Obey Your Master Artist: Gail Potocki

Posted in Art, Art Exhibits with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , on November 30, 2011 by razor
Eve by Gail Potocki

Eve by Gail Potocki

Browsing through Gail Potocki’s website, I recognized one of her pieces – Eve.  I thought that perhaps I had seen it at a past art exhibit, but Gail has confirmed that she has not had works at any of the exhibits I have written about.  So exactly where I have seen Eve in the past remains a mystery.

Gail’s work is astoundingly detailed, and has a sense of grand classicism, but always with a hint of surrealism that make her paintings stand out above many works.  Gail studied and fine tuned her skills at the School of Representational Art in Chicago.  She has earned many honors, including taking first place in the Online Symbolist Art Exhibition competition, being named the first American recipient of the Ward Rogers Distinguished Artist award, and winning the Baron of Fulwood Award at the Society of Art and Imagination.  A collection of her works has been published by Olympian publishing, The Union of Hope and Sadness, and was released in 2006.

Gail’s paintings pursue narratives of relationship, and trust, and passionately explore the struggle between human desires and the order of nature.Influenced by the elegant strength of Anthony Van Dyck and the melancholic mystery of the late 19th century French and Belgian Symbolists, her expression is rooted in compelling realism, and branches seductively into the realms of possibility. (http://www.artofimagination.org/Pages/Potocki.html)

Gail commented on the piece that she is working on for the Obey Your Master exhibit:

Metallica is a very masculine band sonically, they’re very assertive. Lyrically and thematically though, I think Metallica has the hallmark of all great rock artists: they’re great storytellers.  The song that I’ve chosen as my influence tells a story more through a mental experience rather than a literal one and my piece will allegorically reflect what is intangible in the lyrics. (~Gail Potocki 11/29/2011)

We are excited to see the story that will unfold from Gail’s brush!

Botanica #23 by Gail Potocki

Botanica #23 by Gail Potocki

Plastic Vortex by Gail Potocki

Plastic Vortex by Gail Potocki

Fini by Gail Potocki

Fini by Gail Potocki

Savoy at the Fillmore, Denver – 11-11-11

Posted in Music with tags , , , on November 13, 2011 by razor

Savoy LogoI went to see Savoy at the Fillmore in Denver two nights ago (it feels like I should say last night… I slept all day yesterday, and I really feel like it was last night. The show was sick! If they ever pass anywhere near you – Go! What an experience!


I Waited for You by Valora (Official Music Video)

Posted in Music, Video with tags , , on November 10, 2011 by razor

I heard this song for the first time tonight.  A lot of people were hating on it – but I REALLY LIKE IT!

I waited so long for you
You promised me the world when you’d return
Are you gonna come back empty handed?
You think I’ll be waiting for you?
You better think again…
and You’d better wake up
Cause You were wrong! ~Valora

 

Obey Your Master Artist: David Stoupakis

Posted in Art, Art Exhibits with tags , , , , , , , , , on November 10, 2011 by razor

David Stoupakis was diagnosed with a learning disability early in his grade school years.  Some of his teachers were concerned about his “gloomy” art.  However, a teacher that saw his talents encouraged his creativity.  He attended The Art Institute of Boston for a short period, but decided that formal art training was not for him. Luckily for the art world, none of David’s creativity was squelched by formal training, and for the most part David is a self-developed, self-taught artist (David’s Bio from Official Site.)  Walking through his online gallery is like walking through an awesome, macabre Oz or Wonderland.

David Stoupakis' Cover Art for Korn - See You On The Other Side (2005)

David Stoupakis' Cover Art for Korn - See You On The Other Side (2005)

David’s honors include the IGN award for Best Album artwork for Korn’s “See You on the Other Side” in 2006 and the Direct Art Magazine Best Surrealist Artist Feature Award in 2003.  He has displayed solo and with group exhibits worldwide including in New York, California, Nevada, France and Germany.

Art Work by David Stoupakis

Unknown Title by David Stoupakis

Obey Your Master Artist: Joe Petagno

Posted in Art, Art Exhibits with tags , , , , , , , , on November 8, 2011 by razor
Alice Cooper's Billion Dollar Billboard by Joe Petagno

Alice Cooper's Billion Dollar Billboard by Joe Petagno; Photo taken by G. Reynolds

Joe Petagno is best known in the metal world for his cover art and the creation of “Snaggletooth” for Motorhead. However, Petagno’s most extravagant work is his canvas work.  His online gallery is a detailed apocalyptic tour de force.

It has been said that Joe Petagno’s paintings never fail to smash the retina like a broad sword to the skull. Petagno’s unmistakeable art has spanned several generations and crept into the very sinews of the contemporary counter – cultural media. (Joe Petagno’s Official Website)

When asked if there were other bands that he would like to work for, he responded with a long list (which included Metallica) saying that “everyone should have a piece of Petagno art to grace their musical opus… [these bands] could all do with a lethal dose of Petagno.” (Steel Mill Interview with Joe Petagno)  And speaking of the upcoming Obey Your Master Art Show:

I was delighted to be invited to take part in this show – Viva La Metallica! I started my Career in LA in the heady 60’s doing  score’s of Black light posters. I left in ’72 for Europe, my last major piece in LA was Alice Cooper’s Billion dollar bill which was featured on a billboard on the Strip…the Prodigal Son returns. (~Joe Petagno 11/07/2011) 

Untitled by Joe Petagno

Untitled by Joe Petagno

First Friday Art Walk: November 4, 2011

Posted in Art, Art Exhibits with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on November 8, 2011 by razor

Here are some of my favorites from this past First Friday Art Walk:

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I Always Feel that Someone is Watching Me

Posted in Journal with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on November 8, 2011 by razor
Razor's Site Meter

Razor's Site Meter

On to the third photographer…  I’m working on putting together a submission for the 13th annual dirty show in Detroit.  The first photographer that said he would collaborate seemed to be super enthusiastic about it – sending me dozens of texts of ideas and saying how excited he was about the project until I said no thank you to including his “well endowed” penis in the photographs.  A second photographer friended me on my facebook – because I “have an Italian last name”, and I asked him if he wanted to collaborate on the project.  We met, I showed him some things that I had in mind, and he seemed to be all a go.  The next day I noticed that he spent A LOT of time on my blog – looking through past posts.  By the end of the day he had blocked me on facebook.  I thought, “well maybe he found my writing/art distasteful” – but I noticed since then he goes through my posts every day.  Hmmmm…. If he found it distasteful enough to block me on facebook - then why is he still visiting my blog every day?  Strange.  Oh well.

So two down… on to the third.  His name is Bryton – and he has been a friend for three years now.  He is an amateur photographer – just recently got his camera – but maybe that will leave him open to experimenting.  He is taking graphic design at PCC.  Now just to find the time in both of our schedules to work this in.

We went to the first Friday Art Walk last Friday.  The first friday of every month eighteen different galleries open for extended hours.  B.Vante Garde even had a great live DJ at their studio.  It was great.  I am so glad that Pueblo is doing something like this now, and I plan to attend every first Friday.

We grabbed a bite to eat at the Daily Grind after, and then went to Arabian Nights for hookah.  It was a great Friday night.

Saturday I went to the CSU-Pueblo game with D’Arcy.  It started sleeting by half-time, and the ball never left our side of the field.  So we decided to leave, and we just went to the Shamrock to hang for a few.  We ended up spending the whole day together.  I met his brother and his brother’s girl – but there was more drama at this brother’s house than I would really like to be involved with.

Sunday was the best night of the weekend though.  Adam invited to the shamrock to watch the RSL vs. LA Galaxy game.  What an awesome friend Adam is – he very nicely set me up with Trevor aka Ashton Kutcher.  Nice!  We stayed up until 3 am talking.  He is incredibly intelligent and mature.  Loved it… What a great way to start off my monday morning and the week!

Will has invited me to a concert up in Denver this coming Friday – but I’m not sure that I really want to go.  Savoy is playing in Denver on Friday – and I would rather go see that.  Still waiting to see if Kev will have money so he can go.

Oh yeah – I almost forgot – Giannetto stopped by to pick up his vet money.  We have been interacting more and more.  It gives me hope that post-breakup friendships can be good.

I took today off from work, and I LOVE IT when I can just start my day off relaxed.  I have a lot to do today – but I’m not feeling rushed.

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