A Return to Blogging about Art

Ode to a Tyrannosaur (2010)

a portrait of Traumador the Tyrannosaur

Well, it's been a while!  Hi!  I have a blog!  After two months of inactivity, I shall now remember I have a blog and begin posting again.  (Blog apathy passing...)

The above painting was a gift to Craig, the author of The Tyrannosaur Chronicles.  It captures his title character between the depths of deep time and the heights of outer space, a truly living fossil.

Inspiration comes from all around and I got an intense paleontological dose on my recent trip to Calgary and Drumheller, home of dinosaurs and full of old friends...

Inspiration indeed!

Vancouver Olympics - Day 3

Medals:  USA  6  -  Germany  4  -  France  3  -  Canada  3  -  Korea  2  -  Italy  2 

Gold for Canada!  Today, Alexandre Bilodeau won Canada's first GOLD of the 2010 Olympics (in fact, Canada's first gold medal on Canadian soil!)  So that makes one of each medal for Canada, with more to come!

The Games opened Friday night with amazing Opening Ceremonies that showcased Canada's First Nations people, it's beautiful forests, and a bit too much East Coast fiddling punk.

For a beautiful clip from the Opening Ceremonies can be seen here;  Canadian singer K. D. Lang croons "Hallelujah."  

Along with all the Olympic excitement in Vancouver, Marek, another palaeo-Vancouverite blogger, commented on the Games in this episode of Walcot's Quarry!  Check it out!

Speaking of Olympic-palaeo connections, expect Traumador the Tyrannosaur to make a special visit to Vancouver!  As his talent agent, I feel there is no place better than these Olympics to get noticed!  Just gotta give him a call...  Stay tuned to the Tyrannosaur Chronicles to see if any of my money/fame-making schemes work out!
Along with Traum, Craig and Lady R are both in town!  Here we are next to the holiest of Canadian Icons - the Stanley Cup!  (I touched it!!!)
Expect more updates from this extremely exciting time in Vancouver!  I'll periodically update the medal standings, as well as throw up more art.  GO CANADA GO!

The Vancouver Olympics are Here!

Vancouver welcomes the World, as the 2010 Winter Olympic Games begin tomorrow!  And with it comes a redesign of the blog banner.  Can you spot Mukmuk?

Yesterday, the Olympic Torch finally made it to North Vancouver after 105 days of traveling all around Canada.  I snapped the above pic as the torchbearer ran past my apartment.

The 2010 Olympic Torch in all it's glory.  Traumador just arrived in Vancouver and jumped into the photograph!  He's very excited to be a part of the games, but I sure he'll find a way to get himself into trouble!

The Olympic Spirit in mitten form.  Craig, Laura and I paint the West Vancouver red!  These red mittens have really hit it off big - even the Inukshuk and the lions guarding the Lion's Gate Bridge have red mittens!

Here the Torch finally made it's way to West Vancouver - the last stop before heading downtown to light the main Olympic Torch tomorrow!  You can really feel the excitement in the air, as the World's eye turns towards us and Canada shines...

Vancouver

This amazing light instillation is a stunning addition to the Vancouver skyline!  You can submit a design here and the 20 high-powered spotlights will create your design!!

So here's to winning Gold, Canada! 
But first, we've got the Opening Ceremonies tomorrow at 8pm P.S.T.

Vote for my Friends!

My good friends Glendon and Traumador are up for this year's Canadian Blog Awards! Please take a moment and vote for these great sites!

• The Tyrannosaur Chronicles is up for Best Science/Tech Blog
• The Flying Trilobite is up for Best Photo/Art Blog

Vote now! (And don't forget to submit your post for the next Boneyard blog-carnival here!)

Bus Rant

I know this sounds like I am posting complaints, but is this not one of the many reasons this blog exists? I just wanted to rant about my bus rides home on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. If you find this topic too boring, please click on Traumador's blog to see what that crazy dinosaur is up to in New Zealand. If not, read on.

One of the hundreds of double-decker buses I ride everyday

I leave school at around 4:30-5pm each day. It takes me about an hour to get to and from Timberley Primary School. On this last Tuesday, the bus system (and all traffic) grinds to a halt. Seriously all traffic stops. And doesn't start again. Along with other passengers, I get bored of waiting and decide to walk to a stop farther along the route on Broad St (Downtown Birmingham). Unfortunately, the sky, which had been clear and sunny for days, decided to pick this moment to rain down in buckets. My umbrella also picked this time to completely collapse (it's like a conspiracy!), leaving me soaked. Eventually the bus came, traffic limped forwards, and I got home an hour late.

This happened again on Wednesday. 2 hour commute home. It wasn't until today that I heard that traffic was stopped and diverted because of a stabbing. Apperently the stabbee wasn't quite dead or alive yet, so the crime scene couldn't be touched, or something. But this still doesn't explain Wednesday.

Today was different. Traffic flowed and the buses smelled nice. Until a group of teenage high school girls got on the bus. Maybe I'm getting old, but I don't want to have to listen to loud music, shouting, swearing, screaming and swearing at your friend (?) on the cell phone while holding it an arms length away... I won't repeat any of it here as my mom reads this blog. (Hi Mom!)

Well, I do have to give the Birmingham buses a break, because "bus officials/cops" came and removed the foul ladies from the bus and I got home in time to watch Hollyoaks (where someone has just had a baby, and her mom is pretending it's her's, while the woman in jail died and blah blah blah soap soap soap...)

Everyday at 6:30pm

Traumador the Amazing Tyrannosaur

I would like to take this moment to announce that I have taken on a new client: Traumador the Tyrannosaur!

As his new Special Talent Agent, I'll be handling his accounts, managing his talents, and increasing his marketability. I promise to promote his skills and crafts, so that Traumador achieves his maximum potential. All this for only my small sizable fee and complete power of attorney. After our meeting at the bar (Check it out here! ), the tyrannosaur signed the standard contract.

For those of you not familiar with Traumador the Tyrannosaur, he is a carnivorous dinosaur on the verge of making it big...Although his size is rather small. He is friendly and talented, helpful and curious. You might remember him from such films as "The Hardcore Apocalypse after Next Tuesday" and "Delta Patrol!"

You can now catch him staring in his own blog at "The Traum Blog!"


Check it out and experience the Trauma for yourself!

Memories of Summer Camp 2

Professor Paradigm, head of Palaeo-Central, briefs the campers while Iridium Booster provides security.

Palaeo-Agent Joseph Eratic gives the Junior Agents their next mission.

Palaeo-Agent Iridium Booster takes a break from capturing evil-doers.

Fossil Casting with Strong Man and Traumador the Tyrannosaur.

Putting together Cory the Corythosaurs mounted skeleton with the campers.

Prep Lab Tour with Kirstin for out LITs. I think I found something cool. Unfourtunately, I didn't.

A model of the new entrence to the galleries at the Royal Tyrrell Museum. Its a family of four Albertosaurs.

Craig leading the campers on a hike to find fossils. Good luck Craig!