Community Project

COMMUNITY III

Community II. Youth Shelter/Laguna Beach, CA

The Vending Machine Concept

The Vending Machine Concept originated from the idea of micro payments being utilized to pay for large projects. And to counter the idea that our Artists should be starving. I know its a revolutionary idea but our capitalist system does not value the true motives of the artist. I should only speak for myself. I got tired of being part of a "stable" of artists, making art as a product, being judged by people who don't have ground experiences in art making, feeling like a beggar when asking to be paid for the work, as if an artist is some strange creature who requires only air for sustenance. "Every act of creation by its mere existence denies the world of master and slave." (Albert Camus, The Rebel) The Vending Machine Concept evolved out of the idea of placing a parking meter next to artworks. People would pay for time to view the artwork. I purchased the vending machine from e-bay, painted it, made the beads. Participants put a quarter in the machine, get an art token and contribute to the labor, skill and creativity that goes into each piece of art. I co-created a piece titled "Community II" at the Youth Shelter in Laguna Beach. My teaching there is sponsored by the Laguna Outreach for Community Arts (LOCA) The vending machine will be placed in a variety of locations until "labor day" 2013. Any funds raised over $600. will be donated to LOCA. The "Community II" piece will be donated to the Youth Shelter.

The Vending Machine

"We" "Family Circus" "Wing & A Prayer"

Art as engagement

I've been teaching more of late and working on solo work much less. I had a serious dilemma to reconcile after years of creating artwork in my studio and selling it to a variety of markets. Fine Art galleries, local art exhibitions, open studios, grant awards and commercial licensing with a New York agent. My work had started to reflect the markets I needed to sell the work in. I began with a vision and was able to hold to it for about 40% of the work. Then the critics, judges, and middlemen started to weigh in on what the art "should" be. Put the subject in the center, no birds, no orange, too fine art, too commercial, I was once told that my execution was too refined. Then there was the stealing of images, pleading for timely payment, contract disputes. The final straw came when I was rejected for a grant as a social change artist because I had to make a living in licensing. I took a break from making art for about a year, the only thing I created was a "fuck" stone. Slowly with the support of my "Theo", I began creating oil paintings, ceramics, textiles, handmade books and sculpture NFS. I came to the conclusion that I had a wealth of experience and wanted to turn people on to the idea of creating art as free expression, storytelling and a cathartic and pleasurable experience. For the first time I feel my "artmaking" is actually connecting with people on a visceral level. Art is a language of the soul and available directly from artist to individuals. And I get paid to make that exchange. Balance.