Brown Mega Corporation Arts Newsletter, # 11 by Thomas Brown

BROWN MEGA CORPORATION ARTS NEWSLETTER # 11

JULY (December) 2012

Hi. Welcome to the 11th issue of the Brown Mega Corporation Arts Newsletter (BMCAN). For what seems like centuries, you have turned to BMCAN for solace, for inspiration, for a mirror unto your soul…and we thank you for subscribing. Inside, you will find information from WAN / micro-fiction / the gallery section / an interview with Scott Garcia from 2009!? / Snevel the Snail coloring book activity by Leann Webb / and another brain teasing chess puzzle.

Enjoy!

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------Editors: Thomas Brown & Valeria Garrido Bisceglia, Contributors: Lisa Aerts, Jean Christensen, C. J. Conner, Scott Garcia, Kate Gillespie, Sarah Jane Miller, Timmy Reed, Carabella Sands, Leann Webb

→ → → ( “Look inside, the future, you.” ) ← ← ←

WAN SECTION

MICRO-FICTION SECTION

Warm weather is synonym with busy here at WAN. This year we will be participating of over 15 events bringing art to people and hoping to inspire the next generation of artists. July also means planning for the new school year, to continue our workshops in schools. We are excited to report a growth of 400% in that area. If you follow education in general, you may know Connecticut has the largest income and educational gaps in the country. We are working hard with kids in Bridgeport to help provide them the opportunities they lack, by bringing inter-disciplinary workshops. If you are interested in starting a similar program in your area, we have gotten to that crucial point where we can provide structure, training and guidance. We would be happy to open up the doors to kids that lack opportunity in other communities/ In other news, we have a space for WAN under wraps, where everyone that is part of our little community is welcome to show their artwork and extend their participation into the real world. We look forward to an exciting summer, and invite you to join us in our journey. And don’t forget to check the newly updated WAN community coming up on our website:

BMORETIMMYREED on 1. That night the Emperor snuck out one last time in his pajamas, the same pajamas he wore when he first snuck in. 2. "I'm not really into kicking it in my pajamas with you guys." - Me, on hanging out with wizards. 3. I see nothing out of the ordinary, the fortune-teller told her. Is it that bad? The Mother asked. The fortune-teller saw nothing at all. 4. "My bones turned to fat slowly, like tea mixing with cold water. The air around me felt like powder, wax." - Me, on becoming a gummy bear. 5. The beach was a place at the edge of the earth. A warm, sandy line, past which there were monsters swimming in a wet, yawning void. 6. Each vacation the family forgot that wherever you go, you bring ghosts with you. 7. Sugar no longer excited her. Other joys began to fade from memory too. She pretended not to notice, pretended she'd always been grown up. 8. A neighbor's dog sits by the garage to watch my wife undress thru the window each night. I worry about it. Why doesn't she shut the blinds? 9. "Ruin your reputation," the wise man whispered in my ear. "Then you will live quite freely." 10. The day they revoked Zed’s Poetry License, the most beautiful butterfly landed on his nose to say a prayer.

www.theworldartistnetwork.org See you soon!

Snacking Sneak

Agent Smith

Author: Kate Gillespie, 2012

He was sitting in the library, slipping the pistachios nuts into his wet lips. Then carefully and quietly cracking them open in his teeth, as he held the book in one hand. He looked down at just the right moment to secretly spit the shells into the other hand. Martin was a major sneak, in a lot of ways. Recess was his chance to be a cigarette pack mule for the older kids. He would slip two at a time in the back of his socks, and saunter past the teacher. No one bothered him, because he always played just a little stupid. Not enough for a bully to attack him, but enough to leave him be, as a possible "special". It became a hobby of mine to observe him, count the ways he got over on the adults and the less savvy kids. Then things changed, for the worse. Martin became the hall monitor and the taste of power brought out the maniac hidden behind the goofy slack jawed face. An open can of Pepsi was contraband; any snacks seen outside the lunchroom were now his property. Especially baby carrots, he has a passion for them. One could hear his crunching on an orange mouthful from down the hallway, a warning to hide your kiddie stashes. It was the disappearance of the classroom pet "Mr. Fishytales" that finally ended his reign of annoyance. It was whispered that he was responsible, that on a dare he had become a crocodilian fiend and swallowed the fish whole. No-one could say for sure, but there was a tell-tale spatter of orangery colored vomit on the flagstone steps behind the school, and Martin had been wearing a green complexion ever since.

Agent Smith entered Captain Wright’s office and dropped his finished report on the desk. “Finished: you were right about that,” he announced. Wright stirred up his memory, trying to remember what un-important case he had put Smith on three weeks ago. “Oh, yeah. It was about the guys on the second floor suspecting someone was tampering with their computers. Well?” “Yes. I’ve been doing my research and asking around. Positive confirmation; it’s all down in my report.” “And?” “No doubt about it, sir. The guys on the second floor definitely do suspect that someone is tampering with their computers.” Captain Wright let out a short sigh. “Oh…uh… good job Smith. I’ll get back to you later.”

GALLERY SECTION

Retrospective email interview with Scott Garcia from September 2009 http://www.hypercanvas.com/ TB: How's the art treatin' ya lately? Scott Garcia: It's not how the art treats me, as I've learned, because I make for public consumption. The art treats me well enough for now. Not quite survivable yet, almost though! The truth is “how do I treat myself in regards to my art?” I've come to the conclusion that the most important thing is for me to create, regardless of life problems or mental hang-ups; I must simply make something each day or my self esteem goes out the window, then I will begin self loathing. I don't have a day job, so I value myself as to what I can make each day. I like to finish something every day. That's why I make the Netsuke, but the question comes: “what to make?” That becomes the question. TB: Scott, that's a good point. The artist has to have some kind of understanding of his/her relationship with their own creations and how those creations fit into the market place ("for public consumption"). I appreciate your drive, your urge to create every day. It seems like such a waste of energy if we don't create, but tell me...can an artist create too much? I don't know. I guess it is a matter of balancing quality and quantity. Tell me some more about the Netsuke. I only know a little bit about them. They come from Japan right and represent animal energies or certain human emotional energies, correct? Also, let's start talking about skulls and skeletons because one can't ignore that you pay particular attention to these, usually considered morbid subject matter, but there's almost a type of humor in some of them. Scott Garcia: I make as fast as I can as my shows are spaced about every 30 to 90 days, and selling out at one show is a lot of work to make at least 10 big pieces and as many small pieces as I can. I don't like everything in regards to quality, but it seems the public doesn't mind. Maybe I'm just too hard on myself…?? Nestuke are miniature sculptures that were made in 17th century Japan to serve a practicalfunction (the two Japanese characters “ne” + “tsuke” mean "root" and "to attach"). It was used as a toggle, thru the obi (Japanese belt) of the Kimono, was tied a chord to the ojime, which was all for the sagemono or inro, a box for snuff, coins, makeup, etc, like a little purse.

Now I don't know if they represented animal energies like a totem, but I do know that erotica, absurd or grotesque was a part of the themes. For me, the hard materials like antler, box wood, etc, are amazing to carve; mini, small details that stand up to time. When I make them, I feel connected, and even judge my netsuke with the idea of “What would a Netsuke master think of this?” I do make erotica but sell it underground as general public and shows are very conservative? Imagine that? And it is from the grotesque of the Japanese carver, and my Hispanic heritage, that I carve muertes. Now truly in my culture in New Mexico, they don't recognize the Dia de los Muertos [Day of the Dead], so let me tell you how I got there. Reading Carlos Castaneda, Tibetan Buddhism's Book of the Dead, and the Egyptian Book of the Dead, I came to the idea that no matter religious belief, death is portrayed in the same manner in all cultures, races, religions. So, it is a celebration, not just of those who have gone, but we that will one day go. The folly I put into the pieces is the same folly with which, we should conduct our lives: to laugh, celebrate, and not be so damn judgmental on what or how we do, but do with passion, before we die. So yeah, death is morbid. Have you ever seen someone die? Well I have and it is the same: Agonizing fight to release, some bloody, but all noisy. It sucks! I hate the idea! But I must face it. When my son asked: “Why did you cry when I was born?", I said: “For the love I hope you experience, the beauty you bring to me and hopefully the world, but for the fact you will die. All of that!” So I carve muertes and skeletons as a meditation, to remember to be NOW! Funny thing is not everyone gets my work, but kids and those adults that are awake (I say) get it. You should see the shows. Some kids walk, pulling the parent to see my work, little kids to the teens, adult mystics, and bikers. They get it, appreciate it, and that is why I make them, for those that see. [Editor’s note: Things come up. Plans change. I wanted to include this interview on an art blog I was doing at the time called From the Island of Baltimore, but that blog went the way of the dodo. Thankfully, I was able to locate the emails from almost three years ago.]

COLORING BOOK SECTION

CHESS PUZZLE SECTION

Mate in one. Black to move.

JULY (December) 2012 You have reached the end of the 11th issue of the Brown Mega Corporation Arts Newsletter. You may be asking yourself: “Why printed media in an age of electronic media?” This is a good question and the editorial staff is aware of the reach of the internet, but believes that there is still quite a market for paper-based information and entertainment sources. If interested, please submit your work (text and/or images) to bomtrown@gmail.com and a representative will contact you regarding your submission. Thank you. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------WHAT NEXT? You have a number of options here. The following list is for suggestion purposes only and we realize that you may have other options not listed here: • • • • • •

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