Interests and Inspirations:

It has been a treacherous time as far as art-making goes for the past few days. Coming out of the gate with all the pent energy I started with has dwindled a bit and I think I needed to look back on what has inspired me to take on the Truck.

I think what I will do is post some links and photos of some artists, events and miscellany that get me excited to do my own work.

We all need a boost.

Swimming Cities of Serenissima - I just found out about this. Designed by the artist known as SWOON. A group of very lucky artist turned maritime adventurers.

J.R. Goldberg - I think Corinne originally sent me this website and I thank her again. A somewhat familiar style with that extra bit that sets it apart.

Jon Contino - Hand-Letterer and Illustrator out of New York

Wayne Thiebaud - The Man

Brian Rea - Very excited about his lettering and design work when it collides with tangible objects.


And some more stuff:

That will do for now. Thanks to my local Borders for their 20% to 40% off closing sale. Made off with some good material.

mv

Its Real:

BARGAIN HUNTER:$3 at Lowes for a junked piece of whatever this is. (Originally $20.) It will serve as the roof of the truck.

Today marked the beginning of construction for the Ice Cream Truck. Its awful cold in a February garage, but armed with some yellow gloves, a variety of power tools, and an almost willing little sister, things went pretty fast. So far it measures roughly 8 by 10 feet on one side and I am almost done building the front of the cab and the rear which will each be 4 feet wide. I also have a FREE PIECE OF PLYWOOD lined up to serve as the driver's side of the truck.




I plan on slapping a coat of primer on tonight to the background stylings of a Star Wars DVD. I feel much better now that this is underway.

I just need a method of assembling and disassembling it easily... Then I will feel better.

mv

Written Thesis:

This is the first draft of my senior Thesis as it was in late 2010. It mostly references my fixation with signage and the aesthetics and tone of my coastal home town in Maine.

Currently it is going in for some drastic revisions which will hopefully occur within the next 48 hours. I want to actually mention the Ice Cream Man/Truck and try to further pin down this idea of antiquated summertime Americana... I just thought it would be a good idea to post my jump-off point.


Close to the water in coastal Maine, where money is scarce and often the only thing trusted is a person’s own name, it is guaranteed that there is no shortage of homemade self-promotion. Hand painted signs dot the harbor roads to suggest eateries, recommend contractors, or let you know about the ice heave up ahead. Their evolution spurred by competition and their aura filled with trappings of the sea, these messages exist unconsciously as art. From sign to sign, each is unique and often skillfully crafted with pride or charming in their amateur styled naivety.

These relics of an older and more impoverished time are of a specific breed of people whose major source of income is the sea. While making it through the season is never a promise and drug crimes continue to spring up on the outskirts of town, the subtle country sense of humor is always there. A grinning lobster plastered on the side of a restaurant, beckoning customers inside is a frequent site and seems to fly in the face of the social decline that is often present in life by the ocean.

It is a goal and a challenge as an illustrator to bring these sentiments into a gallery setting, to pull a notion of non-art out of the harbor and land it, transformed as a thoughtful and thought provoking work. A strong case will be made for illusive, conceptual, and performative art in the context of illustration and the setting of an illustration exhibit. Influential artist’s include the “Beautiful Losers” crew, Wayne Thiebaud, Thurop Van Orman, Jenny Holzer, Nathan Oliviera, and of course the work being done by those living in the harbor.


Let me know what you think if you are so inclined.
mv

Me and the Bottle:

I have some more recent bottle work but this is all I will be posting for now.
mv

The Popsicle Club:

And the group shot. I might name each of them in secret. I'm also thinking of adding text, and will be darkening some things.