divers

Octopus, Octopus

Last night I watched a Jaques Cousteau film called Octopus, Octopus. Such a weird thing, cause it's not scientific in the least-- most of it is just cousteau spouting off a bunch of his own semi-poetic bullshit to footage of divers bothering otherwise complacent octopi. Some important things I learned-- octopi don't have nests, or dens, but they have "homes". I don't necessarily trust that, but I like it. In fact, I couldn't help but like the whole film, because Cousteau seemed genuinely exhuberant and excited about how BIZAARE the octopi were, despite the fact that he generally didn't seem to know what he was talking about. But then, neither do I! I took photos, some of which are , I think, very beautiful.


"Octopus, Octopus...... your children are dying"

current project

This is my current painting project.


This friday, Shelby Sifers will be performing at my house in grinnell. Drop me an email if you want to go and need directions!

new paintings

Hi,

I have two paintings in the works right now. The first is about three quarters done and is a war image. I'm making it for the show I have coming up in August in Illinois, and it's mainly just a fill in the blanks picture. The idea is to make something that is both saleable and in the same language as my war paintings from the fall. Consequently Im not all that invested. The second painting is of the photo I posted last time... an octopus attacking a crab! I'm excited by the prospect of trying something new, I suppose.

Also... One of the other war painting is going to be on exhibition at the Rockford Art Museum in their midwestern biennial, and the opening is this friday, if anyone else is in the neighborhood!

New Summer Things...

Hey! I've been busy teaching kids, and painting something else for a show of some of the war paintings from last fall that's going to be in Rockford, IL in August. But in the meantime, I'm still really into deep sea creatures, and I've been watching a whole bunch of nature show type documentaries. The other night, I took the photo above of the tv! It's an octopus fighting with a crab, and I think it is very beautiful. It reminds me of a salad, or a delicately violent little flemish still life, like the one above by Nicolaes van Veerendael (17th Century).

That's what I'm into right now. Also, I have an apartment in Minneapolis! Garfield and 24tth, right in the middle of everything. So great.

Recent Photographs

Summer

It's flooding in Iowa, but luckily not in Grinnell. I've been working at an art summer camp this last week, and I'm completely exhausted. I've been teaching painting to kids K through 6. I have lots of great pictures of it, but until im finished next friday, I think I'll wait to post them.


Im going to Minneapolis the Weekend, and tonight I am going to Iowa City (or hopefully going... as long as its not under water) to see The Bishop Brothers perform their Sun City Girls Songs.