http://petersbrock.com Petersbrock Tue, 20 Apr 2010 02:17:06 +0000 http://petersbrock.com en http://petersbrock.com/366816/Questions http://petersbrock.com/366816/Questions Tue, 20 Apr 2010 02:17:06 +0000 Petersbrock 366816 <img src="http://c0573862.cdn.cloudfiles.rackspacecloud.com/1/0/5457/366816/ArtOnAir.gif" border="0" width="218" height="121" align="left" /> Here are a few links to interviews that I have conducted as a volunteer host and producer for Art International Radio: Murad Khan Mumtaz, a young painter from Pakistan who just received his MFA from Columbia on a Fulbright Fellowship. Gregory Amenoff, painter, chair of Columbia University's School of Visual Arts and a founding director of the CUE Art Foundation on how to educate an artist. The Bruce High Quality Foundation on their mission and alternative biennial. http://petersbrock.com/366816/Questions http://petersbrock.com/64117/ http://petersbrock.com/64117/ Fri, 21 Aug 2009 07:23:33 +0000 Petersbrock 64117 In the spring of 2005 I worked as a deck-hand and engineer aboard tugboats in the Los Angeles - Long Beach Harbor. This rather lucrative stint was by far the strangest and wildest job of my life thus far. My duties required throwing heavy lines, leaping onto barges, drinking with sailors and longshoreman, very late nights, tons of coffee and raucous tugboat humor. Here are a few photos of this experience (slideshow), and below that is a photo-essay on how to "fire up" a tugboat engine. Enjoy. Previous&nbsp;/&nbsp;Next image&nbsp;(1 of 15)<img src="http://c0573862.cdn.cloudfiles.rackspacecloud.com/1/0/5457/64117/t1.jpg" border="0" width="549" height="411" align="left" /> <img src="http://c0573862.cdn.cloudfiles.rackspacecloud.com/1/0/5457/64117/t2.jpg" border="0" width="411" height="549" align="left" /> <img src="http://c0573862.cdn.cloudfiles.rackspacecloud.com/1/0/5457/64117/t3.jpg" border="0" width="549" height="411" align="left" /> <img src="http://c0573862.cdn.cloudfiles.rackspacecloud.com/1/0/5457/64117/t4.jpg" border="0" width="549" height="411" align="left" /> <img src="http://c0573862.cdn.cloudfiles.rackspacecloud.com/1/0/5457/64117/t5.jpg" border="0" width="549" height="411" align="left" /> <img src="http://c0573862.cdn.cloudfiles.rackspacecloud.com/1/0/5457/64117/t6.jpg" border="0" width="410" height="391" align="left" /> <img src="http://c0573862.cdn.cloudfiles.rackspacecloud.com/1/0/5457/64117/t7.jpg" border="0" width="549" height="411" align="left" /> <img src="http://c0573862.cdn.cloudfiles.rackspacecloud.com/1/0/5457/64117/t8.jpg" border="0" width="485" height="387" align="left" /> <img src="http://c0573862.cdn.cloudfiles.rackspacecloud.com/1/0/5457/64117/t9.jpg" border="0" width="549" height="199" align="left" /> <img src="http://c0573862.cdn.cloudfiles.rackspacecloud.com/1/0/5457/64117/t15.jpg" border="0" width="549" height="336" align="left" /> <img src="http://c0573862.cdn.cloudfiles.rackspacecloud.com/1/0/5457/64117/t10.jpg" border="0" width="410" height="495" align="left" /> <img src="http://c0573862.cdn.cloudfiles.rackspacecloud.com/1/0/5457/64117/t11.jpg" border="0" width="549" height="411" align="left" /> <img src="http://c0573862.cdn.cloudfiles.rackspacecloud.com/1/0/5457/64117/t12.jpg" border="0" width="411" height="549" align="left" /> <img src="http://c0573862.cdn.cloudfiles.rackspacecloud.com/1/0/5457/64117/t13.jpg" border="0" width="411" height="483" align="left" /> <img src="http://c0573862.cdn.cloudfiles.rackspacecloud.com/1/0/5457/64117/t-end.jpg" border="0" width="549" height="411" align="left" /> FIRE UP! How to start a tugboat. <img src="http://c0573862.cdn.cloudfiles.rackspacecloud.com/1/0/5457/64117/Tug1.jpg" border="0" width="604" height="452" align="left" /> Every Tug has a different start-up procedure, but there are many common steps. This procedure, and these pictures, come from the Pacific Combi, a Tug operating in the port of LA/Long Beach. <img src="http://c0573862.cdn.cloudfiles.rackspacecloud.com/1/0/5457/64117/Tug2.jpg" border="0" width="604" height="452" align="left" /> After checking the level of the Main engine expansion tank, go down the stairs into the main engine room. <img src="http://c0573862.cdn.cloudfiles.rackspacecloud.com/1/0/5457/64117/Tug3.jpg" border="0" width="604" height="452" align="left" /> First, open the pre-lube valves at the pre-lube pump. <img src="http://c0573862.cdn.cloudfiles.rackspacecloud.com/1/0/5457/64117/tug4.jpg" border="0" width="604" height="452" align="left" /> Next, open the pre-lube valve on the main engine block. <img src="http://c0573862.cdn.cloudfiles.rackspacecloud.com/1/0/5457/64117/Tug5.jpg" border="0" width="452" height="604" align="left" /> Now start the pre-lube pump. This pump will force oil to circulate in the engine so that it is lubricated when you start it. <img src="http://c0573862.cdn.cloudfiles.rackspacecloud.com/1/0/5457/64117/Tug6.jpg" border="0" width="452" height="604" align="left" /> Next, go to the forward engine room and turn on the control panel for the 149 engine. <img src="http://c0573862.cdn.cloudfiles.rackspacecloud.com/1/0/5457/64117/Tug7.jpg" border="0" width="448" height="604" align="left" /> Then turn on the exhaust fan for the 149. <img src="http://c0573862.cdn.cloudfiles.rackspacecloud.com/1/0/5457/64117/Tug8.jpg" border="0" width="448" height="604" align="left" /> Check the oil with the dipstick on the starboard side of the 149 engine block. <img src="http://c0573862.cdn.cloudfiles.rackspacecloud.com/1/0/5457/64117/Tug9.jpg" border="0" width="448" height="604" align="left" /> After checking that there are no alerts on the control panel, start the 149 by pressing the air starter button on the starboard side of the 149. <img src="http://c0573862.cdn.cloudfiles.rackspacecloud.com/1/0/5457/64117/Tug10.jpg" border="0" width="448" height="604" align="left" /> Head back into the main engine room and remember to close and lock the hatch in between the forward and main engine rooms. This door makes you feel like your in a submarine! <img src="http://c0573862.cdn.cloudfiles.rackspacecloud.com/1/0/5457/64117/Tug11.jpg" border="0" width="604" height="452" align="left" /> Next, close the air box drain valves on both the port and starboard sides of the main engine block. This will prevent oil from being sprayed out of these openings when the oil pressure goes up. <img src="http://c0573862.cdn.cloudfiles.rackspacecloud.com/1/0/5457/64117/Tug12.jpg" border="0" width="604" height="452" align="left" /> Then check the oil level of the reduction gear. This dipstick has two sides: one to be used when the engine is off, and one to be used when the engine is dead ahead slow. Be sure to check the appropriate side. This gear is important because it slows the rotational speed of the drive shaft down before the torque of the engine reaches the propeller. <img src="http://c0573862.cdn.cloudfiles.rackspacecloud.com/1/0/5457/64117/Tug13.jpg" border="0" width="448" height="604" align="left" /> Now, start the after cooling pump located on the port side bulkhead. <img src="http://c0573862.cdn.cloudfiles.rackspacecloud.com/1/0/5457/64117/Tug14.jpg" border="0" width="604" height="452" align="left" /> Be sure to bleed the water out of the air tanks. This ensures that the air starters will not inject water into the engine when you fire up. <img src="http://c0573862.cdn.cloudfiles.rackspacecloud.com/1/0/5457/64117/Tug15.jpg" border="0" width="604" height="452" align="left" /> Always oil the air starters before starting up. <img src="http://c0573862.cdn.cloudfiles.rackspacecloud.com/1/0/5457/64117/Tug16.jpg" border="0" width="604" height="452" align="left" /> Once everything is ready, go to the starboard side of the engine and prepare to fire up. <img src="http://c0573862.cdn.cloudfiles.rackspacecloud.com/1/0/5457/64117/Tug17.jpg" border="0" width="604" height="421" align="left" /> Use the throttle handle to give the engine a little gas, and then press the air start button and hold down until the engine turns over. Be sure not to keep the starters engaged for too long. The engine will want to rev up fast, so hold back the throttle and gradually let it come up to idle speed. The first time I did this by myself was pretty scary. The engine noise is extremely loud even through the protective ear mufflers. <img src="http://c0573862.cdn.cloudfiles.rackspacecloud.com/1/0/5457/64117/Tug18.jpg" border="0" width="604" height="452" align="left" /> Once she is idling check the engine gages on the forward starboard bulkhead. If everything is normal head up to the deck, throw off 'em lines, and git ready to do some TUG BOATIN. http://petersbrock.com/64117/ http://petersbrock.com/58853/ http://petersbrock.com/58853/ Fri, 14 Aug 2009 07:56:40 +0000 Petersbrock 58853 Mt. Tamalpais, Marin County, California. I feel very lucky to have access to such a magical space as Mt. Tam. The views are spiritual in any weather condition, but the fog adds a special quality of sublime scale. Scroll down to see a map of Mt. Tam. Previous&nbsp;/&nbsp;Next image&nbsp;(1 of 7)<img src="http://c0573862.cdn.cloudfiles.rackspacecloud.com/1/0/5457/58853/Tam3.jpg" border="0" width="600" height="450" align="left" /> <img src="http://c0573862.cdn.cloudfiles.rackspacecloud.com/1/0/5457/58853/tam7_1.jpg" border="0" width="600" height="450" align="left" /> <img src="http://c0573862.cdn.cloudfiles.rackspacecloud.com/1/0/5457/58853/tam2.jpg" border="0" width="450" height="600" align="left" /> <img src="http://c0573862.cdn.cloudfiles.rackspacecloud.com/1/0/5457/58853/tam1.jpg" border="0" width="600" height="450" align="left" /> <img src="http://c0573862.cdn.cloudfiles.rackspacecloud.com/1/0/5457/58853/tam5.jpg" border="0" width="600" height="450" align="left" /> <img src="http://c0573862.cdn.cloudfiles.rackspacecloud.com/1/0/5457/58853/tam8.jpg" border="0" width="600" height="450" align="left" /> <img src="http://c0573862.cdn.cloudfiles.rackspacecloud.com/1/0/5457/58853/tam4.jpg" border="0" width="450" height="600" align="left" /> Thoroughly enjoyable. If you want to check out this wonderful place for yourself, here's where to go: <img src="http://c0573862.cdn.cloudfiles.rackspacecloud.com/1/0/5457/58853/Mt.-Tam-Map.jpg" border="0" width="650" height="418" align="left" /> http://petersbrock.com/58853/ http://petersbrock.com/58862/ http://petersbrock.com/58862/ Fri, 14 Aug 2009 07:56:40 +0000 Petersbrock 58862 Images taken during a backpacking trip with my family in the Emigrant Wilderness. Along with sweeping vistas and chilly lakes, I found so many fascinating textures and patterns that had to be investigated. Scroll down to see a map of Emigrant Wilderness if you want to go check it out. Previous&nbsp;/&nbsp;Next image&nbsp;(1 of 19)<img src="http://c0573862.cdn.cloudfiles.rackspacecloud.com/1/0/5457/58862/E16.jpg" border="0" width="600" height="363" align="left" /> <img src="http://c0573862.cdn.cloudfiles.rackspacecloud.com/1/0/5457/58862/E18.jpg" border="0" width="600" height="450" align="left" /> <img src="http://c0573862.cdn.cloudfiles.rackspacecloud.com/1/0/5457/58862/E9.jpg" border="0" width="450" height="600" align="left" /> <img src="http://c0573862.cdn.cloudfiles.rackspacecloud.com/1/0/5457/58862/E17.jpg" border="0" width="450" height="600" align="left" /> <img src="http://c0573862.cdn.cloudfiles.rackspacecloud.com/1/0/5457/58862/E3.jpg" border="0" width="450" height="600" align="left" /> <img src="http://c0573862.cdn.cloudfiles.rackspacecloud.com/1/0/5457/58862/E5.jpg" border="0" width="450" height="600" align="left" /> <img src="http://c0573862.cdn.cloudfiles.rackspacecloud.com/1/0/5457/58862/E4.jpg" border="0" width="450" height="600" align="left" /> <img src="http://c0573862.cdn.cloudfiles.rackspacecloud.com/1/0/5457/58862/E2.jpg" border="0" width="600" height="450" align="left" /> <img src="http://c0573862.cdn.cloudfiles.rackspacecloud.com/1/0/5457/58862/E19.jpg" border="0" width="450" height="600" align="left" /> <img src="http://c0573862.cdn.cloudfiles.rackspacecloud.com/1/0/5457/58862/E13.jpg" border="0" width="600" height="450" align="left" /> <img src="http://c0573862.cdn.cloudfiles.rackspacecloud.com/1/0/5457/58862/E12.jpg" border="0" width="450" height="600" align="left" /> <img src="http://c0573862.cdn.cloudfiles.rackspacecloud.com/1/0/5457/58862/E8.jpg" border="0" width="450" height="600" align="left" /> <img src="http://c0573862.cdn.cloudfiles.rackspacecloud.com/1/0/5457/58862/E11.jpg" border="0" width="450" height="600" align="left" /> <img src="http://c0573862.cdn.cloudfiles.rackspacecloud.com/1/0/5457/58862/E10.jpg" border="0" width="450" height="600" align="left" /> <img src="http://c0573862.cdn.cloudfiles.rackspacecloud.com/1/0/5457/58862/E15.jpg" border="0" width="600" height="450" align="left" /> <img src="http://c0573862.cdn.cloudfiles.rackspacecloud.com/1/0/5457/58862/E7.jpg" border="0" width="600" height="450" align="left" /> <img src="http://c0573862.cdn.cloudfiles.rackspacecloud.com/1/0/5457/58862/E6.jpg" border="0" width="450" height="600" align="left" /> <img src="http://c0573862.cdn.cloudfiles.rackspacecloud.com/1/0/5457/58862/E14.jpg" border="0" width="450" height="600" align="left" /> <img src="http://c0573862.cdn.cloudfiles.rackspacecloud.com/1/0/5457/58862/E1.jpg" border="0" width="450" height="600" align="left" /> Here's some info on backpacking in Emigrant Wilderness: US Forest Service Wilderness.net <img src="http://c0573862.cdn.cloudfiles.rackspacecloud.com/1/0/5457/58862/Emap.jpg" border="0" width="670" height="339" align="left" /> http://petersbrock.com/58862/ http://petersbrock.com/50269/About http://petersbrock.com/50269/About Tue, 28 Jul 2009 01:43:01 +0000 Petersbrock 50269 <img src="http://c0573862.cdn.cloudfiles.rackspacecloud.com/1/0/5457/50269/New About.JPG" border="0" width="670" height="431" align="left" /> Artist Statement LIGHT--STRUCTURE--COLOR The context of structure seems to provide access to the visceral impact of natural light and color. This relationship between light and structure can also be seen as a visual metaphor for other pairs of interconnected concepts: the finite and the infinite, hope and pragmatism, justice and prudence, faith and skepticism. This theme has become central to my paintings and I consider walking outdoors as a form of research into the spiritual power of color and the shapes that activate this potential. I seek a union of light (in the form of color) and structure that activates a psychic space in which the logic of non-contradiction has no footholds. My work celebrates the richness and delightful disorientation of experiencing light in relation to a fixed structure. Here are a few examples of light in the context of structure: <img src="http://c0573862.cdn.cloudfiles.rackspacecloud.com/1/0/5457/50269/Ligh1.JPG" border="0" width="500" height="375" align="left" /> <img src="http://c0573862.cdn.cloudfiles.rackspacecloud.com/1/0/5457/50269/light4.JPG" border="0" width="500" height="375" align="left" /> <img src="http://c0573862.cdn.cloudfiles.rackspacecloud.com/1/0/5457/50269/ligh3.JPG" border="0" width="500" height="375" align="left" /> <img src="http://c0573862.cdn.cloudfiles.rackspacecloud.com/1/0/5457/50269/light7.JPG" border="0" width="500" height="375" align="left" /> <img src="http://c0573862.cdn.cloudfiles.rackspacecloud.com/1/0/5457/50269/light6.jpg" border="0" width="400" height="533" align="left" /> <img src="http://c0573862.cdn.cloudfiles.rackspacecloud.com/1/0/5457/50269/ligh2.JPG" border="0" width="500" height="375" align="left" /> http://petersbrock.com/50269/About http://petersbrock.com/50256/Thoughts http://petersbrock.com/50256/Thoughts Tue, 28 Jul 2009 01:16:42 +0000 Petersbrock 50256 <img src="http://c0573862.cdn.cloudfiles.rackspacecloud.com/1/0/5457/50256/Thoughts-top.jpg" border="0" width="670" height="198" align="left" /> To be engaged in a sensation My work is animated by a feeling of rapture or reverence for simple sensations of light and pattern. I have made an effort to allow these moments of engagement to occur without questioning their specific role in my process. It seems the only thing to do is indulge my curiosity while withholding my desire for tangible results. I have found the camera to be a wonderful tool for investigating and documenting my fascination with rhythm and light. Below is the result of an hour spent examining the light shining through tapestries that hang over the windows of my apartment. In this case and many others, simple materials and natural light create an experience that is mystical and puzzling. <img src="http://c0573862.cdn.cloudfiles.rackspacecloud.com/1/0/5457/50256/Tapest newly.jpg" border="0" width="450" height="675" align="left" /> ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Reading Nietzsche Finishing Rothko's biography prompted me to pick up a copy of Nietzsche's selected writings and re-visit some texts that I read as an undergraduate. The following line from Thus Spoke Zarathustra sparked many thoughts about artistic temperament and the role of conviction: "I say unto you: one must still have chaos in oneself to be able to give birth to a dancing star. I say unto you: you still have chaos in yourselves." As I reflect on this passage, it seems that the precise meaning of the term "chaos" is crucial to appreciating the depth of Zarathustra's pronouncement. I am inclined to furnish a definition of "chaos" that is based on my reading of The Genealogy of Morals, a work in which Nietzsche describes the contingency and underlying cruelty of all moral codes. I conceive of "chaos", in this sense, as the recognition of contingency and the radical creative freedom implied by this realization. Although Zarathustra speaks of humanity in general, I find this to be a poignant metaphor for artistic conviction. The one who recognizes the underlying formlessness of creative energy will be free to craft images that pulse with vitality. Although my interpretation is skewed towards my interest in visual arts, Zarathustra's invocation is irresistible to the fertile mind. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- An Homage to Mark Rothko I have always liked Rothko's work, but in the last year he has occupied center stage on my study of great paintings. I've been reading his biography and am learning much about his struggles and his vision. Having just arrived at chapter on his suicide, I thought it would be fitting to create an homage. The images below were created with very long exposures (15-25 seconds) while panning my camera around the night sky to capture different intensities and hues of light. These are not photoshopped and consist of natural nighttime light. Rothko said repeatedly that his work was a study in "measurement". In writing about Nietzsche's The Birth of Tragedy, he wrote of the "measure, of how much can be revealed before the reality becomes unendurable." The process of making these pictures turned out to be an exercise of measurement in a parallel sense. To create rectangles of different colors and intensities I would aim the camera such that it captured part sky and part of the dull roof. While leaving the shutter open I would estimate how much time was needed to collect enough light before flipping the camera 180 degrees to create another rectangle. This process required much repetition and reliance on instinct. In this way, these images are a microcosm (emphasis on the MICRO) of Rothko's working process. Previous&nbsp;/&nbsp;Next image&nbsp;(1 of 5)<img src="http://c0573862.cdn.cloudfiles.rackspacecloud.com/1/0/5457/50256/RH1.jpg" border="0" width="450" height="675" align="left" /> <img src="http://c0573862.cdn.cloudfiles.rackspacecloud.com/1/0/5457/50256/RH3.jpg" border="0" width="450" height="675" align="left" /> <img src="http://c0573862.cdn.cloudfiles.rackspacecloud.com/1/0/5457/50256/RH2.jpg" border="0" width="450" height="675" align="left" /> <img src="http://c0573862.cdn.cloudfiles.rackspacecloud.com/1/0/5457/50256/RH5.JPG" border="0" width="450" height="641" align="left" /> <img src="http://c0573862.cdn.cloudfiles.rackspacecloud.com/1/0/5457/50256/RH4.JPG" border="0" width="670" height="434" align="left" /> ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Another Mannerism I was perusing the archives of the Brooklyn Rail when I came across a few lines that peaked my interest. The following is excerpted from a review of the New Museum's "Younger than Jesus" show of artists under 33. "There’s a certain irony about young artists unquestioningly embracing conceptualism, a radically critical art form that peaked around the time they were born. Unmoored from its historical and political (read Marxist) context, it becomes the kind of received wisdom that it had itself rebelled against. Its interrogation of the conventions of its time, which had defined art as a discreet object from the hand of an individual maker, led to the strategies that the Generational artists are exploiting, but without a similar critique. Like any practice extrapolated from an existing style rather than excavated from the intersection of form and content, it essentially becomes just another mannerism. Perhaps the most telling aspect of the exhibition is that many of the works cannot be fully comprehended without the verbal dimension of the wall label (which is the source of the two parenthetical quotes above). The verbal thus completes the visual, rather than acting as a parallel or subsidiary component." Thomas Micchelli in the May 2009 issue of The Brooklyn Rail ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Wise words from Martin Puryear I have greatly admired the work of Martin Puryear ever since I saw retrospective of his work at SFMOMA a few years ago. I was just watching the ART 21 piece about him and heard a few lines that struck me as particularly relavent for young artists (such as myself). After beginning to talk about his piece "Ladder for Booker T. Washington", he paused and said: " I don't want to elaborate too much because, I think it's in the work. I come from a generation in which the work itself was the information. There remains this belief that the work itself can have an identity that hopefully can speak. Whether through beauty or ugliness, or whatever quality you put in the work--that is what the work can be about. The work doesn't have to be a transparent vehicle for you to say something about life today or what you see people doing to each other, or things like that." As I heard this passage, the phrase "transparant vehicle" stuck in my head. I have a feeling that Puryear's work will continue to inspire generations of artsits in the future because it does not contextualize itself in the theoretical or social environment of it's age. The power of his work to communicate with the viewer does not rely on any external concepts or information. Unlike Pop art, which will require an explanation to be interesting (and perhaps already does) Puryear's sculptures speak with a timeless elegance and subtlety from which young artists can learn a great deal . Click here to watch the ART 21 piece about Martin Puryear. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Cost of Ignoring Beauty A friend and former Professor of mine just sent me an interesting article on the costs of ignoring beauty. Below is a particularly insightful paragraph taken from the conclusion of the piece: "I have concentrated on architecture since it provides such a clear illustration of the social, environmental, and economic costs of ignoring beauty. But there is another cost, too, and it is one that we witness in individual lives as well as in the community. This is the aesthetic cost. People need beauty. They need the sense of being at home in their world, and being in communication with other souls. In so many areas of modern life—in pop music, in television and cinema, in language and literature—beauty is being displaced by raucous and attention-grabbing clichés. We are being torn out of ourselves by the loud and insolent gestures of people who want to seize our attention but to give nothing in return for it. Although this is not the place to argue the point it should perhaps be said that this loss of beauty, and contempt for the pursuit of it, is one step on the way to a new form of human life, in which taking replaces giving, and vague lusts replace real loves." - Roger Scruton writing for THE AMERICAN (click here to read the whole piece) This final point brought some clarity to a few thoughts that have been in my head for some time. In the United States, most images that we see during day are designed to compel us towards consumption. Rather predictably, the power of these advertisements comes from depicting or insinuating sex, glamour (photoshopped), wealth and privilege. Is this not an abuse of our senses? To be surrounded by such carefully engineered images must have an effect on our perceptive faculties. As an artist, I cannot help but to speculate that this situation must compete with, if not diminish, our society's appetite for fine art (or the beauty of nature for that matter). When most images we see require little effort to digest, and advertisement must by necessity fit this criteria, are we not letting our imagination atrophy? While some artists have taken up the tools of sexy commercial imagery in their work, I do not believe this will address the poverty of our perceptual sensitivity. As advertisement penetrates ever more spheres of our lives, the appreciation of fine art will become vital for the health of our society. I believe firmly that good art is ultimately a compassionate activity. While a work of art may take effort to process or be jarring or violent in its appearance, there is always a reciprocity of experience. A great work of art offers us the opportunity to connect with our soul and see over the walls of our narrowly constructed individual identity. In this sense, the artist serves the society by strengthening our capacity to see and feel beyond ourselves. An artist named Corah Cohen said to me that abstract art can change the world in that it has the ability to slow us down. I could not agree more. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Studio Note: Moderation I was just working on a few color drawings on paper and came to a certain realization regarding my motivations in art. So, here it is: As a person inclined towards extremes (sports, colors, landscapes, speech), I am fascinated by, and intrigued with, the calm confidence of moderation. I look upon the moderate position as one would a relic of an ancient civilization; I am intrigued and empathetic, but ultimately an outsider gazing in. This fact leeds me to pursue a mysterious blending of moderation and bizarre extravagance. I am compelled to create a composition of fantastical shapes in bold colors that are calmly and almost mundanely at peace with their place on the page. Inevitability and out right awkwardness stumble into a puzzling harmony when I am true to my spirit. Perhaps this predicament is more of an aspiration than an accomplishment, but it is nonetheless worth noting in my growth as an artist. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Reading Plato Recently I've been reading Allan Bloom's translation of Plato's Republic and am awestruck by the depth of the text. Here's a great passage from Bloom's preface that explains the reverence I have for this text: "The platonic dialogues do not present a doctrine; they prepare the way for philosophizing. They are intended to perform the function of a living teacher who makes his students think... One must philosophize to understand them. There is a Platonic teaching, but it is no more to be found in any of the speeches than is the though of Shakespeare to be found in the utterances of any particular character. " (xxi) Both in my art and in my thinking, I'm trying to keep in mind another point that Bloom makes in his preface: "It is the concentration on beauty to the detriment of truth which constitutes the core of his [Plato] critique of poetry, just as the indifference to forms, and hence to man, constitutes the core of his criticism of pre-Socratic philosophy. The dialogue is the synthesis of these two poles and is an organic unity. Every argument must be interpreted dramatically, for every argument is incomplete in itself and only the context can supply the missing links. And every dramatic detail must be interpreted philosophically, because these details contain the images of the problems which complete the arguments. Separately these two aspects are meaningless; together they are an invitation to the philosophic quest." (xx) While I understand that painting / visual art is not the same as a written dialogue, I want my work to employ the same breadth of intention. This is part of my mixed feeling towards the skills of design and the mechanics of visual language. I believe they are tools that one must employ in the service of greater aims, but not worthy of respect in themselves. However, as Bloom reminds me, these skills do form part of the "organic unity" between the form and content that characterizes a profound work. http://petersbrock.com/50256/Thoughts http://petersbrock.com/50156/Craft http://petersbrock.com/50156/Craft Mon, 27 Jul 2009 22:41:05 +0000 Petersbrock 50156 THE DRAUGHT HORSE: A tale of Beer and Bikes... The Frame: <img src="http://c0573862.cdn.cloudfiles.rackspacecloud.com/1/0/5457/50156/frame1.jpg" border="0" width="604" height="453" align="left" /> Welded out of quarter inch angle iron with the help of a certain sculpture professor. Suspension forks taken from scrapped kids mountain bikes. Suspension = less foam. <img src="http://c0573862.cdn.cloudfiles.rackspacecloud.com/1/0/5457/50156/2.jpg" border="0" width="453" height="604" align="left" /> The Bar is made of half inch plywood with stain and several coats of lacquer. Also features four inches of insulation foam for a total of R 10 insulation value (at Skidmore College, Cold Beer Matters). Also, to avoid any problems with the law, we installed proper reflectors / blinkers. <img src="http://c0573862.cdn.cloudfiles.rackspacecloud.com/1/0/5457/50156/3.jpg" border="0" width="604" height="453" align="left" /> Once the whip was saucy, we headed to the store to pick up the keg. <img src="http://c0573862.cdn.cloudfiles.rackspacecloud.com/1/0/5457/50156/4.jpg" border="0" width="453" height="604" align="left" /> We got many types of reactions from passers-by. Some honked and cheered, some looked confused, the group of old men in tuxedos riding in the black Lincoln looked outraged. <img src="http://c0573862.cdn.cloudfiles.rackspacecloud.com/1/0/5457/50156/5.jpg" border="0" width="453" height="604" align="left" /> We went with Miller Highlife because of the appealing price tag. The keg weighs close to 130 lbs, and the trailer around 40, so needless to say it was a tough pedal back up the hill. Also visible is the pump mechanism mounted to rear of the bar. <img src="http://c0573862.cdn.cloudfiles.rackspacecloud.com/1/0/5457/50156/6.jpg" border="0" width="453" height="604" align="left" /> After much pedaling and sweat, the rig was back at home base. <img src="http://c0573862.cdn.cloudfiles.rackspacecloud.com/1/0/5457/50156/7.jpg" border="0" width="453" height="604" align="left" /> Getting down to business: Lyle screws in the tap handle (generously donated by Dan at the Olde Saratoga Brewery). <img src="http://c0573862.cdn.cloudfiles.rackspacecloud.com/1/0/5457/50156/8.jpg" border="0" width="453" height="604" align="left" /> The moment of truth: pouring the first beer from the mighty draught horse. <img src="http://c0573862.cdn.cloudfiles.rackspacecloud.com/1/0/5457/50156/10.jpg" border="0" width="604" height="453" align="left" /> Lyle and Nat fetched themselves some glasses and showed their approval. (Design feature: rod style tap with extended air hose so that pump is anchored on the back of the bar). <img src="http://c0573862.cdn.cloudfiles.rackspacecloud.com/1/0/5457/50156/11.jpg" border="0" width="604" height="453" align="left" /> The next stop on the maiden voyage was the Dead Horse Festival over at the Stables house. The hill on Clinton street was quite intense with 200 lbs of extra momentum (not to mention shitty brakes). <img src="http://c0573862.cdn.cloudfiles.rackspacecloud.com/1/0/5457/50156/12.jpg" border="0" width="604" height="453" align="left" /> I have only found one photo from this night, but the draft horse delivered fresh keg beer to a bonfire deep in the northwoods on its second voyage. The suspension really helped getting down the rock and dirt path. However, because of the steep hill, we couldn't leave until the keg / trailer was light enough to be pushed up a slippery grass hill. Needless to say, we emptied the barrel and my friend Selby rode home on top of the bar. Good times. <img src="http://c0573862.cdn.cloudfiles.rackspacecloud.com/1/0/5457/50156/6020_533811370693_12203419_31973005_6714361_n.jpg" border="0" width="403" height="604" align="left" /> Another good chapter in the history of the Draught Horse was when we brought it to our intramural softball game. The intensity of any sport tends to go up a notch when you have 15.5 gallons of beer in the dugout. <img src="http://c0573862.cdn.cloudfiles.rackspacecloud.com/1/0/5457/50156/n12203195_31540449_3975.jpg" border="0" width="518" height="604" align="left" /> http://petersbrock.com/50156/Craft http://petersbrock.com/50155/Kendema http://petersbrock.com/50155/Kendema Mon, 27 Jul 2009 22:39:13 +0000 Petersbrock 50155 <img src="http://c0573862.cdn.cloudfiles.rackspacecloud.com/1/0/5457/50155/kendema.jpg" border="0" width="670" height="256" align="left" /> Hello Readers , I am pleased to give you a well welcome to this site where your are assured of getting stories about life in a small country called Sierra Leone, and more on college activities. First, a little about myself: My name is Sahr Kendema , I am a Sierra Leonean by nationality, Kissi by tribe and a Christian by religion. I was born onto the union of Mr and Mrs Kendema some few years back in a small town called Koindu, located in Kailahun District, Eastern Province, Republic of Sierra Leone. This town (Koindu) is about 344 miles from the capital city Freetown. It used to be the country's business center, a center that attracted business people from neighboring like Liberia, Guinea, Ivory Coast and so forth. A town which used to be one of the greatest and most resource rich areas that Sierra Leone could boast of is today the most devastated and backward town in the country as a result of the senseless twelve years rebel war. (23rd March 1991 to 2002). <img src="http://c0573862.cdn.cloudfiles.rackspacecloud.com/1/0/5457/50155/Maps.jpg" border="0" width="670" height="272" align="left" /> In this town, I attended the Roman Catholic Primary School and later completed my primary education at the International Rescue Committee Refugee School Bambo, Gueckedou, Republic of Guinea. In Gueckedou , I also I attended schools like Waoto and Kango Refugee school, built by the International Rescue Committee. With the desire to continue education in my country, I came home and sat for the Basic Educational Certificate Examination at the Holy Ghost Junior Secondary School in Segbwema. I went on to senior secondary school year two and three (SSS 2 and 3), at the Prince of Wales School in Freetwon. For the moment I am the highest price winner since the school was founded in 1925. That is, a year ago, I won a national essay competition organized by the National Commission for Social Action, the Ministry of Youths and Sports and the United Nations Development Program, a project worth three thousand United States Dollars. <img src="http://c0573862.cdn.cloudfiles.rackspacecloud.com/1/0/5457/50155/Prince1.jpg" border="0" width="670" height="362" align="left" /> <img src="http://c0573862.cdn.cloudfiles.rackspacecloud.com/1/0/5457/50155/Prince2.jpg" border="0" width="670" height="386" align="left" /> After taking the West African Secondary School Certificate Examination from this high and great academic institution, I got admission at the University (Fourah Bay College) where I am presently studying, with the hope of graduate with BA degree in Political Sciences, God be my helper. My hobbies are reading, debating, sharing ideas, traveling, making friends , playing soccer, dancing and listening to music. With this site I will share happenings in both my country and university. Rest assured, I will not let you miss happenings of which I am an eyewitness. Stay connected. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- THE LOVE GARDEN This place is called the love garden. It is located almost at the center of the campus, it is known as the most busy park on campus. During lunch hours, half of the students do come with either their loved ones, close friends or relatives to discuss important issues. Love is mostly the key issue discussed at this Park. That is why the place is being called the LOVE GARDEN. <img src="http://c0573862.cdn.cloudfiles.rackspacecloud.com/1/0/5457/50155/Love2.jpg" border="0" width="670" height="520" align="left" /> <img src="http://c0573862.cdn.cloudfiles.rackspacecloud.com/1/0/5457/50155/Love2_1.jpg" border="0" width="667" height="428" align="left" /> -------------------------------------------------------------------------- STUDIES With response to your question of whether I am just doing history, I am pleased to say that I am doing History, Politics and Law modules: (1)American History (2)European History (3)Ancient and Medieval Political Thought (4)Comparative Government and Politics (5)Philosophy of Law and (6)International Humanitarian Law and Complex Emergency Intervention. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- HUMAN TRANSPORT Some local means of water transport in my country: <img src="http://c0573862.cdn.cloudfiles.rackspacecloud.com/1/0/5457/50155/Ferry.jpg" border="0" width="430" height="322" align="left" /> <img src="http://c0573862.cdn.cloudfiles.rackspacecloud.com/1/0/5457/50155/Canoe.jpg" border="0" width="433" height="262" align="left" /> <img src="http://c0573862.cdn.cloudfiles.rackspacecloud.com/1/0/5457/50155/Carr2.jpg" border="0" width="430" height="321" align="left" /> <img src="http://c0573862.cdn.cloudfiles.rackspacecloud.com/1/0/5457/50155/Carry.jpg" border="0" width="363" height="250" align="left" /> -------------------------------------------------------------------------- STUDENT GOVERNMENT Everything is going fine, though busy working on my dissertation (Assessing the Successes and Challenges of the Anti-Corruption Commission in Fighting Corruption in Sierra Leone). Update on my presidency (SGA) I have been busy fighting the administration on certain issues I think worth not existing. One was the 30% increment they made on fees. However, I am pleased to say,I succeeded in seeing that it does not occur. I frankly told the Gov't on Radio and television that ,if the decision is not reversed in 72hrs.I am going to organize a strike. When they knew I was so serious about what I meant, they had no option but to intervene by writing the college administration to reverse their decision. Pretty soon, I shall be taking up another issue. Peter, if the system is to change, we need to say no to certain thing, especially those we think are wrong. I hope to update more as event unfolds themselves. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- MORE ON STUDENT GOVERNMENT I am sorry I could not respond to this request quickly due to assignments. However, here are the answers. 1. What motivates you to be involved in student government? Being part of student politics has been my long term dream. I became active when I got admission at the university. Sharing the true desire of changing what is changeable both at the university and the country at large for the betterment of this generation and generations yet unborn was one of the main factors among many others that movitated me to be involved in student politics. 2. How much power do you have to effect change at the school? Changes do not come so easily.To make things happen one has to apply relentless effort. 3. What is the biggest challenge you face? The biggest challenge I am faced with now is changing the Student Union Constitution. A couple of weeks ago I wrote the Vice Chancellor and Principle, Registrar, All Deans and Heads of Departments drawing their attension to see they need of changing the present Student Union Constitution .A copy of this letter was sent to the press as a way of informing the people of Sierra Leone about my desire. Hopefully something would be done. Thanks, Your bro. Uncle,Mr.Dr. Kendema http://petersbrock.com/50155/Kendema http://petersbrock.com/50153/Treasures http://petersbrock.com/50153/Treasures Mon, 27 Jul 2009 22:36:37 +0000 Petersbrock 50153 <img src="http://c0573862.cdn.cloudfiles.rackspacecloud.com/1/0/5457/50153/Treasure-NEw.jpg" border="0" width="670" height="255" align="left" /> A list of online resources whose intellectual nourishment I cherish: Art On Air Audio Archive An expansive collection of interviews, panel discussions and lectures by contemporary artists and art critics. ART 21 Online Archive An award winning PBS television series about contemporary art that features insightful interviews with many interesting artists. World Affairs Council of Northern CA--Audio Archive A huge collection of hour-long lectures / presentations on world affairs featuring leading academics, politicians and diplomats. Yale Open Courses: Introduction to Political Philosophy A wonderful introduction to the study of political theory with Prof. Steven Smith. The introductory lecture provides brilliant description of the enduring relevance of political philosophy and the richness of the discipline. American Rhetoric Project--100 Greatest Speeches Archive A rich collection of speeches in text and mp3 format (when available). I highly recommend Faulkner's Nobel prize acceptance speech. Only a few minutes longs but very powerful and insightful. Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn's 1978 Harvard Commencement Address (mp3 and text) An insightful and pointed critique of western materialism and spiritual poverty. This controversial speech offers a view from the outside, something us America would do well to learn from. Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy A wonderful resource for students and anyone interested in philosophy. Although there is no substitute for reading the primary texts, it serves as a great resource for those seeking to educate themselves. Think Modern: MOMA's Video / Audio Archive Great source for lectures on art history, contemporary artists and academic symposia. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- On related note, I'd like to acknowledge some of the teachers who have contributed immeasurably to my education and growth: Mr. Barnum, Nancy Hoffman, David LeCount, John Hicks, Ken Lanick, Janet Bogue, Paula Newberg, Prof. Hedi Jaouad, Prof. Timothy Burns, Prof. Roy Rotheim, Prof. Crystal Moore, Prof. Kate Graney, Prof Beau Breslin, Prof. Joel Smith, Prof. Tom Lewis, Prof. Deborah Morris, Prof. Peter Stake. http://petersbrock.com/50153/Treasures http://petersbrock.com/48992/Wandering http://petersbrock.com/48992/Wandering Sat, 25 Jul 2009 08:09:57 +0000 Petersbrock 48992 A visual record of some places I've visited, including maps for those who wish to see for themselves. Mt. Tamalpais, Marin County, CA. <img src="http://c0573862.cdn.cloudfiles.rackspacecloud.com/1/0/5457/48992/Mt.-Tam.jpg" border="0" width="670" height="184" align="left" /> Emigrant Wilderness, Stanislaus National Forest, Ca. <img src="http://c0573862.cdn.cloudfiles.rackspacecloud.com/1/0/5457/48992/Emigrant-Wilderness.jpg" border="0" width="670" height="304" align="left" /> TUG LIFE: Working on a tugboat in San Pedro, CA. <img src="http://c0573862.cdn.cloudfiles.rackspacecloud.com/1/0/5457/48992/Tug-Banner.jpg" border="0" width="670" height="328" align="left" /> http://petersbrock.com/48992/Wandering