The Escape Artist by Kenneth Rougeau This is a concept that's been floating around my head the last two or three weeks & I'm happy to have finally done something with it. The Escape Artist (flying away on the kite) is none other than Harry "Handcuff" Houdini. The really fun part? I had no idea at the time, but the image was created on Houdini's birthday (March 24, 1874). The synchronicity never stops!
An Invitation
by Kenneth Rougeau
"Curiouser and curiouser!' -- If you think that's weird, you're going to love this... Back when I was working on the Alice In Wonderland series of images, I created a pic called "An Invitation" in which a frog footman receives an invitation from a fish footman. The letter I'd used, it turns out, was penned by Jack The Ripper & is referred to as the "Dear Boss" letter. Even stranger, upon discovering this & delving a little further, I became aware that Lewis Carroll himself is considered a suspect in the Ripper murders! How bizarre is that?! Check it out: http://www.casebook.org/suspects/carroll.html
I wasn't entirely happy with the version of Hep Cats that I posted the other day & so I've spent a little more time poking and prodding at the pixels and am now content enough with how it looks. The first version wasn't seemless enough for my tastes. It lacked cohesion and was too obviously "put together" where I find that the new one looks more natural & is a bit more convincing... I hope you agree.
Hep Cats
based on a concept by Charlotte Self
Prints and ACEO art trading cards available at
Happy 3/13!! I’m today’s interview feature over at Portland On Fire!
http://www.portlandonfire.com/kennethrougeau
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Clockwork Edison by Kenneth Rougeau
prints & aceo art trading cards available at: http://synchronicity313.etsy.com
This is my first vague attempt at steampunk art. I’m still mostly tinkering with concepts and trying to see what I might actually be able to accomplish. Thanks for checking it out!
- KpR²
Woohoo! I was already spastically excited about the opening of my first gallery show & now I have even more reason to smile and twitch! I've been selected to participate in the upcoming Hillsboro First Tuesday Artwalk & will have signed framed prints on display & for sale. If you're in the Portland area and want to check it out, I'd love to see you. Here's where & when you'll find me:
Hillsboro First Tuesday Artwalk
April 1st, 2008 6pm-8pm
Aunt Addie's Attic
(503) 693-1419
137 NE 3rd Ave.
Hillsboro, OR 97124
In other news... I've finally signed up for an account at http://twitter.com (Chris O'Rourke has been telling me to for months now), which is a "stream of consciousness" blog service. It's pretty funky so far & I think it's going to be a lot of fun. Where most blogs are expected to be lengthy & informative, Twitter blog entries cannot exceed 140 characters. They pose the question "What Are You Doing Now?" and give you a tiny little box to enter in a short answer. I think it'll be neat & invite you to have a look for yourself. You'll find my Twitter entries at http://twitter.com/krougeau.
I'm not sure if it's gutsy or just damned suicidal, but I'm going to be pursuing my art carreer full time now. Wish me luck! I'm terrified, but at the same time absolutely exhilirated, lol!
Currently I'm toying with a few new image concepts...
I still need to finish Faster! Faster!, the new Through The Looking Glass picture (and there's tons more to be done for that story)... There are really only a few things left to do to it, it's just a matter of actually DOING them, lol.
I've got a ton of source material gathered for a set of Steampunk images & am looking forward to seeing what I can do with those...
I'm kicking around an idea for a picture that expresses how I feel lately, having freed myself from the shackles of cubicle/call center hell... The basic concept: An entire crowd of grumpy, dourfaced, black & white me's in business suits - eyes downcast & standing shoulder to shoulder on the sidewalk. In the center someplace, one of the me's is colorized, has grown wings, is loosening his necktie and rising above the rest, eyes lifted skyward. *shrug* I thought it might be cute, we'll see ;)
Alright, I suppose I've talked enough about what I want to do. It's time to get to doing it, eh?
Have a wonderful day everyone!
- Kenneth Rougeau
Attn: Portland, Oregon
My first gallery show is under way!
On display will be 13 framed prints
from my Alice In Wonderland & Through The Looking Glass series'.
presents
Alice In Wonderland
the fantasy artwork of Kenneth Rougeau
March-April 2008
Reception:
April 19th, 2008 from 3pm-6pm
(see you there!!)
Can't make the gallery show? No worries!
You can always find my work online at
http://synchronicity313.etsy.com
& at
http://www.goreydetails.net.
Thanks for stopping by!
Much love,
- Ken
PLUS! The first 5 people to message me with a valid email address will receive a $5 off coupon from cafepress.com - meaning you can get the Wonderland calendar for just $11.99!
http://www.cafepress.com/wonderland012b.174059629Happy Holidays!
- Kenneth Rougeau
I came up with this concept last night & toyed around with it a bit today. I've always thought it would be cool to capture birds in flight and transfer them to a waveform or something...
Thanks for having a look!
- Kenneth Rougeau
Here's the second image in my new series based on Lewis Carroll's classic fantasy, Through The Looking Glass.
The Jabberwocky
by Kenneth Rougeau
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The Jabberwocky`Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe:
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.
"Beware the Jabberwock, my son!
The jaws that bite, the claws that catch!
Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun
The frumious Bandersnatch!"
He took his vorpal sword in hand:
Long time the manxome foe he sought --
So rested he by the Tumtum tree,
And stood awhile in thought.
And, as in uffish thought he stood,
The Jabberwock, with eyes of flame,
Came whiffling through the tulgey wood,
And burbled as it came!
One, two! One, two! And through and through
The vorpal blade went snicker-snack!
He left it dead, and with its head
He went galumphing back.
"And, has thou slain the Jabberwock?
Come to my arms, my beamish boy!
O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!'
He chortled in his joy.
`Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe;
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.
==============================
COMING SOON: The Garden of Live Flowers
After a few months of hardcore procrastination, I've started work at long last on creating a series of images for Through The Looking Glass (& What Alice Found There), Lewis Carroll's followup to Alice's Adventures In Wonderland.
Here is the first image, Through The Looking Glass. It's a digital collage composed with bits from five paintings, two photographs (notice Dali's face on the clock?), and a classic William Morris wallpaper pattern.
Through The Looking Glass
by Kenneth Rougeau
13 limited edition 11"x14" signed/numbered prints are currently available at http://synchronicity313.etsy.com (ACEO trading cards & other print sizes will be made available for each image once the entire series is completed).
Thanks for checking out my work!
- Kenneth Rougeau
COMING SOON: The Jabberwocky
Here's my latest crazy critter creation:
El Bandido Enmascarado
by Kenneth Rougeau
Prints & ACEO Art Trading Cards Available At
http://synchronicity313.etsy.com
Have a wonderful week!
- KpR²
