THE SKINNY- Art in NOLA. Workshops in Petaluma and Houston

March 29, 2015

Here's what's going down: Check out some art. Take some classes!

New Work Heading to New Orleans

I'll be sending new pieces to Graphite Gallery this Week...including a couple of torsos...Persephone and Hades. If you happen to be hanging out in the French Quarter you should stop in.

Graphite Gallery, 936 Royal St, New Orleans, LA 70116
504-565-3739

https://www.facebook.com/graphitenola

Art is You Petaluma - April 22-26, Petaluma CA

Lots of classes coming up in a few weeks. It kicks off with Art is You Petaluma. Workshops include: Sacred Shrine to the Seemingly Insignificant Thing, Mixed Media Retratos, Mermaids and Nautical Oddities. Bonus event: Dirty Rotten Egg Parade

Click here to join the fun: http://www.eatcakecreate.com/petaluma/

Adorn Me - April 29 - May 3, Houston

Adorn Me has opened up a few classes to mixed media artists like myself. If you're in the Houston area come on by and take a few classes. Assemblings of a Mad Watchmaker, Sideshow Shrines, Sacred Shrine to the Seemingly Insignificant Thing, and a duo class with Andrea Matus called Scroll Mates.

See you in Texas: http://www.artunraveled.com/AdornMe15/AMworkshops.html

So that's what's happening now. You can always pop over to my Workshop page and see where I may be next.

Click to see my 2015 Schedule

WAY COOL: The Place Tabor Lives

March 27, 2015

I've got a buddy in Portland, named Tabor Porter. He is a jewelry artist who does spectacular work. His other claim to fame is his home; he is, shall we say, a collector of things...especially unusually things. The best part of visiting Tabor (other than being served ice cream and pie with morning coffee) is that his home is a veritable smorgasbord of oddities. No matter where you look...you are bombarded with visually weird treats. In fact a 250 lb concrete Mayan head greeted me at the door. Once inside...visual overload...not a vacant spot on the wall.

Here's Tabor now! That's not his real face...he's wearing a Bolivian mask made from tin.

An eye opener. A ceramic booze flask that was kept beneath one's pillow. — An eye opener. A ceramic booze flask that was kept beneath one's pillow.

Here's Goliath's severed head from a David and Goliath play.  Who doesn't need one of those? — Here's Goliath's severed head from a David and Goliath play. Who doesn't need one of those?

Pretty cool, huh? If your ever in Portland and meet Tabor...and he invites you to his home...say YES!!!!!!!!

As I mentioned he is also a phenomenal jewelry artist:

Here's a link to his jewelry http://www.therealmothergoose.com/collections/collections_porter.htm

ON THE EASEL: Wizard of Odds Series - the TinMan

March 25, 2015

I don't know a single solitary person who has not been inspired by the Wizard of Oz in some way. It's such a childhood staple that it's seemed logical to explore the symbolism in my art. So this series explores not only my interpretation of not only the film but the books by L Frank Baum as well.

The Tin Woodsman

As a kid, he was always my favorite. Perhaps it's because he had the most artistic/poetic heart (or lack thereof), or perhaps it was an early indicator that I was destined to create assemblage. Either way he is one of the more intriguing characters in Baum's series. In the film, he is quite sensitive, weepy you might even say. Interestingly, in the books he has an incredibly sad back story; a definite Shakespearian tragedy.

Nick Chopper, Nimmie Amee and the Wicked Witch of the East

In the book The Tin Woodman of Oz you get the whole skinny on how the Nick Chopper gradually transformed into the Tin Woodsman. Nick Chopper was in love with the Wicked Witch of the East's ward, Nimmie Amee....which for some reason bothered her... so she cursed his axe. This enchantment caused his axe to go wonky and chop of his limbs. Bit by bit he was dismembered and each time a tinsmith by the name of Ku-Klip replaced it with an appendage made of tin. This continued until he had nothing original left...including his head. Needless to say this is probably what led him to a heartless existence.

Fast forward a number of years later. The Tin Man comes across another man of tin called Captain Fy-ter. As it turns out he too courted Nimmie Amee and he too was cursed by the witch. Like the woodsman, Captain Fy-ter's enchanted sword whittled him down...and, he too, was repaired by Ku-Klip. The two tin men desire the love of Nimmie Amee and agree when they find her to allow her to choose.

They come to the home of Ku-Klip...this is where it gets strange...here they find a barrel of body parts. Not just any body parts but the bits and pieces from Chopper and Fy-ter's past existences. The Tin Woodsman even has a conversation with his former head. In the cottage Ku-Klip reveals he used the various bits of each man to create an assistant named Chopfyt, who was flesh and bone except for a tin arm. Ku-Klip tells them that after he was more or less complete, the assistant headed east.

Eventually the two tin men find Nimmie Amee...and she is married to...dun dun dun....Chopfyt...the assistant made of bits of each of her former suitors, attached with meat glue...no joke. She wants nothing to do with them. She want's, like Greta Garbo, to be left alone in her new life.

Apparently it was not meant to be. The Tin Woodsman's old life is gone. The final connection severed. How weird and disturbingly sad.

I kept all this in mind when I created the Tin Man piece. I wanted him to appear rough almost monstrous with mere glimpses of his humanity. A character who lost everything he once was and had to redefine himself.

Nick Chopper ala deMeng

In my version, Nick Chopper is a bit more assembled. It seems like he was added bit by bit...not necessarily limb by limb. The zipper pulls on his chest are a good example of this. I do have some remnants of his humanity lurking below. His hand and his eyes (hidden beneath mechanical monocles) give a glimpse of his past lost life.

As with all my work, I work listening to music. Usually I try to find songs that relate to the theme. This piece I found myself listening to a song I heard in the film Horns, a contemporary fairy tale about a young man who grows horns after the death of his girlfriend...an unusual but interesting film. The song I listened to over and over was "If I Had A Heart" by Fever Ray. The theme is appropriate, the music haunting. Something about it evokes a feeling of wandering through ancient wet forests. Here's the song:

Hope you enjoyed the ride....see you next time.

Back to the Blog

March 24, 2015

So it's been some time since I've really done much blogging. I've decided the time has come to jump back into the routine. My goal is to do 3 posts every week.

Wednesdays: ON THE EASEL- these post will be about specific art pieces that I am working working on in the studio. Lots of photos, symbolism and inspirations to be found here.

Fridays: WAY COOL - these will be cool artists, events, exhibits, places, music, books, shows that you should know about. Way too cool not to share.

Sundays: THE SKINNY - this will be my weekly post about my personal events. My upcoming workshops, exhibits, sales, Etsy listings etc. will be here.

Hope to see you here tomorrow for ON THE EASEL- Wizard of Odds: the TinMan

deMeng de los Muertos 2015! San Cristobal de las Casas

February 12, 2015

Strange Tales of Magic and Miracles:
Contemporary Ex Votos in San Cristobal
San Cristobal de las Casas, Chiapas, Mexcio
Oct 26 – Nov 3, 2015

Registration starts NOW!

Contact Colleen Darling to Register:

805-688-1221

colleen950@gmail.com

Join Michael deMeng for a workshop in San Cristobal de las Casas, Mexico. We are celebrating our 8th year of dia de los Muertos workshops in Mexico and this will be a new city for us to visit so lots of exciting adventures await us.

The dia de los Muertos traditions are unique to this part of Mexico. Mayan beliefs combined with parts of Catholicism are different in each village. We will explore several village cemeteries and the city cemetery too.

We will spend 8 nights and 9 days exploring the lush highlands of Chiapas, a state rich in Mayan culture and history. Workshop time will be combined with day trips to nearby villages and artist’s studios. The city is completely walking friendly with several pedestrian walking streets and lots of shops and galleries to visit. The local indigenous continue to wear the native dress of their village and they are all different so you are able to tell where people are from.

The food is delicious and we will do lots of sampling. The specialties are tamales and cheese. The local beverage is Pox, a white lightening sort of beverage used in ceremonies and just to drink. It is becoming a popular boutique beverage too as Mezcal has made its way to the US. There are many European ex-pats in San Cristobal and they have brought with them their culinary expertise. Many choices of cuisines are available in the restaurants and an abundance of organic coffee is grown in Chiapas too.

Workshop Description:

Have you ever had one of those experiences where something bad happened, or was about to happen and then…the unexpected occurs….what seemed to be an inevitable tragedy is suddenly thwarted by unexplained miracle. I remember a number of years ago being on an the freeway in the Bay Area driving along at excessive speeds in the fast lane when a car in front of me slammed on the brakes. This in turn led me to slam on my brakes. Next thing I know I’m spinning out of control through the various freeway lanes, and then, out of the corner of my eye I see what I expect to be my doom: a large semi truck cruising toward me at high speed. Time slowed down and I was oddly calm given that at any moment I expected the large truck to come plowing into little ol’ me. But the strangest thing happened…instead of being smooshed, I found my vehicle stopped, facing the traffic. Looming in front of my Ford Mustang, the big semi was a car’s length away…stopped. As to how the truck driver managed to brake in time, that remains a mystery, but it is one of those strange moments where you feel as if some mystical force intervened on your behalf.

In Mexico there is an art form that addresses such strange inexplicable events called ex votos. Ex votos are small paintings, typically on tin and often not much larger than 12 inches in any dimension. They are depictions of the moment of tragedy or potential tragedy that was thwarted by divine intervention. Somewhere towards the top of these tiny painting would be the image of the patron saint responsible for the miracle; on the bottom is a written description of the miracle with the date and location of the events. This was an art form that really thrived in the 1800s, though it does continue to this day. Typically the process would be that a miracle would occur, the recipient would convey the information to a local artisan who would in turn paint out the scene with the description. The ex voto would then be hung in a church with a simple nail in the top. Many Mexican churches have an entire wall devoted to these little paintings; a mosaic of miracles.

Samples of Traditional ex Votos:

This year’s deMeng de los Muertos workshop takes us to the mysterious mountain village of San Cristobal. On the Mexican government’s list of most magical places (Pueblo Magiko), this seemed like more than an ideal setting to explore the magic of ex votos…but in a slightly more contemporary way. In this class we are going to create mixed media interpretations of this artform. Collage, painting and assemblage will be used to create a representation of a personal miracle. One thing I should mention, not all of ex votos are entirely serious, in fact many are rather humorous. So if you don’t have a near death experience, that’s ok. You could just as easily create an ex voto depicting the time your little sister tried to pelt you with a water balloon but…thank the heavens…a hummingbird popped it in mid air. Did I mention that a bit of artistic license and embellishment of events is not out of the realm of possibilities?

Sample Mixed Media Ex Votos:

Itinerary:

Monday October 26th - Arrival day. Flights come into Tuxtla Gutierrez (TGZ) and then a shuttle brings you into San Cristobal. It is a 40 min. ride on a good highway as you climb from the steamy lowlands up into the mountains. San Cristobal is at about 6900ft. We will settle into the hotel and regroup from the various flights.

Tuesday October 27th – Breakfast. Workshop begins at 10am. Lunch at 1pm and a walk around the city to get oriented. Return to the workshop. Welcome dinner at 7:30pm

Wednesday October 28th – Breakfast. Workshop begins at 10am. Lunch at 1 pm return to the workshop . Late afternoon and evening free. Dinner on your own.

Thursday October 29th - Breakfast. Workshop begins at 10am. A visit to the Taller Lenateros graphics art studio and then lunch. Return to the workshop. Late afternoon and evening free. Dinner on you own.

Friday October 30th - Breakfast Workshop begins at 10am. Lunch at 1pm followed by a visit to the Mayan museum of medicine. Late afternoon and evening free. Dinner on your own

Saturday October 31st – Breakfast. Free day with optional excursions to Palenque, Lagos de Montebello, Canon Sumidero. More information to follow.

Sunday November 1st – Breakfast. Excursion to the villages of San Juan Chamula and Zinacantan. It is market day in San Juan Chamula so there will be lots to see. Lunch included. Evening free

Monday November 2nd – Breakfast. Final workshop and critique. Lunch. Afternoon free. Dia de los Muertos events in the evening and Farewell dinner.

Tuesday November 3rd - Breakfast. Departures. Adios y Gracias.

(This itinerary is subject to change. I will be in San Cristobal in February to make the final arrangements. I will be adding some more excursions and finding some new art happenings too.)

There are optional trips to the archeological site of Palenque and Tonina about 5 hours away. If you are interested you can arrive a few days early so that you have enough time to really see them. There is a day trip available also. It is a long one, about 14 hours.

Airfare is not included.  When searching for airfares the San Cristobal: Angel Albino Corzo International Airport (TGZ) .

Included: Workshop, hotel, 9 breakfasts, 7 lunches, 2 dinners, and tours with an English speaking guide.
Shared Double    $1950
Single                   $2300

Deposit:  $250 to secure your spot.   Please pay by check
To reserve your spot contact:

Colleen Darling

805-688-1221

colleen950@gmail.com

An Odd and Peculiar Workshop

February 3, 2015

Oddities and Peculiarium Worshop. New Orleans 2015 was a huge success. As many of you know what started out as a random little adventure that Katherine Engen and I cooked up several years ago, has become a quite the annual event...and how! It has evolved from a workshop to something much much more. Let me prove my point...

The Class

This year's theme was a carnival themed workshop so the class was asked to create a shrine honoring a sideshow freak or oddity. Click on the image to see the artist and the sideshow performer (I don't know the actual titles of the works so I merely named them for the character). Here's what was created:

The Many Headed Woman by Beth Hanna Smith

Centipede Woman by Bonnie Neustein

The Half Woman by Cris Smith

Sideshow freaks by Deb Petronio

Flea-K Show by Joanne Wotypka

Mermaid by Karen Rexrode

Tarot Reader by Karen Rexrode

Sideshow Tent by Kathy Gould

Bird Woman inside Egg Mama by KD Duncan

Cyclops Girl by Kelley Clarke

Sooth Saying Girl by Linda Berman

Bee-Bearded Lady by Lois Inman Engle

The Half Woman by Lynn Ovenden

Two Heads by Marilyn Werst

Limbless Lizzie by Mary Chirumbole McVay

Two Headed Girl by Penny McDonald

Part Alive Part Dead Girl by Renee Harper

Real Cowboy by Rob McDonald

Budgie Girl by Sue Urquhart

Animal Band by Sue Sattler

Snake Woman by Vickie Trancho

Cabinet of Curiosities by Sharon Ross

The Parade

Katherine and I decided that we could not have a sideshow themed without our own parade through the French Quarter. Students dressed up in various sideshow ensembles and with the assistance of the Panorama Jazz Band we marched the evening away.

Did I Mention a Street Car Party?

That's right. We had a street car to ourselves to nosh and chat as we wandered the streets of New Orleans.

Sword Swallower Meet and Greet

How could I forget Ri Diculous our sword swallowing presenter of facts and trivia about Sideshow stuff...

What About a Burlesque Show?

We took the gang out for a traditional burlesque show with an excellent emcee who is also a very talented artist named Vinsanto Defonte.

RuPauls-Drag-Race-Sharon-Needles-Doll-Vinsanto-DeFante.jpg

The Grand Finale: The Krewe du Vieux

The last day of class also coincides with the first parade of Mardi Gras the Krewe du Vieux. A....shall we say...saucy parade that gets parade season rolling.

Next Year: Wizard of Odds

We have already started planning next year's event. A twist on the Wizard of Oz. Parades, cabarets, and perhaps a flying monkey or two is being figured out for 2016. More on that soon!

My Art Memes of 2014

January 1, 2015

Happy 2015 everyone! Over the last year I created a few Art inspired memes for Facebook and Instagram so I thought I'd share them with you to inspire a creative new year.

The Krampus Xmas Movie List

December 12, 2014

So for those people who like things on the shady side of the street, I put together a list of Xmas films that have a sinister flair. So here we go:

10. Santa Conquers the Martians - Mars needs Santa to deliver toys for Martian girls and boys...so they kidnap him....of course. In all honesty this is a bad film...but in a good way. Grab some libations and some friends and let the heckling begin. Get the Elvira version...she adds a bit of fun to the process.

9. Batman Returns - Nothing says Christmas like a slimy Penguin played by Danny DeVito. The best Batman ever with lots of Tim Burton craziness during the holiday season. Best yet...Christopher Walken.

8. Bad Santa - If you ever wanted to know what happened to those mall Santa after hours...this will fill you in.... and them some. Cynical and crass, yet strangely heartwarming.

7. Ice Harvest - Moral of the story in this film: If you're a lawyer for a mob boss, don't f#@k with him...especially during Xmas. Funny, dark and noire.

6. Sint - What if Sinterklaas (Santa) wasn't such a good guy after all? In fact what if he was a murderous dude from the 1400s who came back ever Dec. 5th if the moon was full. Gotta love a homicidal St Nick riding on horseback over rooftops...miter and all.

5. The Ref - Dennis Leary is a burglar who burgles the wrong house...in particular the home of ever-quarreling couple Kevin Spacey and Judy Davis. Hilarious vitriol.

4. How The Grinch Stole Xmas - Accept no substitutes...the original cartoon only please. Genius on many so many fronts: the art and story of Dr. Suess, the casting Boris Karloff as the narrator, and the Grinch song. Which by the way is sung buy Thurl Ravenscroft. Who's that? Well if you don't know his voice from Disneyland rides such as Pirates of the Caribbean and the Haunted Mansion then you might recognize him as the voice of Tony the Tiger...."He's Great!"

3. Gremlins - If someone gives you a Mogwai for Xmas, three things you must remember 1. Don't expose to bright lights. 2. Don't get wet. 3. Don't ever ever feed after midnight. If you do...well I hope you have good homeowners' insurance.

2. Rare Exports - A group of excavators discover a grave...the grave of Santa. But what if he wasn't the nice guy everyone thought he was? In fact what if he was really a big meanie? A dark jewell from beneath the earth.

1. The Nightmare Before Xmas. Halloweentown needs to get it's mojo back...so the spice things up they kidnap Santa. A classic to be sure...especially for those who have a tough time letting go of Halloween.

Happy Holidays and Merry Krampus!

Movie Monster Madness

October 19, 2014

It's Halloween month and I'm busy trying to watch as many monster movies as I can. You see the first part of October I dedicate to vampire, werewolves, ghouls and ghosties. The end of October and early November is when I head to Mexico, so this part of the month is devoted the skeletal, yet beautiful revelry of Dia de los Muertos, I have a few more days of creepy crawlies left and I better make the most of them.

Through the years I have done a number of movie monster themed creations. It gave me an idea for a class which I'll be teaching next year called Movie Monster Madness, in which students create honorariums for there favorite Creature Feature beasty.

Let's take a look at some of my interpretations:

Dr. Jekyll / Mr Hyde

Frankenstein

Dracula (my favorite monster)

The Invisible Man

Happy Halloween!

Salmagundi West

October 5, 2014

As many of you know my favorite Shop in Vancouver is Salmagundi in Gastown. Andrea and I stopped by today to say howdy to the owner Anne. The store is pleasantly ready for Halloween.

One reason for us to stop by was that Amne had set aside a little goody for me.

pretty cool

An old lamp perhaps? I heard one of my student (not naming names Solange) tried to tempt it away from Anne before I got ther to retrieve it. Fortunately Anne was no so easily swayed.

Bad Vlad was another reason for our vist . I dropped of my Dracula marionette for her shop. He will be hanging out there until a buyer comes along. Stop in and check him out and make sure you have Anne pull the string so you can see his flappy wings.

Salmagundi West

321 Cordova Street West, Vancouver, BC, V6B 1E5

604-681-4648

The Martini Shaker Philosophy to Creativity

September 13, 2014

The key to finding your artistic style

One topic looms heavily over every person in the arts: finding one’s personal style. The problem is that there have been and are so many creative souls who’ve stamped there mark on this little spinning globe, it seems impossible to produce ANYTHING new and original. Well…first thing is that you need to come to grips with the fact that everything has been done or thought of before. Now don’t fret! I know this can be a bit of a downer idea, but eventhough everything has been done before, it hasn’t been done the same way, the same time, same place or with the same influences. For instance, if you tossed Leonardo through time to the the 1800s his work might be the same-ish but the enviroment would have a profound effect on whatever he did. Simple changes can yeild big differences.

So lets get to the martini:

Let’s get our ingredients together

Take a martin shaker.
Add all the art and artists that you like. If you like Rembrandt….put him in there. If you like Van Gogh’s “Starry Night” that goes in there too. Same idea if you’re a musician or poet etc., add all your loves into that shaker whether it be a creator or something they created.
Add events, historical or personal, that you find fascinating. Let’s say there’s a childhood memory or a recurring dream…plunk…it goes in there.
Don’t be afraid to add quirky ingredients. If you absolutely, albeit secretly, love love love watching reruns of The Brady Bunch…that should go in there too.
Shake the crap out of that martini. Not just a little shake, I mean really shake it.
Pour the contents into a chilled martini glass. Everything that you don’t like about your influences stays in the shaker. Let’s say you like Rembrandt but you don’t like his use of the color brown…then brown stays in the shaker. Lets say you love Van Gogh but not when he does circular designs…then circular Van Gogh designs stay in the shaker. Only the elements you find interesting, engaging, pleasing and/or motivating comes out into the martini glass. All the stuff you don’t like or are a bit “meh” about, stays inside the shaker.
Garnish with a personal twist. This is an unusual element that you inexplicably seem drawn to. Could be a design pattern or the use of a particular color, chord or word.

Viola…the martini is complete.

What is in that martini glass is your style. True, it is a form of theft, but it is theft that has been modified by mixing it together with a variety of influences. You might find your martini has very similar ingredients to other artists, but it would be impossible for the ingredients to be exactly the same, thus the martinis would be different. So if you’re worried about being unoriginal or stealing ideas from others…YOU ARE, but that’s okay and ultimately it will be what makes you so original.

Orna-deMentia 2014: Rise of the Burn-Outs

September 7, 2014

Light Bulb Ornaments!

Online Workshop Starts October 17th!

$49.95

Click Here To Purchase

or you can use

PayPal

Ever wonder what to do with a burnt out light bulb? Why not transform them into Holiday treats. In Orna-deMentia 2014: Rise of the Burn-Outs, I will show you how to transform your discarded incandescents into bizarre little goodies for the seasonal tree. This will be done using the processes of collage, painting, and assemblage. Videos available starting Oct. 17th 2014…just in time for the Holidays!

Questions? You may find the answers here:

How much does it cost? $49.95
When does it begin? Oct. 17th 2014
How does it differ from live class? Online classes allow for a bit more in depth explanations of techniques etc.
Will there be video? A: Yes. I have about 120 of minutes of protected video that only students will be able to access.
How long do I have access to the videos? You have the videos for as long as you need. them. Periodically I change the secret video codes. Fear not…if the codes change I'll send you the replacement codes.
Will it be live? No. I will not be doing live video, but I will be setting up a Yahoo Group where I will be available to discuss your questions. However I each week I will record a video responding to all the questions posed in the Yahoo group.
Can you tell me more about the Yahoo Group? Students can access this anytime and discuss issues with other students. A gallery is also available for students to share current and past works.
What kind of site is being used to host this class? I'm using a protected blog on my webpage.
How will I access the blog? When class begins I will send out passwords and usernames to all the students.
What else will be on the blog? Along with the Videos I will be posting the major questions as they come up, and the solutions. I will also do weekly video addressing these questions.
Is this for Beginners or Advanced students? It's for everyone. I've made it so it is information that can be used by all levels.
Will it be entertaining? Geez, I hope so. I will try and make it very un-dry and fun.
How will you accept payment? I will accept payments using my secure store. I can also accept PAYPAL. If you don't use PAYPAL...don't worry...we can work something out. Just send me an email.
What will happen after I sign up? I'll send you a confirmation to say "howdy" and then just sit back until I start the Yahoo group. At that point you'll get an email inviting you to join prior to class and meet some of the other students. Then when class starts, I will send out the TypePad site, codes, etc.
How do I sign up? A: Click the little button and you're off and running. WooHoo!

Supply list

-Clear incandescent light bulb (the kind we grew up - with the little spring attaching the two posts inside the bulb). No Halogen or Mercury bulbs.
-Dremel or rotary tool with a metal cut-off wheel attachment
-Small drill (hand drill or power drill will work)
-Aves Apoxie Clay ¼ lbs (contact www.avesstudio.com if you have any problem locating this product. They sell direct or will tell you about local suppliers)
-Variety of small found objects. Items like watch parts, gears, typewriter parts….just about anything, really. Look for things that are interesting shapes or designs, but also things that might have symbolic significance.
-Paint Brushes (a couple small detail brushes, and some cheap brushes (1/2 inch to 1 inch in size)
-Wire a couple of different gauges
-Paints: DON'T WORRY ABOUT GETTING ALL THE PAINTS RIGHT AWAY…I'LL BE SHOWING A BUNCH OF RECIPES. IF YOU WANT, FIND THE ONES YOU LIKE THEN BUY THE PAINTS
Acrylic (Golden brand -preferably fluids – the tubes and jars will work too, the colors are the key) - Quinacridone Nickel Azo Gold, Titanium White, Carbon Black, Van Dyke Brown, Pthalo Blue, Quincridone Crimson, Dioxazine Purple, Pthalo Green
-Optional Paints: Transparent Brown Iron Oxide Nickel Azo Yellow, Azurite Hue, Quinacridone Magenta, Permanent Violet
-E6000 adhesive
-Protective gloves
-Eye protection
-Inexpensive Sanding Mask (from hardware store)

$49.95 Click Here To Purchase

Silent Influences

July 26, 2014

I was recently asked what gives my painting a certain look. Well colour is one thing but honestly I don't really see things in colour when I'm creating a piece. For me it is all about light and dark. The battle, and sometimes harmony of the extreme in values. Of course, I am well aware that my work plays off this metaphorically as well as aesthetically. My influences are simple…silent films. The play of light and shadow in those early cinematic endeavours weighed heavy on my artistic sensibilities.

Cabinet of Dr. Caligari

This is a GREAT film! If you haven't seen it you must. It's a dark tale of a murderous sleepwalker and his master. What is truly amazing about this film is that it is as if the characters walked into a German Expressionist Painting. I've learned more about painting watching this film than I learned in school.

Metropolis

Another spectacular film is Fritz Lang's Metropolis. Light and dark galore but, perhaps, what I get the most from this film is symmetry. Lang has a very symmetrical film style that appeals to my shrine-obsessed nature.

Faust

F.W. Murnau is mostly known for his vampiristic treat, Nosferatu. And though it is a classic that changed the world, my favourite is his Faust. If I were to think of what I gained artistically from Murnau, I reckon that it would be the hazy, foggy feel his scenes seem to have. Light and dark, but through a mist.

So the moral of the story…you can sometimes learn more about a particular medium by looking elsewhere.

Things Yet Experienced…but someday

July 22, 2014

I've decided to put a list of things I'd like to do together. Sure, some are outrageous and bizarre, others mundane and ordinary…ok…never mind…none of these locations are mundane.

Here we go:

1. Transylvania - I'd love to travel to Transylvania following the route that Jonathan Harker took in the novel, Dracula. Beware the Borgo Pass!

2. Waitomo Caves in New Zealand - Black water rafting in New Zealand - subterranean rafting…with miners hats and glowworms on the cave ceilings!

3. Flea Marketing in San Telmo, Buenos Aires, Argentina - artefacts, malbec, steak…and tango!

4. Krampus Nacht in Austria - the annual Xmas festival with lots of devils looking for those who have been naughty.

5. Noche de los Rabanos, Oaxaca Mexico - Night of the Radishes, the Oaxacan harvest celebration where radishes are not just a food but an piece of art.

6. Havana, Cuba - old cars, revolutionary artists, and Santaria.

7. Sedlec Ossuary, Czech Republic - I never made it here last time I was in Prague, it's a church whose interior is ornately adorned using human bones.

8.The Haunted Island of Poveglia, Venice, Italy - Venice would be a treat on it's own but Poveglia was is a small island nearby, said to be haunted. Why you ask? This is where all the plague victims went. Eerie.

9. Hagia Sophia, Istanbul - I love places the exhibit the historic and artist clash of cultures…Istanbul…Constantinople…Instanbul.

10. The Alnwick Poison Garden and Whitby, UK- Whitby is a location Dracula buffs might be familiar with…it's the seaside village where Dracula's ship crashes ashore. Just up the road about twenty km is a strange botanical garden that only features deadly plants! Don't even sniff them!

So that's my list. Don't be surprised if someday, I put together a little excursion in any or all of these locations. I'm ready to travel…how bout you?

A Major Motion Picture for Your Approval

April 18, 2014

So while I was waiting for classes to begin at Valley Ridge I was busy filming and…yes, starring in a major motion picture of epic proportions. There is actually a sequel in the works "ADollyLips Now"

Actually this was created to promote my upcoming ONLINE Class: Distressed Disturbed Disintegrating Dolly Heads. Click here for info on the class (starts August 10th)

Distressed Disturbed Disintegrating Doll Heads

I now present the biggest thing to hit the screen since Godzilla vs Bambi

So, if you're interested in play with me and dolly heads you can click here:

Distressed Dolly Heads

Buy Now for $99.99

acky bluh-a-luh Winner(s)

April 7, 2014

DeMented Dictionary contest. So we have a winner or actually winners.
The actual definition of an acky-bluh-a-luh is my sister's pacifier
(Bluh-a-luh) after it lands in the shag carpet and gets covered in hair and becomes acky.

Winner:
Terry Fryer on deMented Dictionary Contest:
The sound made when trying to remove pet hair from your tongue in the morning after you have slept with your mouth open.

Runner up:
Carola Whitlow on deMented Dictionary Contest:
What I just said when I cleaned the bathtub drain after two girls with long hair (one of which forgets to put the drain strain in) have been shampooing every day for a week.
acky bluh-a-luh - accumulation of slick, slimy gunk you don't actually want to touch (unlike the gunk sometimes used to make demented dollies)

I decided to do a first and second place and was decided by a coin toss. Both Terry and Carola get a goody. Watch the vid:

deMented Dictionary Contest

April 3, 2014

So I'm running a little contest which starts today April 3, 2014 and runs until midnight April 6th. It is based on a little game that I play on Facebook with my friends called deMented Dictionary. I make up an odd, usually unpronounceable word and everyone else has to come up with a definition. This gave me an idea for a contest.

So this is what the winner gets:

Here's the skinny:

Below I will show a word. This word, though invented, was actually used by me as a youth. The winner will be the definition which is closest to mine.

So here are the rules.

FOLLOW THE RULES OR YOU WILL BE ZAPPED WITH AN ELECTRO BEAM! Not really but I you're entry won't count.
Submissions MUST be made in the comment section of THIS BLOG. Not on FB.
Winner will receive a sketch of my choosing.
Only one entry per person. I you do add a more than one…only the first will count. So choose wisely.
You have until Midnight April 6 2014 Pacific Time to put your entry in the comment section.
Judging is highly subjective. It's unlikely that you will get the actual definition…so I'm going to have to use my gut to figure out which definition is in the ballpark.
In the amazingly unlikely chance that more than person comes up with the definition I will put the names in a hat and decide that way.
Winner will be announced Monday April 7, 2014.

Okay…everybody….

Ready…set…GO!!!!!!

Define:

acky bluh-a-luh (n)

DOLLIES!!!!! Happy April Fools

April 1, 2014

http://www.michaeldemeng.com/online-classes/distressed-disturbed-disintegrating-dollies-online-on-demand

Art is You Mississippi…I'm heading South next month

March 30, 2014

ART IS YOU: Olive Branch, Mississippi 27th April to 4th May

A bunch of classes heading to all y'all down south. Here's your chance, I've got something for everyone. As far as ART IS YOU goes it is the bee's knees (if they have knees) of art venues. Looking forward to spending some time visiting old friends and making new ones.

ART ABANDONMENT AND ART IS YOU TEAM UP. During the Art Is You Retreat, my wife Andrea and I will be doing some fun Art Abandonment activities to promote the project as well as our new book: the Art Abandonment Project.

Hope to see you in Mississippi. Check it out here:

ART IS YOU: Olive Branch Mississippi 27th April to 4th May

HERE'S WHAT I'LL BE TEACHING:

SCROLL MATES (duo class with Michael deMeng and Andrea Matus deMeng)

One of the earliest known scrolls is an Egyptian wedding contract...not very interesting in the content...in which the groom agrees to pay “x” amount if he grows weary of his wife and finds another gal. What is truly fascinating about this is not the topic (albeit culturally telling), but rather the ancient device used long before the inventions of books. Like a book a scroll can be used to isolate certain bits of information, but unlike a book the entire story can be visible in one very long viewing. For visual artists, scrolls are nifty creations because they can display a very specific isolated scene or the entirety of the composition. So let’s get scrolling.

In this class Andrea Matus deMeng and Michael deMeng are teaming up to explore this device. In the first portion of the class, Andrea will guide students in making the rolled canvas creations. This will be done using a combination of painting, collage and drawing. Michael’s portion of the class will focus on the device used to hold/display these illustrious manuscripts. The base will be made from an everyday toilet paper holder, then, using the process of assemblage, students will modify this structure with various found objects into something rich and strange.

DREAMPUNK MASKS:

I collect masks. I’m not sure what it is but ever since I was a kid I have always been intrigued by the idea of transforming ones identity. That is why I love masks. Perhaps it’s a superhero thing, but mask making is one of the oldest cultural traditions in the world, in fact the earliest example being from the Stone Age. The hunter would were animal masks to disguise themselves and stalk prey. They transformed themselves into the animals they were hunting. In essence this is what a mask does, it changes the wearer into something else. Have you ever noticed when you wear a mask you act a little differently, that you temporarily lose yourself and become whatever the mask represents?

In this class we are going to play with this concept, and using various found objects or existing masks, we are going to transform them into strange and unusual facial disguises. Making masks is different than merely wearing them; it can be a process for artists to reveal what is veiled inside one’s soul. It is a strange art form that keeps secrets but also simultaneously unearths hidden worlds. Oh, the irony

MYTHING IN ACTION:

Of all the things in this wide wild world what I have found to be the most inspirational source material are myths and legends. My first introduction came in movies like Sinbad and Jason and the Argonauts, stop animations films filled with wondrously strange worlds abounding with odd entities such as multi-armed deities, cyclopean beasts, and snake headed gorgons. After that I was hooked. I read everything I could on the topic…no matter the culture.

Many years later, as an adult, I am still drawn to these concepts. Artistically I have found these tales wonderful springboards for creativity. After all, artistic expression like many heroic tales is a journey into the unknown; the artist’s job is to go to secret worlds land and retrieve something magical to share with the world.

So your task for this class is to pick a myth or legend…any myth from any culture (preferable one that inspires or fascinates you). Next, using found objects and discarded toys you will create a piece of art that embodies the tale of your choosing. You could focus on a character (like Zeus or Shiva) or tell a story (like Pandora’s box). As for presentation I will leave it up to you…could be a free standing sculpture or could be something that hangs on the wall. You definitely want to come to this class…otherwise you’ll be myth-ing out.

DANSE MACABRE

Every year I visit Mexico during Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead). Not only is this a marvelous event where relatives celebrate the memories of the deceased, but it is also a chance for the living to mock the reaper. It’s a way for the living to say: “Neener, neener you haven’t got me yet”. One of the ways that Mexicans do this is with little skeletal toys known as “calacas”. Usually they are playful scenes where the skeletons are in the engaged in everyday activities, riding bicycles, walking dogs, dancing with devils (okay, so this one is perhaps not an everyday activity). The idea is to have a little fun with ones morality.

Well, that is what we’ll be doing in class. Using doll parts, action figures, and other found objects student will create little skeletons that will tickle your funny bone.

The Dastardly Hernan Cortes in His Quetzalcoatl Disguise

March 29, 2014

It has been said that the Spanish Conquistador, Hernan Cortes, was able to conquer the Aztec because he resembled the deity Quetzalcoatl. Here's how the story goes.

As far as deities go, Quetzalcoatl was one of the groovier ones. While the other gods treaty humanity with disdain and barbarity, the Plumed Serpent (as he was also know) grew angrier and angrier. He decided to share his knowledge with humanity and relieve them of their subjugation to the gods. When he first appeared in the village of Tollan he came across a priest performing a human sacrifice for his brother Tezcalipoca. Quetzalcoatl was furious and hurled thunderbolts through the sky at the barbarity. He assured the citizens that while he walked the earth no harm would come to them, and in fact they would prosper from his teachings. He shared with them the secrets of maintaining a pure soul through humility and by rejecting material pleasures.

Then one day…his evil brother Tezcalipoca disguised himself as an old man, who offered the Plumed Serpent a liquid to drink. Quetzalcoatl was unaware that this was no ordinary drink but rather pulque and alcoholic beverage made from the maguey plant. The benevolent god became quite intoxicated and broke his vow of celibacy with a priestess from his order.

The next day, ashamed and feeling unworthy to stay in Tollan, Quetzalcoatl built a boat made of snakes and sailed off into the sun. He vowed that he would return to Tollan to avenge his name.

Cortes arrived on the same shore the Quetzalcoatl departed from, and like the Plumed Serpent he had pale skin with facial hair. It has been said that the Aztecs the strange ships, fancy armour and believed that their departed deity had returned. As legend has it this worked into Cortes's favour, convincing the indigenous Mexicans that he was the reincarnation of their god.

Most scholars these days reject this Cortes/Quetzalcoatl mix up. It's believed that this was a legend started by the Spanish as a way of diminishing the Aztecs as foolish and superstitious and thus encourage further exploits to the Western Hemisphere.

True or not it is an interesting tale. So here is my version of the legend.

New Work Heading to New Orleans

So that's what's happening now. You can always pop over to my Workshop page and see where I may be next.

The Tin Woodsman

Nick Chopper ala deMeng

Strange Tales of Magic and Miracles:Contemporary Ex Votos in San CristobalSan Cristobal de las Casas, Chiapas, MexcioOct 26 – Nov 3, 2015

Registration starts NOW!

Contact Colleen Darling to Register:

805-688-1221

Workshop Description:

Itinerary:

Colleen Darling

805-688-1221

The Class

The Parade

Did I Mention a Street Car Party?

Sword Swallower Meet and Greet

What About a Burlesque Show?

The Grand Finale: The Krewe du Vieux

Next Year: Wizard of Odds

Dr. Jekyll / Mr Hyde

Frankenstein

Dracula (my favorite monster)

The Invisible Man

Salmagundi West

The key to finding your artistic style

Light Bulb Ornaments!

Online Workshop Starts October 17th!

$49.95

PayPal

$49.95 Click Here To Purchase

Cabinet of Dr. Caligari

Metropolis

Faust

acky bluh-a-luh (n)

HERE'S WHAT I'LL BE TEACHING:

Strange Tales of Magic and Miracles:
Contemporary Ex Votos in San Cristobal
San Cristobal de las Casas, Chiapas, Mexcio
Oct 26 – Nov 3, 2015