HAPPY FRIDAY you guys!!!! 
I have more new work to show you!
Yup. This one is a REQUEST!
​This new original painting is based on Liberty Village in Toronto!
I went out to take reference shots one sunny afternoon. I wasn't sure which building was the best to focus on. What I DID notice was a LOT of young couples around. It stuck in my mind, so I decided that I would feature a young couple in my illustration!
Okay...so this piece was a little frustrating. I'm not sure why I hit a block mid way, but I did. It was unpleasant for a day while I tried to figure out a solution to make the composition more balanced.
You'll see that in the progress photos below.
Okay so here is how it came together....

AND HERE IS THE FINAL PIECE:

So there you go!!
In the end, I think it turned out great (despite the angst in the middle of creating it)! Come out at see this fine piece at The Riverdale Art Walk this summer! OR BETTER YET.....come by the studio and buy it today!
:-) 
Yes....there will also be prints and postcards available this summer!
​HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND Y'ALL!

TAA DAA!
My newest original painting. IT IS BIG! (48" x 25") 
It is a love letter to the city I CHOOSE to live in!
Thanks for being; lovely and loud, crowded and cramped and colourful and creative, worrisome and wonderful.
Toronto. I love you EVEN DESPITE your flaws. Perhaps FOR your flaws!
I hope you guys like this one too......
This one is like a graphic vintage postcard and was really different to work on for me.......see if you like it!
I tried to work in a bunch of Toronto iconography.
The Cinesphere, the beach, some flying rats (oh I mean seagulls) the skyline, a retro streetcar, the city hall, the Toronto sign in Nathan Phillips Square....loads of great stuff!
World. Class. City.
Here is how my painting process went on this one:

Made some mistakes in the painting of this one, but FINALLY I got it right. There was a LOT more push and pull in the colours and the balance for this painting than I normally deal with!
OOPS....but FINALLY here is the painting:
"Toronto", 25" x 48" Acrylic on Canvas

This one will be BOTH a print and postcards for the show season!
​BUT YOU REALLY NEEEEEEEED this original!!
​;-)

HAPPY THURSDAY!!!!
Well.....after 2 weeks of work, my latest painting is D-O-N-E!
It is also the first piece of art I have completed at my new studio!
It has been a great learning curve....and so fantastic to STAND to paint again! Trust me, my chiropractor is happy with me!!

"Sign-sational Toronto"
I am gonna show you how it progressed:
​

So in this painting I pay hommage to the greatest signs in the city!
Let's break it down...
1.) Honest Ed's - soon this Toronto icon will be a memory! You KNOW I have painted this guy SEVERAL times, but it is still such a draw for me...you can see my SOLD Ed's paintings HERE...or my daytime - "Sign of the Times" Ed's painting (which is amazingly still available) OR Ed's print HERE.

2. The El Mocombo sign is also an institution. Although it is out for repairs, you will hopefully see it up again SOON! NEVER painted this one....and honestly - this was the whole reason I wanted to do this painting! YAY!

3.)Club Zanzibar has the most wonderful sign on Yonge Street! I love how it blinks and chases and glows....and NO....I have NEVER been into this glorious snake pit! BUT I have painted 3 times....all those paintings are sold....but if you wanted to buy one...I would love to revisit it again! ;-)

4.) The Inglis sign was like the first welcome to the city, along the Gardiner Expressway....now it is GONE....I used to be so happy to see it when I came back to Toronto after a weekend away in my hometown of London.....sigh....

5.) The Massey Hall sign looks BETTER than ever!!! I am thrilled to paint this guy!!!! I would love an excuse to do the whole building....stay tuned.....

6.) The Goof (AKA THE GARDEN GATE RESTAURANT) is a great eatery with a great sign! It is also an integral part of the Beach (or Beaches) history and hopefully it is around for MANY more years!

7.) Sam the Record Man. Steeped in controversy, this sign is currently being refurbished (No...for reals!!) and will soon find its way into Dundas Square! Yes...I currently have a day version of this sign available HERE....and as a print.....I also have a few SOLD versions of it (and a commission) you can check out too!

So there you go!
A big splashy new painting!
Come out to Walnut Studios to see it in person - or look for it at my outdoor shows this upcoming season!
AAAAAND...yes.....I will probably be making prints of this one too!
What do you think of the final piece?
Have a great week!

Okay.....so as you know.....I moved into my studio space at Walnut Studios this week. It is a pretty exciting! I am excited and nervous! Read all about the move HERE! So I thought I would share with you all the things that went through my head on the first day in the new studio......please enjoy......

7:45am - Get up (begrudgingly).
8:00am - Settle in front of the TV with my coffee and oatmeal.
8:30am - Get ready to go downstairs to the studio....oh F**K...I don't work here any more!!!! UGH!
8:31am - Consider the merits of going back to bed
9:00am - pack for my first working day in the new studio.....
9:01am - I am sure it is gonna be great!
10:30am- OH CRAP! WHY IS THIS TAKING SO LONG????
10:32am- Why am I running so late already?
10:33am- What shoes should I wear at my new studio? Wonder if there are any online shoe sales? WAIT! Am I wasting MORE time?
10:37am- Okay, bags & suitcases packed, and 2 oversized bags of paintings....how hard could this be to transport!?
10:45am- Decide to take GO train, to save time, and because the ABJECT HUMANITY of the TTC when you are carrying a lot of crap is just TOO AWFUL to face. I mean ART - not crap.....
10:55am- Get all my crap lugged onto GO...oh...did I say crap again? I mean my life's fulfillment!
​11:07am-  Arrive at Union Station. WAIT! I HAVE TO CHANGE TRAINS TO CONTINUE WEST?? ARE YOU F***KING KIDDING ME??? 
11:08am- lug all bags and luggage down 2 flights of stairs walk through Union Station, find the track I need - great - it is track 24 - and I am at track 3 - okay....lug lug lug your crap...oh....okay now UP the flight of stairs again.....
11:25am- Made it! Not inconvenient at all! 
11:35am- Am at Exhibition Station.....totally worth it for a 10 minute ride...lug lug lug....
11:45am - Gee.....this is a long walk to Walnut Studios.....
11:46am - Well...it is better and cheaper than a GYM membership!
11:48am - I hate this.
11:56am - There is a starbucks - I should get a Caramel Macchiato 
noon    - REALLY ROB??? Why did taking all this seem like a good idea.....lug lug lug....
12:08pm - ARRIVE AT STUDIO! Wow am I sweaty. But look at all this light in the studio:
12:09pm - So warm and bright!!
​

12:10pm - OH GOD!!!! WHY IS SO FREAKING BRIGHT IN HERE?????

12:11pm - I HATE YOU SUN!!!! I cannot wait until it is darker!
12:15pm - Okay....time to start a new painting. No more delays!
12:20pm - Wow. How long has it been since I have painted??
12:32pm - YIKES....it has been almost 2 months since I have painted last! That has got to be a record!
12:33pm - WHAT IF I HAVE FORGOTTEN HOW TO PAINT????
12:35pm - ENOUGH! Just do it lazy man. WORK WORK WORK!!!

1:09pm - LUNCH?
1:10pm - LUNCH?
1:11pm - LUNCH?
1:12pm - LUNCH?
1:15pm - LUNCH?
1:16pm - LUNCH?
1:20pm - LUNCH?
1:22pm - LUNCH?
1:24pm - OKAY FINE!!!!! I gotta eat.....I am not getting into the groove here at all!
2:00pm - "Back to the house of slavery" as my Dad used to day!
2:01pm - Why are all the other artists here chatting right now?
2:03pm - Need music.....all I can hear is other people's conversations...MUST....STOP....LISTENING....IN...
2:05pm: ....wait....what is he saying?
2:09pm - MUSIC!
2:11pm - "GIRLS....WE RUN THIS MOTHER.....GIRLS....WE RUN THIS MOTHER.....GIRLS....WE RUN THIS MOTHER....."
2:22pm - "AND I AM TELLING YOU.....I'M NOT GOING....YOU'RE THE BEST MAN, I'll EVER KNOW.....NO NO NO THERE'S NO WAY......"
2:30pm - Time for some Cher-apy....
​2:31pm - "If I could turn back tiiiiiime......"
2:40pm - When's dinner?
3:30pm - WOW....I am really making progress here! Way to be busy at work Robbie!!!
3:33pm - (answering a phonecall) "HEY!! No. I'm not busy! Ya....come on over - I would love to show you the new studio!"
3:35pm - take my picture for instagram.....make it took totally natural and spontaneous!

3:59pm - Ya...that's the one. It really hides my chins!
4:39pm - UGH...gotta get back to work. WHAT A DAY!
4:45pm - When is dinner....and what will WE HAVE?
5:00pm - "Hello.....it's me. I was wondering if after all these years you'd like to meet....to go over....everything.....they say that time is suppose to heal ya....but I aint done much healing....HELLO...."
5:05pm -Oh Adele.....how I love you....
5:06pm - gosh  - it is so dark......I wish I had the sun still....
5:15pm - geez...I am feeling a little down now.....maybe I should go home......
5:15pm - NO....everyone else is gone....but you need to stay until 5:30 at least.....
5:18pm - PACK IT UP CROXFORD! Your colours are getting MURKY!

5:35pm - waiting for King Streetcar. This will be better than my Go trip this morning!! FO-SHOW!
5:37pm - YIKES. The streetcar was too full to stop!!
5:42pm - REALLLLLLY??? THREE FULL CARS IN A ROW??????????
5:45pm - Will walk to Bathurst and take streetcar North!
​5:46pm  - stupid commuting - does anyone else know what a nightmare this is??! 
5:55pm - WHAT? Bathurst is a nightmare with all these cars!! Okay, I guess I will walk to Spadina - at least there is a dedicated lane for streetcars....
5:56pm - Seriously - how do people do this everyday?? 
6:02pm - REALLY?? A problem with the Spadina line? 3 streetcars in a row - just waiting......F**CK THIS MOTHER-F****** ******* ****** DAMN ****** F***ERS.....I guess I will walk to Union Station and take the GO home!
6:35pm - Home sweet home. 
​6:36pm - In pyjamas, eating pizza.


SO THERE YOU GO! My whole day.