When I first adopted my pug, Henry, he opened my life as I knew it immeasurably. Words that come to mind when I think of him include: strong, loving, jaunty, solid, curious, amusing, & so good by nature. But then in these past couple of years his good health diminished. It was up to me to be his eyes, his ears, and at times, his legs. Henry’s nature was also seemingly indefatigable – and this image of him that I created is my homage, as my spirited memories of Henry will live on.
My pug, Henry.
I have two fantastic nephews and both [not surprisingly] have their own creative interests. The older of the two is starting his first year in an out-of-state college tomorrow and this makes me both ecstatic and miserable at once. Wanting to boast, but also wanting to protect his privacy, I will only say his initials are “CEC” – hence his own copyright in this digital art I created for him.
Rags and riches were prominent on everyone’s minds throughout the recently ended year of 2012 – although I gather this consensus by way of my modest-in-size network of Facebook friends. Good riddance! was snarled about. [But this is not to say that citizens should stay silent.] However, I had made a semi-conscious decision to avoid politics in the media, thereby providing some form of inoculation from the grip of mob mentalities. I had grown tired of the scene. Wanting instead to not only devote more time to become more skillful artistically, I also hoped to discover a truer and more personal authenticity in how I communicate.
While I may not be able to claim that 2012 as the year that all I wanted to accomplish was realized, the realizations that happened along my way will be coveted in the time I have ahead. I’ll be happy if they help me to become a better person.
If these realizations help me as an artist, I’ll be over the moon.
And with that, I wish all a gratifying 2013.
Heart To Heart
“Happened So Fast” [Vector art]
Ruler of the Ragged
Conversed feet and muscle tees/the rulers’ anti-uniform uniforms
you as one of four local
rockets of the night
CLACK!CLACK!CLACK!CLACK!
the call to jettison those creaking joints
Most tempered on the line
before launch and well after fan flared
from everyboy to everyman
I was touched in that you
seemed to have no idea
Honored in my duty if
only to clear the avenues
Rewards of thunder
we, all youth and ragged
responded to the revolt
deft in those chords
acceleration from the front line
hundreds of feet in converse
From your Ring of Fire recruited
for Pistols and Pins – are you
still laughing at that now?
Then blown from these
dry docks stateside
over to adoration of
Tokyo’s own ragged
rebel young mania
We all claimed vindication
rightful or not
Out of my own arrogance
I command you now to
stop apologies to comrades
you left behind.
Active duty is over, boy
Most humble, Believe
this as honor without end.
[In memory of Steve Kaika. b. 02.11.55 d.06.12.12]
An earlier series of mine featured a llama, among various cohorts. As though they were staged, such as what I got with “Easter Edie”. These vignettes remind me now of puppet theaters in their composition. Horizons seem important to me, without my having been very conscious of that. This is not to say Puppet Theaters! from here on; who knows? Anyway, I’ve repurposed an egg – all ready for Easter now. Edie Sedgwick came by way of a photo taken by David McCabe. [While I was previously intent on adding rabbit ears to her, I no longer feel that compulsion. J’ai fini.]
Not really my most intricate work, yet I like the joi de vie.
Again, I must thank the people with my vintage girls.
Don’t get me wrong – I admire the work of architect Frank Gehry. Defying traditions, the twisting of masses of steel and glass…
The Beekman Tower, part of which I used above, and for all I know, may be viewed by many as just edging NYC closer to becoming an exclusive, gated community.
Then there is my global greivance, which has nothing to do with Gehry: Bulldozers digging up virgin land to make way for shopping centers, especially when we cannot support the ones we have.
Special thanks to the artists behind the Photoshop tree brushes: Zinou Lady Victoire
Art by Jeni Moore 