I haven't posted in a while, mainly due to the fact that I've picked up a second job.  Check out Marla's Caribbean Cuisine, as featured on Food Network's hit show Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives.

http://vimeo.com/41938361

It's been very fun so far, the only drawback being significantly less time for bird drawing.  It's afforded interesting experiences, such as meeting a former gallery director at Theater in the Round, and eating a hybrid Scotch Bonnet/Scorpion pepper, which was nearly the end of me.

I always make time for hip hop though, so if you just wanna chill check out this referral from Jedi, (thanks, Jedi! keep them coming.)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M4dusOtmv24

Also, no matter what type of mood you're in, you should let People Under the Stairs break down hip hop for you:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p5DK_p_CBWI

My digital camera is out of commission at the moment, but as soon as I get that situation figured out I've got more images to post.  Stay tuned and please comment!

Short Eared Owl

This is an owl.

This happened yesterday, and this is what I'm listening to right now, as I contemplate how wonderful it is to be an artist:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V_prDWsKXSI

Oriole

This bird is from the street.

Spot Breasted Oriole, quite accurately named as you can clearly see the spots on his breast.  I'm having too much fun making birds in this way, it feels very freeing to rely less on a photo reference and more on how I think/want things to look.  The next step is to work bigger and add in more of my own detail.

I'm going to listen to secret agent while I make this happen.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PDsfiBzmLiY

Street Art

Street Art

I made some street art last night. It is based of a real bird, the Pyrrhuloxia.  Having established a rough outline, I departed from my reference and included my own bold colors and patterns.  Also, notice the peel here line because this is indeed a sticker.  Get ready, Roseville.

Also, I think the drawing looks better if you look at while listening to Guru's "Life Saver."  He starts to flow in French for about the last minute, it's beautiful.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3QB74T4YGgo

Livin the life

Most days I have to search to find my own music, listen to bits and pieces of track after track until I find one that really does it for me.  Today was exceptional though, since I got three excellent songs referred to me. 

The first, thanks to Jedi: artist, animator, middle school art teacher.  This is some classic, old school hip hop from Gang Starr
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UcrG05S_xoE

The next two came from a friend of mine, a bilingual barista, hip hop enthusiast, fellow artist, and part time dream interpreter.  Thanks, Jenna.

windchILL
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9zJehWwNL-E

Common Market
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y5mulfMiY9s

More tomorrow, hopefully.

Style

It seems that the term style is much bigger than I had originally thought.   It has even been argued that any aspect of a work of art can be made an element of individual style.  What is portrayed can potentially be made just as, if not more, significant in terms of style than how it is portrayed.  I feel that a clearly distinct individual style is something one has to have in order to be a great artist.  After reading about style in “The Routledge Companion to Aesthetics” the only conclusion I have drawn is that I need to make more work, a lot more work, in order to see what my style truly is. If I have developed one already, that is.  

As far as making more work goes, I think this will get me started:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HQ_1eUmx7eY

Post Postmodernism

I met with my former academic adviser a couple weeks ago to discuss art and how to make a living.  One thing he said to me, was that no issue is black and white, that multiple perspectives do not negate the validity of truth.  I'm comforted by that notion, but reluctant to embrace it.  I don't believe in people making up their own truth, and I think this idea is kind of a gateway drug that will lead a person in that direction.  I believe that the validity of any perspective is dependent solely on its adherence to and pursuit of absolute truth.  I feel like listening to Ground Up will help me resolve this mental battle I'm waging.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=At4JMvlRnK8

Free use of the imagination

"A community whose life is not irrigated by art and philosophy, day upon day, is a community that exists only half alive. The fundamental values of a true community are to be found in poetry, art, music and the free use of the imagination, the pursuit of non-utilitarian activities, the production of non-profit-making goods, the enjoyment of non-consumable wealth. Here are the sustaining values of a living culture."  -Lewis Mumford

This is something I've always felt to be true,

but could not articulate. 

I believe it wholeheartedly. 

I'm off to draw an amazing hummingbird, 

and make the world a better place in doing so.

Also, I'm going to leave you with this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zm3aMQEIxsA 

Thanks, Jedi.

Kingfisher

I finally got a new title picture for the Lounge.  I decided to go with a double Belted Kingfisher theme, with their powerful, sharp, fish-stabbing beaks pointing towards the headphones, so in this new title I've captured everything the Lounge is about: my own, personal style of bird art, and excellent music.

Can you dig it?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i0RvHsa6sIA