The Sandlot

My work is starting to shine a light through the tunnel. I've always believed art to be "for people" and the big question for me has been what do I have to say to them... Through a TON of introspection and analysis of my life and the world around me, paying out my nose with relationships and creature comforts, I've found what I've been looking for... I found the human condition. I've found what it is that levels the playing field. Sketches coming soon!

How to Walk a Thousand Miles

I walk alot.
I go to church about 7 miles from my home and I walk to and from each Sunday. I also play Go on Wednesday nights near my church at the Barnes & Noble, and I walk. So there's 30 miles guaranteed in two days each week. When you spend 4 hours in day walking, there is plenty of time to think about things, including "the walk" or the journey that you're making and the experience you had when you're walkining back. It's incredibly resorative to my thought process to think about being purposeful in this way.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cwkej79U3ek

Sometimes it's difficult, but mostly it's a chance to escape (?) into myself. I look at the city (my love), and sometimes I interact with people as we pass, I make plans, I remember, I find surprises, I've lost things (gloves and hats, ugh!)... I observe changes, I look at Nature, I have converstations with myself, I play the air drums, I make myself laugh at funny thoughts, I get ashamed at things I think about other people, I pass certain places to see things that I like that I know will be there (including the Jos. A Bank girl), and I go where I'm going and I go back home. It's pretty awesome.

I've started keeping track of my miles and thinking about the process. Some of my thoughts are going to inspire paintings in a series that I will call "How to Walk a Thousand Miles". I'm excited to do it and to see how it turns out! Stayed tuned for the progress.

Walking On Water

Are you a risk-taker? I am.

The story of Jesus walking on water is no doubt one of His most widely known miracles. But did you know that Peter also walked on water?

The story as Matthew tells it in Chapter 14 comes after the miracle of feeding the multitudes with 5 loaves of bread and 2 fishes and Jesus sends the disciples ahead in a boat while he goes up onto a mountain and prays. I've heard a message by a pastor about the context from these details, being that Jesus was able to see the boat on the water from the mountain vantage point and so they were still under his "protection." It makes sense.

So, the waters get choppy and then during the "4th watch", super late in the night, like 3am or later Jesus appears on the water and they get scared thinking He's a ghost. Jesus says "Be of good cheer, it is I, be not afraid." And then Peter, says, "Lord, if it be you, then bid me to come onto the water."

First, you gotta know a little bit about Peter. He's the overly zealous one. He's always excited to serve Jesus and usually winds up pulling some sort of proud blunder in the process. When the guards were coming to take Jesus away to present Him to Pontious Pilate before the crucifixion, Peter cuts off one of the guard's ear and Jesus has to put it back on and heal the guard, and then tells Peter that this is what is supposed to happen and to let them take Him away... but overall Peter gives all the right answers to Jesus questions and winds up with the keys to Heaven, even though he denied knowing Jesus 3 times before the cockcrow. It all makes for a really wild story when you study Peter throughout the Gospels.

Anyways, Peter says "If it's you call me out on to the water." And so Jesus does, He calls Peter out to Him. Peter gets out of the boat and lo and behold, he's walking on the water! Don't forget, it's super-late at night and the waters are choppy and suddenly something soaks in and Peter looks at the water and takes his eyes off Jesus and he begins to sink. Of course, he cries out "Jesus, save me." And so Jesus reaches out to him and brings him up from sinking and says to Peter "Oh yea of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?" And they get back into the boat, the winds calm, everybody recognizes Jesus' divinity and worship Him and they head to shore.

Often times this story is portrayed as the pentultimate story of having faith and "if you get out of the boat, you can walk on water" and celebrates the power of faith. But obviously, those people haven't really stopped to look at the details of the story. It's really a "careful what you wish for" kind of story. "wherefore didst thou doubt?' Jesus asks, and SOOOO many people will say that it was when he took his eyes of Jesus and when he looked at the water. How about when he said "Lord, IF that's you call me out onto the water." After Jesus said, "Be of good cheer it's me, Jesus." That's when he doubted. And so Jesus used the walking on water as a sign to confirm His identity to Peter.

I know that the whole idea of Jesus and God and miracles takes on a very difficult type of comprehension for our sense of wanting to make sense. The "mystery" of God isn't cool MOST of the time when you want to understand what the meaning of life or what it is that you're "supposed" to do with your life... it's so... mysterious. hahaha! and so we say out to God, "Show me a sign" and we prod some sort of prayer of confirmation or understanding and most of the time it seems to go unanswered and we continue to grope in the darkness of our doubt for some sort of clue or sign to move on. I get that too. We all get scared. I just found out some of my own biggest heroes don't know what to do all the time, even though they are the most "in demand" practitioners of their skills... that's comforting. But true strength doesn't come from knowing the weakness of others, it's only a form of measurement. Have "I walked on water", yes... I've "flown on the backs of eagles"... I've stayed up all night and had my Winters... Looking back, I don't think I like it. Is it worth it then to live through these times? Without a doubt!!! Spring doesn't look all that fun, but it is pretty and full of joy, even though there's lots to do and there are growing pains, it's not miserable and scary like Winter or the 4th watch though...

I hope that this brings some sort of wisdom to you. I hope that this helps you decide whether or not you should hold on or let go. I hope that you recognize Jesus whether it's when He says it's Himself or when you cry out for Him to save you. Go ahead and be a Peter :) or stand firm on the promises in the Word of God.

If you'd like a print of this picture, then send me an E-mail: cityzenart@hotmail.com

Consortium

The past 4 years, I could best describe myself as pilgram. I suppose that we could all say that we live life on the path, but I have subjected myself to some experiences that have amounted to a great adventure of exploration and discovery. I've literally helped build mansions and have lived in alleys. Figuratively, I've flown with eagles and groped helplessly with the worms. I've sacrificed my occupation and now I want to bring it back to life. I spent those four years gathering material for the greater good of my work. I've always dreamed of making paintings that were epic and grand in theme and reach. (I'm thinking back to early grade school when I read an abridged version of the Odyssey and when I fell in love with the Hero archtype of storytelling.)

I need help realizing this dream. I need 10 people who are willing to contribute $50 a month for 10 months. This will keep my studio, activate my phone, buy a monthly train pass, and purchase supplies; with some quarters left over for laundry. The end product will be a bona fide showing in a gallery, several painting sketches, prints and drawings. For those that participate I will have drawings and prints especially made to commemorate their contributions. Each month a limited edition of prints will be made and distributed to consortium members. At the end of the 10 month term each of the members will also be entitled to a complementary painting sketch from the body of work produced and first rights to purchase any other works.

For those interested in participating, please contact me directly cityzenart@hotmail.com

Ex-pire: (State of Mind)

I was researching the history of the French Academy and learned that one of their objectives was to cultivate the French language as the premiere language to discuss culture by developing words and phrases that embedded whole concepts that could be used in discussing Art and Taste. One of these words is/was(?) "decadence". It's root word is "decay". And while we typically think of lavish and rich ornament and excessive abundance of pleasure as decadent, we hardly stop to think of it as a form of decay. Lo, the realization that it might refer to morality... and that we have come to desire a decaying morality based in gluttony and lust. But that's no surprise, really, we are ever fallible human beings. (*The word "folly" is also a great study.)

Recent pop culture has experienced a huge surge of decadent artist from the Black Eyed Peas to Lady Gaga to Ed Hardy to Desperate Housewives to The Bachelor (choosing from 30 women?)... the overly lush texturing of electronic sounds set to rhythm, expensive layering of image upon image that fetishizes glamour and glitter. Fool's gold as a French moralist might describe it.

It's a fine line we walk with desire. The whole of humanity has forever been challenged from the beginning to know when our morality is healthy or in dire need of reconciliation for our decay. There is the constant disharmony of endeavour and condition. As Solomon Burke sings "The part of me that wants to change, fights the part of me that tries."

I have spent the last 4 years putting myself through a rigorous series of experiences (I now claim them as choice, but I would also be foolish to believe that I would actually choose them) that have opened my eyes to some of the greater conditions of humankind. I have looked through lenses that most people are not even aware exist, I've lived in some of the darkest corners of Life's alleyways, lived as an island, as a fingernail on the hand of benevolence, as a speck of dust (dead skin) in the corner of a room, as a lighthouse for lost ships, as a grain of sand on an endless beach. Beating on closed doors, dancing in fields of an urban bric-a-brac... Viva La Vida!!!

With great pleasure, I have picked up my brush and my pen and my pencil and have begun to set forth my heart without reserve.

After a four year hiatus from commited painting, I am making my way back to where it is I am supposed be. It is my hope to reveal the innate goodness of humankind, but for now I must reprove the decay. This first series of drawings (Ex-pire: State of Mind) takes the fundamentalism of immorality and fine tunes the focus or spins it out to dystopian fantasy of damnation and curse using the language of "grotesque" ornament and boroque themes. I hope to make them exciting to look at, but evoke contemplation of our own involvement in these extreme places of deterioration; not to convict as a judge or promote mediocrity or suspension of "lukewarm" attitudes, but to notice and incite disgust in the laxity of our accountability to our authenticity of human values. I want to encourage viewers to recognize the comfort they have in being who they are and to take the oppurtunity to be who they want to be, because I genuinely believe that we all desire to be upright in our taste and deed for the greater good of our community by standing firm in what is morally right, not what is morally relative... and as we recognize what is unique, we embrace what is universal.

Expire: State of Mind- The Hot Chocolate Party

I'm super excited to announce that I will be soon releasing a series of 5 prints in an edition of 10. They will be available as a group of the 5 and will ship immediately. Here is a taste!
The Hot Chocolate Party, 2011
David Piper