Saturday, April 25, 2009

passionate punk...



“Music and rhythm find their way into the secret places

of the soul”
- Plato



music...it started in grade 7 for me, dancing with Nelly Kazenbroot to the
guess who's"american woman. At home l listened to 45's my parents had given
me, Johnny Horton,
"Battle of New Orleans", Elvis, a song about someone
kissing dina in the kitchen, and my favorite "Mr.Bojangles" by Jerry jeff Walker.


He shook his head and as he shook his head I heard someone ask, please
Mister Bojangles
Mister Bojangles
Mister Bojangles
,
dance.

l found a video of Sammy Davis Jr. singing Mr.Bojangles, . I had
pants like sammy davis jr., slightly flared at the bottom, l loved
those pants, probably why nelly wanted to dance with me. But
here, you might want to watch/listen to don mclean singing "Vincent"



It's the passion, the passion in the singing that thrills me, that
inspires me. In my studio l listen to Jacque Brel, Nina Simon, Tom waits,
and thrown in there l have Johnny Horton's Battle of New Orleans,
Mr. Bojangles, Blinded by the Light by Manfred Mann. They
remind me of my childhood, passionate punk. They make me feel
good, it's funny how we are shaped by our childhood.

"Friend, when l am dead
Make a cup of the clay l become.
and, if you remember me, d
rink from it.
Should your lips cling to the cup,
It will be but my earthy kiss."

-Mexican folk song

When l finished college, l wandered back to the island, my home,
then l wandered back to calgary, then back to the island. I was like
a gerbil circling his cage, never realizing that the door was open.
I was my own worst nightmare. Finally l decided to be still,
physically and emotionally. I started painting...
photographs can sometimes be perfect, blameless, especially to
the purists, but l wanted more from my photographs, l wanted
to feel what l had photographed.


So l took a large one and started painting over it, gluing bits and
pieces on it, like a crow dropping nuts on the road.
Caring but not caring. It was the start to my bricolage (early 90's)
I used and still do, old tent canvas, it is cheap, strong and the smell
reminds me of my childhood. I glue the silver prints on with
archival glue, l use to have to get it from a library supplier in ontario,
but now it's like water, you can get it anywhere.

Walter Skulsky

For years I fought with myself, (a good fight) about what l was
doing, photographs, paint, really is it art, is it fair. But really
who cares, along as you do it with passion, with love ,
with your childhood.




ninth ave...

Mickey McGrath at the colonel Belcher


halifax


colonel belcher veteran's hospital (Calgary)


spike and his dog butch

"lust and loneliness"

"This is a deep, permanent human condition
this need to be loved and to love"
-annie proulx

I'm in a group show, at the Evergreen Cultural Centre in
Coquitlam, bc. It's a persona show, each of us taking a different
persona. Mine...robinson crusoe
here is a very small detail of what l'm working on for it.



...
okay, bye
one last thing though, maybe check out this blog, she is a young
photographer, poet, hell she probably can sing and dance...
Sarah


Sunday, April 12, 2009

rescue dog...


"A sight for sore eyes it's a long time no see
Workin hard hardly workin, hey man you know me"
-t.waits

I've been busy under the house, building a foundation, cementing,
lifting beams, eating bugs
. Well Cedar is kindof like those saint
bernard rescue dogs, you know, a barrel of grappa under their chins.
So l'm hoping that when the house falls on me, he'll be dragging me
out and tending my wounds. Anyways, l'll post something in a few days.