Come Together (Yes, Think Beatles Too)

Listening to The Verve on my wife's iPod while painting Jared Followill of KOL this morning, I remembered seeing the London reunion show of Ashcroft and Co. We stood in front of bassist Simon Jones at that concert, front row. So awesome. Both Si and Jared are amazing, driving their bands' music, I think. KOL's recent release "Only By The Night" really shows Jared's talent.

But they're part of a band, a team. Each foursome combines their talents to create their magic. Richard Ashcroft wasn't as transcendent as a solo artist. Good, but not magic. There's something about McCabe's ethereal guitar layered on top of Si's bass, next to Richard's voice, punctuated by Salisbury's drums. Gives me chills. I know, it's long, but stick it out.

And don't get me started on KOL. Holy shit, they're amazing. Just watch the whole song.

My wife, my in-laws, and I made a very special Christmas gift for Jason's girls. We worked really well as a team. Each of us did our part: dad on construction, mom on sewing, my wife on design, me on artistic execution. It was so much more satisfying to have our energy focussed together. It makes one feel more human to work with many. I suppose that's what it's all about.

Especially this time of year.

Peace. And Merry Christmas.

Limbo, The Void, and "42"

I like answers. Especially to practical questions and questions asked of other people. Promptness is good, but eventually isn't never. I like answers because I can then make subsequent decisions based on those answers which I couldn't have otherwise. I can ask more questions.

Quite awhile ago, the Kings of Leon's label teamed up with a t-shirt company to run a contest. The winner of the best design as chosen by the band would have their design available at all the gigs of their tour supporting "Because Of The Times". No winner was chosen, no answer. Fans who entered were ticked off. I didn't fault the band at all. Shit, they were touring behind their first breakout album in the States. It was the handling of the communication that bugged me.

Yesterday, I managed to get the attention of Hugh on Twitter. Got an answer to my question, no he won't go for an art trade. Sweet. Yes or no. Just tell me. Don't leave me in limbo. Starbucks never told me no.

I also like questions. When communicating with the void (what I'm currently calling life, the universe, and everything) questions are good. They lead to thought, self-reflection, and growth. Questions like these beget questions. No answers needed. These are the sorts of questions that keep things flowing, allow for feedback, and help maintain balance. And answers do come back unexpectedly too. Sometimes without even knowing the question.

Answers without questions. "42". Hitchhiker's is one of my favorite books of all time. Given to me by my friend Bret when we were in junior high, it is one of those deep yet incredibly riotous works. If you haven't read it, read it. If you have, you know what I'm talking about. You've got the answer. Now we need the question. That's what Life is for, no?

Peace.

Meanwhile...

I haven't been able to paint for a couple of days because of family craziness, but things keep progressing. Yesterday I received my official federal trademark certificate for my VA logo! So cool.

Last Friday I found out about a local show called Fill In The Groove opening that Saturday evening. Holy smokes! Fortunately I had a few unframed pieces back from a show in New York so I ran them down to the record store hosting the show put on by Spraygraphic. It was terrific! It's the first group vinyl art show that I've been able to attend. I'm not the best networker, but this was good practice.

Another show, the Red Bull Wax Museum show hosted by the Norml Clothing store in Ottawa, went on this past weekend too. It looks like they selected a couple of mine to mount and frame all fancy-like for the charity auction. Here's the Isaac Hayes I painted:

I've also gotten more followers on Twitter. I'm still figuring out how the microblogging site will fit in with my online communication, but it is a slick way to reach a new audience. You can follow me too if you're so inclined!

That's all for now. We'll see what happens tomorrow!

Peace.

Knowledge And Remembering

After writing my post earlier today, I was driving to get some lunch. My head still full of pie-in-the-sky ideas, I couldn't remember where the Del Taco was (for some screwy reason I was craving their double cheeseburger and those crinkle fries AND the one that was next to the bank up the street went out of business) so I had to guess. Fortunately, I live in the east valley of the Phoenix metro area, Gilbert specifically. Cookie-cutter city, well, county actually. I happened upon an intersection with: Burger King, Taco Bell, McDonald's, Jack-in-the-Box, Wendy's, Pizza Hut, KFC/A&W, and, of course, Starbucks. Seriously! Right? But this isn't about that end-of-the-world scenario.

This is about the distinction between knowing something and remembering before you knew it. Before! Tricky! I "know" how to solve pde's from my classes in multi-variable calculus (yes, I got my sheepskin studying Physics and Computer Science). I don't "remember" how to, but it's "in" my brain. I suppose.

I guess I don't know. Oops, wait. I don't know if I remember. No, that's not it. What was I talking about again?

Oh yeah, tools. Techniques, and other things you can memorize, fade. Good. You don't need'em. A lot of eastern philosophies/religions have as a goal the unlearning of things, Yoda too. Cool guy, I've still got my little Star Wars action figure with the felt robe. Anyway, modern takes on old thoughts rephrase the idea of stripping away, reducing, unburdening ourselves of unnecessary stuff in our heads. I particularly liked don Miguel Ruiz's "Voice of Knowledge".

I don't know where that post earlier today came from, can't know, don't really wanna. What I do know is now I'm supposed to be where I am now, thinking as I am now, finding balance and love now in Life. Something the Maharishi probably "knew", but didn't "remember" or need to.

If you enjoyed this ramble, have a go at another.

Peace.

Maharishi Mahesh Yogi 12/12/08

Steps Back (Or, What Is Vinyl Art?)

The yang to the yin of progress is steps back.

We take steps back to see the bigger picture.
We take steps back to get perspective.
We take steps back to regain balance.
We take steps back to learn from mistakes.

My dad likes to say that our feet point forwards for a reason. True, but sometimes one needs to look back. Our heads do turn enough around to see.

You are reading the blog of Daniel Edlen. Me.

I handpaint portraits of musicians and entertainers on vinyl recordings of their performances.

I call it Vinyl Art. After filing the necessary paperwork, I discovered the existence of vinyl art toys. Oh well.

I came up with the idea as a teenager back around '92. My dad had turned me onto The Beatles on vinyl, and my mom volunteered at the library handling used book and record donations. I got first pick of the records, which didn't sell well. Amassing duplicates of my favorite albums, the idea hit me after a high school art project I did using white pencil on black paper. I did about 6 of them and lost interest.

I began selling them after work-friends suggested I see if people'd go for them as holiday gifts back in '06. Fortunately I could still paint, maybe a bit better than before, following years of sculpting people out of clay.

I use only white acrylic paint, dabbing it on with small brushes which wear out very quickly.

I show them at a few galleries, I participate in every show of artwork using vinyl records I find out about, and, yes, I do commissions. I love doing commissions the most. The best is when someone has the record they want me to paint on.

See, I do this to make the world a better place as I can. My story has become about connecting people with people, with their culture, with their memories, with their music. It makes people feel warm inside to think about their music. The troubles and destruction and negativity in the world quiet for a moment.

My story has also become about giving. Giving Vinyl Art as a gift works out well for all involved. And giving to charity through my art does too. I've done it enough that it warranted a category, which you can find in my table of contents to your right.

That brings me to this blog. I started it partly as a journal of my trials and tribulations as a self-employed self-promoting artist, and partly to expand the knowledge of my work. It's become a very important outlet for me, especially after my brother-in-law Jason died suddenly this past February. A kind of therapy. But also a way to connect myself to my art, to make it meaningful.

I know that the mere idea of portraits on vinyl might seem gimmicky or hokey and the pieces might not fit into typical art world categories, but it is the passion for music which motivates me. You can find many examples throughout this blog of how that expresses itself. Through stories about the musicians, about the galleries, about the people commissioning pieces, about the people getting them as gifts, about the charities, and about me.

I, Daniel Edlen, the artist, am in this blog.

So I continue.

Peace.

SOLD - The Beatles 12/12/08