Swarms

In the Same Boat

It's good weather for ducks and I'm still contemplating relevance.

How do some artists stand out in a crowd and influence other artists?

I mentioned the wikipedia effect last post. Simply put, it is a group

effort that collaborates on a project. Usually the result is a 'good

enough' but not necessarily the best solution. Good for the group.

I use wikipedia in my links on occasion so I don't knock it, but the

content is optimized in search engines such that its 'solutions'

seem authoritarian. Museums act in much the same way in that

they filter the background chatter and come up with a pretty

good consensus. Great for the art community; some-

times bad for individuals or groups out of favor.

Wiki Artists Option

For the actual artist our work isn't like this relevance model. We're

not seeking a consensus. Although we're part of the art community

usually art is a lonely process. We're better off as individuals

utilizing that solitude rather than listening to advice of friends,

family or supporters. When we're producing we tend to fight a

variety of roadblocks just to spend a few hours in the studio

working idiosyncratic ideas through.

The Rogue

Our artistic search engines are found not only on the Internet or

museums. Mostly our search is a filtering of our unique

perceptions of the world; observation of nature, other people and

our interactions with social norms. Really we're at our best out

in the world ignoring relevance and finding our own way.

In swarm theory eventually people will check out new options.

Relevance

Wish You Were Here - trial shot for "A Book About Death" postcard project

(see "Text Messages from the Dead" on right)

The other night I'm at home trying to work through my

yoga routine. Difficult enough, but at the same time I'm

talking out loud, more to myself than my wife who is trying

to read. She points out that most practitioners are not letting

their minds wander. True, but I'm sitting tied in a knot wondering

"what is relevant"? I suppose this could be useless, maudlin or

even a dangerous thought for an artist. Except for the fact that

my art is in a fine place right now. I'm just making it; not

hesitating, over thinking, the ideas are flowing and I'm

along for the ride. The photo up top is one of my experiments

for a postcard I'm working on. Needs work, but at least I'm

in the studio butting my head against some ideas, so all is

well.

My Google result formula for mass relevancy

So, I think what's really on my mind is not what makes an artist

relevant but what makes an artist relevant to me. There are plenty of

widely recognized artists; artists that define what our understanding

of what art is or the next direction for art etc. that just haven't had

much influence on me or my work. I enjoy work by Warhol but I was

amazed that there were so many more Google results for him vs Johns

or Rauschenberg who I owe more to in understanding Pop Art. My

simple equation above doesn't do justice to those who theorize

relevancy algorithms or swarm theory. Still I have to wonder whether

the wikipedia effect isn't derailing our inner critic.

Sidetrack

Ornamental Grass

On my way from A to B to C I blinked and ended up at 9. Life

would be much simpler if I could just use both sides of my brain

sometimes. I've got two projects that I'd like to devote some

creative flow to but I ended up exploring a tributary. I've got

my Landfillarts hubcap and I've got my idea. Plus I've got my

postcard idea for "A Book About Death". Over the weekend

I posted a short story inspired by Ray Johnson's mail art.

(On the right side of my blog). I decided my postcard would

involve a photo of the tableau that the story brought to my

mind. Yesterday I began experimenting with some exposures

I wanted to use. One shot was an ornamental grass at the

side of a pond. Nothing to do whatsoever to do with autos or

mail art; more about random camera exposures.

Nest

After a bit of drawing, filtering, extracting it became a

nest. So, from hubcaps to Ray Johnson to plovers. Today is

a new day so perhaps I can back track a little and find

where my train of thought derailed. Humm? - trains? ;)

Look Ma, It's a Chrysler

Chrysler Hubcap

Life is good! I got my hubcap for the Landfillarts project. Be sure to

check out the artist gallery-164 images to date. I didn't see Jafabrits

hubcap posted yet; you'll have to check out her blog to see her art

reclamation. Ken Marquis, the organizer of Landfillart hopes to

find 1000 artists to reclaim hubcaps for art. Ken's goal is to use

any profits from the project to fund reforestation through

Carbonfund.org. Now to the drawing board or shop.

Dad's truck and shop

My father left dust bowl Nebraska, moved east and started

an auto body shop. Long before I knew what art was I was

welding old auto pieces into creations. I shouldered plenty

of chiding from my dad and his brothers. Generally it was

along the lines of if spent as much time on my trade as I did

on junk I might make something of myself. Lol, I think they

may be looking down and probably haven't changed their

minds. Notice our phone number was 38M.

Thanks to Mineke Reinders for the "I Care" keepsake. Mineke

publishes her breathtaking watercolors as well as song and

poetry on an almost daily basis.

Journals

Bamboo Forest Installation

Yesterday I ran out to pick up some blank refills for my

journal. So this morning I'm sitting and procrastinating

other work and looking over past entries and sketches.

'03 Script for video (and reminder to service car)

Perhaps I need to look back more frequently because

I've got a backlog of art ideas. On the other hand maybe

the little books are just fine by themselves. In any event

they are a way for me to show up for my art each day.

Text Messages from the Dead (excerpt)

I find time most days to journal or sketch. Yesterday, of all

things I felt a short story evolving in my head in relation to

the "A Book About Death" project. Strange that I wanted an

image to pop out but it was a narrative. I pulled over, tore

the shrink wrap off my new refills and wrote.

March Hares

March Hares and White Rabbits

Vernal Equinox, the beginning of Spring, and not a moment

to soon. A change from shoveling our "mixed precipitation" to

to working our gardens (mind gardens included). March Hares

or White Rabbits - what suits my mood today? This morning "I'm

late, I'm late" but yesterday I was at Alice's mad tea party during

my visit with my 93 year old mom. My ancient ones dementia

has me puzzling the fragile nature of memory.

Kali Devours Time

(Tibetan wall hanging - collection of the artist)

I was following Sarah Elizabeth's blog yesterday as

she presented a link for artists to participate in

the "A Book About Death" project. This is an open

invitation to submit an image in postcard format

concerning any aspect of death. I'm not quite which

old wounds to reopen but I will be contributing to

the project. Perhaps it may be time to replay one of

the saddest times in my life. Karen and I had just

moved to NYC and three of our best friends there

died within a year. Two were artists and one a

musician. One from leukemia, one suicide and one

auto accident. All so different, all so sad and so much

guilt over being alive. Perhaps time to make an

art memorial and let it go.

Making Comparisons

Breeze

What a difference a few decades make. I continue to scan slides of

older works and it provides a great opportunity for comparisons;

to chart my journey. The piece above (1978) consists of five steel

plates holding individual sheets of foam packing material. The sheets

are light and easily blow in the wind. Very simple. Approximate size

is 6' x 15'. The piece clearly shows my minimalist roots. While I

actually began with welded steel constructions, I soon came to

use the steel in a more "original" state.

Totem (close up)

"Totem" is from only a few years ago. My choice of material here

is more eclectic; pennies, cloth, wire mesh, words and strips of wood.

The earlier piece is experimentation but within a certain academic

construct. Over the years I unlearned as much as I learned in order

to find an authentic "face" to my art. My years in NYC opened up

my eyes to artists working conceptually, Fluxus artists, Happenings etc.

My approach is also more eclectic as I pull from more experiences

and systems.

OBEY your art

Obey the Art

This morning I just felt the need to OBEY the suggestions of

fellow artist Jafabrit. If you follow the "obey" link you will

discover an ongoing dialogue concerning "fair use" in

artistic expression. Of course if you follow Jafa you will find

more disobedient links. It's a very slippery slope if either individuals

or corporations are allowed to copyright words or phrases

in common usage. Free use has many ramifications. It only remains

for critics to give lawsuit art a name, perhaps "The New Hypocrisy". I can

respect Fairey's art but can't understand why he is concerned

by copyright infringement in this case.

Recycle

Glass Baskets

Technology weekend. Finally I got sick of my procrastinating.

I've got way too much work that hasn't been digitized, so I'm

relearning slide and negative scanning. Oh how I hate manuals.

I started with this neon, broken glass and wire mesh basket

piece. I made this quite a few years ago and only exhibited it

once. It might make more sense in our new "green" culture if

I hadn't sold the neon tubes and generator to fund other work.

Back in business

It was also technology crash week. I was using my point and shoot

Canon this week to photo a wall piece and tripped the wrong

lever on the tripod. The camera ends up on the floor with a

severe bend to the zoom. Its' replacement came yesterday; a

Canon SX10 with 10 megapixels vs 5 and a 20x optical zoom vs

3x. Bad timing for our finances. I had hoped to save for a digital

SLR with all the bells and whistles but they are too far out

of my range and this seems to have most of what I really

need. Strangely, Karen's happy not to think about a birthday

gift.

Mini Mini

Front of "Stage Fright"

I mailed off my submission to Spraygraphics Mini Mini Show

last week. Just in time, I hope. All works are to be 4" x 4" only. A bit

of a challenge for those of us unused to constraints. The piece is a

folded paper book work with an interior bamboo fence.

Inside

The works will be exhibited at Cartel Coffee in Tempe, Az during

March and move to Conspire Art Gallery in Phoenix during April.