Visiting The Past...

So last weekend I decided to take advantage of the awesome weather and go for a hike with Carrie S. Ya know, give my fat ass some exercise. Anyways I decided to go back to where I used to hang out as a a young slug. Some things were the same and some had changed. When I was in High School and Jr. High, the quarry was considered a no man zone. 17 years ago when I used to hang there it was over grown with hidden paths, smashed abandoned cars and trash. We used to tag up the old mining buildings, play paintball, and have parties. It was perfect, no one went down there except me and my friends.

But now it's all cleaned up, and has marked hiking trails all over it. No more trash or smashed cars, except for one real old classic car. The paths leading to the Caves were almost completely gone. The Cave seemed to be lost, but I made my way back up to them and found them in pretty much the same shape as 17 years ago. The old mining building near the railroad tracks where we spent most of our time was still there but covered with this generations graffiti. I couldn't find any traces of our tags. I did find some old rusted CO2 cartridges from back when we played paintball.

So I took some pics of the place, and the new art on the walls. Check them out.



The old mining building.



Some of the tags. I really liked the figures.





The Caves.



The old school car I was talking about.



I hope you dug my little trip down memory lane.

Later - Joe D.

Is this gay?

Do Bunnies Lay Eggs?

So yesterday was Easter, and as I do every year, I wonder why the Hell is it bunnies and eggs. After thinking about for a while I started to wonder what it wound be like if bunnies did lay eggs. I also imagined that the Easter Bunny would have to lay eggs on the run, seeing how many stops he is required to make. So here is my quick drawing I did for a visual, for all those who ponder the very same question.



Also one final note. For all of you following the illustrations I was doing for the Hartford Advocates News of the Weird column, I am NO longer illustrating for them. My term of service for the Advocate came to an end a few weeks back, and they decided to go with an illustrator who would do it for basically free. I can understand their decision in these times, and my time isn't free. So it was kind of fun while it lasted.

Later, Joe

The Odd Ball...

So this past Saturday I had the honor of being asked by Real Artways to come and do one of my paintings on a nude model for the Odd Ball runway show. They really had to bend my armto get me to agree to take on such a task, yeah right. So I asked the lovely and Talented fellow artist Carrie Swider if she would be willing to come and give me a hand. So we were paired up with our model Miss Nicole, and we got to work. About an hour and an half into it we were informed that the runway show had been moved up an hour earlier. So I called in the big guns, Heather Groenstein, to help us finish our model. Luckily Heather had already finished her own model, so with her help we were able to get Nicole done in the half hour so she could hit the runway. Now is the time when I dork out and give a shout out to a few peeps. I would like to thank the following: Carrie Swider for all her support and painting. Heather Groenstein for her last minute back-up. Nicole for being awesome model who never moved, and was awesome to work with. Steven Laschever for the photos, and finally Real Artways for asking me to participate. So here are all the photos I have so far, I'm hoping to get some of the painting on Nicole's back side. Please enjoy!

Later-Joe D.






Nicole and me.




The photo above is Carrie, Nicole, and I. And Below is Nicole and her good friend, who also happened to be a fellow Model

Drawing on Walls

Ever since I was a kid, I've loved drawing on walls. This is a pic of a quick drawing I did late at night about a year ago in my last studio. It took about 6 coats of killz to cover that sucker up. He kept bleeding through.

Later - Joe

I'mmmmm Back!

I know it's been almost a month since I last wrote, and to the 2.5 people that read this blog I apologize! A lot of things have been going down in the last month. I moved my studio again and I am still in the process getting it up and running. It should be kick-ass when I'm done. I now can call myself an so called internationally known artist now. I just finished a commissioned sculpture for a client over in Israel. I'll try and get some photos up of that soon. And I just participated in the Libertine Collectives Reart Show. I do have pics of that piece down below. It's a big sucker, about 6 feet wide. It has been a long time since I did an assemblage, so it felt good to do it once again. Don't be surprised if you so more assemblages from me in the near future. So enough of my bullshit...check out all the pics. I tried to get every angle you could imagine.

Later - Joe










I put this photo in, cause I'm a jack-ass. Can you see me?

Tool - Stinkfist (Nightmare Before Christmas)

Sorry I haven't posted in a while. Things have been crazy. I'm working on a 6 foot long, wall mounted assemblage. I haven't really done to mainly true assemblages since I had my show at CBGB's. I hope to be done with it by tonight and then I'll take so photos. So between that peice, freelance, and of course work I haven't had the time to keep the Slug up to date. Sorry peeps.

I hope this cool little vid holds you over. It takes one of my favorite Movies and sinks it up to my favorite band. Enjoy...

A Little Bit of Footage From The Twinkies and Robots Show

Jason May did this cool little video of the setting up of the Twinkies and Robots show back in November 2008. So check it...

Another Upcoming Show...

I'm in a show coming up in March, called "The Libertine Collective ReArt Exhibit". It's a group show with a bunch of real cool artist. All the art is made of trash and other found objects. It's the first time in a real long time that I'm going back to my assemblage roots. But I figured with all the sculpture I've been screwing around with, why the hell not.

So if you are looking for something fun to do on Friday, March 6th, between 7 and 10, come to the opening. It's at the MAC 650 Artspace/Gallery in Middletown CT. As always free food, booze and entertainment.

Oh yeah by the way, The date of the reception on the card bellow is wrong. It is the 6th.

Later, Joe D.

The LEGO Opening...TONIGHT!

So I know it's kind of last minute notice and everything, but I thought I would just let you peeps know about the show I'm in tonight. The LEGO Company is having an in house Gallery show at the headquarters located in Sunny Connecticut. I have ten pieces in the show. All the Twinkies and Robot paintings I did, four of my sculptures including the one I collaborated on with Carrie Swider, and one new mixed media illustration which I just cranked out last week. That's it down below. The opening is tonight February 5th, from 6-9pm, at the LEGO Systems, Inc. 555 Taylor Road. Enfield, CT 06082. If you are board, please check it out.

Above is the final illustration, and below is the original drawing. The final piece was 11"x14".

Later, Joe D.