breaking my first rule...

I had to. I had a request. A snippet about Paul Rudd:


According to IMDB, Mr. Rudd has 3 movies in post-production. Thank you for making my 2009! I'm a sucker for comedies, so I'll be seeing "I Love You, Man" and "The Year One" (been a fan of Michael Cera since Arrested Development, and did you see the rest of this cast?!?!).



Besides. Paul Rudd is hot. Here's proof:

Told you.

Now onto more important things! This is an art blog after all! And while Paul Rudd may be considered a piece of art, let's get to the real stuff.


Shortly after college, I moved to NYC to try out grad school, and then I ended up selling my art on the plaza in Union Square.


While I was there, I made friends with quite a few of the other street artists, and we'd often barter or give each other "fellow artist discount"s. This is how I began my own collection of art.


My very favorite piece of all time acts as the centerpiece for my living room. It's acrylic(?) on canvas, and it is entiled "The Hidden" by artist Cypha. I was drawn to the African imagery because I have a tendency to be attracted to international and eastern pieces, but I was especially drawn to how the abstract lines of the masks and leaves just blend into each other as if it was a geometric pattern.
I'm now very familiar with the piece, and the faces peeking through the bushes have become household friends, but at very first glance, the faces truly were Hidden. Every time I took a closer look and saw another face, it was a little joyful surprise.



Once I moved back to Seattle and knew I could make a permanent home for The Hidden, of course they needed a frame! How does a starving artist pay for a custom frame?! Well, they build one of course!


But what the hell do I know about framing?! What I do know is how to raid my dad's scrap wood pile and cut 45 degree angles on a power saw.


When I first told my parents about my intentions to build a frame out of two-by-fours, they stared at me with the usual, "What the hell?" and, "Shouldn't we research this first?" and, "Yuck! Two-by-fours! Eeeewwwwwww...." And I stared right back with, "Trust me, fools."


And just like when I was 5 and tried to dress myself with polka dots and stripes, etc., it somehow all came together.


Step 1: Build a frame. You all are smart, and I know you can work this out! It involves 4 - 2x4s, with 45 degree angles to join them together. You'll also cut (on the back side) a 1" x 1" groove to the interior side of each 2x4, so you can set the painting into the frame.






Step 2: Stain or paint the frame. I was VERY impressed at how well stain, on cheap wood, exposes beautiful grain.

Step 3: Hang your beautiful painting in your awesome new custom homemade frame which didn't cost $400.

Step 4: Stick your tongue out at Mom and Dad. You knew you rocked.