Mmmerry Christmas

Mmm... Christmas

I remember the first days back at school from Winter Break. When the childhood standards of how good that time off was was judged not by how many snow forts were built or how many snow ball fights were won, but by the amount and quality of Christmas gifts that were received.

The pièce de résistance changed every year. A Radio Flyer wagon, a Nintendo Gameboy, Air Jordan sneakers, or even a car. You didn't even bother asking the kid with the macrame monogrammed sweater covered with glittery puff paint and hot glued on puff balls. This person didn't even want you to ask them. They wanted you to push them in the dirt or throw your food at them so the sweater could be "ruined" and their social status could rise back to one that was above absolute zero.

I was never the kid who got the Teddy Ruxbin, Tickle-Me-Elmo, or the '94 Fender Jag-stang. But I would like to think that I held my own in that inevitable wintry back to school conversation. I think back to the years I got my first Ninja Turtle or how much my brother and I played Zelda: Link's Awakening on Gameboy. The year my dad bought me my .22 rifle and my Kabar knife. In my mind I can see the picture of me wearing my stocking on my head like a hat, standing there in footie pajamas, wondering if there was any more treasures to be had in its well knit wonderness.

This year I thought of continuing the childhood conversation. If for nothing else than to indulge being childish.

For Christmas I got Michael Pollan's Botany of Desire, Galway Kinnell's New Selected Poems, Henry Nouwen's The Way of the Heart, a package of smudge sticks and drawing charcoal, a bamboo utensil set, a puzzle, a handmade coffee cup sleeve, a tea thermos, an electric kettle, a microcosm publication, and a shirt that exceeds awesomeness. I also got a vest, some tea and tea bags, and a nice dress shirt.

Truly, I am sided to get to reading, drawing, puzzling, brewing, and sporting all my new gifts. And if you see me anytime soon it would be safe to assume that you will see me with some application of my new found treasures. It might not be tickets to the Nintendo DS with Scribblenauts, a breeding pair of Naked African Mole Rats, a pet Aye-Aye, or the reanimated body Egon Schiele, but I'll take it.

Where and When

There are some times that I find myself stuck on a specific piece of my own writing. Where I write something that seems so perfect that to add to it, or to change it any way, might demean it's initial beauty. I have had this stanza stuck in my head for almost the past year. And no matter what I do with it it still seems to lead nowhere.

I sleep on the couch on occasion.
When life seems more in transition.
It is the curse of knowing the how
if not the where and the when.

I take this and I try building off of it. I try to place it in the middle of something, but no matter what it I do with it the stanza shines above all the words that I write around it. So, in an attempt to move past it, or to merely let it be what it is, and no more than that. I have decided to lay it to rest here, for now. Until some other piece comes to marry it and allows it to expound into the fullness of what I intend for it.

New Ventures

I recently started sharing a studio with another artist friend named Cody Feiler. I hope that this will lead to me dedicating more time to drawing, writing, and having more of a constant creative output. The studio is at St. Joseph's. This last Sunday there was an open house at St. Joe's and I got to meet a lot of the other artists that also have studios there.

I have a lot of hope for what to accomplish in the studio. There are many projects that I have wanted to do. And mediums that I have wanted to experiment with. I am glad to have a space to do things and even leave some projects in temporary stasis until I can complete them.

Some projects I have already started. Like a series of wire sculpture skeletons that I hope to grow to fifty in number. I have hopes of doing more charcoal drawings and possibly some painting to carry out my influence of Antony Micallef. I would also like to incorporate my love and borderline fanaticism with Egon Schiele, the raw beauty of James Jean's sketchbooks, the ravenous sighing nature of Lucian Freud's paintings, and the beauty that pervades all those works by the expressionists, surrealists, and mystics that were obsessed with Freud and Lacan. But it might be best to start off with only a few things before I become overwhelmed by the shear mass of all my ideas coming to fruition.

Who knows? I might also be able to use the space to compile more poetry and short fictions that lie strewn in fragments throughout my sketchbooks. We will see. I will try to put some works in progress pictures up here.

Wandering Southward

My friend Laurel contacted me with a grand proposition. The offer was for her to fly out to California and for us to drive down to San Diego to attend her sister's husband's brother's wedding. I most certainly did not pass up the opportunity.

Laurel is a Sea Lion Woman.

Laurel flew in from Philly to San Francisco. We spent the first day playing around in SF and then hung out with another Minnesotan native named Ryan Hett. Ryan recently moved to Oakland and was happy to introduce us to his new home city. We stayed in the Bay Area for a day and then went up the hill to Grass Valley/Nevada City.

Ryan and I checking the CB joint.

We spent a day around my hometown before heading South. Then we went Los Angeles to visit our friend Lucia. She had some great food recommendations including a vegan restaurant not far from her house called Pure Luck. Pure Luck had the best Vegan torta in the world. So good I went back for it twice! We also spent some good amount of time shopping at thrift stores, record shops, vintage stores, cafes, and even a brilliant shop called Necromance where I got a pair of black prairie dog feet. I still haven't figured out what to do with them, but assure you they are rad enough on their own.

Lucia and Laurel in Pure Luck.

As for records, I picked up some Oren Ambarchi, Sandro Perri, and even some Jacaszek, which I was really happy to find on vinyl. I did pick up a copy of Joe Jackson's Look Sharp in a thrift store, but somehow that followed my sketchbook in the fray of things left somewhere in Southern California not to be found in my possession currently. I also picked up a copy of Elm's newest. All this great music was really superfluous seeing as I was just at Amoeba a few weeks earlier and had picked up some Dark Dark Dark, Dirty Projectors, and Barn Owl on vinyl there. This was also sandwiched in there with buying a new Bonnie 'Prince' Billy EP, Rachel Grimes' new LP, the newest in the Inspiration Information series, Bill Withers' second full length, and all the vinyl I bought back in Minneapolis when I brought over a bulk of my collection on a plane from there. I think may have a little problem with buying music... maybe. I also bought Dead Western's Soften Your Screams Into Sings off of him at a show recently. So, yes, I do have a problem. I'm not going to say it is a bad problem, but nonetheless its there. At least I can recognize it right.

Well, Laurel and I hit up a few beaches along the way. And even though it was November it was still quite warm. I think Laurel even got a tan. You have got to love Southern Californian weather.

I wasn't the only one finding good deals. Laurel found her share of treasures outside of record shops and inside of thrift stores. You can see Laurel below sporting a new evening jacket that she found for a great price at a thrift store in Ventura.

Laurel.

Well, we worked our way down to San Diego for the wedding. Due to some occupancy restraints I could only be there for the ceremony and not for the reception. So, I hid out in a great vegan bakery called Stephanie's and chilled there until the dancing started. Then I went back to crash the party and cut a rug or two. Sadly, that was all the official dancing to be had on the trip. Although, we still kept it as a goal the entire time.

Me.

I can say that we had a great time. In San Diego, Laurel and I got to hang out with Bryan and Jamie, Laurel's sister and brother-in-law. We had a blast together and even continued the party in L.A. on our way back up the road. If you are ever down that way I can suggest a great garden full of Edward Scissor Hand like sculptures. Technically, you are not supposed to play with them, but its okay if you notice the sign after you take all your pictures.

Jamie, Laurel and I finally noticing the sign. Ooops.

The drive down and back was just as enjoyable as all the stops we made. With no radio in my truck we had some great conversations to keep ourselves entertained. It had been about a year since Laurel and I last saw each other, so this was a grand reunion of old friends becoming older.

Soon, I hope to visit Laurel in Philly. There will certainly be some posts about that trip when it comes along. This was the fourth good sized trip I was able to make this year. All that and no real source of income. I want to thank all of the people that made these experiences possible. This year was one of the best I have had despite all that I have been through health wise. I hope next year will be even better.