Cow

One Spring day in 1996 I was watching MTV. Rather routine for the time. MTV still played music videos during the day but it was quickly going downhill. In between the usual blandness of what was normally played on the channel, this video came on. At first I was confused because it had a touch of originality to it and it was being played during daylight hours. What the hell is “Sparklehorse”? As soon as the video was over, I turned the TV off and went to a music store. My options for places to purchase CDs was extremely limited but to my amazement I actually found the CD titled “Vivadixiesubmarinetransmissionplot”. I rushed home and spent the next month listening to nothing but. During that month I painted this picture to go with the song “Cow”.

The painting was completed in May of 1996 and about a month later I flew to New Zealand for a four month sabbatical in paradise. During that time the painting was wrapped up and stored in my grandmother's basement. Upon my return to the states, I immediately moved to Northern California, Walnut Creek to be exact and the painting came with me. I was invited to share a house with my friend Marty who was working on the film "Sphere" and had space to spare. The painting took a prominent place in the living room above the four-track where many evenings were spent recording. "Cow" was so appreciated by its host that Marty purchased a beautiful gilded frame for it specifically. The one that's still on it today. We even attempted to see Sparklehorse live in San Francisco when they were slated to open for Mazzy Star at Slim’s. But Sparklehorse canceled at the last minute. Eventually it came time to move so I settled in Saint Louis, MO and the painting came along. For a few years it remained wrapped up and stored away. At some point it was loaned out to 3WK for their new office on Macklind Ave. Jim Atkinson, the owner, always had a fondness for cows and really liked the painting. When 3WK moved their studios I got the painting back and it was wrapped up and put in storage. Today the painting hangs in my parlor and is usually the first thing people notice when they visit me at my home. Usually people look at it nervously and pretend it's not there. When I look at it I’m always reminded of that Spring day in 1996 discovering Sparklehorse and Mark Linkous.

2011 Poetry Scores Art Invitational

The annual Poetry Scores Invitational will be going on this year at Mad Art Gallery on Friday Nov 11 from 6pm - 9pm. Poetry Scores invites a number of artists to interpret lines from a poem for a visual medium and then the artwork is auctioned off to help pay for the projects Poetry Scores is producing. This year’s poem is titled “Incantata” and was written by Paul Muldoon. The piece above is my contribution for this show. The words I chose to interpret were “Paul
Muldoon”. Below is a list of all the participating artists.


Gena Brady Allen
Gina Alvarez
Jay Babcock
Jenna Bauer
Michael Behle
Kevin Belford
Deanna Chafin
Grace Chung
Heather Corley
Andrea Avery Durway
Greg Edmondson
Nancy Exarhu
Paul Hartman
Sue Hartman
Michael Hoffman
Alexa Hoyer
Kim Humphries
Claire Medol Hyman
Chris King
Dawn Majors
Julie Malone
Tim McAvin
John Minkoff
Michael Paradise
Meera Lee Patel
Hap Phillips
Jeremy Rabus
Tony Renner
Kim Keek Richardson
Cindy Royal
Stefene Russell
Janiece Senn
Daniel Shown
Derek Simmons
Dana Smith
Robin Street-Morris
Tunca Subasi
Nita Turnage
Robert Van Dillen
Amy VanDonsel
Eric Woods


now playing - Spinal Tap

Black Francis at the Old Rock House

Here is the first of what I hope to be many more paintings to come for the Old Rock House. Located mere walking distance from my house, the Old Rock House is a rock club that caters to local and touring bands. Sometime last year I contacted them about doing paintings of musicians and bands who perform there and by this past summer we had worked out a deal to make such a thing happen. Black Francis performed there in July and he was the first assignment. The paintings are done from pictures that I personally photograph. This is hardly a stretch for me as I’ve been doing this sort of thing consistently for the last 7 years. The difference now is there’s a place to hang the work once it’s completed. Next pieces that have been requested will be of St. Vincent and The Black Angels.

I’m not ashamed to admit when I was 14 or 15 years old Black Francis was a musical hero of mine. I was given a dubbed off cassette of “Surfer Rosa and Come On Pilgrim” by my friend Tony. He had heard them somewhere and was floored. I wore that tape out, memorizing every lyric, note, beat, dialog, etc. Soon after that The Pixies “Doolittle” came out and we were off to the Fox Theatre in Saint Louis to see them open for Love and Rockets, ironic this show was my first at the Fox Theatre. During their performance, hardly anyone was in the theatre, it was almost like a private show that ended with the haunting “Into The White”. After the performance we noticed Black Francis (aka Frank Black) standing off to the side of the theatre so Tony and I went up to him. He pretty much ignored us but mentioned something about looking for someone who had the pot. I know a lot of people who can’t stand the Pixies and for good reason but to me they’ll always be a great band I discovered at the right time. A band that helped me get through those odd teenager years when you’re becoming an adult.

now playing - "Czar"

Absolute Arts

About 4 years ago I signed up for one of those art websites that lists your paintings and info and is designed to help you sell artwork or interact with other artists. I signed up and promptly forgot about it. But ever so often someone will find me through this site and it's always turned into something cool. Recently this happened again so I thought I should update it with paintings like the one above. Most of the pieces on this site will be older and not available on my main website.

http://www.absolutearts.com/portfolios/r/recorduroy/

now playing - Canned Heat

The Royale #1

Since December of 2010 I've been working on what has becoming three 36x36 in. canvases of the bar at the Royale. These pieces will be on display starting September 1 and we'll kick it off with an informal opening from 8pm-10pm. Also on display will be three older paintings of Mark Early, Steve Scariano and Typo Cafe (now home to STL-STYLE).

DJ Mark Early will also be spinning records throughout the night.

Thu Sept. 1, 2011
8pm-10pm
The Royale
3132 S. Kingshighway Blvd
Saint Louis, MO 63139

now playing - Magic City

The Royale #2

Another peice from the Royale series, number 2. Really like how the glasses turned out in front. One more painting to complete then it's on to the Old Rock House project.

now playing - Albert King

The Royale #3

Back in mid-March I started working on three 36x36 inches canvases of the bar at The Royale. This was after months of talking about, hanging out, drawing and painting small studies at and of The Royale. It was finally decided to paint the bar on three separate canvases that can be hung up directly across from the bar on the wall space next to the booths. The canvas above is the first one that's been completed and it's known as "Royale # 3". The other two will connect to this one on the left side and you'll be able to see the whole bar. The pieces have taken longer than I anticipated due to the fact that it's easy to get lost in minor details and just paint for hours and hours on one thing. But it's time to finish things up and make room for the next big project which will start at the end of this month.

Tonight at The Royale is the Cocktail Museum event where they focus on one type of drink and I think I'll take the piece down for Steve to see in person and hang out a bit.

now playing - Spiritualized