36 Skulls in Richmond, VA

Just a reminder to our friends in the Richmond, VA area, my show 36 Skulls (featuring 36 of the paintings from my 100 Painted Skulls project) opens today at Book, Bikes, and Beyond and runs through the end of the month. If you're in the area I hope you'll come out for the reception which starts at 7pm tonight.

36 Skulls by Noah Scalin

February 1 - 28

Books, Bikes, and Beyond Thrift

7 West Broad St.

Richmond, VA

Opening reception Friday, February 1 @  7pm

[BONUS] 407. Skeleton Damask

I was recently offered a chance to create a temporary mural installation in the Loo Gallery at the wonderful Lamplighter Roasting Company here in Richmond, Virginia.

The Loo Gallery is actually their bathroom and each installation is painted over when the next artist creates their piece!

I decided to create a new wallpaper damask style pattern using only the bones of the human skeleton. I had previously created a smaller wallpaper pattern as part of my original Skull-A-Day project, but I had never done something so complex.

Since the end result was so large and complicated it required two 18" x 24" stencils to create one complete section of the pattern.

I had my friends at BIG SECRET laser cut two sets of the stencils out of thick, flexible mylar and I worked with them in rotation, since they would quickly start dripping from the layers and layers of metallic spray paint I was putting on them.

The installation took three days – or rather nights, since I was coming in after hours to give the toxic fumes a chance to air our before customers would arrive in the morning – to complete. Of course I wore a Bane-style ventilation mask the entire time so that I wasn't breathing in the fumes either...

The piece will be up for the next month or so, so if you're in the Richmond, Virginia area please stop by Lamplighter and check it out in person!

And who knows, maybe this will get turned into actual wallpaper one day, like my Ornamental Skull wallpaper at Designer Wall Coverings & Fabrics.

36 Skulls @ Books, Bikes, and Beyond

36 of the paintings from my 100 Painted Skulls project will be on display here in Richmond, Virginia for the month of February at Book, Bikes, and Beyond Thrift a very cool local store. If you're in the area I hope you'll come out for the opening reception on Friday, February 1 @ 7pm. 

36 Skulls by Noah Scalin

February 1 - 28

Books, Bikes, and Beyond Thrift

7 West Broad St.

Richmond, VA

Opening reception Friday, February 1 @  7pm

[BONUS] Student Skulls

One of my favorite things is knowing the positive influence my original Skull-A-Day project has had on young people and I recently had another opportunity to do discover that this week at Douglas S. Freeman high school here in Richmond, Virginia.

At the request of art teacher Rebecca Field and her student teacher Meghan Sadler I gave a talk to a group of art students, many of whom are in the midst of their own daily art project inspired by my own. At the end of my talk I was kindly gifted this lovely collection of skull pieces that they made as part of their projects!

Only one piece didn't make it home with me, a real carved potato!

Skulls by: Charlie, Grace, Mikayla, Marqel, Connor, Karolina, Victoria, Olivia, Rob, Turner, Matthew, Laura, Michael, Everardo, Rachel, Anne, Peyton, Katharine, Carly, and Amy.

Thanks again to the students for their enthusiasm and great questions.