Machine Politick

See the Art pages for information and prices on individual pieces.

I just want to take a minute this evening to share some drawings with you. They were sent to me recently by a man in Texas who is as concerned about America as I am. Here is a link to his page called, Our American Freedom. Please pass it on.

This post will also be featured at Liberatchik.

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Tomorrow is my birthday, so I thought I would take a moment to give thanks. I’m posting this moving video of a speech by Oliver North. The accompanying imagery successfully conveys the strength and character of our armed services. Thank you guys for all you do, and the freedom I enjoy as a result of your sacrifices.

In this article, I am going to be speaking entirely about the merits of the art. Unlike most of my work, there will be no political agenda. I don’t know the painter in question or his politics, but the work is an example of what could be coming out of the art community rather than what is widely accepted as ‘art’.

The artist I am highlighting today is James McLaughlin Way, who is a phenomenal painter living here in Atlanta. I stumbled across his work on Sunday at the Mason Murer Gallery where I was dropping off a piece for the Art Papers Auction this weekend. Here is the story.

Upon entering the gallery, I was immediately impressed by the sheer size of the building. Most galleries in Atlanta are seedy little back alley joints, or cramped spaces in high-end art districts where everything is about status and nothing is about the art. I didn’t get that impression at Mason Murer, which is in a huge converted warehouse. The only things they have added to the interior are a reception desk and display walls. It is a vast and awe inspiring space. All of this from walking in the door on a Sunday afternoon, when most of the lights were off.

The experience with my work will be part of a future article after the auction this weekend. All of this is lead-in however, to impress on you the magnificence of the painting in question. Upon leaving, my friend Alvaro said to me “Let’s go over so you can see my friend James’ work”. Upon stepping around the reception area, I was struck nearly numb by this painting, which loomed over me like a monumental placard of personal anguish and strife. Before you take this as criticism, please bear me out. It is meant to be a compliment.

The Bow by James McLaughlin Way

The first thing out of my mouth was “Why don’t I know who this guy is?” Which was answered by “You know why. It’s realism.” My opinion on that will have to wait for another article as well, but I assure you it is one of my greatest criticisms of the art community. I spent the next several minutes examining the work; getting up close to enjoy the detail and richness of the painting; stepping back to admire the composition and mood. I was continually surprised by details I had previously missed, as if the glazing of the oils were a soupy fog that was twisting and turning about the piece to reveal or obscure the intricacies within.

This painting is of a monumental horse, called The Bow. For you to fully understand the imposing nature of the piece, you must know that it is 11 feet tall and 16 feet wide, hanging up on a wall as if some giant was running the gallery. The base of the painting is about a foot off the ground, so no matter where you stand, this larger-than-life horse is towering over you in his misery. Perhaps the dim lighting in the gallery played a role in the mood, because on going to the web page, I noticed it was very white. Regardless, pictures never do art justice and this is my take on the piece. The great horse is standing in this thick fog, with head bowed and a white cloth draped across his back. He looks beaten down by the world in which he lives, exhausted and stopping to catch his breath. Maybe I’m projecting here, but it is a very moody piece.

I was shocked when I tore myself away from the details long enough to step back. (You see, as a painter, I have this habit of getting right up on a piece to examine the brushstrokes and glazing. I learn something from every painting I look at.) In the depths of that vast and heavy fog is a city that begs the question of where the horse has come from. What is going on back there and how does it relate to the horse, or me, the viewer. I strongly encourage you to take a few minutes to look over Mr. Way’s work because this is what artists need to be doing with their talents. Art for the sake of shocking people is absurd, but art for the sake of beauty speaks to people. It tells a story and conveys an emotion or personal connection. It moves people.

This article will be cross posted at Liberatchik

I recently recieved an email from a gentleman requesting a link exchange with my art page, MachinePolitick. I checked out his work, and needless to say, I asked if he would like to join Liberatchik as well. I haven’t heard back from him yet, but I can’t wait to share his work. Here is some great graphic design:

This article is cross posted at Liberatchik

Barack the Vote

Please check out the post and leave a comment here.

These beautiful paintings are by a good friend of mine named Ashley. We met in college, which now seems like ages ago. Though both of us majored in Illustration, we have a fondness for the fine art of painting. Although I would currently consider myself to be a painter, Ashley is a lady of many talents. Aside from being a mom, she is the full-time marketing genius for a local company. In her spare time she not only does free-lance graphic and web design, but she somehow finds time to paint in oils. These three paintings are my current favorites.

All three paintings are fairly large and, as a group,  would dominate a single wall in your living room. Although these photos are beautiful, they do not do the actual paintings justice. The scale of the paintings alone sets a very dramatic mood. The intricacies of the layering and the glazing of the oil paints add a luminescence that is only appreciated fully in person. The masterful use of color, particularly the successful use of a complementary scheme, creates a dynamic composition within each painting. The drama and interest of the paintings is further enhanced by the use of strong shadows and bright whites throughout the paintings.

In an art community over-run by mediocre and untalented artists, Ashley is a fine example of what  a good artist can accomplish. I may be biased as her friend, but I am confident that her work stands well on its own. I am also happy to say that she is having some success showing her work the last few months, which is no small feat in Atlanta. Although my review of her last show was not glowing, it was not because of her work. The show was surprisingly good for a group show with my only complaints being the weather on the night of the opening and my own difficulty navigating downtown Atlanta. I am looking forward to many more shows of Ashley’s work as well as the opportunity to share it here with you.

This article will be cross posted at Liberatchik.

A couple of weeks ago, a good friend of mine sent me the American Rising video. I posted links everywhere I could think and got ready to write a blog post. When I went back to watch it, it was gone. Happily, it has resurfaced and I am here to give a little review. This video is a fine piece of propaganda. It utilizes many of the principles I have discussed in past articles about the need for Conservative propaganda to countermand the constant stream coming out of DC and Hollywood. Better than that, it is actually good. I have watched it several times in order to make notes for this review and I enjoy it every time. The riveting photo montages are broken up by concise points. The message is clear -- the people are sick of the status quo and it’s time for change We can believe in. The addition of inspiring and impactful music sets the tone for what is one of the best pieces of propaganda I have seen in a long time.

I recommend watching it yourself, but here is my synopsis.

America Rising Video An Open Letter to Democrats

On November 4, 2008…We gave you power

In the House.

In the Senate.

And in the Oval.

We voted for Hope. We voted for Change…We trusted you. So we elected you. We regret it.

So in 2010 you will lose big.

No more taxes.

No more spending.

No more socialism.

We tried to warn you, but you wouldn’t listen…

You’re a threat. To our economy. To our Health Care. To our individual liberties.

…Government takeovers. Bailouts. Liberal policies.

Tax.

Spend.

Redistribute.

We’re BROKE.

+10% unemployment… We’ve had enough. We’re taking our country back. From radicals, leftists and liberals. We’re coming after you.

America Rising.

November 2, 2010.

This article will be cross posted at Liberatchik where I am building the foundation for a Conservative Art Movement.

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In keeping with my belief that Conservatives must know what the opposition is up to, and use it against them, I am going to share my latest email from Organizing for America. I know, you’re asking yourself why on earth did I sign up on that web page. The answer is simple – there is no better way to know your enemy than to get inside their heads. In the spirit of practicing what I preach, I have signed up on several progressive websites, and will continue to share things I think you either need to know or information that will help you fight back effectively. If you’re not willing to give out your email to the other side, I understand. We have plenty of resources of our own that are being utilized with great effect to change the face of politics in America. One of those resources is Anystreet. I hope you will check in at Liberatchik (and join our Facebook Page) periodically, regardless of your level of involvement, and see what the other side is up to. Today, I will share my New Year’s message from Organizing for America  with you.

….we’ll be working hard with President Obama to finish the fight for health insurance reform, put more Americans back to work, and get our economy running strong. We’ll fight to protect consumers and our economy from Wall Street abuses, improve transparency in Washington to elevate the voices of the American people, and create a vibrant, clean energy economy. (I don’t know about you, but I smell a rat!) And we’ll stand up for the President’s allies at the ballot box. (That means paybacks) As we’ve always known, change this big must come from the bottom up…. we want to hear your reflections on our work together …to move forward in the new year…http:??my.barackobama.com/2010Survey

Paid for by Organizing for America, a project of the Democratic National Committee…

If you don’t want to follow the link, you can still see what the survey says. I encourage you to go fill it out and ask your friends to do the same. Embrace your deviant side and flood their email with answers they won’t like. After all, they want to hear from the people. If you prefer to remain anonymous in your efforts to take down the beast, please feel free to use the survey information any way you see fit. At the very least, it sheds some light on the issues most important to the progressive agenda. Good luck in your continued fight for Freedom and Limited Government.

What’s Next in 2010

How interested are you in the following issues? (Answers range from very interested to less interested, ranked 1-5)

Creating jobs and strengthening the economy

Ensuring every American has quality, affordable healthcare

Promoting clean energy and green jobs

Reforming our financial and regulatory system

Providing a high-quality education for every American child

Reforming our immigration system

What other issues are you interested in working on?

…How Interested are you in joining OFA’s efforts to:

Help elect candidates in November, 2010 who support President Obama’s agenda for change?

Ensure that folks who voted for the first time in 2008 come back to the polls in 2010?

Register new voters?

Do you plan to vote in the 2010 midterm elections next November?

In what ways would you like to volunteer…

Joining a neighborhood volunteer team in your community

Calling potential supporters from your own home

Going door-to-door in your neighborhood

Making sure people you know are registered to vote

Writing or calling your members of Congress

Writing a letter to the editor of your local newspaper

Helping out at a local OFA office

Hosting a house party

Any other ways you’d like to volunteer?

How many ways you’d like to volunteer with OFA?

Please share your reflections, concerns, or highlights from the work we did together in 2009, or any other ideas you have for the future of OFA in 2010

All links, emphasis and sarcasm in this article were added by me.

This email will be cross posted at Liberatchik.com

Here is a recent review of my husband’s book.

Liberty-lovers should see “The Light of Day”

January 4th, 2010 7:05 am  |  by Marc Gallagher |  Published in Big Government, Books, Civil Liberties, Commentary, Environment, Libertarianism, Liberty, Market Regulation, Maven Commentary, climate change, globalism |  Comment On This Article

I spent the holidays reading a wonderful new libertarian-themed novel by first time author James Byrd called, “The Light of Day“. The book explores what could happen if the environmentalist movement is permitted to “run the world”. It’s the future and everyone is required to live underground because living above ground is too environmentally unfriendly.

It is certainly a sci-fi page turner with a fast moving plot and interesting characters. The novel juxtaposes two societies, a society with very little freedom and another that is about as libertarian as you can get. Byrd accomplishes this effort quite effectively without getting overly preachy. There are no multi-page John Galt style speeches. Byrd uses the plot to emphasize the free vs. non-free “fight” in a quite understated way.

I’m sure there are those that will balk that Byrd’s vision of a future where environmentalists control society in such a way, but that’s not really the point here as I see it. The point really is to illustrate that your individual freedom is being assaulted on all fronts, not just the obvious ones.

Yes, the climate change zealots are dangerous to your freedoms. Are they as dangerous as terrorists? Maybe more dangerous, maybe less, but I would argue that Byrd’s future vision is not too far from our future reality.

We may have slightly cleaner air, but at what cost? Is it worth it to live in a prison-like society to shave a degree or two off the global average?

The book makes a perfect, if not mischievous gift, for your favorite Left-leaning environmentalist friends, if you have any. Of course, fans of Ayn Rand, Robert Heinlein, and L. Neil Smith will find “The Light of Day” a wonderful addition to their libertarian fiction bookshelves.

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NOTE: If you use the links in the above article for purchasing books LibertyMaven.com gets a cut.