Tiki Starburst Retro Modern Atomic Splendor

Just found another site with lots of retro modern coolness. She has some real class and of course, lives in Tyler Texas.....just a hop skip and jump from Big D.

Any-who......The law of attraction seems to be heavily at work these days. Retro fabrics abound and my atomic Kitty muse is paying this daddy-O lots O visits.

I'm jazzed because I have happened upon the Franciscan Starburst China on eBay.....and felt suddenly VERY behind. Where have I been? So I have "acquired" some new pieces, not without a little grief to my bank account, no less. But I just couldn't resist anything that looks like George Jetson would have eaten off of it....let alone Donna Reed.

Okay enough.

Inspiration Part 2

People often ask us what inspires us to draw or paint certain things. That's an easy question with lots of answers. But it can be clearly boiled down to doing what we enjoy and what we surround ourselves with.

Of all the subjects, art is our own personal entertainment. It is derived from the stimuli we interact with everyday such as world history, pop culture, tv and movies and so on. Dan is an avid teacher and Bible and Theology Historian. His fascination has become an inspired part of the business at Peeler-Rose teaching parents and children the importance of peace and inclusion. Inclusion is a concept that bleeds over to our various art subjects, all of which is intended to touch the lives of mnay people, no matter what age group they may fall into.

What inspires art at Space MOnkey? All the above. At Space MOnkey we have a sense of creating happy spaces whether in your mind or in your home. Our art automatically evokes a feeling of forgotten childhoods and a the retro past of roadside Americana. We know that people love and are inspired by a visit to the zoo or your favorite comic book shop. We combine so much of what we love into out art.

Dan Peeler and Charlie Rose have worked together for over 26 years in the film and TV business as both animators, graphic artists and puppeteers. Currently the team creates cartoon-styled graphics, classical illustration in both digital and fine art fields.

The team connected as business partners back in 1983 having formed their children’s entertainment company (Peeler Rose Puppet Shows) after many successful years as co-producer/animation director from 1968-1978 for 22 animated segments for Sesame Street and the Children’s Television Workshop along with board member of the era, Bill Cosby.

The team fine-tuned their cartoon abilities producing animated commercials for Kelloggs, Dr. Pepper and many others.

In 1989, they combined the animation and puppet companies to form Peeler Rose Productions LLC, developing and producing programs for many clients including, The Disney Channel, PBS and The Learning Channel. The half-hour format programs began in the mid-1980s with one animated short teaching about racism called Oliver Jones for Simon & Shuster.

During this same period, Peeler and Rose designed and facilitated children’s and family workshops in puppetry and art. The next milestone came in the early 1990s when we were contracted to re-design Chuck E. Cheese plus the entire cast of supporting characters, and to create their first Corporate Character Style Guide, which is still in use today.

Capping this list, the team co-produced and directed a live-action puppet/costume character series with famed singer/songwriter Bobby Goldsboro on his hit TV series Bobby Goldsboro's Swamp Critters of Lost Lagoon for PBS and the Learning Channel, still airing on the Inspiration Cable Network in various markets.

Peeler and Rose are currently the Artists-In-Residence at the Old Jail Art Center in Albany, Texas; Partners-In-Education for United Church of Christ and members of SCBWI (Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators).

Comfort food, comfort art

Since I was very young, I have always drawn or had a pencil or crayon in hand. Today, the crayon is more likely a mouse with the wire still attached, but I'm still drawing pretty much the same stuff; cartoons, super heroes, plants, flowers, shrubs and non-sense art; also known as abstracts.

I've spoken with many artists who grew up in absentee father homes. Dad lived with us, but he was present to eat, sleep and yell. We never knew what kind of mood Dad would be in so my siblings and I would retreat to our bedrooms, when not eating dinner or watching TV.

TV. There lies the most common theme in so much of my thoughts and art. TV had so much influence, most days I can barely escape it. Not that I try. TV was the escape we needed because 1960s television was all about escape. Who knew? It's old news now, but for me, if I wasn't watching TV, I was drawing on inspiration. Characters add fantasy situations that stayed in my head long after Mom and Dad finally divorced. But there is where my training as an animator was born. The art time for me was comfort time. A time to retreat and dig deeply into all the things that protected me from the reality we had survived.

My first TV experience happened very young before I had a brother or sister. It was the George Reeves' Superman. Although I don't remember much in the way of dialog, I remember he flew, he had a cape and he was real. I never saw the comics or cartoon incarnations until much later. So, Superman became one of my first super hero obsessions, followed a few years later by Batman, an even bigger obsession. Just before Batman hit the airwaves, we moved to Northern California; Vacaville, California to be exact. Dad worked for the "flying colors," Braniff Airlines. These were some pretty good times. We'd run inside every time we knew Batman was about to come on. 7:30 pm PCT. Dad hated Batman, more than that I think he may have hated anything we liked on TV which was pretty much everything until Sanford and Son. We all watched that, but you can forget Bewitched, the Munsters and My Favorite Martian.

The mid-1960s also had a slew of Saturday morning cartoons, which was pretty much the only time you could watch any cool super heroes. It was probably here my mind exploded and my life as a decent, normal person destined to be a car wash worker was over. The cartoon parasite had drained me of my free will to the point that all I could think about was becoming a character designer, color-stylist and later, a full fledged animator.

My world revolved around times I could get away with drawing instead of homework and painting instead of sleeping. It was my wonderful world of color all rolled into my head.

Today, I'm still extracting those images and finding there a lot more room for new things. But all roads lead back to the retro future where people fly, coyotes fall off cliffs and never get hurt and little boys can grow up to live there dreams every day.

See and buy Charlie Rose's Superhero inspired work at here, at The Space Monkey Shop.

Surely you've not forgotten about Space Monkey, that cute, loveable, cuddly monkey from space that brings color, fun, and light to boring places, have you?

Space Monkey will brighten up even the darkest night with his whimsical, fanciful, and beautiful art, but now, he can be worn, and bring all this goodness to you! Now, you can show off Space Monkey with anorganic shirt, a hoodie, a bib, an organic onesie, a water bottle, even a messenger bag! There's so much to choose from, it's bananas.

Soon, we'll add more art & more gear that will have you going ape. Think Beatles meets Space Monkey...enticing, isn't it?

Days of Deborah Painting details

In the Days of Deborah

Deborah was a prophet who judged Israel within the time period between Joshua and Samuel, before the people had a king. She sat under what became known as the Palm of Deborah in the hill country of Ephraim. All of the people came to hear her wise counsel and judgments, and the land was at peace for forty years.

In this depiction of Peace in the Promised Land, besides Deborah and her Palm, you will find:

• The hive of industrious bees. Bees were symbols of wisdom in Deborah’s day and her name means “bee” in Hebrew.
• A child carrying a jar of milk, which along with the hive, reminds us that the Promised Land was called the Land of Milk and Honey.
• Two children dancing in the background in front of a representation of the Tree of Life; reminders of another idealized time.
• All of the young people are God’s Children of Israel, who are the hope of the future nation.
• The older boy shepherding the goat is Obed, the son of Ruth and Boaz and future grandfather of King David.
• The little girl with her back to us is Hannah, the future mother of Israel’s final Judge, the Prophet Samuel. Here, Hannah pauses to take note of wise Deborah’s good example.

Prints and Posters

Space MOnkey is launched with the slogan "Big Art for Little Spaces™"
Art for your little monkey and even some for Mom and Dad.
Check all the new works out at:

http://thespacemonkeyshop.bigcartel.com/


http://omgposters.com/about/

Okay just check this out too! Cool posters...new ones every day.

Nice work here too.

The Space Monkey Wants YOU!

Some people have asked me, “So, what exactly IS Space Monkey? What are you selling?” Well, The Space Monkey Shop offers 12″ x 12″ canvas artwork that comes ready to hang for children’s rooms. Custom sizes are also available. Just contact us for pricing on larger or smaller items. Imagine this as a 36″ x 36″ print. Cool, eh? The prints are as clear and swell looking in person as they are on our website. Our artists have worked together for over 25 years, creating animation, graphic design, and film productions, so you can rest assured that your purchase from Space Monkey will be of the utmost quality. You know that little mouse known as Chuck E. Cheese? THEY DESIGNED HIM! They also create kitschy artwork for adults too. You can find the big kid’s stuff here.

As you can see, we only have a few series up right now, but Dan & Charlie are busy creating more art for you and your children to enjoy…

We want to know what you’d like to see in The Space Monkey Shop! And that’s not all…we’re hosting a contest to get the idea wheels turning! Here’s how it works:

Become a Fan of Space Monkey on Facebook, and post your ideas for a series or a design that you would like to see available in our online shop, or follow us on Twitter & DM us your idea. We’ll pick one, make it available in the store, and GIVE YOU ONE 12 x 12 limited edition signed/numbered print on archival art paper FREE.

Yes, your idea will be rendered, you will get one of your very own, and your idea will remain in our store. Who knows, we migh even name it after you! No idea is too far-out (as long as it’s family friendly): We are SPACE MONKEYS, after all! Now, conjure up some cool ideas and tell them to us! The deadline to enter is August 20th, 2009. Go to our Facebook Fan Page or Twitter us & enter!

Art & Consciousness

Why art? Why Space Monkey?

If you think back when you were young, much younger in some cases, what do you remember? The simplest answer is pictures. Your entire life is a book full of memory pictures of people, places, things, events, epiphanies, creativity and so on.

When I think back on some of those times, I realize I became a very young artist when things weren't going as well as I thought they should. I retreated into coloring books and would re-color my world and make it a better, happier place where I liked to live. Yet I discovered that this also works when I was happy too. In fact drawing and coloring created a different vibration all around me and I realized not only was my life full of great images and pictures around me, I could also create my own pictures and people loved it. They still do. I was at my high school reunion and the first thing my old friends remembered about me was I was was the guy who used to draw cartoons. They remembered pictures. I still draw and paint today.

21st Century people are no different today, except they have access to more media to retreat into from their daily lives. We have manifested a new world which changes constantly before our eyes. We live in an ocean of motion.

Through all these things, our "happy places" bring us all to a new level of consciousness. Whatever good things we enjoy or create for ourselves is what brings us a good feeling or positive vibration. We feel in sync with ourselves, our friends. It makes us better people to others and to ourselves.

At Space Monkey, we want to have an opportunity to share our pictures of some of the things we enjoy and we believe you will too. It is a proven fact that art changes community. It promotes happiness and a feeling of well-being, whether it's certain colors or a scene or abstract, we know somehow artworks of all kinds create certain feelings within. Even though we have a specific focus on kids, we know as adults everybody enjoys art and can certainly relate to a time when they saw a cartoon or comic book that made them feel happy and joyful. Isn't that the bottom line for each and every one of us? And when you feel happy don't you want to share with others that feeling so they can also be happy?

We are grateful to have this amazing opportunity to create something that is bigger than what it seems on the surface. It is, in fact, our legacy that we can leave after we're long gone.

With today's technology, creating and sharing art has become a gigantic industry. Art is accessible in places all over our planet. So you don't have to leave your house to go to a museum or gallery, even though we highly recommend it whenever possible.

Whatever you do today, find an image that makes you happy and carry that image with you. If you can't share the image, at least share the happiness you felt the second it changed your mood.

What are you going to do now? How are you going to instantly make your life better in the next second?

Space Monkey Tube!

Space Monkey is like the warm buzzing glow of a vintage vacuum tube. Follow me.

Monkey Tweets

Join us on Twitter @spacemonkeyshop

We're Bananas Up in Here!

I am a writer for our sister site, MumsTheWurd!, and I just did this write up about Space Monkey over there. I hope this picture is enticing enough for you to find your way there...

Who is our Space Monkey?

When we first thought about the concept of officially doing art for kids spaces with my fellow artist Dan Peeler, we needed at least one central character.

Working with our entire team, the four of us, now including Laura and Elliott Seymour have begun to expand the Universe that gave birth to our progressive primate, whom we've been referring to as SMo-short of course for Space Monkey.

SMo, with his unique look with aqua-blue ears and green antennae, fits that purpose. Our familiar monkey from outer space comes to us from Planet oOLOo, whose primary mission is to fill boring spaces with things of color and beauty, humor and whimsy. SMo not only helps us to enjoy these new spaces, but gives us the opportunity to be inspired and learn with our imaginations.

SMo is ever-evolving, but rarely conforming. Does SMo have a family? What else does SMo bring to us and what do we bring to SMo?

One thing is certain, Space Monkeys creators and SMo's fanbase will all learn together more about SMo's universe as the BIG secrets become unveiled.

Stay tuned!

21st Century Web Shopping

Once upon a time, people used to get in their car and drive to a mall or favorite department store.

In 2008, it was reported that major shopping centers especially malls will eventually close. Newspapers will be sold as premiums to discerning customers who love the look and feel of paper in their hands.

Today, there are enough people in the world to follow the next great idea. We are fortunate enough to have landed on this concept focusing on a childs imagination, openness and creativity. As adults we lose a childlike quality living in a world that forces us to grow up sooner than necessary at times. At least that was the way I used to think until I realized one important fact: I have always created the world I live in.

Last ight in an effort to "power down" my brain so I could sleep, I did an exercise of stream-of-conciousness writing. I recalled all the things I used to love to type on my Granddaddy's manual typewriter. I only used words that I thought at the time looked like fun words or things to do. As people who teach about the Law of Attraction will tell you, I was always magnetized to those certain concepts or vocations that I thought about all the time. In fact, it's all I do today. Nearly everyone of those words is something that touches my life each and every day. I'm fortunate enough to have very positive thoughts, most of the time anyway, ad I can't imagine my life any other way. I have become very conscious of what I attract, not always getting what I think I should have, but generally moving in the right direction.

A friend of mine told me recently he feel so frustrated because he works so very hard and yet nothing in his business seems to be working the way it should. I didn't have an answer for him at the time, but it is something has bugged me since then. One thing that popped up for me was that it's not necessarily about how hard we are working but how smart are we working? This is a tough concept for me, but I understand why. My father used to talk about "pounding the cement" as though you weren't really working unless you toiled and sweat and got dirty. The thought of that made me want to take a shower. The thoughts about work are much more aligned today.

You may toil a bit or even sweat, but everything you do for your work must be the means to an end or why do it. If you blog, then blog about the tiny joy of a moment in the day of the job you may dislike. Find enough water to get you through the desert. Then blog about the water.

If you don't love what you're doing, do something you love. Give yourself permission to do something new because YOU are the only one who can do that....not your husband, your wife, your partner, you Mom or Dad or Step-parent.

Just now, writing this I realized the most important thing. Getting few thoughts out to clear my head a bit I believe I just rebooted.
Back to work!

Space Monkey Is Go!

http://thespacemonkeyshop.bigcartel.com/

About Us

Space Monkey Art is a division of Peeler-Rose Productions (http://peeler-rose.com), a graphic arts, children’s entertainment, education enterprise, specializing in character design, computer graphics and marionette productions.

Dan Peeler and Charlie Rose recently joined forces with Elliott & Laura Seymour to create what we have here. Space Monkey is a place for you to find quality art for your children's spaces. We sell 12" x 12" canvas prints, in high gloss or matte, ready to hang, and signed by the artists. Space Monkey Art is just the beginning of what we hope to be a much larger endeavor, including clothing, plush toys, and more. We are working fast and furiously to bring you items that will create fond memories for your children, and hopefully bring back some of your favorite scenes from childhood.

Dan Peeler and Charlie Rose have worked together for 25 years in the film and TV business as animators, pupeteers, and graphic designers. They have produced programs for many clients, including The Disney Channel, PBS, and The Learning Channel. Their longer programs began with one animated short about racism, Oliver Jones, for Simon & Shuster, JOT, for the Southern Baptist Convention. One major accomplishment is contracting the re-design of Chuck E. Cheese and his cast of supporting characters. The highlight of their career together is the co-production and direction of Swamp Critters of Lost Lagoon, a live-action puppet/costume character series for PBS & The Learning Channel. Swamp Critters of Lost Lagoon still airs on the Inspiration Cable Network & in various other markets.

Posted via web from Space Monkey

What is Space Monkey?

Part of the Space Monkey mission statement in progress is:

"We want to honor the fact that it's our children that are giving us space in their world."

That sort of sums it up how we feel about children, but there's MUCH more to us than that, at least in the way we think of products for families with children.

The concept begins in early 2009. Dan Peeler and Charlie Rose received a call from their web guys about a client who was opening a new pediatric dentist office and wanted children's art. We began the process of meeting and seeing her new dental space. But this wasn't the first time out for going to another location to fit art into a space. We quickly decided to make this an online store where our clients could see all kinds of art at one convenient location and order it directly from our store.

But wait.....there wasn't a store and certainly nobody to operate it.

Enter Elliott and Laura Seymour. Two seminary school drop-outs who seemed a perfect match for our seminary school drop-out Dan Peeler. Through a chance meeting on Facebook of a mutual friend we all met for dinner at Trader Vic's in Dallas. Elliott has a hugely successful eBay store which exploded over a year ago wit his golden touch. But it was at least a month before we even talked about marketing an idea, let alone landing on the fact that we had a few start-up concepts in mind, one of them called Space Monkey.

Peeler and Rose bring a commercial TV animation for children and design and advertising background which includes a 65+ year combined history of experience in children's tv beginning with Sesame Street, Warner Bros. Looney Tunes™, style guides and design catalogs for Chuck E. Cheese. Gel along with the drive and instinctive marketing experience of or new friends, the new band of leaders began detailing a strategy which started with one random question from Ms. Seymour: "So who does your marketing?"

We had no idea the answer to that question would be fulfilled by the one who asked it.

More to come....