(RIP) Dennis Oppenheim

Dennis Oppenheim past away last Saturday. He was 72. Here's from the CBC.

A Face A Name (No 1)

The good folks of Well and Good just published their first eBook—A Face A Name— featuring over 30 artists. I'm amongst them. Think of it as a great addition for that iPad you just got for the holidays. Find it here.

From top to bottom, and from the pages of A Face A Name: On the cover: Sorry For All the Boardroom Meetings (detail) by Patrick Thompson; What I've Learned In the Last Five Years (Emperor Penguins, detail) 2010; What I've Learned In the Last Five Years (Bowls) 2010.

Ryan Dineen

If you're around Toronto at the end of the month, or next month, pass by Show&Tell to see Ryan Dineen's latest series of oil paintings. Superb pieces. More here and here.

From top to bottom: Winter Roofs (2010); Kensington Roofs (2010); Lenny's Opera (2010); Morte (2011).

What Was 2010 (2 of 2)

Top readings for 2010:

David Sedaris's Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk—brilliantly illustrated by Ian Falconer and published by Little, Brown and Company.


Shawn Micallef's posts, commentaries, columns, articles and even a book (Stroll; Psychogeographic Walking Tours of Toronto) published by Coach House Press.


Slavenka Drakulić's They Would Never Hurt A Fly; War Criminals On Trial in the Hague. Published by Penguin Books.


Top listenings for 2010:

Britain's Wild Beasts. They make really really good records.
Thanks Adrian.


This is Michelle Gurevich's second record under the moniker Chinawoman. It's glorious.


I never got much exposure to Toronto's veteran band Constantines. So I'm looking forward to the bunch of records of theirs I'm still to discover. This one here played many times—confirmes my iTunes song play counter. Truly a wonderful record and band.


Photo of Shawn Micallef by Liz Clayton. Photo of Wild Beasts from www.dominorecordco.com.

What Was 2010 (1 of 2)

Here's a first nod to what made my 2010:

German Montana's new line of paints. High fives all around.


This here painted with Sight, which made both of our day that day. It sadly lasted no more than a week.


One of my favourite personal designs of 2010, the smoking Vanessa t-shirt.


Steve Ferrara and Lisa Martin—the folks behind Well and Good—took very good care of me in 2010. Besides "collaborators" and "facilitators of local and international talent", I'm happy to call them friends.


I realise that Andrea Arnold's film was released last year (2009) but Cindy and I caught it this year. Truly amazing.





Photos: Montana Gold from www.montana-cans.com; Steve and Lisa by Eugen Sakhnenko; Bushmills Black Bush from www.bushmills.com.

Work In Progress

Further on that obsession with coiffure... here are a few recent studies.

Reggie Pedro

Shown above are works by the late British artist Reggie Pedro. He remains mostly unknown, except to the rock group Gomez which frequently commissioned art from Pedro to adorn their record sleeves.

From top to bottom: Gomez (Bring It On, inner sleeve #2, 1998); Gomez (Liquid Skin, detail, 1999); Smiley (detail, 2000/01); Walk For Road (2004).

(RIP) Doris McCarthy

Doris McCarthy passed away last Thursday. She was 100. Here's from the CBC.

Above: Hoodoos at Dinosaur Park (1982).

Kehinde Wiley

Here are works by American artist Kehinde Wiley. These are incredibly precise and beautifully detailed photographs or large-scale oil paintings, all qualities that don't exactly translate well on the web. Lucky for all of us, he's busy and shows extensively. Read more about Wiley here and find his site here.

From top to bottom: The Virgin Martyr St. Cecelia (oil, 2008); After Jean-Auguste Dominique Ingres' The Virgin with the Host (c-print, 2009); After Pontormo's Two Men with a Passage from Cicero on Friendship (c-print, 2009); Unity Painting (oil, 2010).

Brand New Mini

I've been toying with the idea of designing a version of my website geared exclusively for iPhone users. I made use of my discarded spray paint nozzles. On an iPhone, go here to see the showcase.

From top to bottom: Used spray paint nozzles (2004–ongoing). Site built by Ryan Taylor.

123 Klan and Vachon

Cindy and I spent the weekend in Montréal and while getting a few things from the store we found the re-designed Jos Louis boxes done by French artists Scien and Klor. The duo moved to Montréal in the late-2000's and opened for business using their original graffiti collective name 123 Klan. The Jos Louis boxes are adorned with one of their character Jay Louis, a French hip-hop gangster marionette. Catch up with what he's up to here. Find out more from the 123 Klan camp here.

Rebecca Ward

Here are works by Texas-born, Brooklyn-based artist Rebecca Ward. The installations she makes with duct or electrical tape are incredible. See for yourself.

From top to bottom: Newton Would Be Proud (2010); Stella Was Right (2010); Black Mountains (2009); Tape 3 (2006).

Work In Progress

Here's what's going on these days.

In Toronto

If you're in Toronto this month, try and catch these two exhibitions: David Hoffos, Scenes From the House Dream at Mocca and Shaun Gladwell, Portrait of a Man: Alive and Spinning/Dead As a Skeleton Dressed As a Mountie at Georgia Sherman Projects.

From top to bottom: David Hoffos, Scenes From the House Dream, Circle Street (2003); Shaun Gladwell, Composite Portrait As Boards (2010).

Love, Anna

The new Love, Anna record—The Cowboy Gods of Rockandroll—is available. Get it on iTunes. Photography by Cindy Blazevic.