i am finishing up a shit load of shows that have been going on for the last few months. this is the eighth and (hopefully) final show of the a hellish 4 month period. it is a poorman's art show (all work under $50) on Dec.13th at the Autobody Gallery in Alameda CA. this time i'm working on paperbag material with brown ink instead of cardboard.  so there.

thanks to all the folks that rolled out to all those openings the last few months. they were all huge turnouts with no exceptions.

....and thanks to you fine folks who put $$$ in my pocket for my meager offerings.

Artsy Fartsy

Some upcoming Ritchie art events to check out…..

Poorman's Art Show
- @ the Float Gallery 1091 Calcot  Place #116
- art party Oct.18 6-9pm
- show runs Oct.13 – Nov. 8
- cardboard works by matt136 (:and Miles

Dia de Los Muertos Community Celebration @ the Oakland Museum
- Sat. Oct. 25 noon – 5pm
- show runs from Oct. 8 – Dec. 7
- works by Matt and Michelle

Dia de Los Muertos Fruitvale festival
- International Blvd, by Fruitvale BART
- Sunday Oct. 26 (one day only) 10am – 5pm
- works by Michelle

Evergreen College Dia de Los Muertos Event
- Thur. Oct. 30 @ Evergreen College, San Jose
- works by Michelle Ritchie

Monsters of Art @ Cyclops Tattoo in San Francisco
- Nov. 1,  7pm+
- works by Matt and Michelle

Day of the Dead theme window @ The Book Shop
- month of November at The Book Shop on Bst. and Main in Hayward
- works by Matt and Michelle
- buy our newly published "Day of the Dead Crafts" book there! 

Manifesto bike shop window
- 421 40th St. Oakland
- months of October and November
- works by Matt Ritchie

Shoe Biz Gallery and Shop
- 877 Valencia St. San Francisco
- September through November
- works by Matt Ritchie

....finally. the book that my wife and i submitted work to is in stores! the book is called "Day Of The Dead Crafts" published by cantata/wiley books. i have some featured work and a tutorial on linocut printmaking (i'll put a few pages in my gallery), and my wife has a sweet 2 page artist feature! she rules. the book can be found at amazon, barnes and noble, borders, small indie book stores, etc. check it out:

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...the cardboard art show killed. it was a great opening with over 200 works. all the work was under $50.00, so it was selling fast. there were like 20 different artist in the show and the work was hung all over. it looked super duper. the turnout was massive! for 4 hours, hundreds of people were packing up the place. oakland art scene represent!!!

thanks to rock, paper, scissors gallery & "everybody get up" for letting me hang work in this show and in future shows (lookout october!...).

....this Friday (Sept.5) i'm going to have some works on cardboard at the Rock, Paper, Scissor gallery in Oakland CA. it's at 2278 telegraph ave. all art is priced under $50 bucks and will offer a chance to get work from bay area artists that otherwise might cost big $$$. the opening starts at 5pm and goes til 9pm. there are also other gallery openings in the area that night too. all in walking distance. street ramble!!!!

the "bastards of the universe" art show on Aug. 21 2008 was insane. it was well promoted. the other artist were killer. the crowd was huge. the gallery space was choice. i had multiple offers on all 20 pieces that i submitted. people got crazy out in San Francisco that night. Tons of my friends were there.

i have been in a shit ton of shows and this was one of the best and most fun. thanks to all that showed up and the fine folks put this together

i heard that you are all going to be in San Francisco on Aug. 21 2008. check out my show at shoe biz at 877 Valencia at 8pm. new shit and everything. see you there.

my last journal didn't load. what's up with that? i wonder if it's the new format or if nobody wants to read about my bullshit artsy life. whatevs. this is my journal opus. short and sweet. enjoy.....

another sketchbook done and posted on youtube....

[link]

...again drawn in a cardboard and paper bag page sketchbook. drawn with brown sharpies.  check it out and let me know

i just finished a sketch book full of loose drawings. i did these drawings while at work or at a coffee shop. i worked fast and sloppy in a 3" X 5" paper bag page sketchbook with a brown sharpie. these are free hand pictures that make a little cartoon.

please check out this vid:

[link]

let me know what you think.....

...what's up with the difference between subscribing to DA and not subscribing? i never really read through that mess. i was just all about "free". i just noticed that subscribers get shit-tons of people to their pages. if you know what's up give it to me in a nut shell......so i don't have to look it up

recently, i've found some of the books and comics that inspired me to draw when i was young (in the early 70s to mid 80s). these were the artists and subjects that consumed me. finding these books also reminded me how much i used to draw when i was a child. i'm glad that i never out grew the urge to constantly draw. i'm even more happy that i never out grew the subjects that i used to love to draw..., monsters, robots, cartoons, animals, and comics. i've done this both personally & professionally over the years, always escaping the trappings of the "serious artist"..........whatever that is.    

this means that i might get to do work in mediums that don't make me "sicker". like woodburns and wood cuts. also, more toys and puppets and shit. i'll also keep up with the ball point pen sketchbook but i'll have to shove it in with the rest of the crap i make.

....of being sick and tired. i got killed with this last sinus infection/flu. i feel like i'm on the home stretch though. been skating a bit and drawing a lot. still not wood working or wood burning because of the saw dust and smoke. throat and lungs are still busted. i'll be back soon and, thus, able to post new pieces.

the ball points have been fun though. i can't post them all, cuz there are too many.

anyways, i've been enjoying all the comments on the drawings. they have brought some new friends over to my page. thanks all...

ahhhh.......tea time. see-ya.

....because i'm still sick and i can't wood burn. i haven't used ball points in years. they are fun, but unforgiving. at least they don't produce smoke. i'm probably going to have a few more drawings to submit in the next few day (i do 1 or 2 a day). i wish i was in the mood to paint,....i have a lot of work to catch up on.

also, i beat "professor layton and the curious village" with no hints. all 135 puzzles. awesome game. i love that kind of shit. if you know what i'm talking about, run out and buy this game if you already haven't!!

i've been dodging the cold everyone around me has had for months. until tonight. i still inhaled smoke and saw dust to finish the peasant girl piece though. now it's time to listen to 'portugal. the man', play professor layton and the curious village (fuckin' rules), and drink tea. until i start my next piece tomorrow.

hey! check out my one and only scrap and see if you can help me decide what to do next.....please?

this toy making is out of hand. there was a time when all i did was draw and paint ( for about 30 straight years). don't believe it? look deep into my gallery there is actual 2D images that look like they were rendered by a totally different person. anyways,...i'm liking the last year of 3D work. who says you can't teach an old dog new (skate) tricks.....