Give Hard

Last year I gave to the Alabama Blues Project. Three pieces for their auction.

They asked me again this year. I'm giving them an all new SRV and a similar B.B. King.

I like giving to charity, not straight money, but my work, my time, my self. I feel like I'm connecting more with them, hooking into the humanity of the effort, acknowledging the reality. I don't know if the people who win my pieces at auction feel that way, as most have gone for quite a bit less than what I sell them. But out there somewhere will be on somebody's wall or in someone's closet a piece of me that meant they gave to the cause. They gave hard.

Peace.

DONATED - 08/25/09

Good Gracious

[EDIT - 09/24/09: I received an email from Bob Guthridge, the photographer of the photo from which I drew inspiration for these pieces. He's asked that I credit him and supply his email address: bob@bobguthridge.com]

This is for the Mississippi Valley Blues Society. They asked me for a piece after they saw my donations to the Alabama Blues Project. Apparently the recent flooding in the region severely limited their fundraising and forced them to put on more events to make enough money to then put on their big annual festival supporting the music. My piece will be available at their upcoming concert and silent auction on Nov. 7th.

I'm trying to use my work to do good. I like the idea that my work can help support our music, our culture. I need your help in this too.

My pieces for the School of Rock are all still available. I also extended the opportunity to have 25% of the proceeds from any commission placed before Oct. 15th go to the school if you want.

Also, all the pieces in this series are still available. They are painted on a specific collection of records I received in trade and I will give $100 of the $175 directly to a charity of your choice. All you'll do is send me two checks, one to me and one to the charity. I'll even suggest organizations if you're interested. I will also be painting more in the series soon.

If you have a way my art might be able to help human creativity and culture, please let me know. It's all part of my plan to lead us to

Peace.

DONATED - B.B. King 10/08/08

Attention Deficit

As I post here day to day, I occasionally forget that most people (including myself, heck) don't read blogs "cover to cover". I try not to repeat myself, but sometimes I need to recap. I've got a few events upcoming in which I'm taking part. I need to remember them too!

Oct. 16th - 12 Inch 4 in Winnipeg, Canada
Oct. 3rd - APW Arts in NYC
Sept. 27th - Primitive Kool Gallery on Ocean Beach in SD, CA (pieces on site still 30% off!)
Sept. 27th - Superstition Springs Golf Club in Mesa, AZ (silent auction)
Sept. 5th - Alabama Blues Project in Tuscaloosa, AL (silent auction)
Sept. 5th - Red Dog Gallery (#70 on map) in downtown Phoenix, AZ (First Fridays)

I think that's it. Your attention is oh-so valuable, so I truly appreciate your spending any time with me.

Peace.

The Details Are Hazy

It was quite difficult to find a good photograph of Elmore James. All were small and fairly grainy. When that's the case, my painting ends up with less refinement. Not worse, just less detail. Makes for a slightly stylized if not sometimes more dramatic portrait. Still can capture the likeness and spirit though, I hope.

This is the third and final piece I'm sending to the Alabama Blues Project silent auction. Check out their site and if you're going to be around Tuscaloosa on September 5th, maybe check out the event itself!

Peace.

DONATED - Elmore James 06/24/08

3, 2, 1... How Can There *Be* Zero Of Something, If There *Aren't* Any?

3 C's - This is Conor Oberst of Bright Eyes painted on side C of "Cassadaga". It was happenstance that the 'C' on the label fit in the eye of 'C'onor on 'C'assadaga. Kinda cool.

2 sold - This piece is a commission for the organizer of the Florida Music Festival 2008 Rock Walk. She sent me back my unsold pieces as well. Two out the seven I sent sold: Bob Dylan and Jim Morrison. Pretty good for an art show at a music festival, I think.

1 to give - I've got one more piece to do for the Alabama Blues Project. I'll show that to you later on today, hopefully. It'll be of Elmore James (hard to find records by the early bluesmen, that's for sure).

Peace.

SOLD - Conor Oberst 06/24/08

Being In The Now, On The Way To Then

To all the artists out there, it's hard isn't it?

It's hard to discipline oneself to stick with it. Your own schedule, your own goals, your own temptations and distractions.

Mine's currently family. Not a bad thing at all. So it's even harder.

So, how do we balance short term pleasure with long term success? It's a rather good deep question that just came to me this very moment. And I thought I had nothing to say a minute ago.

I have a lot of eastern philosophy in my brain, the whole "being in the now" thing. This isn't a license to do whatever feels good, but it does lead me to go with the flow maybe a little too much. As a teenager, cross eastern philosophy with existentialism. Boy that was fun. But now I have responsibilities to myself and others, and to my art, and to you. So I might've swung too far the other way now, with an endpoint of workaholism. Hmm...

So do I go swimming with my neices? I did paint one already today...

Peace.

DONATED - Bonnie Raitt 06/18/08

Actually Giving

[EDIT - 09/24/09: I received an email from Bob Guthridge, the photographer of the photo from which I drew inspiration for these pieces. He's asked that I credit him and supply his email address: bob@bobguthridge.com]

Getting involved feels good. Getting asked to get involved feels even better!

For the Alabama Blues Project silent auction: B.B. King.

I wish more charitable organizations would follow this approach of getting people involved. People like stories. "I actually got to help build a house for a homeless family in New Orleans!" They like connecting with those they're helping in a more meaningful way than just sending in an annual check. "I actually bought a goat for a family and get correspondence from the little one taking care of the new source of food!" My wife and I were thrilled to get to pick out a book to go into a new library for kids supported by a charity. Thrilled because instead of getting to the register at Borders to be fed a line like, "Would you like to add a $1 to your cost to donate to ..." we were entreated to pick any book from the store to buy and have set aside to actually get put on a shelf for kids to read. "Some kids are going to get to read 'The Giving Tree' because we bought the actual book for them!"

We ended up spending way more on the book for the kids than the one we were getting for ourselves.

Actually.

Peace.

DONATED - B.B. King 06/16/08

Good And Bad Blues: What Else Is New?

Did this one of The Commissioner for Waxploitation today despite a three-way family trauma yesterday involving a hernia, car wreck, and job loss. What a roller coaster Life is, huh? All are ok, thankfully.

The one cool thing that happened was a request for a donation of my work to a silent auction for "An Evening of Art & Blues" put on by the Alabama Blues Project. So exciting, the first time an organization has sought me out!

Almost have my redesigned main site ready! Maybe tomorrow, we'll see.

Peace.