Monthly Archives for August 2022

A Life of Illusion – Joe Walsh

Artist as Rock & Roll Enthusiast (aka ARE) Post: 36

I’ve heard this song for decades. It was released when I was 11. At the time and for many years after, I felt it was nothing special. It was just a song. As a kid, this track couldn’t compete “Rocky Mountain Way” or “Life’s Been Good.” I mean, come on! Where’s the appeal?

Years later, more like decades later, I have learned to love this song. What changed? Turns out the missing ingredient was perspective. I was too young to appreciate a song like this. I need some perspective of my own to realize it is a song ABOUT perspective. A damn, good one too.

The final verse is the one that hits me hardest:

Hey, don’t you know it’s a waste of your day
Caught up in endless solutions
That have no meaning, just another hunch
Based upon jumping conclusions
Caught up in endless solutions

Since, I couldn’t find videos worth posting from YouTube that weren’t blocked, I’ve included homemade videos to give you a taste of the audio, so to speak, see and hear.

The mariachi-like horns are a nice touch, don’t you think?

Ten Years Ago Today

Wow. Today is my ten year anniversary. That’s right, I started this portfolio blog ten years ago today. I’ve made 1,235 posts in those ten years too. Kind of hard to believe.

Not much to add at the moment. I just wanted to acknowledge the big anniversary.

I’m buried under class preparation. This semester I am teaching three classes at Kennesaw State University, and two classes at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. Yep, I’m gonna be busy as hell this semester. All good though, I love the teaching part of teaching.

Here’s to ten years!

Would’ve never remembered the anniversary if I didn’t leave a note for myself.

Continued Progress

I made it to the art studio the day after returning from Chicago. I’m trying to ride the wave of creative energy as much as I can. Therefore, I was in the studio every day last week.

I’m also motivated to make more progress on this series because summer break is coming to a close. Soon I will have to switch gears and put on my professor cap. Lots of prep work coming over the next few weeks. This month I start a very busy Fall Semester. I will be teaching three class at Kennesaw State University and two classes at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga!

Here are some work-in-progress images of this series. Still have lots of layers to add. More work left, but I do like how these are coming along.

Back in Sweet Home Chicago

Last week, I was back home in Chicago. It was a quick visit, I spent a lot of time in Niles, since I was mostly there to see my parents and any other family that were available.

While in town, I was able to see a few friends as well. One friend, Anne Halston, lives in the north side neighborhood of Rogers Park. She took me to see some of the street art there. The first work is a very powerful paste up installation. The work is comprised of numerous small pieces of paper pasted to the wall. Each one has the name of a black person killed by the police. As you can see from the images, there are hundreds of pieces of paper.

The second set of images simply show the mural across the street from the first work. It is part of the Rogers Park street art mural series. Because I wanted to add the visual flavor of Chicago, I included the yellow concrete pillars of the underpass. It’s a colorful moment captured from an archetypical Chicago point of view.

It’s always good to be back in Sweet Home Chicago.