TEDxSMU Auditions: Time is Ticking Away

When I signed up for the TEDxSMU Auditions it was the middle of August when the Texas heat was so intense you could fry up a whole chicken on the hood of your Ford truck.

Now it's October, I have survived, I have also realized I signed up and/or volunteered for things like a man soon to die. October has become an out of my comfort zone experience. This audition being what my Dad would call a personality growing experience.

So here it the ruff draft. I'll be one of 13 people presenting a 3 minute lecture on a topic of our own choosing. 4 judges and an audience pole will decide who goes on to present an extended lecture at TEDxSMU in December. Here is the itinerary. Thank god I"m not going last, but on the other hand most of my friends are well known for running late...

Brad Ford Smith                "What People Reach For When Things Fall Apart"

Christian Genco                "Outsource Your Brain: Why Everyone Needs to Learn How to Program."

Golbahar Dadyan             "Unlocking the Creative Genius: Living the Dream Circuit"

Jon Eric Fountain              "Follow My Heels"

Will Clarke                           "Seeing Through The Haze: Why Do We Haze?"

RJ Daum                               "Wild Mustangs, Wild Life"

Short Break- music

Sean Springer                    "Making Good Product: Inspirations, Sensations and Values"

Stacy Cherones                 "Make Cafeterias Complete"

Jasmin  Brand                    "What Ike Turner & Social Media Have in Common"

Belinda Baldwin                "The Power of You"

Darren Collins                    "Disaster Relief Housing: A Clown's Perspective"

There will be a short intro of each speaker- just name and talk title.

Each speaker will only have 3 minutes. Anyone that goes over 3 minutes will be pulled off the stage, but in a fun way :)

Doors open at 6:00 and we will begin the program at 7:00. We will have one short break with live music by Kerri Arista. She will also perform at the end while we are counting ballots and the judges deliberate. A winner will be announced that night.

We strongly urge any additional guests buy their ticket online since we will only be selling tickets at the door if we don’t sell out before. Ticket link: http://www.eventbrite.com/event/2042078913/mcivte

Houston Fine Art Fair Shopping List

The Houston Fine Art Fair was like going to Whole Foods, row after row of good for you art work. Unfortunately I left the wallet containing big wades of cash at home. I posted my shopping list and a few observations on Art and Seek. (Photo- Keiko Gonzalez, Salar Galeria de Arte, Bolivia)

Next month is the Texas Contemporary Art Fair. Will it be worth another 8 hour roundtrip drive?..

Houston Fine Art Fair

Well I just can't stay away. I'm heading down to Houston for the Houston Fine Art Fair. I've posted a short blurp on Art n Seek , which I'll follow up on with photos on monday.

Walking AND Looking

Most every artist will tell you that for them making art is way more important to than selling it or even exhibiting it. That the creation of each painting, drawing or sculpture is for the moment the most important thing they are doing, and if questioned further, they will admit that when completed, that work of art will be eclipsed by the next painting, drawing or sculpture.

Like it or not, I have to admit that's my studio practice in a nut shell. I have once again spent the year focused on crafting three art projects. Three really great, pushing my boundaries, all consuming art projects. They now languish as the top layer of the art pile. I am now starting on my next really great, boundary pushing, all consuming painting, drawing, or sculpture.

I have been walking through the woods so focused on each footstep that I am completely missing the forest. That by not spending the time and energy to get the artwork exhibited I will never really see what this path has to shown me.

With this in mind, I am sending in a proposal to the Lawndale Art Center, Applying for a grant from The Idea Fund, and once again applying for the artists residency at Artpace.

Up Lifting View from Texas Museums

I just got back from the 2011 Texas Association of Museum Conference. 3 days of lectures, group discussions and workshops with 388 people that work in museums from across the state, museums like the Dallas Museum of Art, and the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History, as well as hundreds of smaller historic museums, historic parks, historic houses, culture centers, libraries, and foundations.

Between the sessions a lot of the coffee talk was about the resent cuts to the Texas Commission on the Arts, the Texas Historical Commission, and the Texas Parks and Wildlife. That said, the overall atmosphere of the conference was upbeat, with sessions focusing on Do it yourself public relations, Developing partnerships and Resource building. A Yes this sucks, and it's going to continue to suck, so let's make the best of it attitude prevailed. I for one, came away invigorated by the commoratery and the positive problem solving attitudes.

Next year, the TAM conference with be in San Antonio, March 27-30th. I'll be participating as part of an Art Conservation roundtable. More on that next March.

Planning How to be Strategic in my Planning

Usually my posts are kind of a light hearted ramblings, but this 3 day Creative Capital Professional Development Program at Arthouse kind of knocked my for a slow loop. Most of the info was standard business planning stuff infused with a fine art perspective. And the other 24 artists were a joy to meet and interact with. The 5 instructors were insightful, approachable, and vocal with their opinions. All good stuff.

But now I am back in Dallas, rewriting my notes and working on the Strategic Planning Workbook... and I realize that I don't know what the fuck I'm doing. I know kind of what I should be doing, but mostly I just blow in the wind like a tumbleweed, hoping to get snagged by a barbed wire fence with a nice view.

I'm going to approach The MAC or the Dallas Contemporary to see if they would apply to have Creative Capital come to Dallas. Having a local group of artists to meet with and work though this with would be wonderful.

At any rate, I'm doing my homework now. Stay tuned.

A Little Fungus For A Good Cause

I should have posted this sculpture before the Art Conspiracy's fundraiser happened... Well I'm doing it now.... This is Cordycep Flamingo. He was part of the Better Gnomes and Gardens auction put on by Art Conspiracy.

He is your average pink flamingo except he is suffering from a cordycep fungus. This type of parasitic fungus mostly infects bugs, like grasshoppers and ants, slowly driving them insane and turning their bodies into stalagmite covered husks. It looks like a horrific way to die. I would love to see this happen to a few of the fire ant in my front yard.

I created this sculpture in hopes that placing it in your yard or garden it will act like a scarecrow, and scare the holly crape out of all the fire ants.

By the way, a few of my friends did point out that items at fundraiser tend to sell better if they are based on humor or cutely puppies, and not horror show fungi. But like the commercial says Who doesn't like to kill fire ants? And I am pleased to say that it did sell for a nice amount.

To see some great photos of cordycep covered bugs, as well as lots of great pictures of Normal bugs and fungus, check out Kim Fliming's Flickr site.