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2 Nov 2011

Zodiac Art – Scorpio

Posted by Moshe Mikanovsky. No Comments

Scorpio, October 23rd to November 22nd

Zodiac Art - Scorpio

Scorpio, details from Zodiac, watercolors

Happy (belated) Birthday to all Scorpios who are celebrating this month! I hope you have a wonderful one.

You know the drill – I am offering each of the Zodiac signs as a Giclee print in couple of sizes, printed on paper or on canvas. Also, the full artwork of all signs is available (original and Giclees), and many products on my Zazzle store featuring each of the signs.

So, do you know of anyone who is celebrating his or her birthday soon? Why not give him or her the gift of art? You can order a Giclee print right here, or browse my Zazzle store for more items with the Zodiac art.

With blessings for health, success, prosperity and creative life!

Cheers

Moshe

Looking for other Zodiac signs? Here are some links:

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30 Oct 2011

Talking about getting out of your comfort zone

Posted by Moshe Mikanovsky. 7 Comments

Today I did something that was really out of my comfort zone.

I auditioned for a reality TV show.

Art for Love at the House of Moments

“Art for Love”, the Canadian version, had its auditions yesterday and today (at the House of Moments), and I decided to try it. Why not? I believe in myself and in my art, and I know I can do it, so maybe that is an opportunity to get myself out there? But, I was still quite anxious and nervous about it.

The audition required each artist to bring one piece of artwork. And I decided to bring a new piece that is a new direction for me, something completely different from  what I have done till now. You won’t see even one square in that piece! The call was for 9am till 2pm, and at 3pm the judges announced who is continuing for a second call. The initial interview was so short. The artwork was positioned on an easel next to me, but the judges were mostly interested in my personality. And that was what everyone else I talked with said they were asked about.

art for love

Part of the 50' canvas we painted on while waiting the judges decisions

Art for Love

Another view of the 50' canvas. Can you spot my tree?

While we were waiting, the producers set a 50 feet long canvas for all of us to paint on. That was quite cool. I added one of my “signature” trees. There was also a DJ and refreshments, and we all interacted with each other, so I met and schmoozed with some other talents. That was the best part of the day!

art for Love

Can almost see the full canvas behind the judge

Judge Art for Love

The judge delivering the news

At 3pm, the judges called the numbers of the people who continued, and I was not one of them. I probably bored the judged with my “normal” personality… Oh well, I know there are still many people who love me, both close to my heart and many out there. So if you are one of them, send me your love!

Cheers

Moshe

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29 Oct 2011

Show Photos – the Miniature Show

Posted by Moshe Mikanovsky. No Comments

On Friday I finally had the chance to visit the 337 Sketch Gallery in Hamilton, Ontario, and to see the Miniature Show in which I have currently three paintings. It was great meeting Anne, the owner of the show, and a fellow artist as well.

The show has some really great artwork. I actually never in the past painted such small art, and it was great to see so many beautiful pieces in this small format. I also loved the way the art was hung on the wall. You can see it in the pictures below.

337 sketch gallery hamilton ontario miniature show mikanovsky

Me with one of my paintings, Anemone , and some of the other beautiful art

337-sketch-gallery-hamilton-ontario-miniature-show-mikanovsky

The wall on the other side, with Two Anemones, at e5

The show has extended till November 13th. If you are in the area, check it out!

Cheers

Moshe

More info:

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27 Oct 2011

New Paintings – Got Coffee?

Posted by Moshe Mikanovsky. 2 Comments

I just finished two new paintings, and I wanted to share them with you. I am planning to submit them to a show, so wish me luck!

Coffee for Two, Watercolor and resin on paper on board, 8"x10"x1.5", 2011

Coffee for Two, Watercolor and resin on paper on board, 8"x10"x1.5", 2011

Ice Coffee, Mixed Media on board, 8"x10"x1.5", 2011

Ice Coffee, Mixed Media on board, 8"x10"x1.5", 2011

Let me know if you like them…

Cheers

Moshe

To see my other watercolors, check out the watercolors gallery

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24 Oct 2011

Fixing resin work gone wrong

Posted by Moshe Mikanovsky. 2 Comments

You all know about my resin mishap I had few weeks ago while preparing for the LAS (if not, read it here).

So I have taken my time now to try and fix those bad bad resin work, and salvage my artwork. First, I read the entire troubleshoot section of the ArtResin website FAQ page, and then contacted its owner, my friend Dave Zak, who taught me how to use the resin in the first place, and learned that it can be done! I can try to clean the messy stuff first and then pour another layer of resin, and it might look perfect. So I gave it a try.

I learned my lesson the first time, and didn’t try all the pieces at the same time, but one at a time. That worked much better this time. The first fix was OK, but still had few small issues. The second and third was way better already! And today I finished the fourth one, which I documented in the following pictures.

First, see what I mean when I say it is a bad resin work! Look at all of these holes and drips. They are sticky too!

messy resin work

Messy resin work all over

messy resin work

Look at this ugly patch. Yuk!

messy resin work

Here too. This one is also dirty with some fingerprints...

messy resin work

Another angle of the mess

To fix the situation, I first cleaned the dirty stuff out of the mess. I had couple of spots with fingerprints, so I scratched them out. I used a Palette Knife, but you could use a utility knife, razor or another sharp object.

cleaning messy resin

Cleaning messy resin spots

When I did the first resin job, the one that turned bad, I kind of “guessed” the measurements, and it ended up that I didn’t mix enough resin to cover the entire surface of all the pieces. When I started fixing them, I made sure to mix more than I need. It is better to have more and not use it, than have less. From one piece to the next, I already knew how much I need for this size of painting (10″ x 10″ x 1″). I used an empty yogurt cup to measure each of the components, with a mark on its side. I then mixed it in a cottage cheese cup. You can also see that this time I got myself a proper blow torch, with self ignition. I didn’t want to mess up any more with the lightning of the manual one (one of the reasons that made me anxious at the first time). For spreading the resin over, and for smoothing the sides, I used a plastic card (old hotel key), which is perfect for the job.

fixing the resin

Preparing new resin mix. Use a self ignited blow torch for easy start and reduce your stress

fixing resin

An old plastic card works very well with spreading the resin and smoothing the sides

And finally, look at the end results! Isn’t it looking so much better?

second resin coat

Second resin coat - looks so much better! And we can't see all the mess stuff underneath!!! :)

fixed resin

So much better! See the difference from the above pictures

fixed resin

Do you like the end result?

So you see for yourself how bad resin can be fixed. I am so happy at this point!

And since these paintings were used a guinea pigs for my resin trial and error, I decided to offer them in a discounted price! Instead of their original price of $200, I will be selling them for only $100. This is %50 off for you!!! I extend this offer to all four paintings, Striper Cafe, Blue Star, BOOM, and 2 am Club.

Cheers

Moshe

PS You can still bid on the other two paintings in this series, City Center Hotel and  Hotel Del Rio, through the LittelArtShow bidding site. Don’t wait. Bidding ends November 5, 2011.

Related posts:

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23 Oct 2011

Little Art Show 2011 – Bidding Started…

Posted by Moshe Mikanovsky. No Comments

Last night was the opening of the Little Art Show at the Hang Man Gallery. The show is really nice, with some great art available at amazing prices. I met some of my friends, and overall the atmosphere was great. We then went strolling on Queen Street E, soaking some of the chilly night’s air and the area.

The Artists’ Network put together all the art online, where the bidding is now available. You can see all the art from the comfort of your couch right here, at www.LittleArtShow.com, register to place a bid, and place one, or more, on your favourite art.

I only took this picture with my iPhone, but did get someone to take my picture yesterday, so I will add it to this post when I receive it in the email.

mikanovsky paintings at LAS 2011

My paintings at LAS 2011

So what are you waiting for? Check the Little Art Show site now. Remember, bidding is available till November 5th, when the closing night is.

Cheers

Moshe

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18 Oct 2011

Art Show Invite – Little Art Show 2011

Posted by Moshe Mikanovsky. No Comments

This is the third year that I am participating in the juried show and art auction, organized by the Artists’ Network.
Little Art Show Logo
This year though, the program is a bit different. Instead of one evening, where the art is presented in three lots and silently auctioned, this year the art is actually part of a 3 weeks show at the Hang Man Gallery. All the art is 10″x10″, and the proceeds will be divided 50/50 between the artists and the Artists’ Network, being its main fund raiser event.

On Saturday night the 22nd of October, the public is invited to an opening night, when the silent auction of all the art work will start. Then the silent auctions continues for two whole weeks, wrapping up in another party at the gallery, scheduled for November 5th. At that night there will be also live auction of additional larger art, measuring 20″x20″, with the theme of celebrating the Artists’ Network 10 year anniversary.

I am participating with two paintings, “Hotel Del Rio” and “City Center Motel”. Their market price is $200, and bidding started at $120.

Moshe Mikanovsky, Hotel Del Rio, watercolors on paper, mounted on board, 10"x10"x1.5", 2011

Moshe Mikanovsky, Hotel Del Rio, watercolors on paper, mounted on board, 10"x10"x1.5", 2011

Moshe Mikanovsky, City Center Motel, watercolors on paper, mounted on board, 10"x10"x1.5", 2011

Moshe Mikanovsky, City Center Motel, watercolors on paper, mounted on board, 10"x10"x1.5", 2011

Please see this as a personal invite to join me at the gallery for the opening, see the other art and meet many of the participating artists.

If you cannot make it to the gallery, but still would like to bid on my paintings, send me an emails and I will place the bid for you. Another option will be to bid online at the Artists’ Network site. I will send more information as this becomes available.

Hang Man Gallery

756 Queen Street East, Toronto ON

Gallery hours: 12-5 pm Tuesday – Sunday

Opening – Saturday October 22nd, 7-10 pm, Silent Auction begins
Closing – Saturday November 5th, 7-10 pm, Final chance to place auction bid + live auction of larger art

www.artistsnetwork.ca
(416) 465-0302

Little Art Show 2011 Invitation

Click on the image to enlarge

Cheer

Moshe

Related reading:

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17 Oct 2011

DIY Light Box for photographing small art and crafts

Posted by Moshe Mikanovsky. No Comments

Today I want to share with you a blog post by my friend, jewellery artist Inna Gorstein, of Ingo Jewelry. Inna is taking all of her jewelry photographs by herself, at they are fabulous! They are so sharp and classy, and really presents her creations in the most professional way.

The post is published and edited with Inna’s permission. Check out Ingo Jewelry’s website to see her amazing creations.

DIY Light Box
By Inna Gorstein

This Light Box is made with foam boards and it can be done within an hour. Here is how….

What you will need:

  1. Two white Foam Boards, 22″ by 28″ each. You can find them in any Wal-Mart store in the section where Bristol Papers are sold.
  2. Trace paper (from any dollar store, craft section)
  3. Masking tape
  4. Three adjustable light fixtures with daylight bulbs.
  5. Utility knife

Construction:

  1. Cut the two foam boards in half to have 4 boards of 14″ by 22″. Use 3 of these boards for sides and back panels. Cut the last panel into 2 pieces – one is 14″ by 14″, will serve as top (roof) panel and the second is just 14″ by 8″ which is enough for the bottom part to hold the shape.
  2. Join the 3 walls and the bottom piece with masking tape.
  3. Before joining the top piece, cut a square smaller than the trace paper. Tape the trace paper on the top part, and join the board as a roof to the light box structure. This will be used as a defused “sky-light” to accommodate light from above.
  4. Place lights on both sides of your light box, and as it shown in my case I placed the top light on top of the sky-light. Make sure your side lights beam to the opposite walls to have defused effect. Note: the top light can be from a light fixture you already have at home, installed from the ceiling. Just make sure it is long enough, and replace the bulb with a day light one. Place the light box underneath it.

Now your light box is ready for shooting.

Enjoy

Inna @ Ingo Jewelry

More tips for artists at the Resources for Artists page.

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12 Oct 2011

My art at Moonbean Coffee at the heart of Kensington Market

Posted by Moshe Mikanovsky. No Comments

I have installed my Zodiac series today at the Moonbean Coffee, located on St. Andrew Street in the heart of Kensington Market.

The Zodiac originally was painted with watercolors on paper, and later I started offering each individual Zodiac sign as a Giclee on paper or canvas. So for the Moonbean Coffee, I hanged on one wall 6 larger canvases with Aries to Virgo, and on the other side of the room, 6 smaller canvases with Libra to Pisces.

Here are some pictures which I took with my iPhone.

mikanovsky art at the moonbean coffee

Mikanovsky Zodiac Art at the Moonbean Coffee

Art the moonbean

If you are in the area – Kensigton Market is right next to China Town, and is offering many small boutique shops and an old style market, as well as eateries and parks – until November 10, step into the Moonbean and have a look. And if you did, send me a note to let me know how you liked it. Their coffee is great!

moonbean coffee company

Moonbean Coffee Company

30 Saint Andrew Street
Toronto, ON M5T 1K6, Canada
(416) 595-0327

www.moonbeancoffee.com

Moonbean Coffee Company

Moonbean Coffee Company, Kensington Market, Toronto ON

Moonbean Coffee Company, the counter

Moonbean Coffee Company, the counter

Cheers

Moshe

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11 Oct 2011

Technology Pains and Tips on Surveys

Posted by Moshe Mikanovsky. No Comments

Artists and Technology - what pains you?

Artists and Technology - what pains you?

Last week I have publish a post on FineArtViews which had two parts. The first one, was a request to fill a survey, pertaining to artists and their biggest pains where it comes to using technology. The second part included some suggestions for artists on times or reasons to use surveys.

Here is a quote from the article:

I could think of few things you could create a survey for:

  • Ask your newsletter readership to review a few new paintings and ask their opinion. Since the survey is anonymous, you are apt to get a better and more honest response – this will help you realize which of your works is the strongest.
  • Ask your website visitors to tell you how your site is doing – do they get what they are looking for?
  • Check what type of art people are buying more – medium, theme, size, framing options, price range.
  • Survey where you should try to sell your art next – galleries, art festivals, coffee shops, etc.

There are few other ideas in the post, and you can read it at FineArtViews.

I would love also to extend the survey to my blog readers and everyone out there who might be interested to fill it. Its very short, only 10 questions, and shouldn’t take too long to fill. You can take the survey now – Visual Artists and Technology Survey.

Next week, on October 20th, my next FAV post will be published with the results of the survey and some interesting statistics.

Cheers

Moshe

More to read more tips for artists? Check out my resource for artists page.

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