The Double Cross -

"No Chance Encounter"
digital collage by Mick Mather

Not a lot to say except that this piece is a metaphor as regards old friends who not only don't speak anymore, but take no action to do so even when paths cross ... (sigh).

Eric Fischl -

"Ode to Eric Fischl"
digital drawing & fractal flame collage by Mick Mather

I've been a huge fan of Mr. Fischl for a long time and recently rediscovered a book of his monotypes that's been in my art library for almost as long. The works within were instrumental in pushing me into that form of printmaking not too many years ago. That said, this piece is closer kin to his formal paintings and I've been meaning to post it for a few weeks now. Enjoy.

On the Road -

"Trinity #13 - Proposal Study #3"
digitally manipulated drawing by Mick Mather

No sooner am I back from vacation than I'm off again! As you read this I'll be on the road, driving to Vermont to The Carving Studio & Sculpture Center, where my proposal for "Trinity #13" has been accepted for exhibit in SculptFest08. I will be constructing this work from 'found' materials on-site over the weekend. "Labor Day" takes on a whole new meaning for me this year I think. In any case, no Illustration Friday for me this week and apologies, again, in advance for the short shrift given the pre-scheduled posts through Monday. More documentation of the piece upon my return and, until then, please have a glass of red wine with me in celebration.

Thursday Challenge: Wheels -

"Wheels"
digitally manipulated photographs & collage by Mick Mather

The weekly theme at Thursday Challenge is wheels. So sorry for the short post as I pack a bag and tie up some loose ends in preparation for my trip to Vermont tomorrow. Do check the automatic posts and look for me back here after Labor Day.

Payback is a ... well, you know -

"Yellow Rose"
manipulated digital drawing & collage by Mick Mather

You know what they say, "No good deed goes unpunished." Such is the case with my return to the office that, despite my absence, managed to accumulate 2-weeks worth of work for me to attend to. On the bright side, the upcoming long weekend has a sculpture commission to be constructed - a very exciting prospect (more later) - so I'm going to have to rely on pre-posting images again as I'll be away from the computer from late Thursday evening thru Labor Day ... and the world keeps goin' 'round.

Hey Diddle Diddle -

"The Bandbox Hat"
digital collage by Mick Mather

While fiddling around with a pattern for gaiters, a word that crops up in a lot of the Sherlock Holmes stories by the way, one thing led to another. As I began adding some drawn shapes and moving things around, out popped this hat, peculiar to marching bands whose uniforms, as coincidence would have it, often include gaiters.

Ha! Observe, Watson -

"Holmes and Watson"
digital collage by Mick Mather

One of the great joys over my two weeks of vacation, now passed, was reading a collection of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's stories of Sherlock Holmes. The bulk of the 3-dozen mysteries and adventures were originally published in The Strand Magazine in England in the late 1800's through the early 1900's. The edition, being a facsimile reproduction, bears a secondary treat of a few hundred of Sidney Paget's perfect pen & ink illustrations. You might imagine my great surprise that, one afternoon, having sneaked into the studio and switched on the computer for a bit of fun, out popped this tribute to that fine artist. Having recently completed "That Hideous Strength" (the 3rd book in The Space Trilogy by C.S. Lewis) I had grown quite accustomed to the peculiarities of the British Voice and delved a bit deeper therein from reading the short stories by Conan Doyle. Not everyone's cup o' tea as I well know, but they've been, as already said, a very high point of my well spent down time.

NEW from The Selfportrait Series -

"Selfportrait of the Artist Missed by His Fan Club"
digital collage by Mick Mather
Last Day

I'm ba-a-a-a-ck! The vacation was wonderful, restful, refreshing, rewarding and now? I wanna retire!!! :((

NEW from The Birdhouse Series -

"Birdhouse XIV"
manipulated digital drawing by Mick Mather
Day 14

Sometime today or tomorrow I should again be available to receive guests! It's been a grand 2 weeks of reading, sleeping, eating, reading, sleeping ... well, you get the idea!

Illustration Friday: Routine -

"R is for Routine"

photograph by Mick Mather
Day 13

I'm down to a weekend of vacation ... back soon!

Thursday Challenge: Festival -

"The Great New York State Fair"
digitally manipulated photograph by Mick Mather
Day 12

How perfect! The Great New York State Fair opens today ... here's a snap from a few years ago. It was the summer of 2006 I believe. Must dash, my vacation is running thin!

NEW from The Toast Series -

"Toast #10
monotype by Mick Mather
Day 11

Yikes! This vacation is beginning to whittle itself down to a week! See ya!

NEW from The Toast Series -

"Toast #4"
monotype by Mick Mather
Day 10

Another cup o' tea, then ... and pass the marmalade.

Splish, Splash! -

"Sitting by the Pool"
digital collage by Mick Mather
Day 9

It wouldn't be a proper vacation without a trip to the pool ... would it?

NEW from The Toast Series -

"Toast #3"
monotype by Mick Mather
Day 8

As I progress further along the road of the "automatic post" while on vacation, we begin to enter into the realm of the rest of The Toast Series of monotypes. Much of next week will feature what remains to be shown in this body of work. Enjoy.

NEW from The Birdhouse Series -

"Birdhouse XIII"
manipulated digital drawing by Mick Mather
Day 7

Well, one week's worth of vacation can now be found dead on the side of the road! See you all soon! :D

Illustration Friday

"This is Some Vacation!"
digital collage by Mick Mather
Day 6

A week has gone by but there's still plenty of vacation left! See you in 10 days.

Thursday Challenge: Outside -

"Outside"
digitally manipulated photograph by Mick Mather
Day 5

I'm on V-A-C-A-T-I-O-N ... brb in a week and a half.

NEW from The Toast Series -

"Toast #2"
monotype by Mick Mather
Day 4

Hmm ... that first week of vacation is getting whittled down. See you in about a week and a half.

NEW from The Toys Series -

"Rag Doll"
digitally manipulated tempera-on-paper painting by Mick Mather
Day 4

I'm on V-A-C-A-T-I-O-N and loving every minute of it ... back in a few weeks.

NEW from The Birdhouse Series -

"Birdhouse XII"
digitally manipulated drawing by Mick Mather

Day 3

See you right beck here in a few weeks.

NEW from The Toast Series -

"Toast #1"
monotype by Mick Mather

Day 2

We'll chat again in 2 weeks.

NEW from The Selfportrait Series -

"Selfportrait of the Artist at the End of a Very Good Day"
digital collage by Mick Mather

DAY 1:

I'm on V-A-C-A-T-I-O-N ! ! ! I'll be back in 2 weeks.

Illustration Friday: Sail -

"Sailing into Vacationland"
digital collage by Mick Mather

I'm finally here! V-A-C-A-T-I-O-N! As I've been saying for weeks now, I'm going unplugged for the next few weeks ... well, that's the plan at least. So, while I have enough artwork loaded in the system so there will be posts every day, I won't actually be here very often, won't be posting comments to your blogs nor answering comments here. We'll get caught up at the end of the month. Okay? Do miss me yet? Don't worry, it's going to seem like I was never gone! :D

Thursday Challenge: Blue -

"Blue"
digital photograph by Mick Mather

Thursday Challenge continues with another color. Blue is this week's theme, last month it was yellow, in May we had pink and way back in January it was black. Anyway, another graffiti photograph, taken last weekend, surely seems to fit ... and, I'm already planning a Noon desertion on Friday to kick off my vacation. Let me see, who can I rope into a 3-martini lunch? Hmm. :D

Paying attention -

"Reflections"
digitally manipulated photograph by Mick Mather

I took the original photograph from a moving vehicle and was rather surprised by the reflections discovered in the windows when I looked through the photo-set weeks later. As I began working my magic with the plug-in filters and manipulating software programs, those same reflections became secondary to the figure who also seemed to be reflecting on something. In both cases, the windows and the girl, there's little evidence left of either circumstance.

Struttin' down the boulevard -

"Pretty Maids All In A Row"
digital collage by Mick Mather

Here's something quick and easy so I can return to my training. "What training", you might be asking? Why, getting in shape for that much discussed vacation that begins around noon on Friday! :D

Counting down -

"Summer, Slipping Away"

digital collage by Mick Mather

Elegia said something like this in a comment in yesterday's post and it struck me that, perhaps the nice weather has truly passed in Finland. I suppose the Finnish Sisters will all chime in, letting me know that, yes indeed, it's back to sweaters, jackets and not long for an even heavier coat. Tonight's image speaks to that issue.

Out and about -

"Graffiti I"
digital photograph by Mick Mather

Just as a measure of what's ahead at the end of next week - my vacation begins sometime Friday afternoon - I went out walking with my camera this afternoon. The weather was temperate and pleasant, the sky was blue with white, puffy clouds and the light just about perfect. One particular segment of my walk took me along a railroad spur and I was able to get this and a number of other photographs of freight cars sporting every manner of graffiti from tagging to bombing. This piece was interesting to me so here you have it. Gotta run, lots to do before getting to those lazy days of summer. :)

Making preparations -

"Beauty, Sleeping"
digital collage by Mick Mather

I know, I know, the same old song ... as in I'm still getting prepared for my vacation and 2 weeks unplugged. Can't stay to talk longer, there's still lots to do.

Illustration Friday: Poof -

"Selfportrait of the Artist Watching His Heart Go Poof!"
digital collage by Mick Mather

I had quite a time with the Illustration Friday theme again. The word is poof and a late start only added to my problems ... kind'a, sort'a, maybe. Sometimes a deadline can work wonders and I'm quite satisfied with this piece. Anyway, it's just about midnight and time to get on with it.