iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Mike Rende @mikerende.bsky.social · 06/04/2026

The "Trog" sculpture for Oddball Art Lab's upcoming "8 Bit Life" video game inspired open-call gallery show is now painted! #oddballartlabs #cosclay #caveman

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Mike Rende @mikerende.bsky.social · 05/04/2026

Does anyone remember a videogame called Trog? Oddball Art Labs is doing a video game gallery show in June, and this little guy is my first sculpture for the show.

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Mike Rende @mikerende.bsky.social · 03/03/2026

Last year I donated four sculptures of ancient prehistoric aquatic creatures to the Elgin Public Museum. This January they entered the permanent collection in a new display along with their historical info and actual fossils.

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Mike Rende @mikerende.bsky.social · 31/01/2026

Just finished a new sculpture. Same character as the Ice Cream Drop sculpture, but I haven't named him yet. He's having a much better day this time!

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Mike Rende @mikerende.bsky.social · 18/01/2026

I just dropped off an "Adopt a Monster" display at Side Street Studio Arts. When MADE reopen again on January 31 for the Winter Mini-Fringe you'll be able to grab one of these cute mini-monster, polymer clay, sculptures for just $20 each in the co-op section of the gallery!

Mini Monsters in a cardboard box waiting to be adopted

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Mike Rende @mikerende.bsky.social · 25/12/2025

A quiet few days, so I finally had time to get this new monster out of my brain. I think it will simply be titled "Ooops!" #monster #sculpture #cosclay

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Mike Rende @mikerende.bsky.social · 19/12/2025

Oddball Art Labs is teaming up with Side Street for a fundraiser coming up in April for their new building! Don't miss this gallery exhibit filled with over twenty "three-artist collaborations" called "Exquisite Corpses". Take one home to help raise funds for their new location on Grove Ave!

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Mike Rende @mikerende.bsky.social · 05/10/2025

Banned Books Week seems a bit more important this year! bannedbooksweek.org

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Mike Rende @mikerende.bsky.social · 05/09/2025

Finished up my new sculpture for Side Street's Something Wicked show. The body was originally made for a different sculpture, but they had different plans.

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Mike Rende @mikerende.bsky.social · 23/08/2025

Oddball Art Labs is doing a show in November about re-imagining art. This is the first of my submissions. (It glows in the dark too.) #sculpture #art #monsters #cosclay #alteredmoments #oddballartlabs

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Mike Rende @mikerende.bsky.social · 23/06/2025

The Oddballs have prepared a "Jam Piece" for Mythological Mayhem. Your donations help us fund these quirky events. Get one raffle ticket for each $5 donation made at the Opening Reception on Friday, June 27, 2025. (Drawing at 8:45pm.) More info at: www.oddballartlabs.org

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Mike Rende @mikerende.bsky.social · 23/06/2025

Art drop-off and gallery hanging for Mythological Mayhem was this weekend! The Oddball team worked hard on Sunday and the presentation is looking amazing! Join us on Friday, June 27, 2025 from 6pm-9pm to see the amazing creations of our local art community! More info at: www.oddballartlabs.org

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Mike Rende @mikerende.bsky.social · 08/06/2025

It's great to read another Craig Thompson book after so many years. His style is still great and the narrative is solid.

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Mike Rende @mikerende.bsky.social · 05/06/2025

My second sculpture based on medieval manuscript margin illustrations. This is for the Oddball Art Labs Mythological Mayhem show on Friday, June 27. Submissions are due by June 8. More info at OddballArtLabs.org #monster #sculpture #cosclay #oddball

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Mike Rende @mikerende.bsky.social · 22/05/2025

Starting to create my sculptures for the Oddball Art Labs Mythological Mayhem show this Summer. This first one is inspired by a dragon illustration found in a Medieval manuscript margin. #art #sculpture #dragon #cosclay

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Mike Rende @mikerende.bsky.social · 08/04/2025

Oddball Art Labs at the Elgin Public Museum! This Friday!! Don’t miss the gallery opening on Friday April 11, 2025 from 6-9pm. The gallery exhibit will be up all Summer long! Elgin Public Museum 225 Grand Blvd., Elgin, IL 60120 More info @ www.oddballartlabs.org/exhibitions/...

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Mike Rende @mikerende.bsky.social · 29/03/2025

Oddballs at the Elgin Public Museum! Don’t miss the gallery opening on Friday April 11, 2025 from 6-9pm. The gallery exhibit will be up all Summer long! Elgin Public Museum 225 Grand Blvd., Elgin, IL 60120

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Mike Rende @mikerende.bsky.social · 20/03/2025

The Trilobite sculpture is finished! It will be on display at the Elgin Public Museum starting on April 11, 2025. #art #sciart #trilobite #sculpture #prehistoric #cosclay

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Mike Rende @mikerende.bsky.social · 17/03/2025

WIP: One last sculpture for the Oddball Art Labs show at the Elgin Public Museum...a Trilobite! #art #sciart #sculpture #cosclay

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Mike Rende @mikerende.bsky.social · 19/02/2025

The Ammonite sculpture is complete and ready for the art exhibit at the Elgin Public Museum in April. #art #sculpture #sciart #cosclay #prehistoric #fossil

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Mike Rende @mikerende.bsky.social · 19/02/2025

The Ammonite sculpture is getting closer to completion. Next step, finish the seaweed and base. #art #sculpture #sciart #cosclay

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Mike Rende @mikerende.bsky.social · 17/02/2025

I'm trying to read some more uplifting political books. We're all in this fight together and I've been giving as much time as I can for the last eight years. I keep reminding myself of all the good I've done (and will do), as I continue the fight to protect democracy!

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Mike Rende @mikerende.bsky.social · 08/02/2025

The ammonite sculpture is getting closer. The next step is to hide the supports with some seaweed. #art #ammonite #sculpture #cosclay

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Mike Rende @mikerende.bsky.social · 08/02/2025

Ammonite sculpture WIP for an upcoming show at the Elgin Public Museum. #art #sculpture #ammonite #cosclay

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Mike Rende @mikerende.bsky.social · 25/01/2025

Another strange creature sketch. While researching for another fossil sculpture, I'm apparently also dreaming of creatures that never existed. #art #watercolor #sketch

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Mike Rende @mikerende.bsky.social · 21/01/2025

I don't know what the hell this was supposed to be, but it makes more sense to me than the world does today. #art #watercolor #confused

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Mike Rende @mikerende.bsky.social · 19/01/2025

I re-read "The Common Good" whenever I need to be reminded that collectively we can and should do better for each other. I think it needs to be on top of the reading pile to help me get through this week.

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Mike Rende @mikerende.bsky.social · 13/01/2025

The Opabinia sculpture is finished! These creatures lived in British Columbia 500 million years ago. This will be on display at the Elgin Public Museum in April. #sciart #sculpture #cosclay #creature #art

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Mike Rende @mikerende.bsky.social · 02/01/2025

It was great to have a quiet day off so I could get ink on some monster sketches.

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Mike Rende @mikerende.bsky.social · 01/01/2025

Bruce hands out frames made from left-over sticks. Never normal sizes. This is one of the smallest to date. It's a bit of a challenge making art that fits. :-) #watercolor #art

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Mike Rende @mikerende.bsky.social · 01/01/2025

I finally found the time to paint these tiny monster head sculptures. #monsters #art #sculptures #cosclay

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Mike Rende @mikerende.bsky.social · 26/12/2024

I have another"re-sculpt"! I did this one a while ago. New on the left, old on the right. The original was supposed to have multiple eye options. I've made some for the new version. #art #sculpture #monster #cosclay

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Mike Rende @mikerende.bsky.social · 19/12/2024

One more re-sculpt to post and this one goes way back! My friend, Brad Weber described this creature in a story he was writing. New on left, original on the right. I sculpted the original over 30 years ago! #art #sculpture #cosclay #monster

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Mike Rende @mikerende.bsky.social · 13/12/2024

This Spaceman is another re-sculpt. New on left, old on right. I really like the detail I can get with Cosclay. I need to make more "moon" bases. #art #sculpture #spaceman #cosclay #polymerclay

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Mike Rende @mikerende.bsky.social · 08/12/2024

Since my sculpting style has changed dramatically over the last few years, I've started recreating some favorite old sculptures. New on left, old on right. #art #sculpture #monster #cosclay

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Mike Rende @mikerende.bsky.social · 07/12/2024

A few small (and tiny) ink drawings have piled up. Time to add some watercolor tomorrow during Art Sunday.

Small ink drawings of monsters on watercolor paper

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Mike Rende @mikerende.bsky.social · 29/11/2024

The Tully Monster sculpture is complete! Looking forward to the art show at the Elgin Public Museum in Spring 2025! #art #sculpture #sciart #monster #fossil #cosclay

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Mike Rende @mikerende.bsky.social · 28/11/2024

Started a new sculpture. Tullimonstrum, or the Tully Monster, a creature from 300 million years ago. The fossils have only been found in Illinois. #monster #art #sculpture #cosclay #sciart

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Mike Rende @mikerende.bsky.social · 25/11/2024

Sometimes you just need to sculpt a bunch of tiny monster heads. #art #sculpture #cosclay #monster

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Mike Rende @mikerende.bsky.social · 20/11/2024

Burp! Polymer clay w/ glass eyes in a six inch frame. #art #sculpture #cosclay #monster

Purple monster head sculpture burping with mouth open

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Mike Rende @mikerende.bsky.social · 19/11/2024

I created this sculpture for a fundraiser. We each received a blank skull bank to recreate however we imagined. Happy that it sold during this year's Nightmare on Chicago Street. The proceeds when to the Side Street Studio Arts new building fund. #cosclay #scuplture #art #polymerclay #skull #lizard

Elongated blue skull with two sculpted lizards

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Mike Rende @mikerende.bsky.social · 18/11/2024

I REALLY don't want to read this, but I think it should be the next thing in my "to read" pile. :-(

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Mike Rende @mikerende.bsky.social · 17/11/2024

Finally had some time to create a new monster sculpture. He's a bit confused about the state of the world today. #art #sculpture #monster #polymerclay

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Mike Rende @mikerende.bsky.social · 15/11/2024

Bruce regularly gives tiny frames made from scraps to the Oddballs. These are a few of the little watercolors I recently did for some of mine.

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Mike Rende @mikerende.bsky.social · 15/11/2024

The Fractured Faces of Felix. This was BaM!'s contribution to this year's Something Wicked show at Side Street.

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