This morning I went first to the post office after meditating. I was to pick up my 70 pound package which held my drum shells. The package was delayed by about a month, but it was alright. I heaped the package onto my back like a Jewish slave in Egypt and walked it with my head down for a mile home. I almost threw up and felt lightheaded when I got to my porch. Up the stairs, I quickly assembled it and I heard my roommate warming up his guitar next door and invited him to jam. We jammed for about fifteen minutes, and it was good. We were both pretty noodley. I was badly out of practice, but we met somewhere in the middle.
I went to school and saw a little bit of a talk by artist Leroy Johnson. He was a great artist, you could see it glowing from him. Magnificent. I got a business card and said thanks. In images class we went over tutorials and watched some anti-video conceptual videos. The mfa students shrugged and left class. I heard the next section of the class, which was bfa students, got all riled up. Indeed the undergrads have more fight in them, the mfa students are just punching the clock; in preparation to punch the clock. I walked home from school yesterday and today. I’ve put in some walking miles this week. I ran from school to old city in the snow on Friday night to go to gallery openings. I didn’t paint on the big snake in a chair painting this weekend. The thing is in a dangerous spot. I don’t want to rush it.
Open studios is this Friday. I have to prepare my studio, and screen print t shirts. I’m going to stick with ‘Kemmy does PAFA’, because it’s not funny if it’s Kemeys- that implies I’m too serious. I mocked up the design with Kemeys and it didn’t look good either. I feel like a Hercules, my back and stomach muscles are tight, and my legs are firm. I got respect at school today, and had a genuine swagger on my long walk home.
I’ve been listening to a band called Orange Juice; the earlier project of the guy from Momus. I love both bands. Patrick Mickinney who I played in a band with once said to me ‘how cool to have Aloonaluna under your belt, at such a young age. He was right; that band was awesome, and anywhere I would go from there I would keep the quality up. I learned a lot in that band. The Frenchman, Thierry was a great bassist, and felt blessed to be playing with us. He was so good, we were blessed to be playing with him. There was so much mutual respect in that band.
I worked a little on a bunch of unfinished paintings today. No bad moves, everything worked out.
On the walk home I thought of this artist statement: “I have to make art. It’s like tearing off a piece of flesh every time”
Also a bio:
Robert Kemeys Goethe’s childhood was spent primarily in Florida, where he did gymnastics, graffiti, and played in bands. He always drew, and made communion with animals. He attended Ringling college of art and Design for two years studying illustration, and now studies painting at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts.
