MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

(a monolith my brother and i created with xmas lights layered inside as we sculpted the 8' piece)

2008:SNOW ODYSSEY

SO LONG BAINBRIDGE IS. STUDIO, HELLO PORTLAND

it was for sure the strangest and most transformational year i've had as an artist/designer. we began packing up the studio on sunday for the move to portland by the end of the month. i'm deeply looking forward to portland and having a symbolic new years celebration start to 2009.

Print(s) and Calender Release

As many of you will find out shortly in our monthly newsletter, we'll be publishing 2 prints and a Calender...

2009 original poster featuring 24 pieces of art • 24" x 32".

We've spent some good hours designing and choosing all the art for this first time offer. This calender showcases a wide range of series from 03' - 07'. We will be offering 2 versions of these calenders. One will be unsigned on a semi-matte paper for $50. The other will be signed and dated on an archival textured fine art paper for $100. Though prints are not numbered they will only be available until January 31st.



Two new prints priced just right for the Holiday Season.

With the Holidays rapidly approaching, we are releasing 2 very affordable prints for that special Art Lover. "Cinematic Prayers" (2005) and "Grandfather Knowledge" (2007). Both are a signed/numbered limited edition print(100) on an archival textured fine art paper, 225 g/m² basis weight. Each are 12" X 12" @ $60 each.

from gizmodo.com, someone has designed a McCain iphone app for jailbroken phones. there has been a very well designed app for obama available for a while, but no mccain, until this.

this made my day....

Mad dog Palin

An artist who I admire tweeted this today.... Need I say more.

I'm proud to be an illustrator.

Zeus and Athena

I swear I didn't stage this. Every car ride they manage to create some unique cuddle puddle.

"New Visial Culture of Modern Iran" is one my books I repeatedly return to for composition, concept, and creative inspiration. A must have for any designer/artist. ISBN # : 0-9772827-2-4

"44 SILVIA" PRINT RELEASE

last month i asked your participation in my next print release on this Blog. Out of the 4 one could vote on, 44 silvia became the winner at the last minute.

This giclee is 24" w x 16"h, 1" bleed on 100% cotton rag, 225 g/m² basisweight. The first 10 are discounted @ $100, afterwards they will be @ $125. Limited edition run of 150. it will be available in my web store tomorrow.

DERRICK BROWNS NEW POSTER ART

its my pleasure and honor to announce my second collaboration with derrick brown, friend, acclaimed poet, magician, 82nd airborne, gondolier, fired weatherman, and a constant source of inspiration. i have recently finished this piece exclusively for a print run he'll be offering on his poetry tour(18" x 24" on semi matte photo paper). those of you who made it out to my "butterfly knife sonatas" solo show in escondido, CA 2006 know how brilliant he is when he did a reading at the gallery. check for him in your town, you'll leave speechless.

RAZIA'S SHADOW ALBUM ART

i've recently completed my first and very ambitious album cover/booklet project. the album project, "Razia's Shadow" is ambitious in its production and number of musicians on the album. i was asked to create a character of each band member as their alter ego in this fantastic story of 14 or so members. they each act out their character in their song. i took inspiration from ralph steadman, but added an anthropology field journal approach to it with the neutral tones and sepia backgrounds.

LTD. EDITION LINKIN PARK POSTER

the availability of these are probably pretty slim now. LP commissioned a bunch of there favorite artists to create a unique poster for each tour stop. this years tour is titled "revolution". when the project came down the wire, jacque louis david's painting "death of marat" screamed at me for the inspiration of the poster.

other artists posters via mike shinoda's blog

RAZIA'S SHADOW ALBUM COVER

just started a new project today. my first cd cover/packaging for the seattle band "RAZIAS SHADOW" will have an involved booklet featuring numerous pieces of art...

i just added a poll on the side bar of this blog. for our next print release, i am letting fans pick the artwork. this will be the first large format print, around 24" x 30". below are the 4 pieces i had in mind...PLEASE VOTE!!

"44 Silvia"


"Sakuras Retreat"


"The Avant Garden of Midnight Marauders"


"Pileated Nylon"

Uploaded - Aug 10, 2008

1 of several new outstanding restaurants in LB

"Number Nine", a modern vietnamese restaurant in the 4th/junipero neighborhood is supberb. my favorite food is Pho so this place parted my hair the first night.

Uploaded - Aug 1, 2008

I had to add this post to compliment my previous one. by far the coolest bike, it was parked outside the famous pike bar on 4th street. to bad Hoppers bike wasn't parked right next to it. Long beach rules.

one of my favorite bands did this music video years ago. SUBTLE, an LA based band who's music is unclassifiable. i always find this song so hypnotic and the video incredibly inspiring. i believe, FKO, stands for fuck kelly osbourne. i've been watching this video over and over again for years and it ripens well..

one of my most missed and favorite activities in Long Beach, is beach cruising. this IS beach cruiser country, it always cracks me up seeing fixed gear bikes here. after saving up, i finally got the bike i've wanted for years. this was one of the first cruisers i saw at FELT's warehouse when i began working with them over 3 years ago. what is so great about FELT cruisers is that they are extremely well designed and made, and they always portray a great concept for each bike...

i know its a cruddy photo, i'll take a better one later. that ring below is my wedding ring. we had the rings commissioned by our good friend and talented designer, jill redman of blue poppy jewelry. both rings have an ebony wood inlay, with 2 custom colors/spice resin pours and a significant number of dots that reflect our lucky numbers. both are made of silver. we don't believe in diamonds, and other rocks because of the volatile history and uncertainty that they were processed legally. it was more important for us to know that these are 2 completely unique rings and there are none others like them in the world.

VANS/SNO•CON mural

thank you all who attended the VANS/SNO•CON mural project unveiling last saturday. the event was for sure a memorable one and am thrilled to see one of my pieces has a permanent home in seattle. we just uploaded ltd giclee prints of the piece in the store. I have to extend a huge and hearty thanks to my brother brandon who rendered the epic bonsai section, and my assistant, brian call who helped in numerous spots, but especially the angler fish.

SEATTLE, WA.
would love to see all my puget sound peoples at this event....

Blaine Fontana Vans Mural Unveiling
a 20' x 4' mixed media board installation
Snowboard Connection flagship store
6pm
saturday, july 5th
263 Yale Ave. N, Seattle WA 98109(across from REI)
206.467.8545

i'll  be around to sign and sell ltd. edition giclee' prints of the VANS mural, exhibition of  previous works, signing books, and other posters and prints.
SNOWBOARD CONNECTION

scribble theory gallery has just informed me that my first large scale piece(2004) is on the market right now. this is one of the first pieces i started using my house in, its also stretched on one of the most complicated stretcher bar systems i have seen(the stretchers were already built a friend gave this to me many years ago). another interesting aspect about this piece is that there is 3 finished paintings underneath the final one, over the years i kept pockets of the older painting as i covered it up...contact brian @ scribble theory gallery in santa ana, CA(scribbletheory@sbcglobal.net) or #714-542-5928

"Pangea and its 1st People"
acrylic on canvas
48" x 84"

a while back i posted a video of the studio after we had just set it up after the move. we have made many changes and expansions over the last 6 months that have created a more harmonious work area and permanence. the first expansion was to move the office into an adjacent room with all windows. the vacant space was then used to have a giant "dry" table to handle orders and process/prep our prints and products. we also moved all my boy toys out of painting area to the newly created wood shop in the garage. i built a new wall in the garage to create the space. this has made it so much safer to work with dust and chemicals away from my paintings...

before....















after....






























the rest of the studio...












before shop in garage....

after....