Stumbled Upon

One of my favorite pastimes is looking for new artists on the internet. It amazes me how many artists are out there making work, having shows, and striving for their unique voice to be heard. It can be both exciting and demoralizing at the same time. The downward spiral of self-doubt ensues.

Here are a couple artists that I found interesting. The first, James Casabere, I don't know much about. I found several of these haunting interior photographs reproduced numerous times all over the internet. Casabere builds highly realistic models and then photographs them. Although there are many artists working in this fashion. Casabere's photographs seem unique in that the illusion doesn't breakdown instantly. There are few clues telling us that we are looking at a miniature.

Anna Conway's paintings seem to fit in with the quality of atmosphere of Casabere's photographs. Her labor intensive paintings take her a long time to complete. She averages three or four paintings a year. The surfaces are lush and full of detail. The images she chooses to paint share the reality skewed perspective of Casabere, but instead of recreating real spaces Anna Conway is fabricating the atmosphere. In another of her paintings a man walking through a flooded ocean bank is too tired to do anything. He lumbers and peers at a break in the overhead clouds in the reflection of the water. He is either too lazy, apathetic, or exhausted to even lift his head.

These images aren't intended to be representations of actual events, but manifestations of a feeling.

Hulk SMASH!

The Incredible Hulk was action packed. Unlike Ang Lee's version the story of this movie adhered more closely to the comic story. He battled a real villain instead of his father. There were no Hulk-like dogs, and he performed signature Hulk moves instead of running around the desert like he was in a kung-fu movie. The origin story was closer to the Ultimate Hulk, but nuclear testing feels a little out dated.

Following the mythology allowed for some really fantastic tie-ins. Tony Stark is mentioned (and makes a small appearance) Nick Fury and SHIELD are mentioned, and Captain America is alluded to when they start to discuss the super-soldier program. There were also some cameos. Stan Lee as a radiation victim, Lou Ferrigno as a security guard, and even the late Bill Bixby (bruce banner from the old tv show) makes an appearance on one of the shows Bruce Banner is watching.

It was fun, loud, and chaotic.

You won't like it when I'm Angry.

Yesterday ended up being pretty productive, unlike today. I had many things to on the agenda but I didn't get to many (any) of them. The weather has been blah, and the thought of making my way to the studio seemed arduous. So instead of pretending to work I'm going to go to the movies instead. We're going to see The Incredible Hulk!!! I'm hoping that I'll have a significant movie high to propel me into work mode later.

Above is a picture I took in NYC back in April. This was in Chelsea, near all the galleries.

More Coffee

The sun is out, but I feel like staying in. There is a lot to do, but all I want to do is lounge in the AC and read. I ended up not having to work today and now I don't know what to do with myself. I know I should go work in the studio, expose some silkscreens, paint, go buy some blank shirts, clean the house, clean the studio, but I don't really feel like doing any of that. Maybe if I drink more coffee I'll get motivated. mmmmmmm coffee.

Sunday

I have been bad and haven't posted in awhile. I'm sure that by now those few that were reading my posts regularly have moved on, but I'll post anyway.

It's been busy since my last post. I started learning how to screen-print. I got a job assisting an artist and I moved into a new studio. Things are looking up.

Learning to screen print has been pretty eventful. I've spent several evenings working on things that just didn't turn out. I did however print my first test shirts this afternoon (I'll have pics soon). I just need to get some better quality shirts and the first batch will appear in my etsy shop. Speaking of which, I also made a new banner for the shop and produced this nice little mailing label.

In other news one of my ACEO's was featured on cicuska. A blog that lists Etsy items on Sundays.

Thats all for now.

It's Been Awhile

I've been away for awhile. The last post I made seems so long ago. The truck is fixed, I've finished another year of school, I've made two trips to New York... I've been busy. I even found the time to make a couple more drawings for my etsy shop. New York was amazing. I saw a lot of fantastic shows. The Henry Darger exhibition at the Folk Art Museum was a highlight. Daniel Richter at David Zwirner followed by Neo Rauch on my second trip were two amazing shows. There are just too many to list. I enjoyed the WACK show at PS1, the AIR retrospective at Werkstatte...so many. Just being in NYC was pretty amazing. It was nice to be able to just wake up and walk to a coffee shop, take public transportation, and see great art easily. This are all things that Detroit, especially Pontiac where I live, lacks. I can't wait until I have another excuse to go back!

Holy Differential!

The little noise coming from the back of my car has turned into a $1300 problem! I can't even wrap my head around the consequences. Since moving here to Michigan I truly see how ridiculous this car centric culture is. There is nothing convenient about the expense of having a car. Gas, Insurance and upkeep. This list is only the personal expenses. Think about the money it takes to pave the huge swaths of parking lots and the roads that connect them. Then there are traffic lights ,signs, Traffic police and pollution. ahhh!

Also, since being here, I have learned quite a bit about the American auto industry and how they have stifled innovation and advancement. It's frustrating. A car is very useful when I need stuff from the lumberyard, or the art supply store, and I would like to support American workers by buying American, but 3/4 of the American cars are rubbish. They get horrible gas mileage, have poor safety ratings, and frankly look like crap. What am I supposed to do? I know, I'll buy a Toyota Endo! Super Cute!

I'll be moving away from Michigan in about 14 months and I can't wait. I'm going to move back to Portland, Or. where people recycle, there are bike lanes, sidewalks, public transportation and inter-city parks. Fuck Michigan!

Sorry abou the rant.

The Birthday Aftermath

My birthday was pretty relaxing. Full of bike rides, walks and ice cream treats.

I didn't get much work done, but I did finish up this new ACEO. I was thinking about turning this one into a screen print for shirts. Maybe I will. I keep hearing wonderful things about Gocco printing but it seems like a high price tag for a very small size. I don't know maybe someone else has some insight.

Michele Maule, one of my favorite Etsy sellers and fellow Pontiac-ite, gave a little nod to me in her blog the other day. If you haven't read her blog I highly recommend it. Check out her shop too!

I know I should get some work done but the sun feels good and a nice long nap sounds fantastic. Chlo-Bot 3000 is napping why can't I?

Happy Birthday To Me

I'm 29!

It's sunny and I'm having some coffee I got off Etsy from Brainscan. It's quite tasty. It looks like it is going to be a mellow Birthday. I had planned to go out into Detroit and explore, have dinner and celebrate, but unfortunately, the Truck decided to crap out. It's in the transmission shop with a rear differential problem. So I'm stranded in Pontiac.

Since there isn't much around the area I'm just going to spend some time outside in the sun, ride my bike to DQ, and make some art. Not a bad plan.

At the top is an image of the new illustration I posted in my Etsy shop. I hope to do some more of these.

Summer's Coming

It's supposed to be near 60 degrees tomorrow!! On top of that tomorrow is my birthday!!

"So, how does it feel turning 29 Mr. Endo?"

I guess it doesn't feel that different than turning 28. The only thing that is strange is the thought that at this time next year I will be in my 30's.

I've been working hard trying to fill my new etsy shop. I have a few bodies of work going at the same time. There are the adventures of Chlo-Bot 3000, Superhero trading cards, and then just the random ideas that get stuck in my head. If time allows I want to make some larger pieces and maybe some more paintings. I'm also thinking about making some t-shirts from my drawings. I don't know though.

So many things to do. So little time to do them.

New ACEO

Rats in the Walls

When I was younger I used to have this recurring dream that my skin attracted rats. The dream was essentially always the same, but little details would change. Place, people and time were fluid, never the same, but the rats were there. They were constant.

In one version, also the one I remember the clearest, I was, strangely, the son of Michael Landon (the father from Little House on the Prairie). He took me to the doctors office to see what was wrong with me. I sat in the office, wearing suspenders, short pants, and a blue shirt. The doctor asked to see Michael Landon in the other room to discuss the diagnosis. I didn't want him to go, because I knew what was coming next. In these dreams, I'm not sure how many I had, I couldn't be left alone for an instant. The second I was by myself hordes of rats would appear, scurrying toward me and they would bite and chew and gnaw.

Luckily, the point of view in my dream would change as soon as the rats started biting, however, I would then have to watch myself getting devoured in tiny bites. Oddly, my dream-self never fought back. It was as though I was resigned to my fate. I just sat there, letting them nibble until Michael Landon opened the door only to find a little skeleton where I was sitting. The reaction wasn't shock and horror, but more of a disappointed acceptance. As if he were saying to himself "Ah, Oh Well".