In-Flight Sketches NYC: Andy Richter and Reggie Watts

On the flight to NYC for the Conan exhibit and show, I decided to try to sketch everyone that would be appearing on the Halloween live show that we were attending, just in case we got to meet any of them and get autographs.  The guests were Jimmy Fallon and Reggie Watts (also Mayor Bloomberg, but that was unannounced).  I sketched a couple of Jimmy Fallon, but those were awful so you don't get to see them.

I did a fun one of the co-host Andy Richter, and we did have the great fortune to meet him after the show, while he tried to sneak out incognito to do Halloween stuff with his kids.  He was super nice - I gave him the signed original sketch to take with him, and he signed a color copy I had made.  It's framed now, in the new Hallway of Fame (thanks Brooke for the idea to hang all the signed stuff there) and I just finally remembered to take a snapshot.

(Here's the awful phone pic of me and Andy - what a nice guy!)

I also drew Reggie Watts (if you don't know who he is, you should go find out http://reggiewatts.com/ ) and it came out to be one of my favorite sketches ever.  Unfortunately we never got to see him, but I still hope to get a signed copy to him and a signed one from him somehow.

The New York City Conan Art Odyssey Extravaganza

(or: How I Had To Change My Underwear After Seeing This Giant Damn Painting)

(or: This Is How You Trick Your Friends Into Looking At Your Vacation Photos)

Sunday, October 30, 2011. Brooke and I went to NYC to see the NYCOCOMOCA gallery display of Conan O'Brien Fan Art at the Time Warner Center on Columbus Circle (see previous blog posts for back story). I can honestly say that walking up to the front glass panels of that absurdly huge shiny skyscraper and seeing that absurdly huge shiny redheaded man with my name and signature sprawled across the bottom was one of the peak experiences of my whole life up to this point.

The gallery itself was really great - 50 pieces of Conan-related art in all sorts of media, from oils and acrylics to sculptures made of crochet yarn and one life-size statue made entirely of colored pencils:

In addition to the front of the building, my painting was used on all of the in-building signage (the bottom two floors are a very upscale shopping mall, and second floor center was the gallery exhibit)

It was also used as the image that was sent out in press releases, so it showed up
 in New York Magazine and Time Out New York.

The staff at Lead Dog Marketing and the gallery attendants were the most wonderful hosts, they made us feel like part of the family. Thanks again to Carter, Diana, Aly, Sarah, Joe, D.J., Austin, Karim (and everyone whose names are escaping me at the moment) and Brian from TBS as well.

On Halloween Night, we got to attend the first night of taping of Conan's week of NYC shows.

We waited a long time after to try to meet Conan, but it was just too crazy. We did, however, get to meet Andy Richter, and I gave him a sketch portrait I had hastily scribbled on the plane ride out there.

And we also got to meet La Bamba, who is way more talented in real life
than you get to see on the show - and a damn nice guy:

There was a 500-lb robotic, huggomatic Conan Loveseat at the exhibit, built by DeepLocal- I have to find the pic I got on there with La Bamba and Pierre, and scan it later... but here was a fun one with me and Brooke:

The exhibit still hasn't been shown on the Conan show - we went back there at least a dozen times hoping to meet Conan or get on TV. Finally the Thursday morning we were leaving, a remote crew came and shot some footage... of the gallery, of the front of the building, and a bit of an interview with me and some strange guy that was wandering through the exhibit. No way to know yet if they will ever use the footage.

Conan finally came to see the gallery a couple of hours after we left NYC to come home to Denver. It was terribly disappointing not to get to meet him. BUT - we met a wonderful staff member named Amanda outside the theater on Halloween, and gave her a couple of copies of my painting, to hopefully get a copy to Conan, and have him sign one for me. She really got the job done, and he wrote a very nice note on it for me!

"To Dustin - You have captured my inner sadness perfectly.
Thanks for sharing your incredible talent. Your friend, Conan."

It really was a wonderful trip, and we had a great time.
 I'm going to have to do more of this gallery stuff, it could get addictive!

So I was pretty sure that LAST blog post was the best one ever...

The NYCOCOMOCA gallery show opened Monday, and it's getting some press coverage.

LOOK AT THE SIZE OF THIS THING in the front windows of the Time Warner Center!
http://teamcoco.com/content/new-york-coco-moca-now-open

More press: 

http://www.wired.com/underwire/2011/10/conan-obrien-fans-art

http://newyork.timeout.com/things-to-do/this-week-in-new-york/2080869/the-new-york-museum-of-conan-art-nycocomoca

Suffice it to say, my mind is good and blown... nothing remotely like this has ever happened to me before.  I hope it's not the last time!

NYCOCOMOCA - HOLY CRAP! Best blog post EVER.

Holy crap... I have some great big good news to share.

As many of you know, I painted a digital caricature of Conan O'Brien back on New Year's Day for a sort of open fan-art competition, where they displayed people's submissions on the show, between commercial breaks.  My piece was chosen and aired on Tuesday, May 17, 2011.  It was an incredible and important moment for me.

Yesterday (October 5) I was contacted by an agency on behalf of Conan's show, to let me know that in coordination with his upcoming week of NYC-filmed episodes (http://teamcoco.com/video/conan-coming-to-nyc), they are putting on a gallery show of Conan Fan Art at the Time Warner Center on Columbus Circle in New York.  My piece was chosen as one of their favorite 50 to be exhibited at the event!  It will be printed and framed, and in this gallery show for 11 days starting October 24th. :O

Apparently the show's staff kinda liked my painting, as it was selected to appear on some of the signage advertising the show as well.  SO EVERYONE - watch the Conan show on TBS all week starting on Halloween, and you just might see my picture on the show again - but bigger this time!  I'll keep everyone posted as I find out more details, Brooke and I are definitely going to figure out a way to make the trip up there to see the display.

Here's the original piece again,  in case you haven't seen it, or just want another glimpse.

Like I said... holy crap.  NYCOCOMOCA for the win!  Somebody pinch me...

Holy Crap! Finally got it on the air!

I did a painting of Conan O'Brien, finished on New Year's Day actually... because they had announced they were going to use some fan-submitted art on the show, as interstitial graphics as they come back from commercial. I've been waiting all this time... he lost the beard... but finally, last night, GLORY GLORY HALLELUJAH his art is broadcasting on!

WATCH THE EPISODE!!
(ep 1093 segment 3, with Norm MacDonald and Joy Formidable)

Below is the original painting:

Coooooooonan!

Team Coco is accepting submissions of fan art to put on the air, they're using them as interstitial graphics at the commercial breaks. Cross your fingers, hopefully I can get this mess up on the television box!