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DAY
23 Notes
Ok, so I have been derelict in my adventure reporting but I am back now and I will catch up best I can. I went for a walk the other day following lunch and checked out something called the Texas Museum of Pop Culture. Cool Place, lots of really interesting posters and a head shop. My friend got some over the counter smoke-able called Salvia and talked me into partaking so I did and it completely blew my mind. A mistake I think as it was much stronger than I could have imagined. Back to no drugs for me even the legal ones.
On the way home Jeremy and I ran into a dog shelter rep and she asked us to walk her dogs. Yeah sure, love to.
Jeremy fell in love with this Corgi and was prepared to take her home. But changed his mind upon hearing the $120 fee.
My lunch at Maria's was great even though it was merely refries. I heaped the delicious pico de gallo on top and it was the best thing ever.
A few days later I went for a stroll with Ben and Ruba and took this shot of them by this knarly tree.
They brought me to the capitol and I went inside for a look.
Did some more sketches for food and the like, thought I'd throw em in.
Went to three Halloween parties and had a good time all the way. At Trevor's, (the inquisition cardinal in the middle) I was the Zig Zag guy and Annika was a fairy princess.
At such party I met Becky who put me up and fed me for the above painting.
She introduced me to Kat (not the cat I am holding) Whose home I painted this painting and I am currently staying.
Oh yeah, election day was uncommonly festive as Austin is quite blue. Though not revealing my politics, I did light off fireworks with a collection of inebriated locals. At one point I threw a jumping jack in the street just in time for it to get in the way of a cop. Rolling down his window he called out, "you know I could give you a five hundred dollar fine for that" and that's all. What a nice fellow. Or maybe he was just an Obama guy.
DAY
35 Notes
Tues. Nov. 11
Eating well and feeling good.
Since I last logged in I got a guitar and some cool new reflector shades.
Jogged today.
Social life and basic comfort is hampering these updates I think. Anyhow, I'll try harder.
A few more works just to get a bit ahead, nothing really new. "So what's with the the 9 and other numbers you use?" Some of you have been asking. All I can tell you is look up the number 9. It is not Anton Lavey's number for Satan.
This work was done for a producer of an upcoming animated feature they are doing and hoping to get into Sundance. The movie is called Mars and the painting is a take off the logo of the film.
Another example of Austin's great signage. You should see this thing at night.
I am doing a sign for Austin Bike Zoo. Check out what these cats are up to.
Did this painting for someone I have not yet met. She had me stay in her apartment to get a sense of who she was and work it from there. I got the feel of spiritual quest from her books, movies and pictures. Hope she likes it. I tried to color coordinate it to the room.
She didn't have much food around so I mostly subsisted on trail mix and ginger snaps I'd gotten from dollar tree.
As last night was my third at my current location, I have to find a place to stay tonight. I did the above sketch so that I might use the computer and wifi at a nearby previous host's home which is cool because she said I could raid the fridge, and she just went shopping. Since she has a bunch of my works already, I thought I would do her a different style from what I've been doing lately.
I'll be going to a show tomorrow of a band called "One Eye'd Doll" (check em out). I am told I am on the guest list- once I've made them a one eye'd sketch of course. How ap-pro-po.
DAY
39 Notes
Sat. Nov 15th
(working in bits and pieces will catch up soon, time running down at Library)
On Thursday night I hooked up with William with whom I'd been corresponding and his friend Emily and we had a few beers together. Emily it turns out had these really cool tickets for burritos at a place called Freebirds and we ate there (I still owe her a sketch because I was only half done before we departed).
Later I finally found a bus to get downtown where someone asked me if I was that absolute zero guy. I said "why yes I am". Being a fellow artist Todd was kind enough to buy this drawing for 7 dollars and give me a ride 'cross the river.
It was cool though after walking half the day with all my stuff I landed at Jeremy's and he said I could stay there if I gave him art or not. So I drew him something as is my rules. It is alright staying there, but god love him, he has no food at all. This is his fridge (he said I could post it)
One Bushe Beer(opened) and a package of Ketchup.
Later around 11pm I went to the Red Eye'd Doll show. It had been pre-arranged that I was to give her a drawing for having been put on the guest list. What a trip this chick was. She hugged me and was just the frailest thing but when she jumped about her movements were like thunderclaps. The guitar sound was like a chainsaw and well complemented her cute Japanese school girl voice both ethereal and shrill.
This outfit is cool and I suggest you check it out.
Not sure if it's evident in this pic (far left on a amplifier in the above) but the sketch I drew was a Phoenix as I'd heard her early life was at least as wacky as mine. Here's to rising from ashes.
DAY
45 Notes
Fri. Nov 21th
Just a moment to write so I'll be brief.....
I am hanging out with a group who like to have fires at their apt. complex, we did chili dogs last night.
fun homeless guy at tiniest bar. He couldn't read or write but told great stories and did that cool face thing
did this skyline for David and he cut my hair too
don't worry, the cigs and malt liquor were "little Dog's" owner's
Painted this for my new friend Steve and said puppy
Hey, got a gig painting faux finish on the stage at the famous Zachary Scott theater
a lot more stuff than when I started
they liked me enough to let me do December's cover "10 great stocking suffers under 10 bucks"
DAY
50 Notes
WED. Nov 26th
The weekend was fraught with no holds barred hedonism and epic substance abuse. Fortunately for me it was a role of observer. I will have a few beers at a given time to be social but have been keeping pretty straight as I have little room for error. Despite one particularly shocking sexual visual, I've had a lot of fun this week as a spectator.
Other wise its been business as usual. I bought a bunch of frames from goodwill and dollartree and plan to make several works to sell at an outdoor city bazaar called First Thursdays (Dec. 4). Looking forward to it.
I found another bag of weed. Is this some social service I've not heard about!!?
DAY
53 Notes
Sat. Nov 29th
Did this picture of a dragon with Riley, aged 7 who's family I had Thanksgiving with and who's flag football team had just won the regional finals.
The feast took place in Taylor about 40 miles outside Austin. It was everything you'd want at Thanksgiving. Farm animals, screaming kids, all manner of consumption, football and more pies than people. Thank You Crumps.
Upon returning back to Hutto where I was being hosted we found four inches of water on the floor. (note the swimming pool flecks of light). Selfish as it may be, I was praying it was not something I'd done. Turned out the feed hose under the sink exploded. Spent a good part of Thursday night/Friday morning bailing out. Just heard from Mel and Jen, 30k in damages and no more dragon picture.
DAY
59 Notes
Fri. Dec. 5
Getting a real holiday feel by spending evening upon evening by the Town Hollow apartments communal fire (bbq station by the pool) while being passed from ever more trusting resident to resident. The smell of wood smoke is a delightful backdrop for our nightly gatherings.
The magazine cover came out real nice. and all my lettering could be easily read. To those of you who suggest I am violating my standards because I'd been in touch with a few media outlets prior to my arrival, including the one I'd eventually do this cover for, I can only tell you that I made no deals beforehand and I did say I would not be helped by "friends or family". If it makes you feel better I do still eat a lot of oatmeal and dollar store snacks and I still only have one pair of pants that fit.
Painted like hell to have something for an outdoor public sale called First Thursday. I did not however sell a thing as it was too cold (in the 30s) and we were too south of the throngs for foot traffic. I think about 10 people wandered by (including homeless and joggers). If you live in Austin or the vicinity feel free to make an offer on any of these as I am down to my last $5. No emergency or anything, I just hate being flat broke.
Anyway, I think I'll stay here until at least April so I am taking things slow. I have a few things going toward project completion and will put it out there if anything develops.
DAY
66 Notes
Fri. Dec. 12
I got a bit of a cold some days ago and felt altogether crappy. What's more is I acquired an infection on my ankle that grew to roughly softball proportions.
This did not keep me from enjoying my friend Alicia's (in black) and Lauren's (in white) office Christmas party. Chris (far left) who begrudgingly came along, made the most of the situation by pulling a sitting room chair up to the bar and playfully harassing the two pretty 20 something bartenders. That and a few other shenanigans I wont go into, made his/our presence quite memorable to the other holiday revelers. Did I mention he is from the Boston area as well.....
Big surprise.
This I thought was a cool picture of Joe who my other pal Ben calls "Blonde Danzig". Joe kills rats for a living but doesn't talk too much about his work. Joe gave me the guitar and I plan to do other projects with him soon.
I went and visited the site where I plan to paint a mural and talked to Ben who requested it. We agreed that it might be well served by an Austin skyline. I'd like to do it in a way that was unique as possible. I guess we'll see
I had lunch with Jen and Daphne at a place called The New World Deli. After devouring a delicious eggplant parm I had the second half of Daphne's Ruben. They were fantastic. After lunch we were joined by Sarah, the very friendly owner and I did a quick drawing for a couple bucks. She also said I could go there anytime and do art. Upon leaving Jen gave me a "care package" with some toiletries and a large stack of parchment which I did several drawings over the next few days while my ankle healed.
This one was with dollar store colored pencils
This is a drawing of the Austin skyline requested by my friend Paul.
I am back to feeling great health wise and itching to get back in the swing. Sorry the entries are less frequent than before. I suppose I should just write a few words daily even if they are about nothing too shocking. Ah whatever....
DAY
74 Notes
Fri. Dec. 19
Still spending a lot of time around this place.
I underestimated how important a location to keep my things now that I have some. It was easier to roam when I had no place to go. Oh yeah, the manager commissioned me to do the numbers at the top. I thought it creative enough, ya know picking a font and all.
While reading an email from a friend back in Boston with the subject line "Happy Birthday Rusty" my big day was exposed by an eavesdropper (Alisha) over my shoulder. An impromptu party ensued in the courtyard. Thanks, you guys are so sweet.
Where the hell they get those balloons so fast?
The cops were called a few times but they mostly just annoyed they had to attend to something so frivolous (their opinion not mine). Our whole night via the security cam will be made into a dvd and given to me as a keepsake. Who knew they had such a thing. I hope they got my midnight ice plunge in the pool.
Did this drawing for a single night stay.
I was recently justifying replication of subjects to someone evoking how in modern art there was a precedent for repeating themes ie. Mondrians cubes, Brancusi's birds, Pollocks noise etc. at which time they bluntly pointed out to me that those artists are famous because they were discovered by "some gay, jew, rich guy". Or maybe it was gay and/or jew rich guy. In either case, I see things a bit more complicated- but didn't make a big deal out of it. In fact I was mildly amused at how succinctly they summed up a typical American view as to the prestige of modern art.......
eerily close to the sentiment of national treasure, Thomas Hart Benton.
Man it's easy to just hold my tongue and listen...albeit not very heroic.
The other day I was told a tenant totally abandoned their apartment at Town Hollow so I got to pick through their stuff before the maintenance
guy chucked it. Got a hat and some new shirts but most importantly some boxers and socks. Hand washed em and ran em through the microwave for 3 minutes just to be on the safe side.
I am finding that my fake leather jacket is better for the rain than if it were real.
Don't know why this is notable other than I just wanted a caption for the photo.
DAY
77 Notes
Mon. Dec. 22
It's gettin pretty cold round here, not like ya'll up north though. I am hearing it's the worst some of you have ever seen. Hope everyone is ok.
I think I'll get much more serious about the tasks at hand in either late Jan early Feb. For now I just would like to stick around stay healthy and just get by. I finally have a good version of Photoshop and computers to work on whenever I please so I can do my outreach and correspondence a bit better. When you are designing projects for people it is much better to play on a screen before you go straight to the wall- pretty obvious I reckon. I've been playing my guitar a bit more now too to get my voice going again. Even writing some new melodies, what fun.
Here are a few sketches just for some visuals.
Perhaps I'll check in again before the end of the month but if I don't, happy Holys everyone.
Day
87 Notes
Fri. Jan. 2
Still painting away. At least one every third day.
This here is the cathedral of junk. It is a really cool thing to behold. Check it out.
I took a bunch of pictures.
On Christmas Eve-eve we went to the trail of lights.
The scenery was better than I expected.
Spent Christmas day out in the country with some friends at Tommy's family's. They own a Thai restaurant so along with the traditional turkey, stuffing and mashed potatoes there were some delicious exotic selections.
A few days later I had a second Christmas dinner with some delightful folks from Africa (and a few locals). They had a beautiful home in the hills west of town. I was offered to paint the dog and I am looking forward to it.
New Years in Austin is a big deal. On the 30th We visited something called the "Resolution Clock" which they were building in the park.
Not having my resolution well thought yet I just put my mark on it.
At 8pm the next night it was dramatically burned in a mix of cascading butane, propane and kerosene but I didn't get there in time to see it.
I liked this water feature. They have a lot of cool things to look at here in Austin.
Switching it up a bit- here is a painting.
Why yes that is Bud light and Clamato. Ap-pro-pro for the teeth. It is horrible stuff -like the Vegimite of Texas, and featured prominantly at every gas station and grocierette.
Took a bunch of photos of New Years Eve fireworks that all pretty much look like this one. Why do we always do that?
Thought this lock n chain submerged in asphalt looked novel so I poured some glass pieces around it and took a photo. Just a whim, nothing deep.
And a picture while on a new years day walk. Did I mention there are a lot of cool things just to look at in Austin
I have some events coming up, I'll get em posted when mature.
DAY
99 Notes
Wed. Jan. 14
Having a good time just frittering about and heeding my options. As an aside, Texas is the most patriotic nation the world has ever known.
A couple of works done on construction refuse. You know the usual once every three days.
Designed this pattern in illustrator with Frank Lloyed Wright on the mind and painted it in this doorway. Had to learn a thing or two about faux finishing.
Not bad eh?
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