A Truly Frightening Prospect

A Truly Frightening Prospect - Started seeing these around the neighborhood. Love 'em.

Openings

It was Open Studios in the Mission this past weekend, and ended touring through twice, once on Friday evening and again late Sunday afternoon, and still didn't manage to get to all the spaces I wanted to. It was fascinating to getter a better picture of what other neighborhood folk are doing art-wise and also really inspiring. Lately I've been feeling sort of guilty for not being able to say "Yes" when people ask me if I'm an artist. Artistic expression totally fascinates me and love having it in my life, and I feel like I've got a good eye. It's just a matter of making more time to fool around with materials and letting myself play. But maybe having studio space where everything could be out and ready to go whenever would help get me to produce more. Either way, I definitely want to make it a priority beyond the stuff I'm doing for Burning Man this year.

But beyond my own artistic yearnings, I met some awesome people and saw some stand out stuff. Some of favorites:

• Paz de la Calzada
  
• Gina Power
  
• Kathryn Jaller
  
• Summer Lee
  
• Aaron Kllc
  
• Lisa Chou
  
• Melisa Philips
  
• Jeff Paul Riley
  

Spielberg, Jackson team for Tintin

Variety.com - Spielberg, Jackson team for Tintin

Wow! This is huge. It's amazing to see names like this attached to developing new film versions of Tintin, but shows the love and devotion that people all of the world have to this character. I know he introduced me to a love of geography, travel and sequential art. I couldn't get enough of his adventures in the late 70s.

Though I have to say, the idea of a "photo-realistic" Tintin is a bit frightening, but if anyone can do it in a tasteful manner, faithful to the Hegre originals, I trust Peter Jackson.

Green themes

Last night I used my CityCarShare membership for the first time. It was amazingly easy and actually a lot of fun. I've got about three lots in walking distance from my place, and another across from my Buddhist center. I'm so glad to be living a care-less life right now. Hopefully I'll still be saying that when the rains come.

I used the car to drive over to my step-bro's house. While there, he showed me the plans for the 2007 Burning Man Manbase. In line with next year's green theme, most of the structure will be re-usable and only the Man will and his minimal supporting structure will be burned. The rest will this huge mountain of a shade structure and two auxiliary "foothill" shade structures. Should be sweet and a radical departure from recent Manbases. Looking forward to seeing it on the Playa.

The Internet Speaks Tonight

I heard this fascinating story on KALW about the Listening Post, an installation piece now at the San Jose Museum of Art. I have to say I've never been to the San Jose Museum of Art and in all honesty didn't even know they existed. But this Listening Post sounds like it's worth the trip down. Basically, the project collects conversation snippets from public forums all around the Internet in real-time and the text is played through a voice-synthesizer and displayed on a grid of green LED screens. Sounds very cool on many levels

Root Down

I went to ROOT division's 2nd Saturday event this week and was really impressed by both the space, the scene and the art. My favorite pieces were by Melissa Hutton who did the chairs at Brainwash back in the day. Her latest stuff has some amazing colors and really pop in a pleasant way while still playing of nolstalgia imagry. Nice stuff.

James Jean Jams

One of my favorite artist recently is James Jean, who blogs at http://processrecess.com. He's truly doing some very lovely work of late. Though I must say, I'd love to see some sequential art from him at some point, rather then just cover images. Can't complain too much though.

Nam-june Paik : RIP

One of my favorite artists, Nam-june Paik, died this week -
The Korea Times : Paik Nam-june to Be Buried in Homeland. I was first exposed to his art when I was living in Seoul and there was a big retrospective show of his. I was just blown away by his use of video and sculpture. It was through him that I gained an appreciation of the Fluxes.

PulpHope: The Art Of Paul Pope

I listened to this excellent Podcast interview with Paul Pope today on CGS. He talked a bit about his Batman: Year 100 that I've blogged about before here and here, and he also talked a lot about his back ground in fine arts and art history. He also talked a bit about the relationship between art, ethics, and the responsibilities of doing work for hire. Interesting stuff, and well worth a listen. It reminded me to pre-order a copy of his forth-coming art book
PulpHope: The Art Of Paul Pope. I'm looking forward to getting this hopefully sometime in June.

Miami, FLA

I did a whirlwind trip down to Miami for work this week, down on Sunday and back on Monday. It was my first time there and I wasn't sure what to expect. The Art Deco was spectacular even after Naiper and I definitely want to go back. My friend Becky from High School lives down there now and it was great to see her again, going out for dinner and seeing some of the sights. Ah! If I didn't have to go into the office... Next time.

we make money not art: The MugMouse

we make money not art: The MugMouse

Permannt coffee break?

Tramping - Kiwi for hiking

Just got back yesterday from four days of backpacking (or as the kiwis say tramping) through the Waikaremoana Great Walk. The first day was straight up the tall bluff over-looking Waikaremoana Lake which was a tough climb, but well worth the view. The next day was a long walk but one of the nice things about the Great Walks in NZ is that the have pretty well stocked huts that you can stay at each night. Pretty plush to get a mattress to sleep on! The next day the rain set in which was not so much fun, but authentically kiwi.

Can't write too much now because I'm in Naiper and going to try to catch an Art Deco architectural walk in a few minutes. More later.

KL Graphitti

KL Graphitti
Originally uploaded by leef_smith.

Some of the best graphiti I've ever seen. MUst have been an art student

Google Data Center/Gallery

Google Blog

Could this start a whole wave of data center art? Maybe just in my dreams! But who knows what ideas could be sparked? Think about learning about the NOC school in some art history class 30-50 years from now.

Warrenellis.com � DESOLATION JONES #2 Cover With Graphics

Warrenellis.com � DESOLATION JONES #2 Cover With Graphics

Man! J.H. Williams work is looking better and better. I first got into his art on Chase, which was a series that deserved a longer . But good to see him still putting out great work

Captured Bug

Tie down the beast, free the people!

abandoned piece of art

Art Deco Napier- Spanish Mission and Art Deco Architecture New Zealand

Art Deco Napier- Spanish Mission and Art Deco Architecture New Zealand

So thinking about going to Kiwilandia this year and this is a place I've got to visit. Heard about it from several people years ago and excited to actually see the place