The Fine Art and Design Blog of Darren Daz Cox

99daz.com - the best art blog ever!  It’s a cool summer in Peoria Illinois.

this is a charcoal and conte crayon sketch I did at work on an 8×10 canvas board. just random doodling! below is another random sketch to celebrate summer.

As above so below, my humble sketches are a reflection of how I see the world and how it manifests for me. Don’t take the symbols literally, beautiful blondes may not be frolicking around me that often but that feeling of happy appreciation of the moment is with me and that’s what the symbols represent.

I was reading a forum post about a famous guru who suggested we all became vegetarians and a response that said that peoples such as the Innuit couldn’t just turn vegetarian. Perhaps in this modern world there really is a way for everyone to become a vegan and maybe the world would have a healthier vibe if that occured, but it doesn’t feel right to me.

I’m no expert, but it seems to me that when the Innuit stop hunting and eating meat they would lose a huge part of their culture. I extrapolate that eventually they would simply be different looking ‘normal’ people - and who wants to be differentiated by only how you look?

We know, from years of psychological study, that having a strong cultural identity gives you strength. Strength motivates people to do great things, like persevere when the world presents difficult challenges, like our ancestors did in the last ice age.

I do want the world to spiritually evolve in time for 2012, I really do, but not at the expense of the individual.

"Sometimes the needs of the one outweigh the needs of the many."- James T. Kirk in Star Trek III

 I just don’t trust any leader, especially famous spiritual people who have suggestions for mankind in general to follow.  People can’t possibly know what is right for all of us, no matter how intelligent, enlightened and ‘good’ they may be. I trust that in each of us we have a best path to follow, one that allows us the ultimate expression of ourselves,  and only we know what is the right path.

Sure, your culture doesn’t have to be a traditional one, but having a strong identity is a key to success I believe.

My favorite example of  ‘the needs of the one’ is GG Allin, dead punk rocker anti-star. Chances are if you’ve heard of him it was because of something he said or did (you can watch him on the Jerry Springer show here) rather than his music as he was a larger than life character.

He lived a life that was totally hedonistic and often dangerously sado-masochistic, but he wasn’t afraid of  his fantasies and was happy to indulge those of the people arround him. He chose complete freedom of expression over many chances to ’sell out’ and become marginalized by ‘breaking out’ of the obscure sub-culture he lived in.

He revelled in being hated, loved exposing the weakness of conformists and suffered no fools or fauning fans. GG Allin was simply not afraid to be that person in public that most people only fantasize about in their bedrooms.

To me, his music is great, it will stand as a testament to how far talent can take you when you serve your aesthetics first and have the courage to not cater to the whims of your audience.  GG Allin chose the best path for him, and because he did I find it easier to find my path.

"Your soul should be as strong as possible when it leaves here for whatever comes next." -G. G. Allin

That quote is very important to me, you see GG Allin lived his life like he knew without a single doubt that he had a soul. Because he had no fear of death he lived life to the fullest. Because he never doubted his creative potential he made some mighty fine music.

What about you? Scared that your friends will not like you if you tell them about your twisted little thoughts? Do you temper down your creativity because you are scared that it won’t sell or be accepted? Will the art gallery laugh in your face because you aren’t painting the same old thing you did last time? and Chris Brogan, are you afraid to put your cool artwork on your blog?The White Deer, acylics on canvas-a little tweaked in photoshop!

Originally posted 2008-03-25 11:47:18. Republished by Old Post Promoter

One of the many (double) pages of my new zine that is becoming behind schedule because I can’t stop trying to add just one more visual element (without the composition collapsing like a house of cards).

To me, ‘more is more’ until it is too much, but how much is too much? all I can do is trust my own sense of the ascetic.

When folded into the paper zine these pages will not connect visually but one of the many enjoyments is to see how the pages that will end up next to these two halves WILL connect. After all, the same artist will have done both with the same tools so there will be a common thread.

I want this zine to have many layers, one: the obvious ‘content’, stories, poems, artwork etc,  two: the connection between the various pieces of content, some of which are obvious such as the alien species called Meganoids are mentioned in several places but some are less apparent, even to me, and as I add content seemingly at random it suddenly connects in a meaningful way, making the project a success before it is even finished.

There is another layer where the abstract light and shadow can activate the innate creativity of the mind, the same way that you might see a face in a cloud, even if you pride yourself on your sensible rational no-nonsense nature, your mind is still making you see imaginary faces in clouds, and that is proof of your innate creativity, you can’t help but create things, in clouds, in your dreams and your waking fantasys, creativity is the type of engine your mind uses.

The complex artwork and careful design is such that it should stimulate that part of your mind that is beyond your rational willpower to control.

You can’t not see that face in a cloud once you initially see it can you? Well, you will see things in this zine that are not actually there because that’s how your mind works.

What you do with the things you see and feel are entirely up to you, but i think if you consider this zine a cataylist for your own creativity it will work best!

back cover of Go B Zine issue #1 by Darren Daz Cox, oil on canvas

Originally posted 2008-07-12 07:33:15. Republished by Old Post Promoter

Sleeping Girl with cat by Darren Daz Cox.

This one is a random pencil sketch I did at work today, about an hour and a half completely from my imagination (I was talking on the phone with clients as I drew this).

I could draw more realistically from a model or from a photographic reference but then I would already know what the picture is supposed to be, this picture just evolved from a few lines - magic!

Another random sketch drawn at work, I spent all day on and off working on this. I really enjoy the light and shadow you can get with a simple #2 pencil (I was using a pencil I found on the Keansburg NJ beach actually) on a pretty good quality notebook.

I think that one day I’d like to sketch these figures really huge with charcoal and white chalk to see how far I can push the illusion.

Originally posted 2009-02-18 20:02:55. Republished by Old Post Promoter

above "The decaying theatre" (working) and below "The red room" also in progress!

I wrote this on the fledgling Flickr group called ART, THERAPY, PSYCHOANALISYS AND AESTHETICS

I think the very process of creating something is healthy. The connection of your mind directing your hands to make something, anything, allows your subconcious an outlet (other than just dreams!).

You can perhaps see an example in graphitti, that is often portrayed as just vandalism, gang tags or a result of ‘frustration’ or hopelessness etc. I’m not necessarily talking about the brilliant stuff, the artists who have the bravery to go large on trains and walls but the other stuff too. The signatures on mailboxes, the names carved in rocks and trees -the things you might have done when you were young and perhaps ‘grew out of’.

The idea of you changing your world, adding organic lines to ‘boring’ spaces and often spontaniously using creativity where society frowns upon it is healthy in my opinion, it shows you in a small way that things can change and that you are an agent of change and that is an empowering feeling.

Originally posted 2007-12-31 09:54:34. Republished by Old Post Promoter