Mar 16 2009

March update……..

March already? Where is the year going?

-Mechtorians Competition-
To celebrate the release of the Mechtorians Series 1 mini-figures, MINDstyle and Doktor A have teamed with Vinyl Pulse to bring you a special Mechtorians Photo Competition. The winning entry will receive Doktor A’s hand-done custom Stephan PioneersPodd (9″). A Wild Wild West incarnation of the intrepid adventurer.
To enter, shoot a creative photo (scary, funny, or just plain awesome) starring one or more Mechtorian figures (series1 and/or the 9″ Stephan Le Podd). Then submit the photo to the Mechtorians Photo Competition gallery by the deadline which is Monday, April 6th 2009 @ 8 PM PDT.
Follow the link for all the info and pictures of the prize.
http://www.vinylpulse.com/2009/03/doktor-a-x-mindstyle-mechtorians-photo-competition.html

-Transcenders Show-
Gallery 1988 ( http://www.nineteeneightyeight.com ) in LA currently hosts a five man show featuring the works of Jason D’aquino, Scott Schindly, Jason Limon, Michael Page and Doktor A.
All the Doktor’s pieces ( a selection of 2D and 3D works) are all related to the Phenomonological Engines of Blavatski & Sons.
Some pieces are still available for purchase.
The show runs until the 27th March.
If you cant make it to the gallery in person you can see all the works online here:
http://www.transcenders88.blogspot.com/
And there is some nice coverage of the opening night show here:
http://arrestedmotion.com/2009/03/openings-transcenders-gallery-1988-la/
All the show pieces have also now been added to Mechtorians.com
Gallery 1988 L.A.
7020 Melrose Ave.
Los Angeles
CA 90038
USA

-New Online Store-
A new central sales hub for all things Doktor A is now online and ready for you perusal and patronage.
This new store will be the one stop shop for all toys, prints, original artworks and other surprises from now on. New works will be added on a regular basis so drop in now and again to keep up to date. There is already a good selection of items available and the new Mechtorians mini figures will also be listed there soon.
Don’t go to the secondary market! Buy direct from the artist. All goods can be signed or personalised on request.
http://www.spookypop.bigcartel.com

-Idiot Box Show-
Gallery 1988 in LA celebrate their 5 year anniversary with a huge group show inspired by really good really bad TV shows. 100 artists share their guilty pleasure television favorites from April 2nd to 23rd.
Opening reception is on Thursday 2nd 7 to 11pm. With all works viewable online around that time.
Doktor A has created three paintings for the show in homage to the classic 1960’s shows Lost in Space and The Addams Family.

http://www.nineteeneightyeight.com
Gallery 1988 L.A.
7020 Melrose Ave.
Los Angeles
CA 90038
USA

That’s all for this month.
Thanks for your continued support.


May 27 2008

May Newsletter

Hello all and welcome to the May newsletter.
Just a short one this month.
But a jolly exciting one for all that.Welcome to Retropolis
http://www.rivetart.com
A solo show of artworks by Doktor A.
This time around the custom toys take a back seat as the Doktor’s painted works are bought to the fore. The show will act as a primer to the world of the Mechtorians. Introducing their stories and showing a little of their home. Paintings, drawings, original sculptures and a few custom toys will be exhibited in the Rivet Gallery in Columbus Ohio. All pieces will be available to purchase so drop Laura an email if you want to get on the previews list for the show :
( laura@rivetgallery.com )
There will also be a limited edition signed print available. And hopefully there will be some of the Mechtorian toy prototypes from MINDstyle
( http://www.mindstyle.com ) on show too.
If you can get along to the gallery there will be an opening reception from 7pm – 10pm on the 7th of June.
Doktor A will not be at the gallery for the opening but will be fielding questions via the live webcam and chatroom link hosted by http://www.ustream.tv A direct link address will be posted on the Rivet news page and on Spookypop.com the day before the opening.

June 7th to 30th
Rivet Gallery
1200 N. High St.
Columbus,
OH 43201
USA
614-294-8697

Mechtorians.com
http://www.mechtorians.com
Mechtorians are best known as an upcoming toy range with the sterling MINDstyle company.
But Doktor A has been doodling them for many years and they have slowly crept out into the world in the form of drawings, paintings and customised toys. This retrobotic world is set to grow and this new website is where you can keep track of all the news and goings on in the land of Retropolis.
Set to go live during the “Welcome to Retropolis” show, watch out for it mid June.

That’s all for now.

Thanks for your continued support.RetropolisWebFlier


Mar 23 2008

March Newsletter

Just a pre-note to say I am changing my mailing list over to a new server and so anyone already on the email list should get a verification request which you will have to comply with if you want to get newsletters in the future. Sorry it’s a pain but the list is just getting too large for me to handle manually any more.

———————————-
Hello and welcome to the March 2008 edition of Doktor A’s newsletter.
There has been a lot happening in the first few months of this year. And it’s all a prelude to the mountains of stuff happening later this year.
So lets get the ball rolling…….

Mechtorians ( http://www.mechtorians.com ) ( http://www.mindstyle.com )
Since the last newsletter the big news of Doktor A’s first proper production toy line has hit the interweb.
Mechtorians are Victroian-Futurist style robots from a distant neverwhen world, capturing the Doktor’s shabby rivited vintage style. Here is a little summing up of all the blogging that’s out there.

“If any art toy made a lot of noise at New York Toy Fair 2008, it was none other than MINDstyle’s Mechtorians by Doktor A. The combination of one of the leading art toy companies and one of the best toy customizers certainly has fans worldwide buzzing about the amazing series.
Here’s what we know so far… a special SDCC exclusive figure will be available at San Diego Comic Con with Series I launching this fall. The first series of six figures are window boxed with exclusives and limited color versions available from the MINDstyle premium retailers. But wait, there are rumblings of an ultra limited and exclusive advance figure available to only Art Toy Society members, and if that’s not enough… there’s even something special for only ATS premium members. Wonder what that could be? So, if you’re not already an ATS member, you still have a chance to join.”
Info about the ATS club here : http://www.1045showroom.com/ats.html

The first wave will be out toward the end of 2008. And there are lots of secret versions and other characters in the works to keep your toy collecting muscles busy over the coming years. The prototypes will be on show at the new York Comic Con ( April 18th – 20th).
Watch the websites and your favorite toy blogs for updates.

Speakerdog ( http://www.bentheillustrator.com/speakerdog_index.html )
Speakerdog is a popular print-it-yourself downloadable paper toy. Series five of the little brute has just gone live on their website for the world to enjoy and Doktor A has created one of the new designs.
So if you have a wet Sunday afternoon to fill. Drop by the website and download a little paper friend.

Upcoming shows :

Multiple Personalities Show ( http://www.liftfootwear.com )
LiFT Designer Toys, in Royal Oak, MI, will be having a group show entitled Multiple Personalities beginning March 29th. The opening reception will start at 7PM. This will be the first show at their new larger location. It’s an open platform show featuring custom toys of all sorts, skate decks, and original paintings from a number of today’s top designers and underground artists. Doktor A will have a customised Treeson and a Rupture bust sculpture available at the show.
LiFT Detroit
228 W. 4th St.
Royal Oak, MI 48067
March 29th

The Soopa Show ( http://www.esctoy.com/soopa.htm )
Concrete Jungle New York hosts a group show of customised “Soopa Coin Op Bros” toys from ESC Toys, opening April 19th. You may have read about Doktor A’s “Pac Gentleman” custom of this toy recently. Hopefully that work will be on show at the exhibition along with a new Doktor A piece ans works by other artists and designers from around the world. So if you are in town for the Comic Con get over to Concrete Jungle and check out all the video game cabinet styled goodness.
Concrete Jungle
70 – 15 Austin Street, Forest Hills
NYC 11375
April 19th

Ok folks that’s all for now. But there are lots more treats in store. Its going to be a busy year.


Jun 13 2007

June News Update

Hello and welcome to Doktor A’s newsletter for June.

Original drawings for sale
Your chance to pick up a unique ink drawing by Doktor A.
Six original ink drawings have been added to the shop section of Spookypop http://www.spookypop.com/ShopArtIndex.html
Each one is a unique hand done ink drawing on very thick acid free watercolour paper (its almost like board) with a very nice hammered texture.

They are all available to buy now and it’s first come first served.

Take a look.

Erick Scarecrow’s Shiitake Parade
ToyQube in New York hosts this group show for Erik Scarecrow’s new plush mushroom toy. Artists from all over the planet have added their own vibe to these little fungi critters and Doktor A is amongst them. So get down to the opening bash at 5pm on the 16th on June and pick up a new squishy friend.

ToyQube ( http://www.toyqube.com )
Flushing Mall
133-31 39th Ave. #F36
Flushing,NY 11354
teL : (718)939-8605.

http://www.esctoy.com

Detroit Munny Show
Lift in Detroit is the venue for the second annual Detroit Munny Show.
On June 23rd there will be piles of artists customised Munny toys to marvel at and purchase. Doktor A has produced a classic horror icon for the show.
Opening reception from 7pm. Visitors will be able to vote for their favorite Munny.

Lift ( http://www.liftfootwear.com )
202 W 11 mile Road, Royal Oak. MI 48067
tel : 248 545 5245

Rivet Gallery
A brand new art gallery and designer toy store has opened its doors in Columbus Ohio.
Make sure you pay it a visit for all that is best in current underground artists, including prints from Doktor A. This venue will be one to keep an eye on for future Doktor A goodness including original artworks and toys.

Rivet Gallery
1200 N. High St.
(Located Between 4th & 5th Avenue)
Columbus, OH 43201
tel : (614) 294-TOYS (8697)
( http://www.rivetgallery.com )

Cereal Killers Coverage
The Cereal Killers art show opened last Friday at Monkeyhouse Toy Gallery in LA.
Coverage of the event by Vinyl Pulse is online here : http://www.vinylpulse.com/2007/06/seen_cereal_kil.html
The show brings together artwork and toys inspired by sugary breakfast treats. Doktor A has a canvas painting of a rather twisted Snap, Crackle and Pop in the show. It runs for the rest of the month and is open to the public for free.

Doktor A Interview
Watch out on Urban Retro Lifestyle for an interview with Doktor A. It should be online very soon.
( http://www.urbanretrolifestyle.com )

Mini Munny Mobile
Kidrobot’s latest D.I.Y toy the Mini Munny Mobile is launched on the 14th of this month.
The Mini MUNNY Mobile is 8 inches long, comes blind packaged with 4 mystery accessories (in classic MUNNY style) to deck out Mini MUNNY’s ride, a removable super cute Mini MUNNY, real rolling wheels, and a giant road map by iLovedust to color, treasure, eat off of or just plain enjoy!
Doktor A was invited to be one of the first people in the world to customise this new platform. The results of this project will be showcased by Kidrobot for the launch. So watch their website and store for pictures and info.
http://www.kidrobot.com

Thanks for your continued support.


May 16 2007

May Newsletter.

I am sad to say that for the time being Doktor A will not be accepting toy commission work. He has a large backlog of pieces to work through and feels that the long wait which new customers would be forced to endure would be unacceptable at this time. Toys and paintings will be available from time to time in shows and from the Spookypop online shop. Sorry for any disappointment this may cause. Normal service will hopefully be resumed some time in the future.

And the first of those shows is coming up very soon. Both in May and early June.. And all in the U, S of A.
If you can get along to any in person then please do and if you cant then check out the gallery’s websites for coverage.

Vinyl Elements ( http://vinyl-elements.com )

Love customs? Vinyl Pulse.com do, so they put together Vinyl Elements — a custom show featuring over 50 top-flight artists with a strong mix of international talent. The show goes opens Thursday, May 17th at Barracuda on Melrose Avenue LA, from 7 to 10pm. For ONE NIGHT ONLY!
The name of the show refers to the five elements that the ancient Chinese believed the world was created from — Metal, Wood, Water, Fire and Earth. The works are over a large selection of toy platforms and Doktor A has created a Metal based piece through the re-working of a Touma Knucklebear figure entitled “Anubis”.

Barracuda ( http://barracudashop.com )
7600B Melrose Ave
Los Angeles, CA
USA
323.852.7179

Art Toy Alchemists

A group show of customised toys from around the globe. Anything goes in this the first of Artifact Unmundane’s art shows. Vinyl, plush and goodness knows what else from 50 toy mashing wizards.
Doktor A has produced a steam-punk inspired Tamo figure for the event called “The Hand Cranked Maiden”.
June 2nd, 6 to 9pm (show runs until June 17th)

Artifact Unmundane ( http://www.artifactunmundane.com )
1170 N. Richfield Rd.
Anaheim
CA 92807
USA

Cereal Killers

The Monkeyhouse Toy Gallery in L.A hosts this group art show inspired by all thing breakfast cereal related.. Artists from all over the globe present original artworks inspired by their nutritious morning repast. Doktor A. presents his unique vision of “Snap, Crackle and Pop”. Three sinister little chaps you would not want to fall out of a cereal packet.. All artworks will be available for purchase at the show and from the gallery website afterwards. The show was curated by Bil Betsovic.
Reception: June 9th – 20th (4pm – 8pm)

Monkeyhouse Toys & art gallery ( http://www.monkeyhousetoys.com )
1618 1/2 silverlake blvd.
L.A.Ca 90026
USA

Giant Zlik show coverage
The Giant Zliks show last month at My Plastic heart in new York was a huge success.
There are some pictures and write ups in these here links. Check them out if you missed it.
http://myplasticheartnyc.com/pastexhibits.html
http://www.vinylpulse.com/2007/04/seen_attack_of_.html
http://lifeinabungalo.com/2007/04/21/attack-of-the-zliks/

If you want this monthly newsletter direct to your intray just eamil Doktor A at : doktor(AT)spookypop(DOT)com