It’s 4:02 in the morning. The darkness lies in black cat, purring quiet over the city of Charlottesville and I am UP. Why? Because I find that I have to be awake almost all of the time these days. I am awake for YOU.

And it’s b33n eating at me that I haven’t posted anything on the site for awhile, or the Blogger, so here we go. Some of you that honestly care may wonder…well why is this? So I am here to tell you…just a little insight into my world.

Summer was crazy busy and amazing, with a huge chunk of Phish tour ending with Super Ball IX. This included an epic boat party post Portsmouth with some of my favorite people on the planet. I honestly can’t get enough of Virginia Beach and the surrounding areas these days.

After Super Ball, things in my personal life kind of fell apart. I moved out of my cabin that I’ve loved so dearly for the past three years or so and my life kind of got thrown into the air. I did it on Purpose. But it also just HAPPENED to me, if that makes sense. The perfect storm, so to speak. I do not type these words in anger. Just recognition that sometimes things have to come together to fall apart. That sometimes we have to surrender to our experience, even when it s33ms like the experience is insane.

Through not really having a home base, I continued on to Kanrocksas with the amazing Shannon Mordhorst…a truly beautiful mind whose art is like ice cream for my eyes. There I painted for Primus, A Perfect Circle, the Flaming Lips and did a community art peace with some of the artists in the Kanrocksas Gallery. Below is the Primus piece, titled Les Is More. It’s going for $550 (which includes shipping). PLEASE CONTACT ME AT CRAZYREDBEARD@CRAZYREDBEARD.COM if interested in any of the paintings you will s33 below:

Les Is More: painted live to PRIMUS at the Kanrocksas Music Festival, summer 2011, KANSAS

Back From Extinction: Painted live at Kanrocksas: 30 x 40: $2500 (portion of proceeds will go to save endangered animals)

Getting interviewed for a documentary

Shannon Mordhorst, playing in the Heart of Gold Band…

Happy fan with his new Flaming Lips painting

Painting to a Perfect Circle….dream come true…

…This Guy’s The Limit…

Purple Passion: painted directly post Kanrocksas in a dingy hotel room; 24 x 36; $333+$50 shipping=$383

With Kanrocksas over, interviews given for documentaries, meeting some of my personal art heroes, it was time to head back to the land of the lovers, Virginia. I believe what came next was Jam at the Grove 5. Things were coming so fast and furiously at this point that I was getting overwhelmed. With my worldly possessions kind of scattered, I had no personal computer set up and my printer has been needing attention which I still haven’t been able to give. I’m currently typing on Lioness’ laptop here at the home of Central Part of Town Pins, of which I am an associate and contributing artist. I’ve nested here for the time being before a move that will take me to Richmond…back home for a while to tend to my grandmother and what else may come.

So JstG5 was fun, but I was also dealing with a lot of pain. I was when I went to Kanrocksas as well. But from past experiences, I have learned to not shut myself off from society in any respect. To do so means venturing disconnection and dis-ease. Shannon was a huge healing factor through this time and I can honestly say that I am in the best kind of love with her a person can have. She is beloved, cherished and appreciated…a part of my Phamily in the truest sense of the Word.

Jam at the Grove was a soggy, random, amazing mess for me. I cranked out about four paintings, I believe. I could feel my style starting to change a little at this festival. In some ways, it was getting pared down with more bold and definitive groupings of black lines. Harsh, stark…contrasting with the outburst of color bouquets. The Kung Fu painting is a good example of this…still playful, but darker. More focused in some ways, I think, but still completely random in a lot of other ways. Yin and yang.

CRB/JatG5 Laminate

RAWR!: Painted live at Jam at the Grove 5 to various bands; $550 includes shipping

The following weekend found me in wild, wooly West Virginia for my 3rd Camp Barefoot running. I’m grateful that Scott and co. have honored me with the title of Head Live Painter for their event. What was amazing to me this year was the sheer number of live painters present. Over the years this movement on the East Coast has been significant and progressive and I am grateful to be a channel for this sort of inspiration. It was touching to look down the row and see these amazing souls, many of whom had contacted me for advice or information in the past…many of whom needed just a little push…to see them all there…it brought me to tears. And knowing how many of THEM have helped ME, especially in recent times. You are all the loves of my life…Amity, Shannon, Thomas, Andy, the BeasterBoards crew…all of you…so much love it fills my heart to near bursting.

Camp Barefoot 5 was one of the most healing experiences I’ve ever had. It brought me back from the edge again in a big way and reminded me why I’m here. To be connected with this community of life, love, peace and joy…to keep giving, no matter what the cost. THANK YOU.

We debuted the She’s So Heavy pins here as well which can be purchased for $20 total with payments being sent to crazyredbeard@crazyredbeard.com via Paypal.

JUST BEE!!!

RED LOVE

IF ANYONE KNOWS THIS YOUNG WOMAN, she promised to come back with payment for this painting but never did. I would like to speak with her.

Jedi in training…DJ PHARHEAD!!!

Be Rock Perpetually Grooving: Painted live to Perpetual Groove at CB5; $450 includes shipping

Artichoke Heart: Painted live and on stage to Orchard Lounge at CB5; $450 includes shipping

Papa Love and Co.: Painted live to William Walter and Company, Big Daddy Love, Papadosio and others; $750 includes shipping

Up next was a fun C(razy)POT hosted yart party here in Charlottesville that went off smashingly well. My EZ Up was then destroyed by Mother Nurture (thanks Lucas…you will never be forgotten!!!) before heading off to Pink Moon 3 at Rock Camp, WV. For now, because it’s now two hours later and I’m growing weary of wading through the torpid state of the internet on my computer, I won’t upload photos from this event. The paintings from this one all got sold in any event so no sense teasing you with stuff you can’t have. Unless you like being teased, then just send me a message at crazyredbeard@crazyredbeard.com and I’ll send you some pics of said paintings.

Finally, recent stints with Papadosio and The Former Champions have yielded some interesting work…

HEart: Painted live to Papadosio and The Former Champions; $850 includes shipping

Riding the Snake: Painted love to the Former Champions; $450 includes shipping

Finally, new Biscuits Stealies came in…only a few left but will be reordering more very soon. I managed to get a handful to Allen Aucoin recently and told him to his phace that he’s a drumming alien from outer space, to which he laughed.

Just Crossed My Mindless Dribble: $20 total includes shipping

Created with BigWoolleyMammoth of Weebly Designs

What else, what else…new shirts and hoodies and pins are on the way for Xmas…be ready. Onesies, women’s sizes…oh YEAH! Here’s a calendar of upcoming events for you phine phlocking pholks:

SATURDAY OCTOBER 22ND: Shockoball with The Former Champions and Conspirator at The Canal Club in Richmond, VA

CRB goes to NAWLINS for HALLOWEEN!!!

NOVEMBER 15th: SCREENS ‘n’ SUDS with The New Belgians and NO BS Brass Band; Capital Ale House, Richmond, VA

NOVEMBER 23rd: THE MANTRAS at The Canal Club in Richmond, VA

NOVEMBER 25th-27th: ROCK AND ROLL RESORT v.1.5 in Kerhonkson, NY: I will be leading a live painting workshop here as well as hosting a community live painting during one of the band sets. Come One come All!!

MORE DATES TBA! Please contact crazyredbeard@crazyredbeard.com for booking and pricing inquiries.

EXCELSIOR!!!

i wUv 3w3!!!

All Good Things,

Jonathon D. Blake (Monsieur Crazyredbeard of la Villalobos)

04/08/11

Introducing the first ever Crazyredbeard live painting pin: Alien Hamsa

1.25” Custom Soft Enamel Lapel Pins with (2) 8mm Post and Military Clutch
Back stamped with the CRB LOGO, website url (www.crazyredbeard.com) and year (2011)

Pins are moving into production now and pre-orders can be made below (your pre-order helps us offset the cost of the investment to make the pins and is greatly appreciated). Pins are $10/each + $5 shipping. Any additional pin after the first purchase (up to ten) stays at the same $5 shipping price.

 

# of pins

1 pin (includes shipping) $15.00 2 pins (includes shipping) $25.00 3 pins (includes shipping) $35.00 4 pins (includes shipping) $45.00 5 pins (includes shipping) $55.00 6 pins (inlcudes shipping) $65.00 7 pins (includes shipping) $75.00 8 pins (inlcudes shipping) $85.00 9 pins (includes shipping) $95.00 10 pins (includes shipping) $105.00

 

A little info on the hamsa: The khamsa (Arabic: خمسة ‎, Hebrew: חמסה‎, khamsa lit. five, also romanized hamsa and chamsa) is a palm-shaped amulet popular throughout the Middle East and North Africa.[1] The khamsa is often incorporated in jewelry and wall hangings, as a superstitious defense against the evil eye.[2] It is believed to originate in ancient practices associated with the Sabaeans and Nabataeans. (taken from Wikipedia)

I first came across this symbol thanks to my friend Motti Schleider, so thanks and praises to him for that. He’s a foodie and has a neat Blog himself that you should check out if you have the Om Noms. I had created a gift for him to give to a friend and, in doing so, was inspired to recreate my own hamsa in a live painting setting.

For those of you who know little about me, I create improvisational art in live music settings. The majority of the time, I have no idea what I want to create prior to showing up. On THIS occasion, however, traveling into PA for the 20th Annual Stonehenge Music Festival, I knew I wanted to do the hamsa because Motti would be there and he is a Dear Friend.

So on the first day, I took some green liquid consistency paint and spread it over a 24 x 36 canvas and wet it down considerably. After applying some plastic wrap, I let it sit for quite awhile, then took it off and began the painting. We left it out overnight and the dampness of the air let some of the ink bleed. JAMS (my artner in Good Times) later mentioned how the colors I used reminded her of BP which was heavy on a lot of our minds at the time. The moisture made the ink (oil?) sort of bleed down the canvas. I left it like that. It made a synchronous kind of sense to me. The painting is below.

Alien Hamsa: Painted live for the 20th Annual Stonehenge Music Festival, June 17-19, 2010. Friendship Park, New Columbia, PA

So there you have it, ladies and gents (act like ya got some Sense!)…much love for everyone involved in this project, including Noahphence from Zenster. Check him out…he’s a cosmic love agent that spread amazing art work all over, including pins of his own. He helped me design the  charity Hug Japan pin as well.

Oh yeah…I’ll be posting process pics of my Super Ball IX painting…it’s done. Now I just have to get the prints made…it’ll be a limited edition run of 99 and pre-orders should drop within the next few weeks. A detailed explanation will follow in the next few days after some of the Hamsa pre-orders come in.

Cheers everyone and may the Love move through you wherever It needs to go.

Jonathon Blake/04.09.11/CRB Productions
L.A.M.P.

Hi guys…we here at CRB Productions have been profoundly impacted by the recent events in Japan.

We like to believe that we think globally and act locally, giving where we can and working in fields where we believe we can be of use. But in this case, we wanted to create something that could offer some small token of our humanity and love to those that have been affected by the heart wrenching happenings in the east.

With this in mind, I teamed up with Noah of Zenster Designs to  give you the CRB Hug Japan relief effort pin.

The red circle represents the emblematic dot of color in the Japanese flag…we’re only making 100 for now and all proceeds after recouping costs will go to aid relief efforts in Japan. If there is a certain organization you’d like your donation to go to, please let me know. I was thinking of splitting it between Doctors Without Borders, the Red Cross and Global Giving.
Pins are going to production now: I am asking $15 per pin and $5 for shipping. If you get more than one pin, you only pay the $5 shipping once.

Just so you know, there is no white border around the character hugging the red dot. Just the little fella and the flag logo.

Order below.

THANK YOU TO….

ROOTS    ROCK   REGGAE

1419 1/2 University Ave.

Charlottesville, VA 22903

This work was started in February when I was seeking a few odd jobs due to my Paypal account being hacked (and subsequently, my bank account being completely drained). The good folks at Roots were nice enough to hire me for this mural project when they heard of my misfortune (so was it really misfortune?). True to their name, this small, unobtrusive little store on the Corner in Charlottesville has steadily supported grassroots movements in town. If you ever turn on the Grateful Dead and Friends radio show on Saturday’s, it’s a pretty sure bet you’ll hear that Roots supports local radio (and has for years). Not only that, they support independent local artists and this sort of work fills their shop. It’s truly a community oriented organism and I’ve been happy to know them since they opened 12 years ago.

After I polished off this mural yesterday, Jams and I took a quick dinner break before heading over to Rapture on the Downtown Mall. I had seen a flier earlier in the week at Arch’s Yogurt saying that the Richmond based No BS! Brass Band was playing a free show at 10pm. Having seen these guys for a few years now, I couldn’t pass up a hometown freebie. Below is the resulting piece which I’m calling Tubamaphone! At the end of the show, Jams handed the piece to the drummer and he was nice enough to hold it up, explaining that I’d created it while they were playing.Very cool.

Tubamaphone: Painted live to the No BS! Brass Band at Rapture in Charlottesville, Virginia on 03/09/11

20 x 24

$150

I’ll also be focusing on making some smaller, more affordable originals this year (in the $75-$200 range) to try and get more art out there and make it more affordable for folks that want art but are on a budget (like me).

AND! Introducing the first bona-fide limited edition large scale print of a CRB original: THE INSANITREE OF LIFE!!!

NOW TAKING PRE-ORDERS!!! This limited edition printing is a run of 33, signed, titled and numbered of an original live painting called THE INSANITREE OF LIFE.Originally created at the Canal Club in Richmond, Virginia to Silo Effect and Zoogma on 12/09/10, this work even gives a nod to Bottom’s Up pizza.Sadly (and strangely synchronously), the Holy Tree in Glastonbury was cut down by vandals on the same night that I painted this work. The tree was over 2000 years old and was believed to have sprouted from the staff of Joseph Arimathae. It reaches far back in Christian history and many early pilgrims left offerings beneath its branches. In more recent times, the tree was sought out by people from all around the world and beautiful ribbons were tied to its branches. I had no knowledge of this tree prior to the painting. Jamie pointed out that I even put colored “ribbons” in my work. In this case, I am sad to have experienced some sort of prescience through art, but am happy to remember such a beautiful symbol.

These are 9 x 23 giclee prints with a 1/2 …inch border. Printed on 270 gram ultrasmooth fine art paper. 100 % cotton 100% archival.
Printed using K3 ultrachrome ink.
Prints: $50; Shipping: $10; TOTAL: $60

# of prints

1 print and shipping $60.00 2 prints and shipping $110.00 3 prints and shipping $160.00

Glastonbury Holy Tree prior to being cut down.

After.

A fund has been established by the Glastonbury Town Council as a reward to anyone providing information that would lead to the arrest of the vandals. If no one is identified, then the fund will be used to plant a new tree and/or restore the existing tree. You can contact the Town Clerk for information about donating to the fund.
Jane Czornij
Town Hall
Magdalene Street
Glastonbury
Somerset BA6 9EL

Telephone: 01458 831769 (10am to 12 noon Monday to Friday)

email: glastonburytowncouncil@townhall.fsbusiness.co.uk

So what’s next?

MARCH

03/22/11: Galaxy Dynamite and The Heavy Pets at The Jewish Mother in Norfolk, VA

*********************************************

Sonic Textures: The Fine Art of Rock Poster Artists

at

PhilaMOCA

531 North 12th St.
Philadelphia, PA 19123

Fri, March 25, 6:30pm – 11:30pm

Artists include: Nate Duval, Bruce Horan, David Welker, AJ Masthay, Ian Millard and monsieur Crazyredbeard himself, Jon Blake.

http://www.philamoca.org/

APRIL

The Rock and Roll Resort

The Hudson Valley Resort and Spa: Kerhonkson, New York

April 1st-3rd, 2011

Artists include:

Lettuce (2 sets) • Deep Banana Blackout (2 sets) • The New Riders of the Purple Sage (2 Shows) • Max Creek (2 Sets) • G.F.E. (Granola Funk Express) • Eric Krasno & Chapter 2 • Rubblebucket • Spiritual Rez • The Pimps of Joytime • The Nigel Hall Band • The Breakfast • Break Science • Caravan of Thieves • Sam Kininger Band • Kung Fu • Jeff Bujak • Mark Mercier Project • Nephrok! Allstars • The Alchemystics • Nutritious • Sauce • Holy Water Undertoe • Darian Cunning Band • Domino Theory • The Rev Tor Band • The Tony Lee Thomas Band • Fever Train • The Primate Fiasco • lespecial • The Problemaddicts • Sister Sparrow & The Dirty Birds • Sophistafunk • Coppertonic • KONG • Nardy Boy • I Anbassa • Sushi Grade Panda • The Kings • Kevin Crane & Co.

and Crazyredbeard live painting throughout!!!

*********************************************

EOTO and Silo Effect

04/10/11

The National Theater in Richmond, Virginia

*********************************************

The 3rd Annual Charm City Fashion Show

Saturday, April 23 at 8:00pm – April 24 at 12:00am

A NIGHT OF FASHION, VISUAL ART & MUSIC AT THE BALTIMORE MUSEUM OF INDUSTRY

1415 Key Highway

Baltimore, MD

## I will be live painting and exhibiting/selling at this event. Please contact me for tickets ($20 advanced) at crazyredbeard@crazyredbeard.com

*********************************************

Papadosio

04/28/11

The Jefferson Theater in Charlottesville, Virginia

MORE TBA!!!

I miss my hometown. Did many of you know that I grew up in Mechanicsville? First on some farmland, then in a few neighborhoods? Pretending that I was in the World Series beneath a big oak tree, bottom of the ninth with a yellow plastic bat and two outs? With Granny’s red shed looking on with it’s darkening window eyes in the giant sunsets of childhood, I was going to win. It didn’t matter if I threw the ball up and missed it once, twice or three times. What mattered was when I finally hit the ball, I was a hero. Rounding the imaginary bases, the leaves on the surrounding trees were a million fans, screaming wildly, waving back and forth.

In Granny’s backyard, there was a picnic table and innocent dreams and the world was too big to comprehend. And no matter how many times you missed the ball, you always won in the bottom of the ninth, with the bases loaded. No worries about that.

Some of you might have known that.

I live in Charlottesville now. We have nice music venues but for some reason, Richmond has been my focus for live painting for the past few years. I’ve tried to figure out why that is recently and I suppose the ultimate answer is that’s just how it is. But the main reason, I think, is because I found a source of acceptance in co-founders of EQ Produktions’ Jesse Pruitt and Michael Holderfield. I think the first show I did with those guys was an Orchard Lounge show a few years back and I remember being nervous (I kind of always am before painting in front of people…I really want to do well and I definitely go through a range of emotions before, during and after the work is created). The place was packed and I was creating in front of a crowd primarily comprised of people I didn’t know.

I’d been going to Phish and Disco Biscuits shows for years, festivals, etc. but this particular scene was still a bit new to me and I realized I’d really gotten out of touch with the city I grew up outside of. We were no strangers to the Flood Zone when I was in high school, often seeing some pretty awesome punk shows. So in some ways, coming back home was apropos. And people seemed to get what I was doing. And if they didn’t at first, they eventually did.  Over time, Richmond has become my largest base of support and I have to say it’s pretty awesome.  In a little over two years, I’m astonished at how many people connect with what I do…and I’m really grateful and thankful for that. So let me tell you something about Richmond: IT’S AWESOME.

In the last two years, I’ve had the chance to paint with both national AND international acts, paint the Richmond Folk Festival AND find myself on stage at the National not once, but twice this year. And to me, that’s a testament to all of us and I’m pretty much elated and overwhelmed that people love art as much as I do. That they’d be willing to let me show up at shows and take up some of their space just so I can do what makes me happy.

So two weekends ago, almost two years and a month after my first Orchard Lounge show at the Canal Club, I found myself back in RVA in the same spot, upstairs, but this time with a full line of merch, shirts, stickers and prints. Looking back, it’s pretty amazing to see how far things have come. The hard work is visible in both the product on the table and the conversation with friends and fans.  It’s good to share.

This time around, I was here for the first of a two night art and music explosion called The Shockoball. Hosted by EQ, I thought this was a very nice thing to do for the Richmond art and live art scene. The place looked amazing. With graphic prints downstairs from Hoscoe Press, Stronge Designs, Screens N Suds and others, to upstairs live painters like Eric Moorcroft, jewelery makers (Robbie!!), skateboards by Beaster Boards…the Canal Club really looked amazing. Ghost Payne kicked things off (SHUTTERBUG!) nicely as balloons and patrons mingled together on the dance floor. The Former Champions took the stage and cemented their place in my mind as one of the top live bands in Richmond…I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again…watch out for these guys.

Finally, Brothers Past stepped on stage for one of the best performances I’ve heard out of them in a number of years. Was nice to see them back in Richmond. I think side projects have done these guys some good. They sounded tight while not forcing jams and incorporated electronic elements without becoming an overwhelming untz machine.

The painting created on this particular night is below.

A Shocking Ascension: Painted live to Ghost Payne, the Former Champions and Brother’s Past at the Canal Club on 02/25/11. Part of Shockoball, a two night art and music celebration.
24 x 36
$999

So…fast forward to this past weekend. I found myself on stage at the National with Orchard Lounge, Sonic Spank and Reinhold. To say it was a good time would be an understatement. With a giant trampoline on stage, gymnasts in the wings, live artists on either side and DJs constantly keeping it live, I set to work on the largest painting I’ve ever created, 48 x 48. Just like my first show with Orchard Lounge nearly two years ago, I was nervous all over again and felt like I had something to prove to everyone. I didn’t want to so show up to this thing and have a giant canvas and not be able to fill it up, or fill it up well. About midway through the night, I knew things would be okay and by the END of the night, I was getting cheered at by the audience because I took the liberty of getting on the trampoline with the painting and bouncing up and down while twirling the piece around for the audience. THAT was fun!I would continue this work for a bit at Club Xscape for the after party. Thanks to the DJs there as well…goooood times.

Sonic Orchard: Painted live to Reinhold, Sonic Spank, Orchard Lounge, Josati, This Is Art and Ghost Payne at The National Theater and Club Xscape in Richmond, Virginia.

48 x 48

$3000

I want to take a second to thank all of you guys that made purchases over the past few weekends. Your support keeps us in art supplies and able to do more shows. As all working artists know, supplies are EXPENSIVE so merch is almost a necessary for this sort of thing to survive. When you guys buy a print, that money goes back into creating more art, so THANK YOU FOR HELPING US DO WHAT WE LOVE TO DO! And we love it so much, we want to make bigger and better works for YOU to enjoy…so…from the bottom of my heart and everyone that has a hand in keeping CRB Productions together (there’s like three of us…haha)….THANK YOU AND GOD BLESS YOU. February was crazy hard for us. Someone hacked my Paypal account and drained my bank account. I literally had NO money. If it weren’t for you guys and organizations like Atlas Comics and Roots, Rock, Reggae (whom I’m creating a mural for currently), I would’ve been in a really tight spot. So thank you thank you thank you. You are all a wonderful part of my community.

Okay kiddipoos. Feel free to send me an email at crazyredbeard@crazyredbeard.com if you want to be added to the email list or just want to say hi. Until then…PEACE.

]]> http://www.crazyredbeard.com/crb/uncategorized/let-me-tell-you-something-about-richmond/feed 0 http://www.crazyredbeard.com/crb/uncategorized/2011-begins http://www.crazyredbeard.com/crb/uncategorized/2011-begins#comments Tue, 22 Feb 2011 20:11:24 +0000 crb http://www.crazyredbeard.com/crb/?p=206 02/22/11

New prints available:

HeArt: Painted live to Conspirator at the Hat Factory in Richmond, Virginia on 12/18/10

10 x 13 black frame, matted giclee print for $60 + $10 shipping/handling

Original 24 x 36 painting still available: $800 (+$25 shipping/handling)

The Tactics of Angels Gigantos: Painted live to Guerilla Tactics and Big Gigantic at The Southern in Charlottesville, Virginia on 11/17/10

10 x 13 black frame, matted giclee print for $60 + $10 shipping/handling

Original 24 x 36 painting still available: $600 (+$25 shipping/handling)

PLEASE CONTACT ME DIRECTLY at CRAZYREDBEARD@CRAZYREDBEARD.COM for purchase of the above….

Yup…what you see above are the last prints of 2010. At least for now. A limited edition printing is coming of the Insanitree of Life as well,  so keep your eyes peeled for that.

So….2011 has begun. With the Phish winter run over, we settled back into home and hibernated a bit. Shows for the Camp Barefoot Recovery Jam at the Canal Club in Richmond yielded the following piece which was heavily influenced by the NO BS Brass Band…check them out if you haven’t. I guarantee enjoyment.

No BS: Painted live for the Camp Barefoot Recovery Jam at the Canal Club in Richmond, Virginia on 02/04/11

24 x 28

$400

The next night, painting on stage with Papadosio yielded the following:

Pharaoh’s Chicken: Painted live to Silo Effect and Papadosio at the National on 02/05/11 in Richmond, Virginia.

24 x 36

$600

Finally, this past weekend, the CRB train took a ride up to Rhode Island for Shock Therapy in Providence. The first piece was begun on the night that I missed my train up. I continued working on it in the car ride (thankfully caught a ride with someone that happened to be driving up from VA) and then finished it at the show…

Vonneguitar

20 x 22

$800

And the next painting was started and finished on site. It can be viewed vertically or flipped counter-clockwise. Faces in the clockwork. I like one friends description, “It seems like beings/time folding out of smoke from a shaman.” I dig.

Shock Therapy: Painted live for Shock Therapy at Therapy on 02/18/11 in Providence, Rhode Island

24 x 28
$400

Hope you guys enjoy. Interested in seeing me do some Phish posters this summer? Let me know which shows…

crazyredbeard@crazyredbeard.com

2010 has come to a close. It’s almost unbelievable, really. Five years ago, I don’t think I could have imagined what life would be like. Is this perhaps because I had an unclear vision? Or maybe because I simply wanted to stay open to the constant shifting changes of the universe? Both?

Five years.

Five years ago I was 27 years old. Five years ago I was living with friends in a house out in the boondocks. Five years ago I would awaken in the morning to the sound of horse hooves beating out their rhythmic cadence in the adjoining horse field. Thunder, thunder, thunder…like some moving, tribal drum.

Some things don’t change, I guess. I still live out in the boondocks (though in a different house). I still live next to an adjoining field wherein horses, at one point, were located. They have since been replaced with cows which greet me with a bevvy of baying “moos” every time I come home from work. I have been gradually acclimating them to me. I now know what it’s like to be suddenly and unexpectedly licked by a giant cow tongue. It’s weird.

On a side note, I wonder what it would look like if a horse and a cow did the tango. Or the limbo. Or on roller skates. Definitely on roller skates tango-ing under a limbo stick. I’m pretty sure that banjos would have to be involved somehow.

But back to five years ago. I’d just started painting in the live setting. I’d seen Frenchy paint Particle at Bonnaroo, thought I’d like to try it and…well…did. Truth be told, I think I made a statement to myself with my first real “live painting.” You need a little back story for this, but before I dive in, let me tout the newest Phish related creation because I’m very, very excited about it. It’s a commemorative Back on the Train pin that also coincided with the first ever new year’s day show played by our generation’s Fab Four.  Some of you may remember the painting that this image was taken from…a work I had created to honor the second night at the reunion shows in Hampton when they opened up with BOTT. I felt that this song really encompassed what a lot of us were experiencing that weekend, as well as the band, perhaps. We changed the date in the number plate to read 1111 (and by “we” I mean myself and Central Part of Town Pins).

Pins are $15 including shipping. Additional pins after the first are $10.

10/12/10

You want to know what I really like about most of the people I know? They’re DIY people. A vast melting pot of different faces, colors, skills, talents, hopes, dreams, sorrows, struggles and spirit. The folks I know, when faced with a challenge, don’t quit. They curse a little, maybe, think in a prolonged fashion and when someone says it can’t be done, they DO IT THEMSELVES.

So when the Kings of Belmont didn’t get invited back to the Crozet Music Festival this year, they did what any self respecting band would do. They threw their own mini festival on the same weekend. Featuring some of my favorite musicians from the area, including KoB, Travis Elliot, Tucker Rogers, William Walter, Eames Coleman and DJ XSV along with surprise sit-ins by Gordon Jones of the Richmond based DJ Williams Projekt, the time spent in North Garden was well spent.

At times, the music was interspersed with blasts, squeals and whistles from passing trains which drew consistent cheers from the well attended shindig. It was as though the message was, “keep it moving…keep it moving…”

I would experience this again the following weekend in Richmond, as the loco locomotives would barrel down the tracks, at times drowning out the musicians and often prompting train related songs, including a well known Johnny Cash tune (it’s almost required, really).  But before we make it that far, let me just say thank you to Jenn, Ross, Erin, Beau, Max, Tucker, William, Rob, Angie, Ian, JAMS (lovelovelove) and so many others…we had a wonderful time there over the two days and it was wonderful having it so close to home. Thanks to everyone who picked up t-shirts and checked out the art. Next year we’ll have to make something really visually special happen.

And a final note about the Kings of Belmont: Until you’ve seen a show ending, crowd thrashing, drool inducing, drink spilling Hobo Wet Brain you just haven’t lived.

Fast forward to this past weekend. My friend Maria Kazantzis suggested that Jams and I hit up the Richmond Folk Festival in Richmond, Virginia. I was looking for somewhere or someone to paint and this seemed like a perfect reason to hit the river city, my home stomping grounds.

We arrived on Saturday evening after agonizing over parking for a long while at about 5 pm. We shucked the easel, canvases and paint bag in, set up right off of the walkway next to Dance Pavilion and got to it.

Hundreds of people stopped and watched, commented, critiqued and gave positive praise. I sincerely thank all of you for sharing some space with me and offering your thoughts and experiences with me. A nice guy in a cool dashiki stopped at one point and, while I was looking at the work and trying to figure out if it was finished said, “I got it, man. I know what it’s called.”

I replied, “Oh yeah? Whatcha got for me?”

He smiles wide, arms outstretched and says assuredly, “I see EVERYTHING!”

I laugh and he laughs and I agree that his title is, indeed, very appropriate. It was small interactions like these that made this festival a BIG deal. The community. Kids stopped by frequently to just stand and watch and I even let a few add some small parts here and there which I worked in later. It was great talking to kids, young adults and adult kids all evening while doing what I love to do so much. From my heart to yours, I hope the experience was as joyful for you as it was for me. Thanks to Eric Moorcroft as well, who set up and painted as well. He’s just started live painting and it was nice to have a fellow painter in the crowd.

I See Everything: Painted live at the Richmond Folk Festival on 10/09/10 in Richmond, Virginia; 22 x 28; $500

This particular abstraction contains a person’s face in the bottom left corner which is dreaming an idea of freedom into the air and creating it all around him/her. A phoenix-like bird is rising and extending over everything. To me, this represents a sense of communal rebirth for a city that was once razed to the ground during the Civil War. As I reflect on this, it gives me great peace to know that today’s actions can heal the scars of the past…it was really amazing to see so many different people smiling, laughing, sharing and being together on Saturday.

The second painting (which was painted on Sunday) is titled ‘When All the Colors Collide.’ It struck me as I was painting this work that it represents all the various cultures, ethnicities and personalities combining. The convergence of rockabilly and zydeco had a strong influence on me with this work. The guitar player is surrounded by energy and color and is influencing his/her surroundings with the vibrancy of playing, playing, playing.

When All the Colors Collide: Painted live at the Richmond Folk Festival on 10/10/10 in Richmond, Virginia; 24 x 30; $700

Again…thank you all so much for the good vibes! I even got to see my good friends Matt, Susan and Ryan over the two days which was nice. I humbly and sincerely appreciate all of you guys sharing so many kind words about the art. What a great time and I can definitely say that I’ll come back next year.

So what else is new? Well, I just took three paintings in to get captured so I’ll have prints of the following works soon:

Create Heat

This work was started at the ICO Gallery in NYC this summer during a group exhibit entitled HEAT. I had won a contest earlier in the year and was allowed to exhibit about 5 paintings alongside other artists. Painting to the music of Nonviolence, this work came along pretty quickly. I would later finish this the following day at Camp Bisco 9 in Mariaville, NY.

You Are Here

The next piece was created on 09/25/1o at Sullivan Hall in NYC, NY to Biodiesel, Sophistafunk and Roots of Creation specifically for a fundraiser for the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS). This organization seeks to advocate for the usage of certain psychoactive substances to be used in treatment settings (such as MDMA for treatment of severe cases of PTSD, etc.). It is their belief that, although certain substances have been illegalized for public recreational consumption, they should at least be considered for scientific uses and for healing purposes.

This work is going to be auctioned off through MAPS once I have the image capture (early next week by the latest).

I Don't Care Where You Come From

This final work was created on 09/30/10 to Shpongle for Michael Holderfield of EQ Produktions. It represents alien consciousness being beamed through the mind of the first man, an African. If you look closely, the central face is extends into the shape of Africa. This happened “by accident.”

If you’d like to pre-order any of these works 10 x 13 matted, framed and signed, please let me know.

And this weekend, please join us for the 11th anniversary of the Tiberino Museum. I’ll be there vending and live painting for this epic event: SYNESTHESIA. Philly’s gonna get art bombed by the redbeard again. It’s a comin’.

Go here for more deetz:

http://www.upstateunderground.net/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=14106

Also, coming up soon: two nights of Perpetal Groove in Blacksburg. Please contact me if you’d like to commission a work for either of these shows or book me for your next event.

Surfing the wave,

Crazyredbeard

Speaking of animals, when last we spoke, I was getting ready to paint for Jammin’ For the Animals II in PA. Below are the paintings created at that event. Each painting is $1500 or $25oo for both.

Both paintings on site at Jammin' For the Animals II in PA

So what came after that? CAMP BAREFOOT! Another amazing time from the folks at Hey Bro! Productions.  I managed to creat works over the course of the weekend, one of which was given up for the auction. Two of the others have been sold already, leaving us with the following two:

Created live to Conspirator and EOTO, signed by members of Conspirator: $800

Created during the Kyle Hollingsworth Band and Segway: $500

I plan on getting this one captured as soon as possible. It was sold last week at the Shpongle show in Richmond to a friend. I’ve got to catch up with him so I can snag the work, get it captured and give it back. I think it’s one of the better pieces I’ve ever done.  I really like the positive and negative space play. The focal point looks very comic book art-ish to me, which I can’t get enough of. My days of reading tons of Marvel Spider-Man comics is starting to show through.

I’ve also discovered that really dark blues and browns are REALLY fun to work with. I have to start using a new medium or technique soon, though. I want to expand my tool belt pretty badly.

After CB4, we had a little down time which was pretty badly needed after such a big summer. A show with Emancipator in Blacksburg, VA (thanks Third Eye Presents!) yielded the following…a painting I created to react to 3-D Chromatech glasses. It works just fine with Crayola 3D sidewalk chalk glasses, for the record.

The True Lion Emancipates: 24 x 36: $800

I got to land back in Richmond after that for good friends Orchard Lounge and Future Rock. Good times. Good times.

Planted Seeds Form Future Orchards: 24 x 48: $500

And then? BOOM! The first t-shirt idea was born. Big thanks to Chad Bassett of Red Star Merch here in Charlottesville. He helped me work up this design, taken from a painting created earlier this year with the Heavy Pets and the DJ Williams Projekt. Small-large and XXLarge still available. If you want an XL, just let me know. I’ll be doing another shirt printing here soon. For some reason, the shopping cart has been messing up again, so please use Paypal or send a personal check as payment. Shirts are $27  (shipping/handling included) for small-xlarge; $28 (shipping/ handling included) for xxlarge. Payments can be made to crazyredbeard@crazyredbeard.com. If sending a personal check, please send to CRB Productions c/o Jon Blake, 1843 Ivywest Lane, Charlottesville, VA 22901.

Shirts are Anvil 890 Ringspun pre-shrunk cotton. The shirts look and feel great! More clothing coming soon!

You want more paintings? Before I sign off, I should at least show you the painting I created for MAPS up in NYC. I’m pretty sure this is going to get auctioned off on-line:

And I feel like I’d be doing you a HUGE disservice if I didn’t show you the painting from Shpongle. I actually got to meet and hang out with Simon Posford for a bit so that was pretty cool, too. Big thanks to EQ Producktions and David Heins, Michael Holderfield and Jesse Pruitt.

I should have prints of this one pretty soon.

That’s it for now…I’ll be back on with more work soon and will be updating the shop section with new stuff as soon as I can. Until then, drop me a line at crazyredbeard@crazyredbeard.com if you have any questions!

]]> http://www.crazyredbeard.com/crb/uncategorized/what-does-it-all-mean/feed 0 http://www.crazyredbeard.com/crb/uncategorized/redbeard-at-the-disco-heating-up-we-be-jammin http://www.crazyredbeard.com/crb/uncategorized/redbeard-at-the-disco-heating-up-we-be-jammin#comments Sun, 25 Jul 2010 14:05:20 +0000 crb http://www.crazyredbeard.com/crb/?p=177 07/24/10

Why am I up at 5 in the morning today? On a Saturday??

I’ll tell you why. After a weekend full of driving to and from upstate New York, into and out of NYC which then segued into a week of overnights at my job, I finally had a day to sleep. Pretty sure I fell asleep at 5 in the afternoon yesterday and slept for 12 solid hours. Let me tell you. That was awesome.

So why were we in upstate? In the city? What was the art wagon doing rollicking through a Jay-Z song in the summertime? Two reasons. But we’ll get to those two reasons momentarily.

First, we have a little backtracking to do as far as Rooster Walk 2 and Stonehenge. I also wanted to mention that THE SITE IS FIXED! After a server switch, it looks like everything is back up to snuff and all is operational. The products page works, as does the shopping cart, so people can actually buy from us on-line now (again). I know a lot of you have had problems in the past but those should be ameliorated at this point. Also, a lot of painting prices have been adjusted as well. You know you can always haggle with me too, by emailing me at crazyredbeard@crazyredbeard.com. More work will be added soon as new pictures become available.

So. Rooster Walk 2. Once again an amazing event and one I think I’ll be attending for years and years to come. William Baptist and company really take care of me and treat me very, very well. I was able to donate a little art to the festival for charity which is always nice, and we ran a kids art painting thing, where we basically stuck canvas up for the kids to paint on during the music.  Here are the works created from that event.

Cornfederal Holiday: Painted live at Rooster Walk 2 in Martinsville, Virginia, 05/28/10; 24 x 36; $800

Red, Walk and Blue: Painted live at Rooster Walk 2 in Martinsville, VA on 05/29/10; 30 x 40: work in progress (I think?)

Started at Rooster Walk to the Kings of Belmont…continued on Phish lot and at the 42 Degrees opening up in NY.

On a sadder note, Matt Wade of Rooster Walk has passed on to the next highway stop. I wish his friends and family peace, love and fond remembrance in this time. Matt will be cherished and missed by many. Though I didn’t get to know him well, he was always quick to be helpful and kind and he knew how to have a good time. He supported us this year by nabbing a print at Rooster Walk 2 as well and was generally just a good guy, from what I could tell. Judging from his quantity and quality of friends, I’d say that Matt was blessed indeed. I think I speak for a lot of us in quoting this William Walter lyric: Save me a key.

After Rooster Walk, I believe Phish tour kicked into high gear. With only a ticket to Portsmouth in hand, I somehow ended up seeing nine shows, and showing my work in a small gallery (42 Degrees) in NY prior to the second day of SPAC. AJ Masthay and other lot artists were there…Vorcan, Erin Cadigan as well as Pete Mason of Phanart…good times. In the middle of that, JAMS and I descended up a newly located Stonehenge Music Festival. I always have fun at Stonehenge and highly recommend it to all.

Alien Hamsa: Painted live at the Stonehenge Music Festival; 24 x 36; $800

Animals of the Henge: Painted live at the Stonehenge Music Festival; 30 x 40; $1500

Scarecrow and Indian: Painted live at the Stonehenge Music Festival; $500

After a bit of down time, last weekend was here, which signaled the opening of an exhibit featuring my art in New York City as well as some live painting at Camp Bisco 9.

Big thanks to Natalie Stone who is missed by many on the east coast. I was able to decorate the artist trailers with paintings, as well as put up works all around the artist’s lounge, where all of the mainstage acts chilled before and after performing. Many bands commented on the work, including Sister Pat of Thievery Corporation (newly converted CRB fan). Both Biscuits paintings that I created are signed by the band. One of them is missing Barber’s sig for some reason. Ah well. I also created a work to Future Rock and some others to multiple bands. Check out the 2010 Live Paintings photo section for a peek.

Painting FOR the acts of Bisco was an interesting idea. I was able to jump on the side stage as often as I wanted, but aside from Future Rock, chose not to. I was content painting for the people in the artist’s lounge, who were generally in good spirits and enjoying the party. Jamie and I got a lot of compliments on both of our work…she came as well and painted in the VIP Lounge as well as in the Artist’s Lounge. Earlier I’d mentioned that I went into NYC for the art opening last weekend. How could I do that AND Camp Bisco? Hotels and a lot of driving…and very little sleep. We ended up having to miss the second day of Camp to drive into the city and then back the next day. Totally worth it, though. Big thanks to Tom and Sara Driscoll for coming out to the Heat opening, as well as Bill Rickman. You guys are great. So last weekend was a big success in that the art, once again, was represented on an even bigger and better scale. Camp was sick and the Biscuits continue to impress me. I even reference On Time in one of the works from the weekend. I remember wanting to put it in the first one I started on Thursday, but then the set ended and I hadn’t had time. I settled for a Crickets reference. Well…on Saturday, during the day set, I got my wish. They opened up with the beginning of On Time, completing the dyslexic version started two days prior. I liked how they played it, too. I think a lot of hard core fans scoffed at Planet Anthem when it first came out, but I maintain that a LOT of those songs can really be thrown around the room by Barber, Brownie, Magner and Allen. When the Biscuits are having fun…when they’re on? The sky’s really the limit. Unfortunately, I had to miss the Saturday night set as I finally fell out due to exhaustion and lack of sleep. Caught a few hours in the Jeep then went back to painting. Bummed that I missed the final and arguably best set by tDB of the weekend.

Secret Garden: Painted live at Camp Bisco 9 (Thursday); 24 x 36; $600

Future Panda: Painted live to Future Rock at Camp Bisco 9, Mariaville, NY; 24 x 36; $600

We Come From the City: Painted live to the Disco Biscuits at Camp Bisco 9, Mariaville, NY; 30 x 40; signed by the band on the back; $2000

Create Heat: Started at the ICO Gallery in NYC and finished at Camp Bisco 9; $800

Making It On Time: Painted live to the Disco Biscuits at Camp Bisco 9, Mariaville, NY; not for sale (the Biscuits’ lighting guy is picking this one up)

Spray Paint Donate: Donated to the guys who gave us a bunch of spray paint for the weekend

So what’s next? This upcoming weekend, we’ve got Jammin’ For The Animals. A homegrown PA fest for charity, Todd Jones brings us this cozy, intimate event. With Grammy award winning David Cullen, particularly tasty bluegrass by Cabinet…a band that continues to gain steam, world rockfusionfunklatinsliensh