Crazy Mike

Crazy Mike. Talked to himself, talked to others, sometimes he yelled at them, and often would know the answer to any question, especially one about who pitched the first no hitter, or who was the first draft pick in the 1986 NHL draft. I don't think he's allowed back at Canal bar anymore though.

Friday Toasties animation

Keep in mind, these are just straight ahead animations, I really had no idea what was to happen, other than that it would end with a piece of toast. Bryan has been working hard on his short film and I wanted to invite him out. It worked, I'm meeting him there now!
Peace!

Painting and beer coaster

Things have been very hectic around here lately, work, renting a new studio space, the recent acquisition of www.drawingonbeercoasters.blogspot.com,etc,etc. Here's a beer coaster Drawing from Sample on Smith Street- with a Jameson wash I believe. And an original inked drawing, still on display(and for sale) at the Crooked Tail Cafe on 3rd Ave. Stop on by for a sandwich and a coffee, and say hi to Phil. They're going to be having more shows coming up in April and I will let everyone know.
Cheers.

Canal Bar part 2

A couple of more napkins from the other night.

Canal bar

Greg and I were maybe going to grab a beer at about 7, but we didn't end up meeting until midnight. He didn't stick around for very long but since I had been cooped up in my apartment all day, I stuck around and drew for an hour or so. It was nice to be in my office for a change.

Toronto

This one time I threw a going away party for Dave S. and I invited everyone to the J2 Deli on 18th, and I just gave them an address too – no mention that the happy hour took place in the back, just behind the Doritos aisle. It was one of the best two hours drinking- ever.
That’s sort of how I feel about Toronto, lots of fun in the Seven Eleven with friends- but not so much fun outside.
Above are Ellen, Hubert and Sean, my good friends and wonderful hosts.
Also, the bartender and owner of Sean’s local pub, the Graceland.

Frank the Tank

Frank was one of the most popular characters at the Canal Bar and he just recently passed away. This is one of the only sketches I did of him; in fact, it’s the only one there is as far as I know, probably because I was too busy listening to him.

The Kingshead Pub

My brother and I started the evening at the Kingshead Pub in Vancouver, to meet up with some friends for a few beers and a few laughs. We ended our outing early the next day, scrambling in our parent's kitchen for cheese and water, anything to stave off the hangover that had already begun. Earlier on I'd sketched on quite a few napkins. I didn't keep any this time around, after all it was like my Christmas that I never had.

letter to my brother

A letter to my brother.

Dear Patric,
I’ve gained a lot of weight in the last 4 years. When I first moved here, I was 164 pounds. The other day I weighed myself and I was 186.5 pounds. It was a digital scale. The girl who owns the scale, I adore. The woman in my kitchen, I barely know.
She is leaving Wednesday, and I don’t plan on getting to know her.
Earlier this evening I was out with Zartosht, and shortly I will disconnect my computer from its power cord, place it atop a wooden box in my closet and post my napkin sketches of this evening.

p.s. the woman in the kitchen keeps coughing, it is so annoying.
p.p.s she also just blew her nose and is texting on her I phone.
p.p.p.s. I hope she is using a Kleenex and not my jacket.

Hope all is well in Saskatoon,
Love,
Philip

Thursday Toasties animation

One day soon I plan to compile all these random Toasties animations and burn them onto some DVD's. Then I'll head over there on a Thursday or Friday and have a couple of pints at $2.25 each (between 6 and 8pm). I'll leave a stack of them on a table, with the title TOASTIES ANIMATIONS. Then I'll watch to see if anyone takes one. After a couple of more pints, probably with Bryan, I'll take the subway home and wonder just what people will think when they watch minutes of nonsensical animation. Then I will probably head to Canal Bar, for just one more.

Tuesday

I’ve never been able to draw my friend Sean McBride accurately, and this time around is no exception, although I think I’m getting closer and closer. Watch out my friend.
Zartosht , Sean and I ended up in the lower East side on Tuesday evening, drinking wine and listening to Flamenco (I think, I should really know this). Paz, our lovely bartender is the girl, and I believe I posted sketches of the subway ride home as well.

Art Show this friday

As I type this blog entry I notice that the tips of my fingers are blue and my left palm has about three blue streaks running across it. No, I did not get beat up again for trying to kiss a girl in front of her boyfriend, that's so 2007. Rather, I've been drawing away with Tombo markers in my room, while the woman in the kitchen types away at her I phone. I will talk more about the woman in the kitchen next week, when I have more time. Click on the title of this entry to view this neat little write up in Time Out New York, and thank you to Tami for getting the word out there!

First post of '09

I once worked at a petrol station on the outskirts of my hometown, no not in South Africa, in Richmond , B.C, Canada. I just figure petrol station sounds a lot cooler than gas station. One day a man with long hair and shaggy clothing walked up to us and asked us for some help, he said he needed gasoline for his car that was up the road, as he held out an empty soda can. We flatly refused to fill his can up, it was against the rules, he had to pay for a federally approved plastic gas container. He didn't have enough money in his pockets. Later on that day I saw my boss and the man with the shaggy hair, this time he had his car with him. After the man and his car went on their way we received quite a tongue lashing from our boss. Some family pulled in and I hastily went over to serve them. I suppose then, for me to be angry at the girl who threw aside the last two napkin drawings below onto the floor near the bar, would be hypocritical of me, wouldn't you say?

Happy New Years

It's been an interesting year. A really strange year to say the least, and I'm sure the 7 or 8 people who check up on my blog would nod their heads in agreement, then take a sip from their wine goblet or pint glass. This is because I'm imagining us all sitting around the corner of Canal Bar, eating popcorn, and having a few laughs. Then I picture myself slowly retreating from the conversation, my left hand searching for my brush pen as my right hand ushers in the next batch of napkins. As I would begin to sketch out some imaginary visage, I may add to the conversation, or simply, nod my head in agreement, take the last sip of my Brooklyn Lager, and quietly back away from my bar stool, into the cold Gowanus midnight.

more experiments with ink

I've committed many crimes with my brush pen. I've vandalized more than a couple of bathroom walls in bars across Brooklyn and Manhattan. This doesn't make me feel good about myself, well, perhaps it used to -but I must grow out of this behavior, thus I would like to take this opportunity to apologize to those establishments, namely Union Hall,Canal Bar, The Cherry Tree Tavern, 4th ave.Pub and The Bell House. I promise to stop drawing girl's faces above the urinals and sinks, rather to focus my energy in a positive , constructive manner, and to make my mark on canvas boards from now on. If this apology isn't enough, I will scrub your walls for free. Cheers.

The sketch was done at the bell house over a beer with some friends. I used Faye's hairstyle as inspiration for this one.