Artist of the Week

Dustin Parker

The creative process can serve may purposes, both functional and superficial. It can be a release, a means of financial gain, a voice for a poetic soul, an expression of opinion, and it goes on from there. The process itself may involve several steps from simple brush strokes to abrassive razor blades and paint scrappers putting the finishing touches on a complex piece. In the case of Kansas artist Dustin Parker, his creative process serves as a learning expirence, and with each piece he creates he takes another step in the journey towards perfection.

What is fascinating to me about Dustin's creative process is that it is mostly creation through destruction. Through out his website and artist statement and blog, you consistently see this quote from Picasso, "Every act of creation is first an act of destruction". Typically working in portraits, Dustin will paint a new piece in the traditional way, but the piece will not be finished until it is tortured. This process illustrates the temporary nature of art and it also detaches the artist from the creation. The slicing of or chipping away at the layers of paint on the canvas creates a compelling texture and a look of distress and trauma.

Recently, Dustin put down the blade a took to the keyboard to answer a few of my questions.

Orange Alert (OA): How would you describe your style of painting?
Dustin Parker (DP): My painting style is an amalgamation of abstract expressionistic elements and representational elements. I work in a painterly style reminiscent of figurative painters such as Jenny Saville, Tony Scherman, and Lucian Freud. However, my work is equally influenced by abstract painters such as Jasper Johns, Willem De Kooning, Robert Rauschenberg, Jean-Michel Basquiat and Jackson Pollock. The images are representational, but they are constructed with big expressive brush marks and rough impasto surfaces.

In my work, the representational image is often "deconstructed" or "destroyed" by removing large portions of the image using razor blades, paint scrappers, electric belt sanders, and various other tools. Or the image may be covered with drips, splatters, geometric shapes, patterns, typography, dry brush marks, or milky washes of color. This process may be repeated multiple times. A continuous cycle of construction and deconstruction, or addition and subtraction. I often refer to this process as the "destruction method."

OA: You tend to focus on the human face quite a bit in your work. What is the fascination with or the inspiration that lies within the faces?
DP: I originally started painting portraits in 2002 because I wanted to teach myself "how to paint," or more specifically how to paint in a more painterly and more representational style. Rembrandt acted as the impetus for that exploration. I really wanted to explore the idea of a modern day Rembrandt. How would Rembrandt paint if he were alive today? How would Pop Art and Abstract Expressionism influence someone like Rembrandt? That question sparked that initial exploration. 5 years later and I'm still exploring that concept. I'm still learning how to paint. I'm still struggling with it. I continue to paint that way because I still have much to learn. I haven't hit that game winning home run yet. I'm still trying to paint the perfect painting. And that creative journey is still rich with interesting scenery.

I think my paintings are defined more by the way they are painted rather than the "subject" of the painting. The subject of the painting is irrelevant. I'm more concerned with exploring the possibilities of paint. I want to experiment with different methods of manipulating images and materials. I'm not really interested in being strictly an abstract painter, or strictly a realist painter. I'm more interested in exploring the tension and energy that exists between those two opposites. I want to mix oil and water, the abstract and the representational, and find the happy medium. I want to play the role of the abstract painter and the representational painter simultaneously. So the portrait becomes a natural default for me. The face is the perfect framework for what I do. Because no matter how much I manipulate the face, it never loses its impact. It never becomes boring. It is always identifiably human.

OA: Is there a different approach when working in the digital realm as opposed to the painting? Which media do you prefer to work in?
DP: They both follow the same aesthetic principles, they are stylistically very similar. The digital work is characterized by the same amalgamation of abstract and representational elements, and the same drips and scratches that my traditional paintings exhibit. I take the same approach to constructing and deconstructing the images. I build the image with pixels the same way I build them with paint. My goal is to create computer generated art that doesn't look computer generated. I want to create the illusion of paint dripping, and I want to create those effects entirely in the digital realm.

The main benefit of using the computer is speed and efficiency. The computer gives you 100% control over every aspect of the work. Every single action can be undone or replicated or repeated or reexamined with very little effort. The computer eliminates the possibility of making mistakes. The computer allows the artist to become a machine. The computer gives me the ability to react instantly to ideas. I can sit down in front of the computer and immediately start working, whereas painting requires time to gather and prepare materials. I don't have to wait for paint to dry. I can go straight to the action of making art. That probably explains why my computer generated art is more political. Because I can generate images with relatively little effort and that allows me to focus more attention on the message behind the piece.

Painting is the opposite. Paint is a wild animal. Paint is unpredictable. Paint is alive. Every action is permanent. You cannot undo a brushstroke. You can wipe it off, or paint over it, but that brushstroke will have a permanent effect on the painting. Every action will effect every proceeding action. Every brushstroke is an act of creation and destruction. You destroy one thing to create another thing. Your decisions have consequences. So painting becomes a collaboration between the artist and the materials. And that is why you see this amalgamation of abstract and representational elements, because my work is an exploration of this interaction between control and chaos.

I don't prefer one medium over the other. The only significant difference between the brush and the computer, is the motivation behind the creation of the artwork. The computer is a machine which allows me to create propaganda that explores various political and social concerns, whereas the brush allows me to connect with the physics of creation. The brush allows me to get my hands dirty and make a physical connection to something greater than myself. The brush is only concerned with the paint. The color of the paint and the texture of the paint. So the computer allows me to explore the analytical side of my creativity while the brush allows me to explore the more primal and instinctual side of my creative being.

OA: I really enjoy the piece you recently posted on your blog, "Red State Blue State". What is your opinion of the artists and musicians making political statements in their work? Is art meant to sway political opinion?
DP: "Red State Blue State" concerns the politics of nonvoting, and the general feeling that all politicians are corrupt and evil and greedy. The piece depicts twin devils, representing the Republican and Democratic parties. The devil is a symbol of evil, but the devil is also a very charismatic figure. The devil would most likely be a television personality or some other type of public figure. The devil is a trickster and he would manifest himself in a form that is non-threatening and extremely likable. The Devil, like the politician, has to fool the public to win the vote.

I used the phrase "Your vote counts" because most Americans feel the opposite, they believe that their vote is meaningless. They are powerless against the giant political beast. They are choosing a lesser evil. A blue devil or a red devil.

I've learned that you can't avoid politics. Everything in everyday living is political, and it is only natural that art is political, and that artists make overtly political statements. I'm not one to stand on the soapbox and complain about this and that. I'm more interested in creating images that confront people with questions. I'm not claiming to have answers. But I have plenty of questions, and my political work is about addressing those questions. Art should be the impetus for debate and critical thinking. The artist should create work that encourages creative thinking, revolutionary thinking. Good art gets people talking. Good art makes people ask more questions and seek answers. I don't want to force feed people my own opinions about religion or politics or sexuality or human nature or animal rights. I definitely have my own opinions about those issues, and my work reflects that world-view. But I constantly put those beliefs under the microscope and inspect them, and reexamine them. A piece like "Red State Blue State" is very critical of politicians but it is also an examination of my own attitude toward the democratic process and my options as a voter. I want potential voters to really dig deep and decide if voting really makes a difference. If voting is such a futile act, show me an action that makes a real difference. So the piece is critical of both sides of the issue.

OA: Who are some of your biggest literary influences?
DP: Chuck Palahniuk and the Holy Bible

OA: What's next for Dustin Parker?
DP: I am working on a new series of digital and traditional paintings for a possible solo show. I haven't set a date or approached any galleries about the show yet. I want to work without a deadline and see what happens. I'm considering "Create Destroy Repeat" as a possible title for the exhibit.

I have been developing some ideas for some video projects that I would like to explore. I'm not sure if those experiments will manifest themselves as narratives or if they will simply be moving images set to music. I'm really drawn toward the idea of making a moving painting, and video seems like the perfect medium to achieve that effect. So that basic idea will probably govern the video projects I work on. They will definitely have a David Lynch quality to them. They will be very abstract.

Bonus Questions:

OA: Coffee? If yes, what is your favorite type of coffee and where is your favorite coffee spot?
DP: No, I hate the taste and smell of coffee.

OA: Do you listen to music while you work? Who are some of your favorites while working and in general?
DP: Yes, I can't work without music. My favorites include, The Smashing Pumpkins, Radiohead, Nine Inch Nails, Muse, David Bowie, The Pixies, Sonic Youth, Nirvana, Marilyn Manson, The Flaming Lips, The Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Led Zeppelin, Explosions In The Sky, Modest Mouse, Bjork, Tool, Beck, and many many others.

I imagine this is how Dustin Parker sees the world.

For more information Dustin Parker please visit website or his myspace page. You can also check out some of his work in the latest issue of and on the cover of CRU A magazine.

New Release Tuesday

Music:

1. Liars - Plaster Cast of Everything (Single) (mp3)

2. Oh No - DR. No's Oxperiment Listen to: Heavy (mp3)

3. The Rentals - The Last Little Life Ep Listen to: Life without a brain (mp3) (stream)

4. Ewan Pearson - Fabric 35 (mp3)

5. Nina Nastasia & Jim White - You Follow Me Listen to: Odd Said the Doe (mp3)

6. You Say Party! We Say Die! - Lose All Time Listen to: Downtown Mayors Goodnight Alley Kids Rule (mp3) (stream) (US Release)

DVD:

Aqua Teen Hunger Force Colon Movie Film for Theaters for DVD

Fracture

The Lookout

Vacancy

Wild Hogs

Air Guitar Nation

Monday Morning Mix

I think there was a record broken this past week, but I am not sure. Just in case there was a monumental record broken by a drug using, cheater who has absolutely no respect for history, tradition, or his own life... here is my "Broken Record" mix. It features tracks from Canon Blue, Throw me the Statue, The Besnard Lakes, Ghostland Observatory, Turzi, and more...

Artwork: Nathan Ota "Broken Record"

Orange Alert's Music Minute

"On August 21, High Two will release illuminea's Out of Our Mouths. Formerly known as illumina, the Philadelphia chamber pop band's second album features 12 new songs, including “Build Your Own” and “Homewrecker.” With three distinct singers/songwriters in the band, Out of Our Mouths plays like a mix CD, albeit one that was created by a close group of friends intent on sharing their individual experiences with love and loss as a collective. Though there are frequent sonic and tonal shifts throughout Out of Our Mouths—it is at turns epic, intimate, stormy, playful, pensive, and jubilant—each song remains inherently illuminea."

When they say mix CD, they really mean it. The three styles are so unique that it is actually a little jarring upon the first listen. It took three or four times through the disc to find an overall sense of what Illuminea was trying to accomplish. I feel they are ultimately trying to say that an album does not have to have a natural progression to still be a coherent collection. The ability of each song to stand on it's own, but still contribute to the mix in whole is what makes this album worth owning.

Listen to: Homewrecker (mp3)

For more information on Illuminea visit their website, and you can pre-order "Out of Our Mouths" here.

Warp Records announced this week the details of the debut of one their newest family members, California producer Flying Lotus. His Warp debut will be in the form of an Ep entitled, "Reset" and will be released on October 1st. The 6 track Ep can be pre-ordered at Warpmart.

Reset (Warp, 10/07)

Tea Leaf Dancers (mp3)/Vegas Collie/Massage Situation/Spicy Sammich/Bonus Beat/Dance Floor Stalker

"Deer Tick began as the songwriting project of John McCauley, a singer/songwriter based out of Providence, Rhode Island. Thanks to the help of Brendon "Viking Moses" Massei, McCauley has been ferociously zig-zagging across the United States, hitting all the sparsely attended basement shows, smoky bars, upscale joints, small to medium size festivals, and everything in between, since April of 2005. At 21 years of age, McCauley has worked very hard to get his homemade CD's in players across the country, and has no plans to stop any time soon."

Deer Tick's first official release will come out on September 4th, 2007 through Houston's Feow! Records. The album is entitled "War Elephant", and if the rest of the album is anything like these two tracks, everyone will be talking about the young Mr. McCauley. Listen to: Art Isn't Real (City of Sin) (mp3) and Diamond Rings 2007 (mp3)

A band that I heard rock from a distance a Lollapalooza this year was Tokyo Police Club. This is a band that I have enjoyed from quite sometime, but due to timing issues I was unable to catch their performance. I was very pleased to hear that they recently signed to Saddle Creek Records. Listen to: Cheer It On (Acoustic Version) (mp3) and Be Good (mp3)

The Peel Back: The Orb "Orbus Terrarum"

Alex Paterson, Andy Hughes, and Thomas Felhmann took risk and left a lot of their dance and sci-fi elements for a more natural, organic sound when they crafted "Orbus Terrarum" in 1995. The transition came with the move to a new label, and seemed to usher in a new era for ambient music and electronic music in general.

When I first heard this album I would get lost for hours in the layers of sounds and samples, consistently finding new textures in every inch and with every listen. There was something new and refreshing about this album. Each track gracefully blended together, and finally culminated the pleasant and almost surreal fairy tale. Rediscover this classic creation today.

Listen to: Valley (mp3) and White River Junction (mp3)

The Watch List

Listening:
1. Mean Creek - Boston, Mass is home to this rocking indie band with a big sound. Their debut album is out on Clubhouse Records and it only cost $5. Listen to: Make Believe (mp3)
2. Reverend Beat-Man - The founder of the Swiss label Voodoo Rhythm, Reverend Beat-man plays dirty and dark blues, and sings in a gravel and aged voiced. He recently released his fourth LP "surreal folk blues gospel trash vol1''. Listen to: The Clown of the Town (mp3)
3. The Victor Williams Band - This Philly trio just released their debut EP earlier this week. Order your copy here.

Reading:
1. //bountai//// by Justin Hyde - A nice poem from Justin courtesy The Guild of Outsider Writers.
2. "Two Valentines" by Steven D. Schroeder - A humours little piece from the Aug 07 edition of Unpleasant Event Schedule.
3. "Containers" by Jonathan Messinger - A very interesting short story that follows a week in the lives of two forensic detectives.

Wishing:
1. Seymore Sheep and Marty Mole vinyl toys by Metin Seven - $54.99 and $15.99
2. "Powering the Devil's Circus" by Jason Jordan - This is Jason's new collection of story stories -$12

3. Party People - The Panda Bear Summer Tour DVD - $5 - $13

Getting:
1. CRU A #8 - This months issue features work from Dustin Parker among others, and it is free.
2. Cyclic Defrost #17 - This a quarterly zine focusing on "independent electronic music, avant-rock, experimental sound art and leftfield hip hop". This issue features interviews with Cocorosie, Panda Bear, and many more, and it is free.
3. Wallspankers Issue #4 Summer 2007 - This is their one year anniversary mega-issue, over 350 b/w printable sticker for free.

Watching:
1. Ultimate Reality is a collaborative performance by Dan Deacon and Jimmy Joe Roche that combines an intense musical composition for electronics and two live drummers (from the bands Ponytail and Video Hippos) with a psychedelic montage of Arnold Schwarzenegger films that is projected at a monumental scale. The live energy of the performance with the popular content of the projection has allowed the piece to freely move between art and music venues and grant it a wide audience of appreciation. The forty minute music composition, written by Dan Deacon, blasts from three sets of loudspeakers during performance.
2. Calvin Harris tells you how to party responsibly or maybe he wastes 4 minutes of your time. Decide for yourself.
3. A look at things to come:

Saturday Morning Cartoon

It has been a long week and I am still feeling the effects and enjoying the moments of Lollapalooza. So this morning while you have your bowl of Bart Simpson Cereal, watch this video from one of the favorites of the weekend, Los Campesinos!

You! Me! Dancing!

Band of the Week

C.W. Stoneking

Hokum Blues originated in the southern states of America in the early 1920's, and was a predecessor to modern blues. What sets Hokum apart from other forms of blues music is its unique sense of humor and over all entertainment factor. In fact, Hokum at times was used to refer to more the individuals performance then the actual music. The subject matter typically centered around sexual innuendos and issues of race, but a modern perceptive may change the these lyrics.

When I first heard the sounds of C.W. Stoneking I thought that I had discovered a lost gem of the 20's or 30's. However, with a little research I came to realize that C.W. is actually only in his early thirties and from Melbourne, Aus. His style embraces many different forms of blues music, but never sounds forced or imitative. The truth is that C.W. is singing from his heart and with an honest and clear voice. I believe he was meant to revitalize this sound and share his gift with the world.

C.W.'s debut album on Voodoo Rhythm, King Hokum, was released this past March and had previously gained much praise in Australia. The album is set in a fictional 1920’s Southern US town where dodo birds sing, hobo’s holler and handymen swing their axes in lone backyards. C.W. just completed a tour of the U.K. and is now planning and writing his follow-up to "King Hokum".

Recently, C.W. took some time out to talk about his music past, present, and future.

Orange Alert (OA): How would you describe your music?

C.W. Stoneking (CW): I would describe it as pop music made to resemble old time blues, jazz, hokum, or any other music that I enjoy myself - like field recordings or old gospel music.

OA: How did you come to not just appreciate, but hold such a powerful understanding of blues music? What was the first blues recording that you can remember hearing?

CW: I got into listening to old blues about 19 years ago and started playing it about 16 years ago when I was 17 or 18, I had played the guitar before that time but not in that style. When I was 21 years old I left the city and went to the country, rented a farmhouse and worked for a while as a handyman, when I was there I listened all day to recordings while I worked and played guitar and listened to recordings all the time at my house. For about two years that was just about my only companionship, I felt like in that time I got a better sense of how some things moved in those types of music and I got real quick at learning things that would have taken a long time before that. After I left the country I thought I could be a professional musician in Melbourne (Australia) but when I got there people wern't very interested in having that type of music that I played so I spent about the next 5 years busking alot in between what shows I could get and with that I learned how to really make my voice cut through a crowd now I've got a very loud singing voice. I suppose that's how I learned all that side of it. After that time things got better and right now things are going well since my album 'King Hokum' came out. The first blues recording I remember hearing was a tape I had with two compilations on it - one side was the Duke sessions with electric Texas blues from the 50's I think, and the oother side was called Livin' With The Blues which had people like Memphis Minnie, Blind Willie McTell, Dennis McMillon.

OA: How has your new album "King Hokum" and your sound in general been accepted in Australia and around the world?

CW: The album has been accepted very well, in Australia the reviews for it have all been good and the sales have been pretty good for it too, I had a big fan base in Melbourne but after the record had been out for a while it was good to discover I could sell out places all round Australia. Overseas the record has been well recieved too, a Swiss label called Voodoo Rhythm Records released King Hokum on CD and LP in March 2007 and all the reviews for it have also been good from the European people. I did a tour through Europe in May/June and got a good reception wherever I went.

OA: Are there plans to bring the album and live shows to America at any time? What do you anticipate the reaction in the states, specifically the southern states being like?

CW: I think you can buy the Voodoo Rhythm release of the Album in the US but it's a small label so you gotta look for the shops that stock it. I'd like to come over there and play, I don't know what the reaction would be, the style I do is pretty old fashion for the blues people down south I reckon, it's much more in the 20's and 30's vein, not like the modern Delta blues but I reckon it'd go alright

OA: Is there any specific recording techniques that you used to achieve this old southern blues sound?

CW: We didn't really try and make it sound like an old recording except for one song, I wanted it to have a nice roundness to it without the top end that they have in everything now, but I wanted the detail like a new recording just rounded off a bit though. We recorded the record on a computer but used valve preamps and ribbon mics and stuff to make it sound good. The fella who did the recording (J. Walker) is a renowned home recording guy in Australia and he makes good stuff, I wanted to do a record with him for a while.

OA: What's next for CW Stoneking?

CW: I been doing alot of touring and I have some more of that but at the end of the year I'll start recording another album. Next year more touring for that and maybe then I'll come play in the U.S.

Bonus questions:

OA: Coffee? If yes what is your favorite type of coffee?

CW: Nope, don't drink it.

OA: Top five songs that you would like to cover and release.

CW: I don't want to do any covers right now but if I did maybe, Brave Son Of America by Wilmouth Houdini, I can't think of any more.

OA: Is music your full-time job? If not, what is your full-time job?

CW: Yes full time job, never had another job except handyman when I was down the country.

King Hokum (Voodoo Rhythm, 2007)
Way out in the World/Don't Go Dancin' Down the Darktown/Strutter's Ball/She's a Bread Baker/Dodo Blues/On a Christmas Day/Charlie Bostock's Blues/Goin' The Country/Bad Luck Everywhere You Go (mp3)/Rich Man's Blues/You Took My Thing and Put it in Your Place/Handyman Blues

For more infomation on C.W. Stoneking visit his website, Voodoo Rhythm, or his myspace page.

Writer's Corner

J. Lee Luera

Where do writers go to create their stories and poems? I am not talking about the coffee shop on the corner or the antique typewriter in the basement or the laptop on the train, but where does the mind travel to experience these stories first hand. What is the adventure and how will the mind take you there? They may come from a place inside of you, but rarely is the story a step by step depiction of your everyday life. You may from time to time wonder about to other places inside of you to create these journeys.

Up and coming Texas writer J. Lee Luera calls this his "secondary life". At times it may shadow his daily life, but there are moments it simply floats down a more interesting path that Luera himself would ever venture to travel upon. I equate this to the jazz musician playing an old standard in a hot jazz club. He knows the notes of the standard and begins to play them, but in a moment of pure creativity and imagination his notes float and soar, wildly traveling to another land completely. The adventure, that escape from the structure of the song may result and in a original recording of the interpretation, while the writer's soaring may result in a new piece of fiction.

J. Lee Luera appears in the recent online issue of Ragad and he has also appeared in DecomP. Recently, Luera took some time out to talks about his recently published work and his goals for the future.

Orange Alert (OA): Your recent piece on Ragad, Black Love, was really well put together. Is this story based on a real life event? Do you find it difficult to write about your life in such a honest way?
J. Lee Luera (JL): Thanks for the kind words. It was based on a real life event, and it wasn’t. Usually, in all my writing there’s a large chunk of the story that is taken from my own experiences. Most of the time, what appears on the screen of my laptop are usually largely dramatic parts of what I like to call a “secondary life.” My daily experiences like going to work, or school, or going out drinking are my run-of-the-mill, everyday, goings-on, but during all the monotonous parts, I trail off and fantasize extensions of my social and atmospheric interactions throughout the day. This keeps me sane, as well as helping me to create stories. For me, it’s hard to think of life without this separate reality. It’s actually odd, because usually when a story is finished and I come back from this fully imagined state, the stories closely resemble my own life. I guess you could say I dream of myself all day.

Usually after I read a draft of a story I get really self conscious about it, because they do so closely resemble my own experiences. People who know me can pick it out immediately, and knowing that really puts me off sometimes. For instance, I wasn’t really going send black love out to any of the online magazines. I had it in my back pocket, finished, for a couple of months before I figured, fuck it, what do I have to lose? Not her, she’s already long gone. I guess it’s just the way I have to look at it. If people are sensitive about being characters in my stories, well then there’s not much I can really do about it.

Interesting story actually, when it comes to writing about experiences. I was about seventeen or eighteen, and I went to an upscale collegiate party with my high school sweetheart. Well, we were all just sitting around sipping wine, and all of a sudden one of the grandmothers of my girlfriend’s friend starts reading palms. Usually, I shy away from that sort of thing but the crazy old lady insisted. She took one look at my palm and she started to tear up. She said I had a short life line and that it would all end suddenly. Then she said that I had a poet’s soul and asked if I wrote. When I said yes, she told me that I should only write about what I knew and what I felt, and that that, and only that, would guarantee any happiness in my life. It was all really emotional. I guess after that, I kind of knew what I had to write about.

OA: I’ve done a few searches on the internet, where might we be able to read more of your work?
JL: I don’t really have a lot published on the internet. I have one other piece up on the april issue of Decomp magazine. My submission process is sluggish, at best. I tend to look for places who don’t publish based on the “buddy” process. Anyone who writes and attempts to get their stuff out there knows what I’m talking about. It’s usually inevitable. If an editor likes your work, they’re going to continue to publish it anytime you send it in. The problem with this is, you get some online mags who have a cyclical transition of writers being published, which makes it really hard for up and comers. It’s sad actually, none of us are in this for the money, it’s a largely underground and independent scene, which makes it completely ridiculous when there’s any nuance of egotism involved.

OA: Who are some of your biggest literary influences?
JL: I’m a large fan of collecting things that are hard to get. It’s really rare that I got to the nearest Barnes and noble and pick up a book off the shelve. And I say Barnes and Noble because it’s one of three bookstores there are in El Paso. It isn’t a small city, by any means, it’s actually relatively large, but people here just don’t read. It’s not a very nurturing city for artist types, Artists that aren’t into Chicano musings, anyway. I’d have to say that some of my biggest influences would include; Mickey Hess, Doug Milam, Don de Grazia, who’s novel is by far one of the best I’ve read, Sean Carswell, Kevin Sampsell Al Burian, and Etgar Keret. Also, im a huge fan of a local poet from here in El Paso, Bobby Byrd. His poetry is just mind-blowing stuff, talk about writing from experiences.

OA: Have you have performed at a reading? Do you think prose as a whole is meant to the read aloud or simply just read? Do you feel your words take on a different meaning when read aloud? JL: Unfortunately, my shyness prevents me from doing such a thing. I’m truly, deathly shy. I think any writing can be enjoyed both ways. Take Mike Daily, for instance. He just published his second novel ALARM, and it comes with a bonus cd that has most of it spoken word in front of music. He performs his stuff in front of an audience and gets great response from it. Another good example is the poet that I mentioned, Bobby Byrd. He teamed up with Jim Ward from Sparta (also and El Paso native) and recorded a beat- era style EP with his words dubbed over Wards music. I saw them in a little Mexican restaurant in downtown El Paso, and it just blew me away. I think the lines between all creative arts are being blurred and burnt, and some very, very interesting things are coming in their wake.

As far as words taking on different meanings, I think it’s all subjective really. It’s going to take on a different meaning in any medium in which it’s presented. It depends on the person. The great thing about this mixing of mediums and literature is that you get people interested in your work, which would’ve never picked up a book otherwise.

OA: As a younger writer have you set any goals for your writing or are simply writing what comes to you?
JL: Well, it a hard question to answer really. Eventually there’ll be a novel somewhere. For now I’m just experiencing things, working out my chops. The struggle is that I only want to put out the best possible work, but as I continue to write I continue to hone my skill, so being the perfectionist that I am, it takes a while before I see anything fit enough to submit.

OA: What is next for J. Lee Luera?
JL: I just finished outlining a prose-poetry style novella, tentatively titled “A Sh*t Stain Across Texas.” It’s has the same feel as Noah Cicero’s, “The Human War”. It’s about a Mexican tumbleweed that traverses through Texas witnessing glimpses of peoples lives.

Bonus Questions:

OA: Coffee? If yes what is your favorite type of coffee and where is your favorite coffee spot?
JL: Yes, very much so. I get headaches if I don’t have it. I like it dark and strong, so the slow drip at La Nieve in downtown El Paso does just fine, after a few too many drinks.

OA: What type of music do you enjoy currently? Who are some of your all-time favorites?

JL: I like the early eighties punks gone old. Fugazi (or course), nomeansno, bad brains, and Henry Rollins. On the otherside of the spectrum, Afghan Whigs are one of my favorites, Jenny Lewis, Richmond Fontaine, Joanna Newsome, Dan Higgs, Mogwai, iron and wine, Select Yer Fighter (from Germany), the list goes on and on.

For more information on J. Lee Luera check out his myspace page.

Artist of the Week

Lucas Myers

In each medium there are moments of pure inspirational flow, and there are moments of stagnation or indecision. Many times the two moments can follow one another very closely, and amplifying the overall affect. There are times when you feel that you are on a certain path, and end up creating something completely different. It takes a unique artist to have the ability to move with these changes and adapt their style of painting. One artist who has the ability to change styles and follow his internal creative flow is Chicago artist, Lucas Myers. One look at his website and you can tell that Lucas has many different styles that he can create in (landscape, still life, murals, installations, and even more abstract pieces). In his interview Lucas talks about his transition between styles and what he is looking to accomplish.

Orange Alert (OA): I noticed that you utilize several difference style of painting. Do you have a favorite or is the one you are currently working with?
Lucas Myers (LM): I don't think that I have any true favorite. I really enjoy whatever seems to be pushing me forward at the time. I like working in a free and experimental way and then coming back with a more analytic approach and editing. Sometimes this editing process continues to tighten and clean the image until most of the more expressive and rugged elements are minimized. Sometimes there's only a bit of the analytic process and the finished works feel really jazzy, loose, and fresh. I look at the painting process as a conversation with the piece and you just build on your experiences. Style just helps communicate a certain feeling or idea.

OA: I am most fascinated by your Epicenter pieces. What is the theory behind those pieces, and can you tell a little about the creation process.

LM: I had just completed 2 paintings that were minimalized, highly textured landscapes ("71 No.1" and "71 No.2"). As I was working on what I thought would be "71 No. 3" I found it formulaic and uninspired. I was attempting to replicate these previous paintings. I wanted something different and fresh. I had been working with highly labored and textured surfaces and depictions of space versus cues of flatness within the constructs of landscape painting. I was working on this painting, heavy wet on wet oil paint and wax mediums and I carved a "riverbed" into the wet paint. This instantly pushed the flatness of the painting right into my face. I could now use the point and perspective grids to help contain and determine the structure of these organic color fields, freed of the limitations of illusionistic space. From the "Epicenters" also come the "Fractures" and more recently the "Flags". These are all what I would consider expressionist paintings. I'm looking for balance and dynamism. It is very much stream of consciousness, editing and clarification, stream again, back and forth until I find that balance that I want.

OA: Who are some of your biggest influences artistically?
LM: Richard Deibenkorn, Jasper Johns (just recently saw a show of his early work in DC), Robert Rauschenberg, Anselm Keifer, and Ed Hopper are some of my all time favorites. I've been influenced a lot by the abstract expressionists, as well as the the surrealists and the early 20th century modernists. I am a huge fan of contemporary artists and I constantly find inspiration and influence from them.

OA: What do you think of the current art scene in Chicago
LM: Chicago has been very good to me so far. It seems to be very open and there is a lot of quality work. Chicago has a good range of different work within the galleries and alternative spaces. There are also lots of cafes and restaurants that are great places to show work. Chicago seems to have a lot of opportunities in the Public Art realm as well . Right now I'm working on a public mural with the Bloomingdale Mural Project in West Bucktown. It's been a great experience with the neighborhood really rallying around us. It's an exciting city to be at work in. There's a lot going on.

OA: Do you have a specific color palette that you work from? Do you consciously try to evoke a specific theme or emotion through use color or is that the responsibility of the images?
LM: I used a 4 color harmony palette (2 non-complimentary full chromatics, 2 non-complimentary half chromatics, tint and shade) when I was doing my landscapes in '97 and '98. I opened it up when I started the "Epicenters", but I usually stick to really rich primary hues. Cadmium Red Medium and Yellow Medium and Cobalt Blue. I also have a serious Yellow Ochre dependency. Tint and Shade. Everything else is fringe. I'm kinda on a Cerulean Blue kick as of late.

OA: What is next for Lucas Myers?
LM: I'm looking to take my work to a larger scale. I want to get more of my different styles to work within singular pieces. I will be doing making more political and social commentary with my work. I also look forward to doing lots more public pieces.

Bonus Questions:

OA: Coffee? If yes, what is your favorite type of coffee and where is your favorite coffee spot?
LM: Yes!! I was raised on the stuff. I prefer African and Arabic beans, definitely pressed. Dollop on Clarendon is my spot of choice.

OA: Do you listen to music while you work? Who are some of your favorites while working and in general?
LM: I do listen to a lot of stuff while I work. Some of my favorites are Tool, Clutch, Zappa, Fantomas, Mastodon, Bob Marley, Led Zeppelin, Underworld, The Beatles, Deftones, John Coltrane, Bjork, and Beck. That's 13 of about 13,000.

For more information on Lucas Myers, please visit his website.

New Release Tuesday

Music:

Art in Manila - Set The Woods on Fire Listen to: The Abomination (mp3)

Little Wings - Soft Pow'r Listen to: Scuby (mp3) Highly Recommended!!!
Okkervil River - The Stage Names Listen to: Hand to take Hold of (mp3)

Augie March - Moo, You Bloody Choir (US Release)

Benzos - Branches Listen to: Phase 2 (mp3)

Billy Holiday - Remixed & Reimagined

DVD:

Are We Done Yet?

Disturbia

I Think I Love My Wife

TMNT

Monday Morning Mix

I am still recovering, my ears are still ringing, my body is aching and my mind is racing with sounds of the bands that I now have a new understanding of and appreciation for. I didn't hear anything new this year, but I did witness several powerful and passionate performances. Many bands that I had enjoyed previously quickly became life long passions. It was a perfect weekend, and here is what it sounded like to me. Please enjoy my "Lollapalooza Redux"

Orange Alert's Music Minute

Lollapalooza Day 1:

I did not get any pictures of Daft Punk, but watch this:

Day 2

Best so far: Daft Punk, Ghostland Obseravtoy, Matt & Kim, and Patti Smith.
Biggest Disappointment: Not seeing CSS, and M.I.A. was not good either.

For more of my pictures check my flickr page (there will be more added tonight.)

Load Blown is the fourth album by Brooklyn’s Black Dice and their first for the Animal Collective's label, Paw Tracks. It will be released in the US on Oct. 23. The beats drip and roll, tar-pit voices sing into an oil can, and the guitars crank like calliope. Some tunes crackle and burble like submerged television, others bump and click along like a Summer Jam concert series from another dimension.

Listen to: Kokomo (mp3)

Pelle's second album, "In a Nutshell" was just released last month, and it has been receiving some very just praise. I've always liked Pelle to a poor mans Jens Lekman, but on his new album he really starts to come into his. His words like his music are simple and pleasent, and always bit with a scent of humor. Listen to: Clever Girls Like Clever Boys Much More Than Clever Boys Like Clever Girls (mp3) and I Love You, You Imbecile (mp3)

The Peel Back: The Golden Palominos (s/t)

A super group in retrospect I suppose, but when you mention John Zorn, Arto Lindsay, Bill Laswell, and Anton Fier, I would not say they were a super group. The first coming together of the Palominos also featured Fred Firth and others including M.E. Miller on turntables. This 1983 release would mark the first time scratching was utilized in a none hip-hop song (Cookout). Their sound felt raw and original, it was loosely based on a combination of free jazz and new wave, but it also has elements of funk and hip-hop. With all of these styles and highly creative musicians coming together the product is unique and in need of a nice reissue. The music still sounds fresh and originial even after nearly 25 years.

The group was never really a group, the pieces would come and go , with the only consistent member being Anton Fier. These friends were part of an expirimental art collection in New York. They came together to explore and they are all still exploring their own career in the arts. This week dig down to the bottom of your tapes and get this tape out. Listen to: Cookout (mp3) and Hot Seat (mp3)

The Golden Palominos - s/t (Celluloid, 1983)

Clean Plate/Hot Seat/Under the Cap/Monday Night/Cookout/I.D./Two Sided Fist

The Watch List

Listening:
1. Adam Taylor - Maryland folk singer, Adam Taylor has a voice that will take him far. Listen to: Untitled (mp3)
2. Fable & The World Flat - This Wisconsin band is one part hip-hop and one part indie rock, it is a beautiful combination. It get's me everytime.
3. Motorcade - Auckland , New Zealand sounds like an interesting place, and it is home to Motorcade. The name made me think of Motorhead, but their sound is more like The Killers, Franz, etc. Nice and fun indie-dance-pop, and there is nothing wrong with that. The band just released their second Ep "Into the Fall". Listen to: My Friends (mp3)

Reading:
1. "Mining of Data Prompted Fight of U.S. Spying" by Scott Shane & David Johnston - I don't really care if Gonzalez lied, but the NSA's secret surveillance program is a major problem. Whether it is data mining or wire tapping, our freedoms are being taken in the name of security. We allow this because we are controlled by fear. Is it a coincidence that the same week of this scandal, word that the Taliban had regrouped came out?
2. "The Beautiful Ones" by Emerson Dameron courtesy The2ndhand
3. "The Symptoms of the End" by Doug Cornett courtesy this month issue of Fringe


Wishing:
1. The New College Pack - Ryan Waller is publishing a nice little mag, making t-shirts, and posters to pay for graduate school. $47.50
2. String Republic #33 Nate Williams designed Shoe - $42.80
3. Word Dance Issue #11 featuring Kaveh Akbar, S.A. Griffen, Miles J. Bell, and many more... - $5

Getting:
1. Design and Life Special Issue #see! 01 - This issue gives you a great look at some of the local shops and food of Tokyo.
2. LVHRD MGZN 03 - dives head first into a world of threes: third dimensions, third bases, third political parties and various trinities are all explored via LVHRD’s creative community. Whoever said that good things come in threes was right was right was right. Download the issue and see for yourself.

Watching:
1. Ben Tanzer "The Lost Interview" - Ben sits down with an up and coming interviewer.
2. Mr. Lif "Brothaz"
3. Rodrigo y Gabriella on The Interface performing "Tamacun"

Saturday Morning Cartoon

In honor of an amazing evening last night at Lollapalooza, enjoy Daft Punk's "Digital Love" with your bowl of Sugar Pops.

Band of the Week

Venna

"Go confidently in the direction of your dreams! Live the life you've imagined. As you simplify your life, the laws of the universe will be simpler." - Thoreau

The ability to come together as a couple and create something new, raw, and pure is a powerful bond. This new creation represents both individuals and may grow and evolve as the couple does. They start to feel as though these creations are a part them and share them with pride and courage. Husband and wife, Marky and Heather Hladish create honest and pure acoustic gems together, as the Wisconsin band Venna. They create music that focuses on the simplicity of life and the roots of music. These two have also created a family together, which limits their ability to tour, but they are definitly going in the direction of their dreams.

Just last month I had the opportunity see Venna perform in a small cafe. Their nearly completely acoustic set, even void of microphones, filled the space and captivated the crowd. The songs were memorable, but it was their modesty that won me over. They were passing out free copies of the homemade ep for "Eulogy". These discs were wrapped in paper bags with nice little pins on top. Inside the bag was a letter and a vintage postcard. The letter read:

"Dear patron of indie music,

Thanks for picking up this CD. Sorry it's nothing fancy - maybe one day soon we'll have the means for that but right I'm just happy you have our music in your hands. Because that's the thing, isn't it? Sharing art, creating community... trying to find our way through this mess together. "

It goes on to explain the postcard, and they leave their address for you to return it to them with a little note. Well, I return the postcard and came away with this interview.

Orange Alert (OA): How would you describe your music?
Marky Hladish (MH): Our songs tend to be very simple in nature, musically. They're mostly built around acoustic guitar and vocal melodies. The idea is to leave enough space for the listener to get inside the song... everything is almost entirely heather's creation, both lyrically and musically. but every once in a great while i'll come up with a couple chords that float around the house for a while until she pens some brilliant lyrics and it becomes a song. Live, we employ the help of a few friends who are given the option to play whenever they're able. It's a very non-commital, open arrangement, which makes our live shows fun because we have a different lineup almost every time. Sometimes we'll just have a couple acoustics, sometimes we'll have a percussionist and a violin player. You never know what you're going to see.

OA: Why Venna? What is the meaning behind the name?
Heather Hladdish (HH): Venna is the nickname for a secondary character in a B horror flick. It sort of represents the things that often go unnoticed.

OA: I see you recently signed to Common Cloud Records and are preparing your debut Ep. How did that relationship come about?
HH: There's nothing official about it yet, but the guys at Common Cloud have been longtime friends and supporters and Jay Warner, who sometimes plays live guitar with us, is co-owner of CC. We've been recording off and on for about a year and crossing our fingers that we'll get it out soon.

OA: What are some of the pros and cons that you both have encountered as a husband and wife creating music together?
HH: I could write a book about that one. The big pro is, obviously, that as well as being in love with each other, we're in love with music and that leads to a really unique creative spark between us. Most of the cons have more to do with our circumstances than the nature of our creative relationship. We have three small boys (twin 3-year olds and a 20 month-old) to care for which often makes it difficult to find time to write or practice or play shows. Also, Marky is in another much more established band called The Felix Culpa so I've had to learn to share.

OA: Who are some of your biggest influences musically?
HH: Joanna Newsom, Damien Rice, Pedro the Lion, The Meteah Strike, and Jolie Holland.
MH: for this music, I have to say Owen, The Meteah Strike, Damien Rice, Billy Holiday and Jimmy Eat World.

OA: What's next for Venna?
HH: Still writing, trying to find time to record and playing out whenever we can. Our next show is at the ELB in Rockford on September 21st which we're really looking forward to.


Bonus Questions:
OA: Coffee? If yes what is your favorite type coffee and where is your favorite coffee spot?
HH: Coffee? We have an alter dedicated to the substance! Our favorite by far is Alterra, based in Milwaukee. They have their own coffee shops up there too which we make a point to haunt whenever we're in town.

OA: What was the last great book that either of you have read?
HH: I recently finished Revolutionary Road by Richard Yates which I loved to death. Marky just finished a collection of short stories by Kafka which made him laugh.




Listen to:


Eulogy (mp3)
Country Song (mp3)

For information on Venna visit their myspace page or check out their website.

Writer's Corner

Laura Hirneisen

My first encounter with, Reading, PA resident, Laura Hireisen was her piece back in March on 400 Words, "Furkins Loves Nuts". It was a fun little slice of life, and quite entertaining. I wrote her name in my notebook with the note "fiction" and moved on. Later that spring, I was reading the new poetry featured on The 2River View and found two beautifully written poems by Laura. I pull out my notebook and look at my note, and then reread her poetry. I began to think about the sharp contrast between poetry and prose, and the various functionalities of both. I thought about the construction of each, and the idea that prose tells where poetry eludes.

Well, it wasn't until her recent appearance in Word Riot that I actually contacted Laura. I asked here how she approaches each styles, in hopes of clarifying my aimless ideas of the two. Luckily, she was kind enough to answer that question and several others that I tossed at her.

Orange Alert (OA): How long have you been writing and how long did you submit your work before you received your first publication?
Laura Hirneisen (LH): I’ve been writing for 11 years, which makes me sound geriatric for a 23-year-old. (I was the strange girl with ink stained fingers and piles of handwritten manuscripts stuffed under her bed. Okay, there are still piles of handwritten manuscripts stuffed under my bed, so if you come over, don’t look.)

Although I was writing all those years, I didn’t know what to do with my writing—except to stuff it under my bed. Finally, some intelligent people told me to stop hoarding and start submitting. It was about a year from the time I first started seriously submitting to the time someone said yes.

OA: Who are some of your biggest literary influences?
LH: An eclectic mix of old and new: Geoffrey Chaucer (no translations, please), Gertrude Stein, Jonathan Swift, Margaret Atwood, Zora Neale Hurston, Flannery O’Connor, Wallace Stevens, George Orwell, William Carlos Williams…and on.

OA: I noticed that you write both poetry and short fiction. From what I have read (WHAT I LIKE ABOUT MY UPS MAN and Furkins Loves Nuts) you tend to let your sense of humor shine through in your prose. Do you approach the two differently? Do you have a preference?
LH: Yes, the way I approach poetry and prose is very different. Poetry is like my hands, prose my feet: poetry involves fine motor skills, the delicate swipe of a wrist, and prose gets me to where I need to go, stomping through, dirty and tough. And I write the way I read: serious poetry, humor-tinged prose. I like to laugh. I like to make other people laugh. Just not in my poetry. Yet despite the dichotomy, one isn’t possible without the other for me. I use poetry in my prose, prose in my poetry, and love both equally—though in different ways.

OA: What is your opinion of the current state of poetry? Is it thriving in an internet era, or is it being watered down by an overabundance of outlets ( i.e. blogs/myspace/lit zines, etc)? Is there an audience for the modern poet?
LH: I think poetry has never been better. Every day, I find poets I never read before, crazy poets, amazing poets, poets who have found their voices in the online literary community. The internet deconstructs genres, creates new ones, and brings poetry to people all over the world in a way that the print medium is incapable of accomplishing. Because it’s more accessible, less tied up in market-driven bullshit, poetry can be the most raw and real it’s ever been. Many subscription-based journals suggest potential contributors subscribe or buy sample copies, but that isn’t realistically affordable for everyone. Journals that are just a click away, and especially those that are free, give power to the writers and the readers, rather than taking power away. So unquestionably, there’s an audience for the modern poet, and it’s an audience much more easily reached. Which is a good thing for poets and readers alike.

OA: Do you ever participate in readings? If so, does the act of reading your poetry to audience ever change the way you feel about a particular poem? How do you select which poems you will read that night?
LH: I give readings whenever people ask me. If McDonald’s asked me to read later this afternoon, I probably would. Yes, I am a bit of a reading whore. But I have a good reason for that. I write most poems when I’m alone, at my desk, or in bed, or out on a walk, but I’m always writing them for myself and an audience. I see myself all the time, so it’s nice to see the audience every once in a while. Reading a poem also makes it feel more alive for me. When I hear a poet read, even if it’s a poem I’ve read ten times before, the meaning always changes with the way the poet performs.

I select which poems I’ll be reading through a complex ritual that involves duct tape and darts. No, I actually try to choose poems that I think will fit the audience, the same way I package writing for submission that I think will appeal to a certain journal. Of course, I also choose poems I think are my best.

OA:. What's next for Laura Hirneisen?
LH: I’ve been very fortunate to have my work appear in many excellent journals so far, and I hope to continue that tradition. Eventually, I’d like to start tying all these little parts I’ve been writing into a whole, mixed-genre collection. Or two. Or three. Keep looking for me.

Bonus Questions:
OA: Coffee? If yes, what is your favorite type of coffee and where is your favorite coffee spot?
LH: Of course I love coffee—it’s black sludge that only tastes good if you shoot syrups and cream into it. Plus, it’s caffeinated. My favorite type is a mocha latte. And my favorite spot to drink it is the table by the window.

OA: What type of music are you currently listening to and who are some of your favorite artists?
LH: Mostly folk and old rock. Favorites include Patty Griffin, Lori McKenna, Led Zeppelin, The Band, Pink Floyd, Neil Young.

For more information on Laura Hirneisen visit her blog.

Artist of the Week

"Reluctant Messenger"

Joshua Krause

What's in a name? Well when you are talking about abstract painting, everything can be contained within a name. I am not talking about a painting titled "Blue Sphere" and it is actually a pink square, or the mass of abstract work that goes untitled and spends a lifetime know as "#62". Those works may be breathtaking, but are they as memorable as the piece named ""And on the 7th day, HE curled up in the corner and cried." or "Running Amuck in Accumulated Excusses" or "A Frenzied Approach to Calm"? These are the names of just a few of the abstract pieces by, San Deigo resident, Joshua Krause.

Joshua's pieces tend live in ancient times, with their earth tones and ornate lines and swirls, but he uses his titles to pull these beautiful designs into modern times. On the surface the titles appear to be humorus in nature, but it has long been know that behind every joke there is a small bit of truth. The truth is that Joshua makes amazingly intricate designs, and has recently began to really make it all work. He is currently on participating in the fourth installment of the Scion Installation Art Tour, and he justed opened a solo show at the R3 Gallery in San Deigo called "Fantasic Detachment".

Fortunatly, he was able to take a few moments and answer our questions about his work.

"Phoning-in the inevitable"

Orange Alert (OA:) How would you describe your work?

Joshua Krause (JK):To para-phase my bio:The paintings and sculptures are manifestations of an obsession, humor, and hope in finding my individual path in a world that seems to be on another page. These "new relics" exist as both objects/ideas that take themselves too seriously on one end, and tongue-in-cheek on the other, created in a world that is simultaneously absurd and reasonable. Their meanings and symbols, explained through poetic titling, are to be studied and decoded as an archaeologist or art historian would. They can also be viewed as the inside jokes and observations of a comedian piecing together his act. My work ponders the status of the permanent and impermanent, and the fleeting and flowing nature of life, death, and the eternal.

OA: Who are some of biggest influences artistically?

JK: Lari Pittman, Phil Frost, Max Gimblett, Robert Rauschenberg, Ed Kienholtz, Stella Waitzkin, Pablo, Barry McGee, Hiroyuki Hamada, Edo Period Art, Byzantine Art, Aboriginal Art, Folk Art...and my close artist friends like Tim McCormick, Robert Hardgrave, Blaine Fontana, and Jason Sherry always inspire me.

OA: I read that you had created over 200 pieces in 6 months span back in 2005. Are you still that prolific? How has your process changed since then?

JK: I still make a lot of work, but not as much as the new work is much more involved, much larger, and more process oriented, and are generally more from the heart, and somewhat an obsessive labor of love and frustration.

"I guess I’ve felt this way all along"

OA: Do your paintings start as smaller sketches or do you primarily create on canvas?

JK: Sometimes I draw some of the sculptural aspects out, but I enjoy to just go for it and try and rip it...my work is really more dependent on how I feel, what I've been dreaming about, and just the therapy of making the work...so often times things just churn out the way they do. I think if I sketched the work out and just filled in the details, something would be lost: it would lose the spontaneous, frenzied subtlety of letting it unfold naturally. Sometimes it works better than other times, but I've come to accept that is just how I am. I paint over a lot of stuff, and try to stay very unattached in order to just go with the flow. Its all part of dueling success and frustration. I pretty much loathe most of what I make at some point after the fact...its all more like a journal in a life's work.

OA: Do you have a specific color palette that you work from? Do you consciously try to evoke a specific theme or emotion through use color or is that the responsibility of the images?

JK: I just switched my blues from ultramarine to cerulean, and the red from napthol crimson to cadmium, but I basically use a very limited palette. I prefer rusty looking color, and very earthy/organic toned pigments. As I experiment more with oil paint, I'm getting more of the color I like and am eager to go there more. I'm not consciously trying to do anything really, but good technique and good colors at least give me a fighting shot...then I can just somewhat leave things to my instincts and just go for it...I use a lot of other materials in my work like sand and pastes, and really enjoy using bronze paint lately-it probably has to do with my love of Byzantine Iconography and religious art. I've also started using more of an impasto technique and want to keep developing that...

OA: What's next for Joshua Krause?

JK: I just signed-on for representation with a gallery in LA, and we have some exciting plans for the next few years involving the international art fairs and all that jazz, but that will all develop over time. I'm just happy to do my my work and keep surviving. Right now I'm part of an art tour with Scion that will involve some fun travel, and I have a few shows planned for next year. I want to keep growing and experimenting, I'm not too concerned with the future...things will work themselves out if I just keep doing my own thing and follow my instincts.

"Gives good hand"

Bonus Questions:
OA: Coffee? If yes, what is your favorite type of coffee and where is your favorite coffee spot?

JK: I brew a strong Americano at home in a French Press...

OA: Do you listen to music while you work? Who are some of your favorites while working and in general?

JK: I mainly watch movies or listen to Adam Carolla or baseball talk when I work. My favorite movies help me pace, and I like knowing all the words--it feels like hanging out with friends. But I listen to a lot of metal...I'm looking forward to the new Behemoth release this month, and have been really enjoying Belphegor. Usually the more brutal, mathy and raw the music, the more I enjoy it...I heard some classical music lately that really moved me, but I don't know much about that genre...

For more information on Joshua Krause, please visit his website.