OCTOBER BERUBE-BUG / BELATED HAPPY HALLOWEEN

SEPTEMBER BERUBE-BUG / MAILART FINAL

SEPTEMBER BERUBE-BUG

SEPTEMBER BERUBE-BUG / MY BIRTHDAY BUG / PROCESS

Keeping in the tradition of last month's Berube-Bug in celebration of Brandon's August birthday, I decided to create one for myself for the month of September (MY BIRTHDAY. Here's the process of creating, including the steps of printing. Once I figure out a good colorized version, I'll upload that.

INITIAL DRAWING ON LINOLEUM


PARTIALLY CUT OUT LINO


CUT LINO - COMPLETE


INKED LINO


FINAL PRINT

"FARRAH" - JUNE BERUBE-BUG

I finally managed to finish the June Berube-Bug "FARRAH", inspired by Farrah Fawcett's poster image of 70's fame. I'm running a little behind and still have to print the backs of the post cards, but they will make it into the mail this week going to anyone who sent me a post card last month. Sorry for the delay.

NEW YEAR - NEW STAMP LICKER

I figured it was time to retire the old stamplicker/return address stamp. And a special "Thank You" to Brandon for the suggestion as to the concept of the new image.

FINAL 2008 BERUBE-BUG

Hello, well it looks like 2008 is coming to a wrap and since the remaining 2 weeks of December will find me traveling to Baltimore for the production of Alice in Wonderland featuring my artwork as backdrops and props, then on to a much needed rest in Florida for Christmas, I'm trying to get the December bug in the mail as early as possible to those who have already sent in their submissions .

With the end of the year comes the last of the 2008 series Berube-Bugs. Fret not, I'll be continuing the project into the new year, with a fresh batch of creatures. As long as you send them in, I'll send them out. I want to thank all of you who have contributed to the project over the past 6 or so months, and especially those "regulars" who month after month show me just how brilliant your talent really is. I look forward to the new year and all the creatures it may bring.

OINK-OINK-OINK

I usually don't cross post my own blogs on my own blogs but in an effort to show that despite my having not posted in my "BERUBE" blog for the past week and prior to that giving you images from my archives, I decided to cross post an image from my PORTRAIT MAILART REPLY blog to show you that despite working like a crazy person this past couple of weeks outside of the studio I have in fact sent out a number of altered "Portrait" post cards. The image above is being sent out to Nicole Eippers in France who has a mailart call asking for images of pigs, this is my 6-legged version. OINK, OINK, OINK.

MAILART EXCHANGE WITH CANADIAN HIGH SCHOOL ART CLASS

As some of you probably already know, I've been incredibly interested in the world of MailArt and last year I initiated my own MailArt call based on portraits. The only rule I have is that any person who sends me their interpretation of a portrait will receive a portrait from me in return. Since last May, I've received somewhere over 100 pieces of MailArt, (mostly portraits), from 13 different countries, France being the most represented, as well as from 13 States in the U.S. In turn i have sent out over 100 handprinted postcards.

I've been communicating with High School Art Instructor, Barbara Burns, in Alberta Canada over the past year and somewhere along the way I mentioned that it would be fun to do a MailArt exchange with her students. I have fond memories of exchanging a handmade felt, (made from raw wool, start to finish), envelope and letter with all of the wording embroidered with an artist named Sas Colby while I was in High School and thought that I'd like to turn the tables and be the artist on the other end. Barbara agreed to the idea and incorporated a MailArt project into her curriculum with this years students and in addition to myself, a number of other artists have jumped aboard and are exchanging artwork with her classes as well.

Today I received the package with a bundle of 11 students decorated envelopes with their Artist Trading Cards or postcards included as well as a wonderful gift from Barbara Burns the instructor.

Below is one example of what I received, the rest of the images are posted on my "Portrait Mail Art" Blog and you can follow the trail back to the kids by checking out my "Portrait Mail Art Reply" Blog.


ROBYN BLACK / Athabasca, Alberta CANADA

NEW BERUBE-BUG - STAMP LICKER

When I decided to start a mailart call last May, I figured it would be fun to incorporate an image onto the back of the return postcards that I send out to each person who sends me a submission. It seemed like the logical solution was to create a creature that looked like it was holding the stamp in place while also leaving enough room for the mail to and return address as well room for a quick note.
This guy is the 4th in the series of "stamp-lickers", I'm thinking that the name "SLIMER" fits really well.

SIAMESE FARTING FIGHTERS

SIAMESE FARTING FIGHTERS - PRINT


Can you tell it's been a rather quiet week. The best I can come up with for a post is my new linocut print titled, "Siamese Farting Fighters", pretty self explanatory right? It's part of the Berube Bug series I've been working on for many years now but most importantly it was created specifically for a mail artist by the name of Ryosuke Cohen who puts together limited edition compilations of images sent to him from other mail artists around the world. Called "Brain Cells", I've been fortunate enough to have received 2 of his previous hand constructed/printed compilations and decided it was my turn to reciprocate and participate by sending Mr. Cohen one of my original linos for him to use in an upcoming Brain Cell.

POSTCARD SENT TO RYOSUKE COHEN


POSTCARD WITH LINO ATTACHED


BRAIN CELL #683 - RYOSUKE COHEN


BRAIN CELL #689 - RYOSUKE COHEN

'TIS THE SEASON.... (for a case of the crazies)

It's been a weird fall so far. The time change has hit me really hard this year, and the slightly schizophrenic, fluctuating weather here in NYC keeps us all guessing on how many layers we're going to wear on any given day. Tomorrow, Thanksgiving, is supposed to be in the upper 60's, that's in the end of November kiddies!!!

I've had a pretty full freelance schedule for the past month or so, which is great for the wallet, but not so great for the psyche as I have a hard time getting started on any new art projects and feel a little ungrounded.

I should start receiving mailart postcards from my friend Barbara's high school art class in Alberta Canada which should get me back on track to the world of art making as I'll have to send out reply postcards to any of her kids who send me work. You can check out my mailart postings in one of my mailart blogs, just click on my image in the about me section and you'll have your choice of which blog you want to check out.

Just so that I feel like I've had some sort of posting in my blog, I've decided to post a few pics from the recent trip to one of my favorite job locations, East Hampton. We haven't had much of a foliage change to the trees here in NYC, but as you can see from one of the following pics, East Hampton made up for it. 

Have A Great Thanksgiving, however you choose to spend it!!!!

MAIN STREET - EAST HAMPTON



DAWN ON THE BEACH



EVENING ON THE BEACH



HOLIDAY WINDOW INSTALLATION