I find serigraphy to be an incredibly American form of art, quick, easy, profitable and with high production results. All the same I found the medium to be very expressive, pliable and plastic in nature. I very rapidly learned the art of screen-printing through classwork and after my initial Zen Living Tea-Shirt sales had lined me up a few more printing gigs, I saw the opportunity against all odds and took a shot at starting a business in this economy. An optimist sees opportunity in every danger whereas the pessimist sees danger in every opportunity. I took every job I could and made myself visible to every organization and business on campus.
I actually designed the Printing Pony Express's card as a self portrait for my serigraphy class. The image was designed using a Japanese woodblock print composition and the "Ukiyo-e" stylization of flattened space. I chose to portray the pony express, the name taken from the little engine that could, denoting to the manifestation of the machine of mankind as well as the walls we build all bearing down upon a lone soul of a samurai on a pony. I've also taken up quite an interest in Samurai as well as the Bushido code. The Bushido code burns with mad death, when one has a choice between life and death, one must always choose death, this must be understood to understand the bushido. Here I pictured the fearless samurai racing towards the train pulling back his sword in a moment of climax, an ode to Bernini's sculpture of david pulling back his sling shot.
1 comment:
Ben,
Thank you again for sharing your art with me. That is a very kind and generous act and I sincerely appreciate it. Although I lack the technical jargon to describe your work I can share with you my thoughts and feelings about a few of the pieces that stirred me. After all, art is not about technical jargon, it is about the emotions and passions that it stirs in the soul.
The three sketches that most drew my attention were the fox, the Bedouin, and the pensive Latin man. I found myself drawn to the fox several times as I flipped through your sketchbook. It has a profound realism to it. As I kept looking at the fox it dawned on me that I should not only “look” at the drawing but also to “feel” it. I rarely open up my senses in that way but as I mentioned to you I strongly feel there is some spiritual/psychic energy in Minneapolis that draws me in. I’ve resisted and denied this sensibility most of my life
When I opened myself to the “feelings” that came through when viewing this painting I received impressions that this drawing has your essence. What I mean is that the fox is you. At first it didn’t make sense to me. Please understand I am not trying to psychoanalyze I am only giving you my impressions. What I do know about the fox in spiritual terms is that it is a guide in the spirit world. Many cultures honor the fox for its wisdom and as a noble messenger. In some Native American cultures the fox has a dual nature and one of them is as a trickster playing pranks.
It is also believed that the fox, because of its sly nature thinks outside of the box and uses its intelligence in different, creative ways.
I have absolutely no clue if any of this describes you at all since I just met you. However, at the risk of sounding repetitive and boring, your sketch of the fox is truly a self portrait. It matches your intelligence, wisdom, creativity, slyness, and mischievousness. Also, as a guide you encourage others to approach our circumstances differently than we normally do, even if it means calling upon some unorthodox methods.
Honestly, I don’t know if any of this is even close to the target but I seriously felt compelled for unknown reasons to share this with you.
Again thanks for sharing your art.
Bill
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