Sold! Summer Gallery Night Recap

Gallery Night started out a little less than swell. After enjoying a few beers with some co-workers, I realized I forgot my backpack, the one bag I actually needed, with all my art supplies. So I went back home...no backpack to be found. Amazingly, I had set the thing next to my car in the early morning before work...and well...left it there...all day. I sprinted over to the place my car was parked and, amazingly, there sat my bag...soaking wet, full of $100+ art supplies, on the edge of the curb. Thanks people of Milwaukee for not being dickish.

Anyway, once that fiasco got figured out, I finally got to working on the painting and got some small work all set up. I ended up selling the following two pieces, along with two small prints...

And then managed to get a few cool pieces made over the rest of the weekend. Take a look!

Packers Top First AP Pro32 Ranking

In the AP's new pro version of the college ranking system, the packers have found the top spot for this upcoming season, as if we needed another poll. Either way, I'd rather be #1 on a meaningless poll than anything else... Take a look!
http://host.madison.com/sports/football/professional/packers-top-first-ap-pro-rankings/article_c6742d96-db24-11e1-b85e-0019bb2963f4.html

We Struck a Deal With The Sun. Evolution of Art.

A piece from yesterday, inspired by the piece from Saturday.

I am attracted to the larger linework and larger objects in these two pieces, kicked off by the piece on Saturday at Splash. They just have a different impact. Giving a bit more character to each object and also a bit of power and weight. Before, while I still liked them, the objects floated and drifted around. They were unaware contributors to the pieces...blindly going about their own activities. With these, it's like the pieces know they are center stage. They bump, push, vie for attention, force their way to the front, and stand tall. It's the evolution of these objects over the last few months into an object finally strong enough to stand solo in the spotlight.

Chewbacca Head Sells At Auction

A screen-used Chewbacca head sold for nearly 200k at auction recentlly, called one of the best in private hands. Take a look.
http://entertainment.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/07/30/13031024-chewbacca-headpiece-sells-for-172k-at-star-wars-prop-auction?lite

The guys at "Profiles in History" also have an interesting reality show available on Netflix.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1759136/

Polygons Proof Of Ancient Martian Oceans?

New research into naturally occurring patterning and its possible relation to the existence of water may reveal new evidence of ancient oceans on Mars. Take a look.
http://www.geosociety.org/news/pr/12-58.htm

The Extra-Dimension Pendulum

Take a look at this odd experiment, testing if we have extra dimensions hidden within our own...
http://discovermagazine.com/2012/jul-aug/06-tools-of-trade-pendulum-detects-extra-dimensions

Olympians Revolt Against Social Media/Sponsor Bans.

A rule barring Olympic competitors from using social media to promote sponsors has athletes fuming and revolting against the IOC, even as threats of disqualification's loom. Take a look.
http://sports.yahoo.com/news/olympics--u-s--leads-revolt-against-ioc-ban-against-social-media-use-to-promote-sponsors.html

Basically, this is just ridiculous. In hopes of keeping the "amateurism" of the games, they ban sponsorship. Yet at the same time, I've seen 40+ ads for McDonalds and Visa since the games began the other day...and I'm watching online. Furthermore, these sponsors are the reason the athletes make any money that they do. They don't have a 40 million$ contract like some NFL players...They don't get a huge check from winning events...they make their living through sponsors so that they are eligible to compete in the Olympics, and then the IOC bans them from actually promoting their sponsors, yet shamelessly shove their sponsors down our throats...For once, I'm actually saying we need MORE social media so that this gets changed and that the IOC sees how wrong they are here...

Artbook. Summer Minimalist Edition

Check out the Summer Minimalist edition of Artbook. Available now!
http://issuu.com/artbookmke/docs/artbooksummerspecial

My Milwaukee Home.

Got a chance to meet the MilwaukeeHome crew and painted a couple shirts....here's the one I got to keep and maybe we'll be collaborating a bit in the future!

Got a shirt you want painted or want a painted shirt? Shoot me an email or message and we'll figure something out!

One of Two In An Indeterminate Series

One of Two In An Indeterminate Series

A new piece from the live painting session saturday night, night #2 of gallery night, at splash studio inspired by the theory of parallel universes.

Thieving the Fields

Thieving the Fields

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Universal Elegance. The Time-lapse

Check out the new time-lapse video of my recent piece "Universal Elegance", with music from M83. Enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vmaQ3c1YlN4&feature=youtu.be

The Fire Died Down On Its Own

The Fire Died Down On Its Own after we had gone to bed and the smoke hung thick in the hazy summer night. We fell asleep to the gentle sway of the tents in the breeze, burying the sunset with the coming darkness.

Franz West 1947-2012

Franz West, influential Austrian sculptor, died Friday after a long battle with an illness. Known for his challenges to art as the autonomous object, West created everything from collages to furniture to large, interactive public work. Rest in peace.
http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/07/26/franz-west-celebrated-austrian-artist-dies-at-65/

That Greenland Ice Sheet Graphic.

So...before you lose your mind over this, thinking that Greenland melted...let's look at what REALLY happened.

The graphic is correct that 97% of the SURFACE ice melted...but that's a very small percentage in comparison to the entire ice sheet. The sheet can be 2 miles thick in some areas with yearly melt forming vast lakes in weeks. So no, most of Greenland did NOT melt in July...just most of the surface ice.

Also, realize that, while this has never been recorded in the 30 years of satellite imaging, it has been determined that this type of mass melt happens about once every 150 years, and this year's melt was right on schedule.

Interested in even more than those two tidbits which greatly affect the reading of this graphic, take a look at this article...
http://apps.facebook.com/theguardian/commentisfree/2012/jul/27/greenland-ice-sheet-melt

Basic idea is that, yes, a massive melt happened in a four day period larger than any recorded in the last 30 years. HOWEVER, the entire sheet did NOT melt, not even CLOSE to "most" of Greenland melted, and it was a predictable event given research data. Still be better to the Earth, but don't go around telling people that Greenland is now actually green.

Once Again, Your Kid Couldn't Do That. The Josef Albers Edition

In another installment of "Your Kid Couldn't Do That" ,what seems to be a never ending debate for contemporary artists, we see an exhibit which seems to lay out exactly this fact. Check out this exhibit which tackles one of art history's artists who, next to Pollock, maybe heard that questioning line more than anyone, Josef Albers, famous for his "Homage to the Square" paintings.

Walk through the history of his investigations, experiments, successes and failures, all combining to show that the work is anything but arbitrary and simple...and proving, once again, that no, you're kid couldn't do that.
Harmony, Harder Than It Looks

Remember Your Community This Gallery Night

While Gallery Night is dedicated to spreading art around the city, bringing new and interesting work to the community, and engaging those that may not see art everyday in it, it's also a great opportunity for the Milwaukee community to support itself and those working within it.

While you peruse the galleries, look at all the great work, and meet the wonderful artists, don't forget about all the people who lost near everything in the fire last week.

Keep an  eye out for these signs on your gallery night path and donate when you can. All proceeds benefit the one's who need it. And also mark August 4th on your calendar for the "FIRE! FIRE!" auction benefit and show, next Saturday at Sweet Water Organics.

Gallery Night & Day & Night

Got a full weekend of art ahead of me and spent last night getting things a little bit fancier than usual. Friday I'll be live painting down at Catalano Square. I have a bunch of work on paper available for sale for prices from 5-20$, along with a few smaller works on canvas that are anywhere from 20-200$. The paper ranges from stuff I've done over the last few weeks to ink drawings from 2010, encompassing a wide variety of different subjects, aesthetics and media. I have a big ol' canvas that I'll be making and painting over the four hours, about 40x50", that has yet to really be determined...the process is 90% of the fun!

Saturday I'll be painting live, once again, but this time just a block away at Splash Studio. We'll have a few other artists working in the space as well, and have drinks and music to help you pass the time. So anyways, I'll leave you with a few prep photos and hope to see you out and about on what should be a fantastic Gallery Night & day...and night.

A throwback illustration, and a month old landscape...

Amazon Founder Donates $2.5M To Support Gay Marraige

Facing a repeal through a referendum from opponents, the gay marriage law in Washington received a big boost when Amazon Founder, Jeff Bezos, donated 2.5 million to the cause, becoming one of the biggest contributors to marriage equality in the country. Take a look...
http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/ticket/amazon-founder-bezos-donates-2-5-million-gay-132350086.html

The Silver Lining to Extreme Drought

It might be hard to argue to the thousands of farmers who have lost crop after crop...or the millions of people who suffered through electricity starved scorchers...or to the many who have seen their energy bills skyrocket, but there really is a silver lining to the extreme drought we've seen spread across the country this season...near record low numbers of tornados, sparing hundreds of lives and saving millions. Take a look at the forgotten benefit of a dry summer, and next time your wiping sweat off your brow while you sit in front of four high-powered fans, at least be thankful you aren't running for cover.
http://www.climatecentral.org/news/the-upside-to-the-drought-fewer-tornadoes/

Monster White Sturgeon Caught. Largest Ever?

On a river famous for large sturgeon, you've really gotta catch a whopper to get any attention. Well how about a 12 foot, 1000 pound giant? The catch may be the biggest freshwater rod and reel catch in the history of North America and the fish, which was released back into the river, may be in excess of 100 years old. Take a look.
http://www.grindtv.com/outdoor/blog/34277/monster+white+sturgeon+weighing+1100+pounds+caught+in+canada/

More Wood For Their Fires. A Blast From The Past

That was a good one...I think i gained a lot of fans after making this piece...there's just something about it that people like, which really surprises me. I like it, but usually pieces that are mostly abstract aren't as appealing to such a large group...at least that's been the case with a lot of my work.

I started with the idea of "The Golden Tree" and over four hours, came out with this, one of the first pieces to use paint and pastel interchangeably.

Two New Shops.

Maybe, instead of massive, expensive and hugely time consuming murals (while totally awesome and call me if you have a wall you want did)  we could focus on small public work such as.........i dunno...color-fying the plethora of cement and beige we have all over the city?

In The Studio.

A few quick pictures bring you into the artist's studio (or house in this case)...

This pile of paintings is about 6-8 feet wide and 2-3 feet thick...providing a never ending rotation of work for my walls.

Our Fathers Sitting in the kitchen

half intention, half accidental

Six Weird Tricks of the Earth's Atmosphere

Ever looked to the sky and see something you couldn't explain? From aliens to meteors, plenty of objects effect our skies daily...hourly...minutely...secondly. But what happens when the atmosphere of the Earth, confusing, chaotic and complicated, works in ways you'd never expect? Check out this list of 6 weird tricks of our atmosphere...
http://discovermagazine.com/2012/extreme-earth/06-wild-tricks-earths-complicated-atmosphere/article_view?b_start:int=0&-C=

Does All Modern Music Really Sound The Same?

We've all heard it (I've even said it a few times and I'm only 20 something) and we've all rolled our eyes, and walked away from our parents, swearing we'll never be like them. Even South Park dedicated two episodes to the concept...and what better measuring stick of pop culture is there in today's world.

But is it really true? Is there any truth to the old, and annoying, saying? Was music really better back in the day?
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/9430338/Modern-music-really-does-sound-the-same.html

Scientists Find Antarctic Grand Canyon

Using radar to measure subglacial topography, scientists uncovered something rather unexpected...and rather large. A Grand Canyon sized rift lying 1KM below the icy surface. Take a look.
http://news.yahoo.com/scientists-grand-canyon-sized-rift-under-antarctic-ice-002206089.html

Our Fathers. Front and Back

 

I think, as this was more of a mock-up, the front and back need to be more cohesive, more "message-sending" than this piece. I think figuring out a system to covering the fronts and backs would be essential to the understanding of the piece, and also helping to evoke the sense of "being" that I would like these sculptures to have. I find this one a little more painting than sculpture so far...and I dont particularly want the imagery to become steps and leaps more important than the total figure, and thus toning down the "painterly-ness" might be a good idea.

The body needs to be a "body" and evoke the sense of solidity...maybe a more robust structure...a more solid coat of imagery and color. I need to add a head and a base, which should have a positive affect on the overall human-ness of it.

Anyway. I've enjoyed seeing it come together...and it's amazing how your ideas get focused as you begin to see things materialize. The piece may not be 100% what I want quite yet...but I feel comfortable saying that it's on it's way, and while it might not be quite what i was hoping for with this project, it still turned out looking pretty darn nice.

Three Theories on Amelia Earhart.

As we come to the 115th birthday of Amelia Earhart, some say we are closing in, some say we've already found her, and some conclude that we still just don't know. Check up on the latest expedition to find evidence of the aviator and read the three main theories on what happened to the world's most famous missing pilot.
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2012/07/120724-amelia-earhart-google-doodle-fred-noonan-115th-nation-science/