Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Rock Cut I-75




On the way back from Chicago, I stopped in a gas station outside of Knoxville. It was an incredible place. First off, the bathrooms were an obnoxious green. However, apparently they were at one time a purple color, because people went nuts and scratched through the paint to deface the walls. This was done in both the men's and women's bathrooms. No, I didn't go in the women's bathroom. I could just see it when the door opened up.

So then, the music playing was some 80s hair metal station. Great. Third, the woman working there had her baby with her behind the counter. Then the fourth awesome thing about this station was their postcard selection. I scored the two postcards you see below. They were only .50 cents each and look at those beveled edges! Isn't that rock cut impressive? The postcards were new, but the photographs were probably several decades old at this point.

Now I'm not mocking or making fun of any of this. I find it terribly interesting and there was a certain order to everything. It seemed genuine and authentic. One of my favorite things is getting to experience something like that, something that is totally in balance with itself, even if that balance looks like something other than what we are familiar with. We shouldn't think or judge, balance is balance, we can't bring our preconceived notion of what something should be like or look like. One should just recognize when something is in unison with itself. That gas station was more real than most of the city I live in.



Monday, August 29, 2011

Last Chance to vote at Blurb

A reminder that the last chance to vote for my book, Moving Out of State-Reasonable on Blurb's People's Choice Award is approaching. The last day to vote is Wednesday. So please vote for me if you haven't, I'd really appreciate it. And a big Thank You to everyone who has been so kind to vote already, or share info about it and endorse me. I really appreciate it so much, and your kindness means so much to me. I put a lot of myself into this work and its nice to feel others appreciate and support what I do.

I wanted the chickens


Couple weeks back I was turning around in a driveway and saw these fantastic chicken sculptures, or whatever they are. I don't even know. Anyway, I got out and the owner came out as I approached his door to ask permission to make a picture. He was obliging, however, he told me to just be careful of the dog tied up below the window."He will bite you", he said.

I wanted a photo of just the chickens in the window, so basically I wanted to be closer. Like under the window closer to get what I was after. However, that put me in range of the dog's chain. And he would bite me. So this was a close as I could get. Which isn't the same. Its ok. The picture is interesting, I guess. But not really at all what I wanted. This is a detail of the chickens from the window. You can see their awesomeness. The rooster had a confederate flag for feathers. You can't beat that. I was thinking, well why can't you help me out and hold the dog back? But I came to realize that the dog would have probably bitten him too.

Thursday, August 25, 2011

Note this car has three compartments


One for the road before I leave for Chicago. Back next week.

Wednesday, August 24, 2011

Tuesday, August 23, 2011

Album in the works

So my band House of Building recorded an album. We are in the process of finishing overdubs and then mixing. This will be the fun part. The plan is to release it as a cassette, however, we will also make MP3s available. Mixing should take most of the fall and hopefully we'll get something out before the end of the year. The album will include 10 songs. Thanks to all who have supported us and come to our shows. Here's a sample rough mix of our song Let's Go. So please be forgiving. This song still needs handclaps to be overdubed, and a fade-out ending, mix etc.

Let's Go by houseofbuilding

Monday, August 22, 2011

Vote Asheville Art Museum

Vote at the Mountain Xpress BestOf WNC for the Asheville Art Museum as best non-profit. I interned there this summer and got the opportunity to work with a lot of wonderful people who are instrumental in bringing and presenting art to Asheville and Western North Carolina. Also, while there go ahead and vote for the Asheville Art Museum Gift Shop as best gift shop. They have crafts and art from regional artists to purchase, as well as books, prints etc.

Saturday, August 20, 2011




Sensabaugh Tunnel




Sensabaugh Tunnel. Kingsport, TN. And its haunted.

Friday, August 19, 2011

Burkett C. McInturff's office





The most fascinating man, and living attorney, resides in Kingsport, TN. At 92 he is still practicing law. I came across him and his office on some off-chance while exploring Kingsport last month. His stories and life are fascinating and too grand to even begin to expound upon here. But I plan on revisiting him and documenting what I can of his life and character.

He told me the desk pictured was purchased by him at the start of his career for $10. He wouldn't part with it for any sum of money. Its as if the desk is a metaphor for his life and career. He told me of the cases he worked on over the desk, and also of the checks that were laid upon it.

Tuesday, August 16, 2011

Blurb People's Choice Award

I'm in the running for the People's Choice Award photobook contest at Blurb. My book Moving Out of State is nominated. So please go over to their site and vote for me. Pretty please.

Tuesday, August 9, 2011

Thesis

My thesis semester starts in a little over a week. I will beginning work on printing the photos for my exhibit, which opens on Nov. 3rd. During the coming weeks I will be writing my thesis and probably pulling my hair out. Regardless, there won't be much new work for me to share. The focus now is on the writing and completion of my project. So this will be adios for awhile. Hopefully one day I will be back with new work.

Tuesday, August 2, 2011