Tuesday, October 30, 2007

Trashball 102907: Dusty Debris







The preceding evidence bag turned out, after it had lain on the floor of my car for a couple of weeks, to be a useful vessel for holding evidence of another sort, namely the bits and bobs of archaeological scraps I found at an abandoned homestead 10 miles south of Boise City, Oklahoma (pictured above, along with the house and an archival photo of a dust-storm).
I recently read Timothy Egan's book The Worst Hard Time and, having found it to be an extraordinarily good book—and being otherwise unoccupied—decided to hop into the car and motor up into the terrain where the Dust Bowl did its worst. See, Egan's book told the true stories of those (and they were a majority) who stayed behind during the Dust Bowl years. Steinbeck's Joads, in the Grapes of Wrath, represented a minority.
The drive was lovely and austere, with its unremitting flatness and distant horizons. Yet I knew it was different from the view afforded in the 1930s, when it was largely dust dunes. Much of the grassland had been restored, thanks largely to Hugh H. Bennett, who strove mightily during the decade-long drought to right the wrongs that American hubris had inflicted on the Great Plains.

Trashball 102907: Evidence


First good sidewalk find in a while, and not 2 blocks from my squalid little apartment! Official evidence bag blowing around in the breeze on Davis Avenue in Las Cruces, NM. Found torn open and emptied.

Insufferable: Starring Chris Hansen


It takes quite a fellow to make pedophiles sympathetic, but Dateline NBC's Chris Hansen (informative link, BTW), with his hair, smug voice, and disingenuous outrage, has fit the bill. Unctuous perfectly defines him.

Saturday, October 27, 2007

Counterbruise


New painting, "Counterbruise". 20" x 16", acrylic on canvas. $375. To purchase via PayPal, click here. Or contact me at chris[at]goodwinart.com.

Thursday, October 25, 2007

Trashball 102507: More Simcas


After finding an old Simca up in Ellicott, CO, a while back, I was very surprised to stumble upon two more junked Simcas, this time in Nara Visa, NM. How many Simcas will my next road trip unearth?

Saturday, October 20, 2007

Giurate


New painting "Giurate". 24" x 18", acrylic on canvas. $475. Click here to purchase or contact me at chris[at]goodwinart.com.

Trashball 101907: Utopia


Utopia: It can't be beat! Let me know when you get there.

Friday, October 19, 2007

Album of the Day: Stereolab Switched On


After all these years and after all these pretenders, still the coolest band in the world. Perfect for when you're half-drunk yet full of energy and want to get some shit done. Buy it here.

Cornerball 101907: One of Few Corners


I really love my new lamp; I got it at the Salvation Army "Family Store" here in Las Cruces (which translates from the Spanish as "crashingly dull"). The painting is by the awesome Lori Earley.

Thursday, October 18, 2007

Trashball 101807: Bowl Happy


Painted on back door of Dayton, Ohio, bowling alley. Photographed in January 2000.

Trashball 101807: A Piece of Her Mind


It's probably a fair guess that the photographer was given a good tongue-lashing immediately following this snapshot from May 1981. Recovered in Laurel, Maryland.

Album of the Day: Senor Coconut


Such immense joy in such a small package. And he's German!

Trashball 101807: Toilets in History


Back of this Polaroid is marked "Anne Frank Hse Toilet 7/15/83". Beats many modern Italian toilets.

Friday, October 12, 2007

Ciuffettino



My new favorite fictional children's character is Ciuffettino, who has adventures while sporting an enormous quiff. I just finished reading Umberto Eco's book The Mysterious Flame of Queen Loana, which introduced me to this young wonder. Eco quotes from the Ciuffettino book: "An immense quiff gave him a curious appearance, causing him to resemble a feather duster. And do you know, he was fond of his quiff!" Amen.

Trashball 101207: Don't Recycle Those Plastic Bottles! Make Some Craptastic Shit Out of Them!























For all my crafty homies out there. Who knew you could make so many useful items from old bleach bottles? These images come from a 1963 catalog from Ideas Unlimited, entitled "Make It with Plastic Bottles" (the writers of the movie "American Pie" had a similar premise, by the way, until the plastics lobby got on their ass). God knows where I found this catalog. And if anybody makes one of these things, please email me a picture, I'll post it! chris[at]goodwinart.com

Trashball 101207: Ahh, Farting Contests, Wallet-Making, and Furtive Masturbation


So, what are your memories of summer camp? Circa 1973 Lake Bryn Mawr Camp postcard from my collection.

Trashball 101207: Where Can I Get Me Some Fungus-No-More?


Why, at Carol Wright online, of course! Little known fact-chunk: Dorothy Hamill inspired Carol Wright's 1970s look. Old (and useful!) refrigerator magnet found on Idaho Ave., in Las Cruces, NM.

Thursday, October 04, 2007

Trashball 100407: Largest Closet in the World


Not far from the Texas Horned Lizard, I came across one of the few signs of human activity I'd seen in the massive Lincoln Nation Forest. Scraps from a gay porn mag.

Lizardball 100307: Horny Texan


During my aborted camping trip in New Mexico's glorious Lincoln National Forest (no tent, started to rain at 10 pm, &c), I came across this creature, which, upon further research, turned out to be a Texas Horned Lizard. Luckily, it did not spit blood out of its eyeballs at me.

Monday, October 01, 2007