Pure Black gets BLACKER!

Hey folks,
Hope you're all enduring the heat better than I am. Starting to enjoy getting back into posting on here regularly, even with my muse adventuring somewhere in the darker parts of the Orient. Some new work to put under your nose and some news items worth flipping our your calender for, be it google or analog.

Above is my first full illustration inking only with my newly acquired Pentel Pocket Brush. The inks and colors were given the same treatment as the piece I posted here last. Still on the fence about the Pentel and the digital texture, but I'm gonna let this be the summer of experimentation so fuck it.The imagery is an amalgamation of my love for Edward Gorey, the urge to do a children's book, and having the chance to watch greats like Tom Leonard, Bob Byrd, and Roger Roth work. If I ever spend an extended amount of time in the hospital I'm gonna devote my time to scratching this off my bucket-list, so look out Babar and Curious George... I'm coming for your throats and fancy head-ware.

 

More random doodles using the Pentel and a Rebecca Moss crowquill loaded with Noodlers' not fucking waterproof Habanero ink. Top left was a doodle in a good groove but I got cocky and jumped the shark. Not going to explain that one so don't ask. The Halloween images we tiny square studies. Think I might try doing some print/design/paper-goods for the joint Halloween show I'm doing with madman-Canadian Trevor Henderson at Grindcore House this fall. Bottom right is more angry ink.

Coming this June is the Phantom Hand exhibition Small Talk at Jinxed and if those words don't get you all hot and bothered something is wrong with your southern parts. The artist list includes some Phantom mainstays like my art-crush Edward Kelley (did the art above, James Heimer did the design) and some members who haven't participated since we had our gallery on South, as well as some new talent from around the city, and a few imported from out West. Not to toot my own horn, but the concept for this show is pretty badass:
"This June, Phantom Hand appeals to the voyeurs and people-watchers. Small Talk is an exploration of the awkward, forced, occasionally drunk, seemingly meaningless and yet necessary interactions we have with strangers every day. Participating artists will be asked to go out into the world - whatever bars, coffee shops, buses or dark alleys they may haunt - and sketch from life, maybe even eavesdrop and jot down snippets of conversation to be used in making of their final piece of artwork. Artists will be supplied with identical Field Notes brand memo-books to work in, and a page of this preliminary work will hang with each finished piece of art, both unifying the show and giving a rawer glimpse of the artists’ studies."
So I've got a few weeks to hammer out a few studies, do some eavesdropping, and get the final art done. I'm gonna be mad at myself (more than usual) if I don't make the most of this concept.

Last but certainly not least, David Rankin still has work up at Jinxed, and will until Small Talk. I highly recommend... no, I insist, go see these paintings before they get bought up, like the one I had intended to purchase. Got your plates by the way... I'm coming for my goddamn painting buddy. Get up on these things real close and soak in the bizarre texture, scratches, and gloss layers. The guys methods are enigmatic.  

More soon folks. And it's gonna be real messy. I promise.

Lost

Ho friends,

Weird huh? two blog posts this close together... I'll keep it brief; this is a personal piece, I'm not going to explain it, but if you've been following me on instagram (@sam_heimer), you got to see the process photos for this. I'm always looking for a new way to approach color, and this time it's pulled from a 1917 book cover illustrated by Bon.

The followup piece will be titled found and will be pretty much identical, with the addition of rowboats containing Julie, Manny, Allie, Ryan, Marrion, Monster, Jon, Jenny, Jeffro, Rog, and the counter girl at Federal Donuts.

More soon folks. Safe Harbor.

Fading to Black and White

Corpse in Barbed-wire -Flanders

Friends,
Hope you're all well. Things on my end have been odder than usual, but I've got bits and pieces to show for it, and I think in the long run, living out of the trunk of my car is going to make for some grungy-ass art in the next month or two.
The above is an Otto Dix etching from his book Der Kreig that's been sitting in the back of my head since I stumbled across it. While kicking around ideas for Phantom Hand's Last Meal exhibition I remembered bits and pieces from a documentary I watched on Chef Boyardee. Yeah, you heard that right. If you're unfamiliar with my source material, I highly recommend pouring over Dix's work. While the Boyardee story is interesting, I don't suggest going out for a can of beef-a-roni and walking down memory lane because you'll probably shit your pants mid stroll.

I really enjoyed brainstorming for this show, and really wish I had a few more weeks to work on it. Below was my first idea. I wanted something rough and grungy and yet loving from a distance. I showed this to a few dozen friends and asked "what current event is this?" Nobody guessed it. All I had to say was 'Bath Salts' and they got it immediately. If you didn't follow the story as avidly as I did, the only drug they found in his system was marijuana.

The opening went pretty well. A bad-ass member of the armed services who's been following Phantom Hand since the South Street location bought a fist-full of work from the show and coincidentally was in Baghdad with a dear friend of mine. The wall was solid and as usual, Phantom mainstays like Ed Kelley and Rob Leef stole the show.

I never got around to posting the rest of the work from The Dead Cats of Civilization so here's a double-dose of work for the Phantom. The following was the first piece I started for the show, working in a way I'm not accustomed to. It's a re-visioning of a past-master, but fuck if I can find the painting I was looking at. I was going to juxtapose a GPS screen over the map, but thought it'd just ruin the image. Think I might finish up a few parts and slap it on a greeting card with the words 'anywhere with you' on the interior. How's that for sugar-coated.

The pieces I ended up hanging revolved around my mortal enemy; religion. I didn't get to do the epic screen-print I wanted to from the start so this is what I ended up with. No Kings, No Gods, Only Man.

This past Saturday before making my way to Jinxed I stopped in UArts for an Artist Trading Cards session with the immensely talented Patch, Lomax and a bunch of high-school art students. Below is pretty much all I managed to crank out but it was a blast. UArts hasn't changed much; there's still a large, fucking awful painting hanging outside the library.

Lately I've managed to get back to one of my favorite past-times, the ol' drink and draw, with some of my favorite artists. If you run afoul me in a South Philly taproom, words aren't necessary, just pull up a chair, order a beer, and get doodling. It'll get intimate real fast. I promise.

In other news, the Lovecraft art-zine I'm in, Puffed Shoggoths, curated by the madman Trevor Henderson, reached and surpassed it's goal on Kickstarter, so it's going to print! Phantom Hand has two killer shows slated for June, I might have two split solo shows in the works, planning some big things for Halloween, and my latest mailer has been mailed bit by bit to craft-beer companies and I haven't heard shit.

Come find me in the bars of Philadelphia. Let's draw. You're buying.

The Ghoul Goes West

Friends,

Hope you've been well. First and foremost; sorry for the extended radio silence. A lot has happened since I last posted on here. I moved back to Philadelphia, we got Phantom Hand up and running again with residence at Jinxed and our first exhibition in less than a month from now, sent out a mailer, and have enough upcoming art-shows to keep me busy for a long while.

The following are details of doodles and inked pages that I'm still classifying as brain-storming for the aforementioned first Phantom Hand show back in action, The Dead Cats of Civilization.

I don't want to talk about this too much because I'm still not sure what I'm gonna end up taking to finish and putting up on the wall. I've been working on maps, religion, and the post office. Regardless of  what I end up squeezing out, this is going to be a tremendous show containing 35 of my favorite Philadelphia artists.

 Following this exhibition is Last Meal, with Group Therapy and others close on it's heels (and Halloween on the horizon!). Between that and hopefully some illustration work stemming from the mailer, this blog should be hot with activity going forward.

"I've done enough for it to give me the indisputable right to lay it, 

if I choose, for an everlasting rest in the dust-bin of progress, 

amongst all the sweepings and, figuratively speaking, 

all the dead cats of civilization."

                                                             -Joseph Conrad, Heart of Darkness

Phantom Hand presents an exhibition of the antiquated and obsolete. This collection will pay tribute to occupations, tools and practices now relegated to the 'dust-bin of progress'.
PHANTOM HAND presents  
The Dead Cats of Civilization at Jinxed
Opening Reception Saturday, March 16th 6:00PM-10:00PM
1050 N Hancock Street, Philadelphia
The Piazza at Schmitds

A Heartfelt Halloween

Friends,
Hope you're all well in the days prior to this most sacred holiday. Sorry if this post is overly emotional (for me) but tis' the season. Once again, like clockwork, the only piece I've been truly happy with this year was created for Halloween. I was going around thinking I'm going through a 'transition' period, but this year has been strictly change in every area of my life, not excluding my art. I know the imagery is a mash-up of my favorites, but the composition is different this time around. Not to toot my own horn, but it's cohesive this time; the parts fit, it's leaving the static, and with the help of people like Kyle Margiotta (thanks again man) I think I'm getting better at leading the eye.

 I started this just doodling the center guy, who was originally intended to be the innards and seeds of the Jack O' Lantern, sitting at B2 coffeeshop chatting method with Brad Kingett. Then I crossed the street to the Pope and had my first pumpkin ale of the season and saw Steve Ferrell for the first time in years, was joined by Jeff Kilpatrick, and drew some more. The rest of the inking was done in between e-mails setting up Phantom Hands Halloween exhibit at Tattooed Mom. Having the opportunity to do Phantom Hand has been fucking amazing, and of the many fringe benefits, is being able to reconnect with people I had grown apart from when I moved out of Philadelphia. As of last week, I'm moving back into the city. I titled this piece 'Better Shared with Friends'. 

 If you haven't made (weekend-prior) Halloween plans, some of the best and brightest artists in Philly are getting together to show art at Tattooed Mom in celebration of Halloween; come on out!

 As well as my new piece, I'll be hanging some older Halloween pieces like the below.

 And what would a blog post be without some senseless doodles? I rarely get political with my art, but I couldn't resist while listening to the first debate. Please note, on the Jay Leno show, Obamma rescinded Michelle's 'healthy eating' plan for Halloween and specifically said "All Americans get candy". You just got my vote Mr. President. And fuck Romey anyway.

 Thanks for stopping in and reading my rambling. Also, I started a tumblr to share process photos and works in progress; you can see it HERE. I really hope you all get to spend this holiday with friends, and if you're not busy, come say hello at our art show. More soon. I promise.

Iran, Halloween, and A Fond Farewell

Friends,
Hope you're all well. As previously mentioned, things have picked up ten-fold, so I've got a bunch of goodies to share, and some sad news towards the bottom. The above was going to be a header for a handbill listing ways YOU could preserve Halloween, ranging from how to deal with assholes who turn out the lights the night of trick-or-treating, to educating people on the truths behind the non-existent candy-tampering and the only recorded death that sparked the fear-mongering and insanity of x-raying candy (see Timothy M. O'Brien).

If you've been following my work on this blog, you know I have a very big, pulpy soft-spot for Halloween. The above is the almost-done inks for (hopefully) one of my pieces for Phantom Hand's Halloween show at Tattooed Mom. A slightly more tender handling of my loved holiday this year. It's awaiting some ink wash and limited color. Prints will be available at the aforementioned one-night exhibition. I can already tell this is going to be a killer show; everybody at A Nation of Evil Men 2 was already working on pieces and pretty damn excited to be doing it.

Speaking of A Nation of Evil Men 2; here's the process for my piece. The first sketch started out me trying and failing to get a likeness, and then tired and irritated from work, tuning the sketch into a monster. Of course I didn't end up using it.

The following wasn't much better in the likeness department, and while I really wanted to render falice arms, this just wasn't going the way I wanted it to. Abandon ship.

After a few more tries at the face, and a composition that made more sense and was right to the point, I arrived at the below. Kinda looks like him, and I wanted to challenge myself with color... by actually using it. A shit-ton of it. If I had had another week or two I probably would have scrapped the finish of this, but it was better than the pieces I put in the prior version of this exhibition, so I called it even.

The bulk of my creative growth happened the several years I lived in Philadelphia, and my fondest memories of that period are largely connected to four people. Sadly, Friday night I joined friends and well-wishers and saw off one of these four on the next leg of his journey.
I've always been proud to call Anthony Pedro a friend. He's a stand up guy through and through, and his work is a rarity these days, one I take extreme pleasure in. I wrote about him a while back, and again would like to mention that his work really is a mirror into a persona you're just not going to see having a beer with him. His painting is epic, humbling, and at times chilling. It is largely nostalgic of a life he might have left this past Friday to go find, and while I'll miss him, I hope he finds it.
This is a long winded way of me saying 'keep the wind at your back pal'. And if you've never seen Anthony's work, go here now, and light a candle in hope that wherever he lays his head next, he'll have time to create.

Teasers, Two Badass Shows, and Shit You Can Buy

Folks,

Hope you're all well. While this summer was pretty stagnant, like clockwork, autumn breathes new life into everything I've been working on. As mentioned previously, Phantom Hand is hosting two exhibitions at Tattooed Mom, and the first, A Nation Of Evil Men 2, is this coming Saturday! (Press release below)
I curated the first A Nation of Evil Men at Masthead Print Studio a few years back and frankly, I dropped the ball. This year I was determined not to let planning the exhibition get in the way of me hanging a strong piece. I think I pulled it off. This is only a detail, but I really stepped out of my comfort zone for this one. Color! Lots of it! I'll be posting the full piece and all the sketches and nasty bits following the opening for those of you who can't make it.

No Matter How You Slice It, This Won't End Well...

It's been pretty quiet in my inbox, but as long as all 40 some artists pull through, this is going to be one hell of a show. And it's at Tattooed Moms, so you don't have to worry about us running out of cheap, shit beer or blood-finger trying to take you home for a gumming.

Work in progress // Detail

Hot on the heels of A Nation of Evil Men, Phantom Hand is hosting Halloween (Saturday, October 27th) at Tattooed Moms. I look forward to these Halloween shows as soon as the prior year's exhibitions come off the wall, so I started the above a wee bit early. As per usual, I have a few different ideas sketched out, so what ends up on the wall might be something completely different. This is definitely going to be a show not to miss. Whatever I end up crafting for this show will be put up here in full the day after the opening.

My Etsy has long been fallow since hocking my wares at Phantom Hand, so I decided to get some new stuff up there. I finally had greeting cards printed (above) and I put up the PCS's third anthology that I'm in. In the coming weeks/months I'll have up new screen-prints and pieces from the upcoming Phantom Hand shows. Take a look!

Also worth mentioning is that I might be doing a poster(s) for Parade of Flesh again, I'm in the process of quitting smoking, and hopefully I'll be moving back to Philly with my lovely girlfriend in the months to come. More soon folks. Lots more.

Tattooed Mom
604 South Street, Philadelphia PA
ONE NIGHT ONLY! Saturday, September 22nd 7:00PM-2:00AM
Phantom Hand and Tattooed Mom presents the second installment of an expose of the faces of evil that make history grimly entertaining. A collection of the debased, comically villainous, perverted, violent, controversial, and grotesque figures that were truly stranger than fiction. These faces and persona have been the fodder for a million books, movies, history channel specials, and bad jokes; A Nation of Evil Men will bring them all together for your viewing pleasure.