Omigosh, Omigosh, Omigosh!

I was on TV! Woohoo! They did a great job of editing it too, I thought. Cut my rambling down, which is nice because I definitely did go on a bit. Hey, I was excited! It's what I do!

Here's the link to the video on Channel 3's website:

http://www.azfamily.com/video/gmaz-index.html?nvid=264260

Peace.

Bob Marley 07/16/08

I Usually Detest Categories, But...

... in this case, it just made sense.

As I've discussed on this blog, one limitation of blogs in general seems to be the efficient and effective access of the archives of posts. I can't expect the majority of readers to start at the first post and read them all the way through. Time and attention are precious and I don't want to waste yours. Yet, I want you to be able to get as full a sense of me and my art as you want. So here is a way to start.

Sharing - telling stories about Life
Painting - process, product and promoting
Consigning - getting my art out there
Blogging - blogging about blogging
Giving - free art
Traveling - finding culture
Listing - "Top 10" ways learn about me

I noticed other blogs have both tags and categories. I decided to create categories and just add them as a label. What I've done for you, then, is created a way to assemble all the posts relevant to a certain topic in kind of a chapter. I know what the main topics of my posts have been, and now you do too! Clicking on the links above will generate an automatic search for those posts in each category and display them in reverse chronological order.

Also, while I've got you, I welcome your comments on any and all posts, no matter how old. If there's something you've got to say, SAY IT! I moderate all posts to keep out extraneous links, but I will publish any relevant comments, whether they be glowing reviews, probing questions or scathing criticisms. And I will almost definitely respond.

So, happy post-hopping, and as always

Peace.

Not Destined To Make Old Bones

I was watching the VH1 rockDoc about The Who and heard it put that way about Keith Moon. Of course there are a lot of people who've listed musicians who've "lived fast and died hard" or however it's put. And of course there are more than those I've included in mine. But these are the creative souls whose art impacted my sense of my culture the most. They had a raw passion for living Life. I don't mean to glorify their behavior, just to note, to list, in no particular order, those brilliant fires that went out "early":

Keith Moon

Jim Morrison

Jimi Hendrix

Janis Joplin

Sid Vicious

Kurt Cobain

Shannon Hoon

John Bonham

Nick Drake

Bradley Nowell

Layne Staley

Gram Parsons

It's musicians like these and the fans thereof that make me want to do what I do.

Peace.

Creating Family

I apparently have quite a bit of nervous energy today. I get excited, ramble, and paint quickly. This one of Hendrix I just painted listening to Infectious Grooves "Groove Family Cyco". Perfect for freneticism (not sure if that's a word). How about "franticness"?

This piece will be on display in my mother-in-law's office. She's a school secretary at a local public school. Since I started this (ad)venture of selling my Vinyl Art, she and my wife have helped the most. They've been so dang supportive emotionally and practically. Both started any local word-of-mouth I have today, and both sold quite a few that first holiday season to friends and co-workers.

My whole family, both mine in California and my wife's here, in Utah, Texas, and Indiana have been wonderful. My mom found the first shop that continues to consistently sell my work on 6th St. in Austin. My dad has put me in contact with several family friends that have bought pieces. My aunts up in Utah have referred friends too.

It's really been the foundation upon which I've been able to build my self-confidence as a professional artist as well. Before doing this, I was quite unsure of myself and what I wanted to do. Now I create something I feel worthwhile for the whole world to know about. But it all comes back to family.

Now my wife and I are thinking about having children. In pondering the reasons to, I realized that procreating and raising offspring is about the most creative act Life can do. It is, after all, how more Life gets to experience individuality. Make a baby, fill it up with what you want. What an awesome responsiblity. It's what Denis Leary even got serious about briefly in his uproarious "No Cure For Cancer". Pretty big check in the "pro" column.

Still scared (you-know-what)less, though.

Peace.

Jimi Hendrix 07/14/08

Love For Humanity (Or Why "Swimming With Sharks" Killed)

Told ya.

This is in trade for that awesome collection of vinyl from the woman who found me on Craigslist that I mentioned last week.

Triggered by a desire to reach out for more connections like this one, I've been kind of randomly exploring more of the vast expanse of blogs. It's hard to get a handle on social media because it really is the uncategorizable, so it's a little scary to just look at what's out there. That's why most look to the homogenization and aggregation of what can be found.

But when the trails of breadcrumbs are followed to the fringes, the blogosphere is a marvelous place because the technology and what people do with it is evolving as we're using it. With no actualized boundaries and possiblities only judged socially, everything can be tried and everybody can comment. Attention is being scattered to the point of atomization. Everything is individual and timeless.

And even better, for those tolerant and persistent, there is inspiration for ruling the world and powerful bottom lines lived by individuals and communicated for all. There is art designed to connect and cultural creativity to be found in real life and found out about online. Humanity's flow is being captured in unfiltered moments, first person stories, and thoughtful criticisms.

I love it.

Peace.