I've always had a very busy mind. Sometimes too busy. I try to quieten it with activities, distractions, exercise and sleep with varying degrees of success. Of course, making art is a great queller.
When I was younger, I would very easily be distracted by women. What a glorious distraction they are! I was able to keep myself busy running around chasing them, trying to escape them and making whoopee with them in all it's wonderful varieties, sexual and otherwise. These days I have quietened down somewhat. I'm not a young buck anymore and although the interest from my side has only waned to a degree the interest from the fairer sex has diminished substantially. A woman in her thirties is going to want a man in his thirties. Same for forties - it's only natural. Guys who are fifty plus can still be of interest but they need money, status or power. Personality alone will not get you across the line like it did decades ago. I have accepted this truth and focus my energy on generally enjoying life, nature, relationships without the constant sex drive. In some ways it's a relief. My mind, too, has quietened down to a manageable level. I remember in my 20's and 30's it was at times like a wild horse. I was worried. I got did anxiety management courses, saw counsellors, did therapy, yoga. It all helped. There were some times I doubted I would get this far. Now that I am here I feel happy to have survived. I've seen and done plenty. Now it's time to concentrate on creative output. I have been an artist, writer and performer for over thirty years. It's who I am. I embrace it fully now and seek to use the wisdom and experience to create work that will exhilarate and delight. I want to reach my potential as a creator, fulfill my ambitions as an artist. Make the sort of stuff that I always dreamed of seeing - on a wall, in the cinema and in books and comics. The apprentice
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Found these old chestnuts in a box this morning. Six of my zines from the 90's. Used to love making them. Contents included poems, comics, short stories, funny lists and monologues. I used to print about 200 copies of each and hand them out for free. Altogether did about 45 different issues. The first and longest running title was 'Free Spirit'. In 2001, I compiled the best of the written work into a published book, 'All I Ever Wanted Is What I Know I Can Never Have.' It was a limited run of 500. All gone now.
Zines were a pre internet blog, I guess. Now I just got this. Press post, upload a pic. Full colour, published immediately. I have seen the future and I like it! Come on! You're just sitting there. How can that be good for us? It's been hours! Who told you that this was a good idea in the first place? Not me. You didn't get my vote. I said we should go sailing or play Tomb Raider on Play Station! Don't you feel like a strawberry milkshake right now! Our legs are cramped! Just get up for a quick stretch! We're missing 'Australia's Got Talent!' Damnit! Are you listening to me?! You think you're a swami or something?! I'm not going to shut up! You can't make me! Hey! What about that chick over there in the corner?! She'd be pretty nice under those robes! Imagine! Did you turn off the car lights when you parked? I'm hungry! You need to piss! What's that humming sound? Let's lie back for a second! I'm not going to agree to that dumb chanting at the end! No way! Hey! Come on! This is enough! I want to go! Listen to me!!!
'Magic Pussy is Momentarily Uncertain'
Happens to the best of us. Meow. Not a cat guy myself. Only ever had one once, briefly. Couldn't relate to it - though it was a cute little thing. Dogs, though, have made my life better. Baby and Rudolph, Goldy, Chiro - all legendary mutts. One of the things about writing this blog is that when I go through the day and get a memory flashback I have somewhere to write it down. In a way this clear this path for other memories to come back. Like sorting through old files. So the one that I had yesterday came when I heard someone on the net talking about babysitters. Bing! We had some interesting ones in our Tokyo childhood. All Japanese girls, probably 19, 20. I was between 10 and 14, my brothers were two and three and a half years younger. Remembered how we used to play a kissing game with the babysitters. Taking turns kissing her. Then jumping up and down on the bed in glee, awaiting the next go. She was most compliant. I still remember how soft and lovely she was and how she smelt. With another one, once, we burst in while she was having a shower. This was naughty and did cause embarrassment, problems. I think she resigned. One of the first full naked views back in the day. If we ever got an unfriendly or mean one we would just tell our parents that they were nasty or hit us... never seen again. Later, once I turned 14 and up to about 18, most of my girlfriends were Japanese girls. I lost my virginity to one, in fact. I was 14 and she was 19 - a surfer chick I met in a disco in Roppongi called Mobius. We drank Tequila Sunrises and danced to the Doobie Brothers. The first time we ever slept together - she was also a virgin - was at the Australian embassy. I had no idea what to do. The body took over. Ended well. Uncovered one of my journals from 1987 today. I haven't seen it since then - so was fun to flick through. I have to be honest, I was hoping for/half expecting some gems of genius - but they weren't to be found. Perhaps they fell out or evaporated over time!
What was inside were a number of poems, some song lyrics, two short stories (one unfinished), and about a dozen 'snippet' single frame comics. It was vaguely interesting to catch a glimpse of the headspace of the 'me' from 26 years ago. I can objectively report that I have matured to a degree since then and that my work has improved in scope and delivery. Other than that - still doing pretty much the same thing - making art, writing fiction, creating comics.... Lotsa little bits can make a lot
Sticky images is what we got Piling up like lollies Suck on 'em! ...they're sweet and slick Art meets techno follies Pixel Pixie he's the king Watch him dance and do his thing Tumblr, flickr, blogger too He makes pretty pic for you See it, store it, forget it now Move along to the next big wow Grab you mouse and squeeze it tight At this rate we'll be up all night Pixel Pixie he's a demon Shows you things - gets you believin' Tiny dots of rgb Forming new realities Your mind so full you'll be crying jpegs Just finished this one. A lot of fun creating them.
View the full size version by clicking on it and going to the mind's I comics page on this site. Trawling through the net came across this picture comic I made eight or nine years ago. Had completely forgotten about it. Not sure how much of it is true and how much I made up.
What we gotta do to keep our sanity? ART !!
When we gonna do it? NOW !! What we gonna paint? PICTCHAS !! Why we gonna paint them? CAUSE WE CAN !! Who's in charge? NOBODY !! What are the rules? FOLLOW YOUR HEART !! Why are we chanting like this? I DON'T KNOW !! Can we get back to our painting then? YES !! If I were a moguldog
After a hard day of fucking and howling I'd sit back with a cigar Wind in my dog hair Suit on my back And contemplate the important things Like food and more fucking What is art?
Art is creating images that reflect one's headspace at the time of creation. The act of creating art is sometimes a struggle, sometime a pleasure, usually a combination of the two. When creating an new image one either recreates something that he/she has done before and does it again -perhaps with minor modifications - or - one some occasions, one enters into new territory - goes on an exploration, takes risks, pushes the boudries - in order to see what will come out. Sometimes, the result isn't pretty. But art isn't just about being pretty. Art is about discovery and growth, too. Art is a journey into new areas of one's psyche. Art is a gateway, a test, a challenge. Art is a choice - a choice of colours, shape, composition, subject matter... etc. There are so many variables, so many options, so many ways to go. Each piece of art is a snowflake. No two are alike. Unless they are. Then one is a copy. But which one? Do chickens make art? Do eggs? Why did the art cross the road? To get to the opening night party, of course! You know - free wine and maybe cheese! Art is about freedom. Yes. Freedom to cheese. Er, choose. One learns about oneself - slowly but surely - by making art. Images we create can inform us, shock us, allure us, seduce us... Images suggest new worlds. We all like a new world. Why? Because this one - well, it's so defined. But is it? Art suggests not. Art speaks for itself. Art is mute but says so much. All in love with art say 'Eye!' All the eyes stay focused. There's more art to be done. And thank heavenly paintings for that! Art isn't love. But it's not far off. Art isn't money. But it can be swapped for it. Art isn't intelligence. But it does make you smarter. Art is what you say it is. And a whole lot more. Art is, to the artist; a friend, family, a lover, a stranger. Art says hello. Art had me at hello. Art - thou art amazing. Graceful and clumsy at the same time. Damnit art, you look so fine! Art you have done it again. You have escaped definition. Never give up, art. Never give in. Art you will live forever. Forever free! May the spirit within you find it's own art and display it proudly. Call it your soul. Why not, cause that's what it is. Yeah! Now we are talking. Soul. Feels right. Is right. Art. |
ART GETS ME HIGHAuthor & ArtistLewie JPD Archives
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