Today//is Yesterday’s //Tomorrow

Written by mikellis. Posted on July 4, 2010. Filed under Design, Events. No comments.

What will happen when the deconstruction of the World is complete? When we have torn down all the layers of images in search of true reality. What if it isn’t there?

TiYT is an interactive exhibit that seeks to make art conscious of its own historicity and give rise to a new age of self- aware mythmaking. Stereoscopic spectacles, living books, post-apocalyptic techno-shrines, and sound- powered time machines are just some of the dream-images we have brought to life.

By working with the deconstructed elements of the past, we will reframe and reimagine them to create our visions of the future.

Charley Wu // Mike Ellis // Lili Huston-Herterich // Tony Wallace // Taya Cornett // Emad Dabiri // Felix Kalmenson // Sasha Foster

Thursday, July 22, 2010 7pm to 11pm
Gallery 1313
1313 Queen St. West, Toronto

Beer provided by Steam Whistle Brewery
Poster illustration by Taya Cornett, Type and layout design by me.

http://tiyt.tumblr.com/

Click here to RSVP!

Are you lookin’ at my EYE?!

Written by mikellis. Posted on June 23, 2010. Filed under Artwork. No comments.

Kid Stuff.

There Are No Parades in the Wilderness

Written by mikellis. Posted on June 16, 2010. Filed under Comics. No comments.

There Are No Parade in the Wilderness, ISSUE #1. Limited edition of only 8. Serigraphed front and back covers. 8 pages, on very luxurious paper.

A new comic series I will be working on this year. Written partly from personal events, this series focuses on the experiences of a boy named Isaac growing up in an unnamed suburban town. Isaac, an elementary school student copes with his ever-changing city as it seems to change as quickly as himself. In this issue Isaac receives a pair of cargo pants and learns a lesson about fourth-grade fashion!

I am quite happy with what I was able to accomplish with this first issue. The book was written, drawn, scanned, printed and assembled over a five day period. Stay Tuned for the next issue. Twice the size, half as glamorous!

There Are No Parades in the Wilderness is available for $10 at 69 Vintage, 1207 Bloor St. West, Toronto. Only until July 1st!

Let Go Lightly

Written by mikellis. Posted on June 16, 2010. Filed under Zines. No comments.

FRONT COVER

BACK COVER

Let Go Lightly was created over a 2 day period. I decided to chronologically record some of my favourite things as a child growing up. Beginning in junior kindergarten and ending in eighth grade. Ten illustrations.

Let Go Lightly is available for only $3 at 69 Vintage, 1207 Bloor St. West, Toronto until July. Limited edition of 10. Serigraphed front and back covers.

Either/Or

Written by mikellis. Posted on June 16, 2010. Filed under Design, Events. No comments.

No, it’s not the Elliott Smith song, it’s a full-on art exhibition! Either/Or, the umbrella title for an art exhibition series founded by Charley Wu, Selena Lee, and myself. Two completely new exhibits within a two week period. Both shows exclusively showing at Gallery 1313 (1313 Queen St. W).

TODAY//IS//
YESTERDAY’S
//TOMORROW

July 20 – 25
Opening Reception: July 21st, 7pm
http://tiyt.tumblr.com/

Either/Or begins with Today is Yesterday’s Tomorrow, a conceptual installation experience featuring myself, Charley Wu, Emad Dabiri, Lili Huston-Herterich, Tony Wallace, Felix Kalmenson, Sasha Foster, and Taya Cornett.  Our show runs from Wednesday July 22nd to the 25th. Be sure to come to the opening reception on Thursday the 22nd for an incredible night of stereoscopic spectacles, living books, postapocalyptic technoshrines, and soundpowered time machines.

Our exhibit encourages interactivity through artwork, and in turn discussion. I am very excited for the show as it has been approximately eight months in the making. So join us in Parkdale on July 21st, you will not be disappointed!

FLAT-LAND

July 28 – Aug 1
Opening Reception: July 29th, 6pm
http://www.flat-land-exhibition.com/

But can it get any better? YES it can! By the following Thursday the gallery will be transformed into Flat-Land, an exhibit curated by Selena Lee. Featuring artists, Sam Rodin, Lindsie Canton, Allison Philp, Lendl Barcelos, Mark Visperas, Tiffany Huta, Noel Rodo-Vankeulen, and Robert Canali. This exhibit focuses on the relationship between the viewer and two dimensional artwork. Represented through printmaking, photography, digital imagery, and painting.

Poster design by mike ellis. Printed by Allison Philp and Mike Ellis at 100 McCaul / Relief print on paper. FREE

Milk Thistle

Written by mikellis. Posted on June 15, 2010. Filed under Events, Illustration. 2 Comments.

In other news, here is a poster I designed for a group of friends that will be having a show at Function 13 in Kensington Market next month. I got a bit lazy with this poster and did not do the type by hand, as a substitute I used a concoction of Market Deco, Mouse Deco, and Futura Medium. Unfortunately I will not be participating in this exhibit due to my hectic schedule these days. If you are in town on July 10th, be sure to stop by this opening. It promises to be a good time!

TCAF 2010

Written by mikellis. Posted on June 15, 2010. Filed under Comics, Events. No comments.

five

So this May I was lucky enough to get a table at the Toronto Comic Arts Festival at the Toronto Reference Library.  I was in the Small Press Schooner Room sponsored by Broken Pencil magazine, and run by the lovely members of Wowee Zonk. It was a great experience and I already can’t wait until next year. Here is a picture of my friend Joren Cull and I at TCAF!

I was also lucky enough to get a ticket to attend Mark Medley’s interview with Daniel Clowes. It was so worth biking in the rain for. Earlier in the week I attended another interview with Jeffrey Brown, which was equally charming. But on to the books I created for TCAF!

NOT FUNNY

nfFront

This is a collaborative comic series I have started with my good friend Joren Cull. The idea of the series is to draw a picture that is not funny/depressing, and the other would try to redraw and make the image funny. Cool HUH? Anyways, it was a pretty fun thing to do, and I really think we should do another issue soon. I drew the “not funny” pictures, Joren made them funny. Here’s a taste of what’s inside:

seven

eighty

NOT FUNNY is available for only $3 at 69 Vintage, 1207 Bloor St. West, Toronto until July.  (16 illustrations in total)

I Hope You Never Disappear

On a lighter note, I decided to collect my one page comics into a small 8 page zine. I called it “I Hope You Never Disappear”.

Front-Cover

I Hope You Never Disappear is available for only $4 at 69 Vintage, 1207 Bloor St. West, Toronto until July.


This book was reviewed by a fellow named Milo from Digital Kontent. You can read the small blurb he wrote about my zine and see a horrible drawing I drew for him on the spot here, and scroll down. But for the sake of repetition, here is what he actually wrote about i.h.y.n.d.

“I can easily say that “I Hope You Never Disappear” was unlike any of the other TCAF books I have read so far, this one doesn’t attempt to garner laughs. “I Hope You Never Disappear” is an autobiographical comic that relates emotions through general atmospheric tone. I felt very indifferent towards it because I have a heart made of stone and nothing can penetrate it other than the gaze of a unicorn.”

Like I said before, I had a great time at TCAF this year. I only hope to be more prepared next year with more zines to sell. Luckily it was just the boost I needed to get into gear and begin working on my latest series, There Are No Parades in The Wilderness and Let Go Lightly. A more in-depth look at these new issues are soon to be posted, so Stay Tuned for more!