Back in CyberSpace

We're in Santa Fe now visiting our friends Robin & Vic... and hopefully hooking up with my Digital Art Guild artist friend Ursula Freer. In going through all the emails, I happened upon a google alert and found that one of my artist friends from Nada Dada - Dean Burton had posted one of my Power Series Images! Take a peek here Thanks Dean. His work is very good and I hope that you can see it at NadaDada Motel this year from June 18th to the 21st!

In other art news from the email, one of the jurors for the Urban Legands and Country Tales show that I participated in - Mel Strawn - has written a thought provoking article about the show and digital art. Here's the post from Joe Nalven... Last year the Digital Art Guild put together a good showcase of digital art, "Urban Legends and Country Tales." Instead of saying, "Hey, wasn't that a good one --" and not really remembering what it was that made it 'good' or 'interesting', Mel Strawn has dug deep into what it was about the show that yields some further understandings about digital processes -- and about art using those processes. Very much worth a read: http://www.digitalartguild.com/content/view/58/26/ Joe Nalven

New Work for NadaDada Motel

This is a sneak preview of some of the new work I'm developing for NadaDada Motel at the El Cortez Hotel at 2nd and Arlington in Downtown Reno from June 18 to the 21st. I'm also working on a video installation and on Saturday night at the Trocadero Room at the El Cortez will feature yours truly and Cynthia Burdick as the Sexy Sisters performing erotic poetry and bawdy limericks at 8 pm. Lots of other wonderful artists of course are in the mix. Chad Sorg has put together a little article that will appear in a Reno publication that I thought I'd share with you.

If style is about one's own expression and fashion is about the expectations of others, then NadaDada Motel's style might be found within its distinct mode of creative anarchy. There is no over-riding theme imposed here. In its third yearly incarnation, motel rooms are, once again, rented directly by each artist so they can do exactly what they want; the only guarantee the audience can expect to find is the unexpected. This non-uppity art event aligns itself more with punk rockers, dive bar divas & crusty gun-toting philosophers than selection committees, juries, or granting institutions. Artists were simply asked to "get a room, make a show." Those involved have been proud contributing directly to the local economy–and it's all free for visitors. Interest from the public and the national media has grown to a frenzied pitch. 2009 brings a rich mix in this multi-room art exhibition. The public is invited to cross thresholds and witness the 'artist's life' paradigm. The creative environments happen Thursday, June 18th–Sunday, the 21st, from noonish to midnight, in downtown Reno weeklies, Hotel El Cortez, built in 1931 and its neighbor across the street, Townhouse Motorlodge, built in the fifties. Both are at 2nd & Arlington in downtown Reno. Participating artist count is approximately 100. About the El Cortez, the National Park Service's website has this to say.. "[The Cortez] is one of only three remaining major Art Deco buildings left in Reno. At the time it was built, it was the city's tallest building. The El Cortez was a high-class hotel, garnering an astounding $6 per night, compared to the prevailing room rate of $2.50 per night." Erected in 1931, the hotel was to accommodate a new transient influx due to Nevada's newly relaxed divorce laws, highlighting our city as an easy place to unhitch. Reno became the ideal location to end matrimony. Event (dis)organizers found this a perfect place to end its relationship with the subsidized artworld machine. Our second motel host this year will again be the Towhhouse Motor Lodge, built in 50's roadside grandeur, also past its prime, with its (now) filled in pool. Reno TripAdvisor's Popularity Index has the venue listed at #52 of 58 hotels rated in Reno! We're so proud to have them aboard once again. We can't tell you exactly what to expect to see this year at NadaDada, but the following listing should give you a taste... First off, a big thanks goes to Jill Marlene, she's decided to take on the big job of coordinating events in the historic Trocadero Lounge. A variety of performances are scheduled for NadaDada '09. The Trocadero hosts “The Wedding of Jill and Diana” with surprise appearances in the guise of bridesmaids and ring-bearers. Audiences will also enjoy "Bohemian Burlesque", cabaret performances, aerial and modern dance, 40’s style singing with blue velvety love songs. Also, unannounced performances will be thrown in Dada-style. Tickets for shows are available at the Melting Pot. Major promotional efforts have been made by our our star, Lady Di, the Majorette of Mischief, Dianna Sion. Jeff Johnson, the event's inspirational originator has been entitled Noble Instigator; Tova Ramos–Secretariat Maximus. Including myself, these are four of the original six NadaDada (dis)organizers. Trelaine has been with us, basically from the start stirring up her own brand of bacon-framed mischief. Professor Dean Burton, from the start, has been our academic connection. Rumors have it that Patty Melton, is in the running for NadaDada Mayor–up against Erik Holland, our first Dada Mayor. Margie Enlow is NadaDada's Graphical Queen. Elaine Parks (Tuscarora) and Kris Vagner (San Francisco) have both been instrumental in pulling in the creatives from the hinterlands. SK James and John Molezzo are our digital brothers-in-arms; Asa Gilmore, Video Commissar. Mike Mollet and Neal Taylor are the LA Mud People. Christopher Umana, Adrien Kershaw, Andrea Daerice Juillerat, Jennifer Garza-Cuen portray in their mix of media; Kai Prescher & Ned Peterson are the Fabulous Duck Brothers. Reno News & Review's editor-at-large, Brian Burkhart makes an appearance reading poetry from his caged position in random hotel closets. Oliver X, editor of Reno Tahoe Tonite and Steve White, editor of Reno Passport reunite for a love-fest in rooms on the 3rd floor. I'd like to thank editor, Ronn A @ Sierra Arts Magazine for continual support and nurturing. Craig Smyres pushes the boundaries of installation with bronze mommas, Ivy Antonowitsch, Peter Walker, Christpher Robin Blum show up with painting and photography bliss. Rex Norman aka “Killbuck” presents his brand of robot love. Dave Cherry pulls off some sexually charged comics, Joe Rees brings the punk noise and visuals with his historic punk-rock films. Cindy Gunn and Paula Povilaitos have been Dada originals and Lisa Rizzoli brings on the hoop jams. And, we're proud to announce Rachel Milon as NadaDada's Official Publicity Whore. Her professionalism has been invaluable and the event owes her a public round of applause! exhibition information/photos online at http://www.NadaDadaDingDong.com Chad Sorg, NadaDada's Ignoble Wringmaster is a freelance author and will be starting his campaign to give (yes, give) away his mixed-media paintings at NadaDada Motel. Roomless this year, he'll be blogging up to the minute from the event. www.FreeSorgs.org

Happy Birthday Mum

If she hadn't died five years ago, Mum would have been 81 today. It's funny that both my brother and I picked the same photo to use for her obit ! She was funny, caustic, mean, loving, smart and silly and I miss her.

"Do I contradict myself? Very well, then, I contradict myself. I am large, I contain multitudes."

-- Walt Whitman, Song of Myself

Atomic Oysters

You won't get the title, unless you go HERE

Salt of the Earth

Ok... if you saw this before you might not notice the differences, but I wasn't really fond of that last edited version ... I like this better... what do you think?

Forward into the Future

Come, jump through a wormhole with me.... Now if this isn't reason enough to come up to Reno June 18th to the 21st, I don't know what is! Unless of course it's little old me and you've heard rumors about that video installation....

NadaDada Motel Gearing Up in Reno for June - by Ann Tracy

Call this a little bit of pre-PR for one of the West's most intriguing art shows that is not associated with any kind of museum, art center or gallery! Yes, this DIY show, in it's third year being called NadaDada Motel, is redolent of Burning Man in its anarchic spirit of anything goes as well as in the quality of the art from the sacred to the profane. I've posted three digital mixed media pieces HERE that were created for Nada Motel, as last year's event was christened. Not only will I have those prints for sale and a limited number of orders for the work printed on canvas, but I will also have some great posters by Cherie Hacker from her "Sex Sells, Art Starves" series, Jewlery by Cyn Stones and a video installation. Cynthia Burdick, artist behind Cyn Stones is also an actor, like myself, and we'll be performing some scenes from "Dancing with Desire: A Poetic Fandango with the Erotic and the Bawdy'! It will be before the burlesque. NadaDada runs from June 18th to the 21st at the El Cortez Hotel, 2nd and Arlington in downtown Reno, NV. Hope we see you there!

Hit the Big Time

I've got a digital collage painting on the home page for Absolute Arts! Check it out here. You'll have to scroll to the bottom of the page and I'm on the right at the bottom. Will be interested to see if this increases the number of people coming to my page and if anything sells!