Thursday, December 31, 2009
Sunday, December 13, 2009
Monday, December 7, 2009
Mr. Peanut's Sunny Walk
| Walking Peanut's shadow is much easier than walking Peanut. His shadow doesn't pull on the leash as much. |
Sunday, December 6, 2009
Long Time No Blog...
| ...mostly because mine's an art blog, and what I've been working on artistically is secret. Secret, but not a secret. I just finished the first of two, "political" paintings. It took me just about three months. It won't be a secret forever, just for now, but above you can see a small tidbit. What can I say about it? As I've mentioned before, I don't like politics, or political paintings. I hope this will be the only time I feel compelled to venture down this street. At least in this case, I feel it's my civic responsibility. Visually, it's very colorful. I hope it will be as engaging as intended. I'll keep you posted. |
Sunday, November 22, 2009
Sad news today. We lost a gallon of pear bubbly in the wee hours. It is survived by it's 4 siblings.
Monday, November 2, 2009
Youngstown Art Renaissance: If you care, wake up and smell the coffee
Someone may have read a previous post I wrote, "A Gathering of Eagles" I'm not sure. In it, I tried to sum up Y-town's currently fragmented art scene in light of a meeting held yesterday to discuss the formation of a Youngstown art council. We couldn't make it to the meeting, so I can't tell you about it, we had to go to a wake. Why a Youngstown art council you might ask. As I mentioned in that previous post, it can be very difficult for the individual to know what's going on around town. Apparently, the call went out for a unified Youngstown art voice at the second of three meetings called, "The power of The Arts". The meetings consist of a question and answer session with a panel of high-profile representatives of community development organizations regarding how they can help facilitate the transformation of Y-town to an arts and culture-based economy. These meetings are open to anyone interested, although they're so secret. What I mean by that is, I never heard about the first or second meeting, and I've got pretty good feelers out there. No one I've spoken with, knows much about this, which is really too bad, because from what I can gather, the time to come together is now. Below is a transcript from the second meeting, if you are a Y-town artist, please read it: Power of the Arts Session #2 – Wednesday, October 21, 2009 “The Developing Valley: Works in Progress” Panel: Bill D’Avignon – Deputy Director of Youngstown Planning Department, Office of the Mayor, City of Youngstown Barbara Ewing – Economic Development Coordinator, Office of Congressman Tim Ryan Julie Michael Smith – Chief Development Officer, Youngstown Business Incubator Kirk Noden – Executive Director, Mahoning Valley Organizing Collaborative Eric Planey – Vice President, International/National Business Attraction, Youngstown/Warren Regional Chamber of Commerce Moderators: Becky Keck – Director, YSU SMARTS Bill Mullane – Board member, Trumbull Art GalleryQuestion: What does your organization do? What is your vision for the Mahoning Valley region as it relates to the work of your organization? Erin Planey: The Regional Chamber is the facilitator of behind the scenes activities. It is also the one-stop shopping for information to businesses about expanding into the Mahoning Valley (tax incentives, etc.). The Chamber wants to become a player in globalization, not a victim of it, as is seen by the creation of Mr. Planey’s position; the Chamber wants to reach out globally/internationally. In terms of the arts, Youngstown has a large and strong arts infrastructure that could provide the framework for attracting business to the region. Bill D’Avignon: The creation of jobs is currently the number one priority. Unfortunately, the arts typically don’t create many jobs on the front end. However, it takes time for the arts to lead to economic development; the designation of an arts district in Youngstown has led to more liquor licenses in the area which means more social venues which may lead to more businesses in the future or a greater influx of residents. Also, Mr. D’Avignon oversees resources like Community Development Block Grant Funds (CDBGF) that have been used by arts organizations such as SMARTS and the Playhouse. Kirk Noden: Mahoning Valley Organizing Collaborative (MVOC) is a collection of 60+ neighborhood, grassroots, community, and faith-based groups. MVOC focuses on quality of life issues for these groups in the Mahoning Valley including vacant properties, neighborhood development, and access to healthcare. MVOC works on the grassroots levels. The arts, as a group, is a quality of life issue in terms of economic development and business attraction. Barbara Ewing: Congressman Tim Ryan’s office is unique among legislators in even having an economic development position on staff; so this shows the Congressman’s dedication to economic development of the area. It’s important to find ways to improve the quality of life for workers to attract and maintain businesses. (Look to places like Seattle or Austin that have an open and embracing culture/atmosphere that draws businesses in.) The arts are a quality of life issue, just like bike paths and the restoration of historic buildings. Julie Michael Smith: Youngstown Business Incubators works with businesses to develop new information technologies that can enhance their businesses. Information technology is unique in that it touches all industries, unlike other incubators that focus on one area or another. Similarly, the arts community has a strength in its diversity in that the arts community is made up of arts educators and artists all working with all different medium and have a vast variety of perspectives to add. Businesses are looking for quality of life reasons to stay in the area. This series of meetings may lead to an art incubator (similar to a business incubator). This idea has been discussed for years but never really taken hold because there has been no one to step up from the arts community to be the cheerleader(s) on this issue.Question: How can the Arts & Culture Community work with you to strengthen your economic plans – serving both our needs? What might that look like? Tell us what you need from us. Eric Planey: It’s hard to quantify how the arts builds economic development, but I intuitively know that it does. Arts act as a magnet to attract people and businesses. The key is to start at the ground level to build a community. I would like to see more people from the community get involved with the arts community. There are lessons that we could learn from micro-lending to try and create something similar for the arts community where the whole arts community guarantees the loan; in return, the arts community involved is stronger with a unified voice to be able to buy houses (or live/work space for cheaper).Bill D’Avignon: Speak with one voice (for the whole arts community from Youngstown and Warren and etc.). I think if the arts community is going to have a shot at this, there’s only going to be one shot in one location. Again, it is important to organize and speak in one voice. This includes arts educators, artists, art venues, etc. All of these groups need to come together from all over the region. Kirk Noden: Usually at the beginning of organizing a group, the community is fragmented; I think this is the same case here, both in terms of geography and goals/purpose. The community needs to unite around a single purpose (or priorities) and then the group needs to include untapped talent and potential. Everyone has different goals; you need to find where these goals cross (even at unexpected points) and align these goals and make strategic connections. I personally don’t know all that much about the arts community in the Valley, but I would think using people (resources) like Phil Kidd would be a great place to start. Barbara Ewing: In economic development, we are looking for “the cool factor,” which is critical to long-term economic development. Tim Ryan is interested in promoting the arts because we know arts education increases higher cognitive skills and provides experiences for students that broaden their horizons which creates a much more open-minded community in the long-run. We have to look past the now and focus on the potential for the future. What could the arts community do for us? Focus on kids in the classroom. Making arts education just as important as sports (football, for example) or traditional academic courses, has been a difficult sell, but progress is being made. When budgets get tight, the arts programs are traditionally the ones that see the greatest budgetary cuts. If you aren’t already doing so, integrate young people into your arts programming.Julie Michael Smith: I have no idea what the arts community has to offer on a tactical level. I understand what everyone else has said in terms of impacting the big picture and long-term effects, but what I am not seeing are the specifics and immediate benefits of partnering with the arts community for economic development. I’m sure it is there; it just has not been articulated. There’s an organization out of Washington DC that this community may want to look to as an example: Cultural Development Corporation. They have a program called Flash Point that acts like an arts incubator. What an arts incubator might be able to contribute to this community is assisting artists with things artists are not typically known for doing well: business planning, considering tax implications, understanding legal regulations, accounting, marketing strategies, etc.)Question: As we sit down to develop an arts and culture action plan, what would you like see included in the action plan? Who should be included? How do you define this region? Bill D’Avignon: I would define this region broader than Youngstown alone even though Youngstown could easily be its own. Since you probably only have one shot at this, I would like to see a Youngstown/Warren collaborative. Eric Planey: Regionalism scares me a little in that in Northeast Ohio, Youngstown is viewed by everyone else as the third kid on the block behind Cleveland and Akron. Youngstown in general gets forgotten so I wouldn’t define the region quite that broadly. However, I would like to see the Mahoning Valley speak as one voice. Barbara Ewing: The way I like to see things is everyone that can fit into the tent, the better. Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Akron, etc. would be great, but might be a bit too ambitious. These are areas that might be great resources to tap into in terms of marketing and audience development. “Yes, Youngstown has a symphony orchestra.” In terms of asking who should be in it, is kind of like asking what art is. I hate to say it, but it’s kind of like, “ I know it when I see it.” It might be helpful to look at what Tim Ryan looks to: the Jazz Incubator in Washington DC. It’s a good model for an arts incubator, and the arts incubator that comes out of this would not have to have a physical location like the Jazz Incubator does, but I still think it pays to look into the Jazz Incubator as a model. Kirk Noden: In terms of the region, I would like to see it broadly. More specifically, I would like to see a tri-county collaborative including Trumbull, Mahoning, and Columbiana counties involved, but have all three counties speaking in one voice. In terms of art, I would define arts as broadly as possible; the more the better. Some concrete action steps might be: (1) link up with Northeast Homeowners Association, (2) utilize resources like Neighborhood Success Programs from the Wean Foundation, and (3) work on an action plan to incorporate an actual project such as installing art into community gardens (former vacant lots) through Youngstown Neighborhood Collaborative, for example.Question & Answer: Lynn Anderson: If we have such great resources and under-utilization as you say, why plan and not just do? Why not just act now? Eric Planey: The Valley is generally set in its ways and there are certain steps that have to happen first. First though, the problems have to be identified before you can address them effectively. Becky Keck: The doing is already happening, just not together. Bill D’Avignon: You need to prioritize as one voice to not overwhelm those of us who are willing to help and would like to be an integral part of economic development through the arts. Julie Michael Smith: Planning is painful sometimes, but from our perspective, it is entirely necessary.Phyllis: Why hasn’t the city brought in a contractor to build an arts community in one central building where artists can feed off of each other? Julie Michael Smith: Have you asked? Furthermore, have you developed a plan that demonstrates a true return on investment as of yet? Without that planning and showing how this project fits into one piece of the greater whole (in terms of economic development), we can’t know for certain how the community benefits from this. Bill Mullane: Cleveland has something similar to what you’re talking about, but it was all done by private development – not the city. Nancy: The Mahoning Valley Collaborative has been around but has not had the funds (especially for marketing and PR). What we’ve learned is that knowing where to go for financial help is key. So, where do we go? Bill Mullane: These panelists are here giving background for what economic development could be happening – not to be solicited for funding.Becky Keck: Bring funding concerns to the table at our next meeting in November.Aaron: What channels do you go through to allocate simple meeting space? It seems like there is plenty of unused space in former industrial space in downtown Youngstown. Also, Cuyahoga County has a sin tax that supports CPAC; how do we go about getting our own? Barbara Ewing: First, to secure space like that, you would need to do that at the county level. Secondly, I’m not sure, but I think that sin tax may currently be limited to Cuyahoga County. You might want to talk to Tom Schorgl about how to go about doing that piece.Bill Mullane: Also in Cuyahoga County right now is a land bank. The county has the ability to collect and redistribute vacant properties at will. With a joint partnership with CPAC, a lot of these vacant lots have been gifted to the arts community.Becky Keck: If you are looking for meeting space, SMARTS at YSU is a great place to meet. Bill D’Avignon: Another idea to get around the sin tax limits might be to include a countywide or citywide ticket tax for funding into an arts community bank account. o From the audience: Ohio State Senate Bill 313 may allow land banking in other Ohio counties. For Barbara Ewing: Is there a way to get federal highway funding used to invest in public art? Barbara Ewing: If art can be incorporated into the beautification of the existing project from the beginning, it might be possible. However, federal highway dollars are restricted for federal highway projects. Jim: San Antonio, TX and Savanna, GA have done incredible things using arts to revitalize certain areas of their cities (such as the River Walk in San Antonio). If we want to do the same things in Youngstown, to whom do we bring our ideas in order to get something done? How should we bring you our proposals? (For example, I think a high school for visual and performing arts would be a great idea.)Barbara Ewing: First of all, you have to develop a plan as one group. Jim: Who is this group? Barbara Ewing: To the members of this panel, every member of the audience here today is a group representing the arts and culture community in the Mahoning Valley. As a group, we need to see your plan and how these individual projects that you are proposing work toward the larger economic development. Eric Planey: The concept sounds great, but it’s the plan that will make the concept ultimately successful with long-term economic development.Jim: So to whom do we bring these ideas? Bill Mullane: You as a group need to take ownership of these projects and prioritize which projects will achieve the group’s goals. That’s why this planning is so important. Jacob: I work at the Lemon Grove whose patrons represent a lot of the ideas here in this room. How do the arts not get steamrolled by businesses in economic development?Eric Planey: That’s a great question, but there are so many steps between where you are now and where this actually becomes an issue. I just don’t think we’re there yet. I would recommend taking it one step at a time. Tyler: To wrap things up, I think all this is our job to actually get it done. We don’t want the city to determine for us who moves in where and how. Please join us: Next Session in the Power of the Arts Series “Our Arts and Our Valley: A Call to Action” Wednesday, November 18, 2009 McMenemy’s 4:30 – 6:00 PMOne of the panel members said, "You as a group need to take ownership of these projects and prioritize which projects will achieve the group’s goals." Who is this group they asked of him. "To the members of this panel, every member of the audience here today is a group representing the arts and culture community in the Mahoning Valley. As a group, we need to see your plan and how these individual projects that you are proposing work toward the larger economic development." was the reply. |
Sunday, November 1, 2009
Saturday, October 31, 2009
Friday, October 30, 2009
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
A Gathering of Chiefs
Sometimes it's difficult to get the big picture on multi-faceted issues, even more so around here. We've noticed a profound lack of cohesive, "News-reporting" locally. I'm not volunteering to fill the void, but I am willing to attempt to suture some of my observations about the impending Youngstown art renaissance. A lot of what you'll read here is purely speculation on my part, and I'm not always that swift, so please correct me where possible. Part One:Youngstown 2010-A subject we've all heard of, but the bulk of the local populous is unacquainted with the details. Here's the low-down. Mayor Jay Williams, in consideration of the fact that Youngstown has lost the majority of it's inhabitants, and industry, and will likely never regain them, came up with the unprecedented notion of down-sizing the city. The plans call for a new map of the city. Whole neighborhoods would be leveled, and turned to forests while their inhabitants would be relocated to areas chosen for rehabilitation. The city of Youngstown would be no more: it would be transformed into a network of, "districts" separated by green spaces. 2010 is a couple of months away. There have been some snags. The people in the first neighborhood targeted for annihilation, refused to move. They also ran out of money for demolitions-you try and figure out what that means. Part Two: Philanthropic Community Foundations Part Three: Various Local Art Organizations Part Four: Rust-Belt to Art-Belt Part Five: Current Events Dear Friends, Please see details below for an Arts Council meeting from the Westside Garden District Neighborhood Association. The Lemon Grove Cafe has offered to provide us the opportunity to meet and form the Art Council. The meeting will be on Sunday November 1st at 3:00 pm at the Lemon Grove Cafe Downtown Youngstown. So there You have it, as near as I can figure. I suppose if you want to have a say in matters such as these, You may want to attend on November 1st. |
Monday, October 19, 2009
Mosiac Unveiling
| It felt like an end, but I guess it's a beginning. I can be short-sighted like that. The Community Arts Project Foundation's Mona Lisa Mosaic Masterpiece was unveiled last night at The Eastwood Mall. While I haven't heard conclusively, I've heard it will travel around in the future. Foundation Director, Sue Jacobs is committed to seeking national attention for the piece. The unveiling was well attended, the participating artists, their fans, and foundation types. Those people are as much a mystery to me as I'm sure I am to them. The Mayor stayed for the whole thing. Even though their were plenty of people bending his ear all night, he seemed bored. It was a fun project. It cut into my summer in a painful way, but I appreciated being invited to participate, and am glad I did. |
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Minerva
| Here is a rough little sketch I did Friday, whilst baby-sitting at The Butler. It's the statue of The Goddess Minerva located in the front of The Butler. I'm hoping to one day do an over-sized painting of this statue, and display it there. We'll see how it goes. |
Thursday, October 8, 2009
loathes bananas
| Not really, but I have been avoiding them on account of their high glycemic properties. What I loathe is politics. I have a very basic precept in regards to politics: I believe anytime more than one person join together towards a goal, the original goal is in grave danger of corruption. Some might say this is representational of a dim view of human nature. While I recognize there are exceptions to every rule, all I know of it is what I've seen of it, and you've seen the same. Politics- all that posturing, and attempts to sway, I find it distasteful. If I were going to try to sway someone, I'd have to assume first that they were uninformed, and I think that's disrespectful. I have similar feelings about political paintings, although I have been moved by some. Critics of mine have informed me that representative artwork lies somewhere between masturbation, and showboating, and if they were going to do fine artwork, they'd only do provocative pieces that sent a message. That's a big, "if". I don't pay much mind to that kind of rhetoric. All that being said, sometimes we find ourselves in life considering doing the last thing we'd care to, things we find distasteful, because situations are forced on us that we never wanted. I suspect that has been the catalyst for many political paintings. In many cases, an artist's work is their voice. Call me a hypocrite if you like, owing to relatively recent events, I've put up my lovely carousel painting I was working on, in lieu of a couple, "political" paintings of the less offensive variety-rebuttal. |
Friday, October 2, 2009
would think this fellow would object to me taking his photo. He didn't because he's not real, but a part of a disturbingly realistic exhibit at The Butler.
| Check it out if you get a chance, there a several very life-like sculptures. It's a little spooky. |
Thursday, October 1, 2009
Started a batch of pear wine last night. I couldn't get anyone to answer the door where the bosc pears were laying in the yard, and their neighbors were looking at me funny, so I bought 20 lbs of red pears.
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Monday, September 7, 2009
Even More Controversial Canfield Fair Photos
| The truth is, that I literally have hundreds of good Canfield Fair photos. I could make a book, but it would be a little extraneous to post them here. These last few were taken specifically prior to when I was accosted yesterday. |
See and download the full gallery on posterous
Controversial Canfield Fair Photos
| CAUTION: THESE IMAGES MAY OFFEND SOME VIEWERS!!! More to come... |
See and download the full gallery on posterousSunday, September 6, 2009
Banned From The Fair
I've been banned from The Canfield Fair, but not before an ugly, public display. Those who know me a little bit, know I am a photo-realist, I render paintings from photos I take. That also makes me a photographer. A lot of you know my wife and I are also avid fans of county fairs, and amusement parks. We attend a lot of them, and while we're there we take thousands of photos of everything. Naturally, we look forward to The Canfield Fair. We attend everyday, and are usually there all day...taking pictures. We take thousands, and post the good ones various places on line, some we've entered in the fine arts photography competition at the fair. So while Nikki was attending the 4-H dog showmanship judging, I found a nice spot on a bench by the rock, and shot a great deal of random crowd shots. There was a very large crowd constantly passing in front of me. I set my camera to shoot continuously, and shot hundreds of random crowd shots without thinking much of it. Most of the shots are garbage, but occasionally there are some gems. After awhile, I got up and was going to check on Nikki's progress. I walked a few paces, when I felt someone tried to smack the camera out of my hand, hard. I turned around to see what kind out idiot would do something like that. It was two burly dudes with crew-cuts, nobody I knew. I asked the guy closest what his problem was. These guys were super steamed, and not at all reasonable, they looked like they were about to try and beat me down, and I had no idea what was going on. They were calling me a pervert, and trying to snatch my camera, saying that I had taken pictures of their kids, which I'm sure I did, along with a lot of other people. I kept trying to calm them down so we could talk about it, but they weren't having it. I told them that I wasn't specifically taking pictures of their kids, rather random crowd shots, and that I'd be happy to delete the pictures of their people if they wanted. I tried to show them what shots I had, so they could tell me what to delete. One guy grabbed my camera, and said too bad, I lost my camera. Now this had been a loud, heated scuffle in a crowd of hundreds, with people watching, filming, etc. I look around and there's no cops. ??? The guy who grabbed my camera is screaming, threatening to smash my camera, and really looking like he's going to try to hit me. I said, "let's just let the police settle this". Still no cops. I had to stand there and yell at the top of my lungs for the police. A couple of fair cops showed up, the worked up guys said their piece, I explained myself, and asked the cop to get my camera from the guy who snatched it, and to look at the pictures so he could see that I hadn't done anything, "perverted". I told him that he could delete the pictures of the angry people. Another couple of cops came up, and the first cops began to explain what was going on. The second cops asked the first ones if we all should just go to the police station. I said, "Let's go to the station, perhaps cooler heads will prevail". I wanted to settle it, because I didn't want to be accosted by maniacs. The second cops, lead me by the arm to the police station. I told the cop that he didn't have to hold my arm, because I wanted to go and settle this. He told me that he wasn't hand-cuffing me because, I was co-operating. It was thoroughly embarrassing. They brought me in, and the second set of cops related the story to a third set as best they understood it. I again explained my position, and invited the, "investigator" to peruse the hundreds of pictures I had taken, to see if there was anything, "perverted" in there. After looking at all the pictures, he took the camera to the angry people. I heard him tell them that they were random crowd pictures, and they didn't appear to target anyone in particular. They complained that they were young girls, and nobody should take their pictures, and they were scared. "These are crowd pictures, 60% of the crowd at the fair is young girls" I heard the cop tell them. The investigator came back, and told me that he had deleted the pictures the angry people wanted deleted, and that I was being evicted from the fair for one year. I was rather unhappy to hear that considering I hadn't done anything wrong or out of the ordinary, and I told them so. "That's too bad, that's the way it is" a deputy sheriff said in a shitty tone. Another cop piped up and said, "Were you here yesterday? you fit the description of the guy that lady called about". "About what?" I asked. "She complained that someone who looks like you was taking people's pictures in the parking lot, as they got out of their cars". It sounded completely absurd to me. "get outta here, you never got a complaint like that!" I said before I could stop myself. That made everyone in the room laugh, except for the guy that made the claim, who replied, "Oh yes I did!" The investigator said, "Look, we're being nice to you, and cutting you a break. You'd be smart to just move on." I didn't see it that way."I already have a ticket for tomorrow, can I get a refund?" I asked. That got a few more chuckles, and The shitty deputy sheriff told me that I was pushing my luck, and had better shut up. "Taking unsolicited pictures of fair patrons without their permission causing alarm" is the case they gave me. Another shining example of our local law enforcement in action and the just, and sensible reasoning of the canfield fair police. I've got a good mind to never go back. I'll post some of my highly contoversial canfield fair photos in the future, when I'm a little less pissed. |
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Wine Not?
| As for grape, I'm only making an early White this year. On Sunday, I went into the backyard, and picked all the grapes, and brought them directly into the kitchen. I rinsed them, (all organic, Yay!) sorted them, then squished and dropped them into a bucket of warm sugar water, and yeast. I removed the fruit bodies on Monday, and racked the bucketful into my 6 gallon carboy where it is now awaiting it's next racking. We're still a good couple weeks from the start of grape harvesting season, the early harvest on this batch should yield a delightful, light-bodied fruity wine. I'm already impressed with it's color and aroma. Something to look forward to! |
Saturday, August 29, 2009
The Fair
Chances are fair, I'll be suspending most regular activities in lieu of the fair. BBLLOUYEE! Sorry. I don't do anything special that requires my time and energy at the fair, everyone else in my household does, and I'm sucked into that energy by osmosis. Nikki and her family have a 4H dog agility club, and the county fair is a pinnacle in the 4H year. 4H aside, Nikki and I tend to be big county fair fans. We attend several, regionally. For those who have never been, our's is one of the biggest in the country. If you're going, I'll probably see ya there! |
Sunday, August 23, 2009
One Month?
| I hoping this painting takes a month or less. Mostly because I'm excited about it, I think it's going to be pretty good. I wasn't completely thrilled about the workability of acrylics when I started with them on my last project, but I got used to them. They have their good, and bad points. |
Saturday, August 22, 2009
Third Time's a Charm
| This is my third attempt with acrylics. My first was in high school. I liked it at the time. My second was the last painting for the mural. I figured since I was reacquainted, I'd have another stab at it. |
Friday, August 21, 2009
Sunday, August 16, 2009
Onward and Upward
| The deadline for participants in The Mosaic Masterpiece Mural came and went on Saturday. We took our piece to the Eastwood mall Saturday morning and placed it on the floor in the spot it was destined to go. Not everyone showed up with their pieces. Three out of the four surrounding mine showed up, and mine matched perfectly with those. I was glad of that because there were volunteers, "touching up" some of the paintings that they felt were incongruent in some manner. That made me a little nervous, because there was fine detail on every inch of our piece, and I felt there was no room for alteration of any kind. When we were ready to go, I asked Sue if anyone felt ours needed altered in any way, because if it did, I wanted to do it. She said she didn't believe so, but she'd ask the other ladies. The concensus was that they thought it was perfect, and wouldn't dream of putting paint on it. I was happy to hear that. All and all it was a fun project. It was a little hurried for my liking. It will be interesting to see where it goes from here. |
Friday, August 14, 2009
Rosetta Stone Cafe
After a lot of hours, our portion of the CAPF mosaic masterpiece mural is finished, with a whole day and a half before the deadline to spare! It's entitled, "Classic Youngstown". (not, "Rosetta Stone Cafe", I'll get to that) It features 6 day scenes, and 6 night scenes depicting some of the Classic architecture found around town. It is, "Panel #17" on The Mona Lisa, if you were to split The Mona Lisa into 70 even panels. When put with the 69 other panels done by other area artists, It will make a 14'x20' Mona Lisa. The mural will be unveiled at The Eastwood Mall on October !5. I spent a lot of time on a lot of small details, 8-12 hours a day, nearly everyday for the last month or so in particular, on top of my regular obligations. It will be nice to move on , and see about the rest of this summer. So why "Rosetta Stone Cafe?" Shrimp Scampi Rosetta Stone Style 18 (the, "18" is 18 dollars) I frequently use proscuitto finely minced in my Italian dishes, it adds a good flavor when cooked down in various sauces. I was looking forward to something really good. Nikki ordered: Chicken Rosemary 16 It took quite some time to get our drinks, and refills on our drinks and our food. I've worked as both a waiter and a cook, and know how things go, so I usually overlook a few things, but at a point, begin mentally reducing the tip I would have left from 20%. Our salads came, very small, not surprising. They were a little wilty, but I was pleased about that, they didn't seem to have any, "fruit fresh" type preservative used at most restaurants. |
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Stambavgh Avditorivm
| The final night scene is finished, which is also the final scene of the painting, and is also Stambaugh Auditorium. Here's some facts from Wikipedia, and /www.stambaughauditorium.com Stambaugh Auditorium is a public auditorium located in Youngstown, Ohio in the United States. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1984. Stambaugh Auditorium opened in 1926, financed by Henry H. Stambaugh, one of the city's leading businessmen in the early 20th century. The centerpiece of the complex is the concert hall, which can hold a capacity crowd of 2,554. The auditorium also features a 9,700-square-foot (900 m2) ballroom, a smaller recital hall, and a garden at the southern end of the building, all of which can be rented out for private functions. Audiences and performers alike have praised the acoustics of the concert hall, which was designed for symphonic music performances. The auditorium was built in the Greco-Roman style. Stambaugh's is located north of the Youngstown's downtown area. It faces once-fashionable Fifth Avenue, which was among the city's most exclusive residential districts in the 1920s. At the time of the auditorium's grand opening, residents of the neighborhood included chief donor Henry Stambaugh. Architecturally, Stambaugh Auditorium is a free rendition of the classic as a exemplified in the Italian Renaissance. The structure was modeled after the public auditorium in Springfield, Massachusetts, which in turn was designed from the Pantheon in Paris. Helmle and Corbett Architects of New York City were the creators.Originally intended to be erected either downtown or at the center of Wick Park, the 300 by 70 site at 1000 Fifth Avenue proved to be a wise choice, one which was enlarged to provide for parking areas when more land became available. Indiana limestone was used for the exterior walls. Inside areas feature top quality oak paneling, marble benches and again Indiana limestone. I'll show you the whole painting next time. |
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Positive Press
| I got some recently. Here's a link to a current article in The Town Crier. Thanks to the fine folks involved! |
Monday, August 10, 2009
People On The Move?
People On The Move. What can you say about that? If we hadn't decided on,"Classic Youngstown", we would have called this piece, "People On The Move". In this scene, we have some images overlapping. Don't worry, it's part of the plan. I couldn't resist including this scene. It screams downtown Y-town at nite, all in one eyeful. It's based on a photo we didn't even have to get out of the car to take. This was the second to the last scene to go onto this painting, just one more to complete. This is a good thing, because the deadline is this Saturday, plus I'm in dire need of returning to my regularly scheduled life. Something to look forward to. I was a little worried for a while, but I think I'm going to make it |
Saturday, August 8, 2009
Ohio One
Nikki Helped with this one. Here's some facts about the building at 25 Boardman Street. Building Features:
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Monday, August 3, 2009
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Good Times Bad Times
| All the daylight scenes are done, now comes the night. The view is from the southeast corner of Market and Front looking northwest. Like many around here, I've had both good and bad times in that building. Like many folks around here, there were more bad than good. I'm not talking about the one that says, "Huntington". As far as details of The Mahoning County Courthouse goes, Charles H. Owsley strikes again. He designed many buildings around town, and this one is no exception. He designed it in 1910 in a second renaissance revival style. It's made of granite and marble.As for the other building, here's the rundown courtesy of www.clevelandskyscrapers.comHuntington Building (formerly Mahoning National Bank) -1909 26 Market Street, Youngstown Detroit’s Albert Kahn designed this thirteen story building for the Mahoning National Bank in 1909. In the mid-1920s, the original five bays were doubled. The Mahoning National Bank Corporation organized in 1868 and was originally located across the Central Square from this site. In 1999, Sky Corporation purchased Mahoning National and changed the name to Sky Bank. The building retains much of the integrity of its classical exterior and also boasts a lavish interior with the original wood clad walls, coffered ceiling and lighting fixtures. |
Friday, July 24, 2009
Y-town's Ugliest Building
Your opinion may differ. My least favorite building downtown has found it's way onto our Classic Youngstown painting, and it's no Classic. In fact, it's younger than I am, at 28, and the youngest building in this painting. It's The International towers. It's made of plain, rough, gray concrete, no windows on the north and south, and tiny windows in between concrete grooves on the east and west. It looks like something out of communist Russia. If I were going to guess what it was from looking at it, I'd guess a prison. Turns out it's low-income senior's apartments. Here's a recent article about International Tower from The Spindicator. YOUNGSTOWN — The 12-story low-income senior-citizen International Towers in downtown Youngstown has a new owner. Millennia Housing Management purchased the 28-year-old building at 25 Market St. for $4.9 million. Millennia, based in Valley View, near Cleveland, manages 5,735 low-income housing units in five states. The company operates Arlington Gardens, Heritage Apartments and Jubilee V Homes in Youngstown and Sebring Manor in Sebring. When asked why Millennia would spend nearly $5 million in a weak housing market, Amy Castelli, the company’s spokeswoman, said: “We’re very impressed with the downtown Youngstown area. The Youngstown area has a lot to offer. There’s more life in Youngstown than people think and we are impressed with what the future of Youngstown can be.” You may be wondering why I included it if I dislike it so much. The answer is that it's situated right next to The Realty Building, which is a, "classic". Here's a bit about it from Cleveland skycrapers (don't be confused, they have a Y-town page.) Realty Building - 1924 The view in the painting is from the corner of Federal and Market looking east across Central Square. Central Square used to be called Public Square. I read recently in The Metro Monthly that The Realty Building was being renovated for High-priced, luxury apartments. I think it would be cool to live downtown, high in a luxury apartment. I'd be rich, and have nothing better to do but don a mask and cape, and patrol the alleys and roof-tops... Here's a bit about the renovations courtesy of bx magazine. The Chase Bank building was purchased by Cleveland developer Lou Frangos with the hope of renovating the 135,298-sf building to lease to businesses, leaving the 25,064-sf anchor space to JPMorgan Chase Bank. He also started the $8.3 million Realty Tower Apartment renovations at Federal and Market Streets. Plans call for 25 upscale apartments on 13 floors to replace the old Realty Trust Building by summer of 2009. Frangos also plans to transform the vacant 13-story Wick Building originally constructed in 1906 on West Commerce Street into housing |
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Home Savings and Loan Building
This one took me a little while. You may notice a certain transparency about it. I want all the buildings to have some degree of transparency as I'm overlaying them on the image of the portion of The Mona Lisa I'm working on. I arranged the position of The Home Savings and Loan Building to fit over a tree-line. If I were political, I might say something like, "The transparency represents the vanishing of, "Old Youngstown", as the powers that be would like to see it go away, and be replaced by parking lots, and, "green spaces" landscaped by prisoners of society under the direction of The Community Corrections Agency." Happily, I hate politics. Here's some facts about The Home Savings and Loan building courtesy of www.clevelandskyscrapers.com Home Savings and Loan Building - 1919 One of Youngstown’s foremost architects, Charles F. Owsley, designed the headquarters for the Home Savings and Loan Company in 1919. The Home Savings and Loan, which is still a Youngstown institution, began as the Home Building and Loan Company in 1889. The bank was originally located on the Central Square, before moving into this ten story landmark building. Its Colonial Revival clock tower is brightly lit at night, highlighting the Youngstown skyline. There are some exterior alterations from the 1950s including a glazed brick facing over the original façade and an arched entrance canopy. The original building had yellow brick veneer on the lower stories. |
Saturday, July 18, 2009
Black Kat
| This was simply for my own entertainment. I did it the last couple of times I was baby-sitting at The Butler. |
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Sports Fans
| I remember when this thing was built. Here is Stambaugh Stadium, and a bit about it courtesy of www.ysu.edu "Ice Castle" Has Been the Home for YSU Football Since 1982 Youngstown State’s football home is something that has been defended well through its first 25 seasons.The tallest building in the city, the stadium rises high above the Mahoning Valley and offers tremendous views in all directions. Perhaps that is why Arnold D. Stambaugh Stadium has garnered the nickname the “Ice Castle.” Over the years, the Ice Castle has been a protected place. Almost four out of five times a visiting program has left Stambaugh Stadium on the losing end of the score. Only three times in 25 seasons have the Penguins failed to finish above .500. At home in the playoffs, YSU is 14-1 having won 14 straight home games after losing to Central Florida in their first-ever home playoff tilt in November 1990. Since the 1996 season, the Penguins have posted a stellar mark of 57-17 (.757 winning percentage). Since the 1989 season, YSU is an impressive 102-20-1, including undefeated seasons in 1993, 1994 and 2005. In 1993 and 1994, YSU won the FCS National Championship while in 2005 the Guins won the Gateway title. In 2006, the Guins were 7-1 posting playoff wins over James Madison and Illinois State. The contest against JMU was televised nationally on ESPN2. The Penguins have won 74.5 percent of their games at Stambaugh posting an impressive 125-41-1 overall home mark in 25 seasons. Nine of the 10 all-time largest Gateway crowds have been at Stambaugh. One of the finest FCS facilities in the country with a seating capacity of 20,630, Stambaugh has been the home for the Penguins since the early 1980’s. Many tweaks have taken place to ensure a home-field advantage. Built in 1982 (17,000 capacity) with seating only on the west side, Stambaugh entered a new era in 1997 when the Stadium underwent a $5.5 million addition. Prior to the 1997 campaign, the number of loges (luxury suites) was expanded from 12 to 26. The Watson Media Center, one of the best press facilities in FCS, was added onto the second level of the complex. The DeBartolo Stadium Club, which overlooks the city of Youngstown, is located on the main loge area, and is used for meetings, press conferences and luncheons. Also, seating for more than 3,000 was added on the east side to bring the capacity to 20,630, the highest in the Gateway Conference. In 2000, a sound system was added to the east and west sides. Twice the playing surface has been replaced, most recently in 2002. That summer, SprinTurf, was installed making the school only one of five FCS schools to play on the syntethic surface. The replacement removed the AstroTurf that was in place since 1991. YSU’s athletic administrative offices, ticket office, football offices, strength-training facility, football and baseball locker areas, training room and Academic Center are located throughout the complex. Six racquetball courts and office areas for the ROTC program are in the building as well. The multipurpose complex is also home to the soccer team and intramural events. |
Tommy Chat Just Emailed Me
I'm enamored with something most folks couldn't tolerate. So what else is new, right? I came across some video art I just can't get enough of. It features all the things I love about Rikki Lake, Heavy drugs, and idiocracy. These films are frenetic, if you feel you're at risk for a seizure, show some restraint. Tommy Chat Just Emailed Me I recommend check out the rest of Ryan Trecartin's work, you can do what you want. The rest can be seen here: UBUWEB Ryan also has a youtube channel. he goes by Wian Treetin |
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
I Remember Isaly's
| Here is the latest building completed. Here's a bit of history about it courtesy of Wikipedia: "In the 1930s, Isaly’s began a commercial building program that employed high style art deco / Art Moderne designed production facilities and retail outlets, most of which were designed by architect Vincent (Shooey) Schoeneman. The Youngstown dairy facility represented the apex of this project, with the streamline building (with exterior by architect Charles F. Owsley) dominated by a five-story glass block tower" I believe after The Isaly headquarters it was The Vindicator Building, then U-Haul in the seventies. |
Youngstown Steam
| Like many great cities, Youngstown has a history of steam heat that persists today.(that's why some of the manholes in the streets downtown are steamy) Below is a bit of history courtesy of energy.rochester.edu: |
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
What I put on underneath
For those wondering what this is all about, I'll tell you. Locally, I'm participating in a community art project organized by The Community Art Project Foundation. The gist of it is that they took The Mona Lisa, and split it into 70 sections. 70 artists were given a section, and were asked to do an original artwork that loosely conforms to the basic shape and color of their section. The theme is that it should have something to do with life locally. My wife Nikki and I are collaborating on our section, our painting features some of the classic architecture of Old Youngstown. You can see everyone's ideas for their sections on the community art works website. I can't speak for the other participants, but I want my undercoat to be nearly an exact copy of my section. That way, the buildings can go on in a thin, transparent layer, thus lending to the over-all congruency of the piece. I say, "nearly an exact copy". really I would prefer to make an exact copy, but there is a deadline on this project, it's been an ideal summer this year, and I long to feel free just like everybody else. |
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Gallagher 1904
| These are my latest buildings finished. Plural because above the Gallagher Building in the upper-left is the building that sits on the corner of Commerce, and Phelps.Actually, it spans the whole block, 20 Federal Place. The Gallagher Building is located at Commerce and Hazel, and was named after the fabulous local nineteenth century capitalist, Charles E. Gallagher. He was an oil man, among other things. The building holds present-day Cedar's lounge. |
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Paramount Theater
100 years ago, that would have been the time to live in Y-town. That's when the money was here. Not that this far future place is without it's charms. My wife and I have a taste for the spooky, and abandoned. We're awed by the empty splendor of downtown Youngstown. The building featured in the previous entry is The Wick Building. Today's building is, "The Paramount Theater". Here's a bit about it, courtesy of cinematresures.org: "Opened as the Liberty in 1918, this small, yet elegant building was clad in white terra cotta, and ornamented with swags and fluted pilasters. It became known as the Paramount in the late 1920's and its mezzanine was given an Art Deco makeover in the 1930's. Closed by the early 1970's, the marquee has since been removed, leaving only a metal framework. An ill fated renovation was attempted in the early 1980's but abandoned due to cost constraints. The interior plasterwork was particularly beautiful. The building contains two empty storefronts which have been gutted although the lobby and auditorium is more or less intact." It only stands to reason what's happened in Youngstown. The question is what now? The powers that be have decided the best thing is to downsize the real estate to match the populous. They'd like to see the over 4500 abandoned buildings in Youngstown demolished. There's been some demolition, and most residents agree that they would like to see some eyesores removed. What it it look like if all 4500 buildings were gone? as an artist, I can't help but to think in these terms. Unfortunately, most of the classic architecture featured in my painting are empty and or abandoned. What will it be like around here when the buildings are gone? The truth is, no one knows. I do know that tearing down the buildings won't make the poor people go away. |
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Torment for your ears
| About nine years ago, I had recently become proficient at African drumming, having played regularly for a year or so. I also discovered the most recent (at the time) trend in Jamaican reggae. I do have dreads. I'm not a Rasta. My dreads are more related to my devotion to Siva. Rastas and Shaivites do share some roots, but this is all beside the point. I've always had a big fondness for reggae, especially rub-a-dub style. What I discovered nine years ago was Dancehall, at the time, virtually unknown in the U.S. What it amounts to is that someone records some, "beats", and they get passed around to deejays or emcees, however you like to say it, and they rap over it in Jamaican Patois. I heard it, and really liked the fresh sound, and the crispness of the patois. |
He's lent it to a lot of people who did nothing with it, and a lot who have began their careers with it. If he lends it to you, and you don't use it quickly, he takes it back, and it's very hard to get it again. About two years into the nine years it took me to get it together, Sean Paul blew up big in the mainstream with his dancehall stylings. Hell, even that Hasidic Jewish guy, Matisyahu blew up. Have you heard that, Matisyuhu? It was the final nail in the coffin of this dream. Dancehall is now old hat. Please enjoy my debut. This is my first original piece, it's all me on the instrumentation, andOld Precinct?
| I finished this building today. I was going to go downtown after the movies, (Sunshine cleaners-chick flick) to see the address, but it was after midnight, and I can't see so well at night anymore. I think it may be the old police station at 32 Phelps? If you know, let me know. |
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Fw: First National Tower
--- On Sun, 6/21/09, jeffrey puccini <shemekalikashenice@puccini-art.com> wrote:
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Thursday, June 18, 2009
The Meat of The Matter
I really don't want anyone to get the wrong idea. I love Youngstown, and would like nothing more than to live here as a successful artist, secure in the knowledge that local art is revered and supported in spite of difficult times. Youngstown has great potential, and there is nothing wrong with a diminished population, it can be advantageous in certain circumstances. I wish I could have attended, "The Rust Belt to Artist Belt" discussion today, because I would sincerely like to know what practical ideas were on the table. Prior to this, I've only heard a lot of nonspecific hot air pushed around. In a recent email to a friend, while I was expressing my displeasure regarding my recent rejection, I wrote this: "Considering all of the empty/abandoned buildings around town, I can't help but to think how nice it would be to get someone to donate gallery space to local artists. People involved wouldn't necessarily expect to make a ton of sales, but could view it as an opportunity to launch their careers, by having their first solo exhibition at a bonafide art gallery, something for the resume. Artists who volunteered to man the place, could also use it for studio space. Such a place would probably be eligible for all kinds of grants, and might do all right on the world-wide front with a good website." In my opinion, that would be a concrete move that would provide a community-based outlet for self-determined artists to take some sort of steps towards establishing, and furthering their art career without having to leave the area. Realistically, as a local artist, I don't think we should expect to generate enough income through local sales to exist on, but that doesn't mean that we can't garner the communities support, and enthusiasm in other ways. I think organizing group shows, that are attended mostly by other artists, and the families and well-wishers of the participants, but no one planning to spend their money isn't the answer. In fact it builds disillusionment. Again, I love Youngstown, and want to actively participate in projects that promote local art in a substantial way. I wish there were more of them. I'm currently participating in The Community Art Projects Foundation's, "Masterpiece Mosaic" . Above is the rough sketch I submitted for the project. It features some of the classic local architecture we know and love. I just can't attend one more group show where they sell more sandwiches than art. I can't stand to look one more time with empathy at the despair in the eyes of my fellow local artists. I've done it before. I'm losing my vision to an untreatable eye disorder, and don't feel I can spend my time in that manner. I need to make my efforts count for something. Sorry if I come off cynical or skeptical, but it is what it is. Some local organizations that claim to in support of local artists seem to only be good at raising donations for their organization. If any of the massive donations they've raised have or will trickle down to actually benefit local artists, it remains to be seen. Other local artists organizations would genuinely like to find a vehicle for advancement, they just don't seem to be able to muster what is necessary. I sincerely believe the first step must be a permanent local venue dedicated to the promotion of any local artist with a body of work that can be shown. It can't be primarily about money. It has to be about exposure. |
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Bitter is The Whine
| Normal 0 Who likes sour grapes? Not me. I’m usually the first one to poo poo sour grapes, based solely on principal. Are these sour grapes I offer? I don’t know, I guess I’m not sure how objective I can be about this. I live in Youngstown, Ohio As many know, prior to the late seventies, Youngstown was a flourishing steel town, well endowed with old money. In such a climate, art, and culture tend to thrive. When local American steel companies moved to Japan, it was the death of Youngstown. To make that statement locally, is sacrilege. The people who remain either turn a blind eye, or try to have hope beyond reason. Youngstown currently has less than sixty percent of it’s densest population. It’s estimated that every third house in Youngstown is abandoned. The city of Youngstown caught national attention by making the unprecedented motion of abandoning whole neighborhoods, and sections of town, declaring them, “no longer a part of the city of Youngstown. In the year 2000, The city elders unveiled their, “Youngstown 2010” initiative, outlining the ten year path of recovery, and prosperity for our city. As time passed, that dream faded. Now that it’s 2009, no one really mentions, “Youngstown 2010.” Last I heard, it’s been reshaped into a directive to convert, “grayspace” to “greenspace”. That amounts to replacing abandoned buildings with trees. I guess that is a, “recovery” of the most basic sort. Among those who would like to deny that they live in a ghost town, are those that cling to the notion that art is not dead in Youngstown. With the exception of The Butler Institute of American Art, art is indeed dead in Youngstown. The Butler is a true institution, in that it is a hold out from better times, and has managed to stand in these grim times. Aside from The art gallery in The Butler, who is proven to be supportive of local artists, there is only one remaining art gallery. I’m not stupid. Times are tough in the best of places. This is one of the most impoverished places in the country. I know the market for selling art locally is small to nonexistent. Be that as it may, being an at least adequate local fine artist with a reasonable body of work, I felt it would be good, and worth while to try to schedule an exhibition at the only independent art gallery left. I’m not what most would consider an established artist, I’m self-taught, and lack credentials. I’ve always felt that credentials were only important to automatons, and lackeys. I think the proof is in the putting. I put together a proposal for a solo exhibition as per the gallery’s guidelines and submitted it. I felt confident and certain that it was the first step towards a mutually rewarding alliance, and perhaps a statement, that amidst this desolation, hope springs eternal, and art can happen anywhere someone expresses it. I believed that the lofty whispers of those who say interest in Youngstown artists can be nurtured, could ring true. “Thanks for entering your artwork for consideration, however the committee sees rarely an opportunity for a one artist exhibition”. That’s what the form letter said. I’m not really sure what that means aside from the obvious. Everyone rues rejection, but it’s more the implications of the rejection that I find troubling. I have a general philosophy that can be summed up in a couple of my favorite quotes: “Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs even though checkered by failure, than to rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy nor suffer much because they live in the gray twilight that knows neither victory nor defeat.”-Theodore Roosevelt. The U.S. Army Officer’s Training manual states, “Any plan, no matter how poorly conceived, if boldly executed, is better than inaction”. I’ll have my exhibition. It will be in Cleveland, or Pittsburgh. I have a great deal of confidence in a better future through art for myself. I’m sorry I can’t say the same for Youngstown. |
Friday, June 12, 2009
15% Apathetic
| Hello, Sorry for so few entries lately. It seems like I'm obsessed, or depressed about 85% of the time. In either case, I don't feel much like blogging. I did this whilst manning the art gallery at The Butler today. It's about half done. |
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Thursday, May 21, 2009
And then…More Daffodils!
You know you love it.
Shipped to you for just $200 USD plus $10 shipping and handling
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
African Violets
These weren’t at Millcreek Park, They’re mine, and currently being attacked by aphids. When are these spiders going to get off their asses and do something.
Shipped to you for just $200 USD plus $10 shipping and handling
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Lord, Love a Daffodil
God knows I do.
Shipped to you for just $200 USD plus $10 shipping and handling
Monday, May 18, 2009
Back-lit Daffodil
Naturally its lovely to see sun fall on a Daffodil in April. I just as fond of the view of the lovely with the sun shining through like a stained-glass window. You should get out more.
Shipped to you for just $200 USD plus $10 shipping and handling
Sunday, May 17, 2009
Back-lit Pansy
God help ya if you call me that in the local tavern.
Shipped to you for just $200 USD plus $10 shipping and handling
------SOLD------
Saturday, May 16, 2009
Studio Space
Yes please.Some folks have quiet studios far removed from distraction. For some it's a small room above their garage, for others, it's a quiet place across town. Above is my work space. Just out of frame to the right, is my wife's desk and computer. Everything in the room is just as filled with stuff as the picture. It's a small room that my wife and I share with three dogs. Downstairs is filled with screaming dogs, and slamming doors.
Friday, May 15, 2009
What Do You Mean By That?
The daily painting movement. There is some leeway as to the definition of daily painting. The zealots insist one must produce a finished painting everyday to be a daily painter. Others more moderate say a couple a week is close enough. Many reasonable daily painters figure it means one paints mostly everyday, and produce finished works frequently. Personally, I look at it this way: My, "Daily" paintings take an average of 8 hours or so. that Means I could easily produce one a day in theory. One must also have a life. Usually, if I'm not painting, I'm at least thinking about it.Thursday, May 14, 2009
A Rose By Any Other Name Again
No, of course it's not a rose. I know that. I just don't know what it is. I guess the responsible thing to do would be to try to indentify it, and name it that. I'm not going to. I'm tired. This series is going to be florals from photos I shot locally at Millcreek Park's Fellows garden. I do know what some of the flowers are in a general way. These look like some kind of purpley daisy.
Flowers#1 is an 8"x10" oil painting on canvas board.
It sells for $200.00 USD, plus $10.00 shipping and handling.
------------SOLD-----------
------------SOLD-----------
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Tis The Season
This starts a series of floral paintings from photos taken at Fellows Riverside Gardens in Millcreek Park here in Youngstown.
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Down, but not out.
Hello.
Pardon my absence, but just because I haven’t been around here, doesn’t mean I haven’t been doing art. I fell off the bandwagon with the daily paintings just after my brother and I made an unplanned trip to see my mother before she had surgery. That was late last summer. I have remained as, “art involved” as ever. I didn’t jump right back in with the daily paintings for a few reasons, foremost being, as some of you may know, I’m experiencing a degree of vision loss that is both vexating and depressing. I’m able to compensate for it, but it’s a struggle, and that makes it difficult to get excited about detailed work. I do have some daily paintings yet to post from last summer. Before x-mas, I made several necklaces to give to the ladies as holiday gifts, as well as about 25 gallons of wine including blush, blackberry, sparkling strawberry, sparkling pineapple, apple, and grapefruit. I’ll post pictures of the necklaces, as far as the wine goes, see me in person. I also did a fabulous woodcarving I’ll be showing you, so please stay tuned!
Pardon my absence, but just because I haven’t been around here, doesn’t mean I haven’t been doing art. I fell off the bandwagon with the daily paintings just after my brother and I made an unplanned trip to see my mother before she had surgery. That was late last summer. I have remained as, “art involved” as ever. I didn’t jump right back in with the daily paintings for a few reasons, foremost being, as some of you may know, I’m experiencing a degree of vision loss that is both vexating and depressing. I’m able to compensate for it, but it’s a struggle, and that makes it difficult to get excited about detailed work. I do have some daily paintings yet to post from last summer. Before x-mas, I made several necklaces to give to the ladies as holiday gifts, as well as about 25 gallons of wine including blush, blackberry, sparkling strawberry, sparkling pineapple, apple, and grapefruit. I’ll post pictures of the necklaces, as far as the wine goes, see me in person. I also did a fabulous woodcarving I’ll be showing you, so please stay tuned!
Thursday, August 14, 2008
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Play of Light
It's what I'm into as a visual artist, and jewelry-maker. I was pleased with the way the carnival glass vase turned out. The other is a cobalt blue vase I recieved from an estranged girlfriend for x-mas holding some of Nikki's peacock feathers
Sunday, August 10, 2008
Crack-pot Religions
My wife and I belong to The Canteloupe Religion. We aren't accepting any pilgrims or devotees because there is only room for two. We believe that we live inside my belly-button, inside my wife's belly-button, inside a canteloupe. Whenever I put my finger inside my belly-button, or inside my wife's belly-button, I poke myself in the head. In front of the lamp is a very small cacti garden. On the other side is a Carnival glass vase.
Saturday, August 9, 2008
Still Live
This is a decorative, frosted glass lamp that is full of fractures. It came that way, on purpose. You turn it on by touching the metal base. It was a wedding gift from someone. It sits in the eastern window of our bedroom. In this painting, it's not lit by the light bulb, but by indirect rays of the morning sun. I enjoyed the play of light, so I decided to paint it.
Still Life #1, 8"x10" Oil Painting on canvas board, $100.00 USD plus $10.00 USD shipping, and handling
Friday, August 8, 2008
I Don't Like Outdoor Shows
I paid a hundred bucks to be apart of an outdoor artshow a few years back. It was a two day festival on Lake Erie, so we rented a room. The lady in charge assured me that people bought like crazy the year before. It was called, "Perchfest". A festival of beer, and fish.I sold some dog leashes, and jewelry. I didn't quite break even. To be accepted for that festival, I had to participate in an obligatory, "Art in The Park" the week prior. No one came to that, and I didn't sell anything. The next spring, I thought I'd try it again. There was an art show in a well-to-do suburb near-by. Outside again. After setting up, the wind decided to show me what it thought of my efforts smashing my work on the ground, broken glass everywhere. I made about $60.00 in the sales of a couple of prints, and dropped and smashed one of my best sculptures that I was asking $250.00 for. I promised myself I was done with the outside artshows.
Recently I was invited to participate in, "Youngstown Rocks The Arts" The first annual outdoor art and music festival put on by the newly founded, "Art Youngstown Inc." They waived their fee for me, so I decided to give it a go. They said the space they would provide would be under a large tent, so what could happen? When I got there, I was immediately apprehensive. There was a strong, constant wind blowing, and low, and behold, there were no sides on the tent. From the start, the struggle was on. I set up my new cardboard display. (stop laughing). The wind whimsically flung my paintings about, as I wove a spider web of string around my display in a futile attempt to secure it. Then the hard rain came, and reduced my display to a soggy heap of paper. The paintings got wet, but were alright, just most of the 23 frames they were in got ruined. The rain stopped, and we called Steve to see if he would bring my old display(rolled plastic fence). While we waited the two hours for that to arrive. I hung my paintings from a string in clothesline fashion. just as they were all up, the rain came again. It continued to rain off and on into the evening. I finally set to split at 11:00p.m. as another thunderstorm was kicking up. After I packed up, the vendor next to me came over and said, "Oh, I didn't see you packing up, I wanted to buy a dog leash!" I offered to lay them all out for her to choose, but she wasn't very picky, and bought the first one she came to. I thanked her, and told her she was my first and last sale of the day.
Don't get me wrong, the offer from Art Youngstown was gracious, and I appreciated it. I certainly can't hold them responsible for the weather. They did a good job gathering local artists, and musicians, just not the art buying public. Even that may not be their fault. The art buying public may be a myth. I wouldn't know. In the local newspaper they said of me, "Jeff Puccini of boardman was glad to be an oil painter and not a watercolor artist when the rain came down. "They should be alright" he said reffering to the paintings he stowed in a box under the large artist's tent. Still he was disappointed to see the clouds roll in. "It barely got started" he said of the festival. The last time he did an outdoor show he vowed it would be the last. Have his feelings changed about subjecting his work to the weather? "I really don't like outdoor shows" He said.
Thursday, August 7, 2008
Monday, July 14, 2008
Death and Daily Painting
Hello, please pardon my brief intermission in presenting my daily paintings. We've had a death, and as everybody knows, that interrupts everything. I'll be back with a new post, as soon as the dust clears.
Monday, June 30, 2008
Between Ma'am, and Macadam
That's where one would find me, although you might not expect so based on the elegant and subtle beauty of the paintings I've showed you so far.That last series was fun on a lot of levels. The contrast of white snow, and black fur. The content eluded to the spirited nature of the breed. What I liked the most was the sense of action, the blur of motion, the spray of snow, the juxtapositions of the dogs. That series was, "not-so-still lifes. The next series will be still lifes.
The photo above is of my wife Nikki and I's living space. It's betweem Ma'm, and Macadam, and would be a perpetual source of still lifes, as Nikki and I are weirdos
Sunday, June 29, 2008
Miss Zettey
Miss Zettey, as we call her, is quite a handful. It's because her parents are crazy. Zette would spend all her time outside if she had her way. She springs 6 feet in the air in front of the backdoor and screams. She cases squirrels non-stop, and frequently scrapes her pads trying to run up the trees.
SNOWDOGS #6 (Zette) $100.00 USD plus $10.00 USD shipping and handling
SNOWDOGS #6 (Zette) $100.00 USD plus $10.00 USD shipping and handlingSaturday, June 28, 2008
X-mas in July
These painting made me cold just painting them. I'm glad it's summer!
Snowdogs #5 8"x10" Oil Painting $100.00 USD, plus $10.00 USD shipping and handling
Friday, June 27, 2008
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Romp
Snow Dogs #3-8"x10" Oil Painting shipped to you, just $100.00 USD
Belgian sheepdogs are a rare and primative breed. Pack behavior is strong with them. They are clever, sometimes sharp, and want to be in control of every situation. I don't recommend them for those who lack conviction. If you aren't willing to control your Belgian, she will control you. Belgian Sheep dogs come in four varieties. The Groenendale featured here, are long haired, all black, or black with white on chest and/or feet. The Tervuren is very similar, but with brown colour. The Malinois has a short coat, and a wild temperment, and is a popular choice for police dogs. The Laekenois features a curly coat.
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Bob Barker-Zealot.
This is Jagger, with his son Finnicus, and his daughter Zette. The game is, "Roll the low-dog." One might assume that Zette is the low dog. Not so. Finnicus was a gift from my wife to an admirer of the breed who thought it best to neuter him immediately. Personally, I believe it was because she couldn't stand the thought of testicles. There has been alot of propaganda, and campaigning in the last thirty years to convince the general public that early spay and neuter is the only responsible thing to do. Let's examine the facts reasonably for a moment. The people who keep their dogs tied to a tree, or wandering loose, are the ones who should spay and neuter the most. They are also the least likely to do so. Most folks of a reasonable intellegence can responsibly keep their pet dog from breeding. That having been said, you may be wondering what the advantage to keeping a pet intact may be. Again, I defer to the facts. Male and female hormones play a huge part in the make-up of our personalities. Yours and mine. So is true of all creatures. Can you imagine the different person you would be if your abilty to produce sex hormones had been stopped before it ever started? If it had been done early, you would have never developed the physical characteristics that make you the sex you are. Which is my other point. Done early in dogs, affects the grow plates in dog's bones, and a host of other things. Vets promote early spay and neuter much the same way physicians promoted tonsilectomies in the sixties, and promote hysterectomies, and caesarian births today. It's about the money.
Zette is my favorite of our black dogs. She's gorgeous, full of sugar, piss, and vinegar.Finnicus is the low-dog. He never got to be a boy, or a girl.
The photo I worked from on this one, Nikki took. The sun was peeking out alittle. That time of year the angle of the sun is low making siloettes, and shadows. The dog's wild game raised a mist of snow that caught the sunlight, and made the dog's outline more dramatic.
Snow Dogs#2-$100.00 USD
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Ready, Set...
Who couldn't love an action painting in a world of still lives. This is young Zette helping her dad, Jagger, tackle her brother, (out of the picture) Finnicus.
Snow Dogs#1-100.00 USD
Monday, June 23, 2008
Snow Dogs
My Wife Nikki Breeds and shows Belgian Sheep Dogs. They are a Herding breed, Hardy, with a wild streak. They look a bit like a cartoon depiction of the big bad wolf. When you bring more than a couple together, a pack mentality sets in. They love to play a high-speed game of chase and tackle the lowest-ranked dog. To see black dogs playing this game in white snow really is quite striking, and good fodder for my next mini-series.Wednesday, June 18, 2008
G-Rated
Even if you're not currently shopping for original artwork, I hope you'll continue to visit here from time to time if for no other reason, perhaps entertainment value. I'm sure this blog will be at least amusing. Not like my anonymous blog. For almost a year I had an anonymous blog, full of racy stories with lurid details. I had a decent-sized readership, especially when things got juicy. I stopped posting in it a couple months ago, altogether. Not because it wasn't fun. With Blogs, there is an unwritten ettique. No matter how interesting your blog is, as a rule, no one will read it, unless you read someone else's, and comment. Still not a problem, really. Being relatively anti-social, but still enjoying interesting and intelligent people, this was a good substitution for real-world friends. Why did I give it up? I am a very slow reader, and writer. It would take me an hour+ to make my post, and then much longer to read and comment on all my blog- friend's posts. Once I committed to daily painting, I just didn't have the time anymore. Aside from all that, It's somewhat of a let-down that one can't be truly anonymous on the Internet. I was romanced by the notion that I could reveal anything in my blog without fear, but the truth is that anything anyone posts on the Internet leaves an easily traceable trail to your front door. Word to the wise. 
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Majestic Visitor
I was leaving work on a cold day in the winter that had been dark and overcast. As evening came on, the dense clouds began to break up. I was leaving the building and noticed the sun behind a blob of dark cloud, low on the horizon, such as it is that time of year. Eerie orange rays eminated. I took a few good pictures, that may be future paintings, and went on my way. I went a few paces down the road, and when I came to an open field, I saw the sun was about to make an appearance from behind the cloud I had been watching. In this painting, the sun has yet to show herself. The glow that crowns this cloud was caused by illuminated ice crystals. You can see the top of the sun peering out of the cloud. The rays eminating from the botton of the cloud against the almost black clouds on the horizon were awesome! When i was painting this, I was concerned that I might not be able to translate the majesty of the moment.
Sun#6-8"x10" Oil Painting, $100 USD plus $5 shipping
Sun#6-8"x10" Oil Painting, $100 USD plus $5 shippingMonday, June 16, 2008
Last Glimpse
The photo I worked from for this painting was shot from my bedroom window just before The sun disappeared from view. I have a screen on my window, which augmented the appearance of the orange glow around the sun.
Sun#5-8"x10" Oil Painting, $100 USD
Sun#5-8"x10" Oil Painting, $100 USDSunday, June 15, 2008
Saturday, June 14, 2008
Aint No Cure For The Summer-time Blues
I'm trying real hard to make it as an artist. It's risky, and a struggle. I occasionally get some dog grooming gigs, but money is frequently tight. My last employment was in a dirty disgusting place, doing an awful thing, for a rotten capitalist who made a fortune from the sweat of my brow. One nice thing about it though, was it's country setting. One evening last summer after a storm, I took a walk around the pond as the sunset. The waning sun was illuminating a mist rising from the pond. It made a real nice picture. 
SUN #3- 8"x10" Oil Painting $100 USD Shipping Included
SUN #3- 8"x10" Oil Painting $100 USD Shipping IncludedFriday, June 13, 2008
Summer Haze
This was a hot, late afternoon last summer. A thin cloud passed in front of the sun illuminating all the subtleties, and intonations. I tried to capture alittle of that.
SUN#2-8"x10" Oil Painting $100 USD shipping included
Thursday, June 12, 2008
Sunny Daze
I was skeptical, and against digital cameras initially. The first ones were pretty crappy. How nice it is to have a high quality, tiny, light-weight digital camera in my front pocket at all times. I take alot of pictures. This series feature the sun in a variety of settings, but not necessarily setting. This first one is from a photo I took in Pittsburgh around x-mas time. Nikki and I were staying with my kid in her old-timey brownstone apartment. Nikki was working as an extra in Kevin Smith's up and coming movie. It had been sunny, but a cold front was moving in, a mist of ice formed in the upper atmosphere. I looked out the window and saw the sight I painted. It wasn't the sun in plain view but a muted glow behind that spooky tree. I used the telephoto lens to bring me closer to the upper branches.
SUN#1- 8"x10" Oil Painting $100 USD shipping included
SUN#1- 8"x10" Oil Painting $100 USD shipping includedWednesday, June 11, 2008
Photorealism
It's not my first love, but it's a happy marriage of two of my loves, photography, and painting. Kind of a productive, "Menage a trois"...or something. The paintings you'll be seeing in this blog will all be inspired by photos I took, with the exception of a few my wife Nikki took. She is an awesome photographer and artist in her own right. Here are the photos I worked from in the first series.
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
I'd Give You The World If I Could
It's a big world. Cyber-space in all it's vastness is a mirror of the human experience. It's also an opportunity to connect to each other from the hearts of our self images. It's my best hope to catch your interest. I haven't posted a great deal yet, but if you are intriqued, I hope you'll check out my website, puccini-art.com. I promise it's huge. The website that is. Why is it huge? Because I have a problem. Meglo-mania. I'm into all kinds of crap. My website features not only paintings, but pastels, jewelry, wood-carvings, sculpture, music, photos, videos, and high-fashion for your pets. Rumour has it that there may even be a secret basement of some sort. Please feel free to take a tour. It doesn't cost anything.Monday, June 9, 2008
A Rose By Any Other Name
STONED # 4-$100.00 USD Shipping Included
In case I've failed to mention it, the prior 3 paintings in this series are named, Stoned #1,2 and 3. I think progression photos are fun.
In case I've failed to mention it, the prior 3 paintings in this series are named, Stoned #1,2 and 3. I think progression photos are fun.
The photo I worked from for this painting was pretty blurry. I had finished the painting, and was signing it, before I realized those were teeth I was signing on.
Sunday, June 8, 2008
The Mood
It's what I'm trying to capture in this series. Not so much detail, but exilaration, and hillarity.
Nikki has an ample supply of both. She decribes herself as bad in public. When we first started dating, we took a trip to Target, a local department store. As we entered, Nikki quickly hopped on one of the courtesy shopping scooters provided for those who have trouble shopping on their feet. Naturally the cameras fixed, walkie-talkies blarred, and security scrambled. "Are you handicapped?" they asked, once they had us cornered. "I'm handicapped, and she's drunk!" I replied. I've also been known to be bad in public.
Moving Right Along
I've got two done, and am half-way through my third in three days, and am feeling the theraputic effects. I say theraputic, because it's hard to face the hang ups I've had with doing quality artwork in a timely fashion. For so many years I was haunted by the spectre of the belief that I could not do a painting I could feel good about in a short period of time. In the past I would have never considered trying. Not that it hasn't taken time, these paintings have taken me 8-9 hours each. I do feel good about these paintings. Seeing them come to fruition in a short period of time is very empowering. I'm looking forward to honing my skills.
This is number two in my series featuring Nikki feeling good, but shy.
The undercoat
Coming along.
Finished
Original 8"x 10" Oil Painting, shipped to you for $100.00 USD
Friday, June 6, 2008
My first Stab
Welcome to my first daily painting! I've read a few of these daily painting blogs. Alot of the artists seem to be all business. Not me. Rest assured, if you continue to read this blog into the future, you'll read more than you care to.
I decided to go with an 8"x10" format for my paintings, at least for now. Sure it takes more than twice as long to fill as a 4"x4", but it'll give me a little more room to do what I'm going to do, and that's impress. Least-wise, I hope to. Daily painting seems like it would lend itself to doing series. I like series, and tend to do them anyways, so here the first in the first series.
The rough sketch.
I decided to go with an 8"x10" format for my paintings, at least for now. Sure it takes more than twice as long to fill as a 4"x4", but it'll give me a little more room to do what I'm going to do, and that's impress. Least-wise, I hope to. Daily painting seems like it would lend itself to doing series. I like series, and tend to do them anyways, so here the first in the first series.
The rough sketch.
The undercoat
Coming together.
Finished in just one hour!
8"x10" Oil Painting, shipped to you for just $100 USD
Near Do Well
I am a self taught artist. I have never lacked artistic vision. As a teen-ager I had a head full of ideas that I wanted to bring to fruition, but felt I had too much trouble to get into, and serious attempts at producing quality art could wait. That doesn't mean I didn't do art when it suited me, I just wasn't very prolific. Over the years, I've made myself and my friends plenty of hand-carved pipes of a fancy nature, and hand-made jewelry. I did a pastel butterfly a year for a number of years as a x-mas gift. I always felt I had the talent to make a living as an artist, but was too busy trying to keep junk cars on road, and dinner on the table working menial labor.
"Common Orange Tip" 11"x14" PastelShipped to you, just $800.00
That was the other problem. One must have art available for sale, in order to sell it. I had graduated to pastel dog portraits, and was pouring between 60, and 100+ hours into each piece. Things came to a head for me last year when I took a commission for a portrait of a Welsh Terrier. I did a photo shoot with my new digital camera, and high intensity light. I had such a good photo to work from, I obsessed for hundreds of hours, going over every hair on that dog over and over. How would I ever make it as an artist, if it took me a year to do one piece?
Recently I became aware of the daily painters movement. Artists dedicated to doing a painting a day, or there abouts. I never doubted I could do it, but how could I do it? My forte is minute detail, coupled with pain-staking accuracy. Those would suffer, but I would be creating an undeniable body of work. Could I live with a body of work that might be below my standards? Perhaps I would develop a quick, but good style. I suppose the answers to these questions and more may become self-evident. I hope you'll take this journey with me, and I'll try not to disappoint!
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