Stranded with this bitch called hope. ¶ I think we've all had the experience of losing our appetite. In some cases, this can be the result of over-excitement, and for all the stomach pain this brings, it's not so bad. Losing your appetite from actually sailing in choppy waters, however, is not at all pleasant. Couple this with losing one's nerve, and you're guaranteed to be focused on little else. The day was Saturday. The place, Port Stanley. I wasn't actually sick as I managed to curtail that unpleasantness by way of keeping focused on the horizon. And though I didn't count on losing either my appetite or nerve, losing the latter angered me. It proved impossible to retrieve. We were never in any actual danger, it must be stated, but sailing is both unpredictable and psychological and when you're flailing in your mind, very little can act as remedy. At least for me. Sunday was a different matter. The main difference was the wind. It was much calmer out there. I was also experienced at this point with both my appetite and nerve in tact. If I were Truman and you were watching my Show, at one point you would have caught me sitting on deck, legs overboard, blissed out. Minutes later I was diving off the anchored boat, swimming. It was heavenly as Lake Erie posed convincingly as the Pacific: seductive blue and expansive. Never mind that the sun was also turning in a perfect performance. We all walked away with a significant set of experiences under our belts. ¶ Our buffet and hutch arrived just before these adventures took place. It is not only handsome but also suited perfectly in our humble home. I'll take that pat on the back, even if I'm the one giving it.

Labels: Furniture, Gratitude, Lyric, Vague, WeekendUpdate

¶ 4:30 PM

Getting there, of course, is only the half of it. ¶ Preceeding our camping trip we were leaping and bounding tall buildings. Help came at just the right times and the next thing I knew, I was moved into my office. The next thing I knew, I was drinking Creemore pint after pint at Rodney's, marvelling at our luck and in great anticipation of what was to come. What came were more social calls, and finally some last minute goods at the nearby Shopper's. We went to bed and rose bright and early. The drive up to Kearney, Ontario was characterised by JS and I dominating the car conversation. He driving and myself in the back seat. Both of us quietly concerned about our ailing wives (nothing serious). Looking back it was I who should have been the object of worry. I had no idea what I was getting myself into. ¶ The next thing I knew, we were eating the last of our Final Meal (mine: cheeseburger, onion rings) climbing back into the car, and then motoring down a lunatic's road. A dusty, bendy, let's just say it was impossible to ignore, road. For the next nearly hour I was strangely blank. I had been mentally preparing myself, as best I could, by trying not to actually think of the tasks ahead. They included: canoeing, short portaging (times two), and all the details in between. Such as: getting in and out of a canoe, paddling in a canoe, communicating with your patient wife in a canoe while worrying about every move, getting out of the canoe, lugging your kit, and generally MOVING through the woods in waterways and pathways adapted for such a use. It took roughly three hours, shore to shore. ¶ Our arrival was personally anti-climactic. We, or certainly I, was proud of our accomplishment, but it was mired by an incident where I lost my cool during the first portage. It wasn't anything really, but I was a little too focused on it to really enjoy reaching our destination. ¶ Mr. Sun lost to Mr. Cloud in, what looked like early on, a neck and neck match. Mr. Sun just wasn't up for it this weekend, I suppose. He let Mr. Wind blow on through with only a few arrests during our stay. However, we were all grateful to have two virtually windless canoe trips. Indeed we were all quite pleased, in the end, to have received not all that much precipitation. It could certainly have been worse. And that was the worst of it. ¶ I had a few golden moments. They involved things like the moon, the lake, the sky, the clouds, the tree which fit like a chair, the books I was reading, and finally the certain, no longer mired, feeling of accomplishment. I wasn't surprised, mind you, but it certainly felt good to get the old clock ticking to a different pace, to get the back and legs involved for a time. The mind too, was grateful for the stretch. ¶ A rainbow. Canadian Mist. The moon. ¶ Afterward: it would be ungracious of me not to mention how capable a travel and camping mate JS was. He showed me that patience truly is a virtue and that sawing firewood didn't come naturally to him, either.

Labels: Gratitude, WeekendUpdate

¶ 11:56 AM

Quick post as I'm hungry as sin and working from a cafe. We spent a challenging but ultimately rewarding weekend in Algonquin Park, on Jubilee Lake. Our entrance to the park was near Kearney, Ontario. Lots to tell here and I'll devote a post to it very soon. ¶ Quick big thanks to MK and F-Los for their help moving me into the office as well as PK who self-motivationally helped us drop off the U-Haul. ¶ This week, late but complete: Mr. Clive Owen. ¶ More soon...

Labels: FeaturedIllustration, Gratitude, WeekendUpdate

¶ 1:19 PM

Over the weekend we built something approximating the desk of my dreams. Since deciding on the office I've been able to take more seriously some work-related ideas I've harbored for some time. Ideas including the acquisition of a large, angled, eight-foot long desktop where I could draw. So, I took a look around. I looked online, mostly, craigslist and the like, and I didn't find anything all that special. I had the idea it might be possible to build this desk in my head, but not being handy makes me dependent on some serious help. The help came, and so did the desk. On Friday we picked up lumber from Copps Buildall. On Saturday we built the skeletal structure and on Sunday we stained, re-constructed parts of it, and then finally attached the linoleum desktop. Seeing it emerge from mere lumber was nothing short of a wonder. Some pictures here, more coming. ¶ This week's illustration is brought to you by private eye inspiration: Mickey Rourke in Angel Heart. Released just over twenty years ago.

Labels: Cinema, FeaturedIllustration, WeekendUpdate

¶ 12:53 PM

Some times you got it, and some times you don't. I had the good fortune of having it Saturday, and I'm grateful for it. I worked on a bunch of illustrations for clients and for myself. There's two specific things I'm working on: two Toronto art shows. The first will be a showing of portraits commissioned by the National Post (titled The National Post Portraits) and secondly, an exhibition of all-new, illustrated posters thematically linked to Tonicville, Phelts, and Coastalmatic (titled JetSet). I'm excited about both. The former will prove satisfying, I think, and the latter will be the riskiest career move, to date. Let's see what happens. ¶ This week's portrait is of writer Nick Tosches. Mr. Tosches has a piece on sushi in the June 2007 issue of Vanity Fair. I read his book, The Last Opium Den during our time in Sundridge and it has stayed with me.

Labels: Gratitude, SitewayWorld, WeekendUpdate

¶ 11:10 PM

Better late than never, here's Tom Wolfe. Been working on this portrait for some time and it finally clicked this morning. ¶ A near-perfect weekend up at Silent Lake near Bancroft, Ontario was had. I did my best relaxing in a long time. Great weather, great chats, and great food. ¶ I'm back to work, lots on my plate, and keen on summertime. More meat soon.

Labels: FeaturedIllustration, WeekendUpdate

¶ 3:33 PM

It was one hell of a weekend in Toronto, and I'm writing this with a real tired on. I had a glorious time with my friends, and about the only negative things I can say is that it went by took quickly and I took zero pictures. As always, thank you for the memories. ¶ I was charmed by Andy Richter's new Conan O'Brien brainchild, Andy Barker, P.I. Andy Richter is a funny dude and I like him.

Labels: FeaturedIllustration, Gratitude, WeekendUpdate

¶ 10:58 PM

PK and I had a great brunch at Insomnia on Saturday and it was such a treat. I had the Hogaareten + OJ mimosa, the Eggs Benedict (which I almost never order), and some black coffee. Time seemed to slow down and I was in the moment. ¶ Later we hit the new BMV and I picked up Vox, Never Mind The Pollacks, The Making of a Philosopher, Tomorrow, The Stars, and Frommer's New York City (2006). They're all pretty much for the NYC train adventure. Sometimes, when I buy books, I regret it. Not this time. ¶ This week's feature illustration is of Quentin Tarantino.

Labels: Books, FeaturedIllustration, NYC, WeekendUpdate

¶ 3:28 PM

Recently decided to give NBC's My Name is Earl a whirl and found it to be a nice little enjoyable treat. My favourite Jason Lee turn is his short-lived character in Tony Scott's Enemy of the State. If you watch carefully you'll notice that the game console they use to transport the video card is a Turbo Grafx-16 portable, the TurboExpress. I owned one of these in high school. I got a rebate for paying a small business loan on time and used that rebate to buy it. It was awesome. ¶ Caught a matinee of Alfonso Cuarón's Children of Men on Saturday. It and I were a perfect match, despite it being so heavy (though not heavy-handed in this writer's humble opinion). I notice that Cuarón also directed Great Expectations from 1998. A thoroughly underrated gem, I loved the big bold strokes of that film. ¶ Hey Toronto: thanks for yet another great weekend. Absence does make the heart grow fonder, but you need to feed that heart, and semi-regular visits is just the right fuel.

Labels: Cinema, FeaturedIllustration, TV, WeekendUpdate

¶ 11:49 AM

I had one of those weekends you sometimes yearn for: quiet, calm, inside, productive, and good. We broke out Starfarers of Catan last evening and it proved to be a very satisfying. I spent the bulk of my weekend drawing: for work and for pleasure. I uploaded a David Lynch to my flickr account as well as the making-of to YouTube. Enjoy! ¶ Some of James Caan's best films were underrated. I'm especially fond of him in Thief (from which this week's feature is based) as well as The Gambler. ¶ Don't forget: I've got a Jack Bauer portrait in tomorrow's National Post (AL1). Stay tuned, as always. ¶ Sometimes a day can be made by a mere link on the Internet. And today that link is this one (Jet-set poster archive, via Seen and Not Seen).

Labels: FeaturedIllustration, Flickr, WeekendUpdate, YouTube

¶ 10:10 PM

Quiet weekend, but it was really rather pleasant. ¶ I've been watching a lot of primetime television lately and one show that has hooked me in is NBC's Heroes. Though it's far from perfect, I think it has carved out a nice little bit of imaginary space in American mainstream storytelling. I imagine the show as pitched was much stronger but that's sort of like wishing your Big Mac was cooked by a bona fide gourmet chef. ¶ Ladies and germs, Masi Oka. ¶ Pleasant dreams.

Labels: FeaturedIllustration, TV, WeekendUpdate

¶ 11:02 PM

Bit of a whirlwind weekend... disorienting actually. I'm currently working from Casa Aird and have been enjoying the downhome feeling of his new abode. So I just updated with this week's illustration, Mr. George Clooney. Hope you like. ¶ This morning I also completed an illustration of Mr. Alex Trebek for tomorrow's National Post, AL3. ¶ I'd write more (as I have more to write) but I rather feel like a cat nap. If I can steal a signal on the VIA tomorrow, I'll post again. If not, when I get back to Londontown for sure.

Labels: FeaturedIllustration, NationalPost, Train, WeekendUpdate

¶ 3:58 PM

Illustration update: Brandon Flowers in Monday's Post (AL3) and Richard Ford in Tuesday's (AL1). ¶ Last week was exhausting, and though I don't feel like I've recovered, I do feel ready to take on the week. ¶ Lost in La Mancha, moving, and worth seeing. The Barbarian Invasions, also moving, also worth seeing. ¶ And now, sweet, sweet Zzzzzzzzzzz....

Labels: Cinema, NationalPost, WeekendUpdate

¶ 1:20 AM

Now it's on. This weekend officially marked the beginning of the next chapter. Pauline and I jumped into packing mode today even though we had still been very much focused on matters of levity and immediacy until very recently. Friday night was a gas, and Saturday proved not only successful, but simply fun, and now we both have our wardrobe taken care of for the wedding. ¶ Phases come, phases go. Right now I'm into more things than I care to list, and one of those things is watching films and television shows while I draw. Currently I'm addicted to every movie I missed this spring along with HBO's Entourage to which I've been addicted since winter. Here's to Siteway's man of the moment, Jeremy Piven. He has helped create one of television's best characters of all time, Ari Gold.

Labels: Cinema, TV, WeekendUpdate

¶ 12:32 AM

I drew Wayne Coyne from the band The Flaming Lips in June for a wedding gift for a couple that got married in May. When I dressed up for Hallowe'en as my older self (dyed white hair plus fake ponch) I was told I looked like Coyne. Having studied his face for the above portrait I can say confidently that we do not have similar faces. ¶ Speaking of weddings, we went to a great one this weekend. It was in London, so we had ample opportunity to tell new friends and old about our upcoming move to the Forrest City while simultaneously celebrating a couple doing the opposite. We met some great people from Arizona, Japan, and down the street. It felt good, but it also felt very real. ¶ Have lately been boring people with: talking about Grizzly Man, sharing stories from Jeffrey Steingarten's The Man Who Ate Everything and Michael Crichton's The Great Train Robbery. Thanks for humouring me. ¶ Today was a near-perfect conclusion to the weekend. I lazed about by the pool, read, drank some beer, and then cooked up some sausages before heading back to the big smoke. For a moment it felt like I was on vacation and it was great. ¶ Good night. Here's to the meat of the summer.

Labels: Cinema, FeaturedIllustration, Londontown, WeekendUpdate

¶ 9:58 PM

Here I am in my on-site office at 9:42am and my body can't believe it. Last evening Pauline and I had a warm meal at Mitzi's Sister and then afterwards I began to draw Mike Wallace, my fictional character Avery Hutch, and then at the last minute I switched to Raymond Carver. As a result, I didn't have time to upload any of my camping photos, but keep your eyes on my flickr account this week. Legs hurt but my soul is well. And the coffee I'm drinking is warming my inner kore. ¶ Toronto's photoblogger extraordinaire Rannie Turingan has a photo in today's National Post. Cover of Arts & Life, lawn bowling.

Labels: FeaturedIllustration, Flickr, NationalPost, WeekendUpdate

¶ 9:42 AM

I had a moment on Saturday night where it dawned on me, with stronger intensity than ever before, how great life can be. And how lucky I am to have mine. And yes, it was a spirited evening with some intoxicants at play, but the feeling still lives with me today. DJ Hot Logs outdid himself in a night full of social richness and revelry.

Labels: Gratitude, WeekendUpdate

¶ 12:22 AM

Finally saw Dead Man last night. Thoroughly enjoyed it. Also caught Scorsese's Cape Fear and The Devil's Advocate. A Saturday night well spent.

Labels: Cinema, WeekendUpdate

¶ 1:06 PM