Hey Connecticut!
And
Save the weekend for Elmwood Madness!
Click the kinks for all the info!
Sunday, September 15, 2013
Saturday, September 14, 2013
On This Day...
I was already a huge Prince fan. But this boxed set pushed me over the edge. I was now officially obsessed. I remember getting up to go get it the day it came out. My brother asked me to pick up "Bat Out Of Hell 2: Back Into Hell" for him while I was out (it came out the same day!).
I got home, and my brother and I ended up playing Bat 2 first, just sitting by his enormous stereo, and probably playing it too loud.
Then we listened to some Prince while hanging out. Not all of it though, Michael wasn't as much of a fan.
That nite though, in my room.. Of man, I fell inside that set and didn't come out of Paisley Park for a couple years.
14 Days later my brother died. It may sound corny but that set and Bat 2 helped me get through it, the beginning of it. Those first few crazy weeks...
As Iggy Pop sang "Geez... It's been twenty years, Candy"
Friday, September 13, 2013
W.W.H.D.?
It's a philosophy, or way of thought and behavior, I've been trying to do myself... ".W.W.H.D.?" 
"What Would Henson Do?"
In every book about him, or every interview you can read or watch about him from someone who knew and worked with him they all say how Jim Henson nearly never lost his temper, or raised his voice in anger, and lead the way by doing.
This is something I am trying t do myself. With my crew of crazy people. And it's not easy. For me at least. I am very passionate about the fun we have, the work we do. And it does get the best of me. I'm writing this now to remind myself to behave this way, the "WWHD?" way and I have been able to keep my cool this morning doing it. I was placed in a stressful creative spot and instead of flying off the handle I did my best to explain my side, and how the person causing this stress to me has made themselves look with their behavior to the rest of the crew. I don't know if I got through. And it really doesn't matter. What matter is that I didn't loose my cool. I didn't fly off the handle. And it hasn't made my morning crappy. From the moment I read my first text this morning I paused, made some tea, and said out loud to my cats "What Would Henson Do?" and they didn't give me any advice, but that's OK. I sat down and started to type this, and in-between typing this I texted back. I think there is a resolution, at least for me. And I can go on with my day with a smile.
Cuz I kept my cool...
Like Jim...
Or Morris Day!
Wednesday, September 11, 2013
Monday, September 9, 2013
The Original Hipsters
Been thinking of my brother a lot the past few days...
And of these guys...
THE ORIGINAL HIPSTERS!
Friday, September 6, 2013
"OH THE HORROR!!!"
Although I may not be a resident artist at Paris In Plantsville anymore, it doesn't mean that from time to time Elmwood and I will show up, kick the doors down and give you a good time...
The same goes for Christian Ayala and GAllery of a Clown...
So we're doing just that.
We are giving you the Halloween party kick off you've been asking for!
A Halloween Influenced Art show (open call!!!)
A screening of "The Complete Steve the Vampire"!
A screening of "The Rocky Horeror Picture Show"!
ALL IN ONE NITE!
All the details stolen from Paris In Plantsville's Facebook Event page:
Opening 10/12/2013 at Paris in Plantsville please join us as we creep up with
"Oh The Horror! - Halloween Art Show"
Presented by Elmwood Productions and Gallery of a Clown!
"Oh The Horror!" is an open call to all artists of all mediums to exhibit art reflecting this ghoulish and scary season! Make sure to get your Halloween costume ready early and wear it to the opening! It's the Halloween Bash of 2013!
Drop off for the work is October 6th and 7th With a $10.00 submission fee. Let's see your ghoulish art, horror, sci-fi, fantasy, macabre, and fun!
The opening starts at 6:00 PM on 10/12 and at 8 PM the fun really begins with a double feature of Halloween films!
Up first is everyones favorite vampire!
"STEVE THE VAMPIRE" from Elmwood Productions -
You keep asking for it, so we're bringing him back!
"The Complete Steve The Vampire" follows the adventures of Steve who was turned into a vampire as a teenager and although now in his mid-twenties, he just can't catch a break trying to prove himself in the vampire community. Between his overbearing mother, his indifferent girlfriend, and his unlikely friendship with Dracula, he still manages to keep his head on straight and do his best to avoid being staked by the local vampire slayer.
And all he wants to do is hang out, watch some Star Trek, and enjoy a good glass a blood...
And them following Steve at 9:00 PM....
LET'S DO THE TIME WARP AGAIN! - The Rocky Horror Picture Show!!! Bring your toast, rice, and dress like your most loved character from the show! But, please, leave the squirt guns at home!
The show will run for the rest of October, so f you miss the opening you'll still get to see the art... But really, if you miss the opening we'll send monsters to hide under you bed and torment you all month! So be there!
We can't wait to see the madness in the art! Let's get scary!
Thursday, September 5, 2013
The Conclusion of the Trilogy! 28 SECONDS TO KNOCKED OUT!
And in case you missed the first parts....
Wednesday, September 4, 2013
Album of The Week: Appetitie For Destruction
I ran out of Prince albums.... But I'm gonna keep it going each week starting with this classic...
Tuesday, September 3, 2013
Sunday, September 1, 2013
ANIMAL BEHAVIOR Screening! 10/11/13
This is gonna be a great time...
I hope you come to it!
We invite you to join us for the premiere screening of "Animal Behavior" on October 11, 2013!
The screening is part of the two weekend Apple Harvest Festival in Southington CT, and is sponsored by Harvest the Arts!
Starring Jim Wiliams and Mike Finland, Animal Behavior is the story of Tugger and Ripper. Two seemingly normal house cats. But Tugger has a plan. He's in love with his owners girlfriend. And to get her love he can only find one solutions. World domination. And it starts at home. He ropes his kitten brother Ripper into doing away with their owner Jon by hatching traps, and pranks that may cause his demise. Once Jon's gone they can live with his girlfriend and then take over the world from there. But nothing goes as planned and the world just isn't ready for two cats to run it! If you're a fan of Looney Tunes and The Muppets then Elmwood Productions' "Animal Behavior" is right up your alley!
The screening will be right on Center Street during the festival... So it's free! And outside! Feel free to bring your favorite lawn chair (or bean bag!) to sit down and enjoy the show!
"Animal Behavior" is G-Rated fun for the whole family. Before and after the show the puppets will be on hand hanging out for pictures and fun!
And there is MORE!
The following day 10/12/13, Harvest The Arts will also be having the Art Walk on Center Street, featuring tons for talented artists at work down the street, and we'll be there too! Making puppets, and sculptures and cartoons! Elmwood artists Gabe Finkenstein, Nick Foreman, Jeremy Jordan, and Jon Bristol will be sharing their work along with our guest Brie McDonald!
More information on Harvest the Arts and the Apple Harvest Festival here:
Thursday, August 29, 2013
Monday, August 26, 2013
Wednesday, August 21, 2013
Sunday, August 18, 2013
De-railing for a moment....
The song above is to be played while you read... If you read this...
Normally this blog is full of puppets, and funny videos, and puppets, and odds and ends on my creative life and music obsession, and puppets. But this morning I'm gonna take a break from that. Sorry if I'm boring anyone. The regular broadcast will come back on Wednesday.
20 years.
Man, that has come up ALOT the past few weeks. It started on Tricky's birthday. We had our usual Elmwood meeting and then a few of us hit "our" bar, Central Cafe, to get Tricky a few rum and Cokes.
On the way out a car died and Tricky saved the day. Then Trick and I walked back to our cars and stood there leaning and talking. God, it must have been two hours chatting about the past 20 years.
I made the "damn we're old" jokes and he pointed out we're not just old, we're better. We went over the Hell-House parties of the mid to late 1990's, we went over the women we got ourselves involved with, the guys we don't see anymore, the people who have passed, the cars we owned and the racing and "dipping" we did... And how some things are just "timeless".
Is this was nostalgia feels like?
And like I said, I made the old jokes, and he said we're better...
Not that we were bad twenty years ago. Just that age has treated us OK. People I meet still think I'm in my mid-twenties (and I'm bald!) and Tricky baffles people that he's old enough to have 5 year old triplets. My homeboy and I have aged considerably well. Especially considering the way we've abused ourselves over the years. We've both recently bumped into people we went to school with and left thinking... Are we THAT old?
And Tricky; We're not... But some of them are.
Hell, some of the people I hang out with on a regular basis are younger than me and every now and then I realize that I'm the older one... I can still run OK, squat, sit indian style, go from sitting to standing without having to prop myself with my hands on something. and play Hackey Sack... Not bad, eh? Hahaha...
Anyway, our whole conversation got started because of god-damned Facebook. Someone we graduated high school with started a reunion group and we were both added into it. I removed myself. I did it three times before I realized there was way to remove yourself and block people from re-adding you. I didn't remove myself to be an asshole. I didn't hate high school. I didn't love it either. But my idea of a reunion isn't going to a bar or banquet hall, paying too much money to get in and spending a nite with 200 of my not-closest friends. I've been saying for years that if I wanted a reunion I'd get the people together and hang. But not just 1993 people. High school people in general, the ones I actually hung out with. And most of them didn't graduate with me... . And I really don't even want to do that.
So back on the 20 Years... Where was I in 1993?
I graduated high school by the skin of my teeth and didn't bother taking the collage route seriously. I spent the last few months of the year dating Tricky's sister, which to this date ranks as one of the biggest disasters in my life (and that is saying ALOT, hahaha, good thing it didn't even make it a year) and he warned me not too. Not out of a way to protect her, but to protect me! I got obsessed with puppetry that year. Prince released "The Hits/The B-Sides". And my brother died.
You gotta take the good with the bad. And if you can, you gotta make the bad into something good.
Over the past twenty years I have been doing that. Learning to take it as it comes and make it good. And I'm getting damn good at doing it.
I have a fun life. I'm a man-child, I suppose. I've made it to two years short of 40 without having any kids and keeping my passion alive. Do I have responsibility? Of course I do. I have two cats to feed and an awesome girlfriend that keeps me on my toes. Do I have it all figured out? Hell no. And I'm not gonna fake it like so many people do. I'm not ashamed of still trying to figure it all out, whatever it all may be. It's the journey of life. Sometimes people I know openly come down on me for not taking the roads they did... Traditional marriage, kids, cubicle, etc... And at first it confused me. Now, recently, I've learned it's not me. It's them. I followed my own way. My own desires. And I've been happy. The people I know who have given me crap just aren't. They aren't happy. Tricky is a good example of someone who hasn't given me crap. And he has the traditional life. And it's cuz he is happy. And he know my lifestyle has made me happy.
Time for another song...
I guess what I'm getting at here, the message of this post if there is one, is life is short. 20 years went by like a blink. Life is short as Hell. Live every second of it you can. punch in and punch out at work and do the thing you gotta do... And live the rest. I mean LIVE. Be alive. Be fun. Be love. Be life.
Be yourself. I've been myself for so long I couldn't image following a different drummer.
Shit, in high school I would proudly pronounce my love of Prince's music... And most people though I was nuts (I am nuts, by the way, but Prince has nothing to do with it) and I didn't care. Prince is still around, and in 1993 Billy Ray Cyrus' album was a huge hit. I think I was right with my musical tastes...
Again 20 years... And I'm lucky. Lucky to still have some of the friends I had then, and lucky to have spent the past 20 making the friends I have now. Through the good and bad we're a motley crew of weirdos, hippies, metal-heads, funk-a-teers, hipsters, artists, parents, drunks, geniuses, and so on and on and on and on...
So I won't be at any reunions... But I will be at Central Cafe soon enough for another round of rum and Cokes with Tricky. If you wanna come and hang you're more than welcome to join us.
And if you don't wanna, we'll raise a toast to you...
"To absent friends"
Friday, August 16, 2013
Thursday, August 15, 2013
Wednesday, August 14, 2013
Tuesday, August 13, 2013
Monday, August 12, 2013
Sunday, August 11, 2013
How the time flies away....
A year and two days ago you took an exit from this existence, and onto the next great adventure...
I think about you often buddy, and know I'll someday have a beer with you on the others side...
Friday, August 9, 2013
Thursday, August 8, 2013
Wednesday, August 7, 2013
Tuesday, August 6, 2013
Monday, August 5, 2013
Sunday, August 4, 2013
Friday, August 2, 2013
Thursday, August 1, 2013
Wednesday, July 31, 2013
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