Artsy Fartsy Junque
First of all, I'm not into artistic symbolism. I hate artwork that requires a master's thesis to convey some ridiculous message.I also get really sick of people's artistic responses to politics, media and religion. If these premises are all they can come up with, then they should work harder and for longer  hours at a grueling,  low-paying, psyche breaking job so we can be spared of their "has-been" doo-doo!
I'm most partial to portraying automobiles. I generally shy away from the automotive icons i.e. Corvettes, Porsches, etc., etc. I prefer the more obscure working class cars, particularly from '70s, when form best met function...in my great opinion! The ones I fondly remember from my childhood and still covet today. To add insult to injury, few are recognized in the special interest car world. A shame!
Okay, I've offended you,  and now you think I'm an opinionated ass hole with lousy taste in automobiles. Right? Probably. Enjoy!
What the hell kind of car is this? It's my interpretation of a '77 Trans Am! Just kidding! This is a project I did in a 3-D design art class a while back. The title of this piece is Toast & Jam Box. The project involved the fusion of two junk or "junquey" machines. I was at a real loss for ideas until like the day before when I was struck with the ridiculously absurd idea. I had an eight-track car stereo for some time and had no intention of installing it in my then current car. However, the possession of this item made me feel rich in pop culture and I truly felt I would have a use for it one day, but not necessarily in a toaster! The toaster part was easy; thrift store $2.02. I would have preferred an older bulbous one from the fifties but the chrome seventies vintage Proctor-Silex proved quite acceptable and probably more appropriate in the finale. The piece of enameled toast on the mast conceals a feeble little speaker from Radio Shack. The only other thing I would need was a 110 to 12v. inverter. No problem there, I borrowed one but later got my own. The critique of this project was quite satisfactory. My instructor  was very amused and found great humor in it. He also thought it was good enough to earn an A. Last year I entered it in a competition of recycled artwork sponsored by some local agencies where it won a first place in the adult category. Greatly amused by the toaster and its tunes, the mayor of Louisville, Dave Armsrong presented my award of $300. These are the rare times we all live for! By the way, the featured 8-track is Herb Alpert & T.J.B. Greatest hits Vol.II.
Click onthe toaster to get a quick sample of lo-fidelity listening. I believe the song is Last Tango In Paris by Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass. I must confess to being sucker for their music!
My first oil painting  depicts a '79 Civic CVCC very similar to one I owned at the time. I did this in a painting class, it was the first time I was really let loose to do what I wanted. One of the few times I felt some satisfaction as well as like an like an adult in school.
One of my nicer pieces of work. This one depicts a very well used VW 411, Volkswagen's unsuccessful attempt at moving upscale in the early seventies. The car was actually my sister's in the mid-eighties, my cousin drove it down from it's native Detroit and gave it to her, hence the extensive rust.This work was done from a photograph and was the first time I experimented with zooming in on a subject. I liked the result and have practiced it in subsequent works. Oh, I almost forgot. This one was awarded an honorable mention in one competition and  a first place in another. I was momentarily $100 richer!
I don't care too much for backgrounds! This zoomed in corner of a '69 Subaru 360, a tiny car of which I owned two of, was just floating around until I looked at a map. I was inspired and figured it'd make a neat looking back drop, I think I was right. I didn't care for this one too much at first but it grew on me. Sort of  a more colorful version of the Malibu flying around in the movie Repoman!
Another oil, this time from the roof looking down on my then current armada. Sometime in the spring of 2000. The Scout, the Honda, and the Saab have all moved on to new and less caring owners. I hated that Saab, the Honda was the best car I've ever owned and the Scout was simply an institution in and of itself, a truly great vehicle!!! The jury is still out on this one, sometimes I like it, other times I could leave it!
UPDATE: The Honda has returned....with more rust and miles than ever!
I screwed around with some compositions several months ago and forgot about them until a few weeks ago. I'm glad I recalled this one though. The portrayed vehicles are '79 Accords, again zoomed in to my liking. This may be my favorite piece.
My most recent completion other than the bull shit still-lifes and figurative crap they make me vomit up at Uof L. None of that shit'll ever be on here...trust me. This image is pretty lousy eh! Crayons or oil paints? But the subject was a '71 Lincoln Continental loosely based on one I owned.ecently completed
He watches you wherever you go! No, actually he just freaks out the unsuspecting. He's made of plaster casts of various parts of my very own body, including the middle finger. These parts are hung on a cobbled frame mounted on a rotating electric base. In addition I have "rigged" him so when he turns to the viewer his eyes flash on. The craftsmanship is nothing worse than is often seen on Gilligan's Island. This brings us to his wardrobe......let's put it this way, if it's not polyester he doesn't even try it on!
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