Erin & Roger /
Fictional Chartography Show /
On the wall at the Hummingbird Saloon
Skull Island
A lovely day for a drive!
I'm happy to announce that I am (finally) showing my collection of fictional maps!
Twelve maps are on display now at the Humming Bird Saloon in Columbia Cit (they also have shuffleboard!)
This project began as a collection for the enjoyment of my kids. For each new book we read together I would make a map from the book; for the books I read were well known for the maps they included on their inside jackets. This process involved finding an old black and white scan from preferably the first edition of a book. I would then painstakingly paint on top of the reproduction to add color and dimension. Finally, I go back with a fine point pen to reestablish important details and flourishes. Not the same process I have used for the original maps I have created in the past but I needed to retain the familiarity that these maps would have with their readers. And with me for that matter.
First up (way back last year) was The Hobbit and it's corresponding map of Middle Earth. My kids and I could track Bilbo and the Dwarves along their path to the Lonely Mountain. Then came Treasure Island! One can't read about Jim, Long John and Old Ben Gunn without a treasure map! ...And things kind of snowballed from there. After a while I started expanding beyond what I was reading to my children to things I was reading (or had read). Things like H.P. Lovecraft, and Jules Verne then eventually to classic monster movies.
I have more then what is on display at the Hummingbird Saloon (many!) but framing is expensive so I opted to display those maps that got the project running in the beginning and would be most recognizable to non-fictional cartography junkies.
I hope you take the time to go check them out! -G
Recently I have begun accepting commissions for those that wish to have a few classic maps with a hand made touch. Interested parties can contact me here.
My Kids /
This Christmas I decided to do something I usually try to avoid, painting my kids. Kids are hard, especially one's own kids. They are all soft edges and cheeks plus the painting has to actually look like them! More daunting if you end up giving the painting to your mom. Like I did.
Holly, Braden and the 21st Century /
The Russells /
Finch Beer's Fascist Pig Ale /
Today I received a lovely package from Michael Demetrus of Chicago's Finch Beer Company. It contained a few bottles of Michael's Fascist Pig Ale, Finch's newest beer with a label designed by Gaelan Kelly Creative! Description from the bottle:
"A deep red malt-forward ale brewed with plenty of caramel malts and a touch of rye. Brewed and dry-hopped with Palisade and Zythos hops."
I've always wanted to try my hand at a beer bottle and thanks to Michael I got the opportunity. Unfortunately this Ale is only available in Chicago and outlying areas but if you live in the windy city I recommend heading to your nearest pub and asking about it. You can also find bars and restaurants that carry Fascist Pig Ale at Finch's website.
Finally, a bit of insider trivia, the loud shirt that the Fascist Pig is sporting on the label is the same shirt Tony Montana wears in Scarface.
Cheers!
PS, Mick D is also a crossword constructor, you can find some of his killer crosswords in my links section.
Many many faces /
A Kids Map of their Turf /
Nostalgia is definitely an "it" thing these days. For better or worst most of us hold certain things from our past in a kind of religious regard, elevating even old toys to huge significance in our minds. Sometimes it leeks out when we least expect it, "They can't remake The Karate Kid! That movie is art for cristsake!". I'm definitely guilty of this, I've saved all my old toys from when I was a kid and now they are being played with by my kids. I have to say it does feel like a little piece of me dies every time one of my children pops the head off an old Star Wars guy.
There is a second layer of reverential nostalgia at play for many of us and certainly with me. The place I grew up, the neighborhood I spent my entire childhood and all the explorations, mock-battles, forts, races and treasures that were a part of that place. For me, my siblings and the other kids in the neighborhood (that I'm still in contact with), I've made a map of all our childhood haunts (though not our teen haunts). I've tried to include all the geographical names I could remember as well as any points of interest that I could recall.
Obviously I'm doubling-down on that whole reverential nostalgia thing here.
Click on image to bigger-ize
Other works of nostalgia include "Our House" and just about everything else I do.
Who Ate My Baby!? /
The Slow Coast Green Fondo /
Here is the poster I've done for the Slow Coast Green Fondo, a cycling ride in Santa Cruz, California that supports local non-profits and promotes green energy solutions. If you like to ride and live in the Bay Area you should go for a ride!
56 Miles | Bonny Doon TT
Sunday, April 29th
The 2012 Slow Coast Green Fondo is the official Pre-Tour of California event for Santa Cruz County.
Custom Wedding Illustration /
My friend and extremely talented Seattle wedding photographer Sean Hoyt has written a blog post over at Affinity Photography documenting my process when creating a custom wedding crest for newly-wed couple, Nick and Kelsey.
This is something I've been gearing up in the past few months, offering customized wedding, family or just celebrational crests. These hand painted illustrations incorporate elements that help represent the individual style and personalities of a couple, family or individual.
Here is the crest I created for Nick and Kelsey (who are both pilots).
For more examples and other useful information about my custom wedding illustrations visit my custom wedding illustration page
New Sketchbook /
Ah, a new sketchbook, it's been a while. Normally my fallback sketchbook is a larger (11x14) hardback drawing book. When you fill one of those suckers up you feel a real sense of accomplishment, and they look great all lined up on your book shelf too. Lately though, it's taken me way too long to fill one up and I have a nasty habit of breaking their spines. So most of the books I do fill end up all taped and glued to hell. Also the size can be a bit unruly and they don't take wet media. This time around I've gone small (5.5x8.5), spiral-bound (which I know I'll bend and end up loosing pages), and instead of drawing paper I'm going with 140# Cold Press!
So far I'm only a few pages in, the first page in my opinion is always the worst (like the first pancake) so here is page 2. Zombie Robot Space-Suite is what I'm calling it.
frankenstein's monster /
Happy Halloween!
The Dream /
The Secret Alley is calling you /
There is a place in San Francisco, hidden and secret. If you can find it, you are welcomed in and once inside... Holy crap! If you are in San Francisco for Halloween, this is where you want to be. Great things happening all weekend. The Secret Alley is a unique curiosity of an artist's community. Follow the clues in the Mission district of San Francisco.... Here is a clue.
The Secret Ally asked me to design a poster for their Halloween offerings. Black on yellow, like all their posters and like all their posters, the key hole looms.
What's up, Edgar Allan Bro? /
Update: This was an idea spawned from a line uttered by my friend during a play. I was considering making more like it in the same vein, such as Christopher Bro-lumbus. However I am writing this update because it has recently come to my attention that this is an idea that not only is already out there, but done better. My congratulations to Matt at Strange Talk, keep up the good work! Hope I didn't step on your toes, it was wholly inadvertent. -Gaelan
Swanton Loop Challenge T-Shirts /
Now available, the Swanton Loop Challenge T-shirts! Support the Homeless Garden Project of Santa Cruz with their fundraiser, presented by Velo Cruz. Order a shirt here!
Locally printed, 100% Organic Cotton, Men’s and Women’s sizing available. $20.
Proceeds Benefit the Homeless Garden Project of Santa Cruz.
The Last (Robot) Supper /
The Last (Robot) Supper
The Blind Badasses (redux) /
A better version of an old idea I presented here.
We have (from left to right) King Snake (from Batman), Dare Devil, Max Carrados (the blind detective), Zatoichi (the blind masseour), Goerdi La Forge, and Mole Man! I'm sure there are more blind badasses out there, this is all that I could think up.