Round Two

Thrillist.com posted the article for The Art of War: Grenade Project in Thrillist Nation’s Best of the Best.

I don’t need super powers…

“I don’t need super powers. I have a hand grenade.”

-Hand Grenade man from The Tick issue #11-

Never mind…just click the links: The Art of War project was reviewed by Thrillist.com.

The Art of War: Grenade Project

This project has been slowly coming together.  I’ve finished six of the twelve grenades I originally intended to make.  I’ve had such an overwhelmingly good response to these and some great suggestions from friends and family for design ideas that I’ve decided to expand beyond my original plan for a dozen sculptures.  I’ve also added a gallery to my website for the grenade sculptures.  I’ll add more as I finish them.

Apathy Kills

Depression:

• a mental state characterized by a pessimistic sense of inadequacy and a despondent lack of activity.
• a long-term economic state characterized by unemployment and low prices and low levels of trade and investment.

Apathy:

Lack of interest or concern, especially regarding matters of general importance or appeal; indifference.

I believe all of the above definitions apply to my current situation.  My lack of blog posts has mostly been due to feeling like I have nothing interesting to say.  Paying gigs have been as rare as hen’s teeth and interesting photo opportunities few and far between.  I get on here daily and spend a couple hours looking for work, photography related and full time or part time “real” jobs.   August 2nd 2010 was the beginning of my 17th month of being unemployed.  So yeah, I’m apathetic and depressed about the economic depression.  Washington State has an 8.9% unemployment rate and Snohomish County, WA (where I live) is currently at 9.6%, which is up from May’s 9.1%.  Read more here.

I’ve scoured the employment sections of the local papers, craigslist, and the UI website for 16 months now.  I now know things that I don’t care about.  I know them because I see the same ads every week.  Things like several south Seattle machine shops are looking for manual machinists with a level of experience that is apparently unobtainable…because they’ve had that same ad running every couple of weeks for over a year.  Also, Amazon.com wants to hire a product photographer and a photographer’s assistant.  The job was in Seattle, but now it’s moved to Hebron, KY.  I don’t know if that means they fired their Seattle photographer or if he quit because he refuses to move to Kentucky.  Why did the position move to KY and why are they posting in the Seattle craigslist and not the Hebron, KY craigslist?  Oh, and photographing foreclosed homes for real estate companies doesn’t pay jack shit, in case you were wondering.  I’ve checked.

These are some of the reasons for the lack of posts, my depression, and my apathy.  There are a few things that have recently happened that give me some small spark of hope, but I’m not ready to jinx myself by talking about them yet.  I’ll save the happy post for when I see some solid results.  For now you’re stuck wallowing in my doom & gloom.  Or you can always go read a happy blog about kittens and puppies.

If you’re looking to hire a photographer, I’m still available.  If nothing else it’ll make my blog posts less depressing ; )

The Presidents of the United States of America

I’ve never seen The Presidents live before.  I wish I had.  It’s not like I’ve actively avoided them, I just never had a chance.  But, I did get a chance to see them President’s Day weekend and I got to bring my camera in thanks to Gene Stout.

The show was nothing short of amazing.  The opening bands People Eating People and Black Daisy put on a good show.  Then The Presidents roadies started setting up and I found myself pinned to the stage and shoulder to shoulder with photographer Jim Bennett.  When  PUSA came out and it was constant action from start to finish.  I haven’t seen a band and the crowd this energetic since GBH and Agnostic Front in Denver 1985.

More photos and story here: GeneStout.com and coming soon here: IPhotographMusic.com

Skull Face Grenade

Skull Face Grenade

Originally uploaded by faust0matic

This is number 3 in a series of sculptures on hand grenades. Same technique as the last two; paper clay painted in oils. I need to pick up some Magic Sculpt before I start on the next one. I think I’ve hit the limits on the level of detail I can reach with paper clay.

The Art of War

untitled

Originally uploaded by faust0matic

I have an attraction to military surplus crap. I can’t help it. Growing up it was more like an addiction. I’d go down to the local flea market, which had a huge military surplus booth and dig through the bins of full of gas masks and flak jackets, etc. All I have left of my collection of stuff from the surplus stores is a Vietnam era tanker’s comm helmet, a few ammo crates and a Russian gas mask. And a couple of practice grenades. I just ordered some more grenades because I feel the need to make more of these hand grenade sculptures.

I know…I said i was going to do a new Dia De Los Muertos piece every month, but it’s looking like I’ll be doing two in February to make up for the one that isn’t going to happen in January. I can’t focus on that project until I can get this one out of my head.

I’ll post more photos as I finish each one. Here’s the link to the first one I made: http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4024/4311221042_d2da9cb4f3.jpg

Haiti Earthquale Relief:

I’m sorry my first post of the new year isn’t a happy one, but I think this is more important than talking about photography.  These people need your help, so dig deep and donate something.  I’ve posted the links below so you can donate from the web or from your phone.  Our family has already made a donation, but I’d like to do more.  Since I don’t have deep pockets, I’m offering to donate 50% of the profits from any and all prints purchased through http://www.faustomatic.com between now (12:01 am January 14th, 2010) and 12:00 am January 31st 2010.  All donations from print sales will be going to the Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund.  Links below are to donate directly to the Red Cross fund.

USA:

http://newsroom.redcross.org/2010/01/12/disaster-alert-earthquake-in-haiti/

SMS text “HAITI” to 90999 to donate $10 to Red Cross relief efforts (USA only)

SMS text “YELE” to 501501 to Donate $5 to Yele Haiti’s Earthquake Relief efforts (USA only)

Hana’s

Hana’s

Originally uploaded by faust0matic

My favorite sushi restaurant in Seattle is Hana’s. Since I found it in 1994 I have rarely eaten sushi anywhere else. I’ve eaten sushi here for the last 16 years and the guy behind the counter in the photo is almost always the one who makes it. Why don’t I know his name? Seriously, 16 years and I don’t know the chef’s name. How does that happen? I’m going to frame a copy of this and drop it off with him next time I’m down there and find out who he is.

MDC’s Dave Dictor

MDC 01

Originally uploaded by faust0matic

Just screwing around testing Flickr’s connection to my blog.