Naval Aviation: an Operetta

A couple of announcements: First- I made a new Print-On-Demand book called "19-Handed Monster and Other Dumbass Operas- available from Blurb.com along with the book of sketchbook drawings I entitled "Amphiboly." I have priced both books at what it costs to print them, without a mark-up, simply because, for what they are (a vanity project, clear and simple,) they are hideously expensive; the paper back version of the painting book will probably cost you $35 bucks to order, ship and pay tax on- (yikes!) But, if you are family or friend- although I would love to give you all one for free- my budget is extremely tight, these days- so,......
And, second, I will be participating in the semi-annual Brewery ArtWalk- coming up April 5th and 6th. If you are on my mailing list you will be getting an announcement card in the next couple of weeks. If you aren't on my list, send me an email and I will make sure you get a wonderful announcement, suitable for framing (in a very small frame.)


Another news flash: I will be showing in a solo show at the San Luis Obispo Art Center in April and May- details to follow.



In my John Dewey reading today, I came across a passage that crystallized something for me:
"The difference between external and intrinsic operations runs through all the affairs of life. One student studies to pass and examination, to get a promotion. To another, the means, the activity of learning, is completely at one with what results from it. The consequence, the illumination, the learning, is at one with the results from it. Means and end coalesce,....
..., Being "good" for the sake of avoiding penalty, whether it be going to jail or going to hell, makes conduct unlovely.,.... A large part of popular revulsion against utilitarianism in moral theory is because of its exaggeration of sheer calculation."

A new idea came to me on my walk, this morning- what about evolving the Dumbass Opera paintings into a series of pieces that feature expressionist/absurdist imagery of naval aviation?

Imaginary Dances and the Thin Red Line

I was watching the movie "the Thin Red Line" yesterday while drawing. It is, to me, one of the saddest films I have ever seen, not because of all of the death and dying, but because of the poetry of unfulfillment. It is also one of the most beautiful movies I have ever seen. The images are stunningly, achingly beautiful. Almost all of the characters are interchangeable, merging into one metaphor for everylife, the work that will not be allowed to be finished.
Another preoccupation, lately, has been imaginary dancers- I mostly like the gesture and the potential kinetic moment.
In the film, Terrence Malick captures us as lesser demons, like Nick Nolte's portrayal of a Colonel driven mad by frustration and its implication of inconsequentiality.

I also want to take a moment to announce that I have created a small book (well, booklet, really,) of a few of my drawings from sketchbooks of the last year. I titled it "Amphiboly" and it is available as an on-demand print from Blurb. It is available as a 7X7 inch paper back or hardback and has forty pages of drawings and text. The paperback costs $12.95 plus sales tax and shipping. (About $23.00, total-YIKES! For this reason, I'm not marking the book up to take a profit-)

I am a little proud of it- regardless of how mediocre a talent I am, it is somehow soul-warming to hold something of yours that has found its way into print- even if it is a vanity press production.