Welp. There goes another great hero. Another trooper of my #ArtArmy off into the ether to eternally inspire us from another realm. Ms. Kusama was very formative to me at a young age in the late 90s, about 20 yrs old as I was immersing myself in alternative art history. With her mirror rooms and the way she made her body part of her art, Kusama was my bright counterpoint to the heavier conceptual & installation artists I was studying from the 50’s & 60’s. Here’s 2 Yayoi’s spaced a year apart, a 10 in tall hand-sculpted polymer clay version from 2011, and a 30 in tall hand-carved enamel-painted wood version from 2012 (commissioned by Terence Chan @mrterencechan). Both one-of-a-kind one-off’s I made by myself from scratch in my garage, both engineered to articulate with moving body parts and movable accessories. Rest in peace Yayoi Kusama, knowing how far and wide your influence transcended the bounds of time and space.
Over 20 yrs ago when I sculpted this for my #ArtArmy, I was not the sculptor I am today. And over 20 years ago when I sculpted this, Dolly had already been a lifelong hero, “as long as I’d been forming memories,” as our own DJ Troy Nelson @troynelllson so eloquently phrased it on the air @kexp today. Now more than 20 years later, as she leaves us, she has only further cemented a place deeper in my heart as one of our last truly great icons so many of us have shared together over the years. Across generations, through time and space. We bid you a restful peace Ms. Parton.
GATHERING MY GADGETS. I’ll be gathering more gadgets & busking with a lot more new material out in Seattle 2X this week - 5-8p this Wed 8/5 @base.camp.studios art market before a free #Terminator screening + 6-8p this Thur 8/6 at the Seattle artwalk in Occidental Park. Video cred & THANK YOU @Holleyzozphotography
“I am a machine” - one of several pieces I’m performing as part of my #PushButtonPerformer bit. Next I’ll be busking at the first Thursday art walk in downtown Seattle 6-8p Thur 8/6.
Video games suck. Disagree if you dare
I’m performing this bit live in person this Saturday 7/18 @vashonstrawberryfestival on Vashon Island, WA at a couple different sites 1-9p throughout the festival. All new content, new songs on the melodica - Radiohead, Yoshimi, Transformers, Mr.Roboto, The Terminator theme - everything very bot centric with heavy doses of firmly planted tongue in cheek humor. Look for me between musical acts in front of the Vashon Library from 3p-on.
Invariably, a young man directs the #PushButtonPerformer to go loud & fast. SEE THIS LIVE Saturday July 18 1-5p @ the Vashon Island Strawberry Festival. Look for me between shows outside the library grounds, and in front of Island Queen. Come see a real live living artist in action AND a great American small town fair. Like, you know, a real one, with real people that actually go to it.
I guess all I wanna do is put a smile on a child’s face, because that sure makes me smile too
#PushButtonPerformer
dutifully obeying - as faithfully as possible - the whims of onlookers in Seattle at Folklife yesterday as I warm up the rebirth of the #PushButtonPerformer for more events this Summer, Fall & beyond
New #PushButtonPerformer apparatus in progress. I first started this bit in 1999, from inside a telephone-size booth I built to put myself in a box. It was a commentary on tech back then, which seems only more prescient now. Which has inspired me to return to the performance piece and give it new life. I’m writing and rehearsing all new spoken word content aimed at the intersection of art, big tech and big money. I’ll add a couple musical instruments and some lettering to these buttons, then have it out this Summer & Fall at events & venues in & around Seattle.
slowly building a new iteration of #PushButtonPerformer piece I did first in 1999. First I was a performer in a box. Then I improved the box. Then I mobilized myself with a chest panel of buttons. Then I added a TV head. I tried all these iterations dozens of times for performances around the PNW. Something in the realm of MORE ROBOT SATIRE has inspired me to give it another go. So here I am rebuilding the chest panel buttons integrated with a TV head.
we estimated something like 300 people at the opening of “Good Buy! Cruel World” @vashoncenter but I was too engrossed in conversation to pull my phone out and take pictures. Anyone have any pics from the Nov.7 opening? Feel free to DM or post & tag me
I made 30 new juice boxes as part of my “Good Buy! Cruel World” exhibit on now til Nov.30 @vashoncenter. GALLERY IS OPEN TODAY! Hours: Noon-5p PST Wed-Sun.
a massive THANK YOU to everyone who came to the opening and talk last weekend. And an even massive-er THANK YOU to the many who purchased works from the show. Yall make the world go round. Many of you came from off-island to Vashon just to see my art. I can’t thank you enough. Many of you came Friday for the opening then came back again Sunday for the talk. My heart swells with gratitude and I don’t really know how to process the feeling other than to just keep thanking you. Thank you thank you thank you
and that’s a wrap. Had a very fun and strangely good/weird time mis/directing people as part of a brilliant @suttonberesculler performance piece for @walkdontrun_sea today in Seattle, a place I was born in, barely recognize anymore, am re-acquainting myself with now, and am truly re-falling in love with, due only to the good and amazing people who live here… who love art… who’ve loved the satire, free speech in the street and the first amendment long before some A-hole co-opted the lingo, ran it into the White House then turned it on the people he supposedly represents. Just a good day to be reminded that there are those of us fighting the good fight. And low and behold, it always seems to be artists and those who love the arts. Always
effectively done with this puppy. Gonna go have it installed @cannonballarts in downtown Seattle then try to have it installed as part of the big solo I’m working on @vashoncenter this coming November
imagining a VR headset on my face while riding in the back of the go cart I rebuilt for large adults to ride in @cannonballarts
the first #decoy I carved back in 2008. I wanted to mess with things that distract us white guys, #mammaries, #hunting, #lips etc. aka White Male Distractions or “WMD’s”. The #badonkadonk was also a thing at the time. This was the Badonkaduck. I had other ideas to make a whole series at the time, nice to flesh them out. Thank you Cannonball Arts for building an art pond in Seattle for artists are to install floating sculpture @cannonballarts
it really wasn’t that long ago but it sure feels like it. What’s next for me? In the big picture, I’m not really sure. Kindergarten for our little one, sculpting a Tim Walz action figure…. then… I don’t know. Name that Beatles song that matches this feeling…
feeling very grateful and already wistful about Summer - that little one just started Kindergarten!! Just wanted to post this in thanks again to those of you who came & supported my Trash Talking show this Summer. Got a great batch of pics from @markwoodsphoto - thank YOU Mark!
