sunday sunday. late september 2013

Black Velvet John Wayne Riding a Unicorn by Gil Corral 2013

sakes alive.  it’s been busy!  summer has come and gone and the light is changing and it just goes and goes and …you know.

and the thing is, while there’s been a good bit of lovinganvil activity (especially around this bit – i’ll post more on that later) there’s also been a LOT of activity around gil’s black velvet paintings.  which is amazing.  and i am a huge fan.  between his classic ability and sharp wit, i’m in love with them all.  it’s lovely that they’re selling, because then we get to do things like buy food and heat the house, but i am a little sad to see them leave our walls as well.  only because it’s totally my ideal dream art.

Black Velvet Bob Ross Painting a Black Velvet Elvis, by Gil Corral 2013

Black Velvet Bob Ross Painting Black Velvet Elvis was purchased by a patron who just returned from Vegas where she was looking for a black velvet Elvis and couldn’t find one!  not only that, but she has a tattoo of Bob Ross on her calf.
match. made.

Trinidad James Celebrated in Black Velvet, by Gil Corral 2013

Trinidad James Celebrated in Black Velvet is on his way to the man himself.  it’s amazing.  and such an honor.  Have you seen this video yet?  or this one?  you really should.  he and gil have a little dialog going.  we’ll see if we can get him to come play the barn.  just KIDDING.  maybe.

Custom Black Velvet Pet Portrait, by Gil Corral 2013

Poli’s portrait has inspired a flurry of pet owners with a rockin glorious sense of humor.  Miss CV has her portrait proudly displayed in her room.

Black Velvet John Wayne Riding a Unicorn by Gil Corral, 2013. Print and Accessories on Society6.com

and then Black Velvet John Wayne Riding a Unicorn sold before the paint even had a chance to dry!  gil has another canvas that shape – i told him he has to sit his tushie back at his desk and work on Black Velvet John Wayne Riding a Unicorn II.  right now he’s working on a hand lettered/hand painted sign for a business in portland, maine, which needs to get done the-sooner-the-better.  so until all that’s wrapped up, many of his velvets (and i’m adding el chicharron images daily) are available as prints, and tshirts, and cellphone cases, and pillows over at society6.

i really want a high quailty/high stylie Black Velvet Elvis for myself.  guess i’ll have to put my order in…

xoxo
coco

thursday thursday . Breaking Bad and the Money Clip

a red brass version of what walter white carries (his is solid sterling, of course) check it out at lovinganvil.com

oh man oh man.  it’s been a whirlwind this morning!!  and afternoon!  i sat down to write this post at about 9am.  it’s now just after 2pm and i’ve not gotten any work done and i need to get in to the studio and and and …but it’s all so very awesome.  i intended to write more about the clip and how it came to be and some other details of the story…but i think that will have to wait until tomorrow.  i’m way too spazzed out now to really organize my thoughts.  so i’ll just go with a brief post and a preemptive OH-MY-GOD-I-KNOW-I’M-SUCH-A-GEEK.

yesterday we got a call from the folks at the portland press herald that they caught wind of the money clip we were asked to make for Bryan Cranston (aka Walter White, aka Heisenberg) of Breaking Bad.  which was awesome.  and then the photographer, Gordie Chibroski, came over and we took a bunch of photos and all that and then i was texting back and forth with the writer and asked where/when the article would run and he answered, “tomorrow, front page”

urf. wow.  ok.
so i obsessed and stressed about that for a good part of the night.

this morning we picked up the paper and there was this lovely article written by Matt Byrne, and it was on the front page of the portland press herald.  pretty dang cool, if i may say so myself.  very sweet and well written.  i was getting ready to post it here and there and do the social media thing and i get a call from channel 13 news here in portland, maine.  and they’d like to meet today and do an interview for tonight’s six o’clock news.

urf. uhm.  wow.     ok.

TV.  like, moving pictures and sound and talking and being coherent and not acting like a total tool and calming down and not dweebing out.

Gil’s caption to this was pretty funny… “Hey news dude!!! What are you doing to my wife???” …Getting ready to interview

which i fear i didn’t pull off so well.  the super lovely and friendly Marissa Bodnar and her camera man came and sat up and she so casually started to ask me questions and in my mind it looked like he was still setting up so i just started chatting…and we were laughing and talking and it was all so easy going and THEN i realized that OHMYGOD they were filming.  !!

of course, you say.  how could they not be.  i mean, WHAT was i thinking.

so once i realized that, i kind of froze.  it goes like this:  at first, i’m just being a goof.  and then, i’m just feeling awkward.  Marissa said i did awesome and not to worry.  and she was so very light and friendly and you know.  but URF.  i’m dreading watching tonight.  erp.

ok.  so tomorrow (hopefully) i’ll write the post i had in mind for today.  that is, of course, unless i’m hiding under a rock.

xoxo
coco

 

wednesday wednesday . and it looks like black velvet

a black velvet take on Grant Wood’s American Gothic. by Gil Corral, 2013

manoman.  this is so fabulously awesome.  And on its way to its new home.  or actually, one stop before that.  on its way to the home of the lovely couple that commissioned it as a wedding gift to give their friends.  we’re all looking forward to the gift giving moment!

and with a couple more velvet commissions in the works, it feels like a gloriously velvety time indeed.  so to c e l e b r a t e velvet appreciation, in a collision of high ability and low art, of a respectful and thoughtful execution on the tongue-in-cheek medium, let’s have a sale to make way for the fresh work in progress.

yes, LETS!  the new roll of velvet will arrive in a couple weeks.  make way for ducklings!  We’ll post the in stock items on gilcorral.com for some rockin sale prices.  (commissionable pieces, or examples of ones that have already found homes won’t have a sale pricing – and the sale will not be available via gil’s etsy site.)

gilcorral.com

check it out!  spread the word!
and if you’ve had something in mind you’d like to see – or are thinking ahead to a custom holiday gift (a beloved pet’s portrait? a character from a favorite childhood story?) drop a line.  let’s get our velvet on.

xoxo

a custom, black velvet take on american gothic by gil corral, (c) 2013

friday . friday . and the second summerogiveaways giveaway!!

YEY!  the first one was so much fun, can’t wait for round two!!

let’s review the rules for  SUMMER O GIVEAWAYS lovinganvil style!

enter to win these three sterlingsilver bands! a midi, a simple stacker and a simple onyx stacker.  three ways to enter!  contest ends july 16, 2013 2pm eastern time!

just like before:

• there will be at least five different giveaways over the course of the summer.  prolly more.  but i have five planned right now.
• enter via facebook, twitter and instagram.  one entry per social media per giveaway.  in other words, you can enter three times for each giveaway, but only once per social media.
• FACEBOOK.  follow or like us at facebook.com/lovinganvil .  i’ll post a photo of the giveaway item.  to enter, share and like the photo/post
• INSTAGRAM. follow or like us @lovinganvil .  for each giveaway i’ll post a unique #tag and instructions for a photo to post with the #tag.  to enter, upload and tag your photo!
• TWITTER follow or like us at @lovinganvil .  i’ll tweet a photo and tag.  to enter, retweet the post.
• entries will only count if you’ve followed/liked/whatever lovinganvil
• the final giveaway will be the farrah ring grandprize and all previous entries will count towards your chances!  so if you’ve entered three times per each giveaway, you’ll have more opportunities!  the grandprize drawing will happen august 30, 2013 at 7pm eastern.  unless some weird life thing requires it to happen a little before or a little after.  so you know.

oh i’m PSYCHED!  wait, also –

• postage is covered for domestic (u.s.) mail, with tracking.  insurance is not included.  international folks are more than welcome to enter but will be responsible for postage and fees – i’ll send a paypal invoice for those situations.
• there was something else i was going to say but i forget.
• i guess it was something vaguely legal like, we are not responsible for any losses or damage or any other issues that arise – this is intended to be a good time so… you know.  play nice.

and here’s a shot of the first giveaway prize finished!:

xoxo
coco

so awesome

there’s a lot that i love about this. but mostly what kept going through my head is i LOVE substantial rings on men’s hands. and i LOVE LOVE pinkie rings. and i really shoulda been a stylist for elvis. hell yes. let’s do a super stellar custom piece together. xoxo