stereo

new year.

2012-01-02T01:24:00.000-08:00

so as it turns out, three jobs is a lot to handle. i've been absent for a long while. i've tried the whole tumblr thing, you know, "keep up with the new." but it has never felt right to me. it lost the personal feel, the part where you get to convey with words (and not just reblogged images) how you're feeling.
i know. it's ironic, isn't it? that an "illustrator" would hesitate from blogging images to convey emotion. but there are times when tumblr does a decent job, and many where it falters. for me, it's a lot more of the latter. pulse of pop culture be damned!
i'm getting older, thankfully so are you. but it's a new year, yeah? so i'm reflecting as people tend to do.
last year, i worked hard on two solo shows, a few graphic design projects and some commissions. i've got some stuff in the wings to start off the new year and hopefully by the end of this month, i'll have some news about t-shirts and an updated website. i haven't been terribly present with emails and news so if i needed to embrace some sort of resolution, it would be to upkeep that aspect of art-making. i'm continually working toward that.
in other unrelated news, i've got that itch for the horizon again.. wondering how soon i can save some pennies for another vacation.

art. work. ing. it.

2011-04-17T22:01:00.000-07:00

i've been busy with my many jobs and regret that i've not had much time to update with news.
currently, i'm working on prepping for two different shows. the first will open at the Basement Gallery for the month of September. i feel i should mention that i will be unable to attend the opening for that First Thursday as i will be working a little event called burning man. i hope that doesn't dissuade any of you to attend and check it out. i'm uncertain as to the other artists that will be showing with me during that month, but when i find out, i'll post it up.
the second show will open at the Visual Arts Collective for the month of October with a Halloween theme. i will be there for that opening.
i'll post more photos of some of the recent workings from both shows as i progress.. small teasers and such. here's a few for now:

^for the basement show

^for the VaC show

winter tunes

2011-01-20T15:51:00.000-08:00

presenting for your semi-bored pleasure and a limited time, [a small fraction of] my winter playlist. so act now.

1. fear of tigers - i can make the pain disappear(monsieur adi remix)
2. dinosaur jr. - said the people
3. loch lomond - tic
4. bears of the blue river - the wringer
5. a fine frenzy - happier
6. foster the people - pumped up kicks
7. yacht - psychic city(classixx remix)
8. the wombats - tokyo(vampires & wolves)
9. the cranberries - ridiculous thoughts
10. casiotone for the painfully alone - new year's kiss
11. caribou - sun(star guitar remix)
12. robyn - dancing on my own(fred falke remix)
13. sufjan stevens - i walked
14. boy & bear - the storm
15. nick cave & the bad seeds - into my arms
16. mark ronson & business intl - need somebody to love me
17. tom waits - pony
18. evelyn evelyn - evelyn evelyn

a fine frenzy.

2011-01-02T13:53:00.000-08:00

a song off my winter playlist, hopefully to post soon..
still been pretty busy playing catch-up from my trip. behind on some things like my trip journal, but once that's finished, promises to have some pretty interesting tales. i've got some big things in the works and a couple shows scheduled for this year that i'm pretty excited about. one is a halloween-themed show at the Visual Arts Collective for October, and headlining a September show at the Basement Gallery. i'll post some progress photos of that work as it comes.
^from the flying m's "monster in the cabinet" show
also. did the art for the Boise Weekly's Fiction 101 this year. should be out soon. i love the challenge of illustrating those small works of fiction. taking 101 words and trying to make sense out of them and create an image from it is why i continue to love my job.
i'm thinking about posting some more free art in the coming weeks, so watch for that.

randoms.

2010-11-22T14:34:00.000-08:00

attended the boise weekly cover auction last week and it was a great experience. i tend to shy away from public events where my art is up for display in general. i think most artists do. with my little sister in tow- her wearing my name tag 'cause i'm shy, right- we sat and watched the bidding process and boozing of locals and art patrons. i loved the energy. i love this community. and seeing my fellow artist friend's work being sold is always inspiring.

for those who don't know, i'm one of the artists participating in the trey mcintyre project's 9+1 show. it opens first thursday in december. i saw some of the arts turned in the other day and was blown away. there's some amazing stuff worthy of checking out. plus, you're supporting a great local dance group. they do pretty amazing stuff, those guys.

i'm still working on collecting a bunch of my art for selling. there's a lot of small stuff like sketches that i never did anything with and random boise weekly illustrations that i'll probably sell for very cheap just to get rid of them. i hate seeing art in drawers when someone would rather hang it up. anyway, i'll have those posted and for sale at some point in the near future.

what else? oh. one of my favorite british tv shows has made it across the pond to the states. i was skeptical at first, but it's looking to be pretty promising. i feel about 13 years old when i say i'm excited about it:

Skins - MTV Shows

boise weekly cover auction

2010-11-17T09:33:00.000-08:00

hey guys. the boise weekly cover art auction is happening tonight at the historical museum, so be sure not to miss it. i've got a cover in the auction this year, so i'll be in attendance as well. details on the photo below.

i'm finishing up a few pieces for the trey mcintyre project. they have a group of artists involved in what is called 9+1. there are nine dancers in the company and one trey mcintyre, hence the name. artists were encouraged to attend rehearsals and watch the performance and follow their inspiration to creating art centering around the dance company. i just wrapped a video interview for the trey mcintyre project this morning. on account of my backpacking trip, i am the last artist participating in the TMP 9+1 show to shoot a video and i've been told they're posting them up on Trey McIntyre Project's facebook page if you're curious. my interview promises to be the most awkward one.. meh. one can hope.

i had a meeting yesterday for a project i'm pretty excited about contributing to. i'll post more about that when i've got something concrete in the works for it. annnd. i'm still going through my art stash and will post more art up for sale later this week.

up for this.

2010-11-11T15:46:00.000-08:00

i've finally returned from my backpacking trip around europe and the uk. it was an awesome time with ups and downs and beautiful moments. i'm working on finishing up my trip journal since returning. finding time on the road to keep up with writing each day became a struggle. there was too much input and not enough downtime to record it all. while the memory is fresh, i'm going to finish it. i have to.
i feel like so many people talk about doing things and never do them. seeing the world and putting all your belongings into a pack strapped to your back? seems to be one of the things that everyone dreams about doing, but never quite comes to being. i won't lie. it was a hardship. it was expensive, even living as cheaply as possible. finding time off work was near impossible-- finding the time, in general, where you didn't have responsibilities barking up every avenue wasn't an option. the only thing i knew was that my time was short. responsibilities only grow over the years. i had some money saved up, i quit my job, booked the tickets with my friend and we didn't look back.
if you want to do something, do it. quit talking about it. you'll find that if you say "yes," the world opens itself to you and you have everything to gain from it.
remember that your time will run out and you have the rest of your life to make money. a pal i met while staying in zurich, switzerland said something that stayed with me during my travels: you follow your dreams. even if it keeps you poor in money, you'll always be rich in life.

also. i'm going through my stash of art. i need to make room for new stuff. every single wall in my house is covered with it-- not that this is a bad thing-- but i need the space, so i'm going to be selling a bunch of stuff cheap just to get it out of drawers, cupboards, and off the floor. stay posted over the coming weeks. i'll be digging out everything i've got around this place.

Brett Domino: Justin Timberlake Medley

2010-08-20T14:57:00.000-07:00

hahaha.

skipping school.

2010-08-06T09:51:00.001-07:00

it's friday, you guys..
and all i want to do is skip work.

flashback cafe.

closer than anything..

2010-07-26T23:33:00.001-07:00

admittedly, i've got this curious obsession with twins, conjoined or not. this Evelyn Evelyn project of jason webley and amanda palmer's intrigues me-- and yeah i know it's not real, but i'll play along. this tune off my summer playlist is haunting. probably more suited for fall or winter with its cinema-worthy string orchestra swells and eerie circus toy glockenspiel tune, but it's included nevertheless.

there's an "Illustration Showdown" group art show coming up for August's 1st thursday. an homage to schlock illustration like dogs playing poker, participants- 'sides myself- include: Bricolage, Erin Cunningham, Julia Green, Alexa Howell, Kelly Knopp, Ben Minter, John Padlo, Tony Rios, Jason Sievers, April VanDeGrift, Rick Walter. (gallery alexa rose, august 5, @5pm.)
last, some of my summer playlist:

suspicious for the winter - empty streets
cocorosie - lemonade
bloc party - kreuzberg
edward sharpe & the magnetic zeros - desert song
rogue wave - lake michigan
malajube - montréal -40°c
foals - spanish sahara
the virgins - rich girls
van she - changes
the lovely feathers - lowiza
evelyn evelyn - evelyn evelyn
beth orton - stolen car
nneka - heartbeat

and the malajube video for montréal is genius. i've no idea what they're singing about but the illustrations made this video:

food coma.

2010-07-05T13:29:00.000-07:00

finish on the in-progress work:

i've had a ridiculously hard time coming up with ideas for this show theme "wild times." i cannot get past stupid things like spring break girls gone wild or boozy bashes, skinny dipping.
so instead, i'm starting to gather ideas for things that are quite the opposite. like, buying cat food on friday nights and like, computer games.. book clubs.. ha. i don't know.. what else is unarguably not wild?

lovely.

2010-07-01T01:44:00.001-07:00

^a song from my summer playlist from Montreal band The Lovely Feathers. i really like how this video was executed and adoringly admired the band's acting chops. "lowiza" is also available for free download off their site. go here.
summer playlist to be posted soon.

working on art stuffs still... forever and ever, amen. here's some photos of my latest in-progress, shot for some technique tips:

sums it up.

2010-06-28T15:14:00.000-07:00

m.i.a.

2010-06-15T23:51:00.000-07:00

i'd heard some of england's current musical darling ellie goulding's music before- even had a few songs of hers on my itunes- but after seeing this vid of her performance at radio 1's big weekend, i was swayed into her favor like so many others. i appreciate any female who doesn't shy away from the drums.
her album Lights is out and if it sounds like your bag, check it out.

art-wise? i spent the last five days house and dog sitting. at some point yesterday, my sketchbook i've had since 2006 turns up missing. i retraced my steps, tore apart two houses, and drove to three different towns recovering my entire day of events in search of my pocket life. after a near breakdown and a text to my mom that "no i don't want to talk about it and no i don't want witnesses to my breakdown," i decided on a long shot and checked the garage of my host home. there, in the middle of the floor, gently chewed and cast aside, was my sketchbook.
i wanted to cut that dog.

but i didn't.

if i had lost my book, this would have been among the casualties:

and my twins cover comes out today on the boise weekly. check it!

transient.

2010-06-09T20:26:00.000-07:00

my roomies moved out at the end of may.

it's only been a week or so, and i'm finding i miss those small things: trips to Wendy's for foodstuffs and inebriated Ramen-making, drinking large quantities of wine while playing Candyland, laughing about Hayley's leaked topless photo (i can't seem to wash my brain of this one, unfortunately, and how i've tried), starting fights in clubs with random backwards cap-wearing hoochies. and while i'm excited to visit them in their new place in a new time zone out east in the future, i will always miss this immediacy of friendship.

my mother sold our childhood home around the same time, so many of my weeks were spent packing and unpacking. always in this transient state and refusing to come to terms with the fact that the place i called Home was no longer going to be mine. my sister and i ate one last sad meal in our backyard garden while my mother steam cleaned carpets inside. void of furniture, the house hadn't been that vacant in 18 years, it brought back memories of moving into the place in my younger days. it was a big move for us. after my parents' divorce, we packed up and started fresh in a new town. it was the first time in my entire ten years of life that i got to see my mom happy.
she lived in a trailer in my driveway with her husband for a weekend while i helped my roommates pack up and leave. one evening, i watched "the time traveler's wife" with her on her laptop on the small trailer couch. i'm not ashamed to admit i nearly wept like a baby.
this life i know is changing, and i'm doing my best to roll with it.

-in art news, i'm busy working on a small show for up north.

-i've also got those Built to Spill and some old Josh Ritter/Andrew Bird posters i did available at the Basement Gallery and The Visual Arts Collective for purchase.

-my pal Rick Walter has a show that just opened up this last weekend at the Visual Arts Collective that is nothing short of awesome. it'll be up for two months, so go check it if you haven't seen it.

there's other stuff in the works, but to be honest, i'm wiped at the moment. somewhere there's a Red Bull singing my name in sweet, saccharin tones.

pairs.

2010-05-17T13:44:00.000-07:00

most things are better in pairs.

finished this up last night. i abandoned the drawing for now and decided to paint it up instead. turned the painting into the Boise Weekly for a cover but will keep the drawing for a show set..

in progress.

2010-05-16T12:40:00.000-07:00

started on a series of drawings last week for a possible show. this is just the first and it's near-finish but still in progress. hoping to do around ten or so.. we'll see.

sigh.

2010-05-11T21:35:00.000-07:00

three.

2010-05-05T22:19:00.000-07:00

the pups turned three years old today. i'll admit i felt a bit sheepish about hitting up the Petsmart and actually buying them "gifts" for an occasion that neither of them could care less about. jackson got a replacement harness for the one he chewed off his body last week. andie got a new dress. but her hairy arms just make her look like a drag queen. albeit, a very cute drag queen.

we're like twins.

vestiges.

2010-04-16T01:02:00.000-07:00

i just finished this poster for Built to Spill last night.. if you're around about town, you should consider going. it's worth your dollars.

ETA: i've got some of these posters available at both the Basement Gallery and The Visual Arts Collective.

i've still got this lingering cough- merely a small, annoying reminder of my plague days. i finally gave up on "taking it easy" since no amount of soup, meds, or orange juice seemed to kill it. if i was going to be taken down, it was going to be miserably drinking beer from the confines of my bed. and i'll be damned, armed with six mexican beers, i began to kill the mighty plague.
Dos Equis, you saved my life. you can be my wingman anytime.
whilst on the ill, i admit i watched many a questionable quality entertainments. you tube vids that my pal nikki shared with me about drunk people retelling events in history as it is re-enacted by famous actors like Crispin Glover and Jack Black was memorably among the top. it's juvenile, yes. random video-vomiting aside, there were gems that reminded me of my college days, history major pals, and a bottle of Wild Turkey. i'm going to grace you with one Drunk History below, but for the faint of gut, i warn you there is vomiting shown. and probably some swearing. it's integral to the story though, promise.

(don't be fooled by the drunk history imitators. their vids are considerably lamer.)

last: my spring playlist. enjoy!

miami horror - sometimes

the sounds - beatbox

two door cinema club - something good...(t+f remix)

beach house - take care

decemberists - los angeles, i'm yours

modest mouse - florida

built to spill - car

the wombats - moving to new york

the sounds - no one sleeps

(you can download this song free off their website, which i highly suggest you do. now.)

sickness.

2010-04-12T16:20:00.000-07:00

i emerged from easter weekend with a family feud and a near-black eye (unrelated to family feud). then i was mightily stricken down with a case of The Plague. i blame the biological warfare of cousins and nieces under the age of 8.
the bruise has since healed, while The Plague remains. I have infected all but one in the household. we mainly lay in bed all day and either moan or groan about it, shuffling in slippers to the kitchen in search of either various cold medications or orange juice. there was a minor scare when i hit an orange juice drought yesterday morning, but a call was made and foreign aid arrived in a grocery sack toted by my mother.
i've lost some good days of productive art-making, so i'm pulling a brave move and going off the meds. i should bypass the comas they seduce me into and actually get some work done with the rest of my day.

take two.

2010-03-30T19:08:00.000-07:00

just wrapped on some poster work for the Record Exchange and Josh Ritter's gig coming up on Record Store Day (apr. 17th). (his new album So Runs the World Away will have a vinyl release for record store day(select shops), and is slated for a may release US-wide.)
big thanks to Joy at the RX for patiently letting me run wild with ideas.

on it.

2010-03-21T15:05:00.000-07:00

at this particular bar above, the bartender waxed poetic with an air of self-importance about attending Burning Man while mixing some concoction for my posse that he referred to as "Skittles," which reached the rank of "Worst Shot of the Night" after downing it and gagging that it "tasted like the 80s." (by the way, if anyone has seen my M.I.A. brown sweater from that night, you should kindly return it. i have spent far too many a chilled evening lamenting its absence. that, and it will forever serve as a reminder that alcohol is a demon.)
after sufficiently recovering from last week's wedding festivities and tending to our battle wounds, unexpected maid of honor duties which included the returning of the tux the next afternoon while Roomie 1 spent the day in the ER as a byproduct of said Demon, i'm back to work and on the ball. i've been meaning to post photos of my DBA traffic box work, but a dead camera battery did me no favors in this area. it's since been charged and i'm gracing you with very low res, shitty photos because:
1. i don't actually own a nice digital camera, or even a digital camera. i've bought many a dig (read slang: "didge") for other people but never one for myself. ironic. i'm an amateur professional.
2. these panels, being 30" tall, are far too large for any scanner near or in my possession. again, amateur professional.

i believe the ACHD has installed the vinyl wrap already, or will be doing so this week. my box location is supposedly at 6th and Main downtown, and will be "unveiled" for April's first thursday. (in the round, the panels should connect and be viewed as both a ship departing and simultanelously arriving.)
ETA: box location is at 8th & Bannock St. downtown.

flashback toonage: pixies - here comes your man

changes.

2010-03-14T01:04:00.000-08:00

^this photo about sums up the night.
my best friend gets married today. i've been sitting here into the morning hours, mentally composing my maid of honor speech. going through photos of last night's drunken debauchery with a chuckle and a smile on my face, realizing how lucky i am. i'm down a sweater that was lost to a dark bar, there's glow-in-the-dark hot pink paint on my knickers and shoes, and i may have woken up at 6:30 this morning dehydrated and very much still drunk, but i'm carrying a load of memories and laughs.
i'm feeling sentimental as i think on my pals and the vows they will exchange with and for each other and my heart swells. i'm so happy that they both found someone that doesn't mind the run to the store for cold medicine in the middle of the night, or having dinner ready when one gets home just because they work late, or is willing to try ethnic and spicy foods despite an ulcer.
we should all be lucky enough to be able to find a devotion and cheeseball love like that in this lifetime.
^me and my bestest mid-pub golf.

more on the rest later.

early morning sounds.

2010-02-24T00:57:00.000-08:00

i've been a big fan of The Sounds for some time. "no one sleeps when i'm awake" is from their album Crossing the Rubicon, released last summer. and it's good, especially if you're often awake at 3 a.m. and trolling for music to not sleep to. the vid itself is a semi-romantic view of the urban nighttime. my fascination with the magic of the night aside, i think one of the reasons i dig this band is that they're what Blondie would be today. and man, who doesn't love Debbie Harry?
this is one band i'm making a vow to see live. even if i have to fly to sweden, i'm gonna do it.

working for the weekend.

2010-02-12T01:16:00.000-08:00

^i will cut you.

in yet another stunning "incident" involving the roommates' black canine beasts, i am sporting one chipped lateral incisor. first the broken backyard fence, now, my face. jumping up to meet my head unexpectedly, nearly knocking me over, London's teeth met my own in a powerful click. it took me a minute to notice as i rubbed at my teeth and stumbled to the bathroom mirror, bemoaning that their dogs were really too large to be jumping on someone of my size and stature.
when i discovered my loss, i shouted that their dog was gonna pay for me to get it fixed, to which Roommate 2 said that "it's really not that noticable," --(that's because it's not in your mouth)-- which i took to mean:
1. it's not worth fixing because, to her, it looked rather minor.
2. no one but me is going to pay for this.

when i saw my sister later, she immediately gawped at my dental hideousness and shrank away from my broken visage. we may or may not be acting over dramatic about this, regardless, puppy heads will roll. (my first eating experience since has thrown my mouth into upheaval in a confused struggle to deal with The Change, reminiscent of the time i was affixed with braces and had a near-death experience involving spaghetti noodles. it was all scratchy and jagged and this "minor" chip be damned- it shall be fixed if i have to pay for it in puppy blood.)

i'm immersed in the traffic box project for the DBA currently, so i haven't had any time to work on new art but there's an interesting article over on ISO50 on how creative types deal with the creative rut. it includes the advice of two of my favorite artists: Audrey Kawasaki & Deth P. Sun.
says deth:
"I don’t really get into ruts that often. When I do I just take a break from drawing and do whatever I feel like until I feel like drawing again. I try not getting into ruts by keeping my mind active with new interest or subjects, reading, watching DVDs, finding interesting podcasts. It’s also nice to hang out with friends who have other interests. I think the well of stuff I’m into is pretty low, so a lot of the things I draw about is stuff my friends talk about and the things they are interested in. Like I’m not drawn into Native Americanism, horror films, talking to the undead, or the magical healing powers of crystals, but I end up drawing that stuff cause my friends talk about it so much. But yeah, I don’t know. It's different for everyone, but this is the way I do it."

magical healing powers of crystals *mocks*.
humorous that the general consensus on avoiding The Place Where Creativity Goes To Die is to simply do something else. watch movies, drink beer, go for a run- though, not necessarily in that order.

it's early morning on a friday. thank you, weekend, for being ever so punctual. i'm including a bunch of songs you wouldn't think i liked. it's good weekend music. some're off my art-making playlist. some are off a playlist my roommates refer to as the "Pre Funk."
enjoy your weekend, kids.

Baby When the Virgins- David Guetta vs. Madonna
Superstar- PopCop
The Test- Chemical Brothers
Of Moons Birds & Monsters(holy ghost remix)- MGMT
Mindcircus- Way Out West
I Feel It in My Bones- Tiesto w/ Tegan & Sara
Sometimes(hook & sling remix)- Miami Horror
The Girl & the Robot(kris menace remix)- Röyksopp
All Nite(Don't Stop)- Janet Jackson
Throw Some Tik on that Tok- White Panda (w/ Rich Boy/Ke$ha)

BoiseHeartsHaiti.

2010-02-05T20:40:00.000-08:00

just a heads up, i've got two artworks in the BoiseHeartsHaiti shindig tomorrow. if you're looking to bid on some good art for a good cause, some of my favorite peeps also have art available: ben wilson, erin cunningham, and sue latta. be there! (magic word: please!) see full press release below for info, and full props to lauren and jesse for organizing this.

Musicians, artists come together for BOISEheartsHAITI fundraiser Feb. 6

Steve Fulton, Matt Hopper, ReVoLtReVoLt, Bank to perform

Silent auction features original work from a dozen artists

Proceeds benefit Food for the Poor, Doctors Without Borders

Local musicians and artists will come together to raise money for Haiti disaster relief during BOISEheartsHAITI at 6 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 6, at the Linen Building, 1402 W. Grove St. in Downtown Boise’s Linen District. Admission is a suggested donation of $5 at the door. All ages, full bar (ID required).

Musicians scheduled to perform are Steve Fulton, Matt Hopper, ReVoLtReVoLt and Bank.

The fundraising event also includes a silent auction featuring original art and other items, plus a raffle with prizes donated by local businesses. Featured artists are Erin Ruiz, Ben Wilson, Allison Halligan, Jonathan Benton, Erin Cunningham, Sue Latta, James Calentino, Jeff Baker, Grant Olsen, Tim Andreae, Shasta Nash and Jenny Burdin.

All proceeds from the event will benefit two charities working on Haiti’s biggest issues: food and clean water (Food for the Poor) and medical needs (Doctors Without Borders).

For more information on BOISEheartsHAITI, contact Jesse Larsen, 208.863.5326 or fabujes@yahoo.com, or LaurenTweedy, 208.340.2583 or laurentweedy@yahoo.com.
For more information on the Linen Building, contact David Hale at 208.385.0111 or info@thelinenbuilding.com. Visitthelinenbuilding.com and interact with the Linen Building on Twitter, Facebook and MySpace.

free stuff!

2010-01-25T15:39:00.001-08:00

okay kids! free art edition. i've got four of these little mexican wrestlers up for grabs. painted in acrylic, and ballpoint pen.(the penny is for size. like i said, they're small. and pocket-sized. and free.) first four comments or emails to erin@erinruiz.com to win one. (if you win, you can also specify which guys you'd like most in your comment or email and i'll try to fill your request.)
have fun, and good luck!

ETA: all wrestlers have been claimed! i'll contact you winners tomorrow. and thanks for playing.

3 dollar wine.

2010-01-24T02:59:00.000-08:00

eternal sunshine theme - jon brion
kettering - the antlers
frank ab - the rural alberta advantage
the sea is a good place... - los campesinos!
love dog - tv on the radio
black river killer - blitzen trapper
cascades - richmond fontaine
shiny - the decemberists
tales of las negras - mice parade
the death of us - the new amsterdams
the temptation of adam - josh ritter
signs(sayCet remix)- bloc party
ghosts - thomas newman
cymbal rush(live on kcrw)- thom yorke
atrophy - the antlers

i've been posting songs from my winter playlist for the last month, and i've just now gotten around to shortening it down for a decent list to share. typically, my winter tunes are like a warm musical blanket of depression.
however, do not fret. i counter it with a list of songs peppered with 80s and 90s pop sensation. (seriously, what ever happened to c+c music factory? i thought those guys were destined for longevity..) it keeps me humble.
i've been dealing with a maniacal pup who was gifted a paper-thin rawhide from Roommate 2 earlier, and she flies into a pupils-dilated puppy rage when anyone dares near it. after chewing off a small corner of rawhide with her tiny, razor sharp teeth, she promptly passed out at 3 AM and hasn't stirred since. i think the proper term in this instance would be "coma."
the roommates made pizza for dinner, then forced me to drink off the rest of their $3 wine because Roommate 1 was tanked and Roommate 2 feared 1 would not make it to see 11 o'clock. we popped "earth girls are easy" into the dvd player while Roommate 2 frantically searched the house for a small tube of vaginal tightener(do not ask). by the time jeff goldblum and geena davis have golden showery alien sex, Roommate 1 had passed out and i was the last one standing.

i'm planning on the free art for sometime monday. good idea? i'll post it 'round abouts my internet spaces, so if you want your shot, keep a sharp eye out. i promise, it'll be worth it.

blud.

2010-01-17T23:50:00.000-08:00

^from the savannah archives, my roomie shawna.
i made an appointment to give blood next monday. the funny part about it was my hesitancy to do it when i've never had a problem with either needles or the drawing of my own blood before. i chalk this up to my last, horrid, blood-giving experience in savannah years ago. i haven't been able to give blood since.
it started innocently enough. naomi, shawna and i were traipsing about the town and we saw that there was a blood drive so we decided, "fuck it. let's do this." it had been a year or so since my last donation back in idaho, so i figured it was nigh time to drop another bag of blood for a good cause. as we three sat there filling out our medical history, the nurse informed us that we would be the last donors since it was "nearing 4pm." it seemed to me to be a bit early to close down shop, seeing as there were people waiting in line to give blood and don't they, like, need all the blood they can get?
whatever.
shawna went first, myself directly after, and we giggled at each other from our respective chairs as her already pale complexion turned a surprising two shades whiter. she stubbornly persisted with the squeezing of the stress ball though and powered through. my nurse had trouble finding my vein, stabbing me twice. (which was a bag of lies. every time i've had to give blood, barring this particular Incident, i've gotten compliments on my vein prominence. 'a beginning nurses dream,' they called them. i beamed with pride. i have awesome veins, lady.) once the tube was connected, my blood being drawn from my body, naomi sauntered over to tell me she was "a reject" because she was iron-deficient. she looked like a kicked puppy. later, she would be thankful she didn't partake in the madness that was The Disasterous Savannah Blood Drive of 2003.
my bag is halfway full of the most precious commodity next to money when the nurse decides i'm "taking too long." it's four o' clock and they want to shut down. she disconnects me from my bag and quickly applies a cotton ball and some tape and ushers my posse out the door.
i was pissed. i felt robbed.. cheated of my own blood, and for nothing but a Solo cup shot full of electrolytes, a free cotton swab, and a scarred stab wound on my right arm. the situation soured my outlook on giving blood for a long time, and only recently have i started the recovery process.

what else? oh. the basement gallery has "Noise in the Basement" up on a slide show. you can see some pieces of mine that aren't on my flickr page here.

and!
i'll be running another little competition for some free art in the coming week, so keep posted. i'll have more than two this time, so more of you should have a shot at winning something.

the status of my fingernails is more interesting than your conversation.

anglophilia.

2010-01-13T18:24:00.000-08:00

my adoration for all things british has hit a high this month with the imminent return of Skins fourth season approaching debut on january 28th (for uk viewers). for those who know me, know it's rare that i gush with excitement for anything-- especially any tv program-- but Skins is my exception. it's well-written, honest, and makes no apologies. i've tired of the american reality tvs, or win-a-date-with-another-rich-loser, or hospital/crime scene investigative dramas. it's fresh, and the adorable accents don't hurt.

see what i mean?

annnnd. tickets for the Burning Man Festival also went on sale today. if you're itching to go, and i recommend it, hurry and buy yours as the two lowest price levels have already sold out. then, you should leave your ticket at Will Call so you can come and say hi to me at the box office this summer. word? in honor of this year's BM theme of "Metropolis," i will build for you a city full of industrial revolutions.

those of us who did not.

2010-01-07T01:10:00.000-08:00

oh if i had a dime for every time i've had to mention tha "Noise in the Basement" group show.. actually, no. make that a dollar. then i'd have enough for, like, a tank of gas or something delicious.. like one roll of sushi.
the show opens this evening, by the way. (the above image will be in the show, titled "the ones who made it, and ones who did not." it's done in acrylic house paints, copper spray paint, and red Sharpie.)
ben wilson, fellow artist and friend, was kind enough to send this out:
"If you are heading out to First Thursday this week, I feel there are many reasons to make a stop at The Basement Gallery. Whether you want to bid farewell to the man who created the gallery, meet the new owners, or see/purchase amazing art, I feel it will be an enjoyable experience for all. We will certainly miss Perry Allen, he has brought attention to amazing local artists for years at his fine establishment. He gave me one of my first gallery shows and has been extremely supportive to me ever since. He has meant a lot to me, my family, and my career. You will be missed my friend.
There is certainly excitement surrounding the "changing of the guard". Jane and Mike Brumfield have proven to be delightful people from the brief time I have spent with them already. I'm excited for the plans they have for the future of the gallery. There will be more great things to come as they carry on Perry's tradition of exhibiting and highlighting fantastic art.
Everybody has put a lot of time and work into this show and we're looking forward to presenting it to the public. I'm also highly anticipating seeing Julia Green's show at the Flying M opening the same evening, check it out. Anyway, happy 2010 and we'll see you soon!"
dudes, i'm nervous. i haven't seen any of the art from the other peeps in the show, but i know it's gonna be good. ben never lets me down, and april and john are always pulling something awesome out of their sleeves. (also, remember april had a show opening at the VaC last month and the last time we spoke in early december, neither of us had started on our Basement Gallery work. talk about working under pressure.) i'll be down there sometime after 5, so if you're out and about, come by and say hi.

in other news, i'll be updating my website with new arts and links, etc, in the coming weeks. i'm still working on re-building Milquetoast's site, as well. not many of you know, but our partner came down with cancer and is unable to continue participating. we're in the middle of transferring power back into my hands but it will take some time, so apologies all around and thank yous for being patient. when we re-open the store in the spring, there will be new designs as well. be worth the wait, it will.

i'm also working on a project for the Downtown Boise Association involving a traffic box on 8th. first round of rough sketches have been presented and gotten the go-ahead, and come april, you'll be able to see my art on the traffic box across from Thomas Hammer. the idea behind these artist vinyl-wraps being installed around the boxes is to curb senseless graffiti and tagging as i understand it. so far, it's been a nice way to add art downtown while helping cut down on vandalism.
my views on graffiti are very.. complex. it's hard to find the fine line between vandalism and graffiti art sometimes. i love the idea of free art or art that is accessible to everyone. i like that some seemingly insignificant graff can make someone think, or chuckle, or brighten your day passing it on the street. it can be a hidden surprise within a bleak urban landscape. it can also be disrespectful and damaging. the graffiti artists i know respect the difference, but it doesn't stop the war on graffiti from existing. oftentimes, it's a case-by-case basis for me. my roots lie in graffiti and i will always defend it. after all, how can something like this not cheer you up?

i killed my dinner with karate.

2010-01-04T00:41:00.000-08:00

dropped off all my work down at the Basement Gallery yesterday. the gallery smells like fresh paint and i was greeted with a grand smile from the new owner who, taking on the re-painting of the space completely solo, was covered in droplets of white paint. i was unsure what to expect on our first encounter, to be honest, as i find most british ladies can be one of two sorts: staunchly proper, or (my favorite) a bit unpredictable, likable and sometimes kooky. (is kooky even a word? because that word sums it up perfectly.) she was well likable.
i read the news of the sale of the gallery in the Boise Weekly back in november and thought the article too worried.. in my opinion and experience thus far, it's gone smoothly and i'm excited for the changes. i have no doubt that the new owners will keep up the standard of The Basement Gallery as ace and we'll continue to see cutting-edge art and pop surrealism seep from its walls.
the show opens for First Thursday this week (january 7th) and i hope to see you all down there.
on my way home from the downtown, i stopped for a taco because i haven't purchased any groceries that didn't consist of either energy drinks, frozen chicken nuggets, or ramen since who knows how long. (the chick who delivered this tasty meal to my carside looked like meg prescott +50 lbs with glasses and i sooo wanted to take a photo with my phone to show my sister-- who would get a righteous kick out of that-- but had a feeling i would look and feel like a Creeper, so i refrained.) then i took a mini-coma. after which, i was woken up by The Roomies' two black devils barreling excitedly down the hallway to go to bed and the sound of whining from my chihuahua who sat bedside and stared at me with a look of mild concern.

i know it's a few days late, but i'm ready for the new year. i've given my top 10 songs of the last decade great thought.... before deciding that was impossible and had to make it a top 19. bite me, it was hard, yo!
the criteria for my list was simple: songs either had to be off an album that i enjoyed at least 90% of or could listen to straight through, after the first time i'd heard the song i was turned onto the band because of it, cared enough to see the band live, and/or it just plain rocked my ipod probably way too often. oh and release date within the 00's.

1. The Acorn - Crooked Legs
i love a band that has so many instruments it should seem chaotic, but just builds until you see the necessity of every single noise. the album and songs are inspired and culled from stories from the lead singer's mother. because the song is personal, it resonates with more authenticity, i think. there's a horn section and the percussion is brilliant here, with use of (what sounds like) a marimba, a shaker, and claves.

2. Sufjan Stevens - Come On! Feel the Illinoise! The World's Columbian Exposition...
this guy and his band will blow your socks off if you see them live. this one's from his Illinois-tributed album. it changes seamlessly around the 2:20 mark then again at 2:50 into what could be completely different songs. amazing composition and instrumentation. plus, it has a tambourine, and you know they don't get enough love.

3. The Decemberists - The Legionnaire's Lament
fell in love with this band after hearing "lesley anne levine." they bring back the element of storytelling within music. this song perfectly encapsulates and best demonstrates their style. and, accordion love. i still laugh when i think about the concert where they played "The Mariner's Revenge," pulled out a giant cardboard whale and accidentally smacked some kid up in the front on the head with a resounding thud and an apology.

4. The Get Up Kids - Forgive & Forget
god, i miss this band. i have many fond memories tied to this band since discovering them early on in college. i mostly turn to their earlier punk-influenced albums, but i'm hard pressed to find an album of theirs i don't like. this song is probably my favorite. on a whim, i once drove with a dude i barely knew for 5 hours both ways just to see these guys in atlanta, joorjah.

5. Hood - L. Fading Hills
a mellow tune with droning complexities you have to absorb. this is, by far, my favorite song to listen to while driving through the nevada desert at night. life never feels more beautiful than at that moment. (this was tied with Royksopp's "In Space" for exactly the same reason. probably shoulda won on account of Melody A.M. being a top album for me.. but it didn't. don't judge.)

6. Florence & the Machine - Cosmic Love
though "You've got the Love" was the first song of hers i heard and liked, this one is my pick off her album Lungs. but it was hard to choose as i like, well, at least 90% of that album.

7. Tokyo Police Club - Citizens of Tomorrow
their song "Nature of the Experiment" was enough to peak my interest in TPC. later, among their oeuvre, i discovered the tune "Citizens of Tomorrow." it would inspire many thoughts and artworks of futuristic robot rebellion within me. plus, there's hand-clapping. always a bonus, if you ask me.

8. Death Cab For Cutie - Title and Registration
first song of theirs i heard, couldn't stop listening to them after. i love that the drumming in this band is never predictable. their earlier stuff is less produced, but you can still find a few gems among their later work like "Brothers on a Hotel Bed." (great drumming in that one too.)

9. Frightened Rabbit - Poke
when i first heard this one, sent to me by an old friend, i didn't give it the attention it deserved. the more i listen to it, the sadness radiating from it becomes harder to ignore. no doubt the dissolution of my friendship with said friend this year plays a large factor in my heartache over this song. but, regardless, it's beautiful. with warm, melancholic tones it may just soak into your skin as well.

10. Radiohead - Idioteque
my pick off, probably, my favorite album of the decade. i remember some car speeding by me on a warm, savannah afternoon blasting this whilst i walked home from the library. it filled the air and the neighborhood with a dancey passion that made me chuckle.

11. The Sounds - Song With a Mission
the song i listen to most when i need to get up and moving in the morning earlier than i want to. which is often.

12. A Perfect Circle - Judith
josh freese is one of my favorite drummers and this is one of the first songs i learned on the drums. it's still my first pick to play when i get agitated. Mer de Noms is also one of my favorite albums. i wish these guys would make more music. 'cause they're kinda good at it.

13. Modest Mouse - Dashboard
i listen to this song a lot on the drive to work. (i also sing along to it really loudly while in the car. people look at me funny but i think they're not grasping the idea of really living.) great drumming here, a rolling bassline and well-written lyrics, as usual, keep modest mouse always somewhere in my top ten.

14. Bloc Party - Pioneers
okay so, it's gotta be obvious at this point on the list that the drumming in a song dictates whether or not a song is a good one for me. this one is not only fun to play on the set, but it's fast and it builds. it's got an energy, as most their songs do, that i find inescapable.

15. Final Fantasy - This Lamb Sells Condos
though Owen Pallett's cover of joanna newsom's "peach plumb pear" was the first song of his i heard and liked, this one is my pick. apparently, it's an attack on the toronto realtor brad j. lamb and his "ostentatious lifestyle," but i just like the build of frustration and anger that eventually takes over near the end.

16. The Good Life - Album of the Year
excellent lyrics in this one. about the start and eventual disintegration of a relationship, the topic is far from original. what makes it stand out is the moment the first line of "the first time that i met her, i was throwing up in the ladies room stall" is uttered. it's a sad tale delivered in an uncharacteristically matter-of-fact manner. though i'm sure the break-up was a tough one and it doesn't end happy, it never sounds sad.

17. The Rural Alberta Advantage - Frank, AB
i already posted this one a few entries back as it's included in my winter playlist, but i have a feeling this song will be one that i'll play a lot of now and in the future.

18. The Album Leaf - Always For You
has anyone seen the video for this song? i think i get it, but sometimes i wonder. the song's got electronic influence and quirks, but the drums and keyboard drive it. the lyrics are simple, but the singer's voice really makes this into something.

19. Ani DiFranco - Garden of Simple
this is, easily, my top pick of hers. i listened to this a lot during my time in savannah and have very fond memories of my roomie shawna and i driving to jacksonville to see her in concert. we drove back to savannah that night after and i just remember looking up through the sun roof of the car into the night feeling so content and happy.

new skin.

2010-01-02T19:26:00.000-08:00

i finished framing all the work for "Noise in the Basement" today and it only took me four hours of fractions and heavy machinery. (if you'll kindly look out to your right, you'll see another piece for the show and... that love hurts.)
also? made me realize it's going to be a bitch going into work that first day back after vacation.

here's a song for the new year and your new skin:

los campesinos - the sea is a good place to think about the future.

word!

WTF?

2010-01-02T19:22:00.001-08:00

what. the. eff is covering my blueberries??
i find a surprising amount of entertainment in watching these monkeys pawing perplexed and frantic at their Jello-covered blueberries.
here's to new discoveries.

noise in the basement:

2009-12-27T18:56:00.000-08:00

the line-up has been confirmed and it should be a good show. spread the word!

frozen stuffs.

2009-12-24T22:57:00.000-08:00

i'm babysitting The Roomies two black beasts tonight. London, the older lab, is so fraught with anxiety at the disappearance of her beloved Roommate 2 that she keeps passing gas. i'm drowning the annoyance with beer and cookies.
i'm still working past the deadline for the next Basement Gallery show. i hope to get a lot more done with the next few days.
i'll leave you with a piece from the upcoming show along with some seasonal tunes. there are few christmas songs i can actually stomach after all these years, but these are two:
judy garland - have yourself a merry little christmas
is there anything more depressing than this song and this first version? it's off the movie "meet me in st. louis" which is a family fave. taken in context with the storyline, it's no wonder this song is laced with heartache.

sharon jones & the dap kings - ain't no chimneys
i probably shouldn't, but i giggle at this one. well-executed, sharon. top lyrics.

and merry christmas, new year, hannuwhatevers to all of you.

virtues and risks.

2009-12-22T19:49:00.000-08:00

december 18th came and went like every other day. there was no tear shed, no fanfare of any sort. it briefly crossed my mind to call my mother that day, but by the time i had gotten off work, i had forgotten to. morning of the 19th, i couldn't decide whether to mention to her how i regretted not calling or to just forgo mentioning the date altogether.
i didn't say a thing.
i wondered instead, in the back of my mind, how she passed the anniversary of my grandmother's death. did she feel the same sadness of her absence itching under her skin? this year was different. this winter is different, i think.. i can see my grandmother's house from my back door.
looking out my window, i tried to grasp the feelings of that winter she passed, as i stared at her home-- the one i came to know well as a child, but have not stepped into in thirteen years.

what became of the energy of your body? i could feel you haunting me, slow, sure, and sweet.. beckoning with a strange curiosity toward your old home.
when i saw my estranged grandfather load into his pickup and drive away down the road, the spell was broken and i returned to my desk to continue working on art.
grief seems to me, to be a very solitary journey.

it's with this, i present a few more songs from my winter playlist:

jon brion is one of my two favorite contemporary composers. (the other being thomas newman) this song is from the movie "eternal sunshine of the spotless mind." when i really listened to this the other day, it nearly made me weep. i think, for the first time, i was able to grasp the meaning of it. i can distinctly recall a conversation with one of my roommates in which i told her, "you can't just erase your mind of it, no matter how you try." the song can seem misleadingly peppy, but i think you can hear the underlying sadness of a lost love you can't seem to erase if you just listen for it.

frank, AB by the rural alberta advantage.
from wiki:
"Frank, Alberta is a coal mining town in the Crowsnest Pass, Alberta. On April 29, 1903, at 4:10 a.m., 90 million tonnes (30 million cubic metres) of limestone crashed from the east face of Turtle Mountain and covered approximately three square kilometres of the valley floor. The slab of rock that broke free was approximately 650 m high, 900 m wide and 150 m thick[1]. The slide dammed the Crowsnest River and formed a small lake, covered 2km of the Canadian Pacific Railway, destroyed most of the coal mine's surface infrastructure, and buried seven houses on the outskirts of the sleeping town of Frank, as well as several rural buildings. Frank was home to approximately 600 people in 1903; it is estimated that 90 of the roughly 100 individuals in the path of the slide were killed."
i can't get past the quiet end of the song, a soft drumming mimicking what i imagine to be a subtle dying heartbeat. the lyrics could be interpreted as lovers dying together or my take: a strangely possessive Nature, trapping sleeping citizens and lovers to keep them forever in its lonely hold. it's so delicate, and hauntingly tragic.

last for now is Kettering by The Antlers. word on the inter-street is that "hospice" is a concept album. kettering seems to tell the story of a hospice worker falling for a patient dying of bone cancer. it breaks my heart, but it's so deliciously addictive.

long distance iz done.

2009-12-02T21:56:00.000-08:00

the "Long Distance" show opens tomorrow at Lisk Gallery for First Thursday. i dropped off my work today with a mix of relief and worry-- worry, as usual, that it won't be a strong body of work and relief that i can move onto the next project. i'll be downtown for the show sometime between 5-9, so if you're out and about, do come say hello.
now, i have about 15 days to round up some art for the Basement Gallery's illustration show opening in january. so far, i've only heard of ben wilson and myself being on board for this one, though i'm sure there are some other players. i'll keep you posted when i find out the illustration roster.

wrapping up.

2009-11-30T00:18:00.000-08:00

wrapping up my work for the "Long Distance" show tonight. i've got a lot of ideas for works for this show that i'm just not going to have time to get to before the opening thursday.
i imagine a lot of these ideas will spill over into the Basement Show.. last two peeks:

(the line "why haven't you called?" comes from loch lomond's "scabs on this year" posted in the last entry. being an illustrator, you can't help but be swayed by words often times more than the image it conjures.)

not far enough.

2009-11-23T18:29:00.000-08:00

i'm adjusting to having two new roommates who, upon moving in, came with over 500 channels of DirectTV: the invention of the devil.
i haven't gotten much work done, to say the least. ten minutes ago, one of their gigantic black labs took a small break from chewing on a bone (the size of a human femur) to vomit sporadically all over the living room and kitchen. 20 lbs of unchewed dog food and a half-masticated, uncooked bratwurst lay all over the floor amongst the splatters of blood-- because, as if this couldn't be topped, the same dog is in heat. it looked like a serial killer explosion. i could only laugh as Roommate One whimpered and faux-cried while Roommate Two forced her to scoop up the steaming mess.
yay me.
(now they're "playing" board games. i just heard One yell and knock Two's playing pieces all over the floor while screaming she's a cheater. Two insists she didn't remember where her playing pieces were.)
this is a test of my art-making diligence, right?
... there are so many enticing tv shows beckoning...
eff you, tv. eff you.

damn, working from home iz hard, yo.

literal.

2009-11-16T17:59:00.000-08:00

more work for the Long Distance show. i decided to try my hand at some more literal, less melancholic interpretations this weekend. this is what i came up with:

my framing influence is present in this one with the border work. i enjoy the embellishments.
back to work.

should be..

2009-11-12T22:53:00.001-08:00

i should most definitely be working on some more art.. but then i get trapped on the internets like some little kid with ADD and a sugar-high. i was just trying to make a playlist on the ipod, i swear. four hours later..
it's getting colder, the pup's winter wardrobe has been pulled out, and i'm searching for my winter playlist.. something i can draw to.. so far, this is what i've found and am digging:
edward sharpe & the magnetic zeros. this gigantic band has a rockin' seventies influence, sounds a bit like a harder America to me.. mostly, i love the cute exchange between the two singers in the middle of the song "Home." maybe it's the way she says, all drawn-out, "alexaandeer.." or how he says "nearly broke your ass.." that makes me giggle to myself. i can't say for sure. also check out the more psychedelic "Desert Song." really more of a late summer/fall feel to them, though.
tv on the radio. the band that refuses to be pegged under any certain style or genre. i like "Love Dog" best. the pulsating, driven, laid-back shuffle of it gets me each time. this is definitely on my winter playlist.
i was a big fan of The Microphones, but haven't listened to them much since the name change to Mount Eerie. Mount Eerie just released an album in ode to the wind, if i remember correctly. it's a sweeping, dark album, reminiscent of the earlier album released under The Microphones "The Glow Pt. 2." these songs should be on someone's winter album, might as well be mine. check "Between Two Mysteries".
i discovered greg laswell when i heard his cover of kate bush's "this woman's work." his cover is worth checking out, as is his cover of kristin hersh's "Your Ghost." i can't think of many lyrical lines that leave more of an impression on me than "i think last night, you were driving circles around me."
(disclaimer: i'll leave these songs up for a week or so, then take them down. if you represent any of the artists mentioned, or are one of the artists mentioned and wish to have your music taken down, don't hesitate to email me and i will honor your request in a timely fashion.)
ETA: music links removed to make room for new, word.

long distance.

2009-11-06T21:53:00.001-08:00

now busy working for next two shows. this is the first sneak peek at the batch for the show at Lisk Gallery for december. the theme is "Long Distance." it will feature mostly small works dealing with long distance (both literal and relationship-wise), homesickness, travelers, loneliness and general melancholy. perfect for the winter blues, yeah? the astronaut is a primary figure in a lot of my work. the idea exemplifies everything about long distance. i think we can all relate to his emotional plight.
after that, i'll have work for january at the Basement Gallery for its annual Illustration show.
back to work.

leftovers.

2009-11-02T13:30:00.000-08:00

for the halloween party this year, i made a small batch of zombie fingers and strung them onto a hemp thread. the stubs glow in the dark as though infected and glowing with Solanum, the virus responsible for reanimation. the blood splatters are coated in a glaze to appear still wet. life-size and cast from my own fingers, i only have two left. i will offer one each, for free, to the first two people to show interest! email me at erin@erinruiz.com, or leave a comment on my blog and i'll get back to you.
game on!

ETA: all zombie fingers are accounted for. thanks to all for playing!

hallowe'en.

2009-10-29T22:09:00.000-07:00

it's nearing the end of my favorite month and the house is all decked out with pumpkin guts, skulls, and candles. halloween is, in my opinion, the most interesting of holidays. i squeal with delight when i start seeing fake blood, plastic machetes and swords, orange lights and horror movies on sale in the stores. i, no doubt, disappointed my mother many a time because i never took as much an interest in some of the kinder holidays, more specifically her favorite: christmas.
she once asked me why i would never draw her a nice Victorian house. i told her, matter-of-factly, that the only way i was going to draw her a "nice Victorian house" was if it was being besieged by a horde of the living dead. she never brought it up again.
i was a big comic fan, and among my favorite was "tales from the crypt." whenever moms would take us to the Paperback Place to purchase secondhand romance novels, she allowed my sister and i to get one comic each. beth would pick up a "bugs bunny" or "the who cares bears" without fail. i'd chose a "tales from the crypt" or a spiderman. now, i only have one "tales from the crypt" comic left in my collection; its pages folded and cover worn. thumbing through it after rediscovering it after the move, i wondered two things:
one, how the hell did i convince my mother to buy me this fantastic piece of morbid horror? and two, where are the others??
if you had access to HBO cable back in the early nineties, you remember the tv show with the crypt keeper. though, i'm not sure how many of you will remember the "crypt keeper" released a few songs like "deck the halls with parts of charlie" or "the crypt jam"?
if you want to deck out your computer desktop with silver screen era monster awesomeness, go here.
(last year i created a batch of dismembered toes with toe tags as party favors for some of my favorite people. this year will be no different. for now, it will remain a secret, but i will be sure to post photos of this year's eerie creations soon.)
in other creative news, i just ran across these embroidered texts and thought it such a clever idea.

fifty people.

2009-10-13T20:34:00.000-07:00

and where would you choose to wake up tomorrow?

Fifty People, One Question: London from Fifty People, One Question on Vimeo.

in the works.

2009-10-08T00:39:00.000-07:00

for those of you who have noticed a problem with the store link off my website, milquetoastpress.com is no longer. this summer, we took on a business advisor and we are currently changing things up a bit. what this means: the new website is now under mqpclothing.com. most of our designs are being retired or redesigned to make room for new apparel. what you'll find at mqpclothing is a working site, and one that is subject to change as i work with our tech guy and tweak the site store to reflect our style. you can still purchase shirts directly through me- i believe the new site is still in progress at the moment- or we have some designs we printed up for the Slings & Arrows show at the Visual Arts Collective available. i don't run as much of the business as i used to. we have allotted different positions to others within the business to cover things that cut into my design time. what i no longer do? build and update the site, 50% of the printing, schedule meetings and boring business stuffs. what i do now besides have my hands in everything? oversee site building and design, 50% of printing, attend meetings, and all shirt design work. with my hands free of the technical and business side, i am able to concentrate on fashion trends, yay! and new ideas, as well as following them through from concept to shirt printed.

i'm currently working hard on some fresh designs for release very soon. we were hoping to get this up and running by october, but i've been far too busy to get everything up to speed on my end. i'll keep you updated as i change out old links and the new line is released. i might post some sneak peeks at the new designs before the launch. we'll see.

almost there..

2009-07-28T17:48:00.000-07:00

just picked up the postcards for Slings & Arrows from sam at the Visual Arts Collective and they look pretty sweet. (big thanks to them for helping by getting those printed!)
started on the last few paintings i intend to have finished up for the show, and also completed the twins' painting "It's Not That I Haven't Thought About It" today as well.

photo is kinda shite, so come check it out at the show. there's some nice detail in their hair. once the show is up and running, i'll post detail shots/scans.
with every new painting i complete, it usually ends up becoming my favorite. i have a special fondness for my creepy, little twins. it shall be a sad day when and if we ever part ways. i'm hoping the next one will knock it from its esteemed position in my heart.
i'll leave this with another mini-mugshot. this one's james hanley for passing worthless checks. photo is to size.

slings and arrows!

2009-07-13T19:15:00.000-07:00

i'm spending most of my days preparing for my first technical solo show coming up next month at the Visual Arts Collective. the theme is Slings & Arrows, a collection of mugshots and mishaps, insults and injuries, wounds and weapons. it'll be the first time i'm responsible for filling up a whole gallery by myself and the thought is quite daunting. (and i've got a lot to live up to with the showing of ben wilson and erin cunningham's excellent show "Hello Friend" that is still running through the end of the month at the VAC. do check it out.) luckily, i enjoy a challenge and have a strict schedule of energy drinks, bathroom breaks, and five-hour naps. throw in some beer for those late painting nights, and i feel quite blessed for such an easy lifestyle. (also amazed to find out that i have to be pretttty drunk to affect my painting skillz.) i really do have the best job.
but on those days off, i do have to battle this little distraction:

every now and then i get an ambitious idea for a painting that i end up needing photo reference for. i basically force my sister- on her visits to bring me food- to pose for these reference shots. this photo sums up how she feels about this:

Andie's telling me it's time for her evening stroll to smell fire hydrants and pee in the neighbor's yards. i'll leave you with some progress shots of one of the paintings i finished last weekend and one of the mini-mugshot paintings i'll have there.

geekcore.

2009-04-27T14:14:00.000-07:00

the art i've got up at the Lisk Gallery downtown has been extended for another month, so if you missed the chance to see any of it, rest easy. it'll be up until the end of may. i've got [high] hopes to finish up some new stuff and drop it off, but it's gonna be a busy month so we'll just play it by ear.
(i've since picked up the remnants of art i had hanging up at the Basement Gallery back in January&February. some of the pieces sold, but if you're interested in purchasing any of the art i've got left from that show for cheaper(buy it directly from me, the gallery commission isn't necessary)have a look on my flickr page and drop me a note inquiring about any pieces you may be interested in.)
as for future news, i've got another show at the Visual Arts Collective tentatively in the works for what's looking to be August & September. i've plans to work on some larger scale paintings for this one, but as sketches and themes are still being worked out, we'll see what happens and evolves. i'll attach photos of progress as we get closer to this date.
for now, it's monday and i can't think of anything better than working from home, energy drinks, and good music.

codependency & other human weaknesses.

2009-03-24T00:52:00.000-07:00

'bout time for another update, right?
i'm currently on break from a spat of art in preparation for my next showing at Lisk Gallery in downtown Boise. it'll open First Thursday next month (that's April 2nd, kids).
the loose theme for this show at Lisk is "codependency and other human weaknesses" with a focus on mug shots of various no-name criminals from the early to mid 1900s. the new pieces have allowed me to work in a new media that i'm growing quite taken with. the mugs are time-consuming, but i feel these forgotten people deserve a resurrection. i'm fascinated by their forgotten lives. each mug is painstakingly rendered with a small exacto blade onto a masonite board. i've worked scratchboard before, but it's never been something i put into any of my shows. i like that i can get minute detail out of the blade. i can never get that small with a pencil. i've thrown in some hand-rendered typography to boot.
there will also be smaller works of various things i've been working on in the past month. so do come check it out.

until later.

2009-01-01T02:02:00.000-08:00

i did complete some art this weekend, but i decided against rushing to get it into the basement gallery show for january. i'll have a handful of new art there for january, but i plan to stick the stuff i'm working on right now in the show in time for the february opening. i started working with colored pencils and it's progressing into... something. i want to follow it to see where it goes instead of selling the pieces right away. i need to just sit with them surrounding me, listening to them telling me where to take it..
i dread the return back to work in a day, but welcome the ritual. i only hope that i can shed this perpetual sleepiness and make some real painting progress on my last day off.
i spent a short new years eve with my family. i tried to rush home just after midnight to avoid the drunk driving masses and managed to make it home safely only to find i was locked out. once i finally got into the house, i was glad to spend it with my slumbering pups.
i thought about my grandmother today. another year past since her death. i was sitting in the hallway throwing my dog's frog toy to her, she's running back and forth with it and i just glanced in passing at the framed photo of gram's holding my mother as a baby hanging on the wall. we have the same hands, i thought, though my nails (chronic nailbiter) are shorter.
she died in '98. now over ten years ago. if i reach for it, i can vividly remember that winter she passed. i wonder what she would think of me now. i wonder how it is there was ever a time i knew her. it's been so long now that she seems like a made-up character in some epic tale. sometimes she feels close.. and sometimes her memory feels as far away as pluto.
when i watched distant fireworks over the city from my older sister's kitchen windows feeling stone-cold sober, i felt grateful to have seen another year. but it's painful to grow.
i hope for everyone that the new year brings some joy and love.
dan fogelberg - same old lang syne
the good life - album of the year or (acoustic demo)
david gray - this years love

wrap-up.

2008-12-27T19:17:00.000-08:00

though past the technical deadline for the upcoming illustration group show at the basement gallery in january, i am still trying to crank out some last-minute art. it's a struggle since i told myself i would be done by this point, but it seems that with my regular-joe-job, i didn't have the free time i had hoped for this month to work on pursuits of the artistic variety, and the two ambitious painting projects (photos included with this post) i started took more than a week each to complete. so while i'm still rolling off the pressure and work schedule of last week, i'm going to make a final pull for new art this weekend.

the website that allowed me to post mixtapes is kaput, sadly, so now i will have to use my ftp site in order to share music with yous. among some of the music i've been listening tonight to work to:
empire of the sun
foals
mystery jets
what else?
for the holiday, i spent it with my pop's side of the family. we made the drive out to middleton, braving icy roads. my sister and i played with my nieces and their barbies after a christmas meal that wouldn't be complete without tamales. beth says i talk to my nieces like they're 20-- though 7 and 5, giving their barbies names like stacy (anastasia. a kleptomaniac, swedish exchange student and member of the illustrious ski team) and britney (best friend, then rapidly ex-best friend of stacy). i fixed 5 year old brooklyn's bottle feeding-peeing plastic dog which entertained the both of us for nearly an hour. then we chased my aunt's boston terrier, cowboy, around the room with a horse head on a broomstick that played william tell's overture. cowboy never really recovered, much to my aunt's annoyance, no doubt.
i'm a bad influence on the childrens.
i hope everyone's holiday was full of something worthwhile and good.

basement gallery work.

2008-12-01T16:58:00.000-08:00

i've scanned in some of my recent arts for the upcoming basement gallery group show in january. i've decided to do a collection of holy men, akin to my collection of nuns in that were in the august show this summer at the VaC. so far i've completed five, but they all differ from one another-- as opposed to the nuns which were all done similarly. i don't know if i should continue to change them all up as i've done so far, or to start making them all in the same manner. thoughts? any comments would be appreciated.

birdhouse

2008-11-21T23:56:00.001-08:00

f--- ABC.

2008-11-21T00:12:00.000-08:00

sad news. Pushing Daisies has been cancelled due to an all-time viewer low last night of 4.86 million.
i like my shows with a bit of intelligence, witty dialogue, and unique storylines, but people aren't terribly shocked, saying no one was watching the show-- which as a side note, is just baffling to me. how are over 4 million people "no one"?!
i feel that it wasn't given a fair chance. they move shows around to different dates and times, or not run a show for two weeks and expect viewers to be able to follow the network's madness? where do you expect viewership to be if you don't run pushing daisies for weeks and suddenly show episodes again?
doesn't make sense to me. it'll just be added to my list of tv network shaftings alongside "my so-called life."

seriously.

2008-11-20T01:20:00.000-08:00

read this article about each the CEO's of, as we've tagged it now, The Big Three flying to D.C. to beg for bailout money in.. drumroll.. their private jets!
i don't want to give any money to these asshats who promise to streamline their companies and cut-back jobs of hardworking individuals while these nerds waste money on travel that could have been done a hell of a lot cheaper. the "20,000" it costs to fly a jet to washington and back could be someone's salary for a year.
what's even more insulting is their diversion tactics in claiming taking those jets was a matter of "safety."
the article states, "Like many other major corporations, all three have policies requiring their CEOs to travel in private jets for safety reasons."
(i'm picturing the CEO of ford riding economy on a commercial flight here, casual conversation with other passengers turning to occupation.
"you work for who? you're who?? i work for mitsubishi, bitch and i'm gonna shank your ass!"
can the level of danger really be that high?)
here's an idea. instead of streamlining the company and cutting the jobs of the workers, streamline those wasteful company policies and you just saved three people's jobs for a year.

dichotomy.

2008-11-10T23:09:00.000-08:00

i haven't spoken much about my feelings toward election night. the joy and hope i felt that my vote went for a man who actually won this time! the hope i felt for this country during his speech. the hope that the election of the first black president stood for a grand advancement in history... only to have that hope shattered with the disappointing results of individual state's ballot measures to ban gay marriage and adoption like prop 8 (prop hate, anyone?). never before has there been a voting on taking away rights from loyal citizens of the united states when they were previously granted them. and really, how ludicrous.. when i think back on the presidential election, it is hard for me to grasp back the hope i felt that night when it seems so overshadowed by the disappointment i feel in light of those results.
talk show host keith olbermann explains this waay better than i can. see this clip here.

deestrackshun.

2008-11-09T13:40:00.001-08:00

(the halloween project for my birthday guests this year, as seen above, was a collection of severed toes complete with toe tags. each guest was asked to pick out a toe, which then matched to a bag of "personal effects" of the deceased (really just a bag of goodies). i recommend attempting this project for anyone wanting to plan something cool for a halloween-themed party. you can find standard toetag templates online, but if you have Photoshop, watercolors, pens and ink, you can make each toe tag look very authentic and unique. the toes are a bit trickier, though, and require more skill. i made two casts of my toe with sculpey firm, then modeled each toe with either sculpey or sculpey firm, baked them, and painted them with acrylics. they turned out looking very realistic, almost to a disturbing point, but were met with disgusted delight. thanks to shavawn for the crime scene photography.)

in other news, it's been months since i returned from the desert and yet i feel part of me was left out there(so much for Leave No Trace)-- the part that was able to concentrate and work on, basically, everything.
the pile grows of things i need to finish up and i can't manage to find the time to work on them. the websites need updated, there's a gigantic italian mirror i've been restoring for work (a project that has taken months), friends to phone, emails and letters to write, art to make.. when you compile a list of to-do's that only seems to be growing, it can be hard to get inspired to even attempt tackling one. today is my first day off, it feels, in a while so i'm going to try to accomplish some of those goals today.
wish me luck.
also, look for an upcoming group show i'll be participating in at the basement gallery opening in january, along with local favorite bill carman, erin cunningham, and ben wilson- i believe. should be promising. i will try to post sneak peek photos of my art for the show as it progresses.

art schmart.

2008-08-11T14:58:00.000-07:00

the good news is the art show with Paste Eater is up and running. if you haven't had a chance to make it down to the Visual Arts Collective, you've got until the end of september to go see it. it's worthwhile, too. Paste Eater has some pretty amazing stuff there, and most of the art is moderately priced. if you're on a budget, much like myself, but still can't resist collecting some nice art for your space, i'd recommend getting down there soon. Paste Eater will have a bunch of drawings available, and i've a collection of smaller works too for those teeny spaces..
now i'm busy preparing for the show at the flying m next month, so i haven't had a chance to get those Josh Ritter/Andrew Bird posters up on the website yet. i don't foresee that i'll be able to get to that until i return from vacation in the desert at the beginning of September. after that, it'll be my goal and first priority.
also, if you've ordered any shirts from milquetoast press in the past two weeks, i apologize that it's taken extra days to get those out to you, given my busy schedule. but i always try and make it worthwhile and slip a little piece of free art into your package. i take your patronage very seriously and want all my customers to be satisfied with the product they receive. we don't aim to be a giant shirt factory and i still hand print every shirt that leaves here, making your shirt unique to you.
i'll try to post some new images from the flying m show in the coming week and a half, but for now, a few of the "art from the toilet" show pieces are up at my flickr page. (see link to the left.)

art from the toilet?

2008-07-26T22:45:00.000-07:00

Local artist Paste Eater and myself have a show coming up next month at the Visual Arts Collective. that there is the double-sided postcard for it. (crossing fingers.. the show is sort of last minute, in that we have had about a month's notice to prepare beforehand.) do come and check it out! i'll have a bunch of new stuff, some small works too, and hopefully milquetoast t-shirts for sale too.
the flying m in downtown boise also has a dog-themed group show coming up from august 7-28 that i've got a piece in. it's a silent auction for all pieces with half the sales going to the humane society. i'm not sure who all is participating in it yet.
and! i've got thirteen posters left from the josh ritter/andrew bird concert last monday (see below). i will be putting them up for sale on the milquetoast website in the next week or so. after those thirteen are gone, i can't promise there will be more. we'll see.

argentinians and the ever-ticking clock.

2008-06-26T00:14:00.000-07:00

my favorite Argentinian family has just updated their site with the family's photos for year 2008. i've been watching them age for three years now, and every june 17th, i anxiously await the new photos to see how they've changed. wrinkles discerning, glasses appearing, hair disheveled.. i've also developed a school-girl crush on nicolás. happily, this year he appears to have married and the beginnings of a spin-off annual photo series has begun.
the assignment is intriguing in a way that is very un-american. the regarding, and essentially a resignation, of the passing of time and what it does to not just a single human body, but one family as a unit. i imagine this ritual as a jovial grabbing-time-by-the-throat and saying: hey, we can make this fun.
in other news, art-related, local musician jeremiah james just released a new cd that i was fortunate enough to do the artwork for. there's also a poster i designed for his cd release party floating around somewhere.... ah! there it is. (i hear he's selling these as well, so if you like it, you should track him down and get one.)
i also designed a poster for the knitting factory's josh ritter and andrew bird show coming up in july (see above). the poster idea is a city mouse/country mouse theme. i should be doing another run of posters for this show in the coming weeks and will probably by selling them off the store website very soon.

work. and michael douglas.

2008-06-06T01:25:00.000-07:00

http://view.break.com/513310 - Watch more free videos

ever have one of these days? here we see an example of work-related stress. watch it, mouth agape, realizing that perhaps you and that crazy, loose cannon might not be that different. who hasn't wanted to smack some dolt upside the head at some point? most of us, however, possess a certain social barrier that rarely gets crossed.
what is baffling to me about this situation, and really any sort of unusual "situation," is the phenomenon of the instinctual relay from reality to media. people pull out their camera phones to witness this horrific display of one man gone mad max on the office. instead of fleeing from flying computer monitors and a tornado of tossed papers, they choose to watch the event from a falsely-perceived forcefield of media. instead of helping stop the insanity, they watch in curiosity.
disturbing.
(and here! with sound! in color!)
does this remind anyone of michael douglas in that movie "falling down"?

built to spill.

2008-05-17T22:01:00.001-07:00

this is the poster i designed for the built to spill show at the visual arts collective. it's going to be a 21 and over show, unfortunately, so if you're of age, come out and support a great local gallery/venue/space.
a lot of local businesses/galleries/venues are being forced to become 21 and over due to puritanical and ancient liquor laws that restrict youth from being in the presence of adults who are consuming alcohol in public settings, or some lame-ass crap worded similarily. politicians seem to think that a business like the visual arts collective, or the big easy/knitting factory shouldn't have to rely on alcohol sales to establish itself. true.. in an ideal world. but that just seems unrealistic to me. it's not the reality of the situation and to ignore the reality is plain illogical and retarded. (it's just like saying that we shouldn't teach the youth about sex because then they might go out and get it on like a bunch of rabbits. gasp! but... haven't youth been doing it since, i don't know, the beginning of time? regardless of whether they are taught the facts about sex or not? so. don't you think it would be better to be educated about it?)
anyway... go to the show. tickets are available online, just follow the link to the VaC's myspace.

cuanto me allegro.

2008-05-05T12:34:00.000-07:00

the pups celebrate their first birthday today. they both got a plate of lamb cuts and vegetables in a gravy sauce over their dry food in celebration. Andie has begun celebrating in other ways, however.. such as by humping Jackson's head to prove her dominance though she is half his size.
my old roomie lost her dog the other week. cuddles was older and battling kidney problems, and unfortunately did not make it. i can remember back on those nights in college, staying up late to finish projects, and cuddles would saunter into my room. she'd crawl right onto my sad camping mattress on the floor and situate herself under the covers before letting out a very content sigh. i know my roomie misses her pup, and my heart goes out to her.
queen cuddles, give my best to francis when you see her.
we traipsed all over camelsback park friday night after nichole's birthday bbq. it was dark, and we ran into three teenage girls on the hill who asked us if we were rapists.. we inquired as to their activity, and they said they were planning to ski down the side of the hill. now, this hill was quite steep. enough so to warrant some worry and morbid curiosity. they were young enough to not know any better and their parents of course had no idea what their precious princesses were up to. they'd had experience in skiing, but not on sand. brandon quite matter-of-factly says, "you know you're gonna get sand in your bindings, right?"
we were the reluctant parent league. and them our rebellious daughters. we tried humorously to make sure their decision to skate the mountain was a sound one.
are you drunk? no. do you have cellphones? yes. do your parents know what you're up to? ...of course not.
i hope you're aware of the fact that you could get quite a lot of sand in your buttcrack. (amused laughter.)
okay then! as you were!
the first run was a success, a test try, but kind of tame. we all concurred that she needed a higher starting point. the next height chosen on this steep sandy hillside was also a success. she flew past us, kicking up sandy dust and shortly after disappeared into the dark, screaming with equal parts joy and fear.. all we could see of her were the sparks flying from her skiis into the night air. one of her cholos ran down the hill to make sure she was okay, and five minutes later called the the cellphone of the girl still on the hill with us.
"what was ___ wearing? i don't see her."
we all laughed. it was near midnight and the only people in this park were either us, misbehaving or the methhead chick under the soggy pine tree who asked us if we were her friends.
"keep looking!" we scream, "she might be embedded in the crowd!"
the girl down the mountainside had no luck tracking down her friend for at least another two minutes, we started to gather a mild concern. suddenly, there's a shout from above. shockingly, lady fifteenyearold daredevil had climbed the stairs-- there were stairs?!-- to the top. her pal scampered to the top, and for some time they plotted out her start with cellphone light to illuminate the rocky path. it's fucking moguls up there. jokes are made in reference to the l word episode with bette and helena on the mountain.
"can you ski moguls??"
"no i cannot ski fucking moguls!"
katie b keeps pacing as we line the fence awaiting this sure disaster, repeating, "this is sooo not a good idea."
half the group decides to move to the other side of the path, worrying that as this girl rolls down this baby mountain hill, she will undoubtedly plow into us in a rally of pain. we are so into this moving of sides, that we barely take notice of the lady daredevil as she flies past us, nearly taking out the half of the posse that moved, at the speed of sand and light, her skiis setting a spark storm and screaming the entire way down.
"that was fucking awesome."

hey that's my bike.

2008-04-15T20:07:00.001-07:00

i'm back from sleeping under my best pal's ceiling in the biggest little city.
i've been home a day and a half from my weekend excursion and i've had a hard time concentrating. as much as i love my job, it felt wrong getting up and going to work this morning. i feel i have become distracted from what it is i set out to do in the first place, especially in the last few months. my trip to reno/sanfrancisco seems to have jolted me into remembering what i wanted of myself and discovering that i have lost sight of what's important to me. i'm still working on things in my head- as the whole of my generation seems to be doing now. i'm not alone in being lost, but i feel i'm closer to seeing for the first time exactly what i want.
landing a few jobs in the last few days that are more along the lines of what i want to do be doing has given me some confidence. and being in a state of missing my best friend has also given me some perspective on what i can do to help fix that. where do i want to be? what do i want to do? more importantly, how can i make that a reality once i figure that out?
i took an online quiz for kicks, a 'which reality bites character are you?' and discovered, little shock to me, that i am troy dyer. well, mostly. except without the guitar and greasy hair. but that closed-off romantic, unrealized potential is wrapped up in here somewhere. if you discover my lelaina on some random rooftop smoking cigarettes, send her my way.

fatty fat fat.

2008-04-07T00:33:00.000-07:00

in my unruly youth years ago, i remember sitting in the back of the bus on the way to some band competition with the tubas and the drum corps. we were harassing head drum major leah for some reason i can't recall, most likely in response to some insult or comment she made about the drum corps or any one of its members. and to boot, she was on the other bus in the lane next to us, so it was not as though she could hear our insults anyway. i'm sure she deserved at least ten percent of the abuse, but all i remember is chris georgeson spelling out "fatty fat fat" in christmas sticker-decals on the window of the bus for her to read as we cruised past. dallis shrieked out soon after that she wouldn't be able to read it because it would appear backwards to the other bus. the rest of the drum corps scrambled to correct it in time for leah to see. whether or not leah saw it-- though she was not "fatty fat fat" in technical terms-- i can't say for certain. she glared at us anyway.
but the sound of my pals voices crying out "fatty fat fat" still rings very clear in my older ears. it was all in adolescent fun anyway.
i'm posting some photos of the bathroom i haven't before, including a detail of the fatty fat fat rat in honor of my chubby little, frozen rat i finally buried today. and thank you to my dad who dug the hole.

finish. repent.

2008-04-04T02:57:00.000-07:00

i managed to pull out a finish on the mural work at the VaC around three this morning. i don't have progress shots for the mice above the mirrors because i painted them in one night. there's nothing like the pressure of knowing they open tomorrow and i have no more time to debate on the finer details. on the plus side, i spent the last three years observing my rat, so research was not necessary-- and i draw a pretty mean mouse when pressed. i have wanted to get back to my rodent roots and i had a funny little idea of a chubby mouse and the word "repent" scrawled into my tiny sketchbook that i wanted to turn into something.

the candies look delightful. i'm more than pleased that this is finally done. i also regretted that i didn't have a DeathStall for Pancho Villa, so i snuck him in behind the door.

urinals.

2008-04-02T18:49:00.000-07:00

i've still been plugging away on the VaC's boys bathroom. a few more nights to finish, i've gaged the amount of work pretty well. The VaC opens Friday night and i look forward to my work finally getting its audience. the girl's bathroom won't be finished in time for the opening, but it's really coming together as well. The artist working on it is among my favorites, and i anticipate its finish; it will be the bathroom walls i have to look at more often.
i've done some work in the stalls (death stalls) as well, and i want to credit my pal zach for providing me with help on the research and details. my original intention was to have the five stalls in the girl's bathroom, each with a famous historical odd death. after finding out i had the boys bathroom instead, i was limited to two stalls. damn urinals. i selected my favorite two odd deaths and put them up anyway. here's a taste:

Rasputin: He was reportedly poisoned, beaten, and shot before he finally drowned. classic. the idea behind the DeathStalls is to make you slightly uncomfortable while using the facilities. that, and you should learn something too. multi-tasking while on the pot, emerging that much smarter from the bathroom. you can wow the ladies with your new-found knowledge.

hope to see you at the opening.

mural progress.

2008-03-19T01:27:00.000-07:00

the Visual Arts Collective finally set their open date for April 4th. which means i'm working pretty diligently to finish my mural work in the bathroom. this is the most recent progress. i'm pretty pleased with the work so far, and a bit surprised i've made the transition from almost exclusively small works to giant wall work (needing ladders and step stools) this easily..

you didn't make it.

2008-03-13T23:37:00.000-07:00

adios, my chubby little rat face. you will be missed.

life and times.

2008-03-10T11:17:00.000-07:00

the last few weeks have been.. emotional. end of february came and i saw the passing of my friend and coworker amy jones from cancer. she was a phenomenal lady and a great artist. and not in the way you say "she's an artist" and people look at you skeptically because they're picturing scrapbooks and cuts of quilt fabric like i first did when i met her.
(the term "artist" can carry such negative connotations i often refrain from using it to describe myself. it's just something that i've been doing since i knew how to pick up a pencil. it's wrapped up in my personality and my being and giving it a name seems to take away from the entire picture. plus, people judge you for it.)
amy was first class. a dry sense of humor that matched my own, despite the difference between us in years. when we'd dance at work to some cheesy 80's tune or Young MC's "bust a move," she would laugh and look at us like we were crazy. we never got her to dance, though. but i will remember fondly that summer with my three coworkers, dance moves and music on the radio as a golden time (not to sound overly "Outsiders" and PonyBoy).
She left me her kiln, of which i have absolutely no idea how to use.. but i feel i could do great things with it once i find out, and each piece will remind me of her.
watching her struggle with the same cancer that took my grandmother ten years ago surfaced emotions for me i haven't felt since then. before amy had even been diagnosed, she reminded me of grams. and watching her go in the same way was hard. i felt the same hopelessness. i wanted to feel like just once someone got cancer and beat it. that there was hope.
my pet rat has also fallen ill after her surgery for tumor removal. i'm watching her like a hawk and babying her. people will scoff at you for dropping money on something like a rat. but it's a living creature completely dependent on you for its care and well-being and if i have the means, why would i not want to make her short life as great as possible?
in art news, i'm still working on the bathroom mural at the Visual Arts Collective's new space on my free days. it's a lot of work, but it's looking pretty good. i'm getting to realize a childhood dream of coloring all over the walls, basically. Another local artist, PasteEater, is working on the girls bathroom and i have to tell you, it's looking pretty sweet. I'll post photos of my progress as it comes along.

goodbye polaroids..

2008-02-17T19:16:00.000-08:00

Polaroid has announced it will no longer be making its fantastic instant film. This truly saddens me, though i have seen the signs for some time. i can't manage to find a pack of spectra film for my faithful polaroid se, whereas last year it was a different story. it'll be interesting to see how the photography world changes from this development. i hope some company has the sense to purchase the polarecipe..

east/west.

2008-02-11T14:12:00.000-08:00

i've always been fascinated with street art. i get into many an argument with the older folks about whether street art is indeed "art" or just vandalism. (i've almost convinced my mother that street art is just as valid-- if not more so-- as the thomas kinkade print on her wall.)
i adore the idea of art being accessible to all people. adam neate, another street artist, creates stacks of paintings and leaves them strewn about on the streets alongside trash for anyone to pick up. he's the i ching of the street art example. it's all about making a statement, commenting on pop culture, or making someone's day. and best of all, it's free.
the above video is pretty sweet to watch, if you can get past the semi-annoying music chosen to accompany it. see shepard fairey, of the obey giant fame, and wk interact, a french street artist living in NY, face off for the east/west propaganda project. you can find out more about that project here.
once again, i love to see the process of artists-in-work. it dispels some of the mystery, especially if you've ever been perplexed as to how graffiti actually makes it to the wall. it's different than other arts since its still mostly taboo and illegal. there's the whole speed factor; it's difficult to replicate the immediacy in any other arena. and. graffiti has a whole set of unspoken rules to go along with it.
after watching the video, it might be harder for those to argue that street art is just vandalism.

jeremy geddes and process.

2008-02-04T13:29:00.000-08:00

in yet another post other artist-related, jeremy geddes has some nice photos up on his blog of recent works featuring a series of scenes with cosmonauts in urban or dilapidated grain silo-like settings. it's dark and haunting, eerie in the most beautiful way. i have a fascination with the juxtaposition of two things that shouldn't ever come together being represented with incredible attention paid to and with painstaking detail applied.
jeremy's blog has also taught me a few things as far as oil painting goes, of which i was never fortunate to take an actual class. most of what i've learned is through personal research and mistake. the typical trial and error, but it's nice to have some tips from artists who know. still, the best advice i ever got regarding painting came from another painter friend and professor, michael brown, who told me just to "paint like you draw."
best advice ever.
i'm going to attempt jeremy's process of creating smaller mock-ups of paintings before setting out to do ones of grander scale. i have an idea i'm currently working on involving the ocean and particular hues. i've collected most of the research the past few weeks and now i feel like i can finally start. it's amazing sometimes, the amount of work that goes into a single piece..

jim houser.

2008-02-02T21:59:00.000-08:00

Visit ArtintheAge.com for more info
it may sound silly, but i feel this kinship with Jim Houser for various reasons since i read an interview of his in (i think) Juxtapoz.

"I kind of live in pajamas and slippers. I am a bit of a recluse. I
guess it started when my wife Becky was still alive. We met and got
serious kind of young. I immediately domesticated. That's just stayed
with me. When all my friends and peers were going out to parties and
meeting girls, I always felt like I didn't need to go out. I had
already found what people my age were out looking for. It makes me
much happier to do something productive than to sit drunk in a loud
bar."

and it's not just because on the days when i'm encapsulated in my work/studio i'm also wearing pajamas and slippers, but because of his hermitage and distaste for the bar scene. well. maybe more of the former. i do enjoy lounging in the pjs. anyway.
i really love seeing how other artists work, and those fancy time-elapsed vids are a good way to give you an idea of how they live and create. i like his cat, fascinated by outside city life, that makes an appearance a few times in the process. also go read that interview with him if you're intrigued and want to know more.. that guy interviews well for a so-called "social hermit."

vacation.

2008-01-28T20:47:00.001-08:00

returned from the rainy city today. (my lovely little sis was an excellent host and indulged my every whim to see the sights despite the cold and wind.)
i did not do any work as planned. i did not rest as much as planned. i ate way more than planned and enjoyed every tasty morsel.

Who put the goat in there?

2008-01-14T21:34:00.001-08:00

I can't recall how i stumbled upon this video.
Dude's got some indian George Michael thing going on. but the tune is catchy, even though, when it's stuck in my head i can only manage to hear the inaccurate english lyrics..

basement show opening

2007-12-29T19:58:00.000-08:00

The upcoming Basement Gallery group show is entitled "A Noise in the Basement" and the following artists, including myself, will be showing mostly new work and a few older ones:
bill carman, erin cunningham, jerms lanningham, ardith tate, john warfel, and ben wilson.
if you're a fan of any of their work, especially bill carman's, i suggest you get there early thursday as hardcore collectors are already snatching up the best pieces in the show.
all artists in this show are more "illustrator" than "fine artist," i would say. i, being completely biased, think illustrative work is rapidly gaining on fine art- if not matched or surpassing- as a viable art or movement thanks to the success and cultlike followings of "low-brow" or "pop-surrealist" artists like mark ryden, joe sorren, and camille rose garcia. and no doubt the rise in silk screened poster art is bringing back a fascination in illustration as well. it's like discovering your first favorite soda as a kid that you couldn't get enough of.
mine was black cherry shasta.

in other news, i picked up a fine collection of classic old horror films like "the cabinet of dr. caligari" and "nosferatu." a few pals and i watched "the last man on earth" last night and i was impressed. my friends mocked the cheesiness of storyline or acting at times and i felt disappointed they could not see the art in an older film like this. the movie, starring vincent price in his youthful glory, was based on the novel I Am Legend. as the remake with will smith came out recently, i thought it would be a treat for my friends to see the movie that long preceded it. and i never realized before how much of an influence it must have had on the entire horror film genre! especially "Night of the Living Dead (1968)" for which George Romero is credited such brilliance and genius, how truly "original" was his idea??
the plague-infested so-called vampires of "the last man on earth" were more like zombies in lifeless action and primitive thought. though they seemed to retain some memory and purpose, more like vampires. neither description seemed to fit these ghouls and for purposes of getting past the they-aren't-vampires-but-not-quite-like-zombies hang-up, we referred to them as "vombies."

watch it. see how romero could have viewed it and completely envisioned his undead masterpiece. then go to the art show.

it's been awhile.

2007-12-17T11:54:00.000-08:00

which means it's time for another update.
i've got another show coming up with a group of fine people. bill carman, ben wilson, erin cunningham and some others including myself will be showing at the Basement Gallery in downtown Boise starting next month. the show is comprised of more illustrative work and should be worth the trip. Ben and i will have a couple collaborative pieces of ours for sale as well.
and while i'm pretty excited about the show, group shows always make me a little nervous. i have yet to see anyone else's work for the show, but i do know the artists and their work always kills.
anyway. here's a taste of what i'll be bringing to the table:

my favorite literary character of all time. captain ahab.
rejoice.

Art Adventures: Sylvia Ji

2007-09-13T16:44:00.001-07:00

i just watched this youtube video about silvia ji preparing for her show at the beginning of this summer. for anyone who has never spent months on end preparing for a gallery showing, it can be all-consuming and quite intense. her words at the end of it- paintings on wall, night of the opening- she remarks how glad she'll be to just go home and chill and not pick up a paint brush for a month.

silvia is one of my favorite artists. i've been watching her art improve over the last few years and it's inspiring to see. not only this, but discovering that intense work ethic that artists share makes you feel a little less crazy. luckily, i've only had to prep for group art shows and it does take some of the pressure off in knowing that i'm only responsible for a segment of the show or area of the gallery.

i just finished a bunch of work for the basement gallery and took off most of july from art-making. it was a relaxing few weeks, but soon i started to feel the itch to create again. now that i know i'm not alone, i feel like i've got a small army of like-minded people i've never actually met. or. at least an army of two.

gone bye.

2007-08-07T20:37:00.001-07:00

the above portrait was one i drew up in february and only had it in my hands a few days before it was put into a show and sold. i'm certain i priced it too low, as it left me in a matter of minutes, but that's not the issue i suppose.
there's a lot of art out there that can be yours for a pretty low price. it's always a source of contention with artists: how much to charge for art. most of us will under-price it, questioning its worth. and i don't think you ever really get back what you put into it. materials can be compensated for, naturally, but what is time worth? i'm not sure i even have an issue with the time aspect of creating art. but the idea that you've invested a small piece of yourself into whatever you've made, only to have to part with it is always a hard thing for me to do. i stuck my little astronaut into a frame and never saw him again.
i fantasize about his new life on a brightly painted wall in someone's home overlooking a tv or a window to prevent boredom as he fantasizes about space. i didn't spend much time on him, to be honest, maybe two days worth of work to me-- i've spent more time than that on other pieces that were easier to part with-- but the ones who have a piece of my soul i always miss. i'm not sure any artist ever gets over that.
i like knowing he's being appreciated, admired, and hopefully fawned over.
i got into an interesting conversation at work that arose out of some experience my boss had been running into with a gallery she'd been trying to "get in with." the gallery peeps were unorganized and had given a day's notice that she needed to bring art in that night for the big ol' First Thursday gallery hop downtown. we scrambled at work, framing paintings we had in stock, only to find out at drop-off that the gallery commission was 60-40, meaning, the artist only receives forty percent of any and all sales.
i was angry, my boss was even more so. not only had she paid for the framing of the art, but now she was expected to hand over more than half the profit to people who were basically peddling fancy wall real estate.
i've never run into any disagreements with any of the galleries i've had stuff in. my art is usually on the wall for months at a time and i see that commission as paying someone to sell my work for me. i certainly don't have the time to do it myself. so when a gallery expects 40 or even 50 percent of my sales, i can get behind that. but a gallery asking for 60 percent, riles me up.
all the time, effort, inspiration, material an artist pours into their work seems to be completely disregarded just because a gallery has a good location.
i'm not sure how the rest of the art world feels about gallery commission and prices. my boss and i share a sentiment or two about it, of course, but i am curious about where my painting peers stand on this particular issue. i like galleries. i like what they can do for me and i understand that we need to help keep them in business, but asking for more than half seems... unnecessary.
my show is still up at the basement gallery in boise until the end of the month and i'll be going down in the next few days to drop of a few new pieces to fill up some wall space. word is, the new owner of "my brother the black sheep" wants to hang up his piece as soon as he can get his hands on it and the gallery owner prefers not to have empty wall space.

and who can blame him? apparently it's all about a blank wall in a really good location.

flat tire.

2007-07-24T00:50:00.000-07:00

i pulled my old bike out of the garage for the first time in two years, i think. it was a bike that belonged to my uncle back in the seventies. after he'd retired it, it sat in my grandmother's backyard gathering dust, rust and spider eggs. i don't remember exactly how it ended up in our backyard, but five years ago, i dug it out of its resting place and fixed it up the best i could.
i've taken it to the burning man festival in nevada a couple summers since, and pulling it out today i had to wash playa dust from its crevices. the summer of 2005, i camped next to two very nice lesbian ladies who fed me quesadillas one evening and told me my bike looked "gay." maybe it was the seventies skull sticker that adorned the front of it that refuses to wash off after thirty years. maybe it was the exuding masculinity left over from my uncle. maybe that old dirt bike is just to kick-ass for a girl like me. but for whatever reason, i pouted a little while chowing down on my meal and pretended my bike and i weren't offended just slightly.
i still ride it, now with a tentative shyness. people stare and i'm sure it's because they're jealous.
riding that thing this evening all over creation, discovering places of my hometown i didn't know existed reminded me of my childhood. i had wheels for legs in those days. the bikeseat wearing my adult buttcheeks sore, i tried to grasp at a childhood that didn't seem as far away as it actually has become. another work day wasn't looming before me then, and i still had an entire summer before me.
there are amenities that have come with age since my relationship with those bike rides of the eighties. i carry bottled water to stay hydrated, of course, and my ipod tags along. ironically, i choose to listen mostly to eighties music and marvel at how my life has come to this place.. thinking about the pals who used to ride alongside me and wondering where they went, what became of them, and how easily friendships ended in the days of slow-moving communication. (back when my best friend moved to wyoming, i didn't even know how to send a letter to her.)
after a few miles on foot and some photos taken, i found a gas station with an air pump and filled up my tires for fifty cents and bought another bottle of water. the bike seemed to have been resurrected, and with it, my second wind arrived. we rode on for another hour.
my new polaroid spectra was tested and performed admirably. i also took the nikon my grandfather gave to me back when i was a prisoner on the banks of north carolina. that camera has been the best gift i've ever received, though waiting for film to be processed is always a bit of a nail-biting, time-consuming experience. i loved hearing the mechanics and the whirrs of the polaroid creating instantaneous satisfaction this evening. but is it really just the novelty and simplicity that draws me to this new camera? if i had to choose a sidekick to follow me throughout my days, it'll always be my nikon.
on my way home, and with my very last polaroid photo, i caught a rather hidden shed with the words "something special" marked above its doors. it felt like a small gift left there for me to discover.
so i'm sharing that gift by way of instant photomaking.

the scent of summer.

2007-07-13T00:31:00.001-07:00

inevitably the oppressive summer heat has struck- has been streaking- these parts for a many few weeks now and i find the scents of this summer seem to be that of sweat and chlorine from the pool. i can count the area lucky so far, that this is one of few summers where idaho isn't on fire. leave it up to those nevadans to throw a fiery fiesty party that leaves all others somewhat lackluster.
i went on a day trip a few weeks ago with a pal. we drove out to lime, oregon to an abandoned cement plant. i find the relics of industry so mystifying. adolescents armed with paintballs had shot up the place and left them littering the area. i found them irresistible and could not restrain myself from popping them open, minor mishap included. my pal and i weren't there long before we discovered some shady, long tunnel in which we happily explored. no sooner were we inside than we heard footsteps approaching in the gravel. once outside the tunnel and after a small panic about some hillbilly with a shotgun ran through my mind, we heard those same curious footsteps above us in one of the giant silos. it sounded as though someone was timidly searching for us.
we surfaced from below and discovered to our surprise that we were alone. it was so quiet you could hear the occasional breeze knock around old tin doors back and forth. we waited, hoping to encounter our pursuer on pleasant terms, but alas. no one ever showed.
it nagged at me for some time after the event; i tried many different routes of scientific explanation, but none were convincing.
i did some research later and discovered, though no proof can be offered, that others report that old cement plant as haunted. unearthly growls have been heard there- lame- but the one thing that caught my attention were the reports that apparitions have wandered the grounds following people.
i can't say i'm thoroughly convinced of either side, but it certainly piqued my interest.

below is a photo of my "number one" at the place of haunted cement.

all photos in this post were taken with a holga 120s. it was a hand-me-down camera from my friend john back when i lived in savannah, but only recently have i begun to explore the possibilities and shoot with it more often.

basement gallery and bullfighter.

2007-07-09T00:17:00.000-07:00

i like ease of use. i like three minute ramen & four minute easy mac, rechargeable batteries and the like. but when ease of use impedes on mother nature and the future of the world and landfills, let's face it: disposable handiwipes and razors aren't necessarily easy. that's another story, and i'm opening this blog in hopes of finding a way to make posting illustrative news and such a bit faster. ease of use.
i find that near an entire year between posts to my current website is a bit ridiculous. i tend to get too busy and focus on the actual creating art part and forget that my website is how i inform a lot of folks about comings-up and goings-on surrounding my art. it's not a professional way of going about this i admit, and i've lost a few cards and email addresses scrawled on pieces of papers. i hate to admit that i have scatterbrained tendencies because i don't. hermit, yes: guilty. preferring written word to actual conversation, again: guilty. scatterbrained? lies!
so. this better be easier. updating images to the website and building such on my own will continue to be something i have to deal with, but the news should always be updated in a more efficient manner than i've been capable of thus far.
end: ramble.
i'm in a show right now at the basement gallery in downtown boise, alongside local artists jeremy lanningham, tarmo watia and scott brown. if you're not familiar with the basement gallery, it's pretty much in the basement of the old idanha building. the show will run through both july and august. (the above image is a piece in the show.)