Original Painting at Desert Bus for Hope

My original painting "A Perfect Day" based on Animal Crossing New Leaf, is up on silent auction over at Desert Bus for Hope! Quick recap of what Desert Bus for Hope is that they play a video game nonstop while raising money for Childs Play Charity. They auction off items, do fun challenges, have guest speakers during this time. So far the group has been bussing for a little over two days and has already raised over $173,000!!! I have participated in this event for the last four years and it's been wonderful getting to know the folks involved.

"A Perfect Day"

Original Gouache and Ink painting on paper

8x10 inches

©Nicole Gustafsson 2013

Tune in to Desert Bus here  |  My silent auction painting here

Note: My auction item has about 6 hours left (at the time this post was made), get your bids in!!! 
UPDATE: SOLD for $1212.12!!! Thank you! 

There were prints made of this for the Fangamer X Attract Mode show and I've been getting a few questions about those. I believe that there are still copies of the print available, but they will be available at Fangamer.net sometime in the future. 

UPDATE on the PRINT: It is currently available here at Fangamer.net

Fangamer X Attract Mode art show at PAX Prime

The fine folks at Fangamer and Attract Mode are teaming up again this year for a video game inspired show at PAX Prime later this August in Seattle. This one night event will feature art prints, music, indie games, and drinks. I'm super happy to make a piece for this show and here are a few other confirmed contributors:

Mariel Cartwright, Mingjue Helen Chen, Cherry Slug, Steve Courtney, Ashley Davis, Daniel Dussault, Dominique Ferland, Gerard Flannory, Kari Fry, Jacob Ferguson, Kyle Fewell, Zac Gorman, Nicole Gustafsson, Junkboy, Melissa King, Corey Lewis, Andrew Lockhart, Jon Magram, Mikey Mann, Chad Manzo, Kris Mukai, Maré Odomo, OMOCAT, Timothy J. Reynolds, Luis Santiago, Asif Siddiky, Jacob Smiley, Space Coyote, Babs Tarr, Jovan Velkosk, Ventla, Meiko Walamies, Campbell Whyte, Laura Wilson, Winter Artwork and Drew Wise

The show is Saturday, August 31st from 7 -midnight, 1927 Events on 3rd Ave, in downtown Seattle. There's a $10 cover charge (tickets can be found at the Fangamer booth or at the door) and more details can be found at Attract Mode here. 

My piece is based on my current video game obsession Animal Crossing New Leaf. I never before have even wanted a 3DS, but when this game came out and I saw how interactive and fun it was I was hooked.

A Perfect Day
Fine Art Giclee on Moab Entrada rag paper

8 x 10 inches  |  Edition: 50

If you are interested in the original painting, it will be available at the Desert Bus for Hope fundraising event for Childs Play this November. I have been donating artwork to this charity event for the last few years, and people have the option to bid on their favorite video game inspired items.  I will post more about the event when info becomes available too :)

Harvest Moon : Follow-up Desert Bus Painting

Back in November I participated in Desert Bus for Hope charity event (here is my complete blog post about the event) where lots of items are bid on while the hosts play the video game Desert Bus. One of the items I contributed for the auctions, was a custom painting based on a video game of the winning bidders choosing. It's been a little time since the event, but here is the completed painting based on Harvest Moon for 64. The client really liked the farming aspect of the game and I thought all the animals and characters in the video game were adorable, so I worked out a composite highlighting some of the main aspects the game.

For those of you who have played the game you might recognize Karen who is one of the lovely females of the game your character can "woo". I didn't realize that they're were lots of Harvest Moon games in the series still being made, they really interesting and made me want a DS!

Desert Bus for Hope 6

It's that wonderful week of the year where gamers and fellow-nerds tune into Desert Bus for Hope. All week long, the dedicated individuals who run this charity event play the game Desert Bus and raise money for Child's Play Charity, who donates games and toys for children in hospitals. There are guest callers, live auctions, silent auctions, giveaways, and all kinds of excitement going on!

UPDATE: Thank you everyone for tuning in and yea to the winning bidders!

This is my third year donating an item for their auction and I love being involved and meeting new people through this Desert Bus event. The Legend of Zelda is one of my favorite game series so that is what I chose to paint this year. It is a mystery just how Link is able to carry all those items in his inventory so my painting depicts Link traveling Hyrule with all his stuff. Zelda also likes to travel the world and her kingdom, so I made a companion painting featuring her as well.

I also debossed the mat's with the Triforce symbol (to be extra nerdy!). These paintings will be up for the live auction HERE on Wednesday, Nov 21st at 12:00pm EST (or 2:00 CST). You must have a donor account to be able to bid in the chat. (see the FAQ for more info on this).

Update: SOLD for $1515.15!!! 

........................................................................................................

This year I am also doing a CUSTOM PAINTING based on the video game of the winning bidders choice. I get a lot of requests for video game commissions, so if you are interested or emailed me in the past for a custom piece, this is your chance!!! Again all the money goes towards Child's Play Charity so it's a double win.

The silent auction for the custom painting 5x7 based on the video game of your choice goes live Wed, November 21st at 6:00AM (PST). Click here to go to the auction link.

Update: SOLD for $1818.18!!!

The painting above is the "Custom Painting" winner from Desert Bus for Hope two years ago, and the clients game choice was Super Mario Galaxy. I had not played the game but had the fun of doing a little "research" and playing the game. The music was amazing and being a Mario fan it was great to see such an interesting world for Mario to be in.

Tune in to Desert Bus for Hope and check it out. There are a lot of really great items being auctioned, and awesome people visiting in and doing what they can to help earn money for the charity.  

A few upcoming shows and sneak peeks.

There are lots of great shows coming up this fall. For those of you that follow me on the twitter, facebook, and instagram world you've probably already seen these little sneak peeks of my works in progress, but here is some more info on the shows and events these items are for.

First up this October is The Zombie Show at Bottleneck Gallery in NYC. While I am really creeped out by zombies, I still wanted to come up with something for this show. Here is a detail of my painting "Zombie Cats Just Wanna Have Fun". Cute, cuddly, slightly undead felines can still enjoy the catty things in life despite their zombie status.

Can't Beat Em, Join Em: The Zombie Show

October 5th - October 28th

Opening Reception: Friday, Oct 5th from 7-10pm

Bottleneck Gallery

Brooklyn, NY

...................................................................................................

Coming up this November 9th is the PRISMA Artists Collective show Milk at Fine Grime Gallery located in Bath, UK. Our collective consists of 30 artists from around the world who chat (thanks to the internets) about art, materials, and help navigate the art world together. It's great to have such a great group of friends to talk with :) 

I will have more details on this show when it get's a little closer. Above is my white Irish Elk painting for the show.

...................................................................................................

I am very excited to participate again this year in the Desert Bus for Hope event! The past two years I've donated a video game inspired painting to be auctioned off for the event. Proceeds go towards the Childs Play charity that donates games for kids to play in hospitals. You might reconize the two characters above from one of my favorite game series The Legend of Zelda. 

I originally was just going to do a painting of Link, but thought Zelda needed her own piece too so I ended up doing two different pieces. This original paintings will be available for auction for the event. I will be posting the exact times and dates they go up for auction later in November.

Tune in later this November to watch the Desert Bus online, there are always lots of guests, exciting auctions and lots of fun!

...................................................................................................

That's just a few of the shows coming up. There is also a Wes Anderson show, Craftacular one-night event in Lincoln, and a few local holiday shows as well!! And last but not least, is a two-person show in California that I will be part of and FINALLY TRAVELING TO CALIFORNIA to be at...I am very excited for the show!!!

Magic the Gathering Tribute Art Auction Today!

Later today my original painting inspired by my love of the card game Magic the Gathering goes up for silent auction at Desert Bus for Hope. This was a collaboration between Matt and I; Matt created the theme and wording for the card and I did the illustration.

The auction begins at 2:00pm PST today. To bid you need a donor account on Desert Bus for Hope's website.

Fivelwaeg's Arboretum

Illustrated by Nicole Gustafsson  |  Copy by C.M. Galdre

Tribute to Magic the Gathering cardgame

Original Painting - Gouache & Ink on paper

9.75 x 6.5 inches

Click here to view the auction listing. 

(Silent auction on this painting starting today at 2:00pm PST)

Stay tuned to Desert Bus to follow auctions, giveaways, and guest call ins. 

Here's a little quote from the mysterious wizard himself: "Fine, then I am taking it with me! - Fivelwaeg

"Afternoon on Yoshi Island" Auction Today!

Morning everybody! For those of you following Desert Bus my original painting "Afternoon on Yoshi Island" will go up on the live auction today at 2:15 PST (UPDATE auctions are running ahead of schedule, login early to watch)!

If you want to bid you need to sign up for a doner account on Desert Bus for Hope's website and log in to their chat system to place a bid. 100% of the auction will go to Child's Play Charity and provides children in hospitals games and toys. As of this morning over $70,000 dollars has been raised...amazing!

 

Afternoon on Yoshi's Island

by Nicole Gustafsson

Based on the video game "Yoshi's Island"

7.5 x 7.5 inches

Original Painting - Gouache and Ink on paper

Click here to view the auction listing. 

(Live auction on this painting starting today at 2:15pm PST)

*UPDATE* Piece is sold for $1,800 at Desert Bus for Child's Play Charity!

Stay tuned to Desert Bus to follow auctions, giveaways, and lots of awesome other nerdyness!

Upcoming Desert Bus for Hope 5

This Friday, November 18th begins Desert Bus for Hope 5! For those of you not familiar with the event, Desert Bus for Hope is organized by members of Loading Ready Run who play the old school video game Desert Bus nonstop to raise money for Childs Play.

The charity group Child’s Play was created in 2003 by web comic guru’s Jerry Holkins and Mike Krahulik of Penny Arcade. Every year thousands of dollars are raised by the video game community to provide children in hospitals games and toys. They have recently expanded to over 70 different hospitals worldwide.

While the video game desert bus is being played video game, nerd inspired geekry is auctioned off both in live auctions and silent auctions. There are also giveaways and call-in's by some pretty amazing people.

 --------------------------------------------------------------------------

I contributed two pieces for Desert Bus's silent auction. The first piece "Afternoon on Yoshi's Island" is based on the SNES video game "Yoshi's Island". Matt bought me the game when we were in college because he knew Yoshi was one of my favorite Nintendo characters, but I never got a chance to actually play the game all the way through until recently and it's just amazing! The colors, the game play, and wonderful little Shy Guys running around on stilts...it's definitely one of my gaming favorites. I thought Kamek the wizard was pretty awesome in the game as well...he got a little nod in my painting :)

Afternoon on Yoshi's Island, 7.5 x 7.5 inches, Gouache & Ink on paper, © Nicole Gustafsson 2011

Afternoon on Yoshi's Island (view) © Nicole Gustafsson 2011

Afternoon on Yoshi's Island (detail) © Nicole Gustafsson 2011

 --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The second piece I created is a tribute to Magic The Gathering card game. I played it with my now husband back when we were teenagers in high school, and then went to college and didn't play for years up until about a year ago and now we can't get enough of the game. Which btw LOVE the new Innistrad set...amazing artwork and gameplay.

I'm intrigued by unusual lands being an environment based artist, so that was the basis of the painting. Matt came up with the theme and wording and I did the illustration. I was just thinking today it would be fun to do a creature card of our own creation. And of course I had to make it a mythic rare!

Fivelwaeg's Arboretum, 9.75 x 6.5 inches, Gouache & Ink on paper, © Nicole Gustafsson 2011

All the silent auction items people donate will go up at different times.
I will be sure to update everyone when these pieces go live for bidding.

Tune in to Desert Bus at 6:00 PST on Friday evening for the start!

Update: Desert Bus & Mario

"Super Mario Galaxy", 5x7, Gouache & Ink, 2010

Back in November, Desert Bus for Hope had a fundraiser for Child's Play. The event raised a grand total of $208,349.82! They beat last years goal and raised money to give toys and games to children in Hospitals this holiday season.

One of my donations for Desert Bus's silent auction was a custom 5×7 original gouache painting on paper, featuring the winner bidders favorite video game. (I also threw in a t-shirt & custom painted ornaments to sweeten the deal).

The winning bidder choose Super Mario Galaxy for the inspiration behind their piece. Now I had never played this specific game but I am a HUGE Mario fan. So I did the best painting "research" ever and borrowed the game and played away. It is an amazingly beautiful game and joy to play!!! It certainly helped me do this little painting above with Mario and a little star "Luma".

I just want to say "Thank You" to the winning bidder for their generosity and helping raise money for Desert Bus & Child's play.

Desert Bus for Hope!

I love playing video games. I grew up playing Mario with my friends and sisters and lots of fun times then and now. I was happy to donate a piece of art (and a custom piece) for Desert Bus for Hope to raise funds for Child's Play who provides games, books, and toys for children in hospitals.

Child's Play was created by web comic Jerry Holkins and Mike Krahulik of Penny Arcade.
"Since 2003, we’ve set up and organized Child’s Play, a game industry charity dedicated to improving the lives of children with toys and games in our network of over 40 hospitals worldwide. In four short years, you as a community have answered the call and come together to raise millions of dollars."

"Treasure!" 5  x 7, Gouache & Ink, 2010

My pieces on the silent auction go live tomorrow. One of my favorite games was "The Legend of Zelda: Windwaker", and I based my painting around Link treasure hunting for rupees.

Bid on my painting "Treasure!" based on the video game "Legend of Zelda: Windwaker" here! SOLD for $1,500!

Bid on my custom piece (original painting based on your favorite video game) here!  SOLD for $1,702!

There's lots of great artwork artwork and bid get some really cool stuff, while providing children in hospitals with gifts to brighten their day.