The 21st Century Canvas

Walt Taylor

Recently I was reading randomly and came across this article on a fairly new trend in art: the iPad app Brushes. The same day, I was looking at one of my favorite local artists', Walt Taylor's blog, and he, too, had made a nice attempt in this new medium (above). I decided to peek further into the interwebs to see what people are coming up with and it turned out to be pretty cool. 

I love the idea of having a portable canvas anywhere. I love the idea of a new type of street art--the way caricaturists currently approach you in Central Park or Busch Gardens or whatever--what if they did a "painting" with "brushes" of you instead and you got it emailed to you for your Facebook or blog or whatever? Old school meets new! The possibilities for digital art and for pop art are endless.

Jim Lee

Comic book artist Jim Lee uses his iPad to depict my most favorite villain of them all.

David Kassan

NYC artist David Kassan uses his iPad to depict all sorts of images, including random strangers in the park.

Here are a few more I liked:

Pops Harlow

Nicole Maynard-Sahar

David F. Kyte

Legends Start Local

It should surprise no one that I'm most passionate about music and supporting our local scene. I'm very lucky to have the opportunity to put together The Rise Up!, a local music showcase December 4 at The Attucks Theater. I'll be writing more about it soon.

Below are six designs representing why shows like this (and support for them) is important. A world without The Beatles, Jeff Buckley, Bob Dylan is not a world I would want to reside in. I hope I get to do more and more of this kind of show, and hope more and more of you annonymous folks out there on the interwebs dig it. Even if you can't go, you can listen.

One day people may say they can't imagine a world without Phillip Roebuck or 1888 or K. Scott. I'll be proud to have been a small speck in that statement.

Observations of a Gringo

Various areas.

Costa Rica, C.A.

2010

All pics by yours truly, jESiO

Playground.

 

Closed

Taxi.

Crossing Guard

Writing.

Coca Cola Coco

Beach Bracelets

Tin Roof Rusted.

The Jesse of Quepos.

Chanel No. 5

Starbus.

Row Away.

As Free As.

Vamos a la Playa.

Greens.

Busy

Busy doing birthday things... Blogs shall resume in a few days. xoxo.

Appal Day App

When a weekend starts with free mason jars and friends a quarter-score unseen

One smiles

One doesn’t mind the cold as much

When it continues darkly and crowded as if waving on a lit up parade float 

One smiles

One doesn’t mind the cold as much

When it brings rest and clear water and eggs. Talks of macrame and busking.

One smiles

One doesn’t mind the cold as much

Mine and Yours

I've been a busy busy bee.  I planned a party or three. 

pic: Anne-K

Pic: Sam Shinault

Pic: Rob Soscia

Some pics of some of the parties are here. Sorry for the link-da-link you're about to encounter. Peace.

Hunter Gatherer

He wrote this at age 17.

Awake from your slumber of indolence and harken the call of the future! 

Do you realize that you are rapidly becoming a doomed generation? Do you realize that the fate of the world and of generations to come rests on your shoulders? Do you realize that at any time you may be called on to protect your country and the freedom of the world from the creeping scourge of Terrorism? How can you possibly laugh in the face of the disasters which face us from all sides? Oh ignorant youth, the world is not a joyous place. The time has come for you to dispense with the frivolous pleasures of childhood and get down to honest toil until you are sixty-five. Then and only then can you relax and collect your social security and live happily until the time of your death. 

Also, your insolent attitude disturbs me greatly. You have the nerve to say that you have never known what it is like to live in a secure and peaceful world; you say that the present generation has balled things up to the extent that we now face a war so terrible that the very thought of it makes hardened veterans shudder; you say that it is impossible to lay any plans for the future until you are sure you have a future. I say Nonsense! None of these things matter. If you expect a future you must carve it out in the face of these things. You also say that you must wait until after you have served your time with the service to settle down. Ridiculous! It is a man's duty to pull up stakes and serve his country at any time, then settle down again. 

I say there is no excuse for a feeling of insecurity on you part; there is no excuse for Juvenile Delinquency; there is no excuse for your attitude except that you are rotten and lazy! I was never like that! I worked hard; I saved; I didn't run around and stay out late at night; I carved out my own future through hard work and virtuous living, and look at me now; a respectable and successful man. 

I warn you, if you don't start now it will be too late, and the blame for the end of the world will be laid at your feet. Heed my warning, oh depraved and profligate youth; I say awake, awake, awake! 

Fearfully and disgustedly yours, 

John J. Righteous-Hypocrite

"Open Letter to the Youth of our Nation"
by Hunter S. Thompson, 1955  

Duets

Yesterday the Interwebs provided me a sweet little treat. Ryan Adams rehearsing "Sweet Carolina" with his wifey on backup vocals. I hope to see him live again in 2011.

ArtFunction

Thom White

What you see above is going to be one of several bike racks going up in Norfolk over the next few months. The one above is my favorite and was designed by Thom White, whom I run into at random places like the smoking pit at the Norva or Washington DC field trips.

Anway, these are the kind of thing that further our little city into what we all really want it to be. It's functional. It's fun. you can't go wrong with something like this. It promotes healthy activity and hopefully reduces some traffic. And...it's art.  Architecture in general is art, of course. But this is the kind of art I'm most attracted to--the stuff that's just a little off.

Here's AltDaily's story.

Here's the Pilot's.

No Wave Remembered

pic: consequenceofsound.com

One more reason I miss NYC: The Issue Project Room and their upcoming discussion on No Wave and the convergence of art, music, and cinema in NYC in the late 70s-early 80s. Thurston Moore will speak. Ut will play. Rome '78 will screen. I wish I had some ruby slippers that got me to these kinds of galleries on a whim. Go Brooklyn. Good job.

I've long felt this period in art history (especially for NYC) has been overlooked. It keeps elements of the popart movement before it, but reacts in bolder yet dingier tones to the blight affecting downtown during these times. I recently talked in more detail regarding this very important era via a review on the Jean-Michel Basquiat documentary Radiant Child. You can read it here. Basquiat, Haring, Sonic Youth, Robert Mapplethorpe, these are but a few bright lights from that period. With so many artists of the time lost to drugs or AIDS, it's important to recognize The Issue's big brains and thank them for bringing some people who still remain from this lost era of culture back to New York to show us why and how it was groundbreaking.

20th Year Reunion

Twenty years after Butch Vig produced Nirvana's epic Nevermind album, drummer Dave Grohl has revealed to NME that he is reuniting with Vig (and...KRIST NOVOSELIC!!!) for the next Foo Fighters album.

Breathe. Breathe. Wooo! My heart rate actually went up upon reading this news. Grohl also called the album the Foo's "heaviest yet," which gets me insanely excited. If this is anything like early Nirvana or Scream (Grohl's DC Punk band from the late 80s), it's gonna be psycho.

And the winner is...

Carrie!!!

I had so much fun writing up a new Halloween costume each month. It really kept the creative juices flowing and I wasn't stuck on Oct 27th freaking out when all the thrift stores were out of what I needed, etc.

Carrie was my January pick, waaay before I had anything to do with creating the Zombie Prom Taphouse party last Friday night (pics, etc coming soon!!! It was a-maz-ing). When I realized this would be my big deal party of the year, and it was prom-themed, Carrie was the obvious answer.

I still love a few other outfits and will keep them in mind for future Halloweens (and hopefully, many many intra-year costume parties).