New Milwaukee Police Website...

Ok...gotta be honest, this seems way too cool to be real, but this is apparently the new Milwaukee Police Dept. Website...and if that's the case...it's the first time I'll say this in a while. TAX MONEY WELL SPENT!
http://www.milwaukeepolicenews.com/#menu=home-page

Daniel Fleming for Plaid Tuba at the Third Ward Art Fair

Come check out the Third Ward Art fair tomorrow and Sunday and find me live painting at the Plaid Tuba/Reginald Baylor booth from at least 12-3 tomorrow, and probably longer! If I'm not painting at the booth, i'll be working at the Plaid Tuba studio, also open for viewing! So check out the link below for details, and hopefully I'll see you tomorrow.
http://amdurproductions.com/art-festivals/Third_Ward_Art_Festival.html#&slider1=4

Tate Buys "Modern Guernica"

The Tate has announced the purchase of a major work by Iraqi artist Dia Azzawi, a work that some have come to call the "modern Guernica". Check out the story here...
http://theartnewspaper.com/articles/The-Tate-buys-work-about-Sabra-and-Shatila-massacres/27162

And while the story isn't THAT interesting, it did introduce me to the artist, who I am surprised to say that I really like (i'm picky with my art). Check out more of his work here...
http://azzawiart.com/

Work From The Week

It's been a few days since I really had the time to put in some good work on a new piece with all the Tuba movin' and such...so I thought I'd take a second to look back on the weekend and a good collection of work from last week...

We Started Only Campfires But Still Burned The Forests Down.

With All These People Rushing To The Boats, We'll Sink Like  Stone When We Finally Get Them In The Water

Chicago, Illinois.

This is The First Day of My Life

Torn Garments

Chicago Teachers Vote to Strike, 400k Students Face Disruption.

The Chicago Teachers Union voted to strike starting September 6th unless they can come to an agreement with the school system, a decision that puts around 400k students in danger of class disruption. The teachers say they've done everything asked, but continue to be disrespected, while the school officials say that strike should never be an option if kids well-bring is at stake. Take a look.
http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/08/31/13584632-400000-students-face-disruption-after-chicago-teachers-vote-to-strike?lite

Mysterious Baltic Sea "Atlantis" Explained

Though the discovers don't seem ready to name the identity of the mysterious object that got Atlantis believers buzzing, experts seem pretty certain on how the object got to the sea floor and, unfortunately, it's not quite as interesting as we would hope. BUT, Atlantis disappointment aside, it's still an amazing symbol of the strange things our planet is capable of. Makes you wonder what other "mysteries" are just strange happenings of the planet. Take a look...
http://news.yahoo.com/mysterious-baltic-sea-object-glacial-deposit-154845865.html

And if people really don't believe the experts here...If you are of the frame of mind of many of the commenters on yahoo were and the thought "I just don't think nature can make something that complex" is enough to bring up conspiracies and make you confident to doubt real experts...just take a quick second, type "geometric fractals in nature" into google...and come back and make that claim again. Nature is capable of creating amazing patterns and geometry, and our inability to understand it should not cloud our ability to imagine it possible.

Gerald Walker - New Video Featuring Fleming Art!

Well this is a bit different than where my art usually is! Check out Gerald Walker's new video for Bulletproof Soul, featuring a few pieces in the background by me (Daniel Fleming) and directed by fellow MIAD graduate Xavier Ruffin. Pretty awesome stuff and I'm proud to have been involved!

Paul Ryan Lookin' Sad

The only good thing about the election so far is that I get to do caricatures...everything else about politics so far this year? not so much...

Can Babies Reduce London's Crime?

They've tried close-circuit television, Increased cop activity, and tougher sentencing, but crime doesn't seem to be decreasing in London. The next step? On to the alternative methods, such as babies, mozart, and fake mosquitos...
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-19398580

Your Brain On Prayer.

Ever wonder what's happening when a person is deep in prayer? Does it differ between religions? And what, scientifically, does it mean?
http://science.discovery.com/videos/through-the-wormhole-your-brain-on-prayer.html

I have always been of the belief that, no matter whether you believe in God, a god, or nothing, you can't deny its influence on our world. And that influence, whether it's based in reality or not, is very real itself. I love science and love learning...but I am also very interested in spirituality, though I haven't quite decided what that means for me personally. I don't think they are at odds...I think they interact and I think they can be harmonious...we are a very young species with a lot to learn. I don't think you should throw anything out when building your knowledge of the world.

Work the Lady Likes...

My better half gets first dibs on my art, for the most part...and even gave me her number (i know, I'm lame) after seeing one of my pieces...check out a few of the pieces that she liked enough to hang in her house...

Had to fight off a few others for this piece

This is the first "collaboration", thought up by her!

Apparently, this is the piece that she saw first before meeting me....

And this is the first piece i made at her house...or after we started dating...one of the two.

This is the oldest piece she has of mine. The orginal background orange was probably done over eight years ago...with the newer layers and subject you see know, added about three years back.

Antarctic Ice Sheet May Contribute TO Climate Change

Pretty much everyone is aware of the climate crisis we have going on...There's various discussions on its speed and danger, but pretty much everyone at this point agrees that something is happening. Another thing most people agree with is that the ice sheets are largely affected. Just last month we saw a huge surface ice melt of the Greenland ice sheet, the largest in 150 years and we have record lows of ocean ice. But could the ice sheets actually contribute to climate change as well?

New research suggests that the antarctic ice sheet may be trapping huge reservoirs of Methane, releasing it as they grow and retreat, and, possibly, causing an unstudied effect on our climate. Take a look.
http://news.ucsc.edu/2012/08/antarctic-methane.html

Leonardo Sculpture Revealed?!

This is random and awesome if it's real.  The only known 3D work by Leonardo da Vinci was recently unveiled in California for the first time ever. It has apparenlty been in private hands for about 500 years, so the public's never seen it. I FEEL LIKE THIS IS A HUGE DEAL!
http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/sideshow/exclusive-500-old-leonardo-da-vinci-sculpture-horse-201456519.html

It Ain't Much....

...but it still counts. First post from Plaid Tuba!

Daniel Fleming on The Shepherd Express Cover

Check out a few of my pieces gracing this weeks "Fall Arts" Cover...

The perks of designing covers for the paper come in handy every so often...

Worst States for Childcare Affordability

Check out the rundown of the states with the worst/best childcare affordability.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/29/day-care-cost_n_1834650.html?1346271012&ncid=edlinkusaolp00000009&utm_hp_ref=fb&src=sp&comm_ref=false#slide=1442704

Wisconsin is number 11 which may seem really bad...and I would agree. That's nothing to be proud of. Before you go blaming it all on any political mess in the state, though, realize the following as well...I was surprised to see that Minnesota was #2, Illinois #8, Indiana #10, and Michigan is #12. So in terms of the area, we are actually the 2nd best out of the four states around us....I wonder if the climate has anything to do with this group of states being so high up on the bad end of the list or if the midwest just has over-expensive childcare....

Preparing the Move...

So, in case you didn't know, I got accepted into Plaid Tuba recently (yay) and am more than excited to start the move. I got a few canvases over there yesterday, but I thought it'd be kinda fun to see all of what "moving into a studio" entails. I haven't really gotten things packed yet, but here's the glorious plethora of art stuff I get to rifle through and choose from...

Only about 40 canvases from 12x12 to 7 feet long

Only a drafting table covered in a foot of supplies and work

O, don't worry, there's another secret pile just to the left of this one.

The main attraction

But wait, there's a few boxes UNDER the table!

Don't forget about the 60 rolled up piece on loose canvas

Or the random assortment of work in the trunk of the car...

This should be fun...

Bayview Gallery Night

So I'll be taking part in my first ever Bayview Gallery Night next month at Front Room Photography and am pretty excited about the possibilities. I have a fifty foot long, 15 foot tall wall of cream city brick for whatever I decide to hang. That's a lot of Daniel Fleming work...and, if I can say so, It's gonna be pretty kick ass.

BUT DON'T STOP THERE! I encourage you to come and take a look at my stuff and stay as long as you'd like, but there are MANY more great artists showing in the area as well...check out the link to see  the great artists and locations they'll be showing. See you in a month!
http://www.bayviewgallerynight.com/

Francis Bacon Influenced By Nazi Propaganda, Claims Author

In a new book Francis Bacon and Nazi Propaganda professor Martin Hammer claims that artist Francis Bacon was influenced greatly by the images of Nazi propaganda circulated during WWII, and that his art, up until the 60s, greatly reflected a "horrified fascination" with the Nazi regime. Take a look...
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/art/art-news/9505772/Francis-Bacon-inspired-by-Nazi-propaganda.html

Archeology Reveals Holocaust Secrets

Nearing the end of the war, the Nazi's went through great effort to hide many of the atrocities carried out at their direction. Still today, many secrets lay hidden across Europe. But one archeologist has taken his tools to one of the Nazi's most secretive places of death, Sobibor, to reveal the unknown and shed light on forgotten, or hidden, pieces of our past. Take a look...
http://io9.com/5938609/archaeological-dig-at-concentration-camp-reveals-what-the-nazis-tried-to-hide

Bill Nye Asks Creationists To Stop.

Bill Nye is getting some buzz for making a very public and very "in-your-face" challenge to creationists. In a recently recorded youtube video, Nye tells creationists that for them to believe what they do is fine, but to teach it to your kids is not. "We need scientifically literate taxpayers and voters for the future" he says...take a look.
http://todayentertainment.today.com/_news/2012/08/28/13510591-bill-nye-the-science-guy-asks-parents-not-to-raise-creationist-kids?lite

We Started Only Campfires, But They Still Burned Down The Forests

This piece started as a palette and a way to clean off a brush without grabbing more paper towel and quickly built up to become one of my recent favorites...Small things can get big really fast...

With All These People Rushing To The Boats, We'll Sink Like a Stone When We Finally Hit The Water

Finished with detail shots.
With All These People Rushing To The Boats, We'll Sink Like a Stone When We Finally Hit The Water. 
30x30"
acrylic, pastel, collage on canvas

Torn Garments.

I new piece embracing the mistake, the throw away, and the scraps strewn about the studio. I set out to make a print on two connected pieces of watercolor paper. I glued the paper together, mounted it on a canvas, then began the printing. It didn't work out as well as I hoped as the paper began to tear as it dried and the image just wasn't doing it for me as a bold visual (the background black of the image is the print). I cut the paper from the canvas and laid it on the ground, thinking I'd completely cover what I had done...but I was surprised. The loose pieces of paper still attached to the stretchers formed a frame of sorts...the uneven edges, staples, rips and bends all added to the paper that laid within it's constraints. It created a depth and barrier that informed the paper behind it...and gave the material new life. After a little bit of work, Torn Garments emerged.

Muscle Music.

I'm not quite sure what to say about this...but I suppose that's Old Spice for you.
http://vimeo.com/47875656

This Is The First Day Of My Life.

I can't really say that this is the resulting piece from my live painting event, as what was on the canvas at the end of that differs dramatically from this, but the main elements were started there. And those main elements that remain....(Drumroll please) are the two white arcs that nearly meet in the off-center of the piece. That's right. I worked for two hours, painted almost an entire piece...only to paint almost completely over it about an hour later.

And while some might look at that and wonder if it's a waste...if it's depressing or disappointing...but really it's not. Sometimes it's a struggle working through a piece, especially when you don't have a clear goal...but it's a struggle of the mind, working things out, thinking, receiving jolts of excitement and melancholy, trying out ideas and realizing visualization. It's a struggle, but it's a struggle in the same way as a long hiking trip. The struggle is part of the adventure, and without it, you miss something.

While only a little bit of the original piece shows through, the ending piece would never have happened without the previous two hours of investigation.

The finished piece is a sort of love story. Two "swans" meeting, the title inspired by a "love at first sight" song...

What started as a purple city turned into a beautiful representation of love...and I don't know if I would have gotten there any other way

Fresco 'Restoration' Fiasco Underscores Dangers of Restoration.

While no one disagrees that the restorer in question in the recent restoration fiasco lacked the credentials or ability needed for such a job, the result does underscore the difficulties and negative possibilities of restoration. Pointing to a few famous examples (from more reputable restorers in these circumstances), this author takes a look at the restoration business and sees this most recent tragedy, while a bit different circumstance, as just another example of the dangers of restoration...
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/art/9498877/Restoration-tragedies.html

and I went ahead and got the two examples he says to compare...restored version first...

What Did Samsung Copy & What Does It Mean?

As most people have probably seen, Apple was awarded over a billion dollars from Samsung for their violations of Apple patents on smartphones. But what exactly did Samsung copy and what does it mean for the future of non-iphone phones?
http://www.design-laorosa.com/2012/08/apple-wins-legal-battle-what-exactly.html

Chicago.

As this is nearing completion, the city's getting more vibrant, more energetic, and really starting to come alive. There's still a bit of work to do on a few of the buildings and maybe with the crowd, but we're getting close...Take a look and enjoy Chicago.

How Do Dirty Athletes Test Clean When Everyone's Watching

With news of Lance Armstrong ending his fight against doping allegations, a firestorm grew beyond what the evidence said (or didn't say). He passed over 500 drugs tests...he never got caught...he was the most watched athlete ever...How could someone like Lance Armstrong, cried apologists, pass all those tests if he was really doping?

And really...it's a good question. I don't immediately question rulings like this, being that the downside for cycling here is so great, but after thinking about it, how does the USADA explain 500 passed tests from, who they determined to be, a cheater? Does the "innocent until proven guilty" mantra still hold or has "the spirit of the game" become so tested that getting drugs out is something accomplished by all means necessary?
http://www.wired.com/playbook/2012/08/lance-armstrong-doping-allegations/

Neil Armstrong and His Greatest (Mis)Quote

In light of the recent passing of one of the most famous people in American history, I thought  a great way to honor him would be to get one big mistake out of the way...his famous quote.
Take a look at how one of the most famous quotes in history is wrong...
http://www.lifeslittlemysteries.com/2823-one-small-step-neil-armstrong-misquoted.html

A Piece of Paper

I thought the natural fold and unintentional placement of this paper was very nice...No one else walks around, sees an object on the ground and stops to think about the simple beauty? I suppose I'm a little weird, huh?

Do you  like the close up or the farther out?

Support Free Speech, Let "The Bible" RUN!

A theater production called "The Bible" is threatened to shut down based on its content. We need the support of the people to make sure that artistic expression and free speech aren't suppressed because a group of people who won't even see the play think it's offensive.

Just so you know, the play has been put on countless times around the nation without problems, till a local DJ decided it was his mission to derail the Milwaukee area version. Check out the background story here...

http://thirdcoastdigest.com/2012/08/radio-bullies-push-around-theater-geeks-in-the-burbs/

and sign the petition here...

http://www.change.org/petitions/wisconsin-department-of-natural-resources-reinstate-the-permit-for-production-of-the-bible?utm_campaign=action_box&utm_medium=twitter&utm_source=share_petition

here are my brief thoughts and the message I sent to the petition gatherers

I appreciate the concerns of the religious and, being that I attended 16 years of catholic school, understand the offense taken. HOWEVER, separation of church and state is unfathomably important and a show like this has absolutely no legal reason for being barred from production. The religious have the right to protest, the company has the right to put on the play, and everyone has the right to decide whether or not to attend.

LIVE Tonight At City Hall

Making my second live painting appearance at City Hall tonight for an MPS event. I am not sure if it's open to the public, but go ahead and click this link for more info.
http://city.milwaukee.gov/calendar

And check out what I did last time, a nice piece based on the actual building of City Hall.

US Court Strikes Down Graphic Cigarette Labels.

A US appeals court has struck down the requirement of cigarette packages to contain graphic photos of resulting health problems on their labels. A previous court has upheld the ruling, but that was based around the actual images being required, while this decision was based on the question of how much power the FDA has to regulate packaging. The EU and Australia already require the images, and anti-smoking groups say this is essential to cutting down the amount of youth who begin smoking, while opponents say the FDA has no evidence that proves the pictures actually affect who picks up a pack. Take a look...

http://news.yahoo.com/u-appeals-court-strikes-down-graphic-warnings-cigarettes-143115059--sector.html

Seattle Investing in Art Jobs

Check out this initiative aimed to help create some jobs that will, in turn, help artistic institutions become more financially viable.
http://theartnewspaper.com/articles/Seattle’s-lifeline-for-non-profit-arts-jobs/27027

I think it's a great move. As much as simply giving money to museums and such would help, as much as just handing money to artists would help their specific problems, it's not practical to do that for extended periods of time and it does nothing to ensure the future stability of these institutions. Use the money to create positions dedicated to creating a self-sustaining strategy...that's when the arts will really thrive.

"Ruined Fresco" Artist Says Priest Knew

I don't know if this makes it better or worse, but the woman responsible for destroying an old painting of Jesus through a misguided restoration effort says that the priest, and "anyone who entered the church" could see that she was painting...
http://todayentertainment.today.com/_news/2012/08/23/13436756-woman-who-ruined-spanish-artwork-says-priest-knew-she-was-painting-on-it?lite

British Diesel SuperCar Said to Get 69 Miles Per Gallon.

After many failed attempts to break the "Trident" brand into the sports car market, British engineers finally think they are ready to release a product...and it's pretty impressive if it's actually as good as they say. Expected to go 200mph with a return of 69 miles per gallon, the car seems like it'll be a great addition to the market, though doubts linger as the car remains pretty secretive. Take a look.
http://autos.yahoo.com/blogs/motoramic/diesel-powered-british-supercar-trident-icini-promises-200-200130777.html

Daniel Fleming at Front Room Photography!

Coming up next month for Bayview Gallery Night, Daniel Fleming (me) will have his first show in Bayview at the Front Room Photography space next to Honeypie! That's right, a prime space with a huge wall, and PIE right around the corner! Get ready for 50 feet of new and recent work.

Go here to get info on the whole night and what's around the area to see, but make sure to mark it on your calendar.
http://www.bayviewgallerynight.com/