Merican-Tastic!: The Swap

Ding! Ding! Ding!  The swap has occurred!  I'm not gonna name any names here, but somebody whose name rhymes with Heidi Hernandez has been diligently working away on some seriously cool pieces.  I have already discussed a three of the pieces she has (Cool Fools Dool Gools 4 Jools, Drive-By Ladies a-Ladying and Pharaoh (which I believed is going to be called Pharaah (on a completely unrelated topic, spellcheck has a hell of a time being relevant in my world of funky titles).  Here is a quick refresher for 'Gools' and 'Pharaoh':

Here are the other two which Heidi 'received' yesterday:

Behold! Un-Vrooom! and Neat Trick.  Un-Vroooom! has an old canvas with ghost images peeking through, and Neat Trick also has part of a relief canvas/collage with a little bit of cement texture and some Kanga (carpet padding) to provide some texture/directional forces.  I have no idea visually or conceptually where Heidi is going to take these.  I suspect she may be a glutton for punishment....

Now for the goodies I received.  These are only 'working titles' until I get a conceptual foothold into whatever direction I am going to take the piece.  If I remain particularly un-clever, the titles might stick.  The challenge with these pieces is to work with 'the start' that Heidi has provided, personalize its completion, while maintaining enough of the spirit/imagery of 'the start' so it's not like I just received a blank canvas.

Anyway, without further adieu, here is Apple Pie Sniffer-Guy....

I'm already getting a few ideas for some basic imagery/marks to put in this one, but I have no idea where to take it yet for the actual conceptual finish.

The next piece is Double-Burger Kids' Meal.  The roadmap for this one just completely opened up when I gave it a serious lookin' at in the studio last night.  I'm not sure if it is because of all my years of service fighting off the Ravaging Cheeseburger Hoards or what, but I even have 30% of the carved frame figured out on this one.

Heidi's students (she is an art teacher (as a side note, imagine having an art teacher who can paint like this?!?)) often times provide inspiration(s) (please see Mad Scientist piece in an earlier post).  This one came from a totally earnest question:  'How do you draw an air guitar?'

I'll admit, on this one (currently called Air Guitar), I am completely stuck.  Thankfully, I've only had the piece for less than 24 hours...

I think it is the geometric shapes of the computer on this next one that is giving me trouble, but I anticipate a struggle bringing this one to completion.  My hope is that it ends up being like that kid you see on the first day of school and you know you just aren't gonna like him, and then by the end of the school year you are best friends.  If that magic friendship thing doesn't pan-out, I'll have to come up with a 'Plan B' (not to be confused with the delightful Lauren Graham as 'Andrea Plan B')

See?  It's gonna be a challenge.

I also snapped a few studio shots of Heidi's studio.

Cool vibe to be sure.

I have a the white-out wash layer to slap down on this one and then it will be ready to be transported over to Heidi's studio as well.  I'm hoping to make this one of our main promotional images for Merican-Tastic!.

Here it is with all of the color added:

In the spirit of an after dinner mint to cleanse your visual palette, here are two shots of Twink with the addition a his bandanna!  (Prior to being primed, the bandanna looks like a diaper -an unexpected surprise to be sure....)

Remember, Keep your hands at 'Ten' and 'Two'.....