PROOF

2.02.2010

The Death of Kennealy's

Kennealy's Pub was a little hole-in-the-wall in the Soulard neighborhood of St. Louis which was open around 1999, 2000, 2001 and not much longer. Lotta great nights were were enjoyed there by a lotta people I know and knew. Many great shows were witnessed there, but remembered by few, I would imagine. It was a sort of nexus point for what seemed to me to be a lot of warm friendly feelings, magic moments and unexpected and exciting creativity. But like you'd expect, It couldn't last. I guess it was pretty badly mismanaged. I know I had my share of free drinks from outta that bar and I'm pretty sure I wasn't the only one. The trio of owners, Steve Kennealy (pictured below), Tim Lehman, and Jack Shannon Scott all died after the fact, one by one, from alcohol-related symptoms and I heard they were dipping into the stock pretty heavily. I don't know. Whatever. Good times can't last. We all know that.

These were shot after the place had closed. I don't remember my occasion for being in the place at that point, but I remember how sad it was to see that little room so quiet and empty and lifeless.

1.22.2010

Blurry, Blurry Night
2010

Here're some snapshots from "It's Getting Light" which was my art exhibition with Julie Malone

at Hoffman LaChance Contemporary in St. Louis, January 15th, from 6 - 10 pm (and and a bit beyond).

1. I actually really dislike snapshots, so, yes, I spruced these up in PS a bit with an accordance to how my actual memory has processed that evening.

2. Holding up a camera and a disposable, plastic glass at the same time is actually pretty hard.

3. The show and the evening were really fabulous success, so...

4. Thank you to everyone who was able to attend! You made it a great night for us!
Furthermore, I'd like to thank, Julie, my partner for this event...
Michael Hoffman and Alicia LaChance, our esteemed gallerists in this enterprise, without whom...
Michael Paradise, Mike and Joe Freeman, and Kevin Belford, whose contributions to the production of the work for this show are inestimable...
And, finally, to Nancy Jackson, who knows why.

Here's how it all looked to me.

1.18.2010

Thank You, Jennifer Bradford

Go placidly amid the noise and haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence.

As far as possible, without surrender, be on good terms with all persons. Speak your truth quietly and clearly; and listen to others, even to the dull and the ignorant, they too have their story. Avoid loud and aggressive persons, they are vexations to the spirit.

If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain and bitter; for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself. Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans. Keep interested in your own career, however humble; it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.

Exercise caution in your business affairs, for the world is full of trickery. But let this not blind you to what virtue there is; many persons strive for high ideals, and everywhere life is full of heroism. Be yourself. Especially, do not feign affection. Neither be cynical about love, for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment it is perennial as the grass.

Take kindly to the counsel of the years, gracefully surrendering the things of youth. Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune. But do not distress yourself with imaginings. Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.

Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself. You are a child of the universe, no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here. And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.

Therefore be at peace with God, whatever you conceive Him to be, and whatever your labors and aspirations, in the noisy confusion of life, keep peace in your soul.

With all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world.

Be cheerful. Strive to be happy.

Max Ehrmann c.1920

12.30.2009

Scissorworks (Surface Details)
2009

1. "Untitled (Black Tiki Composition)"

2. "Untitled (Composition with Prochlorperazine)"

3. "Untitled (Composition with Lexapro)"

4. Untitled (Composition with Hydroxyzine)

5. "Untitled (White Hex Composition)"

12.24.2009

Exquisite Corpse
1996

We all know what Exquisite Corpse is, right?

It's that crazy drawing game that the surrealists invented where two or more artists participate and what you do is you fold a piece of paper in thirds and each artist draws a section of this fictitious and, usually, wildly imaginary character or "body" or "corpse". The first artist does the "head", the next one does the "torso", and the last guy does the "legs"... or if there are only two of you, as with all of these, then you just switch off, being sure not to let the other guy see what you've drawn, except for little marks that indicate to the next guy where to start his figure... or whatever crazy thing he feels like adding.

This is always entertaining for the participants inasmuch as the results are a guarantee of a fun surprise and often tacit connections are made that, I have to say, can be just, plain eerie. I don't know if it's proof of unconscious communication or anything, but it can really feel like that at the time.

Right. So, for the last 25 or so years, I've been doing these with my art-buddies and pretty much anyone who is willing to have a go. Fact is, they're great lull-killers and, if you are an artist, really good for honing quick-response creativity and basic drawing skills.

These all were drawn with my very bestest friends from art school: Edward Pollard, David Bornstein and Daniel Brack. I remember the ones here with Dan were done in my crappy San Francisco basement apartment at Bush and Jones, shortly before he succumbed to years of struggle with heroin addiction. And then the ones with David were done a couple months later in our rather swank apartment on Cochran off of Wilshire in Los Angeles, where he, too, overdosed and died on New Year's Eve of 1996/97. The ones with Ed I'm not sure about, but, luckily for us all, he is still alive! So, who knows, maybe he remembers.

Anyway, I love and miss all the three of you. Hope you can enjoy these for the second time, either from here or the next world.