Season's Greetings ALfA

Dear ALfA Bloggers,

Thanks for inviting me to share in your wonderful world of art and words over the past year. I have been privileged to be a contributor to this extremely interesting international project. I always look forward to stopping by and digesting the images, poetry, musings and discussions posted by all you fabulous and creative people. For this reason I am making ALfA the first recipient of my X-mas Card for 2006. I have been doing a card every year for a over decade; most of them, like this one, have been based on the "Batchelor Pad"--a comic strip I first created as an under-motivated second year student at U of W. Anyways, have yourselves a Happy Holiday season!

Sincerely,
The Disclaimer

A Jingle of Clauses

There were well over a 30 Santa Clauses Friday night at the Times.

Let's get a move on!

Why not us?

six things which are confusing...

six things which are confusing,

yea, seven which are a buffedlement unto man (not to mention woman):

a mountain in its silence;

desire in its beautiful and fleeting manifestations;

connections of time and space which astound the rational;

walking home down cold winter broadway, all is silent, all is silent;

the whereabouts of macro and denis;

i live in a house with 26 plants and 3 cats and 1 jenni who is presently across the sea;


seven things like the seven spheres and
the recognition of a pattern, a geometry, a music

in the apparent chaos.

Interference Pattern

An anti-solution, a problem without a cause

What is it that informs you
when you break with the routine
the push and pull of the daily grind?

Where does the voice come from
that speaks in truths,
not so much negating the lies
as dismissing them?

Time measured in centuries cannot comprehend
the fruitlessness of repeating the same mistake
over and over again.

And yet, within the circular maze there is another path
when one pauses and looks up
and you finally see

it.

ho-ho-go

haven't posted anything worth
while in some time. not saying
that this is actually worth while,
but it's something, and in the
spirit of the holidays, blah blah
blah... thought it might be a good
conversation starter. enjoy!! ;)
go

http://www.goingape.com/c524-traditional-santa-hat.html

David Bergen at the Label

TV image of David Bergen after winning the Scotiabank Giller Prize, Canada's top literary award, from:

www.ctv.ca/.../bergen_interview.html--

Drawing of David Bergen reading at the Label on Dec 13, 2006, by Stan Dangerman.

56th wind

PICT0004, originally uploaded by The Stranger.

Here I am in the past like last christmas but holy krike times change like the high and lonesome. I lost the hat but now I wear a new one I got at the dollar store for 3.50 but my buddy payed for it. That hat was made of foam and I found it in a cave in Thailand left by some nutmeg stoned pirate no doubt.

Why do I write and for whom but my self. My ego as judge and jury casting a neolithic necromantic spell on a 3d screen of my own creation. My shadow playing all extra roles and starring me speaking cliches that I copied off of the Osama ben laden wikipedia section.

Of course the world is ending and yet behold the world seems to have just begun.

My thesis is that most of humanity is wheeling and dealing with energies that we have yet to define. Namely the bioelectric aura energies. Like frickin photons that shoot out of our eyes when we look and shoot out of our brains (and internet wave lengths) when we think.

And you all say, "that captain goldstar, he's fricking blind and drunk from all that rum and nutmeg and debauchery he likes. He doesn't know nuthing."

And yet I tell you that it's possible to perform acts that we would call miracles: Miracles of sound, miracles of image, miracles of ego, miracles of self-destruction-ressurection, miracles of awarenes, miracles of water wine, miracles of king louis going insane and leading the North West Rebellion.

I seek to find the key that unlocks the riddle. Creating crazy shizzle with my funky fiddle. dealing in fine wares amulets and faith immaculate.

Emmanuel Kant can't keep up with Socrates and the seven Dwarves.

sincerely,

Santa Cloz

3rd wind

Riel, originally uploaded by The Stranger.

turns out the dude Im working wiht has riel blood. So I bowed before him and payed homage. And told him to return to the mother land before the shite hits the storm proverbial speaking wise. I'm still figuring out the screen. That place where you close your eyes. That static screen where you dream and in waking you see those things that the rest of us don't beleive in.

It's real.

Also my studies deepen into the war on Cancer. Apparently what is at it's root is the destabilization of the dna. Which means energies working at a frequency or wave lenght that we haven't 1quite been able to tap with proton exxcellorators but the iroqious shamans have been dealing with for eions before the white man set fot on this promise land.

Also, Im pretty sure that global warming is happening real fast and that there will be some great environmental collapse soon coupled with economic collapse which brings on the war which is nuclaer war.

I don't want it and yet I do bcause what cures cancer better than raditaion? And isn't the species of human right now basically nothing but a cancerous cell within the organism that is the Earth? Gaia. Our mother.

She from which I suck at the teat of intoxication and thus gain liberation from the lie of Babylon systemic brainwashing destruction of all my kindness and compassion for the living un-robotic real, natural sex godess whom I desire with amourous lusting.

And look at that dude King Luois. The original Che gueverra of our nation. The Prairie Nation. The sustainable nation.

Look how he was hung leading an army of trappers and primitives and saints.

Let us pay homage and give blessings of peace for the new year. And let us understand that the peace that we desire is a world peace, and not a walmart peace built on the back of imperial conquests of slavery masked as capitalistic democracy spreading.

santa

The Ladder

the ladder, originally uploaded by The Stranger.

This is the ladder of the new era.
In order to achieve it you must be utterly satisfied with your current reality every single second.

And yet, you must constantly be climbing.

Here is depicted Captain Goldstar drunk on rum preparing to mount the infinte escalier.

The sun is sealed by the lesser seal of solomon.

IsBe

"Let this be said, then; and also that, as it seems, whether one is or is not, both itself and the others, both to themselves and to each other, all n every way both are and are not and appear and do not appear. Very true." Plato

"This struggle [between the infinite and the finite] is a conflict defined not by the indifference of the two sides in their distinction, but by their being bound together in one unity. I am no one of the fighters locked in battle, but both, and I am the struggle itself. I am fire and water ..." Hegel

"In its mystified form, the dialectic became the fashion ... because it seemed to transfigure and glorify what exists. In its rational form it is a scandal and abomination to the bourgeoisie and their doctrinaire spokesmen, because it includes in its understanding of what exists a simultaneous recognition of its negative, its inevitable destruction; because it regards every historically developed form as being in a fluid state; in motion, and therefore grasps its transient aspect as well, and because it does not let iself be impressed by anything, being in its very essence critical and revolutionary." Marx

The Year In Review:

Socrates, originally uploaded by The Stranger.

This was one of my favorites of the past year. The Smoky Tiger is depicted inflicting a death blow uppercut on the tyrant Socrates. The Smoky tiger is weilding the orange frisbee of chaoss and is wearing a crown of the ancient Korean Silla kings. A black Mystrica moon is rising in the distance and there are 5 stars in the sky.

We're done early today and i have access to this computer so I may head down get a bottle of rum and spill some tiger-juice over the internet waves.

never leave home without Andy

Life in the Big Box

H'omage D'Courtnage 

Fear of Self 

Poetry Reading @ The Label Gallery, December 14,2006

the sun

They say that the earth moves around the sun at about 107 000 km/hr.
That's about 30 km/s. I wish I could feel it, just for that one second.

Perps Drawing

Lively

Im in a place called Lively Ontario. Im walking through swamps
carrying heavy loads. Comme un Voyageur. The album is complete.
What's going on for New Years Festivities in PegCity?
When's the GodKing's Concert?

This morning in beautiful Winnipeg

The Plischke @ work

Mona Lisa, by Fernando Botero

from www.kunsterbunt.de/kurse/monalisa/bilder/fernando_botero

p.s. AlfA Blog Meet and Greet and Brunch? Late Dec? Early Jan?

Lorne Roberts, ninja/author

This drawing is by Ty, a grade 8 student of Cara's. I did a presentation for their class a while back, and told them: "If you're not going to listen or take notes, you could at least do a funny drawing of me so you LOOK like you're listening."

So he did.

"I Want A Boob Job!"

An Exploration

The stolen seed pays dividends
of means and ends

but ...

Let's pretend
(ignoring this)
and magnify our false pretense

In arrhythmic procession
jump to conclusions
stand on ceremony
walk the line
and fall to pieces

And our weakest moment
is the one between
the ups and downs
when we can't find the compass

Magellan and Columbus
have nothing on us.

A lover's empathy: the duty of lovers is to tarnish the golden rule

I once knew a girl whose lover
told me that in all her glorious loving
all she knew was distance

And I loved her too

But I do not want that
out of love

I want love and the duty
to deny such distance,
to try and broach
the unbreachable tarnish
of the golden rule

Distance if destroyed
for moments, can touch
of the glorious proportion

Migration (stage 2), 3' x 7', oil on canvas

see the first pic here

I think there's still more to do here...comments?

The Process....

Rarely do I sketch before starting something. Usually I just keep making strokes until I see something. This was a comissioned piece, as per his description. the sketch was done before I knew what they looked like. The woman was pretty close. The reds were inspired by Dave`s "Microscapes". I had fun doing it, and I just may get back in to fleshing out ideas before starting. I`m curious to see other Alfa processes....

Peak-a-boo!

Met a 4

I met a 4 on my way
and stopped to say
"I wonder what you could be

Doing out here,
amongst the mere
sombre remains of this day?"

The numeral
fingered his pearls
and thought the question through

He said, "My friend
let me append
my thoughts, and then to you.

I've just returned
and recently learned
the news that all must hear

And frankly, sir
beneath this fur
I have quite open ears."

With that he turned,
and left me burned,
and burning with this thought

If, when a 4
comes by your door,
is it better known, or not?

Paraphrasing Enzo Gracie, a famous jiu-jitsu fighter and clear follower of the Jesuit tradition

Fighting is believed to denegrate the man, but all this life is, is fighting. You wake up every morning don't you? That's a fight, you better believe it. So fighting is the best thing a man can have in his soul.

voodoo

As we look at you all and register your level ofconsciousness, we find a beautiful blossoming of a newawareness that is going to carry you forward tovictory. One that has already established the Lightupon Earth in all its glorious power to speed up thechanges. One that is manifesting the veryopportunities that are needed to remove what was oncethe stranglehold of the dark. Never again in the remaining years before Ascensionshall the dark dictate the course of Humanity. Insteadthe path has been clearly defined by the Light ofmillions of souls, who have risen up out of theirslumbers and forgetfulness. They have recognized theirtrue selves and purpose for being here in thesemomentous times. Now many walk their lives in one big prayer desiringwhat is best for all others. They see where upliftmentis necessary, and their joy is to hold the vision ofwhat would achieve it. This is attracting the energiesfor change into action, and with the speeding up ofthe vibrations the new reality is forming. Yoursuccess can be measured by the more subdued actions ofthe dark. Your Light is taking away their power,although they still harbor dreams of achieving theirplan. The Light has amazingly grown in such a comparativelyshort time, and continues to gain strength. More soulsare awakening and recognizing their true ability tomould the future, and so it shall continue at evenfaster rates. This is what we anticipated, and it hasgiven us the authority to assist you in even moremeaningful ways than previously. We can respond toyour positive prayers for help, and this is what wehave always encouraged you to do.

ChancelyBroiled

I sit, wandering of the true great things;
thinking about love and time and needs
and the things in-between

There's a moment now and never after;
limiting the values of being
and the drive to creative ever laughter

One day before the party and I can't;
hear what I said, no the babel
the babel pushes the challenges away

Cream dripping from bowls;
skewered and fried
broiled chances and it rolls

Add the oil and swirl;
for in the moment divine
Laughter and joyous concern

Shall take away the sins of the world

see it in color here

Things You Need to Know, vol 1.1

from MSN.com


(BANG) - Al Gore has denied he is going to help Lindsay Lohan salvage her reputation.

The 20-year-old actress sent an email to friends and lawyers claiming the former US Vice President had offered to help her clean up her image, but he has been quick to disassociate himself from the claims.

In a statement released yesterday (07.12.06), a representative for Gore said: "I can confirm for you that Mr. Gore has only met Ms. Lohan once, very briefly, at the GQ Men of the Year dinner last week. There were hundreds of other guests."

Lindsay had claimed in her email: "Al Gore will help me. He came up to me and said he would be very happy to have a conversation with me."

She also wrote: "Hilary (sic) Clinton, Bill Clinton would be willing, if we just ask. If we just ASK."

Representatives for both Clintons have refused to comment on the subject.

Lindsay wanted to call upon the politicians to help her, "release a politically/morally correct, fully adequite [sic] letter to the press," as a vehicle for her opinions on, "how our society should be educated for the better of our country. Our people. Because I have such an impact on our younger generations, as well as generations older than me. Which we all know and can obviously see."

Have a Happy DEVOXMAS from Foobles everyone!

Collage!

Hello all, this is a new collage I made with newspaper clippings and watercolors.

Oiseau (glum)

Oiseau (glum) 24" x 24", mixed medium on plywood.



Oiseau (glum)
Opening reception: Thursday, January 25th, 2007, 7pm
La Maison des artistes, 219 Provencher Boulevard

I know that I am posting this a bit early, but as of next week I will no longer have access to a computer and will not be able to contribute to this site. Thanks for the good times and see you in the streets. If you need to contact me for some reason, I will make sure that Dan and James have my home number and you can get it from them (if you don't already have it).

Ciao Ciao

why must I try

 A bearded man with dark rimmed glasses, his eyes
nothing more then  thin slits ponders what is real.
His hand is in his hand, his fingers are six, and
with a smile and a frown he thinks why must I try
  

NO Parking!

in the palm
of it`s claw
at the end
of it`s arm
snooze button this devil`s alarm
snooze button this devil`s alarm
in the interest of saving time
c`mon
let`s go for a ride
today`s outlook
is partly cloudy
but that`s only if you`re on the ground babe!
snooze button this devil`s alarm
(repeat and rinse)

What Is It?

When is art
not art?

When the ten-fingered fist
grabs you with both hands
and shakes you from your sleep

And a thousand mouths scream
in unison
of the boredom they all feel,
alone

When is not art,
art?

Truly,
when an artist makes it

...

and wonders what it is

Interesting

Hmm, I couldn't resist...the Krahn's head had the same sneer.

New work

Just finished the sky part tonight...thank's for kicking me off the computer...

....

anybody bored?

Words of Wisdom...

If you wind up with a boring, miserable life because you listened to your mom, your dad, your teacher, your priest, or some guy on TV telling you how to do your shit, then you deserve it.

- Frank Zappa

Matt Monsoon and the Riffriders

Bang Bang

The Fox and the Hare

Excerpt from Julian Barnes's "Flaubert's Parrot"

Maxims for life. Les unions complètes sont rares. You cannot change humanity, you can only know it. Happiness is a scarlet cloak whose lining is in tatters. Lovers are like Siamese twins, two bodies with a single soul; but if one dies before the other, the survivor has a corpse to lug around. Pride makes us long for a solution to things - a solution, a purpose, a final cause; but the better telescopes become, the more stars appear. You cannot change humanity, you can only know it. Les unions complètes sont rares.

A maxim upon maxims. Truths about writing can be framed before you've published a word.; truths about life can be framed only when it's too late to make any difference.

Derailed

shuffle the cards
on a snare drum skin
"knock knock"
let them all in
on the joke
that you`re all in
right now

the event took place
on the Buffalo Nickel
the train derailed
and they sailed
through mid-song

there was a problem with
a thought on the tracks
but the facts grew lazy
and it ended up
an amazing crash

but wouldn`t you know it
they kept on singing
wouldn`t you know it
they just kept on singing
strummin` and thumpin`
they kept on singing
and the horns
kept on wailin`
they just kept on playing

but some went up
and some went down
some wore white
and others frowns
and one was impailed
by his song

there was that problem with
those thoughts on the tracks
but the facts grew lazy
and it ended up
this amazing crash

so shuffle the hearts
of souls from skin
"so long"
did they let them all in?
I hope they let them all
let them all
in

It`s G Martini season!

Where is David?

Is it just me, or has Micro been missing from this blog? It just hit me today that something or someone was missing. Does anyone know where David might be and if he is okay?

David, if you are out there, how about posting some pics of what you are doing, where you have been?
Maybe you could post another lettre from your Mom....(I liked the one about the deer).

The Saga of Captain Goldstar

PAGE 2.1
Originally uploaded by babajiwotan.

CLick on the image to read the text at bottom. I think Ill print these as posters when I get there.
Click here for the beautiful madness

RISE

label
Originally uploaded by babajiwotan.

Visual Communication achieved! Voodoo clearing. Arrival date of my stone age rocket docking at the ALFA mothership still 20 days off.
Click here for the beautiful madness

Prison Art

Check out this great story about prisoners making art and what they need to do to get their supplies.

From the article ... M&M's. Kool-Aid. Human hair. Coffee. Lime juice. These are some of the materials prisoners across the United States have used to create artworks now on display at Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts.

"My accessibility to art supplies is extremely limited," Anthony Throop, an inmate at the California Correctional Institution in Tehachapi, wrote to explain his coffee on paper work. "As a painter this frustrated me, so I grew my hair for five months to make paint brushes."

View the pieces in the art show or bid on a piece here