robert farmer

lollipop chainsaw

2012-01-18T06:41:00.001-08:00

bunny dress-up party

2011-11-14T07:07:00.001-08:00

safe sex

2011-09-09T08:23:00.000-07:00

hotdog Jesus

2011-04-22T05:00:00.000-07:00

6 colour silkscreen print
limited edition 25
image size 12x12 inches
$66.60 each

pie monster 7, oil on print 8x10 inches 2007

2011-02-06T06:41:00.000-08:00

glood, oil on print 8x10 inches 2010

2011-02-06T06:39:00.000-08:00

dough christ, 12x12 oil on panel

2011-02-04T15:54:00.001-08:00

hotdog mary, 12x12 oil on panel

2011-02-04T15:52:00.000-08:00

year of the rabbit

2011-02-04T15:45:00.001-08:00

change is good

2010-02-24T09:47:00.000-08:00

I recently cancelled my subscription to my website. It's like getting a divorce, or selling that house. I have little interest in owning stuff, I prefer to find my furniture on the street corner, or at Value Village. It's just going to get paint on it anyways, so why bother? Besides, most furniture out there is saturated in bland marketing strategies that don't appeal to me. Perhaps that's why I don't like where my website was going- I do have a vision for it, but to stop doing what comes first- painting, involves a huge investment of time and money, both which are better spent with making my paintings better. Yet, that doesn't mean I won't have another in the future, change is good. Adapting to the situation, remaining open-minded about my surroundings is important too.
Recently I moved back to Winnipeg after living in BC for 8 yrs, and Toronto for another ten, because I crave change, I need to be refreshed every so often, and although I do miss things about both of these places, I know in the back of my mind I'll be back. So I'm here now, in what I refer to as 'the diaper rash of canada'. Having experienced so much more elsewhere, being here is challenging in it's lack of culture, hence I don't go anywhere. Even the Value Village stores lack the engaging, interesting artifacts I'm used to finding. There's too much of one thing, and nothing of everything else. Corner stores, open market stands selling locally grown foods, have been replaced by air-conditioned big box stores. Independent bakeries and butchers have evaporated, and art supplies are either too expensive or non-existent. Tim Horton's is at the top of the ersatz-coffee chain while Starbucks is frowned upon as being elitist.
I've been to one art opening here since October '09, it was pretty good to see what peggers are doing, however the impact of a very few noted artists kind of spoiled the ambience for me. Guy Maddin, who creates such horrible haiku noir-ish films including his most recent disaster, 'My Winnipeg' was shown during the opening, and it felt like bible camp.
The graffiti here is pretty good though, it gets me excited about doing my own work, I mean, where else am I going to see art that has any appeal?

painting vs writing, or anything else that matters.

2009-12-20T11:13:00.000-08:00

I've been slacking off with regards to this blog. I feel that when I have time to put something worthy here, I end up creating a fantastic mess of what i'm trying to say, and it always devolves into something resembling a summary of an epic. So, whilst I let paint dry (literally) heres some ideas I've had recently since moving to Winnipeg, my hometown (rather, my birthplace, as I feel I'm from not one specific area).
I began a letter to the Winnipeg Free Press days upon my arrival regarding the h1n1 hype. It was going great, I was bringing up valid arguments followed with solutions, then it..well it degraded into me writing ideas for paintings. Here is the letter in all it's unfinished glory:
Editors,
Given the recent and slightly over-rated hype surrounding the H1N1 virus, and this papers' desire to market itself with newsworthy articles, I would like to suggest a moratorium.
Surely there exists news-worthy articles that would provide your readership with relevant info concerning other engaging facts:
-do an article on the merits of tagging and the different brands of spray paints available, explain why certain stores lock those cherished colours away under lock and key. Offer insight into how to overcome societal pressures with interviews with renowned artists such as Banksy, or ones of a more local flavour;
-do away with the two full sections devoted to cars, and in it's place print full-colour pics of scantily-clad very obese men and women. You could introduce the likes and dislikes of Trevor the back-hoe operator or Tracy the single mom who can down an entire 2-liter carton of ice cream and still have room for a pumpkin pie for dessert. By promoting alternative lifestyles would only ensure this papers' edge over the competition. You could even take it further with an article on where one can still smoke in public, or at least sneak one.
-an article on why there isn't any corner stores in the suburbs. due to poor city planning, everything one hopes to do is based around the fact one already has a vehicle. It would be a welcome change to the never-ending-car-review-complex that is wasting valuable real estate.
-discuss the misfortunes of the local couple who won the lottery six years ago, how their rise from the welfare system to utter comfort subsequently destroyed them, and how their own problems with gambling led to their demise. Include ties to respected members of the community, and the sordid drug/orgy parties aboard yachts and such. This could even be a three-part story, if you elaborate on the facts, like the way you do right now.
-provide blank sections where those articles wouldv'e been. Attach pencils with your papers' monogram on them, and suggest to your readership they can write or draw their own interpretations of H1N1, or make stencils of origami boxes, write shopping lists, or even doodle a unicorn. Set it up like a colouring contest, whoever can make the most disgusting looking virus wins a prize--like a subscription, or maybe an origami book!
-have articles that suggest certain things are real (like surround-screen tv's), and then discuss the newer, updated versions. Promote the NEW PS4! All the kids 18-45 will shit themselves, and rush out to wait in line overnight at Future shop.

-a concerned reader.

the assumption

2009-08-28T16:20:00.001-07:00

2009-05-31T06:18:00.000-07:00

I conceptualize the left and right sides; adding some mushrooms and a gingerbread house, both which are loaded with all sorts of metaphors.

I sit on acid

2009-05-24T06:52:00.001-07:00

the shapes of things to come VI part 2

2009-05-24T06:51:00.001-07:00

the shapes of things to come VI

2009-04-20T08:48:00.000-07:00

the intern job description

2009-04-20T08:27:00.000-07:00

Company Description

Robert Farmer is a fine artist working in the illustrative genre. Specializing in pop-influenced surrealism, Farmer pokes fun at current social taboos. His traditional painting style over that of digital-based methods creates an easily marketable product. The work is contemporary, edgy, and has been censored in the past.
After a series of misguided attempts at a formal education in British Columbia, Farmer eventually moved to Toronto to pursue an art career. His illustration career was very short, working at Ampersande Design in 1999. He quickly adapted to commercial faux finishing and mural making. Clients included BMO, ING, Fallsview Casino Resort, Vaughan Mills Mall, and Kensington Market Organic Ice Cream.
His fine art is represented by Headbones Gallery and Rouge Contemporary Gallery, both in Toronto, and has recently exhibited at ArtNow Miami Beach, Florida, and Bridge Art Fair in Manhattan, New York.

He is a hard working, integrity-driven professional visual artist, and from his interns expects the same enthusiasm, diligence, and creative input.

Intern Job Description

Interns will be provided with the opportunity to participate in work related assignments, gain practical work experience, and network with industry professionals. In addition, interns will have the opportunity to attend gallery openings, exhibitions, and dinner parties.
Projects include (but not limited to) image research and acquisition, conceptual drawing and painting, painting assignments and techniques, mural planning and execution, grant writing, website development, marketing, and visual communication in a contemporary art practice.

ominous conclusions

2009-01-14T07:26:00.000-08:00

If the earth is indeed of being on the edge of peril, then recycling is ultimately a cool idea. Yet for some foolish reason cars still clog our highways, air conditioning units continue to spew out toxic gas, and smoking is legal. Ultimately our governments are bent on capitalistic annihilation instead of solving the problem. This is how I approach my own work, I offer ways to look at things without providing solutions. However I can offer an opinion on how to improve our current stasis; it’s a bit perverted, and obviously would be frowned upon by the norms of current societal idioms: legalize cannibalism.

It would be a great sacrifice to our eco-friendly existence. We would bring out the dead and dying into the streets, and have orgiastic celebrations surrounding the eating of the flesh, of us! Just like in the ol’ days (didn’t Colostomy practice it in B.C. 45-48?). Think of the marketing possibilities. Catholicism would be popularized with great numbers of naysayers converting to the faith, in a chance to experience the eating (sacrament) of the holy 'goods'. Back-wood inbred types once glorified in b-movies would no longer be ostracized, and in fact ‘secret recipes’ of past generations would start showing up in foodie competitions sponsored by Ford and Telus and Pepsi. Internationally recognized chefs would impart their knowledge with the subtle nuances this-or-that sauce makes on a side of baby back ribs. Reality TV would have legions of applicants all vying to be on shows like ‘Canadian Martyr’. Young and supple mixed with old and senile fattened up in former sow pens on display for purchase. Mcdonald’s would no longer be harassed as to the content of their Big Macs. Organically raised people farms in the ‘Heart of Ontario’ (no pun intended) offering 7 course meals in wooded chalets endorsed by Rachael Ray.
Once the depletion of humanity has been satiated, robots and the cloning of humanity would usher in the next wave of (complete destruction) solicitous pleasure. Not experienced since Berlin in the 1920’s did culture have such a driving force in it’s goals of purely hedonistic and culturally profound significance. Besides, wouldn’t it be nice and weird to have a dozen of you runnin’ around? You could force them to do despicable acts like (Romanesque orgies) your homework, or ring-around-the-posey. Red Lobster and Home Depot would achieve their corporate branding strategies with strict adherence to company policy; every employee would be the same person and still continue to be treated like robots. Artists would create multiples, and suburbia would be transformed into meccas of mini-communities. Finally, individuality would cease to exist.

‘Miniature Cowboys’ represents soft pink bunnies engaged in some of the aforementioned immoral acts. Laughing is encouraged.
Awol Gallery, Jan 30th-Feb 8th, 2009.
.

dokken

2009-01-02T16:26:00.000-08:00

Kraft bears; bastardized peanut butter logo

2009-01-02T16:25:00.002-08:00

last supper III

2009-01-02T16:25:00.001-08:00

last supper II

2009-01-02T16:23:00.001-08:00

last supper I

2009-01-02T16:22:00.000-08:00

home run

2009-01-02T16:21:00.000-08:00

frankenstein

2009-01-02T16:20:00.000-08:00

zombunnyocalypse

2009-01-02T16:18:00.002-08:00

time treasure

2009-01-02T16:18:00.001-08:00

the shapes of things to come IV

2009-01-02T16:17:00.000-08:00

things that go bump in the night

2009-01-02T16:16:00.000-08:00

a driving intuition II

2009-01-02T16:15:00.000-08:00

bunny bits 01

2009-01-02T16:14:00.000-08:00

lucky charms

2009-01-02T16:10:00.000-08:00

the shapes of things to come V

2008-10-15T06:23:00.000-07:00