Some lovely work + Termites

Check out Yelena Bryksenkova.  I think we need to be really good friends, don't you?

 Really her work is just distracting me from the fact that we have these guys swarming in the kids bathroom.  SWARMING.

(These unlucky ones are dead and soon all their little friends will be too)

It's gross.

Meet Hector!

Hector is a dear friend of mine who I've long admired.

His beautiful, melancholy drawings have a subtle punch of hilarious to them.

 Making them both simultaneously dark and adorable.

Kind of like Hector himself! 

1. Name, Astrology sign, and location please.

Legally, still: Hector Sebastian Casanova. But I think of that as my unmarried / "commercial art" name. It will soon become, legally, Hector Osaurus Cinderhouse. 
Sign: Sagittarius! Location: Kansas City!

2. What are you currently working on?

 

Truthfully? Taxes. I am so far behind. Artistically, my job as a graphic artist for the newspaper keeps me too busy for any large scale solo projects. (So much so, that i took down my website as I am not really taking on any freelance work. I am stingy with my creative time outside my job.) So these days I do mostly collaborations with other artists / musicians / performers, or smaller scale projects, like live art murals, things that excite me and don't require months-long commitment. I am taking a break from really time and labor intensive projects like comics and graphic novels, and have been taking on projects that have a much quicker turnaround time. But I also have a real hard time saying no, especially for good causes / good people. Last week I did some live painting for an Amnesty International benefit, this weekend I am painting a new DIY playground for neighborhood kids in a public housing complex that is dreary as hell... I want the kids to have the coolest hopscotch and Four-Square grids ever.

 3. Who are your favorite artists?

Too many to name! And of all sorts! Musicians, filmmakers, photographers, comics, street and poster artists, painters.... All of these things saturate and influence me: Tom Waits, Egon Schiele, Stasys Eidrigevicius, Chris Ware, Banksy, Steven Soderbergh, Dave McKean, Dan Clowes, Joel Peter-Witkin, Andy Warhol, Mark Ryden, Winsor McCay, Edward Gorey... I can go on for hours...

4. What's the best advice you ever received about your career choice?

 

Better to be unemployed in the field of your choice than In a field you never wanted to be in. 

5. Favorite place(s) in your city?

It used to be the West Bottoms. That neighborhood is a huge part of why I fell in love with this city and stayed here. It really nurtured me. I feel very lucky to have been in this city at a time when all these variables were aligned just so: a semi-abandoned ghost town neighborhood full of train yards and huge, empty industrial buildings with dirt cheap rent, all spitting distance from downtown. It provided an oasis for artists and musicians. We didn't have many neighbors, but the ones that opted to live the we're all artists, musicians, performers.... People that needed a lot of space to make art and make noise. It was the best of all worlds, the look of city living but the feeling of homesteading in some surreal desolate concrete jungle where you could expect the only person you see all day to be someone playing the tuba in the street at 3 am.

Sadly it has changed a lot. Most of the artists have been forced out and all those big beautiful lofts have been converted into antique stores. So we moved out and we bought a house and my wife and I think of it as an always-ongoing art project. So my house has become my new favorite place to be.

6. If you could live anywhere in the world where would it be? And while we're at it, what about a different era?

Vienna, 19-teens. I have always wished I could walk down cobblestone streets wearing a hat, trenchcoat and walking stick. In black and white if possible. 

7. What do you usually mindlessly doodle? (do you have a picture of this?)

Creatures. Dinosaurs. Men's faces. Usually slack-jawed. Women with long, dark hair.

8. First website you peruse of the day?

Facebook. Sad to confess, Facebook is like nicotine for the socially awkward. The perks of being "in the loop" without the awkwardness of 'hellos' and 'goodbyes' or the hassle of actually going out... But if I am looking to kick start my brain for actual artistic inspiration pinterest or ffffound.com. 

9. What's the worst movie you've ever seen, but secretly love?

There are so many! But the first that come to mind are Jesus Christ Vampire Hunter and Pterodactyl. 

10. Any pets? Any kids?

Four cats. They're as close as it gets to having kids for me, which is not too close. I appreciate my cats' independence though, and although they are huge moochers, I don't have to worry about saving for their college tuition. I have had cats most of my life, And a coup,e of them were the nicest guys I have ever known, human or otherwise. You remember Phoebe, the oldest. We also have Sparrow (who is more like an orange walrus than a cat), Quinlan (aka 'Demon Child', 'Brat Monkey' or simply 'NO!!') and Rabbit Bean.

Thank you my dear, sweet Hector!

  

Rosy

I've been working, and I notice a pink trend around here.

Obviously getting very inspired from my backyard.

Renovation and Astrology

Uranus has just begun the seven year transition through David's fourth house.  

This means during that time we are going to either move and/or change up our home.  

Enter project #1.

This is what we lovingly refer to as our 80's coke mirrored bathroom.
It is painful to see yourself in so many different angles at once.
Especially naked.  

And that wallpaper! 

It hurts my eyes.

I'm sure soon it'll look just like this:

 So easy, right?

 If we take down those mirrors, this brick is most likely what we'll find,
don't you think?

 Why it practically looks like this now!

Like I said, we do have SEVEN years. 
And it may very well be that long before you get to see an "after" picture.

In the meantime, if anyone is curious as to where the planet of unexpected changes
is moving through their chart, hit me up. 
I may take a while to answer, but I will answer!

Hello Jeremy!

 I first met Jeremy here in Shreveport at The Makers Fair and immediately snatched up one of his prints.  

I adore all of his quirky, graphic creations, and thought ya'll would too!

1.Name, Astrology sign, and location please. 

Jeremy Johnson, Aquarius, Shreveport, Louisiana.
 

2.What are you currently working on?

My main focus over the past several years has been TOOMASOOBA – I design “curious creations and illustrations” and feature them on shirts, prints, and a ton of other items. I try hard to attend art fairs regionally (and beyond) as much as possible. It’s always a great experience to get immediate feedback from a crowd and use that to shape my art moving forward.I’m also working with some talented friends on a short TOOMASOOBA documentary, and we plan to have a grand unveiling party this summer. Should be fun! 

 3.Who are your favorite artists?

I love the work of (in no particular order) Jarrett J. Krosoczka, Keith Haring, Jim Henson, Scott C.,William Joyce, Todd Parr, J. Otto Siebold…the list goes on and on.


4.What's the best advice you ever received about your career choice?

You’ve got to be passionate about your work! A career in art or graphic design certainly isn’t the most lucrative, but I LOVE creating and feeling that buzz of electricity when I know I’ve made something cool. That’s what’s important. It’d be nice if one day I’m able to work on my illustration full-time – but if it doesn’t happen, I’ll always make art anyway, dang it!

 5.Favorite place(s) in your city? 

When the Texas Avenue Makers Fair rolls around, I’m always excited to hang with other artists and experience the growing local community. Don Juanz Baja Beach Tacos in Bossier is my favorite restaurant – I could eat those steak tacos every day.
And, after a long day, my couch also ranks as one of my favorite spots.

6.If you could live anywhere in the world where would it be? 
And while we're at it, what about a different era?

I finally took my first trip to NYC two years ago – and (if money were no object, of course) I would love to experience living there and soak in the non-stop awesomeness. And era-wise, um…the future. Does that count? I just want a jetpack, like any other normal person.

 
7.What do you usually mindlessly doodle? (do you have a picture of this?)

I typically get my best sketching done on long car trips and in meetings (don’t tell my boss). I draw odd little creatures and cartoon figures – some even make the cut and end up as TOOMASOOBA characters.

 


8.First website you peruse of the day?

I’m a huge pop culture and movie nerd, so The Onion’s avclub.com is usually my first stop of the day.

 

9.What's the worst movie you've ever seen, but secretly love?

It’s no secret – I love the movie Tremors. You can never go wrong with Kevin Bacon, Reba McEntire, the dad from Family Ties, and giant worms.

 
10.Any pets? Any kids?

No pets, no kids – although I am a proud uncle to both kiddos and pups. I like to visit them, spoil them, and then head off into the sunset!

Thank you so much Jeremy!  
You can find Toomasooba here
Jeremy's blog here 
And his Etsy store here

Homebody

 This is pretty much all I've been doing lately, and it's been nice.

I hang out in my living room....

 

 Or on my back porch.

I have no idea why I've been such a hermit of late..oh..wait.  I know.

 BOSTON,TEXAS,RICIN OH MY GOD!

 

Stay safe everyone.

 

The perks of living in Louisiana

Some of the lovelies we get here:

 

Flying Roaches.  Yes.  They FLY

Alligators

Nutria

Water Moccasins

These are all OK by me.  Well, the flying roaches are pretty disturbing, but my true fear is this.

Ahhhhh! The dreaded Red Wasp!!

Holy S**t! A Hornet!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When I see flying, stinging bugs, I freeze.  I stop breathing.  I go into full on panic mode. 

And if they get into the house, I load the kids into the car and just leave.  

Totally rational, right?

This is why, sadly, my house can't be covered in things like this:

 Yes, I need hypnotherapy.

Or lots of Xanax...