Art of Bruce Whistlecraft

Incoming Solo show…………
A primer to the world of the Mechtorians.
Paintings, Drawings, Sculptures and custom toys.

Drop me a line if you want to get on the previews list.
anyone on the list for a previous show will be on this list already.

With one of the most anticipated art toy releases of the year, the good Doktor A and MINDstyle are releasing ten (10) resin paint masters of the Mr. Head figure from the upcoming Mechtorians Series I. These hand painted and highly detailed resin masters will certainly be a must have for any collector and fan of Doktor A. Known as one of the industry’s best toy customizers, Doktor A has made a name for himself with his unique style and amazing attention to detail.

Not to be confused with his vinyl toy figures in production, these resin figures are rare paint masters that have seldom been made available to the public. The resin paint masters are done on a one to one scale (with 7% for shrinkage) based on his mini figure series. The NYCC exclusive Mr. Head paint masters will retail for $199.99 and go on sale 4PM at the MINDstyle booth #1313 on Friday, April 18th. Limit one per customer.

A second NYCC Copper version paint master from the highly anticipated Mechtorians mini figure series will be available to Art Toys Society members only. ATS members will be able to reserve their copy of Stephen LePod through the 1045 Showroom for shipment or pick up their reserved copy at MINDstyle booth #1313. A confirmation will be sent to the members with detailed instructions. As the edition is limited to 10, orders will be randomly selected from ATS members wishing to make a purchase even if not attending NYCC.

In addition, Platinum ATS members will be able to purchase one of five ultra rare original version resin paint masters. The original blue paint master is based on Doktor A’s Explorer figure from his upcoming MINDstyle series. The NYCC exclusive Stephen LePod resin paint masters will retail for $199.99. If you’re wondering, solicitations will be made directly by email to ATS members. Clearly, an ATS membership has its privileges.

Just a pre-note to say I am changing my mailing list over to a new server and so anyone already on the email list should get a verification request which you will have to comply with if you want to get newsletters in the future. Sorry it’s a pain but the list is just getting too large for me to handle manually any more.

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Hello and welcome to the March 2008 edition of Doktor A’s newsletter.
There has been a lot happening in the first few months of this year. And it’s all a prelude to the mountains of stuff happening later this year.
So lets get the ball rolling…….

Mechtorians ( http://www.mechtorians.com ) ( http://www.mindstyle.com )
Since the last newsletter the big news of Doktor A’s first proper production toy line has hit the interweb.
Mechtorians are Victroian-Futurist style robots from a distant neverwhen world, capturing the Doktor’s shabby rivited vintage style. Here is a little summing up of all the blogging that’s out there.

“If any art toy made a lot of noise at New York Toy Fair 2008, it was none other than MINDstyle’s Mechtorians by Doktor A. The combination of one of the leading art toy companies and one of the best toy customizers certainly has fans worldwide buzzing about the amazing series.
Here’s what we know so far… a special SDCC exclusive figure will be available at San Diego Comic Con with Series I launching this fall. The first series of six figures are window boxed with exclusives and limited color versions available from the MINDstyle premium retailers. But wait, there are rumblings of an ultra limited and exclusive advance figure available to only Art Toy Society members, and if that’s not enough… there’s even something special for only ATS premium members. Wonder what that could be? So, if you’re not already an ATS member, you still have a chance to join.”
Info about the ATS club here : http://www.1045showroom.com/ats.html

The first wave will be out toward the end of 2008. And there are lots of secret versions and other characters in the works to keep your toy collecting muscles busy over the coming years. The prototypes will be on show at the new York Comic Con ( April 18th – 20th).
Watch the websites and your favorite toy blogs for updates.

Speakerdog ( http://www.bentheillustrator.com/speakerdog_index.html )
Speakerdog is a popular print-it-yourself downloadable paper toy. Series five of the little brute has just gone live on their website for the world to enjoy and Doktor A has created one of the new designs.
So if you have a wet Sunday afternoon to fill. Drop by the website and download a little paper friend.

Upcoming shows :

Multiple Personalities Show ( http://www.liftfootwear.com )
LiFT Designer Toys, in Royal Oak, MI, will be having a group show entitled Multiple Personalities beginning March 29th. The opening reception will start at 7PM. This will be the first show at their new larger location. It’s an open platform show featuring custom toys of all sorts, skate decks, and original paintings from a number of today’s top designers and underground artists. Doktor A will have a customised Treeson and a Rupture bust sculpture available at the show.
LiFT Detroit
228 W. 4th St.
Royal Oak, MI 48067
March 29th

The Soopa Show ( http://www.esctoy.com/soopa.htm )
Concrete Jungle New York hosts a group show of customised “Soopa Coin Op Bros” toys from ESC Toys, opening April 19th. You may have read about Doktor A’s “Pac Gentleman” custom of this toy recently. Hopefully that work will be on show at the exhibition along with a new Doktor A piece ans works by other artists and designers from around the world. So if you are in town for the Comic Con get over to Concrete Jungle and check out all the video game cabinet styled goodness.
Concrete Jungle
70 – 15 Austin Street, Forest Hills
NYC 11375
April 19th

Ok folks that’s all for now. But there are lots more treats in store. Its going to be a busy year.

I have work in two shows soon..

“This Time It’s Personal”
at Rivet Gallery in Columbus Ohio, USA
Opens March 1st to the 16th
Collectors show their art stash.
(Exhibition only, though I do have other works available for sale at this gallery..)

“Speakerdogs”
at Cafe Pause Tokyo, Japan
Opens March 17th to the 23rd.
Group show of Paper Speakerdog toys.
Every Speakerdog ever designed will be in the show. All 5 series.
And if you havnt guessed yet Doktor A is in the brand new series 5 due for release to the public on March 3rd from :
www.bentheillustrator.com

The previews for the Sadly Beautiful show have gone up here :  http://www.flickr.com/photos/sadlybeautiful/
I have two pieces in the show and one is a sketch for a bargainous $50…

Lots of splendid stuff available..
Go spendy!

A friend of mine who runs the splendid Rivet gallery in Ohio ( http://www.rivetgallery.com ) had a stand at the Mid Ohio Con this past weekend and at my behest presented Mr. Doug Jones with one of my Mandrake prints..

As some of you may know I can be quite the frothing Fanboy when it comes to really splendid fantasy and horror works.

Mr. Jones is the fellow under the make-up as the Faun and Pale man in Pan’s Labyrinth. He is also Abe Sapien in Hellboy. And the Silver Surfer. And the lead Gentleman in Hush. And the clown in Batman Returns and the list goes on.. Thus he has appeared in many filmes I enjoy a lot..
And in some small way i wanted to say thank you..

The journey of life, the interpretation of love unrequited, hope gained, hope lost. Happiness, longing, soul-searching…
Seeing the world through a child’s eyes….
Life…one chance at it, how will you choose to live?
This exciting group show will feature artists manifesting into visuals what words sometimes fail to convey. Glimpses of each artists’ own life stories are told through the magic of paper, canvas, paint, vinyl, and more….

SADLY BEAUTIFUL is being curated by Ally Takeuchi-Cipriani, and dedicated to the loving memory of ava jaymes cipriani & wesley groenewoud (better known as LIV3R)

it will feature original art on paper, vinyl, canvas, etc. items will be priced starting at $10.00, and there will be a special preview the day before the show for those who cannot attend.
The show opens on saturday, december 8th at black maria gallery in los angeles
live painting, sketching, drinks, & music by nick the ring!

featuring art by:

brent nolasco, motorbot, adrian pina, ryan crippen, bwana spoons, jon measures, phuek!, jovanne santos, lynette may, david wagner, squidnik, jennyfur, edzepln, jason jacenko, doktor a, peenloon, drilone, lou pimentel, randy kono, mr. atom, dawn lauckner, rhinomilk, jennybird, david epochalypse, marion hawkes, blinky, julie b, nathan lumm, benedict sisters, jet wrench, jenna colby, mark meyers, paul candler, renee lawter, shiro fujioka, coreroc, kid lew, lionel uhry, leecifer, nick the ring, henry lichtmann, jester, podgy panda, katherine wilson, deeann morales, agg, anna, manimal, scott cummins, bucky lastard, monica campbell, and many more….

Here is my piece for the show.

“A Letter From the Front” Painted on Remembrance day 2007.
Acrylic on wood (from the back of an old wardrobe) 4.5″ x 4.5″ (Image size.)
In an antiqued pressed Brass frame. The graphite study for the painting will also be available.

Some more web coverage of Spit & Polish (Mostly Pac Gentleman again).

Boing Boing
http://www.boingboing.net/2007/11/02/steampunk-pac-man.html

Destructoid
http://www.destructoid.com/blogs/blehman/randomtoyd-steampunk-pacman-a-k-a-pac-gentleman–52337.phtml

Neatorama
http://www.neatorama.com/2007/11/03/steampunk-pac-man-arcade-and-other-toys-by-doktor-a/

Roadside Scholar
http://www.roadsidescholar.com/2007/11/02/pac-gentleman-sculpture/

And some pics of the event space at last too.

http://s163.photobucket.com/albums/t281/flyinglobster/

Due to it being Halloween people were in attendance in fancy dress. Which added a nice surreal quality to the proceedings.

Well no event photos have surfaced from Spit & Polish as of yet.
But there are quite a few articleas and blog sopts popping up.
It seems the “Pac Gentleman” piece has gone down rather well.

Here are a few links :

Kotaku Video Game site
http://kotaku.com/gaming/pac_man/pac+gentleman-318052.php

Technobob
http://technabob.com/blog/2007/11/01/pac-man-thats-pac-gentleman-to-you/

Urban Retro Lifestye
http://www.urbanretrolifestyle.com/2007/11/02/doktor-a-spit-polish-custom-toy-extravaganza/

Toys R Evil
http://toysrevil.blogspot.com/2007/11/doktor-as-customs-for-spit-oct-31-nov.html

Vinyl Pulse

A Closer Look at Doktor A’s Spit and Polish (10.31)

Hilavitkutin.com (Scandinavian I think)
http://www.hilavitkutin.com/2007/11/02/pac-man-pelin-kuvitteellinen-historia/

Level Select
http://levelselect.co.uk/one-day-men-will-look-back-and-say-that-i-gave-birth-to-the-twentieth-century/

Geekologie
http://www.geekologie.com/2007/11/steampunk_pacgentleman_is_pret.php

Aeropause
http://www.aeropause.com/archives/2007/11/pac_gentleman.php

Software Headlines
http://www.softwareheadlines.com/modules/planet/view.article.php/235107

WiiWii
http://www.wiiwii.tv/2007/11/02/steampunk-pac-gentleman-sculpture/

If you spot any more please drop me a line.