Monthly Archives for May 2022

New Art Studio (Two Doors Down)!

I bought the house two doors down to keep as an investment property AND to use as my art studio!!! Throughout my professional life, I’ve managed to offset my mediocre income with wise real estate decisions. This was only possible because of the money I made from the sale of my loft in Atlanta. Thank you Atlanta Beltline! Hopefully this house is just the latest wise real estate decision. It should be, it really should. This might be the single greatest gift I have ever given myself. It’s not a gift, but I like to think of it as one because I am grateful.

Here’s how it went down. I needed a new workspace. Our new house is fantastic. I love it. However, there is zero space for an art studio. When searching for a home in Chattanooga, finding a house with enough space for an art studio was part of our plan. What we ended up doing was buy a house without space for an art studio but on a lot big enough to build one. Therefore, we planned to build something that would be part art studio and part shed to store our outdoor belongings.

I started sketching what I envisioned the structure to look like and reached out to a series of local contractors. I was having trouble getting interest because my job was too small for most building contractors. While in the middle of this process, I noticed a “For Sale” sign in the yard of the house two doors down from ours. I told Kelli about it, saying almost half-jokingly, that I should buy it. Buy that house instead building something on our property. She said it sounded like a great idea, and I should at least look into it. Look into it I did.

The price was right. I decided to make an offer! The house had been used as rental property for a number of years. It needed some fixing up if it was going to used as a primary residence. However, because it was going to be used as my art studio, it was basically ready to go as is. I’m oversimplifying the process, of course. Bottom line, I bought it. The house is now mine.

I’ve never had more than a spare bedroom for a studio. Now I have an entire two bedroom house for my art studio! I’m so psyched about that. Not only that, this place has a million dollar view and a ton of investment potential. You can see downtown Chattanooga from my front porch.

Add this to the list of major changes in 2021. Geez.

I’m thrilled. I have no regrets. Maybe I’ll rent out some of the space to share with another artist. I’m in no hurry to make a decision about that, and that feels good in itself. I love the fact that I can walk two doors down and be at work in my space. This is now and it’s also the future. As I mentioned earlier, this might be the single greatest gift I have ever given myself.

I’m sure I’ll post more about this at a later date. Meanwhile, here are a few pictures of my new art studio, and the view!

Kiss The Sun – The Atomic Bitchwax

Artist as Rock & Roll Enthusiast (aka ARE) Post: 30

Did I ever tell you the story of how I missed the concert and got to have a conversation about it with a guy in the band afterward? It’s a great story. One day maybe, I’ll tell you the whole thing. All the hilarious details. In the meantime, here’s the important stuff. It happened in July of 2017. In Philadelphia, at a place called Kung Fu Necktie. The band was the Atomic Bitchwax. The guy was Chris Kosnik, who founded the band in 1992. I was bummed! I was traveling and was excited to see a band I really enjoy. Fortunately, I’ve seen them before at the Masquerade in Atlanta. Turns out missing the show would end up being a much better story.

Inspired again by what came up on shuffle, here is Kiss the Sun, my favorite song from the New Jersey based band, the Atomic Bitchwax (yeah, I love that name too). First up is a super cool live version of the song, filmed on a beach in Sardinia, Italy. The second video is the first studio version, from their self-titled debut album. Wish I could find the second studio version, from the Boxriff EP. I think it’s superior version. Couldn’t find it on YouTube. It must be the only song not to make it to YouTube yet. Those super thick riffs and hooks are ear candy. This song also appears on my list of 500 favorite songs. 

Brett & Kelli Did a Thing

We moved to Chattanooga with the intention of getting married. We just didn’t do things in the typical order. Well, we’re not typical people, so everything was just right.

Actually, Brett & Kelli did a few things! Told ya major life changes came often in 2021. Here’s a timeline of all the big stuff:

January 2021: Brett & Kelli are a couple, after being close friends for a few years.
May 2021: After months of discussion, they decide to move to Chattanooga. They buy a house in Chattanooga. Brett puts his loft on the market.
June 2021: Brett, Kelli, and Grace move to Chattanooga. Brett’s loft in Atlanta is sold.
September 2021: Brett & Kelli get engaged, making it official.
October 2021: Brett & Kelli get married at an intimate ceremony on the historic Walnut Street Bridge, located in downtown Chattanooga. Grace and the officiant were the only ones there. The day was ours and it was perfect.

Moving Sale

Once I decided to move, I knew I had to have an artwork moving sale. My small, one room studio was jammed with my art. Paintings made and exhibited over the years. So prices were slashed, and deals were made. Paintings were picked up. Paintings were dropped off. Paintings were shipped.

This photo was sent to me by the happy customers. My painting looks magnificent in their spacious home. Love it.

All told these were the paintings sold in the moving sale:
Bad Scene
Buying Power
The Fifth Floor
Half Past You
Alpha Fail
Shortcuts & Long Shots
Reliable
Get It While You Can
Vulgar Praise

Thank you again for your support.

Moving from Atlanta to Chattanooga

After some anxious moments, I decided to jump in with both feet! I am moving from Atlanta to Chattanooga. This is absolutely, one of the biggest decisions I have ever made. I’m moving to Chattanooga with my girlfriend (and future wife) and her daughter. My loft in Atlanta is in a hot area of town. Time to cash in and invest in a new future with Kelli and Grace in Chattanooga. Now that I’ve decided this is what I’m doing, my anxiety has lowered and I feel excited. I feel good about this.

I’ll miss my place on Wylie Street (and it’s view of my street art) and a lot of people in Atlanta. I lived in Atlanta for 15 years, and in this location for the last seven. The next chapters of my life will be in Chattanooga.

Major life changes came often in 2021. They played a big part in my extended absence from this blog. Here are a few photos from moving day.

Voices – Black Mountain

Artist as Rock & Roll Enthusiast (aka ARE) Post: 29

This song a definitive example of simple beauty. I love it. Basically, it’s a tribute to growing up listening to, loving, and being influenced by, rock and roll radio. This is a topic I can relate to. Growing up listening to rock and roll radio is something I remember fondly and have joyous memories of. It’s something I have often reflected upon.

Black Mountain is a Canadian psychedelic rock band based in Vancouver. They’ve been one of my favorite bands since their inception in 2004. I own pretty much everything they’ve ever recorded. I see them in concert every opportunity I get. This track is tough to get a hold of. You can find it as a B-side on the Stormy High EP.

I’m not kidding when I say I could listen to this song over and over. I truly could. I love a lot of songs, but I don’t say that about many of them. Listen to it now. See if you want to hit repeat. For the record, I did. It came up on shuffle but I’ve now played it three times in a row. So good.

Mixed Media Process Details

Here are a few details from the series of mixed media paintings I made a few years ago. Looking back now, it’s interesting to see these images showing this work in progress, incomplete. These paintings were made for my solo exhibition at Besherat Gallery in Atlanta called Mastering the Art of Contradiction. The success of his exhibition led to second solo exhibition of the Mastering the Art of Contradiction series at the Glynn Visual Arts gallery, located in St. Simons Island, GA. See photos here.

This series was created during a very uncertain time in my life. I was feeling unsettled in many ways at once. My anxiety level was very high (even for me). Those thoughts always come to me when viewing the work. Overall, I am proud of this series.

Cabbagetown and Reynoldstown

Located a few minutes southeast of downtown, these two adjacent neighborhoods have long and storied roles in Atlanta history. Both are small in size, but large in historical significance.

Today, these are two of the quirkiest neighborhoods in Atlanta. I lived in Reynoldstown from 2014-2021, a block from the border with Cabbagetown. I enjoyed most everything about living in the area, including the collective sense of humor of its residents (see image below). My Instagram page is filled with dozens of pictures of my morning walks through these two neighborhoods.

Freedom of Choice – Devo

Artist as Rock & Roll Enthusiast (aka ARE) Post: 28

Working on posting to this blog when Freedom of Choice by Fu Manchu started playing. A great cover version of the fantastic Devo song. After the Fu Manchu version ended I played the original and decided to make a quick ARE post.

Freedom of choice means a lot more than we think. That’s what this song is all about. Always loved it for that, and for the groove.

A victim of collision on the open sea
Nobody ever said that life was free
Sank, swam, go down with the ship
But use your freedom of choice

I’ll say it again in the land of the free
Use your freedom of choice
Your freedom of choice

In ancient Rome there was a poem
About a dog who found two bones
He picked at one, he licked the other
He went in circles, he dropped dead

Freedom of choice
Is what you got
Freedom of choice

Then if you got it you don’t want it
Seems to be the rule of thumb
Don’t be tricked by what you see
You got two ways to go

I’ll say it again in the land of the free
Use your freedom of choice
Freedom of choice

Freedom of choice
Is what you got
Freedom of choice

In ancient Rome there was a poem
About a dog who found two bones
He picked at one, he licked the other
He went in circles, he dropped dead

Freedom of choice
Is what you got
Freedom from choice
Is what you want

Freedom of choice
Is what you got
Freedom from choice
Is what you want

Freedom of choice
Is what you got
Freedom from choice
Is what you want

The Death of Coyote Woman – All Them Witches

Artist as Rock & Roll Enthusiast (aka ARE) Post: 27

Neo-psychedelic band All Them Witches have been one of my favorite bands since their formation in Nashville a decade ago. I’ve seen them in concert a few times too. Amazing live show. Last night I was supposed to see them again. Unfortunate circumstances arrived and I had to skip the concert. One day I will see them again. My consolation is playing them in the studio today. “The Death of Coyote Woman”, is probably my favorite song of theirs, they have so many good ones. This one appears on their second album, Lightning at the Door.