Sumo

Mr Toast Lunchbox

I was invited to be in a show of custom lunchboxes at Monkeyhouse Toys this coming September. So I bought a nice shiny new blank lunchbox.

I chose to do a box based on some of my Mr Toast in Outer Space images.

I stripped off the hardware and sprayed the box black.

I started by painting the front to see how it was going to go. I used acrylics for most of the painting and an enamel silver for the space ship.

Then I worked on the remaining 5 sides all at once.

After about a week I had it all painted up and put back together with the original hardware. Now I just have to find someone who wants to mass produce them.....

Crazy 4 Cult Opening

Well it was packed again last night for the opening of the Crazy 4 Cult show at Gallery 1988. The line went around the block and the wait was long just to get inside. It is pretty amazing when Art becomes Event.

If you want to see more the art in the show check out Andrew's Old Man Musings blog. He got some nice shots of the art and a few of Kevin Smith!

Planet Bacon

Mr Toast's USA Tour - Alabama

Upon entering the Birmingham Botanical Gardens one is greeted by a fountain which actually encourages visitors to get wet. Mr. Toast declined, feeling quite content to remain dry.

Mr. Toast soaks up a bit of sunshine beside the rose garden.

Mr. Toast soaks up a lot of sun on the nearby lush lawn.

When at the Botanical Gardens, one really must also visit the Japanese Gardens. Mr. Toast agreed.

Vulcan Park is the best spot in Birmingham for a view of the entire city (and to play make believe Godzilla by stomping on a pavement map).

Mr. Toast comments on the attractiveness of the abundance of red brick on Birmingham's southside.

Mr. Toast politely asked whether I might have a spare quarter so that he might take a closer look.

Mr. Toast learns the significance of Vulcan to a city that was born of iron and steel manufacture.

Mr. Toast is a cultured enough fellow that rather than snickering at the god of the forge's bare buttocks he instead ponders the statue's mythological background and classical influence.

The interior of the Alabama Theatre is a slendiferous display of the glory of the golden age of cinema-going, but, sadly, we arrived right in the middle of a film already in progress.

Mr. Toast waxed philosophical regarding the legitimacy of urban art if it's created strictly for commercial purposes (in this case to sell performance auto parts).

A hot summer in the city necessitates going back to nature for a cool down.

Going back to nature also requires moments of cooling down.

Mr. Toast hoped I was exaggerating when I said that the car was completely out of gas because he feared refueling at this locale might be problematic.

Thank you Brian for playing host to Mr Toast in Alabama.....

Crazy 4 Cult

Opening this Tuesday, July 17th, at Gallery 1988 is the Crazy 4 Cult Show. All of the art in the show is based on classic cult movies. Hosting the opening is Kevin Smith and Scott Mosier. I have 2 paintings in the show both with slightly more adult themes then I usually do. It should be a great opening and a great show.

Lava Lamp

Felt Club

I just got home from Felt Club. Flet Club is a crafts show they hold a couple times a year here in LA. The show was amazing but very crowded and very hot. It was only $1 to get in and I was one of the first 250 people so I got a free goodie bag with lots of books and flyers. Inside were booths by Boy Girl Party, I Heart Guts, Mahar Dry Goods, Sewing Stars, Steven Weissman, etc. I went once around the show to get a lay of the land. When I went back for a second pass it was so crowded, I couldnt really get down the aisles. So I packed it up and came home. I did pick up shirts from I Heart Guts and Boy Girl Party. Now I know how it feels for the crowds at Comic Con. I much perfer to be on the inside of a booth.

San Diego Comic Con

With the San Diego Comic Con less then two weeks away, I started thinking about all times I have attended. I started going in the mid 1970's when I was about 10 years old. My dad would drive me down and I would spend hours digging through boxes of old comics. The badges back then were just stickers like the one shown above featuring the Shadow by Bernie Wrightson.

I got out of comics for a few years but was reintroduced to them when Frank Miller was doing Daredvil in the early 80's and me and my high school friends started going again. I still remember seeing Douglas Adams talk in 1983 right as the Hitch Hikers Guide to the Galaxy was huge sci-fi success.

In the mid 1990's, Steve and I set up at the show selling toys and comics. It was fun to do but a lot of work. Through the 90's I continued to go to the show buying toys.

Then in 2005, I did my first set up in small press with Mr Toast. The show was a complete success and I made a ton of new Mr Toast fans.

Last year I moved up and got a whole 10x10 booth. Once again the show was amazing. Now I am just getting the last few things together for this years booth and it looks to be my best booth yet. So if you are coimng to the con, stop by and say hi, I will be at booth #2648.

Quaker Instant Oatmeal

Mr Toast's USA Tour - Oklahoma

Next stop beautiful Oklahoma.

Mr Toast took a sobering visit to the Oklahoma City National Memorial.

Then back to spend some time on the porch with a few new OK friends.

Time once again to hit the road, Route 66 to be exact. A big thanks to Dean for showing Mr Toast around the Sooner State.

Mr Toast Toy