VISUAL ARTS & ARCHITECTURE:
A playful synergy enlivens this collaborationBy Debra WolfFor the JournalConstitutionPublished on: 08/19/2007
REVIEW
Sunday Southern Art Revival: Jessie Cregar, George Long, Scott Pethia, Mario Schambon, Tindel-Michi
Through Sept. 1. 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Wednesdays-Saturdays. $100-$3,000. Whitespace, 814 Edgemont Ave., Atlanta. 404-688-1892, www.whitespace814.com.
Bottom line: Good old-fashioned fun.
Put six Southern gentlemen together on Sunday afternoons. Add a passion for making art and a significant dose of humor. What do you get? A self-described religious experience, an ongoing visual conversation and a unique collaboration among six creative spirits: Jessie Cregar, George Long, Scott Pethia, Mario Schambon and Tindel-Michi.
Each of these artists pursues work on his own: Cregar is a classical painter. Long and Pethia work in varied mediums including ink and metal. Schambon paints and sculpts, while Tindel-Michi (two individuals) work in tandem on a regular basis under an appended name, frequently using acrylic, stencils, markers and spray paint.
But on Sundays, generally, these six are part of an experimental process where the rules are simple —- mutual respect and having fun —- as they paint collaboratively and simultaneously on a number of images.
How do they actually manage this?
George Long points to one painting and smiles, telling how its background was the beneficiary of tennis balls dipped in acrylic and thrown, followed by boxing gloves used to pummel the surface. Yet no one would guess how these marks and splatters were formed, particularly when the end result is many-layered and well-executed.
In addition to these less-than-staid methods, more orthodox tools and processes are used, traditional brushwork, drawing and stenciling among them.
"Dairy Queen Don Quixote" is a vibrant example of these collaborative efforts. It is a composition with luscious, warm tones, floral stencils and a scratchy representation of the Spanish literary hero on horseback. While the painting's meaning is not self-evident, the work itself displays the surprisingly synergistic style of the six, partly figural and with notable graffiti elements.
"Fade to Black" is a different sort of image; dark and sophisticated, it is one of several interrelated and moody abstractions, while "Pink Pigs R the Way" is an utterly charming and humorous depiction of flying wheelbarrows and the occasional pig.
With an exuberance and spontaneity that enhance the unusual nature of their activity, these art-making mavericks work right up until an exhibition opens (even creating on-site) and continue to paint unsold pieces after the show comes down. This yields pleasing and playful results in the ultimate illustration that for some, no creative endeavor is ever quite finished.
Monday, August 20, 2007
Friday, August 10, 2007
Souls Saved
TM and the other evangelist recently installed the second edition to The Sunday Southern Art Revival. The show will be up until September first. Stop in and see the glorious work that the spirit has lead us to create and share with those in need of a blessing. The Revival is a traveling installment much like the old fashion tent revivals of the rural south. Our next meeting is in St.Augustine on Sept.7th. We gone win some souls for the spirit and those souls aint ready.
During this entire revival that was started for fun, and nothing more, I think we have ourselves, as artist been born again. AMEN!! I guess during this collective collar project, we were all trying to save our own holy art souls from burning in the rut of complacency and boredom that Atlanta has the potential to have. When I think about it, I too have threatened to run to NYC to avoid the rut. I aint scared. It’s just that catfish like fresh water, if you know what I mean. Although there are salt water catfish, I'd much rather cruise a fresh-water lake and not become a pale worm in a big grey apple. My faith is our skills and those ruts are under monster truck tires, so we just gone jump'em anyways.BIG WHEELS KEEP TURNING!! AMEN!!!!
Back to our souls. I am so pleased at the outcome of this whole revival I want to go tell it on a mountain. Our creative spirit is up so high right now we just may be able to part the Chattahoochee, like Moses did the Red Sea. If that happens, there will be a fish fry in the back forty. I aint one to tell lies right outta church, but I feel we could do it. God knows we have put a lot sweat equity into what we are doing and have done ups and down, grants lost, not always working smart , sometimes doing too much ,and hell, at times not doing enough. I guess what I’m trying to say is I think the Revival has saved TindelMichi more than we wanted it to save a community of artist. AMEN!!!
Go down to the mourner’s bench and receive your blessing @ 814 Edgewood @ The Whitespace.
During this entire revival that was started for fun, and nothing more, I think we have ourselves, as artist been born again. AMEN!! I guess during this collective collar project, we were all trying to save our own holy art souls from burning in the rut of complacency and boredom that Atlanta has the potential to have. When I think about it, I too have threatened to run to NYC to avoid the rut. I aint scared. It’s just that catfish like fresh water, if you know what I mean. Although there are salt water catfish, I'd much rather cruise a fresh-water lake and not become a pale worm in a big grey apple. My faith is our skills and those ruts are under monster truck tires, so we just gone jump'em anyways.BIG WHEELS KEEP TURNING!! AMEN!!!!
Back to our souls. I am so pleased at the outcome of this whole revival I want to go tell it on a mountain. Our creative spirit is up so high right now we just may be able to part the Chattahoochee, like Moses did the Red Sea. If that happens, there will be a fish fry in the back forty. I aint one to tell lies right outta church, but I feel we could do it. God knows we have put a lot sweat equity into what we are doing and have done ups and down, grants lost, not always working smart , sometimes doing too much ,and hell, at times not doing enough. I guess what I’m trying to say is I think the Revival has saved TindelMichi more than we wanted it to save a community of artist. AMEN!!!
Go down to the mourner’s bench and receive your blessing @ 814 Edgewood @ The Whitespace.
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
Sunday Southern Art Revival:Salvation is near.
True story:
It was June in Georgia.
I had never been to a revival, but I heard there was one brewing down by the forked creek.
Word was they served biscuits spread thick with sweat and ribs slathered in paint.
They preached through paper scratched with words, hit with paint, and dotted with bits of trash that told their story.
As I passed through the blackberry patch, I heard the steady beat of their music and I knew I was on the right path.
I stood on the top of the hill, hidden in the brush and watched.
Quite sure they must be intoxicated by the fumes of their paint, I saw them throw balls covered in ink, intricately stack what seemed to be yard sale leftovers, and scrawl images of their idols.
The rumors were true.
Curiosity was leading my soul to salvation and I needed the healing.
I decided to approach.
This is what I found.
Southern Art Revival
AUG 3 @ The Whitespace
http://www.whitespace814.com/
It was June in Georgia.
I had never been to a revival, but I heard there was one brewing down by the forked creek.
Word was they served biscuits spread thick with sweat and ribs slathered in paint.
They preached through paper scratched with words, hit with paint, and dotted with bits of trash that told their story.
As I passed through the blackberry patch, I heard the steady beat of their music and I knew I was on the right path.
I stood on the top of the hill, hidden in the brush and watched.
Quite sure they must be intoxicated by the fumes of their paint, I saw them throw balls covered in ink, intricately stack what seemed to be yard sale leftovers, and scrawl images of their idols.
The rumors were true.
Curiosity was leading my soul to salvation and I needed the healing.
I decided to approach.
This is what I found.
Southern Art Revival
AUG 3 @ The Whitespace
http://www.whitespace814.com/
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
The Wall
About a week ago I met up with George Long over at The Whitespace. That space has to be the coziest most charming gallery in town. We were planning some ultra high art revolutionary backyard Sunday revival event. That’s when Director /Owner Susan Bridges began to ask me of my origins. Proudly I said Florence, Alabama!!! Funny thing is she was up on my town like she grew up there. We shared knowledge of mutual creative people in the area and local lore. She even told me of recent things I didn’t know. I was ultra surprised to find out she knew of The Wall. I had almost forgotten about it myself. George was in shock just as much as I was at her knowledge of the area. He was like; did you come from this nutty place that breeds this sorta weird creative spirit? I was like yeah it’s the Indian spirits and once you realize that, they open you up to the possibilities of the land and the world to whatever you want to do. That is just my philosophy.
Anyways, The Wall is a man made wall built by this guy Tom Hendrix. He has been working on it for 27 years. It’s a monument to his great-great-grandmamma. She was a Euchee Indian who walked for four years from Oklahoma back to Bama after they forced the Indians to leave. This is the trail of tears. She missed the area so much that she just took off walking home. The story was told to me, that she toted this rock there and back. It was a stone that reminded her of home. This is stone that sparked Tom's creativity. The wall is easily comparable to Andy Goldsworthy work, minus the art criticisms. I feel it will hold up to those criticisms. It is pure and simple why he is doing this. His effort is a great feat of one man's creativity. You can feel the truth. Thing that has always weirded me out about the wall is the first section of rocks that look like faces. Are they the faces of ancetors? I think so. Are they man made? I think not. Do they protect the entrance and ward off evil spirits? I think so. At The Wall, there are random rocks that people from all over the world have placed on the wall as their contribution to this great effort. They are special rocks to them, I’m guessing. You should bring a rock if you ever go to Florence and visit The Wall.
As much as I like Atlanta, sometimes I pack my rocks and get back to the land that I love.
Anyways, The Wall is a man made wall built by this guy Tom Hendrix. He has been working on it for 27 years. It’s a monument to his great-great-grandmamma. She was a Euchee Indian who walked for four years from Oklahoma back to Bama after they forced the Indians to leave. This is the trail of tears. She missed the area so much that she just took off walking home. The story was told to me, that she toted this rock there and back. It was a stone that reminded her of home. This is stone that sparked Tom's creativity. The wall is easily comparable to Andy Goldsworthy work, minus the art criticisms. I feel it will hold up to those criticisms. It is pure and simple why he is doing this. His effort is a great feat of one man's creativity. You can feel the truth. Thing that has always weirded me out about the wall is the first section of rocks that look like faces. Are they the faces of ancetors? I think so. Are they man made? I think not. Do they protect the entrance and ward off evil spirits? I think so. At The Wall, there are random rocks that people from all over the world have placed on the wall as their contribution to this great effort. They are special rocks to them, I’m guessing. You should bring a rock if you ever go to Florence and visit The Wall.
As much as I like Atlanta, sometimes I pack my rocks and get back to the land that I love.
shoal culture
NY Times
Saturday, July 7, 2007
New TM Book
I just recently heard we have another book coming soon. I was told by my source, this one will happen. We have tried this before and the complications were sort of picky and we were over it and never saw the project through. (The Redneck Graffiti Book).I apoligize for not gettin those done. We’ll will redo that Redneck Graff someday and get it out.
According to sources, this TM Book is a hard back perfect bound beauty. The source boasted that the book had about 100 full color pages of the 5 year TM collaboration. It holds photos, graphic design, quotes, recipes, and all sorts of random TM magic. Hell, you may be in there. I don’t even know the name of it at this point but, im sure it will be funny, fresh and to the point.
Thats just what I heard.
According to sources, this TM Book is a hard back perfect bound beauty. The source boasted that the book had about 100 full color pages of the 5 year TM collaboration. It holds photos, graphic design, quotes, recipes, and all sorts of random TM magic. Hell, you may be in there. I don’t even know the name of it at this point but, im sure it will be funny, fresh and to the point.
Thats just what I heard.
Young Daisy Duke
Nothing to do with TM but it's like a WTF moment...kinda funny but not really sorta but more shock,like huh.
ORANGE BEACH, Ala. (AP) — Police who chased a car for miles along a highway at speeds up to 100 mph said the driver was drunk, hardly a rarity in this resort town. But there was more: When they looked inside the flipped vehicle with guns drawn, they found an 11-year-old girl at the wheel.
VIDEO: Ala. police chase 11-year-old driver
"You go up there thinking it's a felon you're dealing with," assistant police Chief Greg Duck said.
The girl, who was slightly injured in the crash, is now charged with driving under the influence of alcohol, speeding, reckless endangerment and leaving the scene of an accident. Duck said she sideswiped another vehicle during the roughly 8-mile chase.
The chase began around 10:30 p.m. Tuesday when a patrol officer near the Florida line saw the car speeding west along a beach highway, Duck said. When the officer flicked on his lights, the driver sped up. The girl rolled the car just inside the Gulf Shores city limit.
FIND MORE STORIES IN: DUI Duck
Duck said the girl, whose name was not released because of her age, told police she was on her way to pick up her sister at a concert.
Investigators found no alcohol in the car but believe the girl drank before getting behind the wheel of the car, which belongs to relatives.
Duck declined to release the girl's blood alcohol level but said a blood test at the hospital showed it was higher than .02, the legal limit for minors.
ORANGE BEACH, Ala. (AP) — Police who chased a car for miles along a highway at speeds up to 100 mph said the driver was drunk, hardly a rarity in this resort town. But there was more: When they looked inside the flipped vehicle with guns drawn, they found an 11-year-old girl at the wheel.
VIDEO: Ala. police chase 11-year-old driver
"You go up there thinking it's a felon you're dealing with," assistant police Chief Greg Duck said.
The girl, who was slightly injured in the crash, is now charged with driving under the influence of alcohol, speeding, reckless endangerment and leaving the scene of an accident. Duck said she sideswiped another vehicle during the roughly 8-mile chase.
The chase began around 10:30 p.m. Tuesday when a patrol officer near the Florida line saw the car speeding west along a beach highway, Duck said. When the officer flicked on his lights, the driver sped up. The girl rolled the car just inside the Gulf Shores city limit.
FIND MORE STORIES IN: DUI Duck
Duck said the girl, whose name was not released because of her age, told police she was on her way to pick up her sister at a concert.
Investigators found no alcohol in the car but believe the girl drank before getting behind the wheel of the car, which belongs to relatives.
Duck declined to release the girl's blood alcohol level but said a blood test at the hospital showed it was higher than .02, the legal limit for minors.
Monday, June 18, 2007
Bonnaroo
Where to begin?
My advice for the Bonnaroo Camper is to get a hotel and take a shuttle into the events everyday, but if that is not an option, I think the most important thing is to find the Holy Grail, top secret barley used Port-A Potty and the rest of the trip is easy. I found out over that weekend that I have a fear of these little plastic poop houses and being far from home this was not cool. We did find such a thing in a sea of 90,000 people, the Holy Grail; it did exist standing there glowing and clean.
To be honest our crew camp ground was actually like staying at Trump Towers, we had a couple of showers, couple poop houses, trees for shade, next to the main stage, and in the center of the whole event with barely 30 people on our grounds. We were straight balling.
Also make sure your sleeping game is up to par. Out the whole group, John Wins the Best Bed Award. Luxury type sleeping, Doubled up memory foam (4 inches) on a thin mattress in the camper shell of his truck covered by tarps cleverly blocking the sun at all angles. TRUMP. I get the worst, air mattress that deflates by morning. I was super jealous of Tindels set up. It is wise to bring ear plugs for your nights sleep cause wack ass DJ Shadow will play till four in the morning.(Yes,his live shows are wack) Plus the usual water, water, water and if you smoke know that a pack of smokes is 10.00$ Kevin found out the hard way.
Anyway, we go to install the four by fours with the Such and Such crew. They did a huge fire installation and a fire burning burlesque stage show. It was FRESH. It was crazy to see the guys manipulate and control fire. My faves by far, was the invention of a Florence, Alabama native (my hometown) it was this simple looking contraption, that only appeared to be a ladder and a couple of pipes. When the zip cord was pulled it would let off this huge explosion and send up giant smoke rings and shock waves to the heavens. Come to find out, this thing shot a gallon of gas through a pipe after every explosion. For the "Politically Correct" environmental Earth saving people his argument was you wasted more gas driving here than I have for my art, I don’t question your drive don’t question my art. It was like BOOM!!! For Real.
If I remember correct John said "Ween was the freshest." They were melting faces all over the campgrounds and sending the 3rd generation hippies into some sort of jiggin frenzy. Maybe it was the shrooms? I was feeling GirlTalk, "Throw some d's" mash up with and old 80's pop tune, it was priceless. John and I both agreed that it was huge imagination and impressive. Gogol Bordello, a gypsy punk band was also super fresh.
I never thought after college I would just pass out on the ground in my own filth without the help of whiskey's thump,but there I was, it was the norm and I was in Romewithout whiskey. I also learned that the huge fountain in the center of the grounds recycled water back through, so it was a hippie DNA dirt bath and we never got in. I also understood that certain wind gust smell like piss for a reason. I learned too, when "Apple" or "Peace" or whatever his or her name maybe meet and there is a connection, while following whatever the heck band, if you get the urge to "hippie hump" its best to do it in a field in broad daylight next to some giant four by fours.TindelMichi:A back drop for love.
My advice for the Bonnaroo Camper is to get a hotel and take a shuttle into the events everyday, but if that is not an option, I think the most important thing is to find the Holy Grail, top secret barley used Port-A Potty and the rest of the trip is easy. I found out over that weekend that I have a fear of these little plastic poop houses and being far from home this was not cool. We did find such a thing in a sea of 90,000 people, the Holy Grail; it did exist standing there glowing and clean.
To be honest our crew camp ground was actually like staying at Trump Towers, we had a couple of showers, couple poop houses, trees for shade, next to the main stage, and in the center of the whole event with barely 30 people on our grounds. We were straight balling.
Also make sure your sleeping game is up to par. Out the whole group, John Wins the Best Bed Award. Luxury type sleeping, Doubled up memory foam (4 inches) on a thin mattress in the camper shell of his truck covered by tarps cleverly blocking the sun at all angles. TRUMP. I get the worst, air mattress that deflates by morning. I was super jealous of Tindels set up. It is wise to bring ear plugs for your nights sleep cause wack ass DJ Shadow will play till four in the morning.(Yes,his live shows are wack) Plus the usual water, water, water and if you smoke know that a pack of smokes is 10.00$ Kevin found out the hard way.
Anyway, we go to install the four by fours with the Such and Such crew. They did a huge fire installation and a fire burning burlesque stage show. It was FRESH. It was crazy to see the guys manipulate and control fire. My faves by far, was the invention of a Florence, Alabama native (my hometown) it was this simple looking contraption, that only appeared to be a ladder and a couple of pipes. When the zip cord was pulled it would let off this huge explosion and send up giant smoke rings and shock waves to the heavens. Come to find out, this thing shot a gallon of gas through a pipe after every explosion. For the "Politically Correct" environmental Earth saving people his argument was you wasted more gas driving here than I have for my art, I don’t question your drive don’t question my art. It was like BOOM!!! For Real.
If I remember correct John said "Ween was the freshest." They were melting faces all over the campgrounds and sending the 3rd generation hippies into some sort of jiggin frenzy. Maybe it was the shrooms? I was feeling GirlTalk, "Throw some d's" mash up with and old 80's pop tune, it was priceless. John and I both agreed that it was huge imagination and impressive. Gogol Bordello, a gypsy punk band was also super fresh.
I never thought after college I would just pass out on the ground in my own filth without the help of whiskey's thump,but there I was, it was the norm and I was in Romewithout whiskey. I also learned that the huge fountain in the center of the grounds recycled water back through, so it was a hippie DNA dirt bath and we never got in. I also understood that certain wind gust smell like piss for a reason. I learned too, when "Apple" or "Peace" or whatever his or her name maybe meet and there is a connection, while following whatever the heck band, if you get the urge to "hippie hump" its best to do it in a field in broad daylight next to some giant four by fours.TindelMichi:A back drop for love.
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