This week I’ve had the pleasure of spending a healthy amount of time with one of Wellington’s secret magical art jewels. Nicola Van Weersel, a local creative maven, is bursting at the seems with the kind of art stuff that every cultured city desires and only the finest humans possess. Ever since she acknowledged the disturbing absence of carelessness in her world Van Weersel has been on a one-woman quest to revive the inner child in all of us.

This crusade began nearly two years ago when she began making stuffed toys in a recurring patterned theme. Since, her rats have become increasingly larger and exponentially more psychedelic. She uses a range of materials, dyes, and accessories to make each toy unique in its own right.

Along with her sewing machine Nicola also dons a frequent brush. Her paintings are like epic scenes of creation acted out by single-celled microorganisms and looked at through a saturation filter. They tell stories of a non-descript and incomprehensible nature. Much like her toys, her paintings leave much to the imagination, again begging out the inner children within us.

Have a look at more of Van Weersel’s work on her Myspace or her CarbonMade

This is a shot of the new storefront located right in Portland’s sweet spot, 412 SW 10th Avenue, super close to Powell’s and all that downtowny goodness. I love the design on this poster.

The above video features all the artists who’re contributing to the murals that will appear on the interior of the new space. There is so much talent gushing out of this video and onto the walls… can’t wait til it’s done.

And lastly here’s a flyer I just made showcase the 3rd annual TLE birthday party. This show, in the past, has consistently been one of the best shows of the each year since it’s inception. For those of you around, be sure to check it out and celebrate how far this tiny operation has come.

Keep an eye out for TLE in the coming years, dudes. We’re gonna be huge.

Cool how it works..

I recently recorded a version of the holiday classicWinter Wonderland for a Portland Christmas compilation organized by my friend Paul Laxer. You can listen to all the tracks and download the album for free here.

It’s been raining in Wellington for about 3 weeks straight and I have to say, I haven’t one complaint about it. At the same time that I slowed my pace and stopped in Wellington all of my lingering and supposed/proposed projects came to a head. Production on the Nurses vid started, Andrew from the Chairy Arms asked me to start working on his album art, my dad bought a domain name and has asked me to design his new website, and FWS4 and I are trying to release our all-ukulele Beatles cover album in the next few months (not to mention I should be writing/recording Royal’s breakout release). However, the timing for all this really couldn’t be any more perfect; I have a comfortable place to crank out my work, and I’m not even tempted to go outside because the weather has been complete shit. Thus, a more fitting statement couldn’t be conjured: “When it rains, it pours, motherfucker.”

This is a proposed album cover for the new Chairy Arms EP, Amber Street Lights.

Here’s a link to my Dad’s new website Science Visualization, still obviously under construction. He will be using it to showcase critiques and gallerys of outstanding images of scientific subjects alongside a portfolio archive of some of his own work.

These are images from an incredible photo blog called THEM THANGS run by Justin Blyth. It essentially emulates exactly what I wish my life looked like. Have a good long look. It’s incredible.

I’m really into retro shots of hot babes. This New York photographer Marley Kate does and excellent at just that. Awesome work.

ok, that’s all for now. Hunker down and hope for rain.

Just playin around. It was an attempt at faking decent Global Illumination but it is apparent my lighting strategies need fine-tuning. Not sure what to do with this..

Instead of applying for jobs I’ve been recording music. Here are some tunes that came out the last few weeks. More to come.

Royal – 180 Gram
Download audio file (180gram.mp3)
This one was recorded with the ears of Liz in the forefront of my interests.

Royal – Amazing Grace
Download audio file (AmazingGrace.mp3)
Cover of the funerary classic.

Royal – Marian
Download audio file (Marian.mp3)
Written about a German dude who was supposed to call me.

Royal – It’s Not So Bad
Download audio file (It’s Not So bad.mp3)
Break-up ballad, life mantra.

Royal – I Will
Download audio file (i Will.mp3)
Ukulele cover of one of my all time favorite Beatles songs. Will Schneider IV and I will be pumping out a number of these for an all-ukulele Beatles cover album. Due out Christmas.

BUY! (Guys)

BUY! (Gals)

In an effort to try to stay as productive as possible whilst overseas, I’ve whipped up an updated demo reel for the year 2009. It is a ‘best-of’ all of the content I created since my last reel, ready to be tossed at anyone who might be interested. Have a look, let me know what you think.