Blago's Out and I'm Sellin' Prints!!!

Hey, Everyone! Somewhere in the midst of my crazy schedule, I've managed to fashion a run of prints based on my recent piece, "caduceUS", which was featured in the "Manifest Hope: DC" competition...



Though I wasn't able to attend the opening, it was well-covered on various blogs and news outlets. It was a star-studded affair, with guests such as Heather Graham, Michael Stipe of R.E.M., Rosario Dawson, Moby, and host Shepard Fairey. Hey, there they are now...



Back to the prints: I'm offering a limited edition of 35 11" x 17" reproductions, presented on 80 lb. card stock. Each is signed and numbered, and can be purchased for $30 (Priority Shipping included)...

The "caduceUS" prints differ only slightly from the original in that the artwork has been reduced 2% on the display area to allow for my printed signature, which appears as a watermark at the bottom (the original was signed only in pencil as a 1/1 work). If you click on the image below, you can see what I mean...



If you have a PayPal account, feel free to place orders that way. Otherwise, you can e-mail me at ian_simmons@comcast.net with the number of prints you'd like and I'll contact you about paying by check. As always, each print will be accompanied by a hand-signed letter of thanks...

Thanks again to everyone for their support and encouragement. 2008 was a great year for exhibitions (I think my art appeared in six shows), and the new year is looking better and better! Take care...

Credit Where Credit is Due: The gallery and opening-night pictures above appear on NOTCOT and SuperTouch. They have tons more photos and info on the proceedings, and have not endorsed this blog (though they haven't not endorsed it, either)...

Note-for-the-Sake-of-Making-this-the-Longest-Post-Ever: I still haven't put up a proper store, so for now this will have to suffice. I may sell some prints on ebay as well, as that has worked very well in the past...

Hope (DC) Springs Eternal...

I got a phone call a couple hours ago. On the other end of the line was a representative of the Manifest Hope: DC contest, who'd called to inform me that I am one of fifteen grand-prize winners (technically, as there are three categories, that makes me one of five); this was startling news--as you can see in my post below, I was unsure of how my efforts would be received--and I have only the assurance of my wife to convince me that I wasn't a complete bumbling idiot during our brief conversation...

In the next twenty-four hours, I have to get the piece printed, framed, and shipped to Washington, DC, where it will be on display next weekend as part of MoveOn.org's inauguration festivities...

It's a thrill, knowing that my work has been judged favorably by such a distinguished panel, including Shepard Fairey--who created the iconic Obama art that defined the look of his presidential campaign--and director Spike Lee, who has been one of my cinematic heroes (even though I haven't seen nearly as many of his films as I should have)...

I assume the full list of winners will be posted later this week, so feel free to check back with the MHDC site for updates...

On another contest note, I've also won two tickets to an advances screening of My Bloody Valentine 3-D on Tuesday night. After the crushing disappointments of The Wrestler and Slumdog Millionaire (yeah, I said it), I'm looking forward to the low-brow splatter of a mad-miner slasher flick...

I'd like to wish everyone (both of you) a Happy New Year. The art has been spotty of late, I know, and I can't say whether or not things will pick up, but I'm trying to stay productive. This piece, "caduceUS", is my submission to the new "Manifest Hope: DC" contest; MoveOn.org sponsored this event to draw attention to the issues of the green economy, health care reform, and labor support. The winners will have their work displayed in a DC gallery in the days preceding Obama's inauguration. Do I have a chance? That's difficult to say. The project has gone through a ridiculous amount of changes since I conceived of entering the competition...

I spent $40 at Blick Art Supply with the intention of entering one 15" x 20" piece in each of the three categories; these were to be grand, painted things with my typical inking flourishes over the color. Due to a relentless cat-sitting schedule (involving the force-feeding of pills four times a day to a feline who loves to hide), I had to seriously adjust my expectations. Monday, I settled on putting out one solid painting in the health care category. By Wednesday, I'd decided to work in the computer, with colored accents and inked lettering. Today, I ended up where I usually do, inking on tracing paper and scanning art into the laptop,with Photoshop text. I still don't know what to make of the finished piece. I think the stress and fatigue of the week has caught up with me, and I'm not even to the weekend yet. Woe is me. Whatever...

On the bright side, my lovely wife made me a stunning coffee table book of my political art (spanning 2006 up to the "Kneeling Jerk" piece) as a Christmas present. I plan to re-work some elements of it--taking out the mushy dedication on the inside-back dust jacket--and fashion a for-sale version for anyone who may be interested in owning such a thing. I shouldn't be sharing this stuff; I have a bad habit of blowing off expectations and hating myself in the morning. Happy New Year! Again...

Interview with a Damned Liar...

This idea had been kicking around my head for a few weeks (the sketch had, in fact, been crumpled at the bottom of my laptop case for about as long). It wasn't until the death of Deep Throat that I felt compelled to finish it. Sorry...

Anyway, this piece is called "Mark Felt, R.I.P." and was quite fun to draw. I'm excited to see Ron Howard's Frost/Nixon; then again, I'm also excited to see Valkyrie--but for completely different reasons. I may or may not have a new piece up by Christmas, so let me take this opportunity to say, "Rick Warren sucks"...

Off the Hook...

It's been nearly a month since my last post, and I blame post-election malaise. I can't decide if there's too much to rail against or not enough, and there's no fire to create a celebratory image. I imagine things will be pretty sporadic for awhile, at least until January 20--but I could be wrong. We're in a holding pattern now, politically, and while there are juicy issues on the table, I'm not sure how I feel about where the White House is headed. If you're interested in looking back for a moment, check out Joe Klein's post-mortem of President Bush; okay, it's not officially a eulogy, but it might as well be...

One issue got me up and drawing again, and as you can see in the above piece, "Good Graces", it's that Joe Lieberman was welcomed back into the Democratic fold after having utterly betrayed the party--and revealing the callow opportunist we've long suspected him to be. The quote at the top of the image comes from the trailer for The Dark Knight--and is one of the very few things of value to be found in that film; I'd intended to use it in a piece featuring Cindy McCain, in a not-wholly-unrelated context this summer, but for whatever reason never got around to it. I think this sums up my feelings about Joltin' Joe...

So, if you don't hear from me for awhile, or if you hear from me very frequently, blame it on these strange coming-down days. 'Til next time, love one another and pay attention...

P.S. I've been posting film reviews on the "Critic(isms)" blog; if you're interested in hearing me whine about the failing state of cinema, check it out...

A Friendly Reminder...

I spoke with someone this morning who said, when I asked if he'd voted, "Aw, nah. I figured why waste my vote on one of two guys I don't even like?"

Instead of punching him in the face and stomping on his limp body until the squishing ceased, I simply made a joke about his "right to choose not to choose" and kept walking...

Seriously, don't be a jerk-off today. If you're registered to vote, VOTE. Bring a book to read in the long, boring lines, and cast a ballot for someone. This election is way too close and far too important for apathy or early celebration (or mourning). Tomorrow, if you're still not satisfied with the system, run for something and fix the system...

Now for the title of this week's piece of left-skewed jokery: "Face of the Future?"...

Big For Two Reasons...

It's almost Election Day! And I've been so busy lately that I completely forgot to mention that I've been accepted into a new show! Yep, on November 4, the Booksmart Studio in Rochester, NY will open their "Art of Democracy" exhibit. This is another in a series of AoD shows, just like the recent--and still going strong--LUMA exhibit; two of my works, "Mastrebation" and "John Kerry with a Tan", will be on display through the end of the month...

Special thanks, again, to Stephen Fredericks of the NYSE for his continued support, and for having coordinated these great "Art of Democracy" events...