Giving Back(spacer)

This piece is another for the fellow who commissioned these. This one is for his wedding's MC.

An artist friend asked if she could interview me. Today she sent me a list of really good questions about my art. Really good. I'll definitely share her post when she's got it up.

Answering her questions left me very excited about my artwork. See, I love culture. My parents exposed me to all kinds of creativity, both seeing and doing. I saw museums, plays, musicals, concerts. I did art, piano, writing, gymnastics. As I grew up, I kept adding to my creative aesthetic. Listening to Pearl Jam's "Ten" as a teenager, the perfect timing for the explosion of grunge in my life, left an indelible impression.

Contributing to that culture which has enriched my life is one of my main goals with my art, both Vinyl Art and Liter(art)ure. I love the idea of giving back. Getting to paint Eddie Vedder on the band's new album, inspired by a photographer's captured moment is a dream.

And goals and dreams do come true. I'm proof as so many projects I'm involved with right now have to do with giving and celebrating our shared culture. I hope you share it with me.

Peace.

SOLD - Eddie Vedder 11/17/09

THIS Is What It's All About

Here is Eddie Vedder of Pearl Jam on "Vs.", received in trade, painted for Nate Anderson of Ear Candy Charity, inspired by a photo by Paul Martin with his blessing. So cool.

Peace.

SOLD - Eddie Vedder 10/30/09

We Used To Gather

When Pearl Jam's "Ten" first came out, one could buy the album on vinyl, cassette, and CD. I bought it on vinyl and CD because I'm a nut. Music sharing meant loaning precious CD copies for a few days to friends, if only to get them to then go buy their own copy. Now, with the release of the remastered version of "Ten" along with a bunch of other Pearl Jam stuff, the world is very different.

This weekend my wife and I were down in Tucson visiting friends. Doug is a music nut like us. When music is good, it hurts him, it means so much. He, my wife, and a group of friends used to get together to see every Black Crowes show they could. They all belonged to the fan club. They all bought new releases the second they were available, at midnight.

Let me repeat that. They ALL bought new releases. Not just one copy that they then ripped into iTunes and added to everybody's iPod. Now, Doug doesn't buy CDs at all. He downloads music, from no particular source at no particluar time. There's no group excitement about a new album coming out, no group listening and reviewing.

This has changed how we as a society gather and consume.

I'm not sure of the effect. That'd be up to a sociologist to study and publish a paper about 10 years hence. But I do think you might be missing that camaraderie, especially if sharing music used to draw your group of friends together.

What could replace that physical connection?

Peace.

SOLD - Eddie Vedder 04/09/09