A message from beyond

Turns out I'm not dead, just disenchanted with blogging. I'm thinking of redesigning this site (again) with the hopes that maybe it will bring a new level of commitment to this strangely self-defeatist hobby of mine. Not anything intense, but the background with the copyright is starting to bug me, and seems a little redundant now that I have my Creative Commons licensing at the bottom of the page. The whole thing just needs a big simplification makeover. Getting rather busy, no?

Also, the menu tab at the top of the page is still essentially useless; those pages ARE still in development, not that anybody's checking. Shouldn't be much longer, though.
Anyhow.. That's basically it, folks.

Painting?
Yes.

Title: Brain Candy/My Own Religion
Size: 8x24"
Medium: Acrylic
Status: Sold

Bits and pieces

So.. I was just listening through a live recording of my favorite band (Modest Mouse's Baron von Bullshit Rides Again), and totally forgot about this outrageously hilarious rant he goes on after playing "Paper Thin Walls", when some dumb shit in the audience heckles him to play "Free Bird". I managed to find the whole rant transcribed, as such:

"I know I've said this before; the odds of us actually playing Free Bird are... There ARE no odds. It is not going to happen. I'll start with the first reason: we have NO idea how to play Free Bird. The second reason is: in the lovebug's natural habitat, hearing that would just fucking kill him, wouldn't it? You wouldn't want that, right? He's adorable. He is cute. Thirdly: Even if some, like, pick your deity, whoever, came down from the heavens or the hills or wherever your deity lives, and just blessed us with this vast knowledge of Free Bird and things, and we could play it backwards, sing backwards, we could do all that crazy shit... We still just wouldn't do it. If this were the Make-a-Wish Foundation and you were gonna die in 20 minutes, just long enough to play Free Bird, we still wouldn't play it. And here's the end reason: the end reason is that life is just too fuckin' short to play or hear Free Bird."

-Isaac Brock, Modest Mouse

I also conveniently managed to find that specific chunk of the recording on Youtube. Evidently someone else finds this as entertaining as I do.

On a completely different note, my medulla oblongata is threatening to cut off my breathing in small intervals until I get more tattoos.. Though I believe this to be a bluff (lack of O² causes brain damage, too much collateral for a medulla to risk it), I'm certainly not taking any chances with my life. With this in mind, I need some opinions. Here's something I designed back in 2007, preferably as a lower back piece of sorts.. I think... Half my chest is accounted for, and there isn't a lot of real estate on my tummy, so I'm running out of places to put this one.



Alternatively, I've been considering keeping the sleeve rolling and attacking my left bicep with a stylized design of the Heighway-Harter, or Dragon, curve. It's a very simple iterative function which, like all fractals, becomes more complex and beautiful with every iteration. I think this one is done to 12 iterations; any more and the tattoo artist wouldn't be coming out of this with his sanity. I've also done it to match the work on the lower part of that arm, so it would be a lot less random than the other one.. But they both have pros and cons. Anyway, here that is:

If you stare at this, little white dots will begin to appear where the black lines intersect.
I'm getting tired of typing now. Opinions? S'il vous plait & merci!

Refused are fuckin' dead

"They told me that the classics never go out of style.. But they do. They do. So my baby, I never thought that we do too."

Hey guys, what's more awesome than the album that forever changed the face of punk rock and brought conviction and ethos back to the forefront of an otherwise increasingly apathetic following?

..The SAME ALBUM WITH TONS MORE SHIT, THAT'S WHAT! Duh.

That's right... June 8th, 2010, The Shape of Punk to Come is getting its very first deluxe treatment, complete with the original album, a previously unreleased live album (could it be The Show..???), AND a full DVD documentary paralleling one of the most bittersweet breakups in punk rock history.

WE WANT THE AIRWAVES BACK.



I'll now take this little bit of space to offer my mini-review, in case any of you don't quite understand how I feel about this album. Musically, this is NOT an album that can be described accurately with the usual 3 or 4 powerchords that characterize punk. In fact, what they were doing might have been more likely viewed as metal at the time, on account of the unbridled raw energy and "prog-as-fuck" musicianship that was basically unheard of in punk at that point. Don't get me wrong, the energy was always there with punk from the start... But this album was fucking FEARLESS. From front to back, it reads like the "Anarchist Manifesto" that nobody ever wrote. Quotable at worst and revolutionary/inspirational at best, this hot steaming piece of art has (at many a point in my life) reminded me of the things that are truly important to me, and reinforced values that are sometimes difficult to uphold in a world that just wants to see you blend in and sheep along. Click here for the full manifesto regarding their final show/epic breakup. That show took place in a basement, with the aim of breaking down the barrier between musician and listener, star and fan. The police showed up four songs in. The band didn't stop playing until their instruments were unplugged from the wall. ("Art.. As a REAL threat" -Protest Song '68)

If you haven't heard this album yet, you've got homework. Your ears will never bleed so good. For those of you who have, you're undoubtedly as excited as I am about this re-release. I was truly beginning to wonder if we'd see anything else Refused ever again. Maybe there is a god after all, and he's a fuckin' punk rocker.

"On which frequency will liberation be?"

Foreign objects

Hey there safety cadets!
You may have noticed that some unfamiliar buttons have popped up at the top of my page. If you are curious, you probably also noticed that clicking them leaves you feeling cheated and unfulfilled.
Don't panic!
As much as I do take some pleasure in the thought of anybody's confusion over the matter, this was NOT some form of impish trickery, and I ASSURE you all that some day very soon those buttons may do wonderful things.

Woo hoo!

Oh, and here's a li'l sketch I've been colouring for the last couple of days. Whatchathink?



Still kinda tinkering with it, so it welcomes your suggestions in this crucial stage of its development. IT'S CRYING OUT FOR YOUR HELP.

bütfukt.

"But I don't get it though, about year ago, you said my gear is wack, nigga, now my gear is dope? I guess it goes full circle like a cheerio, 'cause you rocking what I was rocking like a year ago! You said my chain was lame then you go and get a rope?"

-The Cool Kids

So APPARENTLY my favorite boot (the one that excommunicated me from anyone popular in highschool) is now an irresistibly hot fashion item. Now, I KNOW that this is the way it always goes... Everybody thinks you look like a loser, until some huge fashion mogul decides that your look is the "new look for the summer", and then everybody just wants to talk to you about your motherfucking cocksucking trendy-ass boots. I'm not bitter.

But it does suck when it finally happens to you.

That being said, I'm takin' it back this summer, bootfuck style. SO, I digs out my old pair of 14i Cherry Docs, only to be painfully reminded that they ARE in fact going on 6 years old now, and don't look a day younger. Check this noise:

Cracked toe joints (DIY ventilation system):


Fraying heel and blown sole (hidey-hole for drugs):


A few nice chunks out of the leather (if you could've seen the side of my leg after this particular longboarding incident, this wouldn't look so bad):

Yes, I longboarded in Docs. Bite me.

Looks like it's DOCSHOPPIN' time! This time around, I'm doing it right. Having tried both 8i and 14i models in the past, I'm sticking with the 10i this time. The 8s just looked like construction boots (minus being CSA approved), and with the 14s I usually just ended up looping the lace around my calf and knotting at the 10th eye anyway. BUT... That's not the only improvement!! This year, I'm stepping up my game, and getting BRITISH Docs instead of Chinese ones. The extra little bit of dinero means NO MORE leather that feels like cardboard, soles that lose their bounce, or fraying yellowstitch. AND NO MORE CHERRY. That's right.... This time, it's gonna be...

OXBLOOD QUILON.

Klaus Maertens would be rolling in his grave if he knew how badly these are going to be abused by me.

Now I've just gotta pull two Benjamins outta my ass. Bahaha.

Shiny things

Okay, so here's what I did to see if this was even worth it...

Old cover page for NOISEcomics, c. 2006:

Boy, that looks shitty. OKAY. Now for...

Brand spankin' NEW cover page, c.2010


Click images to make 'em bigger, especially the second, so you can see the gnarly texture on the deer. SA-WEET!! I tried to upload full-res images to imageshack.us, but the files are just absolutely HUGE so now their server is in the shower crying and I'm stuck with thumbnails.

More to come though!

You ain't a has-been if you never was.

HEY! Think back to four years ago; anybody remember Noise comics??
Of course not!
We only printed 30 copies each of the whopping TWO issues we completed! Why would you? Anyway, after reviewing some of my old sketches / Joe's scribbly and brilliant writing, I've decided that the material still feels relevant to me, and I've been considering secretly finishing the unprinted 3^rd chapter, cleaning up and re-lettering the first two, and having all three of them printed again.. PROPERLY this time.
Why secretly? Because part of the reason Noise ceased to thrive (half of which was my move to a different city) was on account of Joe's feelings towards his own writing, which basically led him to want to 'scrap' things and start fresh (see also: "Demise of These Bright Young Things). The thing is, before Joe decided he didn't like the writing, he wrote a lot, and I still have it all. Most certainly enough to finish the third chapter, probably enough for a fourth even. I still really think the writing is amazing, and think that sometimes his strife for better work leads him discount a lot of really good material (which I realize all artists do to some extent).
So, do I confront Joe about bringing Noise back to life, and risk him saying no to a potentially really dope opportunity for a couple more issues, OR... do I just go ahead and use the writing I've got in my possession to finish the next two issues, and see what he thinks after I do a test print??
wtfMORALS!! I feel like I know he'd approve if he saw the finished product, but also feel like he'd be too skeptical to give it his blessing if I simply approached him with the idea.. And the writing I have is still HIS, which he may or may not approve of me using.
Le sigh.
Anyway, here's a page each from the first and second chapters.. Click for full resolution.
Let me know how you all feel about this little humdinger.


V.1 Chapter 1, Pg.2



V.1 Chapter 2, Pg.1



And one more, why not..
V.1 Chapter 2, Pg.4

Ah, shit.

Hmmmmm... It would APPEAR as though there has been a problem with my comment field, which was just recently brought to my attention. Something wrong with the formatting wouldn't display the entire "word verification" thinger required to LEAVE comments.. SO... As of right now, I am somewhat at the mercy of HTML, which isn't co-operating (it never does), but I've chosen to REMOVE the word verification temporarily until I can wrap my mind around what is causing this.

Please, obscure internet marketing companies, don't use this as an open invitation to spam my comments. Trust me, no one reads this shit anyway. You're not getting any publicity out of it.

For the rest of you, PLEASE, just leave me a comment on this if only to let me know that it's working. This is a CRY FOR HELP.

Salaam!

wtf Safari?

Hey, anyone ever gotten this one before? I felt a little indignant.

Nothing at all, really.

I think that which keeps me from writing regularly is this complex that it's not worth writing unless it's something epic. In response, I've chosen to say basically nothing at all for this post, and just put another piece up.

"Et deux par deux, sans compter nos morts,
Qu'on laisse derrière des ébauches fanées, des secrets de carrière
Et trois par trois, dans nos coeurs essoufflés,
Des secousses se forment, on réfléchit plus tard, mais n'arrive faut rêver"
-Béatrice Martin/Coeur de Pirate

Title: The Machine and its Denizens (2007)
Size: 5x7" around image
Medium: Ink and Technical Pen
Status: FS, $50⁰⁰

Filler

What? You mean you DON'T just sign on to Blogger and thousands of randoms follow you?
How does that HAPPEN? I just can't wrap my mind around what factors would supply some blogs with tens of thousands of interested readers, while some other, equally legitimate blogs, go completely unnoticed, by EVERYBODY.

Note: I am NOT complaining about my lack of followers (which consist of my girlfriend and her friend, who no longer uses Blogger), but rather just making an interesting observation regarding the exponential increase in certain blogs' popularity for seemingly little reason.
What makes a popular blog, aside from the people that follow it?
What drives people to diligently describe their most personal thoughts to no-one that's going to read it?

The first question is one I cannot accurately theorize about. I've had too much contradictory data on the subject to make any conclusions.. ALTHOUGH, one thing that's consistent is that these blogs are always actively following and commenting on other blogs. But then the question arises, where did those other blogs come from?? Did Blog A just go and follow Blogs B through Z, regardless of their content, and hope that B-Z had enough courtesy to follow back and comment?

As far the second question goes, I have a little insight to offer, even if only based on my own personal feelings: why do I describe my most personal thoughts to no-one that's going to read it? Well, there's always the godforsaken chance that someone is just gonna "happen upon" it... SOMEONE's gotta, right? And then they'll tell all their friends, right? Right.
Well, seeing as THAT belief is completely delusional, I'm going to justify my continuing to blog by feigning digital insanity. Can't a guy just talk to himself? And then painstakingly edit and refine that conversation, with photographs and HTML??? GYA HAHAHA HAAA...

Here's a painting!

Title: WOSE
Size: Roughly 4 feet tall.
Medium: Spraybomb
Status: NFS; it's on a skateboard park.


Sorry to whoever's piece that was I covered; it was totally skated-off and just looked like shit 'cause of the wear. I invite you to bomb over mine, should you ever read this.

I'm... Back?

It would seem as though I had to be here first before I could return, which barely seems the case. But alas, I have finally decided that with nothing but time on my hands (I am at the mercy of unemployment), I should make an effort to shower the world with the droplets of liquid insight from the fountain of wisdom that I sometimes feel like my brain can be likened to.

Deluded, you ask?

Heck yes.

But it's keeping you reading.

So are these spaces between my paragraphs. I could make it seem like I've written tons without actually saying anything, really.

But that's a waste of space, and my resolution in the new year was to be digitally ecological. No wasting of precious internet space, we need that for viruses and porn.

I would, however, like to offer a little pollution in the form of my scribbles and paint marks. Sometimes, when I have motivation, I like to make pretty paintings, and for the same reasons that paintings sometimes go unfinished, nobody ever sees them. SO, since very few people see this blog as it is, I figure I'll just post maybe a painting/unfinished work a day or so. I'm always welcoming SERIOUS, and harsh as it may be, critique. All works are, unless otherwise specified, for sale at yours and my discretion pricewise. After all, a deadbeat such as myself has to live too. Therefore, my prices are often very reasonable, and sometimes very minimal.

My main aim is to spread the art around, not build an empire. We all have to get by, but I'd be much happier knowing that artworks are going towards clients I feel are going to display them with pride, and appreciate them as bits of my feelings instead of just weird wall-pieces.

That being said, sometimes they DO get a little weird, and if you have questions, I'd be glad to field them to the best of my ability.

I would like to dedicate my Blog re-awakening and newfound confidence to my wife-in-training, whose blog I have just had the pleasure of redesigning. GO check it out at http://littlegoldlemons.blogspot.com. She's a brilliant little cutie with lots to say, and she will absolutely love and appreciate your attention. I will also be redesigning THIS blog soon, so hers doesn't look such a shit-ton better than mine. Don't worry bb, I'll still keep it less interesting. ;)

Update: Almost finished work on layout. Not gonna complicate things too much.

Sooooooo... Here's the piece of the day!

Title: j.con

Size: 12x8"

Medium: Acrylic

Status: NFS, personal collection.

Sorry, this one's not going anywhere!