From the past

Hey gang, 

 a sad note, a month or so ago a friend of mine passed away.  

Mike Ketcher a.k.a Neon Mike.    I hadn't seen Mike in over ten years, but it was quite a shock when I heard the news.  I wouldn't say Mike and I were super-close, but nonetheless, I always enjoyed Mike and his "laid back-ness", sense of humor, and good nature.

Another surprise came to me a few weeks back when I was contacted by his sister in-law, Janis.  She was in possession of three paintings  that Mike had purchased from me years and years ago.  Honestly, after all this time I had forgotten that Mike had been a patron of mine.  

Janis decided to keep one, but the three paintings are rather large so she wanted to see if I knew of anyone interested in purchasing the other two.

So here is the blast from the past.   These are the three paintings that she currently has from Mike's collection.

Janis wants to keep:

 Prometheus  47"x 61"

These are the two she is interested in selling

1.Chief  50"x33"

and my personal favorite from the early 90's era

2. Russian Film Noir  62" x 33.5" 

If anyone is interested in these bits of my past drop Janis a line and let her know.  You can reach her here: jaketcher@gmail.com

I've had some nice correspondences with Janis.  It just makes me sad that I hadn't talked to Mike in all these years.  Lesson learned.

Well if you think I've just been sitting around twiddling my thumbs...

Well, I've been home for about two weeks...which for me is an eternity.  And only have a little more to do on the book...the title is...oh I can't tell you yet...but you'll be the first to know.

Here are a few things I've been working on recently.  My Cyclopian Hunter was a hit at ArtFest...he's interactive.  

When you run you're hand across his brush a plumb of dust comes out...most people were amused....especially me.  By the way that is no ordinary dust...that is Austalia dust.

Next up is my RatBone guy.  Not a great photo of his long snake/fish body but he's made from the bones of prairie dogs that a student found on he walks.    She gave me ooodles.

Ever since Bali, I've had much more of an appreciation for the Monkey god Hanuman.  This is a skull but I found some old images that represented him in this way.  So I'll go with it.  The White Monkey....

One thing...that Island of Dolls really moved me more than I initially realized.  Not only has it increased my interest in my deMented Toys but I also find myself combining that process with Day of the Dead imagery.Here's another version of that Hansel and Gretel didn't get away idea.   

Another thing I've been playing with is little nichos in which the skeleton toys can be taken out and played with...if thats your thing.  Here he is flying home...Perfect landing...safe in my little tomb...

Here's another version of the same idea...this one is based on the Aztec god of the underworld Mictlantecuhtli.  I've used a Mexican Police Badge for his headdress.

And yes that is a little Lenin pin on his throne.  I've had that around for years.  Got in in a flea market in Prague.  Seemed fitting.  Mictlantecuhtli is a bit dictatorial I would imagine.  

Lenin finally found a home...in the underworld.  

Hope you enjoyed the goodies.

A bit of business before I go....

S. PASDENA

So a note to those of you in the L.A. area....I'll be at Zinnia in So. Pasadena May 29,30,31

 Teaching...What a Relief, Shoe Shrines, and Island of deMented Toys.  Here's the skinny...click here

SEE NO EMAIL...then...SEE NO EVIL...MEDUSA

First a little biz...email change for some

My old email address that some may still be using 

mike@assemblage.myrf.net = bad email address

assemblage@michaeldemeng.com = good email address.

Okay no to the important stuff....

Clash of the Titans! the Remake! WooHoo

in the past I mentioned I have a think for woman with snakes in there hair.  In particular Medusa...though the Francis Ford Coppela's  Dracula had a nice vampiress with snake hair as well...the woman on the left has snakey hair...yes really snakes are in there.  

As for Medusa.  Here's a nice collection of her to peruse...as a blog reader pointed out to me after my last Medusa post...don't judge her to harshly...she is a villain because she made love to Poseidon in the Temple of Athena...thus she was punished...kinda harsh, but that's me.

I mention her because as an early teen...I loved the film Clash of the Titans...

Mostly because it had the cool stop animation effects of Ray Harryhausen...of Sinbad fame (which I also loved as a kid)

Now to find out a remake of Clash of the Titans is on the way...super cool.  Liam Neeson to play Zeus (Lawrence Olivier was Zeus in the orginal...must have been tough times for him to do this one).  My only hope is that they do my darling Medusa justice.  The first version, though a bit dated now, was pretty nifty...the especially the snake bodied Divine Ms. M...  Check out a video clip...if you dare..

Calling all Montanans, or Bozemanians, (or anyone who wants to take a workshop in my neck of the woods}

Back in Montana after a whirlwind tour of...well you name it.  The minute I got home....sick as a dog.  Amazing how you can stave of those cooties for awhile...then kabloooey and ahhhchoooey.  

Now home in Montana after a great time at Artfest (as usual), and now trying to get my book manuscript sewn up and some studio time between sniffles.

One thing that I haven't done a very good job mentioning is my upcoming workshop in Bozeman Montana.  Home of the Bobcats...rival college to my Grizzlies.  Thats okay, no hard feelings.  I'll be there May 9th and 10th, teaching "What a Relief" and "Island of deMented Toys" at the Bear Canyon School  Here's the place...

though in May it will have more green that snow...of course it is Montana, so you never know. Amazing.  I'm teaching in my home state twice in one year.  there's no place like home, especially when its Montana in Spring...purdy.  Hope to see some of you there.  Here's some more info on the place:

3077 Bear Canyon Road 

Bozeman,  Montana    59715 

406-586-8770 

www.bearcanyonschool.com