Classroom Visit to Jill's Class at the Durham Central Park School!

A few weeks ago, I got an email from Jill, a teacher at Durham Central Park School. She had been refered by the Art Teacher (Extraordinaire) over there, Lucia Marcus, an old friend, (and the owner of the only treadknot pull chain in existance, which she commissioned for her ceiling fan several years ago.)
Jill was interested in having me visit her class to talk about my artwork, as she is leading her class in a project exploring the concept of ReUse!

So we began to plot....

We decided I would bring Tyrius the aformentioned Tire Worm, (who my faithful assistant, Alex, and others, and I had crafted for Paper Hand Puppets' I AM AN INSECT in 08). He was a hit at my first classroom visit, and seemed like if nothing else was, that at least he would be memorable...

To deliver this big baby,  I had hoped to borrow Vito's festive, spray-paint-spotted 'New Mexican Cheetah' station wagon, but alas, this long distance runner had since sprinted off into the sunset, with a new owner, only a few weeks before (would like to meet the guy!..).
So Dane was willing to very kindly let me borrow his station wagon again for this delivery task (see Durham ArtWalk).
I imagined pulling up in front of the school, and cracking the hatch open, and cramped Tyrius sproinging, unfurling into space like a jack in the box.

I want to dress up the visit a bit. I wanted to 'bring the music'. So I also wore my snappy innertube suspenders, a choice striped shirt, and several choice belts. I also wore my found-object spring gasket ring, and my big hulking found sea shell ring. Though this one unfortunately got left in the car at the last second, it did give me a good thought to talk about reuse in nature... Also while I was getting dressed it occured to me that almost everything I wear (and maybe own) is reused! This was kind of an epiphany. Seemed like a good point to bring up, that just wearing hand me downs is a kind of reuse. Its amazing the stuff you'll come up with while you are stuggling to get your pants on, and out the door!

On thursday August 26, at 1:55 pm, I  pulled up in a green Station wagon in front of school. I had decided to wait, and save Tyrius for a treat at end of my presentation, but wanted him to be waiting in place, crouching, as best a giant grub can crouch...(sorry big guy).
So instead, I hauled in several loads of stuff- a few different bodies of work, and at 2:00 pm gave a hello...
And we were off!

Lightening Strikes: 'Taking a 'quiet' hand'.
 Man, I love a well-functioning classroom-
 interested, yet behaved. This is the stuff.

We talked about Reuse, and the distinction between Reuse and Recycling. As an example,  I brought up two critters: the earth worm, who you could say recycles, or BREAKS DOWN, plant material for use in new plants; versus the hermit crab, who ReUses a mullusks shell for a home ('adaptive reuse' actually!).
We had an extended conversation about finding creatures on the beach, which carried on just a hair too long. I missed a good oppurtunity to talk about found object art (where was my magic ring when I need it?!)

I also  talked about how I came to work with tires, about the metaphors involved in art-making, such as the tires and reptiles in my art, who both crawl across the ground, and their bumpy skin.

I quickly found it worked best to introduce a body of work, and then to  pass it around, and let them explore it in their tactile, interactive way; and then collect it again, and talk about the next series. Otherwise they were understandably too distracted to listen. This worked much better.

Finally, at the very end, we went outside, and I brought out big Tyrius.

After they were done, we said our goodbyes, and Lucia and I decided to let him lie around outside for a while after school, in their lovely courtyard, sunning himself, and signing autographs, benevolently tolerating all kinds of poking and prodding (he does like a good scratching).

It was really fun to visit with the class, even though I was burning up in my slacks, and I think my new Bell's Palsied eye was maybe kind of freaky for the kids (understandably- I really should have just explained it from the outset, will next time). Though it doesn't look that bad, the Bell's Palsy also made it difficult to speak clearly. So, to be honest, while it was fun for me to talk with the kids, and Jill was very appreciative, I wasn't really sure what kind of impression I had left on the kids...

Well, the next day, I happened to get a lucky treat. I happened to be down the street, at the Scrap Exchange Center for Creative Reuse, where I frequently do outreach events (I was just dropping off some old materials from my studio for their shop) As I was perusing the show at the Green Gallery, I heard some voices coming from the workshop room, next door. I took a peak inside, and who was seated in a circle around the tables but Mrs. Jill's same class from the day before! I was met with an excited, "It's TRAVIS!". Wow, if there ever was a sweet redemption. Ann later told me that when they first got there, they were all looking around, saying 'where's Travis?! Is Travis here?!"

 (maybe they think I'm some kind of benign Scrap goblin they keep chained at the Scrap Exchange, lurking among the barrels of odds and ends, waiting for people to drop off their scraps, which I scurry out to gather and horde, and devour, pausing occasionaly to leave some strange droppings in the corner..... OK, so not so far from the truth, actually!....)

Actually, I think maybe the reason that they were excited to see me, was that they had a list of questions that they had prepared for me, (as well as a seperate list for Ann, Director of the Scrap Exchange), which they hadn't gotten to ask me yesteday, due to time constraints, and my epic presentation.
So Ann was nice enough to invite me in, and join their discussion, and answer their questions.
They had some really good ones. Like "Why do you make Art out of tire scraps?" And I really enjoyed trying to answer them as best I could. THEN, I had a really cool treat- I got to hear Ann answer her questions, including a great one at the end "Why do you choose to work here?".
And you know, hearing this woman, who I know is an incredible artist and sculptor of many media in her own right, and certainly has the skills, savvy and experience to be captain of just about any ship she would like to be, hearing her answer this question about why she still works at the Scrap Exchange,  (enduring everything from endlessly leaking ceilings, to funding that is probably drying to a puddle on the floor), I must say, was very inspiring...

You can sense, the second you step through the door, that the Scrap Exchange is a very special place. But I never really knew, until Ann answered that question, about all of the many varied populations that the Scrap Exchange serves (children of all colors I knew, but parolees, the elderly, and infirm?, I had no idea.) I can't help but wonder, what effect does entering this environment have on someone who has been convicted and sentenced by the state to do community service? What about someone, tucked away at a nursing home? I can only imagine that the experience is somehow a life affirming one, and a healing one. I feel very greatful to have this Center of Creative Reuse in Durham (the town I grew up in) and know that I owe a lot to it, not just for occasional materials, work, business, and support, but also for a steady stream of inspiration.

I do hope that those curious kids in Jill's class got a whiff of this in their visit.

And thanks, Lucia, The Durham Central Park School, and teacher Jill and her class, for having me in your classroom! It was a pleasure for me to meet you all. And I hope we can do some more work together in the near future...

Teachers Lucia and Jill with Tyrius

...FESTIVAL FOR THE ENO, continued

OK, so I really need to get this post up, as there is alot happening that I need to catch up with!

But there is also alot worth mentioning about this festival So maybe I should spare you a blow by blow of a crafts festival.....

Ha, fat chance!

First, THE BOOTH: BUILDING OF BAMBOO BUTRESSES
Getting ready for this show, I put a hefty bit of work into the design and making of my booth, not onlfor the Festival for the Eno, but also for other festivals down the road.

I wanted something that was light, modular, and fitted the feel of my artwork.
I also wanted to be able to suspend works of art from the ceiling of my booth, and my canopy's cross struts just weren't made to bear much weight at all.

So for this job I chose two materials:
Bamboo, of plentiful supply, if you know where to look, and
Gridwall shelving, a set of which I had found on the roadside last year, and found more of at Bed Bath and Beyond, at a greatly discounted rate, as it was going out of production (a big thanks to Kevin, for being so reasonable working with me! a rare quality, these days, You Da Man!)!

I had an elaborate plan to make a much more sculptural tent of my own, and I hope I get to make this happen someday, but for the mean time, I quickly abandoned this fantasy, and chose instead to build onto the vertical support of the tent that I have (using an approach, which I think you could rightly call 'post and beam').

my tent, at lowered position

To to this tent structure, I lashed a grid of 8 10ft bamboo poles, notching them, 

to get them to nest together, and create an even plane from which I could hang sculptures.

 'the flying bamboo butresses'

For the lashings, I used but bicycle tire inner tubes, which are in plentiful supply around here.. they have worked out very well so far, though I am still refining my lashing technique, any volunteers?

Once I'd added the bamboo cross beams, I added the canopy for extra shade, and 'raised the roof', though I was blessed with a very old tree's shade already. 

tent frame standing with canopy and butresses

From the bamboo beams, I hung strip of grid wall panels, creating self standing corner columns, and between these, I strung vertical bands, filling in. This became the 'skin' of what quickly became known as 'the rat cage'.  

from the bamboo beams, I hung strips of grid-wall shelving.

For the floor plan, I had actually laid this thing out in a much more frontal, symetrical, pagoda style, with a front, sides and back,while designing it in my studio. Its was a little more temple like, and slightly forboding, a demeanor which I actually liked. However, when I saw my spot, it didn't take long to see that the space offered a different set of possibilities. So I opted for this corner arrangment, which I think allowed for a much easier, less intimidating flow though the space. Its funny, it was perhaps sort a psychological shift as well for me, one that  I am very glad that I made. (I am also glad that I made my booth so modular, though it is not perfectly so yet), 

Then I just placed my pedestals (I made a nice nesting set from some sauna tubes), 

Pedestals added to mix

add a little sculpture.....

and,

Voila!
home, sweet home.

NEIGHBORS
I was blessed to have some very good neighbors, kindest of all perhaps being Art and Colleen Heinrich, of Sweet Whispers, true to their name! Art's intricate metal work is amazing, incorporating chrystals and metaphysics that blew me away. He also has an amazing story as a craftsman. They were very kind and helpful through out the show. And to top it all off, Colleen has offered to help connect me with some giant airplane tires! (her brother is a mechanic for Boeing?)... Yowza!

Across the way, Max 'the leatherman' has been doing the festival for years, and was an awesome friend to me in this process, for whose guidance I am greatful. Aside from being a top notch guy, he is also a master craftsman; I have been a big fan of his artful, creatively designed, and well made leather work for many years.

And to my left was the one and only Lisa Perkle, up from GA, who I have to say is true to her name, as she is a woman who is constistantly perky, not in ANY kind of annoying sense at all, No quite to the contrary, she simply had a firmly positive way about her. To be frank, this Southern Lady, is tough as nails. Seems like I am meeting a new breed of woman out here on the road. As she pointed out, doing what she does, alone, show after show, you'd better be. Well my hat is off to you, Ms. Perkle. And thank you for the chicken sandwich!

I would like to share some pictures of my new friends, but you know, its really not cool to show an artist's work on the internet, with out their permission. It could actually have very serious consequences for their business. So out of respect for their labor, I am not posting these.

I didn't really get away from my booth a whole lot, but when I did, I found that I was in some pretty awesome and extraordinary company there at the Eno...

SALES
To be honest, At First, it was hard for me to approach this show. For a newbie like me, Its hard to sell your stuff! You like it. Your sculptures are like your kids, you grew with them in a sense. You don't want to sell them. Obviously, this is an obstacle I need to work out, if I want to be in the crafts business!!!
Well after some hand wringing, eventually, something clicked, and I finally came around , remembering what the hell I was doing!

The approach I finally Refound this show was to make things FOR the festival, duh! That is to say, I created for the imaginary patrons of this festival. And Once I moved to this approach, everything flowed much easier. I opened up the flood gates so to speak, and created freely, letting that Eno river, in all of its primordial grace, flow through my minds eye, and what came out of me, hopefully collected a residual petina, from the silts of the ancient mountains collected in those waters...plus maybe a little earwax.

I still showed some of my older pieces, but just as displays, with no price tag. Some one told me that my booth was more like a sculpture exhibit, than a store front, and I think she was right about this, actually, I know she was! So it became sort of a site specific installation, Maybe you could say, along the banks of the river, ok, thats a stretch!

BUT, come time for the festival, I did have a booth laden with tire sculpture.
AND some of those imaginary Festival for the Eno Goers materialized in flesh and bone as:

Kerry, a very sweet woman from Hillsboro was my first customer. (Incidentally, she is also a customer of my mothers! From me whe bought a very nice split motorcycle knot planter with a Chatham red clay tread inlay (igpay atinlay?), a historic precurser to the upcoming Gem Line series. I hope you are enjoying it Kerry!

Tim- a very nice, very tall, fellow, bought a very graceful motorcrossknot for his garden. I happen to remember this tire knot's birth very well, it was gentle and easy all the way through, so supple was this tire; it practically folded and tied itself! Though I don't know Tim nearly as well as the tire, this somehow seemed to match his strong but easy personality. A good fit! Man, I love me a good fit! Doesn't it just look like the thing belongs in his hand? A second, successful delivery! This tire's going places..

Helga- took home a very nice motoknot with a very nice inlay of that good Chatham County orange/red dirt! Ooo, this one was a doozy to behold! And what a doozy Helga was to behold, herself. After she bought the piece, she turned out to be the mother of none other than of a favorite aquaintance of mine, Murial, the Lama Goddess, who runs the Chatham County Waste Program! Alright Helga, I guess we're about 1 for 1 in the world!

Dane let me pick him a piece! With Bennet as its bodyguard, I sent Dane home a great hulking wicked mototreadknot, that I would venture has something of the tire's dinosaur anscestry in it..beware Dane, and remember, DON'T FEED THE treadknot AFTER DARK! (we need to get a picture old buddy, before its to late!)

"Travis, what you're overlooking here is that extended photo shoots bring out
 MY dinosaur ancestry!"

Nice Lady, but I can't remember you name! (please email me, if you see this!) bought the 'Mexicalli Rose' tire planter. Though, it was a little dingy, this hot little pepper of a planter had some serious character, and I am so glad it found a home with someone who saw past the grime of its rough exterior.

Guy with black leather sandles, there was this guy who arrived at the booth, David?, who struck me as a very classy fellow. He had these black leather sandles, from Spain he said I think, jet black hair, mustache, goatee, and a black fidora. But inpite of all this, which might have stuck out in NC, he did not seem ostentatious in the slightest, just sort of stylish, well composed, and different.
If there was ever a time when my sales skills were put to the test at this festival, it was with David. Why? because I really WANTED this guy to have (and to wear!) a treadknot "chaCHING" poet's purse! I know a good  treadknot model, when I see one, and I knew it would just suite him so well.
Eventually, after considerable effort, I managed to convince him of this unmutable fact. And I hope, and am wiling to bet, that he is glad that I did. He later brought his children over to explore my tire artwork, so I must not have been too obnoxious. I think this is one of them?...Who's kid is this?

Best Buddy old pal, Emily got a treadknest, that I made especially for her! (her Man-friend agreed, that with it's lux purple-feather-boa trim, it was indeed tres Wexler).

Towards the end of the event, Herculean Festival Director Greg Bell stopped by to inquire about a certain piece. This was no ordinary piece; I actually had created this one especially for this festival, I had been imagining it for several YEARS! So I am extremely gratified that this piece appearently captured Greg's imagination. (I sort of think of it as a river serpent's/dragon's eye). If I needed any more reassurance that there is a good connection here, seeing Greg NAB that one has sealed the deal for me.

Incidentaly, the piece was made using a baby moon hub cap, that I scavenged from the side of the highway one evening, a couple weeks before the show, traveling back from Artist and Asolare Founder Jim Moon's Birthday party in Lexington, NC. (Thanks for the good Ju Ju Jim!)

Did I miss someone???
If I missed you, Please forgive me. It was three days spent swimming in a river of sweat, and social and business interactions, and really all I have to go by is my mailing list from the festival, and my camera to remind me of what all happened. But if I did miss you on this list, and you don't mind being included, please do leave a comment, or email me at traviscohn@yahoo.com, as I would love to honor you, and your new connection with the Reptire family. Thank you, and thank you all very much for your business. Welcome to the fam!


Commissions and potential collaborations
John:

John dreaming about his sculpture

John Reyes is a young bicyclist who is was pedalling from Texas all the way to Boston, and BACK!!!, Why? To celebrate and excersize the personal freedom that he values, as a way of thanking the service men and women around the world for their work protecting that freedom (paraphrased from John. To hear John talking about the project, in his own words go to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3RqZLKV8XQ4&feature=related. You can also check out his blog about his trip; just go (next door) to bostonandbackride.blogspot.com).

contemplating the possibilites

To commemorate his journey, he has asked me to make him a commemorative sculpture like the one shown here, using the very bicycle tires, chain and sprocket which 'carried' him on his journey across the US. They must feel like old friends this point!

John really seemed to like the piece, and the idea of fashioning his gear into one. I hope we can make it work for him.

You can check out the YouTube video he posted about his plans for the piece, at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I3YP5fdyMrM, or just enter 'Reptire' at the youtube prompt. Normally I would be hesitant about such exposure, but Mr. Reyes was very concientious about asking  my permission to post it (all ya gotta do is ask!), and was even thoughtful enough to send people to This blog in his video posting. I really appreciated this gesture.

As of this posting John just made it back to Texas!!! Once he gets settled back in, he says he'll pack his gear in a box, and send it on over to Reptire Design Studios, for its conversion into a new work of art. Congradulations John. I look forward to working with you on this.


 Hopefully his will be a glorious first, to kick off the up and coming Reptire 'Retirement' Program... details to be posted on the upcoming website...



Kurt is also commissioning an atomic tire sphere for a friend who supports his 'biking habit'. I have to say, that Kurt has been Very patient.

Sebastian is a hair 'sculptor', who with his partner run a Green Hair Salon! (they work with other colors of hair too). They are interested in commissioning some art, perhaps we thought, a hanging tire garden for their salon, a concept I have been working on lately. I am very excited about this possibility.

Melissa and Jennifer of Realm Design- Green Interior Designers....! Need I say more?

Buffy from Reciprocities and Revamp makes exquisite wearable art using feathers. I have a design I am working on that could incorporate Just the kind of work she does. So, towards the end of the festival, I gathered up my nuts in my throat and approached the gals down the isle at the Revamp tent. And I am happy to report that artist of a/the feather, Buffy, seemed open to the idea of a collaboration....  (to be continued)...

Also got to talk with both  Sandy Nononi-Smith and Leo Briere, at different time, of the Y.I.K.E.S Recyclique. We have talked in the past about partnering for a project, and I hope some day this comes true! It was good to catch up with each of them. Hopefully I'll get to spend some more time over there soon, as their workshop is really picking up steam. You can check them out at http://yikeslink.blogspot.com/2009/04/wanted-crafters-artists-designing.html


VISITORS
A big thanks to all of you who stopped by, give me a leg stretcher or just to say Hi.

b

Mama and Papa Bear in da Howse.

AWARD!
      Now I have to fess up to something. I am not often characterized as an ultra competitive person, by any stretch, most people consider me to be generally pretty peacefull and laid back actually. But when it comes to making art, well another person comes outta me. And I tell you, for some reason, for my first Festival for the Eno, I wanted a Best Booth Award! No good reason, I think I just knew I had it in me.

 So I slaved away, day after day, and into the nights, nearly getting messed up the day before set up. But I made it, and on the first day of the festival, this counsel of four wise people appears at my booth, looking around, nodding, scribbling on their clip boards, and then they dissapeared, quickly and mysteriously as they had arrived...

    Well, I am proud to report that Reptire Designs won itself a Best Emerging Artist Award! While I have to admit that it took me a while to get over the fact that it wasn't a Best Booth award, I have slowly, gradually come to realize the gift and honor that has been bestowed upon me, and this artwork. It's nice to know that all of my hard work on that booth paid off, and the fact that the festival judges saw value in the work seems encouraging for the future of Reptire art at the Festival for the Eno.

Furthermore, I was especially impressed that this award was very thoughtfully and STURDILY laminated by these outdoor festival Pros, making it something that should hold up well to the trials of the road, and which I can proudly hang in my booth for years to come. Like the gift of a well made knife, this is really something to be proud of, and treasured out there on that weathered road, all the more so, as it comes from people who clearly know what they are doing! Thanks guys.

But, I would be remiss If I did not pay thanks to the many hands that helped me get though this thing.

Jennifer Sugg, for picking some flowers to brighten up my booth.

Carry Fields for helping me pack up, a misty morning bday present, and for life giving hugs.

Stacye Leanza for an all important pin, reading "Be nice to me, it's my birthday!" God knows what would have happened with out that!, and who also watched my booth for me for a good while, and rearranged my sculptures for me.

Trent, for some good thoughts on merchandizing.

My Momma, Edie Cohn, who challenged me to stick with this thing, helped me make some very handsome placards for my booth, and was just an awesome source of support all the way through.

Maria Stawsky, who lent me the use of her beautiful photograph of mating Anoles.

Tori Mazure for the use of her beautiful photograph of a box turtle on the blueridge parkway.

Jill Truffant and Squiggs, Josh Zaslow, Bennet Finkler, Dane Summers, and Dane's folks, for just being great company.

Vito Di Bona and Lanya Shapiro, for the quenching popsicle.

Ruben 'Cohnzales', for buffing a treadknot. 

Carol Mitchell for lending me her experienced eye

Ana Howard, who shared with me her stainless steel keen perspective, and communed with me about what is art, and what was I doing here at the Festival for the Eno.

Carol Anderson, for taking an interest, 

Greg Bell, for being awesome to work with.

And all of the rest of you, who took an interest, gave me a smile, and helped see me along my way.



Wrapping Up,
So late Sunday evening, I finally got it all packed up, and after bidding my nomadic neighbors happy trails, went down to take a ceremonial dip in the river, the dimming dusky light, before heading to my folk's house, just down the road, to get some shut eye...


For, No rest for the weary...

 Early the next morning, I jumped headfirst, straight into a week of teaching a double load of art camps at the ArtsCenter, and then another week of a normal load. (In rare forsight, l had done the prep for all of these months ahead of time, this is the real reason I was nervous about doing the festival). And then, when that was done, just when I was ready for a rest at long last, I got an email from our friends the giant puppeteers, saying they could use some help painting some sets, and they were willing to pay me...well shit, you don't pass up an invitation like that, from those guys. at least I didn't! So after a day or two of rest, I carried the momentum forward, and jumped into a week of that, and had a blast, turning out some sets that I am really proud of! It was a Real pleasure and an Honor to get to work with those guys, and they were very appreciative. 

IN CONCLUSION 
Well I got a lot out of this festival. AND

 I did manage to have a good time (on and around my birthday, no less), which I wasn’t counting on, but of course, was hoping for (thanks for all of the sweet help with this!). Ken Crossen (right off a plane from India) took this picture of me on Sunday, and his artful snapshot seems like ‘proof in the pudding’ that all of that hard work paid off, and a good time was had… 

Thank you to all of you who helped to stretch a smile across my face.

FESTIVAL FOR THE ENO

So, for the past several months, I have been steadily, methodically, and yet, at times, nervously, preparing for the 'debut' of Reptire Designs at the Festival for the Eno. This glorious union has been a long term goal in the making..

SO, (GASP) LETS START AT THE BEGINNING..

If you don't know, the Festival for the Eno has been held for some 30+ years at a beautifull glade of a park called West Point On The Eno (on the outskirts of Durham NC), which is the site of an old flour Mill, whose water wheel still turns a giant stone, which still grinds corn into grits and flour). Needless to say, with the mill's ancient wooden smells, the park's cathedral like canopy, and the Eno River tumbling quietly through it all, the park is a serene and pretty magical place. My Mom used to take me there when I was a little brat, and I happen to have many fond memories of this site, including working for a nature camp in more recent years, and letting kids play hide-and-go-seek in that creaky old mill. The serenity of this spot may be lost on adolescent boys at times, but it imbues festival goers with a certain fluid calm...

Inspite of the fact that the Festival is held during perhaps the sweltering hottest time of the year in NC (earning it the name Broil Fest by some), this has never stopped me, or thousands of other Durhamites and others from the triangle area, as it still has Alot of good things going for it...

First, duh, is The Eno River. And like the great Ganges, West Point on the Eno is kind of a shrine, where people have connected with the river for hundreds of years. Either mechanicaly, with water wheels, recreationally, with our legs, canoes or fishing poles, or educationally, with nature camps. So, if you are coming to the Festival for the Eno, if you have any kind of sense at all, bring a bathing suite, and pay a visit of homage while you are there, to cool yourself in its waters..

Another good thing the Festival has is music; they stage some of the finest musicians around. I have especially good memories of cooling my toes in the river to the dark mysteries of Shark Quest, and also of cooling my soul in the river of the TROSA house band's music. And thats just the tip o' the ice burg at Broil Fest. Thats what we do here in 103 degree weather, chill.. any which way we can..

The festival also has a lot of really gifted Artists and Artisans showing their work there, from all over the southeast, which have really been a treat to meet and explore over the years. Daniel Mathews, a reclaimed metal artist, who makes wonderous furniture and life size animal sculpture was an early inspiration, and he is still there, his work just getting more unbelievable. Another of these is my friend Roger Deninger, who makes Beautiful furniture out of reclaimed barn wood, in his business Reinbarnation- genius. He once told me that he does well at the festival, and said that he thought that my work might also, as it is also from a reclaimed material, which Festival for the Eno goers seem to appreciate. My informal interviews with other Craft artists have also yielded a similar conclusion, namely, that the Festival is a crafts buyers market- many people come to this festival to buy crafts. So, in the last few years, it has become a goal for me to sell at this festival.

Back in 2005, I actually rode my bike out to the festival, and brought Luther the Snapping Turtle (Head) in a back pack, to do some 'test marketing.' The feedback was positive. I have one fond memory of this guy with a nice 'Tupelo Waterfull' (full on 'mullet'), going wild-eyed and slack-jawed and stammering when he saw the thing, and then racing around to show his friends; he had never seen anything like it! Soliciting this reaction, bringing out this kind of kid-like excitement in a full grown man, certainly left a mark on me... It was also at this time that I crept up behind Ann Woodward, Director of the Scrap Exchange, who was selling her Fabulous MaeMae Bags there in the shade, and gave her a peek of this hideous thing hiding in my back pack; and in response, she bravely offered me a show at the Scrap Exchange...

So a couple years ago, I contacted the Festival to find out how I could apply. The director of the festival, Greg Bell, emailed me back and kindly told me how I could apply. He also asked of I was the artist who makes the tire art. He had seen the work downtown at the Durham ArtWalk! (that I mentioned in this blog). He encouraged me to apply, and the rest is history...

OK, I'm gonna sign off now, have a drawing class to teach tomorrow, to be continued..

HAW RIVER FESTIVAL- Painting Rivr Critr Pitchrs

Oh Man,

Well last weekend I did my 2nd Haw River Festival. It is an annual festival to honour and celebrate the Haw River, a golden green and blue vein rich with cool aquatic life, languidly drifting and occasionally tumbling through Chatham County.

Last year I decided to commit myself, and my tire art business, to being a part of this festival on a yearly regular basis. Somehow, it feels like a good match..

So I paint faces, and more often arms, with renderings of the 'neighborhood' flora and fauna who call this river home, 'denizens of the deep'. I also bring some of my tire art to show and share, including Luther, the snapping turtle I made of bicycle tires on a sewer pipe. And indeed, the inky black sculptures seem right at home amongst the cool and lush blue/greens of the 'riparian rushes.'..

And It has been a real treat these past two springs, to 'get in touch' with this community of wild life, and will be for as long as I do it. It is fun to take stock of who's who, kind of like going to a family reunion. "Oh, there's Uncle Ron, the yellow bellied slider, perched on someone's fore arm like a log. Or aunt Izzie, the Rough Green Snake, draping herself around cousin Henry's wrist. My aim, I suppose, is to help 'connect' the festival participants with these locals. To remind us of who's who, and just who's land we're on!

Traditionaly this festival has been held Down By The River, and an old abondoned tushkins factory, in sleepy little Bynum, a small Mill town, come tight knit community. But this time, due to some sad complaints of 'local' realtors (who don't even live in state), it was moved up river to up and coming Saxapahaw. Now there are a ton of great things to be said about 'Saxy', (gracious home of PaperHand Puppet) and a TON of great things to be said about the festival this year (Kickin Musical line up, thanks Germane!). You could very well say that this festival took it to a higher level, and from many important angles, this is admirable.

However, I have to confess that I feel like we lost something in the move. I miss the Bynum site. It was a little more down on the water. A little more down homey. I don't know, maybe I'm just a whiny sap. I will have to try to make a better effort to adapt next year.

This year I decided to concentrate on reptiles and amphibians. You have to draw the line somewhere (or risk overwhelming yourself with work , and your customer with choices), and this seems like a distintion I can live with. So I picked a few of each:

Rough Green Snakes

Yellow Bellied Sliders, (no photo available)

Blue Tailed Skinks

and Anoles.

For Amphibians, I did Bullfrogs and Tree Frogs. Next Year I will add in salamanders (Fiery Red Efts). I did do one striped Salemander.

I decided to change the name of my service from 'Haw Rivr Cridr Pictrs' (kind of an homage to Clyde), to Taboo Tattoos- these are animals that people generally regard as creepy, but they can also be 'befriended', if you let go of your fear alittle...

Well, I did get blessed with some pretty darn wonderful neighbors. Right next to me were two most inspiring old friends, Jan Burger and Emma Skurnik. And while I felt a little bit sheepish to be hawking my two-bit carny tattoos next to these two phenomenal illustrators, they were every bit as good company as I knew they would be. And across from me was none other than the Goddess of Liquid Green Goodness herself, Zulayka Santiago, with her Liberacion Juice Truck, from which she whipped up refreshing concoctions which kept me cool through the long hot day. I also met some interesting local artists.

There was another facepainter down the way, (doing nice but more generic face painting), with a much quicker techinique. I am still not sure how I feel about the festival bringing in both of us....

In some ways, I was actually ok with this. I don't know that a little competition is a bad thing. Also, last year I was kind of swamped, and another painter's presence this year reduced my business down to a more manageable stream.

However I also did come away feeling a little bit disapointed. I put a lot of work into cultivating a product that is somewhat particular to the festival. While I had no formal exclusivity agreement with the planners of the festival (at all yet), I guess I had hoped that they realized my intentions, which seems a little silly to assume, now that I say it. I really can't hold this against them. But maybe I should have been more bold, and brought the subject up with them. I suppose it is not too late, and maybe I will. However, this would also beg the question of fidelity towards them. Is such a thing worthwhile, right or necessary?..

I had several interesting interactions:

Well, first, I would be remiss if I did not mention "Hugo" a blue tailed skink strutting his stuff with flair and pinache on the brickwall 'cat walk' behind me. Thought I claimed he was 'with me', he was actually just a local volunteer. For his service, I provided him amnesty from many enthusiastic lizard spotters. I think it must be a special treat to be getting a skink 'tattoo', and then see one crawling across the brick wall in front of you. To me, this is what the Haw River Festival is about...this is why I do it.

I had another little kid he boasted that he had just caught a blue tailed skink down by the river, where he was canooing. For his stealth and bravery, he was awarded a discounted skink tattoo. (I hope Hugo didn't hear about that though).

Also, I met a fellow face painter, a real pro, and a really nice person, and she invited me to check out her Face Painter's Guild! Who knew? She invited me to come and share my art with them. Was strange to me that she thought I had something to offer.....I feel like my techniques and materials are pretty 'primitive' at this point. But it was a nice invitation, and I look forward to talking shop with them some day...A quicker technique would probably serve me well..

There was also a funny kid with punk rocker parents, 'Townes', who got Very excited when he discovered my booth, and roared that wanted to be "COVERED with tattoos"! Instead, he settled for a bit of my own inpiration (what was to be the tattoo of the day, edicted Emma). He wanted a beating heart in the middle... Funny Kid.

Had a couple challenging parent experiences, but perhaps this is par for the course. (though I have never had such experiences with the Central American parents at other festivals).

One was the mom of my first customer, who said her little daughter wanted a butterfly. I said I didn't do butterflies, but I could offer her a reptile or amphibian, a tree frog perhaps? The mom was getting a little pushy, and said "c'mon, what do you care? You're getting paid!".

This was an interested comment....and begged a lot of good questions about my business and presence there.

Who was the boss? She, the customer, who held the money? Me, the business owner/artist?They say "The customer is always right". Does this apply to artists too? Are we exempt?....

And was I there to spread some 'river gospel'? Or was I just there to make a buck? as she seemed to be suggesting?

And there we were, frozen in time, at the gate, locked in a face off. It felt like all eyes were on us..

Now, I have nothing against painting 'mariposas' in general, and I have made a lot of kids happy this way in the past, and surely will again in the future, at other lovely events.

But I knew deep down that that's not what I came to do. I had spent the last two days studying frog and lizard anatomy, prepping my colors, and boning up on reptile 'lore', and I wasn't going to throw all that away for a pushy momma. Maybe if it had been the end of the day, I might have appeased her. But I didn't want to spend the whole day painting butterflies. And even more, I didn't not want to start my day this way. No way.

I could have told her to go to hell, or to go to the other face painter, which probably would have been the simplest thing to do. But I wasn't 'goin' out like that' either. So I asked the little girl what she wanted. She sat before me, big scared eyes, mouth a clasped coin purse, an enormous weight now placed on her tiny shoulders. 'Do I listen to my bossy mom? or to this weird guy holding a paint brush?'

I asked her gently if she wanted a tree frog on her hand? or a butterfly? She was mute. The tension in the air was enormous. I asked her again if she wanted a frog (admittedly I probably rigged the election). Slowly, shyly, tentatively, she nodded..... yes, that she did. Well, wether this was fair or not, I don't know. But what I do know is that at this point, all of the tension melted. I moved in quickly, painting a cool damp pale green tree from on her hand, and then a fly on her shoulder, and then finished it off with a long tongue curling around her arm to catch the fly. The mom had relaxed and Let Go by this point, and seemed to value the unexpected thing I had given them. The kid opened up too, turned out to be a real card, and we all enjoyed our time together, they posing for a family portrait at the end. We thanked each other warmly and sincerely, and they, my first customers of the day, trotted off into the crowd, it seemed, satisfied customers.

I had another Mom, not so satisfied, who bulked at the price."5 dollars for that?!" I looked down at the frog on her kid's arm. "Well, I've got to get myself here and back you know" I said. "Listen, if you can't afford it, give what you can. You give me what you think it's worth." I could tell that she could afford it, but I think she was feeling ripped off by vendors in general, which we all can relate to. Also, I had to admit to her that the design was one of the less difficult and complex. I settled for $3, and feel ok about it.

However, these two experiences aside, or maybe included, I should say that I also had several truly pleasant experiences with parents (mostly with Dads incidentally...). Parents seem to really enjoy bringing their kids to this festival, and on the whole, it seems to bring out the best in them and their kids.

But as the day wound down, boy so did I. I was getting wore out, and the festival started dragging on. I took a break, and went to sit under a tree, snarf down some BBQ, watch a kickin' Brass Band, and count my money! Wow, $60 bucks, net. While I had already topped last years net of $50, it still felt like a pittance for the full day of work. Additionally, my goal had been to gross $100.I staggered back, drained, and contemplated starting to tear down. But no such luck...

Arrived this late, twilight hour, was a different kind of customer, trolling about, on young and tender mayfly wings..

Up until this point, my customers had mainly been little kids, accompanied by their parents. Now, I am very grateful to these trusting parents, to bring their tender pups to me, to be tattooed with talismans of reptiles and toads...tis a trusting ting to do!

But now, was the feeding time of a different creature:... the unadorned eft, left on their own, with a dollar or two to spend; to scout the gettings for themselves. And as the sun dropped into the trees, and all the insects swarmed above the water, so too, these did collect about me so.

It was a trickle, but a steady one, and when they left, they brought back more. Till by the end, I had my own mayfly midge armada! Thanks to this crew, I made my $1oo, and then some.

Finally, 8:00 came, and I washed my brushes, collapsed my displays, and broke my tent tent down.

2 hours later, I was all packed up, and just in the nick of time. My sweetie pie, Carrie, met me near the bridge in a flowing flowery red dress, as she has once before. Though we missed the dance, we went down to the river, and I climbed in, and tried to wash the long long day out of me. I soaked adamantly, trying to pull my core body temperature down, because over the course of the day, I had cooked my self to the core. And I tried to loosen the monstrous knot that I had tied in the muscles on one side of my back, painting faces all day. As I lay there, beached on the river bank in the cool night air, I felt like I had worked a Full day landscaping, digging ditches. (All said, had been about 14 hours of work).

Who ever knew painting kids faces could be such hard work?

Babbling about bamboo

Today I got some Bamboo.

I am building a fort.

No, I am building a booth.

A tire booth.

A tire Art booth.

I am building a booth from out of which to sell art made of tires?

Actually, I am just adding onto my tent.

I need to create an addition onto my tent.

It's not big enough.

I am only allowed ten feet of tent space at the festival. That's not alot of room to sell art made of tires, and sell your self at the same time, and that's (what I'm told) I have to do.

So I am building of buttresses.

Buttresses, which will suspend my tire art far across the landscape, casting them like apples.

It's actually only going to be about a foot out, but I feel like I am building a gothic cathedral...

sending an archipaligo out into space, poor lonely space.

Not anymore. Now they have tire art in space.

Its fun writing like an idiot.

Now I know how Kurt Vonnegut kept it up so long..

He mastered the idiot's voice, and in so doing, said alot of very wise things.

Being tired gives you the chance to use your idiot voice.

Maybe this is what doing drugs is all about..

Masks, masks, they hide us, they protect us, and they free us.

Sometimes, they are too heavy to wear around.

That's when its time to put that one down.

And pick up a frown. Not just any old frown,

A horrid, gnashing, pulsating GRIMACE!

Show the world that you are MENACE!

Pucker up your face, like you just a lemon,

But don't be see ugly that you look like Jack Lemon.

OK, that's enough, I can see I've gone too far.

You're kreeping towards the door.

Here I am, out at the end of my butress again,

asking favors of gravity, I know he can't suspend.

Do come back some day I say.

I may stop rhyming, and I promise I won't play.

I'll just pout, and put blogs out,

short and stout.

Harvesting some bamboo

Okay, must follow thru.

This is not that exciting, but I must become obsessive, and compunctual about documenting my work, and since my dear mother was kind enough to give me her very good 'old' camera, I better use it!

Today I harvested some bamboo, for my fort/booth at the River Festival..

I normally would have gotten some lusher looking stuff, but when I got to the grove, behind a condemned looking house, I found an earnest neighbor had been hard at work... there was alot of dried out bamboo laying already cut. And since I am still just roughing out my trellis scheme for the booth, I thought this would work fine. So instead of cutting down alot of new culms, I invested a good while tidyed up the pile and yard a bit, good bamboo source stewardship, very important (for future bamboo projects). When that was squared away, I bundled up the choice poles with some inner tubes- very handy for this task! hoisted the hulking bundle on my right shoulder , climbed on my bike, and off I went!

This is always an interesting riding experience (wish I had a picture), somewhat akin to sailing, though your rudder is your front tire... and your sail, well it is about 25 horizontal feet. Somehow it works, you just have to keep moving, and steer slow, like on a large boat; and as far as other traffic goes, sort own the road...because with all that cargo weight, it slows, well, real slowly....generally it wants to go home though, though sometimes it wants to go sniff a bush...

Anyways, when I got the bundle

back to the 'kitchen', I cleaned it, stripping off all the little branches with a stout knocker, a trick my good buddy Billy Altheiser showed me in Oakland, CA, which I will be foreever greatful for, old pal.

Then, I had to der shleppin ze bamber up to zie shtudio. Here I am shleppin, imagining that I am Indiana Jones of Siler City....Shameless.

Finally, home sweet home....

Next I have to figure out how to get it up there...

To be continued.....

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Hey People, Friends, Strangers, alike, LEAVE ME A NOTE SOMETIME! I like it! Does this blog make me look fat?! I wanna know!

At the time of this post, I have had 101 views of my blog, and only ONE Canadian kid, Cedric, has had the balls to leave me a note. Thanks Cedric, you are boon to your country men. hope your cool ass photography is coming along.

Come on guys.. doesn't have to be rhapsodic. Just a little hello.

Love Travis