Canopy store, DAMAGED series & Milton the Friendly Elephant!

As I've alluded to in a few different places on social media, at the first of this month my badges became available for sale in their first retail location! "Canopy" is located at 3910 Lorain ave. in Ohio City, in what was formerly a gallery folks knew as "Buck Buck". Canopy is home to all kinds of neat gifts (antiques, mid century housewares courtesy of my mother (kitschykoopark) , and hand crafted).
She is owned and operated by my friends Erika & Anthony, not only as a storefront but also creative studios in the back called "The 1090 Club". The 1090 Club hosts gallery shows, classes and other events as well.

  http://canopy-collective.com/

If any Cleveland locals are interested in checking out some of the late badge creations and come other things of Memorabilia, stop in there! Also for more general inquiries into what I do or any special requests you can find my new business cards in there and in other random spots!

I can't forget to mention as well that I've been taking part in a cool little event in the Canopy storefront every other Saturday called "Penpal Social Club".  PSC is the brainchild of my friend Brandi Woodward who runs the blog "The Red Heart Press" & co-produces a neat weekly podcast about local goings-on "Two Girls With Glasses", the event is a free little letter-writing & mail art creating party. Really laid back, we have tables covered in all kinds of paper, stickers, stencils, and donated cards, stamps... anything really that might contribute to creating a card or letter and don't forget snacks! Make a list of folks you'd like to send something in the mail to. Think about the joy you'd feel getting something personal in the mail, a friendly reminder that isn't a bill or a credit card offer! The last one was May 16th, so check out Canopy's facebook page to stay informed on when the next few will be!

 http://www.theredheartpress.com/

If anyone has stopped in Canopy and taken a gander at my display or kept up with photos I post of buttons on facebook or instagram you may be familiar with my "DAMAGED" button series. To some people, the concept is completely familiar, no need to explain, but since I've heard of inquiries through the grapevine I thought I'd use to blog to talk about it a little.

Now... DAMAGED. What do you think? How does the word make you feel? With my buttons I've created a sort-of hall of fame for this idea. No, it does not mean these buttons are broken or defective in any way, or that the subjects in questions are either. To me, it's a way of highlighting folks or characters in pop-culture who provoke thoughtfulness in some completely eccentric way. Figures who seem to be in on the joke of life or existing in a universe all their own, you know... playing to it. Serenading the cosmos, poking holes, sewing them up, empathizing, realizing, manipulating creativity, redefining reality. "Damaged" is a term of endearment, a celebration. It's realistic, and humorous. What is "real" anyway? I don't know, you tell me! Trying to explain this is a little exhausting. Do you get it yet?

Well... either way. Here's a showcase of my DAMAGED pals. Maybe seeing them all together will help you grip some idea. "DAMAGED" I designed and hand-carved into my own stamp. I'm presently also working on custom paper & a fabric pattern. But... buttons for now!

Crispin Glover's "Layne" from River's Edge

Elijah Wood & Macaulay Culkin from "The Good Son"

Nicolas Cage from "Con Air"

Tim Curry as The Grand Wizard from "The Worst Witch"

Dennis Hopper as "Frank" from Blue Velvet

Paul Williams as "Swan" from Phantom of The Paradise

Willem Dafoe as "Bobby Peru" from Wild At Heart

Jeff Bridges as "Jack Lucas" from The Fisher King

The Mac again as himself

Alas, Milton the Friendly Elephant. Milton is a character/figure/symbol/concept inspired by the Barry Levinson 1992 film "Toys" starring Robin Williams, Robin Wright, Joan Cusack, & L L Cool J. Milton is referenced by name in Robin's monologue addressing all of the toys around the climax of the film.

"We have a tradition of whimsy here at Zevo toys. Dad began that tradition with Milton the Friendly Elephant and it carries all the way through the new line."

Elephants seem to provide a huge amount of symbolism in the movie. Milton the toy, and on employee "Zevo patches". The Elephant on the Zevo employee patch is happy. The Elephant on the intense new military-like personnel is angry and a little scary looking. I think it kinda illustrates how there's a dark side and a lighter side to everything, especially in human beings. Elephants are compassionate and very smart creatures, but they're also enormous and powerful.

The "symbol" of Milton also serves as Kenneth Zevo's headstone in the film. It's featured in many scenes as sort of a voice of reason I think. On Kenneth's grave is inscribed the epitaph: " May joy and innocence prevail." This message speaks so much to me, how I feel about life in general. A great way to sum things up for me. I grew up with this film. I grew up with Robin Williams feeling like a family member. And in light of Robin's passing, these words bring a great deal of comfort to me.

I had been baking this idea in my head for a long time. Creating some kind of little totem trinket of Milton the Friendly Elephant inscribed with that saying. 1: because I like designing little things like that, and 2: I simply have never seen something like that for sale anywhere. I knew I wanted to make it on the laser engraver at Cleveland Public Library down in Tech Central's Maker Space. The engraver does such a great job of making wonderful monumental looking pieces, and I also thought making it out of wood would feel really special. I have so many ideas for products and items to make on the Laser I don't even know where to start sometimes. But finally, at last I've created my very first that I can share with you all!

I took many stills from the film for reference, and picked out a font I thought fit well. I usually draw my own text for most things and have taken to vectorizing it myself too, but nothing quite satisfied me that I was doing this time. Down in the library I scanned my drawing at 600 DPI and plugged it into photoshop to mess around with the colors. The Engraver works best with high contrast black and white images. Then with the help of my friend, wonderful Jesse Mason, co-owner and ice cream maker at the great ice cream spot "Mason's Creamery" in Ohio City and his vast knowledge of illustrator, I was able to make Milton into a file that would not only engrave the wood, but cut him out precisely too. It's a little complicated for me, and I'm still working on getting the hang of it, but one day at time I say! On the engraver, your picture is a "raster" file, and the cutting line needs to be a "vector" file. But with a little patience and understanding, you can cut out really any wack shape you want.

 So now I've created a way to engrave and cut out a fine little line of Friendly Miltons. And it makes me feel like I'm making a lot progress in learning how to showcase my ideas and designs, and turn them into physical products. Another one for Cleveland Public Library! Love them. 

These Milton pins are my own tribute to my favorite film "Toys", Barry Levinson & Robin Williams. Toys was Barry's masterpiece work. He spent over a decade developing it. It was THE film he wanted to make. His earlier works were films like "Diner", "Good Morning Vietnam", "Rain Man" and others. It disappoints me to read negative reviews of it and hear of how it didn't do well at box office. From box office sales to books on screenwriting, I really feel like it's really all subjective. Like the Robin Williams film "Hook". So many publications slam that movie and how it was a flop, but most everyone I know around my age, some older, some younger, completely adore that movie. The same experts who condemn films like "Hook" & "Toys" are also existing in a time when Hollywood promotes pretty much nothing original. So... to the "film" critics and experts out there, thanks a lot guys! 

So.. sorry to spew my anger at the film industry on you, but thanks for scoping out my process! I'm really happy to create and release a little piece of "Toys" fan memorabilia when I couldn't find any, that people can pin on a jacket or purse or whatever! Feel free to request a magnet or keychain even!
I've been experimenting with color on some of them, and wood stains as well. 

Hallelujah to my first laser engraved product! More designs and ideas brewing, so stay tuned! 




Order your own Milton here thru my etsy shop!

PM me for any additional requests or inquiries!

Soon you can also pick up Milton The Friendly Elephant at Canopy here in Cleveland!