Tribe Report

'Martin de Vore'

Tales From the Darkside

Print 2/25/06

How dark? How about Mars Black or Peach Black or Ivory Black? Not dark enough? How about a Stygian darkness? Better? Good. Dark for dark business.

This past week was not a good week for me. I was in pain. Emotional and physical. Frankly, I didn't give a rat's ass about writing this frackin' Tribe Report during that time so that's why it's a week late. Sorry. A big part of my life was taken from me and won't be coming back. While coping with that fact, other dark thoughts also began to creep into my psyche. For example, thoughts about art, our tribal universe and everything. And the answer was not 42! But first....

Thank You

To those of you who wrote to offer your condolences on the death of my cat, Gozer, who passed away last Tuesday, Feb. 21, at the age of 21 years and 4 months, thank you. Gozer was my child. Gozer arrived in my life five years before I got married and was with me three years after that marriage was kaput. For more than two decades, she never betrayed me, hurt me or tried to represent herself as something she was not and she was always glad to see me when I returned home from wherever I had been. That's rare these days. I would also like to thank those of you who checked on my welfare by calling friends of mine and my workplace to see how I was doing without contacting me directly. I appreciate your concern. Truly. Thank you all. But now, it's time I returned to the land of the living.

It's YOUR Art

These thoughts are really nothing new. I've even discussed them at times with Sorange, Lacey, Michael-Ann, Mitch, Laura, Maranda, Matt and many others over the past few months. But, today, I'm putting a few of these thoughts down in written form in a public forum. You may read them and agree. You may read them and disagree. But what you think should be YOUR opinion and that's the important part of what this particular diatribe (my opinion) is all about.

Lately, I've been hearing from artists from our various tribes about how they are "supposed to like this artist" or "supposed to think this type of art is great." I have personally heard from artists who have been told "to change your artistic vision" (in order to please the myopic vision of whoever it was that told them that I guess). Why should the artists change their vision? They are the artists creating the work. If they change their art to accommodate the opinion of others, then it's not their vision. It's not their creation. It's not their art. I have even heard from artists that were told that they should sign their name a certain way. Hello? That is totally fracked. It's caca.

An artist should paint, draw, sculpt or otherwise create what THEY feel. Not what some pinhead tells them they should do. Oh, but what if that pinhead is a gallery owner or art critic or someone of importance (self-proclaimed or designated) in the art world? BFD. So what. It's that person's opinion. And if you take a close look at art history for the last 500 years -- and it really doesn't matter which era you talk about -- history has vindicated the artists who stayed true to their own vision and created art on their own terms. Those who based their artistic efforts on the popular prevailing views of the critics, gallery owners or collectors of their day are submerged in the morass of mediocrity at best or oblivion at worst. Those who followed their own vision or passion are the ones who we remember. That's the art that has stood, or is still standing, the test of time.

So, what I am saying to all my fellow artists is this: YOU are the artist. It's YOUR work. It's YOUR passion, heart and soul that YOU are putting into YOUR art. Do it the way that YOU feel YOU should do it -- not what someone else thinks.

Fire Sale

My life has become really convoluted lately. Many changes in a short period of time. Change predicates change. So, I have decided that two months from now when my lease expires, I will be somewhere else. Who knows? I might be living next door to you in The Heights or Montrose. I might go back to New Mexico. I might just decide to vanish. I honestly don't know. In the meantime, I have decided to simplify my life by disposing of lots of my personal effects and collections and just keeping absolute necessities. When I moved here from New Mexico in 1987, Everything I brought with me fit into one Toyota truck. Now, compared to that time, I feel like a department store. So, among the stuff I am selling off are a leather love seat, recliner, bookcases, Halloween decorations, and original art including a Peter Max mixed media original (signed by Peter Max both on the painting and on the back in Sharpie where he also drew my picture -- I'll include the photo of him handing me the painting), original serigraphs by New Mexico artist Michelle Cook and Austin artist Teresa Farr and various other odds and ends. The quicker the sale, the more likely I am to negotiate on price. If any of this interests you, e-mail me at: mldevore@houston.rr.com

Alex Daniyel Art Show

Winter Street Studios was the scene of the Alex Daniyel Art Show on Saturday night, Feb. 25. The show benefitted the Periwinkle Foundation and Texas Children's Cancer Center "Making A Mark" program. The crowds were strong throughout the evening. The art was abundant and displayed well in Winter Street's upstairs gallery. Several of our tribe members had art on display including John Mercado, Kurt Beswick and Amy Ferrari. Among tribe members attending, the only one that I really had a chance to visit with was Lacey Crawford and that was for just a few minutes. As I mentioned, there were many pieces of art to look at. My favorites of the evening included: Canna Lillies by Albert Zengoorian-Ward; Delta Vortex by Ron Gordon; El Flor by Lisa Uihlein; Dancing Trees by John Mercado; Benthic by Kurt Benswick; Self Reflection by Paul Looney; and Brandon Lee's paintings -- Plight Forgotten, The Shy Princess and Himba Mother & Child. Winter Street Studios is located at 2101 Winter Street in Houston. For more information, call (713) 862-0082 or visit their Web site at www.winterstreetstudios.com

Sculpture & Verse: A Collaboration Between Friends

After the Alex Daniyel Art Show at Winter Street, I headed over to The Studio Gallery in The Heights to see Sculpture & Verse: A Collaboration Between Friends by Gene Knaack and Mike Carter (1949-2005). This show was a collaboration between a sculptor and poet. At the time that the show was scheduled, each artist planned to perform/display his work; however, since then, the poet Mike Carter unexpectedly passed away. His friend Gene Knaack is continuing with the exhibit in Mike's honor. Some of Gene's sculptures are a response the Mike's poetry. Mike's poems are also on display for reading. There was a lot that made me smile here and a few that were of a more serious nature. My favorites were: Holy Rollers, Depraved at Starbucks, Bad Habit Breaker and We Honor the Dead. As with all shows at Marie's Weichman's place, there was good food and refreshments. Chloe the Wonder Dog put in an appearance and tribe members that I got to visit with in person included Mitch, Carolyn, Max, Michael-Ann, Marie and Sparky. The Studio Gallery is located at 613 1/2 W. 19th Street, (behind Heights Glass). For more information, or to make an appointment to see Sculpture & Verse: A Collaboration Between Friends, call (713) 869-2551 or visit the Web site at www.mwstudiogallery.com

Overlord Mitch's Wednesday Night Bacchanalian Frenzy

Mitch Cohen, Overlord of the Artists-At-Large Tribe (and a few other empires ascendant) has decided that he enjoyed the clenched-fist salutes and adulation at his last Onion Creek event so much that he wants to have another "Wednesday Night Bacchanalian Frenzy" on Wednesday, March 1, again at Onion Creek, around 6 p.m. If you would like to give Mitch a salute, and visit with us -- his loyal artistic minions -- we would love to see you! Onion Creek is located at 3106 White Oak Blvd.

Yale Street Arts Market

Well, change continues. This Saturday, March 4, the Yale Street Arts Market moves to its new location at 548 West 19th Street on the Wind Water Gallery parking lot. See you there. Thermy, bring extra water. That asphalt might turn into a broiler by the end of the day.

Empty Bowls

Empty Bowls will also be held March 4, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., at both the Lawndale Art Center and Houston Center for Contemporary Craft. 11 to 4 p.m. or until soup runs out. For a minimum $20 donation, diners will receive a simple lunch of soup freshly prepared by the Houston Food Bank Community Kitchen, along with bread and water, and then have the pleasure of selecting a bowl from hundreds of one-of-a-kind, hand-crafted bowls donated by Houston area ceramists and craft artists. The empty bowls will serve as a reminder of all the empty bowls in our community and around the world. Original works of art created by some of Houston’s best-known artists will also be available via silent auction. For more information, see Marie Weichman's Web site at www.mwstudiogallery.com. The Contemporary Craft Museum is located at 4848 Main St and Lawndale Art Center is located at 4912 Main Street.

Mother Earth

Sippora sans Martin? I can't believe it! I will actually have to miss a Sippora show opening. In this case, it's Mother Earth on Friday, March 10. I will be at Cirque du Soleil that night. Sorry, Amy. Still, you all know by now what killer shows that Amy puts on at Sippora. This one should be no different. Be sure to compliment John Mercado on his pastels. He likes it when you do! Besides John, other artists in Mother Earth include Salli Babbitt, Crystal Owens, Azar Halabi-Fisher, and Christopher Turnbow. The show Ends March 31. Amy says that Mother Earth is a modern and abstract twist on everyday earthy and organic subject matter such as landscapes, sunsets, and bonsai.

Then, on Saturday, April 8, mark your calendars for "ZOLAR: Interpretation of Dreams and Visions" opens featuring the work of: Tim D. Snider, Missy Gentile, David Dubois, Regina Sherman, and Sat Kartar S.K. Khalsa. Sippora Gallery is located at 234 West Gray, between Montrose and Downtown Houston. For more information, call Amy at (713) 520-1085 or visit the Web site at www.sippora.com

Despejo

Despejo kicks off at M2 Gallery on Friday, March 10. This will be another event that you won't see me at due to my being at Cirque du Soleil. Despejo is part of FotoFest 2006. The reception takes place from 7 p.m. through midnight and kicks off the month-long exhibit which is is all about the power of the lens. Works by Houston’s own Cris Rosas, Sergio Santos and Matt Adams along with photographers from across the country will be on view. For more information, call (713) 861-6070 or visit the M2 Web site at www.m2-houston.com M2 is located at 325 W. 19th in The Heights.

Coda

Remember, I no longer own a Ouija Board so if you have a show or event coming up that you want me to mention you have to send it to me. So, e-mail me at: mldevore@houston.rr.com

That's it for now.

Until then, keep creating art, viewing art, buying art and supporting your fellow artists of all tribes.

Martin L. de Vore is an artist and journalist living in Humble, TX. Mr. de Vore is a member of the Artists At Large and Post-Diversionist tribes and isn't enjoying too much of anything at the moment as he writes this.

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