I'm getting geared up for about a dozen new paintings and am always stretching canvas as well as making art panel boards to paint on.  Are you itching to paint but don't want to spend 150.00 on a pre-fabricated canvas from the store?  If you need a custom canvas to paint on contact me about pricing and availability.  I make custom gallery wrapped stretchers with grade A canvas with 2 coats of gesso.  Centrally located in Fort Worth Texas, I am easily accessible to the DFW metroplex.

 

DJ Turntable Customizations

 I decided to dedicate a short blog to my friend Joel aka Crazy-J who customizes DJ turntables.  I think he is literally the best in the biz right now and he is out of my local DFW TX area.  Owner of Work It Records in Fort Worth since 1999, he has been in this industry even before then while operating more than just a store front in California since 1991.  Joel's shop not only sold the much needed DJ gear from turntables, records, lighting and more, but became a home for many established DJ's as well as a place that welcomed new inexperienced DJ's.  From DJ-ing, mix tapes, equipment sales, fixing up busted equipment and customizations, Joel is a man of many trades.  I have personally used Joel on several occasions.  From broken Technics 1200 turntables, mixers and speakers to modifying most of my equipment including several sets of Turntables.  I have only received top quality work from Joel.  Which I have to admit, the first time I used Joel I was skeptical mainly because he was charging the least amount of money of anyone I knew.  To my surprise, my equipment looked better than I could have imagined and Joel was my guy from that point on.  I have always believed in the phrase: "you get what you pay for."  Joel is the exception to this. I have never seen Joel take any shortcuts on any job.  When those troublesome times come when unexpected setbacks take more time, cash and effort, he doesn't complain and just works right through it to fix it right the first time.  Joel seems to keep busy these days with a few gigs here and there, but he seems to spend most of his time customizing turntables for not just prominent DJ's, but also new up and coming DJ's all across the states.  You can get details on contacting Joel at http://www.workitrecords.org  Besides Joel's workmanship as a business owner, he is a great person in general.  A family man with morals and someone that will give his time to anyone.  I don't think I have ever seen Joel angry or cussing up a storm.  Truly a nice guy and humble to boot!

 Here is a set of Technics 1200MK2 Turntables Joel Customized for me.

The bright blue lights set off the pearl white paint beautifully!

 SANTA CLAUS  KAWS is coming to town!

 

Old KAWS vs. Rihanna poster.

As you may or may not be aware, Brian Donnelly is having a show at the Modern Art Museum in Fort Worth, Texas.  Opening up to the public December 11th 2011 and closing the 19th of January 2012.  With just a one month window, you are going to have to be quick to get in and see this grouping of artwork.  Many know his work from the street moniker KAWS back in the day when he used to post up graffiti around New York.  His style was nothing short of amazing.  It was fluid, clean, crisp and he always had his original touch as it flowed in and out of commercial billboard propaganda.  I remember seeking out the top pieces in the train yard during lunch at school.  Finding a Kaws piece was always excitement, but rarely happened.  Brian was always looking for heavily populated areas to throw up some street art.  Kaws later turned to bus stop advertisements to reconfigure and turn into his own.  This particular poster size ad style caught the attention of not only street artists, but those individuals in the original advertisements.  These pieces were so clean that passerby's thought his added creations were the original advertisements.  Soon companies, models and superstars wanted 'KAWS' to be apart of their campaign advertisements.  It has been gallery shows, museum shows, toy shows, clothing lines, photo shoots, videos and probably a ton of fun from there on out.  His popularity is ever so growing in the art scene on the streets and in the stores.  Check out his blog and news at www.kawsone.com 

Come on out Halloween night to Hammerhead Sushi bar, 2858 West Berry Street, Fort Worth, Tx 76109.  10p-2am.  They will be serving up sushi, drink specials, costume contests and more while I play some beats along with some guest DJ's.  Cover is only 10.00 and all proceeds go to Safe Haven which helps women and children with family violence.  Check out more on this organization at www.safehaventc.org.  I'm glad to be able to help out!

 

Back To The Future was and will remain one of the best films / trilogies ever created.  While we’re all still waiting patiently for our hoverboards, maybe by 2015?!?!  Michael J. Fox brought the next best thing to his visit to The Late Show with David Letterman on Thursday night: The new Nike MAGs, a line of Back to the Future Part II-inspired shoes. MJ showed off the kicks, which are almost an exact replica of the ones worn by Marty McFly himself in the 1989 movie. (Sadly there’s no power laces, but they do light up.) MJ explained that the limited edition shoes - 1,500 of them - will be auctioned off on Nike’s eBay site and that the proceeds will go to his Parkinson’s research foundation. As MJ put it, the coveted shoes will go to 3 groups of “people with major joneses”: Sneakerheads, Back to the Future fanatics, and the Parkinson’s community that want to help advance research. Better yet, Mj revealed that Google co-founder Sergey Brin will match up to $50 million.

I gotta hand it to 'em, this is a great idea in every way!  First set sold in Calli for an estimated 36k!  Furthermore, my hopes were shattered with the average ebay auction price ranged in the 5k-11k range, yet you still may want to shell out your kids' college fund for a set of cool kicks! Most auctions end today!  Good luck!  Go to: http://nikemag.ebay.com/shoes to help out in the cure for Parkinson's.

Opens August 16th - closing reception September 24th

I am having a 10 year retrospective art show.  All of the pieces in the show will be up for auction with a low starting bid of 20% of normal gallery prices.  Almost one piece from every series of work from the last ten years will be on display.  Come by and check out what I've been up to and how my work has evolved and changed over the years.  There's no pressure to bid, just come by and hang out where there will be music, food and drinks.  There will be drawings, paintings, prints and even a bronze cast sculpture up for bid.  This event will be held at Cut Salon at 620 Jennings Ave, Fort Worth, Texas 76104.  You can contact the salon for store hours at 817.923.8886.  As soon as the artwork goes up, you will be welcome to stop by, look around, and even bid on any piece you wish.  Bidding will end during the closing reception on September 24th at 8pm.  Closing reception hours are 6pm-9pm.  Go to my facebook page and check out the album '10 Year Retrospective & Silent Auction @ Cut Salon'.  In the album, you can check out all pieces up for bid.  Just go to:  www.facebook.com/nickckirk  and if you're not a friend, just send a request!  You can also contact me at nickckirk@yahoo.com for any question. 

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