Rip and Tear photo gallery is up

A entire batch of photos can be seen at the Rip and Tear photo gallery, which will also link you to an even bigger Rip and Tear photo gallery on facebook.

Thanks to everyone who came out and made this happen!

Masked Hornets and other OdDitiEs

A ton of photos from a bunch of photographers have been compiled in a nice facebook gallery at: Masked Hornets and Other OdDitIEs Here is a sample:

Masked Hornets and other oDdiTieS
An Art Show of haunted paintings and warrior insects

@ Avesta Oak Street Lofts, 72 Oak Street, Portland, Maine

First Friday Art Walk

Friday, October 5th, 2012

William Hessian and Abbeth Russell team up for a bizarre art show of creepy creatures and crazy characters that deals with foreclosures, freedom and loneliness.

For Portland, Maine's "First Friday Art Walk" dozens of paintings, ink drawings, and mixed media drawings will be on display. William Hessian, also known as the Canvas Killer, is a travelling artist from Minneapolis who is known for his public miniature art hunts all across the country, and for performances in which he destroys his own art. Abbeth Russell is a local artist and juggler, who has recently graduated from MECA and is known for her magical and surreal paintings. On Friday night the artists will be accompanied by two excellent musical performances by Monica Cooper and by SighLess.

Recently, William Hessian has been active in Occupy Portland, by organizing events focusing on Foreclosure. William has recently discussed the Foreclosure Forums in the Daily Sun (September 8th, 2012) and on channel 13 news (August 14th, 2012). Many of Hessian's new artworks featuring Masked Hornets depict insects who have armed themselves with masks, armor and weapons to protect themselves from the world around them. The insects are always in flight, searching and fighting for a place to settle, but finding no where to land. The Masked Hornet series is a commentary on the housing crisis facing many people around the globe who have to struggle and battle just to find a place to stay.

"Each hornet in my paintings represent someone who I have met, a friend, a co-workers, a family member. I choose people who are struggling to stay free and I transform them into insects. Often times these individuals are hiding behind masks, and have a lot of layers between their daily interactions and their true emotions. After being evicted twice from rental properties in Minneapolis, I have become very involved in the foreclosure crisis and I have felt and watched how devastating it can be for people when they are left in limbo without a place to live. My artwork tells these stories in a mythological setting while my organizing work is trying to find the solutions to these problems." William Hessian, discussing his work in the Masked Hornets and other Oddities Show (Sept 25th, 2012)

Abbeth Russell is a recent grad from MECA (maine college of art) and has a strong following in the art community in Portland Maine. Abbeth is also a street performer and can often be found juggling and selling art on the streets of Portland. Abbeth's work has a deep emotional, yet whimsical, quality that draws you into the unfolding stories taking place in front of you. Often times the characters look pained or tormented, but there is a joy and freedom inherent in the scenes. Abbeth also creates zines and smaller drawings which will be on display and for sale during the opening.

Both, William Hessian and Abbeth Russell host a weekly Sunday Art Night in the East Side of Portland where artists gather to create work, do workshops and have discussions. Many artists, musicians and poets from all around the Portland area attend the weekly art night and collaborate on really relevant and important work. Just 24 hours after the event page has been up already 24 people are going and maybe more have been invited. Many skinny 17 inch posters are going up all around town to advertise for the event. While this art show may be a few steps off of Congress Street, the Avesta Oak Street Lofts is going to be the place to be this First Friday.

The two musical performances are worth seeing on their own. Monica Cooper is a local musician who you might may have heard perform with Boxes and Paper Tales. She has recorded and performed all over the Portland greater area with both bands over the last two years. Monica Cooper has an incredible voice and her solo act includes original songs and she covers of an assortment of popular music. The musician you may have never heard is SighLESS. You may have seen SighLESS around town playing songs and juggling, but this is his first indoors performance. SighLESS has an entire set of original music, with passionate vocals and an intense message for everyone to hear.

See the photo gallery: Masked Hornets and Other OdDitIEs
Abbeth Russell: Abbeth Art
William Hessian:

Photos from Fade 2 Blaq

Portrait series by Melodee Strong

Last weekend, I was invited by my friend Chris Harrison to check out the art show he was in, called Fade 2 Blaq which was held in an office building in downtown Minneapolis. This art show did not disappoint. This show was like an art walk, and it was like going to 17 different slow shows as each artist had their own rooms inside one floor of this expansive office building. The entire layout had been repainted and transformed to completely metamorphose the space. In the common areas each artist had a number of works on display, a DJ was playing and there was the obligatory table of snacks and drinks. As you began to explore the space, you could enter any one of the rooms labeled with an artists name and be transported into a miniature solo show of each artists' work.

Now, the real delight of the show was variety of work and the quality of the art. You could find large abstract work, realist portraits, political work, children's book art, comic book art, sculptures, surrealist work, graffiti art and a lot of art that seemed to be a style all of its own. Without going on to long, why dont I just show you what I am talking about. Check out these photos of the event.

Incredible children book illustrations and paintings.
Graffiti artist Aaron Kupcho had a very impressive yellow room. It had strong African vibes and the other wall was an actual tag, which was really incredible. You can see it on the Fade 2 Blaq website. Abstract series by Chris Harrison. This is a stunning set of work. Both whimsical, inventive, bold and powerful all at the same time. These really jump off the wall at you.
Painting by Chris Harrison.
A photo of Chris Harrison speaking about the themes of the art in his room. There was some very powerful pieces in his room, including portraits of people with melting faces.
There was more artwork around every corner.

One of my favorite bodies of work was by young artist, AnaLaura Jaurez. Her work was a mixture of surreal dreamlike images, with bright colors and interesting compositions. I assume she was the youngest artist in the show, and I expect really big things for her as she studies at Minneapolis College of Art and Design. It was great to see her work.

If you could not tell from the photos above, the work they did to get this show ready was impressive. The walls on one side were white and then had a steady gradient to black on the other side, including the pillars and posts. It made for a very visually stunning display.

Minnehaha Free Space Art Group Art Show

This event is going to be so great, we had to make TWO posters.

Artists involved in the art show include:

ben flint
chris harrison
ben merrill
william hessian
john ennenga
jacob nejimakidori
mike toft
art group collaborations

and more....



The show features drawing, comic book art, sculptures, paintings and more. There will be food, music, and a general introduction to the free space. For those that have not been to the free space it is a radical space with a zine library, movie nights, secret cafe's, kids space, internet access and good vibes all around. The best part about this space is the people who inhabit it, and at the show there should be a lot of those people to meet.

Everyone is invited to come check out an art show put on by the Art Group at the Minnehaha Free Space. Check out the event page for this event to get details.

The Pudding Factory Photo Story

Dancing, body painting, art, music all inside a Pudding Factory

This is the photo documentation of my trip from Portland, Maine to Hoboken, New Jersey for a grand art show! It was my first time in New Jersey and this post is dedicated to Shandra Stark, for putting on the show.

3AM, I woke up. Groggy. And with some interesting bed hair. I had a 45 minute walk to the bus station so... I struck a pose

I struck this pose and rushed out the door with a suitcase filled with bearded bunnies.

I took two buses. It took 6 hours. I sat in some very interesting bus stations terminals and took two NYC subway rides. I wandered the streets of New York until finally finding the PATH subway and found my way to Hoboken, New Jersey.

The Pudding Factory was crammed into this business district. Auto shops on one side, band practice happening on the other side. From the outside you would never guess there was anything fun on the inside.

Just peeking up the steps, I knew I was going to like this place. I watched a group of people dismantle a giant indoor trampoline, trying to make room for the bands and a dance floor.


This is River Clark's mannequin. By this time, all the artists and musicians were flooding into the building. I was building the auction room and running errands. I met Ocean Clark, who I managed never to take a photo of somehow. His work is in the background of many of the following photos.

I set up a wall of bearded bunnies above this piano. You cannot really tell from here, but the white spots on the wall are vintage sheet music used as wall paper.

Herra Terra, the band, began setting up.
Artist William Springfield finished up his prints, as the VIP gathering began.
View from the ladder.

Then musician Lyle Divinski sat down and sang some really amazing songs
James McAndrew followed, with a great performance.
People started filling up the VIP section. This is 4 floors below where the bands were going to play.
The view from the street. It is funny to think behind this very unassuming garage door is the biggest green screen in New Jersey. Tonight, it also was home to a bomb art show.
I got to meet these 5 artists, from all across the country. Amazing artists, amazing guys.
Body painter, Kirk Dupuis, showed up to do some black light body painting on model Jessica Mellow.

Herra Terra rocked upstairs, and the glowing hoola hoops made an appearance. I think they broke by the end of the night, or at least were dismantled and spread around the building.
Kirk invited me to jump in and do some painting with him.
I decorated Jessica's back. This is what it looked like before the black light.
Super Volcano was the second band to play. While I missed most of Herra Terra's performance, I was dancing during Super Volcano's killer set.
I noticed the chalk art happening and quickly added a sketch to the ground.

I was in-between carrying artwork up four flights of stairs for the auction portion of the event, so I only had a minute to do anything with the chalk.
Jessica Mellow and the lead singer of SuperVolcano
His face kind of became the torch of Jessica's statue of liberty theme. Kirk, was painting some really interesting things. People took a million photos of these projects while they were happening.
Here is my contribution for the black light body painting. I worked around the peace logo.
Bianca also volunteered to be painted. She had mentioned to me being interested, and Kirk painted her while the bands were performing behind her.

It is always funny how a photo of dancing crowds can often look like a photo of motionless crowds. There was much movement here.
Mark Williams took these great photos, showcasing the finished work.
Again, Mark Williams photo, of Kirk Dupuis bodypainting, on Bianca, and Jessica Mellow

the next morning, slightly hung over, I stumbled back upstairs to find a deserted room. I take a quick photo and rushed out the door to catch my bus back to Portland, Maine. In the end, it felt like a one day dream. So many things happening all at once, sandwiched between 14 hours of busing and subways.

Gallery Night at the Pudding Factory

May 5th, 2011. Two great bands. A horde of great visual artists. At the Pudding Factory in Hobokon, New Jersey. Check out the facebook event for all the details. I will be driving my artwork 8 hours down to the show, enjoying the bands, and then driving it back home the following day.

If you are near New Jersey, you do not want to miss this show. Herra Terra and Supervolcano are performing. Buy Tickets online.

Oh, and if you are not familiar with the Pudding Factory, check out this video:

Flier for my show at the Meg Perry Center

Above is the flier I am hanging around town

The Meg Perry Center in Portland Maine has asked me to put up a show for the upcoming first friday art walk. They have no idea what they are in for. Basically I will be putting up over 200 works of art, from miniature works to larger paintings. New paintings done on glass, where you must look through one painting to see the rest of the painting. I am also going to have an unannounced hidden treasure hunt in the gallery. That is all I will be saying about the treasure until someone finds it, or the art show ends (at the end of March).

I will be spending a ton of time this week finishing up some paintings, and hanging the show. I should be doing that right now instead of posting this blog. Which means, this is a good place to stop and start working on things.

Altered Esthetics North East's gallery for living artists

Here is a few photos from the 5 minutes I went to stop by the resident artist 5 show. I had a series of miniature drawings there, as you can see in the photos. A really great reception, and once again really impressive art. I enjoyed John Terwilliger's experimental drawing/printing works and a number of other paintings and mixed media works.

If you live in or near minneapolis, you owe it to yourself to check out Altered Esthetics