On the move

The ZAF622 blog is moving to a new address. Future posts will now be found at www.artpalaver.com

Captain America Is Dead

If you have not heard the news, in Captain America #25(March 7, 2007) the Marvel
Comics Superhero was gunned down by a sniper and killed.  This week is the funeral.

So what is Marvel trying to say?

That seems to be the question people are asking. Captain America who has proudly dressed in the Red, White, and Blue since 1941 has represented the fighting spirit of our nation. He was introduced before the United States military involvement in World War Two to fight Hitler. Cap went to war before we did. And in the pages of comic books he has been fighting our battles ever since.

Now the United States is at war once again and Marvel killed the character that represents our spirit. Is Marvel saying America is dead as well? Captain America has always been a rallying point for the characters in the Marvel Universe. A cause Cap was behind was a cause worthy for everyone on the side of good to be behind. Now they have lost that rally point.

One thing to remember is that rarely does a comic book character stay in the grave. So I am sure one day Captain America will be back. Maybe when…

The Lyric Cinema Cafe

Last night I had my first visit to the Lyric Cinema in Old Town Fort Collins. I must admit I feel sort of bad for taking so long to check it out. And now that I have I think it may be habbit forming.

This is sort of tough to write about for me because I don’t consider myself a reviewer and never want the label of critic but I had to say some words about this addition to the art scene in Fort Collins. So here goes…

I am a fan of movies.  Big ones, small ones, Hollywood ones, and independent ones. I also believe in the theater experience of seeing a movie. And it can be hard to have a theater experience with smaller independant movies. But now with the Lyric one can see those smaller movies in a theater, on a couch, drinking a 5 Barrel in a glass no less. I felt so European.

The Lyric has a website with upcoming shows and links to previews for them. And also a very cool blog that lets us hear from the owners.

Bottom line… Support the Lyric Cinema Cafe. It is a much needed addition to the Fort Collins art landscape.

Who’s On First?

How is it such a simple question can leave such a mark on history? Bud Abbott and Lou Costello performed the classic comic routine on stage and the radio beginning in the 1930’s. But it was the movie One Night in the Tropics which came out in 1940 that really launched the routine and the careers of Abbott and Costello.

Time Magazine named Who’s on First? the “Best Comedy Sketch of the 20th Century,” the American Film Institute listed it in the 100 most memorable movie quotes, a gold record of it was placed in the Baseball Hall of Fame, and there was even a board game made from it in the 70’s. It has also be referenced countless times in pop culture.

If you have not seen it in its entirety take six minutes out of your life and check it out. Comic genius. Art history.

A Demo of an Artist’s Work

One of the missions of ZAF622 is to show you happenings in the art world you may have missed. Could be anything. Could be in Fort Collins or something on the other side of the planet. It could be an event, a piece, an installation, a book, a movie, anything is fair game as long as it relates to art or artists.

Take for example Lisa Cameron’s web site. Lisa is a Fort Collins artist that if you remember was ZAF’s #2 interview. She works in a few mediums, one of which being paint. She paint huge florals and the like using large bold colors. I have spent time in front of her pieces wondering how she does it. Her work contains large color shapes covered with paints squiggles and drips. Lisa’s web site gives us a glimpse of just how she does it.

On her site Lisa has a section titled “demo.” And there you will find a few examples of her work. Clicking on a piece brings up a step by step slide show demonstration in the creation of the piece. It is simple but very cool. I watched everyone of them. I wish more artists would do something similar. Go check it out.

And thanks Lisa for sharing.

You Are Beautiful

Did you know that? There is a group of people in Chicago who want to make sure you do know that. Though no one knows who these people are. Through the use of free stickers, exhibits, collaborations, and random installations the message is getting around. The group stays anonymous in an effort to keep the message pure. They do not want to gain money or fame from the project.

It is refreshing to find such a simple yet powerful movement using art to convey such a message. This is the statement for the project:

You Are Beautiful is a simple, powerful statement which is incorporated into the over absorption of mass media and lifestyles that are wrapped in consumer culture.

The intention behind this project is to reach beyond ourselves as individuals to make a difference by creating moments of positive self realization. We’re just attempting to make the world a little better.

Intention is the most important aspect of the You Are Beautiful project in its idea of purity. Nothing is sacred. Everything that has a perceived value becomes commodified. We work extremely hard that this message is received as a simple act of kindness, and nothing more.

Advertising elicits a response to buy, where this project elicits a response to do something. The attempt with You Are Beautiful is to create activism instead of consumerism.

You Are Beautiful uses the medium of advertising and commercialization to spread a positive message. Projects like these make a difference in the world by catching us in the midst of daily life and creating moments of positive self realization.

If you want your own You Are Beautiful stickers simply send a self addressed stamp envelope to:

You Are Beautiful
PO Box # 220175
Chicago, IL 60622

Or check out the web site www.you-are-beautiful.com

And remember you are also creative.

1984

It was this week in 1949 that George Orwell’s novel 1984 was published. The novel that let us know Big Brother was watching. Orwell was born in 1903 with the name Eric Blair. Even though he was born in India he was a British citizen. And he spent many years of his young life as a British policeman in the Indian Imperial Police. It was these years participating in the declining yet oppressive British Empire that formed Orwell’s world view. A world view that came out in his two most well known works, 1984 and Animal Farm.

His first published work, Down and Out in Paris and London was published in 1933. He wrote while teaching at a private school. The book was an account of his days living with the poor of the two cities. 1934 Orwell’s first fiction work, Burmese Days, was published. After that he was able to focus on his writing more and the following years saw a steady stream books from him being published. But it was not until 1945, when Animal Farm was published, that Orwell experiences fame.

Fame did not suit Orwell and he moved to Jura, an island off of Scotland, in an effort to escape it. Living on the island aggravated his tuberculosis which he had been living with since 1941. Even while bedridden he wrote Last Man in Europe, the original title for the novel that became 1984. He died less than a year after it was published.

What I find interesting about an artist like Orwell is that his work has made his name an adjective. Orwellian, which basically means something that takes away from a free society. Forget money, forget fame, I’d like my work in this life to become an adjective. I doubt it will happen but it is a nice idea.

I wonder what Orwell would think of life in 2007. He tried to warn us about Big Brother but it seems in the age of phones with video cameras and YouTube, we need to be wary more of the guy on the street than we do of an all seeing government. Especially if you’re a celebrity, just ask David Hasselhoff.

So be careful out there, you don’t know how is watching. But don’t let the fear of a totalitarian state stop you from creating. The very act of creating can stop such things from becoming reality.

Live to create.

Space

I have written about the challenge of time an artist faces. I believe space is up near the top of the list of challenges for many artists. Spaces shares the top three with time and money. (I’ll get to money later.)
Space does depend on the type of artist for sure. But don’t think just because a writer only needs a piece of paper and a pencil space is not an issue. And an oil painter can tell you the challenges of trying to paint at home. Paint gets everywhere no matter how careful one is. No matter your medium there is some level of space challenge.
I have been one to always wish for a space that was reserved exclusively for my creative process. A few square feet on planet earth reserved for the creative works of Daryle and only for the creative works of Daryle. Thus far it is something I have not been able to make happen. In a perfect world I would have a room with a door that locked. A place I could go and know it is 100% mine. But right now it is not to be. So I do what many have to do, and that is make do.
I try hard not to let lack of my own space be an excuse for not creating. It may not be ideal and it may be more work but I use what space and what resources I can. I have a hunch I will spend my lifetime seeking the perfect creative zone but never find it. I also have a hunch that struggle adds to my creative work.
What about you? Do you struggle to find the perfect creative space?

Begin

Two weeks ago I began an oil painting class. This is my first venture into any sort of painting on canvas. So the basics that many take for granted are new to me. It begins with drawing in an outline of what is to be painted. Trying to define the perspective and boundaries of the image. From there blocks of color are added. Slowly piecing the work together until a picture begins to form. Thus far I’ve had a grand total of two lessons so I am still learning and I am not sure what my painting will look like when I am finished. But the process did get me to thinking about the process I’ve been going through with ZAF622.

I started with an idea, an imagine in mind of what I wanted. I picked up a blank canvas, a domain name, and started with an outline. That was back in November of 2005. It was rough but it gave me a jumping off point. The biggest challenge for me has been painting that canvas on a public stage. Many of you have been around since the beginning. And you are witness to the changes, the mess-ups, and the false starts ZAF622 has gone through. Like the oil painting I am working on, ZAF622 is constantly being tweaked and refined. All in search of the ideal work.

Even though it has been hard to do this on a stage I am glad that I began. I know that if I waited until I had it all figured out, all refined, all perfected, I never would have began. Here I am on interview #16 and ZAF622 continues to gain momentum. I still screw up, still mix the colors wrong, still hit dead ends, and still sometimes want to give up on it. I know that will always be the case. And I also know that more and more people are reading ZAF622, and more and more people believe in ZAF622. I also know that I do get better with each issue. I get closer and closer to my goals with ZAF622. And I know I am going to continue on and see this thing through to the end.

Thank you for sticking with me. Thank you for your kind words. I am not sure what the canvas will look like when I can finally say “finished.” That is not the point. I am learning a lot and growing a lot. And most importantly I am meeting a lot of people and making many new friends. For me that is what life is about. So “Thank You” and stay tuned.

5 AM

Jobs are great for paying the bills, keeping us fed, and making sure we have a roof over our heads. But they can really get in the way of getting to the things we want to do. Especially art. After spending all day on the clock doing what ever it is we do it can be quite a challenge to come home and find the energy to get in the studio and start creating. I know this is a common struggle for many artists. And a common solution offered in the area of productivity is to simply start your day earlier. So that is what I have been attempting to do.

For about six weeks now I have been waking up at 4:55AM. This has been quite a challenge for me. I am about the farthest from a morning person you will find. In a perfect world I would stay up until 2AM-ish and wake up around 10 or 11AM. That seems to be how I was built.  It has been tough to say the least. The real question though is has it been more productive? I think that it is starting to be.

The thinking behind getting up so early has to do with control. Typically we all start off with more control of our day and gradually as the day goes on we lose that control. By waking up earlier we have more hours that we are in control of. And those hours can be used to get the things done that we really want to get done. Before people and distractions invade our day.

I admit that even after 6 weeks I am still adjusting to waking up at 5AM. And some days I am not able to function when I wake up so not much gets done. But most days I am able to get a lot of things done before the world hits me at about 6:45. For me I have found it a good time to get writing done. As well as planning and putting thought into my day. That alone has helped me be more productive.

So as hard as it may be I am finding that waking at 5AM is worth it.