WE ARE ALL VICTIMS OF THE MEDIA MADMEN...By Robert L. Huffstutter

WE ARE ALL VICTIMS OF THE MEDIA MADMEN...By Robert L. Huffstutter
Originally uploaded by roberthuffstutter

IT'S TOO LATE TO LOOK FOR VAN GOGH'S EAR...

By Robert L. Huffstutter

You know it's time to start painting again when you begin seeing images with black lines around them, waiting for you to add color to make them complete.

Is it a primal desire or only a wish we were young enough to get out the crayons and start in on an already created image in outline form of a mouse or a pirate, making the hat a solid purple and the mouse a bright pink instead of the standard dull gray or brown? Yes.

Yes to all of the questions about art. Art is part of our primordial psyche. If we were created in the image of our Creator, is it not only natural for us to want to create an image of something our Creator created?

There, now that I have explained and outlined the complete history of portrait painting, landscape painting, nature painting and other related scapes, there will be someone who will ask about cartoons or religious scapes.

That's the way it was in Art 101 then...and it remains the same today. Professor Knowitall, where do cartoons fit into this concise little Judeao-Christian history of art you are disseminating?

"Shut up and go sit at the back of the class," I might think, but of course I won't. It is a legitimate question that can be answered with brevity. "It is called humor, Aaron, okay? You know, you probably watched enough cartoons on Saturday mornings between the ages of two to twelve, however, that you might have used up all your humor."

Not a good thing to say to anyone, really, but do we ever run out of humor? Can we laugh too much? As I ponder this question, I look at the headlines and realize in an instant that we are living in a time that will not be remembered as the "laughing generation." And that's too bad. Bombs are not funny; wars are not funny.

Crimes are absent of all humor. Maybe we need to turn off the television and laugh at more "knock-knock" jokes.

I am a victim of my own mind as long as I listen to CNN, FOX, ABC, CBS and ABC, absorbing too much of the world around me in one cable or news broadcast after another, repeated time and again throughout a 24 hour period.

I should have been born in the mid 1800s, lived on the left bank and been a friend of Vincent Van Gogh. But he was rumored to have been a madman, so art might not be the subject to study afterall.

NYC: Vietnam War Protest - Found Photo

NYC: Vietnam War Protest - Found Photo
Originally uploaded by High Steel Heels

This photograph brings back a lot of memories. It reminds me how this nation became angry and divided; it reminds me of the ideologies that were created specifically from demonstrations of this nature. It reminds me of those who did not want to serve; it reminds me of those who did serve and lost their lives. It reminds me of some of the leaders who are in charge of our policies in government today, advisors to our President. It is also a photo that reminds me of time when Americans in the homeland had almost unlimited freedom in the choice of their lifestyles, their personal habits and the autos they drove.

...it reminds me of the stupidity of men like Robert Strange McNamar, now deceased. And it reminds me of men like Lyndon Baynes Johnson, a President who kept our aviators from flying missions that would have won this war for democracy. But Lyndon wanted to make the war political, playing games with Mao, and Lyndon wanted to become the big guy who planned each bombing missions. Ask the vets from Viet Nam what they think about these two men...

Thanks to High Steel Heels for this great reminder. NYC: Vietnam War Protest - Found Photo

Uploaded by High Steel Heels on 25 Apr 09, 10.21AM PDT.

PLACES TO CONTEMPLATE NEW WORKS OF ART

When all is said and done, it require a few memories of different places in order to come up with some subject matter for paintings of an impressionistic genre.

Casa Deo Bepi Sua Door

Casa Deo Bepi Sua Door
Originally uploaded by donnacorless

ONE OF THE MOST UPBEAT STOREFRONTS I HAVE SEEN IN MY LIFETIME. TAKE A LOOK AT THE PHOTOGRAPHS BY DONNACORLSESS FOR VISUAL ENJOYMENT AND APPRECIATION.
_____________________________________________________

Casa Deo Bepi Sua Door
Casa Deo Bepi Sua Door. Colorful house in Burano, Italy painted in geometric patterns. Color photography by Donna Corless.

Prints and notecards are available for purchase from my site at PhotosAndArt.com from the Italy in Color Gallery.

Uploaded by donnacorless on 13 Aug 07, 7.35AM PDT.

MY ARRIVAL IN VENICE BEACH 1960

I had a dream last night about the Gashouse in Venice. I had just drifted into Venice via the transit from the Union Station downtown Los Angeles. It was around 5:30 in the afternoon. My train from Kansas City had arrived at eight in the morning and yes, it had taken all damned day to get connections. When one is just-turned 18 and in the big city for the second time, one gets confused as hell. I did. Anyway, I had spent the previous summer, the summer of 1959, goofing off while staying with my Aunt Marietta and her daughter and family. More about that later.

So I am walking down the hill toward Venice carrying these two heavier-than-hell suitcases. I said to myself, "why lug these ______ers all around?" I found a shop of some type run by a little elderly lady and asked if I could park my luggage in her shop until I met my friends down in Venice. She looked puzzled and for a moment I felt as though she would refuse. Fine, no problem. Off I went down the hill to find my friends. Friends? Hell, all of my friends were in nowheresville. Did I actually think I would magically run into Paul, Gary, Sue, Tom or Sherry? They do not make names like that anymore.

Well, by seven o'clock I had met some new friends. I really looked young and innocent then. Yes, looking back at my photos, I understand how many more friends I could have made had I been just a trifle more gregarious. The more wine I drank, however, the more gregarious I became. And when I switched to Smirnoff, I became a different guy altogether, without a care or worry about anything. Such was life that first evening of my return.

No, I did not get my suitcases until the next morning. I barely recall the events of the evening, but I was just damned glad to be in California on the golden shores where all the beautiful were. Would I, could I become a beautiful person in time? Did I really give a hoot? Well, in a way, but I was more interested in writing poetry, enjoying some intimate times, drinking more alcohol, writing more poems about the intimate times, having more and more intimate times and drinking even more vodka. More about life in Venice later.

LAGUNA BEACH

LAGUNA BEACH
Originally uploaded by roberthuffstutter

ONE OF MY FAVORITE PHOTOS OF LAGUNA BEACH, CALIFORNIA

Las Vegas Vintage Postcard3

Las Vegas Vintage Postcard3
Originally uploaded by sueism1

ONE OF MY ALL-TIME FAVORITES...I could write a book about how many times I flew to Las Vegas from either Las Angeles or Kansas City just to hear this guy say "howdy partner." Yes, once I heard this tall neon cowboy say these two magic words, I knew I could go into any of the casinos and win a fortune. My dream was to win enough money to buy a brand new Buick to drive back to Kansas City. It happened. My wife was not that impressed, but more than a trifle upset about my unscheduled flight to Las Vegas on Continental's "redeye" non-stop, a trip I made more than a few times after sitting around in the River Quai (Key) area listening to all of the tales about winning bushels of Morgan silver dollars.

Yes, many stories. And thanks for the suggestion. I do have many stories about Las Vegas. I was there twice when all of the lights went out in town and one time, while playing roulette at the Stardust, I picked red to win, bet on it with various amounts from $5 to $100 per roll and saw red come in 44 consecutive times. I won a good amount of money and drove out of town in a new Buick. That was in the mid-60s. Stories abound. I am only thankful for still being around when so many times I could have been gone in a moment.

THANKS TO SUEISM1 FLICKR PHOTOSTREAM FOR THIS IMAGE
Las Vegas Vintage Postcard3

Uploaded by sueism1 on 10 Feb 10, 1.09PM PDT.

Decatur, IL Neon Shoes

Decatur, IL Neon Shoes
Originally uploaded by pobrecito33

ONE OF MY ALL TIME FAVORITE NEON SIGNS...

Decatur, IL Neon Shoes
Decatur, IL: Looking south...Classic neon sign for Raupp's Florsheim Shoes on Water St. in downtown Decatur.

Uploaded by pobrecito33 on 19 Nov 09, 4.19PM PDT.

Indianapolis Rail

Indianapolis Rail
Originally uploaded by mheidelberger2000

ONE OF MY FAVORITE BLACK AND WHITE PHOTOGRAPHS. IT'S A MASTERPIECE...

Indianapolis Rail
Cars loaded with coke on the Near eastside, Indianapolis, IN...

This shot is featured in my Indianapolis oriented blog:
The Heidelberger Papers

Uploaded by mheidelberger2000 on 12 Feb 09, 5.52PM PDT.