Hits and Misses of the Paris Auto Show

Check out the good and the bad from the Paris Auto show...
http://autos.yahoo.com/blogs/motoramic/best-worst-paris-motor-show-191547217.html

"T" is for "Tribute", Or Something Like That.

This piece is all about intent, reality, and the interaction between the two. I may simplify the image a bit still, but it's close...

The idea here is to present a symbol that could be interpreted a number of ways depending on the person viewing it. To me, it's a tribute to Cy Twombly. To others, it may resemble religious iconography. To some it may look abstract...to others it may be a letter which could stand for anything..to others it might look like crap. I suppose the point is that it means whatever the viewer applies to it. Gaining importance in some instances, losing all meaning in others, creating a narrative for some and, maybe, even understanding what my original thought was.

Intent only matters if it works...if not, the image becomes any number of things, great or small. Empowering to the viewer while exciting, focusing, and somewhat troublesome for the artist. Nothing to fear...but nothing to forget about as well...

Some Thursday Night Tubing and a Weekend of Art

With an opening for me, Daniel Fleming, tonight at Front Room Photography
http://www.facebook.com/events/408795692518043/

An opening last night featuring Melissa Dorn Richards, Pamela Anderson, and artist Ari Rosenthal at Next Act Theatre, and Bay View Gallery Night kicking off with over 70 local artists showing work...
http://www.facebook.com/BayViewGalleryNight

There's simply no reason to not get your fill of art this weekend! See you out there!

Take a look at a couple photos from the opening last night at Next Act, a great space to show and some great new work from fellow Plaid Tubists Pamela Anderson and Melissa Dorn Richards and artist Ari Rosenthal.

Martian Rover Driving on Ancient River Bed?

Analysis of of rocks on Mars has convinced scientists that the Mars rover is currently driving across an ancient dried up riverbed, encouraging the idea that Mars once could have harbored life. Take a look...
http://cosmiclog.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/09/27/14126504-martian-rocks-reveal-that-rover-is-driving-through-dried-up-stream-bed?lite

The 7 Biggest Body Mysteries.

Check out this list of the seven biggest body mysteries...a fun look inside the wondrous and confusing machine that is the human body...
http://www.lifeslittlemysteries.com/2712-biggest-mysteries-human-body.html

Far From My Mothers Home. The Soldier and The General.

Both pieces: 48x60". acrylic and pastel on canvas

These are two main attractions of my new show and both are part of the same series "Far From My Mother's Home." The idea was to do portraits of people at war. The first is a soldier...the second, a general. Both are blurred, abstracted and torn apart by what they've experienced and what they've had to do, but as the title says, it was far from their mother's home...or far from who they really are or what they are used to.

I get tired of hearing so much negativity toward certain groups of people just because they happen to be involved or their job dictate their actions. We all do it to meter maids, cops, and cashiers all the time...but I really doubt too many of those people to go their jobs and say "I'm gonna screw with people and ruin days."

It might happen, but I don't think most have a personal desire to do it.

Carried into the more serious realm, war, many of the people involved, I think, are much like you or me; They would rather not be there...they don't personally hate the people they are fighting...they don't wake up with the desire to kill. I know there are exceptions and many of them, I just don't think it's fair to apply those exceptions to everyone.

The main point here is to present these people as they really are to us...anonymous people who happen to get a stereotype applied to them because of their involvement with war. We have no idea who they are personally, we have no idea what each of them believes, we have no reason to assume they enjoy the atrocities that are happening...but we group them into our "hate" of war and violence and they lose their humanity.  I'd like to call attention to that and to express the idea that we really have no concept of who these people are or what they are going through. We have no reason to hate them, just what they are involved with...when they return to their homes, they are just like you or I.

Both pieces can be seen at Daniel's new show "We Are Giants." Opening tomorrow...
http://marionart23.blogspot.com/2012/09/far-from-my-mothers-home-soldier-and.html?spref=fb

NOTE: This does NOT apply to people who perform horrendous atrocities during war...just the people who are hated because they are associated to those atrocities through their connection with the military.

More Photos from Front Room....

And just a few more previews to get you all excited for the show tomorrow.

And that's my favorite piece there on the far right, "Ladder: No Standing Above This Rung" by some guy named "Home Depot Sale." It definitely steals the show.

Wade Guyton's Computer "Painting"

Check out this article on artist Wade Guyton's mid-career show at the Whitney.
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/30/arts/design/wade-guytons-computer-made-works-at-the-whitney.html?pagewanted=1&ref=design

Interesting article, but  I find a common problem with this work and much of what I am not a big fan of today...either, as is the case here, the concept is entirely more interesting than the finished product...or the finished product is simply "there" with no real meaning or purpose.

Not to say my opinion is correct or that Guyton's work isn't impressive, just from the view I have, I find the idea behind WHY he does these works 100% more interesting and engaging than the actual finished work...almost like you could take any work he's made with this concept and get the same effect as the next one...and the next one...and the next one...

I guess I would just, personally,  like a more even product. I don't want to look at a piece and wish I had a statement to read just as much as I don't want to read a statement and be disappointed in what resulted. I think I'd like it somewhere in the middle...or at best having both equally engaging at the highest level.

I'm sure the experience totally changes seeing it at full scale, enveloping your entire body...but I still think I'd have more interest in reading about the piece than looking straight at it.

Can Psychedelics Help?

Though the majority of America thinks of psychedelics and pictures 60s rock, stoned hippies and technicolor hallucinations, some physicians still think the drugs could help those with anxiety and depression...take a look...
http://blog.lifemattersmedia.org/?p=690

We Are Giants. The Setup.

Finally got all the work hung yesterday with tags and everything...and though there's still a little bit of work to get done, I think it's looking pretty darn good. Take a quick sneak peek with photos below and make sure to come to the one-night show tomorrow, starting at 6:30!
http://www.facebook.com/events/408795692518043/

New Element Discovered

A team of scientists from Japan have released the most telling evidence yet of an elusive element, what would be #113 on the periodic table. The element has long been sought after but hard to prove because of its highly unstable nature. Take a look.
http://www.popsci.com/science/article/2012-09/japanese-team-claims-discovery-elusive-element-113-and-may-get-name-it

NFL Brings Back Refs...

Well Hooray.
http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/blog/eye-on-football/20380815/deal-between-nfl-officials-is-imminent-would-allow-refs-to-work-thursday-night

I think it's pretty telling that the NFL would release a statement backing the call made monday, and then two days later announce that the lockout is over after months of stalemate...ya...must have been the correct call. Good thing we got that integrity back.

Ok...so the refs are back...most people are still going to watch and everything will go back to normal...except they still should have done this before a call as bad as monday happened.

I have a solution that I am going to try to follow. Will it really do anything? No, but it also won't have me benefit the NFL and will make me feel a little better...First, I'm gonna try to keep my NFL watching to the Packers...Then, stop watching the games at home...stop buying the sponsors products. Start watching the game at a bar and order micro-brew beers. You support local and small business, still get to watch the game, and the NFL doesn't get your "household" in it's ratings.

Again, is it really gonna do anything? No...the NFL is a multi-billion dollar business. But then again, I don't buy Busch beer, I don't watch Michael Bay movies, I don't listen to Justin Beiber and I don't watch Two and a Half Men. Is it because they are going to realize that their product is poor and change it for me? No, it's because I have a choice whether or not to give them my money...and I don't want to.

The Mona Lisa 2.0?

So just a few months ago the art world got a shock when the earliest copy of the Mona Lisa was revealed, done by a student-artist in the famed Leonardo's studio. Well, ready for an even bigger shock? Some scholars presented another Mona Lisa painting, this one depicting a much younger looking woman, saying it is an earlier version of the famous masterpiece, this time done by Leonardo himself....or so they say. Experts are skeptical, but the scholars presenting the painting and paper are confident in their work. Needless to say, if this is proven true, it will be big news for some time...take a look.
Younger version of 'Mona Lisa' to be presented

Science, Art, or Both?

Take a look at some great images that blur the line between science and art...

http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/artscience/2012/09/science-images-that-border-on-art/

Additions to "WE ARE GIANTS"

Just a few additions to the work being put up at Front Room Photography tonight for "We Are Giants" opening this friday at 6pm. Make sure to check it out and tell your friends!

The Littlest Prince

He's either the prince of one of the smallest nations ever, or the coolest ruler I've ever heard of. Meet Prince Leonard, ruler of a micro-nation.
http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2012-05-17/micronation-master-prince-leonard-of-hutt-river#p1

Monkey's Like Slapstick.

Monkey's apparently like slapstick humor...and that can help us understand the origins of language...check it out!
http://news.discovery.com/animals/apes-laughter-humans-evolution-120920.html

Some Updates from Plaid Tuba

I've been moved into Plaid Tuba for a few weeks now and am getting ready to finally hang some work for my upcoming show "We Are Giants." Take a look at some of the work from the last couple weeks of working at the studio...

NFL Supports Call

Well...There it is...
http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/blog/eye-on-football/20361205/nfl-supports-the-decision-not-to-overturn-the-on-field-ruling-following-the-instant-replay-review

The NFL officially does not care about the integrity of the game, it's fans, or the product they put on the field. That was embarrassing by anyone's account and the fact that the NFL officially supports what happened is absolutely horrendous.

I will only watch the Packers from now on this season...I have no desire to support the NFL if they have no desire to make the game fair. I know most people will continue to watch, and if you want to do something, I'd say stop buying any product put out by a sponsors of the NFL. 

I don't want to over-react...it's not a tragedy...it's not terrible...it's not that big a deal in the grand scheme of things...but I wouldn't support a band if they put out a terrible product and I'm not going to support the NFL anymore. 

Go Packers...screw the rest of the NFL.

Obama Speaks on Iran Nuke Threat

Just a month and a half from the election, Obama takes a stance on Iran nukes saying The US "will do what we must" to keep Tehran from getting a Nuclear weapon.
http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/ticket/obama-warns-u-must-iran-152753460--election.html

How Smart Are Animals?

If you ask a pet owner, their pet is brilliant. They understand what you're saying...they know how to make you feel better...they're smart! But just how smart are animals and how do we even know?
http://www.realclearscience.com/articles/2012/09/25/just_how_smart_are_animals_106376.html

Walker Calls for Return of Union Refs

This is one thing I actually agree with Scott Walker on...don't say that very often...
http://thinkprogress.org/economy/2012/09/25/903691/walker-union-referees/

and let's see this for what it is...funny and ironic...and not try to prove some political point...taking a hashtag and saying the guy has flip-flopped his stance  on unions is almost as stupid as the call the refs made.

Vesta Had Water, Spacecraft Finds

In a new twist to the search for signs of water in the universe, the Dawn spacecraft has found evidence that Vesta, the second-most massive body in the Asteroid Belt, had water. Scientists had expected the object to be dry, but some evidence points to water-bearing asteroids hitting Vesta and locking the moisture within the minerals. This marks yet another body in our solar system which has a water cycle. Take a look...
http://www.nature.com/news/dawn-spacecraft-finds-signs-of-water-on-vesta-1.11457

Far From My Mother's Home #2

Far From Our Mother's Home #1