Cabin Fever ‘08, 5 new framed prints and a look back
Talking to Joe yesterday, as we were printing out new work to frame, he remarked on the fact that CRB Productions is, amazingly, still plugging away after a year. It was nearly a year ago when Joe propelled me into the world of capturing the images that I create at live shows, which has enabled me to earn a little money here and there. More than that, last year was the first big push to really get out there, after having been bolstered by my past experiences and especially my stint with the Everyone Orchestra. So it IS amazing. A slew of shows and festivals later, I have a LOT of work piling up. I met, hung out with and painted to Particle. I was at the same party as Beetlejuice from Howard Stern. I made amazing friends with members of the now defunct Breadbox Band and painted with them at Strangecreek, Stonehenge and their cd release party, among other shows. I was on-stage for almost the entire Strangecreek festival. People still come up to me and tell me that they saw me painting there and I find that more than a little tickling.
I painted at Gathering of the Vibes and painted to a member of the Grateful Dead. I gave things away to charity. I gave things away to beautiful people. I spent a LOT of freaking money. I made a little. I had a gallery opening in Princeton, NJ thanks to Britt Nemeth. I sang on-stage at Phanphest much to the bemusement of the band. I stopped a naked, tripping guy from running around with a box cutter.
The band that inspired me to do this gave me props on my art. One of my prints is in the Disco Biscuits’ studio, which used to be the studio of DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince. I had an art space on the downtown mall of my city and displayed art for anyone that would look. When I could. Ryan Montbleau put one of my paintings on one of their sites. I painted in Alex Grey’s freaking museum in NYC with One Eyed Jack. I painted in NYC again with U-Melt for new year’s eve…capping off my first year of true performance with a throwdown led by a band that I believe is going to set the world on fire.
I met the Natural Breakdown and painted their early Fall cd release party to a sold out crowd at The Crossroads Theater. Later, they shared my 30th (om)birthday with me.
I talked with God through my work and I understood without thinking, the intricacies of interconnectivity…of magic. I drove a lot. I slept very little. I went into debt. Again. But we’re still here and still going strong.
With Cabin Fever just finished, I can’t help but feel encouraged. Though my art bin is falling apart (sorry Brody!) and I fear for the safety of my remaining matted prints, I somehow make it to each destination and set up, paint something worth looking at, break down and then hit the road again. Sometimes something sells and I get a little gas money, but more often than not, a new opportunity opens up. This year’s Cabin Fever was a success all around. Turtle snagged the framed Terrapin Rising which came close to covering my gas for the weekend. Sarah B. picked up a print as well which really helped. I also got some nibbles on the paintings, which you’ll see below.
I’ve been wanting to get a little more disciplined recently. To create some more inherent order from the chaos. Perhaps my life recently had forced this issue, or perhaps I’m just happier at this time than I was at the outset. It’s certainly been a learning experience. Letting go has been a recurrent theme. But I went into this Cabin Fever, my third, wanting to make an artistic declaration. Drew Wajnert of Phanphest has seen many of my paintings and was one of the first people I contacted about doing live art. This year seemed significant somehow, because we’d all been working so hard on each individual angle of the scene, from the musicians, the promoters, the artists, the fans and everyone else involved. And this, like every present moment, was the culmination of all of those individual efforts.
I got there a little late and set up while U-Melt was playing. Brianne was already painting away and jokingly chastised me for running behind. She and I painted back to back and I started with this design, hoping to extrapolate on it to create a sun mandala. Julia had showed me a video earlier today of these Indian women who designed prayer circles everyday in chalk in front of their home and places of worship. So I began with their basic design.
As we often do, Brianne and I communicated telepathically and started our paintings in a similar, if not exact, fashion. Beginning in the top quadrant of each canvas, she and I focused first on a circular design. Elements in both of our paintings I was told later, unfolded synchronously, including the flower theme of the mandala.
I ended up creating a giant bloom of sorts, fronted by a floating city. By the break, as U-Melt left the stage, I knew that this one was going to be one that I’d be proud of. I checked out The Point during the switchover between U-Melt and the Juggling Suns and was impressed by my first exposure to their music. Fans milled about in both rooms as The Point rocked the front half of Paul’s Tavern.
(Fair Maiden Mcree and Shamus)
Midway through the evening…
Finally, The Juggling Suns took the stage. The eager crowd was in for a fantastic show, which happened to be coinciding with drummer Andrew Lenaghan’s birthday. An inspired set, including Jenny Augustin lending vocals on a few tunes, found the Cabin Fever crowd blissfully dancing beneath the frenetic lights.
And Mark watched approvingly from on high…
As a long evening came to a close, we all ended up back at the Roadside Hotel for much needed rest (though quite a few people were up partying well past our bedtime). The final product is as follows…
03:14:08 | The Sun Bloom Over a Melting City | Painted to U-Melt and the Juggling Suns | Paul’s Tavern | Lake Como, New Jersey | Part of Phanphest’s Cabin Fever
Per the yearly tradition, we woke up the next day and dutifully descended on the Diomede’s household for the legendary (in my mind) Cabin Fever brunch. I’m pretty sure you can’t go wrong with danishes, eggs, good coffee, quiche and slushies. We capped off the brunch with a few group shots.
From left to right: Mark Diomede of Juggling, Drew Wajnert of Phanphest, myself, Andrew Lenaghan and Paul Gaita, both of the Suns.
The next night put us back in the Cabin again, this time alongside Vorcan artists Vort and Cank to sling paint for the Natural Breakdown and The Ryan Montbleau Band. Vorcan is swinging some serious talent. They put images onto canvas that only existed hitherto inside of my head. Please check out their work here and also their 50dollarlunch site. They’re doing 50 paintings in 50 states in 50 days. Buy something from them…they deserve it, plus you’ll get cool art for your walls at an amazingly low price.
I’d had an idea to paint a tree growing from a prana symbol for Natty B. I also wanted to incorporate the Hebrew letters for God on the canvas, but couldn’t get them quite right. So I started with the tree and prana symbol, leaving another circular open space in the top, much like the night before. I told myself, Jon, don’t you dare put an eye there. I told myself this, because I always put eyes in everything, so I wanted to consciously stop myself from doing it. But then it happened. Dan Ferella from Natty B led the crowd in a group intention that focused on the visual sense. He asked everyone to close their eyes and envision their reality. That we have an inner vision that we need to cultivate and then manifest. So, with this focus on vision, I couldn’t help but put an eye in the tree. And as I did, Dan started talking about how the intentions we envision are like seeds that we plant that later bloom into plants and, you got it, trees.
Interestingly enough, both the Vorcan artists and myself created trees, though of vastly different measure.
Vort’s work
03:15:08 | Prana Rides the Wave of Vision | The Natural Breakdown | Paul’s Tavern | Lake Como, New Jersey | Part of Phanphest’s Cabin Fever
The final painting of the weekend came to the muse donated by The Ryan Montbleau Band . These guys are amazing and I always enjoy getting a chance to paint to Ryan’s signature voice and lyrical craftings. This was my Cabin Fever piece, sort of hearkening back to my typical style, but incorporating a few new elements. I included a few special messages and symbols in this one, too.
This Psychedelic, Crazy Grain of Sand | 03:15:08 | The Ryan Montbleau Band | Paul’s Tavern | Lake Como, New Jersey | Part of Phanphest’s Cabin Fever
Vort and Cank’s work
Big thanks to Drew and everyone involved for an amazing two days of music, friendship and art. It was great to meet Vort and Cank and I learned some new techniques from watching them paint. We also promised to work together in the future, which I’m psyched about.
So for now, it’s home, home again. Missing Julia and wishing Philly were closer to Virginia.
In the meantime, here are five new, framed prints to peep, too. I guess this is the next step for CRB Productions, so we’ll see how far this takes us. Pretty soon, I’m predicting critical mass, where enough people have seen the work that it becomes something of a low level phenomenon. I am relentless. People will see.
Created to Tea Leaf Green on 03/20/07 @ Starr Hill Brewery, Charlottesville, VA. The frame is 7.5 x 9.5 and the interior is 5 x 7
Hannah’s Joint (early 2007): The frame is 13.5 x 11.5 and the interior is 9.5 x 7.5
Created to The Natural Breakdown on 02/23/08 @ The East End Cafe, Newark, DE. The frame is 10 x 11.5 and the interior is 7.75 x 9.5. Signed and dated
Created to U-Melt and The Juggling Suns on 03/14/08 @ Paul’s Tavern, Lake Como, New Jersey. The frame is approx. 11.5 x 13.25 and the interior is 7.5 x 10. Signed and dated
Created to The Ryan Montbleau Band on 03/15/08 @ Paul’s Tavern, Lake Como, New Jersey. The frame is approx. 11 x 13 and the interior is 7.25 x 9.25
…if any of these interest you, please contact me at crazyredbeard@crazyredbeard.com for inquiries. I’ll even work with you to find something in your price range. In the immortal words of the Beatles, we can work it out! These particular items can be purchased via the product page and I’m more than happy to find you a different frame if there’s a print you see that you like, but it’s in a frame that you don’t care for.
Aight, kids…much love and we’ll be chit-chattin’ soon!
CRB
Terra and Jon know that there’s only one thing better than Cabin Fever…
GROUP HUGS WITH YOUR FRIENDS!!
