Jon Claytor

If you missed the show at Faucet April 5th here is a clip of ...

Sun, 07 Apr 2013 23:23:26 -0400

If you missed the show at Faucet April 5th here is a clip of Sonny playing with the piece I made in collaboration with computer programmer Christian Fiddick. It’s called OWENCORRIGAN:ORIGINALCOPY a SuperControlled SuperEvolved project.

The controller for SuperControlled/SuperEvolved. Things are...

Mon, 25 Mar 2013 11:46:00 -0400

The controller for SuperControlled/SuperEvolved. Things are coming together. You can see the working project at struts on April 5th if all goes as planned.

Here is a still from a new project I’m working on with...

Sat, 16 Mar 2013 15:22:00 -0400

Here is a still from a new project I’m working on with computer programming genius Christian Fiddick. It is temporarily entitled SuperEvolved/SuperControlled. It is, or will be, a series of interactive video game portraits. The viewer uses a homemade game controller to move the subject through simple motions and to activate super powers such as bursting into flames or bursting into tears. Our first portrait is of Owen Corrigan, thanks Owen!

The view from my studio window on a peaceful winter morning.

Mon, 04 Feb 2013 10:01:17 -0500

The view from my studio window on a peaceful winter morning.

Hi everyone, Here is my experimental film The Animals on line...

Thu, 31 Jan 2013 11:57:00 -0500

Hi everyone,

Here is my experimental film The Animals on line for the first time. For what it’s worth I think it’s the best thing I’ve ever done. It was two years in the making. Many people helped with guidance and insight (you know who you are and thank you so much). However, it’s not for everyone, so don’t say i didn’t warn you.

The Animals (2012) a 25 minute film, shot with video and 8mm film. The Animals tells a story of repetition and regeneration; human and animal characters traverse and explore a landscape in a world without houses and technology, looking for a sense of contentment and purpose.

Thanks to everyone who made it out to Penny Cosmos. If you...

Sat, 27 Oct 2012 17:44:00 -0400

Thanks to everyone who made it out to Penny Cosmos. If you missed it here are some installation shots. Thanks to Dave Hayden for taking the photos.

Penny Cosmos is an exhibition of some of my recent work and...

Fri, 12 Oct 2012 12:44:00 -0400

Penny Cosmos is an exhibition of some of my recent work and ideas. The opening is at the Parantheses Gallery in Halifax on October 19th at 7pm and the show will be up for a month. “Penny Cosmos is a snake oil salesman’s version of a museum where the fraudulent is profound and the profound is cheap and meaningless, and in between are some of the things I love. All for just one penny.” Parantheses Gallery and art projectsis dedicated to bringing to Halifax an ongoing series of artist’s exhibitions, installations, performance and other art-related events. You can find out more information about the gallery at http://parentheseshfx.tumblr.com/aboutus . I hope to see you there.

Currently I am working on editing video of the Talking Exploding...

Mon, 10 Sep 2012 13:37:00 -0400

Currently I am working on editing video of the Talking Exploding Diamond Talk Show into a 45 minute network television facsimile. What is this you ask? Well…. stay tuned to find out. I’ll be posting clips soon. And if you saw it at Sappy get ready for the augmented, HD, animated version of what you think you saw.

And I am also working on one last painting for my upcoming show at Parenthesis Gallery in Halifax. The opening is October 19th and promises to be unlike any show I’ve done before.

Also I am pretty excited to be included in the Mount Allison Fine Arts faculty show. The show opens on Friday the 14th of September at 7:30 pm. I’m showing a large diptych called, ”So long Mr. Roboto, after Watteau.”

I have had nothing but fun working with www.charley-zzz.com in...

Mon, 10 Sep 2012 13:16:34 -0400

I have had nothing but fun working with www.charley-zzz.com in Japan. They made some lovely scarves with my watercolours on them last year and now t-shirt and pant combos! Above is some of the packaging. The Jon Claytor Logo is my favourite part. Only available in Japan.

Cleaning up my computer I came across some of the drawings...

Mon, 10 Sep 2012 12:58:00 -0400

Cleaning up my computer I came across some of the drawings I’ve done that we have used for various sappyFest stuff. The Bunny was used on the shirts from the first year and yes we did “put a bird on it” as they advise in Portlandia. Maybe that was our acid wash moment.

Here is a book cover I contributed to some time ago (2001) for...

Mon, 10 Sep 2012 12:43:20 -0400

Here is a book cover I contributed to some time ago (2001) for Ian Roy. Time flies but Ian’s stories of love and life remain touching and intimate. I’m looking forward to a new collection of works soon.

Check him out here, http://ianroy.wordpress.com

I am thrilled to have been able to contribute drawings to Misha...

Mon, 10 Sep 2012 12:30:00 -0400

I am thrilled to have been able to contribute drawings to Misha Bower’s wonderful book, “Music for Uninvited Guests.” Each drawing was in response to the “feel” of a particular story rather than the actual events. A sort of alternate dimension to the story. The fox above was one of my favourites of the series which also produced one orphan not used for the book. Misha had mentioned an angel with water wings as a possible illustration (I believe for “The Leading Man”). An orphaned and overly cautious angel.

The stories are the kind of stories I like. Stories that make you feel like messing up your whole life is really just a way to think about stuff. That laughing is just a way of crying without looking foolish. The stories aren’t sentimental, but they awake a sentimental feeling in me that makes me want to hold on to those I love because we are all just one fuck up from being alone.

If your looking to find a copy this is the place to go. http://mishabower.com

Some pictures from, Secrets of the Universe Revealed or Goodbye...

Tue, 19 Jun 2012 09:24:00 -0400

Some pictures from, Secrets of the Universe Revealed or Goodbye Toronto, I Never Knew You Well

Like throwing a party only worse, having a big show in your own home is a good way to become a neurotic mess but in the end we all survived.

people waiting for people.

Tue, 19 Jun 2012 09:20:29 -0400

people waiting for people.

upstairs was a little more light hearted but not really.

Tue, 19 Jun 2012 09:13:00 -0400

upstairs was a little more light hearted but not really.

Some of the work. I was thinking of punk rock cover songs as an...

Tue, 19 Jun 2012 09:06:02 -0400

Some of the work. I was thinking of punk rock cover songs as an inspiration and starting point. The blood tears is based on a scene from Lucio Fulci’s “Night of the Living Dead” and the actress Catriona MacColl. The boy with crown is based on a portrait of a 12-year-old Ranuccio Farnese, who became a cardinal not a king. The clown is inspired by Watteau, who found in clowns what I have found in dancing bears, a portrait of the artist.

Setting up for the show.

Tue, 19 Jun 2012 08:50:00 -0400

Setting up for the show.

I decided to do a house show, like the punks do, but with art...

Tue, 19 Jun 2012 08:48:04 -0400

I decided to do a house show, like the punks do, but with art instead of music. The name of the show was, Secrets of the Universe Revealed or Goodbye Toronto, I never knew you well.

The first screening of The Animals in Toronto was a really...

Sun, 29 Apr 2012 14:45:00 -0400

The first screening of The Animals in Toronto was a really special night with readings by Amanda Jernigan and Ian Roy as well as music by Mike Feuerstack followed by the film. Thank you to everyone who came out. I am thinking of planning similar events in Ottawa, Montreal and Halifax. DIY theatre style.

!!!! The Animals is finished !!!! It will be shown at SappyFest...

Fri, 20 Apr 2012 20:31:06 -0400

!!!! The Animals is finished !!!! It will be shown at SappyFest this August. The Animals is my 25 minute film, shot with video and 8mm film. It tells a story of repetition and regeneration as human and animal characters traverse and explore a landscape in a world without houses and technology, looking for a sense of contentment and purpose.