"The Curse of Threes" by Bumbling Woohas live at Geno's

The Bumbling Woohas live @ Geno's from FriendlyTea on Vimeo.

Filmed in Portland, Maine by Friendly Tea/ Seth Dussault

UMVA Portland Chapter starting!

Portland, Maine is starting up a new Union of Visual Artists of Maine (UMVA) Chapter. See the event page here: https://www.facebook.com/events/830346420372528/

A network of artists committed to sharing resources and knowledge to learn, grow and inspire. The meeting is open to the public and will focus on:
Our goal at the meeting will be to:
1. Membership
2. Introduce ourselves and hear what people want UMVA Portland to be and why they are here
3. Planning first art show for April (themes /locations)
4. Planning the first lecture discussion with Robert Shetterly (early Feb)
5. Figure out future meeting times, studio visits, lectures, discussions and growing the group

Perhaps a short screening of Maine Masters Series: Imber's Left Hand (time permitting)

Fish Art Hunt coming this summer to Minnesota and Maine

St. Louis Park Minnesota and Portland, Maine and the Common Ground Fair in Unity, Maine will be home William Hessian's Miniature Art Hunts. The theme of all of the artwork will be fish that will be hand drawn in miniature and hidden for people to find. Winners will receive additional prizes. St. Louis Park's Parktacular event will be the 9th annual art hunt (in William Hessian's hometown). Portland Maine's Art Hunt is teaming up with Meg Perry Center and other local establishments to clean up the parks. The Commonground Fair art hunt will be focused on the education of Recycling & Compost.

William has completed over 25 free art hunts across the country (including California, North Dakota, Oregon, Utah, Montana, Michigan) in the past decade. You can visit williamhessian.com to learn all about past events and look at photo galleries.

William Hessian nominated for BEST VISUAL ARTIST in Portland Maine

I am excited and humbled to announce that I have been nominated as the BEST VISUAL ARTIST in the PORTLAND PHOENIX for the city of Portland in 2014. The announcement came in the newspapers just a few weeks before I planned to announce my spring time ART HUNT & PARK CLEAN UP event! The winner of the title "BEST VISUAL ARTIST" is decided by online vote, and everyone can vote once per day until May 15th, 2014.

Also, consider voting for Hidden Ladder Collective's open mic event Turnstyle Thursday! Please visit facebook to see a list of other Hidden Ladder Collective friends and artist to show your support for the growing creative community in Portland, Maine. Vote for William Hessian now.

Sketchbook Friday: Street Artist Shaman

I helped start the Creative Community Coalition in Portland, Maine after the city started cracking down on street artists by attempting to impose ridiculous restrictions. Many of the restrictions included mandatory registration, booth size requirements, minimun proximity to businesses and banning street artists from certain parts and sidewalk widths. Protect Portland's Creative Community on Facebook has been gathering many supporters of our issue and we have been to many city hall meetings fighting this issue. We are currently meeting members of city hall and talking to businesses in the area about the issue. During the last city hall hearing I drew the street artist shaman on my notes. I figured he was artistically summoned to help us spiritually cleanse during the period of time when the city hall completely ignored over 60 testimonies from artists and supporters from the community. We have been gaining steam ever since. The local newspaper even took our side recently and posted a very positive article about our group:

Abbeth Russell, William Hessian, Marrion Ladd, Asher Platts

Each Friday at noon I scan in one new sketch or drawing from one of my many sketchbooks. Many times my sketches are ideas for larger projects that you might find on my fine art website William Hessian dot com, or as projects right here on my Bearded Bunny art blog. If you enjoy these sketches make sure to also see my Favorite 20 sketches from 2011 or go back and check out all of the sketchbook friday posts.

If you want to own some of my work, you can always find great deals on my artwork and stickers at my Etsy shop.  Do not forget to subscribe to my blog and never miss another post.

Rip & Tear: Experimental Drawing Exhibition

"Rip and Tear: Experimental Drawing Exhibition"
photo gallery from the art show (see the full Rip and Tear photo gallery)

On this First Friday, Robin Farrin RIPPED it up at the Rip & Tear Experimental Drawing Show

“Rip and Tear” is an experimental drawing show consisting of photocopied drawings and re-worked photocopies available in a limited series of 100 prints. Each artist is represented via a stack of prints mounted or attached to the wall. At the opening event viewers/participants will be able to purchase ($5 per print) and rip prints right off the wall! As prints are taken a loud rip will echo in throughout the gallery space, and participants will see themselves projected on a screen above. Visitors are asked to watch carefully, as each art print ripped off the wall leaves behind a similar, but varied print, causing the artwork evolve as the evening progresses. The show features all new black and white drawings from artists Kenny Cole, Bridger McAlonan, Jack Slattery, Brian Reeves, Abbeth Russell and William Hessian. Artists will be on hand to sign ripped prints with red sharpie markers.

Hundreds of people came out in the rain and sleet to rip exclusive art off the walls from six different Maine artists.

The Meg Perry center was home to a controversial drawing exhibition 

Damir showed off his skills in ripping art off the walls

The wall explained the rules. Some viewers ripped very carefully in order to collect the work and take it home. While others....

Decided to alter the drawings with very strategic rips. Creating an all new work art. Artwork by John Slattery. Artwork by Jack Slattery.

You can see the video projection in the background. All six artists came out to sign prints and alter the artwork. Around town people could find free rip coupons to be redeemed at the show. 

The sound of paper ripping was going on all around the gallery and people were starting large collections of the art.

Here are the rules to the Rip and Tear art show.

Artwork by Bridget McAlonan. Altered with Rip by viewers during the night. Still changing every day.

Artwork by Abbeth Russell. Abbeth helped curate the show. Ripped alterations by the viewers.

Kenny Cole decided to hand draw new variations of each drawing, creating one of kind drawings. His work is very political, and the viewers were making all sorts of interesting rips on his work. 

Artwork by Brian Reeves. Brian created a series of toes with a series of skin and hair on the backside of each toe. The toes were everywhere.   

Artwork by William Hessian. William Hessian invented the idea for the show and curated the show with Abbeth. Ripped alterations by the viewers. 

Tanya took her ripped drawings and built a one of a kind collage with the works. It was a really beautiful way to interact with the show. 

Some of the alterations helped make this show become something altogether its own. Thanks to everyone who came out and ripped with us. 

Rip  and Tear Art Show

opening event: Friday Friday, December 7th 2012

5pm - 9pm

Meg Perry Center

644 Congress Street, Portland, Maine 04101

contact the curator:

william hessian

207-766-6204

william.hessian@gmail.com

Rip & Tear Event Page

Maine Art Scene Article

Image: Kenny Cole- "Roughead" 11" x 8 1/2" photocopy of ink on paper 2012

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:

Portland Paste: Tomato Bombs

Updated (7/15): Scroll down to see the new photos and the link to the news paper article about the tomato project.

I have been so excited to return to Portland, Maine. It is a city filled with energy, activism, farmers, artists, compassion, and collaboration. One of the groups I was really excited to see is the mysterious Portland Paste. When I left Maine last year, a little over a year ago, the group was doing a series of wheat pasting and I wrote a blog about it.

When I first got back into town, just a few days ago, I found this:

The little card explained that it was a free tomato plant for everyone. Anyone can help grow it and anyone can eat its tomatoes. With the interesting face on the bucket and my love for guerrilla gardening projects and street art, I was more than a little excited. I saw two more of these while driving back to my house, and I had to find out more about it. I immediately checked the two Facebook pages: Portland Paste and Portland Paste

I found some photos of some of the other tomato plants. There must be well over a dozen in downtown Portland right now according to people discussing which ones they have seen all over town. Pictures keep popping up on the facebook pages and I will try to add all the pictures I collect on this post.

The other exciting thing about this tomato bomb guerrilla garden project is that it is kind of a scavenger hunt. I have spent, and will spend more time wandering around the town and hopping out of my car trying to take pictures of these plants. I am trying to figure out how many their are and where they are all posted. The one in the photo above is only a few blocks from my house, but actually quite far away from downtown, which makes me wonder how far out the tomatoes are showing up.

Either way, this is a neat project. I hope it provides a lot of tomatoes to people in the community and invites people to think about how easy it is to plant tomatoes. I look forward to finding more plants and posting more photos!

After posting this post the Portland Press Herald wrote an article about the mysterious tomato plants and they even mentioned this blog post in reference. You can read the tomato bomb in portland maine article. I also have been continuing my search of the hidden plants. I have been walking all over town, and also using the newspaper article to help locate a few of the plants. Check out some of the photos:

Portland Paste: Street Art

I have always loved underground art. Stencils. Wheat paste. Posters. Stickers. Graffiti. I have been photographing this work since I was a little kid in Minneapolis. I also love seeing artwork outside of the gallery setting. Large murals, sides of trains, walls, poles.

When I arrived in Portland, Maine I got really involved with Peace Action Maine and the political scene. At the same time I have been watching some political artwork appear all over town. You can see some of this work on the Portland Paste flickr gallery. It is a collection of photographs of different art projects that have been showing up around town.

Here is a video:


I love the video, because I strongly support the safe return of the US Troops.

If anyone has seen other places that is recording underground art projects (photographs, videos) please add a link in the comments. It is always interesting to see what is showing up on the streets. Make sure to bookmark the Portland Paste Flickr as new images continue to show up.

The Miniature Phoenix

Here are some promo photos displaying the original artwork to hidden during the Portland Maine Art Hunt. The art hunt starts May 21st, and 10 clues will appear on www.williamhessian.com at 8am!

Solo Show at the Meg Perry Center

I got to hang 160 works of my art this Friday at the Meg Perry Center in Portland, Maine. It was a great show, and many of my good friends and new friends came to see the show. I want to thank everyone that came and supported the show.

I want to give special thanks to Peace Action Maine and the Meg Perry Center for lending me their space for the show. Here is a sampling of photos from the event: