Mar 25 2012

Monsters and Misfits II

Candy Cane Wrangler.. A Candy Factory Minion for the Monsters and Misfits II show.
With Kathie Olivas, Brandt Peters, Chris Ryniak and Amanda Spayd.
April 13th, Japan
Kusakabe Folk Museum, Takayama, Japan.

 


Nov 14 2011

Designer Con 2011 Recap

Amanda Louise Spayd Doktor A collaboration sketch

The weekend of the 5th/6th November was spent in (abnormally) not-so-sunny California. A mere 14 hours plane ride for this pasty English fellow.
The reason for the trip? The annual gathering of the art-toy clans at the premier geek event that is Designer Con..

This was my second year in attendence so I had some idea what to expect.
Though the hall at the Pasadena convention centre had now changed to their main room and the booth numbers swelled by about 30%. It was a bigger, brighter and ballsier show that any other in it’s previous five year run.

I was stationed this year at the Circus Posterus booth with fellow collective artists Kathie Olivas, Brandt Peters, Chris Ryniak and Amanda Spayd.
(I didnt get much chance to grab photos of my own so I have scalped these off the web. Thanks to Shinji, Brad and George and those others who took them).


This was me and Amanda behind out booth, showing off our Japanese cookies. A lovely gift from awesome collector, store owner and all round splendid fellow Shinji Nakako.
Most of the day was spent vending out megre wares to the friendly masses and doodling endless monsters and robots for anyone who wanted them. The one at the top of this page was a rare collaborative sketch between Amanda and myself for some lucky chap who seemed jolly pleased with it.

Me and Chris Ryniak were also interviewed in a live web streamed chat show type escapade by the Super Sucklord. You can view the whole 6 hour talkathon via the Toy Break Ustream channel (click on the “LIVE” link ) or just watch our part here (it’s around the 2h30 mark). Kathie and Brandt also made it to the couch very near the end of the day.

My “Nocturnal” Humphrey Mooncalf figure was released as a con exclusive by 3D Retro. And I sat for a while at their booth signing them for people who purchased.
I am sure they will have any remaining stock available online in the next few days.

The event also saw the quiet unveiling of my latest production toy venture.
Chester Runcorn is a new 6″ figure to be released by Kuso Vinyl mid next year. They sneekily has secreted one of the prototypes in their display cabinet and we waited to see if anyone would notice. Indeed they did, very quickly!  I was fielding questions about the new arrival all day whilst I believe the poor Kuso booth staff had to fend off offer to purchase the prototype for hours upon end..

 

And just like that it was all over.
A very fast day indeed, probably amplified by a somewhat jet-lagged brain no doubt. I got to do one full curcuit of the hall this year. Which was 50% more than last year and even picked up a few presents.

If you love toys of the odd handmade or small run veriety. Or designer vinyl and underground art, I can recommend Designer Con as a cracking day out.. The door price is a fraction of SDCC, for a far superior, friendlier and more relaxed convention.
Ayleen and Ben hosted a splendid show this year and I hope to be back in the near future.

 

The next day was spent wandering the streets of DisneyLand in the rain and sampling its dubious wares with the Circus Posterus crew and some lovely members of the Sideshow Forum there…. I will let the photos speak for themselves..


Jul 8 2011

Imaginary Menagerie Pieces.

 

The Imaginary Menagerie show opens at Oh No Doom in Chicago tomorrow night.
Here are some of my pieces from the show. Hop over to their website to see all the pieces by all four artists artists and vie to purchase something for yourself..

The Self Made Man
“More organs means more Human”!
The twisted logic of a crazed surgeon bent on the attainment of actual organic life.
He harvests all manner of internal organs from whatever unlucky indigenous lifeforms he can procure.
Assembling and re-combining them in increasingly bizarre and imaginative ways about his inner cavities in the hope that one day he will truly be alive.

Vinyl, Epoxy resin, Polymer clay, Lead, A.B.S, Brass, Copper, Rubber, Glass, Vintage Brass drawing instruments, Steel.
12.5″ tall.

 

Hugo Neko-Lapin
Hugo was originally fashioned with the countenance of a Cat.
He has never felt it suited him. In fact he has always been happier following the life of a Rabbit.
He eventually discovered a network of secret underground clubs populated by likeminded souls who also felt erroneously equipped. Here he could indulge in his Rabbit fantasies without ridicule.
Sadly he cannot afford to undertake the alteration work himself, so has applied to the City Hall for a grant to cover the engineering.
To prove he is serious in his intent he must live openly as a rabbit for a year.
“Too many ears!” people whisper unsympathetically behind his back.

Collaboration with Amanda Louise Spayd.
Customised Mini Skelve figure from Circus Posterus. Designed by Kathie Olivas and Brandt Peters.
Polyurethane Resin, Epoxy resin, Polymer clay, Rubber, Lead Brass, Vintage clock and watch parts, vintage display dome.
4.5″ (7″ in display dome.)

 

Colonel Henry Walrus Caruthers with his latest  – Specimen the Gullyskumpler.
Although appointed leader of the Herringbone wildlife research expedition the Colonel doesn’t really have a proper grasp on their intent.
Drafted in from the army to provide experience and knowledge in the fields of remote and difficult travel across uncharted terrain.
Adept at handling fire-arms with his prehensile moustache, he unfortunately cannot resist the urge to take occasional pot shots at the wild-life.
Especially sad when it is some of the rarer fauna.
“Well there wont be many chances to bag one of these buggers soon”!  is his justification.

Collaboration with Chris Ryniak.
Customised Lefty toy designed by HiCalorie.
Vinyl, Epoxy Resin, Lead, Brass, Walnut wood, Brass, Glass, A.B.S. Found Objects.

 

Search Engines
These helpful little fellows were designed to help hunt out all those things you have trouble finding.
Set them a item to find in a bustling department store, or a departure platform at a sprawling railway station and they will track them down for you in a mere jiffy.

Customised Android toys created by DYZ Plastic.
Series of 5.
Vinyl, Polymer clay, Lead, Rubber, Vintage Brass clock key.
3″ tall.


May 29 2011

Creepy little Spayd

A quick snap I took in my studio last night of my Amanda Spayd piece.
She was looking delightfully creepy so I took a moment to capture it so I could share.

Amanda Louise Spayd Dust Bunny


May 25 2011

Oh No DoooooooooooM!

So looking forward to this show.
Oh No Doom Gallery Chicago July 9th with Lana Crooks, Amanda Spayd and Chris Ryniak….
I have worked on collaborative pieces with both Chris and Amanda for this show too…..