MARK'S GOING AWAY PARTY!

At the end of the month, my assistant Mark is headed back to Denmark.  Bummer.  

So please stop by the studio this Friday night from 6-10pm to wish Mark farewell, listen to loud music in the dark, drink free beer, and mix it up with cool people!  Spread the word!  Let's PARTY!  

Also, if you can't make it to the model call this Saturday, come by Friday night and ask me to add you to our casting list!  Word up!

Final Touches

My assistant Mark finished painting the door the other day.  It came out great.  One Shot paint really did the trick.

My old friends Ellie from ReLoad and Dustin from Cadence stopped by the studio with some Japanese visitors the other day.  Ellie is making a custom backpack for me.  Sweet!

My buddy Anthony comes by just about every day, sometimes a few times a day.  We've been friends for about 9 years.  I'm helping him publish his new comic called "Love Walks In".  He's pictured here holding the artwork we're using for a promo poster.  Anthony rules.  I hope to have a video interview with him soon.

My homegirl Hadley came by on Saturday to coordinate the model call.  She did an awesome job.  We'll do it again from noon to 7pm this Saturday.  She'll be waiting for you.

On Sunday Mark started putting up print-outs of the prospective models.  We've got over 30 applicants for the project thusfar!  Awesome turnout!  I'm super stoked.  It's going to be hard to choose just 12 out of all these beautiful women.

"Las Chicas de San Francisco" Model Call

In the fall of 2005 I produced a series of 18 illustrations on photographs entitled "Las Chicas de Burque".  My intent was to create a fantasy portfolio of gangster pin-ups that paid homage to the homegirls I saw growing up in the late 1970s in my hometown of Albuquerque, or "Burque" for short.  For the finished pieces, I had my digital photographs printed on 18x24" sheets of fine drawing paper and added the illustrations with Sharpies.  Here's some examples from the series, which was shown in its entirety at The Lab 101 Gallery in Culver City in November of that year.

So now I'd to revisit this idea, except with a San Francisco twist this time.  For the Burque project, I hired 6 models.  This time I'm looking for 12 models to complete the project I have in mind.  I'm hoping to hire models of all races.  I also hope to feature a great variety of different body shapes as well.  I also need models without visible tattoos, since I'll be drawing those on myself.  And since the whole project is really an homage to the gorgeous girls of San Francisco, I'm particularly looking for natives or long-term residents of the City.

All models need to be at least 18 years old.  Semi-nudity may be required in some cases, but nothing more provocative than the examples I provided above.  I can pay each model a $400 as a flat day rate.

I will be holding open castings at The Skullz Press studio at 260 Divisadero Street this Saturday July 18, from noon to 7pm.  There will be a second open casting on Sat July 25 at the same times.  If you can't make it to the studio on either of those Saturdays, or you live out of town and would still like to be considered, for free to e-mail me a few photos and some basic information about yourself.  mike@mikegiant.com

Models will be chosen by the end of this month so that shooting can begin in August.

Thanks for your help!

Mediation Retreat

The Skullz Press will be closed this Saturday so I can attend a weeklong meditation retreat.  

The store will be open again on July 18, from 11-7pm.  Hope to see you then.

"Don't believe everything you think."

Back from the Dead!

The Skullz Press began in 2000.  For four years, the Press produced numerous zines, posters, and other printed goods.  In 2004, the Press was officially closed to pursue other projects.

Now, after a five year hiatus, The Skullz Press is back with a new home at 260 Divisadero Street in lovely San Francisco, California.  

I signed the lease on the space on June 15th.  This is what it looked like when my intern Mark and I began cleaning it out on the 19th.

I put some old sketches in the front window to block the view while we fixed up the inside.

On the 26th, Mark and Megan helped me get the first coats of white on the walls.

I got my back into the action too.

On the 29th, my buddy Ethan came by and put up a temporary display wall for me.  The same afternoon my homie Francisco put up another display wall and a desk for me in the back.

By July 2nd, everything was ready to go for the private opening for personal friends and associates.  The final touch was the stereo, which my buddy Tony and I couldn't get to work.  Oh well.  Back to that later.

It was a lot of work, but Mark and I were stoked to have friends over to see what we've been up to.

My homie Ramon came through from Santa Cruz.

The ever-popular Rodriguez brothers came down.

As did my old friend Andres, formerly of White Walls Gallery.

Kelly and Ferris were there too.  Kelly looks ready to burst!

Lots of other old friends and fans came out, but the photos didn't come out so good.  Stupid cameras.  In any case, I have to send out a huge thanks to everyone who made the opening weekend such a success.

The Skullz Press is open every Saturday from 11am to 7pm, unless otherwise noted here.  Every first Friday of the month, I will hold an opening to debut new original artworks and limited edition printed goods.  Check here for the latest offerings. 

Thanks.

-Mike Giant