SPACE CAMP DEATH SQUAD

Alyssa Stevenson May 17, 2013

Ryan Darbonne went to school at UNT where he mainly hid out in the Radio, Television and Film building for four years. Now, he lives in Austin, working for the Austin Film Festival and rapping about racism in a highly entertaining group called Space Camp Death Squad. On second thought, maybe Darbonne actually got out of the RTVF building every once in a while. After all, he is best buds with plenty of people who still live in town, including our talented friends over at Amandus Studios. In fact, it was some of those great guys that introduced him to the incredible music and creative culture that make up our humble abode.

You may have caught Space Camp Death Squad playing one of their two shows during 35 Denton, but if you didn't, we highly recommend that you make your way over to Rubber Gloves Rehearsal Studios this Saturday to check them out.

You live in Austin now, but you lived in Denton for years and still have a community and friends here that brings you back up pretty often. Tell us about your history with Denton.

In 2004, I moved to Denton where I attended the University of North Texas. In 2009, I graduated cum laude and received my BA in - Wait. Hold on. Jesus. This sounds like the formulaic dust jacket synopsis of my future autobiography (which, b-t-w, I have tentatively titled: “Oh no! There’s a Negro in my Wife! The Ryan Darbonne Story”). Here’s the real scoop: I went to UNT because my grades were shit and no one else would have me. Took some film classes and junk or whatever. Got to direct a thesis film. Had a crush on my French professor. Made sketch comedy videos with some of my best friends in the world. Had sex…once…and went to house shows. That’s it. No. Seriously. My history with Denton is pretty, preetttyy, preeettttyyy, pretty boring yet those five years were some of the best of my life.

I love Denton. It’s my home away from home. My, short lived, time there not only helped me grow as a person but as an artist. The town’s dedication to its creative community served as a continued source of inspiration. Moreover, I was fortunate enough to meet an amazing group people (I knew Neon Indian before he was famous!!!! LULZ!!! SMH!!! FML AND MY BUTT!!!!) who became like family to me. I left Denton with an overabundance of fond memories (my favorite being the time Chris Flemmons, having just seen our sketch comedy series “Hello Optimism”, drunkenly accosted me at RGRS to tell me that was some of the funniest shit he had ever seen) and I miss it dearly.

Does that answer your question? I don’t think it does. Whatever. Eat a dick.

Space Camp originally started as a kind of social commentary... Can you give us a little more insight into why you started Space Camp - why hip hop?

Noah Swords (founding member who left the group in February to build mosques in Lubbock, TX) and I originally started SPACE CAMP as a joke. Nothing more. We had no intention of ever playing shows or even being a hip-hop group proper. We both loved Das Racist and just wanted to rhyme about non-sequiturs (our first three songs were about pooping in space) over electronic dance beats. We chose hip-hop as a medium because it was a cheap, and relatively easy, way to make music.

Eventually, SPACE CAMP (we added the Death Squad later) became a lot more involved. We got a DJ (Murk Jones AKA I’m Legally Obligated To Stay 400ft Away From Schools) and started playing shows. We started to take the writing more seriously and out of that the sociopolitical aspect of the group was born. Noah and I both hated hip-hop culture and wanted to lash out against it in the most aggressive way possible. So we evolved into a group that represented all the worst parts of hip-hop (the materialism, the violence, etc…) and we, in turn, became id personified. However, we had rules in place. We would never refer to women as “bitches, hoes, or cunts” nor would we ever advocate violence against women. In addition, we would never use the word “fag” or any other derogatory term against the LGBTQ community. Everything else was up for grabs. Soon race became a defining factor in our lyrics and whatever else we wanted to make fun of. SPACE CAMP Death Squad has gone from a tactless joke to a satirical performance art piece.

After Noah left local (white) rappers P-tek and Secret Levels joined the group.

Most of your lyrics really seem to center around racism... Tell us about why and how you attack such a heady issue in such an entertaining way.

This goes without saying but racism is absolutely fucking ridiculous. I am continually horrified and humored by its existence. I write about it because it’s a way for me to explore why it exists, as a social construct, and why it’s such big deal for me (sometimes I feel like the black Woody Allen when it comes to racial paranoia). Even though the lyrics are heady it’s really important for me to approach race in a comedic and entertaining way; I want an audience to like the music and not feel alienated (although screaming “fuck white people and their cargo shorts” doesn’t help). There’s something to be said about a group of strangers who can all come together and post-post-ironically mock racism. Also, for us as a group, it’s important we don’t take ourselves too seriously. For every line about apartheid or black on black crime there’s a doo doo joke in there. At the end of the day we’re performers who want to put on a good show.

Outside of your role in Space Camp Death Squad you have some other pretty creative pursuits... tell us about those.

In addition to being the sixth best rapper in Austin, TX, I am a repertory film programmer and filmmaker. I’ve dedicated a lot of time and effort to the art of filmmaking. Writing, directing, film theory/criticism/history are all things I’m insanely passionate about and will, probably, spend the rest of my life trying to master. For me, it’s much more than a hobby; it’s my raison d'être. Given the opportunity I would drop hip-hop in a fucking heartbeat to make films full time.

I sound like an asshole.

How does a creative community come into play when you’re writing lyrics, filming a short, or planning a feature?

A creative community means fuck all to me when it comes to writing rap lyrics. SPACE CAMP is a self-indulgent project. It’s a semi-healthy outlet for me to exorcise aggression and all the things I hate about myself. I could care less about the homogeneous music community in Austin.

However, in saying all that, the creative community is absolutely essential when it comes to filmmaking. Film, by design, is the most collaborative art form there is. As a director, you’re only as good as the people you surround yourself with. Whenever I direct a new project I am beholden to my crew, to my cast and to anyone who offers their free time to help. Austin is an ideal place to shoot a film because the community support is overwhelming and without that making a GOOD film would be virtually impossible.

Biggest creative influences?

The Cohen Brothers, Mark Twain, Sugar Ray

Favorite three things about Denton...

1. All the overeducated college grads that still make minimum wage

2. All the ugly white guys with beards

3. Waffle House

Details about Saturday’s show at Rubber Gloves:

Saturday’s going to amazing! In addition to us (SPACE CAMP Death Squad Bang Bus Squad We Whip Our Dicks Out For Money And Smash Mouth Tickets), the lineup includes: MC Sex, Tijuana Bible and that other band no one I know has ever heard of. It’s $5 to get in. $7 if you’re under 21. Doors open at 9pm. Show starts at 10pm. If you like watching mediocre bands in a mediocre venue then you definitely want to check this show out!*

*http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Satire

DIME FEATURED ARTIST: TRIPLE THREAT PRESS

Alyssa Stevenson May 7, 2013

Our fine friends over at DIME feature a seller/artist with us once a month. Check out their new store on South Locust when you have a chance, and read on to hear all about this month's featured artist.

There’s more than a little excitement brewing around Triple Threat Press these days. The letterpressing duo is gearing up for the DIME Summer Bazaar, trying to keep their popular work in stock at the DIME Store, and planning their speech for May 13th’s Creatives Mixer at OSDH. Nonetheless, we found a bit of time in their schedule to hassle them about how awesome they are.

How/when did you guys decide to start your business?

Laura: In May of 2012 I graduated with my MFA in Printmaking from UNT. I was looking to purchase a press so that I could continue to print my own artwork, and when I finally found our Kelsey Excelsior letterpress in Sanger in early July, Dave planted the idea that perhaps we could use it to make a little bit of money.

Dave: In hindsight, it was a little foolish on my part because I didn’t know the first thing about printmaking. Luckily, Laura knows a lot about it. With her help, and through helping restore the letterpress, I was able to gain a working knowledge of how a it all works.

Why did you choose the name "Triple Threat Press"?

Laura: Growing up around theater, a "triple threat"–a talented singer, dancer, and actor–was something I always aspired to be. Triple threats are fiery, committed to their talents, and they are always in demand. While naming the business, we tried to pick a moniker that would comment on our dedication and drive as well as our services. We both have backgrounds in design, Dave is an incredibly talented coder, and I know my way around a printshop pretty well.

Dave: The other reason we picked it was because we thought of a lot of names that were very descriptive of us as people and we thought that it would be better to have a name that was descriptive of what we do. A lot of people ask us, “So, what are the three threats?”. We don’t have to go around telling people what we do. The name starts the conversation for us.

What drew you to letterpress over other forms of printing?

Dave: One of the things that we took away from the first Etsy Denton sale that we attended was that there was a real market for letterpress items in Denton. Basically, there wasn’t anybody doing it here. We figured that with good designs and well-made products, we could make a splash pretty quickly.

Laura: Also, letterpress is one of those printmaking techniques that allows an artist to create hundreds–if not thousands–of identical pieces of art from just one image. Large letterpress editions help us keep our cost down, which makes it that much easier for us to sell our goods and services at affordable prices. Thus, nearly everyone can afford to own something that we made. That might be the most beautiful thing about this process: because letterpress was initially utilized to create reading material for the masses, it truly is “the people’s art”.

What is it like to work in a business relationship with your significant other?

Dave: It's really great. (And not just because I'd be in trouble if I said anything to the contrary.) I think that we work really well together and it is fun to be able to bounce ideas off of each other whenever they come up, instead of only between the hours of 9-5.

Laura: I think that I might just be the luckiest woman in the world. To have a significant other who believes in me so much and supports me so fully that he wanted to start a business with me has got to be the greatest gift that I have been given in life. I know how mushy that sounds... and all of my friends will probably make fun of me for saying so, but that is genuinely how I feel. Put that in your press and print it.

How did you become involved with DIME?

Dave: After we restored our letterpress, we started designing things like greeting cards and notebooks. We thought that the Etsy Denton Handmade Harvest would be a great place to try selling them. When we applied, we didn’t even have an Etsy store set up. Thankfully, we were able to sell at that event and it went really well. When the DIME Store opened, we quickly applied to be a part of it and were even asked to do a chalk mural on their wall.

Where can we shop your work?

Dave: We have an Etsy store. You can also find our work for sale at the DIME Store, and we will be selling some stuff at the DIME Summer Bazaar on June 8th. If you'd just like to keep tabs on what we're up to, there is our Facebook page, Twitter, or triplethreatpress.com.

Triple Threat Press is one of the featured speakers at May 13th's Creative's Mixer. How do you feel about being looked to as a voice for the creative community in Denton?

Dave: I still can’t get over the fact that somebody somewhere wants to hear what I have to say.

Laura: Dave still doesn’t understand that we’re not just some do-nothing teenagers anymore. We’re adults, and because we have worked hard to hone our adult skills, we are actually getting to be somewhat good at what we do. Imagine that, Dave. We do our jobs well.

Dave: I know a lot of people who do their jobs well... that doesn’t mean I want to hear them talk about it! I guess it is just crazy to me that this time last year, nobody knew who we were and now, people are going to sit and listen to us talk.

What did you get out of the first Creative's Mixer last October?

Dave: We showed up not really knowing what to expect. At that point, we weren’t even a business yet. We were just a couple with a letterpress. It was very neat to see so many people come out and to hear about what other people were doing in Denton. I think it gave us the assurance that what we were doing was good, that we had a market in Denton, and that people around here would support us.

Do you have any advice for aspiring artists who are looking to start a business or become an active part of the Denton creative community?

Dave: Know what you’re getting yourself into. It’s really easy to make things and put them out there for people to buy, but there is a lot of behind the scenes stuff that you might not really think about (More on that at the Denton Creatives Mixer on May 13th!).

Laura: It is really important to understand that there is a significant amount of time that must be devoted to creative work, and having realistic timelines in place to complete this work is essential to success. One last thing: No matter how hard you need to work to meet a deadline, try to schedule at least one hour of solitary time every day. Spend this time on yourself, not the business. If you’re anything like me when we first started our business, you’ll have a hard time turning off work. That’s not healthy. Take care of yourself, y’all.

AUSTERE INTERVIEW

will milne May 2, 2013

Words by Courtney Marie

Austere Magazine is everything but simple; it is a publication inspired by design itself. We had the honor of talking to Nikki Crouse and Natasha Brito, the energetically enterprising owners of Austere, about what makes their project special and their ideas about print, art, music, networking, and their huge event taking place in Denton this weekend: a neo-woodstock themed extravaganza.

Rebelling against the traditional appearance of modern magazines, each issue of Austere is in landscape format. The cover often features an eye-catching image but few words. Natasha said that they work hard with their main designer, Victoria Andres, to make sure every page of the publication is its own, unique work of art. The girls make new friends all the time who are constantly helping shape the project and inspire content. “It’s been a huge collective effort...we have new resident artists that want to send us artwork for every issue- we love it so much,” said Crouse, “...and photographers, models... it’s really catching on.”

Along with an edgy blend of photography, fashion, product reviews and interviews, every issue of Austere includes what they call “The Ten,” a visual and written showcase of ten artists or projects the Austere gals find captivating. Future issues will include poetry and even more original artwork by a variety of artists. Every copy from now on will have a unique “take-away” print or art piece tucked inside the pages that ties in to a feature of the magazine. All they would say about the print featured in the upcoming issue was to, "Think spaghetti face."

Besides that, the girls describe Issue E, the fifth issue since their launch last September, as “dark, alluring, and kind of sexy.” The July issue will be a pleasant contrast when it hits the shelves later this summer, with it's more upbeat, timely patriotic theme.

We asked Crouse and Brito what they thought about the future of printed magazines. Brito replied, “All of the badly designed print is going out and going digital. It’s making our market a lot smaller and it’s giving us a chance to grow more.”

Crouse added, “People don’t want to see print unless it’s beautiful. To them, it is collectible. Worthy. So our goal is to continue gaining value in our magazine, making it more beautiful, keeping it a tangible product...” Crouse loves books and argues that reading online or on a screen is boring. It’s better to have an awesome copy of your favorite book or magazine and proudly say to yourself, “This is going on the shelf after I read it.” We certainly agree. Each issue of Austere magazine is a work of art, something we will want to keep forever.

All this success in such a short time and these girls are still busy wrapping up their degrees at UNT. Brito and Crouse recently decided to stay in Denton post-graduation, regardless of the commute it will mean for Brito's new job. They rave about the interconnected community and creative support Denton has to offer.

Austere seeks people who embrace fresh new approaches to fashion, photography, entrepreneurship, and creativity. They recognize that Denton is one of the best places to be.

Join in the fun with Austere Magazine’s neo-woodstock themed event on Saturday. The huge outdoor party will include music, food trucks, local venders, live art, printmaking, a photo-booth, and of course, plenty of booze. There will be a collection of poetry readings organized and hosted by local literary and performance collective Spiderweb Salon. Bands that will be rocking the event include She Banshees, The Buffalo Parade, Biographies, Terrestrials, and many more. Sixties-inspired attire (read: hippie) is encouraged, but not necessary. BYOHH (bring your own hula hoop) and be sure to RSVP on the official Facebook event page or e-mail the magazine to add your name to the guest list or you will not be allowed on the grounds per city ordinance.

SEAN STARR AND STARR STUDIOS

Alyssa Stevenson April 23, 2013

One of our favorite local artists and entrepreneurs is the ever so industrious Sean Starr of Starr Studios. A few reasons you already know who this guy is: The Bookish Coffee sign on the square, the Jupiter House remodel, the fresh face of Bullseye Bikes and the interior branding of Royal's Bagels... not to mention our very own We Denton Do It logo. Sean has been hard at work making Denton a more beautiful place by bringing back the old school technique of hand sign painting. We applaud his work not only because it's insanely cool, but because he has a heart for our very own community - taking on the commitment of improving Denton by helping out small businesses locally and focusing on their needs with the same dedication he shows to the national brands he works with.

Sean Starr and Mathew Foster draw out spec plans for a new logo for the City of Denton.

What brought you to Denton - where did you live before - how long have you been here?

STARR: Initially family brought us here. I grew up in South Texas and over time my family all settled in the Metroplex. I have two sisters that live here in Denton as well as my nephew and his wife. In addition I have two brothers that live in the DFW area, so everyone pretty much settled in this area and that's what first got us considering moving here.

I started Starr Studios in San Francisco, in the Mission District, in 2005. Then Kayleigh and I got married in 2008 and worked together to really get it going. In 2010 we moved the studio down to the mountains outside of Los Angeles to try and simplify things, but we ended up busier there than we were in San Francisco and were doing most of our work in Beverly Hills which required a lot of commuting in L.A. Traffic, which wasn't any fun.

We came to visit family in Denton in November of 2011 with the mindset that we might move our studio here someday and decided to just go for it when Joey Hawkins, who owns Jupiter House Coffee, offered us some workspace. I had met Joey in 2007 while doing a cross country motorcycle trip after I stopped a while in Denton to visit my sisters and we have worked on projects with he and his wife Amy ever since. 

How did you get your start in sign painting?

STARR: Initially working with my dad. My dad started a company called Starr Custom Paint in San Antonio back in the 1980s. I came to work for him when I was in my late teens and we did custom design and paint work on everything from brand new pick up trucks to airplanes to Willie Nelson's tour bus. That was all pre-computer and we did every stage of the process by hand.

My dad was Ukrainian and an ex Golden Gloves boxer from Cleveland, so I learned his work ethic which was pretty amazing. I still have not met anyone who worked as hard as he did. He passed away about 15 years ago, and by that point we co-owned and operated the business.

I accepted a job offer at a sign shop in Seattle after he passed away and spent several years working with vinyl and digital signage, which I really hated but it taught me some really great computer as well as organization skills, so I am glad I spent that time. The shops in Seattle I worked at wanted nothing to do with paint, so I spent time painting at home. When I moved to San Francisco from Seattle I decided to start Starr Studios and was determined that we would focus on hand painted work and design.

Sign painting has now turned into full on branding for you. Tell us about that transition.

STARR: This is kind of a peculiar question to me. I have never really seen there being a difference between sign painting and what everyone now is referring to as branding. Throughout history, the sign painter was the guy doing what is now referred to as branding. Business owners relied on the sign artist to create a memorable visual image that created an atmosphere that represented the business' values as well as drew clientele in from the streets. We created the vibe. We are still doing that same thing, we just create in a way that allows for the use of our designs in digital media as well as physical.

We have been branching out in offering more comprehensive design for our clients over the last three years which has led to a working relationship with some of the best in the business and that has been exciting. In 2010 we started working on a variety of projects for the Gap and that's when I first met Mathew Foster, who was one of the co-founders of the Official Manufacturing Co. in Portland. Mathew and I really hit it off and have worked collaboratively ever since. His studio is now based out of Los Angeles and serves clients out there and we have teamed up on several branding launches.

Mathew and I are currently in the process of launching a collaborative agency we have named Shop Class. Mathew started at industry giant Wieden+Kennedy back in 2006 so he brings a really unique perspective and skill set to the mix. Shop Class will allow Mathew and I to work together on a regular basis with clients while maintaining our individual studios. We will be working on full branding campaigns that have an emphasis on hand craft and authentic design. We are also going to be very selective with who we will work for with Shop Class. We are both pretty focused on doing work that amazes far more than trying to build some mega-agency. Starr Studios will continue business as usual right here in Denton, we are just spreading our wings a little with Shop Class. 

FOSTER: Branding as it is talked about these days has a lot of unnecessary mystique and jargon attached to it. Sean already explained the essence. It's creating the vibe that attracts you to some thing or some company. This is all in the efforts of being able to tell a story, and to tell it well. Some of the most inspiring devices that tell great stories to me are ones that have long been in the trade of sign painters throughout history. It all has to come from a place that is true: you look at a project and step back far enough, and use the tools that work best for you - that's what I think we're hoping to do with Shop Class.

What fuels your interest in the creative culture of Denton?

STARR: Denton has got the “it” factor. It has wonderful energy, creatively. I think as it grows from its adolescence it is going to really develop its own micro culture that will be centered on the Creative Class and we are excited to be in the ground floor of that with a bunch of strong creatives that are organizing and are poised for growth. I am starting to see Denton attracting the attention of some of the creatives from other parts of the Metroplex. Combine the creative energy with the lifestyle here in Denton and its really shaping up to be an awesome city for anyone making things.

 Sign painting got its start far before the introduction of modern technology. When you first started working with a computer alongside painting, did you struggle with having to do graphic design or website design, or did it seem like a natural transition to go from a paint brush to a computer mouse?

STARR: I had, and have, mixed feelings about it. It has been a great tool to help with productivity and to keep things current for our clients, but I have mixed feelings. I still insist on starting every design with a sketch on paper with a pencil. I really don't think you can have real soul in your artwork if it doesn't at some point pass from your heart to your hand. I know there a lot of people doing amazing work that is all digital, but the soul comes through the hand to the paper.

You've done jobs for everyone from Bookish Coffee to the Gap. How do you maintain a good balance between local jobs and national clients?

STARR: We love working locally for a wide variety of reasons, most of which is being able to see on a weekly basis how our projects are working on our clients behalf. Its very rewarding. Our larger clients like Gap and Sony typically have insane deadlines we are working with and when that happens we just burn the midnight oil and make it happen. Most of our clients understand that we are a small, boutique studio and they give us flexibility with scheduling which we really appreciate. When we get hit with a high profile project and have to hustle to get that done, our local clients have been very understanding and patient and we really do appreciate that.

FOSTER: I've been working on an essay that will probably never see the light of day calledThe Robin Hood Business Method. To make a decent living, it's difficult to avoid the large corporate client jobs - even though they usually have a crazy infrastructure to deal with, the deadlines are insane, and there's often corporate brand guidelines to stick to... There's a balance to find between these guys and the smaller, local folks whose budgets are much smaller - but who trust you so much more and allow you to truly guide their design and brand in a positive, holistic way. I see it as two bank accounts: one is street cred and the other is money. You want healthy balances in both.

 A lot of people have compared you to Ron Swanson from the television show Parks & Recreation. Have you ever gone to a restaurant and asked for all of the bacon and eggs they have?

STARR: If more people had Ron Swanson's awesomeness the world would be a better place, so I am fine with the comparisons which have been non-stop since Season 1. As regards the bacon and eggs, although I have spent most of my life eating meat with an extra side of meat, Kayleigh and I went full on Vegan a few months back and have no intention of ever going back to my carnivorous ways. Take that stereo-typers...

 When you first set up studio space in town you were officing out of the bottom of Jupiter House. For more space, you recently moved into a new studio over by Mr. Frosty's on 377. Tell us about the new space.

STARR: Our new space is the studio we always wanted to build. I am an avid collector of anything old school sign painter, and have been collecting for years. We had hoped to someday put together a studio that resembled an old 1940s sign shop and I think we have gotten there finally. Its a wonderful space to paint as well as design and conceptualize. It very much invokes the feelings of working with my dad years ago.

We have tons of natural light, plenty of space to work and I absolutely love it. We loved being under Jupiter House, lots of good energy going on but it was just too small for us and I need to have natural light. Our neighbor has roosters, which is just another bonus.

What's your favorite way to spend an evening in Denton?

STARR: Walk a couple blocks from our house on North Austin to have a beer at Oak Street with some friends and play some dominoes, then walk to Green House for some dinner and drinks on the patio before walking a half block back home.

REDWOOD SESSIONS: ASTRONAUTALIS

Alyssa Stevenson April 22, 2013

REDWOOD RECORDING I AMANDUS STUDIOS I 35 DENTON

During 35 Denton this year the talented recording team at Redwood Studios and our friends at Amandus Studios teamed up with the 35D Audio-Video team to create a series of live recording sessions with several bands traveling through town for the festival. One of those sessions was with alternative hip-hop artist, Astronautalis. Watch his recording of "This is Our Science" down below to get a good idea of what it's like inside of Redwood Studios, and stay tuned for more videos being released from this series of one-time recording sessions.

ARTIST INTERVIEW: MICK BURSON

Alyssa Stevenson April 16, 2013

If you've been on the square or Fry Street in the last few years, you've seen Mick Burson's art. His large-scale work adorns the walls of several areas in town, some noticeable, some hidden. With the recent success of the Banksy movie, Exit Through the Gift Shop, public art has gone up a notch in the public eye. Denton, in general, sees it's fair share of street art. The majority of it has a pretty short half-life, though, being washed away before most people are able to even notice. Burson's work, however, is normally met with a warm welcome.

Many local business/land owners have commissioned Burson to beautify their walls with some of his local artwork. Maybe you've noticed his mural full of tiny, colorful houses on the west side wall of A Creative Art Studio at Oak and Bolivar? If not, then you've definitely seen one of his murals closer to the UNT campus. Either way, Burson's art has touched Denton in a way that most artists only dream about. With the forthcoming removal of the 35 Denton mural from the wall of Rusty Tacos, we thought it pertinent to speak to Denton's resident mural expert.

Tell us about yourself - what brought you to Denton - how long have you been here - what do you do - etc.

I moved to Denton about 3 years ago to go to UNT and I did that for about two years - and then I’ve been in Waco about the last year. I'm moving back to Denton next week and starting back in the fall to finish school. The job i'm leaving in Waco was super supportive of what I did so they were really flexible on my scheduling so I was able to take the big jobs out of town and still have something to come back to.

You have a long standing history with 35 Denton - how did that start? What all have you done with 35D? How do you think partnering with 35D has affected you?

I had known Ahuni Perez for a little while, and this year before the festival she contacted me needing someone to paint for the event. The inside of The Hive was what I did for them this year. The atmosphere the space provided was perfect, the building hadn’t been in use for some time so the smells and overall feel reflected that and thats what I’m drawn to. I ran short on time so I was only able to finish The Hive and not any other spaces this year so I owe them a wall in the future. Partnering with 35 Denton was an absolute pleasure, they know how to take care of the people they hire on for projects and I think that reflects in the organization. Special thank you to Kyle, Ashuni, and everyone who makes 35 Denton possible.

Why do you make public art?

I have always explored abandoned areas, and I think thats why I am so drawn to where I’m from because it provides an abundance of those spaces. Growing up I would explore the places and see graffiti left by others and there was something magical about the energy spent without expecting any return with just a hope that someone could appreciate it in the future. So I began writing graffiti at about 16. A couple years later I met up with some guys who helped me take it in a serious direction - and I began painting freight trains. With trains and graffiti and monikers on trains it provided an endless supply of inspiration. I no longer had to explore different areas everyday I could just go to the trainyard and the trains would constantly bring new stuff. I attended a community college at this time and one of my professors would let me skip class to paint trains as long as I showed him the work I had done. I appreciate him seeing a future in my work that I may not have seen at the time, I just wanted to paint. Eventually it all caught up to me and I got arrested for painting trains a week before my 20th birthday, and I guess thats where public art came in to save me. I still had to paint I just had to find a different way to go about it so I began painting legally for companies and different people. I think it was all just a natural transition into what it has become today. These days I make public art because its where I find my self-worth, it helps me to figure out myself and work through life issues.

What are your feelings on the permanence, or lack thereof, of public art? Do you have hopes for the staying power of your own?

I think the lack of permanence in public art is one of the beautiful things about it. It is just like a big challenge that I take upon myself to create things that last longer than my body or mind will.

Recently in Waco I was painting a wall and there was a discrepancy with the shop owner with whom the wall faced. Long story short, she talked to the guy I was painting for and he wanted to keep peace with her so he came out and said that it was no longer ok for me to paint and that they were going to cover it up. It then was no longer about the permanence of my work because i knew the future for it, it was more about being able to finish the expression I was in the middle of. I talked them into at least letting me finish, and as I was painting in the fur on the animals with a brush I realized that none of my work should ever be about permanence because it does not exist.

What inspires most of your wall art? What do you find appealing about large scale public art?

All my work is extremely narrative and usually focuses on interactions between people or animals. The interactions narrate trials and tribulation in my own life that I am facing. So what I paint is a direct reflection of how I would like myself to react in the situation. I feel by making work about whatever i'm facing and my work reflecting a positive reaction so that I will be more apt to following the suggestion I paint. I feel like it helps hold me accountable to the public on whom I want to be.

How much does the environment in which you place a piece (or even Denton in general) inspire the murals that you create?

I think the environment surrounding my work may inspire a certain color pallet for formality reasons but I try not to let it affect the content of my work. I do take into consideration other shapes and textures that will be working into the bigger view, meaning other buildings and areas that are in view when looking at one of my works and try to interact with shapes accordingly.

Do you think its important for you to have a creative community?

I love a creative community - but sometimes its not realistic for where you are at - so I make sure I do not build a dependance on a set creative community. I feel like a creative community is different from one to another so you can build your own wherever you are at. My favorite thing about school is the creative community it creates.

You’ve collaborated with other artists on some murals. Do you find that to be more exciting than working on your own?

I think the collaboration process is an important one. One of my favorites to collaborate with is Taylor Mcclure, I think naturally anyone who creates large scale work has to have a certain drive within himself so having that in common with someone else is a great rare thing thats should be exercised. I also feel like that is one of the difficulties, I try to never let my drive become my ego and that stand between me and a new idea. I also feel like one of the collaborations that happens in a very natural way is the one between Mike Carpenter and I. Mike films and edits montages of my work, we work great together not much needs to be said he does what he does, and does it very well and I do what I do. So collaborations can come in many different forms.

What kind of preparation goes into something like a large wall mural? Is there a lot of planning before you start?

It depends alot on who its for and what it will be containing. For businesses they always want to see a sketch and quite a bit of prior planning. Then there's the other side of it were I just go find a wall and talk to the business owners about me just doing my own thing on it. When there's no real guidelines as far as content there is very minimal planning. I try not to have any sketches and just react to the shape of the wall, I give myself this freedom since a lot of my work contains straight lines and requires a lot of accurate work. For me a sketchbook is one of the most important things, I fill them up constantly and then I have set shapes in my head that I lay down and then just react to those when doing a wall. As far as my color palette goes there is never any planning going into it - I just pick a few basic colors and mix them on site.

You started out as a printmaker and still do that along with your public murals. Printmaking allows you to easily create multiple pieces of work. Has a desire to get your work in front of a lot of people influenced your choice in medium?

I think printmaking has greatly influenced my work, any one of my walls could very easily be broken down and turned into a print. I work with layers - just like in printmaking - and figure out what is going to work best next, and make sure I am not cutting background shapes after doing foreground objects. I think the medium I use for walls whether it be spray paint or latex paint is influenced by what I grew up knowing and what I am use to. I try to broaden the materials I use so that in any situation work can still be made, but I also let myself figure out the new material at my own pace. I don't ever want this part of my work to turn into being about money, that would ruin the pureness and simplicity of it all.

Your style is pretty recognizable. Can you tell us about your aesthetic?

One of my mom's favorite artist is a guy named Pena and all his work is based around native americans and the southwest, so I grew up drawing the paintings she had hanging at the house. Now that I am older I can recognize the elements in my work that I have kept from his work. A lot of inspiration I take from others' work happens at a subconscious level, so I never really know whose work is really affecting my own style until later down the road. One of my favorite things about art and the cohesiveness of someone's work is that it cannot be bought, or learned over night. I have to take what I know and make work day and night about it and take care of it and figure out what direction I want it all to go. Art takes an extreme amount of work that you have to put in to reach any real level of cohesiveness that you could call your own, and thats why its a never ending process for me.

BLACKOUT POETRY

Alyssa Stevenson April 11, 2013

Austin Kleon inspired all of us over here at We Denton Do It with his tips on keeping the creative juices flowing. So much so that in response we've come up with our own set of blackout poems.

We're posting ours here and a few on our instagram if you'd like to follow along. Join us in our new Sunday morning addiction and instagram your own newspaper blackouts using the #wddi #blackout hashtags.

Don't forget to skip out on work a little early and join us over at UNT on the Square at 4 today to listen to his sage advice up close and in person.

Austin Kleon I UNT on the Square I 4p I Free

THREE SONGS: APRIL

will milne April 11, 2013

This month's selection of songs from local bands spans the gamut form homespun-weirdo folk to outright sludge metal. Needless to say, there's probably a little something for everybody in this month's Three Songs.

We ran across a Skagg Philips set this past Saturday evening in the basement of J and J's. You can count us as late to the game on this one, but we were blown away by not only his gentle timeless songs, but his beautiful voice and emphasis on lyrical storytelling. We could very easily start gushing here, so we'll try to get out quick. Jesus Christ, the Philips is the moniker of local skinny guy, Jordan Batson. Batson is currently at work on a new album entitled, "Vice Versa." We'll be sure to let you know when he's got a show coming up in the Den10. You can check out more of Skagg Philips on his Facebook page.

Chambers has been slowly leaking out tracks from their forthcoming album over the past few months. Heck, we even debuted their video our first day back. This particular song that they released at the beginning of April is the most challenging track of the bunch so far. Upon first listen, that synth pulled us out of the song. We were worried that aliens might have abducted Judson Valdez et co. during the recording process. It wasn't until about 2:50 into the song when everything kicks in at full force that we could behold the glory that was the synthesizer and then appreciate the thoughtful lyrics and instrumentation. Check out more of Chambers here.

And on the opposite side of the spectrum, we also have a song from Denton mainstays Terminator 2 this month. Terminator 2 is one of the more masculine and aggressive bands currently operating out of Denton. The only thing this particular song has in common with the Chambers song above it is the acquired taste aspect. If you're not familiar with much doom or sludge metal, this might not be up your alley. Terminator 2 is hot off of having been deemed as having one of the "Top 10 Most Badass Band Names" in DFW. Denton has it's fair share of metal, but only a little bit of it is worth a damn. This is. I Am God sounds as if it was recorded deep underground in a portion of the earth with tectonic plates converging, causing earthquakes on the service. Heck, the bass-lines and barks here were probably the cause of those little earthquakes DFW has been experiencing over the past year or so. While we're on the subject, make sure you see these men live if you ever get the chance. Even if you hate this, it'll be a good talking point for you in the future. Terminator 2 just released a self-titled full length on Handmade Birds. You can purchase their cassette here or stream it via Decibel Magazine for the time being. Also, they have plenty of upcoming dates on their Facebook page, and you can stream their namesake via Netflix at the moment, too.

DENTON LIT - JOSEPH CARR

will milne April 9, 2013

This post is part of an ongoing collaboration between WDDI and Spiderweb Salon. We've previously been introduced to the likes of Walker Smart in their first shared post with us and countless others in the endless barrage of excellent live shows they have been hosting. Keep up with Spiderweb Salon, and see the great work they're doing showcasing the creative community through a series of live performances.

Joseph Carr reading at the 35 Denton Spiderweb Salon show.

Joseph Carr is a legally deaf poet who has been writing now for over a decade. While he has very little formal education, he has been a practicing autodidact studying for years within the areas of literature, poetry, theology, technology, language, and philosophy. His writing and research stem from his personal struggles with silence, withdrawal, abandonment, transparency, and the questions of compassion, humility, the divine, and the possibility of love. Carr read his poetry aloud for the very first time at the Spiderweb Salon show that took place on the lawn of the square in February.

Seeing as it's national poetry month, we thought it appropriate for Carr's works to be featured this month. Below, we have two of Carr's poems for your reading pleasure. Read through them, and if you have any interest in becoming a part of Spiderweb or perhaps catching one of Carr's readings in the future, be sure to keep an eye on their upcoming events page here.

Love is a myth

Our plans, laid at night, woken at day
to lead the way as Ariadne, with thread so fine and paltry,
if they carry us far it is to everlasting shipwreck on foreign grounds.
Our actions but the flailing of infants, the wailing of woes
to tease Persephone from her captors with a song,
one to make the Furies weep as they did, and, with us, do still.
Our efforts are jests, pokes, irreverent worship
to disenchant Arachne with that same defiant foolishness,
expending lifetimes weaving chains in exchange for freedom.
Our faces wrung of emotion, poured out in mirrors
to shed the dark as Psyche, so ugly, such revelation
makes every lover flee in a storm of feathers and shame.
Our feet, torn and bruised by a shallow and feeble torpor
to lead the blind as Ismene in a tumult of fear
when even the uncanniest care does yet cower in the last.
Our hope a whimpered prayer at a powdered monument
to steal away Alcestis from demons unawares
borrowing minutes in an immemorial chorus of dread.
Our desires fickle as wind, wispy as clouds
to lend the future wings as Daedalus, ever cautious
till, in us, fire of sun meet most abyssal waters.
And love too is a myth ancient and tragic,
belated, it slips, like so many tongues
in so many mouths, telling so many stories,
singing so many songs, reciting so much verse;
dry and arid lips, confessing parched lies
of words and worlds,
and fire and water and sky.

Piezomechanesis

You’re full of luciferase,
and I’ve been hungry ever since.

I was 5, you, a month, middle aged,
already drunk on the twilight pools
I’d barely dipped my ankles in.

Maybe it was the cold light,
the hoary frost on your lips,
but I wanted you immediately,
wielding your aether
through the scissor punctures
of a gilded mason jar lid.

2 blinks for yes, 1 for no,
or maybe it’s more complicated,
a flashing sonnet
torn from an Aeolian harp.

Maybe it’s a sacrament,
and by the time you speak,
I’ll be just as dazzling.