From the Studio — Creative Philosophy

I was recently asked to provide an art installation for a street photography exhibit called You Are Here @ the new Think Tank Gallery in downtown Los Angeles. The photographers were given actual coordinates where they could take their photos. As for me I was given a $200 budget to buy whatever supplies I could from the shops square block that the gallery is located. Since it's the LA fashion district, there was lots of random fabric and random chinese products to choose...

So I was drawing out a design for a custom desk for my old friend (who's nickname is T-money) and he says, "I want it extra fresh Monk. Go Big. Can you do like a T in old english on the side?"

Whether he was joking or not, I probably shouldn't have called his bluff. But when challenge is presented I almost have this instant reaction on most occasions...

"Yeah Sure! Why not?"

It's not that cutting fonts are the hardest thing in the world...

You may soon discover that I have many sideshow interests that inspire my work in peculiar ways. One is my intense fascination with cast off technologies or objects/entities that have been discarded by society. I've been known to photograph old T.V's or furniture laying in the street or rows of old VCR's in a thrift store. I'm basically a Culture Vulture, feeding of what's been left for dead by everyone else. I still see value in the worthless and wonder "What could I make with this?" It makes me start guessing where this consumer coaster is headed.

We can learn...

In our current culture of "get it cheap - get it fast - get it BIG - then get the upgrade" it's hard to avoid the perpetual feeling of lagging behind somehow. Or maybe I'm just the only one who has issues with the time it takes to finish things?

One of the biggest hindrances to getting this site started was my false perception that I needed to have 'this and that' done first, before I can show it to the world. I finally realized that...

While we don't have super powers, we have power tools!

Here's a glimpse at my anti-Adobe logo making process for a new leather-bound portfolio I'm working on. I want the end result to look like I stole it from Gandalf the Grey...

Found the metal from and old toilet ring:/

I then added a little muriatic acid to rust...