Blog

The Radio Swan

The Radio Swan

Today is St. Patrick’s Day. I never think much about my Irishness.  My parents were not the “kiss me I’m Irish” types, though they were both ver...
Art Father Irish Swan World War II
The Black Swan

The Black Swan

Some years ago, I made a few pieces all with different kinds of “Ace of Spades” motifs.  I had planned a big series about my Father, whose nick-...
Art
Hell’s Songbird (For Doc Holliday)

Hell’s Songbird (For Doc Holliday)

John Henry “Doc” Holliday was one of the West’s more storied gunfighters.  He was an ill-tempered motherfucker who was perpetually drinking and ...
Art Feud Gunslinger The West Wyatt Earp
The Sad Music of Change (A Songbird for Nick the Greek)

The Sad Music of Change (A Songbird for Nick the Greek)

Nicholas Dandolos (Nick the Greek) was a professional gambler and high-roller of legendary repute in the ’40s, ’50s and early ’60s.  Rumor has i...
Art Bird Caddy Gambling Nick the Greek
Songbird for Nelson Algren

Songbird for Nelson Algren

I’ve made more than a few tributes to  the great Chicago writer Nelson Algren.  His shadow looms large over how I see the city.  Algren, of cour...
Art Chicago Nelson Algren
The Bruised Village

The Bruised Village

I live in Ukrainian village in Chicago.  A great many of my neighbors don’t even speak English.  They like being among themselves. They are susp...
Art Hobo Hobo Alphabet
Ueno Park Red Bird

Ueno Park Red Bird

I was thinking of my friends in New Orleans as I made this piece, the beads and ornamentation, the echo of Lafcadio Hearn who left New Orleans t...
Art New Orleans Tokyo Travel Ueno Park
The Red Rain

The Red Rain

I just finished my run of performances of This Train. It was fun to be back on a stage again and also edifying to learn more about the hobo alph...
Art Hobo Hobo Alphabet
The Emerald Fish of Toto Jinja

The Emerald Fish of Toto Jinja

In the middle of Harajuku in the center of Tokyo, there is a public park called Togo Jinja and it is a lovely green in the middle of a consume...
Tokyo
The Crow Dog

The Crow Dog

I kind of used my dog, Chooch, for the head of this piece.  He is a handsome motherfucker and if he wasn’t fixed he’d get more pussy than Sinatr...
Art Dog
The Dog of Winter (For Ten Bears)

The Dog of Winter (For Ten Bears)

Driving back from California through the desert, one is always cognizant of the hungry world that surrounds you.  The desert may seem still, but...
Art Dogs Native American
The Horse Star (For Crazy Horse)

The Horse Star (For Crazy Horse)

All through the Badlands there are reminders of who used to own this land.  There are  hay-colored grasses and scrub trees standing silently lik...
Badlands Crazy Horse Hobo Sioux