Jack

WOAH

2006-12-19T06:20:53Z

Hey there,

haven't updated in forever.

So I'm thinking of switching to "blogger". I even went as far to set up an account about a month ago ... and then I forgot the password.

the fall school year has ended nicely. 4 studios and I held my own. Each day I'm getting closer and closer to graduation. Don't know where I'm going to move, don't know what I'm going to do. All very much still in the air. I'm pretty sure I don't want to be in Providence. But that's not a postive yet.

I guess I don't have anything really to say, besides happy holidays.

comicbooknerd @ 2006-08-16T11:32:00

2006-08-16T15:42:00Z

I'm pretty sure very few people read this anymore (which is a good thing in a way) ... I'm not exactly sure what's it's purpose is anymore.

My intensions for senior year is to prepare a portfolio to present to comic book companies ranging from Cracked Magazine, to the New Yorker, to Fantagraphics to Marvel. My style is vercitle ... an emphisis on anatomy, character development and sequence, which fits into many catagories.

I'd love to draw Spider-man as my day job. I'd LOVE IT. I'd be such a cool 20 something.

And for myself, I wish to pursue oil painting. I don't think I'm particuarly good at it in a representational sense of the word, but it's a new found passion that I can continue working on my entire life. So I want to take classes in this field.

All the time I want to continue playing music with friends as it is a collaberative art form, which means I'll always have some type of social life. Music in this day in age isn't too serious and I see it as something care free and fun to do in my spare time.

I'm going to my other job in a little bit. Giving tours at RISD.

This summer has been incredible.
-Jack

comicbooknerd @ 2006-07-09T09:28:00

2006-07-09T13:29:37Z

Jesus christ, get me out of the suburbs.

Just a few more weeks I guess.

In the meantime, New Order's "World in Motion" is the perfect soundtrack for the world cup final today.

comicbooknerd @ 2006-06-15T13:44:00

2006-06-15T17:45:05Z

WOAH. IMDB.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0412978/

Gondry and Clowes ... WORKING TOGETHER?!?!

comicbooknerd @ 2006-05-29T19:28:00

2006-05-29T23:33:11Z

Summer goals:

1. See through the art direction of "Normal Adolescent Behavior", being filmed in Providence, and have a blast doing it!
2. Make this year's Art Works summer camp the best, as it very well may be my last.
3. Learn to relax.
4. Have a blast at this year's MOCCA!
5. Complete most of Apollo Astro #11 (#10 is basically done) so I will be in a good position to put out Apollo Astro #12 (when the school year begins), which will be basic comic book size (the size of like, you know, you average Spider-man comic) AND make it with full digital color.
6. Play music with friends.
7. Take it easy in August.
8. Work out a ton, build upper body some more.
9. Read a lot of those books.
10. Party.
11. Run.
12. Hit up the beach, mainly in July when it's free.

comicbooknerd @ 2006-05-24T09:30:00

2006-05-24T13:31:48Z

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/5008664.stm

The end of this article is really, really sad.

I care about wooly mammoths. I compliment findings of your prehistoric remains, sir.

It looks like I'll be in Providence for June. I was given a pretty sweet job. more later.
Love,
Jack

comicbooknerd @ 2006-05-21T22:43:00

2006-05-22T02:57:48Z

It's been a while. I've been neglecting the live journal ... a sign perhaps that I am more solective of what I share online perhaps ... which is, in turn, a sign of maturity? No, ... I do not need people in constant cahoots of my life, I simply don't mind having it open to an internet public. I think maybe a good way to start it up is with an old +/- chart.

THE PLUSES

+ Alison graduated from Vet school today. She is offically Dr. Alison Elizabeth Turnbull. The graduation ceremony was well timed. It was observant to the graduating class's accomplishments without being overly emotional. On top of that, it rained while we were in the tent and it was nice and sunny during refreshments. Perfect!
+ I'm back in America and have been here for what I think is around two weeks. I am readjusting well and I have fallen back into the pattern of things here in the USA. Now if we could only impeach the president ... then things would truly be peachy and keen.
+ I've had some quality time with old buds- Bret and Matt particuarly.
+ All my friends in Providence seem to be doing really well. Everyone is happy with school and I am too. I can't wait to get back for senior year and fall back into the habit of orginized classes and critics.
+ I switched my surface from board back to paper with my guache paintings and the result is staggerling! I'm so much better on paper! My new works are already more exciting then what I made in Rome.
+ MOCCA is so soon, which means Apollo Astro #10 ... which I only have 4 pages left to ink in!
+ I got around to watching "Land of the Dead", George E. Rumano's epic fourth zombie movie. While I had my reservations, I thought it was "killer" (knuck, knuck, knuck). Beside the fact that zombies were evolving (I like my zombies brainless thank you very much), it was a fun hour and a half of decadant gore. My hat goes off to lead bad guy Dennis Hopper who does a fine Donald Rumsfeld inpersonation in it.

MINUSES

- After a year of service, my freeware buzzmachines modual synth program seems to have bit the bullet. It crashes every time I try to open it. And I don't have enough space on my hard drive to properly defrag my system ... so the next Jack Turnbull kareokee electronic performance may be in the distant future unless James Ameoba can help me out. If not, geez, there was a LOT of songs I had that were never recorded. I can't wait until graduation when I get a new computer!
- After a lot of hard work drawing wolf men and Spawn like Superheroes, I will NOT be illustrating a physical defense manual for a summer job. Dan LePage, a very respectable young man, decided to hire a more experienced illustrator. I am not insulted however, as I understand I am still very young (in the scheme of this industry) and while I am well experienced beyond my years, it still can't get me enough to do a whole book. But on the flip side, now I have a whole lot of free time.
- I don't have a job until July. But it's all so up in the air, I could go back to Affairs, I may be recieveing teacher's salary at Artworks since Nicholas is gone, I may test video games, I may have another illustration job, I don't know just yet.
- They had a party at my new apartment in Providence and I couldn't attend.
- We had a massive week long flood in Ipswich and we lost a lot of stuff from our basement. Some stuff was really cool and I'd rather not go into it.
- I'm poor.
- I'm poor.
- I'm poor.
whine, whine, whine.

At least I'm awesome.
love,
Jack

comicbooknerd @ 2006-05-10T10:17:00

2006-05-10T14:17:10Z

So basically I am Seth Cohen. Cartoonist who goes to RISD ...

http://www.soapoperafan.com/theoc/04272006.html

comicbooknerd @ 2006-05-01T11:46:00

2006-05-01T10:05:36Z

Getting a good night's sleep tonight has paid off. I feel chipper and ready to tackle a few days worth of Roman siteseeing before I high-ho it back home.

As stated in my last entry, we did go for a round two at the Blue Room, but this time fully prepared and ready for action. Again, the house music was "blazin" and as always us RISD kids started a stir. We started dancing prematurly, Megan, me, Nico, Alex, Susie, Internet and Prescott and Susan showed up after a while. Even the famed Matt Puztizzi made a surprize visit and graced us with his presents for approximately 20 minutes before mysteriously walking off. This time we danced until about 4 in the morning, immitating various pop stars and wizards. Nico and Alex got the guts to hit on some Italian honeys who supposedly asked a lot of questions about me ... best comment: "He looks like Michael Jackson". A mission, of sorts, has now indirectly been accomplished.

House music sure does get a bad wrap in the United States amongst my college elite art peers as it is fairly simplistic; it's almost always in 4-4 time, the same concepts are tackled, yadda yadda yadda. What Americans are not understanding about house music is the physical side of it; it's a fucking WORK OUT. "no wonder they call it trance", said Megan, "I feel high!" you're dancing so much you really do loose sense of reality. While I still find hip-hop fun to dance to, house is just a completely different vibe. Sexual tension is deminished and insanity is emphisized. It's like a Lightning Bolt concert minus the egos of hundreds of art kids trying to prove how "Real" or "crazy" they are. Non offense to Lightning Bolt or their concerts, keep in mind.

We came home starving and I was a little angry as someone poured red wine all over my seafoam Locaste shirt (but not too upset as I bought it used and it had already lost a button). THey wouldn't serve us pizza at the all night place either which was GARBAGE. So Nico made about 5 eggs and then we chowed down on some pancakes thanks to the mix Internet supplied. Then Matt came out of the woodwork and demanded Snoop Dogg. Nobody wanted to get beheaded that night so the king's request was fulfilled ... Murder was the case that they gave me + Vermont's finest + sweaty dance hall Americans in Europe = PRICELESS.

The next day we were, predictibly, tired. So we spent the majority of it on the island on the tiber catching some sun. Logically, our clothes were minimal; shorts, t-shirt, flip-flops, which may be the status quo in the United States, but for Italian Fashionistos is a BIG NO-NO. But as I've learned from my travels, dressing quirky usually works to your advantage rather then detracting. So after we got some great falafell we walked through Campo dei Fiori and got stared down by three Italian Regazzi's. We did the logical thing and approached them.

As it turned out, they were Sicilian which made us so excited. Besides the one Bigot in Palermo, Sicilians are quite possibly the warmest people on Earth. We went out to dinner with some other Sicliian girls in Palermo and really their demenour is so gentle, fun and warm. Siclian smiles are quite possibly the best in the world. These girls were no different; excited, flattered, gentle, funny, stunning. We invited them to our gallery and amaturish Italian was exchanged with amaturish English. Well, Nick and Alex handled themselves pretty well, I think I said some pretty non-grammatical sentences, but I was able to comment on Boston and let them know that Alley McBeal is a fictional character ... she doesn't actually live in Boston.

We exchanged numbers and we might be seeing them again. We texted later that night but it got too late to make plans. Instead we went to the Restaurant Africa, the best Ethiopean restaurant I've ever been to (one of the only Ethiopean restaurants I've ever been to). The meal was great, but I got stupid and ordered the complimentary bowl plate that was sort of gimmicy and not really delicious. It was missing a lot of good Ethiopean spices. But it was still above par and I did get to play with fire, so it's all good.

Ok, off to site see. Later!

Decadance, Balance, Maturity, summer

2006-04-29T20:20:05Z

Last night we found ourselves at a back alley full throttle European art friendly discoteque in what appeared to be in an Olneyville-esc abandoned building. All stereotypes were fulfilled; flash animation projections, house music, pear and rum shooters. So as you can imagine, it was pretty tight. We're going again tonight as Alex claims to know the DJ and it's their closing night as the venue is changing location. Of course, all this information is given to me in Italian, so who knows the actual technicalities. But it's going to be one of the last Saturday nights left in Rome. I'm going out with a bang. That's right; white jeans.

Today it rained and poured but I was lucky enough to get out for a brief jog around the circus maximus. Beside that the day was wasted in indecision. I'm looking forward to scheduled days or just the energy to start up new art projects. I'm still recoperating a bit from our final gallery show, which was fun although I made the mistake of expecting too much. Still, some drunken set designer gave me the flattering oppurtunity to make set design for him. I suppose my amature, accademic work is going down a right path. I need to work with color, I need to build a portfolio and I need $$$ so I can move to a cool city.

Now that the last few days of Rome are scheduled and I'm going to have a hard time saying goodbye to this majestic city that has given me so much, I look kindly to the not-too-distant future. Summer projects... I'm playing with the idea of buying a surf board. I have a few friends who can introduce me to the sport in the area and it's always been something I've wanted to persue. It's also great excercise and I still haven't forgotten how much fun it was to surf at Coco Beach down in Florida when I was visiting Caroline. But, I have to ask how practical I'm being. I'm now 22, with hobbies galore already! I think it'll mean pushing aside music a wee-bit, but music has never been the focus, just a hobby, so there isn't a large sacrifice. And then there is the issue of these high gas prices ... it will potentially mean driving to good harbor in gloucester on a daily basis.

But it also means community. Alex wants to come down and surf with me ... and I could capitalize my friendship with Cal through this. Emily also surfs and I'd love to catch waves with her... I know I love the sport to begin with ... but am I getting too old to start new interests? Do I have the finances? Am I confident in this decision? I want to do this ... it will just mean pushing aside other interests a bit I guess. Well ... I'm expressing too much thinking ... and I'm not there yet.

The biggest things I miss about America right now are RISD, my friends and Mexican food.

comicbooknerd @ 2006-04-28T22:27:00

2006-04-28T20:28:52Z

http://livingwithwar.blogspot.com/

"...this is about exchanging ideas... it's about getting a message out. It's about empowering people by giving them a voice. I know not everyone believes what I say is what they think. But like I said before.. ya know.. red and blue is not black and white. We're all together. It's a record about unification." -Neil Young (4/18/06)

<3 - download his new album!

comicbooknerd @ 2006-04-27T00:52:00

2006-04-26T22:53:18Z

PHOTOS OF MY WORK AT MY FINAL SHOW ON EHP (MINUS COMIC BOOK ... STILL TO COME) ... IS ...

HERE!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/58642350@N00/

ZOMBIE INVASION

2006-04-25T08:52:29Z

Ok, livejournalers and bloggers. Here is your task.

Where ever you are reading this, imagine the zombie invasion has BEGUN. You look out the window, or read it online, the corpse of a former proffessor, janitor, whomever walks by the window pain in the computer lab. The zombie invasion has begun and your top priority is no longer any material possessions, artistic aesthetics, significant others ... your top priority is SURVIVAL. Your job is to post where you are right now reading this and your plan for surviving the zombie invasion.

Some trivialities: these aren't "28 Days Later" zombies. I'm being a traditionalist with this post. We're talking the classic "Night of the Living Dead" zombies. Kinda slow, totally gross, ... you can whiz past 'um in a shopping mall.

Here is what I would do ... in ROME.

1. Well, I'm actually fairly secure. Our building is like a fortress. As long as our Huge locked and secure door is closed, I think we have enough food to make it for at least a week ... especially if we get on the roof and call for helicopter rescue. Even our first floor windows are steel gated. The only problem is being trapped... which always gets people in the end. But we could stake it out for I'd say at least a month. I'm pretty sure a lot of people in this neighborhood would have the same idea, so we could even shout from across windows ... or even set up transportation between WINDOWS! Wow ... thinking about it from my personal window ... it really won't be that HARD! Especially because Rome is so compact.

But if no army comes ... we have to make some type of escape attempt. Luckily, the Tiber is only about 500 feet away from our building ... and I'm pretty sure zombies are pretty pathetic at sea. So all we would need is a vessel.

With all of our arty supplies, we could totally make a few boats ... a fleet so to speak. So at that point the only problem would be those 500 feet to the Tiber. The boat would have to be small ... maybe only just a one or two man boat. But it would have to be great either ... just a flotation device will do.

So we equipt ourselves with tool room weapondry and our boat, run like hell to the tiber, jump in that River and see where it takes use ... fishing down the river for food. Maybe we'll eventually find an island ... or maybe we'll just end up in the meditarranian ... or get to Corsia. Heck ... wouldn't be a bad place to be eaten by zombies.

What would YOU DO?

comicbooknerd @ 2006-04-21T22:45:00

2006-04-21T20:45:55Z

Artistic inspriation for the next 10 years.

http://mizuki.obakemono.com/

and

www.he-man.org

plus ... as always ...

www.garypanter.com

A few more reasons to love the internet

2006-04-21T20:20:24Z

comicbooknerd @ 2006-04-21T12:18:00

2006-04-21T10:25:30Z

Art history final is over! I think I did pretty well although I wasn't clear on what exactly Locus Classicus was. Still, I just wrote everything I've learned about Bernini in the segment about him, so I think I'll do Ok. It is the first "last" thing here for my now only 2 week stay in Rome. Our show goes up in six days.

I went to the B & M (yuck yuck yuck) photocopy place back in the Jewish Ghetto behind our Cenci to photocopy the first 30 pages of my comic epic, still tenitively titled "Venus de Marko". Not only was their machine awesome, photocopies were only 5 cents! And then they didn't even care with the calculation and rounded down for me! So 42 pages for 2 euros! A total steal in comparision to Ipswich's Brooks pharmacy I'm used to using. If only I had known about this place earlier.

I did some reading of Tomb of Dracula again and I think I'm getting sick of it. It kept me for a while and they whole neo-gothic linguistics were fun, but now I'm sort of getting used to the fact that if they kill Dracula, the series if over so he always miraculously survives, even when he's been stuck in a DZ style ball pit filled with crosses, silver bullets and garlic cloves. I'm going back to Henry James, but I don't really have time to read something so long ... it's intimidating. More of a summer project. So Maybe I'll pick up a Phillip K. Dick book again ...

I have to finish up this self-portrait type painting inspired by Caravaggio's "Conversion of St. Paul". In the painting, it looks like Picasso is trying to restrain an unmounted horse while a Tiger God floats around in the sky. Sort of like if ... Fort Thunder went through the counter reformation. But that is a gross simplification.

love,
Jack Turnbull

comicbooknerd @ 2006-04-16T15:35:00

2006-04-16T13:46:24Z

Last night I had a lot of RISD pride.

First off, today is easter Sunday in Rome, so you better believe it is hectic. I didn't see for myself, but the scene at the Vatican is supposedly out of control. Thousands of people ... more so then when I was blessed by the pope right before Christmas break. Rome got a good day for it too, bright and sunny ... Which is sort of like everyday up here.

Lately I've been down on myself, all like "boo-hoo, I'm an artist, we get no respect ... whine, whine, whine. I'm going to be poor when I grow up, I'm TOURTURED so I'm going to move to NYC ... whine, whine." ... which sounds petty and immature, but give me a break. Those are real anxieities that you have to work through in life.

But last night I got this really good feeling and I'm going to try and ride this feeling like a wave before I fall off.

So Alex from RISD is studying in Barcelona and stopped by the Cenci with her two friends who are studying at the same place. One goes to Cooper Union, the other CCS (west coast). Oh yeah! Mile's friend ... Rachel ... was also there. So, Jessica, Alex, Rachel ... shoot, I forget the last person's name. But I'm getting better with this name remembering thing ... 3 outta 4. And then there was a group of three guys who left early, their names fleet me as well.

Anyway, we showed them the studies and had a few drinks. These drinks obviously lead to a dance party. But nobody was really drunk. I only had a gin and tonic and a little port. It was only 6 of us dancing and felt all middle school dance, but with all the props that are found in Nick and Alex's room, we had hours of entertainment. We danced for about 3 hours to Salsa, Devo, 50 Cent, Tango, that Gasolina song, indie pop, ... the tunes hit the whole spectrum. And all the dancing was really goofy and creative, from faux bullfights and limboing, to pretend tango dancing and an imprompto dress up sesh where I put on my soccer mom track suit that makes me look like Sinbad the comedian. The girls said it was hands down their best night in Europe so far. Jessica mentioned wanting to transfer to RISD.

I think over here, all the petty insecurities of looking like a "serious" or "intelligent" artist has just subsided and all that is left is creativity and kindness. I think I cashed in artist, elitist ego for open-mindedness and grunge aesthetic. And it's paying off.

So now I feel my work is a lot more free, which goes for my writing and my music as well. I find myself writing less and less songs about unrequited love and more and more songs about ghosts, international travel and marine biology. Not that there is anything wrong about unrequited love songs, heck, I'm sure I still have a few more in me ... if not a lot more. But what I'm trying to say is my art feels a lot more day to day then it was before. A lot less forced. I don't feel like I have much to prove, I don't need to prove my intelligence or gallery hipness. I'm just here for the ride, or something.

Tonight I'm making mashed potatoes to bring over to Elizabeth's pad which is north of the villa borgiese. I imagine it to be shiek. Hopefully there will be expensive paintings on the walls for me to gauck at. Maybe Kim Gordon will be there.

comicbooknerd @ 2006-04-15T18:30:00

2006-04-15T16:49:23Z

Hey internet?

So remember how in the last entry I sort of trailed off into a hazy, misspelled ramble of garble? That's because I was so worried about housing next year and worried that I was going to have to bike to school in the middle of the winter. But it looks like things have turned out ok (keep my fingers crossed) as I've been invited to live with James Martin and David Roesing. They live on meeting street, near by, but more importantly I know them and like them and they sure have gotten me out of this jam.

That time period of panic was tough and I found myself doing things I now sort of regret. Nothing really concrete, like ... I didn't throw a dog out the window ... but more like I acted really anxious and I don't like myself when I am such. But this looks like it is going to work out. I'm going to try and find a subleter for the summer ... so if you want to live in Providence this summer, hey, drop me a line! Maybe even just for a month to give yourself a change of pace.

Today I feel was a bit of a waste. I suppose I should keep this journal more updated in order to keep track of my accomplishments each and every day just ot make sure I get something done and everyday doesn't end up being an off day. I did paint a bit this morning on my final Caravaggio influenced and modernized "Conversation of St. Paul". The canvas I fear is too big unfortunately, which is going to make for a less then satisfactory image, but now I have learned that I am most comfortable when working small.

All this time in Rome has made me want to focus my efforts next year towards making a portfolio towards the indie comics market, children's book and web design/graphic design. The comics/children's book thing sort of go hand in hand, so maybe a portfolio towards arty children's books/graphic design. Although I feel the graphic desgin thing is sort of a cop out. I'm only wanting to focus my portfolio in that specifc direction because there seems to be a lot of jobs in graphic design and most my illustration friends I know have one foot in that world.

However, the world of Children's Books seems so fun. I already have this idea about a family of lobsters who move into the suburbs. I think most of my children's books would end up somehow involving crustations.

I spent my last $15 stipe end on Gauche, so I'm broke till Tuesday. No matter, I see it as influence towards using my time towards getting ready for the final critic on the 20th. I feel good; 4 paintings and 20 pages of comics. A solid body of work.

I sat in to watch some Bill Hicks with Elyse midway through the day and I now know what my friends to the north were talking about when I was making subversive comical comments aroud Isa's dinner table. I enjoyed Bill Hicks but the commentary about him being "revolutionary" seemed a bit over the top. Lenny Bruce was pulling that controversal stuff back in the 60ties! So revolutionary seems a bit too much ... culturally significant ... I think that would be a better term. I enjoyed his stand-up but thought that the "Goat-Boy" thing went on for WAY too long. But seeing a man talk about the first Iraqi war back in 1993 is pretty interesting and worth looking into. So much of the war today is such a repeat of back then, except today it is exaggerated and less orginized. At least the first Bush president had an exit stradegy. But wait, here I am defending the Bush family ... forget um! They're lame brains ... all of 'um!

Now I think I'm going to make some pasta plus a meal for Elizabeth's Easter Sunday lunch. Elizabeth is our shiek, high art friendly secretary that writes for art forum on the side. She creurates shows ... one of those people whom you begin to think is just paid to be awesome. I can't wait to see her house!

comicbooknerd @ 2006-04-13T22:16:00

2006-04-13T20:22:29Z

Wow, today was stressful from beginning to end (minus that nice 45 minute break where I caught a little bit of Star Wars Episode II with Antoinette, Joe and Kent).

I woke up ten after eight because the alarm didn't go off, late for art history. Usually I'd be chill about it because most of the places we go as a group are pretty accessable and I can usually catch up because of long lines. But this time we had an appointment at the villa borgiese at 9 so if I wasn't there I'd be missing out on Bernini's and Caravaggio. I'd already seen them, but it really is different with the teacher and classmates. Plus you only get two hours in that museum so you never have enough time to properly see everything and there's a ton to look at (including a pretty kick-ass Raphel that I'm going to have to check out again).

So I went in the clothes I slept in, caught a 116 at Campo dei Fiori and ironically, got there before the group did. So At this point I chilled out.

But for the rest of the day, I really couldn't stop flipping out about housing next year. Like, EVERYTHING has fallen through. And it's one of those situations where I can actually be like Homer Simpson and say "this is everyone else's fault but mine". Like, essentially people can't commit or either they simply can't get the information straight. So it looks like I'm living with strangers next year. GREAT.

And it really bugged me ALL day and I totally lost my cool and did some pretty stupid things. Totally lost my cool. I hate it. Ugh ... I don't know. I gotta go paint.

Accomplished

2006-04-12T11:42:59Z

Today I'm feeling very accomplished. I'm going to be in an exhibit in NYC! My first NYC show! it's not REALLY a solo exhibit, or even a group show with my name in it, more that I'm a part of Jesse Willmon's project (http://www.com-mix.org ... should be up soon) but I'm going to be paid for being on the website and since it's subscription based if the website takes off I'll continue to get money from it. That and I'm being interviewed for the JFK library ... man, I just feel accomplished.

A show in NYC, a show in Rome ... I feel like some international art star ... like Duchamp or 50 Cent.

Then on top of that I just felt on the ball in Art History. Beginning to see connections, beginning to understand little tid-bits of information about the Renissance, like, why Venician painting is not centered around drawing from observation and more about composition and color ... and WHY. And like ... where I sit philosophically speaking in relation to Michelangelo and Caravaggio ... and what's the next step. It all feels really good.

We have very little time left here. Less then a month. I don't like thinking about it but I do need to start concentrating or just thinking about what is going to happen next. This summer is looking ... not great. But hey, Providence is only an hour and a half away and Boston has a lot to offer. And there is a lot for me to accomplish back in Ipswich. And how can you hate Ipswich, it's beautiful in its own way. And I have MOCCA to look forward to, plus recording with Jason Anderson under the tenitive name "The Agawam Kids". If I had a grunge band I'd totally name it the Agawam Kids. But what do you think, maybe just Agawm Kids, or THE Agawm Kids? Am I spelling Agawam even right? Man, it's been so long since I've been amongst towns named after indian tribes. America, here I come.

comicbooknerd @ 2006-04-10T20:28:00

2006-04-10T18:29:12Z

http://iraq-kill-maim.org/

A pretty fantastic (yet disturbing) website for anyone trying to keep track of the war.

Remember ... there's a war going on and it ain't pretty. But you know ... you should know about it.

comicbooknerd @ 2006-04-10T13:48:00

2006-04-10T11:56:18Z

Last night we watched more Dave Chappelle Season 2. I finally got around to see the "making the band" skit that all my pals have been going off on for the past two years. I now understand the joy which is the five top best rappers in the world; "Dylan, Dylan, Dylan, Dylan and Dylan." Mr. Chappelle: I hope you start feeling better mentally because because people around the globe love and miss your television show.

Thinking about it now, I've been endulging in the rap culture a lot lately. It went from listening to Pavement to straight up Jay-Z, but that goes with how I roll, you know? Sometimes you have to be rattled by the rush but then you have to think you're brooklyn's finest.

yeah ... Brooklyn's Finest. I like that song. I think I want to be one of Brooklyn's Finest someday. NYC.

If anyone wants to buy me this hat, or this hat , you'll have the pleasure of seeing me wearing it all the time. That or I'll like make you dinner for a week or something. Sounds like an equal trade, huh? They're just too blingin', I can't say no.

I'm working on these Rome watercolors and I think I may true submitting them to "Wanted in Rome", Rome's English language magazine. it's $160 euros on the spot if you're choosen and a new magazine comes out all the time.

Later kids.

comicbooknerd @ 2006-04-08T10:37:00

2006-04-08T08:48:05Z

So yeah, what up internet. Rome still excites me ... but still frustrates me with the opening hours of churches and museums. I have still not gotten used to this siesta thing. Like, it's 2 in the afternoon and nothing is open? This is prime time for American consumption and Italians are on their three hour lunch break? I was trying to get to this church at the end of Via del Corso that holds two awesome Caravaggio painting and when I got there it was closed till ... 4? I'm still not on Italian time, and at this point I probably never will be.

But all was well ... I just stopped back at the Cenci to do some needed reading and walked back after 4. The paintings were really impressive, although, I'm begining to feel if you don't study the guy and know his life they just look like counter-reformation post-Renissance paintings that aren't a big deal. But they totally are! They're like ... important to Francis Bacon and MODERNISM! How nuts is that. Hands down, Caravaggio ... one of the most significant western painters in history. And the conversion of St. Paul may be one of my favorite paintings of his ... that horse is so overpowering, dominant in the composition ... frightening ... and it's like "Caravaggio, what are you doing? The horse isn't even that significant to the story of the conversion! Paul just falls OFF the horse!" And Caravaggio's like, "No way, man. I've killed two guys in my life and I'm working through a lot of emotion and feelings like regret and justice. It'll narrate your Bible story, but man ... I'm angry." He's so complex! Counter refermation but with totally power and feeling and passion! Best of both worlds.

I watched the making of Star Wars Episode III with Internet, NY mets and bald eagle which, surprisingly, was not as interesting or visually stimulating as it sounds. Mainly because they went through absolutely EVERY office of production, which included the caters and accountants. I'm sorry, the Star Wars universe is romantic and decadant and everything that is great about movies, but learning about filling out the tax return of Ewan McGregor's paycheck? Doesn't hold me.

Well, enough mindless self endulgence. Today I'm going to studio it up and the evening will be for watching Miami Vice episodes or hitting the bars.

comicbooknerd @ 2006-04-06T20:22:00

2006-04-06T18:38:10Z

The purpose of this website is two fold. Well, make it three fold as last night was a blast at Black Dice.

First, an amusing image; Jack Turnbull circa summer of 2002. Maybe ... 2003? "Circle pitting" as they say in the "scene". Notice my Asterix t-shirt. I loved this shirt and if I'm not mistaken I lost it at the this concert ... that or my mom threw it out because it was getting stinky. Either way, it was a great cut and I miss it now as I predict it would still look rocking on me and it would be so old at this point it would be at the "special point".

Other notiable characters in this photo are Jamie on vocals (jeez, I have NO idea what this kid is up to) and Andy Rogers on guitar (of the legendary PUNXONTHELOOSE gang, who converted a school bus to vegetable oil and TOURED THE ENTIRE USA with his band on it. Everyone didn't think he could do it ... and they did. It must have been like the goonies in real life. I want to do a comic book about it).

Last night I saw Black Dice, Adam Green and the Jack Lewis band. The first act, Only Son, was like a watered down Postal Service, an accoustic guitar and an ipod playing buzzmachine produced beats at a sensible volume. I wasn't really thrilled by it but I shouldn't really complain or critque because when I play out its probably really similar.

But next up was the Jack Lewis band thing. Which was really great. It felt like Dinosaur Jr. met Weird Al ... sort of dead milkmen-ish. Jack also does a comic book called GUFF so I suggest google searching him and giving him a listen.

Adam Green was next, which was like a watching a jewish, drunk Frank Sinatra. It kinda ruled other then the fact that I couldn't help but get that "they're the performers, we're the audience" feel that Ian McKaye and Jason Anderson are always talking about. He definately was a rock star, and I occasionally felt mocked by his antics. The lyrics were non-sensical but gave the impression of significance in a pavement way. I liked the set but I didn't buy the album ... that's how I'll best describe it.

Next up was Black Dice. Hmm ... if Lightning Bolt is Michalangello popping out a Sistine Chapel, then Black Dice is Caravaggio ... and I like Caravaggio over Michelangelo. This band was brought up tripping on robitussin and jabbing away at canvas during freshman foundation year. But somewhere along the line, they traded in all the banging and bingeing for a ton of guitar pedals/electronics/circuit bent who-knows and some intellectual feedback (no pun intended!). The egos been erased from this band ... no rock star attitude, yet there is still feeling. It's balanced, complex ... like watching them fight with themselves and each other ... but also in harmony. And the sound is unlike anything else.

I bought the new album and it all feels just more whole ... but I have to admit less spiritual then Beaches and Canyons. But better then Creature Comforts, which was just a weird time for the band (if I'm not mistaken, the band line-up changed during the creation of the album).

Black Dice is a band worth checking out. They went to my school, they live in Brooklyn, they're bohimean shiek.

People are being too loud in the computer lab for me to think, and arguably, I've been going over board with this update thing. So off to the studio to think about Caravaggio some more.
Yours,
Jack

comicbooknerd @ 2006-04-05T18:17:00

2006-04-05T16:37:09Z

Today was Elise's birthday and the view from the stairwell in Mozzerlla kitchen was one of festive joy. Allison made home-made potato chips, there was this cornucopia of fruit, paper plates and napkins ... real picnic style. I gave Ellise a hug as it's the big 22. We're totally not teenagers anymore, no more Dawson's Creek drama for this cowboy.

I'm working on some ink drawings as I think they'll nicely balance out the decadence of my color paintings. I'm not trying to hide the fact that the drawings will look a lot like Raymond Pettibon's work. But I think they'll only look like his work in the sense of genre ... not aesthetic. And if they do look exactly like his work ... oh well. I still get something out of them and maybe someone else can. What can I say? I like working with text and image.

Now I have to wait by the door to wait for this guy ... think his name is Greg? Who is going to see Black Dice with us. He's friends from Berlin Doug, a pal in the EHP family. Trance noise in the eternal city? Sounds SEXELLENT.