Monday, October 26, 2009

Somewhere outside


Listen.

The leaves fall outside, all on their own.

We curse them for falling. Leaves. Who said we need to spend this much time grooming our lawns? Are there lawnmowers and rakes in heaven? In hell? Don't we have anything better to do?

I'm not exempt. Why do I bother? Our neighbors and the stigma of having an unkempt yard (a real sign of laziness or other, even worse, problems in the home) keep us tethered to our machines and labors. All rebels are labelled as true pariahs, to be avoided at any cost. Would you want to talk to them about the views on lawn care? Really?

But the sound you hear outside is a familiar one. A signal. The cycle is changing. Put on another layer and ready yourself for longer nights, for shorter days.

I'm working for a company that sells mower parts. Of course, the hottest, longest days are when the place buzzes with activity- the phones ring off the wall-more and better blades for sharper cuts-nothing is too good to defeat our old enemy, the growing grass.

Long grass makes a beautiful sound when the wind whips its way through it. I've heard it whistle. The manicured lawn doesn't even whisper. A four-legged friend can simply dissapear in an unshorn grass jungle, drunk on all the scent in that wild green stuff.

How many insect worlds are endangered because of the false order we impose with all our machinery? Would our world tumble in collapse if we let the grass grow?
Here's a good one for you: I closed this post to edit it and what advertisements d'ya suppose appeared? Make no mistake, we're all about the lawn here.

Here's one I really like-it's called The Sluice. It sold at FolkFest in Norcross this past August.

Thursday, October 15, 2009

Trying to figger out the best camera for my needs


Yep-I admit it. I need a tech guru or someone with real experience to help me make up my mind with this camera deal (that is, finding a low-priced digital SLR that will give me better results than my shaky old Nikon). That I'm going to take a shot (pardon the pun) at better marketing is a good thing, but the execution of said plan is quite another problem.

Dave recommended the Canon EOS Rebel XSI, but I'm looking at the Nikon D5000 and the much cheaper Panasonic (Panansonic makes cameras?) Lumix DMC FZ35-Cripes, somebody please shoot me...

This is a piece in progress that started with the title "Rubber Heart" (named for the rubber float in the chest area)-not sure if it's finished or if I need to make more "comments" on it....what's really in question is the area below the heart and above the legs -let's not go into any metaphors here...

Monday, October 12, 2009

New equipment


My old Nikon is not cutting it-it's a good camera, but I am not able to hold the thing steady enough to get good images-especially when it comes to studio shots of my artwork.

My plan is to get a lower priced digital SLR that can tripod mount AND (most importantly) has no shutter delay. If you know me, you know just how little I like to do research on stuff like this, but I'm trying. The eventual plan is to set up a website that features lower priced sculptures of mine. I'll still do shows, but this should create another, more immediate venue to move work.

Tempted by the wiles of a young dog the other day. I met a "Swissy" or Swiss Mountain dog, at the flea market. This guy was 8 months old and friendly to one and all. From what I understand, the males grow up to 140 pounds-just a little on the hefty side, wouldn't you say?

This one I made for two friends of mine who recently tied the knot (this past July). Their wedding was the first real biker wedding I'd ever been to and it was a good one. All the best to you, Jamie and Tony!

Tuesday, October 6, 2009

Making sense of it ?


Back from the show-this time, it was the crafts event in Rhinebeck, NY.
I gave the windchime-and clock-makers some hot competition...ok, but not really. This was just another show for me-I hoped for the best, but the best never really materialized. I sold all of two pieces.
I stated the fact to myself and others that this is probably the best I'll be doing at any of these events. That I'll never be able to discover vast waves of fans that ooh and ahh and then buy work, because such numbers just don't exist. Or maybe they do in fantasyland. That's not here.
In less than two weeks I go down to Alabama to do the Kentuck show for fun and profit. This show, which I found intrguing in the past, is now starting to feel like any other fine art/craft event. Where have all the original characters gone-the real odd folk? Or is it me that has just gotten jaded to it all? I do miss Bucketman-Danny was a real original and a pioneer with his strange, lethal work. Hope he's still melting his buckets in heaven.