It's The Shoes

Alright, my third day in the office and I haven't gotten fired yet. Sweet! Of course, I did accidentally set off the alarm yesterday by pressing a nondescript button under my desk that no one told me about, bringing a couple of cops to my rescue. Luckily, this sort of thing has happened here before, and since I'm the new guy everyone just thought it was funny and didn't get mad at me. And now everyone here knows who I am. They're all like, "Hey, you must be the guy who set off the alarm, that was hilarious."

Anyway, I was looking at my blog today and noticed I had spent several posts in a row writing about toys. I figured I should write about something else instead. So, on to my next favorite Limited Ed. collectible; shoes. There's a relatively new (I've only seen two episodes) show on ESPN2 called It's the Shoes. It's all about sneaker culture, collectors, celebrity and athlete collections, and of course, Limited Ed. shoes. The host, Bobbito Garcia, who is a jack of all trades, presents his guests with custom made sneaks at the end of each interview. My favorite episode is the one with skateboarder Paul Rodriguez, Jr. who shows off his custom Futura and laser cut Nikes. Check out some pics from the show here.

Yeah, I know, there was nothing purchaseable in that last little bit there. To make up for it, Vespa sent me an e-mail about a new model they have. Check out the new Vespa LX:



According to Vespa's website:

From the same pedigree as the first Vespa prototype built by Piaggio in 1946, the LX is 60 years in the making. Witness the evolution of style, comfort, and performance with the core values of Vespa that never change: eco-friendly engineering, passion, individualism, and integrity.

The new Vespa LX comes in a 50cc and 150cc version which will top out at 59 mph. I'd like to sell my car and get one of these to cruise around on, but I do have to occasionally drive on the highway, and I'm afraid this little scooter would not cut it. Anyway, that's the Limited Ed. for now. Check back tomorrow for more fun new stuff.

Back To Work

I finally broke down and went to a temp agency to find myself a job because my unemployment is about to run out. I am working this week in the Engineering Department of the City of Chapel Hill. I have a nice view from City Hall of all the peons on the street below. Of course, I am just covering for the receptionist while she is on vacation for a week, but I still feel special. I only answered the phone about six times yesterday, so they said I could read or use the internet if I wanted to. Guess what that means? It means that I can get my brother off my back and post something new here. That punk has been riding me like the family mule to post something. Anyway, Sweaty Frog has some new toys on their website including some new Stikfas like the Rockstar Stikfas:



and the Diver and Octopus Stikfas:



These guys aren't really Limited Ed., I think they produce a ton of them in Singapore, but they are really fun to construct and pose. The nice thing is the joints on these guys stay really stiff, so they stay in the poses you put them in really well.

Sweaty Frog also has just gotten in the Little Apple Dolls. These things are cute in a kinda' scary way. I bought my girlfriend the Irae Doll:



Because I felt weird about buying a doll like this for myself. Not to mention, my toy collection has gotten so big I have no room for it anymore. Half of my toys are still in their boxes in my closet. I have thought about selling some of them so I don't have to work for a while, but I just can't get rid of them, not after the trauma of childhood yard sales and lost Star Wars figures. Anyway, I should get back to work. Or get back to sitting at my desk waiting for the phone to ring. I wish I had brought another book in with me this morning.

Everybody's Back From Comic Con

And they all have new toys. Ningyoushi has the new Star Wars Series 4 Kubrick Set:



Check out the Darth Vader Variant:



It has young Luke's face visible through the broken helmet, just like in Empire when Luke faced his dark side on Dagobah. Also on the Star Wars tip, Ningyoushi is taking pre-orders for the Medicom 12" Star Wars Stormtrooper:



In other toy news, Wootini has released their second figure in association with STRANGEco and Scott Musgrove; the Glamour Cat:



Seen here in its Ultra Violet variant. There are only 50 of this variant left, so capture one before they run out.

It's For Lubrication!

New York, New York / It's a helluva' town / Ya' know the Bronx is up / And I'm Brooklyn down!

So's I was up in da' big city, da' rotten apple, last weekend fer the test screening fer me brudder's first feature film, The Kingdom of Silence, a.k.a. The Cool Season, a.k.a. Summer in Siam, a.k.a. Elephant Becomes Foreigner. Personally, I think he should call it Menage-a-Thai but that might sound too much like a porno flick. Anywho, the movie was excellent. It just needs a little tightening up and I think it will be ready for Sundance. I won't plot spoil, but I will say this, the movie reminded me so much of real life that I nearly started bawling at the end. Ellen Burstyn looks just like my mom in the movie, down to the haircut, and acts just like her as well. It's almost scary. Joseph Sommers, who plays my dad in the movie, didn't really look or act a whole lot like my dad, he was more of goofy comic relief for a pretty heavy movie. Wait, my dad is goofy comic relief. We also went to the 2nd Avenue Deli, the Takashi Murakami exhibit at the Japan Society which was amazing, the International Center of Photography where my dad noted owning several of the photo books in The Open Book exhibit, the Cezanne and Pisarro exhibit at the Museum of Modern Art, the Lee Friedlander exhibit at MoMA, the Bathing Ape store in SOHO, Kidrobot, brunch at the Williamsburg Cafe, and breakfast at Cafeteria which for some reason does not have its own website. It was a whirlwind tour of food and art, two of my favorite things. I also got to see tons of grafitti in Williamsburg, which must be where Neckface lives, because there was so much Neckface grafitti in Williamsburg it made me almost shit my pants. Okay, maybe that was from all of the food and walking and the fact that there are no public toilets in New York. Anyway, here are some pictures from the trip:





I have more, but they are on my dad's digital camera and he hasn't put them up on the interweb yet. Also, check out Music Hurts, "A quarterly digital music magazine for now - all things from an event, to TV and radio, to print media in the future - Music Hurts is here to lay bare the truth that an online music title can be beautiful and challenging; can get involved from unexpected angles; can get to grips with the look as much as the sound of music." They sent me an e-mail, so I had to plug 'em. Also, on the recomendation of my cuz' Scott, check out Royal Groove to listen to and download the funkiest of all the funky jazz-funk that you can get your groove on to. And lastly, if you are going to be in New York between July and September and you are, like me, a huge fan of Anime, check out the Anime!! exhibit at the MoMA, with films being shown around the clock.

Back To Toys

First of all, My Plastic Heart, in association with Playland Imaginative, are having a design contest for their Trexi Action Figure:



For about twenty bucks you get two blank Trexis, five Sharpie® markers and a serial tab for authentication. There are only 1000 of these Trexi Doodle Design packs available, so get them quick before they run out. If only I was employed and could afford it, I would get one myself. I always have doodle design ideas floating around in my melon.

Second, it seems that Kidrobot has released their second series of Dunny figures upon the earth:



There are some great artists included in this series, including Glenn Barr, Huck Gee, Frank Kozik, and Sket One. There are also rare, one-of-a-kind pieces included in the series, like six hand-painted Dunnys.

Thirdly, Wootini is getting ready to release their second action figure creation. Apparently, the Jermaine Rogers figure, Dero, did well enough that they are ready to produce another figure. They will have pictures of the new figure on their website as soon as they have a production sample to take pictures of. Until then, on the Wootini website, you can check out and purchase my masterpiece Approaching a City: Redux:



Enjoy all the new toys, and please, somebody, buy my painting so I can have some money to eat. I'm a starving artist here. Jeez.

What A Weekend!

I don't know where to start or where to begin. I guess I should start with Friday night and the opening of the Rebirth and Awakenings Show at Wootini. The place was packed all night. I was there from 7 pm until 10 pm, when I was too sweaty to be around people anymore. I'm sure there were people there until midnight, when the party ended. The keg ran out at around 9:30, so Panzanella's helped out by bringing pitchers of beer over to satisfy the thirsty. Here are some pictures from the opening:




Everyone liked my new painting, the one of the subway tracks, buildings and graffiti. The two black and white illustrations beneath it are also mine.

The rest of my weekend went equally well. Saturday night I... well... uh... I think that story is better left for another time. Anyway, Sunday night I went to see Bob Dylan and Willie Nelson with my lady friend at the Tri-County Stadium in Zebulon, North Carolina, a town made fun of on both Futurama and Saturday Night Live. This was my fourth time seeing Bob Dylan and my second time seeing Willie Nelson. Here's a picture from the show:



You can see Dave right there in the front of the crowd, with the white button-down shirt, curly-blond hair and man-purse strap. We were right behind him, but we are hard to make out in this picture. Apparently we are quite visible in the picture published in the paper. Anyway, the show was really good, barring the redneck violence that broke out occasionally around us. Willie Nelson started off the show with an amazing set that included Whiskey River, Always On My Mind and Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain. Bob Dylan seemed a little hot and tired during his set, his lack-luster vocals being drowned-out by his band. His performance was not up to the standards that he set the first three times I saw him. He played several songs from his latest album, which I haven't had a chance to listen to yet, and played a few classics, including Highway 61 Revisited and All Along the Watchtower. I think the violence in the front of the crowd may have deterred him from playing his best. I enjoyed the show though, for Willie's set and the fact that I got to hold my lady friend close the whole night. Well, that's all for now. Enjoy!

Rebirth & Awakenings

I know, I know, it's been like two weeks since I posted anything new. I apologize, but I have been frantically attempting to finish a new painting for the Rebirth & Awakenings show at the new Wootini Gallery:



The show opens this Friday, June 10^th from 7pm until midnight, like the flyer says. It should be a lot of fun, and I should have the painting done by the end of the day today. Also, check out the updated 301 Films website and, because they sent me an e-mail, check out Tessuto: Unregistered Fashion Stuff. Now, back to painting.

Gorillaz In The Mist

I got an e-mail from Kidrobot informing me that:

Kidrobot, Cornerstone Promotions and Gorillaz invite you to join us as we celebrate the release of our new Limited Ed. Gorillaz toys:



Along with the platinum-selling band's new album "Demon Days!" Join us for toy-release and album listening parties at all of our stores (Kidrobot San Francisco: May 24th from 6-8pm, Kidrobot Santa Monica: May 24th from 7-9pm, Kidrobot New York on May 26th from 7-8:30pm), plus an unbelievable SIGNING by Gorillaz creator Jamie Hewlett (Kidrobot New York on May 26th from 7-8:30pm).

I also got an e-mail from James D. over at Moog Music letting me know that they have just released a Limited Ed. soft vinyl Bob Moog doll:



That li'l feller is pretty sweet. According to the e-mail:

This is the official Bob Moog doll authorized by Moog Music. The doll has been customed designed by Archer Prewitt from a sculpture by Kei Hinotani in celebration of Bob' 50 years designing great electronic musical instruments.

"Customed designed," huh? Anyway, I'm tired. I have to go to sleep. I have a big day ahead of me. I'm training for the Ironman Triathlon in Hawaii. I'm going to bike 140 miles tomorrow. I have to get up bright and early. Early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise, as my father used to always say. The early bird gets the worm. And everyone knows how delicious worms are. I've got a big bowl of them waiting for me in the fridge. But that's another story for another post. Good night.

Update: apparently the Bob Moog vinyl figure is only available to Moog Music newsletter subscribers. Sorry.

New Woo

I was riding my bike around Carrboro on Monday putting up flyer for the next 301 Film Forum, this Friday, May 13^th, and I went up to Wootini to see if they would put up a flyer in their shop, and to my shock and awe they were closed! Luckily, it was just so they could move to an even better and larger location within Carr Mill Mall, to re-emerge like a butterfly from its cocoon, or a phoenix rising from the ashes, or Brian Dennehy emerging from his Cocoon. Anyway, Wootini is back open and now they have gallery space for exhibiting art, not just toys. While I was there, Heather showed me around and told me about an interesting Limited Ed. magazine called Faesthetic:



Faesthetic is on its fourth issue, each of which is limited to only 1000, and features the work of 90 artists over 210 pages of lush black & white art, photography, graffiti, and design. The list of artists is quite impressive and the price, only $25, is not oppressive. So get 'em before they sell out like the first three issues. Dennehy!!!

Sketchy

Yeah, I know what I said in my one-year anniversary post, that I would be bringing you "more crap than you could possibly imagine." Unfortunately, I still haven't found a new job yet, so I have been spending most of my time looking for work and the rest of my time working on old paintings that I never finished, making copies of the poster for the next 301 Film Forum:



On Friday, May 13th at Temple Ball in Carrboro, NC. I have also scanned a bunch of stuff from my sketchbook and added it to this page, which is also in my links section over there on the right under Art + Design. Here are a couple of my favorites from my sketchbook:







The first image is a sketch of my father that I used for a later painting, the second is a sketch looking out the window of the Jolly Joker Coffeeshop in Amsterdam, and the third is a figure drawing of Rubber Man, the stretchiest man in the world. He lives inside my head and I only let him out on special occasions, or when I am at the Jolly Joker Coffeeshop in Amsterdam.

Now for something else Limited Ed. to peak the interest of those who view my site for the purpose for which it was created. It seems that My Plastic Heart has got their hands on the new 8" Hellhound Zero by Touma:



This bad little bugger is pretty sweet! At 49.⁹⁹ I'm sure they won't last long. And neither will the new 3" Trexi Figures:

        

Some of these cute little guys are already sold out, so get 'em while they're hot! Anyway, that's about all for now. I hope y'all don't get lonely before my next post. See ya'.