Heave! ho.

Dangle Sheep
Originally uploaded by Wilson Swain.

I'm designing postcards for a mailing and I needed an image for the backside of the earlier 'Sheep in the Jungle'. I'd wondered how the Mrs. was going to climb that mountain to her husband. Her casual attitude in the first image made me think she'd be difficult to faze. I gave her a sandwich 'cause I figured--being hoisted is as good a time as any to eat.

Space Monkeys

Space Monkey
Originally uploaded by Wilson Swain.

This is vaguely Flash Gordon meets Planet of the Apes. The little martians started out as simple green bugs, but I decided they worked better as the more complex green *monkey* bugs. This piece was produced to go on auction. I often get attached to my work and have a difficult time letting go. The monkey at the far left is either booster rocketing to save the tiny little monkey in the upper right or saying goodbye after the cord snapped.
I may yet explore more with the phases of the moon. Somebody's moon. And the colors of the space scene were inspired by Fozzie's newly painted Studebaker in the Muppet Movie. Yeesh.

Old Pease Porridge.

lions
Originally uploaded by Wilson Swain.

Nine days old Pease Porridge, in fact. I don't think I'm getting the rhyme quite right. They're lions in the kitchen.

My dad used to make us toast and rolled oats growing up ('porridge' in laymen's terms). I think I used to believe that was about all he knew how to make. But these days, since retiring, he shares cooking duties with my mom and likes to get experimental. I, on the other hand, am a master at putting things in the toaster. Toaster pastries = dinner in my world. Feel free to join me but bring a bag lunch.

Unicorn

unicorn
Originally uploaded by Wilson Swain.

I'm not a huge fan of the unicorn, but I'm in a themed show at Nucleus Gallery this month. I started out with an impulse to paint a 'Mom, can we keep him' moment, but somehow the story changed to a variation on 'What the Butler Saw'. I think of all of those movies where the mythical beast comes and rescues the beautiful children from the clutches of evil. I also think about all the little girls that idolize horses and what it is they could possibly want to escape from. I guess I'm imagining the world where the beast could save the child, but maybe won't.

I Hate Other People's Kids

I Hate Other People's Kids
Originally uploaded by Wilson Swain.

This new book by Adrianne Frost featuring my illustrations was released today. It's available nationwide at your finer booksellers, published by Simon and Schuster, filed under humor. Pick up a copy and tell your friends! Then have them tell their friends. And be sure to shift unsold books to most prominent position at Barnes and Noble.

Spidermonkey

Spidermonkey
Originally uploaded by Wilson Swain.

Starlight, Starbright
First star I see tonight
I wish I may
I wish I might
Have the wish I wish tonight

I'm not sure what a real spidermonkey looks like, but the branches are meant to be weblike. He's a little sad but I suppose you don't wish for things when you're contented

Sheep

sheepjunglefull
Originally uploaded by Wilson Swain.

Picture a manly sheep starting off on a new life of adventure in the jungle. He settles a spot in the wilderness and sends word back home for his wife to join him. This image shows her journey. Think 'Out of Africa' meets 'Uncle Wiggley' on the banks of the nile.

The husband is up in the upper rightmost corner mowing the lawn. Native sherpa-like frog guides are the most logical beasts of burden in a world of anthropormized animals. Anything else smacked of slavery. I argued that sherpas get well paid.

The Owl & The Pussycat

The Owl and the Pussy-cat went to sea
In a beautiful pea green boat,
They took some honey, and plenty of money,
Wrapped up in a five pound note.
The Owl looked up to the stars above,
And sang to a small guitar,
'O lovely Pussy! O Pussy my love,
What a beautiful Pussy you are,
You are,
You are!
What a beautiful Pussy you are!'

Animal House

Animal House
Originally uploaded by Wilson Swain.

There used to be this great little stop motion piece of animation on Pinwheel, a Nickelodeon show back in the 80s. A strange little boy and girl with big hats would scoot around as blocks built themselves into buildings, amorphous shapes, tunnels, bridges and all sorts of things--all the while singing this weird little pixieish froo froo music. I loved the simple structure of the blocks contrasted with the more complicated forms of the characters. That's what I was going for here, tho I think my structure is a little complicated. I like the monkey at the very top best.

frogs

frogs
Originally uploaded by Wilson Swain.

Love is a strange emotion. People, or frogs as the case may be, are both drawn towards one another and repelled. Where does the interest get sparked? This could be a childhood crush yet to bloom fully. Or perhaps she's stalking an ex. Regardless, she's not happy here, but he seems pretty content with that fish.

Bunny Final

bunnyfinal
Originally uploaded by Wilson Swain.

I posted sketches a little earlier, but the characters changed some. The husband got fatter and softer, and now he's wearing shark pajamas. The wife is far less angry. I'm not sure who's out in the shadows, but it can't be good.

I'm strongly influenced by stage design and I like the idea of compressed space as well as flattened perspective. I keep exploring these areas.

Bunny sketch

bunnysketch
Originally uploaded by Wilson Swain.

I always talk about being a fan of animals in clothing, but I almost never draw any. A friend was talking about desperately wanting a rabbit for a pet, and I think later this week we're going to a rabbit rescue shelter to visit the bunnies.

These were the preliminary sketches for a piece I'm almost through with. I like the idea of cute and cuddly animals with a 'don't touch me' look in their eyes. Rigid bunnies--it doesn't take much to make me laugh. The lady and the lion were just for fun--this is really just a page of loose sketching.