Wednesday, November 02, 2022

President Biden Delivers Remarks on Preserving and Protecting Our Democracy


 President Joe Biden delivers remarks about preserving and protecting our democracy.

Press paws on your week with the Sea Otter Cam


Gregg Chadwick
40"x40"oil on linen 2021


More on Sea Otters at https://greggchadwick.blogspot.com/2021/11/rising-seas-and-oil-spills-thoughts.html

Future Senator John Fetterman in Conversation with Selena King in Erie, Pennsylvania


"Erie is PA’s bellwether county. And I’m just so grateful to everyone who came out to listen to me + Erie Dems Black Caucus Chair Selena King talk about inflation, women’s reproductive freedom, and the stakes of this election."- John Fetterman 

Remember - Vote. Vote like your democracy depends on it. Because it does.

The Beatles - I'm Only Sleeping - Video by Em Cooper


"I'm Only Sleeping"- Experimental recording methods and avant-garde composition combine to create this dreamlike song, evocative of The Beatles’ pioneering approach to the music of Revolver.
 
Artist and director Em Cooper explored the space between dreaming and wakefulness, working on an animation rostrum on sheets of celluloid. She painted every frame individually in oil paint, a process which took many months. 

Tuesday, November 01, 2022

Vote Blue in 2022

Michigan Friends - Vote With Confidence

 Michigan friends! Michigan State Senator Mallory McMorrow created a helpful video to make sure that you vote in this important election.

There’s one week left! Do you know what’s on your ballot? Know where your polling place is? Need to find a drop box for your absentee ballot? Watch this handy explainer so you are fully prepared to VOTE with confidence! Share with your friends! http://Michigan.gov/vote





Monday, October 31, 2022

Bruce Springsteen Interview and Performances on Howard Stern






U2’s Bono Talks with David Remnick


Bono joined David Remnick at the 2022 New Yorker Festival to talk about his new memoir, “Surrender.” “When I sang in U2, something got ahold of me,” Bono said. “And it made sense of me.” They discussed how the band almost ended because of the members’ religious faith, and how they navigated the Troubles as a bunch of young men from Dublin suddenly on the world stage. Bono shared a life lesson from Paul McCartney, and he opened up about the early death of his mother. “This wound in me just turned into this opening where I had to fill the hole with music,” Bono said. In the loss of a loved one, “there's sometimes a gift. The opening up of music came from my mother.”



Saturday, October 29, 2022

Japanese Pumpkin Monster for Halloween

Halloween is coming up soon, so this year  the Ota Memorial Museum of Art shows us the Edo period version of the Jack-O-Lantern. It is a pumpkin monster called "Sunamura no Onryo" drawn by Yoshikazu Utagawa. Sunamura is present-day Koto Ward in Tokyo. It was known for producing pumpkins. The limbs are made of leaves and vines. 




Friday, October 28, 2022

Georgia Grassroots Event with Barack Obama

Monday, October 24, 2022

Happy Diwali!

Saturday, October 22, 2022

Honoring a Life: RIP Peter Schjeldahl

In 2005, during the Q&A after a lecture at SFMOMA, I asked Peter Schjeldahl about the place of beauty in contemporary art. Peter leaned forward and spoke from the heart." This is an important, if not controversial, question that I write about often. In the 60s and 70s in academia it was the forbidden word. A group of art historians could look up at the blue sky and and declare it a beautiful day on their way to a conference on contemporary art. But once in the doors of the conference room, beauty ceased to exist." Peter concluded by stating, "Art does not have to address beauty- to reach for beauty. But it sure is great if it does."

Wednesday, October 19, 2022

Anna May Wong will be the first Asian American Featured on U.S. Currency



36"x48"oil on linen
painting by Gregg Chadwick
Ailsa Chang Collection 


Monday, October 17, 2022

On Saatchi Art's Front Page




Honored that Saatchi Art has included my painting "A Walk With Obama" in their New This Week 10-17-2022 collection.

 Artworks curated by Rebecca Wilson - Chief Curator and VP, Art Advisory

A nice early birthday present which is upcoming on October 23rd. 

Link at - https://www.saatchiart.com/art-collection/New-This-Week-10-17-2022/153961/700687/view

Direct Link at - https://www.saatchiart.com/art/Painting-A-Walk-With-Obama/25560/9700617/view



Gregg Chadwick
30"x22" Gouache on Paper 2022 


Thursday, October 13, 2022

Bruce Springsteen - Nightshift (Official Video)

January 6th Select Committee Hearing - October 13, 2022

Monday, October 10, 2022

Happy Indigenous Peoples' Day - Connor Chee - Pathways (from Scenes from Dinétah) | Navajo Piano


Connor Chee - Pathways (from Scenes from Dinétah) | Navajo Piano

Chee’s piece is inspired by the traditional Navajo practice of running east toward the rising sun in the morning. The tradition is rooted in the Diné belief that a healthy life path is guided by balance, spirituality, and community.

Thursday, September 29, 2022

Bruce Springsteen - Do I Love You (Indeed I Do) (Official Video)

Fun new Springsteen cover of a Northern Soul classic by Frank Wilson!
Turn it up! 







Bruce Springsteen’s new studio album, a collection of fifteen soul music greats titled Only The Strong Survive, will be released by Columbia Records on November 11. Featuring lead vocals by Springsteen, Only The Strong Survive celebrates soul music gems from the legendary catalogues of Motown, Gamble and Huff, Stax and many more. This 21st studio album from Bruce Springsteen will also feature guest vocals by Sam Moore, as well as contributions from The E Street Horns, full string arrangements by Rob Mathes, and backing vocals by Soozie Tyrell, Lisa Lowell, Michelle Moore, Curtis King Jr., Dennis Collins and Fonzi Thornton. 

Bruce Springsteen commented: “I wanted to make an album where I just sang. And what better music to work with than the great American songbook of the Sixties and Seventies? I’ve taken my inspiration from Levi Stubbs, David Ruffin, Jimmy Ruffin, the Iceman Jerry Butler, Diana Ross, Dobie Gray, and Scott Walker, among many others. I’ve tried to do justice to them all—and to the fabulous writers of this glorious music. My goal is for the modern audience to experience its beauty and joy, just as I have since I first heard it. I hope you love listening to it as much as I loved making it.”

Pre-order Only The Strong Survive on 2LP, CD, or Digital here.

Only The Strong Survive was tracked at Thrill Hill Recording in New Jersey, produced by Ron Aniello, engineered by Rob Lebret and executive produced by Jon Landau. The release will mark Bruce Springsteen’s first studio album since 2020’s Letter To You, which debuted at #1 in eleven countries. Springsteen will reunite with the legendary E Street Band in February for his 2023 international tour, which to date has sold over 1.6million tickets across the United States and Europe.

Only The Strong Survive Tracklist:

1. Only the Strong Survive
2. Soul Days feat. Sam Moore
3. Nightshift
4. Do I Love You (Indeed I Do)
5. The Sun Ain’t Gonna Shine Anymore
6. Turn Back the Hands of Time
7. When She Was My Girl
8. Hey, Western Union Man
9. I Wish It Would Rain
10. Don’t Play That Song
11. Any Other Way
12. I Forgot to Be Your Lover feat. Sam Moore
13. 7 Rooms of Gloom
14. What Becomes of the Brokenhearted
15. Someday We’ll Be Together

Wednesday, September 28, 2022

Tuesday, September 27, 2022

A Walk With Obama

 by Gregg Chadwick



Gregg Chadwick
30"x22"gouache on monotype on paper 2022


When in high school, I would often visit the Phillips Collection in Washington DC. I felt at home in DC. We were in NOVA because my dad was stationed at Headquarters Marine Corps in Arlington, Virginia. 

During World War II, artist Richard Diebenkorn also served in the Marine Corps. From 1943 until 1945, he was stationed at Marine Corps Base Quantico in Virginia. During that time, Diebenkorn often visited the Phillips Collection in Washington DC. 

I went to art school at UCLA as an undergraduate, searching for the spirit of Diebenkorn who had taught there in the 1960s. I didn’t meet Diebenkorn at UCLA, but I did eventually move to San Francisco after graduate school at NYU — perhaps in an artistic search for clues left by the Bay Area Figurative movement that Diebenkorn helped engender. As his health failed, Diebenkorn painted less but continued to create etchings at Crown Point Press in San Francisco. One morning on a walk from my Market Street loft where I lived and painted in the 1990s, I spotted Richard Diebenkorn leaning up against a BART entrance watching the cable car turnaround across Market Street. He was captivated by the movement of the conductors as they spun the car around on a giant wooden turntable. I stopped, leaned up against a wall, and flipped through art writer Robert Hughes’ book “Nothing If Not Critical” until I reached his essay on Diebenkorn. I read slowly, pausing often to gaze up at Diebenkorn as he gazed at the forms moving across Powell Street. Eventually, I closed the book, walked over and thanked Richard Diebenkorn for his art and inspiration. He smiled and tears seemed to well up in his eyes, as he said “Thank you. I am glad that my work inspires you. Is your studio nearby?” 

I didn’t mention the USMC connection to Diebenkorn that day in 1992, but I remembered the Evening Parade at the Marine Corps Barracks in Washington DC. I remembered the rich light of dusk on the green lawns at the barracks. The same light that was also falling on the White House in my painting. Dusk and green. Obama and Diebenkorn.


Sunday, September 25, 2022

Happy Birthdays

On this day artist Mark Rothko was born in 1903 (and my Dad in 1929) Honored that Saatchi Art has included my painting "The Music of Time"in their Rothko inspired collection - "Color Field Paintings Inspired by Mark Rothko"


Erin Remington writes- "Turning away from the gestural motions characteristic of action painting, Mark Rothko focused on formal elements of his work—color, depth, shape, and scale—creating large swathes of luminous color known as color field painting. Meet the contemporary artists exploring this iconic style."
50 Artworks curated by Erin Remington
Manager of Art Advisory & Curation at Saatchi Art



Gregg Chadwick
40"x30" oil on linen 


Link at - 
https://www.saatchiart.com/art-collection/Color-Field-Paintings-Inspired-by-Mark-Rothko/1586325/697695/view

Direct Link at -https://www.saatchiart.com/art/Painting-The-Music-of-Time/25560/1502343/view


#art #contemporarypainting #MarkRothko #HappyBirthday #BigSur

Friday, September 23, 2022

Happy Birthday Bruce Springsteen - Thunder Road Acoustic


As David Corn says: "Happy Birthday to 
@springsteen Thanks for the decades of music and inspiration Bruce. 
This is one of my favorite outtakes:"

Wednesday, September 21, 2022

Do You Remember the 21st Night of September?

by Gregg Chadwick

I do remember the 21st night of September. September is one of my favorite Earth, Wind & Fire songs and of course resonates with me on this date every year. Seeing Earth, Wind & Fire at the Capitol Center in Landover, Maryland was one of the most memorable musical events during my high school years in the Virginia suburbs of Washington DC. A friend's father had season tickets for the venue and graciously let his daughter take a group of friends along to the concert. It was the Bicentennial Summer of '76. A sense of possibility and freedom filled the arena that August night and mixed with the funky smell of parsley cut weed. The Emotions, a soulful sister trio from Chicago opened the night with songs from their album Flowers. Their huge hit Best of My Love would arrive the next year. But that night belonged to Earth, Wind & Fire. They opened their show with their band name spelled out in lights above the stage. A synthesizer riff offset with mock explosions and cymbal crashes called us together. Lead singer Maurice White sang out the word "Party" as if it were the meaning of life. And then the horn section roared in. Funk, fusion, jazz and film scores seemed to flood into the musical mix. The propulsive horn section, known as the Phenix Horns was a key element in the band's sound. Saxophonist Don Myrick, trombonist Louis Satterfield, trumpeters Rahmlee Davis and Michael Harris led us on our musical adventure. 

Reasons sung by Philip Bailey was the song of the night for me. Something about being 16 and a young artist embracing life. I was taking a pre-college series of classes at the Corcoran School of Art a few miles away in  DC and that song that night felt like the romance of the city.

"May love be one in all of your hearts" Bailey said near the close of the concert as he asked us in the audience to close our eyes and follow along with him into a fusion filled romp of guitar, vocals, keyboards, and horns. Then the band segued into "That's the Way of the World" with Maurice White back on vocals. "This song can set you free" declared Maurice. Bailey joined Maurice on vocals and they soared into the night. The song finished with a Johnny Graham guitar solo that brought echoes of Jimi Hendrix into the arena. Earth, Wind & Fire embraced an inclusive sound of possibility and joy on August 1, 1976.  The band members played off each other like a well oiled machine. Earth, Wind & Fire's deft mix of jazzlike improvisation, funk bass grooves, and aspirational lyrics spoke to me deeply. I was hooked.  

I was such a fan, that I wrote a short piece about Earth, Wind & Fire bassist Verdine White in an English composition class my first year at UCLA. The professor wasn't impressed with my essay but I did get him to listen to the group. In my English assignment I pointed out that Verdine's deep. sonorous and funky bass lines provided a bedrock for the band. Each musician would then add elements on top of Verdine's groove to build something bigger and richer. As an artist you have to let go and believe in the bigger composition. This was a form of faith in action. The next year Earth, Wind & Fire's song September was released on November 18, 1978.  I inspired a group of friends to get tickets and we would see Earth, Wind & Fire in concert twice on that tour. September was a highlight in those shows. 


 

Dan Charnas wrote a Morning Edition piece for NPR on Earth, Wind & Fire's September
Dan asked Jeffrey Peretz, professor of music theory at New York University's Clive Davis Institute, what makes September's feel good groove so powerful. Peretz says "a lot of it has to do with how the music unfolds. The song's very structure is an endless cycle that keeps us dancing and wanting more. There's four chords in the chorus that just keep moving forward and never seem to land anywhere — much like the four seasons. It's the end of summer, it's the beginning of fall, it's that Indian summertime, it's the transition from warm to cool."

I agree with Professor Peretz - Earth, Wind & Fire's music keeps us dancing and wanting more. 



Earth, Wind & Fire live at the Capitol Centre in Landover, MD on August 1, 1976. I was there. 
Video was originally provided by the Official Earth, Wind & Fire Legacy Facebook page.




Gregg Chadwick
Revolutions 
48”x36” oil on linen 2018





Wednesday, September 07, 2022

President Biden Delivers Remarks at President Obama's Portrait Unveiling


TODAY Wednesday, September 7, 2022 - President Biden and Dr. Jill Biden host Barack Obama and Michelle Obama for the unveiling of their official White House portraits.
VP Harris and Second Gentleman Emhoff also attend. 1:30pm Eastern, 10:30am Pacific.








 



President Biden and Dr. Jill Biden host Barack Obama and Michelle Obama for the unveiling of their official White House portraits. Sept 7, 2022
White House Photo


Monday, September 05, 2022

Happy Labor Day!

 


Gregg Chadwick
"I Canti (The Cantos)"
80"x50"oil on linen
Private Collection San Francisco


I was glad to read that in the latest polling 71% of Americans now approve of labor unions. In the United States the union-busting Republican Party created state "right to work" laws to destroy America's private sector unions, and thus, much of the American middle class. Now, we are fighting back as Union membership grows across the country. From Starbucks on, 2022 has been a great year for unions. In 2022 unions won 641 elections — the most in nearly 20 years, according to data from Bloomberg Law, which analyzes National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) data.

As the grandson of a truck driver, a railroad engineer, and a nurse - labor and union life have been themes in my family.
I like to reflect on these issues in my art as well.


Prints Available at - https://www.saatchiart.com/.../Paintin.../25560/1290701/view

#laborday #labordayweekend #happylaborday #Labor #wisconsin #California #NewJersey #art #painting #contemporaryart

Link at http://on.gallup.com/3AwpM6b



Saturday, September 03, 2022

Shane Hawkins Honors his Late Father Taylor Hawkins



16 year old  Shane Hawkins honored his late father Taylor Hawkins by sitting at his dad's drum kit and pounding away during a rousing performance of  the Foo Fighters' “My Hero” with lead singer Dave Grohl during the Taylor Hawkins Tribute Concert in London. 

 #taylorhawkinstribute ❤️


Dave Grohl and Shane Hawkins at the Taylor Hawkins Tribute Concert in London


Thursday, September 01, 2022

President Biden Delivers a Powerful Speech on the Continued Battle for the Soul of the Nation








 

Wednesday, August 31, 2022

On Reading



"Carpe Librum (Maastricht)", 48”x36”, oil on Belgian linen, 2021 

Collection of Dani Durkin and Dave Lowther, Brentwood, California 



 

Hail to Gorbachev


#RIP Mikhail Gorbachev- This ad from has a whole new historical meaning after Pizza Hut closed shop in Russia this year following Putin's brutal invasion of Ukraine.


Friday, August 26, 2022

The Biden-Harris Administration's Student Debt Relief Plan Explained

 



Forty-three million people will be eligible for loan relief under the Biden-Harris Administration’s student loan debt plan. And, nearly forty-five percent of those borrowers will have their loans fully cancelled. Watch as @SecCardona explains.

Frequently Asked Questions: How do I know if I am eligible for debt cancellation? To be eligible, your annual income must have fallen below $125,000 (for individuals) or $250,000 (for married couples or heads of households) If you received a Pell Grant in college and meet the income threshold, you will be eligible for up to $20,000 in debt cancellation. If you did not receive a Pell Grant in college and meet the income threshold, you will be eligible for up to $10,000 in debt cancellation. What does the “up to” in “up to $20,000” or “up to $10,000” mean? Your relief is capped at the amount of your outstanding debt. For example: If you are eligible for $20,000 in debt relief, but have a balance of $15,000 remaining, you will only receive $15,000 in relief. What do I need to do in order to receive loan forgiveness? Nearly 8 million borrowers may be eligible to receive relief automatically because relevant income data is already available to the U.S. Department of Education. If the U.S. Department of Education doesn't have your income data - or if you don't know if the U.S. Department of Education has your income data, the Administration will launch a simple application in the coming weeks. The application will be available before the pause on federal student loan repayments ends on December 31st. If you would like to be notified by the U.S. Department of Education when the application is open, please sign up at the Department of Education subscription page.



More info at The Biden-Harris Administration's Student Debt Relief Plan Explained




Wednesday, August 24, 2022

Nerding out on Bruce Springsteen's BORN in the USA Multitrack with Bob Clearmountain


Wow! An inspiring and informative video breakdown of Springsteen's "Born in the U.S.A"
with the legendary Bob Clearmountain and Jack Conte & Ryan Lerman. I love how they discuss the spatial and emotional sounds in the mixing process. Great stuff!

Jack Conte & Ryan Lerman describe this episode:
" Ryan and I get to visit his PRIVATE home studio in LA to listen to and dissect the multitrack for @Bruce Springsteen's "Born in the U.S.A."
Our channel is all about reacting to the original artwork of some amazing musicians. You should check out the original pieces of music below to get the full picture of the greatness we are reacting to.""

You can find them here; @Bruce Springsteen - Born in the U.S.A. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EPhWR... ------------------------------------- Please leave us a comment below and tell us what you would like us to react to. Before we film episodes we ask the Scary Pockets Discord and Patreon members for questions on certain episodes, you can find the communities here; Discord: https://www.scarypocketsfunk.com/discord Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/scarypockets ------------------------------ Follow me Twitter https://bit.ly/2Z30VpL Instagram https://www.instagram.com/jackconte/ TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@jackconte1 ------------------------------ The Dead Wax Crew: Hosts: Jack Conte & Ryan Lerman Executive Producer: Joe Smith Production Manager: Kate Torres Senior Producers: Kiko Suura, John Picklap Producer: Hitomi Aihara Director of Photography: Sam Price-Waldman Editor: Lorena Alvarado Audio Mixer: Cody Peterson Post Sound Mixer: Liam Tallon Graphics: Shelby Smith #brucespringsteen #bornintheusa #multitrack