The Shiverboneyard

Happy Belated New Year!

2012-01-23T16:23:00.000-08:00

I just finished up this years 2012 ACEO, at least it is still January for a few days. 27 copies have been made in total. This is similar in theme to 2009 & 2010 and is free while supplies last, just send me your address.

New Limited Halloween Postcard

2012-01-15T15:28:00.001-08:00

I have finally been able to paint a new image for the next Limited Halloween postcard which I have titled "Effigy". The original is on sale now on ebay, I will have the limited version up on my bigcartel store on Monday.

Getting back into the swing of things

2012-01-05T13:46:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year to All!I went on a bit of a hiatus for a few months, but am back to creating things and looking forward to being able to have some new things to post.Here is a painting christmas card commission I finished in December.

I called this one "Holiday Cheer"

Monsters Series 2 Sketch cards

2011-10-29T11:00:00.000-07:00

I Was one of 5 artists to work on an all sketch card set called "Monsters" series 2. Other artists from the Wacky packages gang involved are Neil Camera, Brent Engstrom, Smokin Joe, and Joe Simko. There are about 200 cards all together, and are being auctioned off in sets of 5 on ebay right now. All auctions , I believe, end on Halloween so don't miss out! Here are some of the cards that I drew for the set.

MF Galery

2011-10-11T09:24:00.000-07:00

I have a painting in the MF Galleries 9th Annual Halloween art show. The opening was last Friday, but it looks like a bunch of wonderful art is on display if you are in the Brooklyn area. My painting is titled "Put That Down!"

Cincinnati Comic Expo

2011-09-04T15:47:00.000-07:00

I will be at the Cincinnati Comic Expo on September 17th , doing sketches and selling some art. I am not sure of my table # yet, but somewhere in artist's Alley. If You are in town drop by and say Hello!

I also just finished a new Limited Halloween postcard. There are 27 copies of this one, and I will add it to my Big cartel store on Monday.

The Horrible Hag Lantern

2011-08-14T12:44:00.000-07:00

Even though it is still in the 90's here in New Orleans, subconsciously I know that August is half over and that Fall is right around the corner. My mind is creeping back towards Foggy chilled Halloween nights. The 1st piece I have made based on this new Inspiration is the "Horrible Hag" lantern. An edition of 10 8" x 8.75 lanterns all hand cut and assembled with paper face transparency. I listed one on ebay today.

Wacky Package Painting: Gloo Berry

2011-06-27T15:45:00.000-07:00

This is the card I painted for the newest release of Topps Wacky Packages Postcards. I feel very lucky to have worked on the 1st Wacky Packages parody of Boo Berry. The gag was written by Paul Harris. This set also includes Frankenberry & Count Chocula Parodies. Hooray!

CGC Virtual Comic Con Limited Edition Spook Show Poster

2011-06-24T05:39:00.000-07:00

This Saturday & Sunday, at the CGC Collector's Society Virtual Comic Convention I will have 4 copies of this poster for sale. This measures 13" x 19" and is printed on 100 lb archival cotton board with lightfast inks. I will have a few other pieces of art listed as well, but I do not have much available right now. You will need to sign up if you wish to purchase anything during the event.

This Variation will be auctioned off, with all proceeds going to the HERO Initiative charity

Wacky Packages Series 7 Postcards

2011-06-23T09:20:00.001-07:00

I have a painting and sketch cards in the newest set of Limited edition cards. These sell out very fast, so if you are interested you will have to move quick. Here is the web address. I will post an image of my painting after the sets hit the streets next week.

Hearse Talk Episode 3

2011-06-22T13:15:00.000-07:00

I have been "immortalized" by Michael Bonfiglio & Halsey Shelton in their "Hearse Talk" series of interviews. Some ridiculous fun for all.... I hope.

New Postcard Time!

2011-06-19T12:58:00.000-07:00

I just finished the newest limited card, there will be 18 copies of "Lunge", each is embossed with gilded highlights on the front. The cards measure 3.5" x 5.5" and are available on my bigcartel shop.

Black Cat Mystery #50

2011-05-16T13:44:00.001-07:00

I finished this 10" x 15" recreation of the classic Black Cat Mystery cover today. Makes me want to Halloween-ize a few more classics!

Last Halloween Postcard Painting until June

2011-05-15T10:04:00.000-07:00

I listed this on ebay today, "Waiting to Ripen" is a 4" x 6" watercolor & ink postcard painting. This will be the last piece I do for a couple weeks as I relax a bit leading up to my wedding.

New Halloween Postcard Release

2011-05-08T08:51:00.000-07:00

The newest Limited Halloween card is titled "Breakthrough", and will be added to my big cartel shop on monday morning. This will be a run of only 12 copies, each embossed and gilded, except for #1/12 which will have a drawing on the back instead of embossing. #1/12 will be listed on ebay this morning. Following the sell out of this release, a variation will be available in a less limited capacity and without the embossing or gilding.

Also hitting ebay today, a hand drawn & painted 4" x 6" postcard titled "Reel Around the Candle"

The next Wacky Packages postcard series is coming soon from Topps. I have some paintings in this set, and will provide information as soon as it becomes available.

Have a great Mother's Day!

Recent Halloween art

2011-04-27T14:15:00.000-07:00

These two pieces are hitting ebay this week. Both are exploring different techniques and color choices.

"The Main Ingredient" is postcard sized watercolor, graphite & ink.

"The Taunt" is 5.5" x 8.5" and is watercolor & ink with more subdued colors than I usually use.

Kaiju For Japan

2011-04-20T18:30:00.000-07:00

I am participating in a group sale to benefit victims of the earthquake and tsunami in Japan. Kaiju For Japan is a collection of artist made goods varying from custom painted figures to paintings and prints. I have donated 4 custom Japanese vinyl monsters. I painted each one with Montana Gold Spraypaint. The theme I have gone with is Despair and hope, so there is a light and dark version of the two characters I chose to paint. The Shop goes Live Friday April 22nd, it will appear to be under maintenance until that day. Kaiju for Japan Shop These are the 4 Pieces I donated, prices range from $50 to $200. Check out the sale, lots of great pieces being offered and all for a good cause. Here is a preview.

Big Cartel

2011-04-14T13:26:00.000-07:00

I have closed down the regular store section of the website and am in the process of moving it into a Bigcartel shop. I like the cleanliness and ease of uploading. This will allow me to offer more one off pieces as well as things not directly related to halloween. As time allows over the next couple weeks I will continue to add new and old pieces.

Debuting in the shop is a new mini die cut transparency version of the Haunted Log. This is the first color version and is limited to only 4 copies.

His Majesty

2011-03-27T13:02:00.001-07:00

My newest Painting in the Halloween Portrait series... His Majesty. This went on ebay today.

2 more sculptures

2011-03-19T17:11:00.001-07:00

The Leafy Miser has a pull out plug in the bottom, and silver accents on his stem, eyes & leafy ears. The Cat Clown has a blue light on one side, and a purple on the other, with a black fade down the middle. Silver highlights his chin, forehead & Button.

I had fun making the veggie man so I made two more. I am going for a carnival chalkware sort of color approach on these.

New Sculpture!

2011-03-17T09:55:00.000-07:00

I decided to try a new technique with sculpture, so here is the 1st attempt. This is a 9" tall veggie man candy container with removable head. He is made of polymer clay and sits on a vintage wood base. A jaunty guy with some serious swagger in his step!

Scout!

2011-03-13T13:42:00.000-07:00

Brand new painting on postcard sized paper listed on ebay 3/13/11. I wanted to get back to basics on this one and do a straight up gouache painting with simple imagery.

Mini Die Cut #6

2011-02-26T12:53:00.000-08:00

I am back home and catching up after a week visiting friends and family. Time to get some new things ready for ebay!

I just finished the newest mini Die Cut. There are only 6 of this one being made, each one is hand cut & embossed. #1 of 6 is green, the other 5 are orange.

Also going up on the 26th a New ATC and a Postcard sized painting

The Poisoner

Suiting Up

Halloween at Raynham Hall

2011-02-06T12:21:00.000-08:00

This week's ebay postcard sized painting is based on the classic ghost photo, The Brown Lady Of Raynham Hall. I first saw this Photo in 2nd grade when I checked a book about ghosts out of the school library. Since then , this has always been there in the back of my mind influencing most of what I do or what interests me. It dawned on me I never directly incorporated it into anything yet, so I did this small painting. I think I will eventually do a larger oil of a similar image.

The Brown Lady..... Some Say you can see some children in there with her, but who can say for sure.

Ghoulish Ride

2011-01-30T12:05:00.000-08:00

I have finished my first acrylic painting of the new year "Ghoulish Ride" which will be made into a limited edition postcard in February. I have listed it for sale on ebay here. This one was an experiment in expressive color & atmospheric techniques.

Major Website Update

2011-01-27T09:22:00.000-08:00

I have had several complaints that there was no way to see everything I have been making lately since I branched out into more limited edition paper pieces. I just put together a webpage that shows every piece in chronological order with pertinent details. If any are still available they can be purchased from that page as well. You can see the new page HERE!

And since a post without pictures is depressing, here are a few random images.

The Vegetable Oracle

2011-01-09T12:50:00.001-08:00

I have been wanting to do a fortune game for an entire year, and finally finished my first one this morning... "The Vegetable Oracle" A working spinner sets your future to the fates if you dare take a spin. This is limited to 15 copies and measures 8" x 10"

The first copy has just been listed on ebay

HARVEYxSHIVERBONES

2011-01-04T17:23:00.000-08:00

This is a recent commission i finished based on my interpretation of this Black Cat Mystery Cover. The owner of the original art to that classic wanted me to do a shiverbones-ized version, and this is the result.

Happy New Year!

2011-01-04T17:07:00.000-08:00

The days grow longer very slightly, warmth promises to come back, and I am excited about getting some new designs done for 2011.

First up is the 2nd Candy & Toy box in the series of six, "The Moon". The toy in this one is a small moon face that has a slide up bat & black cat attached to it. PIctured below is the front & back of the box, and the toy in 2 positions.

Early Snow

2010-12-04T15:53:00.000-08:00

5.5" x 8.5" Gouache painting used for a CGC boards Exclusive Postcard. I named it Early Snow, but it could just as easily be a late Jack O Lantern. Thanks to Michael for the enduring image of a Frozen Jack-O.

Santa and the Fairy Snow Queen

2010-12-01T15:52:00.000-08:00

Coming from The Shiverbones group this Month, a set of 9 trading cards based on the terrifying Christmas short "Santa and the Fairy Snow Queen". Anyone who has not seen this incredible and disturbing short can see it here thanks to archive.org

I have been semi obsessed with this show for the last couple years, so I decided to do a small set of cards based on the film. These should be ready on December 10th.

Here is the first image in the set of 9 - Snoopy!

Breaking my autumnal vacation

2010-11-20T13:57:00.000-08:00

I really needed a break, what an incredibly busy last few months! Now I feel refreshed, recharged & ready to start creating new imagery & forms.

First up, I am making a set of 6 "Candy & Toy" boxes based on the Phoenix boxes of the 50's & 60's. Each measures 3.75" x 2.5" x .75" and features some cheap candy & a mechanical paper toy. There is also a trading card to cut out on the back! The 6 Characters will be The Reaper, The Moon, The Black Cat, The Jack O Lantern, The Bat & The Witch. I hope to have a new one on ebay each week starting 11/21. 20 of each character will be made. When all six are done I will create a display box to house them.

Pictured is a prototype version of the Reaper (The one with the Pumpkins) and the regular version of the Reaper.

My six color sketches

2010-10-22T21:06:00.000-07:00

Out of the sketch cards I drew for the Topps 2010 Wacky packages Halloween Postcards, these are the 6 color ones I did.

these are the 9 ghost sketches

2010 Halloween Wacky Packages Postcards

2010-10-22T12:28:00.000-07:00

Holy smokes. 500 sets sold out in 45 minutes. Here is what I worked on in the set.

Mike & Yikes - I did the concept & painting for this one:

I did the concept for Stake 5, Joe Simko did the finished painting

I also did the Line art for the back of the postcards:

I am really excited to be part of this set, what could be better than Halloween & Wacky Packages? A big thanks to everyone involved for putting together a great postcard set.

New Wacky Packages Series!

2010-10-19T21:26:00.000-07:00

I have written two gags, painted one image, drawn 72 sketch cards and drawn the art for the back of the postcards on the new limited edition Halloween Wacky Packages postcard set. These are to go on sale at the Topps Online store at around 11am est on Wednesday the 20th. These tend to sell out in a matter of hours, so if you are interested, get in there right away. This looks like a wonderful set with a lot of strong images, I will add a photo when I can tomorrow.

Spookshow Funnies series 2 Coming soon!

2010-10-18T15:57:00.000-07:00

Series two will start numbering where series one left off, and will contain at least 18 cards. I have some fun ideas about packaging I hope will work out. At this point, it looks like they will be ready in late November.

Since no self respecting 2nd card series uses the same border color, here is what this series will look like.

More info to come.

2 Upcoming Halloween Shows

2010-10-10T09:10:00.000-07:00

Fall has finally arrived, even down here in New Orleans! Hooray! I thought I had burnt out on the Autumnal feeling with all the work leading up to Halloween & Vine, but I am being renewed by chilly nights and ever shrinking daylight.

I have pieces in a couple upcoming group shows. First up is the Madman's Masquerade in Kingston, NY. On October 16th. This link has more info. I will have a couple die cuts as well as these 2 new pieces.

Next Up is MF Galleries 8th Annual Halloween art show being held in Genova, Italy, more info here

I will have these 2 pieces at that show

I just noticed Joe Simko will also have work in this show, which is an odd coincidence because he just painted one of my gags for the upcoming Wacky Packages Postcard series, and He did a WONDERFUL job! Thanks Joe!

Halloween & Vine

2010-09-30T17:27:00.000-07:00

Here are a few pics of my table from the 2010 Halloween & Vine Show. I had a great time catching up with everyone and meeting the people who came up to the booth. I did have some medical issues going on so I was a bit out of it and didn't hang around as long as I usually would have, but it was still a lot of fun. I have a few of my left over pieces on ebay

10/31 Volume 4 is ready to go!

2010-09-18T13:20:00.001-07:00

10/31 Volume 4 by Matthew Kirscht | Make Your Own Book

The Frightening Fence!

2010-09-18T12:39:00.000-07:00

This is my newest paper decoration design - the frightful fence. Because it's so complicated to do I will probably make 5 or less. This can form a fence or a square centerpiece by attaching all 4 sides. I will have 2 or 3 of these at Halloween & Vine a week from today.

Halloween & Vine Sneak Peek #1

2010-09-11T14:59:00.000-07:00

Here are 2 new Mini Die cuts I will have at Halloween & vine - each one is a unique color. 4 Demon Kittens & 10 Scarecrow cats will be made in total.

I hope to have some new preview pieces ready to show next week!

A few larger oils

2010-09-07T08:35:00.001-07:00

I just got some work back that had been in galleries over the last year and made them available on my website here.

This is The Candy Banhsee, a 16" x 20" oil, one of the recent additions. Swirling menacing candy appears to keen the death of someone's innocence. :-)

10/31 Volume 4

2010-08-20T10:45:00.000-07:00

It's the deep of August, yet the Halloween is spilling all around me. Someone grab an empty cup! I am putting the finishing touches on the newest volume in my series of Halloween art books "10/31". Like the previous three books, this is a 7" square Hardcover with dust jacket. The limited edition versions are now available for pre order on my website here.

I may monkey about with the front cover a bit more, but as it stands I think it will look like this.

Old Sculptures

2010-08-08T14:34:00.000-07:00

A big thanks to Bobbie Lasky who forwarded me some photos of my sculptures she has taken over the years. I believe most of these are in her collection. It's really great to see these again, I always forget so many of the designs I have done. Thanks Bobbie!!!

PS - the Bat in photo #2 is by Michael Bonfiglio.

Gearing Up For Halloween & Vine

2010-07-28T17:28:00.000-07:00

It's hard to believe the Halloween & Vine art show in Petaluma, CA is less than 2 months away! I have started working harder at having new designs ready for the show. I hope to have several items exclusive to that event.

First up, these are the 2 prototype "Hell Fire Lanterns" The final piece will have a variation of the insert to have more impact. This measures about 7" x 9". One side is fully illustrated, the other has cut away features to act as a lantern. I am only making 10 of these, not counting these 2 prototypes.

I have been wanting to do a jointed cat piece for sometime, and finally just finished this design. It measures about 12" x 17" when fully extended. I will make 20 of this design.

Finally, it's about time to release the 4th volume of my book, "10/31". This is the rough sketch for the front cover painting, more info to come in late August.

Engaged!

2010-07-21T13:02:00.000-07:00

After 5 and a half years of togetherness & 1 year of home ownership, Kathy & I are engaged. Hooray! Thanks for saying yes.... :-)

Here we are dressed as Beef & Broccoli for this last Mardi Gras

I have been really backed up with getting things done these last couple weeks with all that has been going on, but I did just get a Halloween postcard sized painting done & listed on ebay called "Halitosis"

New Wacky Packages!

2010-07-03T16:47:00.000-07:00

I have two pieces in the Just released series 6 of Topps Wacky Packages postcards. Lice is painted from a gag by Paul Harris and is a postcard. H8 is from a gag by Mike Dantzer & Mark Parisi and is a bonus card. Both pieces are available in the set Topps is selling for $6.95. The limited edition sets which featured a hand drawn sketch card, artist Bio Cards, & a bonus card other than H8 sold out in less than 2 hours. Here are scans of the 2 original paintings.

A big thanks to everyone at Topps involved in hiring me to paint these, it's an honor & I appreciate it!

2 Recent Acrylic Paintings

2010-06-27T10:30:00.000-07:00

These two pieces were done this week. The first is a 7" x 10" that I used for a CGC Exclusive postcard of 20 copies, the 2nd is a 4" x 6" Painting on postcard paper that I have up on ebay now. It has been really fun using acrylic again, even though it was a real challenge on the Arches Watercolor paper for the "Paranoia"

"Sometimes The Candy Isn't Worth It"

"Paranoia"

I drink your milk shake

2010-06-20T15:30:00.000-07:00

This commission was started before the oil spill, and I had to finish it after the oil spill. This isn'rt technically a spill, but it was still a little tough to finish. Acrylic on Board, 5.5" x 8.5"

Mini Die Cut #5

2010-06-18T11:50:00.001-07:00

The 5th Mini Die Cut is Done & Will be ready this weekend. After drawing this it kept reminding me of "I want to take a bath in a casket" from the Electric Company, which can be seen here.

Halloween Postcard Commission

2010-06-13T13:28:00.001-07:00

This is a recently finished commission for a friend of mine. It was Based off of a very detailed sketch concept that I really loved, so finishing it off was a joy. Here is "Pumpkin Soup"

A few New Sketch Cards

2010-06-07T07:26:00.001-07:00

Three more recently done, and up on ebay. It's going to be awhile before I do anymore as I am facing doing 60 sketch cards for the Next Wacky Packages Postcard series! The 1st two are from the continuing Spookshow Funnies series, the third is a fairytale world retelling of the "Bloody Mary" legend titled "Bloody Beary". Good old terrifying Bloody Mary. I have to go find out the origins of that one. I can't think of any other urban legend ghost story that has completely terrified so many people, even into their adult life.

One Of A kind Die Cut

2010-06-05T19:48:00.000-07:00

This Sunday on ebay I will make available my first unique die cut. I decided to begin making one of a kind pieces of more complex or bizarre images. This one measures about 17" across from left to right. I have some really kooky ideas up my sleeve I can't wait to get to!

Candy Box!

2010-05-28T12:58:00.000-07:00

I just completed my first candy box, I hope to have 4 designs done in time for Halloween & Vine this Fall. This measures just under 4.5" x 2" x 3". I am making 20 of these.

Tiny Portraits & Scrambles in the Night!

2010-05-16T12:18:00.000-07:00

It's full fledged summer here in New Orleans, makes it hard to grab the Halloween feeling, but I have been trying my best!

This weekend I completed the 2nd set of Tiny Portraits die Cuts. Each measures about 5.5" tall and goes perfectly with series one. There are only 50 sets of these being made, each one is signed on the back.

This week also saw the completion of the Midnight Scramble board game. This is limited to 25 copies.

Black & White Fright

2010-05-08T18:02:00.001-07:00

My very late addition to the May 2010 EHAG Challenge - Black & White fright, on ebay now.

New Sculpture!

2010-05-02T22:22:00.001-07:00

I had a great time making this 5" tall candy Container today. There is a plug that pulls out of the bottom to reveal the secret candy chamber. His hair & hat band are made of vintage crepe paper. I am excited to do some more sculpting! I have a few more shots on my flickr stream, but here are two for now.

My Romantic Adventure #50

2010-04-20T15:11:00.000-07:00

I had a great time at the Chicago Comic & Entertainment show this past weekend, even if it was thoroughly exhausting. I was able to go to Trader Vic's on Friday Night, one of my favorite places in the world. I even learned to dance the Hula on "Stage" and ended up in a dance off where I went a little nuts perhaps. :-) I met lots of great people, saw old friends, and even found this comic... perhaps the most disturbing Romance cover of all time - My Romantic Adventure #50.

The expression, the thought Balloons, the coloring, everything perfectly marries to produce a truly unforgettable piece of Romantic terror!

I listed a few ACEOs on ebay & etsy today, some I had posted here previously, and some newer ones like these:

I'll close out for now with one more great comic I picked up. I think the scariest thing about it may be his lip!

C2E2 This weekend!

2010-04-14T09:57:00.001-07:00

If you are in Chicago, or attending the C2E2 show, I will be at the Pop Culture pin Trading Co. booth doing sketches & selling art all weekend. Come by and say hello!

More info:

http://www.c2e2.com/

"The Cheat"

2010-04-12T11:23:00.000-07:00

Recently finished 16" x 20" oil on panel. The only guidance was "I want a bunch of your type of characters to be playing poker"; so here it is. PIcture is a bit wonky, but it's the best I could get of it.

Easter Trauma Sketch Cards #6, 7 & 8

2010-04-09T14:31:00.001-07:00

Here are the next 3 sketch cards completed for the Limited Easter Trauma sets.

Evening Ride

2010-04-06T19:14:00.001-07:00

I finished this piece today, the first Acrylic painting I have done in ages. It ended up being a lot of fun, I think I'll do some more acrylics! I wish the scan could show the luminosity of the glazes, but oh well. I am liking the idea of giant heads lately, not sure why....

Recent Work

2010-04-04T14:25:00.000-07:00

Today I finished this 4" x 6" Halloween postcard painting and listed it on ebay. I call it "Grab!"

I also listed this 18" x 24" Oil on canvas which I finished in late November of 2009, this is called "Shame" and is the last in a series of work that was much darker in tone then previous pieces.

I will be a guest artist at the Pop Culture Trading Pins booth at the C2E2 Comic & media convention in Chicago on April 16-18. I am trying to get some extra work done to have with me there for sale. So far I have done 7 sketch cards. I am excited about the show, trhe Last Chicago convention was a blast, If you will be in town, stop by & say hello!

Easter Trauma Sketch Cards #2 & 3

2010-03-24T19:39:00.001-07:00

Here are the next two sketch cards for the Easter Trauma set.

Easter Trauma Trading Cards

2010-03-23T15:22:00.000-07:00

My newest limited card set takes aim at Easter.

There are 5 cards, each limited to 50 copies. The deluxe set, limited to the first 12 of those 50 sets, also features the wrapper, a piece of gum, and a color sketch. The backs feature sad little tales about various aspects of Easterville. This photo shows the sketch that accompanies set #1 of 12.

Hearse Talk

2010-03-18T16:54:00.000-07:00

I have been in the artistic doldrums of late. Nary an inspiration to be found. I guess that happens sometimes, but I hate it. Blah.

My Shiverbones compadre from the North has made something wonderful though... "Hearse Talk". Michael Bonfiglio shot & edited this, and came up with the grooving theme music. My old pal Halsey does the interview. Fun stuff, I can't wait to see episode 2!

New Art Bits

2010-03-08T06:34:00.000-08:00

This is the prototype for my large jointed veggie-Cat. It's about 15" x 20", and has 5 points of movement. I thought the legs were to wonky, so I am redoing them before I go ahead with officially releasing the design. This prototype is on ebay this week, along with...

The Newest 4"x6" postcard painting. This is similar to the 4 Veggie People portrait paintings I did with this sort of border over the last year.

I started doing some sketch cards for "Spookshow Funnies" a week ago, here is what 4 of them looked like.

Finally, some of my sketch cards from the new Wacky Packages postcard sets are hitting ebay from various sellers, and they are selling for way more than I ever thought! All the sketch cards are doing well, I guess only having 50 by each artist isn't nearly enough.

ebay #200447504942 has the Klepto hand "Shawl Grab" it ends in an hour and is at $156, last night ebay #130372833860, the Klepto "Umbrella Grab" ended with a BIN of $125

Mini Die Cut #4

2010-03-03T13:16:00.000-08:00

Just finished this morning, here is the 4th in the series of mini die cuts. This measures about 7.75" tall and 25 copies will be produced, each embossed, signed & numbered.

My first Wacky Packages Painting!

2010-03-01T12:34:00.001-08:00

I have a painting included in the newest Topps Wacky packages postcard set which just became available today. I loved these stickers as a kid, and still do as an adult :-) I have dreamed about being part of the history of Wacky Packages for as long as I can remember, so this is hugely exciting to me. Here is a scan of the original art before any pre-press work was done on it. The gag was written by Mark Parisi, I translated it into paint.

Each of the 5 artists in this set sketched 50 cards, and these are randomly included in the 250 Limited edition sets. At this point the limited sets are half gone after 2 hours of being available, so If you have any desire to go for a set with a sketch card, time is running out. The sets can be bought here: http://www.toppsonlinestore.com/servlet/the-545/2010-Wacky-Packages-Series/Detail

The Stars Conspire On Halloween

2010-02-28T21:04:00.001-08:00

While coming up with ideas for the February limited Halloween postcard, I realized in 10 years I had not yet done a "Classic" witch flying on a broom postcard yet. I played around a bit & came up with this one. The original painting is far more aqua toned in the sky, but my scanner just could not pick it up. Here is an image of the Painting & the finished card front.

I blew up my website.

2010-02-22T15:41:00.000-08:00

In the process of trying to restore all my broken links to the website I had to download the whole thing to my computer. This blew my bandwidth & it is temporarily unavailable. Hopefully it will be back up soon!

Sprawling Sculpture

2010-02-22T07:17:00.000-08:00

This is a recent sculpture I did as a commission for a friend & collector in Canada. I was never able to get a good shot of this beast, it is a sprawling, spindly piece going off at odd angles and turns.I can't remember for sure now that I have mailed it, nut I believe it was about 18" Head to tail & 14" foot to head. Here we go, a series of terrible photos of one of my favorite sculptures. :-)

Good Times and Bad

2010-02-17T22:53:00.000-08:00

My dear friend John Ward, owner of National Art & Hobby here in New Orleans tragically & suddenly passed away last weekend. I am trying to reconcile this and the huge hole his loss leaves in the city in general and our lives on a more personal level. A more giving, positive and selfless man I have never met.

John is pictured here standing next to me at the opening of my show at the Big Top Gallery last October.

I miss you, and hope all is at peace for you.

Crazy two weeks

2010-02-10T09:17:00.000-08:00

The beginning of Mardi Gras, the Saints winning the 2 big games of the year and the resulting parade of nearly 1,000,000 people Last night, pshwew! Great time to be in New Orleans. Except of course for the temperatures lately. :-) I really shouldn't complain about lows in the 30's considering the snow pounding many of my friends are suffering through. Spring is coming, keep your eyes on the prize!

My production has been cut down dramatically for all of the above as well as a commercial project I am working on that has a tight deadline. It's pretty exciting to me & I can't wait to be able to share the news.

Today I noticed someone is selling one of my older postcard paintings on ebay. It was always one of my favorites, and am half tempted to buy it back! I think the price is about $25 less than I sold it for originally. It will be fun to see if it sells.

edit: It sold, I should have gone for it! :-(

The Haunted Log is Finally Finished!

2010-01-30T10:02:00.000-08:00

After three prototype attempts, I have now perfected the Haunted Log and am ready to make it available. The Lantern is made of cardboard printed with an archival ink face. It is one piece that folds into the shape and is finished off with a wire bail & insert. There will be 20 made, and they are all hand cut and assembled by me. These look great with a flickering light or LED inside. The next lantern should be even better, I can't wait to get started on it!

Because Michael Bonfiglio is just too damn good

2010-01-23T23:10:00.000-08:00

Everything he does makes me smile, and often, it makes me jealous.

his work can be found at http://www.shiverbones.com/grotesquerie

TV BS

2010-01-22T21:46:00.000-08:00

Hope to see you soon Conan. The 2 funniest things I have ever seen on network TV were on your late night show - Nipsey Russel narrating the story of the Turtle who wanted to be a muffin, and the new game show "Try to ignore the bear" you will be missed. Until you come back. Maybe on HBO?

Vile Valentines Trading Cards

2010-01-20T16:12:00.000-08:00

This is my newest set of limited edition hand made trading cards. Each uses the classic non-sports card formula of "Funny" caption with a creepy image. The backs are similarly based on the old standard of having really terrible jokes. Like the Spookshow Funnies set, there are 50 of each card being made, but no back variations this time, as I figured out a lot of the hiccups prior to printing these. The promo card is completely different though, there were 9 made, and it reflects my original idea of doing the backs similar to the SF set, but it just seemed like too much of a repeat so I changed it last minute.

The wrapper is used on a full set, and even contains a stick of pink gum!

This is the back variation on the nine promo cards

Halloween Mini Die Cut #3

2010-01-17T21:22:00.000-08:00

I completed this one today, it is from an edition of 20-10 embossed and 10 flat. This was inspired by the rather elusive Beistle Cat pulling a Witch in a cart die cut.

Lazer Portrait Muscovy Ducks

2010-01-15T21:37:00.000-08:00

Kathy Rodriguez nails the suburban New Orleans experience with the Metairie Ducks. Click for full image.

Kathy Rodriguez

The 4 things I wanted to be when I grew up

2010-01-12T05:41:00.000-08:00

I have been thinking about this lately, maybe because I am still waiting to feel like I have grown up. In no order of importance, here they are:

Oceanographer - I was mesmerized by the sea, loved to draw Moray eels and repeatedly checked out books from the library about Jellyfish attacks. I recently was so drawn to the "Deep Blue" while in the Gulf of Mexico, I nearly walked straight into the murky depths. I did see some jumping Manta Ray fellas, which was wonderful. I may not be done with this one...the siren song of the deep blue calls.

Entymologist: I walked around with a net hoping to catch dragonflies, tried to feed ants to the ant lions (though the funnels were usually empty, once I actually saw an ant lion! I almost popped!) and repeatedly checked books out of the library about insect attacks. Now I try to avoid insects, but sometimes I still watch them mill about doing their thing.

Adam Ant: Who wouldn't have wanted to be Adam! Maybe not the Prince Charming phase so much though. I came close to this one, I was briefly in an Adam ant cover band in my 20's. We were all to dress up like different versions of Adam. We only practiced 2 times but man I really had Press Darlings down.

Artist: Being sent to my room was a daily punishment for me, the reasons were interchangeable. I spent a lot of time drawing monsters, especially Godzilla being attacked by planes. In third grade I made my 1st book "Guinea Pigs All Around" It's terrible. I drew a film strip about wasps (See above) for the E.P.I.C. program in 4th grade, but was chided when I drew 7 or 8 frames in a row showing the effects of bee stings on different parts of the body. Not much has changed.

One out of 4 isn't so bad, maybe one day the Deep Blue will make it an even 50%.

Midnight Scramble

2010-01-11T19:21:00.001-08:00

A Halloween game based on the classic Beistle games of the 30's & 40's has been something I have wanted to do for ages. I finally finished a prototype of my 1st one today, "Midnight Scramble". The goal is to get "Safe In Bed" before the clock strikes midnight. One hour is marked off on the clock after each round. I have a fortune game in mind next, but I really wanted to design a board game first. Here is a lousy pic of the finished product. The finished game measures 8.5" x 14.5".

New Halloween pieces this week

2010-01-09T13:58:00.000-08:00

This week I finished my newest postcard, this is vintage sized 3.5" x 5.5" and comes as a flat card (30 copies) or embossed & gilded (15 copies). I love the sub-genre of Antique Halloween cards that feature voyeuristic creeps looking in windows as well as cards that feature children peering out windows and seeing terrible sights. This was my entry into that category. I also decided it was time to put some rhyming verse on the front.

I also finished my first set of 3 mini die cuts. I have been wanting to make a line that are more affordable, so I came up with smaller portraits that are non-embossed. This was a tricky balance for me, I tend to overwork things & really wanted to do some designs in a more simple "Luhrs"-ish style. For me, the more realistic or polished a piece is, the less life and charm it has. The struggle to keep things a bit crude & charming rather than realistically rendered led to many false attempts & sketches before I found a balance I liked. These measure between 5" & 6" each, and I hope to have 30 different characters done in the whole set as time goes by.

The Spark Of The Rough

2010-01-03T18:52:00.000-08:00

Here are some roughs of recent projects and the finished pieces. Often times I find the roughs to be more interesting in some primal way. The spark that ignites the initial sketch is almost impossible to bring through to the final piece. Maybe I should just do roughs :-)

Christmas card commission:

The Horror of the Bath Tub

2010-01-02T11:11:00.000-08:00

My friend Kevin O'Mara has created many of the most disturbing photos I have ever seen. This one is no exception. Take a look at his work, it's all wonderful, and sometimes, well... terrifying.

See his Photos here

It's Christmas Eve

2009-12-23T22:36:00.000-08:00

Have you been nice?

Or Naughty?

Spookshow Funnies

2009-12-22T13:06:00.000-08:00

I have been asked by several people for a visual checklist of all the cards in my recent Spookshow Funnies Trading card ACEO set. I wanted some time to pass before I showed them so people opening up packs would be surprised with what they saw. I will also add all other info I have at this time. Here is the full set of 27 fronts, as well as the extra front for card #23 of which there were only 3 made before I pulled & replaced it with the Jack in the box version.

There were these following variations(Taken from my website):

I have made some changes which have affected the initial printing plates of the cards. I do believe now though, that all printing plates are as they should be. Several earlier printings still had some blue lines on the back, these are gone now.

Card #23 has 2 versions. After the initial 3 plates were printed, I decided the image was weak and replaced it with a stronger one.

Card #5 has 2 versions, each facing a different way. There are 6 copies of the figure facing left before it was changed

Cards #20, 22, 23 each have 5 versions with a puzzle back, all other versions have text

Cards #24, 25, 26 have 10 copies with a puzzle back, all the rest are text.

These variations are part of the intentional breakdown of the plates

Card #21 comes with 2 different puzzle backs & a text back

Cards #8 & 17 have 2 different puzzle backs in equal quantity

Cards #1, 4, 5, & 27 have either a puzzle back or text back

So far Out of the 50 copies of each card, the break down of what has sold so far is as follows:

#1 - 18
#2 - 17
#3 - 17
#4 - 8
#5 - 17
#6 - 11
#7 - 9
#8 - 13
#9 - 11
#10 - 9
#11 - 9
#12 - 9
#13 - 9
#14 - 16
#15 - 9
#16 - 9
#17 - 13
#18 - 16
#19 - 9
#20 - 15
#21 - 21
#22 - 21
#23 - 21
#24 - 13
#25 - 13
#26 - 13
#27 - 14

There are 5 complete sets that I know of so far.

A final shot of a mixed up ile of the cards. This has been a lot of fun to do, and I am glad the reception has been good as I am now working on a "Vile Valentines" set for February

6 Down, 2 to go

2009-12-20T16:14:00.000-08:00

These little & obscure Luhrs die cuts are some of my all time favorites. They certainly aren't the most attractive set Beistle put out, but something about their small size, unusual imagery & difficulty in finding them makes them a bit magical in my eyes.

These were available in the Beistle Bee-Line 1954 catalog, and I would imagine not many other years which would account for how hard to find they are. I haven't seen enough other catalog years to know for sure. They range from about 5" to 6" tall.

I got these 6 from the same source in Seattle, WA, and they each have a stamp on the back which says "MR.TILNER". Names on things bother some collectors, but I love knowing who had them at one time & the possibility of being able to find out just where they came from. This was one of those rare cases!

I assumed because the stamp said "MR." it was most likely a teacher, so I did some searching and it seems these would have belonged to Seattle School District's Jack Tilner, a teacher & Librarian during the time these die cuts were made. I like these little die cuts that much more knowing these were most likely hung up in a school classroom or library for all of the students to see.

It's Christmas After All

2009-12-17T00:07:00.000-08:00

A blast from the past, The "other" Shiverbones Group member with his 2001 Holiday Classic "Snowball In The Face"

Let's Give this a shot

2009-12-16T23:30:00.001-08:00

I thought I'd never attempt this, my ADD isn't good for continued posting, but I'll see where it goes.

I'll start 'er off with my favorite photo of all time. I wish I remember where I found this, but it was many years ago on the internet. If anyone knows I'd like to give proper credit to the original poster.

From a 1950's Playground equipment catalog... The best photo ever!

Could you imagine how much worse it would be if there was a wasp nest in the mouth? Yikes!!!!