December 30, 2010

The new year is coming, the new year is coming.









But before I kick away the shrapnel from the holidays...

and slam into 2011. 


I want to hold onto the sweetness of 2010.




my precious nephew. he loves all things new. 

and he knows when he cries. 432940234 people will answer.



ok I say he loves all things new. and he does. he loves to learn. 

But, side note-




he is usually deathly afraid of my gifts. 




And since I know this. I don't take that into account anymore. I almost assume and buy whatever I think is amazing anyways. 


This year I gave him a monster hat. and other creepy goodies.


you have to slip it on secretly over his not-so-scary 'normal' hat.








and maybe I am always relating life. to lessons. to life. and back again... 



but. maybe leaps and risks will be best accomplished when buffered by comfortable things.



So while I put on my monster hat. 







I surround myself with family. friends. supporters. a sewing machine. glue guns. and markers. 

Tons of markers.



And. I want to thank everyone for their support. 



doing what you WANT to do can be scary. 



But make this year about doing something








and

2011. is my jam. 

Awesome things are coming.

I am sure of it. 

FOLLOW ME.















We should all be this excited about something new:









pssssssst~

website has a fresh look. 


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December 24, 2010

bad guys vs good guys

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Last week. I drew this at my desk. in a moment of slight concern.








And


Since my last post I have been really busy. 



Fending off bad guys. 




But I am very certain that leaving my full time- non art related- day job was the best idea. 



In my situation. 



Just to be clear :

I was working full time at an office job. and also full time as an artist. I never let up on the art. but. I eventually let up on the sleep. and the sanity. 


and after weekends of out of town art work, Mondays were hard. post trains.planes.and trucks.









And what I need. is time.



and the only thing to do at this point is jump face first into art. and risk for a minute.
and grab every opportunity there is. 
and make as much work as I can. 


So I am currently the least lazy I have ever been. and working triple time.





Kids. dont try this at home. 


Um.


Or actually do. 



Do try this. 



It is part hilarious and part empowering. 


And I have been reading a lot of things that apply to my life. and learning a lot of things that are blending together right now. 

One thought I read was that people are afraid of doing what they really truly want to do. 

but they aren't afraid of doing what they dont want to do. 


So, they will stay somewhere or do something because it is less scary. 


That's horrible.


To that I say, throw me in the haunted house.




did I ever show you this post-it drawing I did at work one day? ahaha
there's a lot where this came from. yes.





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And as my first major decision. I travelled to a place where great thinkers think. and where their thoughts are celebrated.















(THAT is where Martin Luther King Jr. stood. 

"I HAVE A DREAM" is carved out. 

In real life, you can see it better. Which makes it that much more amazing. I adore him. 
Read his sermons. They are beautiful. and smart.)


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and for me, this adds up to being the right thing at the right time. 



AND



2 rights make a very right. 


and that's good. 


but with all good decisions come some unfortunate side effects. 


It's like our lower utility bill. 
YAHOO. 
being colder has paid off!!  
although it means hats are best worn INSIDE this place.

and I just realized seconds ago I was curled around the space heater in the fetal position. Because if I am now out of 2 inches of its heating diameter, I am thrown into an arctic tundra.

I also have it currently blowing directly into my face. My eyes have never been drier. but. Im cold. 
and I look like Gilbert Gottfried right now. 

I just pretend it's the North Pole. also I am exaggerating. but. seriously... like....bring a hat.





BUT.





I am still fending off bad guys.




doubts.fears.peoplethatdontunderstand.




and to that. i say.










Stay tuned party people. 



Think big. 


and

HAPPY CHRISTMAS. 







3 cheers for my family and friends. 

I feel sort of bad because I think I got all the best ones. 



Like somehow I picked first and now all the good ones are on my kickball team. 



If this is the case. 


no take backs. 


mine are irreplaceable.





and to everysingleoneofyou. your support is ridiculous. Thank you is not enough. 

you.are.the.very.best.




guys. it just started. 
let's all freak out together. 


Stay on board. 


or stay running beside the train. with me. bareback. 







CHRISTMAS IS FOR BEING HAPPY.


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December 18, 2010

SPLASH









I am working on a new series right now. Actually 2. 

So, I will post them when finished. and am super encouraged to do that quickly.




SINCE.




I just did one of those lemon drop rolls off the diving board. 

You know the one. 


You get your body into a ball- arms wrapped around your knees- right at the edge of the diving board 

and you are supposed to drop into the deep end without letting go of your knees.




I think somewhere in that is a trust-faith-believe-in-yourself sort of deal




It gives you a complete adrenaline rush right there as all of your friends are screaming 


YOU CAN DO IT.


I KNOW YOU CAN.


YOU GOT IT.


GO.





But you just 







and








and









But then. 








I DID IT. 











~and that is the story of ~


HOW I LEFT MY FULL TIME DAY JOB:
and other true risks.




By: me.




Copyright December 2010.






and I dropped into the deep end. 
artistically speaking. 






so either start playing sharks and minnows. or throw me a raft.  





"LET THE WILD RUMPUS STAAARRT"
 - MAX. 
Where The Wild Things Are



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If you aren't already a follower, click the button on the right and become one. 




and tell your friends about this blog, Riding Bareback Beside a Train. or my website at 


or my work. 



because a lot is for sale. especially prints. which are beautifully done on fine art textured paper.
Almost cooler than the originals.


and 


your encouragement is madly appreciated. 






if you read this. you are already at the pool party. So stay a while.










 If I give you 75 cents can you get me a snowcone and a slim jim?










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Oh yeah. and.


one more thing (x 2)



THIS MONTH I WORKED ON 2 REALLY EXCITING AND WONDERFUL SHOWS IN NY.




Emancipatory Politics: A Romantic Tragedy
with OLD KENT ROAD THEATER.



AND




Bethlehem or Bust
with PIPER MCKENZIE.






two exciting reviews.

check them out.
click on the titles below.



1. EMANCIPATORY POLITICS: A ROMANTIC TRAGEDY 

and

2. BETHLEHEM OR BUST



overjoyed. 
and lucky to work with these companies.








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December 15, 2010

My glorious mom's birthday is today.








She is so freaking supportive. 


and


She fixes everything.



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December 14, 2010

Today I ran 10 miles. Alert the surgeon general, Regina Benjamin.<--true. shes the actual one. aha

Disclaimer: I drafted this out of insanity more than a handful of days ago. and just now posted it. So when I say "Today". It wasnt today. it was the today in which it was written.


See. I speak clearly.
Follow me.











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Today I did two amazingly wonderful things.

1- I went to breakfast before the sun came up. at Waffle House.


2- I ran 10 miles.


The first, well that is ALL you will get detail wise.


*

*


ok ok I can't resist. I twisted my own arm.

Here's the thing:

I felt like I was on vacation. and I was dreaming. at the same time. Because it was raining and dark when I went in to meet a friend before work. and everything there is yellow and early.






If you ever want to disappear and go somewhere else for a while. GO TO WAFFLE HOUSE.

You will instantly be far away from whatever you have going on, and also super enriched by the environment.








Also,

The second,
Today I ran 10 miles.

I say that with astonishment. and shock. and disbelief. where you laugh at ths situation because you are so stunned.

All of that.

and with the opposite emotion of "look at me, endurance hero".




I ran it in the most honest way.




screaming for the last mile,



ENNNNND THIS.




Don't worry
I was with people. Not just yelling into the night.



At mile 9.5 my two friends broke out in "Jesus Take the Wheee eee eeel"

This is when I knew it was ridiculous. I only did this to seeeee if I could.








I could.






But there are injuries.

dumb ones.

Like a giant rug burn where the tag from your shorts rubs a hole on your back all the way through to your spine.

and other related rug burns.






See, I do this sometimes. do things just to see if I can... Like with 5:45 am yoga.

Bam. DID IT.

(abouuuuttt passed out at 2pm when I had used up all personally allotted office treats for staying alert.)





The thing is. I post this sort of thing on here, on my art blog. This blog that documents the pursuit of how I became an artist. how I was one. how I am one. how I grew up one day and made tons and tons of money...

I mean... pieces of art.



anyways. I post it here. Because it is art. the kind of life you absorb.






and it directly results in what I make. and what I say.






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And. Waffle House reminds me that I love waitresses that call me sweety and honey when I am exhausted.

And I urge you- See if you can. See if you can wake up early. See if you can run until your knees scream. See if you can keep going.



 try it. because it can be hilarious.




when you are in the gym parking lot post work out at 6:50am. and  you realize you have one up on 90 percent of the waking population.



super powers yo.



December 12, 2010

It's raining today.





















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this little guy is the original. just finished. take him home for 80.00
or a ridiculously fab print of him for 60.00
while you are at it. go to web.me.com/abernathybland and art shop for yourself under the TREASURES page.
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December 10, 2010

Lots of Stage.





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I have done this once before.

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But this time was different.





                                                          





Art Design.






for
Old Kent Road Theater's
Emancipatory Politics: A Romantic Tragedy




8 Performance Dates:
Thu 12/2, Fri 12/3, Sat 12/4, Sun 12/5, Tue 12/7, Thu 12/9, Fri 12/10, Sat 12/11
All shows at 8pm.
Tix: $18 General / $14 Student
Buy here: https://www.ovationtix.com/trs/pr/764155
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Incubator Arts Project

Address: 131 East 10th Street
 New York, NY 10003
 East Village

Location: North side of East 10th Street, between 2nd & 3rd Avenues.
The Theater is in St Marks Church In The Bowery

Directions: Closest subway: 6 to Astor Place. Walk north on 4th Avenue to East 10th Street, then east to the theatre.

So. you can still go. 
 and you should.I know I am partial. But the show was amazing.





















Stage Painting
12.5 hrs.











Pizza. Subway. Sweet Potato Chips. Coffee. and 4 sips of Diet Coke<---I KNOW. I was desperate.

and a Whoopie Pie that looked really good at midnight. really repulsive at 3 am. and then really smart at 8 am. And it was.
really good.









Ready?










And the air was thick with... I think I can I think I can.


All of these kind of days have the same air quality. 


the same.





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THE START











*





*




*





*





*






THE FINISH



































































































And, here's how it went down.



















The theater is all black...



First, getting everything white.

























































































































Some of the cast was watching.









TONS OF THANKS.

You know who you are. 

But I will mention you anyway. 







THANKS GO TO:

PAINTERS- Becca Hankins. Eric Bland. Gavin Starr Kendall.

SUPPORT- Leslie Gupta. Nick Gupta. Cole Gupta.





Leslie





Becca

lots of the photos on this post are hers.




Eric





Gavin






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And. fini.







xoxo




Psst. See my first stage painting here.

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i love music. almost more than everything.