Vibes, Phanphest and particles filling the void
08.29.08
Feet finally touching ground long enough to write. This is a good thing, my friends. Sometimes, in life, you can ride the rainbow. Sometimes. The trick is to know how to fly, but a lot of people refuse to believe that they can. I, for one, am pretty sure that I’ve been leaping over skyballs and saxscrapers recently.
The summer has really taken off. Floydfest, as you recall, was amazing. This was followed by another trip up north to a certain festival which has landed back in its home state of Connecticut. That’s right folks, we did the Vibes this year again and it was simply amazing.
But before I get into all that, what do you think of the new opening page? I’m thinking about printing this design out for use as handbills replete with a live painting schedule on the back once I work up my Fall retinue.
Send me your comments!! I’d love to hear what you guys think on how I might better my work and site. All feedback is welcome! Plus, I just like getting letters and comments and such. It’s always nice.
But back to Vibes. Gathering of the Vibes is a festival that we love to support for a number of reasons. After getting off of Phish summer tour 2000, I was itching to go to more festivals. Having never gone to any outside of Phish experiences, I decided to investigate what else was out there. A quick internet search unearthed the GOTV website, which has gone through several changes since I first joined but is still connecting music loving fans, artists and musicians for years. Prompted to have a “username,” I had to create a hotmail account to accomodate this. Thus unto the world…
CRAZYREDBEARD WAS BORN.
That’s right. On that fateful day roughly 8 years ago, I was given my celestial namesake, Crazyredbeard. And, suprisingly enough, the name was available and it fit me, to quote the estimable Jim Carey, “like a glove!”
The Vibes board introduced me to a number of on-line personalities that have drastically and positively influenced my life. I go there a lot actually…to check up on people, chat with friends in the northeast and beyond and post artwork and other random musings. The friendships I’ve cultivated there have really been amazing over the years and many of the folks I speak with on that site have supported me in so many ways as an artist and a human being. I only hope that I’ve given back to them in some modest way over the years.
With that said, Vibes continues to be one of the premier festivals in the United State, in my opinion. Bob Kennedy is a staunch supporter of the arts and music scene and this year at Seaside Park in Bridgeport really seemed like a convergence of many, many years of hard work and out of the box thinking. There was so MUCH there, right down to several local artists painting inside of a building behind the stage, so that people could witness art unfold as the bands did their thing.
Though we didn’t bring the art booth this year, we did set up paintings all around the non-profit village and especially Rock the Earth. Sean McNamara invited Julia and myself to volunteer this year and that we did. I attempted to bring some interest to the NP village by splashing color all over the place. I think it might’ve worked. I did manage to paint with one band…The Brew. They were very accomodating and allowed me to paint right on the stage (while standing on the ground) and the painting sold almost as soon as I had started it. Gregg Mellow, the manager of another band, Roamer, picked this one up. He and his girlfriend Lisa are CT natives and I’m proud to call them new friends.
The Brew, by the way, are amazing. I’m not going to spend a lot of time explaining their music, because it speaks for itself. I recommend you go to their site, listen and pick something up. Then tell ‘em Crazyredbeard sent you and they’ll be like, “Wha?” And I’ll be like, “Yeah.” And they’ll be like, “Who?” And I’ll be like, “That’s me, son.”
(The Brew photos courtesy of Morey…thanks brother!!!)
Big thank yous to Sean at Rock the Earth who’s going to be receiving a little painting gift for all of his hard work and good will. The guy is a genius and a good soul. Rock the Earth is a better organization having worked with him, I’m sure. Please check out RtE at their website, which is linked above. This organizations connects artists and musicians with truly green initiatives…global efforts that aren’t just flash in the pan, non-researched issues. The folks at RtE really know their stuff and they really strive for change in the world as we live in it. Please visit and gather information on how all of us can help Rock the Earth…one beat at a time.
And huge thank yous to everyone that came by the Non-Profit Village and shared your joy for change, art, life, politics…thanks to Headcount for being there, registering people to vote and thanks to all of the amazing vendors that lined the street near our area. Vibes was a truly exceptional experience this year and I don’t think I’d be being honest if I didn’t admit that my mind melted during a Steve Molitz led Elevator during Phil’s 2nd set.
Aside: Last year, I painted a Particle show in Tabernacle, New Jersey. On Earth Day. It was a private party in Ear’s Backyard and only about 200 people max were there, including Beetlejuice from Howard Stern wo was smoking cigars with Molitz before the show.
As I’ve told you before, I often experience extreme moments of synchronicity during my live paintings. I can only describe it as the whisper tickle of God, urging me ahead to have no fear. Being submerged in some psychic, aquatic medium, that allows me to share the overmind and experience something that I truly believe to be precognition. Sometimes I’ll paint something and the band will then play a song that coincides immediately with it, or I’ll have a thought and the music will follow suit, talking about what was in my head. This occassion was no different.
Towards the end of the evening, some serious channeling was going on. Ideas were coming fast and the music had its tendrils interweaving within and without of my brain. At one point, I turned my brush to the rounded, wooden end and started creating a repeating circle in a large glob of paint. As I did this, the pattern began to look like a Steal Your Face logo with a rose in the space where the lightning bolt is usually reserved for. It wasn’t near exact, mind you, just suggestive enough to encourage the mental connection I was having at the time. And as soon as the thought hit (like the absent bolt of lightning in the stealie, Molitz started teasing Terrapin Station. It isn’t listed in the setlist, but he did it. The Great Laugher Laughs!!!
As he stepped off of the stage I asked, “Steve, did you just tease some Grateful Dead?”
His response: “Yeah, yeah…some Dead.”
And he walked away. I didn’t want to bother him because he’d just raged about a five hour throwdown, so I let it be. Later, however, as we were sitting around the bonfire of the event, enjoying the aftermath of Earl’s dreamset (Earl announced prior to the second set that he had written his dream Particle show, and the band then pretty much played it and slayed it), Steve leaned forward and looked directly at me and said,
“You know, it doesn’t matter where you are. Whether it’s a long road in California, or a diner in Texas. When the Grateful Dead comes on, it just feels…right.”
Oh, and remember how I told you that my mind got melted during the Elevator played at Vibes this year? Guess which song got cut short by police sirens at Earl’s, right before the explosive lift off jam?
THE ELEVATOR.
Synchronicity indeed. So I remembered that remark at that moment, sitting underneath a huge tree on the concert field.
Ensconced in gnarly roots and feeling like some Great Watcher, debating with Intergalactic Beings about Infinity, I remembered it. And about how this was just another one of THOSE moments…a tickle from the Cosmos, the finishing of a cycle and a song. About how I was the one being elevated, after three years of carrying around canvases to this show and that…scraping by to make art for people and for myself…I was on some spiritual elevator that was being manifested by belief and faith.
This year, truly has been a great one for me and live art. Critical mass hasn’t been attained quite yet, but more and more people have seen the work and appreciate it and have been supporting me with kindness, feedback, purchases, friendships and love. I couldn’t have made it this far without you, so allow me to pause for just one second and say, I LOVE YOU. To each and every one of you that’s bought a print, framed piece, original work…to each of you that’s told me to keep going, keep trying, never quit…to each of you that has been a brother or sister to me, who has been an ear and someone who needed one…I LOVE YOU.
I’ll say it again, because the third time’s the charm (but so is the fourth, fifth and so on)…I LOVE YOU. THANK YOU ALL FOR HELPING ME REALIZE THIS DREAM.
(Steve Molitz and Jonathon Blake (Crazyredbeard) on 04/21/08 at the State Theatre, Falls Church, VA)
Thanks also to Mike who allowed me to share art with the teens in the kids tent. I’d like to continue doing this and focus more on this area at future events: ie: developing community art activities and activities with art for kids especially. We’ll see what the phuture holds.
Final thanks to Taraleigh, Dave Halchak, Ryan Montbleau, Britt Nemeth, Jema Valle and Dan Weathers for the Saturday morning Healthy Hippie Danceclass! I had a great time painting along to the class. It was very calming, soothing and joyful. People were giggling, clapping, laughing out loud…it was great!!! Here’s the painting, signed by Taraleigh, Dave and Ryan and myself. 
(Clap!: Painted live at Gathering of the Vibes 2008 to The Healthy Hippie Danceclass, hosted by The Healthy Hippie: signed by Dave Halchak, Ryan Montbleau, Taraleigh and Jonathon Blake (me): Original: $300; matted and framed prints: $60+$10 S/H: contact me directly for purchase until I can get the links up in the shop)
IF you’ve got a sec…go on over to the Healthy Hippie and sign up for her newsletter (very fun and informative) or purchase a subscription to the magazine, which is chock full ‘o’ information on green lifestyles, sex, music, alternative products, art and more! Now with more Celery!!
So…once Vibes concluded, we had a brief two weekend respite where we got to recharge and visit with the folks back home. It was nice to see the ‘rents and I’m hoping this whole art thing paves the way for me to spend more time with my family, as well as with my phamily.
Our next stop was Phanphest.
Nestled in the woods of Pennsylvania, Phanphest brought an amazing event to Kempton, at the same site that Some Kind of Jam 3 was held earlier this summer. We brought the art booth, along with something I’d never tried before, but was inspired to do by a group of artists at Vibes.
Huge sheets of plywood.
(Preparing for Phanpest…I got skillz with the skillsaw)
We brought two large pieces of plywood and some 2×4s and made it to Kempton in the wee hours of Friday morning (approx. 4am). We rested, got up and I nailed the whole thing together with some help from Chris Paul and Ari (thanks for the drill!!!). And then, it was time for three days of music and muraling.
Did I mention that I’ve never really used spray paint before this weekend? Well it’s true. We cranked out art during a LOT of bands, including an amazingly well orchestrated Project 222, Brainbox, The Big Dirty, The Juggling Suns, Natural Breakdown and many, many more.
Big thank yous to Lisa Orchier, who commissioned me for a Ryan Montbleau piece. Her support basically funded my ability to make some HUGE art this past weekend. She also snagged the Turtle Soup painting created on Saturday.
Drew, JohnnyBud, Camel, Ari, VK, Chris Paul, Juggling, Brianne, Jamaroo…thank you ALL for creating such a magical weekend. I’ll be posting more and more about Phanphest in years to come. My fingers are tired just thinking about all of the typing.
(Lisa’s poodle is a heady guard dog. Yeah. I said heady. Brah.)
Happy Buddha Is YOU
Left:Digital Frontier!
PHANPHEST 4.0!!! AMAZING!!! MUSICAL CONNECTIVITY!!! ALL CLOWNS UNITE!!!
Paintings will be listed for sale soon, as will larger sized print prices. Be on the lookout for the mural prints which will be captured soon. The painting created Green Tag Sale and Digital Frontier is going for $300. More pics coming soon.
And one more thing…LONG LIVE THE BEER KNIGHT. THOU ART PROTECTOR OF FINE MAIDENS AND RUGGED WARRIORS ALIKE! THOU ART LOVED!
NEXT WEEKEND!!!!!! JOIN US!!!!
Evolve 2012 Music and Arts Festival
I’ll be there creating a three day long peace and love mural. Community members will be asked to participate. Be ready. Commissions being taken now for live paintings.
LoveArtMusicPeace=LIGHT
See you soon.
Heart,
CRB
