Sculpture

Hand Carved Wax Skeleton from Stephan Webb

Getting progress images from Stephan Webb is always a real treat because it always offers little insights into the bronze casting process. This time, he has sent along a hand carved wax of an owl skeleton(left). This wax model will be molded, and then melted away to be replaced by hot molten bronze.

I threw in a picture of an actual owl skeleton(right), so you can marvel at Stephan’s accuracy and detail! I’m excited to see what else gets incorporated into this skeleton, and I’m certain that Stephan will not disappoint us.

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Stephan Webb’s “Evolutionary End Game” opens at Stranger Factory on April 5th. An opening reception will be held on April 5th from 6-9pm, and Stephan will be present.

Stephan Webb’s…T-Rex?

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Stephan Webb, who will be opening EVOLUTIONARY END GAME at Stranger Factory in April, just sent us a little sneak peak of something prehistoric! Webb, a local Albuquerque favourite, melds biology themes with intricately cast bronze pieces to create incredibly detailed pieces of art.

Here, this fossil perches on Stephan’s arm like a bird. Considering that birds evolved from the dinosaur suborder Theropoda dinosaurs, of which the mighty Tyrannosaurus Rex is a member – well, that seems awfully appropriate.

We’ll be updating you with more little sneak peeks of Stephan Webb’s show, so check back frequently!

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Horns and ears and jewels, oh my!

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She’s barely gotten to take a breath from the Migration madness, and Kathie Olivas is already plunging full tilt ahead into her April show at Stranger Factory, SCOUT.

Below is a little teaser image of what she’ll have in store, and if this is any indication, we’re in for a wonderful array of horns and floppy ears and tiny hats, as well as a treasure trove of Kathie’s other signature elements. We’ll be keeping you updated on Kathie’s show, so stay tuned for more information and sneak peeks!

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Window Shopping: It’s a Grey Day

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The real life Stranger Factory store holds all sorts of magnificent toy wonders, but for those of us who do not live in Albuquerque(or do not collect frequent flyer miles like candy), taking very regular visits to the online Circus Posterus store will just have to do!

Inspired by the gorgeous greyscale tones of the new Stingy Jack colourway by Brandt Peters and the Nonesuch Skelve, we decided to do some online window shopping in the Circus Posterus store and compile a collection of similarly wonderful grey and black and white things.

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1. Liquorice, by Stephane Levallois. $40. Mr. Levallois also has some original drawings in our Original Art section!

2. Wrecks and Dazey – Fossil Edition, by Joe Ledbetter. Our 3D Editions section is quite well stocked with Ledbetter wonderfulness right now, but this greyscale dragon and bee is definitely a standout. $110

3. Crappy Cat, Tuf Fluck Black Edition, by VanBeater. $48
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4. Dark Wippo, by Teodoro Baidu. This is no longer on sale in the store, but Teodoro usually populates his world with brightly coloured 3D rendered characters, so the subdued colour of the lovely Wippo sculpt is a rare treat! They may still be in store at Stranger Factory, so if you’re visiting soon, keep your eyes open and peek in all the little corners. However, we also just released DIY Wippos in the store, as an unpainted resin kit, for $40!

5. Slap Happy, by Brandt Peters. Slap Happy is a Brandt Peters classic, and Stranger Factory is one of the few places that still has them in stock! $55, and don’t forget his loyal companion, Mr. Muggles for $45.

And of course, we have an Original Art section full of greyscale goodies, including the majority of our Art of Narrative show, Jon MacNair’s lovely ink work and Travis Louie’s haunting pencils and paintings…here’s a look at a few choice pieces of original work!

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6. Water Orb with Rabbit, by Jon MacNair. $300. Jon MacNair is a master of ink, and this piece from his 2012 exhibition showcases his strong lines and fills. For more of his work, visit our Original Art page!

7. Serenity – Sky, by Andrew Bell. $250. Andrew Bell may be better known for his delightful cartoonish art, but this subtle and introspective sculpture series he exhibited in his Stranger Factory show in 2012 is poignant in a completely different way.

8. Lilah, by Carisa Swenson. $600. This elegant bunny is the picture of perfection, with her complicated cat’s cradle.

Thanks for taking this brief tour through the Circus Posterus store with us! You know what’s even better than window shopping? Shopping. We’ve also restocked recently on prints and t-shirts, so have fun!

Chris Ryniak’s herd of Dumpy Dollops for “Migration”

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Imagine hiking in the woods and turning a corner to find Grumblup Vungermirk (above) or Gullop Ficktermucker (below) staring at you. I think most of us would plop ourselves down right there and say “awwwwwwww” as it grins or makes rankled sounds at us.

Well, welcome to the world of Chris Ryniak’s Dumpy Dollups!

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Only 6 of these adorable and expressive creatures with extremely long names have made their way to Migration. Ranging in size from the runts at 4 inches to the aspiring NBA players at 6 inches, these stubby critters made of acrylic, epoxy, and large, soulful glass eyes, are ready for the great Migration to a new home (and away from Chris’ karaoke singing). Speaking of our songbird Chris, we got a chance to ask him some questions about these wonderful lumps –

CP: These Dumpy Dollops are amazing. What corner of your brain do these come from? 
CMR: Does the brain have corners?  I figured it was more of a round-ish thing…well, at least that’s how it looks in the science books.

The Dumpy Dollops are kind of like milestones, they dot the edges of trails along migratory routes of more evolved creatures.  Since they can’t really move under their own power due to grossly underdeveloped limbs, they just sit there and encourage travelers, or just grumble at them.

CP: How should a potential owner keep these little dudes happy?
CMR: Never look directly in their eyes!  Or was it ALWAYS look directly in their eyes?  I can’t remember…

CP: The expressiveness of your sculptures has been really increasing – is that a direction you’ve been enjoying(we love it)?
CMR: I find that the more expressive the character, either through action, facial expression, posture or a combination of all of them, the more I can relate to them.  It’s not enough that they are just monsters; it’s important to me that they connect in some way to the human world.

(ed. note: Chris’ ability to render expressions is unparalleled by most, but he’ll be dropping a whole bunch of tips on how to draw them in his Stranger Factory workshop: Creating Expressive Characters)

CP: Can we expect to see more of these lumpy, expressive critters from you, both for Migration, and in the future?
CMR: The answers are yes and yes!  There is one critter who has the biggest grin you’ve ever seen…and he happens to be my favorite piece in the show.  I have lots of plans for happy little dudes for upcoming shows.

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(maybe it’s this guy?)

To see the rest of the Dumpy Dollops, and the rest of Chris’ happy, grumpy, lumpy menagerie, be sure to sign up for the mailing list on Stranger Factory’s homepage to be on the preview list.

Chris Ryniak and Amanda Louise Spayd’s “Migration” opens March 1st through the 31st at Stranger Factory (109 Carlisle Blvd NE, Albuquerque, NM 87106).

Valency hearts us all with Love Skulls

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Stranger Factory’s own vivacious vixen of art, Valency, is making Valentine’s Day a little easier for us with her Love Skulls, now available in the Circus Posterus store. 

These original hand sculpted and painted skulls feature a heart shaped nose and devious eye sockets. They are available in pin and necklace form to give a sweet Valentine’s Day gift to yourself or that special person. Or…you could do both since everyone loves skulls, especially LOVE SKULLS, and they are in fact guaranteed to be made with love.

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Colin Christian’s “Pussy Petite” Editioned Wall Sculpture

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Pussy Petite

Colin Christian has just released another delectable dame for us to sexify our walls with, and this one goes by the name of Pussy Petite. Hand-cast in resin and painted with holographic paint similar to Colin’s Cosmic Godhead, she measures 6 inches in length and comes ready to hang. This feisty minx is an edition of only 25 pieces and comes signed and numbered by Colin. Yours for only $85 (US ship incl!) via Sas and Colin’s new BigCartel store.

And if you’re digging this new wave of uberly affordable Christian art, be sure to mark next August on your calendars: Colin will be showing alongside Phil Noto and Glenn Barr at Stranger Factory. We’re going to have to wipe the steam off the windows with this one! More info on that as we inch closer to the date.

Colin Christian’s Mesmerizing ‘Glowing Pussy’ Sculpture

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Colin Christian seems to be on a bit of a tear: earlier this week we had a look at his incredible Cosmic Godhead Cthulhu sculpture, and hot off its tentacles is his Glowing Pussy, a wall-mount sculpture of a bodacious babe who changes colour with a click of a button. You can also have it stay on one particular colour, or change the pattern. This little minx is packing all sorts of tricks!

Similar to Cosmic Godhead, Glowing Pussy is an edition of 50 hand-cast heads at $200 per. Each comes signed by the artist. Contact Colin via email at colin@hotboxdesigns.com, on Twitter or via Facebook to secure yours. I wouldn’t wait on this one; his Snack Cakes always sold out in a blink and these are ridiculously affordable with LED lighting to boot.

Check out the video below to be dazzled by all the radiant hues of Colin’s Glowing Pussy!

Colin Christian’s ‘Cosmic Godhead’ Cthulhu Sculpture

Lovecraft fans, do I have a treat for you: new from Colin Christian is Cosmic Godhead, a new edition of wall-mount sculptures of our favourite demon from the depths, Cthulhu. Cast in resin and measuring an impressive 17 inches, each of the 50 heads are hand embellished by Colin with holographic paint. And if the excitement of a new Christian series hasn’t made your tentacles curl, the price surely will: these beauties are only $200.

Take a peek at the video below to see the Godhead in all its glory. Contact Colin via email at colin@hotboxdesigns.com, on Twitter or via Facebook if you’re interested in purchasing.