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Stop AI seen on Capp Street. #SanFrancisco

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An absolute don't miss show in San Francisco right now.

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Flag for a Diverse Country

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Happy National Donut Day! 🍩

This painting is back from the days when I would eat my models after I was finished. 

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I got my first AI-generated art scam email

Every artist with an online presence eventually will get these scam emails with someone claiming they want to buy your art. I have had a website since 1998, and it did not take long until I had the first of these inquiries.  I have heard about countless “wife’s anniversary” gifts.  They typically are not far away, but far enough that the art needs to be shipped.  Let’s just say, Sacramento seems to be full of art lovers (actually it is, but you get the point).

Of course, the first time, you naively respond.  But the follow-up quickly turns to a need for weird check payments, etc. and you know it is a scam.

I no longer get these emails very often. I think the scammers know this won’t work.  Or do they?

Today, I got my first AI-generated art scam email (see image).   And I am naming fictitious Ayla Schmidt here, so if anyone searches for her name, this will come up.  It looks like there are a few real Ayla Schmidts out in the world but this “Art collector/lover” in the UK is nearly nonexistent online. But I did find “she” commented on another artist’s website with the exact same text used in the email I received.

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Happy World Turtle Day!

Via Sea Turtle

Inspired by the new sea turtle postage stamps from the USPS, I started carving some rubber stamps and the results are now on the way.

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MAKE ZINES! poster by zine maker / artist @CortHartle.

Download the free high res version here (PDF).

Printing and distribution encouraged by the artist, so please print it, fly post it and spread the word!

Text:

NO ONE CAN TAKE SELF PUBLISHING AWAY FROM YOU.

NO ALGORITHMS OR OLIGARCHS CAN CENSOR YOU.

NO GATEKEEPERS CAN TELL YOU WHAT YOU HAVE TO SAY IS NOT IMPORTANT OR VALUABLE.

NO GRANT FUNDING CAN BE WITHDRAWN FROM YOUR WORDS.

NO INSTITUTION CAN BAR YOU FROM ENTERING.

NO KNOWLEDGE IS UNAUTHORIZED.

THAT IS WHY YOU MUST MAKE ZINES!

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Before there was email there was V Mail

Have you ever heard of a V Mailer?  80 years ago, they were a high-tech solution for the U.S. Military. The mailers helped manage and move a very high volume of mail sent to those serving overseas. The way the V Mailers worked is the original copy was reviewed by wartime censors and photographed — then a small negative was transported overseas to be printed at its destination. This enabled the U.S. Military to drastically reduce the weight of all the mail being sent to service members overseas.

I was not familiar with V Mail until a friend gave me an old box of unused mailers.  

Currently the anti-democratic regime is actively erasing and altering any parts of our nation’s history that do not fit their white supremacist narrative. Stories are disappearing from many different government websites. This inspired me to start commemorating those stories with a series of American Hero artist stamps.

During World War II, you were not allowed to add enclosures to a V Mailer.  The ones I mailed out this week each include a set of six artist stamps featuring the following Americans:

Wong Kim Ark

Private Albert Cashier

Dr. Héctor P. García

Corporal Terry Toyome Nakanishi

Susie King Taylor

Navajo Code Talkers

Sending mail art that preserves history is just one small act of resistance. One of the ways we can honor those who bravely fought against fascism 80 years ago is to stand up and speak out.

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Bigger and Bigger!

The latest in my bookcase collage series, this one is 16”x20”.   I start by painting paper that is cut up to resemble the spines of books.  Mix in some craft paper for the “shelves” and add a few books using assorted bits of paper from my recycling bin.  All of it reassembled on painted wooden boards to create bookcase collages.

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World Book Day!

Go paint some books!

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Happy World Shakespeare Day!

An altered set of postcards to celebrate.

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A painting of one of my favorite places for Earth Day — The Point Reyes National Seashore.

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Happy Earth Day!

From my archives, one way to celebrate Earth Day is to go camping! 

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Work in progress...

This will be my biggest bookcase collage so far (16’x20’).  Listening to music and gluing little “books” of painted paper is so much more calming than doomscrolling.  

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A new piece from the Bookcase Collage Series, this time with a white background.  

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As a collage artist, I really love this.

The Scissor Book

By William Ludlum

1915

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Mail art on the way to the UK for call with the theme Migrations.