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| | RANDOM THOUGHTS IN FEBRUARY:
KNEEPADS AND BAD POLITICSFebruary 14, 2006 - Yes, its the middle of February, the month that has always been my biggest adversary of the year. I'm trying to keep my thoughts straight as I forge ahead with my grandiose plans to have thirty finished paintings hanging in a gallery in nine
short weeks. I'm heading to Houston this week that'll fill these pages with a lot of new material, so bear with me as I dispense with a whole lotta nothing coming out of my head right now: |
Valentine's Day means Laura and I have a date with Death Cab for Cutie in March.
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- Arts writing and criticism took a big upturn in Austin recently as a few endeavors are starting to bear fruit: Jaime Castillo started blogging his visits to shows at local galleries with a sweet abandon and honesty that is refreshing and very much needed in this city. Also, there's the constant progress on a new arts journal and criticism that is continuing to build momentum and should makes it debut in March or so. Also, I've got more interviews coming too.
- A funny thing happened to me at the Home Depot this morning. Perhaps it was the hour - it was 6:30 am, or perhaps my mind is sending signals unheard of ten years ago, but after years of building stretchers on the ground, nearly destroying my back and knees in the process, I bought some knee pads. They are sexy and nice, and I kinds feel like Boba Fett when I wear them. Maybe I'll incorporate them into future painting routines just for giggles.
- People who know me know I hate squirrels. I don't like Dick Cheney. Recent interview subject David Ohlerking gave me a calendar of dead squirrels for Christmas. So I'll dispense with all the jokes and the blogging nonsense of the left vs. right and add this little ditty to your mind in a weird confluence of
events.
- I'm very proud of not owning an iPod. The world still spins on its axis and the sun rises and sets everyday, but I have been in a bit of a music buying rush lately, and have secretly begun to enjoy the pleasures of iTunes with my latest download of some Grandmaster Flash. Meanwhile, I'm rocking out to some old Pavement re-leases that spans four full CDs downstairs in my studio.
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Sporting some sexy kneepads.
Old age or newfound smarts?
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- 'Dry' the movie that I was in that my friend Paul put together and produced with a slew of fun folks, sadly didn't make the cut as part of SXSW's Film Festival of shorts. Despite some pretty positive reviews from folks who've seen in, including one patron of Casino El Camino who recognized me from the movie, it won't get its well deserved premiere on the big screen. Instead, we'll have some viewing party at Bolm Studios in the near future, but if you're still interested in the process the movie took to finish, read
this blog about the filming of it, or refresh your memory of it with my very own spotty updates. Paul's next film will be a true badass if he follows through on some of the ideas he's got floating about.
- I'm in the midst of stretching up another eight 40" x 50" canvases for the big solo show in April. The paintings are coming fast, but a title for the show isn't. I've got about four weeks to give this baby a name, as I'll need postcards to hand out by the end of March - I'm slated to participate in an experimental salon show inside the house of one of Austin's city council members.
Tales from Beerland:
On the night of the twentieth anniversary of the Challenger explosion, I went out to see The Ends tear it up at Beerland. My fate was cast as soon as I stepped onto the bus downtown without eating all day. A few drinks at Casino led to a couple more at Lovejoy's, and the dominos started to fall as I downed a
PBR tall boy at Beerland followed by one of the dark stuff at Bull McCabe's. Stumbling over the telling of classic - and still funny - tasteless Challenger jokes and my own feet, I made it back to Beerland in time to catch the show. As the opening chords from the guitars rattled my stomach, I knew I was in for a rough time. After a quick dash to the bathroom, I returned in time to catch the third song, but realized I needed food and a fast ride home. A beef fajita and a QUIX chicken sandwich later, I was drunk and at home, nursing a tender stomach and a slightly bruised ego as a long
established pattern of drinking and promptly disappearing reared its ugly head once again.
Special Ends note:
I missed it when Ian Ends entertained the crowd with my Challenger jokes while the guitarist tuned up between songs. |
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