Wednesday, October 14, 2009

"Monster Duck, Glowing Bull, One Eyed Frog"

This is a poem that was first published about a year ago (October 10th, 2008) at Word Slaw (an online literary journal; that's the best kind of lit journal, you know.) It was inspired by the little toys that I have on my dashboard in the car.


"Monster Duck, Glowing Bull, and One Eyed Frog"

"Our sky is cracked"
said tiny Glowing Bull
who is always looking up

"Meteor bombardment"
said One Eyed Frog
willing to speculate

From his hanging prison
Monster Duck laughed
coldly
and clicked his beak
full of pointy teeth

"Now I see a red bloom in the heavens"
said Glowing Bull

"I can't spy it"
said One Eyed Frog
squinting his one good eye
"but it may be a sattelite"

Monster Duck gnawed his bars
as he watched the astronomers
and dangled in his cage

"And now I recognize a golden chain
wrapping around itself"
said Glowing Bull

"Ah yes, the links of eternity"
hummed One Eyed Frog
closing his one eye
to peer better inward

Monster Duck snarled in his cage
then spoke
"You do not glow, Glowing Bull
You refract
The source of your light is external"

Glowing Bull could not look down
even far enough to see Monster Duck's cage
hanging above the abyss

"What does he mean, my friend?"
Glowing Bull asked One Eyed Frog

One Eyed Frog flexed his flippers
but would not speculate

"Spectre Breaks Through"


"Spectre Breaks Through" 11 in. x 8.5 in. oil pastel, watercolor, and ink on paper.
Another patchwork critter, this one seems inspired by some Scooby-Doo type baddie. And, this piece was also used to make a monoprint for a larger watercolor painting called just "Spectre." If I ever figure out how to take a decent picture (without a scanner) I'll post that sucker, too.

"Drac-Pac"


"Drac-Pac" 11 in. x 8.5 in. oil pastel and ink on paper.
This was, if I remember correctly, the first of my patchwork critter drawings. Originally, I had planned on filling in the white areas with watercolors, but Mariah said she liked the white, so I kept it this way.

"Piranha-Pac"


"Piranha-Pac" 11 in. x 8.5 in. oil pastel and ink on paper.
One of the patchwork critters series I did. Originally, this series was just going to be variations on the "Pac-Man" character, but it quickly branched out into other realms.

"Thunder and Lightning"


"Thunder and Lightning" 8.5 in. x 11 in. watercolor in paper (monoprint).
I've been experimenting with monoprints lately, partially because I enjoy the somewhat random color distribution. Sometimes, I like being surprised when I look at what I've done.

"It Attacks the Fort"


"It Attacks the Fort" 8.5 in. x 11 in. oil pastel, watercolor, and ink on paper.
One of many "Pac-Man" inspired creatures that I've drawn. What can I say? The game made a huge impact on me!

"Doors Within Doors"


"Doors Within Doors" 8 in. x 5 in. oil pastel and watercolor on cardboard.

"The Wilderness"


"The Wilderness" 11 in. x 8.5 in. watercolor on paper.

"Little Ghost"


"Little Ghost" 6 in. x 4 in. oil pastel, water color, and pencil on paper (postcard).
One of my postcards. I ended up taping this to the cover of one of my writing journals.

It Came from the 13th Dimension!!!

Greetings Citizens,

This is a proposal for a collaborative art project that will not only be great fun for everyone involved, but will help promote the production and distribution of artistic works and strengthen our creative community. The 13th Dimension Box Project is a collaborative multimedia endeavor in which each of the participants contributes 13 copies of some “object” (or per object, if more than one item is contributed) to each “box” or “issue.” There will be ten participant “slots” per issue with each slot being filled by either an individual artist or by a collective group such as a rock band or performance troop. One copy of each object contributed will then go into each of the 13 individual boxes to create 13 identical (or nearly identical) assembled boxes.

Each contributor (or contributing group) will then receive a copy of the completed issue containing one of each of the items contributed. One copy of each issue will also be archived (sealed for future generations to open and enjoy), and the other two copies will be sent to select art museums, galleries, and other artistic forums for their consideration.

Objects can be poetry; memoirs; stories; zines; photography; b&w or color photocopies of collages, drawings, paintings; recordings of readings, audio collage, music; cds; records; audio cassettes; video works on dvd or vhs tape; small sculptures; or any other item of artistic value or interest (your own work only, please!!!) As long as the object(s) will fit into a relatively small box and you send 13 copies of each work, the choice for what you send is up to you. If you choose to send originals (not copies) of your works (collages, sculptures, artist trading cards, etc,) please send them as a numbered series of 13 (1/13, 2/13, etc.)

The primary aims of this project are to build a stronger, more collaborative community of artists; to encourage contributors to explore a wide variety of expressive media and differing styles and voices than they might normally be exposed to; and to help allow our own works (as contributors) to reach an audience beyond our most immediate friends and family. The act of creation itself (writing, painting, recording, etc) can often become an isolating experience, but collaborative works such as the 13th Dimension Box Project can help promote a sense of participating within a living, artistic community. These types of undertakings can also spark further, unforeseen, collaborative works, thanks to the unique chemistry (perhaps alchemy) that often occurs when artistic souls interact.

For more information, or to sign up to contribute, please contact me at: richardfyates@gmail.com

Thanks!
Richard(27 Sept. 2009)

Blog-Hopping!

Mariah (aka "The Boss") said that my last blog, Theif Hustler Poet Mystic Creep, wasn't very "flattering." I agreed, although when I came up with it, it seemed funny. So, now I've come up with Electronic Fog, and again I think it's pretty funny. For now, this is what I'm going with.

I'll post poems and stories, drawings and paintings, and notices for new art projects and all that rot. Check back every once in a while and see what else we can come up with.

---Richard