Barney Miller as Artist Statment

I've been thinking about artist statments lately. I think this would make a great video version of an artist statement:

Masonry Project

Picking up an old project on Freemasonry and moving forward with it. The lodges have reallu beautiful interiors, and even more beautiful light. Still trying to figure out how to approach the portrait component so it ties in with the still life images. A few of my current favorites:

Sagmeister Rules

Photo by Stefan Sagmeister , part of his rules for living from 2004. Above is an image from the series, which is beautifully arranged and shot.

Complaining is silly.
Either act or forget.
Thinking life will be better in the future is stupid.
Being not truthful works against me.
Helping other people helps me.
Organizing a charity group is surprisingly easy.
Everything I do always comes back to me.
Drugs feel great in the beginning and become a drag later on.
Over time I get used to everything and start taking it for granted.
Money does not make me happy.
Traveling alone is helpful for a new perspective on life.
Assuming is stifling.
Keeping a diary supports my personal development.
Trying to look good limits my life.
Worrying solves nothing.
Material luxuries are best enjoyed in small doses.
Having guts always works out for me.

Ultimately, these are all reminders about living in the present. Right now I am trying to find ways to do this. When I start to think about the future it makes me uneasy, my mind races, and I find myself lying awake at 4am worrying about stupid shit.

Picasso was good, but kind of a dick

This is a self portrait Picasso did when he was about 17. I'm about halfway through A Life of Picasso: The Prodigy 1881-1906. Which has been a good read.

It's fascinating to see how talented and driven (maybe in the reverse order, who knows) he was from a very young age. At this point in the book he is only about 20 -- but he is already working in a studio in Paris, has an art dealer and a mistress. The guy knew what he wanted from the start.

But he has a way of forging ahead through his life, plowing through friends, family, and acquaintances that is kind of disconcerting. He's only 20 but it's pretty clear to see where his life is taking him.

In some ways there are similarities between him and Zidane -- both insanely talented, but constantly surrounded by mediocre mortals, which is ultimately a source of frustration and anger.

Archive V1

Time again to make some choices for Archive. Here are a few I'm considering:

German Sugimoto

Saw this on Conscientous today - Michael Wesely's long exposures, up to 2 years (!!!). all of his landscapes are pretty cool, especially with the path of the sun shifting incrementally across the horizon.

Makes me feel even more like a small speck on a big rock floating through space.

Here we go

2009 promises to be a really interesting year. No one seems to know what is going on, or have any idea of what is going to really happen, including the people that get paid to think about these things. Everyone is totally baffled.

Getting back to John Chambers' approach, to "focus on what we can influence" I have decided that 2009 will be a year for me to get outside my creative comfort zone.

If I'm not going to move into my car and drive to the Arctic Circle, at least I can try to visit some new places within the creative experience.