A Pilgrim's Porridge

Richard Youngs is a beautiful man.

2010-11-24T15:29:00.000-08:00

Found

2009-11-06T07:38:00.000-08:00

Got this e-mail today from one of the librarians at Lee's Summit West. Thought it was worth sharing.

Found

There is a blue Walmart bag in the LMC that has an assortment of items in it, but we cannot identify the owner. It arrived in our area sometime after we left last night, and before we arrived this morning. See below for contents:

8 X 10 of Michael Jackson
plastic loaf of bread
scarf
Thriller cd
plastic orange
etc.

Amazing Show at Kemper Crossroads Gallery

2009-10-26T19:33:00.000-07:00

This artist is a kindred spirit...

"Keltie Ferris is a postdigital painter, employing formalist strategies and materials—oil, acrylic, sprayed paint, and oil pastel—to create enigmatic and visually seductive abstractions. Her quick, gestural marks, hard-edged forms, and diaphanous passages of sprayed oil paint demonstrate rigorous investigations of spatial illusion, color, and surface texture. Motley textures, marks, and palettes hover and collide into one another, creating complex compositions of competing strata of visual information. While recalling the works of Joan Mitchell, Sigmar Polke, Ross Bleckner, or Albert Oehlen, Ferris’s methodically structured paintings uniquely evoke the digital networks and urban topographies of the twenty-first century. And, with titles such as Jobriath (the first openly gay pop star) and Lady Stardust (David Bowie’s 1972 hit), our minds are punctuated with a broad range of associations from identity politics to pop-culture icons."

Bulls Renew Rose's Contract

2009-10-26T19:23:00.000-07:00

Follow My Curriculum

2009-10-01T09:26:00.001-07:00

If any of you are interested in what I do on a daily basis I have recently started a new blog. The art department at Lee's Summit West thought it a good idea to track our weekly work for students who miss school so they can catch up by starting a blog. The blog is also useful if you are interested in learning more about art or art events in Kansas City.

So if you are interested or bored...LSTITANART.BLOGSPOT.COM

Saying Goodbye to Reading Rainbow

2009-09-14T18:51:00.000-07:00

I remember in First Grade Miss Mize leading us down the hallway of Prairie View Elementary School and escorting us to seats in another teachers classroom. I sat in the back corner of the room, farthest from the door but nearest the curtain divide between this room and its neighbor. The teacher removed a giant shiny disk, the size of a record, from a sleeve placing into what I now know to be a laser disc player. The lights went low and the television began to glow. Suddenly the catchiest theme song I'd ever heard came on and before the first verse could end sixty first graders were singing along.

After watching LeVar Burton that day my elementary career would never be the same. Reading Rainbow was both exciting programming and an education tool that encouraged reading habits in me that I still carry today.

After 26 years this PBS classic is coming to an end. With new theories in how students learn to read and plateaued ratings the plug is being pulled. With two dozen Emmy's Reading Rainbow will go down with the greatest of children's television......

Bay of Pigs

2009-09-10T17:56:00.000-07:00

Just copped this new EP from Destroyer. It is quite a departure for Daniel Bejar who is known for his Bowie-esque/Dylan-esque/Shoegazer disjointed surrealist art rock albums. This is much more minimal than what I've heard from him as well as dancier. Here is what Merge Records says....

""Bay of Pigs" is the longest of Destroyer songs, and Destroyer's first foray into ambient disco. The song was recorded throughout the winter of 2009 with Destroyer collaborators/members John Collins and David Carswell at JCDC Studio in Vancouver. "Bay of Pigs" is an account of the 1961 American invasion of Cuba. The music for "Ravers" was played entirely on analogue synthesizer, and recorded in April 2009. It explores some of the more meditative realms of 20th Century classical composition. The song is a casual rumination on parties, political parties, madness and suffering (for one's art)."

A Familiar Aesthetic?

2009-09-07T15:34:00.000-07:00

Am I crazy or are the designs on these two album covers oddly similar? I saw this Third Day album the other day at the store (I have been trying desperately to find some popular praise music that I actually enjoy) and instantly thought of this Radiohead art.
It would be bizarre if Third Day was taking visual queues from Radiohead but then again it wouldn't be a surprise. I remeber in jr. high, at the church I grew up in, getting lists of Christian artists that sounded similar to particular Secular artists. They would list them side by side which I felt was A) degrading to the Christian artist B) confusing that a Christian artist wouldn't just make something unique and fresh.

I never understood why the Devil had all the good music. That is why I love these guys.

Dialogue Songs

2009-08-28T14:14:00.000-07:00

I heard Leader of the Pack today and it made me think about other songs that I enjoy.

Also, I couldn't find a youtube video for it but the song Pottymouth by Danielson is another song I was reminded of....here's a snippet.

I don't know what the official name for songs that contain this doo-wop soap opera dialogs but I love them. Can you think of any others?

With Great Power Comes Great Something or Other.

2009-07-28T06:26:00.000-07:00

Saw this on the news last week and just read an article about it. I guess Bill Gates has patented a method for dismantling hurricanes - http://tinyurl.com/l5rj2v . I don't know much about the science of this anti-weather concept (I'm sure some of my friends who read this blog have a great idea and a greater interest) but I am confident there is still plenty of work to be done before this is realized. Aside from being amazed at the notion I thought to myself, wait, maybe it is about time for something like that. I mean, sci-fi literature has been addressing this issue for almost two centuries.

I guess its just another sign that man isn't happy with anything they can't control. The jokes on them though. They will undo the first hurricane and the next day God will still be God.

Either way, it made me think of this song that I just recently heard.

Spray Paint

2009-07-13T17:43:00.000-07:00

I have never loved graffiti but I do have a love for spray paint.

Since I was a child and spray painted my bike neon green I have found the medium to be very seductive. The consistency of the paint, the off-spray, the finish (matte to gloss) and at times even drips. Whether handled with precision or haphazardly, I appreciate how gestural it is, usually demanding more than the hand but also the arm, the shoulder and the whole body.

My brother was a graffiti artist (someday, in tribute, I will post some of his work). I was always concerned about him finding solace in illegal activity but always respected the craft and creativity that it took. Nostalgically I love spray paint.

I have recently been using spray paint in my own work. Perhaps this is a reference to my brother and his craft? Maybe it is a way for me to continue to investigate how he still effects my life? Whatever the reason, I am using spray paint and having fun.

these are a couple of the paintings that I am currently working on.

Radio Free Raytown

2009-07-08T05:57:00.000-07:00

I would like to introduce everyone to a dear friend of mine Jonathan Smith. I am not really sure if I ever formally met Jonathan, it was more like an appropriation into my friend circle. For years I've seen Jonathan and his wife Katie at all of my favorite shows; Dinosaur Jr., The Billions, Ester Drang many Namelessnumberheadman shows just to name a few, never having the guff to introduce myself it required a bit of "Raytown luck" for us to meet.

Jonathan is what I would call a music fanatic and more interestingly a self proclaimed Christian rock historian. Really, this guy is a well spring of the most meaningful and most random of music facts. He has recently been a source of many new music discoveries for me which makes me even more excited about his new musical venture Radio Free Raytown (http://radiofreeraytown.wordpress.com/about/).

Jonathan will be using this blog as a hub for new & old music and as a launch pad for discussion. He has also promised that he will be putting up new podcasts of his favorite tunes quite frequently.

Maybe at some point I will do a little interview with him for my page? Until then you will be able to find his page linked here at Pilgrim's Porridge. Have fun listening.

Djembe

2009-06-29T09:44:00.000-07:00

Last Tuesday Braeden asked Mike what his drum was called. Mike replied, "djembe." For some reason my mind went here...

New Job? What?

2009-06-27T07:32:00.000-07:00

So, when I left my job as an Art Director a month ago my intentions were fairly clear. I wanted to go back to school get my certificate to teach in Missouri and then eventually get a job. My hope was that I would find work when this recession thing had cooled down and the school districts began removing the hiring freezes. Wasn't it Alan Shelby that used to say "Always make a plan with the willingness to let God change it" (that might not be the direct quote but something like that).

Well, that attitude and that type of prayer has dominated my life a lot this last year. I mean, heck, twelve months ago I would have told you I was looking for a job at an ad agency. God has changed my heart and my circumstances.

Anyway, I visited Lee's Summit West High School yesterday to meet some of the staff and to get the keys to my new classroom. I will be teaching four Foundations in Drawing Classes this Semester and four Foundations in Design classes in the Spring.

I was talking to my new boss, the head of the art department, about possible extracurricular activities that I might be interested in getting involved with. He is aware that I teach a student Sunday School class at my church and began discussing how I might be able to share the gospel in the schools. I couldn't believe it, my boss is not only a nice guy but he is a believer with a fully developed philosophy of gospel sharing in the public schools. God has given me so much grace.

Patience is hard, trust is hard, having plans changed is also hard but God has greater plans than I do. When I look back on the humorous reality of the last few months my only response can be "thank you." I am so excited to see how God is going to take someone with very little, to-no teaching experience and make a school year profitable for 120 art students.

Pray for me as this year as my new challenge will be how to balance a new job, school and the ministry that I love so much.

(image of Lee's Summit West courtyard...beautiful school)

Thinking About Water Guns

2009-05-29T07:56:00.001-07:00

Maybe it is the fact that today is my last day at work and it really feels like the last day of elementary school but I have been thinking a lot about water guns. My childhood summers were spent doing a handful of activities; basketball, street football (yes, as dangerous as it sounds), knee soccer (invented by the neighbor kids), and water guns.

For the majority of my youth Super Soakers reigned supreme. We couldn't afford the nice fancy ones but we had a few of the smaller more portable Super Soakers and for my brother and I these were more than sufficient for "creek wars."

The one gun I always wanted growing up was the Zap-it. The commercials seemed so cool and for a six to eight year old the concept was brilliant. See here:

I never got a Zap-it and actually have looked for them online with no luck (plus the refills are obviously no longer produced, so my fun would be short lived if I even got a hold of one). I guess like Hyper Color shirts some things have a shelf life.

Here is a fantastic article on the pop-history of squirt guns. Worth reading: http://tinyurl.com/n9memq

View From A Window

2009-05-22T08:55:00.000-07:00

just in case I ever forget.
I don't think I will.

Bachelorette

2009-05-19T08:32:00.000-07:00

Eva's ex-boyfriend was on Bachelorette last night. I always felt sorry for this guy because he was a bit of an arrogant tool (not just because he dated Eva but that didn't help). Needless to say he wasn't often featured in episode one of the ABC show, actually I don't think he spoke once. He was cut in the first round. I hate this show but couldn't help but watch this train-wreck. Still feeling sorry for him.

Huge Inspiration for Me Right Now.

2009-05-15T13:20:00.000-07:00

I have only just discovered Tim Rollins and the K.O.S Project but it has become a real center of interest for me. I plan on studying and consuming anything I can about this guy and the work that he is doing. Not only is he a Christian but he is an artist who "gets" art education and how to reach students. He says briefly here, " art shouldn't be at the side of education it should be at the center...because it's about contribution...in order to make great art you have to have a great education."

I've heard him make points about how the majority of students learn by being active and that art gives relevance to knowledge. This makes so sense to me because artwork and the process of creation is about participating in a greater body of knowledge. Its about taking abstract ideas and making them tangible and personal.

This type of dialog makes me so excited about my new career path. More on Tim Rollins to come...

Use Me

2009-05-15T13:09:00.000-07:00

I thought I would write something clever about my career at The Roasterie and the relevance of this song but it just isn't necessary...

...in actuality, I was just looking for an excuse to post a really great song.

New Hat pt.2

2009-05-08T12:51:00.000-07:00

I put my resignation in this week.
I am now officially pursuing teaching.
Pray for me

New Hat

2009-04-30T20:27:00.001-07:00

I have desired a cool Western Hat for a long time. Not sure which one will fit me best, what do you think?

new things i've seen

2009-04-30T19:58:00.000-07:00

Rita Ackerman

EJ Hauser

EJ Hauser

Jennifer Reeves

Spring Rain - Mix CD

2009-04-24T14:32:00.000-07:00

A friend of mine and I are working on a music project where every two-three weeks we alternate suggesting mix cd topics. This is the first proposal suggested by him, Spring Rain. This project can be as literal as we want it or as abstract as we want it - I've decided on a little of both.

We have to trade cd's tomorrow morning so I have to do finishing touches tonight. Below is what I have so far, no particular order:

Soon to Be Innocent - Arthur Russell on World of Echo
Guess I'm Doing Fine - Beck on Sea Change
Sunken Waltz - Calexico on Feast of Wire
Twilight & Ghost Stories - Chris Schlarb on Mews Mix(don't remember which one)
Remain - Jose Gonzalez on Veneer
Forget About - Sybille Baier on Colour Green
From the River to the Ocean - Smog on Woke on a Whales Heart
At My Window - Townes Van Zandt on Be There To Love Me
I Can't Seem to Make You Mine - The Clientele on Strange Geometry
Spring Rain - The Go-Betweens on Liberty Belle & the Black Diamond Express

His Yolk is Easy, His Burden Light

2009-04-22T12:42:00.001-07:00

Oodles of hops

2009-04-20T13:58:00.000-07:00

I recently tried the new Sierra Nevada Torpedo and I was anxious for the extreme flavor that had been promised. Upon first sip it was almost shocking and I was worried it might be bitter. With the second sip the extreme brightness disappeared and it began to mellow out a little bit in mid palate, perhaps a slight malt flavor undertone. Definitely not a super complex beer but for someone who already appreciates the hoppyness of Sierra Nevada's Pale Ale the Torpedo definitely takes it to the next level.

Adventure Time!

2009-04-20T06:09:00.001-07:00

saw this.

2009-04-16T13:13:00.000-07:00

This is Carl Baratta's work. I am not really attracted to the illustrative figures that he creates but the way he layers color is really interesting to me. his palate is similar to my own right now so seeing the these textures is really absorbing for me.

Transcending the Hall of Fame

2009-04-14T14:14:00.001-07:00

If there was any one person/thing I was ever in danger of worshiping (there may be several), Michael Jordan was certainly close to idol status. In elementary school and jr. high I had the shoes, the clothes, the posters and anything else there was to be had, I strove to have it. I watched every playoff game and finals series in the nineties and I actually still own over 400 Michael Jordan basketball cards. I could go on and describe how I learned to play with my tongue out but then it just gets down right embarrassing.

Anyway, I say all that to say I was a freak. When I watch videos like the one here I can slightly see how, in my naivety, I was drawn in. He is almost super-human at times. You might not like basketball but take a minute to watch this and you will see what I mean, he was just plain ridiculous.

Michael Jordan gets inducted into the Hall of Fame this month. There are interesting philosophical discussions concerning the idea that if a person transcends an activity (science, literature, art, sports etc.), the way Jordan did, how big is the "biggest" honor? Maybe not that big? How big of a deal is it to give the standard honor to someone who conformed an entire sport to himself. He was like the Albert Einstein of basketball. Anyway, it's an absorbing thought to contemplate, someone whose influence was more than influential, it was transforming.

Get Ready! We're Going Into Hyperpost.

2009-04-07T13:41:00.000-07:00

Beard-font

2009-04-07T10:42:00.001-07:00

Dan Deacon - Love his new album.

2009-04-06T13:47:00.000-07:00

Update: A possible win!?!

2009-03-30T10:28:00.000-07:00

So, believe it or not, I still have a chance to win this thing. I can't believe that I was the only person to call UCONN the champ! If they win, I win...not just win but win $130. Pretty sweet deal.

Boundaries in Visual Consumption

2009-03-26T05:41:00.000-07:00

I thought this was a great question and an even better answer.

Update: it's not looking good

2009-03-24T06:44:00.000-07:00

Last year I almost squeaked out a win. This year doesn't look so hot as one of my gambles didn't pay off. I had Wake Forest going to the Elite Eight but they failed me in the first round and essentially ruined my chances in the Midwest. Oh well, I'd rather have gambled and been wrong than to have filled out a conservative bracket (that's never any fun). College basketball is great b/c anything can happen but this year anything hasn't happened often.

Who knows, maybe I still have a chance. I am the only one in my office who said UCONN would win it. Also everyone has I hopes for Memphis and Louisville both of which I think will lose this round.

In case anyone cares

2009-03-19T09:55:00.000-07:00

Recent Work on 8.5"x11" paper

2009-03-16T10:43:00.000-07:00

I Love Posting Dialogs

2009-03-12T18:23:00.000-07:00

I love posting dialogs to my blog for several reasons. One, it relfects a dyamic that I think should exist with in a blog community anyway. Bouncing ideas and thoughts back and forth. Another reason would be because it is easy. Enjoy this next one.

I recently had a Facebook conversation with someone I don't know, about the video posted below. I don't know where I have met this person but she is my Facebook "friend" and we seem to have many of the same friends. Anyway I am posting this because it was interesting and it pointed to a real issue that I believe exists in Christianity today. I want your opinion though so please read and respond.

Once again, names remain anonymous.

Me:
This is the same vague uneducated jargon that I have heard since my first week of college. The difference is this guy doesn't even bother with the "coexist blabber" but simply goes right into the heart of the self-indulgence and personal righteousness. ugh.

Facebook Person:
You miss the point of the video series --- I have believed for a long time that most religion has less to do with God, and more to do with self-interest.
Pity that it takes an atheist to point these things out in any sort of coherent manner. Religion has hijacked many things that never belonged to them.
Listen to the video with God in mind, then make your relationship with God between you and Him only. Your beliefs, whatever they may be, will not weaken because of it; they will become stronger.

Me:
I understand your sentiment and agree that "religion" can be a tool of Satan's to take men's eyes away from God...

But I disagree with your point concerning it taking an atheist to do it. The scripture are full of this principle: Galatians 1:13-14, James 1:26-27 and practically anytime Christ addresses the Pharisees. I also believe that the majority of the active church (church at large) is aware of this truth as well and the evil of the tradition and ceremony of men.

This man's intentions are certainly different than your suggestion, that he is simply pointing out the the hypocrisy of the religious. This man's presentation is a "poetic," manipulative way of declaring that "man doesn't need God to have a since of wonder about life, he simply needs himself."

I don't doubt your intention but I do doubt the effectiveness of this video as a "religion vs. relationship" lesson. Though the danger of religion is pointed out the theme of this video is much more destructive and allusive.

Facebook Person:
You are certainly correct in that the Bible is FULL of warnings to both Jews and Christians about deceit in the name of God .... but it seems that many don't listen, instead choosing to follow men rather than the God they claim to worship. How very sad indeed.
Yes I am taken aback by the fact that an atheist is able to say so eloquently what people of God should have known and paid attention to all along.
Religion has a special place in life. It does NOT, however, have dibs on the human experience. That is ours alone. If we believe in God, we include Him in our lives, that is His gift to us,

Religion was meant to be mans way of sharing God with one another - not to possess our emotions and experiences. Atheists aren't the problem. Some of the most "moral and ethical" people I know are atheists who are constantly amazed at the fact that I, a Christian, have them as well. It seems they don't meet many that do. Now THAT really reflects badly on religion, doesn't it?

Me:
Again, I appreciate your sentiment but I think we disagree on a couple of points.

"Religion has a special place in life. It does NOT, however, have dibs on the human experience. That is ours alone. If we believe in God, we include Him in our lives, that is His gift to us,"

This is a very loaded statement that I think is well intended but is inaccurate in the Christian perspective. Christianity teaches that we are priveledged by the ability to take part in God's plan not the other way around. His gift to us is an eternal inheritance not the liberty to "do and think as we please." I think a more accurate statem ent would be that if we believe in God, he is merciful to include us in his life, that is His gift to us.

Emotions are important and must be imbraced, this I think we are in agreement. Emotions, personalities and talents, the gifts of God, are all necessary blessings that we must explore. But, emotion should never take precedence over absolute truth. Our feelings should never take precedence over our obedience to the absolute truth of God's Word. Again, this has nothing to do with "religion" but it has everything to do with submission.

Lastly the ethics and morals of an atheist have no weight. A man could be righteous and holy but still lose his soul. Matthew 9:16-30 tells that story. Jesus is who we should be following, not religion and certainly not the compass of our own feelings which will certainly fail us (James 1:6).

I am simply worn out on Christians spending more time pointing the finger at one another than they do pulling the beam from their own eye. We should be busy living and teaching the precepts of scripture rather than condemning. Its and exhausting and endless circle of self-righteousness.

Facebook Person:
God IS gracious in that he is willing to share his Grace with us - but also He gives us the free will to do so or not. So it is WE who make the choice, not God. This is where most Christians fall short of the entire message.

Where religion is forced -- they try to take God's place in judgment and in punishment; and violate HIS greatest gift - free will.

Religions where they claim to know everything about God - they steal any chance of wonder and of learning (except what they teach)

Religions that take away from its followers the very things God gave us to enjoy -- art, music, books, etc, or disallow science and discovery, and claim sin anything that does not include God, when that is not what He intended at all. It's thievery, plain and simple.

Religions who proclaim women and children to be slaves and property of men. God intended men and women to be on equally accountable before Him. He intended children to be raised, not owned.
Religions that condone murder in His name, etc.

Me:
I agree with you on essentially all points. I would contest the "greatest gift" statement but I understand what you mean, free will is a great gift.

My final question to you would be this, do you really believe these truths were what was communicated in this video? Or was it more about the condemnation of religion as a whole, an opportunity to lift up man above his Creator.

I believe it was the latter.

Thanks for the great conversation.

The End.

Actually the conversation went on a little bit but it wasn't very interesting (I was bored and she got on a soap box of irrationality). Shhh, don't tell her I said that.

African Music in America

2009-02-25T07:07:00.000-08:00

So, I am an extremely lucky person in that I married into a family that has a pop music historian in it. Eva's cousin-in-law Jon is the resident writer for iTunes Music. His job is to write all of the album reviews/descriptions, with the exclusion of classical music, for iTunes. He has had opportunities to interview everyone from Sufjan Stevens to Destroyer to Yoko Ono. He really knows his stuff.

Anyway, needless to say, whenever I have a music question I go to him. Yesterday I sent him an e-mail concerning a question I had about African music in the 80's. Below is my question and below that his response.

Hey Jon,
I have kind of a weird question for you. I have, over the years, often wondered about some of the African pop sounds that I have heard a lot in eighties music. It seems as though there was quite an interest in fusing (maybe collaging is a better term) those sounds with American pop during that time period but I've often wondered why (considering the oldest I ever was in the eighties was seven).

I guess some examples are Peter Gabriel's In Your Eyes or Paul Simon's Graceland that was obviously heavily influenced by South African music. Or even the Byrne/Eno Bush of Ghost's came out in the early eighties. There also use be this South African choir that I remember being on Sesame Street all the time. Plus the African Aid concerts etc. etc.

I understand that African music influences have always existed in American music but there seemed to be in influx that was a result of something social. I guess I am looking for someone to tie all this together for me.

Do you know if there are any articles written on this?

Thanks man. Hope you guys are well.
-B.

Oh, P.S. Tell Jackson that the guy that he doesn't remember from the Middle West says Happy B-Day.

JON'S RESPONSE:

Can't you ask a simple question like 'how are you?' Sheesh. I am sure there are many answers to this question but my thoughts are this. Africa in the late '60s and '70s, like much of the world at the time had a massive explosion of popular music. Parts of the continent had been exposed to US soul and funk music and an incredible amount of music was being produced - but most of it on a regional level. There were hundreds of great records coming out of Lagos and Dakar but distribution was always a problem and records were made for the locals and quickly tossed out. By the end of the '70s, the idea of an international superstar was suddenly a possibility thanks to people like Fela Kuti and Bob Marley which led to labels with more widespread distribution to come crawling to Africa to look for someone to fit the bill. Suddenly, it was possible to get records by Yossou N'Dour and King Sunny Ade over here, which helped get a lot of these records into the hands of people like Brian Eno and the Talking Heads. I know Peter Gabriel ended up moving to South Africa for a while and Paul Simon visited - that's where the inspiration for their records came in. So in addition to an increased "World Music" section in your local record store, as labels saw that non-Western music could actually sell, the ever self-involved rock stars of the day also were made more aware of some of the incredible poverty of some of the areas. Hence your USA for Africas and guilt-inducing commercials on television. There is definitely some good that came out of it as far as awareness of other cultures go, but it also led to a homogenizing of what is an incredible wellspring of raw musicality. And of course all of this leads to Vampire Weekend. I hope this helps, I'm way into the sounds of Africa in the '60s and '70s - there was just an amazing amount of music that came out of there - everybody getting into disco, jazz, funk, rock and then played by people who grew up only playing high-life or kwela or whatever. And making this music for the sole purpose of dancing - getting down - and causing a ruckus. Who doesn't want that?

I'll tell Jackson you said hi. The furry Wolf thing that appeared in your wedding still comes up in conversation.

The Andy Griffith Show

2009-02-03T09:40:00.000-08:00

I love the Andy Griffith Show. I have been watching reruns of AG for years now. When I was young my mother, my siblings and I would gather around the VCR and laugh for hours at the simple yet clever jokes of Andy, the slapstick of Barney and the child-like qualities of Floyd the Barber. My Mom still quotes the show with great frequency and it isn't annoying like quirky Mom stuff can be sometimes. The whole family has embraced its love for this classic sitcom. We have an autographed picture of Don Knotts on our mantle at home for God's sake.

I will even go as far as saying that I was raised on the Andy Griffith Show. By raised I mean that I appropriated the humor, the principles, and even a bit of the culture into who I am. I felt like I should share with you how this show could effect someone's life in this way by posting some clips below.

I know that I have been posting a lot of videos lately but I can't apologize. What better way to express or supplement a thought that to add a visual, plus its just stinkin' hilarious.

Principle: Andy on the Constitution

Global Warming

Pure Humor

...and of course Music

Sometimes I wonder...

2009-01-22T17:23:00.000-08:00

When I daydream, like everyone does, I surprise myself with where my mind goes. I sometimes wonder what it would be like to work a field, find my meals and live by common law. Sleep hard and wake early to tend to the land the way Adam did. To ride the loping hills and whistle to myself and God a song like this one.

Man, I need to stop reading Walden, Thoureau and Van Tilburg Clark.

Marvel Comic's Movies

2009-01-19T15:42:00.000-08:00

So, I am really disappointed. Eva and I watched Ghost Rider over the weekend and it was an awful, awful movie. I can't understand why the Marvel Comic's Movies are so hit-n-miss. Some of the Marvel movies are great: X-Men, Spiderman, Iron Man, others are awful: Fantastic Four, Incredible Hulk (the first one - I have yet to watch the second).

When I heard Ghost Rider was coming out I was very excited yet somewhat cynical, especially when I heard Nicholas Cage was playing Johnny Blaze (man, that guy is weird). As usual with these movies, the plot was very dense. The problem with this is that they leave no room for artistic freedoms and rob the nuances of the story. I felt like the last Batman shared this same flaw, two much plot for one movie. The movie was also very poorly cast especially Eva Mendes as Roxeanne, the love interest (why was her face oily the whole movie?).

If I had the energy I would point out all the inaccuracies of the movie as well, but I will spare you (see the link). Let's put it this way, they dumbed it down quite a bit.

To be honest the story of Ghost Rider is one my very conservative Mother would not have approved of. When I was young my Mom use to take the ghosts out of our Ghostbuster action figure sets because they were "demonic." Just the same, I managed to collect the Marvel Cards, Marvel Action Figures and read all the Ghost Rider literature available to me. Looking back, she was probably right though, some of those Marvel stories encouraged a bizarre view of God and a idolization of the anti-Hero. In the end,

I really enjoy Marvel Comics and am glad that they are making these movies. I wish that Stan Lee and the Gang would recognize the need to do these plots justice. They should take their queues from those graphic novels turned movies that have been successful and well received.

My Cultural Fabric

2009-01-15T17:34:00.000-08:00

Very few things make my heart swell my mind dream like creative sound.

Transmitting Status Report!!!Beware of Second Coming!!!

2009-01-13T11:01:00.000-08:00

Sorry, I couldn't help it with the title.

It has been a week or two since I last blogged. I am not sure why this is except for the fact that I have been spending the majority of my creative time painting. I thought that I should capture the status of my life as it looks right now. Everyone loves the laundry list format

• I start school this week, tomorrow actually. For those of you who don’t know I will be working this spring and taking a night class to prepare me for a Masters in Secondary Art Teaching. I am very excited about this but also nervous, it has been a three year hiatus from college + school ain’t cheap.

• Like I said, I have been painting a lot. Dan gave me a key to his studio space and I have been going over there to explore. I say explore because until last year it had been 4 or 5 years since I last painted. I feel like it is new again and I am rediscovering lost artistic talent. These talents were buried deep within the comfort of the computer medium and external commercial dictation, for which I have been a slave to the last few years of my life. I’m shaking off those cobwebs.

• The guy I work with got fired yesterday. That sucks. I have had amazing contentment though. I know God will provide for me as long as I am seeking him. Just the fact that I have clarity about going back to school is enough to make me worship. I have been given so much.

• Ministry has been great lately. I am so grateful for the students in our current group. These students are dedicated and they are listening. I have seen great strides taken in many of their lives over the last couple of years, the counselors as well. The counselors are starting to use time during the Mon.- Fri. routine to spend time with the students, this is an answer to prayer (this has been a real point of frustration).

I am praying about two major things for our student in ’09. If you can join me I would greatly appreciate it.
1) A heart for study – that the students would get excited about the Word this year and learn how to study it for themselves.
2) A heart for evangelism – that the students would be passionate enough to tell their friends and family about Christ.

• This is Eva’s last semester of school. She has worked so hard and will finally be working this summer. We originally thought that this would be the last piece of the puzzle before we started to grow our family but alas, it’s not. Eva working will afford me the ability to focus on school and hopefully start a new career.

• Many of you know our church is doing the Biggest Loser. To many people’s frustration and possibly offense I joined a team. Last week was the first of weigh-in’s – I lost 4.5 lbs. All the fat people were mad. Just kidding.

• I am listening to a lot of music right now. 50’s Minimalist composers like Steve Reich and Philip Glass have been very interesting to me right now as it is very much related to the artists I am relating my personal work to. I have also been listening to a lot of late 70’s experimental and pop dance music. Artists like Arthur Russell and Giorgio Moroder have been particularly enjoyable. Lastly I have been dreaming of summer as I have been giddily listening to lots of Piedmont and Piedmont influenced blues musicians; Pink Anderson, Leon Redbone and early Taj Mahal in particular.

Anyway, that is the jist of it.

MidWest Capacity

2008-12-26T08:06:00.000-08:00

Below is a link to a blog interview with my dear friend Daniel Reneau concerning his art.
MWCapacity.com is a great midwest blog about contemporary art. Give it a read.

Hell

2008-12-23T12:44:00.000-08:00

I have a family member recently tell me that he didn't believe in a literal hell. This wouldn't be surprising to me if he wasn't a Christian and an ex-Baptist preacher. I love this person deeply and hope to have more conversations with him to discuss the implications of his unorthodox stance but until then I remain a little baffled.

He and I have been exchanging e-mails back and forth discussing this topic. Below I have posted my e-mail responses to A) the conversation that sparked this topic concerning a Rev. Carlton Pearson, heretic of many sorts. B) is a response to his reply e-mail announcing that he considered himself a hopeful ultimate reconciliationist, a term I hadn't heard before but instantly understood. He believes that there is a hell but that man will repent when faced with the consequences of their life-lived and in turn be granted salvation.

Out of respect for this loved one I am not posting his responses but will post my mine below as E-mail A) & E-mail B). I will also refer to this person as Dan (mainly b/c I'm sure Dan Reneau doesn't mind if we pretend that he is a heretic).

By posting these e-mails I hope to get your feedback. What have been your experiences with those Christians who don't believe in hell as a final destination, a place of ultimate justice? How have you responded and with what scripture? It would be helpful for me if you share your wisdom. Thanks.

E-mail A)

Hey Dan,
The story of Carlton Pearson is a sad one. Below is some information
on him and then my brief personal opinion.

Biography:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carlton_Pearson

Dateline Story Pt. 1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lv_rmQuagpY

Dateline Story Pt. 2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=baGwwma5VZo&feature=related

Bishop Carlton Pearson was and is a heretic. He went from extreme
manipulative spiritualism to a heretical view of the bible.

To believe this man's vision or "new doctrine" would require me to
believe that my God lied to his church for thousands of years only to
reveal a new truth in Mr. Pearson. I could never believe such a
contradiction exists in the bible. Actually, just listening to him
speak on the video you can hear him taking scripture out of context.

It is impossible to believe that the bible is Truth if you don't
believe that hell is a real place. It is a fact of scripture, defined
with more accuracy than heaven itself.

Just my simple Orthodox opinion.

Thanks for sharing,
Brandon

E-Mail B)

Dan,
Thank you for your reply. I appreciate your honesty and would very
much like to sit down and discuss this with you face to face.

I do have a few question/concerns though, and since I am thinking
about it I hope you don't mind me mentioning them here. I want to
start by saying that nothing that I mention below is intended to be an
opportunity to do "bible battle" but is said as an opportunity to
discuss a scriptural truth that appears to be an integral part of our
faith. Everything I say, I say in love.

This is not intended to be a full argument for the orthodox position
"for hell," but intended to be door through which we can enter a
further discussion of this truth (I will say what I mention is what I
believe to be a strong argument). I also want to say I have no
interest in talking about this subject outside the authority of
scripture so I hope to put personal philosophy aside and present my
concerns strictly as I see them presented to me in scripture.

My first question is about how you defined your position. You made a
point to define Universalism, I believe, because you were concerned I
might confuse your position and the Universalist's. You defined
Universalism briefly as "all roads lead to God" yet your position is
that "all will respond to Christ." My question is, in the end if mans
denial of Christ will always lead him to a place where he will be
reconciled, what difference does it make what you believe? Or more
specifically what difference does life on earth make if every man
will be saved? Though the bible teaches that God's will is that all
men be saved ("will" being defined as desire by the Greek translation,
1 Tim 2:3-4) the scripture also clearly teaches that the separation is
literal & spiritual - not simply spiritual or "hell on earth."

I understand the human desire to justify a position that says that
there is no eternal damnation. It certainly isn't a convenient thought
that man will suffer eternally for his disbelief or his misplaced
worship. Hell has also been trivialized by society in the way we speak
and act (ex. "war is hell" or "I went through hell"). Our culture has
slowly backed away and even redefined the orthodox definition of hell.
We certainly see that the church is easily swayed by social commentary
and, in turn, a large number of churches are aligning themselves with
a position similar to yours (ex. Brian McClarin -
http://www.lighthousetrailsresearch.com/brianmclarenandthecross.htm)

My biggest concern, as I find myself saying more and more frequently,
is that the church has removed itself so greatly from the text of
scripture they they no longer can understand the Word of God. When we
don't take scripture literally, or if we understand it to be merely a
commentary on humanity, what are we left to stand on? Where is our
foundation if the clearest of biblical teachings can be scrutinized or
spiritualized to the point of pluralism.

I guess I would want to know what you think of these passages below
and why you don't think that they apply to the church's traditional
position on hell. Maybe you can read these for me and we can discuss
it over a beer sometime.

Matthew 8:11-12, Mark 9:42-48, Luke 16:19-31, Jude 1:3-13, Revelation 20:11-15.

The only reason I desire to even have this conversation is because I
love you. I have no desire to prove a point or make myself out to be
knowledgeable, because I'm not. Honestly, I care nothing more than to
make Christ and his Commission to the Church the main thing. I wrote
because I think this conversation has great weight concerning the
perception of both of these topics. Whenever you are interested in
discussing it further let me know.

"Almost all the biblical teaching about hell comes from the lips of
Jesus. It is this doctrine, perhaps more than any other, that strains
even the Christian's loyalty to the teaching of Christ. Modern
Christians have pushed the limits of minimizing hell in an effort to
sidestep or soften Jesus' own teaching. The Bible describes hell as a
place of outer darkness, a lake of fire, a place of weeping and
gnashing of teeth, a place of eternal separation from the blessings of
God, a prison, a place of torment where the worm doesn't turn or die.
These graphic images of eternal punishment provoke the question,
should we take these descriptions literally or are they merely
symbols?" says R.C Sproul in his doctrinal statement of hell.

Love, with Honor,

Brandon.

Oh my!

2008-12-15T15:06:00.000-08:00

This has been an exhausting week. Shepherd School assignments were due last Saturday and finals were this weekend (2 book reviews, three sermon outlines, 2 finals). Too much. It's sad but I have realized with everything else I have going on it wouldn't be wise for me to take classes next semester. I haven't given up though. The first opportunity I have I will go back. Shepherd School has been extremely beneficial to my ministry. It is a blessing to have such in depth training at our finger tips.

Eva has finals this week and studied somewhere around 35 hours...that's just last week alone, which is insane. I assume this is how people getting ready for the boards study. I don't think I have that type of patience in me. I am so proud of her.

I say all that to say this, whoooooo!

Making a Meaningful Holiday

2008-12-11T19:54:00.000-08:00

Sometimes these types of videos are successful in making people feel like crap. I felt like this one by Advent Conspiracy was positive yet convicting. It may be something worth watching to put the holidays in healthy perspective. I know, I am preaching to the choir.

Mob Tricks

2008-12-04T20:32:00.000-08:00

Since no one read my last blog I thought that I would post something funny.

Giving thanks for music.

2008-11-27T09:55:00.000-08:00

There are many things to give thanks for. Salvation and Christ, my wife, my family, my church, a job. But because I felt like posting about music this week and it also happens to be Thanksgiving I thought I could at least mention the fact that I am thankful for music.

Music has been very important for me. From an early age I remember listening to my Mom singing Wah Wah! by Harrison and Billy Preston with every ounce of her soul. I remember riding home from my grandparents late at night with my mom and siblings. While we should have been tired, "Ramblin' Rootbeer" from QuickTrip stirred up enough energy for us to form a choir in the back seat of that old Dodge Shadow. Some nights it was Donovan other nights it was Chubby Checker but no matter what those memories will remain with me forever.

Like many people I can look back over my life and define important moments by the music that I was listening too. Discovering Michael Jackson and the idea of contemporary pop music while sitting in a shoe store at Bannister Mall. Dancing wildly to They Might Be Giants with my brother in our tiny, messy bedroom. Jr. High homework on the floor of my room consuming "Alternative Music;" Weezer, Smashing Pumpkins, Butthole Surfers and Nirvana. Listening to the Wu-Tang Clan on bus rides to get pumped up for Away Games during the most frigid parts of the freshman year basketball. Senior year and trying my hardest to like Hardcore because all of my friends did. Melancholic Radiohead songs leading me in the agony of a post High School break up. I could spend months uncovering these memories.

This journey, for which I am so thankful, has not subsided. Years from now I will look back on this year and remember the music that I was listening to.

I am always very excited to share music with my friends. Please take the time to check these musicians that I have been listening to this last month. Some of them you might hate, others you might love.

Giorgio Moroder - From Here to Eternity
The Meters - The Meters
John Prine - John Prine Live
Sly and the Family Stone - Fresh!
Crystal Castles - Crystal Castles
Metronomy - Nights Out
Frog Eyes - Tears of the Valedictorian
James Brown - In the Jungle Groove
Sibylle Baier - Colour Green
Jesus and Mary Chain - Psychocandy
Tom T. Hall - The Best of
John Phillips - the Wolfking of L.A.

Devour and enjoy!

Flaming Lips Movie - Premiere

2008-11-20T09:45:00.000-08:00

FYI for those interested in The Lips (possibly the most widely recognized indie act of the last decade and a half).

CHRISTMAS ON MARS and FLAMING LIPS Drummer Kliph Scurlock In Person For Friday Night Show!

Kliph Scurlock will be at Screenland in the Crossroads for the first screening of Christmas on Mars in the area! The Flamin Lips drummer will be signing autographs and hanging out starting at 8:00 PM and will introduce the 9:00 film! Tickets are still available for the movie at www.screenland.com

Re-posting a good post.

2008-11-10T13:07:00.000-08:00

A blog I enjoy posted this recently. It has been important to me lately.

Scary Movies

2008-11-04T20:25:00.000-08:00

This Halloween had me thinking about scary movies. I have never been a very big fan of what I would call the "horror" film. Horror films are those that elicit fear by using excess startle tactics or use grotesque imagery. These movies tend to use shock as a crutch, neglecting plot. They also tend to rely on the ignorance of the audience to retain interest and promote sequel opportunities. I just can't stomach movies like Ring or even worse Saw (1-27). They are disgusting and have hold no satisfaction for me.

My favorite scary movie is the psychological thriller. This genre is broadly defined with many different themes and philosophical issues. For me I love a film that is suspenseful, dramatic with an exotic plot and thorough character development. A good psychological thriller should have all of these things.

Below is a list of some of my favorite psychological thrillers.
Psycho by Hitchcock
The Birds by Hitchcock
Knife in the Water by Roman Polanski
Rosemary's Baby by Roman Polanski
The Night of the Hunter by Charles Laughton
Se7en by David Fincher
The Lady Vanishes by Hitchcock
Sixth Sense by M. Night Shymalan (this was a bit of a stretch but was one of my favorites when I was young)

If you have any free time or have some room in your Netflix queue, add these movies. I think you will find them to be very entertaining. If you have any moveis that you like I would love your recommendations.

The Roasterie MyBlend

2008-10-29T09:30:00.000-07:00

So, I don't often (if I ever have), post about what is going on at work. An exception to this rule will be made this once, mainly because I have worked pretty hard on this recent project.

MyBlendCoffee.com is a new online product that The Roasterie launched last week. It allows customers, through a series of ten questions based about flavor preference, to develop there own personal blend. Then the customer can name their blend, design a label for their blend, order their blend and send their blend (via e-mail link or purchase and send through mail) to friends and family.

The majority of The Roasterie's current online customers are complete coffee geeks. They purchase single origin coffees and Roasterie Reserve micro-lots. This demographic of coffee-drinkers is a limited market. The hope of creating MyBlend is that we have developed an experience for mainstream coffee drinkers to: A) take part in the coffee experience and in doing so develop a brand loyalty B) educate the average coffee drinker to the nuances of coffee so that their specialty coffee interests may grow C) Sell lots of coffee.

Since you guys are my friends, I would like your honest feedback on this product. Below is a promotional code that you will be asked to enter at purchase that will get you one free bag of coffee - delivered to your house. Please walk through this process and upon receiving your coffee come back to me and leave comments on your experience. If you use this code please be intentional about commenting.

*I have removed the promo code. Thank you to everyone who participated. I appreciate the feedback thus far (very helpful) and ask that you continue to comment about your experience and the the coffee itself.

Thanks again.

Baldwin v. Nader Debates

2008-10-27T07:36:00.000-07:00

I posted this not to contribute to the never-ending "presidential" dialog but as a reminder to myself of my principles. Why stick to my guns concerning this election? What is the contribution I am really making by voting third party? Is the social/political climate too dire to vote outside the two party system? Or is it too dire to vote within a two party system that drastically needs a wake up call?

This debate was a reminder, in the midst of all of the McCain/Barak media onslaught, that I was doing what was right (based on my conviction). This is definitely worth watching - no matter who you are voting for. In the end we all want a stronger country - the question is, how are we going to get there and on what grounds?

Brooklyn Trip

2008-10-23T16:20:00.000-07:00

It has been a few weeks since I have written anything but life has been a whirlwind lately. From showing artwork to ministry to travels I have hardly had anytime to sit still.

I got back last night from the Prayer Discovery Trip to the Brooklyn Tabernacle. This is a trip that Sam has led the last few years to facilitate an opportunity for learning. I am not sure what the other trips have been like but I came away from this trip with new convictions and a new idea of what prayer can be.

First of all we stayed in a part of Brooklyn that was probably 90% black. I mention this only to point out how refreshing it was to be the minority (not always comfortable but definitely refreshing). I could go on an on about the culture that existed in this neighborhood but I will simply mention that making eye contact is not as valued as it is in the Midwest. Regardless of the perceived coldness of those on the streets the people of the Brooklyn Tabernacle were warm, kind and passionate about their relationship with us and Jesus Christ.

This trip really shook me. Culture and small doctrinal differences aside (those are worth discussing but are meaningless in light of what I witnessed), the people of this church come together with expectation. The prayer meeting started at 7pm but people were lining up for prayer at 5pm. I was amazed to see people praying in their seat and consecrating themselves well before the meeting began. I am sure that I can't explain to you the complexity of the conviction that came over me but I can tell you that it was a moment of change in my life.

Without getting preachy I will say this one thing - though our church loves Jesus Christ and believes greatly in the power of prayer we have yet to discover what it means to have reverence for the opportunity of prayer. For years now Sam has spoken of the necessity of our prayer meeting yet every Tuesday we stroll into prayer unprepared for coming before the King of Kings. I pray that I learn what Holy Spirit prayer really looks like for us. Anyway, it meant a lot. I also pray that others from MBT have an opportunity to go on this trip - a real eye-opener.

Okay, I have to mention that I saw one famous person while in Brooklyn. Now, you must remember that I grew up playing basketball. I will even go as far as saying that it was an idol for me up through my Junior year of High School. Because of my obsession I have a little more knowledge for the game than the Average Joe.

While in Brooklyn I saw a hero of New York Streetball, Pee Wee Kirkland. This man has a cult status amongst basketball fans as a "coulda been the best." His story is very interesting, sad but redeeming. Anyway, yeah, I saw Pee Wee, walking down the sidewalk by himself. It was that moment I realized that New York is the only place on earth someone famous can just walk around without being noticed.

We saw lots of what you would consider tourist attractions while we were there. Time Square, Fifth Avenue and of course Ground Zero. One of the things that I was very excited about doing while visiting New York was checking out the art. Luckily Eric Phillips and I were partners in crime this last week and it made getting away great. Though we have different tastes we are very similar in the things that we enjoy and our approach to life. Lets put it this way, there were times where it felt good for us to break away and explore. In our exploration Eric and I had the opportunity to visit the Chelsea Art District.

There are over 300 art galleries in this area and with a little help from a phone call to Dan we landed squarely in the epicenter. Let me first mention that Eric and I preceded this art crawl with some of the best pizza I've ever had at the Village Pizza on 14th St. & 8 Ave. - freakin' amazing. Anyway, back to the art.

We saw lots of great post-modern work. I saw some of the greats - Warhol, Basquiat, Feely, Lewitt, Lichtenstein, Rauschenburg and some of those who are on the cusp of greatness. One of these artists was Olaf Breuning who was showing a full exhibit at Metro Pictures. Below are some of the images from that show.

Another artist that I really enjoyed was Yuichi Higashionna. This is an artist that I had never heard of but was really glad I stumbled upon. The art in this space was far superior to the rest of his work that I have found online. Here is a sculpture that is similar to some of the work I saw.

I had a great time in New York. Definitely not a place I would feel comfortable living but it was an amazing experience that I hope to have again soon. The fellowship was sweet and Christ was with us showing us new things about his Lordship in our lives.

He deserves our all. Let's give him our all.

Sorry guys, more art.

2008-10-09T18:01:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow Dan and I will be showing at Longview Arts Center. Dan is currently curating there and the show is shaping up to be a pretty good one. You are all welcome to come from 6pm to 9pm tomorrow evening. We would of course love to see you.

art correspondence blog - beware

2008-10-03T14:09:00.001-07:00

Old Navy Sucks

2008-09-18T19:13:00.000-07:00

Last night when I got home I was fairly tired. I was hoping Eva and I would finally have a quiet night to sit down and watch our newest Netflix (I am tired of sitting on these things for a couple of days before we get a chance to watch). But, as usual, my plans were altered. Eva needed to purchase some khakis for school so I agreed to go shopping with her.

She was thinking cheap. I mean khakis aren't really something that we are accustomed to wearing. I don't really know very many people my age that wear khakis to work but then again most of my friends, my age are either not very ambitious or are artists of some sort (which I suppose some would also consider unambitious). None the less, the khakis needed to be priced fairly considering the amount of mileage they would get.

The first place we went was Old Navy. Old Navy has been the affordable option for years. As I helplessly followed Eva through the women's clothing section I began to daydream about the the late 90's and how everyone was wearing this crap. I mean Old Navy was everywhere. I began to wonder why it had so rapidly lost its popularity.

The generation that really made Old Navy popular was gen x. At the time of Old Navy's height it was acceptable to wear clothing that had the company's brand stretched across it. Companies like Old Navy, Gap, Abercrombie (places I have hardly ever shopped) made there customers walking billboards and people ate it up. But then the gen y-er's came along and heavily branded clothing became "box-like." If I can explain this trend I would would simply say "we don't want to prostitute ourselves for the benefit of some white collar's materialistic endeavor" The desire to define self by creative fashion versus name brand fashion has become more mainstream. This is also in some way connected to the non-consumerist movement of the twenty-first century and the conscious effort millenials have made to purchase clothes at thrift store's, vintage store's and other non-corporate retail venues (a trend for which I won't get into now).

I definitely think there are contradictions in this approach to wardrobe. We have replaced our shopping at Old Navy with shopping at Urban Outfitters, which has essentially the same ethical make-up as any other clothing outlet but simply doesn't decorate it's shirts and jeans with large ungodly logos. Other choices we've made have seemed to make more since. Like the anti-brand company American Apparel. AA is obviously American based and all of their clothes are hand-made here in the good ole' US of A. This is a good thing, but then again, the owner of the company has been sued multiple times for photographing his employees in compromising positions for advertising (which is their thing). Not smart.

Anyway when it comes down to it we are still a helpless people, looking for identity in everything but Christ. Lost in an age of customization we hide our emptiness in layers of fashion and fallacy.

As the cashier checked us out I proudly told her I hadn't purchased anything at Old Navy in over 10 years. She swiped the UPC's on a tee-shirt and a tank top, "that will be a total of $5.35." I smiled as we walked out those big sliding doors with a small bag - no khaki's inside. "See you next time," the cashier said. I reserved myself from committing and simply waved.

Strong

2008-09-02T20:16:00.000-07:00

This evening, when you have an opportunity, take some time to watch this presentation by Dr. Tim Keller. Though many of us in this blog community have come to a place of faith in God, many of our friends and family haven't. This man, in the spirit of Lewis and Chesterton, provides strong arguments for the existence of God and Jesus Christ. Entertaining and insightful, do yourself a favor and watch this presentation to the staff at Google and for the sake of strengthening your intellectual faith.

When Art is Relational.

2008-08-25T18:53:00.000-07:00

The art space has traditionally been an important aspect of art and one that effects the viewers perspective. Throughout history artists have explored and challenged the importance of the "gallery" as it has been understood in its respective place in time. Many dialogues from cave painting to dadaism have all had their integral moments where artists have considered: How does both the conversation in which my art speaks and the environment in which it exists effect how the viewer responds? How a piece of artwork is understood is greatly impacted by the context in which it lives.

Over the last twenty years a movement of artists (actually I am not fully sure if it is a movement as much as a cultural thread ) has begun to drastically address the relational aspect of art. These artist's desire is to reach out to the viewer; whether within the environment of a gallery or in a shopping mall, whether engaged or passive, and meet the viewer "where they are at." Relational art is about the artists ability to make the experiential circumstance as much about the artwork as the artwork itself ( even the line between space and art itself can be redefined ). It's a way of saying, "Does this effect you?"

Much like biblical perspective, delivery and context effect the application or impact of what is presented to the listener. Dr. Alan Shelby often speaks about the exigesus (exēgeomai) or declaration of truth spoken, or interpretation of the divine. In similar parallel, how words, literature and art are presented can greatly effect the way it is interpreted. Relational art has an interesting place in contemporary art and will only be fully understood years from now as historians look back on the turn of the century and explore the authenticity of this new approach to contextual exploration.

I have recently begun to understand that many of the artists that I enjoy have been important to the Relational Aesthetic investigation: Felix Gonzalez-Torres, Liam Gillick, Dan Flavin, Jens Haanig, Robert Wilson.

Hey, it's "the rails on which ministry rides.". . . and arguably one on which art rides as well. Anyway, be relational.

Art FYI

2008-08-20T18:42:00.000-07:00

Many of you may know that my good friend Dan Reneau is a painter but did you know that he is re-entering the market in Kansas City a week from Friday, August the 29th at the H&R Block Art Space. Dan means a lot to all of us and I think that this is a great opportunity for us to stand by him in his artistic endeavors. A career of art is an extremely difficult thing to achieve and I am not really sure if it is even possible to be successful and happy without friends and family support.

Beyond all the investing that Dan has done in our lives and this being a chance to support him physically by going this show I think you will find that his artwork & the gallery presentation are compelling and extremely relevant.

A sneak peak: Dan will be showing a walk-in sculpture, a large scale painting, a smaller scale painting and a written piece that is a social commentary on religion/ rebuttal to Marx .

Anyway, that is all for now I am about to watch Death of a Cyclist with Eva.

East Bound and Down

2008-08-14T20:39:00.000-07:00

When I say East Bound I don't mean a holiday in Afghanistan and this post is certainly not an homage to Smokey and the Bandit Song (though that wouldn't be a bad idea), what I mean is that traveling from KC to anywhere East of KC is the most horrible experience one can endure.

Every thoroughfare that could possibly get me from Kansas City to Raytown is in utter disarray. Closed roads. roads down to one lane, roads that disappear into infinite darkness. What could possibly be the problem that Kansas City has to work on the Blue Parkway bridge for almost three years? Really, are things that bad? Even Independence was smart enough to get the Noland Road construction rushed through in a matter of a couple of months.

70 Hwy always seems to be under construction somewhere. It currently is split down to two lanes near Van Brunt.

Even when I make an effort to be clever and take back roads it is never quite worth it. Manchester detours by the stadiums and I have no choice but to trek over to Neuf's part of town. A miserable nauseating series of winds that is heightened by the absence of A/C in the Ranger.

In the end I think that a trip to Afghanistan might actually be an easier one than the one from 27th & SW Trfwy to my house or on the other hand I could be a man and ride my bike with Unabashed to and fro. I think I like the latter.

Everyone I would like to introduce to you the newest member of our blog community (says the greenest blogger on the block) AS.IS http://hotstuffthatwillburntheshelves.blogspot.com/.

Also, I would like to leave you with this lovely piece of funky soul. A great song for the summer and a song that Eva sings to me quite regularly - Click the image of Otis.

Sol Lewitt

2008-08-10T12:35:00.000-07:00

I probably passed through the Nelson-Atkins Contemporary Art "Room" a few hundred times growing up. From elementary even into high school I always seemed to enjoy that portion of the visit. Don't misunderstand me, I had what some would consider to be a unique fascination with the antiquities (this could possibly be explained by my grandfathers love for history and his uncontrollable passion for sharing it) . But even with my appreciation for ancient art after an hour or so of looking at stoic Classical Greek sculpture and melancholy ancient Chinese ink paintings I was always ready to visit the "oasis of light "that was the tiny contemporary art section.

I am sure many of you remember this space (actually 2 rooms) that was dense with artwork (looking back there was way to much art for such a small space). As you passed through the first room (coming from the ancient Chinese art) you were greeted by Pollock and Reinhardt's paintings, a breath-taking array of revolutionary abstraction. But it is was an artists from the midst of that second room for which I am concerned today.

In college I would go to the museum between classes and visit Sol Lewitt's sculpture, '1 3 5 7 9 11' (first image on the left), fascinated by its unique simplicity. Today this piece is even more compelling as it has been removed from that cramped room at the Nelson and was transplanted to the gracious Bloch Building. The curators at the Bloch Building did Lewitt justice by giving this sculpture along with 'Complex Forms' (another of his later works-second image on the left ) there own spacious, smooth white room - a gorgeous juxtaposition.

Sol Lewitt was an artist who helped establish Conceptualism and Minimalism in the U.S. after WWII. Lewitt had a gift for taking the most simple of forms and constructing them within basic guidelines. At times his art was playful and bright at other times stark and architectural.

Lewitt was an artist to be respected. As far as I understand he was very different than the other artists of his era in the sense that he didn't desire to be a "celebrity." He avoided interviews and having his photograph taken not because he was an eccentric or an obsessive compulsive hermit, like the public believes all artists should be, but because he was modest. Below are some images of his work that I absolutely love. His prolific career represents one of integrity and of exploration. I think that in the end its the ideas behind the execution that determine the success of the artist. Lewitt was an artist who always seemed to have something compelling to offer.

This is also a plug for the Bloch Building - if you haven't been yet you should go.

PS. I am on my 7th meal of mashed potatoes.

Thank you Dr. Solano

2008-08-08T10:48:00.000-07:00

So, one of the things that I didn't mention in my last post was that I was going to have my wisdom teeth pulled. This is yet another reason to be sad that Eva isn't in town. Instead my friend of 15 years, Stephen Smith (hardly a nurse) was knocking at my door early this morning to reluctantly take me to the surgeon (I say reluctantly because no guy I know would ever look forward to helping, even a friend, in such a way on their day off. With that said Stephen is one of the kindest people I know and was more than glad to be of help).

When I got there I was almost instantly brought back to be seated and almost just as quickly I had an IV hooked up to me. I was nervously joking with the doctor about not being able to eat for a couple of days and within a few seconds I was out. When I awoke it felt as though I had never gone to sleep. In a hazy state I overheard the nurses talking about their parents. For whatever reason, in my semi-cognitive state, I thought that they were discussing their frustration with their parents so I proceeded to counsel them about the importance of their familial relationships. I am not really sure about what I said to them but I probably made a fool of myself. All I remember thinking at the time was "is this an open door to share Christ?" I am certain now, since I was stoned out of my mind, it probably wasn't.

I was shocked though, the procedure took only 30 minutes for all four teeth! I don't know much about the going rate for such a surgery but I think $800 dollars (80% of which insurance covered) is quite a bit for 30 minutes. Don't get me wrong, I appreciate the speed at which it was accomplished but I couldn't help but think "there has to be more." Maybe a little entertainment would have made me feel better or a door prize?

Anyway, I am back home but still groggy and a little hungry. Eva will be home tomorrow and I will once again be basking in the delight that is my beautiful wife.

I thought this song by one of my favorite musicians was more than fitting: Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem. Enjoy!

<>

The Bachelor

2008-08-05T21:03:00.000-07:00

This week my wife is out of town. She is in Texas with her mom visiting family until Saturday night. Though the thought of her being gone was initially cause for distress I figured I could make the best of it.

So Monday after work I swung by the Game Exchange and picked up Zelda for SNES. The Super Nintendo is a nostalgic indulgence of mine and as soon as I beat Super Metroid (during this temporary abandonment) I will be start the recently acquired "A Link to the Past." After my jaunt to GX I stopped by the 40 hwy HyVee where I picked up some roast beef, strawberries, pizza rolls and Pabst Blue Ribbon. By the way some might consider the PBR purchase a compromise to my specialty beverage interests more specifically a breach of my love for fine beers but I would disagree. Pabst Blue Ribbon is a dang good "August in KC" beer, plus, I can't afford the beers I truly desire. Maybe I can coax Neuf to indulge my bachelorness with a little donation.

Anyway so far things have gone well. Dan Reneau stopped by last near midnight and stayed until 2 am contributing to the Sci-Fi adventure game. I think we did well, clearing so hurdles in the game that I couldn't get over. There really is nothing like two heads tackling a legendary RPG circa 1994.

Tonight I attended the prayer meeting which was a real blessing. Sam taught on 2 Kings 20 and the reaction of prayer that Hezekiah had to the prophecy of his own death. It is always convicting to hear about men of such faith. Hezekiah is a reminder that God's heart is always towards us and he desires to bless us when we passionately seek his face.

Wednesday night will be more video games. There is an open invitation to all my friends who may read this post. Stop by, have a pizza roll dipped in ranch and refresh you palate with "The Real American Lager."

Anyway, I'll report later in the week but I assume that by Saturday I will be missing Eva more than ever.

Song recommendation of the day: Townes Van Zandt's Flying Shoes

Finding time to paint.

2008-07-24T14:36:00.000-07:00

As a high school student I really enjoyed painting. Though I grew up passionate about drawing there was a turning point in high school where I was really challenged to explore new mediums. Interestingly enough, this time of my life coincided with my newly found excitement for Christ and played a huge roll in my personal development. Anyway, when I entered college, in an effort to think about my economical future, my Studio Art Degree became design emphasized.

Since I've graduated college there has been a fine art void in my life. I was talking to Joel last night about how I am torn over the "Commercial Art" thing. It just isn't fulfilling and I have doubts about whether or not I can dedicate my life to selling stuff regardless of how masked it is in concept and art. That's a whole other discussion though (now that I have a blog I am sure I will trek there at some point).

Anyway, since Dan has come back to KC my fine art dialog has probably doubled. The spark has caught and I am fired up like Sam-n-Ukulele's. The difficulty of this rekindling is finding time to devote to it. I am consumed with so many responsibilities that I constantly find myself making trades, sacrificing one thing for another.

This is one of the great paradoxes of the adult life. Where is the balance? What does God's plan for my life look like and how does it relate to the 24-7?

I guess the simple answer is that somewhere in the midst of structure and Holy Spirit guidance is moderation. Moderation will always be difficult, appearing abstract at times and with perfect clarity at others. There is a time for work, meditation, ministry, Eva, painting, riding my bike, cutting down trees etc. I ask that in the end I find fulfillment by including God in each one of these moments.

Anyway, I am painting tonight so, praise God.

On another note...

I have been listening to a lot of Nirvana lately (actually grunge in general. This stems from seeing Dinosaur Jr. live this winter - mind altering awesome). Anyway, I mention it because Kurt Cobain just got done shaking my soul with his rendition of In the Pines.

I wonder how many times the Appalachian song In The Pines has been covered? Probably thousands (Leadbelly, Dylan, Doc Watson). Another version of this song that is beautiful was done by the musician who goes by the monicker of Smog. His barrely voice and minimalist guitar shed light (or I guess in this case - darkness) on this ballad that wasn't present in the bluegrass renditions of folks like Bill Monroe (as great as he was).

I can tell you one thing, no one can put the shiver in your spine like the long-gravel-road-on-a-vintage-bicycle voice of Cobain's.

To bring it full circle:
I asked my captain for the time of day
He said he throwed his watch away

A Pilgrim's Porridge

2008-07-22T14:31:00.000-07:00

This is the beginning of my blog. Though I have done some journaling in my life the idea of a blog seems somewhat daunting. I am familiar enough with blogging to know that a blog is generally meant for random thoughts and passive dialog. Perhaps at times I will be clever enough to say something worth reading.

Because I don't know what else to do with this first blog I will ask you to check out this artist...
His name is T. Valentine. I don't know much about him yet, mainly b/c I couldn't find him on wikipedia. He is a bizarre artist who got his start in soul and R&B later fusing with garage pop/punk/funk. He is extremely eccentric and his lyrics will irritate most. Worth checking out though if for nothing more than the sake of oddity.