"Capiquarius : Untitled 2" : 5'x4' : Mixed Media on Wood : Piece just finished in new Lake Merrit Studio : Oakland : CA : 2011
I was just about to post these images of new paintings for you to check out when I ran across a Warholian interview that was done before Past From the Blast this last March. There was a question I had to answer, a pretty basic artist interview question that I definitely let loose on. The question was "where do you find inspiration?". Well I have to say my views on "inspiration" in this article still hold true today, just the details and specifics have become a little more refined. It was fun just reading this because it reminded me of how much sheer energy and determination I was feeling when I answered these from a coffee shop on the edge of China Town and North Beach.
I feel even more energy and determination now, but it is a more solid, fulfilled, and calm energy in a way. It feels less frantic and more concentrated. But yeah this quote has been true pretty much my whole life and continues to be today. The work that is coming forward and evolving now is getting intense, I am having lucid visions and crazy insight in to different worlds while laying in bed or on the BART train lately. I am starting to envision projects I could have never dreamed of in the past, having ideas and connections float through my mind that are making me breath deeper and raise the sky on what is possible, meditating and literally seeing/visualizing paintings, performances, costumes, hearing soundscapes I want to create, and tying it all together more coherently than ever before. Understanding ways to visualize and actually create representations of these visions is becoming a reality. The force of inspiration and determination feels amazing and warm flowing through me. I'll be updating you and explaining things every step of the way as we progress into 2012. Love-Felix
From Warholian Interview March 3rd 2011 -
"4). Where do you find inspiration?
Go out on Market street and watch the buses, the rail, the cars, the business people, the homeless, the bike messengers, the construction workers, the beautiful angsty and hip students, the cops, the criminals, the models, the agents, the professors, the motorcycles, newspapers with images of war on them: turn on the news and watch a war report, or a story about gun control: go somewhere warm on a rainy saturday night where people are together the shield themselves from whats outside and gather and be thankful to have a place to create a dialogue, and laugh and listen to music. Think of a couple making love all night long in their apartment, going at it, while outside a bus breaks down and a street performer plays her cello. If you were to leave a camera on these events with the lens open for sometime so all the movement swarmed together like an amoeba and instead of a snapshot of one moment you had a freeze frame of all of these man-made, human, and natural elements moving and working and fighting and fucking and loving and yelling and eating and dancing and laughing in a big swarming, creature, everything mixed together to create one interrelated energy. That is where I get my inspiration. That and making marks on a page has always been my forte."
"Lady of the Lake : Sittin Pretty : Untitled 1" : 5'x4' : Mixed Media on Wood : Piece just finished in new Lake Merrit Studio : Oakland : CA : 2011
Gestation : Size Undecided : Mixed Media : Still in Progress
I ended up taking a great reel of great production and progress shots of "Should I Stay or Should I Go?" at Old Crow Tattoo & Gallery, and some good photos of the openings. Him Downstairs performed Saturday night and then Sunday was Unstoppable Death Machines and the Laughters. Count Z-Bop was even hanging out. It was spectacular! I hope you all enjoy seeing the install process and the final product. -Felix
Unstoppable Death Machines
Mike from Unstoppable Death Machines at Mama's Royal Cafe, bout to get some breakfast Monday morning. I am about to go to Japan right after this meal! See you all from my Japanese tour with Ken South Rock! -John Felix Arnold III
