a few months ago i was honored to collaborate with fellow nyc artist, ari lankin, on his "process video" for a new painting he had just finished. ari created the painting, i created the music. typical of today's digital world, we were never in the same room, or city, at any time during the process. ari created the painting and put together the video with the music i created in my studio in nj. but somehow, it worked!

i was inspired by the video he sent me of the painting process. for some reason, i felt a 70's retro thing when i saw it. so, out came the wurlitzer, the gretsch with some slap echo, some strings and a mono drum kit. i had a a blast, laying down the tracks, and mixing it with this mindset and the painting to visualize.

ari has a new exhibit in nyc on february 16th in nyc at the stumbleupon hq. read about it here, and try to make it if you're in town.

LEARN from Rick Mereki on Vimeo.

tbp-What's your favorite Joy Division tune?

ct-I go through phases of favorites right now shadowplay and she's lost control (12" version) are my favorites. Also the song Warsaw when they were Warsaw pre-joy division...

tbp-What's your favorite food, (whether you make it or not)?

ct-My favorite type of food is probably Mexican food. It's very complex in it's simplicity. Also baked beans. Favorite ingredient of the moment is katsuoboshi.

tbp-What's the inspiration behing the name "wolvesden"?

ct-Wolvesden is the place where I do the dinners. Wolvesmouth is the main name. I wanted to come up with a name that sounded more like a band name than anything related to food. You want to make your own rules you gotta start with a name that doesn't pigeon hole you.

tbp-Do you do anything with beverage pairings?

ct-I am not a big drinker personally but love how wines beers and spirits can elevate a meal. I actually like juice pairings quite a bit and have been known to be a root beer fanatic...

tbp-Have you ever made a dish and hated it so much you wouldn't serve it?

ct-I have made quite a few dishes that fall very short of what I wanted them to be... That has involved me throwing plates across my kitchen and bloody hands... U can say cooking makes me a little emotional. After I pull myself together I will keep trying til I tame the beast.. Failure is a great teacher even if at the time you feel like crushing skulls...

Watch the Video HERE

this company has it figured out...

Brunello Cucinelli-Video Istituzionale from promovideo on Vimeo.

Part of the ongoing series featuring 6 innovative artists taking part in a 24 hour challenge to create a new work influenced by the Lexus CT-200 Hybrid...this will be launched on the fresh perspectives site on April 18th...This is Augustine Kofie , enjoy!-tb

disclosure: tonyblackprod is being compensated for blogs related to fresh perspectives...no, we don't get a free lexus.

you'll be seeing a lot about this here during april...looking forward to sharing my thoughts and yours...Throughout the month of April I'll be posting about an exciting art project that is featuring 6 hip, innovative artists from a broad range of genres. A chef, a painter, a paper sculptor, a photographer, a musician and a fashion designer.
Together we'll follow along with them, via video and some other mediums, and watch the progression of their work on pieces inspired by and in collaboration with Lexus. Yes, the car company. How will this be inspired and in collaboration with Lexus in introducing their new CT-Hybrid to the world? Well that's what we'll find out together.
I think one thing is clear and that is we are seeing a new era in the way traditional companies are reaching out to the world in non-traditional ways, and that effort alone is proof that they are willing to think "outside the box".
see you soon, TB

www.freshperspectives.msn.com

full disclosure: yes, this is a project that i'm being compensated for...no, i don't get a free car.

committed

it all starts that way. whether it's a painting, a recording or a journal/blog entry. at first it can be intimidating. where to begin? what instrument, tempo, key, motif? what topic? personal, industry related, world events? it all begins with a stare at the blank canvas, blank paper, new recording session in protools,etc... nothing but blank tracks, blank paper, the blank canvas....

so you start...and it's always the new beginning, the new quest, the next song, the next painting, which draws the artist or creative to this place. probably the same reason why creatives are so unpredictable. they're always drawn to the new...the new and exciting...

and then comes the time when the creative must let go, or finish...oh, that's the tough part, seeing things through to the end...the commitment...

an artist i know once said, "you never really finish a song, you just abandon it"...i've never heard a better way to describe it yet.