AMP: Artists' Meeting Place and Resource Collective

Well,here's my first blog with this community.I suppose I should begin by speaking about myself.My name is Shawn Collins.I am by trade a sculptor and moldmaker.I am also a freelance FX artist for independant films in the the midwestern area of these united states.
In short, I am a weirdo.
In my spare time I build robots.I have a strange desire to create what artificial people.I can't explain it.There's no way for me to really elaborate.While a lot of the stuff I do is predominantly made for film , I am currently more interested in using my skills and techniques for other applications, and ultimately I want push further into the realm of"fine art".

Migration Study is LA Weekly's art pick of the week by Peter frank.

I have two pieces in this show which will be running through August 25 at the beautiful Phantom Galleries LA in Downtown Los Angeles.
Please check it out.

http://www.laweekly.com/art+books/art-pick/still-waters-and-restless-cur...

Farzad

If you are an Artist, work in Theatre, or wish to, there's a great chance to Network this Monday in SF. Go here for details on the "Just-Theatre" Designer Clambake:

http://www.justtheater.org/clambake.html

Come check out some local, theatrical, creative bands that put the show back into show business! Featuring the apocalyptic comedy lounge punk of The Fuxedos, the theatrical, choreographed glam rock of Sounds of Asteroth, and more!

WHEN: Wednesday, August 8. Doors at 7 pm; show starts at 9.

WHERE: Safari Sam’s, 5214 W. Sunset Blvd. (bet. Western & Normandie), LA 90027, 323-666-7267. http://safari-sams.com/

WHO: Renfield starts the show at 9 pm
http://www.myspace.com/theonetruerenfield

Followed by Quazar and the Bamboozled at 10
http://www.myspace.com/quazarandthebamboozled

Too many questions, not enough answers. Perfect dilemma as I can see my neurotic self going crazy right now. It starts off like this...I wish I was born during the late 40's so that I could've experiential knowledge of the 60's with somewhat of a conscious mind. This'll be real brief because I don't want to get insanely caught up in the web, while being stuck at work, so I'll do it more subjectively.

Kennedy wins the presidency. LBJ's private relationship with former FBI Director J.Edgar Hoover seems quite suspicious. Kennedy gets shot in Dallas, with such a low level of organization and security on the parts of the FBI, CIA, Secret Service...it was probably orchestrated by the FBI in some way and the Warren Commission gets buried for 75 or so years? MLK gets killed for his belief in how America should grow. Malcolm X gets killed, possibly by the someone from the Nation. My question is, American used to be very conscious, from a collective standpoint. As one nation together. Now in our day in society, we're all dumb and just take in whatever we get fed. How did we go from one extreme to the other? During the 60's, people embedding a higher level of conscious thinking were gunned down for it. Maybe subconsciously, we think there's some form of punishment when we get to that level so we like being little "sheeple" as they call it.

My mother always said I had the makings of a contortionist. After hours hunkered over a computer keyboard and then curled up in the seat of a cab until the wee hours, I find her words as pure prophecy.

When will I ever be able to straighten up? Am I devolving into some sort of Precambrian cork-screwed invertibrate? Is this the price to pay in order to be a writer and graphic artist? (Stephen King isn't a hunchback, is he?)

Well, I know in about two seconds I shall extricate myself from being wedged in this home-office chair and simply recline, while you all remain seated and check out the latest issue of my 'zine at www.ideagems.com where we have eye-catching artwork and mind-teasing articles. At least the 'zine is evolving into a superior project!

Jeff Spahr-Summers and Anna Maly wrote a poem together.
Anna explains how it happened:

" We were writing short notes to each other, talking about little things. One day Jeff wrote about his day, saying how tiresome it was, and how he needs some down time. "What comes to mind is "thinking, and watching"" - he wrote. Hmm, sounds poetic, I thought, wrote the first two lines, and sent it to him, inviting to continue. We were adding two, four or more lines back and forth for a couple of weeks till the poem seemed complete. Enjoy the result of this effortless and fun collaboration”.

> > Thinking of sky turn blue
> > Watching the thoughts go by
> > Thinking in one color
> > Watching words and I am
> >
> > Thinking of scattered birds
> > Watching the storm approach

http://www.newbevcinema.com

My favorite movie theater in the world has always been the New Beverly Cinema here in Los Angeles, where I've been going for over 15 years. It's the kind of place that's beat up really nicely, with crunchy seats and cheap candy. The kind of place where they put up an apology sign in the window when they have to raise the price. Sherman Torgan had been running it for nearly 30 years, and it was a wonderful place. He died Wednesday morning of a heart attack while riding his bike. I'm really sad, and I know a lot of other people are too.

Obituary:

http://www.latimes.com/news/obituaries/la-me-torgan21jul21,1,2652698.sto...

You can see one my sculptures on NBC Chanel 4 for just about 3 seconds

http://www.yourlatv.com/#/video=175

Farzad

Failure is unimportant. It takes courage to make a fool of yourself.