Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Japanese Snow Monkey Drinking Hot Tea (Proceeds to Japan RED CROSS)





Last November, I got this image of a Japanese snow monkey drinking a cup of tea in my head and I had to paint it. Had such fun doing so that I figured a series was in order and plotted out two others. The original idea was inspired by international superstar illustrator Aaron Meshon's "French Onsen" painting, the one where a Japanese bulldog is sitting outdoors enjoying a steam bath. So cool. That got me thinking and the above paintings were the results. Thanks Aaron!

I've spent the last couple months setting up a print shop and retooling my portfolio and website. I purchased the best printer I've ever had a month ago, a Canon Pro9000 Mark II that prints up to 13x19" and uses 8 dye color inks. Really spectacular quality.

Last Wednesday, I relaunched my Etsy shop online with a whole slew of new prints, including the Japanese snow monkeys and on Friday morning disaster struck in Japan. I actually met up with Aaron that afternoon to talk shop about the illustration biz. He's been really helpful and supportive of my work since we met at the Nuts-n-Bolts Conference last year at The Society of Illustrators. His wife and family is from Japan so we talked about it for awhile, thank God everybody was ok. Then he launched an Etsy shop over the weekend and decided to donate all sales from that French Onsen painting I mentioned from before, seen here.

As a result, and once again inspired by Aaron, I've decided to do the same with the above top 2 prints. I guess it just felt wrong to, at this moment, be selling, for profit, imagery to that is so unique to Japan in their time of need. It was a sign, the universe talking.

Hence, proceeds to the Japanese Red Cross. That's the personal back story. Below is the official release.


Japanese Snow Monkey Prints - 30$, plus S&H. Edition of 100. 11" x 17" for easy framing. Printed on Hahnemuhle Photo Rag 310 gsm heavy stock paper with Archival Inks. Signed, packed, and shipped by Patrick McQuade.

Nothing beats a hot cup of tea when it's cold out, even if you're a macaque.
See Shop Announcements for further details. Smaller and larger sizes available.

***PLEASE NOTE: 100% of profits after cost will be donated to the JAPANESE RED CROSS or other Japanese disaster relief agency.***

Buy prints, help Japan!
Please help me spread the word if you would. Share it around the web.


2 comments:

Elizabeth Varadan, Author said...

What a great way to make art serve even a larger purpose. Beautiful -- in more ways than one.

PJ McQuade said...

Thank you Elizabeth. In this instance, I saw an opportunity to give back and took it, feels great to do so. Giving is a gift. I should do it more often!