Daily Keemo 05.29 - Engineer

Portrait Of The Engineer As Artist
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Some of the most interesting people I have met have been engineers. The engineering profession has to be one of the most under-rated jobs. No fan-fare, no hoopla. In case there is any confusion, here is what Wikipedia says about an engineer: "An engineer is a person who is professionally engaged in a field of engineering. Engineers are concerned with developing economical and safe solutions to practical problems, by applying mathematics and scientific knowledge while considering technical constraints. As such, the work of engineers is the link between perceived needs of society and commercial applications." I think that sums it up nicely. There is little doubt in my mind that the greatest artists are engineers. Not many of us can say that about what we do. So, with that, the next engineer you meet, "thanks". If only all of us could find "the link between perceived needs of society and commercial appications" the world would be one heck of a place...Enjoy! (PS. Yes B, this is a direct tip of the hat to you, the engineer supreme!)

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Daily Keemo 05.27 - 3 Quotes

Three Quotes Overheard On May 20, 2008
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The Story: Three quotes from three different people on May 20, 2008. All three of these quotes are from conversations that took place throughout the day.

1.) "She just needs to realize that before she can fix the body she has to fix her mind. Maybe all she needs is to talk with someone. That worked for me."
2.) "Oh my gosh! I can't believe you didn't tell your husband before you cut your hair. My husband would kill me if I did that!"
3.) "I would probably be as unhappy and angry as she is if I was that lonely. Being alone is not something to be happy about."

You know, we all say things like this but when you take them out of context they take on a whole new interesting meaning...Enjoy!

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Daily Keemo 05.23 - Mask 2

Mask #2
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I have been wanting to do masks for quite a while but I guess I just haven't gotten around to it. I have always been intrigued by them. (who isnt?) Then my brother and sister-in-law (everyone should be so lucky to know these two people) mention that they have located some masks that would be perfect for painting. (The two of them are amazing at finding stuff). I know, I said the same thing for Mask #1 but I thought I better just thank the two of them again for thinking of me... Enjoy! (Thanks B and J!)

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Daily Keemo 05.21 - Questions

Maybe It's Necessary To Start Asking Different Questions
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I've already wrote this story 4 times. This is number 5. I know what I want to say but it keeps coming out wrong. Like the portrait shows I guess there is a bit too much thinking going on. Maybe that is exactly it: sometimes too much thinking messes up the art your thinking about. I remember having a discussion with someone at an art show who was criticizing my work because it didn't cause him to, as he said, "think enough". "You give me all the answers in every picture." "Well," I said, "maybe it is necessary to start asking different questions..." Anyway, as these discussions always go... it went nowhere... You know, before this turns into the 5th delete, Im going to leave it at that... maybe it's just necessary to start asking different questions...Enjoy!

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Daily Keemo 05.20 - iPhone

I Wish You Looked At Me As Much As Your iPhone. Part 2.
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The Story: I was standing in line at the grocery store. There was a couple in their early twenties in front of me. The guy was playing with his iPhone. " I wish you looked at me as much as you do that iPhone." She said to him. She was obviously very irritated with him. He did not hear one word she said. She looked away disgusted. Just then I felt mine vibrate in my pocket. Decisions... decisions... I decide to go for it. I pull it out and start responding to the text. "What the hell!" I hear from in front of me. I look up and she is looking right at me. Her boyfriend has now woke up from his phone and realized shes not happy. He puts his away. I finish my text and put mine away. There is this wierd moment when we are all looking at each other and all of a sudden I feel feel like Im pulled right into their quarrel. I kind of half smile and shrug, "technology..." (I couldnt think of anything else to say) "Sucks!" she replied and turned to her boyfriend. I spent the rest of the time pretending to look at stuff in the aisle; magazines, candy, etc... I felt the vibe in my pocket again... I decided to wait... I can answer that later. ... Enjoy!

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Daily Keemo 05.19

In Response To My Recent Claims.


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In response to my recent claims of: 1.) having my head in the clouds too often. 2.) the inability to focus and 3.) Generous helpings of the red wine, G. wrote to me that it sounded like I needed to become "rooted" and then things will straighten out. Now, I am summarizing because G. really did put it eloquently. However, to put it simply; become "rooted". A phrase that speaks volumes I thought after reading it. Anyway, here is to G. and becoming rooted... Enjoy! (Thanks for the nice letter, G!)

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Daily Keemo 05.18

In A Circle Making Hand Gestures

I remember the neighbor girls singing song this when I was a kid. I can picture them sitting in the backyard sitting in a circle making some hand gestures as they sang. I don't know. I never got it. It just didnt make any sense to me as a little kid. I suppose I get it now, although I swear there might be a bit of brainwashing at work with this one. Wink! With that, this is the way we post on ebay, post on ebay, post on ebay... this is the way we post on ebay... so late on Tuesday evening. ...Enjoy!

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Daily Keemo 05.16 - Black Eye

Two Little Kids Walk Into A Bar.

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The Story: The email read, "Dear Keemo, I have been enjoying your stories for quite some time. My son recently got a black eye playing in the yard with some friends. Can you make up a story about how it happened? Thank you, L." Well, L, I'm not real good at making stuff up, especially when it comes to a little kid getting a black eye. However, just for kicks, I will give it a shot.

Two little kids walk into a bar. Kid 1 tells the bartender, "I will have a vodka and tonic and please get my friend here, 14 shots of tequilla." Kid 2 leans over and says, "Why would I want 14 shots of tequilla?" "Because youre going to need it after I do this!" says Kid 1. And he hauls off and socks Kid 2 right in the eye. "Why the "bleep" did you do that?" asks Kid 2. "Don't ask me! It was your mom who asked this guy Keemo to write a crazy story about you getting a black eye, that's why!" Well, with that... Enjoy!

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Daily Keemo 05.15

Together They Coexist And Inspire
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One wall in my "studio" has large diamonds shapes painted on it. A perfect diamond pattern. Floor to ceiling. Wall to wall. Well, it really is more of an office (with paints and markers and paper and brushes and canvases and magazines and books) than it is a studio. Anyway, the diamonds. I didn't paint the diamonds. She did. She measured it perfectly so that the height and width of all the diamonds fill the wall in a perfect repeating diamond pattern. She is much better at that than I am. (Im envious of her abilities) Every day I sit at my desk right below the perfectly painted diamond wall and I am pretty sure I hear it laughing as it looks down at these paintings getting churned out day after day. Her work is always perfect. (Did I say that I am envious?) and well... you know my work... It is a little more flexible when it comes to staying within the lines. Everyday when I sit down and look up at that wall I am amazed and inspired. With that, Im sure that our relationship is summed up quite easily within this story. Her lines are clean and straight, my lines are sloppy and organic and together they coexist and inspire...Enjoy!

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Daily Keemo 05.13

Portrait on Paris Postcard #11
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This is the 11th in the "Paris Postcard" series. I was looking over my bookshelf and there was a bunch of papers shoved between a couple books. Among other things there were about 15 postcards that were of different photos taken in Paris during the 1920's. This one in particular is called "Gare De Lyon Trolley". All the postcards are very Paris and you can hear an accordian playing and it all makes Michigan seem all that much further away. With that.. Enjoy!

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Daily Keemo 05.12

Keemo Cutting Board
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I'm not sure how this came into my possession. An old cutting board. It doesn't look like it was really even used. One thing is for sure though...this thing was calling out to be painted. The shape and the bevel. Perfect. It should go without saying but I just want to be sure that you understand that this would no longer serve well as a cutting board. Unless of course you like acrylic paint in your chopped vegetables! It will however hang nicely on a wall or leaned up against something on an end table. You could put in your garden to scare away the critters from your strawberries. You could use it in a round of frisbee golf (if you are Anthony!) Maybe use it a flyswatter. Or any other creative way you can think to display it. Well, with that, here is to making old things new again and giving things a new meaning with a little color and a little imagination ...Enjoy!

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Daily Keemo 05.09

It's All Please And Thank Yous And Shiney And Correct
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When I was preparing work for an Erotica show about 6 months ago I collected alot of imagery to use and also for inspiration. (Some of you may remember a few pieces that never ended up making it to the show.) Anyway, I had a bunch of old advertisements from the 50's that I thought were just great on their own. (Erotic or Not). Well, this is one of those. It is from 1957 and is for a now-defunct women's clothing store. Going through these old magazines and scraps, I can't help but think that the 50's ideal had to have been pretty hard to live up to. It all appears so prim and clean and proper and please and thank you's and shiney and correct and on and on and on. You know, I guess the same thing could be said about paging through a 2008 fashion magazine. That ideal is pretty hard to live up to as well. Well, anyway, here is to having your own ideal (and not one created by marketing people) and trying to live up that one instead...Enjoy!

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Daily Keemo 05.07

Three Quotes From May 2, 2008
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Three quotes from three different people on May 2, 2008. All three of these quotes are from conversations that took place throughout the day.

1.) "It is a 15 year loan at 5.5%. You should feel good about that. Most people do."

2.) "I wish I could record my dreams and watch them on T.V. when I wake up. That would be really fantastic."

3.) "If I had a nickle for everytime I... I would be rich and happy." (Two people went back and forth filling in the blank)


You know, we all say things like this but when you take them out of context they take on a whole new wonderful and interesting meaning...Enjoy!

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Daily Keemo 05.06

I'm Talking Your Old School Rollie Fingers Kind Of Mustache
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I have always enjoyed old photographs. The older the better. You know the saying, "They just don't make things like they used to"... well, I think "they just don't take pictures like the used to". I have always loved photography in general. I still miss the dark room that I had set up in the basement of my parents house when I was in high school. I remember listening to Robert Johnson while making prints under the red light. Ahhh, no matter how you look at it, Photoshop has nothing on the old darkroom. There are many things that I like about old photos... the tones, the history, the seriousness and stillness, the memories, the clothing, the faces that you swear you recognize for some reason and one other little thing: The Mustache. I'm not talking about your everyday Tom Selleck brand of mustache. I'm talking your old school Rollie Fingers kind of mustache. The vintage kind that only certain people can pull off. Those old photos are filled with them. So, with that I've decided that I am going to start a little reoccuring theme of "great mustaches that I have found in old photos". I'm not sure where this will lead but here is the first in many... Enjoy! (Good fun!)

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Daily Keemo 05.04

Mask #1

I have been wanting to do masks for quite a while but I guess I just haven't gotten around to it. I have always been intrigued by them. (who isnt?) Then my brother and sister-in-law (everyone should be so lucky to know these two people) mention that they have located some masks that would be perfect for painting. (The two of them are amazing at finding stuff). So, for this first mask, I guess there really is no great story other than this is Mask #1 and I have to thank the two of them for thinking of me... Enjoy! (Thanks B and J!)

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Daily Keemo 05.01

It's These Thoughts About Tomorrow That Fuel Today
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I remember being a kid, laying in my bed, it was summer, the window was open and I was staring at these two cermic Indian heads that were on the wall. They were the kind of faces where the eyes followed you no matter where you went in the room. I clearly remember daydreaming about what I was going to be when I got older. All the things that I was going to do. At the age 10 or so, I was pretty sure I was going to be a football player and motorcycle racer and artist and scientist, all rolled into one. Well, only one of those came true. (I'm sure there are critics out there who say none of those came true.) Either way, it doesn't matter. What does matter is that 25 years later there are still days that I lay in bed thinking about what I am going to be when I grow up. What am I going to do next and what am I to become. It's these thoughts about tomorrow that fuel today. With that, I think I am going to go lay down, open the window and see what is to come...Enjoy! (Story included on back of card)

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