Elephants & Thank You's

Elephants & Thank You's

The dust is beginning to settle from last Friday's show and I'm only now starting come down...

I'd like to take a moment to thank everyone who helped me out with the event's preparation as well as the event itself. A big, heartfelt thanks also goes out to each and everyone who came out to show love and share the good vibe. Of course, I couldn't live with myself without giving a huge shout out to the musicians who were there to provide the soundtrack for the evening.

Now... on to the elephants!

This started the week before the show when it was suggested to me that I make a bunch of smaller prints for the smaller spenders [no offense, I'm a very small spender!] to be able to take something home. It was so genius I kicked myself for not thinking of it sooner.

My girlfriend is a huge fan of elephants and has been bugging me to make her one for a while now so I figured it was time for it to happen. One thing led to another and I made a limited series of 8 small similar yet different elephants on cardboard and one giant one on untreated canvas.

7/8 elephants are now gone which leaves the [now even more elusive] last one sitting at Sub V waiting for someone to come pick it up. Not to mention that the giant elephant was talked about a lot during the event but no one picked it up... So it's still up for grabs as well!

Before I forget, peace to Mark Gravel from Punchline Clothing who was the winner of the raffle and got to take home a portrait of Slug from Atmosphere. Yeah!

Finally,
Since last Thursday, there's been an article up on the Nightlife.ca website about me and I couldn't be more flattered. Thanks a lot to Brian Bentley for posting it and supporting the local scene.

I think I'm going to go snowboarding.

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Beat & Cuts: Verissage & Beat Session @ Sub V

I have a new website!!

Please click this link to find more up to date work!

www.kevinmxdermott.com

Thank you!!

Beat & Cuts:
Verissage & Beat Session @ Sub V
March 4th, 7pm - 9pm

Oh what an emotional couple of weeks it's been... and it continues to be.

Family illness has made it so that I've been back at mom's house since early February and we now have a house full of relatives from far and wide, most of whom we haven't seen for more than 10-15 years. The circumstances are terrible but it's great to see everyone together from every corner of Canada.

Throughout all this emotional commotion I've tried my best to keep my head on since I have an expo coming up on March 4th at Sub V.

It's been almost 2 years since the last time I was there and I couldn't be more excited that they've invited me back. For the occasion, I'm gonna be showcasing my most recent work, some of which can be seen in previous posts.

As well, I've invited some good friends to come and make some good old instrumental hip-hop speaker busting noise: KenLo Craqnuques, V-Looper and Maxim Robin.

If that wasn't enough to get you interested... I will be raffling off a portrait of Slug from Atmosphere [see last post].

I look forward to seeing all of you on the 4th of March... it's from 7pm to 9pm so don't be too fashionably tardy or else you may miss out!!

Peace and crackers and see you all very soon!

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Slug

I have a new website!!

Please click this link to find more up to date work!

www.kevinmxdermott.com

Thank you!!

Slug
Spray Paint Stencil'd on Canvas
[Created 100% with one hand bandaged due to a broken finger]
18" X 24"
January 2011

Keeping in mind that I've previously made paintings of Buck 65, Aesop Rock, Eyedea, D-Sisive & Saul Williams in order for me to pay tribute to how much their way with words has impacted my life and growth as an artist and a person, you may be tempted to ask [if you know me and my favorites and/or if you think you know who else should be in this list]:

"Where are Sage & Slug? Why haven't you painted Sage & Slug?"

Well! My friends!

I initially started painting writers and singers who's work I particularly enjoyed for fun. At the time, I didn't think anything of it. But then the list of people I painted grew and I started to see a pattern. Of course, with any pattern comes expectations of the elements that will follow in this pattern. That being said, I thought it would be too cliche'd and groupie-ish to paint [probably] the 2 most famous artists of the underground hip-hop scene: Sage Francis and Slug from Atmosphere.

Recently, I realized I was being silly and WAY to self-involved to have created such expectations of my work [I mean, really...?] and made this painting of Slug from Atmosphere in between two contracts. The original picture, from what I've gathered, by way of cyber-sleuthing, was taken by someone by the name of Delarge during Atmosphere's passage through the UK in 2008. You can visit Delarge's Flickr account here. I'm still waiting for him to get back to me for more info about himself at which time I'll be more than happy to provide it to you guys.

I tried to push a little more into the out-of-focus-y abstract style [my DIY technical art vocab never ceases to amaze... I know!] on this one for fun and practice. Also, it should be mentioned that this piece was done with very little detail and realism in large part due to the fact that I've broken a finger on my left hand and it's heavily bandaged, thus preventing most of the meticulous detail work I like to use sometimes. I hope you enjoy this.

Now.
The more astute reader will be thinking: "When are you doing a Sage piece?"

The answer is: "Sometime between maybe someday and possibly never." No. Seriously, I don't know but have a hunch some time this year ol' Sage Francis will pop up in layered format on a blog near you. Stay tuned!

As a side note:
The record God Loves Ugly by Atmosphere changed what I thought hip-hop could be and I believe [it's just my opinion] that a large chunk of underground rap artists to this day try and fail to duplicate what it did. I suggest that record to anyone and everyone.

As a side-side-note: I wouldn't be surprised if a more elaborate Saul Williams came about this year also...

That's all the ramblings for today folks.
I spare you the unpleasant details of what the rest of my day consists of, but I leave you with this: Please take a minute to call your Mother and/or Father and tell them you love them. You have no idea how much it means to them.

[...]

Package Successfully Delivered

I have a new website!!

Please click this link to find more up to date work!

www.kevinmxdermott.com

Thank you!!

Package Successfully Delivered

Finally, the logistics are taken care of, the "package has been successfully delivered" and I can now announce proudly that the sale of the Eyedea painting is done and that all the proceeds have gone to Kathy Averill, Michael's loving mother.

After weeks of working on getting the painting seen by as many people as possible on Ebay with the help of very unexpected and appreciated collaborators, I was finally contacted by someone who wanted to purchase it immediately for a price I would have been foolish to refuse.

The buyer in question has asked to remain anonymous and so his/her wishes are granted.

Initially, the time I had spent on the painting was going to be "my donation" and the money raised, whatever it would be, was going to be the physical manifestation of this. Never in a million years did I expect to be provided the opportunity to provide Kathy with a sum nearing the 4 figures and for that I am extremely proud.

Please don't misconstrue this post.
I am not in any way bragging about having "done a good deed" since that would significantly lessen it. I am simply keeping my readers [love you guys] posted about the progress and result of my latest endeavor.

One last time, please take a moment to visit the Eyedea page on Rhymesayers' website.

Until next time my friends.
Much love to you and yours.

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