NYNT 14th Annual NEW YEARS BALL!

Here we go, folks! The NYNT 14th Annual New Years Ball is upon us! If you're dreaming of spending your New Years with Jonathan Toubin and co. at your favorite neighborhood bar TV EYE, I'd strongly suggest you get those tickets asap. This baby will 100% undoubtedly sell out!

Now, for some insight into my poster. After Jonathan gave me some initial direction, and I got over drawing old man faces on the baby (scroll down for another chapter in the historical struggle artists face when trying to render a baby's face) I really tried to draw something that echoed the iconic Saturday Evening Post illustrations by JC Leyendecker and Norman Rockwell...but with leather. It felt good to be working on a poster for New Years again because after that one for 2020....well, ya know.

Old man #1

Old man #2

Now it's a baby.

after getting so wrapped up in the face I completely neglected the weird arm that was forming around the champagne bottle. Very happy this one didn't slip by me. It would have haunted me.

This one felt better.

 

Black Hearts Promo

Here is a semi-recent promo illustration I made for Black Hearts, a small, cannabis cookie business operating out of Oregon. The owners mentioned they are really into a lot of the monsters I insert into my work and being located in the Pacific Northwest, they are well aware of all the crypto creature folklore of that area and they were interested in incorporating some of that into the illustration. Never turning down an opportunity to draw Bigfoot, or one of the various lake monsters that reside in a large body of water around the country, I jumped right at the job. 

It was a smooth, straight-forward job and I had a blast drawing all the various characters and trying to create this soft, mellow atmosphere out in the woods by Crater Lake. A big thanks to Trish and Noah for asking me to help them with this project and our mutual friend, DJ extraordinaire, Jonathan Toubin for putting us in touch. If you live in the PNW be sure to check them out and see where you can get some of their treats.

Process pics below

 

Showtime at The Grayhaven Motel!

Ok, folks. My show is officially up at The Grayhaven Motel in Ithaca, NY from now until Nov. 30th! The actual opening night shindig will take place on Nov. 5th from 5-8pm. Unfortunately I will not be able to attend but please swing by anyways. Opening night will be in conjunction with First Fridays in Ithaca so there'll be plenty of other shows going on in the area for you to bounce around to. 

Masks will be required while you are in the building no matter your vaccination status so please be respectful and throw one on while you're there. There are some bonus viewing hours listed on the site as well in case you can't making the opening or the afternoon viewing times. Details on all that stuff right here --> Grayhaven Motel

 More glamour shots coming later.

 

The Return of the Haunted Hop!

Jonathan Toubin's Halloween party to end all Halloween parties has returned! I've been making these Haunted Hop posters for the last 4 years and was so bummed, for many reasons, that we weren't able to make one last year. Thankfully we are back at it, and with a little twist that surely will split you in two! This year's party is divided up between 2 amazing venues: TV EYE and Trans-Pecos. Both exist within a block of each other, hence "The Nightmare on Weirfield Street".  Check the gravestones to see which of your favorite bands will be playing as their favorite band. Tickets are $10 for each venue or $20 to move between both all night.

Grab yer tickets fast because I 100% expect this baby to sell out! Scope all the details below!

 

New Prints!

 Added a couple new prints to the WEBSITE. A few people have been asking about these as prints for a few months so I finally got around and had some made up. 

Prints measure 9 x 12" with a 3/8" bleed. Printed on 110lb uncoated matte card stock. Edition of 10 for each one.

Buy one here-----------> PRINTS!

Showtime!

After putting this thing off for 18 months I am finally getting my work back up on some walls. I'll be showing some pieces I've made in and around the pandemic at the beautiful GRAYHAVEN MOTEL in Ithaca, NY at the end of the month. I've had numerous friends tell me that my work hanging at a roadside motel is very "on brand" so hopefully you will come out to this fully realized show of mine while it is up. Details below:

Phil Ashworth at The Grayhaven Motel

Oct 26th - Nov 30th

On View Fri - Sun 3pm - 7pm

Tentative opening night Fri. Nov 5th 5 - 8pm

Masks must be worn while inside the show

 

Paris, Texas

Back in July while I was teaching at Touchstone Center for Crafts I started working on this Paris, Texas triptych during our nightly open studios. I would work on them during class hours as well which would help me better communicate and demonstrate some of the ideas I was trying to share with my students. I find it a lot easier to work with the same materials as my students, instead of sitting there with my pens and inks and attempting to switch gears in my brain when trying to describe value and shading with a pencil. The first 2 drawings were completed during my week at the school and I recently wrapped up the last one around my work schedule. 

I've really been itching to get working with other materials lately. I spent years studying oil painting and ceramics around the time I was focusing primarily on drawing and illustration. it felt really good to dive back into less line work and hopefully I will be able to experiment with these other mediums a little more in the future, and possibly incorporate them into the little world I'm trying to create with my illustration work. 

 

Signs on the Road

Recently wrapped up this little series "Signs on the Road". After I drew that little hot dog stand with the devil in the background of the "One Last Dog for the Road" I got this idea to do this little road trip series focusing on some stuff that makes me feel like our ways are leading us down some weird highway to hell, but at least it's filled with modern convenience.

Hoping to be showing these, along with some other pieces, this fall. I've put off hanging this body of work for the last 17 months because I don't have any need for it to make money or anything, I'm just waiting to put it up when I feel good about having people congregate together in a closed space. Thought we were getting there a couple months ago but guess some people just like to help perpetuate this problem. This series is for them.