As I have a number of friends and loved ones who teach college here in Michigan, where our elected officials are always looking for new ways to remove barriers to gun ownership and increase the number of places where deadly weapons can be legally carried, I thought I’d pass along the following incredibly helpful tips from the University of Houston, where they’ll be allowing people to carry weapons on campus starting August 1. I figure, given the way things are going in Michigan, they may come in handy before too long.
The following image, shared on social media by University of Houston PhD student Jeffrey R. Villines, was taken at an event intended to help faculty at his institution strategize ways to survive come August, when they’d begin lecturing in front of armed students.
It seems to me to somewhat antithetical to the whole notion of college, where, up until somewhat recently, it was expected that young people would be confronted by new and challenging ideas, but it’s hard for me to fault educators who just want to make it back home alive to their families each day. The truly disgusting thing, at least to me, isn’t that faculty are being told to spend less time with their students, and shy away from topics that could upset men with guns, but that they’ve been put in this situation by their elected officials, who continue to push their pro-gun agenda in spite of the problems we’re seeing in America. [These elected officials, by the way, chose not to open their offices to guns.]
Thankfully, here in Michigan, we’re still a few years behind Texas when it comes to stuff like this, but we’re moving in the same direction. [If I’m remembering correctly, Michigan Representative Jef Irwin, when I interviewed him last, said that roughly one-third of all the legislation moving through the Michigan House had to do with increasing “gun rights.”] While we’ve yet to pass legislation here in Michigan that would allow the carrying of guns on campus, I suspect, given the rate we’re going, it’s just be a matter of time… Right now, to give you a sense of how quickly we’re sliding down the slippery slope, members of the Michigan House are debating legislation that would allow all gun owners to carry concealed firearms without a permit.
As for the list above, I’m surprised that they don’t mention the wearing of body armor, or the use of camouflage, which both seem like legitimate solutions. Or what about positioning your grad assistants with sniper rifles along the periphery of the lecture hall? Or how about starting each class by simply stating, “I am wearing a suicide vest filled with plastic explosives. If I should be shot by any of you during the course of today’s lecture, and let go of this small trigger in my my hand, you will all be instantly killed.”
It took me about over a year, but I finally finished Stephen King’s 849-page Kennedy assassination time travel thriller 11/22/63, and, to mark the occasion, I’m taking the night off to binge watch the eight-part adaptation on Hulu.
For what it’s worth, I’m not adverse to reading. In fact, I read a lot. I’m a voracious reader of news. I just don’t make the time to read novels unless I absolutely have to. The last novel I read was Ruth Ozeki’s A Tale for the Time Being, which I had to read because I’d agreed to serve on the 2015 Ann Arbor Ypsilanti Reads committee. [I really enjoyed it, by the way.] No one forced me to read 11/22/63, but, as someone who had spent a great deal of his childhood studying various conspiracy theories concerning the Kennedy assassination, I just couldn’t resist. So, if you’ve noticed that the blog hasn’t been all that good this past year, it’s because I’ve been distracted by my 15-page-a-week habit. I promise it won’t happen again… unless, of course, Stephen King writes a best seller about aliens visiting early man and helping them build pyramids, which was my other childhood interest.
One last thing… It’s probably worth noting that, maybe partially because of 11/22/63, I now think it’s more likely than not that Oswald acted alone. While it wouldn’t surprise me at all to learn that Allen Dulles and Howard Hunt had played a hand in it, I think King is probably right when, referencing Occam’s Razor, he says “the simplest explanation is usually the right one.” And, in this case, the simplest answer is that Oswald wanted to make a name for himself by killing the President.
The bottom line, I think, is that I’ve just grown too old to keep 50 year old conspiracies burning in my heart when there are so many real, provable, fucked-up things that we’ve yet to deal with in significant ways. I mean, how much time can you invest in the possibility that, half a century ago, Kennedy may have been killed by a small cabal of men who thought that he was too soft on Communism, when we know for a fact that the evidence sending us to war in Iraq was manufactured and that our representatives in D.C. are bought and paid for by the likes of the Koch Brothers?
I know this might be old news to some of you, as this story went international last week, but, as I was out of town, I didn’t have an opportunity to speak with local artist Michael Dykehouse until last night. Following is our conversation about his now famous lead paint portrait of Michigan Governor Rick Snyder, how it came about, and what he thinks about all the attention.
MARK: Since you went public a few days ago with your painting of Rick Snyder, there’s been quite a bit of press. Has anything interesting come about as a result of the exposure?
MICHAEL: I’ve received some really nice emails from people… lots of very thoughtful and supportive messages. Those have made me very happy.
MARK: How about hate mail? Have any of our Governor’s supporters reached out to you yet?
MICHAEL: Ha… No, but people have left comments online, though, in response to the various articles… They say things like, “Typical liberal bullshit.”
MICHAEL: Kevin Ransom (who is also a writer) shared the painting online, and Neal Rubin saw the image and contacted me with the idea of doing an interview.
MARK: I saw the idea floated online that maybe someone would purchase the portrait from you and donate it to the Flint Institute of Arts. Do you get the sense that might be a possibility?
MICHAEL: That would be amazing, but I have no idea how realistic it is. To be honest, I haven’t even had one offer for the painting yet… So, no, I don’t think it will happen, but it’s an awesome dream.
MARK: I find it hard to believe that the story ran in thousand different papers, and millions of people probably saw the image, with is really incredibly powerful, but not one single person reached out and made an offer. Why do you think that is?
MICHAEL: Because it definitely isn’t decorative art. It’s ugly art. There are museums the world over filled with objects that most folks wouldn’t display in their homes, even if you gave it to them, regardless of the perceived value. I haven’t lost faith yet about it selling, though. It’s still only been less than a week. But, if it doesn’t sell, I guess I could hold onto it myself. I actually sell most of the work that I make, and rarely keep anything for myself. I don’t like living with my own art.
MARK: Why is is that you don’t like living with your own art?
MICHAEL: I tend to keep analyzing what I perceive as successes and failures. I just can’t stop working on them in my mind. I’d rather destroy a work and repurpose a canvas than have it fester in my possession.
MARK: When you and I traded emails a few days ago, we discussed the possibility of putting the piece up for auction with some percentage of the proceeds going toward a non-profit in Flint. Have you given that possibility any more thought?
MICHAEL: I have, but I’m not sure how I could make it happen. I guess I could start an Ebay auction, but I’m not sure how I’d go about alerting people to the fact that it was happening. But, yeah, it may still happen.
MARK: Had you painted with lead-based paint before, or was this something new for you?
MICHAEL: I have. It’s a warm paint compared to a modern white, like Titanium. It has different properties. You can make more subtle adjustments to the modeling of form and shape… When you see a Rembrandt nose or a Velasquez lace collar, it was made using a lead white.
MARK: When did you first start painting?
MICHAEL: Three years ago.
MARK: Seriously? Based on the work of yours that I’ve seen, I would have thought that you’d been at it a lot longer. Why’d you decide to take up painting?
MICHAEL: Thanks for the kind words. I’ve loved art a lot longer than that, and did dabble in high school and in college. But all of my serious attempts began in the last few years.
MARK: Am I correct that your dad taught art? If so, maybe you’ve just got the genes for it.
MICHAEL: Yes he did! My dad is a huge influence and has been very supportive of my attempts at becoming a “painter”. He is a fantastic artist himself, and has given me many great tips over the last few years which have aided me tremendously. I’m very grateful for that.
MARK: How did the idea for this portrait of Governor Snyder first come to you?
MICHAEL: I’ve been painting portraits of politicians that I don’t agree with for the last couple of years, and I’d actually created and sold a strange portrait of the Governor earlier… It was more cartoony – kind of Mad Magazine style… When I first learned of what was going on in Flint, I decided it might be time to do another one using cremnitz white, the lead paint that was used to create the greys in the portrait. So I just kind of made the connection and thought, “Hey, this might work.”
MARK: Why did you start painting politicians? And why just politicians that you disagree with?
MICHAEL: The act of painting subjects that I don’t particularly like is more satisfying than working on portraits of people I have reverence for. In a way, it’s like an act of revenge. It’s my way of exerting some sort of power in situations where I feel, and I’m sure many people will understand this, rather powerless. And there’s more tension, which, I’ve found, can come across in interesting ways on the canvas.
MARK: I’m curious as to the expression on Snyder’s face. Were you working from a photo, or is that expression something that you came up with on your own, took from another historical figure, or perhaps encountered somewhere else? It looks familiar, but I can’t quite place it.
MICHAEL: I used a reference photo with lighting that I really liked. As for the expression, a few people have told me that I’ve given him my eyes in this piece. And that may be true. I think that’s something artists do subconsciously sometimes, add their own features to the individual that they’re working on… which brings another level to the work, my own guilt.
MARK: You feel guilty about what happened in Flint?
MICHAEL: Not specifically, but sometimes a work about a particular situation can also be a mediation on more generalized culpability… We all have a hand in larger systems that I believe are deeply problematic and harmful to ourselves and our environment. We all play a role.
MARK: So, how did you decide on the color palate for this piece?
MICHAEL: I wanted to keep it almost entirely grey scale… Grisaille is the traditional term for this type of painting, the “dead layer” without color… But I wanted bits of the underpainting to show through, traces of humanity maybe?
MARK: I like that it’s subtle. Was it hard to rein yourself in and not go too far over the top with it? Were you tempted to show less empathy toward him, to leave out those “traces of humanity”?
MICHAEL: Yes, and that’s always a concern when painting. When to hold back is more difficult for many artists to gauge than when to proceed. I definitely go overboard on occasion.
MARK: If the Governor contacted you about purchasing the portrait, would you sell it to him?
MICHAEL: Yes, and I would do what I said, and contribute a large portion of the proceeds to the city of Flint.
MARK: So, what’s next for you, now that you’re internationally known political artist of note?
MICHAEL: Ha! I’m not sure if that’s the case, but these recent events have made me want to work even harder. I usually have a bunch things that I’m working on simultaneously, so that I don’t get too bored. I’m working on a large photo realistic oil painting of a compost pile right now that’s really driving me around the bend. But, as for what’s next, I’d like to do more portraits for sure. And more paintings of food. And more, I guess what you’d call, extreme deformations of reality. I just want to keep pushing myself. I want to learn how to keep learning, how to keep getting better as a painter.
I’ve lived in fear of this moment for the past twenty years…
Today, by way of Facebook, I received a message from a man in Oregon who claims to have in his possession a copy of “Fears of Practice,” the 1993 performance video of my band, Prehensile Monkey-tailed Skink. While he hasn’t yet made his demands known, I suspect he’ll want more than I’m able to pay, which means that, within a very short period of time, any dreams I may have had concerning a run for Congress, will be dashed.
I’d thought, as only about four of these tapes had been made, I might avoid facing the consequences of my misspent youth in Ann Arbor, but it would appear as though that’s not to be… And, yes, I know there are still records of ours floating around out there, but it’s one thing to hear Skink, and another thing altogether to actually see us in front of people, on a stage, dropping our instruments, and drunkenly falling over one another in our band uniforms, which, for some reason, had been designed to expose our nipples. [I can’t recall, but maybe we had problems with chafing.]
I’m sure I’m remembering this incorrectly, as I remember everything incorrectly, but I have a vague recollection of making this videotape at Pete Larson’s apartment in early ’93, shortly after the band had broken up, and just before I left town for Atlanta. It was probably a year or two into the life of Bulb Records, and I think that Pete was desperate to add another product to the catalog, just in case some poor sap came along with an extra $20 to spend.
I haven’t seen the video since we made it, but, as I recall, it begins with Pete and me sitting on his couch, reminiscing about the old days. I’d like to think that there’s a certain naive beauty in it, but I suspect the thing most people will be struck by is just how terrible the production quality is, as we made the thing in about an hour, abruptly cutting from one song to the next using a jury-rigged bank of half-functional VCRs.
Here are Pete, Dan and me at 502 Catherine Street, where I think we wrote most of our songs. [Again, I may be remembering this incorrectly, but I think we actually only practiced about four times as a band.] I’m not sure where Matt was. Maybe he was at work.
update: Well, as I suspected, it looks as though my memory of events was a bit off. According to Linette, who was there at the time, and shot much of the footage that wound up being used in “Fears of Practice,” Pete and I did not, in fact, make the video with the intention of adding it to the Bulb catalog. No, apparently Pete advertised the video in the Bulb catalog prior to its existence, and we only made it once someone actually did the unthinkable and ordered a copy. As for how many copies were made, I’m still not sure. Linette seems to think we only made the one, just to fill the order. I can’t imagine that we would have been that stupid, but I suppose, given other business decisions Pete and I have made over the past 25 years, it’s possible. [“We’ll just get together and make another one if there’s another order,” one of us probably said.] If I had to bet, I’d say that Linette is probably right, and it’s very possible that this copy which recently surfaced in Oregon is the only copy ever made. As for who ordered it, Linette seems to think that it was purchased by a young man who would then go on to form the band Wolf Eyes. As for how it made its way to Oregon, I have no idea. I’d like to think that he was murdered for it, but I suspect it’s more likely that it was taken from a garbage can in front of his house.
Every year, at about this time, Patrick Elkins, the director of Ypsilanti’s Totally Awesome Fest (TAF), calls a big press conference to formally announce the coming festivities. And, every year, invariably, I’m the only member of the professional press to show up. This year’s press conference, which took place yesterday evening during a hijacked karaoke performance at Powell’s Pub, was no different… Here’s a brief discussion between myself and event organizers Patrick Elkins, Amber Fellows and Ben Miller, followed by video of the entire four-minute press conference.
MARK: I like that you hijacked Powell’s karaoke night for the purposes of holding tonight’s Totally Awesome Fest 12 press conference. Were you at all concerned that people in the crowd might not want to hear the details about this year’s festival yelled over an Alanis Morissette track? The folks celebrating their friend’s birthday in front of the podium you’d smuggled in looked a little bewildered.
AMBER: We were counting on the majority of Powell’s patrons not wanting to hear details about Totally Awesome Fest. I hadn’t thought about it until now, but tension and anxiety have become important factors in the annual TAF press conference. [See below for links to past TAF press conferences.]
PATRICK: Alanis Morissette is someone whose music brings people together; I don’t think it’s a coincidence that she was chosen to portray the physical incarnation of God in a popular film. Once I heard Amber singing the opening lines of “Thank U,” all of my anxieties faded as I realized how many patrons of the bar were excited to hear what we had to say.
MARK: Patrick, you mentioned that, in addition to there being shows in Ypsilanti, there would also be shows in India, making this the first international Totally Awesome Fest. Was it difficult getting the approval of the Indian government?
PATRICK: The Indian government told us that they had heard about the festival on “the blog.” [note: A half dozen years ago or so, a TAF event was shut down by the Ypsilanti police. When asked how they’d found out about the house party, they said they’d heard about it on “the blog,” referring to this site as though it were the only blog in existence.]
MARK: How will it be decided which bands stay in Ypsilanti and which are sent to India?
PATRICK: The process for determining which bands stay in Ypsilanti and which are sent to India is remarkably similar to the process by which it will be determined which bands stay in India and which ones travel to Ypsilanti.
MARK: Will we be getting any Indian bands here in return? If so, can I suggest Albatros and the Riot Peddlers?
PATRICK: If the Ouija board says, “Yes.”
MARK: Do you have enough of a budget to bring back the bands we’ll be sending to India, or should we just assume that, say Jim Cherewick, will be gone forever if he’s selected to make the trip?
PATRICK: That depends on how much we raise during our Fundrager event featuring Stefyoke. [note: Details on the Fundrager can be found below.]
MARK: Who is handling the arrangements in India? Will it be Hollis and Logan? And, if so, have you thought of doing a live Manhole reunion, maybe over the telephone, with Logan and Hollis playing there, the rest of the band playing in Ypsi?
PATRICK: Yes. And, yes.
MARK: Do we know what the Indian event is going to look like? Will it also be a multi-day, multi-venue thing? Or will it just be Logan and Hollis in an apartment somewhere, taking turns playing for one another?
PATRICK: Hopefully there will be ventriloquism involved, but, regardless, any of the aforementioned ideas you have suggested sound logistically feasible (to varying degrees).
MARK: Will anyone be attending Totally Awesome Fest on both continents? Are they timed such that it would even be possible?
AMBER: Some have expressed their desire to attend both the Ypsi and Bangalore events, which poses some problems, as we’d envisioned that they’d be taking place at the same time.
BEN: But things are evolving. A formal decision has yet to be made as to whether these will be synchronous or asynchronous events.
PATRICK: My understanding is that Aimee Adams plans to attend both events… More “details” will be announced “soon.”
MARK: As this year’s event is exponentially more ambitious than in years past, will you be doing any fundraising?
BEN: Building on the success of last years Totally Awesome Feast, we’re looking to expand fundraising ventures into another Ypsilanti institution: the house party.
AMBER: Expect the unexpected at the Fundrager, which will be happening April 8, somewhere in Normal Park, featuring dj’s and Stefyoke as entertainment incentives.
MARK: This is the second time that Stefyoke has been mentioned, so I should probably ask… How’d it different from karaoke?
AMBER: Stefyoke is Stef Chura’s version of karaoke, which is not too different from regular karaoke, except for featuring a lot more Aerosmith songs, and consistent use of the phrase “on deck.”
MARK: Before tonight’s press conference, I heard Autumn Wetli say that she was preparing to leave Michigan for good. When you addressed the crowd, the first thing you said was, “We’ll be brining Autumn Wetli back.” How do you intend to accomplish this?
AMBER AND BEN IN UNISON: Cute boys.
MARK: This year, as I understand it, there’s also going to be more of a focus on fashion. Is that correct?
BEN: There’s reported to be an estimated 10 times as much fashion as there has been in previous years.
AMBER: We are still trying to figure out who will be on the Catwalk Committee.
MARK: For people who have never attended Totally Awesome Fest, Ben, when we talk about “fashion,” we’re talking about the fact that, each year, you curate an incredible number of items, which TAF attendees then go through and create ensembles from, right?
BEN: Yes. And this time we’ll be drawing from Ypsilanti, Ann Arbor, and Detroit fashion icons, as well as remnants from other Ypsi-area clothing swaps. Stakes are high, and the editing process is still underway.
MARK: Will Indian clothes be sent here? Will clothes from Ypsilanti be sent to India?
Ben: Oh my god. No.
MARK: Wouldn’t that be awesome, though, if there was some kind of cultural exchange across the two continents, though… if Pat sent his pancake recipe to Bangalore and you send a box of housecoats and leather vests, and, in return, we got a box that we could open up during the event, full of spices and madras.
PATRICK: 100% definitely for certain.
MARK: I don’t think you mentioned it, but how many bands will be playing in Ypsi this year, over how many days, and at how many venues? And are you prepared to name any of the bands yet?
PATRICK: We are in the process of confirming numerous acts. Venues include the Dreamland Theater, The House of Mole, Water Street Commons, Lampshade, VG Kids, with more to be announced soon.
MARK: Should I expect that an act or two will be dropping by my radio program?
PATRICK: We are hoping to get a ventriloquist and perhaps a magician to appear on your radio show. If not, we will solicit performances from local grindcore bands.
MARK: And what will the dates be this time?
AMBER: It’ll run from April 29 to May 1. Friday will be an all day event, and May 1, in part, will be a celebration of May Day (International Workers Day). So, if anyone is interested in donating a Maypole for Devin Leatherman to bless/reclaim, that would be great… Keep up with details as they develop follow on Facebook.
MARK: It was also mentioned tonight that there were several committees being formed. The only one I remember specifically remember from the press conference was the Balloon Within A Balloon Committee, but I know that others were mentioned… How many committees will there be, and what should people do who want to volunteer to serve on one of them?
PATRICK: At last count, there were at least 37 different committees. We just started a Committees Committee to come up with new ideas for committees every day.
AMBER: If you’d like to be a chair of a committee, please drop us a note! There will be many opportunities for helping facilitate this year’s fest.
MARK: Tonight’s press conference was lovely. The combination of you (Patrick) yelling, and you (Amber) singing so beautifully, was just incredible. If you haven’t already, you should consider writing a few pieces for this format and going on tour.
AMBER: Thank you. What do you think, Pat? My favorite part was realizing that, in the span of a four minute song, we had convinced someone to want to participate in TAF, asking during the question portion, “Can I be a part of it?” The answer to which was: “Yes, definitely.” Maybe he was moved by Patrick’s charismatic preaching. The ‘singing with yelling’ format can really motivate people.
PATRICK: Thanks, Mark. I had a lovely time. A tour sounds like a blast – perhaps we could play during Totally Awesome Fest in India.
, and, to mark the occasion, I’m taking the night off to binge watch the 
, which I had to read because I’d agreed to serve on the 
