Bitter Sweets

Ryan Myers and PinkGhost would like to invite you to Bitter Sweets: Ryan Myers Solo Art Show Opening at PinkGhost.

Rain on parades, dropped ice cream cones; life has a way of balancing the good and the bad. Bitter Sweets: a solo show by Ryan Myers at PinkGhost in Ft. Lauderdale pits the bitter versus the sweet. Full of leering stares from disenchanted children, looming conversation hearts and other disastrous confections, this new series brings images of all-consuming melancholy to its paintings and custom vinyl toys. What better to explore the dichotomy of bitter/sweet than a candy land where contempt and loathing are disguised in cotton candy pinks and gumdrop greens.

Ryan Myers is a New York artist. His works have been included in various shows across the country. An opening reception for Bitter Sweets with the artist in attendance will be held on April 14th at 8pm with free coffee and cupcakes, awesome DJs and amazing artwork. Check out his figural work below.

    

20 Ltd.

After my tirade against cool hunters the other day I almost feel like a hypocrite posting this, but then again, I don't give a shit, that's how fuckin' punk I am. Anyway, I was checking out Cool Hunting on this glorious spring afternoon and I saw this post about 20 Ltd., and since my job here is to bring y'all the Limited Ed. goodies, I figured I should cut and paste this shit into my blog. Anyway, 20 Ltd. is a website that features 20 Limited Ed. products at a time for purchase. When any one runs out it is replaced from a list of other Limited Ed. products. You can get advance access to the site from Cool Hunting here. Here's what CH has to say about 20 Ltd.:

ditions of items, like an op-art Pucci rug, an Opus foosball table (pitting good vs. evil with players like Gandhi and Hitler) and a Solange pot leaf-shaped ring, are each limited to different quantities. When they sell out a new product takes its place, with the total number of products available never being more than 20 at any given time. A section on the site called the "Next 20" allows shoppers to view future products.

With a commitment to good design and an aim to create heirloom-quality pieces, co-founder Jolyon Fenwick explains, "we wanted to be a bit like walking into a museum but where you can actually buy the stuff." Using a product-centric model, 20 Ltd. keeps the focus on authenticity, genuine enthusiasm and passion for items "created because someone wanted to create it not just to sell it." Defining a "new luxury, the approach makes for products that avoid trends and flashiness and are available to anyone with an internet connection.

Now where are my props from 20 Ltd.? Doesn't Limited Ed. deserve an interview with 20 Ltd. co-founder Jolyon Fenwick? Not that Limited Ed. could afford anything on 20 Ltd., but come on, you know where they got the idea from. Don't I get any credit here?

How Low Can A Punk Get?!

   

Last night, Mac and I were sitting around reminiscing about the bad old days of the Durham/Chapel Hill Hardcore scene of the late 80's and early 90's, looking for pictures that might have people in them that we vaguely remember, talking about people like Napalm with his beautifully quaffed, multi-colored Mohawks, mouse-clicking our way through the close-by and infinitely influential DC punk scene via Yellow Arrow.

This morning I continued our search, and Mac joined in. I discovered some slightly used Celibate Commandos 7" records [pictured above, left] on a French online record store. Only three copies available, pretty damn Limited Ed. Of course, I have both of their records already. Mac found a great looking book, entitled Punk Love [pictured above, right] by Susie J. Horgan with text by Henry Rollins, Ian and Alec MacKaye about the birth of the Washington, DC punk movement.

I kind of remember the late 80's, early 90's (too many blows to the head), going to Street Scene and Cat's Cradle in Chapel Hill and the Duke Coffeeshop in Durham to see bands like the Celibate Commandos, Rights Reserved, Rat Nuts, Tonka, Creeping Flesh, 23 More Minutes, Bad Brains, Corrosion of Conformity, etc. Of course, Ernie Dollar remembers that stuff a whole lot better than I do. And he has the Myspace page to prove it. I remember Ernie, we were both friends with Edward from Celibate Commandos. Also, we went to the same high school. He was a couple of years older than me, but I would see him in Mr. Pustaver's art room all the time because we were both artists.

With all this reminiscing, I was wondering, is there anything like this for kids today? Is there a scene for the social outcasts and misfits of today to go let off some steam, thrash around, yell, and bang on things? Or is that why things like Columbine happen now, because punk is dead? Maybe kids today are too busy playing World of Warcraft to get out and play some guitar, grow a Mohawk, pin a banner on a leather jacket, and scream at the top of their lungs. It's too bad. I miss those days. Sigh.

Chapel Hill Comics Monster Sale 2007!

One day only, today, Friday, March 23rd, from 10 am until 6 pm. 20-50% off comic supplies, trading and game cards, t-shirts, assorted graphic novels, and most plush toys. Back issues and comic sets are buy one get one free! Graphic novels, Manga, books, trading and action figures are buy two get one free! So get on down and get yourself some comic goodies.

Attaboy At Pink Ghost

Cool = Rich

    

I have been keeping my eye on all of the "cool hunting" websites for the last few years and I have noticed a trend. All of the items that they consider "cool" are especially expensive. Now I know a lot of the items that I report about are expensive, at least for me, but they are also Limited Ed., so it makes sense that they would be expensive. I remember back when I was young and hip, the cool kids weren't always the rich kids. A lot of the cool kids were actually the rebellious kids from the wrong side of the tracks who wore Army surplus jackets and combat boots. Apparently, that is no longer "cool". Nowadays, you have to get yourself a $160 V:Room t-shirt (a $160 t-shirt?! What?!) or a $390 Kidrobot 23 Shell jacket to be "cool". You have to travel around the world and stay in the most opulent hotel rooms and eat at the fanciest restaurants. Well, I can't afford any of that stuff, I'm poor, so I guess that makes me un-cool. Well, screw that! I think you can be just as cool without being rich. In fact, you can be more cool, 'cause you're from the streets, and that is where style originates! So I am putting out a challenge to all of the "cool hunters" out there to bring us information on products, services, vacations, restaurants, etc. that your normal, everyday joe/jane can afford. I will continue to bring you the best in Limited Ed., hand-made, rare, one-of-a-kind, custom items, but I will also be on the lookout for stuff on the cheap for those of you out there not making six figures. And that's my public service announcement for the day. Thank you.

Closed For March Madness

I have temporarily been infected with March Madness and might be a little spotty with posting for a couple of weeks.

4-20 Attack!

Opening Reception
April 20th, 2007 6-9PM
Show runs through 05/20/07

myplasticheart nyc
210 Forsyth St
New York, NY 10002

Down With The Sickness

Sorry about not posting anything recently, I have been a little ill. Probably something I ate, or that ate me! Hardy-har-har. That last bit was a result of my illness.

Cross Contour Crazy!

I remember back in art school when we did cross contour drawing. It was in one of those Drawing 101 classes that I hated so much because the professors treated us like kindergarteners. If they would have let me skip all of those basic drawing classes, I would have been much better off and would have enjoyed art school a lot more. I had been taking art classes since birth, I knew how to draw already. Well, apparently someone was paying attention in those Drawing 101 classes. And that person is Dave Flores, who will be having an exhibit opening this Saturday, March 10^th, at project: gallery in Los Angeles from 7-11pm. I have appreciated Mr. Flores' work since I first saw it on his first toy, the Kon Artis figure. I also like his gold and silver Dunnys. David Flores is known for his cross contour drawings of famous people and cartoon icons. He has definitely taken advantage of that art school education. I'm jealous.

Boldly Go...

To see the Nimoys on Sunday, March 25^th at 7:30pm at the 92^nd Street Y, located at 1395 Lexington Ave. in New York City, for a conversation on art collecting with Anastasia Aukeman, a writer and critical studies professor at Parsons The New School for Design, and Chair of the Skowhegan Alliance. Actor Leonard Nimoy and his wife, Susan Bay-Nimoy, have been collecting art for years. Find out how they began, what some of their best discoveries have been and how they assembled a very personal and important collection. And if you get the opportunity to ask Lenny a question, ask what in the world he was thinking when he sang, "Bilbo Baggins, the greatest little Hobbit of them all." The event is sponsored by the Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture and costs $25 or $15 for a College Art Association member or teacher with ID. To purchase tickets, call the 92^nd Street Y at (212) 415-5500 or order on-line at www.92y.org.