Stop Trying To Make Sense

I’ve ruined promising drawings trying to make the best (read: weirdest) parts work better with the rest: Trying to make the whole make more sense.  Because of and despite its obvious offputtings I'd like the work to confound and frighten as few potential buyers as possible.  And of course because I'm obsessive etc, loosening up in any way imaginable- including leaving the weirdest stuff alone- remains an ongoing challenge. Note to self: STOP TRYING TO MAKE SENSE.

Ilo Oxa

Facebook has its virtues.  About the time you’re sick of tickers, timelines, political rants, pictures of kids’ feet, you hear from an artist like Ilo Oxa.  This is a drawing on canvas.  More great work on his blog.

No Dream's End

No Dream's End
Charcoal, Graphite; 6 ½” x 6 ¼”

Twenty years ago I composed photos as best I could in-camera, and that was that.  If a story or poem didn’t work, I discarded it.  Photoshop and Word have made editors of us all, and these days I’ve come to consider unfinished drawings raw material as well. 

Opportunities to revise a work on paper are much more limited.  Working digitally, you can save the original, save every variant you like.  You can only push paper so far.  Then, like it or not, you’re done. But charcoal and graphite are forgiving, and erasers are a wonderful thing.  I saved one of my favorite drawings with sandpaper. It’s a last resort, it doesn’t work often.  And I’m not saying which one.

When I’m burnt on a drawing, when I’ve lost interest or confidence, I shelve it, move on to another project. The longer a shelved piece sits, the better: When rediscovered, it’s fresh, found art.  New possibilities are apparent.  They may have little to do with the drawing’s beginnings, and little of the initial work may remain by the time a drawing’s completed. 

This is true of those pieces whose development is uninterrupted as well.  I don’t sketch and transfer; I don’t plan; I try everything in-drawing.  What works stays, but abandoned explorations and attempts (sometimes, lots) are still layered in there too, and they contribute to the drawings’ depth. 

If this sounds like my drawings are salvaged fuckups– Yep, absolutely.  They say a good carpenter knows how to hide his mistakes.  Mine are raw material, and I try to make something better of them. 

Real Eyes, Ivory: A Collaboration with Susan Tepper

Hope you'll stop by Big City Lit and read Susan Tepper's story Real Eyes, featuring my drawing Ivory. My thanks to Susan, and to editor Nick Johnson.

For anyone who's interested, artcards of Ivory are available at RedBubble; prices start under $3.

Inn of the Seven Graces

Inn of the Seven Graces
Miniature Graphite Drawing on Bristol; 2 7/8" x 4 5 /8"

Due to the small size and extremely fine detail of this drawing, I'm limiting reproductions to artcards only, no prints. The 4" x 6" card size best represents the original. At $3.00, they're a very affordable alternative to original art, and they're also easy to mat and frame inexpensively.  RedBubble offers discounts for purchases of multiple cards, and you can mix and match from any of my images. Here's the link.

The original drawing will be featured in the annual Little Gems exhibit (February 3- March 9) at West End Gallery, Corning NY. Pre-sales are welcome; if you're interested, email or call the gallery.

Lost

Hope you'll stop by Our Day's Encounter and read my little poem 'Lost'. My thanks to editor Lennie Cox.

Radio Free Atlantis

Radio Free Atlantis 
Charcoal & Graphite drawing; 5" x 7"
Cards and prints available at RedBubble. The original drawing is also available; if you're interested, email or message me.

Randy Rhoads

Randy would have been 55 yesterday.  Awhile after he was killed I stuck a note up over my desk: RANDY RHOADS WAS 24. DO IT NOW.  I was wrong about his age (he was 25), and it hadn’t occurred to me that the note would frighten people. I tried to explain:  I wasn’t suicidal.  Been there, done that.  I put the note up to remind myself to stop wasting time, to work harder at the things I wanted to learn and accomplish. I don’t remember when I took it down.

Opening Act

'She finds her first certainty
at a garage sale. One latch is broken.
When she opens the case
crushed velvet echoes too many
cigarettes, cologne she almost
remembers. Maybe hers.'

Hope you'll stop by and read the rest of my poem Opening Act at Orion headless. My thanks to editor Sara Fitzpatrick Comito.

Remembering Liz

Remembering our dear friend Liz Gerard at West End Talk. Thanks to LuAnne Gardner for providing Liz's photos of her work, and to my partner Parnilla for this one.

We miss you, Liz.

How To Profit As Copper Becomes The New Gold

My story How To Profit As Copper Becomes The New Gold is up at Left Hand Waving. My thanks to editors Dale, Howie, and John.

Point of Grace

My drawing & text piece(s) 'Point of Grace' at A-Minor. My thanks to editor Nicolette Wong.

Raw

A raw scan of a drawing in progress. Scans always help me see a piece more clearly. They're like looking at work in a mirror, or from a week removed. I see a gazillion tiny things I want to make better. Whether I need to, or can, that's another story.

That'll Be Two Bits

My poem 'That'll Be Two Bits' is included in Right Hand Pointing #45.

Mystery

In a corner of a neighbor's land too stony to till Cob makes a mystery. The small pines are budding, and today he brings an armload of stakes, pocketfuls of baling twine, soft rags to keep the bound seedlings from wind-chafing. For a moment, Cob sees clearly a far-off summer day, a child smiling, wondering. With his good stone he sharpens his shears to a fine bright edge, begins pruning.

A Woman Walks Into A Bar

My story A Woman Walks Into A Bar is up at The Camel Saloon. My thanks to editor and barkeep Russell Streur.

Ramshackle Review Concludes Publication

When I closed Ramshackle Review to submissions in June I hoped other obligations might allow reopening this fall. Unfortunately, that’s not feasible, and won’t be anytime soon. Difficult decision, one I've put off, but it’s time to shut RR down.

One of my goals was to give RR at least four issues. I’d hoped to publish many more. But I’m also happy with and proud of Issues 1-4. They’ll remain available for online viewing. Many thanks to all who’ve supported and contributed. It’s been an an honor to share your work.

Maybe Next Year

Tjaden Hall, Cornell.

Angie and Twitch

The girl singer Angie was hot. She was maybe twenty-five and ignored the crew or tried to. More on this later. The guy singer was older. It wasn’t like we were knowledgeable fans of the Sammy Kaye Orchestra but you figured he’d been with them awhile. Maybe when Sammy was still alive. The guy singer wasn’t badlooking but he had a bad eyetic. It scrunched up the whole left side of his face in a big exaggerated wink. It fucked with his phrasing. I didn’t know his name. We called him Twitch.

markreep.net

My new website is up. Most images are available as greeting cards and prints at my RedBubble store. Prices start at $3.

New and recent originals are also available. If you'd like to inquire about an original drawing, please use the Original drawing available links to get in touch with me, or the gallery exhibiting that drawing.

Thanks for stopping by, and hope you'll share.