Series complete, install today + RNC masses have landed.

We have been invaded.

The RNC (Republican National Convention) has pretty much landed + from the reports that sprinkle casual conversations like paprika on deviled eggs prove that there is an obvious divide; those who don't give a shit, others who care just enough to seem 'in the know' for cocktail chat + then the rest who are obsessed like an 8 year old counting down for Christmas. Me? well let's just say that after researching content for the last series, it has come to my attention how our forefathers would be pretty disappointed with what we have all become.

Why? It's not my responsibility to tell anyone what to think but rather present the facts so that you can determine your own conclusion. What was the USA founded on? Read those original documents years after that 8th grade civics class... I mean REALLY read it... as if it were a letter from your boss or the terms on your mortgage.

As originally a colony of England, we abided by the English Bill of Rights: http://avalon.law.yale.edu/17th_century/england.asp

Then we weren't happy so we wrote + issued this: Declaration of Independence: http://www.ushistory.org/declaration/document/index.htm

After which, utilizing the English Bill of Rights as the structure, we wrote the American Bill of Rights: http://www.ushistory.org/documents/amendments.htm

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The Americano Series 2012.

"Hail To The Chief"

36" x 36" mixed media on canvas

(sound to accompany)  

"Election Favorite"

36" x 36" mixed media on canvas

(sound to accompany)

"#4 : Freedom From Peacetime Standing Army"

36" x 36" mixed media on canvas

(sound to accompany)

"Freedom Yell"

36" x 36" mixed media on canvas

(sound to accompany)

"Independence Declaration"

36" x 36" mixed media on canvas

(media to accompany)

"#5 : Right To Bear Arms"

36" x 36" mixed media on canvas

(sound to accompany)

"#1 : Right To Petition"

36" x 36" mixed media on canvas

(sound to accompany)

"We Are America"

66" x 42" mixed media on canvas

(media to accompany)

"American Dream"

12" x 12" mixed media on paper

(sound to accompany)

"The Mysterious Case of The Missing Queso"

12" x 12" mixed media on paper

(media to accompany)

LMOCA 1-page description, first draft.

Going to create a museum (or at least try.)

Let's face it, no one really buys art- least not in this town. Granted, there are sales but an artist cannot support themselves & continue to produce.  It's a vicious cycle; creating art takes time & investment of time/materials. Galleries have operation costs. It's fair to compensate the folks who help promote & dedicate expensive real estate to show your work. Artists deserve to at least make minimum wage + the cost of materials. People love going to shows & being within the whole beautiful scene of it all.

When a system does not work, it is time to evolve.

At the end of the day, I don't really enjoy the act of selling work. (Don't get me wrong, love having work sell but don't love doing the selling.) I've hosted shows in my own home that I believe in, always losing money at the end of the night. What brings me joy is exposing people to brilliant work like as if getting a really delicious dish and saying "you really have to try this!" It's not about the money, if it were... then I would have tapped out a long time ago.

Sometimes people tell me to just give it up all the time but art is necessary to the collective soul~ it's like breathing. We need to discuss, be challenged, exchange & interact with things other than our carefully constructed lives with our id/ego as the epicenter. I don't know about you but talking about myself for any extensive amount of time is about as interesting as studying the migration patterns of dust.

What is the definition of gallery vs. museum? The second of the two offers an opportunity to develop a non-profit status which allows a chance at grants, donations & funding. A new concept of 'museum' could offer an chance for many artists to shine then empower them to sell their own work. Granted, it's lofty with a healthy dash of idealism but it's worth a try.

filming starts today.

It's raining. Again.
I'm sitting here in a towel freshly from a shower, drinking coffee & smoking a cigarette....quietly freaking out. The filmmaker is going to be here in less than (2) hours and I still have no idea what I'm going to talk about.

The casa hasn't been staged- everything is as it usually is; paintings everywhere, gifts from fellow bohemians proudly displayed & deep, rich java almost always percolating in the kitchen. The idea for the film is to catch an intimate view of an artist's life while preparing for a show. All is going to go along as normal with random visits from friends & neighbors, photo shoots, models, painting, impromptu dinners that sometimes spawn heated discussions but mostly hysterical laughter.

*Taking a deep breath*

Preliminary image. Photo taken w/ plastic green army men.

Ok, so today wasn't that bad except for the part where I stressed myself out so much that I got a headache. Next time shall be better--- even promised Aytekin. The series is coming along & images are starting to surface. Today #4 in the Bill of Rights was started (Freedom from a peacetime standing army) and painting green plastic figurine skin proved to be an interesting new challenge. Jack and Lucy got a ton of film time (they seemed completely comfortable with the cameras.)

The day was hot & humid, my hair was quickly full of uncontrollable curls and the paint wasn't drying.

progress detail.

progress.

Day 3 of canvas construction.

The first (8) 36" x 36" canvases for the American Rights Series are almost complete. It's hot & humid here in the swamp with the sweat sticking to me like the demi glace on a fresh fruit tart. So far there is 6 layers of recycled paint on the canvas. Each layer has to be carefully applied, filling the tooth of the fabric with tiny pools of paint to eventually get a smooth surface. Drips over the edge can be catastrophic if you don't catch them before they dry because it completely ruins the surface. I've tried sanding them before but to no avail so this leaves me on "drip watch" with every drying layer.

It's very quiet here in the suburban woods. The only sounds are that of the cicadas signaling to each other from their own hidden dens in the soil, the occasional blue jay singing as he flies off into the branches of the cypress trees and the sound of my wet brush gliding across the taught drum-like tops of the canvas. 

The Republican National Convention is coming to town and I am preparing a show. Not usually political, the intention is to express visually observations made in contemporary society and a graphic representation of The Bill of Rights.

studio shots tonight.

upcycling bedframe supports for stretchers

assembled stretchers

"Stars + Stripes Over Foreign Seas"

24" diameter metal barrel top w/ mixed media.

How does one start a story? This isn't a fairy tale, educational text or some written collective of mis-adventures in a kitchen- it's just life. Granted, it's about the story of someone who does a lot of things a lot, except talk. Oh yeah, there is also the love of the number (3); which there never seems to be an end of beauty in; compositional, historical or finding internal solice in all things/counting in this magical number as if it is a basic way of creating order in an otherwise chaotic life. Candy coated confections have never been my taste but their mesmerizing use of color always has. There are few things in life that I truly love: art, friends, food, wine, my home and laughing. Life should be simple, right? Some of the best math solutions have always been the best explanation of things and any unnecessary complication is either self-indulgent theoretical wanking or not having a solid grasp on the solution/process. Do I know all the answers? absolutely not. In fact, most of the time when I think I've figured something - new ways of looking at things just happen.... like rotating an object in your hand... and sometimes that SW isometric view from the underside can be a bitch.

You might be wondering why I'm being so introspective. The answer is that this coming Wednesday the filming of a documentary on me is going to begin. This is both terrifying and exciting. I put down the phone after being asked by the filmmaker, Aytekin Karasogut, to think of some questions or things I wanted to discuss or do during shooting.

Questions/answers instantly running in a never ending relay race through my head:
Q: What do people want to know about?   A: Not sure.
Q: What the hell am I going to talk about?  A: Not sure.
Q: How fat am I going to look on film?  A: Must stop being such a girl about things. If people want to watch, it's probably because they find me interesting in some capacity; fellow lover of art, love the process, waiting to watch a potential train wreck, are bored and curious, who knows. The reality is that if one wants to get anywhere serious about an art career, folks have to be personally invested in the STORY... not just the art. So as much as all of this is difficult sometimes (complete hermit if left to own devices) it is a necessary part of the career choice. It's a proven fact that when artists talk to potential buyers at an art show, pieces sell with more ease.

So far the blue team is winning.