On the Mind

Maryland Art Place is pleased to present “On the Mind”, an exhibition that explores varying perspectives on the brain by artists Monica Lopez Gonzales, Jon Malis, Lee Gainer & Nancy Andrews.  Jan. 22 - March 14, Opening Reception: Thur., Jan. 22, 6 - 9pm #MDArtPlace

Source Festival

For the past few months, I have been busy planning, brainstorming, and practicing with my Team 3 buddies in preparation for our Artistic Blind Date performances.  The ABDs are made up of 4 groups with 3 artists each who were 'set up" with the purpose of combining their multi-disciplinary talents (musicians, visual artists, choreographers, dancers, puppeteers, actors, video artists, musicians, etc.) to create a performance/experience/installation as part of the 2011 Source Festival in Washington D.C.  Along with these performances, the festival includes 3 full length plays and 18 ten minutes plays.  

All of this happens next month!

For more information or to buy tickets, visit the Source festival page.  Check out the blog for sneak peeks at production and creative goings on.

You can become part of our show!  Visit the Adjusting the Volume page to help us select images for our performance.

Aid for Japan

I am sure that most of you know of these already but I wanted to share just in case you don't.  Here are are two ways you can help support the relief efforts in Japan.

Using your cell phone, simply text REDCROSS to 90999 and you'll make a $10 donation. You can also donate to the Red Cross at this page.

Check out Wall Space Gallery's life support Japan limited edition prints.  Each edition is limited to ten, they are only $50, and all proceeds will go to Direct Relief and Habitat for Humanity Japan.  The image below is by Diane Meyer.

On Good, you can find many ways to help. Check them out here.

AAC deadline extended

The Arlington Arts Center has extended the deadline for submissions to SOLOS 2011. All mid-Atlantic artists, check it out here (and spread the word)... http://www.arlingtonartscenter.org

Postcards from the Edge

What?
Preview Party for Postcards from the Edge 2010

When?
Friday, January 8 from 6 - 8 PM

Where?
ZieherSmith, 516 West 20th Street, NYC

Why?
1) Supports a good cause
2) A List artist's work for $75!
3) My work is in there somewhere!

Here in the US, today is Memorial Day.

While many here will be excited about charcoal grills, clearance priced flip flops, and pool openings, today is actually about honoring those who died during their service in the US military.



Goodbye Vietnam by David Alan Sessions, who served in Vietnam from 1965-66.

Excerpts from Mr. Sessions letters, 1987, 1989, and 1993:

...Last week I saw the movie Platoon and couldn't breathe for a couple of days; it opened up that damned sadness that I think may never go away. I know now that my main reaction to Vietnam is to see its absolute absurdity. I shake my head in amazement at having emerged unscathed, and that we all are walking around, talking, laughing. When I get really morbid, I think: What if the artists had all died, and we didn't have any of their art or wisdom? But neither I nor they did.

Or maybe we did, and this is some weird purgatory.

...Still working on the same theme of Natural Disorder, which still seems to be how I see things. But I've always been cross-eyed....

I am an absolute believer in history. Art is a record: think of the art germinated from other wars (Mesopotamia to Korea), produced unsolicited, in reaction to the particular skirmish. The art that comes out of Vietnam is unique to that war; it was not produced by war illustrators, but by soldiers (and a nurse or two). We have acted upon that primal aesthetic urge to make visual commentary on an event (Vietnam and aftermath) that profoundly touched our bodies, hearts, spirits, souls—whatever it is that constitutes the Human Thing and causes it to make art.

Links:

National Vietnam Veterans Art Museum

Arlington National Cemetery

American Battle Monuments Commission

Untitled Landscape from Painting Kit by Unknown

Happy Thanksgiving

With the moaning of lack luster retail spending reports coming in daily, this image by Brian Ulrich seemed appropriate for this years Thanksgiving holiday post.

When I was little, no one was open on Christmas. Nobody. I recall spending most of the day in my jammies and my parents greeting obscure family members as they meandered in during the afternoon hours. Now, practically every store and movie theater will be open and ready for us once we tire of our Wii's and new slippers. I have already seen 2 good-sized articles critiquing the ever earlier appearances of Christmas decor throughout the the last 20 years. Hallmark actually had displays up before Halloween, a new benchmark. Thanksgiving, with it's false history of buckle clad pilgrims sharing their bounty with the natives, has become a gateway for the "big one". Since the largest expenditure most folks have for Thanksgiving is food (and possibly pay-per-view), retailers treat this time as a primer to help you get into that gift buying feeling.

I am interested in the connections between ourselves and our things and how marketers attempt to reinforce that relationship. I look forward to this holiday period each year and each year I am amazed by the tenacity of it all. I am not naive. I understand the impulse of buyers, the pull of "tradition", the need to please and how it can be manipulated. But it really does amaze me, the amount of complete crap that is offered up like so much must-have treasure.

I'm going to enjoy this Thursday by sleeping in a bit, eating a little brined turkey and exploring the tower of ads like an anthropologist. I hope you have a good day too.

Today is Veteran's Day

A US mortar team in a foxhole during the Battle of the Bulge in the snowy St. Vith area.

Take a moment to thank a veteran today.

On an artistic note, I found this photo online, uncredited. It's a great image, not only for its subject matter but also it's composition, lighting and color. If there could be such a thing, this is a beautiful war photo.

Three Day Weekend (for some)

It's getting chilly out there. This is my favorite time of year. Roasted pumpkin seeds. Sweaters and jeans. Crazy Halloween costume ads. This weekend is a 3 day weekend for most of us. Besides being a shopping "bonanza", it's also a celebration of Columbus Day. I intend to celebrate by doing some cleaning, going to an art opening, watching a movie one afternoon, and sipping hot chocolate (i.e. taking it easy). To help you take it easy, here's my recipe for hot chocolate mix. It's really a dark chocolate mix. No sugar laced brown water here. I altered Alton Brown's recipe to create a dark chocolate version, enjoy!

1 cup cocoa (baking or dutch. Dutch is better IMO)
1 1/4 cup powdered sugar
1 cup powdered milk
1/2 tsp salt (finely ground sea salt is best, don't use iodized)
2 tsp cornstarch
1 pinch finely ground cayenne pepper

I use skim milk to make this. You will have to experiment with it if you use other kinds of milk. Don't use water. It is just so... wrong IMO. Heat 1 3/4 cups skim milk. Place 2 heaping tablespoons of mix into your mug of choice (mine holds 1 3/4 cups, a big travel, insulated thing). Pour half of hot milk into mug, stir. Pour in the rest, stir. Enjoy.

Orphan Works Bill

Well, a version of this has passed in the Senate. I honestly didn't think it would get this far. I guess with the winking and the massive losses in our retirement savings, our Senators figured we wouldn't notice. Time to take it to the House. Click and send an email to your Representative today.

Two works from my "The Thought that Counts" series are part of J.T. Kirkland's Artists review Artists project on his blog, Thinking about Art. Go on and take a peek.

"She had to have great...big wings!" said the despondent Kiwi divorcee. Brad Story

Art on Trial is a must read for every artist, IMO. It's eye opening. On the one hand, it's hard to believe that in 2008, non-sexual nudity is still considered obscene and that one "offended" person can constitute the removal of an entire exhibit. On the other hand, thank goodness for the artists (and the patrons who support them) who put work out there and fight back when censorship rears it's ugly head. Link thanks to Daily Campello Art News.

On this Memorial Day...

People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf. - George Orwell

Thank you to all the men and women of the armed forces, who who stood ready and still stand today between us and those who would do us harm. Regardless of the politics of America's wars, our guys and gals deserve much appreciation and thanks. Please take some time this Memorial Day to do so.


Nose Art from the Wallaroo #42-3029, B-17F 359BS (BN-N) that flew 35 missions during WW2. It was declared MIA on Jan. 14th, 1944. Photographer unknown.

Nose Art, the morale building paintings found on various aircraft, began appearing during the WW1 era. With so much depending on having a well-run, efficient aircraft, crews began to personalize them. Nose Art reached a golden age during WW2, when pin ups and popular culture icons (Bugs Bunny, Felix the cat, etc.) were widely used.

For more information on Nose Art, visit Save the Girls, Wikipedia, Through our Parents Eyes, and the 303rd Bomb Group.