This is Michael. He’s an intelligent and engaging conversationalist, a real hep cat. He likes the jazz, the blues and the old country and western musics, which on occasion, we discuss over low balls during my trips home to Austin. He’s also a talented writer/director and father of two outstanding young women. Michael acquired Seated Nude Without Necklace (After Modigliani, Seated Nude With Necklace), 2003 in 2006 during a garage sale conveniently held in his front yard.
This is Tim. If I were a bricks and mortar business, he would have just become the mayor of dutchslavetrade. I believe Tim has acquired around eleven or so works over the last few years. The remarkable thing is that all the pieces he has are ones that I almost didn’t put up for sale. Paintings that I thought were either “important” in my development, especially unique or just fond of for some other reason. He seems to have a good (dead)eye(s) for these things. Don’t Let Your Emotions Straddle Events, 2008 is one such piece. So if this art shit ever pans out for me and someone reading this blog, long after I’ve transformed into a beam of light, plans to curate a show of my self-declared “hits”…contact this nerd.
This is Anne. She’s a sharp and savvy business lady with a lot of class. Not only is she founder of Moneybagz Productionz and Two Bitches and a Kitten she also finds the time to share her talents and knowledge as an education business consultant for a European luxury haircare brand. Anne has a well deserved reputation as a top-shelf party organizer and hostess. In the know and possessing a keen awareness of style, the arts and current events, her soirees are always fresh and never frozen. It’s important for cosmopolitan business folk, such as Anne to have a portrait of themselves displayed proudly over their desk or featured prominently in their parlor and I am honored that she thinks highly enough of my work to allow it to meet that need.
This is John. Simply put, he’s a good dude. I first met John (he went by Johnny at the time) when we were both 17 outside of an all ages hardcore show at a gay bar. Over the years John has proven to be one of the most sincere, magnanimous, and energetic people I know. He’s also a talented musician, more specifically a talented front man. Having briefly, by default, found myself with lead vocal duties, I can assure you that shit is not easy. Especially to do it with the easy confidence and charisma that this geek does. I think John responded to Stay Focused Bitch, There’s A Lot Riding On This because he’s seen some things during his days on the planet and understands that there’s a lot riding on everything, whether it’s work, non-work, making choices or making connections with people. Time is tight.
This is Alison. Yesterday was her birthday. Alison works at End of an Ear, a record store where I had work on display. While I’m against hanging work in coffee shops and bars, I’m all about hanging in a record store. It’s a better visual environment. I gave Alison Sketchy Tuxedo Cat, (2009) as thanks for giving me the opportunity to hang at End of an Ear.
This is Tim. I ran into him several times during The Flash of the Spirit Volvo Experience.He likes soul music, drives a ‘72 Dodge Demon, and is of Irish descent. Three facts that I am going to arbitrarily assign as reasons for his interest in Girl with Dead Eyes, (2011). Soul music: He played one of the best “dead eyed” soul songs ever written River’s Invitation by Percy Mayfield 1963 (Tangerine 931) during a soul music 45s event that he co-hosts. Just knowing of the song, let alone owning it, speaks to an understanding of “dead eyes.” The ‘72 Dodge Demon, a fastback variant of the Dodge Dart, was renamed in 1973, The Dart Sport (lame) in response to Christian groups’ complaints about the ‘Demon’ name and devil-with-pitchfork logo. If that car were a person, with a history like that, it would have “dead eyes.” Finally, on being of Irish descent, he’s a ginger which presumptuously means he understands adversity, a key component of “eye deadening.”
This is Cynthia. She’s an animal lover and a classy dame. Cynthia and I used to be co-workers and as is customary with co-workers, we attended a few happy hours together. During one such happy hour it came up that my time outside of the office was spent painting and showed her some examples of my work on my phone. A few weeks later, at the office, she approached me and asked if I would paint her family animal, Lucy. Her father’s birthday was on the horizon and she wished to give the painting to him as a present. I painted Lucy and Cynthia gave Lucy, (2008) to her father.
