There Are Words And These Are Not His
There is a man and
this is his portrait and
there are words and
these are
not his.
It is late and
in daydream
I see his face and
wonder where
he went and
what world he travels in and
I bet the hole in his
heart is much bigger than it is in mine and
this is his portrait and
these words are
not his.
Enjoy!
Portrait Of A Man Who
This is a portrait of a man who
sometimes forgets about the path
that he took to where he is.
This is a portrait of a man who
remembers small details about
moments that no longer mean
anything to anyone.
This is a portrait of a man who
just wants time to slow down
so that he may enjoy every moment
of it just a little bit more.
This is a portrait of a man who
paints a portrait of man who
is not so different than
himself.
Enjoy!
The next painting from the devil series. Simply titled, Portrait Of The Devil in Blue... Enjoy!
... Enjoy!
The next painting from the devil series. Portrait Of The Devil With Head In Clouds. I'm not sure that there is much to say about this one. I suppose that sitting down to paint tonight after travelling the past 5 days and being on trains and busses and cars and ferrys and bikes and cars and taxis and going from the backwoods of a Northern Michigan island all the way to downtown Chicago and finally sitting back here at my desk I find that the only place my head really is, is in the clouds.
... Enjoy!
Portrait Of The Devil In The City
The next painting from the devil series. This particular painting has actually been hanging around the house for a while because, well to be honest, I wanted to look at it longer. It is one of the first from The Devil Series and is one of my favorites. Anyway, it is time to let this one go. Those of you who have followed my work for a long time, know that I don't like to keep my own artwork around the house for too long. (It makes it harder to move forward as a painter if you cling to what you have done in the past. Not to mention, I would much rather have my walls filled with other artists. That is for another story though). Well, I guess that it is it for this one, the rest of the story is up to you.
... Enjoy!
Portrait of the Devil With Tree
Another devil. This time it is on a wood veneer wallcovering with a square pattern in it. I have to be honest. I love wood. Especially, acrylic paint on wood. I have to be honest about something else as well... I love the Devil linocut series. I know, I'm not supposed to say that about my own artwork but it's true. There is something fun about painting the devil like this with bright colors, blue lips and a solitary colorful tree and it reminds me that it a good place to be in life that you can do exactly what you feel like doing and it is OK and heck, maybe even someone smiles along the way. Can't beat it. So, with that, a portrait of the devil with blue lips, on wood veneer with a single, solitary tree that I would love to fall asleep under.
I Can No Longer Count On One Hand
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It is warm and a breeze is coming through the window and I am listening to The Basketball Diaries and it is Father's Day and I can no longer count on one hand how long it has been since I have spoken with him.
When I was young I kept striking out in baseball so he drilled a hole through a baseball and then ran a rope through the hole and tied a knot to keep the ball from falling off. He would swing the rope around and around and I would stand just outside of the arc with my bat and take swings at the ball as it passed by. Later that year I hit a home run and the ball landed on the hood of a car on the other side of the fence.
Out the window I can hear my neighbors air conditioner running non-stop even though they are gone for the week and someone else mows their yard on a diagonal to make it look nice and and it is Father's Day and I can no longer count on one hand how long it has been since I have spoken with him.
I Can No Longer Count On One Hand
Click to view details
It is warm and a breeze is coming through the window and I am listening to The Basketball Diaries and it is Father's Day and I can no longer count on one hand how long it has been since I have spoken with him.
When I was young I kept striking out in baseball so he drilled a hole through a baseball and then ran a rope through the hole and tied a knot to keep the ball from falling off. He would swing the rope around and around and I would stand just outside of the arc with my bat and take swings at the ball as it passed by. Later that year I hit a home run and the ball landed on the hood of a car on the other side of the fence.
Out the window I can hear my neighbors air conditioner running non-stop even though they are gone for the week and someone else mows their yard on a diagonal to make it look nice and and it is Father's Day and I can no longer count on one hand how long it has been since I have spoken with him.
...Enjoy!
We Are Like This, You And I
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I was out in the garage a couple weeks ago, working some other projects. As I was working I got sidetracked by the scrap wood pile near the table saw. There was this piece that was right on top of the pile that looked perfect from across the garage. I went over and picked it up and flipped it around. At first glance, I decided against it. There was some scuff marks on it, it was a little dirty and one of the edges wasn't perfectly square and a little tattered. As I looked it over though, I couldn't help but think of just about everyone I know, in this piece of wood. I mean, we all have our tattered edges and our scuff marks and somehow that makes us all more of an individual and more human. I changed my mind. This piece was perfect. I took it inside to the desk and started painting. Scuffmarks, not perfectly square, a little tattered and all. I'm pretty sure that I am not just writing about the wood anymore... Enjoy!
I Will Take Two Of Those And Call You In The Morning
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I know this seems obvious but you really gotta do what you makes you happy. I'm going to go on a limb here and say that most of us pass most of our days doing a whole bunch of stuff that we do for every other reason but happiness. Odds are there is a job you that would rather not be done and then there is all the time you waste in a car daydreaming in a traffic jam or in a line somewhere or you can insert another place you were or thing you did that was for every other reason than happiness. I can think of a few off hand right now but I'll save those for another day. Then there are the other times, the times in between those moments when you find yourself doing something that actually makes you happy and you are doing it for no other reason other than it makes you happy. I know this seems off track with this painting but it isnt. This is one of those times for me. The time when you allow yourself to paint a silly portrait and paste it to a silly wood veneer and the only reason is because it makes you smile when you do it. Does there always need to be a reason other than that? I hope not. With that... Enjoy!
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Never Judge A Man By The Tattoo On His Neck
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I think for this one I am just going to leave the story up to you. This is one of those people that everyone who meets him probably walks away with a slightly different impression. I suppose it should be that way for his portrait as well. With that... Enjoy!
Moments Are Strung Together With Other Moments
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I often think that life is made up of small moments that exist independently from the moment before or after them. My paintings are always about these brief moments. However, all of us know that this is really not the truth. Moments are really strung together with other moments almost like christmas tree lights. Let me try to explain using my life last night. It is important to understand that there was a number of things that had to get done last night. (I'll save explaining why) Anyway, there was lot that needed to get done. So, in my typical fashion I started working on something that wasn't on the "need to get done" list and started on the "want to get done" list. So, I started with replacing the clutch lever on my motorcycle. It was getting cold out in the garage, so I was hurrying. It wasn't working out like I had planned. The thing stalls when I kick into first gear. Ugh.. So, that ends up taking longer than I had planned and now I am behind on getting the other stuff done. So, I hurriedly, go about other things on the list. Then I reach the item on the list that reads "pick up bed from moms house". So, my daughter volunteers to drive and I'm still hurrying around. She goes and starts the truck. Its dark and cold and rainy now. So, I see that the garage door is still open. So, I hit the garage door and it starts to close. Just then I think. "I should probably bring some tools to take the bed apart. So, I hit the garage door button again, stopping the door just about face level. I duck under the half open garage door and rush into the garage gathering up my tools that were all spread around from working on my motorcycle earlier. (Did I mention it is cold and rainy and I am hurrying?) So, I gather up the tools I need, turn and make a beeline out of the garage, looking down at the tools in my hand and completely forgetting that the garage door is not open all the way. With a fast paced walk, I walked directly into the lowhanging garage door with it catching me right across the eyebrows and forehead. It literally knocked me right to the ground. I got up still in a hurry and went to the truck only to see my daughter laughing hysterically (I mean hysterically) because she thougth I was joking around. We proceeded to get the bed and now my forehead has some nice scratches directly between my eyes. As I was riding along in the truck, feeling the ache in my skull and feeling a little dizzy, I couldnt help to think how all the moments prior to hitting my head, were actually leading me directly to that moment. So, with that very, very long story, here is a portait of the scratches on my forehead and a portrait of life when you try to fit more into a day than you have time to do so... Enjoy!
(Sidenote: My daughter told me later that I was laying on the ground for about one minute. I thought it was 5 seconds. Yikes!)
I Guess I Have The Rain To Thank
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It was raining hard when I pulled into the Post Office parking lot. As I quickly pulled the door handle to get out the guy next to me was doing the same thing. Our doors nearly collided. He waved me on, "You go ahead!" he shouted. I quickly got out and ran into the post office to get out of the rain. Inside there was a long line. I was standing there at the end of the line with my packages when I felt this huge presence behind me. It was the guy who let me know out of the car. "Why don't you go ahead of me. You let me out of the car." I stepped aside and gestured for him to move in front of me. "Naaahhhhh. There needs to be more kindness in the world," he said, peering down at me. He was soaking wet. I don't think he ran to get inside like I did. The line was long, so we kept talking. We talked about the economy and politics and we joked a bit and laughed a bit and he was really a genuine and kind person and I couldn't help but think that under different circumstances we would have probably never started talking. I guess I have the rain to thank. Finally, after about 15 mintues, it was my turn. We shook hands and wished each other luck and I went to open counter. As I waited for the woman to figure my postage to Mexico, I turned and saw him a ways down the counter. I turned a little further and looked at the long line behind me. Not one of those people where talking to each other. I guess I have the rain to thank... Enjoy!
I have this stack of papers, magazines, clippings, and other stuff that I collect that I think I might use some day. The stack was getting a bit unruly. So, today I thought I would go through it and see what I could work with and much to my surprise I find this 1x4 that I swore I already painted on. I remember cutting it out on the saw in the garage. I remember bringing it in to start working on it but somehow it ended up at the bottom of my pile. Hmmmm... I don't know... I know I forget stuff, get too much going on, next thing I know I'm off in another direction. I guess the good thing is that I eventually find my way back to it. Like this piece of wood I suppose. With that here is to lost things that are found... Enjoy!
Did I Mention That I Pay My Taxes
(or) A Psychologist's Armchair
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I like to think that I have my stuff together. You know, I pay my taxes, I do my best to be kind to people, I open doors for people if the situation calls for it, I often say hi to someone standing in line next to me, I definitely smile more than I frown. I tend to crack a joke before I complain. Did I mention I pay my taxes? Oh I did, sorry about that. I guess the only reason I mention all these things is because none of that tends to balance out just a general sense of feeling like the person in this painting. I suppose it might be only natural to think that just when you think this crazy planet makes perfect sense something happens to remind you that it doesn't. (Maybe it is the act of trying to make sense of everything that doesn't make sense.) A friend once said I was an "armchair psychologist". I said, "more like a psychologist's armchair". We laughed. Anyway... I suppose that's it... I guess with this painting its little more like a psychologists armchair!...Enjoy! (sidenote: my apologies to any real psychologists who read this. Im sure that the proper diagnosis would probably be: "An armchair's armchair)
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!
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!
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!
More Important Than Swimming Around In Your Own Head
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It has long been my thought that self doubt is the painters biggest foe. (I don't really have any clue how true that really is because I am basing that only on my own personal experience as a painter) When these bouts happen though, production slows, things end up in the trash, motivation slips. As I write this I think this could probably be applied to more people than just painters. Not too mention, maybe self-doubt is just a segway to depression. I don't know. What does this painting have to do with any of this selfish introspection? You know... probably not a whole lot other than these were the things that I was stewing on while I tried to paint a portrait of my friends son. I feel like I blew his portrait but its the little guy that reminds me there are more important things than just swimming around in your own head...Enjoy!
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