The-Fun-Stuff FIND June
THE
MUSE
AND
PUT
IT
TO
2 0 0 9
WORK ISSUE
• obx bound • free found object art class • a new vision of old fishes • ephemera • gettin’ ‘er done
1
Old Uncle Bobby’s Musings
W
elcome to the first Issue of The Fun Stuff! If you’ve got one creative bone in your body, you know that the muse is an elusive entity. According to my experimental observations, I have discovered that waiting for inspiration to strike is as productive and exciting as watching paint dry. You’ve got to go out there and grab that muse like the horns of a bull and wrestle it into submission if you desire to be prolific in your creative endeavors. This magazine promises to show you how that’s done. The Outer Banks have never been described as having a spiritual energy vortex that forces you into being creative, but the truth is there is something magical about the place and as I was once told by a mysterious traveling craftsman, “...you’ve got to see it...” On July 11th at 6 p.m. at Earthfare on Devine Street I will be giving a found object assemblage class free to the public. An opportunity to donate to the cause will be available but not mandatory. All raw craft supplies will be provided, but since we will be making sacred objects, please feel free to bring something small from home that you can use in your project. I’m a Pisces so it is only fitting that I paint fishes. See the new gallery of “Saltwater Fishes of the South” and enjoy one or two bonuses in the process. Old paper is a fantastic addition to any art project lending it texture and a nostalgic sense of age, but most importantly it is a way to recycle images. Art is a precious natural-resource that has already enjoyed years of conservation, so why not recycle it as well? We’ll give you some ideas on how to do it. Finally we’ll give you some valuable information on how to get going on your most desired aspirations and projects that allow you to truly follow your bliss and get the muse pumping out a new rhythm in your life. All text , artwork and photos in this on-line magazine are ©2009 by Bobby Baker with the exception of two background pieces that came from stock.xchng.(http://www.sxc.hu) Please e-mail me at oldunclebobby@gmail.com if you’d like to share.
sacred places
OBX Bound Bound
“B
e fore you leave here,” claimed the man behind the craft booth counter, “you’ve got to see Nags Head in the Outer Banks.” This clean shaven southern gentleman in his late 40s had a gleam in his eye and he most certainly had the muse in his heart. He created a veritable menagerie of sculptures and musical instruments relying heavily on kitchen spoons. His work drew me in like a magnet. And now this mysterious gentleman found it necessary to implore a complete stranger to take a trip to what he obviously considered a magical land only eight hours drive to the north of us. Believing strongly as I do that cosmic coincidence is less of a coincidence than a measure of destiny, I made a vow to
him and to myself to follow his directions. Eight years later I was reacquainted with an old college friend of mine, Laura, who informed me from California that she and her fiance, Dan, were going to spend some time in the Outer Banks and she e-mailed me the address of where they were staying in case my wife and I could join them. The address was in Nags Head and the cosmic powers finally came full-circle. We stayed there last Summer and I have to report there was truly magic in the air. If you’re looking for a place to inspire your creativity and wake up the dormant stirrings of your own muse, try the Outer Banks. We’ll be doing it again this year and every year we get the chance.
Learning Curve
Making
Sacred Objects Sacred
from recycled materials H
ave you ever wondered how even to yourself?
Learn how at this free worksho
You won’t believe your eyes when yo more pieces of rusty metal and broken
I’ve collected a massive amount of jun want to create your one-of-a-kind piec
Even though there will be mounds of home that you’d like to weave into you
Assemblage involves using found obj work of art. At this workshop you’ll learn a little a incompatible materials, drilling holes i type of work.
Best of all it’s 100% free. We will mak money flow, but no form of monetary e
s
s
What: FREE Found Object Art Workshop
When: Saturday July 18th, 2009 6:00 - 7:30 p.m.
Where: Earthfare 3312 Devine St. # B Columbia, SC 29205
Why: Because the muse is calling and you must always accept opportunities to follow your bliss!
w to make art from trash and actually have a gift you’d be proud to give,
op!
ou see all of the great trash available for your use at this workshop. Imagine n glass than you’ve ever laid eyes on before.
nk over the years and you will have complete freedom to choose whatever you ce of assemblage.
f raw craft materials available for your use, why not bring a small object from ur artwork? The personal touch ads even more spirit to your assemblage piece.
jects and, quite frankly, any substance or material you’d like to use in creating a
about what makes a work of art sacred. You’ll learn simple skills like gluing in metal and even how to search for and find the best ‘found objects’ for this
ke available the opportunity to donate to the cause just in case you like to see exchange is necessary.
Saltwater Fishes of the
W
ith the help of my friend Matthew, I was stricken by the muse when he pointed out that the doodles of fish I made during important business meetings were actually very good. It got me to thinking, “what would it be like to take a comical picture of a fish and paint it seriously?� Thus the Saltwater Fishes of the South collection was born. I have only 10 designs painted so far. I hope to have two more by mid-August so I can create a calendar. In all my travels to learn about fine art prints and how to market and sell them I was to come across two exciting ways to have them printed. Of course most everyone is familiar with Giclee prints. Those are exciting because they really hold the integrity of the original art work. The fine detail, the subtle color variations and the crisp lines printed onto watercolor paper make the Giclee print virtually impossible to tell apart
Saltwater Fishes of the South
South from the original. The second format is to have them printed photographically on Kodak Endura metallic paper.These prints are truly one of a kind. The painted fishes have the same metallic sheen that actual fish seem to have and the depth of color is truly breathtaking. By adding a digital photo from undersea photography to the background and stylizing that somewhat, the result is a phenomenal combination of watercolor and digital art. Add to that an inherent metallic sheen for every color and you really have an original work of art guaranteed to delight most anyone’s soul. The following pages contain sneak previews. If you are interested in purchasing a print at an unbelievably fair cost, please feel free to e-mail me at OldUncleBobby@ gmail.com. I’ll send you a price list and merchandise sheet that shows the many ways you can surprise someone with an original work of art.
The Black Bass comes with his own Do-rag and a piercing in his left gill. He’s also sporting a gold hoop earring with a black pearl bead.
I’m sorry, but the Atlantic Spadefish reminds me of my mother somehow.
The Hogfish is a colorful rascal with hog-like features. I’ve considered giving him a motorcycle helmet to drag along with his fin.
The King Mackerel is of royal blood, no doubt about it.
Little Tunny was the first guy I painted. Turns out there’s about seven different varieties of tuna in the South so I just chose the one whose growth was obviously stunted.
Fishes are always used to symbolize things so I thought, “What the heck?” Why not make the stripes on a Striped Bass into symbols.
As I understand it the Puffer fish is a bit of a ‘wallflower’ and a tad nervous around strangers. I reckon he’s a lot like me.
If you’ve ever seen the Mahimahi, you know for sure he has an attitude. He looks like he hates everyone.
The Knobbed Porgy is my favorite. Not only does his name make me laugh, but his eye is actually some sort of attenuating knob.
As promised, here is your bonus. The first in my newest series: Birds That Dress Funny.
Some fishes don’t really need to be described. You can almost tell what they should be doing just by hearing their name.
I hope you’ve enjoyed this sneak preview of Saltwater Fishes of the South. Thanks for taking the time to look. Maybe in some small way they’ve got you thinking, “Hey, what kind of crazy artwork can I come up with that will get the ole creative juices flowing and make me nearly ten dollars in cold hard cash in my spare time?” Seriously, that’s all I’ve made so far. So if you feel like ordering, please e-mail me at OldUncleBobby@gmail.com and I’ll be happy to share the price list and merchandise sheet.
For the Love of Paper
Ephemera
I
love old paper. Nothin
The great thing about ephemera is you can find it just about everywh found object sculpture has been delighting us for centuries.
My favorite source of ephemera is ancient magazines. Any periodical advertising illustration. For some strange reason around the mid 1950
By the end of the 60s it was nearly impossible to find an illustrated a the United States.
The curious thing about all this is the practice of bringing an unknow lovely illustrations in your art work is a form of time travel and a way you are actually recycling art.
Something that someone took perhaps hours to create with full know eventually end up at the bottom of a waste bin rotting away never to b So seek out the old and discarded paper from yesteryear and let it add expressions.
The dictionary describes ephemera as: 1: something of no lasting significance —usually used in plural 2: ephemera plural : paper items (as posters, broadsides, and tickets) that were originally meant to be discarded after use but have since become collectibles.
ng else has the rich texture and the built-in nostalgic feel of old paper.
here for next to nothing. Its use in encaustic painting, collage and
l printed up to the early 50s was inevitably replete with 0s photographs began to replace hand drawn illustration.
advertisement in any of the publications circulating in
wn artist’s work back to life. To include these of not only honoring the original creator, but
wledge that their creations would be seen again. There is no nobler cause. d rich texture to your artistic
Gettin’ ‘er Done
A
ll right, I only have three columns and one last spread to convince you to follow your bliss. This is one of the most practical things you’ll ever do during your short time on this earth. I can’t fault you for thinking otherwise because the conditioning of our society has pretty much burned the opposite thinking into everyone’s brains from an early age. Following your bliss becomes a simple matter once you understand what exactly that means. And here’s where the rubber meets the road; you can only gain that understanding from one place. Can you guess where that is? Where you might gain an understanding of your calling, your purpose in this life? Where you can go to learn what drives and motivates you?
When that starts to happen, it would be really good of you to trust yourself. that the dictionary defines as determination of one’s own n
In that moment when all th to bear on a work of art, you is what you’re after, an inspir so happy you want to send a wait quietly for the echo to re
And that’s exactly what hap complete responsibility for yo you take good care of yoursel rested, healthy, full of energy alive, you come across as som Here’s a clue, it’s not me. It’s not your mom or your dad be around. And you see that h or your brother or sister or your friends. It’s not your others like the strings on a gu business associates or your teachers or your grandparents or your pets. I started out in the dark. I d I didn’t know what I wanted It’s you! not knowing drove my life in to find out. I had to do whate You are the artist of one particular work of art called understanding of why I was b your life. You may not know exactly what you want to paint or sculpt or draw or build at the outset. You may But I really didn’t know wh not even know what medium you want to use at first. answers until I realized that I But sooner or later inspiration is going to hit. The Muse time. An expert at such thing is going to grab you in the solar plexus and the butterflies I had no worries. My respons will start to tingle. Do some dishes once in awhi
. Your “self”. That thing s “the understanding or nature or basic qualities.”
Dad work on the car. That was about it. The rest of the time was ripe for whatever I wanted to use it for. And therefore I was an expert on what made me happy.
It was the smell of pine trees when I went camping. It hat you are made up of comes was the unbearable cuteness of baby animals. It was a begin to feel the bliss. That strange fascination wth everything clear: water, bubbles, red life. One that makes you glass, crystals and air. shout out to the world and It was also a deep abiding interest in colors. When I eturn. first saw light shoot through a prism and the resulting spectrum of deep ultra-violet to seering infra-red I nearly ppens when you take fainted from the pristine beauty of it. our own happiness. When lf so that you are well What you once loved as a child, you have always loved. y and just plain happy to be Your childhood is where all the answers lie. Before we mebody that others like to entered public school we all knew what we liked. there happiness reverberating in uitar in quivering harmony. was no peer group pressure to like things we didn’t. No mixed signals were generated by us. We knew. And we still know, but we have to get in touch with it. didn’t have any answers. d and the frustration of Why do you suppose we have memories? Are memories nto the ground. So I had a cell phone with the number to our bliss already ever it took to gain an brought to life on this planet. programmed in?
“Do not be too timid and squeamish about your actions. here to search for the I was a child for a very long All life is an experiment. The more experiments you make gs. Let me explain. As a child the better.” sibilities were very few. — Ralph Waldo Emerson ile, take out the trash, help
Bobby says: Do the Fun Stuff! Š2009 Bobby Baker