Reflection, 'Fearfull Self vs. Hopefull Self'.

In life, try avoid looking back and exclaiming: "Who's there?!"; do this by facing your fears.  Try rather, asking yourself instead: "Who am I?"

Swim with Mondrian  C.T.Rasmuss, acrylic (2007).

                           AND..

"When you have something to say, to express, any submission becomes unbearable in the long run. One must have the courage of one’s vocation and the courage to make a living from one’s vocation."
     -Pablo Picasso

So I now say: go out there and show the world what you have inside you, waiting to be discovered, and whatever you do, remember..."Don't be afraid"!

C.T.Rasmuss

w Rasmu

Spend the End w/ Son_Art_A; 2012 - 'It's Goorilla Artfare III' @ Midnight, Dec. 21st..

2012, It's Goorilla Artfare I , India ink (2012).

2012-It's Goorilla Artfare II, India ink (2012).


Are the Mayan's right, is this it, what if it were???

Well...with the end of days happening this Friday, Son_Art_A is still taking chances; Join T_Paine, Pop.Calypse, & Red Rodney as they bring in the end with a blast(of paint/spoken word that is).Pop. is performing his would-be obituary at the nearest White Castle, where we will debrief; T-Paine performs 2012-It's Goorilla Artfare III, to spoken word provided by Red Rodney, come out and be a part of this Happening, it could be the last!!!

Where-  Mayan Mexican Restaurant of Cincinnati, Parking Lot:

    click here->Map to Mayan Mexican Restaurant.<-

When-   Friday, Dec. 21st @ Midnight.

How-     In style!!! 

Why-     Cause they can. 

**White Castle location/details for debriefing will be provided at Happening..

                           Art.Or.Die.  -Pop.Calypse

Updated as of 1/23/15: 

Today we are still here and Son_Art_A is back!  Bigger and better than ever, see my comment below for further detail and for sure check out our latest footage: of Fred Tarr, previously known as Red Rodney, singing Opera outside a United Dairy Farmer - convenient store:

->click here to view Live footage of Operatic performance at a local UDF

M. C. Escher, Moorish Artists of the Alhambra & Jung's 'Collective Unconscious'.

M. C. Escher, Periodic Space Filling, Utrecht, 1958:

"...periodic drawings are not merely a nervous tic, a habit, or a hobby.  They are not subjective; they are objective.  And I cannot accept, with the best will in the world, that something so obvious and ready to hand as the giving of recognizable form, meaning, function, and purpose to figures that fill each other out, should never have come into the head of any other man but me.  For once one has crossed over the threshold of the early stages this activity takes on more worth than any other form of decorative art. 
    Long before I discovered a relationship with regular space division through the Moorish artists of the Alhambra, I had already recognized it in myself. . . later the designing of new motifs gradually came with rather less struggle than in the early days.."

                  -The Magic Mirror of M.C. Escher  Bruno Ernst, Taschen (2007); pg. 45.

Above images, taken from Alhambra Palace in Spain.

Perhaps all artists encounter such a thought now and then, I know I have, and in this particular passage from Escher, I would like to particularly focus on, "...I had already recognized in myself.."

both images, by M.C. Escher.

                                                                           
This seems to be the perfect example of Carl Jung's Collective unconscious at work; a prominent Dutch artist of the 20th century, Escher's unique Periodic Space Filling method drawn from the same well perhaps.  The same well from which Moorish artists who decorated the Alhambra Palace in the 10th century, 1000 years before Escher was even conceived, and yet, without ever being introduced to these ancient motifs til after his own artistic discovery; Escher was able to produce them on his own in Northern Europe.

We can draw our own conclusions from this, but what's the best way to explain the phenomenon?  Where from, how and why does it seem that we all inherit very similar archetypes, and without ever having to see them physically? if so, where are they hidden?

I tend to agree with Jung, in that they are stored in our subconscious, and perhaps a shared subconscious(Collective unconscious), one in which we all draw from the same "well of life"..

'Ode to Vincent Van Gogh', Day 20 by C.T. Rasmuss

25 Post-it Paintings  C.T.Rasmuss, India ink (Dec. 2012).

I recently discovered that an inner circle exists in the WAR ON IDLENESS, thanks to being part of a group called, Son-Art-A within the group, CREATIVA; in which I was able to create much more that (Saturday) night, as opposed to than just being on my own as, C.T. Rasmuss.

To me it's proof that together we are far more prosperous than on our own as in isolation..granted, I create some of my most satisfying work on my own, but I also believe it's important to be part of something bigger than just yourself, as in the words of Steinbeck's Tom Joad(Grapes of Wrath):

"Well, maybe it's like Casy says. A fellow ain't got a soul of his own, just little piece of a big soul, the one big soul that belongs to everybody..."

During this great event last Saturday night I was able to finish over 50 studies compared to just the 1 finished work I normally plan on(via Live Action Painting).  And if you actually count the number of paintings 'posted' above; you'll end up with 27, but I'm only counting 25 because two of them are technically play on words, rather than actual paintings.

May the public decide for themselves on this one, for I am comfortable in my decision of adding these 25 miniature works of art to the 100; as they took over 4 hours in duration & are by the least, 'finished' studies at that.  

Art is art and I am content with the outcome, as you can quote me in my original blog on this subject, seen below:

"...and after 30 days whether I have 100 masterpieces or just 100 studies, it's the experience that's most     important to me here.."

Ode to Vincent Van Gogh '100 Paintings in 30 Days' by C.T. Rasmuss

                    ***Original blog on Nov. 22nd, Ode to Vincent Van Gogh, Day 1 of 30 by C.T. Rasmuss

Son_Art_A performs: '2012 - It's Goorilla Artfare II' Friday, Dec. 14th @ Midnight

                               2012 - It's Goorilla Artfare  C.T.Rasmuss, India ink on pillowcase (Dec. 2012).




                              Son_Art_A Sponsored Operation: 
                 
                                 2012 - It's Goorilla Artfare II, 
                 
                             this Friday, Dec. 14th @ Midnight!!!

Come join T_Paine, Pop.Calypse, Red Rodney, and

it's newest spectator, GriT as they perform; be a part of 

'Modern Artfare' with us, exercise your freedom of speech/expression on our next mission!

Jungle Jim's parking lot: 5440 Dixie Highway, Fairfield, OH 45014

click here to view location/directions.

Tonight! Son_Art_A Performs, "Art not War"

"Labels of Mass Communication"

by

Son_Art_A

Click here for directives

Walt Disney's Space Mountain, from Art to Reality; Could I do the Same??

I created the above ceramic piece out of a single slab of left over clay, about 12" in diameter; after finishing the sculpture I felt that it needed to be larger somehow.  Perhaps by way of a public work! "if I'm so lucky"...

Well, an artist by the name of Marijan Gusar posts artwork/information by famous artists on his artist page, in memory of their birthdays/artwork.  This has in return inspired me to do a search earlier today;
"Who's birthday it might be today", and the most familiar artist I could find was no other than
Walt Disney, lol..

I thought to myself "how can I relate to Walt Disney??" and it was easy..after some thought of course:

1st.   I was born in L.A., where I've re-visited a few times since leaving at the age of 2.
2nd.  I spotted a drawing for Space Mountain, and remembered it from the times I went to Disneyland; the monorail and all that stuff - no doubt that the drawing is a form of art, and on January 15th, 1975 it became a full scale reality.

Sketch for Disney's Space Mountain.

                                                                         
This in turn has led me to 'believe' that my sculpture could one day become a Gallery, to display artwork in it, a set-up sorta like the Guggenheim(as seen below).

Guggenheim Museum, New York.

I would of course dedicate it to Piet Mondrian and the De Stijl movement, which my sculpture is originally modeled after; whatever the case may be..

Happy Birthday Walt Disney!!!

(And thank you again for inspiring, "the possibility of turning our dreams into a reality")

Photograph of the 'actual' Space Mountain in Disneyland.

'White Castle Sonata III' with Son_Art_A, this Friday at Midnight.

Animee Circular   C.T.Rasmuss, India ink/Chinese watercolor (Nov. 2012).


Come out and Join T-Paine, Pop.Calypse, and Red Rodney, help support a 'Live' effort to exercise free speech/expression in this parking lot on December 7th at Midnight, runs til a quarter after; sponsored by Son_Art_A!
White Castle: Springfld Pk & Kemper Rd, Cincinnati, OH 45246

Afterwards we'll go inside for burgers/coffee, and some more fun/readings!!!

Somethin to do afterward for all those visiting; Essex Studios this weekend which ends at 11pm. on Friday; or for any one attending "Fill the Truck"/Auction at Frame USA (7-9:30pm.)

Benefiting, healingcenter-Cincinnati:

http://fillthetruck.org/winteraid.html


donated artworks below by C.T. Rasmuss; to live/silent auction:

Himalyan Sun  C.T.Rasmuss, permanent marker (2012).

White Castle Sonata II  C.T.Rasmuss, India ink (2012).

Son_Art_A is a Go at Midnight!

White Castle Sonata I  C.T Rasmuss, India ink performance (2012).


Son_Art_A- Sonata/Art:  

A small movement of assembled artists,

-PoP.calypse, November of 2012.

Click here to follow Son_Art_A

Tonight at midnight Son_Art_A launches its Facebook page, a meeting place for artists from all backgrounds; a page to post Guerrilla Style Art Performances by Son_Art_A.  Founding creators are:

T-Paine-Pop.Calypse-Red Rodney.

Everyone & anyone are encouraged to participate, share similar artistic experiences, show up to performances or just comment whenever possible; the creators of this project have met for the last 4 years at Creativa, a Creative organization based out of Cincinnati, OH., founded by Randy Bell. 

click here for Link to Creativa

Watch a performance by Pop.Calypse below:

                                                            Pop.Calypse performs at White Castle, Nov. 2012.

Son_Art_A has been formed by these 3 artists with a mission:

To inject Art into the crevices of society by way of 15 minute performances(Hit and Run style),we will venture into the places which are out of the realm of 'regular operating' Gallery spaces, dare not go!..!..!

**Link to Son_Art_A will be posted here at midnight tonight, Dec 1st-2nd.

Carpe Diem!!!

...Follow the Multi-Colored Path..written by Gale Stevenson

In The Distant..   C.T.Rasmuss, India ink/gouache (2010).


Time for me to follow the multi-colored path to my room,
and see if I can locate the stars in this starry-starry night sky.
                                       -Gale Stevenson

On Tuesday night I edited a previous blog called Artist Melting Pot, in reflection of a swell musical performance earlier that evening(link found below); tonight I am blogging about the above photo in which Gale Stevenson wrote these accompanying words for, just last night.

I really appreciate her doing it, how my painting was able to encourage such words, and in turn encouraging me and other people that my painting alone wouldn't otherwise be able to reach. 

 I thinks it's a real example of an artist's Artist Melting Pot, in action!  Not only does it have a title, but an Identity now...Thank you Gale for 'pouring' into the 'Melting Pot' haha!  

Sweet Dreams to you too!!

click here to view "Artist Melting Pot"

'Ode to Vincent Van Gogh'; Day 5 by C.T.Rasmuss

Fish Jump Too, 14 of 100   C.T.Rasmuss, India ink (2012).

Concentric Daisies, 15 of 100   C.T.Rasmuss, India ink (2012).

Quixote in The Orient, 16 of 100   C.T.Rasmuss, India ink (2012).

Kevin Loughran Whew!! Your Marathon is Gathering Pace, Chad!! I am reminded of a quote by Picasso... "There IS Inspiration Out There, but It has to Find Us Working." You are Certainly Working Hard, and I'm Sure that Some Ace Pics will be Seen... :)

11 hours ago · Unlike · 1

Thanks again Kevin for the boost in spirit! 

 I hope your right, lol!...I find it ironic how you mention Picasso, because coincidentally I focused on his style in preparation for the above works that I did just last night(w/ India ink).

As a framer last year, I worked on some prints of his, some minimalist/iconic ink drawings he did; I've always wanted to try it(as minimalism is on the other-side of the spectrum, challenging for me).

I have a similar interest in prints from the East like Van Gogh did; he was a Western pioneer in his interest however, 

but still!  I think Picasso brings an interesting twist to "Ode to Vincent Van Gogh"; 100 in 30 Days..

as Picasso was 'A Terrorist on Idleness'!!!

'Ode to Vincent Van Gogh' Day 4 by C.T.Rasmuss

Indigo Blossoms, 9 of 100  C.T.Rasmuss, India ink (2012).

Ode to Donald "Wayne" Cadwallader, 11 of  100  C.T.Rasmuss India ink (2012).

I pour some freshly brewed coffee in preparation for another extended night of painting; I think to myself about how it's already 7 pm, and I'm just now ready to start on my work.. 

"Well I did wake up late", due to a long night last night after completing the above pieces and two others, rounding out 12 pieces in 3 days...I'm partially filled with regret on one hand how I'm always starting late, and filled with anxiety on the other Wondering "How will I ever finish this?"

One thing that quickly enters my thoughts is, "People do this all the time don't they?? people who do production, commercial art, or have to fill such quotas"; I personally don't take part in any such work, so my experience is nil with that sorta thing..."This is different I convince myself!!"  

"I'm doing it for a sense of purpose!"

A War on Idleness, it's my Ode to Vincent Van Gogh, and only after this, am I ready to once again attack the stillness of  the night with a confidence that's required to fulfill the Quest..

                  

'Ode to Vincent Van Gogh', Day 2 by C.T.Rasmuss

4 of 100 in 30 Days  C.T.Rasmuss, India ink (Nov. 22, 2012).

        Well, it's Day 2 of 30 in which I will attempt to reach 100 paintings, as a tribute to Van Gogh's proliferation in his God-given talent.  The above painting was number 4 out of the five I was able to finish yesterday, as part of Day 1; it's a mere "5 X "7, a piece of foam core I had

- something I could afford at the time of purchase(discounted due to bent corners/and I had cut down for better efficiency).

I used only India ink yesterday, and learned many things from just this piece alone(tones of purple/gray particularly in this case), surely to be re-evaluated after the 30 days is up; this is just one battle out of a hundred on my War on Idleness!

Now it's back to work!!

Ode to Vincent Van Gogh: '100 Paintings in 30 Days' by C.T.Rasmuss

Pews & Hues  C.T.Rasmuss, permanent marker on canvas (2012).

Well I looked and I looked and couldn't find what I was looking for; I've heard that Van Gogh worked on something like 100 paintings in Paris before his death...there are all kinds of numbers and days that they took place in, but I'm not concerned with all that really.   

I, like many others happen to be fascinated with this artist's dedication through out his short life.  Not to take away from other prolific artists who lived short lives such as Seurat who only lived to be 31, but there's just something about Van Gogh's story I'm particularly drawn to.

In light of whatever the truth may be, I've decided to attempt 100 Paintings in 30 Days, paying respect to Vincent's commitment to something he could hardly understand himself.  My goal isn't to reach a goal/quota, it's the whole idea of having a 'purpose', a vision and execution thereof; simply understanding an experience by experiencing it myself...and in my own way.

The drawing above has been around for awhile(about a year or so), I touched it up just the other day and it's what gave me this idea.  Today is the 2nd step in that process, to set it in motion; and after 30 days whether I have 100 masterpieces or just 100 studies, it's the experience that's most important to me here..

WISH ME LUCK!!!

'Confucius Says'..

Himalayan Sun  C.T.Rasmuss Permanent marker (2012).

Confucius says:

‘The wise find pleasure in waters, the virtuous in mountains’

And after my experience of drawing, Himalayan Sun today; may I add the following- to these wise words of Confucius..

C.T. Rasmuss says:

            

          "and enlightenment stretching out to the sun."

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hence! Confucius and C.T. Rasmuss together say:

"The wise find pleasure in waters, the virtuous in mountains, and  enlightenment stretching out to the sun."

'Walk the Line' by C.T. Rasmuss

Walk the Line  C.T. Rasmuss, watercolor/ink (2012).

It was a Saturday night, last night in fact and I was in the middle of watching Walk the Line; a movie based on Johnny Cash's autobiography, hence the title for the painting/drawing above.  I's about the 5th time I saw the movie, but the best experience of watching it yet; as I have come to better understand his struggles personally since 1st seeing it in 2005. 

I've been intrigued by his persona (The Man in Black) ever since I could remember, and after an hour into it last night I had an urge to accomplish something myself.  During a commercial I went into my closet and grabbed the 1st canvas or 'watercolor' paper I could get my hands on and ended up with this one, a piece that already had this watercolor on it; rather using the fresh back I instantly recalled saving it three years prior in hopes of returning to it.  

So I just started on the unfinished side, filling in what I could see with an ink pen to finish what I started; and sorta like how Cash and Mrs. Carter returned to each other in the end for a great/true ending - so did I with this artwork so to speak, lol!

After finalizing it. I then wondered what to title it.."Walk the Line"! hit me instantaneously, but I thought it would be too cliche...then just after studying it some more today, it came to me again.."Walk the Line"!!  

This time instead I noticed the idea of a wild/meandering line leading from the bottom left corner up to the heavens fading into the top right corner; with the sun position in the top left and our moon in the bottom right corner.  

And so you have it, my correspondence to 'Walking the line"!!!

Guerrilla Artfare at White Castle

Well We made it to White Castle at midnight on the button, we were out of there within 15 minutes; did some reading from Thomas Paine's Rights of Man (by Red Rodney & Pop.Calypse in the tradition of responsibly, exercising our rights to freedom of speech).

Here are some photos of what took place, more to come; including video poetry by Pop.Calypse inside White Castle over coffee.  Even though the turn out happened to be 'just we three', it did happen and we followed through:

White Castle parking lot

White Castle parking lot

White Castle Sonata II  C.T.Rasmuss, India ink performance (Nov. 17, 1012).

White Castle parking lot, trunk of car.

Next target happens on Dec. 7th at midnight..

Location to be determined 24 hours prior to SONArTA's next operation.

Guerrilla-Style-Artistic Performance at a White Castle by SONArTA.

White Castle Sonata, original  c.T.rasmuss, ink on scrap paper (2012).



Well small things such as a doodle on scrap paper, over coffee at a White Castle can lead to bigger and better things!  Just come out to the White Castle on MLK and see for your own eyes:

 WHITE CASTLE Restaurant; 3400 Central Parkway, Cincinnati, OH;
If you like Jazz, Freedom of Speech, Democracy, Live Action Painting or even the writings of 18th Century author/activist, Thomas Payne...Be in the parking lot of this White Castle at midnight on Friday, Nov. the 16th; where you will Find T-Paine, PoP.calypse and Red-Rodney continuing the story through a brief, harmless performance of Art/Spoken word..  


Join us in the name of art, and the freedoms that our great country still allows us to exorcise; our right to free speech and expression thereof!!! 



SONArTA- Sonata/Art:  

A small movement of assembled artists,

PoP.calypse (2012)

Huang Gongwang's 'Dwelling in the Fuchun Mountains' (Part 2of 2).

China Horizon  C.T.Rasmuss, India ink (2012).

Last Friday I blogged (Part 1of 2) and noted that I ran into bit of a problem using Huang Gongwang's 'Dwelling in the Fuchun Mountains' as a composition for my action painting performance at Creativa.  Well the performance went great resulting in 'White Castle Sonata' and the bonus is the resulting piece above: 

China Horizon; basically Gongwang's masterpiece below sparked this whole arrangement for me.

Well thanks Huang for the direction, if you ever get a chance to read this or see this piece (which is an entirely different story).  It is what it is....the whole premises for my piece; which starts with a single line in the hills continuing onto the right of the background.

Although this starting point is the only part I truly incorporated from Gongwang's masterpiece, I still couldn't have created it with out the help of an artist that lived nearly 800 years ago-on the other side of the world...

Small world after all, ey?....with plenty of inspiration I might add!!!

                          Dwelling in the Fuchun Mountains (1st half)  Huang Gongwang (1350).