"We have to fight for the Muppets"

Here's the latest project. It's coming along. I need a welder. The machine, not a person who welds. Although, since I'm not prepared to buy a machine, and don't have the space to weld in, a person who welds may be a good place to start. This piece needs a few welds for it to realize it's potential.
Yesterday I heard the words "We have to fight for the Muppets" come out of her mouth. This struck loud chords deep within me. Lately, regardless of my circumstances I feel like that is what I am supposed to do. Not actual combat with anything outside of myself. But, I feel it is crucial to my development that I can move past interior obstacle like fear, and anger, resentment, self pity, and confusion in ways that matter. My ideas matter. It's useless to have ideas that I don't put into action. So here's phase 1 of this idea. It is truly a small beginning. I have plans to develop this form, (the legless, squarish, winged light being), into much larger versions of itself. I would like to make these accessable to the public. I feel like they are a start for me in a direction that can improve the quality of whatever space they are installed in.
This is where the muppets come in. There is something so pure, and loving, and fun, and humerous about them to me. They are an inspiration. I want to somehow make things that fearlessly put themselves out to people in a way that makes them feel like love really does exist everywhere, and is funny.
Large scale sculptures that inspire people of all ages to play with eachother like kids, or muppets is what I'm working towards. There are a lot of practical business moves that I'm researching, and trying to iron out. Untill then, I'm working out the fundamental designs at home with paper and wire, and these cobble stones that I wrapped metal bands around a few years ago.
The pictures above are the top and bottom of a floor lamp idea. I need to weld a pipe in between them so that it can stand anywhere.

value

what determines art value? how do i let it be known that my work has value? i mean real dollar value. people can theorize all day about the role of the artist is to..............blah, blah, yeah. how does that become something that people are wanting to part with their hard earned money for? what is better about paying me for something they can't buy somewhere else?
this is what i am determined to figure out. i've got new work, i'm not going to post it yet. right now i want to know what it does for someone else to see it. why do you care? what's it worth to you?

answers would be greatly appreciated. i've been confronted with so much talk lately about "our bad economy", "art is a luxury", "need to do something more practical." i'm not going for it. everything i make creatively is proof that it's not a luxury for me. i don't do it just for myself. i want to share my living moments with others. the times when i'm not shut down, or scared of the future, or stuck trying to make somebody else money for a measly portion of their profit per hour. these works are pure. they are done as a direct result of my being free and alive in this studio apartment, in this town, on this day, in this country. instead of any other activity that i could have chosen to do, i made something. it, as well as all of my other work, is available for a fair price.

i buy music, and i buy flowers these days. they are worth it to me. they improve the quality of my life temporarily, they make the rooms where i spend my time better. they help me to feel alive and inspired. i wouldn't give them up for any economy. if i didn't have so much of my own work around, i would have to buy something to go on the walls. i would not be satisfied with some generic stuff just to take up space. that's me. i know other people are the same way, just look at all the great t-shirts available, and seen walking around every town. people like to express their individuality in cool ways. i want to sell those people something to hang on their walls that will make them feel better about their lives. i know how corny that may sound. the truth is like that.

this is like a muppet experience i try and sell myself

This is one of my more recent works. It's rediculous. I like it. Ths message snuck up on me, and has been near impossible for me to shake. "We all fit". Why does my mind disagree? Somedays all day I seem to be trying to convince myself that everything is exactly as it is supposed to be. Everyone is doing exactly what they are supposed to. It seems like this should be obvious. Still I can sell myself on the idea that if somebody else did something different than what they are currently doing I would be happy, or at least more at ease. I turn this beast on myself more than anybody else. If I were somewhere else, doing something other than what I am doing right now I'll tell myself that then, under those circumstances I'd feel better.

The truth seems to me that if I can not accept myself right now under the present circumstances, then I probably won't have any more success accepting some alternate version of myself living under different circumstances. Same goes for my comfort levels with other people. We all are sharing this planet, town, room, parking lot, road, whatever.......All versions of these experiences are real. I live with them. If I can find peace with that right now, here, I feel that I might be OK.

jiggernaught sketch

first part done!

warrior angels

http://www.encorepub.com/read_articles.php?r=read&cat_id=37&section_id=3

that link will take you to an article about a show that opens tonight. Friday May 22. These images are for a project that Quinn and I are working on.

I'm about to get started on spacechimp drawings for a project with Cow.

Collaboration is where it's at for me right now.

straight line, spaceman, wave and circle

i am suspicious of this piece. it is coming together too easily. i like everything i do with it. it's probably best that i keep it at home for awhile. see what it wants to do.

blue face paint

this past week i followed through on an idea i've had for a while. i thought i might feel better with blue face paint in times of uncertainty. without a doubt it helped. i took some pictures, i drank coffee, i read helpful things, somehow i know having the facepaint on this week helped get from having a lot of fear about my current life situations to having the courage to take some unusual actions for me, and right now i feel confident enough to do exactly what i think i'm supposed to.