richard cihlar

Instant Pez Collection

R!chard Cihlar — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 17:01:55 +0000

So if you’ve seen my work lately, I’ve really been in to Pez. So i decided to pick a few up. We’ll i placed a bid on eBay for a lot of dispensers, no one bid against me, and ta-DA! Instant Pez collection. I obtained over 75 Pez characters. Some are new, some are old, and some are doubled up, but they all are fun! I can’t wait to start shooting them and making them into stencils and new works. I think my favorites in this bunch are the 4 from cereal boxes. I have a Lucky, Trix Rabbit, Honey Bee, and a Coco bird (i think?). There was a smurf one too, that i like. It’s missing the bottom jaw of the smurf, so it’s just a hat and eyes. I might create my own dispenser with that one. Please continue to check my updates. More pieces coming soon. I hope to also attend/participate in Pezamania! It’s the worlds largest gathering of Pez Collectors and it’s right here in Independence, OH. I’d be bringing my art to show of the dispensers. My collection is not that intense yet, to sell or display. Check out the link above for the Pez gathering event.

Hey Ladies, here’s wine that will ensure your 3 ft. personal space!

R!chard Cihlar — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 14:52:28 +0000

So i made an onion wine a few months ago (you can see a past post or visit my wine list). According to the recipe online, it said it would have a familiar taste… but i also believe it said, it was the “life” of the party as the mystery wine. Well i opened one of them last night, and tried it. The aroma from the bottle was a bit strong which made me hesitant on drinking it. But i manned up and sipped it. And wouldn’t you know! It tastes like onions! ha ha. I thought the flavor would have really smoothed out. And it did a bit, but not enough to mask the sweet onion taste. I don’t think it’s bad. I think if you love onions, then you’ll like the wine. Or if you cook with wine, this would be a perfect cooking wine to add that onion infused flavor into your meal. So I’m going to find a recipe and try the wine on a cooking exploration. I might also try adding this wine to a Bloody Mary drink. I think in the right context it would be incredible. I like onions, i don’t LOVE onions. So this is not a favorite for drinking by itself. I still think it’s a fun wine to present to friends. Yes, it will get you drunk. But i think it will also keep people away from you. You know when people smell like wine, from drinking a bit too much. Just imagine if you drank a bottle of onion wine, I’m sure you’d have no friends for weeks! If anyone is interested in this wine for drinking or cooking, i think i might give a few away.

Stick a Cork in it!

R!chard Cihlar — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 15:50:08 +0000

I collect a lot of found objects. Some might call it “garbage” but i find creative uses for just about everything. So I’ve been working on a few new cork boards lately. My alcoholic friends, i mean resourceful peers collect bottles and corks for me, so I’m very thankful for them. Keep the corks coming! So a good year ago i made the bee cork board, which is about 30 x 50 inches. The more recent cork boards are about 14 x 30 inches, and 14 x 45 inches. I think I’m going to put a Pez dispenser on them. (I’m obsessed with Pez lately too.) I’m not sure which dispenser i want on them yet, but something that relates to wood or cork, I’ll figure it out. Any way, a monkey can make the boards, but there is something very therapeutic about inlaying the corks plus it’s fun. We’ve had a few guests over to our house, and the first thing they say when they see the bee hung up is, “OH! You gotta make me one”. Really? Cuz you gotta pay me! ha ha. I don’t think people realize that these boards have hundreds/thousands of corks. That’s a lot of wine! plus the imagery that is used doesn’t just appear. Why are artist so highly praised, but so limited in there compensation? Enough of my complaining. I feel the same way when i do collage or mosaic, as i guess i do with all work i create. It’s like putting a puzzle together that has no box to reference, and you’re not quite sure what it will be. But when they’re done. it’s like… wow that’s pretty cool. Ever since college one of my prof’s really turned me on to patterns and textures, so I’m sure that influences my layout of the corks (and other materials). Any who, i encourage anyone to make a cork board. They’re fun to make, they’ll get your friends talking about how fun they look, and they smell good too! Or i guess if you need a reason to drink wine, you can say “I’m making a cork board” for the sake of arts!

Pack it up, Pack it in, Let me begin…

R!chard Cihlar — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 15:24:05 +0000

You can tell I’m getting old, when i get excited about storage cabinets! Who Hoo! I went to home depot (something else that excites me!) and picked up these 3 x 3 cube storage shelves. Martha Stewart brand, if you must know. I picked up 4 of them to build this giant art storage unit. That’s right it’s 6 x 6 cubes now! I’ve had a gift card burning a hole in my pocket for weeks now. But i really needed storage for all my crap. It’s mostly empty now, except for the spray paint in them, but I’ll have it loaded with my art supplies in no time. Maybe I’ll finally be organized. I hope to get some pic’s of the “finished” studio soon. The quotations are because i still need to put up doors and trim work. It’s very functional now, but in disarray. And i need to get these doors up. If you have cats, you will share my pain. I LOVE my cats but if left unattended, then they get into my art supplies. Leaving my smaller objects scattered around the house, and my stencils chewed on or played on inst’ as cute as it sounds sometimes.

Famous Quotes and Antidotes: Wine

R!chard Cihlar — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 18:24:31 +0000

Last night i bottled my Watermelon-Strawberry wine, called “Famous Quotes and Antidotes”. And as the last bottle didn’t’ fill up all the way, i got a chance to taste my concoction. Usually, i just pop them in the bottle and let them sit a few months to mature before i crack them open or give them away, but not this time. This wine should be chilled but i drank it at room temperature, and even then it was refreshing! I don’t usually think of wine as being “refreshing” but the after taste was that juicy taste you get biting in to a watermelon. It was a soft fruity thirst quencher. I can’t wait to chill it and have it on a hot summer day. It smelled great too!

More Pez Skate Board Decks

R!chard Cihlar — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 16:53:01 +0000

Well as i mentioned the other day, i made 3 new decks that are going to be at the Sandusky Cultural Center for their Studio Skateboard Exhibition. My canvas’s are broken skate decks that were once used for riding, and I’ve applied my stencil work over top with spray paint. I’m working on a bunch of Pez Dispenser art. So here are 3 that made the list, and came out pretty clean (as far as the stencil cutting process). I really enjoy using found objects (as in these broken decks). Sometimes i think it’s harder to use blank canvas to begin a project. So i prefer the found objects. The concept of working with what i have and problem solving around whats been given to me is more exciting. I have a few more on my drafting table that are in the cutting stages. it’s getting harder to paint with the colder weather. The drying time is taking much longer, not to mention i don’t’ like freezing in the garage as I’m painting. yes a heater would be nice, but I’m using combustible fumes! I’d prefer to keep my eyebrows over the winter. So on my table are the pink panther, uncle sam, and a polar bear. Hopefully they make the cut! More to come. Dank’ya

Studio Skateboard Exhibition… on Elvis’ birthday!

R!chard Cihlar — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 21:53:13 +0000

I’ve been invited to do a few decks for the Studio Skateboard exhibition in Sandusky, OH. Attached is the invite. I’ll upload my decks early next week for all to see. There are 3 new Pez boards i created for this show: Captain America, Big Bird, and Kermit the Frog. This show opens on Janurary 8th (also known as The King’s Birthday… no not the King that took his talents to south beach). There are 29 other great artist’s on board with this event. I hope to see you at the opening from 1p-4p.

Elvis Pezley…

R!chard Cihlar — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 17:50:33 +0000

I submitted an application for one of the 10 ft tall Guitar Mania guitars a few weeks back and i just got a letter saying they’re having a sponsors party in a few weeks. Any way, my design is simple and fun. It’s Elvis Pezley from the “assorted rock legends” collection. If you, your business or, a friends business are looking to sponsor a guitar, please consider this design. Thank you, thank you very much.

50 Dolla Holla-Day Show

R!chard Cihlar — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 14:11:01 +0000

I have a few pieces at Breakneck’s $50 show this coming Saturday. If you still need last minute gifts, this is where you’ll find them. www.breakneckgallery.com

Skate Duck

R!chard Cihlar — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 22:48:10 +0000

Another piece i have going in to the N.E.O Show is this one. It’s my Donald Duck Pez Dispenser. I applied my my stencil on a broken skate deck. This piece is made from spray paint, wrapping paper, and a reclaimed broken skate deck. I really enjoy the broken deck quality and plan on making a grid of broken decks with pez dispensers on them. Hopefully i’ll have a nice grid shot or 16 or 25 up in a few months.