Not Just Any Heart Valentine

February never fails to remind us, all of us, of Valentine's Day, with its saccharined heart. I always have loved and hated the symbol since it has dictated how a complex and varied feeling (Love) should be and only be about the overly sweet and ultimately sickening nature of love or strong affection. And the symbol (or Love) has never been that way for me.

This is my valentine for my Valentine, based on the concept of the stereotypical heart shape, which is two hearts fused together:

Front of Valentine minus front lacing

Interior of Valentine with bike in the background

Completely handmade Valentine.  If that doesn't say "I love you" then I don't know what does.  Also, the holes in running down the middle of both hearts are for a deep purple ribbon to tie them together.  I took these photos after I gave it and it was quite the pain in the butt to lace it up the first time, and I didn't feel like doing it again.  My hands are tired, my friends.

Color obsession: Gentian
Song obsession: "Apply Some Pressure" by Maxïmo Park  
Words that make ya sma'ta': Aggregate   

Mask concept drawings-Buffalo

This is a concept sketch from about 3/4 of the way done to finish I did this past Monday (MLK Day) while hanging out in a café near my house.  I've been doing drawings of buffaloes a lot as of late, and my thoughts always turn to the way early American and European "sportsmen" decimated the American Bison population to the point of near extinction.  And, to add insult to injury, mainly did so just for buffalo hide leaving the carcasses to rot in the prairies.  Now, buffalo only roam on protected areas, such as ranches and preserves, their numbers not even close to what they once were.  I know why this bothers me.  It's the narcissistic, tyrannical attitude that people, especially in first world countries, seem to have in them.  I don't know why though, if you have a brain and a heart and aren't a psychopath, you wouldn't care that this has a history and continues.  So many creatures that make our world a really cool place to live are being brought to extinction, or near it, for what?  Delicious soup, a nice rug, a trophy, more land to build more structures that will remain mostly empty.  So many reasons and all of them bullshit.  It saddens and shames me beyond belief sometimes.

This concept I've called "Goodbye Buffalo" but have also been toying with naming the actual mask, if I make it, "American Domestic Policy."  My concept was to have a tired buffalo, with his head cover in blood and the beard made out of used rifle casings.

These were done in watercolor pencil, ink and gouache.

Music obsession: "Dulcinea" by Isis
Color of the Moment: Burnt sienna
Words that make ya sma'ta': Verisimilitude

Break out of your Head

This is a new mask in progress...I call it "Bloom."
I've been much more productive as of late; probably more independently productive than I've ever been, including college, which was more about getting shit done, not necessarily liking the outcome. This is very different. Everything is very different, and all flying on strong wings and good winds.
I finally finished the sculpting stage and he's now on the radiator drying.  I took him off the stuffed mask form I used and was really surprised; I'm very happy with the result.  I think he looks fantastic.  I assume he's going to take about a week to be fully dry and then begins the process of sanding, drilling and then painting.  I'm still contemplating what colors to use, but I usually leave that up to the moment.  My instincts are usually spot-fuckin'-on with color.

"Bloom" in progress

I have other mask concepts in the works, written on the mirrors and glass cupboards, post-its and the like.  After about two more skull masks, I think I'll be moving on to others; animal totems keep assailing me and I have to give in soon.  They keep coming to me in waves, an endless ocean of ideas and feelings.  This is all good.  I just wish I had more space and time.  But it will come, hopefully along with more patience.

Color Obsession:  Crimson
Song Obsession: "Essence" by Yob
Words that make ya smarter: Liberate