I imagine cartoonists, political satirists miss him, in a way...

 

Tis the Season

Steve Brodner, illustrator, political satirest

Steve Brodner has been my favorite political satirist (still alive) since 1992. I first saw a piece of his on the back of a punk rock record sleeve. It was a drawing of Bush Sr. filling his gas tank with gasoline made of dead Iraqi babies. Not a subtle piece, but it grabbed my attention. He's not one to shy from sharing his rapier-like imagination. And his pen is just as sharp.

One thing I have appreciated about him lately is his willingness to speak truth to current power. So few people seem to want to risk talking about the things the Obama Administration is doing that are similar to the previous administration/s, or anything that might blemmish the everything-is-going-to-be-alright-now-that-the-Dems-have-the-Whitehouse-again-and-a-new-knight-in-shining-armor mentality that has blinded us in light of the Hope hype. It's a superstitious fear that we will curse the good ride, and stoop to the level of the overtly negative media, and I think it is silly. Yes, I think we should bask in all the new directions we're seemingly headed because we elected a community organizer who is an honored 12-year Professor of constitutional law, and a civil rights attorney, among even other things. But we have a responsibility as citizens to critically analyze our elected leaders. I think it's just refreshing to get the fisheye lens over the tunnel vision...

Jane Mayer of The New Yorker has reported that the number of US drone strikes in Pakistan has gone way up since President Obama took office. During his first nine-and-a-half months in office, Obama authorized as many CIA aerial attacks in Pakistan as President Bush did in his final three years in office. At any time, the CIA now has multiple drones flying over Pakistan, scouting for targets. Mayer writes, “there is no longer any doubt that targeted killing has become official US policy.” David Kilcullen, a former adviser to General Petreaus, says that the propaganda costs of drone attacks on civilians have been disastrously high. He recently wrote, “Every one of these dead non-combatants represents an alienated family, a new revenge feud, and more recruits for a militant movement that has grown exponentially even as drone strikes have increased.”

Regardless of whether you care about politics, or war, or even satire, Brodner's art alone is worth checking out. Fortunately, he is accessable (I find it very odd that I can have a daily dialogue with him) he has a steady blog, and is open to discussion. Click on the title of this entry to check the link.

The Graffiti Phase...

Found an old sketchbook from around 1993. I was really bad at tagging and working with lettering and words, so I stuck primarily to characters, especially when going out painting. But even with those I didn't have much originality. I looked up to (i.e. stole from) the talented dudes: Barry McGee (Twist), Andy Howell, Mode 2, DAIM, Dalek, and local talent like Maceo, and Marco from Olympia.

I love Fall

A BUSY DAY

Art-n-crafts day, but not before going to Olympia to an art auction fundraiser for Evergreen State College.

 

Cosmological Wonder Realm

Two $15 night lights. Money well spent.

DEATH STAR BRANDING

 

 

The Savi Wall Mural

3 months and some real anal retention. Or hence...

No primer, and the expensive paint I bought didn't work any better. Just a stubborn surface. Navy blue acrylic house paint, no masking 'cept for the long straight lines. A friend told me, "man up and just do it." And that was that. Best and only advice really.

Peace is easy to say.

I had an old boss in L.A. who turned me on to Bukowski. He had known him somewhat, had gone out to his house to eat dinner with him and his wife Linda. He was similarly cynical with extreme undertones of romance and whimsy. I can't remember his name, nor can I find the tapes he gave me of live recordings of Bukowski reading his work at home.

Sometime I need to write about the Mockingbird...



Charles Bukowski - The Genius Of The Crowd

there is enough treachery, hatred violence absurdity in the average
human being to supply any given army on any given day

and the best at murder are those who preach against it
and the best at hate are those who preach love
and the best at war finally are those who preach peace

those who preach god, need god
those who preach peace do not have peace
those who preach peace do not have love

beware the preachers
beware the knowers
beware those who are always reading books
beware those who either detest poverty
or are proud of it
beware those quick to praise
for they need praise in return
beware those who are quick to censor
they are afraid of what they do not know
beware those who seek constant crowds for
they are nothing alone
beware the average man the average woman
beware their love, their love is average
seeks average

but there is genius in their hatred
there is enough genius in their hatred to kill you
to kill anybody
not wanting solitude
not understanding solitude
they will attempt to destroy anything
that differs from their own
not being able to create art
they will not understand art
they will consider their failure as creators
only as a failure of the world
not being able to love fully
they will believe your love incomplete
and then they will hate you
and their hatred will be perfect

like a shining diamond
like a knife
like a mountain
like a tiger
like hemlock

their finest art

It was all about the fun of making a video.

Circa 1994...

Why did we make these videos if we weren't going to show anyone? I certainly never had the intention of sending them to a company for sponsorship, let alone show my friends. I guess looking back it makes sense. But no need to keep the vaults locked just for the sake of modesty. The whole point of the blog is to open up a bit and share more. So with humility and much, much reserve, I share this old skate footage. Next one will be the big pants clown costume footy...

I have also been trying to get a hold of various other friends' footage. This is not an easy task. Sharing is caring, right? I want that footage!

BIG LOADER

This was my favorite toy as a kid. It must've been designed by an MIT grad or NASA retiree gone to work for Tommy out of boredom. If it weren't for battery life spans, it would be a perpetual motion machine. If you loop the video, you see that it is an endless circle of basic work.

I like knives.

 

 
Kershaw Ken Onion. Marlin Spike with machete blade, Italian Stiletto (kit), double-edged thrower, oak-handled Hunter w/ gut hook, (I was drunk, and thought the shape was purdy) Grandfather Bob's mega-knife.

Line drawing, "two more to go."

I am of the age...33.

30 minutes one evening, and a painting.

This is one evening at 2nd Beach, La Push. I don't usually do landscapes, especially in paint, but the spectrum of color that night prompted the need for an attempt.

Chaos, Mixed materials/collage. 60″ x 54″

This is an old collage I ended up tearing up because it wouldn’t fit into my car when I moved from L.A. Maybe I should have given it away.