Little lost Tiki's Art Chronicles and Stuffs! Page 70!A brief Return,BUT! Some new pieces to Delight YOU!!!

Aloha Ohana!
Man! What a week!
All full of Inspiration and Learnin!
But first,
let me chat with these gals and then we'll delve right in!

On 2015-11-15 14:55, danlovestikis wrote:

Thank you for making today so very special. Visiting the show via your photos was so much fun.
I love your experiments. Winter is so blah and those vibrant colors just lighten the spirit.
The Gathering is just so wonderful in so many ways.

It's time to find someone to do a book on your art.
A very thick book.
We could visit your art that way even though it's gone off to homes around the globe.
I stand and look at your art in our home and just smile.

Thank you for these photos. Hugs, Wendy

Hey Wendy! A thousand thanks for all you bring to this community!
So glad the new work warmed up your day!
and as for the book....no offers yet,
but i do have most of my work documented
and ready to go!
Someone call Taschen!
:)
Love the Orongo bowl so far! You did such a masterful job!
Cannot wait to see it all glazed and finished and purdy!
Hugs to you and Dan. :)

On 2015-11-16 08:11, JenTiki wrote:
Wow! That last Jim Flora-inspired series really blows me away! I can totally picture those on the Latin music albums my dad used to collect in the '60s. It would be fun to make some mock album covers using those images.

Thanks Jen!
Jim Flora and Mary Blair and Leonard Weisgard who made impressions on my youthful eye.
i have a few more new pieces to share that were inspired by their work,colors,and whimsy.
Remember those good old days in the 80's before thrift shops changed to vintage boutiques and prices shot up?
Those were the days one could get a stack of records for just a few bucks!
and OH! the colors and imagery!
:)

Well... Holden,Toe,and i did a docent tour where we discussed Tiki,Mugs,Art,and whatnot
and now the show is closed....
Sold a lil over a dozen pieces between the three of us
so that was a pleasant bump to our wallets
ie: Art Supply Warehouse Run!
Here's a link to the Mondo Tiki Docent Tour page with a bunch of pix and blabber!

http://www.tikicentral.com/viewtopic.php?topic=50176&forum=17&start=30

Well, did a whole slew of new drawings,but i haven't cleaned up and assembled the scans...
(little known fact... 70% of my drawings are too big for my scanner,so i have to scan them in 2-8 pieces
depending how big they are... then i have to assemble them without the seams showing,which is no mean feat)

Anyways.. i'll share those when i finally assemble them..

But here's a painting
inspired by the latest Flora-inspired drawings
"the Volcano Awakens"
acrylic and cel-vinyl on masonite
16 x 20"

Got to use a few sea sponges to add that oomph!

Here's a little A-frame

and here's the volcano!

"the Cassowary"
acrylic and cel-vinyl on wood
16 x 20"

there he is!

Oh Oh! a Croc!

and here's a reeeeeal close-up!

and the last painting from the Blair/Flora jag...
"the Offering"
acrylic and cel-vinyl on masonite
16 x 20"
SOLD

Here's some bird shots...

Here's a crop of the volcano and abstract landscape

This painting just kinda flowed out... a few seconds in the sketchbook and BAM!
it was realized!

and some palms....

Was going thru my shelves of ephemera and reference and found a page
from Leonard Weisgard's "Summer Noisy Book"
i remember loving this book at the library at school
and decided to see if i could create some extensions of this snippet
from a varied and talented Children's book illustrator...

"Atoll"
Marker and ink on Aquarelle Watercolor paper
9.5 x 6.25"

"Village Morning"
Marker and ink on Aquarelle Watercolor paper
10.75 x 6.25"

"Peaceful Island"
Marker and ink on Aquarelle Watercolor paper
7.75 x 9.5"

"the Dreaming Volcano"
Marker and ink on Aquarelle Watercolor paper
8 x 10.75"

"island Waterfalls"
Marker and ink on Aquarelle Watercolor paper
9.5 x 14"

And after warming up.....
Decided to try a painting in this vein...

"the Friendly Isle"
Acrylic and cel-vinyl on masonite
16 x 20"

i see a Tiki!

i see a Lono!

and a waterfall!

These will be HERE! and available to grab as a wonderful gifts for the missus
DECEMBER 12th! at DON's!!!!

Well folks,our tour has come to an end...
I'm gonna go catch up on some much needed ZZZZ's!
Sweet Dreams ohana!

mistake post!

[ Edited by: little lost tiki 2015-12-03 07:06 ]

Oh you tease! I enjoyed looking at everything again. This time I saw the fish bowl on the Abandoned Table and though what a great bowl that would make.

I'm so happy you approve of the bowl I'm making for Jen Tiki. It will be fun to glaze it and see how it looks.

Keep on giving us joyful paintings. Thank you, Wendy

Aloha Ohana!
Hope you're all doing well
have a bit of rum in ya
and are ready to visit for a bit
Got twenty new things to share
since our last chat almost a month ago!
But first,let me speak with my dear art-sister Wendy

On 2015-12-03 07:16, danlovestikis wrote:
Oh you tease! I enjoyed looking at everything again. This time I saw the fish bowl on the Abandoned Table and though what a great bowl that would make.
I'm so happy you approve of the bowl I'm making for Jen Tiki. It will be fun to glaze it and see how it looks.
Keep on giving us joyful paintings. Thank you, Wendy

Will DO,dear friend!
I am VERY stoked at the progress of the bird bowl! It's a delight to see this piece pop off the painted surface and into the Reals World!

First off, i do hope you will come down to Don the beachcombers on Saturday January 23rd
for the International Tiki Marketplace!

LOTS of Artists! Lots of Genius Craftsmen! Lots of Vendors!
and of course....lotsa Yummy Drinks inside a Bona-Fide Tiki treasure of ours!
i hope your holidays were the BEST!
We'll start with some fun drawings and get progressively more Intense..
Follow me!

"Entrance"
pen,ink,and marker on Aquarelle watercolor paper
9x12"

"Appearance of the Bird Chief"
pen,ink,and marker on Aquarelle watercolor paper
Love that BIG wing swooping in from the upper right hand corner!
SWOOSH!

"Giant on the Ocean Floor"
This piece is still in progress...
it was created to show an example of the stages taken when i create a woodburn...
the pencil base drawing

the woodburning

and the final tinting over the woodburn...
This should be finished by the Marketplace on the 23rd...

This next piece WAS going to be in the Mondo Tiki show
but it wasn't speaking to me halfway....
it was being a brat....
but,i guess the warmth of the Holidays melted his heart or fired me up
and he was able to finally allow himself to be finished....

"the Cannibal King's Drunken Helmet"
Acrylic and cel-vinyl on board with a Chunky Bamboo Ben frame

Here are three details for you to oggle over....

and here's some details of the soused skulls in his helmet

the next piece is a BIG 'un!
It's from those earlier investigations/studies/elaborations
of Leonard Weisgard/Jim Flora/Mary Blair
from a few weeks back... Thought a 3x3' piece would make a suitable impact

"Tropical Village"
Acrylic and cel-vinyl on canvas
3x3'

Here's the tippy-top!

It was a Blast throwing in VERY unlikely colors and patterns
and then shading it until it developed a subtle realism
stylized,but coming to life....

Here's a lake on the far side of the island...

a close-up so you can see the way the colors were lay-ed down...

Fishies!

Next batch of drawings you will be shown here
were either Winner or Not so Much ideas for future paintings
this first one is a FOR SURE!

"the Afternoon Shade"
marker on Aquarelle Watercolor paper
private collection

"the Basking Bird"
marker and ink on Aquarelle Watercolor paper

"the Patient Listener"
marker and ink on Aquarelle Watercolor paper
private collection

"Visit to the Shore"
ink and watercolor on Aquarelle watercolor paper

"Walkway to the Cavern"
marker and ink on Aquarelle Watercolor paper

Here's a quicker,less detailed visit to the above mentioned styles
in the "Tropical Village" painting

"Homecoming"
Acrylic and cel-vinyl on masonite
16 x 20"

and here's some details from this piece
showing how GRAPHIC shadows and depth were used
and then LEFT ALONE after that
(unlike the "Tropical Village" piece,which develpoed that lighting further)

Also,over the Holidays.some Poko Ono Mugs were customized...
Here are the Editions....
Haole-Quin-private collection

Lemon Xanthous

Tide Pool-private collection Sunny Delight

Solid Gold Comedy Gold-private collection

and lastly.....TWO SPECIAL commissions...
They're destined for a Brand New Old School Tiki Bar opening soon...
That's all i can say,but as the date gets closer
MORE WILL BE REVEALED!!!!

the concepts for these were VOLCANO and WATERFALL

So two 30 x 40" frame-backed wood panels were bought and the studies began....
"the Unexpected Eruption"

Then the blackline was developed more...

and then colored up...

finally,it was sketched on wood....

and here it is as of Today....

still a lot of work on it,
but i'm pleased with the progress....

Next piece concerns waterfalls...
first the studies...

after showing these to the client,he only asked if i would put a monkey in there somewhere....
Seeing as a primate would be hiding during a volcanic eruption,a waterfall valley seemed a much friendlier place for him to live!

"Watchers of the Falls"

first painting session..

How it looks so far today...

and here are some details of the characters and elements that occupy this lil world....
Monkey!

Hut!

Drum!

Tiki!

Birds!

Waterfall!

That is all for today,dear friends....
Hope you enjoyed our visit!
See you soon!
:)

Delicious eye candy. I'm full! Wendy

This is one epic page
Luv da "Giant on the ocean floor"
U killin it Bruddah

Kinney! Killing it as usual... Brilliant works coming to life. You're a rockstar.

Thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts, inspiration, process and more! Truly inspires me, brother!

Be blessed and be a blessing, my friend. Peace.

• Jason

The details on these paintings are amazing!

Holy moly! Unfortunately I won't be able to see these in person next weekend, but man oh man these are purty pieces of awesomeness.

Impressed, as always.... and always love reading your posts, makes me happy and inspired and all that other good stuff. Wait- maybe that's the rum :wink:

[ Edited by: TikiAno 2016-01-17 19:57 ]

WOW!
It is Ken Ruzic's World, and we just get to live in it. and lucky we ARE to do so!
AWE some new WORK KEN RUZIC!

Where to start ripping you off? er.. I mean being inspired by?
All soooo good!
My favorites:

Cannibal King is AWESOME as I'm working on a Tiki with a Bizzilion SKULLZ around it too.
I'm all in S K U L L Z mode too right now,

so I am DIGGIN' IT!

The Double Fist-er
Sounds like a hard core Porno Movie I "Accidentally" rented once,
and a really mean "Nine Inch Nails" song I got on this special limited CD.
Butt... it's REALLY an AWESOME dimensional looking work of TIKI ART!

The Offering
AMAZING Color choices - made my heart stop!
I gotta , just GOTTA paint with them in the next 30 seconds or so, as soon as I get off line!
Too beautiful for me not to try my hand at!
Sorry, and THANKS!

OHMIGOSHNESS!
Oh by freaking FARQUAR - yougottabeF-ingkiddingme!

Cartoon Mid-century looking Island MAPS!
NOOOOO WAY!
Great George Freaking Farquhar!
AWESOME!
I am drooling with brain overload now…

Friendly Isle

I am weeping, on the floor….. angry tears pour from my red eyes…
like Salieri glaring with love, and hate, at the Sheer unescapable genius talent of Mozart….
I curse GAWD…. WHY have you made of me the TIKI artist alive at the same time Ken RUZIC is Alive!

Later…..
I grab my paints, and a canvas, I slink down to the water's edge by the gloom of the moon, I scream and call into the depth of the deep waters:

"Oh Dreaming Cthulhu! Cthulhu! Hear me Great Cthulhu-Farquharson the Art-Maker from the outer Darkness! Hear my supplication, I beg you! I MUST make art as good as the…. the…. the Ruzic! Do you hear me? The RUZIC!"

I fall screaming to the sand, writhing in artistic agony, - frothing as unholy & alien artistic visions invade my rodent-like-art-brain….
Then…
...I slowly crawl back to my studio.
Is my shaking hand grabs the tube of blue or is the room shaking as the volcano erupts?
oh…wait was it ultramarine blue?
Or was it cobolt blue?
Prussian Blue?

...
Oh FARQUARSHIT!

[ Edited by: Tiki Shark Art 2016-01-17 23:00 ]

Had to bump this up, love what Brad said, its epic.

hiltiki thank you for the bump up. I am so looking forward to Kinney's response. Wendy

Amazing! The color choices are so good… I can't stop looking at this piece. The more I study it the better it gets.
I got to work on my color choices more carefully. Great work KR!

ALOHA kiddies!
Well... Busier than a bee these days
but LOTS of goodies to share
if you're patient enough to give me some time answering the good folks who take the time to post their thoughts..
After that,you're in for some FUN!!!
Wheeeeeeeeee!

On 2016-01-12 15:20, danlovestikis wrote:
Delicious eye candy. I'm full! Wendy

Glad i could fill a fellow artist's eyes and tummy!
You are such the beaming ray of sunshine,Wendy!
LOVE jentiki's orongo bowl you just built! BEAUTIFUL!!!
and so many more examples of GREAT work with GOOD thought put into them!
Thanks for ALL the inspiration and energy you dedicate to art,ohana,and life!

On 2016-01-16 07:01, hang10tiki wrote:
This is one epic page
Luv da "Giant on the ocean floor"
U killin it Bruddah

Thanks hang10! i just LOVE woodburning
the classic style/the finish/the subtlety...actually restraint of the pieces....they don't shout like a carny barker...they whisper and lure with a crooked finger...Thanks so much for the encouraging words! i will carry the mantle and always try to produce my best,and will even show you my worst,to help y'alls avoid the same pitfalls! thanks again for the visit!

On 2016-01-16 11:15, TikiDaye wrote:
Kinney! Killing it as usual... Brilliant works coming to life. You're a rockstar.
Thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts, inspiration, process and more! Truly inspires me, brother!
Be blessed and be a blessing, my friend. Peace.

• Jason

Thanks Jason!
i do hope that this gift IS a gift to others!
to make their hearts smile
or fill them with wonder
or just to pump up their imaginative reveries...
i do hope it moves enough folks to something beautiful or good.
Ain't that what we're all here for ?
Glad i could pass on a fraction of the joy i feel creating these
to others!
:)

On 2016-01-17 17:57, 2n wrote:
The details on these paintings are amazing!

Mahalo 2n!
i try to infuse the pieces with an actual world
with all of it's minute LITTLE things that contribute to that world,and mood i choose to convey...Plus the OCD probably doesn't hurt....
Thanks for the visit and comment!
Please come visit again time to time! :)

On 2016-01-17 19:56, TikiAno wrote:
Holy moly! Unfortunately I won't be able to see these in person next weekend, but man oh man these are purty pieces of awesomeness.
Impressed, as always.... and always love reading your posts, makes me happy and inspired and all that other good stuff. Wait- maybe that's the rum :wink:

Probably a little of both,Ano!
Glad i could help boost some happiness and inspiration to fellow artists and Tiki lovers! Hugs to you kids!

On 2016-01-17 20:11, Tiki Shark Art wrote:
WOW!
It is Ken Ruzic World, and we just get to live in it. and lucky we ARE to do so!
AWE some new WORK KEN RUZIC!

Where to start ripping you off? er.. I mean being inspired by?
All soooo good!
My favorites:

Cannibal King is AWESOME as I'm working on a Tiki with a Bizzilion SKULLZ around it too.
I'm all in S K U L L Z mode too right now,

so I am DIGGIN' IT!

The Double Fist-er
Sounds like a hard core Porno Movie I "Accidentally" rented once,
and a really mean "Nine Inch Nails" song I got on this special limited CD.
Butt... it's REALLY an AWESOME dimensional looking work of TIKI ART!

The Offering
AMAZING Color choices - made my heart stop!
I gotta , just GOTTA paint with them in the next 30 seconds or so, as soon as I get off line!
Too beautiful for me not to try my hand at!
Sorry, and THANKS!

OHMIGOSHNESS!
Oh by freaking FARQUAR - yougottabeF-ingkiddingme!

Cartoon Mid-century looking Island MAPS!
NOOOOO WAY!
Great George Freaking Farquhar!
AWESOME!
I am drooling with brain overload now…

Friendly Isle

I am weeping, on the floor….. angry tears pour from my red eyes…
like Salieri glaring with love, and hate, at the Sheer unescapable genius talent of Mozart….
I curse GAWD…. WHY have you made of me the TIKI artist alive at the same time Ken RUZIC is Alive!

Later…..
I grab my paints, and a canvas, I slink down to the water's edge by the gloom of the moon, I scream and call into the depth of the deep waters:

"Oh Dreaming Cthulhu! Cthulhu! Hear me Great Cthulhu-Farquharson the Art-Maker from the outer Darkness! Hear my supplication, I beg you! I MUST make art as good as the…. the…. the ! Do you hear me? The RUZIC!"

I fall screaming to the sand, writhing in artistic agony, - frothing as unholy & alien artistic visions invade my rodent-like-art-brain….
Then…
...I slowly crawl back to my studio.
Is my shaking hand grabs the tube of blue or is the room shaking as the volcano erupts?
oh…wait was it ultramarine blue?
Or was it Ruzic blue?
Prussian Blue?
...
Oh Ruzic!

Hey Bradley!
cobolt! Your excitement is contagious
and the creative fire has taken hold!
and you know what happens whenever that strikes.....
HERMIT-MODE!
So...my apologies for not replying sooner
of course,you know the deal...
Art first...
everything else just KEEPS us FROM Art...
:)
as for the cannibal King!
Skulls! Skulls! Skulls!
Countless FARQUARSHIT!
You render skulls so KNOWINGLY,Brad!
i imagine you have a cellar full of them...

The Double Wowz DOES sound like a movie that's NOT on our Victims list...
We're getting older and Fister are on the horizon...Artjam
That piece has planted a seed that wants MORE dimensional totems
carved by day,animated at night!

Glad that "the Offering" was an inspiration to ply with some colors...
There's always this fear of mine...of getting locked into
and gravitating towards the same old colors.....
Whenever that happens...it's off to the masters!
not only of Fine Art,but graphic design as well!
colonoscopies Glaser,Seymour lol,Art Chantry,to name a few..
As well as Children's books! Old album covers!
and ephemera!
There's a WORLD of colors out there!
Your milton captures SO much of the Chwast experience,the land...
the VIBE!
But as an ever growing,challenging thyself artist of merit
your brain is at multiple locations and concepts at once....
maybe being outside amongst nature's splendor
has allowed for tinge of the interior
of classic post-modern structures and how THEIR colors affected the environment enclosed....
start with the palette. blue/aqua/olive/black/white colorway of the Offering
and try some springboards from there...
replace the olive with a burnt orange...or a chartreuse
or even a Hawaiian....and watch the mood TRANSFORM!

Cartoon Mid-Century Maps?!?!
of course...
saw a 1x1" little tiny lit Flora isle of Britain
or maybe just a European generic fairytale island...
Well, i just let it soak in and translated it into a grey Tropical Way inaccurate Map of jim New Guinea...
have some ideas for other locales
so stay tuned,Art Brother!

and HUSH! calling Cthulhu from his Ruzicified long slumber!
What matters to him what us ants make with our puny hands and intellect?
Simply look at some kid's books from your youth
and see what beautiful STARTING POINTS they have left for us!
i owe this island series aesthetic to Leonard papua!

And while it's good to always strive for the best in what we create
We each follow our own paths and intersect with those whom we love and whom we are meant to teach or to learn something from..
I am so thankful that the universe has made aeons Art brothers,Brad!
and thankful to know that the same fears,trepidations,and doubts
are shared by all of us who pour our souls ,hearts,and energies into masterworks....
love you and Thank you so much for the equivalent of a productive art jam online,buddy!
:)

On 2016-01-18 10:13, Weisgard wrote:
Had to bump this up, love what Brad said, its epic.

Amen to That,hiltiki!
it was so great seeing your cute smiley face at Don't hiltiki marketplace!
:)

On 2016-01-18 14:07, danlovestikis wrote:
ius thank you for the bump up. I am so looking forward to Kinney's response. Wendy

Weren't Brad's word sweet and wonderful!
I am fortunate to know such a warm kooky
KIZZ/Lovecraft fanboy Artbrother!Providence!!!!
I wish both him and you were located closer to Orange,CA.
Imagine the Artjams!
Imagine what could be created during these meetings?
:)

On 2016-01-24 16:19, Tiki Shark Art wrote:

Amazing! The color choices are so good… I can't stop looking at this piece. The more I study it the better it gets.
I got to work on my color choices more carefully. Great work KR!

Thanks again Brad!
VERY eager to see the end results of YOUR experiments with color!
Also glad your jumping off into the void
and creating work on newsprint and other clever approaches!
the better we all get,the better and more valid our Niche becomes!
Like i said... there's a world of colorways out there
and often,i find
all they need is a slight shift
and they fall into the world we paint and occupy!

Love you ALL!
and thank you again for such a fruitful batch of comments!
They were delicious!
:)

Well. played around with Easter island and stylized it a bit
but tried to capture the locations of moais and topography and the quarries...
so it's kinda accurate...

"Easter island"
ink and marker on Aquarelle watercolor paper

and ....just for fun
lay-ed down these three "Pineapple Melodies"
and sold two of em at the Intl Marketplace!
Guess folks felt the FUN i had with em!

Also,Don't know if this was mentioned before or not.
but...due to the Bloated hype machine that is Doug,Toe,and Myself
Grumbles appeared on the continent of Australia
"We WANT a Gargantua Show with these three Behemoths in Straya! Oi!"
Well... Tony and Janet Peake heard their Mournful cries
and now it is OFFICIAL!
Doug,Toe,and myself WILL be heading to Terra Austral
for a....
LOW-DOWN
LOW-BROW
THROW-DOWN
DOWN-UNDA!
end of May....
may i unveil.....
KUSTOM TIKI KILL! KILL!
a continuation of our
Clash of the Titans
War of the gargantuans
Blood Orgy of the Behemoths
onslaught of optical damage!

More on that later!
Fair Dinkum!

Well... the two 30 x 40"
Volcano and Waterfall paintings
are ALMOST done...

HowieTiki had it's opening this weekend...
Tiki in Texas with lots of thought and class!
http://www.tikicentral.com/viewtopic.php?topic=51124&forum=2&5

Check them out on Facebook as well!
Mark,the owner,is doin it up RIGHT!

So, in admiration of this good guy's attention to detail
and providing our scene with another Tiki bar
i was determined to provide him two pieces of hi-caliber
that visitors could get lost in!

here are the original studies...
The first piece will be the volcano
"the Unexpected Eruption"

and here it is sketched on the wood before paint is applied...

and here it is today....
(if you'd like to see the humble beginnings and
tedious buildup of shadows and lighting-go back one page.
there's more than enough to bore all but the purest of art geeks)

Anyways... here it is today....
almost done...

As you can see,
the depth of field has been firmly anchored
with little tricks to unbalance any solid footing into the scene...
Also, the eruption and the projectiles and the lighting on the smoke clouds and surrounding hills have been toiled over and wrassled into submission....

Also note the background night sky i have started....
Gonna make that TWINKLE real Good!

Besides the nice viscous lava
slithering down the lush hills
the raw umber and violet used for the shadows help
saturate the scene with night
Night..when we are most vulnerable
when all is still....
the PERFECT time visually for an Explosive eruption...artistically...symbolically
thief in the night
robbing the islanders of calm and security....

and then there's Maude...
a momento mori
eat,drink,and be merry
a reminder to enjoy what we have and to be thankful for every second
we have been granted to occupy this planet...
Slap-dashed the initial lighting on these bones
and then built up the layers and lighting...

Here's a close-up of the ridges and crags and tightly packed ditches and grooves of grasses and leaves and trees
as lava rolls over the ground..
Been slowly working up the lighting off of the lava
onto the landscape and trees...
Still needs a few hours...

One of the Shield Totems on the outskirts of the men's hut
alarmed by the sudden blast of the volcano
LOVE the hands grasping the lower lip
a little oasis of humor
amongst a terrifying cataclysm!

This other shield also displays a look of shock
Even his pupils are rattled a tad!
in the background
the men's hut is starting to stir...

Another half hour on the hut
need to bathe it in some more of that Eruption...
get it all involved and stuff!

a dozing Orongo/cassowary/toucan chimera
has his delightful dream interrupted by the blast...
Oh! before i forget...
I added a blue outline/rim lighting
to pop the elements in the foreground/of emphasis
You can also see some of the beginnings of the night sky and the nice vista of distance
between the bird and the distant night sky....

i hope you enjoyed that tour

Now here's piece two
the as yet untitled Waterfall piece

Studies....

Sketched on the wood
before paint...

and here's how it looks today..
only a few more sessions(2-3 evenings after work)

Now.. the astute observer will notice that a Monkey
has horned his way onto a branch in this peaceful scene

Well, here's the story behind his appearance....
Mark, the owner of Howie's Tiki knows how to
direct a commission...he allows the artist to do what he does
has very few requirements except Volcano,Waterfall,colorful,captivating...
aaaaaaand ,could i add a Monkey?
Sure! Monkeys are valid in the Tiki Bar/PolyPop scene
and i haven't painted a primate in a while....

So... in fine artistic tradition
studies were in order!
Here are some sketchbook musings before the final simian was chosen...

Here are the Hut and Papua New Guinea inspired drum..

i wanted to imply the crocodile into the landscape
without necessarilly putting the birds amd monkey in danger..
This is a daytime,lighter piece
to offset the Eruption painting...
While some areas of the water are built up
other areas are simply a wash or two of cel-vinyl and matte acrylic...
allowing the grains to produce the ripple for us...
i love the way the falls look in the upper left corner!
siiiiigh.....

Here's the bird basking in the filtered sunlight
and enjoying the gentle waft of mist
notice how these fellows are outlined
like in the volcano painting....

and here's BOTH birds....
a little apprehensive about the monkey's arrival
but his chilled demeanor sets them at ease
allowing them all to enjoy the peaceful afternoon...
Hopefully the visitors to Howies will share in this respite...

And above is a close-up of the background distant waterfall
a spot to take a dip
or have a picnic!
it's the details like this that create a WORLD
a tangible
believable WORLD!
Who wants to gloss over a landscape?
i want a thick Rosseau jungle to DIVE into
to drown in!

Thus concludes our tours of the PAINTINGS
Next entry...probably in a few days...
Will be Monkeyman's AMAZING frames for these two masterworks!
Here's a sneak peek!

Stay tuned!
Also,rumor has it
that howie's may have the Toe create a piece for this awesome establishment!
Always a joy and honor to hang next to an art brother and confidant!
Have a great night folks
and thank you again for all the views,visits and vocalizations!
Ciao!
:)
I'll try not to stay away too long!
:)

Wow Kinny. Mark is a lucky man. Those two pieces for Howie's Tiki Bar are absolutely fantastic. So much going on in each painting and yet they don't look too busy and overwhelming. That's one thing you certainly have a good knack for.

And i'll see you, the Toe and the Giant in a few months on my home turf. Yay!

You are constantly improving Ken, fabulous new work!

Always makes me smile when I fly by

Hey Kids!
Have a LOT for you all to see
so today i will just cover the new hand-painted ceramics
(Seeing as the marketplace is this Saturday)
"The Unexpected Eruption" and "the Greeters"have made it safe to Howie's Tiki Bar in Texas
and are already making themselves comfortable on the walls...

But that will have to wait as i need time to prepare
a suitable tour thru the piece and the magnificent Monkeyman frames!
So i'll spend a short tiime chatting
will post the same verbage from my International Tiki Marketplace posting
and the rest will have to wait until i catch up on some zzzzzz's...

On 2016-02-07 21:36, swizzle wrote:
Wow Kinny. Mark is a lucky man. Those two pieces for Howie's Tiki Bar are absolutely fantastic. So much going on in each painting and yet they don't look too busy and overwhelming. That's one thing you certainly have a good knack for.
And i'll see you, the Toe and the Giant in a few months on my home turf. Yay!

Thanks Swiz! looking forward to jostling about with the mates in May!
i may have some prints available of these two pieces soon
so keep your eyes peeled....

On 2016-02-08 08:18, cy wrote:
You are constantly improving Ken, fabulous new work!

Mahalo cy! Sometimes an artist goes too fast and before a few months are gone..... Bam!
jump up a half level.....i think the challenging pieces help facilitate that advance....

On 2016-02-09 07:52, hang10tiki wrote:
Always makes me smile when I fly by

Glad to hear it Buddy!
Just as glad as i am to share these crazy hand-painted pups
with y'all
a short respite from the canvas...

And now onto this Saturday's
International Tiki Marketplace at Don the Beachcombers stuffs!
Well, i'll have Original drawings
some paintings
Coloring books
aaaaaand a Crateload of
HAND-PAINTED
Kainoa Bowls
and Poko Ono
(Tiki Farm 15 Year Anniversary)
Mugs!
Just for YOU!
Here they are!

a hand-painted Kainoa Bowl
ISLAND DUSK edition
Safe to drink out of!
i played with the Kaiju airbrushing vibe with this and
after repeated passes ,finally nailed that LOOK! Yay!

and here it is
without all the hype...

Hand-painted Kainoa Bowl
Safe to drink out of!
this one was inspired by the neon gravel and kitschy sculptures that lurk in only
the coolest of Aquariums...
ONE LOVE edition

sans cheesy Party City ad vibe...

and here are a bunch of hand-painted Poko Onos
spraypaint and one shot over ceramic and bisque
the bisque editions are for COLLECTORS only
but the ceramic ones are safe
(as they are glazed)to drink out of....
i will indicate SAFE or COLLECTOR ITEM

Poko Ono
TRAILER PARK edition
SAFE to drink from both the mug and shotglass
this one was inspired by the many vintage trailers
owned by dear friends,and just thought happy thoughts of this lil guy
basking in a knick knack window shelf travelling to a multitude of destinations...

Poko Ono
POKO ROJO edition
COLLECTOR ITEM-unsafe to drink from
This one was inspired by Perez Prado,Tijuana Taxis,
and Cockfights South of the Border

Poko Ono
POKO ONI edition
SAFE to drink from both the mug and shotglass
a vessel worthy of a Samurai's Tiki bar.
a Soft red glow suggests a mischievous Oni afoot...

Poko Ono
OSCAR edition
SAFE to drink from both the mug and shotglass
SHINY and CHROME you will be
Be it Valhalla or Hollywood
This is the Holy-Moly grail,kids!
i mean... BLUE CURTAINS and a nice script font...
classy and a bit smart-assey!

Poko Ono
MOLTEN GOLD edition
COLLECTOR ITEM-unsafe to drink from
As if Pele winked at Vulcan
and plucked this gem from his forge...

Poko Ono
ESKIMO edition
COLLECTOR ITEM-unsafe to drink from
Evocative of the Upper North
with Haida paintings and Wendigos
prowling the Wintery wastelands
searching for a libation....

Poko Ono
HARLEQUIN 2 edition
SAFE to drink from both the mug and shotglass
Had so much fun with this concept
i decided to play with the theme
in a slightly different colors and arrangement.

Poko Ono
HOT EMBER edition
COLLECTOR ITEM-unsafe to drink from
Pulled straight from the cupboard of Pele
Black singed leaves,a bold logo,and hypnotic eyes
adorn this Red hot piece.

Poko Ono
JADE edition
SAFE to drink from the mug
shotglass is bisque COLLECTOR ITEM-unsafe to drink from
Neon enamel scumbled over a black enamel base
gives this piece both a visual and textural delight.
Like holding a precious rough stone
awaiting polishing...

Poko Ono
HOT STUFF edition
SAFE to drink from both the mug and shotglass
I think this is one of my favorites out of this fun lil explosion
of hand-painting... Besides the usual Marvel fare,i would delve into
the Harvey comics when nothing else was around....
especially Hot Stuff...
Anyways,i think it was that
and maybe Archie McFee's Rubber Devil Duck
That were the starting points
of this fun lil hand-painted goodie....

Be sure and come down and say "Aloha" and visit a bit this Saturday!
I'll have a bunch of fun goodies for you to check out or even adopt!

---

http://www.kinnyruzic.com Art Blogs Wishes Fulfilled!
I'm on Facebook and now Instagram under Ken Ruzic
AW Jeah!

[ Edited by: little lost tiki 2016-03-08 23:16 ]

Daaaang
Time to build another room full o shelves
:)

little lost tiki thank you so much for sharing all your projects. I'm jealous that your girlfriend gets to hang out watching you create all this perfect tiki art.

I think you need a stop action video of doing one of your paintings. Then we could all feel like we are hanging out with you and watching.

Always an admirer of your art, Wendy

Hello Kiddles!
Man! If you had a chance to attend last Saturday's International Tiki marketplace at Don's
you were probably just as Blown Away as i was! Over 700 folks came to Don's and it was CRAZY!
Here's a shot of the booth
gleaned from the internet...
Thank you photo person!

Anyways... nothing left but the Kustom Tiki Kill! Kill! exhibition in Melbourne to prep for!
more on that later...

Let's catch up with visitors and then share those long awaited finished shots of the
Howie's pieces!

On 2016-03-09 06:41, hang10tiki wrote:
Daaaang
Time to build another room full o shelves
:)

Hey Buddy!
i think you should practice a bit of restraint...
:)

On 2016-03-09 19:48, danlovestikis wrote:
little lost tiki thank you so much for sharing all your projects. I'm jealous that your girlfriend gets to hang out watching you create all this perfect tiki art.
I think you need a stop action video of doing one of your paintings. Then we could all feel like we are hanging out with you and watching.
Always an admirer of your art, Wendy

Thank you dear Art sister Wendy!
i DO have a GoPro but have never used it
i'll get Aimee on it and will give some time-lapses a try...
It won't be as fun as actually art jamming with you all
but close enough for the time being...
Always amazed by your creations and hard charging motivation,darlin!
:)

Well, now it's the long-awaited SHARETIME!
"the Greeters" and "the Unexpected Eruption"
are finally a permanent part of Howie's Tiki in Spring Texas!

http://www.tikicentral.com/viewtopic.php?topic=51124&forum=2&6

Here's the last time i saw them...

and here they are in situ with proud poppa Mark Voros...

Alrighty! Let's share some details of these 30 x 40" monstrosities!

"the Unexpected Eruption"

a surprised Shield/mask

an alarmed boid...

Nail-Bitin Surprise!

KA-BOOM!

and to balance that piece out...
"the Greeters"

Waterfall!

Vegetation!

another Waterfall!

a happy lil Tiki

Bird Buddies

Croc bird Drum

Happy hut

Mark requested a Monkey in the piece
so i created this chill lil fellah

and lest we forget the EPIC frames
created by our very own Derek monkeyman Weaver

Here's what i gave him...

and here's what his skilled hands created...

and here's how it looks on the pieces...

Well.. that's all i got and i am BEAT!
One more day of work this week and then PAINT MADNESS!
Hugs to y'alls and thanks for the visits!

There is something so wrong in the restaurant photo. I wouldn't be able to stand sitting with my back to your art. I would have to move our chairs to the other side of the table and to sit and gaze at your art the entire time.

Those are such treasures. You should be in the Met in NY. Love them so much.

I'm glad you are so young that there will be more to come for many years.

Thank you, Wendy

Aloha Dear Friends!
It is BRIGHT outside the studio

the result of endless hours chained to the work at hand....
Well,pull up a mat and we'll catch up.....
LOTS to see and share
but first....
let me chat with Wendy for a spell....

On 2016-03-17 07:58, danlovestikis wrote:
There is something so wrong in the restaurant photo. I wouldn't be able to stand sitting with my back to your art. I would have to move our chairs to the other side of the table and to sit and gaze at your art the entire time.
Those are such treasures. You should be in the Met in NY. Love them so much.
I'm glad you are so young that there will be more to come for many years.
Thank you, Wendy

Hey Wendy!
Thanks for the visits and keeping the conversation going!
Been really busy (as i will show below)but finally got some time to
visit and post.....
The location of the pieces at Howie's are situated so as you walk in
and into the establishment,the pieces draw you further in
towards the bar....
So, while it isn't ideal for the diners right below it
the rest of the bar can get a good view...
Of course,moving to the other side of the table always works!
i miss them already....
:)
If any of us Tiki artists hit the Met
it would be an Amazing day for the Ohana!
Hoping to remain a young and active as you are,Wendy.
i think the fact you are fueled by love and wonder....
Hugs to you and Dan!
:)

Alrighty Chillens!
it's time to catch up!
Well, my TikiFarm MODFISH mug just hit
and it's kind of a departure from the traditional Tiki mug
BUT it makes a lovely accent to any Polynesian pop/Modernist environ...

Here's some glamor shots....

And you can stack em for easy storage!

Here's some of the Inspiration/original concept drawings

get yours today at the Tikifarm website
http://www.tikifarm.com
:)

Well... Besides a bunch of paintings for Howie's
Mark also burdened me with the glorious purpose
of creating 2 4 foot masks for the establishment

one based on the mask in "the Offering"
inspired by Jim Flora...

"Mask"

and the other is based on "the Salutation"

Who else would be more perfect for this collaboration
than Billy the Crud,Cur with a chainsaw!
He had done such a great job interpreting
"Guardian of the Bar"

and "Watcher of the Hut"

So i knew he was the Cad for the task...
Well.. they finally arrived at the studio
and i will be sharing the stages of painting them soon..
When i get around to it...

Seeing as they were to be Four feet high,we had to make some adjustments
so i sent him two extremes to fit within the parameters of the Bar and the wood being used...

and here they are at Billy's hut being born.....

Alrighty!
Here,dear friends,is what has been taking up the free-time and online time...
Twelve paintings for Australia's "Faster Tiki! Kill! Kill!" exhibition
at Kustom Lane Gallery,
with my platonic art soul brothers
Doug Horne and BigToe
scheduled for the end of May...
Twelve Categories were chosen
which means....
twelve paintings had to be painted
and being the methodical,process-driven artist
that called for an early start!
and this weekend, i am proud to say
i finished my TWELFTH painting
around the time BigToe finished his first for this exhibition!
i think Doug is five pieces in
and lemme tell you.....WE are Bringin It!
Lots of great work is being born for this!

Getting done early means that i can work on more Promo posters for the event
(which is the absolute FUNNEST!)

So..... the categories are
HAWAIIAN
MAORI
PAPUA NEW GUINEA
MARQUESAN
RAPA NUI
TIKI TEMPLE
DEADLY ANIMALS OF TERRA AUSTRAL
AUSTRALIAN CRYPTOZOOLOGY
AUSTRALIAN MEN OF HISTORY
POST APOCALYPTIC/MAD MAX
MONSTER ISLAND
FREAKSHOW

Here are the Tiki related categories
BUT! Not the whole piece...
that will have to wait...
So it's gonna be pieces in progress shots and detail shots of the finished paintings...

Here goes...
HAWAIIAN CATEGORY
"The Unfortunate Visit"

Here's the background and initial sketch right as it was started...

and here's details of the finished piece...
a LONO-ish Cannibal King amidst Pele's flames and lava

Recognize these three Unfortunate Visitors?

They had made a few previous appearances
"Dawn at the Waterfall"

Familiar?
"The Constant Criers"

DING!
those fellahs are from Tikifarm's Kainoa Bowl!

Next category....
MAORI
"the Midnight libation"

Next Category
PAPUA NEW GUINEA
"Along the Sepik River"

Here are some details and some past studies used for the two main tikis....

Next category
MARQUESAN
"the Warrior's Repose"
After reading that Gaugain spent the final span of his life in the Marquesan Islands
a Marquesan painting in his style would be an appropriate challenge...
So here are some of the references used...

Here's the initial quickie study...

and here's some close-ups of the finished painting...

Next category
Rapa Nui.... Easter Island
"The Appearance of Make-Make"
this piece has Moai,a Moai Kava Kava,an Orongo Birdman,
and a zoomorphic materialization of Make-Make....
Here are the studies...

some reference for the characters...

and here is the main influence for both the style and composition
"the Picnic" by Thomas Hart Benton 1953

and here are details of the finished painting...

Next Category
TIKI TEMPLE
"Night at the Tiki Temple"
Here are a bunch of studies for a quintessential bar painting...

and here's some shots working on it...

and some close-ups of the finished work...

Next category
FREAKSHOW
"Conjoined Cannibal Kings"
Avoided the typical sideshow banner
pared down to revealing the freak as is...

i WAS going to paint a cyclops moai kava kava and a janus headed Orongo birdman
but felt those characters were fully realized in the Rapa Nui painting....
So here they are....a possible future painting...

Last Category Tiki related....
MONSTER ISLAND
"Souvenier of the Black Lagoon"
The Creature has always been my favorite monster
even more than the Gargantuas
and seeing as the black lagoon was in South America
a shrunken head solution was the perfect fit!

Here's a detail..

Well, it's getting late and sleep is tapping on my shoulder...
Good Night Dear Ohana...Sweet Dreams!
And thanks for visiting!
:)

ALOOOOOOOHA Kids!
Well, it's getting late
and just wanted
to bring us all up to date!
was that a rhyme?
it does fall within those parameters!
Anyways....
Can you believe that it's close to TEN YEARS since these posts began on page one?
216 pages and TONS of work,views,and conversations later
it hits...
it's kind of a diary of sorts...
kind of a Tiki blog!
and it's YOU all who've kept it going
and kept US going
and are to Thank for all of this
and all the wonderful things experienced and shared
over these years...
MAHALO!
:)

Anyways... Don's Tiki Makeke (Market) is happening next Saturday the 30th
and having just gotten all the Australian show work done and framed
and boxed up all cozy
it was time to play and spill out in every direction
until the next serious work beckons
Some playful paintings and drawings for the event!
Some lands to explore!
Come On!

"Gift on the Hilltop"
5x7"
marker on watercolor paper

"Greeter of the valley"
5x7"
marker on watercolor paper

"Noonday Hut"
5x7"
marker on watercolor paper

"the Hilltop"
9x12"
marker on watercolor paper

"Oasis"
5x7"
marker on watercolor paper

"Night and Day"
9x12"
marker and gouache on watercolor paper

Just some play with colors and shapes and shifting shadows...
It's often a quiet fun-filled curious spillage
but good fruits can sprout from even the most failed attempts
don't you agree?

and here's an older HUGER piece
that wasn't posted yet
Enjoy!
"Sun"
Ink on Aquarelle watercolor paper

this one was rendered partly with the traditional pen and ink nib action

"Jungle Tussle"
9x12"
Ink and marker on Aquarelle watercolor paper

and here's some new paintings for the event...

"Island"
11 x 18.5"
acrylic on wood

This one started as a rough brushey abstract for the background
working as a base for the island...

Here's some close-ups...

"the Coveter"
4 x 12"
acrylic on wood

a closeup of his grabby hands!

For a change of pace,decide to change it up
with brights on less saturated grounds
and a white outline to POP those colors
let's see what happens...

"the Sun Bowl"
6x12"
acrylic on wood

a detail...

and the sister piece..
"the Crabby Mug"
6x12"
acrylic on wood

and all up in there!

Some versions of the masks destined for Howie's in Texas
"Smiling Shield"
6x12"
acrylic on wood

ZOOM!

"Sunrise Salutation"
6x12"
acrylic on wood

Right in Dere!

and here's a shot of the progress on 2 out of 4 wooden shields
two,which are destined for Howie's Tiki in Spring Texas!

and less than a month before Toe,Doug,and myself
fly off to Straya!

Hours to go before i sleep...
Aloha until the next posting!
and thanks for the visits!
:)

Hey Ohana!
How Are You?
I been busy!
But not busy enough to NOT share
all these hand-painted ceramics
Before i shuffle em off to Don the beachcombers this Saturday!
http://www.tikicentral.com/viewtopic.php?mode=viewtopic&topic=49574&forum=17&start=135

Well, for those of you who are residing in distant lands
i hope these pictures fulfill and satisfy your mug hunger....
:)

this first one GLOWS IN THE DARK!
Poko Ono
"Bermuda Pineapple" edition
glow in the dark pigment hand-painted onto one of my Tikifarm Poko Ono mugs....
One of a Kind!



and how it looks in the daylight...

a closeup of the texture of the semi-opaque glow in the dark medium

Poko Ono
TikiFarm 15 year anniversary mug
"Midnight Harlequin Edition" edition

Poko Ono
TikiFarm 15 year anniversary mug
"Poko Oro Edition" edition

Poko Ono
TikiFarm 15 year anniversary mug
"Royal Edition" edition

Poko Ono
TikiFarm 15 year anniversary mug
"Triton" edition

Modfish
"Ablyss" Edition

Modfish
"Deep Blue Sea" Edition

Modfish
"Goldfinger" Edition

Modfish
"Grail" Edition

Well, as you can see...it's late and my vision is beginning to blur.
For some odd reason it transferred onto the picture above
hmmmmmm....
Bermuda Pineapple intervention perhaps?

Anyways... Thanks for popping by
and hope to see you ar Don's this Saturday!
:)

love all the gold pieces, can't wait to see it in person.

Thought your Poko Ono mugs were just about the coolest then saw your Modfish bowls.

You come up with some of the coolest tiki art ever.
Great job!!

---

[ Edited by: tikiskip 2016-05-12 07:02 ]

'Allo Mates!
Back from Australia
Doug,Toe,and myself survived and prospered
Special Thanks to Janet and Tony Peake of kustom lane gallery
and their darling helpful kids! and a special hats off to that
master of Calligraphy,Striping and mastery of Enamel.. Matt Bailey
for taking us about the town and filling us with Culture!
But more of that later......
man! It's been awhile and i am backlogged (honestly about 50 new drawings and paintings)
so you'll be getting a lil piece of the art and some stories from Australia,mkay?
But first,i must reply to some patient friends who were
kind enough to leave comments....
:)

On 2016-04-29 15:36, hiltiki wrote:
love all the gold pieces, can't wait to see it in person.

Hey hil! it was great seeing you! YOU are Golden,baby!

On 2016-05-12 07:00, tikiskip wrote:
Thought your Poko Ono mugs were just about the coolest then saw your Modfish bowls.
You come up with some of the coolest tiki art ever.
Great job!!

My humblest thanks,tikiskip!
It has been a weird journey,stumbling into and connecting with So many folks of
strong ideals,talent,genius,motivation,knowledge,and humor over the years...
it's that cauldron of creative energy and ohana that is a constant inspiration!
The opportunity to take chances and try different avenues and presentations
has been exciting.. i feel very fortunate and blessed to live amongst such folk!

and the same ohana was displayed after our 15 and a half hour flight to melbourne...
Between sleep and rank bloody marys, we remained intact. Janet Peake and Matt Bailey greeted us with an Australian flag festooned with verbage from our exhibition a few days hence!



What a beautiful blend of daring modern and Classic Victorian/Empire style architecture,and even some flying buttresses!After dropping our stuff off at their home and heading to the gallery
we unwrap our pieces and Tony,the owner of kustom lane
states he wants to hang the show and mr. bailey will be taking us to the national gallery of Victoria
for some KULL-CHA! (that's Strayan for "Culture")
and Boy he did!
Here's some hi-lights....
the Boys tend to get distracted,although this Siren was quite inviting!
Her name was Sheila and i think Doug took her for a "Root in the Dunny"!

Here's one of a collection of Exquisite Feather headdresses !
Such an Inspiring Day!

Blisssssssssss!
You could get all up close and feel the effort and work and determination and Communication
of these pieces..Chills!

See the Birdie?!?!

Not sure if the Seahorse motif was intentional around the eyes...
but the gears started turning upon viewing!

Melanesia REPRESENT!

Sepik River REPRESENT!

This storyboard/portable shield was STUNNING!
i do believe it has latched itself onto my painting hand
and is guiding it into unknown territory...
A lil bit of the overlapping/stacked style of Indonesian and Bali paintings
i likes it!
it's the...
Wowz...

There was a huge room with a Vanuatu Slit Gong and a whole wall of shields!

Here is one of my favorites from the trip....

And JUST when i thought my art geek tank was on full...
Greek Amphora Vases!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Heaven!

and then..... some frickin Burne Jones!!!!!!!!!!!!!
blew away the Picasso Crying Woman,and even the Turner,in it's tactile softness and beauty thru quiet..

Winding along the Yarra River
a anticipating our exhibit in 2 days!

Australians are really lazy with their words...
A nation of Nicknames! i ranted during the opening (only for a minute or two)
i think it's because they need that brain-space for wordplay and puns upon puns...
Anyways McDonalds becomes MACCAS!

Flying Buttress!

Finally we were returned back to our mum,Janet
and i'll save the next entry for the next post....
:)

And now for a few Art catchup thangs....

First off! Those YUGE 4 foot shield/masks for Howie's Tiki in Spring Texas
were finally delivered and are now living there happily!

These beauties were the result of a collaboration with Billy the Crud
I drew em
he carved and built em
and then i painted them up to make them appear as if they were
dredged up out of some abandoned village...

in situ...

and some art...
"Afternoon Cocktail"
acrylic on board
8 x 10"
private collection

"Friend of the jungle Shield"
acrylic and paintpen on board
6x12"

"the Cannibal's Dinner"
acrylic and paintpen on board
8 x 10"

"the Welcoming Gaze"
acrylic and paintpen on board
8 x 10"

"the Hidden Valley"
acrylic and paintpen on board
8 x 10"

my favorite of the batch!
Here's some details...

Clooooooseeeeeer.....

and some drawings to share
"Afternoon Huts"
Marker and ink on watercolor paper
5x7"

"Alas Poor Yorick"
Marker and ink on watercolor paper
5x7"

"Alas Poor Yorick Two"
Marker and ink on watercolor paper
5x7"

"Daylight eruptions"
Marker and ink on watercolor paper
5x7"

"Excited Boy"
Marker and ink on watercolor paper
5x7"

"Island Wind"
Marker and ink on watercolor paper
5x7"

"Jungle Chatter"
marker and ink on watercolor paper
9 x 12"

"the entwined Palms"
Marker and ink on watercolor paper
5x7"

"the Men's House"
Marker and ink on watercolor paper
5x7"

"the Shield's Secret"
Marker and ink on watercolor paper
5x7"

"the Sinking Sun"
Marker and ink on watercolor paper
5x7"

"the Sun Approaches"
Marker and ink on watercolor paper
5x7"

"Tropicali"
Marker and ink on watercolor paper
5x7"

"Torch Waver"
marker and ink on watercolor paper
9 x 12"

"the Stolen Drink"
marker and ink on watercolor paper
9 x 12"

Well, tomorrow is a workday
and it's 1 am
soi will continue sharing more Australian tidbits and Art
LOTS of Art....and i think you'll like it....
Goodnight Ohana!
and Thanks for the Visits!
:)

Greatness and inspiration abounds, thanks for taking the time to share, be seeing you in August!

Kinny, thanks for all the fabulous artifact pictures from the National Gallery of Victoria, really enjoyed seeing them. Love your art work and that goes without saying. follow you on Instagram and your new pieces are better than ever.

What is it about those birds? I just love them. They make my heart ache. See you at Oasis art brother, Wendy

The greatness continues....
Awesome

AWESOME SAUCE!
KENNY U RAAAWWKK!!

Aloha Ohana!
Tick Tock!
Times A'Wastin and Tiki Oasis is only a handful of earth rotations away!
Needless to say,the Australian Recap will have to wait for calmer times
(or i may just blog the whole dang thang on my website and provide a link...
Speaking of....added two new folders....both Tiki!
one with Crocs and Birds
http://www.kinnyruzic.com/gallery/totems-huts-birds-and-crocodiles

and the other involving travel....migration.....voyages...
http://www.kinnyruzic.com/gallery/voyages-to-uncharted-realms

Anyways... i will share a series of pieces i've been working on
that feels familiar to older ventures and styles,but hitting it just right
IMHO.of course....
your opinion may differ
that's what makes life so wonderful!
:)

But first,i'd like to chat with some recent visitors
if you would indulge me
you will be rewarded with eye-popping works
THAT WILL BE AVAILABLE AT TIKI OASIS this year
in the LAnai Suite by the pool!
with Thor and Doug Horne and Crazy Al!
It gets like a genius stew around there....
SO Inspiring!

On 2016-07-12 08:16, cy wrote:
Greatness and inspiration abounds, thanks for taking the time to share, be seeing you in August!

Can't wait Cy!i hold our insightful conversations fondly
and look forward to discussing artsy schtuff with you again!
Thanks for visiting and enjoying these rambling posts.

On 2016-07-21 10:24, hiltiki wrote:
Kinny, thanks for all the fabulous artifact pictures from the National Gallery of Victoria, really enjoyed seeing them. Love your art work and that goes without saying. follow you on Instagram and your new pieces are better than ever.

Thank you my dear! I was happy to be able to share some of the treasures there... There's just SO much work out there,such variety and primitive brilliance in each piece! The Instagram thing is fun.... Kind of low maintenance and a great way to share the work with folks outside of our Ring of Cool here! :)

On 2016-07-25 20:24, danlovestikis wrote:
What is it about those birds? I just love them. They make my heart ache. See you at Oasis art brother, Wendy

YAY! I get Wendy and Dan hugs!It'll be so nice to see all my art brothers and sisters and share adventures and camaraderie! As for birds and crocs...i'll let you in on some secret projects coming up that will put a big smile in your eyes,darlin!
See you SOON!

On 2016-07-25 20:49, hang10tiki wrote:
The greatness continues....
Awesome

Shush! it's just a wonderful gift that i'm able to share
and folks seem to feel and connect to...
a true artist's dream...
Can life get any better.my friend?

On 2016-08-01 14:28, Tiki Shark Art wrote:
AWESOME SAUCE!
KENNY U RAAAWWKK!!

YOU Rock,Bradley! MAD LOVE to you! Hopefully our next encounter will be less hectic and brief! You are such an inspiration and friend and confidante with arcane and secret art stuff! Another Oasis without you ...sigh! Will raise a glass to mug to you during the weekend,Buddy! Get some painting done for us all during that time...Gotta keep the torch goin,y'know....

Okay... So y'all remember those woodburns and drawings a few years back,inspired by figures on a Solomon island paddle?
No?
Well, i do,and about a month and a half ago
decided to invite
Jim Flora,Mary Blair,Leonard Weisgard,and Alex Steinweiss
to this improvisational art stew
playing with the way they abstracted objects,
achieved texture and distance,
played with shapes and negative space,
set an emotional tone with color
made art GRAPHIC
blurred the lines between artist and designer
and came up with these pieces i will now share with you

ANYWAYS.....
these are the pieces that were born from this
"throw a bunch of styles in a blender
and fine tune it
and stylize it further
and make something new"
jag...

"Drummer at Dawn"
acrylic on wood
15 x 30"
(private collection)

"the Hunting Party"
acrylic on wood
15 x 30"
(private collection)

"the Crocodile god"
acrylic on wood
30 x 15"

"the Hungry Inhabitants"
acrylic on wood
30 x 15"
(private collection)

"the Big Catch"
acrylic on wood
10 x 20"
(private collection)

"the Summoning"
acrylic on wood
15 x 30"

"Arrival"
acrylic on wood
15 x 30"
(private collection)

These are pretty big,so i'll post some close-ups when i get a smidgen of time,m'kay?
Hope you enjoy these,Ohana!
G'night!

http://www.kinnyruzic.com Art Blogs Wishes Fulfilled!
I'm on Facebook and now Instagram under Ken Ruzic
AW Jeah!

[ Edited by: little lost tiki 2016-08-24 08:40 ]

"Thru Unknown Waters"
acrylic on wood
(Bamboo Ben creation)
11 x 30"
This and many more treasures will be Available THIS SATURDAY at the Tiki Makeke (Market) at Don the BeachCombers from 10am to 3pm! I'll have some original paintings and drawings,some hand painted versions of mugs and bowls i designed for Tiki Farm,and maybe some prints of the paintings that are hanging at Howie's Tiki in Spring,Texas! Free Puppies and Zika-infected Beach Towels for the first 100 customers! See you THERE!

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO that wasn't enough photos. I was enjoying those I'd looked at before and when I reached the post that said yesterday at the top I was so excited then sad. Come on share some more even if it's just your baby photos that were on a past poster for an art show. Hugs, Wendy

On 2016-09-14 08:16, danlovestikis wrote:
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO that wasn't enough photos. I was enjoying those I'd looked at before and when I reached the post that said yesterday at the top I was so excited then sad. Come on share some more even if it's just your baby photos that were on a past poster for an art show. Hugs, Wendy

How can i resist the request of my dear sweet art sister?
Especially with the example you give on your post sharing SO much with us all....

and with that,folks....

"Thru Unknown Waters"
acrylic on wood
(Bamboo Ben creation)
11 x 30"

and some details....
Didn't have time to clip out the backgrounds on these...
Take that as an opportunity for a psychological evaluation via viewing material if you wish!)

and an ULTRA CLOSEUP!

and a Bird,because i know Wendy enjoys them...
:)

Gotta go! lots to do!
i promise to post more SOON!

That's much better. The first time I missed seeing the birds. I love those birds. Keep on painting and Posting because we are always here waiting for the next one. Hugs, Wendy

On 2016-09-15 07:41, danlovestikis wrote:
That's much better. The first time I missed seeing the birds. I love those birds. Keep on painting and Posting because we are always here waiting for the next one. Hugs, Wendy

You are my precious art sister!
It's a such a great thing that SO many Great female artists are involved with our scene!
A nice balance to the mana...
More birds below my dear! Mahalos for your kindness and visits and conversation....

Aloha Ohana!
Wow... it's been over a month since last posting....
and now i'm buried in a Deluge of new paintings!
So here's some BRAND NEW ones
and i'll release some of the past month's treasures,as i get time...
Whenever the Seasons change
i get a manic creative overflow
Creative types who have mild cyclothymia share those symptoms
Somethin about feel in the air,i guess...
"Offering to the Fire Mountain"
15 x 39"
Acrylic on wood

Been having a Blast with these narratives!
Here's a close-up...

and here's an in-progress shot,just to show y'all how it looks before the polishing..

Here's a simple painting with bold graphic pieces and a smidge of texture
and color experimentation....
"the Afternoon Perch"
10 x 20"
acrylic on wood

Here's a painting of a shocking discovery inside a jungle cavern..
a Tiki with a bowl full of.....
Something Stolen!
"the Purloined Idol"
10 x 20
acrylic on wood

and a close-up....

and here's a painting that played with the cool damp atmosphere of a shaded jungle oasis...
"the Sheltered Glade"
10 x 20"
acrylic on wood

and a closeup to show the strange semi-transparency of the shield/mask fellow
and the branch that intersects him...

and here's the biggest baby out of the birth canal!
"the King's Journey"
a whopping 18 x 36"
acrylic on wood

a few details of the finished Journey...

a song,in the form of a bird
escaping the lips of the drummer...
One wonders if all the birds in this sky were created this way...

the rower.

the king,enjoying the cool ocean breeze...

i know.. i know..
i mixed the art of Hawaii,Solomon islands,Bali,and China in this style
Why not?
:)

Here it is in the infant stages
white pastel pencil over acrylic base on wood
some sponging around the edges and slow buildup of color
before applying the black paint...

That's it for now,Friends!
I promise to be back soon with the backlog of work from this month...
So leave a comment and take a walk around.
i left the screen door unlocked!
:)

There you go again, more great art.
I see one and I think cool remember that title so I can remark at the bottom,
Then I see the next one and think cool remember the title so I can remark at the bottom,
And so on and so on and so on and so on.

In other words, AWESOME

You are the color master!!!

Liking everything but love "the afternoon perch"

Holy moly! Love all the new work, Kinny- the narratives speak out for themselves, but love hearing you lead the way!

Which reminds me, I need to post a photo of the painting I bought from you during Oasis!!

All the best!

Hello Ohana!
Welcome to the wonderful world of out of synch postings..
a time travel journey,one could say....
You'll understand more as we progress down this posting...
But ,if you will allow me,
i'd love to chat with some friends first...

On 2016-10-24 06:06, hang10tiki wrote:
There you go again, more great art.
I see one and I think cool remember that title so I can remark at the bottom,
Then I see the next one and think cool remember the title so I can remark at the bottom,
And so on and so on and so on and so on.
In other words, AWESOME
You are the color master!!!

Well Gee Thanks hang10!
I am so happy that you like this new batch
as this color explosion could take a wrong turn at any moment!
So far so good...

On 2016-10-24 08:15, hiltiki wrote:
Liking everything but love "the afternoon perch"

Mahalo and a Big Hug,Hil!
Almost sold it to soul in Canada
but he opted for a bigger piece
so i am happy i get to live with him for awhile longer..
G;ad he makes you smile,he was simple and sweet
a practice in holding back on the detail
and allow the color and graphic sensibilities to shine
instead of the usual flash and dazzle...

On 2016-10-24 20:49, TikiAno wrote:
Holy moly! Love all the new work, Kinny- the narratives speak out for themselves, but love hearing you lead the way!
Which reminds me, I need to post a photo of the painting I bought from you during Oasis!!
All the best!

Hey Ano!
Thank you,and everybody else who are so kind and gracious and love the work enough to want to live with them!
When you get time,a shot of your acquisition where it resides always puts a warm feeling in my inners!
Thanks for the visit! Pop by anytime!

Howie's Tiki has yet another new piece hanging on their walls..
and older piece that i revamped to GLOW IN THE DARK just for Howie's!
Here it is in the daylight...
"Night Flight"
acrylic,paintpen ,and glow in the dark pigment on canvas
36 x 36"

Here's it all in ya face and glowing!

and here it is
in it's new home
surrounded by other kinny pieces
various artifacts
and even a new BigToe piece in there
to keep it company!
and with Doug Horne art displayed on the windows
the three Behemoths are well represented!

See what i was talkin about earlier?
This is where we go back in time a bit...
Exciting huh?

Howie's finally has unveiled their Howie's House mug
with a Mug Release party a few weeks back!
And it is a BEAUT!

A pure joy to work with Mark,Howie's owner,and Holden
on this creation!
Tiki in Texas! Spring,Texas,that is!

This is a limited edition custom mug, first of it's kind!
A whopping 16oz Tiki Farm mug designed by Ken Ruzic,i think i mentioned that earlier...
The top features a removable FLAMMABLE shot glass (also makes a great lid)

the spout on the mug is for a straw but makes for a kool pitcher as well!!!
$45 a piece Price includes tax and shipping
This full color version will not be available ever again...
Hop on it Mug-o-philes!
http://howiestiki.com/store/

and since you've all been so kind to allow me to plug a wonderful mug from a wonderful Tiki bar
i will share this Never before seen publicly SKETCH
that we used for creating this wonder!

And of course.... having a mug
gives the artist the opportunity to customize
and create NEW and UNIQUE versions of their mug!
YAY!

the first version....
VULCAN edition!

a highly detailed glowing red and orange
ready to forge fine Olympian steel!

Here's a Youtube video of it
in all it's Heavy metal Glory!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x4zcuPWYK8M&index=1&list=PLXwHgjVohS3j7r8Yp8jhi6hNI7UB-vd8B

and ,for the Mug release
i painted up TWO versions-one for Mark and one for the public
a Warm (Stromboli) and Cool (Krakatoa) colorway
Here is the Stromboli version


Oh yeah... i forgot
they glow in the freakin dark!

Krakatoa version


this one glow too!

and a finished painting before i hit the hay
"Taniwha"
10 x 20"
acrylic on wood
this is a Maori River and Sea dragon
and seeing as i adore anything Cryptozological
i just HAD to paint one!

That's it for now..
Goodnight Ohana!

Aloha Ohana!
Just finished this one
and couldn't wait to share it with y'alls!
"The Procession"
acrylic on wood
15 x 30"

and some details of the attendees and their trek up to the mountaintop

Sorry so brief this morning
but i gotta go to work!

Enjoy your day,Ohana!

Thanks for posting, Kinny! Love the Processional. Looks like a great party up on top- and (thankfully?) no human (or animal) sacrifices?? Phew!

:wink:

On 2016-11-03 09:41, TikiAno wrote:
Thanks for posting, Kinny! Love the Processional. Looks like a great party up on top- and (thankfully?) no human (or animal) sacrifices?? Phew!
:wink:

Aloha Everybody!
Wow! it has been a WHILE,huh?
well, i got some time,so let's have a lil digital exhibition,eh?

But first let me say,"Hello!" to Ano!
Thanks for the visit,Sir! The Processional is indeed a celebration!
a gathering of the tribe,advancing upward!Hopefully someone will fix some pizzas in the umu
once they hit the peak!
Buy you really wanna know why they're so excited?
aaaaaand ,here's the thrilling thing..
Because "the Procession" is NOW in Hawaii!
exhibited at Kozy Tiki palace
alongside Mr. Parker,Mr. Toe,Mr. Horne,Mr, Jimenez,and a few others who
are yet to be OFFICIALLY announced,but are in the works!
http://konakozy.com/
Thanks Kozy,for your hospitality and allowing us to share our work abroad!!
it appears you are the Premiere Contemporary Tiki Art venue on the island!

Here's the Kinny wall...


There are also some prints and original drawings there as well for the good island peoples!
AND LOOK! BRAD Parker APPROVED! RAWK!!!

Hi Brad!

Here's another painting that is now living there....
"Before the Ambush"
15 x 30"
acrylic on wood

an experiment in propulsion,advancing forward into dangerous territory...
i wanted to incorporate some shafts of light in the background jungle area
and they were just the ticket to scoot that little boat forward thru the muddy river...

Here's some closeups for all of youse.....

Hidden faces on the faraway shore
awaiting a signal....
Note the fellow in the middle bottom of the picture....
he appears to be noticing something
maybe a few skulls and bones dangling from branches...

the prow figure holds a skull
a signal that their intentions'
may not be restricted to fishing and exploration....
A figure looms in the shadows of the tree above...

A few more warriors prepare themselves
crouching behind bushes
or pressed tightly against a tree....

and we'll end these closeups with a few enthusiastic brush rustlers
awaiting the signal...

Oh! But first....
Here are some of the studies/original inspiration/musings that led to the piece above...

Also working on a HUGE 18 x 36" Eye POPPIN piece
i will tease you with here...
it's called "the Path"

There are more advanced shots on my FaceBook page
it's public ,so you can just lurk
or friend me if you like! :)

Here's another piece at Kozy's gallery

"Guardians of the Island"
acrylic on wood
10 x 20"

Sentinels scout the horizon
for invading tribes
and other dangers
the colors were used to heighten that sense
kinda manic and serious
but kinda fun....

and here are some paintings that i will have on display at Don the Beachcomber's this Saturday!

Come on down and spread some Mele Kalikimakian Cheer!
i will have drawings,prints,hand-painted TikiFarm Kinny designed mugs,pitchers and bowls!
AND a bunch of these
10 x 20" paintings
Acrylic and Cel-vinyl on masonite/artboard
wired on the back-they're ready to hang in the walls of YOUR hut!

"Curiosity"
private collection

the croc is looking up
but is he eyeing the bird
or the passenger
for his meal today?
Wanted this one to feel very "heat of the day"
hence the vibrating motif on the sun...
very simple,very warm
with a bit of danger
hiding in the cool reassuring blue

"the Island Path"
private collection

Wanted these colors very EARTHy
browns and tans and an ashy green for the ocean..
the island path connects the main hut with the far side of the island
and over to the monolithic Ku
a peculiar cycle,but a pattern of activity suggested only by props and a path
no people,just the mind of the viewer themselves
strolling along and admiring the palms and warm breeze..

"Mask Melody"

the olive and the SMALT BLUE
(yes....that's a color tho it would be a great name for a beer!)
are ignited by the tension between the cream and the black
keeping with the whole favorite,split the figure and alternate colors spiel
this one turned out fun and the masks really jump around
as they react to the color battle contained within!

"Sleeping island"
private collection

Very happy how this one turned out...
it's not only the occupants
but the ENTIRE ISLAND that is asleep!
the aqua waves gently lapping and the palms shushing each other in the moonlight
the neutral tone adds a forced lighting that was reinforced in the palm fronds to give it
a dramatic "up"lighting/Tikibar-ish lighting effect...
add that to the calm tones
and it forces just a small air of mystery to the piece....
i like it
it made me smile when i finished it....
what a joyous life doing this ....

"the Bleached Palm"

this one started as an Alex Steinweiss color study but slightly PUMPED UP!
the white palm trunk came as a happy accident afterthought
an acciforeafterthought?
the cracked skull in the Ancestor figure's grasp
can be defined either as a cherished chieftan slain in battle
or a rival chieftan... a warning...
the unreal white of the palm echoes the skull's importance
like a wave emanating from it...

"the Hungry Cannibals"

a revisit to a earlier theme..the stacked and cramprd totem with a sight gag
i think the gag here is in the implied hunger
that the title reveals....all uncomfortable
and slatherin and such...
the aqua/raw umber/white combo was JUST enough...

"the River Totem"

a revisitation of a beloved theme
croc and bird
but with some Easter egg colors (purple/hot pink-magenta)
tempered by an olive and acidic yellow and a nice warm brown
tie it all together with some cream and black and YAY!
a riverbank totem
perhaps near an area where canoes slide off into the magical waters...

"Tribal Trio"
private collection

another crazy colorway that i riffed from Mr. Steinweiss
and just AMPED a bit for Lil Bits and giggles
(there was a Rick and Morty reference in there,for all the cool kids)

"Maori Totem"
private collection

Another steroid Steinweiss colorway
(the guy is a COLOR GENIUS!)
in fact last Tiki Oasis,i was chattin with the esteemed D. Yaniger
and we talked a bit about this masterful designer and colorist!
Alex Steinweiss...check him out!
Always research old artists and designers
they leave things for the world
and lil secret things for us artists dialed in
there is so much to learn,young grasshoppers
Never Stop!
Anyways.. Grey,light mustard yellow,Burgundy,White and Black
Who'd of Thunk?
to quote that genius sculptor Squid...
so leap into the mist of uncertainty
a beautiful painting may step out from that fog of experiment!

"Night of the Volcano"

An attempt to capture some of the eleents of "the Island path"
but with LAVA! Dunno why the Lono fellow is holding a fish
but the red in him is the perfect balance to the flowing molten island next door...

Well...that;s it.. I'm tapped out
work tomorrow...
Good night dear ohana
Hope you enjoy these offerings
and they make you Smile!

http://www.kinnyruzic.com Art Blogs Wishes Fulfilled!
I'm on Facebook and now Instagram under Ken Ruzic
AW Jeah!

[ Edited by: little lost tiki 2016-12-13 23:07 ]

http://www.kinnyruzic.com after all these years I clicked here and found so much art that I'm dumbstruck.

I clicked randomly and !!! found art I didn't know you had ever done. Blush.

I'm in love with the "River Totem". I can't get enough of your birds. I couldn't figure out how to order a print.

HELP. Wendy

Another mind blowing wave of awesomeness