THE PEPPERMINT PLAINS

The Peppermint Plains was created for CMN's third event of the 2015 season, Red & White. I was approached to work on a piece that would tie in with the organization's first themed concert. At first, I thought, "What's red and white? The White Stripes?" then I remembered their distinctive peppermint swirl bass drum. "What if I made a landscape out of peppermint candies?"

Terrible (but ambitious) concept sketches emerged:

I began the hunt for a Christmas staple in the middle of Spring. I was genuinely stunned by the lack of traditional peppermint candies like circular after dinner mints, candy canes, or sticks. The majority of the materials were purchased online, with the exception of the base, rocket, and spaceman.

The difficulty in attaining materials proved to be an omen: Peppermint Plains was the most difficult photo shoot I've done so far. I'd never worked with candy before, so I had no idea how it would react to my usual construction materials. The laying of the peppermint swirl "road" went smoothly. It wasn't until I applied the crushed candies to the glue that I realized the severity of the problem: the candy and the glue were melting together, but never drying.

Undeterred, I began constructing a castle made from the swirled peppermints... which promptly slid apart and became a gooey mess. It turned out to be a blessing in disguise because I really liked the candy cane forest with the peppermint road. When I saw it in the viewfinder, it immediately took me back to childhood games of Candy Land with my sister.

In the very back is a mountain range made of pink cotton candy... this was a happy accident, because those "mountains" were actually supposed to be a cotton candy sky, which melted under studio lights.

Immediately after the shoot, I swore I'd never work with candy or real food again... but I keep coming back to this idea with gumdrops...

THE DEVIL OF HELL'S KITCHEN

"Bob, I'm telling you, check out Daredevil when you have a second. Bendis is killing it right now." I was waiting in line at the movies with one of my best friends and frequent collaborators, Manny Gomez (AKA So Crazy It Just Might Work), when he made the recommendation that finally stuck. Shortly thereafter, I picked up an issue of Daredevil and was hooked immediately. I was a fan for life.

Fast-forward 15 years.

Netflix announces an original series and I'm very cautiously optimistic… would this be a retread of the horrible early 00s DD movie? Announcement after announcement gave me more confidence. The great Charlie Cox would be Matt Murdock. My favorite character actor of all-time Vincent D'onofrio would be playing Kingpin of Crime, Wilson Fisk. The visual tone was dark & brooding, as if David Fincher was directing Frank Miller & Bendis's version of the character. Then I saw that trailer. 

I had to make a figure.

I began working with whatever reference photos I could find, which, much to my chagrin, would prove to be inaccurate. My first attempt at the character utilized a 25th Anniversary Snake Eyes body, Duke head, and movie Cobra Trooper legs. It debuted the same day as the Netflix show, and was dismantled the same day. 

By the end of the first episode, I was totally addicted to the show and had already started Daredevil Mk2.

I kept the same head and legs, but the torso was borrowed from a GI JOE MP and the hands were from a newer version of the Cobra Trooper. The hands had two extra points of articulation, so now Daredevil is even more poseable.

He's even armed with the wooden batons that were a gift from his old mentor, made from real wooden dowels ('natch). 

While I am planning to make Mr. Murdock in his red attire, I haven't started the piece just yet. I've got base materials in mind, though, so he should be underway soon enough. Honestly, this stealth "Ninja Suit" is cool enough, and I actually would've been okay with it being the official DD costume… but I digress.

In the meantime, I'll be trying to figure out how to build a version of Wilson Fisk that doesn't look completely ridiculous…

LOST IN LEGOLAND

Strange Labs is honored to be showing at Bear & Bird Gallery (http://www.bearandbird.com) once again for their 5th annual Square Show exhibit. The group show, which runs March 13th-May 2nd, 2015 is locals-only and features talented artists of all ages, mediums, and backgrounds. This time around, I debuted "Lost In LEGOLAND"-- what I hope is the first in a series of LEGO-themed images to honor my favorite toy and the brand's 75th birthday. 

This particular toyscape is inspired by the classic LEGO Creator bucket sets, and features pieces that date back to my childhood collection (specifically the bricks with the eye and smile, as well as the floating yellow head). My goal is for the Little Spaceman to visit all of the different LEGO themes, starting with favorites like Classic Space, Classic Castle, and Pirates!

For those that can't make it down to sunny South Florida, here's a shot of "Lost In LEGOLAND" on the wall:

Keep it locked to Strange Labs… very excited to show some projects I've been prototyping in secret for over a year, as well as a ton of surprises...

NOW ENTERING TOYLAND...

After over a year of planning and months literally building the cast of characters, Saturday, February 7th, 2015, Strange Labs was proud to finally welcome you to TOYLAND! Debuting during CMN's Composed Variety Concert at the Coral Gables Museum, the project is about an intrepid group of toys who must band together in order to survive in and escape the otherworldly, nightmarish reality known as TOYLAND... 

"Happy Birthday"- After awaking in a giant forest of gifts and walking miles of crumpled wrapping paper, our group of toys finally enter a clearing...

"Arrival of The Traveler"- Surviving brushes with the local flora and fauna, the toys encounter something they've never seen before: a tiny being who falls from the sky. If it's not a toy, what is it? 

"Scum & Villainy"- The wilds of TOYLAND are nothing compared to the perils of what passes for civilization. Toys of all kinds trade secrets, stories, and remember the good old days; memories of a life before this… place.

Look for the next image from TOYLAND to debut at Bear & Bird Gallery's Square Show 5 on March 13th, 2015, which runs through May 2nd, 2015!

http://www.bearandbird.com/square5/

More TOYLAND to come via the CMN concert series (two more to go!)… for more info, visit their site: 

http://www.compositummusicaenovae.org

They're fighting the good fight for art & culture in Miami

SOME TOYLAND TEASERS FOR THE NEW YEAR!

To ring in the fabled, legendary year of 2015 (thanks to Back to the Future 2), I had a "creative jam session" with my Wizard Army co-founder, So Crazy It Just Might Work, where we hung out in the studio and did some camera tests for upcoming projects. 

I was so happy with what I got, I thought I'd share a sneak peek...

These two shots are tests for TOYLAND. While not the final image, I wouldn't be surprised if what I end up using is very close. I've already made alterations to the diorama, and plan to change the "cast," as well as add a little bit of drama the scene seemed to be missing… 

Oh, and the "jam sessions" will continue, but there'll be more TOYLAND updates before then… KEEP IT LOCKED… 

THE DISCOVERY

The concept for "The Discovery" drove me crazy for about a year before I finally cracked it. Proof-of-concept shots with the Astronaut and the rocket haunted me... what was it missing? I liked the contrast of the explorer and his discovery against the stark, inky black background. 

But it still needed something. 

This specific piece was originally created for Bear & Bird Gallery's Out of this World art show, which I had to drop out of, unfortunately. The original idea was inspired by the classic black & white Twilight Zone. At the time I shot it, though, I was also binge-watching Unsealed: Conspiracy Files and Unsealed: Alien Files on Netflix. What can I say? It's a guilty pleasure. 

The first, initial image that emerged from that brainstorm session remains intact, but now with a delicious, candy coating of terror... two very different alien encounters with two very different species. The Astronaut's thrill and joy of discovering proof of intelligent alien life is short-lived, only to be replaced with abject horror seconds later. 

The Astronaut is a 4" GI Joe custom figure I built specifically for this photo. Composed primarily of a 25th Anniversary Ace, the paint job is loosely based on the mid-60s NASA spacesuits worn by the Gemini crews. I hand-built the rocket from scrap pieces on my workbench, and the tiny spaceman is a scale model figurine. The large alien in the background was in a random box of toys I had to sell (I remembered last-minute), and the stone "alien" head is an aquarium decoration, of all things.

With "The Discovery" now out of my brain, I've moved onto other, more ambitious dream projects...

CMN ARTIST OF THE WEEK

Recently, I was honored to be named Artist of the Week by Compositum Musicae Novae. It genuinely took me aback, since CMN normally features the work of world-famous musicians, visual artists, sculptors, dancers, writers, and architects. Humbled and inspired, it's only made me work harder on pieces and concepts for future shows. 

The folks at Compositum Musicae Novae are fighting the good fight for Miami's local art and cultural scene. This past Fall, they began their second year bringing the best in music, visual art, and performance to South Florida via their CMN Concert Series.

For more information about CMN, please check out their website:

http://www.compositummusicaenovae.org

Also check out their Instagram feed:

cmusicaenovae