go flying turtle

hanging up some art

2012-01-29T22:55:00.003-05:00

Who's that balding fool in khakis with a pair of scissors? That guy would be me hanging up my artwork today at King Street Coffee. My wife had her wonderful work up there for the months of December and January and even made some sales, however today I had to take it down and replace it with my relatively crazier creations. Leesburg is kind of a conservative town with a very traditional art scene, though I had a very positive response when I first started making and selling my Splotch Monster art at an outdoor sale in town around Christmas a couple of years ago, to my pleasant surprise, and I got some real nice words and inquires from folks today while putting up work. For the most part, I've got nothing against the more traditional work that dominates most of the galleries around these parts, and even do work slightly along those lines myself. As long as it's sincere and original in some way, I can respect that. However, there's a whole world of art out there beyond realism and impressionist landscapes, be it conceptual, lowbrow, street art, whatever you want to call it, and I'm glad I can be a tiny part of that, not because it's supposedly cool or hip, but because that's what I like to do and see. Anyhow, the weather has still been unseasonably warm for late January, and I am not complaining. The First Friday art walk here in town is starting up again in February, after a hiatus in January, and even though there's the possibility of rain, at least it won't be cold, snowy or icy, which is typical of February weather in Northern Virginia. I'm really looking forward to it, but after spending most of the day taking down then hanging up art today, Kris and I are looking forward to simply doing absolutely nothing next Saturday and Sunday. Can I have an amen?!?

artist of the week: alexander rhys boardman

2012-01-28T20:31:00.000-05:00

The artist of the week at Go Flying Turtle is Alexander Rhys Boardman. Enjoy!

"the watcher" in the post

2012-01-26T20:06:00.002-05:00

It was great to see my "The Watcher at Brandon Park" painting featured in today's Washington Post, on page three of the LocalLiving (Loudoun County) section. The piece is still up at The Franklin Park Center for Performing and Visual Arts, as part of the excellent "Secrets" exhibit, which runs until the end of the month. If you're in the area, please don't hesitate to check it out. Thank you Friends of Franklin Park and The Washington Post for the shout out!

happy chinese new year!/year of the dragon

2012-01-23T08:10:00.000-05:00

For more great Chinese New Year Dragons, check out artist Pixo's creations HERE!

pantha du prince: "stick to my side", "bohemian forest", and "behind the stars"

2012-01-21T22:23:00.003-05:00

Last night we finally got some frosty winter weather action here in Northern Virginia, leaving the wife and I pretty much stranded in our warm, humble abode. It was the first time since last October that some snow actually stuck to the ground, and we had a good dose of ice this time as well. Not that I like this kind of weather, because usually by now I'm pretty sick of it, but in this rare case it's been the warmest and mildest winter that I can remember. What does this have to do with this post? Well, about this time last year, with all the snow and frigid temps from late 2010 and early 2011, I had nearly played out one of my favorite CDs from 2010 to death, and the music was the perfect soundtrack for such a season. Now that it's cold and frosty outside again, I'm thinking about this album again, whose music returns to my memory banks. Enter "Black Noise" by electronic musician Hendrik Weber, known to listeners as Pantha Du Prince. Posted above is the official video for the track "Stick To My Side", which features the vocals of Panda Bear, from Animal Collective. The song took some time to grow on me, as did the mysterious "Behind the Stars", another one with some vocals, however both have become personal favorites. Another highlight is "Bohemian Forest", which I think embodies what this album is about more than any other track. There's an incredibly fascinating story behind this music, as well as the deceptively beautiful and serene artwork featured on the album's cover, which you can learn more about by listening here (if you don't already own it) as well as by checking out the short but excellent mini-documentary at the very bottom of this post.

2012-01-20T20:44:00.000-05:00

I made a quick little promo postcard from the "Tea Party" piece for my little show at King Street Coffee in February, with the aid of Picnik. Speaking of, I heard that Picnik will be going away for good in April? Say it isn't so!! It was always so easy to do some simple tweaking once I uploaded images to Flickr. I wonder if they'll use another service like Picnik. If not, I'll have to go back to Photoshop or the software that came with my computer, which according to the Mac Store's Genius Bar dude, is now "vintage" by Apple standards, and is not even serviceable (it's only about six years old)! Anyhow, I'll be sending both digital and physical copies of these out soon!

artist of the week: dick daniels

2012-01-19T17:32:00.000-05:00

The artist of the week at Go Flying Turtle is Dick Daniels. Enjoy!

interview at russian moleskine site

2012-01-16T13:33:00.005-05:00

A couple of weeks ago I was contacted via Flickr about an interview by Anastasya Bolshakova, who runs the Russian art site "My Moleskine". Today the interview was posted, and I let Anastasya choose any images of mine she thought went well with the words. She does an excellent and thorough job at the site, which I can appreciate, after interviewing artists about their work on a monthly basis for a couple of years myself. It's not an easy process, believe me. Below I decided to post the English translation for your reading pleasure. A big thanks goes out to Anastasya and My Moleskine for taking the time to do this!

Q: When did you start using a Moleskine? What Moleskine is most convenient to draw in?

A: I began using Moleskine sketchbooks about four years ago, when I began drawing again on a regular basis. My favorite are the watercolor Moleskines, any size, because they're durable and you can use all kinds of media in them, without causing any damage.

Q: Now, you - the recognized, well-known artist. Has this changed something in you?

A: First off, thanks! I'm glad you think so, and though I'm not by any means famous, it makes me very happy when people appreciate my art work. I think anytime someone reacts in a positive way to my work, it shows they believe in me, and as a result, I want to improve and get my stuff out there some more.

Q: Who do you teach and what does teaching mean to you?

A: I teach art to kids from age five-to -twelve for ten months of the year, then for a couple of weeks in the summer, to teenagers. Teaching means a lot to me, because I want to teach young people to have the ability to think creatively and think for themselves. There are so many forces out there that are trying to do just the opposite, so in a sense, I feel like it's somewhat of a mission I'm on. Also, if I make a kid happy and help them find something inside that makes them proud of themselves, then I'm doing something right.

Q: Do you participate in any art exhibitions?

A: I've been making more of an effort to get my art in shows these past couple of years, both locally and on an international level. Sometimes it pays off, and sometimes it doesn't, and while it can be tough at first to get rid of your work, there's nothing quite like the feeling of having someone purchase your art. The places and spaces my art is being shown in lately is pretty diverse and interesting.

Q: Do you have experience illustrating children's books and would you like to try?

A: I don't, but I certainly would like to. I've been knocking some ideas around in my head lately for some books, but have yet to make a real, concerted effort in formulating a concise idea and contacting some publishers. Speaking of, I just got some extremely good news from a publisher in London, who will be using some of my artwork in a hugely popular book series, which I'm psyched out of my mind about. For now though, I'm keeping it mostly top secret, and only a few people know about it. I will say the book is due to drop Halloween, 2012. ;)

Q: Describe your life in a few sentences.

A: I listen to a lot of music and think of life being similar to that of a constant, underlying rhythm, with layers of beats and different polyrhythms coming and going. While there is a constant, there are also changes taking place in time. The goal is to keep it rich and somewhat interesting.

Q: Who or what influenced you in your vision as an artist?

A: I think my first visit to the Carnegie Museum of Art in Pittsburgh, while on a field trip in high school, completely blew open the doors for me, as far as what my perception of what art was at the time. Seeing all of this amazing, modern and postmodern work in person at the time, merged with the music I began listening to as well back then, opened up a whole new, far more interesting world for me.

Q: What do you think of that Time Magazine named «Abstract protester» man of the year?

A: You know, I didn't get a chance to read that article yet and the work on the cover looked a lot like that of Shepard Fairey's. As far as the protester, I think it's perfect. I think there is a definite shift going on right now in the world, and the people are finally beginning to wake from their zombie-like slumbers and fight back. There are still those who are content to be controlled, manipulated and fooled, mostly out of fear and as a result of brainwashing, but it's changing. Their oppressors and the wrongdoers of the world are losing their grip and are going down, one by one. Theocrats, dictators and ruthlessly greedy, narcissistic twits won't go down without a fight however, and it's very unfortunate that violence sometimes has to pave the road to independence. There will be turbulent times and I can only hope to live long enough to see the day when people respect each other on a mass level and finally begin to live each day connecting with their higher selves, rather than indulging in the very opposite. If such were the case, we wouldn't have greed and hatred and the need for protesters. I refuse to believe that this is being too idealistic.

Q: Are you attracted to the field of art that is video art?

A: Absolutely! I'm a child of the eighties, when MTV played music videos of all kinds. So, I actively keep a close eye out for good videos to go along with some of my favorite music, and it's incredible what folks are doing. I've got a friend who also works at some galleries in Pittsburgh, where they do all types of awesome, big conceptual sound and video art shows, featuring work from around the world. So I'm always seeing what's new in the world of video art. While I really don't make that kind of stuff myself, yet at least, I really love most of it.

Q: What things do you need to live in harmony with yourself?

A: Love first and foremost. Hearing good music. And last but not least, making art that is true to me.

passengers: "always forever now", "united colors" and "beach sequence"

2012-01-14T19:46:00.001-05:00

Not so long ago I posted about a couple of recently completed paintings, one of which was titled "Always Forever Now". While that painting was a very personal piece, the title was very much influenced by a song from the U2/Brian Eno "Passengers" project, notably a song with that very same title (see/hear above). Not only did the title seem fitting to me, but so did the song itself, which I could imagine as the perfect audio backdrop to the painting. A little while ago I posted about Passengers and the song "Miss Sarajevo", the album's single and perhaps finest track, shortly after Luciano Pavorotti, who sang on that song, died. In short, the album was released during an extremely fertile creative period for U2, who were immersed in electronic and more experimental musics at the time. Ambient music godfather and longtime U2 producer Eno played a more prominent role for this album of "night music", as Bono described it. For me, Passengers had always been a favorite of mine from U2, a band I deeply respect for too many reasons to write about, however most fans and critics weren't ready. Seventeen years have passed since the album was released, and it sounds better than ever and is even more relevant today. Included in this post are a few of my favorites from the album. Absolutely essential deep listening for any serious U2 fan or electronic music head. Enjoy.

artist of the week: ekaterina khozatskaya

2012-01-13T12:40:00.000-05:00

The artist of the week at Go Flying Turtle is Ekaterina Khozatskaya. Enjoy!

"secrets" exhibit at the franklin park center for the arts, purcellville, va, 1/2012

2012-01-08T22:16:00.001-05:00

Earlier today I attended the opening reception for the "Secrets" art exhibit at the Franklin Park Center for the Arts in Purcellville, Virginia. These mid-winter shows at the center are probably my favorite, for the variety and quality of work, as well as the added interactive element. This time around, attendees were encouraged to go around and match artists' work with the secrets we submitted, pertaining to the pieces we entered. Each form submitted made participants eligible for free tickets to performances of their choice this Spring. Normally, I see people look at a piece for no more than a minute, at both galleries and museums, and this little contest caused viewers to really look closely and observe the work. One of my favorite pieces was from one of my grad class colleagues (pictured above), Colleen O'Malley Basinger, titled "The Village". This huge piece was originally an older painting she worked on years ago, which she completely reworked and transformed into something totally new and fresh. It was great seeing the process in action each week in class and I'm so glad she decided to go ahead and enter her painting, which is part of an entire series she based on her hometown.

It was really good to see my "The Watcher at Brandon Park" painting up on that wall. I reworked it for at least another hour, adding some crucial final touches after posting about recently.

"Moving Mountains" (above) by Penny Hauffe was another highlight, painted vividly in oils. If you look closely, you'll see it's much more than meets the eye originally.

As always, there was a great variety of excellent work at Franklin Park.

I really liked this tiny piece called "No Wires for Me!" (see above) by Jill Perla, which was both a sculpture and painting. Very cool, charming little piece!

I was also so glad to see three works (above) from my friend and art teacher colleague Brian Kirk at the show. Brian was also in the grad class with me when he made these three, which are part of his Cleopatra series. I affectionately referred to Brian as the mad scientist when I'd see him, back there in his little nook of the room, completely immersed in his amazing creations. These works are merely a fraction of the art he's completed in recent months. When I look at them, I'm reminded of some of the best stencil-based street art being made these days, but with a naturalist twist. Naturalist graffiti perhaps?

There was some fantastic sculpture work as well at the show. I forgot to make note of who made the big three-dimensional piece in the photos, but I know he was one of Brian Kirk's students many years ago. I love big, bold sculptures like this one, which remind me somewhat of Henry Moore.

The drinks and snacks were sampled as well.

Mr. Bob Friedenberg had another wonderful piece in the show (above), and this time I was glad to get to talk to him again some. Good news is he's working on a possible book collaboration with his wife, whose writing he'll illustrate. I'm really looking forward to this project in the meantime!

Love the brilliant Sylvia Plath piece (see above) by Meg Keadle!

One of sculptor Stephanie Roan's incredible animal pieces was in the show once again. I don't think I've seen or talked to her since a year ago at the January 2011 F.P. exhibit, so it was nice getting caught up, and it's always interesting and enlightening to hear what she has to say. I wish I took a better shot of her "Alewife" fish sculpture, but I guess you'll have to go see it in person for yourself, which I highly recommend.

"Nautilus, Queen of the Deep" by Pam Forbes caught my eye immediately with it's bright, gorgeous color scheme. It's another one that has to be seen to be believed.

The piece above was perhaps the most striking and impressive of the show, in my opinion. I need to go back and find out who the artist is and it's title, which is fine, because I want to get another close look at it.

Once again, the folks at Franklin Park and the artists involved did a very fine job with this show. The "Secrets" exhibit is my fourth and favorite out of all the shows I've participated in. "Secrets" will continue to run up through the end of January 2012, so don't hesitate to make a trip out to the center, which is a real treasure in Western Loudoun County.

terror train: "tonight", "beatbox beat" & "creepy crawly"

2012-01-06T21:25:00.005-05:00

Recently I featured some tracks from one of my favorite electronic music-making duos, Freescha. Though the group has been taking a while to get that new full-length out, the solo project Terror Train might satisfy fans for the time being. According to the Attacknine site, "Terror Train is Nick Huntington, 1/2 of the electronic duo Freescha. Inspired by his love for disco balls, sci-fi and horror films, "Terror Train" is 10 tracks of galactic horror boogie, ambient disco, and teenage tears." I bought the CD based on listening to some samples online and instantly liking what I heard. There is definitely that foggy, wobbly, filtered sound that Freescha have perfected, but with a more immediate, dance-floor-friendly approach. At first I was kind of disappointed to find the disc ran just barely over a half-an-hour long, but with repeated listens (and this has been on repeat a whole lot this past week), the short, ten-track running time works incredibly well. There are some great guest vocals on some of the songs which serve as a fine compliment to the music, however it's some of the more sublime (sorry to use that word so much), instrumental tracks like "Tears" and "Creepy Crawly" that have grown on me the most. Surprisingly, this has become one of my favorite releases from 2011, and I can't stop listening to it! In the meantime, there are only 250 copies of this CD made, making it somewhat of a collectors item. I love how Attacknine puts some real care and effort into the total package, with regards to their releases, and hope they continue down this road. Enjoy the tunes and grab yourself up a copy of this release while they last!

artist of the week: brionline

2012-01-05T20:50:00.000-05:00

The artist of the week at Go Flying Turtle is Brionline. Enjoy!

always forever now, the messenger

2012-01-04T16:41:00.007-05:00

"The Messenger"

18" x 22"

acrylic and pen on canvas

"Always Forever Now"

18" x 22"

acrylic and pen on canvas

Featured above are a couple more paintings that I worked on in the recent grad-level painting class I took last Fall. They're a couple of the first I started with, and only last night completed. Since I was advised to start with something familiar, subject-wise, I based both of these on some smaller, watercolor and pen-based works I made in late 2010, and they'll be part of an ongoing series I've been working on concerning spirituality. While there were some things about the original watercolor versions that were very appealing and unique to watercolors, both of these turned out to be overall better pieces, and after a year of making art on a semi-regular basis, they should indeed be improvements on the originals. At the time I was making these, I thought they were pretty large, but after working even bigger, I wished these could have been made at least twice as large, though for now they'll do. You can see the transition from these paintings, which include bare trees, to the more realistic, literal subject matter in my more recent works. I feel I'm at a bit of a crossroads right now, and while I want to focus on and continue the more literal, nature-based paintings, I don't want to discard this style either. What I might do is simply put this series on the back-burner for now and continue in the direction I've been going more recently. One thing I've learned in that class is not to work so linear anymore, but instead, go back and forth between several pieces and put them away for a little while, later picking them up to look at them again. That and get advice from others whose word and opinion I trust. It's amazing what I didn't see before, as far as various possibilities and approaches to my painting, and I'm thankful to my colleagues and especially my wife, who weren't afraid to kindly offer suggestions I might have otherwise overlooked.

secrets coming soon

2012-01-03T18:43:00.002-05:00

Above is the official flyer for an upcoming art exhibit at the Franklin Park Arts Center Gallery in Purcellville, Virginia. The show is called "Secrets" and will host a variety of local Northern Virginia artists and their work. I'm happy to have a painting in the show, so if you're in the area, please drop on by to check out everyone's work. The show runs from Friday, January 6th through January 30th, 2012, and the opening reception is this coming Sunday at the gallery from 3-5PM, where they'll also be serving some wine and other goodies. Hope to see you there!

december splotch monsters/happy new year

2012-01-01T11:22:00.002-05:00

"It's the end of the world as we know it and I feel fine." - R.E.M.

First off, a happy new year to everyone! I hope day one is off to a decent start. Kris and I had a nice, quiet New Year's eve, after three solid days of major cleaning, reorganizing and donating, recycling and throwing out what we no longer need in our home. I don't think we achieved minimalist status yet, nor was that our intent. However, the feeling of giving away and getting rid of old stuff, or things we no longer needed turned out to be a very good experience for the both of us. Someone else can make good use of that old, but good camera, those clothes we don't wear anymore, or those books we no longer read. I admit, there are some things I'm just not ready to part with and probably never will, willingly at least, especially my good, hard-bound art books, and the CDs, whose music and art I treasure. The most difficult thing, with regards to space, is finding a place to store completed artwork. With the Splotch Monsters, like the ones here, they're relatively small so it's not a problem. Some are even "digital", more or less spontaneous creative exercises in recycling and reusing former paint splotches and doing something new with them through Picnik. As for other art, I'll be painting a lot larger than I used to, and want to focus on building a cohesive, more serious body of work this year. That's where the storage problem might occur, but I'm sure we'll figure out something. The nice thing is, we can now actually find things, after much decluttering, rearranging and labeling. We didn't even finish until about ten last night, our goal being to get done before ringing in the new year. Needless to say, we slept very well after the ball dropped.

So, what's your thoughts, hopes, goals, etc for the new year? We all tend to start out pretty optimistic but end up getting discouraged and give up early on, probably due to setting our sights too high. I really intend on focusing on the now more - each week, day, hour and most importantly, minute of our time. I told Kris last night about how I want to do this - focus on the here and now, and shared an example of just how often I don't do this, which included taking out the trash last night, and while on the way back to our door, rushing and thinking only about getting back inside to get to the next thing we had to do. It was a beautiful, clear and unseasonably warm evening and halfway through that two-minute walk, I had to stop myself in my tracks, hit the brakes and slow down to actually enjoy it. It seems so simple but I think for most of us, it's not. Sadly, it might even be discouraged by some, in our go-getter, busy busy busy society. Imagine that, someone discouraging you to enjoy your life! Think about how absurd and wrong that is and consider ignoring those people, those voices. I tell my students to "hit the brakes" all the time, as many of them seem to rush right through a lesson, trying to get it "done", only to end up not fully enjoying the process of creating and being left with a half-baked final product. What's the point in that, yet that's how a lot of us tend to live. Well I think I need to start practicing what I preach.

So, there is talk of 2012 being a very significant year, and depending on how you look at it, this can be a year of new beginnings on a mass level, or a very, very bad year. I truly believe that it's all in how one frames this in their mind, because how we think results in how things occur, even on the most minute level. I believe in the former and not the latter. There will be turbulence and destruction, and sometimes things have to be destroyed for anything new and better to flourish. With myself, I want to continue nourishing a creative life and practice kindness with my wife, friends, family, folks I don't know, nonhuman beings and mostly with myself. There will always be those who actively try to mock, and in some way undermine these things, perhaps as an act of justifying their own lack of faith in such behavior. Ideally, I'd like to avoid these kinds of people as much as possible, but not entirely, and it won't be entirely possible to avoid. That's just a part of life and living. Without these challenges, we can never grow and we won't be spurred to action in doing the things we need to do to reach a certain level and balance in life. Mostly, I want to continue to have fun, enjoy being alive and not think too much about things. The simple act of creating, and for me, especially creating these goofy little monsters on a daily basis is just that, and I always have fun making one. With that in mind, enjoy my favorite Splotch Monsters from the final month of 2011(!), and enjoy your first day of 2012 as well!

portlandia

2011-12-28T12:59:00.000-05:00

Recently Kris got me hooked on a hilarious new show called Portlandia , written by and featuring Carrie Brownstein and Fred Armisen. I don't think I've seen a comedy skit show this funny since early nineties SNL or The Upright Citizen's Brigade. The show was inspired by Carrie and Fred's observations of various people and culture in Portland, however I see the characters they portray and poke fun of everywhere, even in myself at times (so I'm glad I could have a good laugh at myself). Extreme political correctness, haphazard hipsterdom, hippie culture, annoying yuppies, uber-eco warriors and more don't escape Fred and Carrie's sharp satirical lens, resulting in some of the most dead-on funny characters and comedy skits around. Featured here are just a few of my favorite snippets from the show, including the one from the top called "Is It Local?", where a well-meaning couple takes conscious eating to absurd new levels. I told Kris, if I ever get this bad to please shoot me. So, take some time out, kick back, fire up the Netflix and check out Portlandia for a good laugh!

artist of the week: fthr

2011-12-27T00:00:00.000-05:00

The artist of the week at Go Flying Turtle is Fthr. Enjoy!

Fthr also creates some great music as well!

exit through the gift shop

2011-12-26T18:16:00.004-05:00

"Very entertaining with a great sound track and engaging story. Even though the premise is street art the real story is how gullible wealthy patrons can be duped into buying questionable art for exorbitant prices; based on slick promotion. Catchphrasing B.T. Barnum "There's a sucker born every minute"." -Gerry (You Tube comment)

Above is a comment I found on You Tube that pretty well sums up how I feel about the movie I'm about to discuss. Posted here is the best trailer I could find for the film "Exit Through the Gift Shop", which I finally got around to watching last night after it was recommended to me by my dental hygienist Adam, who is a street art enthusiast himself. I'm probably one of the last people on Earth who hasn't seen this film yet, and I couldn't recommend it enough to anyone with at least a passing interest in art. While the film touches base with perhaps the most brilliant and significant artist of our time, Banksy , it's really mostly about a camera-obsessed fella from France named Theirry Guetta who accidentally got into filming and documenting street artists in action, first by way of his cousin, acclaimed street artist Invader. What happens next simply could not have been predicted, and after viewing the film I was left with so many questions, mostly wondering just how something so terribly wrong went so right, mainly for Guetta, who decided to adopt the street art alias "Mister Brain Wash" or simply M.B.W.. The genius of Banksy's, and many great street artists' work lies in the subtle, clever commentary on so much of what's gone wrong with modern society. His ability to morph sometimes iconic visual imagery into something completely new and thought-provoking is the essence of Banksy's art, usually executed with a sly, even British sense of humor. Often times, it might take five, sometimes ten or more years for a good street artist to get their work noticed and accepted by the so-called higher establishments (museums and galleries), for better or worse. Usually this is never the intention of the artist to get assimilated into mainstream and popular culture, but sometimes their work becomes so powerful and utterly recognizable, that even the casual observer begins to take notice. Such was the case with the likes of Shepard Fairey (who plays a prominent role in "Exit..."), Keith Haring, Swoon, and Futura, to name a few. Basically, you have to pay your dues. Enter Theirry Guetta aka M.B.W.. In some ways, the guy did pay his dues, traveling and filming a good handful of today's street artists, entering a mostly dark and dangerous subculture, going places most men or women would never venture, to capture the artists whose lives are fueled by an insatiable inner fire to get their visual message out to the world by all means necessary, essentially using the world as their canvas. Of course, Guetta himself gets the street art bug, especially after meeting who he considered the holy grail of visual perpetrators, Banksy himself. How these artists accepted Mr. Guetta into their world is a bit perplexing, though Banksy offers a good explanation in the film. The problem is, Guetta never had intentions of ever actually making a documentary in the first place, and frankly never would have if it wasn't for Banksy urging him to get one made. After six months of editing thousands of hours of footage, the initial final cut turned out to be a nightmare of incomprehensible, unwatchable mess. This is when things started to take a turn for the worse, unless you were Guetta, or should I say M.B.W.? Unlike the actual, real artists in this film, Guetta took an entirely different route on his way to fame and fortune, and judging by the tastes in popular music and film nowadays, I shouldn't be surprised how so many people were duped into believing the hype and buying into what was some of the most contrived, insincere, and lifeless work by an "artist" ever created.

Perhaps, if anything, this film is a commentary on how low the bar has been set and how visually illiterate we as a people have become. Still, there is a part of me that wants to root for Guetta, who from the get go was an underdog in life and worked hard to get to where he was at. Maybe I shouldn't be so harsh and blame the guy for wanting to be like Banksy, Fairey, Invader or Swoon or any of the now hugely successful and world renowned street artists on the rise today, even though his approach was wrong on all levels. Maybe I should blame the people who allowed him to get away with it all, allowing themselves to be fooled in the name of trendiness and hype. There is some speculation and theory that Banksy actually planned all of this absurdity with Guetta all along, some calling M.B.W. Banksy's biggest and best work to date. If this is true, then I tip my hat to both men for pulling off the most genius art prank of all time. In the meantime, you can see it all for yourself HERE, and be the judge.

happy holidays to all!

2011-12-24T21:36:00.004-05:00

Happy holidays all! I thought I'd feature some shots I took around last Thanksgiving when Kris and I were visiting friends and family in Pittsburgh, PA. All of the photos featured here were taken at the PPG Place in downtown Pgh. If anything, this place really captures the spirit of Christmas and the holiday season. My parents would take my brother and I here when we were kids and I remember how much fun we had looking at all the department stores and their Christmas decorations. Unfortunately, as more people started frequenting the malls, places like Horne's, Gimbels and Kaufmans all but disappeared. I miss those places around Christmastime and I admit, a good deal of that magic wont ever be recovered again. Still, they did quite a fantastic job downtown and I have a feeling it will only continue to get better. In the meantime, no matter where you are or who you are, make it a point to embrace all that is good, even though it might seem like there is very little good left, and know that you are worth more than any amount of money, or gifts or what others might say or think. Here's to a truly awesome new year and to many many more to come!

artist of the week: inga eičaitė

2011-12-23T20:48:00.000-05:00

The artist of the week at Go Flying Turtle is Inga Eičaitė. Enjoy!

freescha: "abominable love", "heartbreak attack", and "moving"

2011-12-21T22:21:00.001-05:00

Freescha are a duo from Southern California who've been making and releasing electronic music on their self-run Attacknine label since 2002, a label shared by the likes of Casino Versus Japan, whose music I recently featured here at the blog. While their first few releases were very much inspired by the nostalgic, analogue audio daydream sound of Boards of Canada, the duo began to experiment more on later releases, exploring a more psychedelic, even nightmarish sound. Above is a fantastic fan-made video merging some surreal, even humorous clips from the Japanese cult favorite film, Funky Forrest seamlessly with the sublime song "Abominable Love". Directly below is a sample from Freescha's latest single, which is in ways both a return and a departure from the original Freescha sound, and is still taking a while to grow on me. Good stuff nonetheless. The final track featured here is entitled "Moving", a personal favorite of mine that should be heard at high volume and listened to many times in a single sitting. Moving indeed. Like label mate Casino Versus Japan, Freescha are taking a while to get that new album out. Let's hope it's worth the wait. In the meantime, enjoy the tunes.

snuggle bunnies

2011-12-20T22:06:00.001-05:00

I'm really not a fan of these You Tube videos with parents trying to make their kids say or do supposedly cute things, or even worse, when people mess with animals and try to have them perform silly tasks. However, when Kris showed me this, I was overwhelmed by the cuteness. Kris says it reminds her of us, when I'm trying to read before we go to sleep, and I have to agree. Besides, it's just a couple of adorable rabbits doing their thing. I could watch this over and over again, unfortunately.

splotch monsters invade greece

2011-12-19T22:39:00.006-05:00

Last Fall I was contacted via Flickr by my friend Akis in Greece who wanted to see if I was interested in having some of my Splotch Monster work shown there as part of a big exhibit in January 2011 at the Coo Basement in Thessaloniki. After some more details and some e-mail exchange, I snail-mailed him about twenty pieces, ten of which are in color, and ten from the black and white series, all to be featured as part of the Absurd Expedition, a show very much in the spirit of DADA, perhaps my personal favorite art movement of any century. Seeing some of the work from the other artists involved in the show really knocks my socks off to be a part of this event. If only I can get out there to see it now. Anyway, above and below are some of the first (amazing) flyers and posters for the exhibit. I'll have some more Splotch Monster work in an accompanying, limited run book as well, to be released later this month. I'll get more details posted soon, so stay tuned!

artist of the week: tooco

2011-12-17T00:00:00.002-05:00

The artist of the week at Go Flying Turtle is TOOCO. Enjoy!

the watcher

2011-12-09T12:00:00.002-05:00

"The Watcher at Brandon Park"

36" x 36", acrylic on canvas

Last night I think I finally finished the painting you see here, loosely based on a photo I took last winter at Brandon Park, right down the street from me in Leesburg, Virginia. I remember driving home one gray, cold January afternoon, after dropping Kris off at work and seeing this enormous bird circling around the old local bowling alley right next to the park. Captivated by it and wanting to take a closer look, I made a u-turn back to the bowling alley parking lot, where the bird must've flown a few feet over my windshield, quickly and fearlessly. I couldn't believe I had nothing to take a picture of it with me, so I drove back home, grabbed a camera and returned, only to find the giant turkey vulture had found a nice place to perch among the trees and their endless, twisting and turning branches. In the nearby surrounding trees there were a bunch of smaller, black vultures, so I think something nearby was either dead or dying, though I saw and smelled nothing. Despite the company of the black vultures, this giant turkey vulture stood quietly and still on a broken stump, separated from the rest, like a ruler of his very own small kingdom. The photo directly above is a closer view of the bird in a cropped, horizontal format.

The painting itself, which measures three square feet was worked on in equal measures at home and in my grad painting course, which unfortunately ends for me next Tuesday evening. I have some crazy classes at work during the day Tuesdays, leaving me nearly exhausted by three, but I always looked forward to that grad class, getting recharged, fired up and painting and being around fellow art teachers who were also artists, serious about their work, feeding off everyone's energy and feedback. Now I feel like I need to discipline myself to keep at it and continue to build a good body of work, which, depending on how you look at it, is inconsistent and somewhat unfocused (if you don't count the Splotch Monsters). During the course of this class, I rediscovered a love for painting nature, and I feel like I'm developing a real voice. Like this painting itself, it's all a real slow, gradual process, and when you think you've gotten to a certain point, you later realize there's much more to go. I loved painting large and if I had more space, would go even larger, but for now, this might be as big as I can afford to go, in terms of both space and money. I'm looking forward to seeing this piece in an upcoming local art exhibit real soon, which I'll be sure to cover here at the blog. Stay tuned!

glass christmas ornaments by dario dehoyos

2011-12-07T20:45:00.002-05:00

Last weekend Kris and I managed to get the Christmas tree, lights and ornaments up in our apartment, and it looks beautiful this year, mostly thanks to my wife's sense of design and decor. A real nice added touch to the tree this year included three glass ornaments created by Leesburg, VA glass artist Dario DeHoyos. I was so glad to see Dario drop by Kris' art show at King Street Coffee once again, as with her photo show last year. He brought some of his wonderful striped ornaments that evening to sell to the public for a real good, affordable price. All three photos pictured above include one ornament we purchased from him last year, as well as two from last Friday night. I think we'll have to make buying a piece or two from Dario every year a tradition now. It was good getting caught up with him last week, and we briefly talked about some ideas for some local art fairs and shows, which sound promising. In the meantime, look Dario up if you're in or around Northern Virginia, and interested in some real nice, original glass ornaments for your tree or home.

artist of the week: kris loya

2011-12-05T22:04:00.002-05:00

With a solo show this month at Leesburg's King Street Coffee, it's only fitting that I interview my wife Kris, who has only recently returned to painting again, after a somewhat lengthy hiatus. As with her photography, Kris is drawn to the simple, common everyday things, and has a genuine knack for capturing their essence in her work. It's been a while since I actually interviewed an artist, but this occasion is as special to me as it is for Kris, so some extra effort was put into this week's artist of the week feature. Enjoy!

1. Q: About how old were you when you first began to seriously get into painting?

A: Probably the earliest I can remember actually trying was around age 13 or 14. I always remember asking as a kid for paints and brushes instead of toys as a gift, but in my teenage years I wanted to start working with more advanced materials. I even took some classes, but for the most part I taught myself to work with different layers and watercolor washes.

2. Q: Recently you got back into watercolors after a long time of not painting and doing jewelry and more craft-based work. What got you back into it again?

A: I always loved doing crafty things, but none of it felt as basic or fulfilling as watercolors. I even went through a bit of an acrylic phase, as you know, about five years ago, but it didn't quite feel as right as working with watercolors. Coming back to watercolors felt like a sort of homecoming, and I look forward to pushing and exploring the medium much more.

3. Q: You tend to focus more on basic, everyday things in your work. What draws you to these things?

A: I've always enjoyed taking a deeper, closer look at everyday objects like certain plants, and fruits and vegetables, and the way light would illuminate certain surfaces - things most people might not normally pay much attention to. Part of it was a need to learn to draw from observation, but I also just like everyday things and the way nature shapes and colors objects. I'm reminded of how recently, while at work I was photographing an apple I brought for lunch from different angles, and my boss just looked at me like I was nuts, but I could have looked at it all day long! I just am fascinated at how light can shape an object.

4. Q: When it comes to making art and taking on a variety of creative endeavors, you seem to be somewhat of a natural. Do you think some people just "have it" while others might struggle more? What's your take on this thing we like to call talent?

A: I think that everybody has the ability, but for me it comes down to observation. My problem is trying to make things look too much like something, which is what some people think of as art, but is something I'm trying to move away from more and learn to be Ok with some mess and imperfection, which is a lot more interesting to me. I think when people get too wrapped up with trying to make something look realistic, they get intimidated and even turned off from making art, when in fact that's really not what making art is about in the first place. I think the interest lies in the little artifacts that are created when you get a little bit of a mess going, so it's good to distance yourself from the end product and just get to work.

5.Q: I noticed that you have a couple of styles going on right now with your watercolors, one of which is more of a layered, realistic look and the other a more simplified, almost abstract approach. Where do you think you might be going currently, with regards to you own personal style?

A: Well, I like a little bit of both. I don't want completely abstract work 'cause I'm not too sure if I, personally can identify with it, but I'm also trying to distance myself from that teacher I had in high school who demanded realism when painting a still life. I had such a positive response to the looser, simpler works that I think I gained a certain level of permission to go more with that route when I paint, which is something I've been enjoying a lot lately.

6. Q: So like most people, you're pressed for time, work a day job and sometimes just want to come home and veg out on the couch with a book or the computer. What do you say to folks who are also busy, or have kids or work a lot but have a strong urge to create? What might you tell them?

A: No matter what, you'll never have enough time, you'll never have enough energy, you'll never have enough money, but you simply have to begin somewhere. It might not turn into a routine, but you simply have to take out some time for yourself and give yourself that personal permission to create, even if it's a little bit at a time each day. I used to think I had to complete a piece right away, but that's really not the way to go for most people (especially when working with watercolors) and it will become discouraging when you can't finish something. Throw in a load of laundry and do a sketch. Put the kids to bed and set aside fifteen minutes. Make yourself a little space that's accessible and know that you'll most likely never have that perfect, ideal situation. So, yeah, kind of like that Nike saying we all see and hear, just do it.

7. Q: I know that you're kind of particular when it comes to using certain materials when painting. What are some of the mediums that get you excited these days?

A: Well, if you're working with watercolor, it will always make your life a lot easier if you use a nice thick paper. It will make all the difference in the world. Spend a little extra on some good brushes. I used the cheaper Winsor & Newton brushes for years, which were great, but recently I've been buying some better quality brushes, which makes quite a difference I think. I like watercolor from a tube more than from pans, though I use both. I've really been into the Cotman line of watercolors from Winsor & Newton, which is relatively affordable when compared to a lot of stuff out there. I've also been having some fun with watercolor pencils and watercolor masking fluid, which might be my favorite thing in the whole wide world. But yeah, just invest in some good quality materials if possible.

8. Q: So who or what do you find helpful or inspiring lately.

A: Lately Kate Spade photos (from their catalogues), looking at other people's work (which can sometimes be a double-edged sword and intimidating), but mostly nature, more than anything. Working during the Fall has been especially inspiring, with the variations of color in the leaves and the trees. If you just stop and look at a leaf and its veining, color variations, and whether or not it's a matte leaf or a waxy leaf, that makes all the difference in the world when painting. Apples as well, such as the gala apples and the variety of color. Going to museums and websites can be helpful as well, but more than anything, just getting to work and the act of doing and creating is most motivating for me.

9. Q: You've been on a roll in a very short period of time these past few months. Do you see yourself continuing at that pace or taking a break to catch your breath? What's in store for you and your art?

A: Unlike my last show, I actually still feel like painting, though I wouldn't mind a breather. I want to explore some more fashion-based work, which I did a little bit and enjoyed so much and had a real positive response to. I'm by no means some fashionista, but I like accessories and colors and patterns and the way certain things go together to create a pleasing aesthetic. So yes, I will continue to make that time for myself and continue to paint and enjoy creating things and see where it all leads me.

* Kris will have a new website with prints of her work for sale in the near future, which I'll feature here when the time comes.

kris loya art at king street coffee

2011-12-04T10:20:00.002-05:00

Last Friday night my wife Kris had herself a little artist reception at Leesburg, Virginia's King Street Coffee. It was so good to see all of her beautiful work up and hanging on the walls, mixing and mingling so well with the festive sights and sounds of the holiday season. It was a big night for Kris, who has not done much painting at all since I first met her in person, about five years ago in her home country of Trinidad, where she was preparing for a big solo show at a local gallery there. In between then and now, she's made lots of gorgeous jewelry, learned to knit and crochet, worked on a variety of photography and craft endeavors, but never really concentrated much on her passion for painting, until very recently. It's been a very busy, even stressful ride during this time, dealing with the grueling process of immigration, working various jobs and studying as a student in the Integrative Nutrition program (she also just earned her certificate to be a health coach!), so the need to paint again was certainly there. While artists do strive for some recognition and financial gain for their hard work (and YES, it is indeed WORK), as Kris can tell you, it's all about the Primary Food, or that inner fulfillment achieved from taking part in the act of creating. It's a slow but steady process sometimes, and sometimes even frustrating. I know that my wife will do good things with her work and continue on this wonderful path she's just starting to travel upon. I want to thank Kimberly Nevin and K.S.C. for always supporting the work of local artists, Kris' friends and colleagues who showed up, my artist/teacher friends who dropped by (you guys are next!), Gary Rudinsky and friends for the great tunes, and my amazing wife for continuing to bring her lovely work into the world. Kris' art will continue to grace the walls of King Street Coffee until the end of December, so if you're in and around Leesburg, VA, stop in, grab a cup and see the art for yourself, in person!

be a vegetarian

2011-12-01T18:27:00.001-05:00

Be a Vegetarian from GLOSSYREY on Vimeo.

I doubt this silly little animated short will convince a meat-eater to go veg, but I like it a lot. One thing I don't like is Chick fil-A, even more so now because of THIS story. Way to go Chick fil-A, bullying small business owners. Real freakin' cool. I recently ordered my shirt from Bo, 'cause as a fellow artist I'm all about what this guy stands for. Unfortunately, due to very high demand, no more orders can be placed before Christmas at this time. Awesome. I should actually thank Chick fil-A for helping me find out about this guy. In the meantime go Bo! EAT MORE KALE!

artist of the week: julian martin dorado

2011-11-30T19:31:00.000-05:00

The artist of the week at Go Flying Turtle is Julian Martin Dorado. Enjoy!

post t.g. break thoughts, roundup, etc

2011-11-28T00:00:00.029-05:00

All day last Sunday, and into the evening, Kris and I made our way back home to Leesburg, VA, after visiting friends and family in Pittsburgh, PA. Predictably, it was a very long and somewhat painful journey back, along the PA turnpike, only made more bearable thanks to Kris' Integrative Nutrition pod casts, which are required listening for her courses, and truly fascinating to listen to. While driving home, I had expected the usual mix of steady traffic flow and snail-paced, bumper-to-bumper crawls. I also expected the worst with regards to impatient drivers, out of control tempers and other irrational human behavior sometimes caused by post-holiday travel conditions, unfortunately. While we did experience this on occasion during our drive, I tried my very best not to be a part of this kind of thing, actively, mindfully keeping as positive an outlook as possible, reflecting on the fun we had while in PA and looking forward to getting home and getting some sleep. I even joked at one point to Kris, while stuck for nearly an hour in an endless line of cars, without moving, saying to her "What Would Dyer Do", which was something we saw on a T-shirt when we saw Doctor Wayne Dyer, one of our favorite people in the world, speak in NYC a couple of months ago. Shortly after, a young woman was struggling to get her car in a lane while approaching a major toll booth at the PA turnpike. She kindly pulled up near our car and looked at us to see if we'd let her in, in front of us. I always make it a point to at least let one car in during these situations, more or less out of both principle as well as logic, so of course I let her pull in front of us. Shortly after, another car tried pulling in front of us, the driver using an entirely different strategy, if you want to call it that. Personally, I don't find aggressive, bullish behavior too appealing, as most people don't, I would imagine, which was exactly what this man was trying with us. Normally, I might have let one more person in, but I simply couldn't justify the validity of this guy's approach. He didn't even look at us, or signal, or anything. He simply kept trying to bully his way in, which was completely unnecessary. I understand that people can be selfish jerks and not let others in, but this just was not the way to go. So, hopefully he tried a different, perhaps kinder method, which hopefully worked out for him. What was completely unexpected however was when Kris and I had finally pulled into the toll booth to pay for our ticket. The woman in the booth informed us that the driver in front of us had already paid for us, saving us the eleven dollar fee. As we drove out from the booth, pleasantly surprised by this rare gesture of thanks, we passed the young woman in her vehicle (the one we had let in earlier), rolled down the window and yelled out a big, smiling, waving "thank you!". These kinds of things you just don't witness too much at all this time of year, or in this type of situation, sadly.

While we were sad that my mom wasn't there to share Thanksgiving with us any longer, we kept her in our thoughts during this time, and thoroughly enjoyed our time together, spending time with our awesome little nephews (above pics) as well as out and about in Pittsburgh (pics below), which I'll soon post more, much better photos of here.

Thanksgiving can be many things to many people. For me, personally, it's certainly not about how many items I can purchase at a discount (we managed to avoid that, thankfully) and it definitely does not revolve around poultry. For me, it has so much more to do with the everyday moments and the simple and kind gestures we tend to take for granted, something of which I was happily reminded of while stuck in an endless line of post-holiday traffic on the Pennsylvania Turnpike.

blech 2 thanks

2011-11-27T12:00:00.004-05:00

Blech 2, the second installment of classic Warp records, and Warp-related music old and new went down at Pittsburgh's Wood Street Galleries last Saturday night. My friend Chris (Slinky) and I were happy to play out some of our favorite tunes that evening, ranging from the more down-tempo and ambient style, to the dance-friendly tracks, as well as the more abstract stuff. A special thanks goes out to Chris for organizing the event, to Jonathan for all of his help, to Mary and Shaun for the choice beverages, to the folks who attended and especially to those who danced, and anyone else I might have missed. I also want to thank my legs and feet for not giving out on me while dancing like a happy madman to some of Chris' set. It was a real fun time and we hope to host another one in the near future!

Below is a classic from Black Dog Productions "Bytes" album, under the Balil alias, entitled "3/4 Heart", still sounding fresh as ever nearly two decades later. Until next time.

november splotch monsters

2011-11-26T00:00:00.000-05:00

I'm still on a roll with the India ink when making these Splotch Monsters, and went even looser when painting it onto the tan craft paper. I really tried to go for some type of ancient look with them I guess. Now I'm moving on from the tree theme and the craft paper, back to white watercolor paper. This time I'm going to do more medleys, or combos, just to achieve some sort of dynamic of interaction between some of the beasties in a composition. This should keep things pretty interesting this month.

artist of the week: john fogarty

2011-11-25T00:00:00.000-05:00

The artist of the week at Go Flying Turtle is John Fogarty. Enjoy!

barns and farms art exhibit at the franklin park center for performing and visual arts, 2011

2011-11-22T00:00:00.159-05:00

Last Saturday afternoon I stopped by the Franklin Park Center for Performing and Visual Arts to check out the annual Barns and Farms art exhibit and opening. As always, it was a great show with a lot of works on display this year. This comes as no surprise, as the Loudoun County countryside provides an endless stream of inspiration to artists from all over the area.

Many of the works on display were beautiful, representational pieces taking a more literal approach to the theme.

Some of my favorite pieces were the ones taking on a more unique, even abstract approach. I really liked the sculptural piece above, especially.

I was so glad to see one of my favorite local artists, Robert Friedenberg have another one of his marvelous drawings at the show. I met Robert briefly last year at a Franklin park exhibit, and was glad to purchase a couple of his prints when my wife and I stopped by his home last summer for the Western Loudoun County Studio Tour.

I submitted a painting for the exhibit as well, and decided to not include a single barn in the painting. Can you find it? I'm as much a country boy as I am a city slicker, at home in either environment. This probably comes as a result of living in the suburbs, right smack in the middle of the two. While I saw lots of deer, cattle, ravens, crows, and the occasional turkey, turtle and fox growing up in Pennsylvania, I hardly ever saw a vulture, or as some call them, buzzards. You'll see them a lot in Northern Virginia however, either in the sky or sitting in a wake, in some trees along the local country roads. Some people dislike them, but I find them to be incredibly fascinating in so many ways. I think I'll be painting some more of these in the near future.

I absolutely love the fox photograph by Florence Biddle, who I had the pleasure of meeting. It shows the animal in such a majestic, peaceful and compassionate way, not being chased and brutally hunted down by men on horses. I would have bought this picture in a heartbeat if I had some extra cash, but unfortunately that's all going to car maintenance and a new computer this month.

There was a lot of exceptional photography at the exhibit, showing just how much the medium is a true art form in and of itself. The photo in the upper right (above) was one that grabbed my attention, with its rolling hills and fog, taken at Williams Gap by David Levinson. David explained to me his interest in bringing awareness to the beautiful countryside and farm land of Loudoun County, since so much of it is disappearing thanks to continued commercial and real estate development. Fortunately, Williams Gap, due to its historic status, is now a protected site, and David, who has photographed the place on a number of occasions, is free to shoot there any time he wants to now.

Jane Mann's "Waiting For Spring On Clover Hill" was perhaps my favorite photo of all, with its wide, horizontal format, rustic truck and cold, bare-branched tree atop a hill hinting at Winter's end with a slight patch of snow to the far left. The title, the presentation and subject matter all create a strong yet subtle sense of mood and emotion. And people say photography is dead.

As with all of the Franklin Park shows I've participated in, there was, once again a great variety of media and styles on display, all tied together by a single theme. Drop on by this wonderful place if you're in the Purcellville, Virginia area to see this exhibit which runs until December 30th, 2011.

mom's organic market in herndon, virginia!

2011-11-21T00:00:00.014-05:00

Finally, they opened a new Mom's Organic Market in Northern Virginia! They have them all over neighboring Maryland, but a couple of weeks ago, a new one opened right down the road from where my wife works, in Herndon.

I instantly fell in love with this place, who sells only organic food and healthcare items. So, no more searching the isles of the other grocery stores, to only end up mostly disappointed by the poor selection. A good selection of the food at Mom's also comes from local farms, which is always a double bonus.

What I love about the place as well is that they're all about the environment. They even have electric car recharging stations in their parking lot!

While it's all too easy to stock up on more than we need, their prices are reasonable and better than most places who sell organic. They also have a real good selection for folks who choose vegetarian and vegan diets. I made sure to stock up on the Field Roast for Thanksgiving, which in all honesty, tastes just as good, if not better than most meats I've eaten. For the conscious carnivore, they've got local, organic meats from animals raised on a natural diet, free of hormones and other unmentionable garbage found in factory farmed animals.

There's a good variety of fresh fruits and vegetables as well, many not typical of what you might find in most well-known grocers. Kris and I tried some new ones last week and couldn't believe what we've been missing.

Mom's keeps it real, literally, and the store isn't an overwhelming, endless maze of craziness, which seems to be the trend of a lot of new grocery stores. Just real, good food and health care products. The workers are as kind and friendly as can be as well. On a final note, make sure to stock up on some of that Spring Mill Bread, fresh off the cutting board. It's the best bread we've ever bought. Let's hope the rest of the world wakes up, and more Mom's open up all over the place. At least one in Leesburg, VA would be nice. Looking forward to our next visit soon!

for mom

2011-11-20T00:00:00.000-05:00

free live casino versus japan downloads from attacknine

2011-11-19T15:00:00.001-05:00

Featured above and below are two live sets from Mr. Eric Kowalski, aka Casino Versus Japan, courtesy of Attacknine Recordings. One is from the beautiful Beachland Ballroom in Ohio, where I was fortunate to catch Mira Calix and Plaid live about a decade ago, while the other was from NYC, both performed and recorded in 2010. After a very long hiatus, CVJ briefly resurfaced last year with a reissue of his very first record, as well as the very sublime, ambient "Night On Tape" compilation. The two performances featured here are from his brief tour, and both are more on the ambient end of the CVJ spectrum, though he certainly brings the beats, reminiscent of his Go Hawaii and Whole Numbers Play the Basics albums. Both performances are the audio equivalent of thick, dense layers of fog giving way to monolithic Asian mountain ranges. Both also fit on one CD, which I'm currently enjoying on my system in all its audible glory. To get both, simply fill in your e-mail and you'll instantly have access to download. I've been a subscriber to Attacknine for a while now, and they don't bug you much, I promise (not that I would mind). In the meantime, let's hope for that new CVJ album they've been promising for release this year, if not sometime next year at least.

artist of the week: colin johnson

2011-11-18T00:00:00.000-05:00

The artist of the week at Go Flying Turtle is Colin Johnson. Enjoy!

everyday moments via instagram

2011-11-17T16:52:00.004-05:00

Much like painting or drawing from life, taking photos can teach us to be present and "in the moment" more often. It's the tiny, seemingly mundane everyday occurrences, interspersed between the more grandiose that make living worth while, if we take the time out to slow down and pay attention. One of my all time favorite quotes comes from Ferris Bueller, when he says "Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop to look around, you might miss it." This is something I need to make a concerted effort to focus on this upcoming holiday season. In the meantime, while I've been pretty occupied with wrapping up a few big projects, I managed to look around some myself and captured some of those tiny moments from the past couple of weeks, to share with you, with the help of my I-phone and Instagram.

silent gathering

2011-11-13T13:41:00.004-05:00

"Black Buzzard Gathering off Route 15"

22" x 18", acrylic and watercolor on canvas, 2011

Above is a painting I recently completed, which I thought worked well for the Illustration Friday topic "silent". I made it during a grad level painting class, which I've been going to every Tuesday evening for the past couple of months. This piece will also be in an upcoming group exhibit which I'll post about sometime next week. Its real inspiration came from the abundance of vultures we have around Northern Virginia. A couple of times I stopped to take some pictures of them perched in the trees and flying around last winter. Both times it was such a quiet, peaceful undertaking, and unlike with crows and ravens, I didn't hear a sound from these big birds. The painting was loosely based on a couple of photographs I took, one of which actually featured an enormous turkey vulture flying around. I'm currently working on a large scale painting focusing mainly on that giant bird. It's been so good to have this class to go to and paint, and focus on making art. It's also been interesting to see how one painting has influenced the next, and how they all relate to each other in some way. A lot of my art teacher colleagues are taking the class as well, and it's been great seeing everyone's work evolve and improve with the kind, knowledgeable help of our instructor.

Us art teachers are all artists, and some make more of an effort to utilize their abilities than others, however we expend so much time and energy into helping others in developing their artistic talents, we often neglect our own, sometimes completely. This brings to mind the theory of Primary Food, something my wife was recently learning about while taking Integrative Nutrition courses. It is based in the belief that we as humans all have the need to nourish our own creative energies by actively pursuing creative paths best suited to who we are. More often than not, many people instead choose to go down avenues that aren't so nourishing of their creative energies, or do so with the wrong intent, turning to drug and alcohol abuse, overconsumption of food, buying sprees, poor food and drink choices, too much TV and internet, general apathy and inactivity, etc, setting in motion what can become a vicious cycle of self abuse, many times without even realizing it. I think this is why what we call the "specials", such as art, music and phys ed, are so absolutely crucial to any educational system or institution that calls itself a school. Those who have the foresight and the ability to see the bigger picture clearly will understand and recognize this need. There are many people who are frustrated, angry, unable to think creatively, and are unhealthy both mentally and physically because they lack the tools and ability to "feed their soul". I'm fortunate to work for a school system that values these things, so far at least, and I strongly suggest systems who cut the specials from their curriculum due to poor budgets, to strongly reconsider their choices, because our society will indeed suffer in the long run. In the meantime, I look forward to posting up more paintings completed in my grad class soon!

artist of the week: jennifer kraska

2011-11-12T09:18:00.000-05:00

The artist of the week at Go Flying turtle is Jennifer Kraska. Enjoy!

early november stroll

2011-11-08T06:17:00.000-05:00

It was good for once to have the weekend to ourselves, as Kris and I stayed home Saturday and Sunday, rather than travel to this place or that place as we've done during the past few weekends. It had been a very "tree-centric" weekend too, as Kris worked on a gorgeous Autumn tree watercolor painting for an upcoming show, and I tackled a large painting with trees for a class, as well as some pages for a comic book project, which included many drawings of trees. Much inspiration had been taken as well from our everyday, outdoor surroundings, as many of the trees are beginning to shed the last of their leaves. You can see this inspiration in a new series of Splotch Monsters I've also been working on. While the colorful leaves are always a highlight in Autumn, which seemed to have reached their peak color last weekend, I also enjoy the naked trees, with their bare branches which seem to suggest their true colors, minus all the color. I'm a fool for Fall, and always will be. I can't imagine how a person couldn't be, honestly. So, I had to at least take a break from the painting and drawing on Sunday to get outside for a walk. I always tend to forget how incredibly refreshing these walks outdoors can be, especially after being cooped up indoors a while. Of course, I made sure to take some photos to share with you here, however, it's not quite the same as being outdoors and seeing the trees in real-time. So get off your computers, get outside, move around, look around and take a deep breath. You won't regret it.

artist of the week: maura cluthe

2011-11-05T07:45:00.000-04:00

The artist of the week at Go Flying turtle is Maura Cluthe. Enjoy!

blech 2 invades pittsburgh soon

2011-11-02T19:39:00.000-04:00

I'm pleased to announce that myself and my good friend Chris will be hosting another "Blech" dance party at the Wood Street Galleries in Pittsburgh, later this month. In the spirit of the original, stellar Blech mix compilations on Warp Recordings, we'll be playing out some of our favorite classic Warp tracks and related material. As for myself, in addition to early Warp, Skam, and Rephlex music, I'll be spinning some related current tunes. Expect to hear the likes of Grimes, Machinedrum, Burial, Forest World, and Keep Shelly in Athens, taking turns with AFX, Gescom, The Black Dog, and some good old school techno, electro and who knows what else. For me, music - especially great electronic music, like art, is a life-long passion, so I'm pretty psyched to share the love. I know Chris' set will be excellent too, so we hope to see folks come in from the cold, bring a positive vibe, and get lost for a few hours in the interstellar sound. We're also planning on providing some of our own visuals that night. See the flyer (nice job Chris!) above for details, and if you're in the Pittsburgh area, hope to see you there!

october splotch monsters

2011-10-31T00:00:00.005-04:00

BOO!

I had a lot of difficulty choosing five favorites from the month of October, not because I didn't like any, but instead, quite the opposite. The Splotch Monster in the image directly above is what I believe to be the last one I made using black watercolors, created early in the month. The rest, including the ones featured below in this post, were done with India ink, a medium I wasn't too fond of at first, but now thoroughly enjoy. I've been making some on tan craft paper as well, and wasn't too sure about how I'd like them until I went with a "tree creature" theme and started drawing on the Splotch Forms. I've been trying to limit my materials when making these lately, and with these tree creatures, I've only drawn with a black calligraphy pen, to match the loose, almost ancient Sumi-e look the black ink forms take when on the tan paper (see bottom image). Going with strictly black ink for the forms, and using only back and white pen has opened up some fresh creative avenues when making these recent Splotch Monsters. I may continue the Sumi-e style monsters and tree theme throughout November, however, I look forward to a return to more color soon. In the meantime, have a Happy Halloween!

artist of the week: ori toor

2011-10-29T12:34:00.000-04:00

The artist of the week at Go Flying Turtle is Ori Toor. Enjoy!

grimes live at the rock & roll hotel, washington, dc, 10/27/2011

2011-10-28T18:15:00.004-04:00

Last night there was a wicked wind and a chill in the air, rapidly descending on the NOVA/DC region. The clouds looked like giant blue-gray smokestacks strewn across the sky as darkness fell. As I drove out to DC's Rock & Roll Hotel, I thought there couldn't be a better night to hear the music of Grimes live. Real name, Claire Boucher, Grimes brought her catchy, haunting brand of experimental pop to the R&R Hotel as an opening act for the group Austra. I didn't stick around for the latter act however, it was Grimes I wanted to hear, plus getting up at 5AM, getting to work by 6:30 AM, and working with extremely energetic, young children until four isn't a good idea on just several hours of sleep. Perhaps Grimes was feeling some empathy for us early risers, as her set was incredibly short. That said, she certainly packed a punch in the half-an-hour she was on stage, brewing up her unique, enchanting brand of dance-floor friendly audio delights. Despite all the mysteriousness and seriousness heard in the music of Grimes, this young creative genius from oh Canada is quite the joker, her first words as she grabbed the mic were something along the lines of warning the audience that she might belch during her set, since she just downed a giant sandwich, occasionally muttering something funny then giggling between songs.

What's refreshing about Grimes is that she also makes and produces her own music, and plays it live as well, manipulating electronic instrumentation on stage while singing. In interviews, Grimes herself has stated that this kind of thing is often too rare with women singers these days. I agree, and her music is certainly unique, taking influences from seemingly everywhere and everything, and from different eras in time. She gave up visual art, for the most part, to pursue music, saying that working with sound was a far broader medium. You can hear the artistic influence in her music both on record and as with last night's live set, with its all-enveloping layers.

Her set started with the more pop-friendly new tune "Oblivion" from the much anticipated "Visions" album, to be released January 31st, 2012. Popular crowd pleasers like the highly danceable "Vanessa" intermingled with some more deeper cuts I wasn't familiar with yet. I was hoping to hear future classics like "Crystal Ball", whose video I featured a couple of months ago at this blog, as well as more stuff from her astoundingly good "Halfaxa" album, a CD I've listened to at least a thousand times in the past couple of months and still have yet to wear out. She's stated in interviews the difficulty of duplicating and performing much of her tracks live however, with all the layers and complexity going on, so it's understandable, and if the new album is anything like "Oblivion" expect a more streamlined, minimal sound. Whatever the case, word on the street is it's her best work yet. In the meantime, don't hesitate to see Grimes live as she continues her tour of the states this Fall, opening for Austra. Hopefully next tour she'll be the headliner. She certainly deserves to be. Below are some samples of some of my favorite Grimes songs for your listening enjoyment.

david hockney: "a bigger picture"

2011-10-26T06:10:00.006-04:00

Above is a short film featuring paintings of the East Yorkshire Landscape by David Hockney at L.A. Louver gallery, from 2007. I had watched a recent documentary called "A Bigger Picture", which featured Hockney in action, like a man on a mission, painting these enormous landscapes on sight throughout his former home of rural England. To call this film a "triumph of the human spirit" would make me sound like a movie critic using another canned cliche', but that is exactly what this film is. It's interesting to see this acclaimed artist, approaching his seventies, decide to abandon his home of Los Angeles and literally get back to nature, driving along winding country roads with the aid of his loyal assistant, painting huge, greatly inspired canvases in rain or shine. I had wanted to blog about this great documentary for months now, but forgot about it until we had our first painting critique last night, for a grad class I'm currently taking.

I love Hockney's sense of color and he's never managed to pigeonhole himself into any type of style or genre, producing work with subject matter both inncoent and provocative. Here he takes on something as conventional as the landscape and does something magical. To see him in action and to hear him speak throughout the film deepens the viewer's appreciation of these works. It also makes you want to grab a brush, a canvass and some paints and head out to the country. You can view some clips from the film HERE in the meantime, but I strongly recommend watching it in its entirety.

thoughts on fur

2011-10-23T08:40:00.003-04:00

"No one in the world needs a mink coat but a mink." - Murray Banks

It's that time of year again here in Northern Virginia, and many other parts of the world when a chill in the air has us reaching for our jackets, as folks trade in their iced lattes for a steaming hot cup a joe. Recently, Kris and I headed out to a nearby retailer so I could purchase a new Fall jacket to replace the older one I had broken. Despite all the leather ones, none of which I , personally would ever buy, I was happy to have found a real nice, stylish, durable weather-proof jacket, free of any animal-based materials. Thankfully, it didn't take long at all to find, with my wife's help. Looking at the nearby coat section for women made me happy I wasn't a girl however, seeing so many coats lined with fur of some sort. Some were downright hideous, and while I know that faux-fur is a common trend, I sincerely hoped that an animal didn't die to be made into something so incredibly ugly. The fact of the matter is however that no single animal should be killed in the name of fashion ever, period. Unless you live in a native tribe somewhere on a vast frozen wasteland, the wearing of an animal's fur should be obsolete. Unfortunately, I know of many good folks who, due to lack of knowledge (or perhaps a decidedly ignorant stance) still find the wearing of fur as stylish and acceptable. One thing I make an effort to do when I blog is focus on the positives in life and the things that are good and make me happy or fulfilled in some way. There's nothing worse than reading a rant-fest blog, or people who constantly complain, whine, and dwell in the negative all the time. Still, in "keeping it real", I occasionally blog about some realities that might not always be so "happy happy joy joy", to quote the great Ren & Stimpy. In this case, the reality that many people don't realize, and sometimes even refuse to acknowledge is that there is absolutely nothing glamorous about wearing the hide of an animal(s) who was brutally tortured, beaten and killed in the name of fashion and greed.

I recall a wonderful scene from the amazing Planet Earth documentary series where Tibetan citizens renounced the wearing of fur and animal skins by burning them in a fire, at the kind urging of the Dalai Lama, who himself started taking action against the illegal fur trade, a trade that many desperate Tibetans were getting sucked into at one point. You can read more about this HERE. As an eternal optimist, I believe that this will be a small but growing trend in the future of humankind, a tiny contribution towards the betterment of our world rather than towards the corruption of it. This might seem futile in a time of such human rage and violence, but rather than subscribing to what some people believe to be gloom and doom, "end days", and similar garbage, I believe that things will indeed get better for people, and all living beings in the future. That's a whole other topic however. The point is, it's the small steps like the one previously illustrated here, that will make a big difference towards the welfare of both humankind and animals alike.

It's a wonderful thing to have the freedom to choose in our society, and there will be people who choose ignorance over compassion, for a myriad of unfortunate reasons I won't get into here. I will say however that if you find fashion and so-called glamour to be of more importance than the lives and well-being of innocent animals suffering and dying in unspeakably wretched conditions, so be it. I feel for you though. If you choose certain trends dictated by the fashion industry over the possible extinction of some of the planet's most rare, majestic and incredible, respectable beasts, then so be it. Again, I feel for you. I know that most people in American culture regard dogs and cats, their pets, almost as members of their own family, and sometimes even treat them better than they would most other people. The animals sacrificed for the fur industry are no different, and it's incredibly tragic that they had to spend their dying days in the most unfortunate of situations, created and supported by the people, the buyer, the impressionable consumer. The choice indeed is ours.

I'd like to end this post with one of my favorite quotes by a man, much like the Dalai Lama, who spent his entire life dedicated to fearless spiritual and moral advancement, Mahatma Gandhi :
"The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated."

artist of the week: nick sheehy

2011-10-21T22:12:00.000-04:00

The artist of the week at Go Flying Turtle is Nick Sheehy. Enjoy!

wish i was there

2011-10-18T22:19:00.000-04:00

The "Wish You Were Here" art opening at The George Orwell in London looked like a good time last Friday night, and according to artist/illustrator Mr. Gresty, the event's organizer, fun was had by all. Above is a nice photo montage he sent to those of us who had a piece in the show, and below is a shot you can find at his blog. Gresty looks to be a real busy, prolific fella, so it was real cool of him to put on this show. The exhibit features over twenty participating artists and runs until November 13, 2011. So if you're in the London, England vicinity, drop on by, have a pint for me and say "hi" to some of my Splotch Monsters, who are having their own little party up there on one of the walls!

"our secret genius" exhibit, pterodactyl gallery, philadelphia, pa, 10/15/2011

2011-10-16T22:55:00.004-04:00

Yesterday Kris and I drove out to Philly, PA to check out the Moleskine sponsored, "Our Secret Genius" art reception at the terrifically-named Pterodactyl gallery and creative space. We got to the place pretty early, and got to meet the infinitely kind, cool Helen Bradley, who played a big role in organizing the exhibit and whose work is also in the show. While the place looked like an old urban warehouse on the exterior, the inside looked pretty spectacular. It was obvious the folks who organized this show put lots of care into setting it up, and it was refreshing to work with Helen, who was open to ideas and suggestions.

Eric Reimer's work (see above) was among some of my favorite, and I think the Japanese-style fold-out Moleskine was the perfect format for his dream-like, stream-of-conscious visual tales.

Mark Brunetti had quite a few of his books of poetry at the show (see above) , including his free 'zine "The Idiom", which I look forward to reading. We talked about some possible collaborations in the near future.

I really liked having a nice little table and a sad but enthusiastic little clown to display my book full of Splotch Monsters. I was also very happy to be able to give away some of my 'zines for FREE (yes!) and provide pre-painted Splotch Forms for people to draw on and take home.

My wonderful wife Kris (above) created a beautiful sign (after my ugly, failed attempt) for my display. It's all about presentation, right?!

Eric Kennedy's abstracted forms (see above image) were also among some of my personal faves, again, well displayed in the Japanese-style Moleskine format.

A Philly sunset. Ahhhhhh.

Yours truly, gettin' busy on the wall.

Mark and Eric of the band "Puppy Grease" drawing and writing (above) and jamming (below). Nice!

Helen utilizing her way groovy space-age picture-taking mechanism (above). We want one of those!

Laurel Casciato had some awesome sketchbooks full of comics, drawings and writings on display (above). It's a known fact that she can't complete an entire book before starting a new one! Lauren can also throw down a mean collaborative Splotch Monster (photo below).

So can Skyler (below)!

And these guys (next few below)!

Love the big collage made for the show near Pterodactyl's entrance. The show had a real good attendance, though Kris and I left about an hour before it all ended, since we got there about an hour early and by that time were pretty tired out from all the fun.

I wish we had a space like this out our way. I love how the reception was far more than a static art exhibit, as organizers allowed input from participating artists and room for creative play and visitor participation. Hopefully we see more places and events of this nature pop up in the near future.

Kris' pretty flora drawings spawned this wild collaborative draw-jam.

"Our Secret Genius", a Moleskine project runs from October 15, 2011, until November 26, 2011. Don't hesitate to drop on by and take a look if you're in the Philly area!

artist of the week: yan m

2011-10-15T00:00:00.000-04:00

The artist of the week at Go Flying Turtle is Yan M. Enjoy!

roman's splotch monsters

2011-10-14T00:00:00.000-04:00

I've made some of the most wonderful contacts through my Flickr site, including art therapist Ira Freidman, from Saint-Petersburg, Russia. Ira teaches both kids and adults, including eleven-year-old Roman, who took some inspiration from my Splotch Monsters and seriously created something unique and amazing! This made my day, so thank you Ira and Roman, you are both truly awesome!

roedelius live at the velvet lounge, washington, dc, 10/12/2011

2011-10-13T21:17:00.001-04:00

Last night, I made my first visit to The Velvet Lounge in Washington, DC to see and hear Hans-Joachim Roedelius perform live as part of his current North American tour. It had been almost exactly twelve years since I saw him when he came to the Millvale Industrial Theater in Pittsburgh, PA. Before the show I was able to meet the man, who was sitting inconspicuously at the back of the small venue, and got him to sign one of his CDs for me. What a cool, humble guy, this Roedelius fella.

Several acts opened for Roedelius, including the band Kohoutek (above), who performed as a quartet, playing a slow building, continuous instrumental jam that was absolutely explosive towards the end. I've never heard of this group before and according to a friend who was there at the show, it was an unusual collaboration between the band and a couple of other performers. Whatever the case, I need to check their music out more. On an unrelated side note, I could have sworn I saw Holger Czukay, co-founding member of the influential band Can in attendance last night!

Roedelius got on stage pretty late and proceeded to play a mostly peaceful, more piano-solo based set, with interludes of electronic sound-collage material, to a projected backdrop of hypnotic, manipulated film footage of dripping water. While the set was beautiful, the setting just didn't compare to when I saw him live over a decade ago. That said, like that night twelve years ago, it rained once again, gently falling like the melodies from the fingers of this gracefully aged musical pioneer performing in front of me. It was tough driving home after such a tranquil dose of music, and while I seriously lacked sleep today, I had a feeling of peace and contentment throughout my day, thinking of this wonderful old man, who ended his set with a big smile and a "thank you my darlings" to the roar and applause of a very receptive DC audience. I can only aspire to be a fraction as cool as Rodelius when (and if) I make it to eighty years old. Pure class.

a visit to mcconnells mill

2011-10-12T17:55:00.000-04:00

Over Columbus Day weekend, Kris and I visited family in Western Pennsylvania. The weather was so gorgeous, we also managed to spend a day hiking at McConnells Mill State Park. I used to hike here on a regular basis for several years, after graduating from college. I nearly forgot just how magical this place is, and it was a real pleasure visiting again in such perfect Autumn weather, and being able to share the experience with my wife who probably took more pictures than me. Hopefully I'll get my entire Flickr set done by the end of the year. In the meantime, enjoy the views!

our secret genius coming soon to philly

2011-10-08T00:00:00.000-04:00

One week from today I'll be in Philly, PA to attend the opening reception for the "Our Secret Genius" show sponsored by The Moleskine Project. The show will feature both sketchbooks as art, as well as art work derived from artists' sketchbooks. The Pterodactyl gallery looks like an excellent space, and there's a good chance I'll be doing some live work that Saturday night. You'll find my Splotch Monster Moleskine on display there - the first in a series I plan on working on. Quite a few other artists will be in the exhibit, featuring their fantastic art as well, so please don't hesitate to drop on by!

artist of the week: mr. teophilus tuhatkauno

2011-10-07T20:29:00.000-04:00

The artist of the week at Go Flying Turtle is Mr. Teophilus Tuhatkauno. Enjoy!

a flock of seagulls: "space age love song", "the more you live, the more you love", and "wishing (if i had a photograph of you)"

2011-10-06T16:47:00.003-04:00

So here's another 80s flashback post thanks to another visit to California Tortilla. I went today to get my free birthday burrito (woohoo!!) and walked in through the doors to the sound of a massive spaceship taking off to visit new, strange lands and distant galaxies. Actually, it was the sound of the intro to A Flock of Seagulls' big hit "I Ran (So Far Away)", and that intro still knocks my socks off to this day. While many might think the band were simply a group of goofy-haired, new wave one-hit wonders, they actually had a few more, not so big hits that were, in my opinion just as good, if not better than "I Ran (So Far Away)". In fact, "Space Age Love Song" (above), with it's preshoegaze guitar riffs and irresistible synth melodies could arguably be their best song of all.

I remember first hearing A Flock of Seagulls in my parents' car when I was a kid, hearing that intro to "I Ran" and thinking I might have heard the greatest song ever made, period. Who cared about the lyrics - the music was greatly appealing to a young boy obsessed with Star Wars and the Transformers. A couple of years later, they came around to a club in Pittsburgh, about the time their popularity was starting to wane some. Myself and a good skateboarder friend of mine were determined to go to this show but our moms wouldn't allow it, the club not exactly being a scene for kids. Around this time, "The More You Live the More You Love" aired on MTV a lot, featuring lead singer (and former hairdresser) Mike Score with a new mullet-style haircut. Talk about going from bad to worse. Despite the hair, the song was a mild hit and a step into a more mature sound.

After a long sibling rivalry between the band's singer and his older brother, the drummer, A Flock of Seagulls were no more. Then, in 2003, thanks to a good but short-lived show on VH1 called "Bands Reunited", the whole line-up got back together for a big sold out performance in London. A tour of the states was planned for 2004, but quickly fell apart after the same ol' sibling rivalry. They actually ended up playing two of the scheduled shows, one of which happened to be a block down the street from me in Winchester, Virginia (of all places!). Still, I knew something wasn't quite right when I looked at their website and almost all the shows were cancelled. I ended up going to the show anyhow, and shortly after the band hit the stage, my suspicions were confirmed. When the only original member, singer Mike Score hit the stage along with three dudes who looked more like former members of Mudhoney than anything, I was mortified. The worst part was when the songs were marred completely to sound more "rockin'" than the originals. Finally, about half way into the set, they played a horrific, grunge-inspired version of "I Ran" (ten or so years after grunge was actually, remotely relevant!?!), which didn't seem to bother most of the crowd that night, including an obnoxious, whooping couple of thoroughly drunk redneck gals sitting in front of me. That's when I decided it was time for me to run, and run so far away down the street to my house, take a nice long shower and hit the sleepy-time sack. Sometimes, the wheel just shouldn't be reinvented, and I thank the band and its original line-up for some of the greatest new wave songs ever made. Below is a clip from their brief but "wicked" reunion in London, in 2003. Enjoy!

the war of art

2011-10-02T09:50:00.001-04:00

This morning I just finished reading a book by acclaimed author Steven Pressfield called "the War of Art". The book was released in 2002 and had been on my list of books to read for a few years now. I unfortunately had forgotten about this book until several weeks ago when my wife and I went on a bit of a book buying spree during the final days of Borders' going out of business sales, sadly. As I was casually browsing the store's ramshackled, chaotic isles, I saw the book just sitting there, face up and begging me to purchase it for a mere few dollars. So, I added it to my ever-growing stack with slight hesitation, only to set it aside for a couple of weeks in a drawer next to the bed.

It wasn't until only a few nights ago that I started to read it, and simply could not put it down. I really didn't know what to expect at first with this book, the title being both repelling and interesting to me. The content inside however is accessible enough for just about anyone to read and grasp, yet profound enough to fall along the lines of an almost cathartic, spiritual awakening. I see the parallels this book now has with some others released along the same lines, regarding subject matter, especially with Wayne Dyer's "Change Your Thoughts, Change Your Life", which I also just finished reading prior to this book. Some in particular include the concept of the authentic self versus the ego, as well as the idea of genuine acts of creativity being derived ultimately from a divine source, shared by and accessible to all human beings. The difference is, while Dyer explains this ageless wisdom through the perspective of Lao-tzu's peaceful and profound "Tao Te Ching", Pressfield seems to take cues from Sun Tzu's "the Art of War", hinted at in the book's title. As a writer of mostly historical and war-based fiction, Pressfield uses his knowledge to compile and create this small but extremely powerful weapon of non-fiction, designed to aid and arm readers with the tools to destroy, dismember and disintegrate the forces of Resistance (a force he brilliantly personifies) and Ego, with the full aid of the Muse, one's vital ally in the ongoing battle against complacency, indifference and living "the unlived life within".

Pressfield also teaches from experience, talking about some of his own very real and seemingly impossible life battles and how he slowly but most certainly defeated them in time. In essence, he's the everyman underdog who, with time, effort and most importantly, personally-gleaned insight, climbed his way from the bottom of the muck and debris to stand humbly at the top of the heap, with an arm extended to those who are receptive. Not to liken the writer as some sort of savior, but for many, I know this book could serve as a vital and very important tool in life, and in the battle against what could very well be the life-destroying Ego. Honestly, I don't think I've read a better book and I strongly recommend The War of Art to anyone and everyone. In the meantime, he's got a new book out this year called Do The Work, which I've got a feeling will be just as great.

artist of the week: lee schein

2011-10-01T20:00:00.000-04:00

The artist of the week at Go Flying Turtle is Lee Schein. Enjoy!

september splotch monsters

2011-09-30T00:00:00.001-04:00

September has come and gone by way too swiftly. Things are in full swing at work/school and the extra-curricular duties and demands seem to be piling up lately. Still, I've been making the time to work on art, as I continue to pursue work on a comic book story, a grad-level painting class, and of course the daily Splotch Monster. This is simply a need I refuse to ignore, as much as I feel I neglect my creative side more often than not. I'm more exited than ever with the Splotch Monsters and they seem to have taken somewhat of a different turn since I started working in strictly black and white for over a week now. I've tried to keep things fresh this month, trying out some slightly different approaches, angles and formats, always balancing spontaneity and chance with some control and precision. I like to call it serious fun, and while many of these could very well hold their own, I like to view this ongoing project as the sum being greater than the parts - an ever-growing, constantly mutating work in progress . I've been greatly inspired by reading "Change Your Thoughts, Change Your Life" by Dr. Wayne Dyer, as well as some various translations of Lao-tzu's Tao Te Ching. Two, in particular stood out to me from the S. Mitchell translation, including verse 41 which says "The greatest wisdom seems childish" and "The greatest art seems unsophisticated" (it accidentally said "are" instead of "art", which most other translations say in 41), and verse 45 stating how "True art seems artless". When making these monsters, I try not to think too much at all. I just do them. Still, some are born far easier than others. When I'm having trouble or if a shadow of doubt sets in, I've found verses 41 and 45 to be of great help. I think I might explore this black and white approach a little bit more, going into October now.

echo & the bunnymen: "bring on the dancing horses", roxy music: "more than this", siouxsie & the banshees : "cities in dust"

2011-09-26T21:25:00.002-04:00

OK, so I need to confess I've got somewhat of a bad habit of eating out at the California Tortilla for dinner, when Kris is still at work. Blame it on laziness, but they also have decent vegetarian options. Plus, they play awesome music from the 1980s, which is probably half the reason I eat there so much. I was even thinking of doing regular blog posts listing songs I heard at C.T., which is basically what this post is, in music video format.

What's great is that the California Tortilla I go to doesn't just play your typical 80s stuff. They actually play the good stuff, the more odd and obscure bands having a heavy influence on some of the excellent underground music being made today. The three songs featured here were all heard at my last visit to C.T., and I knew I had to blog this up before I forgot about it. I do have some Echo & the Bunnymen CDs, and saw them live in DC several years back, however, none of the bands here were bands I was much into in the 80s, though I fondly remember all of these songs from back in my skateboarding days, played in heavy rotation on a great Pittsburgh FM station known as Double X (or WXXP).

I've got to admit, the songs are a zillion times better than any of their accompanying vids, despite one of them being made by Anton Corbijn, though they are kind of interesting in their own way. The Siouxsie one is actually a bit disturbing even, reminding me of something that Dieter from Saturday Night Live's "Sprockets" would thoroughly enjoy, haha! At least they were shooting for some kind of artistic integrity rather than a lot of the stuff aired on MTV at the time. Enjoy!

artist of the week: jesse treece

2011-09-24T00:00:00.000-04:00

The artist of the week at Go Flying Turtle is Jesse Treece. Enjoy!

wolf eyes

2011-09-23T17:35:00.001-04:00

It's always good to see when someone is inspired a little by something you do, and end up creating something of their own. Such is the case with "moondustwriter", who wrote a poem loosely based on a photo I took about five years ago at the now newly relocated Smithsonian Naturalist Center. It was also for a writing prompt at With Real Toads. Here it is, reblogged below for you. Nice work!

"the eyes of the wolf" by moondustwriter

Peering in deep golden eyes

something there behind the glow

What’s he thinking

does he know?

Feeling heat rise from his fur

resonating deadly grrr

seething from deep within

will I lose this fight or win?

Crouching low as if to spring

steady now keep your head

lest he realize my fear

In his eyes am I dead???

In the meantime, below are some more photos I took at the Naturalist Center the same day I took the wolf pic. I wonder what kind of words could be written to go along with these?

plaid: "35 summers", "upgrade", and "african woods"

2011-09-21T20:37:00.000-04:00

So the mighty Plaid are back with the eagerly awaited full length, "Scintilli", after about a nine-year hiatus since releasing any official albums. That's if you don't count their three soundtrack-based albums they made in between, all of which were very good in their own right. Still, as great as those albums were, there was a little bit of something missing - that dance floor edge merged with wonderfully strange rhythmic syncopation present in albums like "Not For Threes" and "Double Figure" seemed to be lacking in parts. So after some time, one has very high expectations for a project, the longer it takes to complete. The fact is, Plaid have never stopped making excellent electronic music, whether it was for the movies on the big screen or for the ones right there in your own mind, and "Scintilli" doesn't disappoint. Still, for a long time fan whose listened to the group when they were still two-thirds of The Black Dog two decades ago, the album had to grow on me, and I wasn't too impressed or sure what to make of it at first, until about the last four tracks, which were highly reminiscent of the ghosts of Plaid/Black Dog past (to my own delight). I'm reminded of how much I disliked Autechre's "Amber" after forming my own expectations following their first album, then with each successive listen, the album got better and better. This is my reaction with Plaid's latest offering, and if you initially feel the same, simply keep on listening. The three tracks featured here are from "Scintilli", including the official video for the very ambient "35 Summers" track, from Warp Recordings. Enjoy.

i can do it conference, nyc

2011-09-19T19:14:00.010-04:00

"Sell your cleverness and purchase bewilderment" - Jalal ad-Din Rumi, poet

Over the weekend Kris and I headed out to NYC to catch the I Can Do It conference, hosted by Hay House publishing group. It was somewhat of a last minute decision, and Kris and I have been saying for a while that if Dr. Wayne Dyer (above photo) and Louise Hay (see below) came around within reasonable vicinity, we're there, without hesitation. It's a good thing my wife has Facebook (which you can't pay me to join), 'cause we might not have known about this amazing event.

Kris heard about the work of Louise Hay through a friend back in Trinidad, during a time when she was going through some rough patches in her life. Shortly after, when Kris first visited me in the states, we found Louise's groundbreaking book "You Can Heal Your Life" at a nearby yard sale for fifty cents. It turned out to be a hugely inspirational read for both of us, this manifesto on the power of positive thinking. When the book was first published, there was barely a thing out there about this kind of stuff, even remotely. While it seems like everyone is getting on the bandwagon with this kind of thing (which is not necessarily a bad thing at all), it's still very much a rare and even alien notion for most people that you can actually change your life for the better simply by the way you think about yourself and others. In the wrong hands, this can seem like total fluff or come off as incredibly corny subject matter, however, both Hay and Dyer have been through some truly hellish times and consciously made a choice and concerted effort to overcome these situations in life and experience their lives at their highest potential. These guys are the real deal, and the emphasis is on the word "choice".

Unfortunately we weren't able to catch the event in it's entirety, but were able to see, in addition to Hay and Dyer, Marianne Williamson speak at the conference, whose work I'm looking forward to checking out more now, after her presentation, as well as the ever-fascinating Gregg Braden at a special, free screening of two new Hay House-related movies at the Director's Guild, which I'm not supposed to blog about right now (so, I certainly won't).

Kris and I are still in awe that we got to see and hear Dyer in person, finally. We've read some of his books, seen him on film, and listen to his Monday night internet radio show, but to hear him in person took it to a whole other level. I think that was the general consensus for most in attendance that weekend as well. I found out about Dyer from some very insightful interview footage on the You Can Heal Your Life film and ended up checking out The Shift on DVD. This led me to reading his amazing book, Change Your Thoughts - Change Your Life , where Dyer lived an entire year based on the ancient wisdom of Lao-tzu's texts from the poetic and deeply profound Tao Te Ching. What I love about Dyer, without watering down what could be some potentially heavy and heady subject matter, is that he is able to bring concepts regarding spirituality, ego, and existence down to earth for everyday people to relate to and apply. And when he speaks about his life experiences, both ordinary and incredibly extraordinary, he can be damn funny! What I've only recently gleaned from Dyer's work is his writings on the destructive power of indulgence in the ego and its negative, degenerative effect on both the individual and the world when not kept in check, replacing intentions from the heart.

It's difficult to put into words how worth the while our visit to New York was, to attend this event. At a time when so many sources, both on a personal level, and media-based bombard our collective consciousness with big, stinking heaps of doom, gloom, pessimism, social polarization and negativity, it's good to know there are real, intelligent and positive solutions and sources of light out there willing to help and show us the alternatives, if we choose to accept them. And again, the emphasis is on choice, which is that simple. In about a year, Kris and I will be looking forward to being in the same company, next time, in our own back yard in Washington, DC. Hope you can make it there too!

On a final note, I want to thank the kind soul who gave Kris and I, and a couple of others free passes (worth quite a bit of money), upgrading our seating to nearly the front of the auditorium. Again, huge, huge thanks, whoever you are! In the meantime, below is an interview I absolutely love with Dyer, hosted by Ellen DeGeneres. It's well worth the nine minutes of your time! :)

artist of the week: rick baker

2011-09-17T17:49:00.002-04:00

The artist of the week at Go Flying Turtle is Rick Baker. Enjoy!

what i've been working on lately

2011-09-11T00:00:00.000-04:00

Slowly but surely.

hans-joachim roedelius: "wenn der sudwind whet", "veilchenwurzeln", & "herold"

2011-09-10T00:00:00.002-04:00

Hans-Joachim Roedelius is considered a pioneer of ambient and electronic instrumental music, as a founding member of German Krautrock bands Cluster and Harmonia, as well as collaborating with the likes of Brian Eno. While most people think of Eno when it comes to early ambient and electronic music, Roedelius deserves just as much credit for his contribution to the genre. I had the great pleasure of witnessing Roedelius perform live in 1999 at the now defunct Millvale Industrial Theater on the outskirts of Pittsburgh, PA. Roedelius had been traveling the states in a van with his wife at the time, stopping by only a handful of select locations to play his music. How fortunate we were in Pittsburgh to have him visit. I remember how moving his performance was, in front of about fifty people seated in an old, former ceramics factory on a rainy, Autumn Tuesday night. Just the man, a couple of keyboards and some other various electronic gadgetry, accompanied by the gentle sound of rainfall and passing traffic through some old, slightly cracked windows overhead was all that was needed. It couldn't have been the more perfect setting for such a beautiful, resonant sound. His set consisted of two parts that evening, the first of which was a more contemporary, experimental, sample-based approach to ambient music, reminiscent of some of Future Sound of London's work. The second portion of his performance was a more scaled-down, piano solo approach. Both portions balanced each other out nicely that evening, displaying the versatility of this humble musical trailblazer. I even taped the entire performance to audio cassette, if only I could find this recording. In the meantime, with many of today's up and coming electronic artists once again returning to a more hands-on, analogue approach to music-making, it only makes sense that Roedelius' music is experiencing something of a resurgence, with many of his past recordings from his vast and varied catalogue being remastered and rereleased to the listening public. For starters I highly recommend his "Selbstportrait 1", "Selbstportrait 2", and "Wenn Der Sudwind Weht" releases, which is where you'll find some of the tracks featured at this post. Also, keep an eye open for Roedelius on tour, including his current, rare stateside stops. I know I'll be seeing/hearing him perform once again, this time at DC's Velvet Lounge on Wednesday night, October 12th, 2011, nearly twelve years later, to the day. Finally, check out the great interview with Roedelius below!

artist of the week: sting chen

2011-09-09T00:00:00.000-04:00

The artist of the week at Go Flying Turtle is Sting Chen. Enjoy!

august splotch monsters

2011-09-05T00:00:00.001-04:00

These are my five favorites from August, excluding the Splotch Monster Medley for the "Wish You Were Here" show in London. Since there were fifteen monsters in that medley, monster-making has been on a two-week plus hiatus, which worked out well with getting back into the school/teacher groove, as well as taking on a few other current projects. In the meantime, once again I'll start posting new ones at the Splotch Monster blog, so stay tuned!

gusgus: "over" and "desire"

2011-09-04T00:00:00.013-04:00

I'm glad to see my favorite band from Iceland (and there quite a few), GusGus back, though they never really went away. It just sounds like their new 2011 album "Arabian Horse" might be their best work to date. I've been into the group since the their 1997 album "Polydistortion" grabbed hold of the world's attention. The group began as a creative collective of musicians, actors and film makers, but by 2000 the original lineup changed and scaled down. A few members remained and the band recruited the vocal skills of singer Earth for their excellent 2002 release "Attention". The video for the song "Desire" (below), found on that album was also part of their live backdrop in 2002. I've been to many live music events, and I can't say I've ever witnessed a crowd of fans dance so hard and enthusiastically than when they played at DCs 9:30 Club in 2002, and the band even used one of the live versions from that show for their "David" single, released later that year. The energy from both the group and the fans was truly fantastic. While all of their releases since then have been great, "Arabian Horse" sounds like a renewed energy and spirit is back, similar to that from a decade ago. This can be attributed to a fuller lineup once again, with some original key members, including Earth, who sings on a few tracks, including the outstanding "Over" (see above). Hopefully the band will once again consider returning to the states to perform this time around.

recent instagram shots

2011-09-03T22:13:00.012-04:00

"Live each season as it passes; breathe the air, drink the drink, taste the fruit, and resign yourself to the influences of each. "

Henry David Thoreau

artist of the week: kat masback

2011-09-02T17:44:00.000-04:00

The artist of the week at Go Flying Turtle is Kat Masback. Enjoy!

grimes: "crystal ball" & live in montreal

2011-08-30T21:39:00.003-04:00

Lately I've been listening a lot to the music of Canadian singer/music-maker Claire Boucher, known to fans simply as Grimes. I found out about her music while checking out some of the artists on her label Arbutus, who also host a fave of mine, Blue Hawaii. The website description only hints at her sound, and after sampling some of her music on You Tube, I have to say, I wasn't prepared to be so thoroughly blown away. I mean, she's barely out of high school and already has two (and a half) albums of top notch material under her sleeve. You can read Arbutus' description of her sound (above), or simply listen for yourself. I think I've already overused terms like "ethereal", "atmospheric", and "electronic" in past music reviews, and truthfully, there's a whole lot more to her sound. In a world where empty gimmicks accompanying even emptier music is increasingly present (and popular) in pop music by women, it's good to hear stuff with such depth and imagination by the likes of Grimes, and I look forward to picking up all of her releases soon. In the meantime, check out the video for Crystal Ball (above). I love the use of landscape in this one, and in some ways I'm reminded of Joy Division's video for "Atmosphere" directed by Anton Corbijn. Grimes also throws down a nice live set, which I hope to see in person someday soon as well.

art love

2011-08-29T00:00:00.006-04:00

A couple of weeks ago Kris and I made a 45 minute drive out to Ikea in Maryland and bought a couple of those square shelving units for our studio room. After months of talking and talking about it, we finally went and got them. The studio room was in a state of constant disarray, despite past attempts at organizing and cleaning it out. Although we've managed to successfully sell or give away lots of stuff, being the creative types we are, we still have lots of stuff. Unfortunately it was stuff sitting around waiting to get used and made into art and crafts. Kris is into knitting, crochet, photography, jewelry-making and has recently gotten back into some painting and drawing, after a long hiatus. The drawing/painting pictured here at this post was one of a couple she made after we got our shelves up and the room organized. I remember walking into the room after getting home from work, only to find my wife sitting there at her table with a big, happy smile on her face while adding the final touches to the piece, which she gave me as a gift, knowing how stressed out I can sometimes get when going back to school, with all the information we have to process as teachers, then utilize at work. I've gotten a lot better at getting back into the swing of things with each passing year however, and just looking at this image helps me to lighten up even more. It also made me think about what art is all about, or what it can be for. I know that art is not about how well someone can make a painting or drawing look like something else in front of them. I also know that it's not about making lots of money or getting famous, though if that just so happens to be a part of it, then bonus! Once again, looking at this image and remembering the expression on Kris' face reminded me of what art, and the creation of it should be all about.

i love the eighties

2011-08-28T00:00:00.005-04:00

Friday night my wife and I celebrated our friend Melissa's birthday party at a local bar called Finnegans, who hosted an eighties night with local cover band The Reflex. I consider myself a child of the eighties, though I could also include the seventies and even the nineties in there as well. It's interesting how music can influence how people remember a certain time in their life, and while some folks prefer to identify with a certain era, musically or culturally, I really have no preference. Still, I have to say, more than anything, it was the eighties which left an impression on me over any other time period. I take my eighties music pretty seriously and definitely am into what might be considered the more obscure end of the musical spectrum, and you'd find me listening to Ministry, Depeche Mode or New Order rather than Bon Jovi, Journey or Bryan Adams, who were far too normal for my arty, rebel teenage mind. So, I wasn't sure what I was in for when we went to this place. Still, it wasn't my party, and after a slightly crazy week back at school I was up for anything. Needless to say, the eighties cover band The Reflex (can you guess where they got their name from?) were very good, covering a wide range of songs from the era of big hair and neon makeup. Cool thing is, my get-up earned me second place in the eighties fashion show Friday night. Rad! What mattered most though was that everyone had fun and sang and danced like fools. Not a bad way to start a weekend after an earthquake and a scary hurricane forecast on the horizon.

Above, Kris and I are posing for the camera. I actually had more requests than I can count to get my photo taken with other people, which I found both amusing and strange, since that usually never happens in real life, except for in family reunions. If they only knew how bald and geeky I actually am, haha! Anyhow, we had a blast trying to figure out how to look for this party, and I can thank the local thrift store for the sweet padded suit jacket, and Party City for the wig. I was going for more of a Duran Duran meets Kajagoogoo look, though most people there thought I was either David Bowie or Rod Stewart! I even got a "hey Vince Neil!". Funny thing is, I still wear Swatch watches, have a Pac Man camera cozy, and use a checker-patterned wallet, so I guess I never really left the eighties in a way. Oh well. Kris did a fabulous job with hers and our friends' makeup, and even ended up getting a little gig applying some onto one of the band's lead singers (photo below) after seeing the work she did on a friend of ours. Nice! These great photos are courtesy of the band's website by the way.

In the meantime, if you're still not sure where the name The Reflex came from, you can ask my younger brother Dave who had the record since he was in the second grade (yes, kids were into cool music back then), or you can watch the video featured below (the ad is quick, thankfully), which ruled MTV in the eighties.

In the meantime, check out the band, The Reflex when they visit your way!

jacob's optical stairway: "fragments of a lost language" and "solar feelings"

2011-08-27T10:38:00.004-04:00

It's always interesting to see how genres in music change, especially within the realm of electronic music. I think of Jungle from the UK in the early nineties, with its sped-up break beats, Jamaican toasting, and exaggerated bass stabs. I remember how it started out as a racious club music, later breaking out into a variety of different avenues as Drum n' Bass. You had your "dark step" and "tech step", as well as "two step" and "jump up". Then there were the more cerebral sub genres of "atmospheric" and "intelligent" drum n' bass. Goldie put D&B on the map with his massive LP "Timeless" in 1995, touching on nearly all of the sub genres listed previously here, while Roni Size and his Reprazent project put the sound in the public eye (and ear) with the ambitious "New Forms". Other artists like LTJ Bukem and Talvin Singh ran hugely successful UK club nights, the latter of whom merged traditional Indian instrumentation with the genre, without sounding in the least bit corny. The east coast of the US was particularly quick to adopt Drum n' Bass, especially in NYC, Philly, and most notably Pittsburgh, with its long-running "Steel City Jungle" nights at Oakland's former Club Laga, and the still present (!?!) Drum n' Bass night at the Bloomfield Bridge Tavern. Artists such as Dieselboy and 187 made their name in the 'burgh and made significant contributions to the genre. Still, one duo who deserves more kudos in the realm of D&B is that of Mark Clair and Dennis McFarlane, known to listeners as 4Hero. As influential as they were among major producers and Drum n' Bass artists, many fans don't recognize their side project under the name Jacob's Optical Stairway. The one album they released as J.O.S. (same name as the group) has been regarded as arguably their finest material to date, by those who've heard it. Swimming in the more jazzy, atmospheric end of the spectrum, Jacobs' Optical Stairway was created and intended for the home listening experience more than the dance floor. Album opener "Fragments of a Lost Language" (above) is one of my all-time favorite opening tracks, and I've used this very song to test out the audio in any new sound system I've had since I've owned this CD. Simply put, it's a beautiful work of future-soul, still light years ahead in sound and vision. Below is another standout on this brilliant album, "Solar Feelings", featuring some beautiful guest vocals from Samantha Powell. Around the same time, Clair and McFarlane also released "Parallel Universe" as 4Hero, another drum n' bass masterpiece album with a similar sound to J.O.S.

artist of the week: valery lorenzo

2011-08-26T00:00:00.000-04:00

The artist of the week at Go Flying Turtle is Valery Lorenzo. Enjoy!

wish you were here splotch monster medley

2011-08-25T06:52:00.002-04:00

I always thought it would be an interesting challenge to use some Splotch Monsters as letters for words or phrases, like a type of font for an illustration. So, I decided to do just that for a piece that will be in a show, in London, England, from October to November this year. The theme for the art exhibit is "Wish You Were Here", organized by illustrator/artist Mr. Gresty, for display at the George Orwell. Each monster represents a letter, some more recognizable than others, and I didn't want them to be too obvious at first glance. The letters spell out the theme of the show, and the monsters are all supposed to be hanging out at a "Splotch Monster House Party" (which is also the name of the piece). It was fun seeing how I could not only make monsters out of letters, but also trying to create tiny interactions between some of them, as if they were all really in a room together. I tried photographing the work in several different lights (it was way too big for a scanner) but just couldn't really capture how it actually appears, which looks a whole lot better than the shot you see here. The show looks to be a good one and the place itself will be a fantastic space for art. I personally wish I could be there myself but unfortunately, London is a little too far and out of my budget at the moment. If you're in London and are reading this, please feel free to check out the show and perhaps even take and send me some shots. I'd really appreciate it!

machinedrum: "u don't survive", "GBYE", & "jewlea"

2011-08-21T00:00:00.012-04:00

While I eagerly await the arrival of Machinedrum's latest full length CD "Room(s)" to arrive in the mail, I continue to drop by You Tube for my preview fix. It was a pleasant surprise to learn he had a new one out at the end of the summer, no less on Mike Paradinas' (aka μ-Ziq) Planet Mu label. Real name Travis Stewart, I've followed Machinedrum's evolving sound since his early releases on Merck Records over a decade ago. While the last album, "Want to 1 2?" was an inspired kaleidoscope of hip-hop influenced sound production, jam-packed with a wide array of excellent vocal contributions, "Room(s)" has a more immediate, fast-paced, even spontaneous feel throughout. One track I've been returning to a lot and has quickly become a favorite is "U Don't Survive" (above), with its steady, swift tribalesque breakbeat, layers of building keyboard melodies, R&B vocal lines, and those signature bulbous bass stabs Machinedrum does best. I love how this song builds, evolves, breaks down, and rebuilds, like many Travis Stewart productions. This song, as well as some other more vocal-tinged tracks on the album seem to take influence from some of the best house tracks from a couple of decades back (the early Strictly Rhythm catalogue comes to mind). The album cover art, like most Machinedrum releases is simply awesome as well.

So far, the one official video for "Room(s)" accompanies the track "GBYE" (above). It's a bit disorienting at first, and I prefer listening to the track minus the video, personally. Still, it's pretty cool to see all those wonderful Rubik's Cube-like puzzles, which in many ways are like Machinedrum's music, come to think of it. The vid gets much better at about two minutes in, when you see a pair of hands solving the various puzzles in fast-motion. The song itself is probably the most Chicago Juke influenced of all, with it's hyperkinetic beat and cut up vocal samples. Great track, but probably not one of the album's best.

Finally, for the old-school heads, from Machinedrum's first full length LP, 2001's "Now You Know", "Jewlea". Put those headphones on and turn the volume up. It rarely gets any more magnificent than this one.

artist of the week: laura redburn

2011-08-20T00:12:00.005-04:00

The artist of the week at Go Flying Turtle is Laura Redburn. Enjoy!

thoughts on "the garden", food, etc.

2011-08-19T16:04:00.004-04:00

Several months ago my wife and I took a particularly riveting documentary out from the library called "The Garden". Basically it was about how a large plot of land in South Central LA was transformed into an incredible, functioning garden by the local, mostly Latino and black community, only later to be taken away, totalitarian-style, by the local government, largely in part due to sheer greed and ignorance. You see both the extreme beauty and ugliness that humankind is capable of and wonder how something like this can happen in the United States of America, and how those individuals and forces who stole the land from the community could possibly sleep at night. Still, there is a light at the end of this tunnel, which is for you to find out, if you decide to see this film yourself (which I highly suggest, to anyone).

I wanted to blog about the movie for a while now but things get in the way, pile up and one forgets. What got me thinking of it was while I was taking my lunch break outside, back home at my apartment complex. Looking around, I noticed some of the new picnic tables set up on the grounds, one of which I was eating at. I noticed the big, beautiful swimming pool and nice, remodeled tennis court nearby. They were empty, mostly because most people were at work. However, for the most part not many people ever use them at all. The same goes for the workout room, lounge and perhaps the most under-used space where I live, the racket-ball court. I imagined some of this wasted space being transformed into a garden for us residents, similar to the large plot of land at the local community park where my wife and I got married, which has been turned into a community garden where residents can pay to upkeep and grow their own vegetables. I've been seeing and hearing about similar things happening throughout the country, many of which, surprisingly have been flourishing in urban environments like NYC.

Part of my lunch included some plums, organic from the nearby grocery store. I wasn't sure where they came from or even which country they were grown in, and while they tasted pretty good, they just couldn't compare to the ones I'd eat as a child, straight from the plum tree in my grandmother's (my mom's mom) back yard. This made me also think about the awesome tasting green beans my dad's parents would grow in their vegetable garden. They tasted so much better than the soggy gray ones you would find in a can. Then there are the fruit trees in my wife's aunt's backyard in Trinidad. Kris would tell me of how, as a kid, on any given day you could pull off a fresh mango, or any kind of native fruit or berry, and eat it straight from the tree or bush. Now it's becoming less common there, like here, which is pretty sad and makes you wonder, where on earth did we all go wrong in the name of convenience? How did we get so far from eating actual, real, good food? Well, for starters, with convenience, priorities shift, and they have shifted to the point of not even thinking about the food we eat. We lazily accept human diseases, such as cancer and diabetes as simply genetic or unavoidable, simply treatable with the aid of a little pill. Who has time to think or even care about their food, right?

Fortunately, I'm seeing a shift in people's priorities once again, though for me personally, it couldn't happen fast enough. Local farmer's markets are seeing a steady growth in attendance, while grocery stores are starting to catch on to this trend by selling fresh produce from local farms. Shouldn't it have stayed this way all along, instead of us having to bring in exported goods from distant lands, whose nutrition diminishes with time and travel, as money and natural resources are wasted moving items back and forth? My mom would chuckle at the word "organic", always saying how when she was growing up, they had no special names for the fruits and vegetables grown at home. Why do we continue to support awful genetically modified food products peddled by the likes of big business capitalists like Monsanto, who bully their brand of garbage onto American farmers across the country? The good news is that farmers are fighting back, hundreds of whom are in the process of suing the company.

What would I like to see, personally? More awareness and less ignorance from everyday people. Grow your own vegetable garden, if not something small, like a tomato plant, or herbs. Sure it takes a little work, but its worth it, and to cook with it at home makes your meals so much more special. I'd like to see more support from the people for organic and locally grown food products. One good sign is a new grocery store going up in my area that promises to sell just these very things. Also, as an educator, I'd like to see a bigger push for healthier food in the schools. If the kids aren't putting good things into their bodies, then the good things we as teachers (and parents) are putting into their brains has all been done in vain. Finally, with elections around the corner (and this time around, I'm feeling very apolitical) I want to see a much bigger push from the government for the promotion of cleaner, greener and REAL food. Perhaps that's being too idealistic and naive, as priorities continue to be based on whether or not one has a big D or an R in front of their name, war, and what religion or belief system you choose to conform to. Sad but true. So, with that in mind, it's time for the folks who care to start getting things done for themselves. To me, it's the ultimate way to vote.