magda trzaski

what happens when you leave coffee in your mug for a few days:

2011-08-30T09:55:00.003-04:00

fun stuff at the Arberfoyle Antique Market-late June outing

2011-08-23T12:32:00.006-04:00

more info: Arberfoyle Antique Market

i swear...

2011-05-30T12:14:00.009-04:00

... i will post this week. if not, feel free to yell at me.

even though i'm the worst blogger ever..

2011-03-22T21:01:00.002-04:00

i may be worth the wait: here's a peek at loot from my trip to Buffalo this past weekend-the pink elephant. Adorable, no? the black cat in the background is from a trip to Petaluma, CA in 2008. both made in Japan, can you see the similarities? more to come, honest...

Having way too much fun in FL, pics to follow shortly...

2011-03-06T20:35:00.000-05:00

new work in progress (finally)

2011-02-17T20:58:00.002-05:00

Thank you Jen and WWC!! xoxo

2011-02-14T19:04:00.003-05:00

see entire post by Jen here

happy 2011

2011-01-15T13:20:00.003-05:00

can't imagine anything more perfect

happy holidays

2010-12-22T14:15:00.003-05:00

tim burton 1997

christmas is my least favourite holiday. in fact i can honestly say that i strongly dislike it (hate it actually). i will not go into the reasons why, it would make me sound like an asshole and a party pooper for the most part. so to those of you who enjoy the madness, all the power to you (you're all nuts). however this polaroid by tim burton which i saw as part of his retrospective last year at the moma, suits the season perfectly. i look forward to seeing it again here in toronto, where the exhibit re-opened recently at tiff.

2010-12-12T21:07:00.000-05:00

2010-11-24T15:13:00.000-05:00

2010-11-21T21:47:00.000-05:00

2010-11-18T15:52:00.000-05:00

2010-11-15T13:49:00.004-05:00

dennis farber

BOO!

2010-09-24T13:50:00.003-04:00

i'm playing around with some vintage halloween-inspired creatures. here are my little ghosties. they will probably end up as familiars to some witchy dolls. scary no?

FUN!

2010-08-26T16:44:00.004-04:00

in my web wonderings, i've come upon Jayme McGowan's work on Modcloth and POCKETO. simply put: it's super FUN. hope you concur.

the balloon

2010-08-10T11:57:00.003-04:00

in the end i decided to go with black and white with red ribbon. it's almost there. sculpting the ribbon was a pain, but worth it. i was considering using real ribbon, but i don't think it would have looked right.

HAPPY 143rd, CANADA

2010-07-01T19:07:00.003-04:00

need your input

2010-06-29T16:56:00.004-04:00

i'm about to paint a balloon for my tiny rocking horse. i'm torn between red with black and black with red. help?

a little bear

2010-06-28T14:30:00.003-04:00

i recently purchased this pattern for a bear. normally i pretty much wing it when it comes to creating patters, so i thought for once i'd use an actual one. the original bear by Vivianne Galli is quite adorable. mine's a bit sad. (as if it wasn't obvious the black one is mine; about 4" tall sitting)

Vivianne's etsy shop here

black block - get the FUCK out of TORONTO!

2010-06-26T18:33:00.008-04:00

HEY ASSHOLES, how's breaking windows of independent business's useful?

scaling up

2010-06-07T18:40:00.003-04:00

the characters are demanding to be bigger, and i'm beginning to oblige. the new guy on the left will be about 12" tall, rather than the usual 8", like the guy on the right. now that i'm getting better at needle-felting, the bodies are becoming a lot more sculptural (previously the bodies were sewn out of wool felt). especially in the bum dept. i'm obsessed with big round bums. and bushy tails. more progress pic to come..

Tiny the elephant

2010-05-26T19:07:00.005-04:00

he might be tiny in size, but makes up for it in attitude. at this moment, Tiny is working on acquiring enough miniature balloons to be able to float around the world.

fluffy clouds..

2010-05-19T15:24:00.007-04:00

i've been looking through photos of my work over the years, and noticing how things are progressing and hopefully getting better. here's one example:

early 2007

last week

hmm, looking at these side by side, i actually don't mind the bulbous clouds.

AAF NYC 2010 - may 6-9

2010-05-03T17:01:00.005-04:00

more info:

awolgallery.com

aafnyc.com

a family portrait

2010-04-21T21:02:00.002-04:00

more info: BAU-XI Gallery

thou shalt love thy little weiner

2010-04-07T15:18:00.006-04:00

found this shocking card at the paper place, while wandering aimlessly today. it's by blue barnhouse letterpress and design studio.

Sofia's bunny

2010-04-05T15:38:00.003-04:00

buffalo road trip

2010-03-31T12:40:00.005-04:00

last weekend i attended the Buffalo small Press book Fair. very fun. looking forward to attending next year and maybe peddling some artsy books of my own. you can spot a book nerd a mile away: quirky glasses and outfit (with obligatory scarf), slightly dishevelled hair, very pale (oh wait, i just described myself minus the quirky outfit. i lean on the boring side).

CAROUSEL MAGAZINE table

mark laliberte

michael deforge

E+L's winged heart

2010-03-23T12:34:00.005-04:00

in a show at the AGO rentals + sales gallery

2010-03-15T17:42:00.003-04:00

additional info here

captured (work in progress)

2010-03-13T18:58:00.004-05:00

BORING. PEOPLE. LOVE. DRILLS.

2010-03-04T21:27:00.003-05:00

more info here

LE Gallery site here

wolf at the door

2010-03-02T13:41:00.002-05:00

more progress pics:

the only way to get stuff done around here is with sausage on your lap.

2010-02-24T11:51:00.005-05:00

is it me, or could that also sound really wrong?

tiny rocking horse in progress

2010-02-17T17:50:00.003-05:00

my thoughts on st. v day:

2010-02-14T18:11:00.004-05:00

hope you share the sentiment.

new studio

2010-02-01T17:40:00.003-05:00

looks like i'll be living out of boxes for a while. unless someone wants to donate a wall sized shelving unit, and organize it for me? no? fine, i'll just whine about it... sigh.

funny or STILL sad?

2010-01-14T09:24:00.006-05:00

whispering secrets

2010-01-02T12:47:00.002-05:00

in her ear.

more SHADOWS at Bau-Xi Vancouver

2009-12-10T17:42:00.003-05:00

shadow soul (1)

shadow soul (2)

shadow soul (3)

missing heart

BAU-XI GALLERY

SHADOWS at Bau-Xi Vancouver

2009-12-01T19:52:00.005-05:00

the first 6 pieces are on route to Vancouver. 6 more before the end of the week.

uh-oh... i'm smelling burned toast, and my arm is numb.

a life of near-misses

the hunter

sail me to the moon

sunday afternoon

don't ask for patience

this is your warning

BAU-XI GALLERY

is not blobbing because

2009-11-28T20:28:00.007-05:00

i'm getting ready for a solo show at BAU-XI Vancouver, opening december 12, titled: Shadows. lots of pics coming up shortly. probably on tuesday or wednesday, unless i have a damn stroke putting these goddamned fn frames together!!! yeah, just a little frustrated right now. thinking happy thoughts.....

bring the boys and girls back home now

2009-11-11T10:56:00.007-05:00

image: Canadian War Museum

BOO

2009-10-31T12:07:00.005-04:00

i'm hoping to channel Marchesa Luisa Casati tonight. her epitaph reads: age cannot wither her, nor custom stale her infinite variety. i visited Brompton Cemetary in London in 2000, but unfortunately i did not get a rubbing.

nuit blanche craziness part 1

2009-10-28T13:19:00.005-04:00

see more here.

TIAF 2009

2009-10-23T11:20:00.003-04:00

if you're in Toronto this weekend please visit Bau-Xi Gallery's booth #226 at the Toronto International Art Fair.

there's thing thing called you tube? u may have heard of it.

2009-10-12T12:20:00.003-04:00

and now i'm on it too. check out my little victorian cottage being built. now, if only i could drink come of that shrinking stuff Alice did..

this is part one.

(and while you're there, please subscribe to my channel)

floater

2009-10-11T09:43:00.003-04:00

new blob

2009-09-30T08:53:00.003-04:00

i've started a new blob for my NUIT BLANCHE project: inside the SHADOWbox. please follow it. i'm gonna be updating it shortly with all kinds of crazy stuff.

where women create

2009-09-23T08:35:00.006-04:00

my dear friend Jen O'Connor - the woman behind Earth Angels Toys - put together a wonderful piece on me for the Where Women Create newsletter. Where Women Create is a fab quarterly magazine exploring the creative spaces of women artists, and is the brainchild of Jo Packham.

i'd be remiss, if i didn't mention that Jen wrote the entire article. everything is true - except for Walter responding to any kind of a command ;). Jen has made me sound very nice and together. which is quite funny. also there's no f-bombs. what's up with that? thank you Jen, you are a rock star. xox

here are a few pics from my other studio at the distillery back in '06. it wasn't as organized as the on in the article.

car free day

2009-09-22T08:54:00.004-04:00

if only Toronto was as cyclist friendly as say Copenhagen. sigh. we can always dream.

see story about cycling in Copenhagen here by a billion bikes. and check out this story in spacing mag montreal edition.

image by Ron Kushiner via spacingmontreal

while

2009-09-15T12:47:00.006-04:00

i attempt to keep my wits about me, as get ready for 5 shows (more on that soon) in the next 3 months, and try to update the blob and site when i find the time, here are some pics from my work area as it is now (and a run-on sentence).

scary monster beautiful

(after seeing this posted it's kinda hard to read. i'll do a better job in the next post)

i've been a terrible blobber...

2009-09-10T23:56:00.002-04:00

lots of stuff and pics coming right up. fall=insanity for me, but i will post asap.

clouds of blue balloons in the making

2009-08-10T11:19:00.004-04:00

i wish i was in London

2009-07-29T13:07:00.003-04:00

to see the "exquisite bodies: or the curious and grotesque history of the anatomical model" exhibition from the welcome collection. i found the link on liisa ladouceur's twitter feed. check out the morbid anatomy blog by JE, it's amazing. here are some images from her blog:

whippet!

2009-07-21T10:09:00.008-04:00

one of the commissions i'm working on right now includes a whippet. i'm pretty happy about the progress thus far. i decided to break out of my black-cream-red box and make the balloons multi-coloured - i know, those of you who have seen my work for the past decade are thinking i should cut down on the happy meds. i'm just trying something new, k? i'm not about to dye my hair back to blonde or anything. i'm also on twitter- stop laughing -i just wanted to follow dita and stacy. sheesh.

better pics to come. i took these with a crappy camera.

summer swings at EARTH ANGELS

2009-07-15T00:11:00.003-04:00

tonight at 8pm EST (july 15), EARTH ANGELS TOYS will be hosting their second live web show. there will be fabulous offerings from all of the earth angels artist, including my little dollies. check it out!

a summer wedding

2009-07-08T10:29:00.003-04:00

i haven't been blobbing lately, as i've been busy making stuff for my little sister's wedding. right now i'm stressing over these flowers to be worn by the bride, and her bridesmaids. next is a monogram cake topper with lots of bling {!!!}. i think i'm coming to realize that i'm not much of a crafter :(

happy birthday CANADA

2009-07-01T12:12:00.006-04:00

image: almostEric.ca

a little adjustment

2009-06-22T10:59:00.005-04:00

to the dresses. the black needed to be brought in with the sash. meet Poppy and Tulip. they are going to be available at the next Earth Angels Toys web sale in mid july. please get in touch with Jen for details.

DARK WISH at La Luz de Jesus, jun 5-28

2009-06-04T11:37:00.009-04:00

check out the La Luz site for all of the artwork, and my co-exhibitors Krys Sapp, Mark Bryan and Daniel Elson.

50 artists, 50 photos

2009-05-21T09:53:00.006-04:00

one of the exhibitions in this month's CONTACT photography festival showcases 50 toronto-based emerging artists (will i ever actually emerge? it's been almost 10 yrs for god's sake). i'm one of these, and my face is actually in the photo-i know hard to believe as, well, being a vampire and all, it's next to impossible to capture. the show is put on by blogto, photos by Istoica (ie: Jess and Chris who did my shoot - very sweet and professional, and impossibly cute), Sam Javanrouh and Rannie Turingan, and you can check it out at the very cool parkdale gallery called Barbershop. photos from opening at the Barbershop blog here. exhibition runs until may 31.

photo: istoica

colour!

2009-05-06T13:20:00.002-04:00

happy May Day

2009-05-01T10:50:00.004-04:00

you can't

2009-04-25T10:38:00.009-04:00

get service without any clothes on, so the girls are getting some dresses (no underwear though, so don't look). and of course they will be sitting on silky black clouds, because wearing clothes sucks. all in time for "all dolled up" at C1 artspace opening next friday, may 1st-opening reception saturday at 2pm. (pictures from opening to follow; some of us are gonna start boozing by 2pm, so it should be interesting)

new clothes

2009-04-06T11:33:00.004-04:00

i'm getting bored with the all wool bodies for these guys, so i decided some outfits are in order. for whatever reason, the first thing that came to mind was this clown-like cover-all. imagine them in black of course, i'm just working out the pattern here. although i might try printing stuff on a lighter fabric - like raindrops or clouds. the black is first, after i work out the pattern. after all, you just can't go wrong with a black cover-all; it hides dirt, blood, and all sorts of other undesirable substances.

black swans and flying dogs part 3

2009-03-27T09:13:00.004-04:00

almost there.

black swans and flying dogs part 2

2009-03-20T12:14:00.007-04:00

as it turns out

2009-03-15T22:50:00.005-04:00

i didn't play with dolls enough as a kid. lately i've been almost exclusively making these dolls. and they're getting bigger. i wonder how long it's take me to do a life-sized one. i give it 3 months.

(kinda) scary tree

2009-03-10T13:08:00.003-04:00

everything but the kitschen sync show opens tonight

2009-03-06T13:49:00.008-05:00

if you're in LA tonight, you have to check out this show. i'm stuck in toronto, so if you are there take pics and send some over!

more info here: La Luz de Jesus Gallery

when not feeling particularly creative

2009-03-06T11:17:00.002-05:00

i try to sew, just to be making something. this time Wally gets another bed. this particular one is spring themed. he has a lot of beds.

black swans and flying dogs

2009-02-27T12:03:00.005-05:00

if only this was a possibility

2009-02-20T19:32:00.003-05:00

death on wheels

2009-02-17T11:53:00.006-05:00

all that death is missing is a scythe and an hourglass, and she's ready to come and get you. being only 4" tall on catback, will not deter her.

babes on wheels

2009-02-17T11:51:00.003-05:00

i just wet my pants

2009-02-08T22:24:00.010-05:00

after seeing radiohead performing at the grammy's. thom yorke is so past cool. yet to see them perform live, but hdtv's nothing to snear at.

radiohead on youtube

too cute

2009-02-07T02:22:00.006-05:00

my dear friend Tai gave me this adorable white squirrel. she (the squirrel) immediately became friends with the plastic ravens that guard the window in my lil' studio.

the never-ending saga of framing

2009-02-02T22:43:00.005-05:00

a few months ago i tried to give myself a bit of a break, and find an easier way to frame my work. long story short, it was a big pain-in-the-ass (though i'm still working on it), and i'm back to the old pain-in-the-ass way of doing it. with a twist. instead of plain old black paper, i'm seeing dots. lots of dots.

Wally: WTF? i'd like to go out and not disappear in a f ****n snowbank.

2009-01-28T12:13:00.003-05:00

classifieds

2009-01-27T12:55:00.003-05:00

slightly unstable artists, and her overly-pampered sausage dog from frozen toronto, are looking to be adopted by a family in california. will pay in artwork. no other useful skills to offer. please help.

hearts

2009-01-27T12:50:00.002-05:00

thinking of warmer days, and beach balls

2009-01-21T13:31:00.002-05:00

ideas

2009-01-11T01:50:00.006-05:00

hello kitteh

2009-01-10T23:42:00.006-05:00

bad kitteh. definitely looking for trouble. like eating some sausage.

red

2009-01-06T17:11:00.004-05:00

i must still have xmas on the brain as i've finally decided on the colour of the crib (see black or white?), and it's going to be red not black. this is how it goes with commissions. too easy to obsess over details, although this is a big one.

check it out

2008-12-28T09:58:00.004-05:00

i'm being featured at THE HOUSE OF POMEGRANATES

it's finally over

2008-12-26T18:17:00.003-05:00

christmas is my least favorite holiday. in fact i hate it. i could go on for hours as to why i hate christmas, but i won't. there's only one thing that i like about it, and that is the ornaments. especially vintage ones. here's some snowmen i made for earth angels this season.

sculpted and ready for paint

first coat

painting finished, and ready for antiquing

all done

see all 3 finished at earth angels toys

darkest corners

2008-12-14T09:30:00.005-05:00

BAU-XI GALLERY

3 days to go

2008-12-03T09:38:00.004-05:00

and i'm still framing... check out all of the pieces on Bau-Xi's site.

chaos

2008-11-27T09:38:00.003-05:00

it's nine days before my opening at Bau-Xi Gallery, and i'm beginning to feel panicked.

the only way to blog

2008-11-18T11:48:00.006-05:00

is-apparently-with a small dog on your lap. he HAS to be on my lap when i'm on the computer. oh yeah, today he requested we listen to new order (the perfect kiss is the song of the moment).

black it is

2008-11-18T11:45:00.003-05:00

black or white?

2008-11-14T12:11:00.003-05:00

lest we forget

2008-11-11T11:13:00.005-05:00

image: www.horsedata.co.uk

doll cradle

2008-11-10T11:15:00.007-05:00

i've been chipping away this little crib (part of Heather's piece) for a while. i'm finally happy with the shape. now it's time for a paint job. it's probably going to stay light and end up with a black mattress. right now the stripes are competing with the stripy stockings on the dolls.

new space to work

2008-11-04T08:51:00.004-05:00

a month after moving back into the city, i finally have some space to spread out. i'm subletting studio space from Sandra Tarantino (AWOL, C1 artspace) because there's absolutely no room for me to work at home. and most importantly i can make a mess and not have to clean it up. this month i'm hoping to finish Heather's commission, a piece i started in june, but because i'm being obsessive, it's taking a really, really long time. which always seem to be the case with commissions. i'm also working on pieces for my show at Bau-Xi Toronto next month. the title of the show is darkest corners, and there's gonna be a lot of black balloons involved.

america get out and vote.

working dog

2008-10-20T18:08:00.010-04:00

today was Wally's first time on public transit. we got on the streetcar, subway and the bus, and no temper tantrums to speak of. we went to check out how the new shadowboxes are coming along at Day and Night Woodworking on Dupont. i'm overhauling the way i've been framing my work to streamline the process, as the framing seems to be taking almost as long as the making of the actual artwork (and is a real pain in the ass). the new boxes are looking great and the really good thing is that i will be able to eliminate the mat-board part of the process, as the boxes will be all wood and painted inside (in place of the paper box). this will also allow me to do more stuff with the background, like adding images, drawing, etc. something i've been thinking about for a while.

apres TIAF 2008

2008-10-08T17:41:00.013-04:00

on monday i managed to check out the toronto international art fair (even though we just moved on the weekend-more on that later). lots of cool stuff, see some highlights below. a couple of my pieces sold too. i can kinda make rent next month.

Polly Apfelbaum 'lovers leap' 47"x47"

i love these bold woodblocks. when i have studio space, i'm really hoping to dig out my silk-screens and do some printing again.

'baby love 61' 25"x25"

images durham press gallery

'a merrick a' 12x12" mixed media

Ryan Price. just awesome. he paints on pieces of drywall,

light switch included.

ryan has a show at ingram gallery here in toronto

opening oct 18th.

chiwawa, 9.8x9.1x5.1" concrete and toy parts

Ross Bonfanti, the superstar.

images Rebecca Hossack Gallery

teddy tower 26.6x15.7x10.8"