2012 Poetry Scores Art Invitational

"by Wole Soyinka" on canvas

"by Wole Soyinka" on wood

"Cash may be set on paper" on canvas

The annual Poetry Scores Invitational will be going on this year at Mad Art Gallery on Friday May 18 from 7pm - 10pm. 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 "Ever-Ready Bank Accounts" and was written by Wole Soyinka. The three pieces above is my contribution for this show. The words I chose to interpret were “by Wole Soyinka" on canvas, "by Wole Soyinka" on wood and "Cash may be set on paper".

Poetry Scores is an organization with many active members but the one I know best is Chris King. I honestly don’t know Chris too well but both of us have been making a conscious effort to hang out more with lunches that happen every so often when time allows. Chris has a fascinating history and insight to Saint Louis musical events from when he was directly involved with them and I never grow tired of hearing his perspective. But the thing that endures me to him the most is something that happened a few years ago that I’m sure he doesn’t even remember. I believe it was about 4 years ago when I was attending an event at the Koken Art Factory sponsored by KDHX. The event was a silly thing where artists submit paintings to be shown to a drunken, rowdy crowd and the painting to receive the loudest cheers wins 1,000 dollars. The paintings that receive no cheers are promptly destroyed much to the crowds delight. I had entered a painting of Jesse Irwin destroying a painting by Steve Smith which was painting from a photograph I took at the previous year’s event. I wasn’t sure what the reaction would be and looking back now, I’m glad for how it turned out, but at the time it was quite a shock to see a painting you created get destroyed. Yes, the painting was brought out, the crowd went silent and it was promptly destroyed. It kind of felt like someone punched you in the gut. A little dazed, I stumbled out of the Koken and got some fresh air. I realized I was just a block from the Way Out Club and decided to go see what was going on there.

To my delight the Day of the Dead Beats was going on. Day of the Dead Beats is a cool event organized by the great Brett Underwood where he gets a bunch of local writers, poets and musicians together to read from Beat writers like Gregory Corso, William S. Burroughs, Charles Bukowski and of course Jack Kerouac. So I grabbed a beer, found a seat in the back by myself and tried to forget about my bruised ego. The place was packed and Chris King was up on stage reading. He was talking about Kenneth Rexroth and how he translates poems from whatever language they were originally written in to English. Specifically he was talking about a Japanese poem that had been translated by Rexroth and illustrated with paintings by an artist who Chris described as the “Dana Smith of Tokyo”. When he said this there were some applauds in the audience. Suddenly all my petty humiliation evaporated and I felt great. I’ll always be indebted to Chris for unwittingly making me feel great at a moment when I needed it most.

now playing - Chris King

 

Dog

"Dog"
11x14 inches
acrylic on canvas board
collaboration Amelia Smith and Dana Smith
March 2012

Homestretch

When I was very young, 1st or 2nd grade I took a bunch of small pieces of junk (old toy parts, weird trash laying around) and made a strange vehicle, kind of like something you might see in the film Mad Max. I put everything in place, glued it all down and used rubber bands to keep everything together. Then I got some red finger nail polish and painted the whole thing all one color. It was odd looking but also cool. I don’t remember who, but I showed it to an adult, some guy in my neighborhood and he was very impressed and advised me to save it for when I was older cause I would be very happy to see something I created when I was so young. For some reason this really offended me and I immediately destroyed it. I believe this is the first thing I consciously created on my own.

In 6th grade I acquired a Cracked Magazine and it happened to have a goofy piece on skateboarding in it. Funny drawings of Cracked characters riding around on skateboards in a skatepark with amusing captions. I accurately hand copied every panel of that piece for some reason. I specifically remember drawing these in my room and getting completely lost in time.

Then I started skateboarding and didn’t do much of anything else for the next 7 or 8 years.

In 1993 I found myself in Los Angeles, jobless and pretty much penniless. I was staying with a friend and had plenty of time on my hands. I began drawing again. I had the idea to make a deck of cards for my friend Tony. Each suit would represent a past presidential cabinet. Nixon, Kennedy, FDR and Reagan. Instead of the King of Hearts, there was John F Kennedy. The queens were the wives, the jacks were the vice-presidents and so on. I hand drew 52 cards, mostly of various people in each administration. People like Casper Weinberger, George H.W. Bush, Albert Einstein, Gen. Douglas MacArthur and Lee Harvey Oswald with little captions as to how they related to the administration. Not sure how long it took me, maybe a week. During this time I was also skateboarding a lot and traveling around the state of California meeting and hanging out with a lot of other skaters. Many of them were also artists and they sparked my interest in art again, specifically painting. I decided once I had the chance I’d start painting.

When I got back to Missouri I completed my first painting. It’s of my friend Don Cento. It’s crude and rough and I really hated it back then but looking at it now I really like it. I would have destroyed it if another friend, Marty, hadn’t requested it and kept it all these years. This was the start of my painting life.

From 1994 on I had a deep interest in painting, but it wasn’t anything organized or disciplined. Just something I enjoyed doing when I had the opportunity. Some weeks I’d do nothing but paint but then I might go a month without doing anything, no rhyme or reason. I really had no idea what I was doing and just kind of did things on the fly or as they hit me. Sometimes the result would be cool but more times than not they were bad, very bad.

My first real breakthrough came in the summer of 1997. I was living in Walnut Creek, CA with my friend Marty. We lived in a cool house with a large backyard and I had taken to painting various rooms and locations around the house. The garage was my main studio and I was very active with acrylic and oil paints. Plenty of room to experiment and try new things out. Then Marty left for a couple of weeks and I pretty much had the house to myself. I set up a studio in the living room and started painting a corner of the room where we had our four track as if it was a still life. Looking at the painting now, it doesn’t seem to be that big of a deal but at the time I was extremely pleased with it. I just remember the ease at which it came out, there were no “mistakes”, nothing was painting over or re-painted. I don’t remember how much time I spent on it but there was a week or so that I didn’t work on it. Marty had gone to Florida to work on the film “Trans” and he invited me out for awhile to hang out and see how a film is made. I wasn’t done with the painting and didn’t want to stop but I couldn’t pass up a chance like this to see an independent film being made, so I went. The whole film crew was staying at the film director’s father’s house. It was pretty amazing how they all were living, complete with a music jam room that had instruments and we’d have nightly jams after the day or night’s shooting. Then the next day would bring a new adventure, driving around the swamps and back roads of Florida, filming the locals and avoiding the law. Seeing how it all came together was a real education in creativity that has always stayed with me. Then my week was over and I headed back to California. Marty had to stay in Florida for more work on the film. When I got back to the house my painting was still in the same spot in the living room but I felt I had evolved so much since I had left it there. I was a little nervous about trying to finish the piece cause it had come so easy before and I was sure I had lost it. But I started right up where I left off and competed the painting in a few days.

At the end of 1997 I moved to Saint Louis and continued to paint. My first public showing was in March of 98’ at some DIY gallery located in the Central West End. Nothing much came of it and the gallery eventually closed. I was painting as much as possible but one problem I was running into was content, subject matter. I wanted to paint people, places and things that really existed, I didn’t want to make things up, but what exactly, I wasn’t sure. My attention was fleeting and it was tough to stay organized and disciplined. When I did find a subject I was interested in then painting was a joy. An example of this is this painting of a circuit board I completed while still living on Lindell Blvd. I was given a real circuit board from my friend Brian and I just painted what I saw. Again, there were no “mistakes” or re-doing, it all just came out with ease. I ended up giving the painting to Marty.

Then I did something that really threw my painting production for a loop, I started a band. I still painted but it took a back seat to the band. I would go back and forth between playing, recording music and painting. My interest had to really be into the subject I was painting for it to hold my attention long enough to finish it. Then, in 2004 I turned 30 years old and I made a decision.

I decided I wanted to focus on painting and I would do so with the subject of either the people and places of Saint Louis, MO. People and places that really exist. I wanted to see how long it would take to consistently paint for 10,000 hours and what the end result of doing such a thing would be. I figured (roughly) that If I painted at least 2.8 hours daily then I could reach that goal in 10 years. Painting everyday for at least 2.8 hours, for 10 years. I didn’t quite know what I was getting myself into. First thing I did was quit all the bands I was in and set up a small studio in my then girlfriend’s house, later the studio moved to a basement on the corner of Cherokee and Compton and now it’s in the basement of my house. This month I turn 38 and I’m in the home stretch of the grand experiment. 2 more years to go. Have I painted everyday for the past 8 years at least 2.8 hours a day? No, I haven’t. There have been days when I’ve been out of town, work trips to California, honeymoon in Montreal, excursions to NYC, family vacations in Chicago, weekend trips to Memphis and Kansas City, runs down to New Orleans. However, for just about every day I missed 2.8 hours there are other days when I painted for 4, 6 sometimes 8 hours a day, so I am roughly on track to accomplish the 10,000 hours in two more years. Throughout all of that I’ve maintained a full-time job, got married, had 2 kids, as well as opened and closed a business. And what has it gotten me? Painting, much like everything else in life, requires trust.

I feel the need to mention the death of Harry Crews which happened this past week. I own a few of his books but his influence on me creatively is much more indirect. My friend Marty, mentioned above, is responsible for turning me on to Crews and his well known quote, "If you’re gonna write, for God in heaven’s sake, try to get naked. Try to write the truth. Try to get underneath all the sham, all the excuses, all the lies that you’ve been told." always stuck with me. You can apply it to painting (or any art form for that matter) and it still rings true. Again, this idea of expressing a truth or something real is always present. His influence also seeped into my subconscious while hanging out in Florida during the making of "Trans". His attitude was very much in the air with the film crew who were applying his ideas not only aesthetically but also with the very subject matter of the film. Interestingly, the director would go on later to direct the film adaptation of Crews' book "The Hawk is Dying". A book, for me anyway, about not allowing life to get in the way of your passions.

now playing - Harry Crews

Mike Doughty at the Old Rock House

A couple weeks ago I was walking around the Loop area on Delmar and I happen to pass Subterranean Books. I looked in the window and saw my old friend Rob Levy. I first met Rob 14 years ago at the Fox Theatre. Little did I know I had just met someone who will always have a keen pulse on what's going on in popular culture, past, present and future. Rob's biggest claim to fame is his awesome radio show, Juxaposition on KDHX Wed nights from 7pm-9pm. Always ahead of the curve when it comes to new music or even old music.

I walked into the book store to say hello. He was on his way out so he could do his radio show. We talked for a bit and walked around the store. Out of the blue he said "Mike Doughty has a new book out" and pointed right to it. And sure enough there was a book sitting there with the words "The Book of Drugs, A Memoir, Mike Doughty". I was taken back because I had been thinking about Mike Doughty lately, but I didn't tell anyone this. I blurted out to Rob, "I'm actually painting his picture right now but don't know much about him". When weird little things like that happen, I take notice and bought the book. Rob and I said our goodbyes and he headed out to do his radio show and I went back out onto the Delmar sidewalk and wondered what weird little thing will happen next.

now playing - Oasis

Mickey Hart at the Old Rock House

I’ll admit it, I’m not much of a Grateful Dead fan. I was never introduced to them properly, I believe my first exposure to them was in 8th grade when “Touch of Grey” came out. That’s a fine pop song for radio or whatever, but it did not peak my interest in digging deeper which is kind of surprising because around the same time I was getting heavily into bands like The Beatles, Stones, Doors, etc and you’d think the Dead would be right up my alley but they never took hold. Around my senior year in high school I did acquire a book written by Mickey Hart called “Drumming at the Edge of Magic” and read it with great interest. The book kind of served a dual purpose, on the one hand it gave a brief history of Mickey’s involvement with the Grateful Dead but it also delved into the many ways to create beats and rhythm using methods that date back to ancient times. A very enjoyable book (and accompanying CD, "Planet Drum") but getting me excited about listening to the Grateful Dead, it did not.

In the mid-90s PBS put out a great series on the History of Rock and Roll, in the series there are interviews with Phil Lesh and Jerry Garcia. Their stories were incredible and interesting to hear but again, did not spark interest in getting to know the Dead’s music. By the end of the century I had pretty much given up on ever liking the Dead but I did have a respect and appreciation for what they accomplished and how they accomplished it.

Fast forward to a couple of weeks ago and I’m starting on a new painting for the Old Rock House of Mickey Hart. I had gone to the show and got some nice shots of Mickey playing. The music was more aligned with what was on the “Planet Drum” CD and it was really cool to see him play live. So, I tried again with the Dead and with internet sites like Grooveshark and Spotify it was so easy to cue up. I started at the beginning with the first album. The first few songs did not hold my attention so I moved on to the second album, “Anthem of the Sun”, and I haven’t been able to stop listening to it. Here’s a quick list of other great albums released in 1968 and I’d say “Anthem” is every bit as great as any of these.

“White Light/White Heat” The Velvet Underground
“The United States of America” The United States of America
“Dance to the Music” Sly & the Family Stone
“A Saucerful of Secrets” Pink Floyd
“Creedence Clearwater Revival” Creedence Clearwater Revival
“Waiting for the Sun” The Doors
“Music from Big Pink” The Band
“Sweetheart of the Rodeo” The Byrds
“Electric Ladyland” The Jimi Hendrix Experience
“the Beatles” The Beatles
“The Kinks Are the Village Green Preservation Society” The Kinks
“Astral Weeks” Van Morrison
“Beggars Banquet” The Rolling Stones

OK, I could go on but you get the idea. So I’m late coming to the Dead table but based on just “Anthem of the Sun” I can finally see how they attained legendary status.

Last month I was very fortunate to get some kind press from the Riverfront Times and the St. Louis Magazine Blog for the show I had at Fort Gondo.

now playing - "Alligator"

New Year, Old Art

It’s a new year but the first two shows I’m involved with this month are using old pieces that were completed years ago.

The first one, entitled “The Shape of Man”, is the brainchild of Amy VanDonsel and Chris King. This group show will bring together many artists I admire, including Kevin Belford, Jon Cournoyer, Robert Goetz, David Langley, B.J. Vogt and Eric Woods, to name a few. The show will explore the shape men are in. A companion show, “The Shape of Wo/Man”, is scheduled for sometime in 2013. I was surprised to be invited to this show but very honored as well, although I have nothing new to contribute. That doesn’t matter though, Chris has a drawing of Barack Obama I gave him back in 2008 and with my blessing he has submitted that as my contribution. The drawing was left over from a solo show I had at Fort Gondo in Aug of 2008. The show was about presidential politics and how money was at the root of all the problems in our political system. Drawings of both presidential candidates was on display. I ended up giving the drawing to Chris because he’s the only person I know who has ever talked to Barack Obama one on one.

“The Shape of a Man”
Art exhibit and chapbook release
Mad Art Gallery
2727 So. 12th Street, St. Louis

7-11 p.m. January 6, 2012

New work by Amy VanDonsel.
Poetry chapbook by Chris King.

Poetry performance with musical guests.
Additional manly art by:

Oscar Alvarez, Kevin Belford, Ron Buechele, Jon Cournoyer, George D. Davidson III Charles and Chalot Douglas-Book, Dr. Andrew Dykeman, Fred Friction, Matt Fuller, Robert Goetz, Kim Humphries, Chris King, Noah Kirby, David Langley, Sandra Marchewa, Hap Phillips, Stefene Russell, Dana Smith, B.J. Vogt, Eric Woods and the late Hunter Brumfield III.

Also, one exemplary man – Hap Phillips – will be exhibited.
Potluck provided by men who cook.

The second show, scheduled a week later will be a solo show at Fort Gondo.



Southtown Famous
Fort Gondo Compound for the Arts
3151 Cherokee St
Sat. Jan 14, 2012

Dana Smith’s second solo exhibition at Fort Gondo Compound for the Arts entitled "Southtown Famous" continues his longstanding interest in the underground music scene in Saint Louis. Starting off what will be Fort Gondo's 10th anniversary since opening, "Southtown Famous" will bring together a collection of acrylic paintings from the last seven years chronicling the often forgotten, exciting aspect of local bands painted in a simple and direct aesthetic that reflects an urgency the musicians inspire.

Live music by special guest .e
http://soundcloud.com/dottiegeorges

Dana Smith, a self-taught painter, was initially inspired by getting to know other artists while traveling the West Coast as a sponsored skateboarder in the early '90s. He has been a resident of Saint Louis since 1997, where he played in a variety of underground bands including Cloister, The Baysayboos and The Wormwood Scrubs. He has also contributed work to locally-based Internet radio station 3WK.com, daytrotter.com, 52ndcity.com and creativesaintlouis.com.

now playing - The Gourds

The Black Angels at the Old Rock House

This year has been a busy one. It started off with a large painting for Union Electric's new 7 inch single "Tunnels". Then it was onto three pieces for the Royale and once those were completed in Aug it continued with paintings for the Old Rock House. So far two have been completed of Black Francis and St. Vincent. The one above is currently being worked on from the Black Angels show back in Oct. The show was really great but I wished I had wore ear plugs. It was a little difficult to get a good shot of the band but I think this will work out. Future paintings for the Old Rock House include Mike Doughty, Mickey Hart and Eric Johnson. Because of this activity not much of the usual pieces on local musicians or buildings have been accomplished. But that's just as well, it's good to keep busy.

A few weeks ago I ran into my friend Galen at the City Diner on N. Grand Blvd. Galen is a good friend who use to run Radio Cherokee along with David Early and he also operates Fort Gondo. While catching up over lunch he reminded me that 2012 will be the 10th anniversary of Fort Gondo being open and said he'd like to invite back artists who had shown there over the years. He then mentioned January was all mine if I was interested. I couldn't believe it, absolutely I was interested. The only thing though, I wouldn't have much time to complete any new paintings. I do have one piece started of J.J. Hamon from the band Magic City that I can have done by Jan. Add this to all the other paintings of musicians I've done over the last seven years and we have a show.

Southtown Famous
Fort Gondo Compound for the Arts
3151 Cherokee St
Sat. Jan 14, 2012

Dana Smith’s second solo exhibition at Fort Gondo Compound for the Arts entitled Southtown Famous continues his longstanding interest in the underground music scene in Saint Louis. Southtown Famous will bring together a collection of acrylic paintings from the last seven years chronicling the often forgotten, exciting aspect of local bands painted in a simple and direct aesthetic that reflects an urgency the musicians inspire.

Live music by .e
http://soundcloud.com/dottiegeorges

Dana Smith, a self-taught painter, was initially inspired by getting to know other artists while traveling the West Coast as a sponsored skateboarder in the early '90s. He has been a resident of Saint Louis since 1997, where he played in a variety of underground bands including Cloister, The Baysayboos and The Wormwood Scrubs. He has also contributed work to locally-based Internet radio station 3WK.com, daytrotter.com, 52ndcity.com and creativesaintlouis.com.

now playing - Bunnygrunt - "Southtown Famous"