Wow, So I have been away,,, I have been very addicted to Facebook and all my friends from ages ago, sparking up the memories and running through the tragedies. How many frist trysts and frussed messes and hilapious fellows in drunken bludgeons? Oh, the times and the slip slipping through the fingers of the universe into a big pot of everything that is me.

Fall always seems to be that time for me when the spirits are high and all seems possible. I wonder frequently through the past and dust off some of thee good parts, try to fix some of the broken parts and make something that will resemble a MASTERPIECE when it is done.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gjwT3KtFytI

Untitled, Digital

Untitled, Digital

Bandaid over the problem, Digital

Kara and I went to the Inhabitact show(?) last night after an excellent Dinner at Rathbun's for our anniversary.

The Show was held in the newly completed Triumph lofts on Memorial and served as a showcase for the new lofts (with, I guess hopes that some would find them appealing enough to slap down a down payment). While I wasn't extremely impressed with the lofts, though some did have nice views and nice amenities (appliance, granite) I loved the location which offered an excellent take off position for someone that maybe had a little less baggage than I do (a single profession, say). The lofts themselves were pretty small and a little "concrete" for me and gave me the impression I would be living in an abandoned missile silo. Also, if privacy is a concern, these would not be for you.

The art was diverse and mixed in quality. It appeared many of the artists had a connection to Fineline gallery and I saw several promotional postcards for the gallery. The artist which most stood out for me was Kevin Chambers and his extensive displays of mostly ink and charcoal figures. Some sculpture was mixed in and offered the most depth for any of the pieces and ,apparently, are the artist's pride, since they were NFS. Perhaps, though, a little too extensive for the figure drawings, since I felt there was no commitment to which pieces were deemed the best.

At home in the stark setting, were the street art "esque" mixed media pieces of Travis Dodd. Chaotic individuals with machetes or appearing to throw Molotov cocktails are superimposed on old blueprints. The artist states that the arrival of the machete "coincides with the ascent of generation x to an influential position in our society". The pieces instead seem to threaten that generation X is going to tear down the establishment and would be happy to live in the ruins. My favorite was the less "political' Untitled 4 which evoked simple industrialism and challenges the viewer to linger longer in nothingness. Then, the complexity unfolds as if hidden within the simplicity.

Travis Dodd, Untitled, image ripped from his website, themachete.org

Other artists of note at the show included the art photography of David Allen Jones, the stenciled folksy pieces of Alvar Avillar, and the free flowing abstract tableau of Wallace Duvall.

Juan Carlos Rangel, Delirio de Luna, Mixed Media, image ripped from his website Sonofthemoon.com

There was free food and drinks but aside from a glass of two buck chuck, we were full from our wonderful dinner.

Last night I went to the Atlanta Botanical Garden for the Fest of Ales and the opening for the Scarecrow festival. It was an incredible evening and probably the best event I've been to at the Gardens. Since my wife works there and since I used to work there, I have been to many of events at ABG. Most impressive last night was the Banjoliscious bluegrass band which evoked an awesome Autumn aura to the evening which provided for relaxed conversation and a really good time.

My daughter's preschool, GPCP, created a beautiful "sharecrow" which was the culmination of a project focusing on exactly what constitutes a scarecrow and the phases involved (including research, construction and installation). Are brilliant atelierista, Gracie and many of the other teachers were very involved and did a fine job directing the students which created this awesome piece.

Here is a link to the whhole process:

http://gpcp.org/net/content/go.aspx?s=75846.0.104.23634

Kylie had a great time playing by the illumination of the nighttime landscape in the gardens with Shonda's and Candice's children!

Not sure which way is up, Digital

Untitled, Digital

Untitled, Digital

Tara Donovan , you go! I just can't even fathom winning $500,000 dollars for something I am ( and I am sure Tara Donovan is) compelled to do. The ideas for what I could do with this money (of course in the interest of creating more and better pieces) is unlimited. The DREAM of freeing up the thoughts for more ideas to come to fruition. I would be happy with only a 10th of this!

Did you know she used to waitress at a restaurant which was frequented by Chuck Close. she never mentioned she was an artist. I can relate to that. Anyhow, Some interesting pieces I found in the process of investigating this new (to me) artist...



Haze, 2003 Stacked Clear Plastic Drinking Straws12' 7"(H) x 42' 2"(W) 7 3/4"(D)Ace Gallery New York image ripped from website of Ace gallery http://www.acegallery.net/artistmenu.php?Artist=8#