Here Comes Santa's Rejects 2024

Santa's Rejects were inspired by the Island of Misfit Toys in the 1964 Videocraft International stop motion Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer classic, downtown Los Angeles department store Christmas displays of that same era and the storefront window paintings of off-set elves and Santas that graced Boyle Heights/East LA during the 1960's/70's.

My tagline for the cockeyed and snaggletoothed dolls was: "Not intended for the average child." Actully, they weren't intended for small children as I used buttons and beads which we all know can be choking hazards.

It's been about twenty years since I made the dolls and ten years since I made a limited series of Santa's Rejects X-Y-Mas Stockings featuring Flaming Firs, Rodolfo the Mocoso-Nosed Reindeer, El Feo, GingerBit Man and Pissy the Snowman.

This year I decided to paint individual portraits of the Santa's Rejects characters on cardboard as my doll and stocking making supply stock has been nearly depleated by pandemic art/craft time with my granddaughters and I have yet to restock.

I had already a painted portrait of Santa Reject, El Feo, last year and had it on display in my front window. I usually use my front window as a gallery. I've had several solo exhibitons that way.

More portraits to follow.

I Was Going Loco Making a Logo

I come from an era when cut and paste art/text was used to make all forms of media. There was really no need for me to delve into the graphic design world so many fell into. Poetry chapbooks, party invitations, newsletters and event announcements were put together with glue sticks on the workspace counters at Kinko's and Office Depot. Colored paper, usually dayglo flourescent, was used as an added eye catcher. The finished fliers were then handed out at art exhibits, band gigs, parties or posted on announcement boards at independent coffehouses. Fast forward three decades and that antiquated method of hands on social interaction has been silenced by social media. After trying out various online logo makers (free versions) I decided to scrap it all for a DIY photo edit of enlarged fonts by using the paint tools to come up with exacly what I wanted. Here it is:

Breaking Bland

Color contrast can be frightening for those who believe we should stay within safe boundaries. I just brought these over-sized unfinished wood tea set wall pieces to life with bursts of color.

"Yerba Buena Time" and "Manzanilla for Two"