Friday, November 30, 2012

King of All Media

It's been a busy week... video production, movie trailers, newspaper and TV interviews, blogs, radio... even billboards(!). I have had my hands involved in a bit of everything this week... that's a lot of noise, but yours truly has got it down pat... hopefully I can enjoy some quiet, creative time as well this weekend.

Oh, just to confirm... you did read all about it: my videotaped oral histories for Norman Rockwell Museum were mentioned in today's Wall Street Journal. Can it get any better?... Hope so!

Related Link:

"Taking Rockwell Seriously," The Wall Street Journal, November 29, 2012


Thursday, November 29, 2012

'Nuff Said

Finally finished Marvel Comics: The Untold Story... phew, that was some ride. I'll have more thoughts later... right now, here's a song for everyone tired of me talking about superheroes:

Wednesday, November 28, 2012

Rock On The Block

Among the many press inquiries I have been handling at work this week, reporters have been asking about the upcoming auction of a rare Norman Rockwell painting, Willie Gillis: Package from Home, which was published on the cover of The Saturday Evening Post back in October 4, 1941. Today I even gave an interview to a writer at The Wall Street Journal who wanted to learn more about the painting that will auctioned this Saturday, December 1, at Susanin's Auction House in Chicago. 

Willie Gillis was a fictional character that Norman Rockwell created during World War II. The illustrator was looking for a way to use his art to support the war effort, and this was one of his first ideas (he followed it up with The Four Freedoms). The idea was to create a series of illustrations featuring a young army private in humorous situations, that would serve as a reassuring postcard to families waiting for their loved ones during the trying wartime period. 11 of Rockwell's illustrations were published by the Post over a five-year period, culminating in the 1946 painting Willie Gillis in College, which pictured the character back from the war, and starting school courtesy of the G.I. Bill.

During my tenure at Norman Rockwell Museum, I had the opportunity to meet Bob Buck, who was the model for Rockwell's series. A pleasant man who unwittingly became a celebrity, Buck agreed to a couple videotaped interviews through the years, discussing his time working for his famous Arlington, Vermont neighbor. Sadly, last year Mr. Buck passed away-- when I found out, I quickly produced and posted this tribute to the man who inspired Rockwell's best-known, recurring character.

Last night, Chicago PBS-TV station WTTW aired a segment on the upcoming auction of the painting on their show Chicago Tonight. I helped the producer out with some information and photographs related to the painting, and they even used a portion of my interview with Bob Buck in the final segment:



With Rockwell paintings selling for millions of dollars at auction houses in recent years, it will be interesting to see just how far this Willie can run!

Related Links:

"Remembering Norman Rockwell's Willie Gillis," produced by Jeremy Clowe for Norman Rockwell Museum (YouTube)

"Norman Rockwell Painting on Chicago Auction Block," Chicago Tonight, November 27, 2012

"Norman Rockwell Masterpiece Resurfaces After Decades To Be Sold At Auction In Chicago On December 1," PR Newswire, November 12, 2012

"Classic Covers: The All-American Soldier Willie Gillis," The Saturday Evening Post, May 28, 2011

Tuesday, November 27, 2012

Captive Audience

Tonight Sarah and I sat in on another taping at the local PBS station. Here is the presenter: Dr. John Tickell, a medical doctor from Australia, talked about ways to achieve healthy longevity through changes in diet and habit:



A bit more entertaining than the last one we sat through...  but cold... why do they have to keep the big chill going in these studios? Dr. Tickell's program should be airing next spring.

Monday, November 26, 2012

Some Assembly Required

Alex Ross, First Avengers, 2010
Courtesy of the artist.
AVENGERS ™ & © 2012. Marvel and Subs.
I had the day off today, yet I spent it working from home... off the clock... trying to add an extra polish to the video that I have produced for the exhibition Heroes & Villains: The Comic Book Art of Alex Ross. It takes time and focus to do these things properly... something that is usually challenging in my role as press/media manager. Even though I wanted to avoid "killing myself" in order to complete the video in time for the opening, I care about my work... so it was worth revisiting. To be honest, I'm not sure I'm completely done with it yet... I might look at adding some background music to further move the piece along. Anyway, I am happy with the way I have approached the project...  I haven't let it interfere with and take over the rest of my life, which is something I have had a habit of doing in the past. I care about my work, but there are only so many hours in the day... hopefully someday it won't be an issue.

Sunday, November 25, 2012

Bundled Up

Ok, I admit... I did indeed do some shopping on Black Friday... finally picking up JD McPherson's Signs & Signifiers and The Lumineers' self-titled album... both essential purchases! Easily two of the best albums of the year, and this song is absolutely stuck in our heads:



Can't wait to see these guys perform next month... until then, "keep your head up... my love..."

http://thelumineers.com

Saturday, November 24, 2012

My Own Spin

Supergirl and I headed back to Norman Rockwell Museum this afternoon to help out with their Superhero Family Festival Day. There was a lot of excitement in the air with the kids who came to check out Alex Ross' artwork as well as us costumed do-gooders... many came dressed in costume themselves! 

Web-slinging 101. Photo ©Jeremy Clowe. All rights reserved.
I love the reaction of the kids... sometimes we got into such conversations as: "Hey, I know your real identity... Peter!" or  "Those aren't real webs!" Ok, some of these guys are already pretty skeptical... guess that's a good thing. My biggest fan must have been this one little boy who also showed up dressed as Spidey ...he kept following me around, so I asked him to help me look out for bad guys (we counted a few in the Alex Ross paintings). 

Another cute crime-fighter in training was my nephew... when told that I was actually Uncle Jeremy, he argued... "No... that's Spider-Man!" Both of our families made it over to the Museum today, which was fun... I think my Mom got a kick out me channeling the inner comic book fan from my childhood.

Me and comic book artist Bob McLeod... cool to meet
all these guys whose work I have admired over the years!
Photo ©Jeremy Clowe. All rights reserved.
Another treat for me was to meet comic book artist Bob McLeod, who has was on hand to give a talk about his new children's book called Superhero ABC. It looked like fun, but what I really enjoyed was having him sign my original copies of Marvel Comics' The New Mutants, which he illustrated and helped create back in the early 1980s (I used to love that book). Like the anecdotes in Marvel Comics: The Untold Story, which I'm currently reading, it sounds like there were some creative disagreements with McLeod and writer Chris Claremont... but I'm beginning to think that's just the name of the game at Marvel!

We had a very busy, fun day at the Museum, meeting with many happy families... including our own.

Friday, November 23, 2012

Got Game

I'd like to say we avoided the shopping mall on Black Friday... but yeah, we went there. 

We finally got to see Wreck-It-Ralph, which was playing at the mall's multiplex. Like Brave, the other animated movie we had seen in the last week, we were slightly underwhelmed by the film... it was fun, but I guess our expectations were too high (mine for Ralph, Sarah's for Brave). 

As expected, the best part of Ralph was seeing the recreation of the old-school video games... the ones that I sunk many a quarter in back in the Chuck E. Cheese days of the early 80s. There was a certain charm and quirkiness to these games, and I think the movie captured a bit of that spirit... even in the fictional title game. Ralph does his best Donkey Kong (I think they even game a cameo to that mullet-haired King of Kong game-master), and Fix-It-Felix is our man Mario. The voices for the movie were wonderful... the always pleasant John C. Reilly plays Ralph... I think I have yet to "see" him in a bad film--his voice brought the quality of this mainstream Disney fare up a notch... Jack McBrayer from 30 Rock does his best "golly gee whiz" for Felix, and Glee's Jane Lynch does her best Sue Sylvester in combat gear as Sergeant Calhoun--here's a fun trailer I just found with her giving a bit of history about gaming and the movie:



Calhoun represents a character from the second wave of games, which upped the pixels and violence... in real-life, this is the time I began to lose interest in video games... I preferred the quirky, stylishly designed Japanese 8-bit creations (still hold a soft spot for Q-Bert, Dig Dug, and Pac Man.... all represented in this movie, by the way). Nevertheless, I enjoyed seeing these characters from different ages and style interact. Where I thought the film started to drag was getting stuck in Sugar Rush, a candy-coated, children's game, which holds much of the plot and action for the movie... I think I would have preferred to see more turbo-ing... or, not to give anything away, game-jumping.

For the most part, Wreck-It Ralph was fun... the filmmakers obviously had a love for the subject matter. Celebrating that old school vibe, I double-checked and yes... that was members from the old Buckner and Garcia band who perform the title song... I still remember their early 80s cash-in Pac Man Fever... I have to admit, I have that album somewhere... and I still enjoy doing the Donkey Kong...



Thursday, November 22, 2012

Family Affair

Great Thanksgiving back at the family farm in Hudson... so nice that we can all keep the tradition going at my Grandma's old home. She was there in spirit, for sure...

One of the fun surprises was this old poster that my Mom brought... eat your heart out Alex Ross! I had totally forgotten about it... Mom also brought tons of my old comic magazines I created as a kid... ah, how free and easy the creativity flowed back then. I should hang this somewhere as a reminder...




Make Mine Marvel! (circa. 1977). Photos ©Jeremy Clowe. All rights reserved.

Wednesday, November 21, 2012

Stuff

What was Norman Rockwell referring to when he said it was "the only model I ever ate?" Folks, I can't make this up... another "useful" bit of Rockwellian trivia courtesy of my decade at NRM.

Tuesday, November 20, 2012

Postcards From The Edge

Yours truly using his spider-strength to
climb Mt. Rockwell. Photo ©Jeremy Clowe.
All rights reserved.
The book Marvel Comics: The Untold Story is really hard to put down... I have made it into the early 70s, and there's some really strange, subversive stuff going on in the comic books and around the offices! Fueled by chemicals, anger at politics and the Vietnam War, it just goes to prove what a different and, in many ways, more creative age it was for popular culture. In terms of these comics, I recognize the titles and even some of the individual issues that they are referencing, but it would have all been over my head at age five (thankfully).

It's funny... they say that the general age of comic book readers now is 30 and older... is that true? I appreciate that the medium has attracted and maintained an older audience, but it would be sad if young kids didn't have that same excitement pouring over superhero books like I did. Are we leaving it completely up to the superhero movies? 



Well, there were plenty of kids at last weekend's Mini Comic Con, so I hope that's a good sign. I posted some photos from the event on Norman Rockwell Museum's Facebook page here


Monday, November 19, 2012

Get 'Er Done*

It's been a busy year but... yeah... gotta keep on movin'.


Photo by John Whipple. All rights reserved.

*Sarah hates that phrase by the way... but... tough! It's my blog. :)

Sunday, November 18, 2012

Wicked Good

Andy Warhol (American, 1928-1987)
Myths: The Witch, 1981
screen print with diamond dust on Lenox Museum Board
38 1/16" x 38". The Andy Warhol Museum,
Pittsburgh; Founding Collection, Contribution The Andy Warhol
Foundation for the Visual Arts, Inc. 1998.1.2452.4
From Heroes & Villains: The Comic Book Art of Alex Ross.
The Museum's mini comic con went well yesterday... although it lacked a bit of the enthusiasm of the Albany Con a week before (think some people working at the Museum don't really get this comic book thing), it was still a good time--fun to meet different artists, and I had a chance to greet even more excited kids in my Spidey get-up... even received a drawing or two, which was sweet.

Another cool thing about the Alex Ross exhibit is that because it was curated by The Andy Warhol Museum, it includes not only some of Andy Warhol's comic book collection, but also some of the pop artist's original work--his Myths series from the early 1980s is quite striking, and includes a series of recognizable figures which Alex Ross would also go on to illustrate: Superman, Uncle Sam, and The Wicked Witch. For the latter, both Ross and Warhol based their designs on actress Margaret Hamilton, who memorably played the character in the 1939 movie adaptation of L. Frank Baum's The Wizard of Oz (Warhol went so far as the recruit Hamilton to pose for his painting--see above).

The character of the Wicked Witch of the West is such an enduring icon that it is interesting to see the spin that author Gregory Maguire has put on the character in his best-selling novel, Wicked. I must confess that I have yet to read the author's work, although Sarah and I did get to hear the Albany-born author speak a few years ago in Schenectady (Sarah, the avid reader, really enjoyed Wicked, as well as the author's two follow-up tales). Anyway, the gist of the novel (if you are not already aware) is a telling of the story of The Wicked Witch from another perspective, where she is, in fact, persecuted because of the color of her skin; in reality, she is a good-hearted gal, with a particular soft-spot for animals. 

Cast members from Wicked mingle with the audience
at Proctors Theater. Photo by Jeremy Clowe.
Tonight I managed to score us some discounted tickets the musical Wicked, which has a week-long engagement at Schenectady's Proctors Theater. I have seen a couple shows at the theater, which is just down the road, and it is a lovely, old-time venue, with regal ceiling, balcony, and stage. We were up very close to the stage, so had a great view of the action between The Wicked Witch Elphaba (beautifully played by actress Christine Dwyer, a fellow University of Hartford alum!) and her frequently shallow friend Glinda, The Good Witch (Jeanna De Waal, in an equally strong performance). 




The set by Eugene Lee was great, including a fire-eyed dragon towering over the stage, and huge robotic Oz; and there was exquisite costuming by designer Susan Hilferty--the stage was completely glowing by the time we were transported to Emerald City. I haven't read the book so I can't really comment on the translation, but several of the songs I had heard before on the TV show, Glee, and they sounded great here. I also appreciated the play's themes... that there are two sides to a story... things are not always black and white, and we should celebrate, not oppress differences... every which (witch) way. 

Related Links:





Saturday, November 17, 2012

Your Friendly Neighborhood...

On my way to help out at Norman Rockwell Museum's Mini Comic Con. $2 off admission if you come dressed as your favorite superhero or villain... I'm just sayin'!

Photo courtesy of Walt Engels. All rights reserved.

Related Links:

Norman Rockwell Museum press release written by JC


Friday, November 16, 2012

Make Mine Marvel!

Ok, back to comics...


Alex Ross, "Marvels" hardcover dust jacket illustration, 1994, courtesy of the artist, ™ & © 2012 Marvel and Subs.


















I have really been getting into this new book I picked up last week: Marvel Comics: The Untold Storyby Sean Howe, takes a detailed and revealing look at the entertainment company that I have loved since I was just a kid. Marvel Comics actually had its start back during World War II (Captain America, Human Torch, Submariner), then fell on some hard times during the 1950s (Senate subcommittee hearings about comics' supposed influence on juvenile delinquency didn't help), and then came into their own--in a big way--during the swinging '60s. Of course I started my journey in the 1970s... as long as I can remember, there's been a Spider-Man, Iron Man, Incredible Hulk... so many characters and books that filled my imagination. I even created my own series of comic books based on these heroes as young, crime-fighting kids (ask my Mom... she must still have some copies lying around!).

Anyway, it was with some trepidation that I picked up this book, since I had heard stories about disagreements between artists, writers, and businessmen over who owned what creations. There is sort of a dark (or poorly managed) side to early comic book history... in fact, I watched an interesting BBC documentary earlier in the week about Steve Ditko, the artist who first worked on and should probably be better credited with much of the creation of my all-time fave superhero, Spider-Man:




Anyway, the book is a fun read... I have made it through to the late sixties, when writer/editor/entertaining company man Stan Lee has already successfully introduced the world to a new gang of superheroes, full of everyday angst, real-world problems, and cross-over stories, filled with equal parts humor and pathos. It's fun to learn more about the humble and creative beginnings of the company that is just now finally producing blockbuster movies of its heroes. It is also interesting to learn all the behind-the-scenes... again, hope I don't get too upset learning about these artists' struggles... creative types not getting the credit they deserve... can't "imagine" what that's like (sarcasm intended).

On that note, I discovered a nice shout-out this morning on Alex Ross' website. Everyone I have talked to had such a great time at the Heroes & Villains opening last week, which managed to attract over 450 visitors! That's the largest I have seen at the Museum for one of these events. Tomorrow we continue the fun with a mini comic convention at the Museum. We will have several artists, collectors, and historians on-hand... and I'll be putting on my Spidey suit again. Should be fun.

Me and Joltin' Joe Sinnott at the 2012 Albany Comic Con.
Face front, true believers! Photo ©Jeremy Clowe.
All rights reserved.
At the Albany Comic Con last week, I happened to run into artist Joe Sinnott, who actually worked at Marvel Comics for many years, inking over the legendary Jack Kirby's Fantastic Four, and nearly every other major title for the publisher... looking at his website, I realize I have many issues that he worked on that I owned at one time or another, as he had been with the Marvel Bullpen for 60 years! He continues to work on a weekly Spider-Man Sunday comic strip for the newspapers, and was just the nicest guy! He signed a couple pieces of art for me, and insisted that we get our picture taken together.

Joe also had a fun story about meeting Norman Rockwell, while the late illustrator was doing a book signing for his Willie Was Different children's book (even has a photo). I would love to get him out to Stockbridge to help out with a program during the run of the Heroes & Villains exhibition... maybe even a Q&A. I might be just the man to do it, as I brush up on my Marvel through these pages of The Untold Story... not quite into the 1970s yet, but that should be one I'm largely familiar with... yet another interesting decade for "The House of Ideas!"


Related Links:

www.joesinnott.com

Marvel Comics: The Untold Story: http://seanhowe.tumblr.com

www.alexrossart.com

http://marvel.com

Thursday, November 15, 2012

Press Released

I have been really slammed at work this week... the usual Thanksgiving time press requests for Norman Rockwell's Freedom From Want... more interest in the Alex Ross exhibition... and a couple different media outlets have discovered my model interviews. Well, that's nice.

For those who haven't seen them, I have posted many on the Rockwell model interviews I have conducted over the years on the Museum's YouTube page: www.youtube.com/normanrockwellmuseum ( and no, I didn't post the clip about the blackberry-eating Labrador). 




Wednesday, November 14, 2012

Light My Fire

This guy is great, and I find his singing intimidating for some reason...



Yeah, that's some soul... I hope we get treated to some of his rockabilly around these parts soon.

Links:

JD Mcpherson's official website

Tuesday, November 13, 2012

Re: Assessment

Has it really been a week since the election? A certain heaviness has been lifted from the air... or make that uncertainty... not just about who would win, but what the majority of the general public was looking for in terms of policy and governing style. I'm happy to say that I seem to be on the right side of that equation this time out. 

Of course, now both sides (especially Republicans) are dissecting what went right and wrong with both candidates' campaigns. Most agree with President Obama's assessment that he might have had "the best campaign team and volunteers in the history of politics." I have heard several news reports discussing the very smart way that they focused their ground team since the last election. Even if I thought the emails about contributions could have been a little more elegant, I was always reassured by the common sense style of the President's  campaign advisor David Axelrod, during his frequent appearances on the Sunday talk shows. 

Here is a rare moment, captured on video, that the Obama team sent its supporters via email this past week. We see the President visiting his campaign headquarters in Chicago, and getting quite emotional while thanking his team:




On the flip side, it is also fascinating to hear the assessment of how Mitt Romney's team ran his campaign. NPR reporter Ari Shapiro, who followed the campaign for the past year, filed a fascinating postmortem on how the former governor's campaign seemed to get derailed on several occasions, and how his team often made rather poor choices in its attempt to get it back on track. It is not only an interesting analysis, I think it is also stellar reporting/writing... click here to listen.

So, I guess there are still plenty of interesting discussions to be had... will Obama be able to work with Congress to avoid the fiscal cliff? What will happen to the Tea Party? Who will run in 2016? What will be done about the millions that are going into political campaigns? What will be done about ongoing concerns about voter fraud and the long lines some voters had to endure this past election? All questions that will soon be answered... but for the moment, this liberal-minded voter feels relieved...

Related Links:

"'Let Mitt Be Mitt': But Who Was He?," NPR, November 9, 2012 

"Hillary's next move," The New York Times, November 11, 2012

"Stephen Gottlieb: Jajja's Kids," WAMC, November 13, 2012

Monday, November 12, 2012

Heroes, Villains, Countrymen...

I had an interesting day yesterday working the Albany Comic Con. I was there to represent Norman Rockwell Museum and its newest exhibition, Heroes & Villains: The Comic Book Art of Alex Ross, setting up a booth to provide information and product related to the show. I was a little bleary-eyed at first (coming off of a late night for the Ross opening), but I was soon revived by the spirit and interest from comic book, science fiction, and fantasy fans in attendance.

I had been to this convention once before a few years back, and it was cool to see how much it has grown... comic book artists, collectors, vendors, gamers, and most fun of all... cosplayers! Here are a few photos:









All photos ©Jeremy Clowe. All rights reserved.


Related Links: 


Sunday, November 11, 2012

The Caped Crusade!

We can be heroes! Sarah (Supergirl), me and artist Alex Ross at the
Heroes & Villains exhibition opening. ©Jeremy Clowe. All rights reserved.
We had a great time at the Heroes & Villains exhibition opening last night at Norman Rockwell Museum. I think the head count was over 400 people... the largest attendance I have seen since I have been working at the Museum! Fans of artist Alex Ross' work came from as far away as California to see the exhibition... it was a good vibe. 

One of the best parts was being able to basically run around in pajamas the entire evening. Yup... I donned my webshooters and grabbed my Supergirl to step out cosplay-style. There were some other great caped crusaders on hand, and I'll post more photos soon. Best of all, I loved seeing the reactions of kids to my costume... felt like it had all come full-circle from my own days of being in awe of Spidey and his super stories.

Getting ready to represent the Museum at the Albany Comic Con this afternoon. I have plenty of Rockwell and Ross product... if you're in the area, stop by and say hello and learn more about the exhibition.


Saturday, November 10, 2012

Showtime!

Alex Ross, "Justice Vol. 1" paperback cover, 2006,
courtesy of the artist, ™ & © DC Comics. Used with
permission.
Getting ready for the opening of Heroes & Villains: The Comic Book Art of Alex Ross tonight at Norman Rockwell Museum. Heading to the gym for one last round to build up my Spidey strength, and I can't wait to see my Supergirl in her costume.

Here's another interview I gave recently to Berkshire Family Focus regarding the exhibition (not sure I was really "mugging" for the camera, but what can you do... ).


"Heroes & Villains: The Comic Book Art of Alex Ross" to open at the Norman Rockwell Museum, Berkshire Family Focus, November 6, 2012

Friday, November 9, 2012

Calling All Heroes...

Some of the artist's reference masks on
display in the Heroes & Villains exhibition.
Photo by Jeremy Clowe for Norman Rockwell
Museum. All rights reserved.
Whew... managed to complete a first version of my Alex Ross exhibition video in time for the opening. There's several things I still want to enhance, but all the elements are there and I think it tells a decent, cohesive story.

I just got back from dinner with the artist himself and curators, and all is good... it's a nice installation, and we have some decent press happening. It should be an interesting opening weekend...

And it doesn't end for me with the opening tomorrow... on Sunday I will be representing the Museum and the exhibition at the Albany Comic Con... talk about perfect timing.

Thursday, November 8, 2012

Freedom?

I'm feeling rather pissed off at the moment. Yesterday I created a post for the Museum's Facebook page using Alex Ross' 2008 superhero image of Barack Obama to congratulate the President. I was excited about my candidate's win and the other good news from the election, and thought it would be fun to post this image to tie in with current events and the upcoming exhibition. 

The image received 118 likes, 39 shares, and 29 comments... unfortunately, several of those comments were extremely negative. I was actually surprised by the reaction... people saying that Rockwell would be rolling over in his grave... that the President was a socialist... that the image was propaganda... that we had a liberal bias... people threatening to never have anything to do with our organization or Rockwell again... 

After a comment was posted saying that they couldn't believe that we would play partisan politics, I felt compelled to post a reply... that the image was not meant to be an endorsement by the Museum, but a tie-in to Alex Ross' work... I apologized for any offense, and explained that just days earlier we had posted photos of both candidates and their relationship to the Museum and Rockwell. Someone wrote not long afterwards that "salt in the wound" didn't help paint a pretty picture. Well, I hadn't thought of that... I understand that there would be plenty of people upset with the outcome of the election, but not sure I considered that this "heroic" image might rub some of our fans the wrong way... especially on the day after.

That being said, this post thread illustrated some of the very ugly discourse that is taking place on social media. The fact is that most of the comments were being made by the same two or three people... frequently irrational and, at times, hinting at racism. I was sad to see the state that politics and civility has degenerated into, although I do remember how shellshocked I felt back in 2004 when George Bush was reelected President after doing what I considered to be a very reckless job during his first four years.

Today on this Obama image thread one of those offended posted links to the inflammatory Obama 2012 movie, some garbage about this President stealing the election, and so on... I deleted those comments, and felt bad for an additional one that voiced how upset they were that this image was connected in any way to Rockwell... of course, it wasn't... apart from the fact that we are a museum dedicated to illustration arts. 

The thing that kills me is that this was never intended to be an insulting image. It was not meant to stir controversy in the way the political cartoons of Mohammad had enraged so many Muslims in the Middle East. During the last election, the Museum had actually exhibited a show on political illustrator Steve Brodner, whose work was a lot more satirical and confrontational in nature... I don't remember hearing such a reaction about any of his imagery. Actually, the Obama illustration was probably created in 2008 out of love... to celebrate the idea that our country was finally in a position to elect the first black president... I didn't ask Ross how he felt about the President's accomplishments after four years... it could be possible that he didn't find Obama's last four years to be super or heroic at all, but I think there was a different, underlying issue at stake here for those who replied to my posting.

Ultimately our curator suggested that we take the image down. In a way, it felt like a defeat. I thought about Rockwell's work... paintings like The Four Freedoms... Saying Grace... The Problem We All Live With... images that depict tolerance and freedom of expression... I think the artist would be saddened to learn how divisive our country has become. 

Alex Ross, Uncle Sam, 1997, courtesy and from
the collection of the artist. Image from the exhibition
Heroes & Villians: The Comic Book Art of Alex Ross.
©DC Comics. Used with permission.



Wednesday, November 7, 2012

Hope

How wonderful to wake up and feel proud of my country. Not only was President Barack Obama re-elected, but there were significant wins across the nation in regards to equality. 

Same-sex marriage was affirmed in three more states, and Tammy Baldwin was elected as the first openly gay member of the U.S. Senate in Wisconsin. There were other key senate wins, including the impressive Elizabeth Warren in Massachusetts, and the defeat of four Republican candidates who made ignorant comments about rape and abortion. I was concerned about all this voter intimidation and long lines, but it seems that people came out as strong as ever...

I'm happy that President Obama will have another four years to work towards his promise of change (they gave George Bush eight years to wreck our economy... isn't it only fair?). The idea that affordable health care can become a reality is exciting, and I hope that Obama will now be able to concentrate on immigration reform... I would also support the closing of Guantanamo Bay and re-examining of the use of drones (my only real disappointments with the President over the past four years). 

But how nice to think that things might be moving forward in a more positive direction... I would hope that the GOP might focus less energy on obstructing the President, and  both parties might learn how to make compromises that will benefit us all in the long-run. I hold dear the hope that my nieces and nephews, maybe even my own future children, will grow up in a more tolerant, supportive, inclusive country...


Related Links:

"Obama's Big Night," The Atlantic, November 7, 2012

"Divided U.S. Gives Obama More Time," The New York Times, November 7, 2012

Tuesday, November 6, 2012

Lending a Voice

Today was quite interesting... and busy. I started by giving a live, in-studio interview to WAMC, our local NPR station, about the Alex Ross exhibition. The artist himself joined us via phone from Chicago as we talked about his work and the show. I was quite happy with the way it turned out... hopefully my enthusiasm translated well on the radio. You can hear for yourself on the show archive on The Roundtable's website. 

Immediately following the segment, the exhibition curator and I drove up the street to the local comic shop... of course! I dropped off some more promotional materials, and we looked around a bit. Everyone seems very excited about the exhibition, and is planning their costumes to wear...

From there I caught a quick bite at my favorite Indian food buffet, and then drove back to Hudson, where I still haven't changed my mailing address. I was waiting until today, Election Day, to avoid any last-minute snafus. It was painless... we had fill-in ballots that reminded me of grade school, and I had no wait at all. I even ran into some of my family's friends... there was something a little sad about the idea that this would probably be my last time voting in the area. 

Afterwards, I hit downtown Hudson,dropping off more posters about the Ross exhibit--it was a nice surprise to hear about others who were aware of the exhibit... more excitement.

I'm back home now, and Sarah is off at a election results party with some of our friends. I decided to stay put and try to get some more work done on my exhibition video... time is running out. Here and there I'm checking in on results, but the election still seems too close to tell. 

I did, however, wake up this morning to learn the results of a different kind of election held today in Norway... yes, my musical idols, A-ha, were awarded the Royal Order of St. Olav, the Norwegian equivalent of being knighted, by their King Harald. All three members were on-hand during a special ceremony in Oslo, where they received St. Olavs Orden (and a standing ovation), for their quite impressive contributions to Norwegian music. Hear, hear! 


So, not a bad day for this blue-eyed soul brother...


Related Links:




"A-ha members awarded royal Order of St Olav," newsinenglish.no, November 6, 2012

"A-ha hedret med St. Olav," sa.no (Norwegian), November 6, 2012


Monday, November 5, 2012

Ryan's Hope?

Monday night. It's late, I'm tired... still adjusting to daylight savings time perhaps... I made it to the gym again, just got done wishing my mother a happy birthday... and... yeah, still need to do my blog.

Giving myself this assignment to write in here every day this year can be a bit of a bother sometimes... even more so when there's something I have been meaning to say, and now might be the last appropriate time to write about it. Ughhh.... well here goes... I'm not an expert commentator on politics, but I have been thinking about family and self-sufficiency lately, so let me see what I can do... 

Last August Sarah and I were heading back from our annual camping trip with some of my longtime high school buddies. It was a relaxing weekend for the most part getting away from it all, but on the way back we noticed a Wegmans supermarket(!) and had to stop. We got some food and caught up on the latest news...

Mitt Romney had just announced his running mate, Congressman Paul Ryan, and The New York Times was examining the "Conservative Star's Small-Town Roots." However, it was the subhead for that August 13 story that really caught my attention: "Ryan's Self-Reliant Worldview Shaped by Father's Death." I read further to discover that Mr. Ryan, who was born the same year as me, also lost his father at the exact same, early age. 

I was just 16 when I lost my father, and I sympathize with anyone who has to go through the ordeal of losing a loved one unexpectedly, especially when they are just a kid. I remember my well-meaning grandmother telling me that I was the "man of the family" now... but what did that mean? For a teenager still trying to overcome common insecurities of that age, it was a tough act to follow...

The article talked about how Ryan went to work at McDonald's, began to pull his own weight, and became class president the same year. I can relate to some of that idea of not wanting grief to overtake you... my last two years of high school, I decided to snap to as well: I continued working at my part-time job (at Wegmans), joined the yearbook as art editor, began acting in school plays, became actively involved with mission work with my church, and made some strong, new friendships that last to this day (and hopefully many more camping trips). 

Ryan could have been my classmate, and I'm sure there would be a shared sympathy for each other's life experience. The article describes his self-reliance, continuing as a summer camp counselor (adept at hunting and fishing) and then into college, where he took an interest in conservative economic theorists and writers, including Ayn Rand. I certainly didn't have my mind in economics, but considering my religious background, I know I would not have found much appeal in Rand's ideas of ethical egoism.

This was the era of Ronald Reagan though, and I had a friend who was quite "gung-ho" on The Gipper and his "trickle down" economics. I think it was the communicative style that was the most impressive, hiding some of the less attractive elements of the President's conservatism... that caught my eye as well, but what did I know about politics back then... 

In contrast, I can't say I felt all that self-reliant... about midway through my first year of art school, I was hitting hard on the grief. I think it was a combination of things, but I was definitely feeling depressed and finding it difficult to motivate myself to create... I decided to change course and focus more intently on communications. There was still a form of creating there, but the idea of the arts was getting a little muddied to me. Thankfully, my friends and family were a great support during this time.

Part of becoming a man is accepting the responsibility of your right to vote. I actually first registered as Republican, impressed by Reagan, the smooth talking, former actor.... but the more I learned about politics, the more I began to detest the self-centered approach of conservatism when it came to caring for the haves and the have nots. Trying to dictate other's religious beliefs, especially related to decisions about one's body, is another thing... I'm proud to say that I have always voted Democrat or Independent in every election since I have been eligible to vote. I support the advancement of social causes, education, the environment, the arts... and a more conscientious approach. Working hard should be rewarded, but not at the expense of others.

I found it funny when one of Paul Ryan's favorite music acts, Rage Against The Machine, said that he was "the machine that they were raging against." Since his time in Congress, he has become the darling of the Tea Party for his far-right views. He seems like an earnest guy, but he's earnest about the wrong things... and while we don't know which Mitt Romney we would get as President (moderate, highly conservative, or international bully), we know what we would be getting with Ryan. The odd thing is that the latter is probably being more truthful about who he is... Romney just seems to say whatever he can to get elected... I don't understand why he is running, except for the power that would come with the position... his term as Massachusetts State Governor seemed only to be a fast grab for the presidency.... his low favorability in the state is telling, and articles that describe his very ruthless private equity firm, Bain Capital, make me less sure how this man can claim he has the right idea for creating jobs? I read this summer's Rolling Stone article about the way the firm left company after company bankrupt, while they reaped huge profits, and it seems morally reprehensible for a man whose faith supposedly plays a big part of who he is... I witnessed the shuttering of KB Toys plants in Pittsfield, and it wasn't a pretty sight... something unfathomable and sinister. It's telling that the least awkward speech I have  heard him give was during that private dinner, where he referred to 47% of the country as "victims"... that was the real Mitt Romney, I'm fairly certain.

A self-reliant approach is not a bad thing... yes, working hard and looking out for yourself are essential requrements to succeed... your family and friends are only going to help you so far... but some of us were not born with a silver spoon, or have rich friends to suck up to for the material things... some of us, in fact, can't stomach such an idea. For us, self-reliance can go hand-in-hand with being a good citizen... looking out for others as well, and finding ways to help... to be charitable.

Despite his distortion of facts, narrow-minded support of anti-abortion bills, and dubious plans for the budget and Medicaid, I still have some sympathy for Paul Ryan... I hope he can someday see the error of his ways... and maybe we'll have a place for him... just not in the White House. Tomorrow I will add my vote against that machine.

Related Links:

"Conservative Star's Small-Town Roots," New York Times, August 13, 2012


"Paul Ryan Can't Lose," New York Times Magazine, October 21, 2012