Travels

The log splitter. An almost unfair mechanical advantage. Major output, no blisters or backache.
Not bad for half a day’s work.

Another journey downriver. Such a beautiful stretch of river and land. Working retreats up there always clear the mind, a welcome escape from the hectic Toronto life. The focus of this trip was cutting firewood. We split enough wood to feed those stoves for a few winters I would venture to guess. Felt great to get away.


This place is like superman’s ‘fortress of solitude’ for me. Nothing like it.

These are some of my favorite shots from the 2 episodes of the National Geographic channel’s new series ‘Aftermath’ that I worked on as a member of the art department. Over 2 months we created many sets for the show in many locations, not all of which are represented here in these photos. The general plot line of an Aftermath episode centers around some cataclysmic end of the world type of apocalyptic scenario, and what humans do to survive. I don’t really care to explain any of the details here, but the photos you see below may just speak for themselves, I hope. The work on the beach was definitely the most fun. the entire crew was sent up to Sandbanks Provincial Park for a week for these sets and locations. The link below will take you to the original first Aftermath pilot, which I had nothing to do with. it’s called ‘Population Zero’. These shows are fairly heavy on the CGI so it was nice to get so much actual sets and special effects involved for these episodes.                      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y4R8IkSOY9k




When our makeshift windmill was in position the wind got it spinning so fast that when we stuck a 2×4 between the blades in an attempt to stop it, it hacked the wood down like a carrot on a Cuisinart. A true hazard for any actor in the scene, so it stayed tied off.

Getting this tail section off the truck and down the trail to the beach was pretty interesting. Oh yeah and the trail was fringed with poison ivy to either side.

Getting any work done and communicating on this point was so hard because the winds did not dip below 50 km/h the whole time, just so loud and always knocking our stuff down. My face was all red and windburned by the end of it
December in July.
Quite fond of this photo.
Goat wrangler.
Special fx team on the water cannons.
i really like this shot.
Custom made emergency refugee center base camp type thing in Seneca.
The infirmary

Hyperbaric chamber at the Seneca College commercial dive school training pool. The pool has a depth of 40 feet, justifying the need for a Hyperbaric chamber. Deep enough to get the bends.

These shots are from the second episode I worked on, shot almost entirely in Hamilton. Ont. Commuted there and back every day. Long days

Painting up this abandoned car while the on-set police officers looked on was pretty fun, felt strange.



In an attempt to be regionally correct from a graffiti standpoint I got 2 New York writers up in a set that was meant to look like the NY subway system. News1 Inkheads and Cycle BA. Tags executed in black colored hairspray that comes off with soap + water. Called streaks n’ tips.

Somewhere in the Casa Loma tunnel system.

The Intercontinental in old Montreal has a chunk of the Berlin wall in it’s main concourse. cool.

We also stayed in a nicely decorated bed and breakfast for a night


I just treated myself to a Nikon coolpix p600 camera. I love it. It was definitely time for an upgrade from my old clunker.

This visit was short and did not allow for much in the way of painting, so sadly this was all I got to accomplish graffiti wise. We were there for my girlfriend’s cousin’s wedding so that was kind of first priority. Next time, way more painting!.

And now for a little backpedaling, for some reason i feel like starting an archives section to showcase some pre 2008 stuff. I plan on delving way back to the beginning as I start scanning in all my old shoeboxes of flicks, this will take a while. for now some ‘07, ‘06 stuff.

Victoria. 2007
2007
With Mace and Hype
2007 Victoria
2007
Remember Narc?
The arcade game?

I must have fed thousands of quarters into this machine when I was in grade 7 -8 . never could defeat the final boss.


poor quality night shots is all I have for this one. Victoria B.C. 2007
2006
2008
2006

Fishing heron. It’s legs look yellow but were actually bright green

Gros Islet is home to Pigeon Island, a national park on the northernmost point of the island. Also a bird sanctuary.In the 1800s it was an outpost used by the British to defend against French ships approaching from Martinique and other Islands.





Me and Bosslin demonstrating a well balanced diet.  Perhaps one of the strangest features about St Lucia is their national obsession with old lonesome heartbroken drunken sad sack country music. First few days spent we heard a lot of reggae, dancehall and soca, just as you might expect, yet over time heard more and more of that ‘Conway twitty’ and ‘Tammy Winette’ era of old depressing honky-tonk stuff. And truly bizarre was the way they would dj it on the reggae stations with reggae-dancehall style air horns and lazer clap echo sound effects in the mix. I’m sure there is a good reason for all this and I would love to get to the bottom of it. We even saw a couple line dancing mechanical bull type country bars in Castries blasting the stuff. bloody wierd.
the video is from that waterfall from the last chapter

Drive through volcano sulfur springs


The rain forest outside of Soufriere .




Gros Piton

Township of soufriere

The famous twin Piton mountains in the background. Only one is visible -Gros Piton

The mountain route from Castries to Vieux Fort.


Inside the church of the immaculate conception, Castries.


St. Lucia was celebrating it’s 30th anniversary of independence from British rule this year. These two above shots are from the National Independence Day festivities held at the Cricket stadium.



Castries

Our view of Vieux Fort from the guest house deck.
This is Zoya. she lived below the guest house we stayed in. With her cats Princess and Bosslin. She helped us find the good fish market and showed us around a bit.
Sports Illustrated -give me a call..
Hidden beach just beyond the razor wire

Caribbean on the left, Atlantic on the right
In the above photo you can see the sea shelf line before it drops into the Atlantic ocean



The absolute south end of the island
Every time I ordered a fish roti it was very important to ask what kind of fish it was. You see, dolphin is most definitely on the menu (also known as blackfish) in St. Lucia. There is a chance I may have eat some by accident. Make sure that fish meat on your plate has scales on it.

Vieux Fort hall of fame

This piece was started in ‘08 and finished new years day ‘09. Everything on this site so far is from ‘08 so that’s what a year’s worth of painting has amounted to. I’m off to a bit of a slow start (weather) My resolution if I was to have one would definitely be to try to outdo myself artistically on all fronts this year. More of everything and better.

My girl and I decided to check out a dog show. Dog show people are bloody STRANGE.


This photo always makes me laugh


Canadian mink breeder hall of fame