Wordplay.

When you're bored, you should play with your words. People just don't do it enough.

Ocurrences

Beyond the occasional deja vu, I find we also journey through periods of our life in which something continues to reappear. Sometimes it is an idea, or a person, sometimes it may be a phrase. Regardless of what it is, you stumble upon this serendipitous, inconsequential motif. Some people call them signs, but I prefer not to view it in that way. In "Cat's Cradle" Vonnegut outlined a belief known as Bokononism in which people were interconnected by a karass. The people in your karass were often completely random -- sometimes even your enemies. But they were in your karass because they would play a role in your life, as a stepping stone in your mental or physical journey. This has been happening to me a lot lately and whether you are a Bokonist, superstitious, or of some other religious or philosophical affiliation the recurrence exists all the same. For me it has been a bluebird. And it will not leave me alone. Here are a few of the ways he and I have encountered one another.

I:

Charles Bukowski is most known for his rough and real depictions of American life in his novels. But it was only recently that I was introduced to his poetry. A friend told me I should look at one in particular. It is entitled, "Bluebird."

there's a bluebird in my heart that
wants to get out
but I'm too tough for him,
I say, stay in there, I'm not going
to let anybody see
you.

there's a bluebird in my heart that
wants to get out
but I pour whiskey on him and inhale
cigarette smoke
and the whores and the bartenders
and the grocery clerks
never know that
he's
in there.

there's a bluebird in my heart that
wants to get out
but I'm too tough for him,
I say,
stay down, do you want to mess
me up?
you want to screw up the
works?
you want to blow my book sales in
Europe?

there's a bluebird in my heart that
wants to get out
but I'm too clever, I only let him out
at night sometimes
when everybody's asleep.
I say, I know that you're there,
so don't be
sad.
then I put him back,
but he's singing a little
in there, I haven't quite let him
die
and we sleep together like
that
with our
secret pact
and it's nice enough to
make a man
weep, but I don't
weep, do
you?

(courtesy of americanpoems.com)

II.

On my list of current books to read is one entitled "Walden" by Henry David Thoreau, (coincidentally we also read "Civil Disobedience" yesterday in class. Regardless, the name has been on my mind. In a public restroom yesterday, I saw this quote written on a bathroom stall.

"The bluebird carries the sky on his back."

- Henry David Thoreau

III.

In my studio art class I recently worked on a piece that was supposed to conceptualize a Chinese I-Ching hexagram. Mine was called revolution, a concept the Chinese believed was related to the moulting of animals and the changing of the seasons. After a month, I went back to it yesterday, removing it from the wall. It needed something. Over the black silhouette of a bird I had illustrated, I absentmindedly began to doodle over it in pastel. I took the piece home later that day and a friend came over. When he saw it, he said, 'Hey, I like your bluebird.'

Charles Bukowski. Courtesy of Anders Hornstrup via Flickr.

Waking Life

Recently I've been pursuing films of a particularly creative caliber, specifically, ones that make the mind truly think. "Waking Life" a 2001 animated film by director Richard Linklater (Dazed and Confused) truly stranded my mind out to sea. But after a lot of consideration, it is safe to to say that although my mind was lost, it was lost in a good place. A remote island, if you will, where suddenly life seems a little more interesting. This movie explores many views about the nature of life itself, in a beautifully animated format that complements its subject matter with perfection.

"I see this as a realistic film about an unreality," Linklater says. "The gestures, the sound, the human expressions all seem real, but this reality is then re-interpreted artistically. It becomes a kind of moving painting."

Animating a Waking Life

Even for those uninterested in the complex and vivid language of this movie. (It delves into ideas of existentialism, nihilism, social Darwinism, and even physics to say a few.) Equally fascinating is the animation itself. Constantly moving and changing in color and style, every scene puts amazing emphasis on the human form and its interaction with its surroundings.

[T]he rotoscope technique – which, in a sense, allows the filmmaker to trace over the photographic image - complements the ambiguous dream/wake duality of the film: it’s reality and yet it’s not.

The Animation Pimp » Blog Archive » Waking Life: The Truth is in the Animation (Montage Magazine, 2004)

Different artists were used for each scene, giving each space and character a unique personality. This adds another layer of existential fragmentation while, at times, playfully poking fun at some of the characters. At the same time, the lack of a cohesive style along with the shifting, floating, dislocated backgrounds and landscapes keeps the viewer on edge, at a distance.

The Animation Pimp » Blog Archive » Waking Life: The Truth is in the Animation (Montage Magazine, 2004)

Happy surface day!

On Friday, Mary and I decided to call in sick and take a personal day up at brighton. We got there around ten and snagged a couple pairs of the Live Life 2s and filled our pockets with vitamin water. To say we had a good time would be an understatement - i'm currently fighting a very strong impulse to empty my bank account and buy a pair. Regardless it was a super awesome time!
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Manxy

The Kingsbury Manx is releasing a new album soon, one of there EPs, "Well, Whatever" is very promising track for when the mood is of mellow nature. Listen to it on their myspace.

Concentration time

I finally finished a few of the aforementioned pieces I was planning. They are based on the conflict within current Kashmiri culture. The LoC stands for Line of Control, the dividing border between Pakistani Kashmir and Indian Kashmir. For more info, check the archive.

Alpenglow

Caught some great alpenglow on my way to work. A reminder of why I like it here.
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Saucey

In my recent venture up to Seattle I was surrounded by neopolitan pizza, conceptual frenchmen, and crustaceans. After a few days of slinging my 40 pound portfolio about the city, I was able to enjoy a little downtime on the ocean front, where Pike's Place makes the Farmers Market look like child's play. The following is a triptych of images I snapped in a small nook that sold only hot sauce. Talk about specialization.
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Another Musical Note

Grizzly Bear has long kept me good company and they recently produced a new song, "Two Weeks." It's currently unavailable unless you download the version recorded Live on David Letterman. Whether it's part of a new album effort or just an upcoming single, I do not know. I've heard rumors of a new album coming out in April, but who knows really. Regardless, this is a great tune.

(It's not on the 'Friends' album. Ooops Dave.)

Coming Feb 25

I missed Andrew Bird over the summer so this gives me a little something to mark on the calendar. His new album is set to release February 20th, catch me on the 25th, at the Murray Theater.

Finally

I've wanted to begin a website for quite a while but haven't found the motivation. My excuse to do it finally came when it became an assignment for my New Media class. Maybe one day I'll learn the mysteries of dreamweaver, until then, thanks google. check it out.

You know it's been a good day...

When your scarf is soaking wet. The storm hit hard so I headed up to Alta and got a little powder to the face... Boo yah.

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They don't have an official video, but this one is interesting..

The Adjustor -- The Octopus Project

Creative minds

Although it was released in september of '07, I recently discovered this. Each track in The Flying Club Cup was filmed live, mostly in Brooklyn. Check it out at flyingclupcup.com
BEIRUT - THE PENALTY from the Flying Club Cup
by flyingclubcup

Oh to be literate....

I just wrapped up a few dystopian novels for my English class and had to give them a shout. Most people have heard of them, but 1984 by Orwell and Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess -- good stuff that gets you thinking. Most people, have heard of the Clockwork Orange movie... I haven't seen it, but according to my manager there's "A TERRIBLE rape scene at the beginning." Oh the horror.... read it anyway.

Have some coffee with your whiskey...

Snapped this little gem as I was en route to school on 7th east the other day... Make of it what you will. I must say I had a bit of a laugh.
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A Strange Blip on the Radar..

I was doing a routine flickr search for patterny (that should be a word) that I could use with my silk screening. Instead of really finding anything useful, I discovered that the linoleum pattern on my kitchen floor is quite the antique gem. This picture looks like you could've set up a ladder on my counter and looked down. I quote:

"This is a vintage linoleum pattern, often found in the entry of 1920's era homes."
-- HistoricOmaha.net

Oh fear. Maybe it's time to conform to the modern age. Don't we all love coming to the realization that we are living amongst outdated trends that originated in Nebraska. No offense to Nebraska.

Blogged with the Flock Browser

The Sketchbook Project

I recently received a link to a project sponsored by Art House, in which participants pull together and submit a rad sketchbook. This is then featured in 6 cities around the nation including Chicago, Philadelphia, Brooklyn, Washington DC, Atlanta, and Boston. "It's like a concert tour, but with sketchbooks." If I can get my college shi out of the way, I intend on participating and you should too.

Photos courtesy of Art House

"The goal of the exhibition is to encourage anyone to create artwork and build a collective of sketchbooks made by artists from all over the world."

The Sketchbook Project Volume 3 | Art House Co-op | Atlanta, Georgia gallery | A Million Little Pictures, The Sketchbook Project

Eye Candy

A picture taken in Kashmir after an earthquake. Compliments of Nicola Okin Frioli via Flickr.

Refresher on the Art Front...

As I stated in my inaugural blog post, my current artistic concentration is a focus on the political and cultural situation in Kashmir. Right now, I am doing chiefly portraiture of the inhabitants of the region, focusing on color to illustrate the "fabric" of this culture. Hopefully I will shift gears a little deeper into this topic, focusing on the Hindu - Muslim cultural conflict. Recently I learned about the Line of Control (or LoC) that divides Kashmir between Pakistan and India. This line is the reason for this 80 year clash. Depending on what thoughts wander to mind, I want to use line work to navigate around the idea of this cultural and political boundary. More is soon to come.