Miley Cyrus Releases Video in Support of the #Occupy Movement

by Gregg Chadwick

In this Nov. 18 photo, UC Davis officer John Pike uses pepper spray on unarmed and non-threatening protesters.
(AP Photo/The Enterprise, Wayne Tilcock, File)






Miley Cyrus Releases Video in Support of the #Occupy Movement:

The clip pairs a remix of Cyrus' 2010 song Liberty Walk with footage from the global #Occupy protests. The video begins with an overlay indicating that the clip is "dedicated to the thousands of people who are standing up for what they believe in." Cyrus' video features powerful images of police crack downs on citizens taking a stand against economic inequity wedded to an infectious beat. Rolling Stone writes,"It's a bold move for the singer – while most of the artists who have thrown their support behind Occupy Wall Street are pretty much the usual lefty rocker suspects, Cyrus is reaching out to an audience who are likely to be either apolitical or outright hostile to her message."

As an artist, I know well the risks involved in taking political stands that might discomfort your audience. I am a fierce advocate for social justice and I believe in the sanctity of all life. I have lost sales and clients because of my activism, but life for me is much more than my bank account or social standing. With these thoughts in mind, I applaud Miley Cyrus' gutsy move and hope that more Americans will be emboldened to take a stand against the growing economic inequality in the United States.

Miley Cyrus' video also calls attention to the growing militarization of our civilian police forces. I agree with former Seattle Police Chief Norm Stamper "that the current epidemic of police brutality is a reflection of the militarization of our urban police forces, the result of years of the "war on drugs" and the "war on terror."

UC Davis professor Bob Ostertag writes,"These issues go to the core of what democracy means. We have a major economic crisis in this country that was brought on by the greedy and irresponsible behavior of big banks. No banker has been arrested, and certainly none have been pepper sprayed. Arrests and chemical assault is for those trying to defend their homes, their jobs, and their schools. These are not trivial matters. This is a moment to stand up and be counted. I am proud to teach at a university where students have done so."

More at:
Miley Cyrus Takes Her Party In The USA To Occupy Wall Street

Miley Cyrus
Supports Occupy Wall Street
Militarization Of Campus Police

Mitt v. Mitt: The Story of Two Men Trapped in One Body

Learn more at MittvMitt.com

Thanksgiving Message from Thich Nhat Hanh

Thich Nhat Hanh at UCLA
photo by Gregg Chadwick


“We like the idea of being thankful to the cosmos, to everything that offers itself to us as food. That is why in Plum Village we organize a Thanksgiving Day, and we address our thanks to four objects: first of all to our father and our mother, who gave us life; to our teacher who gave us spiritual life and helped us know how to live in the here and now; we thank our friends who support us, especially in difficult moments, and we thank every being in the animal, vegetable and mineral world for our support and maintenance.

So the Buddhists also celebrate Thanksgiving, with that kind of insight. And while we celebrate Thanksgiving, we relate to everyone who is there, and this is a very good practice so that we don’t cut ourselves off from reality. The feeling of gratitude can help us to remember and to cultivate the element of compassion and loving kindness in us.”

Thich Nhat Hanh, Plum Village, 27th July, 1998

Leonard Cohen's Haunting New Song: Show Me the Place

 Show Me The Place by leonardcohen
Leonard Cohen's Haunting New Song: Show Me the Place

The Adventures Of Baron Munchausen -- A Tribute to John Neville (1925-2011)

A tribute to the great Shakespearean actor John Neville, who died this week, and the magical  Terry Gilliam film, The Adventures Of Baron Munchausen, which stars John Neville, Eric Idle, Jonathan Pryce, Winston Dennis, Jack Purvis, a very young Sarah Polley, a teenage Uma Thurman, Oliver Reed, Robin Williams, Valentina Cortese, Sting, and a universe of all-star talent.

John Neville as Richard II

photo by Angus McBean, via Hurok Attractions

The Adventures Of Baron Munchausen is the fantastic fable of an 18th century German aristocrat, his talented henchmen and a little girl in their efforts to save a town from defeat by the Turks. Their thrilling adventures include a trip in the gullet of a a giant sea-monster, a voyage to the moon, a dance with Venus who arrives on a half shell and an escape from death himself .A marvelous, under-appreciated film.


Featuring music from the Michael Kamen score: The Munchausen Waltz.


Thanks to  the screen siren for the poignant youtube tribute.

More at: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/22/theater/john-neville-shakespearean-actor-dies-at-86.html?hpw

The Airborne Toxic Event - Missy·I'm On Fire·I Fought The Law·Medley [HD] LIVE

The Airborne Toxic Event - Missy·I'm On Fire·I Fought The Law·Medley [HD] LIVE
Nice medley from Los Angeles' Airborne Toxic Event

Gotye Live on Santa Monica's KCRW: Somebody That I Used to Know

by Gregg Chadwick


Santa Monica College's KCRW is a national treasure. The list of emerging talent that has appeared live on the station is remarkable. I first heard Peter Himmelman on KCRW'S compilation disc Rare on Air 1 in San Francisco in the early Nineties. This month I wrote a song with him. (More on that in an upcoming post.) The latest newcomer to KCRW is Australia's Gotye performing Somebody That I Used To Know. You can hear Gotye's full set on KCRW.

Gotye will be playing a Feb 2nd show at the El Rey Theatre in Los Angeles. Tickets are on sale now at: Gotye at the El Rey Theatre

Making Making Mirrors - a short documentary from Gotye on Vimeo.

A short documentary about the recording of the Gotye record Making Mirrors.
Directed by James Bryans and Wally De Backer
Filmed and edited by James Bryans between January 2010 and July 2011, on the Mornington Peninsula, VIC, Australia

More at:
Gotye's Website
Gotye's Full Set on KCRW

The Saffron Curtain Opens: Hope and Change in Burma

by Gregg Chadwick


Gregg Chadwick
Road to Mandalay
40"x30" oil on linen 2011

“For decades Americans have been deeply concerned about the denial of basic human rights for the Burmese people. The persecution of democratic reformers, the brutality shown toward ethnic minorities and the concentration of power in the hands of a few military leaders has challenged our conscience and isolated Burma from the United States and much of the world. After years of darkness, we’ve seen flickers of progress in these last several weeks as the president and Parliament in Myanmar, which is also known as Burma, have taken steps toward reform.
Of course there’s far more to be done."
-President Barack Obama, November 2011
(Statement on Burma delivered at the 2011 Pacific Rim Meeting in Bali, Indonesia)

Four years after the Saffron Revolution in Burma, enough progress towards a free Burma has been made that President Barack Obama is sending Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on a trip to the often troubled country next month. It has been more than fifty years since a secretary of state from the United States has visited Burma.

Daw Aung San Suu Kyi After Her Release From House Arrest in 2010

Also announced today was the news that Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, Myanmar’s most prominent human rights activist, would rejoin the political process and run for office in the upcoming special parliamentary election.

The New York Times writes that "the twin events underscored the remarkable and sudden pace of change in Myanmar, which has stunned observers inside and outside the country. The changes followed a transfer of power this year from a military junta to a nominally civilian government."

Four years ago, as Buddhist monks were bloodied and murdered by the brutal military junta, an outcry was spread by artists across the globe as we painted, drew, and stenciled images of Burmese monks. At that time I wrote that in solidarity we should all march, paint, write, meditate, work, pray, and hope, to create a free Burma. Today we are one step closer to that goal.

President Barack Obama has not forgotten the people of Burma. During his July 24, 2008 campaign speech in Berlin, Obama said, "Now the world will watch and remember what we do here – what we do with this moment. Will we extend our hand to the people in the forgotten corners of this world who yearn for lives marked by dignity and opportunity; by security and justice? Will we lift the child in Bangladesh from poverty, shelter the refugee in Chad, and banish the scourge of AIDS in our time? Will we stand for the human rights of the dissident in Burma, the blogger in Iran, or the voter in Zimbabwe? Will we give meaning to the words “never again” in Darfur?"

President Obama's words are a call to action for all of us. It is easy to criticize from the relative safety of a computer screen. It is much more difficult to dive into the maelstrom of events and create art that inspires. I recently presented lectures on Art and Social Justice at UCLA and Monterey Peninsula College. My painting, Road to Mandalay, provided a key element in the presentations.

President Obama was presented with a personally requested book of my paintings at a Pentagon dinner in 2009. My good friend from UCLA, Adrienne Thompson attended the event where she hand delivered the book to President Obama and witnessed Barack and first lady Michelle Obama as they pored through the paintings. Today, I am honored to say that the President's favorite painting of mine is Road to Mandalay.

Perhaps Secretary of State Hillary Clinton could take my painting Road to Mandalay with her and present it as gift to the courageous people of Burma.

From the 99%: Another World Is Possible

Full Video Captured From a Helicopter of Tonight's #OWS' Gigantic Bat Signals Projected onto the Verizon Building in Lower Manhattan
(Thursday, November 17, 2011)

Los Angeles Mayor Issues Statement in Favor of Gay Marriage

MAYOR VILLARAIGOSA ISSUES STATEMENT ON CALIFORNIA SUPREME COURT’S PROP. 8 RULING

LOS ANGELES – Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa issued the following statement today on the California Supreme Court’s decision to allow the sponsors of Proposition 8 to defend the ballot initiative in federal court:

"Today's California Supreme Court ruling is the latest step in guaranteeing that all gay and lesbian Americans have the fundamental right to marry the person they love.  The Court's ruling that proponents of Proposition 8 may defend the initiative before the 9th U.S Circuit Court of Appeals gives the federal court the opportunity to right this injustice.
I am confident that the 9th Circuit Court will affirm marriage equality and right the damage Prop. 8 has done to our fellow Californians and their families.  I look forward to the day when all Americans enjoy the freedom to marry."

More at:
Villaraigosa on Prop 8 Ruling

Bach in a Japanese Forest Played on a Gravity Marimba

 Deep in the tranquility of a Japanese woodland, the movement of a wooden ball plays Bach on a gravity marimba. The ball gently rolls down an elevated wooden incline striking a series of wooden bars each  tuned to play a single note of the 10th movement of Bach’s Herz und Mund und Tat und Leben, BWV 147, commonly known in English as, Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring. A rare example of an advertisement that evokes wonder. Enjoy!




Hat tip to Makezine.

Goodbye to UPS: Hello to FedEx and Independent Art Shippers

by Gregg Chadwick


I am often asked by fellow artists and gallerists about shipping art locally and internationally. As of today due to UPS' gross negligence in a guaranteed, i.e. expensive,  delivery, I will no longer use their services and I recommend that others shift their services elsewhere. 
I am heartbroken that my donation will most likely not be at  The 9th Annual Oak Grove Golf Classic 2011 & SO-CAL Chef Open  to benefit the Oak Grove Center for Education, Treatment and the Arts. When a company no longer guarantees their guarantee the little guy loses out. We need to stand together. #OccupyUPS anyone?


Please read the  Open Letter to UPS CEO Scott Davis:

Dear Scott Davis,

On November 11, 2011 while you were chatting on the radio how UPS works on a day when the USPS is closed, I found that because of a shortage of UPS workers my Guaranteed package was not delivered as promised to the Oak Grove Center for Education, Treatment and the Arts. 
The shipment contains an important artwork to be auctioned on Monday, November 14, 2011 at the The 9th Annual Oak Grove Golf Classic 2011 & SO-CAL Chef Open  for the benefit of Oak Grove's students. Many of the children have suffered physical and/or sexual abuse. Other are victims of violent traumas. The school effectively cares for children with social, emotional or behavioral challenges. 
When I was asked by Kevin Keller to donate an artwork for such an important cause, I didn't hesitate. I went through the time and expense of creating the artwork, framing the artwork and chose what I thought was a reliable service to deliver this gift of hope.
 I am shocked that UPS has failed me and will not even provide delivery on Saturday, November 12, 2011 - which will make it in time for the auction. 
Words can not express my disappointment. I spent most of Friday, November 11, 2011 on the phone and twitter with less than helpful UPS representatives - The first of which hung up on me instead of transferring my call to a supervisor. 
I paid just under $100 to have an insured and guaranteed delivery on November 11, 2011 by 4:30 pm. UPS failed in a major way. 
I have used UPS in the past for many shipments for my art business, but if this situation is not rectified before it is too late, I will take my business elsewhere.
I expect a prompt response.

With Great Disappointment,

Gregg Chadwick
www.greggchadwick.com

Gregg Chadwick

Along the Arno

22"x30" monotype on paper 2011

(Donated to the Oak Grove Center for Education, Treatment and the Arts to be auctioned at the The 9th Annual Oak Grove Golf Classic 2011 & SO-CAL Chef Open )

Current Location Unknown - On Hold in a UPS Processing Center 

This holiday season please give Oak Grove a call and give to an organization that protects and nurtures the most vulnerable.  


 For information, please contact:
Cheryl Lievsay at 951-677-5599 ext 2238 or cheryll@oakgrovecenter.org

On Oak Grove And What They Do:

Oak Grove is a nonprofit 24-hour residential and educational treatment center that serves 76 children who live on campus and an additional 80-90 day students who attend our nonpublic school day program. Oak Grove is located in Murrieta, Southwest Riverside County. Oak Grove also operates a second campus in Perris, Oak Grove at the Ranch, serving an additional 50 students. Children and youth are admitted with a variety of psychological, social, emotional, behavioral, medical and neurological problems with concurrent behavioral difficulties, school problems, family dysfunction and alcohol or substance abuse. Many of the children have suffered physical and/or sexual abuse, other traumas or experienced many other social, emotional or behavioral challenges.

We are licensed as a level 12 group home and have the additional distinction of being accredited by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO), as well as the non-public school on grounds having accreditation by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC).

Oak Grove works with children and adolescents whose needs and problems can be quite complex. One of our greatest assets lies in the sophistication and experience level of a team of clinicians comprised of psychiatrists and licensed independent practitioners (MFT, LCSW, Psy. D), as well as our nursing staff, behavior intervention specialists, teachers, milieu and activities staff that together make up the Treatment Team.

Accreditations/Memberships/Licensure:

• Joint Commission of Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO)
• California State Department of Education Non-Public School Certification
• Western Association of Schools & Colleges (WASC)
• California Alliance for Children & Families
• Licensed by the State Department of Social Services Community Care Licensing Division
• http://www.OakGroveCenter.org/index.php?p=1

Veterans Day 2011: Honoring our Nation's Veterans for their Service and Sacrifice

President Barack Obama's Veterans Day Message

Happy 236th Birthday United States Marine Corps

by Gregg Chadwick



Gregg Chadwick
Memory Wall: My Father at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial
24”x18” oil on linen 2011

At the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam last October on my birthday, I was able to visit the painting I first remember: Rembrandt's iconic group portrait The Sampling Officials of the Amsterdam Drapers Guild. As a six year old, I stood before the painting and recognized it as the same image on the Dutch Masters' cigar box, my father's go-to brand. The connection was phenomenal; I was hooked.

My dad had just finished his tour in the Vietnam War, where he had been serving as a JAG officer in the United States Marine Corps, and we were traveling around Europe. To this day, I recall most everything about that European family reunion. A lifelong love of Rembrandt ensued.

Rembrandt's intellect and courage allowed him to move beyond a search for a mere likeness. Instead, Rembrandt pushed deep into the work to seek the inner selves of his sitters.

I thank my father for introducing me to Rembrandt. As an homage to that day and to many years of love and friendship, I painted my father as I remember him, both in the past and the present. In Memory Wall: My Father at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, I gather these memories to paint a portrait of accumulation. Each mark and each layer on the painting echoes a moment or conversation shared.

Today, on the 236th anniversary of the founding of the United States Marine Corps, I am honored to post my painting of my dad in uniform.

Peter Clothier has written on this painting:

Particularly moving to this one viewer is "Memory Wall: My Father at the Vietnam Veteran's Memorial" ... a portrait of the artist's father in U.S. Marine dress uniform. The face is seen in three-quarters profile, pale and stern, lips full, eyes gazing upward, as if respectfully, toward an unseen flag or deity. The uniform, complete with medals, speaks loudly of his pride and service. The portrait speaks of duty, unwavering loyalty, discipline. The man is tough. And yet... we see him through the eyes of a son, respectful, yet aware of the vulnerabilities, the softer side of real humanity that lurks behind the outward show of strength. We are reminded, as men, of our own experience with fathers--giants for us as little children; imposing, distant, to be feared for their infinitely superior strength and wisdom. We may come to resent the discipline they impose on us, but accept it grudgingly because, like God, our father can't be wrong. As we grow, however, if we're fortunate and strong ourselves--if that father has managed to share his strength with us--we come to see the uncertainty, the self-questioning, the doubts and fears that assail even the toughest of men, and to recognize the deep bond of love between us.

USMC Billboard, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 2011
photo by Gregg Chadwick

I am proud of my father's career in the USMC and thankful for the opportunity I have had to meet Marines across the globe. Today I greet all Marines with a fervent, "Happy Marine Corps Birthday!"

More at:
Peter Clothier on Theater of Memory
236 years of Semper Fi

Free Sunday Admission at UCLA's Hammer Museum Through January 8, 2012

FREE SUNDAYS
November 6, 2011 - January 8, 2012

Starting this Sunday, November 6, the Hammer will offer free museum admission for all exhibitions every Sunday until the closing of the exhibition Now Dig This! Art and Black Los Angeles 1960-1980 on Sunday, January 8, 2012.

Admission is ALWAYS FREE for Museum members, students with ID, UCLA faculty and staff, military personnel, veterans, and visitors 17 and under accompanied by an adult. Free on Thursdays for all visitors.

For hours, location, and parking information, click here.

Theater of Memory Catalog Now Available in the iTunes Bookstore

I am pleased to announce that the catalog for my exhibition Theater of Memory at Monterey Peninsula College is now available in a digital format in the iTunes Bookstore.

Please click on the iBookstore Logo for more info.

The River Opens

Gregg Chadwick
Los Sueños del Río
38"x76" oil on linen 2011

Into the Reason of Things: Jonathan Moreno's "The Body Politic: The Battle Over Science in America"

By Gregg Chadwick

Are we making monsters in university laboratories? How much is a life worth? Where does science start and religion end? When it comes to contemporary advances in science, the general public can feel lost on the margins as new discoveries whizz past like speeding rockets on the Bonneville Salt Flats. As humans we are primed to distrust or misunderstand unfamiliar things or states of being. Is it any wonder that popular culture since the dawn of the modern era is full of out of control scientific experimentation such as that found in Mary Shelley's cautionary novel Frankenstein?

Fear of the unknown may often be polarizing. Knowledge may be liberating. Jonathan Moreno's new book, The Body Politic: The Battle Over Science in America, shines a light on the issues surrounding contemporary scientific explorations. Moreno focuses on the current place of science and politics in the United States, yet Moreno also deftly explores through a long lens, the philosophical history of scientific thought and the political debates that have ensued


Gregg Chadwick
Slipstream
30"x22" monotype on paper 2011

Moreno argues in a balanced fashion, as his book considers the debates over the ethics undergirding contemporary scientific discoveries and explorations. Should the government fund scientific projects? Is there a limit to scientific advancement? The discussion becomes especially heated in the political sphere, when advancements in current Biology are considered. At times, the rhetoric adheres to a standard Red State vs. Blue State pattern. Moreno explains that, when considering science, alternatives exist to the stagnant polarization often found in the political sphere. Moreno quotes Charles Peirce's definition that science "does not consist so much in knowledge...as it does in diligent inquiry into truth for truth's sake, without any sort of axe to grind, nor for the sake of delight of contemplating it, but from the impulse to penetrate into the reason of things...."

Moreno's The Body Politic delves deeply into the battles over science in our era and ultimately calms our irrational fears by questioning the mad scientist trope: "The notion that science is an enemy of moral and civic education is puzzling. How then to account for the coincidence of the development of science with the growth of liberal democracy and the recognition of human rights since the eighteenth century?"

Jonathan Moreno's groundbreaking book, The Body Politic: The Battle Over Science in America, should be required reading for all students in the sciences and all those interested in our place in the universe. Highly recommended.

Introduction:
Neera Tanden, Chief Operating Officer, Center for American Progress

Distinguished Panelist:
Jonathan Moreno, Senior Fellow, Center for American Progress; David and Lyn Silfen University Professor, University of Pennsylvania; and Author, The Body Politic: The Battle Over Science in America

Moderator:
Andrew Light, Senior Fellow, Center for American Progress; and Associate Director, Institute for Philosophy and Public Policy, George Mason University

Happy Halloween From Speed of Life and Google!

Time-lapse video of the Google doodle team & friends carving giant pumpkins in the Halloween spirit. Shot on location at Google's Headquarters in Mountain View, CA. Music by Slavic Soul Party! Composed by Matt Moran.

Please Join Me Tonight & Tomorrow - October 15th and 16th - for the Unveiling of New Work at the 7th Anniversary of the Santa Monica Art Studios

Gregg Chadwick
Los Sueños del Río
38"x38" oil on linen 2011 (Triptych: Closed)

Please Join Me Tomorrow at My Studio for the Unveiling of New Work at the 7th Anniversary of the Santa Monica Art Studios
The Triptych Los Sueños del Río Will Be Opened At 7pm!

October 15, 2011 - Saturday Night 6-9pm

&

October 16, 2011- Sunday Afternoon 1-5pm


My studio- #15 - will be open
along with the other wonderful artists at the Santa Monica Art Studios.
Please stop in and say hello.

3026 Airport Ave, Santa Monica, CA 90405
cell 415 533 1165
email: greggchadwick@earthlink.net

"Women, War, and Peace" Starts Tonight on PBS

Women, War & Peace from Women, War & Peace on Vimeo.


Must Watch Television: Women, War, and Peace Starts Tonight on PBS:

Women, War & Peace is a bold new five-part PBS series challenging the conventional wisdom that war and peace are men’s domain. Spotlighting the stories of women in conflict zones from Bosnia to Afghanistan and Colombia to Liberia, it places women at the center of an urgent dialogue about conflict and security, and reframes our understanding of modern warfare.

Featuring narrators Matt Damon, Tilda Swinton, Geena Davis and Alfre Woodard, Women, War & Peace is the most comprehensive global media initiative ever mounted on the roles of women in war and peace.

Watch on your local PBS station Tuesday nights from Oct. 11 to Nov. 8. Check local listings for air times.

Art in the Station

Engine Company, a photo by GreggChadwick on Flickr.

As part of my current exhibit at the Monterey Peninsula College Art Gallery, "Engine Company" is on loan to the Monterey Fire Department. The painting will be displayed for the next month in Station #1 located at 600 Pacific Street, Monterey, California. I feel it is vital to take contemporary art out of the gallery and into the streets. I am honored that my work dedicated to brave Union workers across the globe hangs in Station #1.

Theater of Memory Opens Today at Monterey Peninsula College Art Gallery

Theater of Memory in Process in Studio, originally uploaded by GreggChadwick.

The Monterey County Weekly writes:


Art Exhibit: Humanitas at MPC Gallery
When: Thursday, October 6, 12:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Humanitas, an exhibit of extraordinary paintings, features luminous, poetic figures painted by Gregg Chadwick, along with more intimate works, often in earth tones, by Cynthia Grilli. Most art tells the history of the periods from which they are created. These recent works, depict the emotions reflecting the subtle complexity and unknowing directions of our times. Come see the once and future history of these thankfully fleeting days, illuminated by these two fine artists' incisive palettes. [JZ]

11am-4pm, Tue-Fri,
Receptions: 6th Oct, 12:30-2:30pm
8th Oct, 3-5pm.

Much more at Art Daily.com

Krazy Kat Caught in an Alley by Kent Chadwick: New Poem Published in Pontoon by Floating Bridge Review

Krazy Kat caught in an alley 

By Kent Chadwick

                        ________

                        ________

                        ___   ___

            Krazy Kat Caught in an alley

                        caterwauling

            night in Garwood

                        New Jersey

            moonlight on the sagging

                        back landings

            drinking men stripped

                        to undershirts

                        ribbed with a

                        working day’s sweat

            the viscosity of bourbon

                        poured into shots

            patterened thump of

                        ball against wall

                        ball against wall

            sound of speed

                        from the street

                        rubber friction

                        gas combustion

            the swamp coolers shake

                        the swamp coolers drip

                        against the heat

“Fireflies don’t come no more.”

            blue auroras stream

                        from each T.V.

                        out window screens

“Turn it down!”

           

            one house shines

                        in new siding

            chain links the brown

                        block’s backyards

                        right angles and shadow

            no sirens tonight

            a kid laughs

            some woman hums

                        the dishes away

“Sit for a week, even this’ll look good.”

“That’s whiskey talking. Throw me a beer, Jake.

It’s all in your head.”

This poem was included in Pontoon, published by Floating Bridge Review (Seattle), Number Four, 2011

All the poems in Pontoon were chosen from manuscripts submitted to the 2011 Floating Bridge Press Poetry Chapbook Award.


Pontoon is available from Floating Bridge Press

Photo: Painter & Poet by Margaret Chadwick

Gregg Chadwick

Detail of Jimmy Buffs

72"x96" oil on linen 1982--1992

Collection: Kent Chadwick

Defending the Muse: Michael Stein and Paul Georges

Paul Georges
The Studio
120”x79 1/2” oil on canvas 1965
The Whitney Museum Collection, New York
Courtesy Paul Georges Estate

Michael Stein's new novel "The Rape of the Muse" ponders the worth of art and the place of beauty in our contemporary society. Stein's re-imagining of painter Paul Georges' trial for libel in 1980 updates the events to the 21st century and fleshes out the characters with a post September 11th ennui. When Georges' trial took place in 1980, the Neo-Expressionist boom in art was just beginning. Emotional, brightly colored paintings using the figure as a theme filled galleries in New York and Europe. In that time Paul Georges’ artwork was included in exhibitions at the Whitney Museum in New York, the Rose Art Museum at Brandeis, and the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts. But still, Georges was an outsider looking in on an art world that often considered narrative painting to be atavistic at best - reactionary at worst.

Paul Georges
The Mugging of the Muse
80”x103” oil on canvas 1972-1974
Courtesy Paul Georges Estate

Michael Stein adeptly weaves elements of Paul Georges' life into the story of his fictive painter - Harris Montrose. Montrose cares deeply about the gift and responsibility of art. This humble esteem for the muse that stokes his creative fire leads to a showdown with an artistic colleague over a limned image. Are we all fair game for artistic interpretation? Is anything really private anymore? Is the language of painting relevant to our time?

Stein brings in a young artist, already marked by the reigning critics as one to watch, who is psychologically blocked from the creative process. This young artist, Rand Taber, becomes Montrose's studio assistant. As if in a scene from Martin Scorsese's segment in the film "New York Stories", Taber learns life lessons from his mentor Montrose. In this sense, Michael Stein seems to hold up the elder painter as a pugnacious model of validity. Harris Montrose paints like his life depends on it. The muse needs to be honored. And if anyone gets in the way they should heed the warnings. The muse shall be avenged.

It is refreshing to read a work in which art is considered deeply as much more than a commodity or a means to privilege. Michael Stein’s “The Rape of the Muse” is gutsy – almost an aesthetic bar fight of a novel. It is heartening to feel Paul Georges’ passion seep into Stein’s writing. Art is not just style. At its best, art considers life and then makes something new. Michael Stein’s “The Rape of the Muse” digs into the life and work of the forceful painter Paul Georges and conjures up a story for our moment.

Highly recommended.

Michael Stein

More at:
Life and Art of Paul Georges
Michael Stein's Website