Merry Xmas

Here's our Christmas card for 2008. My idea brought to life by my wife's lovely hand. About the only things I enjoy about the season anymore are working on the card, decorating the tree and Xmas Eve itself. The screwheads have pretty well squeezed all the fun out of the rest of it with their desperate greedy suck machines that were switched on before Halloween this year (I was in a Walgreens that was playing Xmas music before Oct. 31).  We talked to some friends in Scotland last night and they are "on holiday" until January 5 along with most of the rest of the country. I think we should do the same and at least close it all down for the week between Xmas and New Year's. Let people rest and have some time with their families. Step off the crazy hamster wheel and recharge for a bit.

Hope you have a restful, safe and fun holiday season whatever you do.

OK HW

Dada Slime

The sixties were a strange time for science fiction films. Sure there were epic, mind-benders like "2001: A Space Odyssey"  and "Planet of the Apes" that took the genre up and out of the ghetto, and then there were other films like "The Green Slime". Now I have never seen "The Green Slime" unfortunately, but I have wanted too since I was a young lad flipping through the pages of Famous Monsters of Filmland and saw the fantastic photos of some crazy, stout cyclopean aliens with tentacles in heated battle with spacemen. Recently I stumbled on the trailer for GS and was completely blown away by the amazing depth of absurdity and pure dadaism contained therein. Watch for yourself:

Whew! Shake it off, or don't, maybe better to just give in to the Slime and sink in letting it work it's awesome magic. I'm not sure I want to see the film now as this trailer gives me enough to imagine what the film is like and I have a feeling the actual movie can not possibly live up to the weirdness it suggests. I love the cheesy special effects and miniatures and sets and costumes and acting. The total disregard of science and the pasted together layering of spacemen battling the aliens in space the aliens marching along neither group actually interacting with the other. Finally, dig that fabulous theme song! Remember when that hit the charts, perhaps knocking the "Hey Jude" out of the #1 spot? Pop a beer. Reflect and enjoy. I give you "THE GREEN SLIME".

OK HW

A reminder...

... seize the day 'cause you never know when it's  time to go. Been a good long while since I've seen a dead thing on the beach and even longer since I happen to be carrying a camera to capture the moment. When I see a dead bird like this (and I have no idea what kind of bird it is) I always wonder why it is dead. Old age? Dog attack? (there are lots of dogs on the beach) What else? Ate something bad? I find a sad beauty in these frozen forms and enjoy studying the tender details of beak and feather and twisted form.

OK HW

ZANK will not die...

ZANK is a short animated film that I made a few years ago and features music by my pal Neil Bruce. You can watch it in it's entirety on youtube, or if you want to catch it on the big screen you're in luck if you happen to find yourself near Roanoke, Va tomorrow night (August 26th) as ZANK will be shown at The Grandin Theatre as part of their "Open Projector" night.

Long live ZANK!

OK HW

A Taste of Fall and the July hiking report

I love this time of year. The sunsets are often so amazing they stop me in my tracks and I make sure to carry the camera with me so I don't miss capturing images like this. Reminds me of a Maxfield Parrish painting. It's been a coolish summer here on the shores of the Chesapeake Bay and that's good, facilitates the hiking. Extracted 55 miles out of July giving me 344 miles for the year, just 6 miles behind the average.

So, has this blog become merely a hiking report? Where's the film and art and travel stuff? It's in my life, just need to roll it down here to the glowing screen. For example; I've submitted "ZANK" to be screened at the Open Projector Night at the Grandin Theatre in Roanoke, VA. Not yet a done deal, so I'll keep you posted as things develop.

In art news, my wife's art opening went well in NYC. Good attendence and it was a blast to be in the City for a weekend. Our friend Lori whom lives there, was a great hostess and took us for a stroll over the Brooklyn Bridge and fireworks Friday night down at Coney Island. You can check out a few photos here.

Finally, I've noticed I've been getting a bunch of hits from different parts of Spain, so Hello SPAIN!

OK HW

Art Exhibition in the Big City

This piece of art was created by my wife, Janet Shaughnessy and will be one of two pieces of work included in The Bowery Gallery's 16th annual juried competition for 2008. The opening is this Thursday (July 31st) from 5-8, so if you find yourself in NYC in the Chelsea neighborhood that night, pop in and check out the show. Here's some more info from the gallery's web site:

The Bowery's 16th annual juried competition for 2008 will be juried by Jed Perl who has written on contemporary art for a variety of publications including Salmagundi, The New Criterion, The Partisan Review, The New Republic, The New York Times Book Review, Elle, and Modern Painters. Among his books are New Art City: Manhattan at Mid-Century, Gallery Going: Four Seasons in the Art World, and Eyewitness: Reports from an Art World in Crisis. The juried exhibition will be held from July 29 - August 16, 2008 at the Bowery Gallery. The opening will be held on Thursday, July 31st, 5 - 8 pm.

We'll be making the drive up and look forward to the event and catching up with our friends in those parts.

Janet's been doing some really wonderful work this year (yeah, I am biased) and you can check some it out on her blog Daily Drawing.

OK HW