, I wouldn’t mind living outside of NYC, even if it was in another state, or just outside of NYC. For now, NYC is my home until further notice.
Why am I even bringing this all up?
There’s a few reasons. (One being at the time of this particular post, Mercury is in retrograde, a time to look back) I was talking about going to LIT Lounge the other day with a friend. There was a Post Punk/Goth party happening. Suddenly I remembered the time in December 2008, when me and a few friends went to another party at LIT. After the hell I endured during 2006 and 2007, 2008 was a banner year. A fun, exciting time, and got my first chance to get my artwork published by others, besides myself. Also had my work exhibited that year for a one night art show. Goals were accomplished.
I had copies of my own self published comic with me, which at the time, was Psycho Bunny issue three. One of my best friends came up with the brilliant idea of having club goers pose with the comic. So off he went on his ‘secret’ mission.
Thus began his ‘undercover’ assignment to expose Psycho Bunny to the world…or at least to those at the party.
Taking one final swig of the brew, the agent located his first target:
It didn’t take long before the unsuspecting targets were willing to take a pose:
Mission completed. Not content with spreading the word at LIT Lounge, we headed over to Double Down on Avenue A, to infiltrate some more.
The mission was successful, and wrapped it up with a Brooklyn Beer.
*These photos were originally posted on MySpace back in 2008/2009.
Review of White Plains Comic Con, May 16th, 2015
Continuing to play long awaited catch-up, here’s a review of the last comic con I did. On May 16th, I took part in the White Plains Comic Con 2015. It was held at the White Plains public library at 100 Martine Avenue. It was nice to take a day trip out of NYC for the day, so off on the Metro-North we went.
Somehow I had trouble getting up due to my busy schedule, so I arrived late. Yeah, I know, excuses, excuses, typical artist standard time. However, I did manage to arrive at the White Plain Library, which held the free comic con. The moment the doors open, the entire library was packed. The crowds got to see indie artists, panels and a tiny bit of cosplay. The purpose of this comic con was to raise awareness for bullying. Being bullied myself in the past, this was a good cause. While I managed to overcome my experiences, unfortunately, not everyone is able to. Some carry this burden way after the bullying has ended, therefore leaving an effect years after onto someone’s psyche. So I contributed this sketch, drawn during the comic con.
Among some of the artists and vendors there were Archie Comics, Papercutz, Bronx Heroes, inker Alex Rivera, Ed Traquino, Pablo D. Martinez, Alitha E. Martinez, JM DeSantis, and other artists not mentioned here.
As for myself, I didn’t much stuff, as I’ve been mainly focusing on my new latest self-published titles. The latest Psycho Bunny mini-issue and my collection of sketches in Pin-Ups.
However, to my surprise, my last issue of Babalon Babes still sold. Someone brought the astrology themed issue.
Couldn’t help but notice a vendor selling back comic book issues and vintage trading cards. These trading cards brought back memories. Especially since I used to collect Wacky Packages stickers.
Here’s a photo of me, having some soda towards the end of the comic con.
Bushwick Open Studios/RAC At Vander Ende-Onderdonk House, June 2015
In the NYC, this will prove to be a busy weekend. Quite a few events are happening. For starters, there’s going to be the Special Edition New York Comic Con at Pier 94. On Sunday itself, there will be a free event at Flushing Meadow Park in Queens celebrating the 75th and 50th anniversaries of the NYC World’s Fair. (Always been fascinated by the history of the World’s Fair myself.)
Then there’s going to be the Bushwick Open Studios, June 7-8th 2015. I will have my illustrations/drawings on exhibit as part of this group show. Entitled Ridgewood Represent! The Ridgewood Artists Coalition Group Show at Bushwick Open Studios, the show will be held at the historic Vander Ende-Onderdonk House located at 1820 Flushing Avenue, Ridgewood, NY 11385. The Vander Ende-Onderdonk House, according to Wikipedia, is the oldest Dutch Colonial stone house in New York City. In the past, the house has been a livery stable, speakeasy, office and as a parts factory for the Apollo space program. Now it’s an historical landmark, open to the public. The event is free, and is part of the new Ridgewood Artists Coalition (RAC) that formed earlier this year.
I also found out yesterday that thanks to this event, I had a listing on the ArtSlant website. I’ve participated in a lot more shows than listed on ArtSlant, but not complaining. Below is one of the my pieces selected for this show.
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