Even though this feather looks like its made out of metal which means it might crash when it lands...a real feather floats and sails until it hits the ground. This IF is a toughy this week and I don't have much in my sketchbooks and pictures to make a sensible entry this week.
Charles Burns
Charles Burns' self portrait from www.symphonyspace.com
Charles Burns is amazing. I knew his work...just didnt know his name. So, as I was reading the new McSweeney's magazine, The Believer, this morning, I was rapturous about the wonderful portraits on the cover and had to find out who the big talent was who does these intense portraits chock full of tiger stripes and elegant line work. From that came the discovery that Charles Burns is the very man. My looking about (noted by the links below) took me to the world of Charles Burns, author, illustrator, entrepeneur and his art. He is the illustrator of choice for the Believer (along with cover, a great tee shirt, a poster of faces etc--see their store). He is an inspiration in his work, the breadth of his talent and the "wierdness" that is often cited in the articles on him. I dont think he is "wierd"-- I think he is someone to study and watch. He has the handle on something distinct and real.
"Comics Master Charles Burns Digs Deeper in Black Hole">>
Charles Burns' publications through Fantagraphics>>
This included his Black Hole publication.
Wiki on Charles Burns (cartoonist)>>
Lambiek.net's artist's biography on Charles Burns>>
McSweeneys>>
The Believer>>
deep blue shadows
The school buses are rolling. Game is back on. The shadows on the snow are lavender and deep blue. Gorgeous. I almost wrecked the car yesterday on a round trip skittle to Corning startled and stunned by the mid-afternoon, long shadows the trees were casting over the fields. Striking. Even the snowmobile tracks look good. I need to shoot some reference as it doesn't get much better than this. Also, need to get in front of snowy card images for my clients as it rarely looks this good before Christmas--so images shot now would be welcome in October for that holiday card rush we always experience.
Birds coming on. Working on 2 goose pictures at the same time. Puffins, penguins, an ostrich, a hawk, a snowy egret in it's mating plumage, another chicken head and a raven on the docket. All open to change. I am also thinking about Pale Male, an impressive blond, red-tailed hawk that lives in Manhattan. He is an avian celebrity. You should see the paparazzi in the park with their long lenses pointed at the sky.
The news is making me nuts. The Scooter case is crazy....I wish PBS or NPR would broadcast that circus. It is true that reality is better than fiction. And its a week more of Al Franken, and then he leaves us. Amy Goodman doesnt have the fun factor or the wonderful interviews Al does. Who is going to fill that gap?
frozen schoolbuses
Another day of no school. The golden buses are sitting in their parking lot...waiting to warm up. Subzero today. Tomorrow, a balmy 15˚ or so. Cos Tangorra, our superintendent of the School of Love said in a pdf on their website:
"I would like to explain the circumstances that caused this morning’s late announcement of the school district’s delay and eventual closing.
Due to new state regulations restricting additives that may be used in school bus fuel, we have been experiencing difficulty with our buses during extreme conditions. Our Transportation Department has devoted a great deal of energy in an attempt to address the situation. This morning when the buses were started, we certainly believed that the issue had been attended to and was well within our control.
At approximately 7:00, a number of our buses began experiencing difficulty and I was informed that we had no choice but to delay school. By 8:15, it became clear that we would not have enough buses to bring the students in and the decision to close school had to be made."
What does this mean? What do they add to the "school bus fuel"? What is "school bus fuel"? Karo syrup? Bug Juice? And the experiencing difficulty? Does that mean stopping? Or the windows opened and shut automatically for 20 minutes? Or the door wouldn't close? or the neon Stop on the stop sign changed to Love? I love the obtuseness. Another thing I do know, there are 1500 kids (or so) thrilled to have another day to sleep in and watch the fast food tee vee they love. They will be swarming Main Street, steaming up the windows of New York Pizza and crowding the tiny Gimme--sipping lattes, hot chocoate and chai. Sounds pretty divine.
Maybe I should hang out with them?
Started the birds phase 2. This is good. A little levity in the heart...
There are pictures to be done inspired by the Hindu goddess, Kali. She is a babe.
Wiki sez about Kali>>
Kali is a feminine form of the Sanskrit word "kala," meaning "time". It also means "black". Kali has therefore been translated variously as "She who is time," "She who devours time," "She who is the Mother of time," "She who is black," and "She who is black time". Kali's association with blackness stands in contrast to her consort, Shiva, whose body is covered by the white ashes of the cremation ground (Sanskrit: 'śmaśan') in which he meditates, and with which they are both associated, hence Kali's epithet 'Śmaśanâ.'
Doesnt that get the juices going?? This is a gal that is depicted with four arms and a garland of 51 head. She is a wrathful chick (to some) who in her anger,impatience and frustration will stamp her foot that will cause earthquakes. In her rage, she will drink blood of her enemies. Isnt she something? And lots to work with...
Here's a little tale that warms the cockles of my heart--(think children's book!!)
Once Kali had destroyed all the demons in battle, she began a terrific dance out of the sheer joy of victory. All the worlds or lokas began to tremble and sway under the impact of her dance. So, at the request of all the Gods, Shiva himself asked her to desist from this behavior. However, she was too intoxicated to listen. Hence, Shiva lay like a corpse among the slain demons in order to absorb the shock of the dance into himself. When Kali eventually stepped upon her husband she realized her mistake and bit her tongue in shame.It is also said that the story goes like this: In a time of dark age when a demon roamed the earth and couldn't be destroyed by any man, only a woman that from the 3 divine forces of Shiva, Vishnu and Brahma a lady figure was formed. This was durga maa or Mother Durga. Mother kali is an incarnation of mother durga and mother parvati and they all depict the female force of Shiva. The story of kali goes like this. There came a time when there was so much evil that mother durga couldn't take it any more that she grew angry and came to earth as kali maa. Kali maa destroyed all the demons and had to drink their blood for our sake for if it fell on the floor the demons would multiply. In her rage she, herself was causing destruction being such a powerful goddess. She was so angry that she was going to stamp her foot on the ground but her power was so great that if she did so she would have caused an earthquake powerful enough to destroy the world. But Lord Shiva himself appeared under her and seeing his divine face she stopped.
Maybe Condi Rice could take some lessons from this bad ass babe?
Your thoughts?
the diesel in the schoolbuses froze
...and that is why there is no school today. We are talking negative 22 today. Cold enough that is hurts to breathe. Vermont cold. Stinging, no humidity cold. Snap the branches off the trees, cold. What we were anxious for when it was 70˚ in January, cold. And, now--we have it. Enough.
I am totally bored with the damned burkas. I feel like the poor frozen schoolbus. Something's gotta change. So, allowing myself to think a little (imagine!), I have decided to give myself a little permission to change my thesis and get back to the birds. I love them and the reaction to the birds have been positive. Not that the burkas are bad, its just that I want to get away from them...and the intent from the advisor, was to do work about something I was passionate about--and he surmised it was burkas as I did one illustration about them.
Lets start with the fact I have no problem with women and women's issues.The whole female schtick is tough for me after fourteen years of all girl school and the consciousness raising that went on there. I am sympathetic and supportive but not a bomb thrower over female rights etc. I believe women are indeed equal to men and they deserve to have the right to work and be paid equally to men. Same job, same pay, same rights, no questions. I believe women should and must be educated. I believe women should and must have the choice to have children or not. I believe women can do anything as well or better than a man...so the woman thing I am onboard with.
However, I have a hard time getting all geared up about fundamentalism in a culture that I do not understand and have no touch with. It is as if I am studying polar bears on the moon, aliens, quarks or the lives of circus freaks. I have no context, no true sympathies (empathy yes...), no sense or semblance of this lifestyle and decision making. So the illustration process is impersonal and dispassionate--and I think it shows. I got so happy with the chopping out of the little kingfisher--I asked myself, "what gives?" . Which prompted this little discussion I have with myself about imagery and what am I more charged about...thus, the return to the birds. Your thoughts?
new little sketch from today
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This little guy was quickly chopped out to point to viability...which I hope to the client, it does. I am thinking this could really fly (no pun intended!), has a certain elegance to it...and would be relatively bulletproof for it's use. Plus, I had the chance to find out a little about Kingfishers. They are classified as Tree Kingfishers, Water Kingfishers and River Kingfishers. Just that cut is very romantic and filled with all sorts of references and ideas. I need to go think>>
The snow is accumulating. Big fat flakes.
IF: Sprout
You can grow these on your window sill. They are paper white narcissus which sproutfrom bulbs planted on stones, suspended above a bit of water--forcing them to grow indoors while it snows outdoors. It takes about 3 weeks and you will have stems about 20" tall, and fragrant blooms that fill your eyes and your nose. It is a wonderful treat.
Here's to these sprouting miracles.
go back to basics, part two
As I said earlier today...when in doubt, get in the time machine and see what worked for you before. I bought this old set of books printed in mid 1800s chock full of English heraldic images and descriptions. So, that got cracked open and scanned like mad today. Don't you just love this image? I want an eye in my hand. If I cant have that, I need to make more images of stuff like this.
Another wonderful thing that I stumbled over and want to share with you. I was reading the adobe "meet the fabulous digital artist" article about Josh Davis. Josh is way cool--combining his ability to program along with his fondness (I am assuming it's fondness--maybe its just like a hammer--and who is fond of their hammer?--am I sounding like a girl or what??) for adobe illustrator. His code generates illustrations--One thing led to the other--from his website > to where he is teaching>> The Anderson Ranch. Summer Camp everyone!!!The Print shop looks cool. The faculty is cuspy and cool. If I weren't going to be melting in Syracuse, Colorado would be a place I would want to be. What do you think??
always look at your old stuff first
I am a big believer that whenever stumped, going back to old work, old sketches, stuff from the primordial times (even high school) is basic, quintessential imagery or ideas that continue to pop up in current pieces. We all have old favorites, old magic references, old techniques that when stumped, is a good place to start. So, I show you something that keys off of the work Matisse did when he was an old man. Growing up in Pittsburgh, the cut paper Matisse that they have at the Carnegie Museum of Art was a beacon for me on days I would spend trolling the collection in search of a new idea or image. So, to that, here is to old man Matisse, surrounded by sweet young things, cutting painted paper and having his assistants place the pieces according to his direction and demands. Now we have adobe illustrator. All I need is the painted paper. More later.
gearing up with no engagement.
Investigating this kind of wood cutty technique. Along the same lines as the rice and tiger stripe look. Stumbling along on a graphic project (can't talk about it right now) with the wheels whirring but not engaging. Maybe take a break for a day or so from that so that something will stick. I am charged up about it...just what is coming off the pen, stinks. Need to pour over some books. Hello, Jim Flora!
Happily frosty here. Was sharp cold yesterday with a little tempering today. Snow. But no blankets of it. The way it should be at least. Squirrels at the Luckystone. I just hope they arent the "bad" kind...those nasty red squirrels. Pat the Bugman on it.
Light in Winter this weekend was disappointing. Seems that they have a format--and new talent of a "type" is slotted into the same place as last year. R and K had an opportunity to hear Jim Bell, a Cornell scientist, speak and show images from the wonderful and long-lasting Mars Rovers, Spirit and Opportunity. The images are stunning --gorgeous and truly something that stuns one--the actual aspect we own a coffee table book of images from Mars...makes me speechless. If we can do that, we should be able to do anything...
More from the land of the surfers
When we were in Huntington Beach, glorious place that it is--I was dumbfounded by the tagging going on with black and white stickers for surf companies and the like. The images above is a brief collection from one dumpster outside of this amazing mexican "shack". I love what is going on here....and the stickers were all over any vertical surface at the restaurant, on public trash containers, cars etc. Graphics, graphics and more graphics. Where you look, what you wear, on your body,where you shop, what you do, on sports, on everything. Tattoos, stickers, graphics, screenprinting, output...The more the better. Simple, easy to remember, cheap to reproduce. We don't have that kind of fun back east. We are bores...who do not decorate. We are austere and puritanical. We want to fade versus come to the forefront. We live in a wasteland of brown, blue and purple with overcast skies and frigid temperatures.
Boo Hoo!!!
From http://www.alfranken.com:
"Al Franken to Leave Air America Radio"
"On the January 29th edition of The Al Franken Show, Midwest Values PAC founder Al Franken announced he will leave his radio show on February 14. He also told his national radio audience that he’s currently considering whether or not to run for the US Senate in his home state of Minnesota."
What is the damned world coming to? No more Billy, Andy and Al...!! Now, who can we spend our afternoons with? Rush?
Notes on the Burka images.
The inspiration for this body of work comes from wanting to understand why women wear hajib within the Islamic community. Originally, I lumped this concept of these covered women in with others who wear a garment to disguise their identitites such as Klan members. This is not the case. These conservative Islamic women dress according to sharia, or Muslim law, an aspect of the Islamic faith that feathers the sacred law as stated in the Koran with secular life. We do not understand this concept as a basic tenet of the American Constitution is the separation of church and state. Within the Islamic context, church and state are one.
These clothes are not meant to be mysterious or sexy. This is not an investigation of the allure of who these women are beneath their robes as this is not our place. The robes and head coverings that these conservative women wear is based on keeping those things private, private--and that a married women's place is one that is protected, private and discreet. She is to be protected and kept distanced from the world in these garments only within the privacy of her own home or within the community of other women. Hijab provides this distance.
The decision to wear a hijab is an enormous one. Something that is not taking lightly. These notes on a blog "Canadian Blog" points up many secular and religious views.>>
"Hijab or ħijāb (حجاب) is the Arabic term for "cover" (noun), based on the root حجب meaning "to veil, to cover (verb), to screen, to shelter"
In some Arabic-speaking countries and Western countries, the word hijab primarily refers to women's head, face, or body covering. But in Islamic scholarship, hijab is given the wider meaning of modesty, privacy, and morality.[1] The word used in the Qur'an for a headscarf or veil is khimār (خمار)."
IF:Red
According the Wikipedia's entry under color symbolism:
"Red is often a color representing violence, war, aggression, or passion; this is probably because red is the color of human blood."
"red with purity "
This is an illustration in development for a series on Islamic women. Red helps us to focus on the individual inshrouded in her burka, a device to keep her private and isolated from the broad community. Somehow with red representing violence, war, aggression or passion for these women, is the world many traverse everyday.
chicken chokers!!
notes from their myspace site:
The Chicken Chokers lead the beat.
Their signature sound combines a pounding 4-man rhythm string section, ever-crazed fiddling, infamous 'air-raid siren' vocals, and the hallmark Chicken Choker Big Boy Chorus. Throughout the 80's the Chokers entertained many, influenced a select few, and recorded 2 albums for Rounder Records before exploding in all musical directions.
A recent 20 year reunion revealed that the Choker Drive survived the explosion. Combining the unvarnished, primitive energy of the early years with mementos from 5 separate musical journeys, the band sounds better than ever, still inspiring amateur dancers and professional revelers to higher states of consciousness.
State of the Simian Union
Watched W. No surprises. He is still a talking monkey. A monkey that thinks that if he cuts the taxes of the poor (which are minimal) they will be able to afford healthcare. This is a monkey that is totally talking into his hat. The world is a distinct and
wonderful place from the top of the golden banana tree that he is perching in...choosing to poop or spit at all those other little monkeys down there on the ground. This monkey also wants 90,000 more fighting monkeys to do his bidding he gets no buy in from the congress--choosing to do what his little pin brain thinks will be good (as defined by him), noble and just. We need new management. This is all too appalling.
The Medium is not the Message
Kitty and I were inspired by the Tara McPherson illustrations in the December (or was it November?) issue of Juxtapoz-- She did a girl's head with a flippy do and we did the same thing. Here is a spread from my sketchbook looking at that. Cheery for a dreary day.
Snowtires are finally going on the Wonderbus today. Now, I will be able to drive without fear (at least less).
Just got off the phone with my friend, the printer. They sent this wacky email as a christmas card to all of their clients that had very "helping hands at home", microsoft word inspired visuals that one was to add a password at the end of the message for some sort of electronic candycane or gumdrop. It, to me, felt like work--and to be honest, pissed me off. So, when my printer pal asked me what I thought...I told him (poor guy!! but, he did ask!). He loved the pummelling so much, he made me talk to the top management of his firm along with the locquacious IT manager who had an answer for everything. And to me...its not the medium. Its the damned message. All these bit twiddlers get all hung up around all the data that can be gathered, all the information that can be gleaned, all the wild and wonderful things from animation and sound and all the "liquidity" around all the stuff you can do with this technology. Well and good. But what does this stuff actually say? Mean? Communicate? Is memorable? Has a moment? Relates to the larger world. Technology is just the post office. It delivers the message. The message is the hard part--it is the problem to be defined. Technology can deliver it flatfootedly--or elegantly, discreetly, sweetly, memorably or in a fun way. That too, it the problem--once you have a message--how do you deliver it in a way that stands out without flashing lights and dogs barking--technology is not the way. Technology is the means. I think this is where these printer folks have been stopped still. They don't know what the message is. They just love the technology.
And, to hell with looking beautiful.
Off the soapbox.