Five Miles From Times Square

My 2012 Painting Portfolio Is... ALIVE!!!

2011-12-08T18:58:00.000-08:00

It was supposed to be finished and en route to galleries by October 31. For that reason I dubbed the project "Halloween Massacre." I pushed to get the Xanadu painting finished in order for me to meet that deadline. I generally don't miss deadlines, but its been a crazy mixed up fall of 2011 for me.

I finally finished it tonight, although I don't anticipate having any completed packages ready to mail out until sometime next week. You can get your hot little hands on a PDF version right here.

The Legacy Of A Dead Planet

2011-11-09T20:39:00.000-08:00

My work is a record of a personal journey of discovery and adventure. It's a deeper look into the conflict between Nature and Man. Studying this conflict requires complete honesty, and in order to fully understand the dynamic, an observer must accept the possibility that the side to which his sympathy is given may not be winning.

This is not such an easy idea to accept for someone who is a lover of Nature, because it should be obvious that Nature will most likely obliterate any of Man's accomplishments. That which Man creates is made of Nature's building blocks, and is therefore no greater than Nature herself. Buildings crumble and rot, images fade away, civilizations and their hopes and dreams fall to pieces as elements react with elements and molecules with molecules. Sublime natural forces such as rust or mold are as detrimental to Mankind as the atomic fusion that creates stars and galaxies.

So if Nature has so much going for it, how can Mankind possibly pose a threat? What efforts can humans bring that will overcome the powers of creation? These are questions that I have been exploring in my studies of abandoned buildings and polluted wetlands. The first look at a crumbling brick row home with trees growing up through the roof would seem to indicate that given enough time, Nature will get the upper hand. But something else is there, something sinister, something malignant, even depraved.

Picture yourself on a canoe, floating down a canal that cuts through a thick marsh, with the tops of foxtail grasses reaching fifteen feet above the water line. Their roots are planted firmly in an oozy, green and brown base of land that seems like an ordinary marsh bed when casually viewed as you drift by. Upon closer inspection, you discover that this miry substratum is more than muddy earth. It's also a tangled mesh of old shoes, bottles, cans, wires, fabric, hoses, and any other relic that Man can create and discard. You soon realize that this marsh is growing on a land base that is made entirely of garbage. Acre after acre of what seemed like a pristine aquatic wilderness is actually an old landfill.

I used to claim that my work was, at its very core, optimistic. I believed that by drawing attention to distressed environments, I could convey the need to address concerns about the natural world and what our species would do to reverse the devastation it had caused. I believed that ultimately, Nature would prevail and rid itself of the plague that Mankind had brought. As I do more research and observation I'm beginning to feel that perhaps I was initially misguided and wrongly idealistic.

My recent studies of the New Jersey Meadowlands have reinforced this feeling. There aren't many places on earth where an ecosystem has suffered so terribly from the wanton greed and selfishness of the human quest for wealth and power. With air, water and land tainted with the poisonous by-products of Mankind's material culture, there is little reason to believe that a place that was transformed from a living wetland into a toxic wasteland can ever return to its original form. The discarded refuse and contamination is simply too widespread and too deeply infused into the land to ever be cleaned out enough to support life. The available land continues to be consumed by the demand for real estate, and the behavior of the water is forever re-directed to comply with the requirements of Mankind.

The optimism that I thought was the core emotion in my work has revealed itself to be despair. The more I see, the less I feel that Nature can eradicate the inherited desolation of a pernicious human civilization. Solid waste and toxic chemicals could potentially remain as part of the Earth's surface forever. The self-destructive and suicidal behavior of a species which chooses to live in such a way that destroys the very ecosystem on which it relies for its survival is further proof that there is little chance for salvation from this fate. Even after our species vanishes from history, there will be a legacy, and I have chosen to record it in my paintings: the legacy of a dead planet.

We Are The People And We Occupy

2011-10-27T13:19:00.000-07:00

Corporations are entities which are comprised of two things: money and people. Without people, corporations don't exist.

Look around you and what do you see? A city.

There are those who would tell you that this city with all its buildings and roads and bridges were all brought to you by banks and corporations.

But banks and corporations don't build things. People build things.

Corporations don't provide jobs. People provide jobs.

When we work for a corporation, they need us.

Because Its people who lay bricks.
It's people who pave roads.
It's people who pull levers and push buttons.
It's people who mop floors and clean toilets.
It's people who are designers and engineers.
It's people who do accounting.
It's people who make decisions.
It's people behind a desk who hire other people.

If you ask me if we are slaves to corporations, I say "no!"
So why do they think they can treat us like slaves?
Why do they think we cannot survive without them?

If you ask me, it is they who need us.
It is they who cannot survive without us.
It is the corporations who are the slaves and we are the masters.

When I read our constitution, the first three words I see are "we the people."

It is we who control our destiny.
It is we who work and provide for ourselves and our families.
It is we who participate in commerce and trade.
It is we who should be governing and making laws.
It is we who can bring the system down when the system threatens our way of life.
It is we who have drawn a line in the sand.
It is we who have occupied public spaces in the name of justice.
It is we who say "we won't put up with this anymore!"
It is we who want to put things right again.
It is we who want to reclaim the power of our vote.

Without people performing work, there would be no corporations.
So stop telling me to apologize for financial criminals and irresponsible corporations just because they need people to work for them.
They are not entitled to break the law.
They are not entitled to destroy lives.
They are not entitled to bring a nation's economy to its knees.
They are not entitled to escape justice.

It is we who want the law applied to everyone equally.
It is we who want a level playing field where no one cheats their way to the top.
It is we who want a representational government where no one can pay to have a law written in their favor or bribe politicians.

Look around me and what do you see? A city.
A city build by people.

Who's city is it? It's our city.
Who's city? Our city.
Who's streets are these? They're our streets.
Who's streets? Our streets.

We Occupy. And we're staying.

Important Article Shared By Occupy Philadelphia

2011-10-12T06:59:00.000-07:00

Now's a good time to get off topic.

This article posted on the Occupy Philadelphia Facebook page has some interesting charts showing the inequalities in our economy. Its all stuff we've heard over and over again, but somehow gets overlooked or scoffed at by Joe Average struggling to pay his mortgage. I liked what it said but I couldn't overlook the disconnect that it highlighted.

Here are the comments i left on the thread on the Occupy Phila FB page:

"My comments regarding this: while I personally agree that these charts show how unfair things are, most Americans consider it a right in this country to be as rich as you can be. However, what the average person is not understanding is that this kind of inequality and the financial crisis of 2008 and beyond was the result of crimes committed by the very rich…"

"…heinous crimes against the people which go unpunished, plus complete control and corruption of the political system. These things need to be explained to people in a simple way or they will dismiss the occupy movement as just a bunch of liberal socialist freaks behaving badly."

"This is why you get complaints such as "why don't you go out and start a business if you don't like how things are." Kind of amazing how average Americans don't realize how badly victimized they really are and how the transgressions of the rich and greedy have affected them directly."

Then I shared it on the news feed and here are the comments I added:

"Let me make one thing clear: These charts make perfect sense to me but I'm not against capitalism or banks or people getting rich. The issue is not who is making money and who is not. The issue is that banks like JPM and Goldman Sachs are STEALING from the people and the government REFUSES to do anything about it. The banks steered the risk of derivatives trading into the public domain while keeping the rewards for themselves, then asked the taxpayers for bailouts when it blew up in their faces."

The connection somehow needs to be made otherwise the mainstream media will succeed in mocking the movement and nothing will change. People are so blind that they can't feel the bankers hands stealing right out of their pockets. They allow this to go on as part of the American Dream. When they wake up, they'll be living in a tent city and will still consider it all to be fair game. Sad. Really sad.

Birth Of Xanadu

2011-09-29T20:17:00.000-07:00

This video would go viral if it featured dancing babies or singing cats or some kid falling off his bike and smashing his nuts…

…but it doesn't. Its the story of my latest painting from start to finish, and I'm extremely happy with it. It's also making its public debut in 3 days, with celebration to follow.

Xanadu Lives

2011-09-25T18:23:00.000-07:00

Xanadu, 30" x 48", oil on canvas, 2011.

This painting will be on exhibit at the Tenth St Laundromat beginning Saturday 10/1 until Monday 10/31. Be there on the 15th and you can see what I look like drunk.

Take a stroll through my posts over the past 6 months and you'll see each and every step of the process. There's a short film coming soon as well.

Five Miles From Times Square at the Tenth St Laundromat

2011-09-21T12:00:00.000-07:00

I'll start out by mentioning that the image on the left of the flyer is one of mine that a) was not going to be included in the show, and b) is at my brother's house. Whatever. What will be shown are 6-7 paintings from the series, Five Miles From Times Square, my painting study of the phenomenon and ecological disaster known as the New Jersey Meadowlands.

If you're reading this there's no excuse for you to not be at this thing on October 15th. Unless, of course you live thousands of miles away and can't afford to travel. If that's the case I'll have a drink in your honor. Seriously, Philadelphia is worth the trip wherever you come from, and this show would just be one more cool thing on your agenda.

If you can make it, expect an art show unlike any you have ever been to. Yes, Virginia, it is in a laundromat. No, Virginia, don't bring your dirty undies. You'll be having way too much fun for that.

I should also mention that I'll be showing alongside my very best friend and a world class painter, Don McPartland. I've known Don for over 20 years and have always been and admirer of his. His work has inspired me in many ways, and I'm always excited to show with him.

I'm looking forward to meeting Carla Hopkins & Nick Gleckman and to hearing Hott Tubb as well. And of course, DJ Jeffrey with The Magic Message will have all the ladies dancing on the dryers before the night is out.

Xanadu pt 43: Fini

2011-09-20T21:35:00.001-07:00

43 individual sittings. Average about 1-1/2 hrs per sitting, putting me somewhere in the neighborhood of 60-65 hours. It all took place between April 19th of this year until tonight. It's been through renovation projects, hurricanes, child invasions and has occupied the 10 PM till midnight slot of most weekdays and has cost me a good bit of sleep.

I've taken a photo after each sitting, from start to finish, and posted it here. The news stories about the building featured in the painting, Xanadu, or The American Dream, or whatever you wish to call it have strung themselves together into an interesting drama which is far from over.

All of the photos so far have been taken on my phone in my studio under less that ideal lighting, but the real photo will be posted soon. I'm not sure what to blog now.

Here it is, the final installment, Xanadu pt 43

Xanadu pt 42: Misinformation Superhighway

2011-09-19T21:00:00.000-07:00

One of the ways in which the media can mislead the public is to give the illusion of presenting something substantial while not actually doing so. This may be by intentional or not, but when your news story has the headline, "Triple Five executives discuss project, answer questions" and you only publish a few meatballs from the public, it leaves one to wonder how involved the public is allowed to be in a particular issue of importance.

Generally, when people skim through news articles they read the headline and the first paragraph or two. Anyone who read the entire article should notice that it includes a grand total of two softball questions from residents, preceded by talking points from T5 suits, proceeded by comments from local public officials (who's job it is to sell it to their constituents whatever the cost), and boiler plate about the Meadowlands Commission's transportation plans. It all leaves me to wonder what public input from the meeting wasn't published. Did they really only have time to ask questions of two people, or were they making sure that no one beyond the walls of the room where the meeting was held gets the impression that people are tired of having their world turned upside down by greedy developers.

The purpose of this event, it would seem, was to give the impression that they were inviting input from the public, but what the public thinks really doesn't matter. The purpose of this article seems to have been nothing more than an handy bit of PR for a developer who intend to press on with a project that's tanking in opinion polls, and they'll carry on regardless of what impact it may have on the local and state residents whose lives will be affected whether they like it or not.

I also love how they breached the issue of charging for parking. They wanted to assure the public that it will be "no more than $5." I guess that settles it. No followup necessary, even though it hints at one of two things: that they're trying to squeeze every last dime from people who simply want to go to a mall, or that they're anticipating cash flow problems when it comes to repaying the taxpayers who are going into debt on their behalf.

This project is underway, and will continue until it opens its doors or until, god willing, T5 goes broke. The only thing I can do about it is complain. And make a painting.

Part 42 (its almost done):

Xanadu pt 41: Party Time at Tenth St. Laundromat

2011-09-15T19:23:00.000-07:00

Before I tell you about what's going down at the mat, soak in Xanadu pt 41, which I have exactly 16 more days to complete:

And now some of the skinny on where this paining (once completed) and other paintings for this project will be shown and how you can get in on the action of the most unique, notorious and fabulous exhibition and dance party of the year:

October 1-31, 2011

Reception and Music
October 15, 2011
8-11 PM? I'll have confirmation of that soon

Artists:
Matthew Green (me)
Don McPartland
Carla Hopkins & Nick Gleckman

Featuring:
Live music by Hott Tubb
and DJ Jeffery (the magic message)

Tenth St. Laundromat
1141-43 S 10th Street
(one block south of Washington Ave on the corner of Ellsworth St)
Philadelphia, PA USA

Beer, wine and hors d'oeuvres by Sugarplum Stacy will be served. A small donation is appreciated but not required. You don't really need to bring your dirty laundry but it would kill 2 birds with one stone. Nudity is preferred by me but frowned upon by the management. Dancing on the machines is a little dangerous but oh, so cool.

If you live an airplane's flight away I would suggest getting on Expedia right freakin' now. Here's a little snippet of what you missed the last time DJ Jeffery made an appearance at the Mat.

Now, doesn't that sound like fun? An official flyer is in the works, and that will be posted when it's available.

Xanadu pt 40

2011-09-14T21:08:00.000-07:00

Big 4-0. I can barely type again, my goddamn hand is killing me. Read what I wrote yesterday. Chris Christie is probably gonna send someone to my house to kick my ass.

Xanadu pt 39: Wham, Bam, Muni Scam

2011-09-13T18:07:00.000-07:00

Why didn't I see this before?

After begging the state of New Jersey for tax exemptions, which really mean corporate handouts, Triple Five, the new owners of the shit sandwich formerly known as Xanadu are reportedly seeking up to $1bn in public money to complete the infamous unfinished megamall project. This has quietly crept into the news after the fanfare surrounding their supposed rescue of the project like white knights saving the damsel in distress. It appears that they really don't have enough cash to finish the job. They really just want to scam taxpayers into handing over parts of their personal income, promising jobs, in order to give Kubla Christie a big wet blow job.

A recent story by Michael Gartland of The Record discusses how they're now asking Bergen County to sell municipal bonds in order to raise $400m. Why? Can't they find private investors themselves? One might argue that T5 hopes munis would be more attractive to investors because of their tax-exempt status. The deal that's on the table right now between them and the county is that taxpayers would not be liable for any debt. If that's the case, why offer public debt in the first place?

I highly doubt that the deal is gonna fly if T5 has to be liable for the debt. Anyone who thinks that they're that altruistic is a fucking fool. They obviously don't have the cash they need, so how could they possibly guarantee the debt themselves? That's why you ask for munis in the first place: they're government guaranteed by tax revenue. They can't get investors on their own to raise the $1bn because no one in their right mind wants to have anything to do with the Xanadu shitpile. The taxpayers are going to be in hock for this thing. Getting tax breaks from the state was just a foot in the door.

Triple Five never had any intentions of committing their own funds for this nightmare. They're nothing but a company of hucksters and thieves surviving on empty promises and other people's money. This project stinks, and its now going to be a huge liability to taxpayers while the developers profit, have orgies, take expensive vacations and buy yachts and fancy cars. Enjoy your indoor fucking skiing, New Jersey. You're paying for it, whether you ever go there or not.

Here's fucking part 39:

Xanadu pt 38

2011-09-12T21:19:00.000-07:00

July 6th I started painting the foxtails. Now mid september I can move past the tedium and get back to some real painting. Beck, The Doors, Kristen Hersh got me home tonight. I don't feel like writhing anything interesting. I keep making spelling mistakes and its annoying me. Crap it's 12:30. Sometime this week I'll have details about the Laundromat. Bring yer knickers.

Pt 38 for those of you keeping score at home:

Xanadu pt 37

2011-09-08T21:54:00.000-07:00

My freakin hand is killing me from retouching images of pregnant ladies all week. Actually they're not pregnant, but they're made to look pregnant and I had 26 photos to retouch by tomorrow (today) and I finally got it all finished around 10:00 this evening, but after all that shit I still managed to bang out 2-1/2 hours in the studio. My hand and forearm are so dead right now its numb and shaking, but I gutted it out like a champ. Sept 30 is breathing down my neck and now this catalog thing at work is heating up and things on the home front are going to be insane for the next 2 weeks. This will be a true test of my will and fortitude and I'll really earn my stripes if I finish this thing in time for the Laundromat in October. Next week I'll have details about that. Just get your asses on a plane or a bus or whatever and come dance your pants off and see this stuff in person on 10/15.

Part 37:

Xanadu pt 36

2011-09-01T21:02:00.000-07:00

Too tired to soapbox tonight. Its not Sept 1st and I want this painting done by the 30th for the Laundromat. I hope they get that same DJ for 10/15. I'm not making any promises but there might be disrobing. If I invite the right people. We'll see.

Part 36 blah blah...

Xanadu pt 35 And A Little Bit Of Austerity

2011-08-31T21:03:00.000-07:00

So If you've been following the progress of this painting you'll remember that one of my complaints about the subject of the piece was the nice and cozy relationship between Chris "Kubla" Christie and Triple Five, the big Canadian developers of Mall Of America. They're the most recent entities to make a go of trying to finish the Xanadu project, or The American Dream as its now known. Christie has managed to fast-track tax breaks for Triple Five in exchange for replacing cops, teachers, social workers and firemen with janitors and retail clerks. In other words, at the same time he's been pushing through his agenda of spending cuts on police, education and job training, he's giving handouts to corporations.

This is by far my not my chief complaint, which has more to do with environmental issues, but it's pretty high on my shit list. It also fits in nicely with a story that was published today in Huffpost Business. In the article, Peter S. Goodman interviews my friend Joe Sangataldo, a former social worker who specialized in job training of welfare and unemployment recipients. Joe was laid off two years ago when Christie began his mission of cutting spending on things that invest in the future of our state, and instead decided to focus on pleasing his corporate friends, who I still contend will be contributing to his Presidential bid if and when he decides to run.

Joe's story is typical of many who have been victimized by rising unemployment with one exception: his job was to help people who are receiving government handouts get out of the system and get back to work. It seems illogical that Christie would want to cut funding to areas where it can actually go towards helping people build a better future. Instead it gets funneled to centers of corporate and commercial greed like Xanadu.

I'm not sure how people like Chris Christie sleep at night. I guess when you have powerful friends it doesn't matter that you're putting people on the street who were trying to help others get off the street and build a better life. This is congruent with the austerity measures that have sparked riots in Europe, and congruent with the indifference their leaders have with the plight of their citizens.

I can't wait for this painting to be done. Here's part 35:

Xanadu pt 34: Irene 1, Studio 0

2011-08-30T21:12:00.000-07:00

Hurricane Irene got the best of my studio over the weekend, with the tiniest trickle of water that found its way through what I thought was my rock solid defense shield. There wasn't enough to damage anything, but enough to wash the floor and to force me to move the rug and other stuff to higher ground (on top of the dirty sofa where my dog sleeps). By last night the floor had dried and everything was put back where it belonged. So all is well. But there is another...

What I was secretly hoping for and didn't get was for the storm to damage my favorite mega-mall to be, which would have helped further my cause and support my hypothesis for this project. Xanadu still stands, and the painting continues.

With the arrival of September, its time to start thinking about really pushing the envelope so I can get this thing completed for October 1, when its scheduled to hang at 10th St Laundromat in Philadelphia, along with other selections from the series. As it stands, the exhibit will hang from October 1st to the 31st, with a reception on Saturday the 15th. I'll put up more details on that soon.

Meanwhile, here's Part 34:

Xanadu pt 33: Have A Rolling Rock

2011-08-25T21:11:00.000-07:00

Since we've arrived at part 33 I thought I would pay tribute to another 33, Rolling Rock Beer. I don't have any, so a Yuengling Lager will have to do. You may be wondering what the significance is between the number 33 and a relatively inconsequential beer. So have many others. The inscription printed on the bottle may offer the only clue:

Rolling Rock. From the glass lined tanks of Old Latrobe we tender this premium beer for your enjoyment, as a tribute to your good taste. It comes from the mountain springs to you. "33"

Still confused? Try this analysis from Snopes.

I may be on a small hiatus in the next week or so dealing with potential aftermath of hurricane Irene. Hopefully my basement won't flood and I'll be back in business on schedule for my usual Tuesday-Wednesday-Thursday night sessions.

Until then, here's Xanadu pt 33:

Getting Off Topic: Richard Dawkins

2011-08-24T12:09:00.000-07:00

I very rarely go off-topic on this blog but I wanted to share this video of a Richard Dawkins interview at the University of Maryland back in April 2011. I'm so used to reading and listening to Dawkins discussing the evolution/creationism debate that I forget what a brilliant scientist he is. Hearing him discuss his areas of expertise and the science of evolution is a refreshing and rewarding experience.

If you have an hour and a half where you're doing something or can devote to listen to this, he discusses a variety of topics that are all easily understood by anyone.

Xanadu pt 32: As Gravity Pulls, The Plot Thickens

2011-08-24T07:13:00.000-07:00

Its another sounds-too-good-to-be-true story. The ugliest goddamn building in the state and the most notorious promise never kept seemed just a few years and a paltry piece of legislation away from being completed and becoming the "center of the world." But now, as Paul Harvey used to say, the rest of the story.

A headline in NorthJersey.com from yesterday reads: Builder seeks $1B in public financing and tax breaks to complete 'Dream'. The last we heard, they were only getting $250 million from the State of New Jersey. This would assure them of having American Dream opened by 2013, in plenty of time for the 2014 Superbowl at neighboring MetLife Stadium. 55 million visitors every year would come, the money would be repaid, and a brand new attraction and economic engine would be purring like a kitten.

So what happened?

I used to work as a house painter and did many restoration projects in old homes. I've been burned more than once by relying on the best-case scenario in a job's planning stages. I own a house. I understand the principle of the can of worms. You never know what's behind a wall until you start tearing it down. You never know how rotten something is until you sink your teeth into it. New Jersey residents should feel like fools for allowing this to unfold this way. We voted for these fucknuts and they took us for a ride, all the while telling us that this kind of thing is good for us, that its something we need. By the time this demented and depraved project is finished, we'll be in hock for billions and sitting on a shuttered and boarded-up monument to over-indulgence and wish-thinking.

Xanadu was the original name for the place. The poem from which it gets its name came to Samuel Taylor Coleredge in a dream, and too often people have trouble differentiating dreams from reality. The real narrative is playing out exactly as it should. It started out as a brilliant idea, was overly ambitious, had financial problems, was planned poorly, and is now becoming a public quandary. In short time it will become a nightmare, a blight and a laughing stock, as if New Jersey needs any more of that. The evil presence in The Meadowlands is beginning to rear its ugly head.

The image of the unfinished painting at the end of this article will be the only true representative of what happenes when a society stands by and let its leaders dream off more than they can chew. Soon this painting will be done and it will truly express the errors of a civilization that places corporate profit above the needs of the living. We do not need another commercial orgy of excess, and we will not have one in East Rutherford for long. We will have an empty, functionless, dilapidating, Kafkaesque complex of structures on the horizon, rising out of the foxtails and fighting an un-winnable fight against forces of Nature and culture that are to be reckoned with.

The weeds slowly grow. The cracks begin to form. The swamp gently rises. The earth opens ever so gradually. Meanwhile, there's no sign of shoppers, skiers, diners, swimmers, performers, eyeballs, asses or any of the other fruits of anyone's labor or wonders of it all. There's just a lot of gravity methodically pulling down an empty mall.

Tonight, dear readers, I give you Xandu pt 32…

Concrete Straightjacket

2011-08-22T13:01:00.001-07:00

Sometime in the future, after I'm world famous, I think I'll take up the iconic LA River as my next project. I've always been fascinated by it. The phrase "concrete straightjacket" really strikes a nerve inside of me as a wild, living body of water held captive by a selfish and destructive civilization. I lifted it from this blog post on Inhabitat.com. Now I wanna go there with a camera and waste 3-5 perfectly good years of my life turning them into paintings.

Check out the slide show and then do an image search on Google and see how awesome this catastrophe is. So many people have taken fabulous photos and I want in. I'm salivating.

Chris Christie's Grandpa Weren't No Monkey

2011-08-19T08:54:00.000-07:00

I've already declared previously that Chris Christie will run for president in 2012. I believe the perfect storm is brewing, in that all of the current candidates are unelectable. I have plenty of conservative friends who are complaining that they need a "real candidate."

The people of New Jersey are really starting to hate Christie, but that wouldn't matter. He can easily win an election without New Jersey or any of the adjacent states (RE: George W). The people in the midwest could give a crap less about corporate handouts, union busting and teacher layoffs. A tough-talking red politician who gives great soundbites is all they need.

Salon.com has provided a guideline by which you can tell if a state governor has presidential aspirations. One criteria is that they begin to publicly display doubts about evolution and climate change, both of which are extremely unpopular in the lesser educated parts of the U.S. In other words, places abundant in conservative voters. Chris Christie is beginning to fit the mold. He has until November to make up his mind.

Being relatively unknown across the country at a time when the Republican front-runners are making asses of themselves means that he's got good potential to win an election as long as there are sufficient voters who want to get rid of Obama. If you hate Christie, now's the time to think about moving to Canada.

Swamp Thing At The Center Of The World

2011-08-18T09:20:00.000-07:00

Imagine you're offered an opportunity to travel to the center of the world. You can barely imagine what that might be like, full of wonder and discovery. It could be a spectacular, amazing experience and adventure like no other you've ever had. The only problem is your journey of a lifetime will be delayed a while because of traffic on Route 3.

There's a handful of people who think that The American Dream nee Xanadu will be a huge success and a financial windfall. Everyone else agrees that its doomed to failure before it even opens its doors. The Meadowlands has a reputation that is hard to ignore, and anyone who thinks that it can be developed into submission is in for a rude awakening.

Xanadu pt 31

2011-08-17T21:08:00.001-07:00

Its one of those nights when I don't feel like writing anything. If you want to be entertained by me go see some of my older posts.

Here's part 31 for those of you keeping track:

Xanadu pt 30 feat. The King, a Presidential Hopeful and Jersey Skeeters

2011-08-16T21:11:00.000-07:00

What do Elvis Presley, Michelle Bachmann, The Megamall formerly known as Xanadu and a swarm of mosquitos have in common? Practically nothing. Or everything. It's barely relevant, but it adds up.

I started writing this post before painting tonight, because I find that generally I'm too frigging tired to write anything meaningful once midnight rolls around. By that point I've been awake since 5:45AM so it should come as no surprise that after a full day, then painting for 1-1/2 hours I really have no interest in communicating my thoughts. Time now is 9:24 PM EDST on Tuesday August 16.

I'll be listening to some Elvis (The Memphis Record) to commemorate the passing of the King on this date in 1977 (even though by the time I post this it will most likely be tomorrow – blows your mind, right?). Maybe follow that up with some MGMT, then concluding with a shuffle of my "Maestro Playlist."

I included an update from NorthJersey.com on the progress that the new owners have made on their resurrection attempt of the Lazarus of dead mega-malls. A paragraph toward the end caught my attention, the one referring to architects and tenants. I'm waiting to see how that goes, since one of the main stumbling blocks so far for Triple Five has been attracting tenants, most importantly big name anchor retailers.

Also, I didn't realize they were planning an outdoor movie theater. I wonder how they're gonna do on warm summer nights when the infamous Meadowlands mosquitos come looking for blood to drink from unsuspecting movie goers. Just a thought. As far as the smell goes, I guess they assume that most of the visitors are pretty much used to that.

It is now 12:11AM Wed Aug 17. On to Xanadu pt 30:

If You're Here, I'll Be There

2011-08-11T12:17:00.000-07:00

If you followed my advice and trekked to Philadelphia, I should be at Dirty Frank's Bar on 13th and Pine by around 8:30 for the opening reception of the Mid-Summer Invitational exhibit. The show features the work of 6 carefully selected artists including me. I'm showing old work so if you see it please don't ask me if any of it is from The Meadowlands. They're both paintings of locations here in Philly. The new stuff will be at 10th Street Laundromat in October, and I'll post some info for that in a month or so.

There hasn't been any progress on Xanadu since Monday night, as I've been suffering from a toxic combination of stress and exhaustion brought upon by the demands I place on myself. I actually went to bed at 10:00 two nights in a row and felt like I slept for days. Work on Xanadu will pick up again next week.

Here's the text from the email blast Off The Wall Gallery sent yesterday, so you'll know what you're missing if you're not coming:

At OFF THE WALL GALLERY at Dirty Frank's (NE Corner, 13th & Pine), our MIDSUMMER INVITATIONAL SHOW, opening TOMORROW, AUGUST 11, from 7 to 10 PM, works the invitation process on two levels:

* YOU'RE INVITED -- as you are to each of the seven leading-edge exhibitions we present each year.

* And YOU YOURSELF INVITED THE ARTISTS whose work is on display through Friday, September 30.

You might ask, "Now, how did I invite the artists?" Well, the MIDSUMMER INVITATIONAL is our once-a-year opportunity to feature the work of talented artists who are relatively new to our community but swiftly won a following through critical response, often translated into sales, and awards and citations garnered in OFF THE WALL's biannual juried shows.

This year, three unintentional pairings take shape on our Wall:

* Two sculptors who are as deft at imbuing their ceramics with conceptual vitality, invention at the molecular level and connections to the world around them as they are at firing and glazing their sublime pieces: BERNADETTE CLADEK and BRITTANY SUNDHEIM.

* Two photographers whose mastery of black-and-white composition and printing serves to maintain the momentum of our recent B&W show while engaging us in new perspectives and, indeed, new worlds: RIIKKA SALO and BONNIE J. SCHORSKE.

* Two painters who pursue their craft to ambitious ends ― one exploring the complex palette of human emotions and subliminal messaging in society and the other using urban decay as a platform for exploring the timeless struggle of humankind vs. nature: KAT JOHNSTON and MATTHEW GREEN.

Please join us tomorrow evening to spend time with these gifted artists and their work; partake of light hors d'oeuvres and sometimes potent beverages, both provided by our bartender for the evening AND curator for every show, Jody Sweitzer; and enjoy the power of compelling art in a neighborhood enclave that never fails to host a good party. And if you're running late, just come ahead ― we'll keep the party going until you get here.

Don't you feel left out? I thought you might.

Xanadu pt 29

2011-08-08T20:33:00.000-07:00

I don't feel like writing anything. In case you missed it, two of my older paintings are in a show that opens this Thursday.

Here's part 29 for those of you keeping track of such things. I need this done by September 30. I'm tired. Good night.

The Following Post Has Absolutely Nothing To Do With This Project

2011-08-08T09:16:00.001-07:00

I thought I would do some shameless self-promotion that has nothing to do with The NJ Meadowlands or anything I'm doing regarding polluted swampland. This thursday August 11 there will be an opening reception for the Mid Summer Invitation show at Off The Wall Gallery at Dirty Frank's Bar in Philadelphia. If you don't live in Philadelphia, get on a plane and come have drinks in the happiest place on Earth while looking at some fine artworks, two of which were done by Your's Truly. If you do live in or near Philadelphia, you have no excuse, and you should be ashamed of yourself for passing up this opportunity to have a great night out on a weeknight. You owe it to yourself.

I can pass along an anecdote for those of you who may not know the great seductive powers that a place like Dirty Frank's can have. I was there yesterday to drop off my work and I brought along my 3-yr old son. It was a little mind-blowing sitting at that bar with my child on my lap, and then he needed to go to the bathroom.

I was beginning to wonder about what kind of parent I was bringing a young child to a bar while his daddy sat and had a beer, but anyone who knows the bathrooms at Dirty Frank's will understand what was going through my mind as we were heading back there. He was very amused by the flies and the graffiti on the walls, remarking that it wasn't a very nice thing to do (write on the walls), but on the way back he noticed the pinball machine and wanted to play.

After 6 games we had to go, and he was by that time completely hooked and didn't want to leave, and proceeded to throw a fit complete with kicking and screaming as I carried him out. I have to sympathize, as I feel like kicking and screaming anytime I have to leave that place. It has a tractor beam which draws you in and once you're there you're powerless to resist sitting there for 6-7 hours drinking cheap beer, watching bad TV and having great conversation. Now, doesn't that sound like a great time? I thought so. So come on down Thursday night.

The first two images below are the paintings I'll be showing. They're old, but that's what they wanted to show.

They are:
The Factory, 30" x 48", oil on canvas, 2003
Hamilton St, 30" x 48", oil on canvas, 2004

The third image is the show flyer, with the time and dates of the reception, as well as the dates the show is hanging.

So there, you have no excuse.

Xanadu pt 28: Do I Think This Night Will Flame With Fire?

2011-08-04T18:12:00.001-07:00

"if you’re going to try, 
go all the way.
 there is no other feeling like
 that. 
you will be alone with the
gods 
and the nights will flame with 
fire."
– Charles Bukowski

In case you may have missed it, or if you're checking this blog out for the first time, I "re-introduced" myself last night, and you can read all about that by clicking here.

I plan on pushing this night as far as I can, basically as long as I can stay on my feet. I get tired around 12:00, generally because of the rigors of working and family life, and my day starts generally around 5:45AM. There's almost always an 8-hour work day squeezed in there and on either side of that there's chores, children, meals, etc.

Nothing I do and no one I work for, family or employer alike, seem all that concerned with the fact that I plan on working at least 3 out of 7 days a week in my studio. By the time I get all of that out of the way it's usually 10:00 or 10:30 PM and I'm just drained, physically and mentally. I pride myself on the fact that I'm able to push that last hour or hour and a half and actually be focused enough to paint with skill and passion.

I grabbed some records and have them at the ready for listening, so it remains to be seen how far past midnight this session can last.

Here's what I have so far on Xanadu pt 28. Do what I do: cover the bottom area that is dark and unfinished with your hand and close one eye. You can imagine what its going to look like when done.

Xanadu pt 27 and A Little Re-introduction

2011-08-03T21:10:00.001-07:00

For those of you newcomers to this blog, I've been posting updates 2 or 3 times a week of a painting I'm working on that features an unfinished mega-mall in the New Jersey Meadowlands.

Progress has been a little slow lately, or so it might seem. I say that because if you were the size of an ant, it would look like I paint the Sistine Chapel every goddamn night. I went out today and bought 2 more #0 brushes because the stage this painting is in right now is rendering every foxtail in a scene which features about 70% meadow. Its tedious and painstaking but its a labor of love. OK, maybe somewhere between love and hate, depending on my mood, but either way its a fucking obsession.

The painting is part of a larger project in which I'm attempting to demonstrate the relentless of Nature by studying human activity and its obstacles in a vast, polluted wetland a few miles to the west of New York City. The project's title, Five Miles From Times Square was taken from the website of the city of Secaucus, NJ, on which it boasts a small town atmosphere only five miles from Times Square.

Secaucus is located in the middle of The Meadowlands, which is still considered a wilderness. I found it ironic that a wilderness can still exist so close to what is pretty much the high holy ground of artificial, commercial culture: Times Square. This is so, I believe, because Mankind has met a formidable challenge in trying to develop the region.

The Meadowlands have been the target of several attempts to drain it, fill it and reclaim the swamps for usable land, and yet it still remains. In an area where real estate is in extremely high demand, it seems like it should have been a forgone conclusion that it be filled in and developed. Yet there it is, in all its polluted, swampy glory. And I've been taking trips up there over the last 2 or 3 years to take photos, do research, and make paintings of what I've found.

Now you are here, and I mean you who are reading these words, however you may have stumbled upon this post. I invite you to visit older posts, or perhaps go back in time in the Xanadu painting to see where I have been up to this point, this 4th day of August, 2011, just past the stroke of midnight. I was worried that people who happened upon this blog may not fully understand its purpose, and what I'm trying to accomplish.

So, please allow me to re-introduce myself. I'm not a man of wealth and taste, I'm an artist trying to find his place in the world, and one who has an unhealthy obsession with a swamp in New Jersey.

And lest I forget, here's Xanadu pt 27. Stick around and see how it ends.

Xanadu part 26

2011-08-02T20:36:00.000-07:00

My plan is to have this painting finished by the end of September. Gallery kits go out on October 31. Its a plan I call the Halloween Massacre. Yes, a little macabre, possibly aggressive, but really its a simple cognitive trick for me to remember the date of the goal I set for myself.

Maybe a brush size bigger than a "0" would speed things up.

Xanadu part 25 and the Continuing Saga of my Search For Vindication

2011-07-28T20:38:00.000-07:00

Its not often that my artistic fantasy world and its ideas are supported by scientific research. I found exactly that this morning in this article from the New York Times, courtesy of RichardDawkins.net

The ideas presented in an article like this form the foundation of all of the work I've done since 2003. The fact that evolutionary changes occur in response to the conditions forced by human civilization demonstrate how natural forces act in subtle and sublime but powerful ways. Changes to a species are no small potatoes. Its about as awesome and profound as the destructive violence of a hurricane or an earthquake.

The central theme in my work has been the conflict between Man and Nature, more specifically about how Man has never taken into account the absolute and relentlessness of the destructive natural forces exhibited on civilization. Man has never acknowledged that we live in Nature's world, but rather has arrogantly insisted that Nature lives in ours. Whatever Nature throws at us, we develop a strategy to stop or suppress it. Nature, however, continues to adapt and change, continuing its assault on all that we create.

The fact that wildlife has evolved in New York City is perhaps the most beautiful and vociferous statement that Nature can make in the modern world. The Big Apple is about as artificial, materialistic and civilized a place that humans have developed, yet instead of dying out, the animals, plants and insects continue to change and adapt to very brutal conditions (pollution, paved surfaces, etc.).

This is not to suggest that there's a symbiotic relationship here. Man certainly would wish to do without so many wild things living in its civilized concrete jungle. The thing Man forgets is that Nature always gets its way and always has the last word, and will not stop until human civilization becomes extinct.

As I moved along in the FMFTS project I began to doubt the idea that Nature had dominion over Man. The Meadowlands is an ecological disaster, and it sometimes seems that Man's "can-do" spirit is alive and well, until we arrive at the proposed mega-really-fun-super-mall formerly known as Xanadu.

Watching this embarrassing catastrophe in East Rutherford unfold is like watching a preview to the end of the world. Human civilization will plod along, thinking everything is going to be just great, all the while pretending that their hopes and dreams aren't being turned to mud.

Here's part 25 for all of you keeping score at home…

Xanadu pt 24

2011-07-27T20:36:00.000-07:00

Someday this will make a great movie. Tired now. Falling asleep as I type.

Xanadu pt 23

2011-07-26T18:39:00.000-07:00

As time goes by I feel like I'm seeing article after article that seems to have been written by me. This Op-Ed piece from NorthJersey.com discusses a point that I made months ago.

The irony is that if things like Xanadu had never come into existence, I wouldn't have anything to paint.

Oh, here's part 23:

Only Kubla Christie's poll numbers are sinking faster

2011-07-25T13:48:00.000-07:00

Every time I feel like I'm going off in a direction guided more by artistic wish-thinking than empirical evidence, I see an article like this…

http://blogs.villagevoice.com/runninscared/2011/07/xanadu_the_viet.php

It's like they were writing to me. I've been waiting to see some kind of folly where the swamp was just too much for some kind of pipe dream and swallowed it up. Triple Five has been downplaying the problem of Xanadu sinking, but I think we'll see more about that as time goes by. They can't just ignore it and make believe it isn't happening.

I particularly enjoyed the video from 2009. It all seemed so optimistic. It adds another layer to the Xanadu controversy, and that is the energy usage and carbon footprint issues. Never mind the increased automobile traffic and emissions, just think about how much energy you'll need to keep an indoor facility of that size at 20-28 degrees in mid-summer. This past friday in East Rutherford the high temp was 108. Climate change gets you coming and going.

The image at the bottom is a political cartoon from the Vietnam War era and I remember seeing it in one of my high school history textbooks. Since the article I mentioned above used the Vietnam reference I thought I would share it. Unrelated thought, I wonder how well that would go over in a history textbook today.

As Christie's political career continues its embarrassing tails spin, perhaps he'll look back with chagrin at not choosing to dismantle this nightmare and turn it into a taxpayer's problem. Apparently tearing it down would cost $100 million. That's small change compared the the billions it will take to complete the project. Its also less than the corporate welfare handouts ($350 million) that Triple Five is getting.

Chagrin indeed.

Xanadu pt 22

2011-07-21T20:36:00.000-07:00

So in case you missed it, here's some upcoming show dates:

Off The Wall Gallery Mid Summer Invitational
Aug 8 – Sept 30, 2011
Opening reception Aug 11 from 8 – 10 PM
Dirty Frank's Bar
13th St and Pine St
Philadelphia, PA

10th Street Laundromat
Oct 1 – 30, 2011
Opening reception Oct 8 from 8 – 11 PM
1141 – 43 South 10th Street
Philadelphia, PA

Bring your drinkin' hat for August and your soiled drawers for October. If they get that DJ from last time, the Laundromat will be a night to remember.

Below is the next in the series. I'm starting to migrate left.

Wanna have a drink or wash your undies while looking at art? Me too.

2011-07-21T08:18:00.000-07:00

I guess its a good time to start promoting upcoming exhibitions where you can see my work IN PERSON and completed, unlike the 20 or so snapshots of the still unfinished Xanadu painting. So far my plan is to have that completed by the end of September to show it in October.

If you're reading this blog in France, or China, or even somewhere not on the east coast, mid-Atlantic region of the United States, get your travel plans in order now. Philadelphia sounds good this time of year, and any other time of year,* and you'll be able to come face-to-face with famous works of mine, new and old. You can also have drinks at the legendary Dirty Frank's Bar or have your soiled knickers washed at the hippest laundromat in the Western Hemisphere while you enjoy the fruits of my labor and pontificate over what it means within the context of the Nature vs. Man argument.

Oh, you want the show dates? Here they are:

Off The Wall Gallery Mid Summer Invitational
Aug 8 – Sept 30, 2011
Opening reception Aug 11 from 8 – 10 PM
Dirty Frank's Bar
13th St and Pine St
Philadelphia, PA

10th Street Laundromat
Oct 1 – 30, 2011
Opening reception Oct 8 from 8 – 11 PM
1141 – 43 South 10th Street
Philadelphia, PA

What is noteworthy is that the laundromat show will be the first public unveiling of new work from the Five Miles From Times Square project. Five of the proposed 12 paintings will be displayed in public for the very first time, so its a real test for something that I've been working on for over 2 years.

Here's the flyer for the Mid Summer Invitational. I'll have the Laundromat flyer in about a month or so. Hope to see you there.

*The City of Philadelphia owes me for the free tourism promotion. Lord knows I've spent a hefty chunk of my personal income on fines for parking violations. Fair is fair.

Xanadu pt 21: A Little More

2011-07-20T20:36:00.001-07:00

Job, child care, chores, late night painting and then reading scientific papers are a lethal combination for one's ambition. I'm reading the NJMC's 2005 comparative study on fish populations between the late 80's and early 00's. Just skimming through I noticed an emphasis mainly on water quality (pollution, temperatures from cooling water usage, etc.), with only a little attention to the impact of the Oradell dam. I consider the construction of the damn to be the turning point in the health of the Meadowlands, which cannot properly recover unless the dam is removed.

Damming the river significantly changed the tidal flow of the region and alter the salinity of the water. I'll have to read this study more thoroughly when I'm not drop-dead tired. I'm not even going back to proofread this post. I hope there's typo's.

And oh, here's step #21 in my flip book, a.k.a. painting:

Xanadu pt 20 with a little vindication

2011-07-19T21:10:00.000-07:00

I found 2 really excellent papers on the Meadowlands. One is a study of fish populations and another is a study of the availability of food for ducks. It sounds really boring, right? Actually, I plan on reading them both, and even without a science background I think I should find something meaningful in them. I'll report back in a future post one I've finished and provide links.

After just skimming I noticed some comments in each about the hydrology of the area and its effects on the findings in the respective studies. So I was right, it really is about the water, stupid.

Below is the result of tonight's hour and a half. Go back and compare it to each of the preceding steps. Then print each out and make a flip-book. That's what I'm gonna do when they're all done.

All Kinds Of Tired

2011-07-18T20:37:00.000-07:00

The family and I just got back from wrapping up some important business this weekend and I can barely type. I should start painting again tomorrow night, but for now, I'm going to reflect on something I did with my kids. We visited the Wetlands Institute in Stone Harbor, NJ and my 3-yr old really enjoyed it. I think if I reinvented myself I would probably want to study biology with a focus on wetland habitats. Look for future posts discussing the importance of wetlands and how they fit in nice and snug with this project. I've always been drawn to aquatic environments and I love the salt air from a salt marsh. I'm fascinated by how important wetlands are to the whole cycle of life on Earth. And I really like fish. I want to learn more. How do I find out more?

I'm starting to sound like Elmo. Goodbye.

Xanadu pt 19

2011-07-14T20:47:00.000-07:00

I told you this was the boring part. There's weeks of slow, steady progress to be made. Right now I'm dead on my feet and I feel like I've been sleepwalking for the past 2 weeks. I was literally falling asleep standing up in the studio a little while ago. No more painting until next week.

Xanadu pt 18

2011-07-13T20:55:00.001-07:00

I consider this hour that I worked tonight to be an accomplishment in that I didn't fall asleep standing up.

Trust Me There's Progress Here (Xanadu [formerly known as The American Dream] pt 17)

2011-07-12T21:19:00.000-07:00

What can you expect, I only get time to work at like 10:00 at night. I only have an hour or so before my knees finally give out and I fall asleep standing up. Tonight I started at 10:45 and finished up around 12:15. I'm spent. I'm falling asleep typing this.

I think the title of this is going to change back to "Xanadu." It's just better and more poetic. Besides, people in the press still refer to the infamous magnanimous-mega-mall-to-be as Xanadu. American Dream just doesn't seem to fit. It doesn't stick in one's memory.

I've been thinking about Derrick Jensen's 2006 book Endgame and his 20 Premises and I realized that the Xanadu affair is a perfect example of #20:

Within this culture, economics—not community well-being, not morals, not ethics, not justice, not life itself—drives social decisions.

It was a foregone conclusion that Kubla Christie was going to get the NJ Legislature to rubber stamp his exemption for tax breaks for Triple Five. No one doubted that. Most of the Legislature is far too gutless to even suggest that they let the project die, even though it's an environmental catastrophe on a long list of environmental catastrophes in the Meadowlands.

It's hard enough keeping my house comfortable in 90-degree heat. I can't imagine the amount of energy that's needed to keep a ski slope frozen in those conditions. The whole thing is just one big energy black hole, plus a massive generator of solid waste, nonpoint source pollution and greenhouse gas emissions.

One might say that the area is already so bad that adding this thing really won't make a difference. Again, I refer you to the 20 Premises.

It has to stop somewhere.

The Marshes Are Coming

2011-07-08T07:15:00.001-07:00

I ran across this article about some of the little problems that are beginning to surface as Triple Five begins its initial assessment of the work that will be needed in getting their Xanadu/American Dream to become a reality. As a homeowner who is heavily involved in DIY and a former contractor who worked on renovation and restoration, I can attest to the fact that there is always more to the story when you begin work on an existing building. But there may be a little more than just a can of worms here.

The previous builder of the Xanadu project cut a few corners here, saved a few pennies there, all the while ignoring the reality of the land and the culture that they were developing. I know I'm not an engineer, and I'm certainly no expert in science or sociology, but I can't help but think that we're seeing the beginning of another historic folly in the Meadowlands.

It's always a combination of factors, and New Jersey is a complicated place. Corruption, pollution, sordid local history, strange geography (The Meadowlands certainly is that) all come together to weave a fascinating bit of lore around a fascinating place. I've quoted this before, that the Meadowlands is the place where dreams go to die. I think we're watching another one succumb to the will of the marshes in real time.

American Dream pt 16 (ho-hum)

2011-07-07T20:09:00.000-07:00

This is a really boring phase now, as the changes will really not be very dramatic. It's going to be tedious painting all of those foxtails, and I have to be continually aware of changes in scale as I plod along. I've done this before on a past work* and I didn't go batshit crazy so there's hope for me. I have all summer to finish this off so happy painting mothaf#cka!

Well, Kubla Christie got his illegal tax breaks passed through the very willing New Jersey legislature. The whole thing is barely news anymore, and the outcome was expected. Governments and corporations generally get their way and the natural world is only a resource to be exploited so a few can get rich. Thus, the majority of my posts will be boring, tedious and barely noticeable updates to the painting. Sounds fun, eh?

I'll post updates as closeups so as not to confuse anyone into thinking that I posted the same image more than once. Actually, if you follow and really care you'll notice a very gradual and sublime change from post to post that will have its own subtle drama. At least that's what I'm telling myself.

*bite me, UPS

American Dream pt 15 (been a while)

2011-07-06T20:48:00.000-07:00

I'm back after a small hiatus. You be the judge as to whether or not I brought my mojo back with me.

I'd have more to say but its late. Strange to say, I have a sudden craving for White Castle chicken rings which almost makes me hate myself.

The American Dream pt 14

2011-06-15T20:44:00.001-07:00

And then there was… dark!

Actually its underpainting for the next big step.

The American Dream pt 13

2011-06-13T21:21:00.000-07:00

Lucky Number 13. The vibrations are starting. The light is being carried through just right. Its all a matter of execution now.

Who Speaks For The Water?

2011-06-12T21:16:00.000-07:00

Day after day, day after day,
We stuck, nor breath nor motion;
As idle as a painted ship
Upon a painted ocean.

Water, water, every where,
And all the boards did shrink;
Water, water, every where,
Nor any drop to drink.

– Samuel Taylor Coleridge

You live in China. Why should you care about a wetland in New Jersey? How about if you live in Idaho? Or even Philadelphia? Why should it matter that one living wetland is now one dead wetland? Its just one wetland. And its in New Jersey, and you probably don't even live in New Jersey.

In the town of Oradell on the Hackensack River there's a dam.

The population near the upper Hackensack River grew as people were drawn to an accumulation of wealth created by banks and corporations. The dam was built to create a reservoir to supply water to an area where the water demand was exceeding the capacity of the local portion of the river. The water in the upper river was captured by the reservoir for the use of the locals. A water company was formed, and they sold the water to the people for a profit. Below the dam was deprived of a living river.

The effect on the river system below the dam was profound. It changed the salinity and tidal flow of the lower Hackensack, transforming what was once a pristine inland estuary into a brackish swamp. Creating this dam was a transformative event on the wildlife, fish and plant life and human life in the area. People familiar with the Meadowlands today know that they are dominated by the infamous foxtail reeds. This is considerably different than the spartina grass, wild rice and cattails that used to blanket the region.

The Oradell Dam created two Hackensack Rivers. One above the dam and one below. Above the dam the more important areas kept the water for themselves. Below the dam the wetland died. But its just one wetland.

Prior to the construction of the dam, the living wetland known as the Jersey Meadows or the Meadowlands was determined to have no monetary value as a living wetland. It was decided that it was nothing more than a wasteland. Many people desired to drain it and fill it in and use the new land to build factories and cities. Factories and cities have monetary value. It was decided that one of the simplest ways to create commercially valuable land out of a wetland was to fill it in with garbage. New Jersey had lots of that.

New Jersey also had lots of toxic waste from the factories and power plants. And plenty of toxic street runoff from the all of the cities and towns. This stuff found its way into the living wetland. And once the dam was in place and the river was divided in two, the upper river was clean, fresh water surrounded by big homes and golf courses and the lower river had become a sewer.

But its just a wetland. Why do you care, especially if you don't even live near it?

Whether you live in New Jersey, China, Idaho, Philadelphia or anywhere else, your culture does this to every living wetland. Just like in Oradell, the local inhabitants in a civilized culture denude the land base of resources, in this case water. They then must take that water from somewhere else. If that somewhere else is just a wetland, or a wasteland, why not use it to dispose all of the by-products of the culture there as well. After all, its just a wasteland. Just a wetland.

But its living. Or was living. So what?

The tidal flow of the Hackensack River is a strong one. During a rising tide the river many miles from its terminus in the Newark Bay is seen to flow backwards. The outgoing tide is a force to be reckoned with, as can be testified by boaters, especially those with oars and paddles. The poisoned water of the river and the surrounding Meadowlands has created numerous problems for over the years. These problems are, of course, economic.

Various engineering projects have been hampered by cost overruns or simply have been damaged by the relentless tides on the Hackensack. So instead of fighting greed, corruption and destruction, people fight the river, with dikes and dams and landfills and bulkheads. These things are put up to prevent the river from doing what rivers do.

But what about wetlands? What do they do?

Think of your spinal cord as a river, and all of your arms and legs and organs and blood vessels as tributaries that flow into that river and marshes that flank it. Imagine if someone came along and started removing your limbs and vital organs. That's what has happened and is still happening along the Hackensack River. Important pieces are missing.

Signs along the banks of the Newark Bay warn people to not eat the fish they catch. The water is no longer drinkable and barely supports life. It wasn't always this way. But really, what's so important about a wetland? Why does it need to be a living wetland?

If you want to know why, go to the Meadowlands. Get out of your car. Look around, find some water. Would you swim in it? Would you eat anything that lives in it? There was once a time when you could have done those things. But not anymore. The water is poisoned. One living wetland is no more.

The story of the Meadowlands begins with the water. Its the same story with any other wetland. It gets filled in and the water diverted, but the land becomes real estate. This may seem like a good idea at the time, and may look good on someone's balance sheet. But once its gone its gone. The land dies and the air smells like Jersey City, and some town on top of a hill somewhere gets nice fresh water to drink. And a water company gets rich selling the one thing thats needed the most by every living thing.

We may not all understand the importance of wetlands, but we understand the importance of water. If we can't drink it or cook with it or bathe in it, what good is it? How to we keep it flowing freely? Who will speak for the water?

The American Dream pt 12

2011-06-07T21:47:00.000-07:00

Water = resolved. I thought I'd be painting it forever. I'm so tired my elbows hurt.

The American Dream pt 11

2011-06-01T19:53:00.001-07:00

I'm drowning in this water. I feel like I need to get past it.

The American Dream pt 10

2011-05-31T20:25:00.000-07:00

For some reason I can't resolve the water in this picture. And that's interesting, because as the man said, the Meadowlands is all about the water, stupid.

You Can See My Junk

2011-05-25T19:36:00.001-07:00

Well my studio has become a temporary storage site for some of the contents of the basement as I wait for the paint on the floor to dry in the newly constructed man-cave (a.k.a. kid's playroom). I'll have to wait most likely until next week before I can resume work.

The American Dream pt 9

2011-05-19T20:51:00.000-07:00

Not 100% satisfied, I went down there not intending to pick up a brush at all. I do think the water is starting to look like it belongs in the picture (finally)

The American Dream pt 8

2011-05-17T21:05:00.000-07:00

My version of Xanadu is starting to lean towards the realm of King Crimson

Kubla Christie Gets His Glass Slippers

2011-05-17T09:46:00.000-07:00

I've been struggling with the urge to blog again about Xanadu, my favorite hot topic. I'm finding it harder to start any post about this subject because it requires such a long explanation for anyone not familiar with it. If you need some background to get caught up to speed start here and here.

I've been struggling with the urge to write something but once again I've found myself without any meaningful content to share because I haven't done any work on my new painting since last week. I've been following the Xanadu story in the news, but lately there's not been anything worth sharing. Last night I realized that there's a deeper meaning in this quagmire.

I'm going to do something terribly irresponsible here. I'm going to offer some wild speculation about Xanadu and New Jersey Governor Chris "Kubla" Christie, but since I'm not a real journalist, I can get away with such foolishness. Actually, since I'm an artist I can just claim to be using artistic license and say pretty much whatever I like.

Here it is: Chris Christie is going to run for president in 2012, and he added Triple Five to the list of New Jersey's corporate welfare recipients because they're going to give him a hefty sum of cash to help him achieve that goal. Triple Five, in case you don't know, is the owner of such shoppatainment orgy-plexes as the Mall of America. They now own the mess once known as Xanadu in the New Jersey Meadowlands, which they have re-named American Dream. Didn't they get the memo that the Meadowlands are where dreams go to die? Just ask Matt Dodge.

It never occurred to me before because until I read this article by Leslie Savon from The Nation I didn't know the Republicans were even remotely interested in Christie running in 2012. And now I get it. There's not a whole lot for Red State Republican voters to dislike about Christie. His recent missteps and slipping job approval are not widely known outside of New Jersey and the surrounding region. In fact, he's relatively unknown across the country aside from some anecdotes about what a great reformer he is. It has the makings of a good Cindarella story.

But locals know better. Here's an example of love for Kubla Christie, from a happy New Jerseyan who commented on a recent article on NorthJersey.com:

Sunday May 15, 2011, 6:05 AM - Resident8 says:
Is there any grants from the government that can help Christie make the blasted pension payments? Oh I forgot, public workers are middle class and that's not in Christie's best interest. Fat pile of garbage, I hope he chokes to death on his triple chin...

I think Resident8 cuts right to the heart of the matter and articulates his point rather eloquently. I know I've been unfair to Christie about this whole Xanadu thing. The state got into this mess under Jim McGreevey. But his decision to give handouts to Triple Five fits in nicely with his overall agenda of slashing and burning public education (he's a school voucher advocate) and jobs and services that are desperately needed while greasing the palms of millionaires to help facilitate his political ambitions.

Christie's blunders and transgressions won't be heard of beyond the Mid-Atlantic states for several years. It doesn't matter that he's not well-like here because he won't win New Jersey or any nearby state, so who cares what he does at home. Plus he's betting the house on Xanadu. If it succeeds, he wins. If it doesn't, the people that hate him the most will vote for a Democrat, which they would have anyway.

The rumors surrounding the maligned exterior of the complex seem to be pointing to the idea of improving the look by changing the multicolored metal skin with glass. They should keep some glass aside so Christie can make himself a pair of shoes to wear to the Ball.

THE American Dream (the painting formerly known as Xanadu) Pt 7

2011-05-11T21:02:00.000-07:00

"You have to be asleep to believe it."
– George Carlin

Just like the new owners did to the extravaganza that is the inspiration for this painting, I am forsaking the name Xanadu for a new name that should warm the hearts and empty the pockets of New Jerseyans and travelers from near and far. Care to guess what that new name is going to be?

Can World's Largest Garbage Dump Attract 55 Million People Every Year?

2011-05-09T08:20:00.000-07:00

The ante has been upped. Triple Five has now outdone themselves. Well, not yet, but they seem to think they will. A mere five miles from the commercial and entertainment capital of the world there will be a new beacon on the hill of material excess: American Dream.

Do you want to be indoors while pretending you're not? Go there. But not for another 3 years. That's when American Dream in the New Jersey swamp and infamous former dumping grounds known as The Meadowlands is slated to become reality.

You would have to be indoors to enjoy all of this because if you weren't, you would notice a rather odd potpourri of odors and you'd be getting eaten alive by gnats and mosquitos. Just take heart knowing that you were in The LARGEST RETAIL AND ENTERTAINMENT COMPLEX IN THE WORLD.

This thing just keeps getting bigger. T5 is really rolling the dice now. They now have New Jersey Taxpayers' money but if it fails, it won't matter because most of the public is asleep at the wheel. Never mind that a state that is deeply in debt has forsaken teachers and cops in favor of indoor skiing and skydiving.

This entertainment-super-orgy-plex formerly known as Xanadu has been making regular appearances in the news for about the last 6 weeks. Each time it seems that the project and T5's ambitions seem to be growing beyond expectation. We expect to see this kind of thing in Dubai, not New Jersey where malls are everywhere, and the forms of entertainment offered at American Dreams are within easy striking distance (its not the middle of the desert, or the American midwest, where locals are starved for extravagance). They factor tourism into their figures, but no one besides T5 expects tourists to visit the region just for this place. It doesn't add up.

Xanadu Painting In Progress pt 6

2011-05-05T20:56:00.000-07:00

This Cabernet Sauvignon has finally opened up. I was worried because it was a little pricey for as mediocre as it seemed after first opening the bottle. Either that or my taste buds are dulled from the Oreo's and pretzel rods.

As promised on Twitter, I refrained from listening to baseball (no Mets game tonight, they played this afternoon). I had Dead Weather and Stephen Malkmus on the iPod. The brushwork for painting skies can sometimes be like aerobics. I'm ready to crash.

Swinging For The Fences

2011-05-04T10:20:00.001-07:00

As long as Xanadu keeps popping up in the news I'm gonna milk it. Its what I call a grab iron issue. Grab irons are the metal bars on trains that workers and hobos use to climb on board. Like a hobo grabbing the iron to hop a passing train, I am using the Xanadu issue to hop that train and use it to propel my Five Miles From Times Square project forward. I'm also not going to stop using the name Xanadu, and I'm discovering that neither is anyone in the press refraining from using it instead of the sparkling new name, American Dream. Xanadu is becoming part of the New Jersey culture and part of the Meadowlands folklore.

Each day lately there is a new story in the news with new commentary and details, like this one from today in RetailTrafficMag.com. It's becoming clear that Triple Five is going for broke with their American Dream. In the face of insurmountable odds, they're pulling out all of the stops and hoping that an over-the-top entertainment complex is going to be a huge success. It has to be, because anything less than perfection would be a catastrophe and would be a huge kick in the nuts of every resident of New Jersey who are going to be responsible for $400 million in state funds.

Practically everyone who knows about this is predicting that it will be an abject failure. Everyone, that is, except Triple Five and the Chris Christie administration. Many are hoping that it will at least succeed enough so that it won't close and leave New Jersey a legacy of corporate failure.

But mostly, the thing is so reviled that in spite of the damage already done to the environment, the state economy and the state's reputation, people want to see the huge fat cats involved fall on their faces because of what Xanadu represents: corporate greed, political short-sightedness and utter disregard for the real well-being of the public. We want to wag our fingers in the faces of those who thought a mega-mall-greed-plex was a good idea for a state overrun with such excesses. We want to say "we told you so."

Unfortunately for Triple Five, this is an all-or-nothing situation. There will be no middle ground.

Xanadu Painting In Progress pt 5

2011-05-03T19:41:00.001-07:00

Maybe I should call it "American Dream"

Stately, Indeed

2011-05-03T12:26:00.001-07:00

In a state where almost every kid lives close enough to a mall to ride a bike to one, the answer to the question, do we need American Dream @ Meadowlands is obviously no, but mostly for us no-funzniks who think malls are the incarnation of Hell.

In a state that is $43 billion in debt, where the governor has waged a war against everything the public needs such as social services, public services, police, fire department and education, the answer to the question, do we need to help pay for American Dream @ Meadowlands is "are you fucking kidding me?" This article from northjersey.com discusses the press conference and some of the latest details.

At a press conference today, New Jersey Kubla-In-Chief Chris Christie officially announced the deal to line the pockets of the new developers of New Jersey's favorite commercial orgy-plex-to-be with taxpayer financed, borrowed money. It was also an opportunity to announce that the original site that was called Xanadu will now occupy more square footage and feature even more ludicrous attractions than the original design, such as an aquarium and a glass-domed indoor amusement park with roller coasters.

The infamous exterior, which prompted Christie to dub the complex the "ugliest damn building in the state" will get a new look that will hopefully be suitable to Kubla Christie's taste. The world's largest Pepsi logo, a.k.a. the massive Ferris wheel, is still apparently going to be part of the center's final design.

Triple Five, the new owners and linguistic innovators who presented us with the site's patriotic new moniker claim that American Dream @ Meadowlands is projected to attract 50 million visitors each year. That's a tall order, and a generous prediction, and I won't be surprised if we see the building occupied by rats before long. But it seems to me that the vision of everyone involved is to take money from the taxpayers in an effort to convert them into creatures who live and play exclusively indoors.

The latest news on this hideous project has inspired the New York Times to sponsor a poetry contest, asking readers to submit their own re-writes of the Samuel Taylor Coleridge poem that inspired the original idea for the project. Congratulations to Steve Schoenwiesner of Montclair, NJ. Late tonight I'll post the latest progress on my personal inspiration regarding the human zoo formerly known as Xanadu.

Like Dreamers Do

2011-05-02T06:59:00.000-07:00

I love Brian Donohue from Ledger Live because he hates this thing as much as I do. And he makes references to Samuel Tayor Coleridge which makes him cool. And he does his research, which makes him a respectable journalist. I have to admit, though, while I am not impressed by an indoor ski slope or sky diving simulator, I can't help but be a little excited about the worlds largest candy store. I like candy.

Xanadu Painting In Progress pt 4

2011-04-28T19:44:00.001-07:00

I've decided that after each sitting, I'll post updates here for this painting. At some point, I may decide that each individual session isn't showing noticeable changes (fine detail work shows progress over a longer period of time) so I'll probably skip some steps there. But for now, expect to see updates each Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday night, around 10:30 pm - 11:30 pm from now until the end of the summer.

All We Have To Do Is Dream

2011-04-28T18:21:00.000-07:00

"I can make you mine, taste your lips of wine
Anytime night or day
Only trouble is, gee whiz
I'm dreamin' my life away"

I've been waiting for news on this and there's finally something, but its still not the "Big Announcement" that I keep hearing about.

Have you ever wondered why we have the phrase "American Dream?" Mainly because its anything but reality for most people. It's about as vapid and far-fetched and artificial an experience as a gigantic mega orgy-plex in the swamps of New Jersey.

THEY will call it American Dream | Meadowlands, but residents of the Garden State will forever know it as Xanadu. But Americans dream big, and corporations dream even bigger, especially those who get whatever they want. And now instead of being a cash cow, the stately displeasure dome is going to be a nice big fat piece of corporate welfare.

THEY are Triple Five, and they're the owners of the Mall of America. THEY have gotten a big fat wet kiss from Kubla Christie who will now inherit the legend and legacy of Xanadu.

And its also getting bigger. It's growing out of control. Its all part of an illuminati plot to turn New Jersey into a state of mall-cities.

I can explain the pink...

2011-04-27T20:23:00.000-07:00

Your Neon Lights Will Shine For You

2011-04-27T18:27:00.000-07:00

Here's yet another story about the public sentiment regarding the exterior decor of New Jersey's favorite unfinished funplex. The videos show submissions of Ledger LIve viewers' ideas for what the re-design should look like. My favorite of all of the submissions is Xana-Doobie. This is how we deal with situations like this in the Garden State.

I'm noticing so far that absolutely no one is referring to the place as Meadowlands. The Xanadu name is sticking, so they'd better get used to it.

Xanadu: Our Polls Are Rising

2011-04-26T11:31:00.000-07:00

I knew this thing couldn't stay out of the news too much longer. Quinnipiac University recently polled 1,532 registered voters and the overwhelming majority polled believe that a giant over-inflated super duper consumer orgyplex painted to resemble stacks of freight containers is ugly. Wow. Maybe they should have taken that poll before they built it? At any rate, Kudos to Quinnipiac for affirming what we already know.

The next poll on the Funplex Formerly Known As Xanadu should be:

"Would it be a good idea for not-quite-accomplished urban landscape painter Matthew Green to use Xanadu as the subject of his latest painting for his project Five Miles From Times Square?"

Just be forewarned that I most often do the exact opposite of whatever advice I'm given, regardless of what the overwhelming majority of interested parties thinks I should do. It's interesting to note that for the first time I am in complete agreement with Kubla Christie on something.

Do you think they'll refer to any poll data before they commit to adding to New Jersey's defect by contributing state financing to finish this nightmare? My money says no.

Nieux Xanadu Part Deux

2011-04-20T19:33:00.000-07:00

Not bad for second sitting, eh? I agree. This is all I can do this week.

Kubla Christie

2011-04-20T11:09:00.000-07:00

I've been making noise about the funplex formerly known as Xanadu for a little over a week now. One thing I failed to acknowledge was that this thing was originally a Jim McGreevey pet. His administration basically gave the original developers the green light to use the land, and he made the deal with then New York governor George Pataki for the transit link. Thus, its a little unfair of me to harp on Chris Christie about it and it may seem like I'm attributing the whole thing to him.

I will say this, however: McGreevey didn't make any deals to commit public financing for the project. In fact, if it had succeeded it would have been a nice revenue generator in the form of rent for the property which the state owns. It's just obscene to me that in the wake of all of the budget cuts for education, police, fire and other public services that Kubla Christie has made, and after all of the complaining he does about New Jersey's defect that he would drive the state into more debt to hand money over to a project that so far has proven that its a failure.

The whole thing has inspired me to do a painting as well as scribble an adaptation of Samuel Taylor Coleridge's original ditty…

In Rutherford did Kubla Christie
stately Pleasure Dome decree
Where Hack the muddy river ran
Through meadows measureless to man
out to a septic sea.

If you're a New Jersey resident you'll soon be part owner of this turd.

Nieux Xanadu

2011-04-19T20:09:00.000-07:00

First sitting, initial sketch. I wonder if Kubla Christie will think it looks OK. My guess is no.

Displeasure Dome

2011-04-18T09:24:00.001-07:00

"With a brighter future for New Jersey, where business and pleasure do mix. With sports and recreation. Where learning is fun. I have been living in Jersey all my life I have never seen anything like this...Where mind and body overcome life’s daily stresses. Where the great outdoors comes inside to plan. Where one of New Jersey’s treasures reclaims the spot light and open space is preserved forever. We can show you the money."
— Xanadu Promotional Spot

I hate to keep beating a dead horse but this whole Xanadu fiasco is playing right into my hands. The more I read about it the more it begins support my original thesis, except for a few things. I was hoping to find man-made remains and old ruins as evidence of man's failures in The Meadowlands, but this pitfall is happening in real time. Plus its not just natural phenomena that are pushing back in this case. Political and financial mismanagement as well as basic human greed are also to blame.

After doing some quick searches, I've run across a good account of the saga dating back to early 2009. According to one article, the original projections from the developers in March of that year was pretty optimistic, citing that the property was 70% leased and was on schedule to open in August 2009. This came after Business Week had cast doubt on how much enthusiasm there really was on the part of prospective tenants.

It's also interesting to note how deeply engrained the stigma and the folklore of The Meadowlands is in the collective unconscious. There had been more than one reference made to the legacy of failed "get-rich-quick-schemes" in the region, and journalists and the public can't seem to get past the specter of the surrounding swamps.

The project, both financially and symbolically has become the vortex of a downward spiral that threatens to swallow desperately needed cash from the New Jersey state coffers and the political confidence in the public officials who can't seem to stop shoveling hopes and dreams into what is becoming a bottomless pit of failure.

The forces of Nature have gone to work on the place, as evident in the damage caused by February snowstorms. I will have achieved complete vindication on my thesis if there's a mosquito infestation, tidal flooding or a major sinkhole. Unfortunately I have to accept the fact that I was a little misguided. The roots of folly in The Meadowlands reach deeper and branch out far more than I had ever realized.

I'm hoping that in the next few weeks a major announcement will be made detailing the agreement between the state and the new owners. When it does I'll be all over it. My prediction is that the finances will materialize and the project will be completed. But I don't have much hope that the place, new name and new exterior design notwithstanding, will last more that 5 years.

I'll make it official now and say that the doors will close in 7 years. The building will be vacant and will become a home for rats. It will never be torn down because it will be in the baks of the minds of so many people who believed in this thing that one day it will be re-opened and it will make millions. We will all assume that many of the handshake deals and decisions were dubious or even downright agains the law.

Most of that will never come to light, except in the form of a public official or two who will be thrown under the bus to take the spotlight off of those who are truly responsible. Those secrets and malfeasances, like so many others in The Meadowlands, will end up lost and forgotten in a stinking, muddy grave among the foxtails.

TIME MAGAZINE ARTICLE 3-9-09
http://www.time.com/time/business/article/0,8599,1883546,00.html

NY TIMES ARTICLE 7/21/10
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/22/nyregion/22xanadu.html

WNYC 3/17/09
http://www.wnyc.org/articles/wnyc-news/2009/mar/17/njs-xanadu-lessons-for-stimulus-spending/

WNYC 7/22/10
http://www.wnyc.org/articles/wnyc-news/2010/jul/22/xanadu_project/

NORTHJERSEY.COM 1/22/10
http://www.northjersey.com/news/business/012210_Christie_report_Xanadu_appears_to_be_failure.html

NY TIMES ARTICLE 4/1/11
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/02/nyregion/02xanadu.html?_r=1#

NY TIMES ARTICLE (response) 4-8-11
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/09/opinion/lweb09xanadu.html

No Puns About Dogs

2011-04-15T19:06:00.000-07:00

So I'm not alone in my Meadowlands obsession. I'm also not alone in that I've been left in charge of family dog walking and waste removal duties. A Northern New Jersey man recently published a book about his adventures in the meadows near his home. It's certainly an alluring place, and I would do the same if I lived where he lived. Maybe one day I'll track him down and we'll trade Meadowlands and Dog Walking stories.

Would Kubla Kahn Have Approved Of This?

2011-04-13T17:58:00.000-07:00

I don't think he'd be too happy about the name change. After all, he did stately Pleasure Dome decree. There's something about the official MEADOWLANDS website that falls way short of the "wow" factor for me. I wish them the best of luck getting all of those smiling douchebags in that horrific montage of pictures to actually go to this place to justify all of the money and effort spent on bringing this nightmare to fruition.

Don't they know they're doomed to fail here? It won't be long before the ghost of Jimmy Hoffa rises up from the swamps and drags the whole damn palace of commercial debauchery into the mud. Even after reading about all of the stories about the financial shortcomings and scandals since the inception of the Xanadu project I'm inclined to believe that the reason that it keeps falling flat is because those meadows are pure evil.

This could very well be the decision the defines Chris Christie's governorship. The meandering path that this project has taken is illustrated by its oddly mottled exterior design, having had as many twists and turns, ebbs and flows as the Hackensack River near which it stands. It's about as incoherent and sequitur-deprived as Samuel Taylor Coleridge's dream.

I'm seeing a painting here. Definitely.

Where Dreams Go To Die

2011-04-11T20:11:00.000-07:00

"In Xanadu did Kubla Khan
A stately pleasure-dome decree :
Where Alph, the sacred river, ran
Through caverns measureless to man
Down to a sunless sea."
— Samuel Taylor Coleridge

I've spent the last 2 years studying the New Jersey Meadowlands as a source of inspiration for a body of new pantings. The idea was to take the Man vs. Nature theme, which has been a central part of my urban landscape paintings, and see how it applies in this notorious swampland. My goal was to find evidence of Mankind's folly in this once pristine wetland.

It was my belief that The Meadowlands were so inhospitable, so treacherous, and so challenging for any type of engineering project that even the most ambitions feats would not be able to completely develop the region. This would be ironic, I believed, since it lies so close to what I consider to be commercial culture's high holy ground: New York City. While I certainly have seen quite a few brutal battlegrounds in the area between Nature and Man, nothing I have seen yet has indicated that industrial civilization would be prevented from eventually turning the once beautiful aquatic landscape into a giant multi-purpose mixed retail/residential/industrial complex.

There is conceivably enough dirt in the world to fill in the entire swamp, so I suppose my romantic vision of Mother Nature rising up and beating back the evil developers seeking to exploit the commercial potential from what used to be a pristine wilderness is just horseshit. But there does seem to be some kind of evil presence in the place. Perhaps its the ghost of JImmy Hoffa? Maybe not, but something about the folklore and the bad reputation of the "Jersey Meadows" as the old-timers call it, can't be shaken. The Meadowlands' distinction as being a vast urban sewer and garbage dump tainted a fair share of development projects and sent many investors heading for the high ground in its day.

Enter Xanadu.

According to an article in NJ.com, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie calls this place the "ugliest damn building in New Jersey and maybe America." This project, begun in 2004 as a massive retail and entertainment complex, was to feature such attractions as an indoor ski slope, skydiving simulator, vertical wind tunnel and indoor ferris wheel, just to name a few. The project has gone through a handful of owners and interested parties, none of whom seem capable of actually completing and opening the place, and cash flow has at times interrupted by more than one financial impropriety. Thus, Xanadu remains unfinished and unoccupied, although new investors and interest from Governor Christie seem to have given the complex a glimmer of hope.

By sheer common sense, it appears that Xanadu is doomed to fail. Why build a giant indoor mall that's only a few minutes from New York City? Why build an indoor ski slope when real ski slopes are only an hour away? Have transpiration issues and environmental impact been seriously considered? Does northern New Jersey really, honestly, truly need ANOTHER mall? I was told once by a reputable authority on the subject that The Meadowlands are where dreams go to die. In the coming years we'll see if Xanadu will suffer that fate.

One more question: could the "sunless sea" in this case mean Newark Bay? I'm just saying.

Muddy Just One More Time

2011-03-28T20:00:00.001-07:00

This series within a series was a little unusual for me. Generally I don't do subjects that are so intimate, and I almost never revisit a subject after I've painted it once. I usually get it out of my system and move on. However, this time I was moved by what I saw in that canal in Lyndenhurst on that Sunday afternoon last May. I was disturbed and intrigued and there was no doubt that I had to communicate what I was witnessing. Imagine you're canoeing down a lazy creek through a tall meadow. It's muddy and buggy, but that's what you'd expect from a swamp. Suddenly you notice that the banks of the creek are not just mud but garbage. And its not just the banks. The whole expanse of marsh through which this creek passes is entirely founded on garbage. It's piled more than 3 feet high above the water line, and no telling how far below it goes. It's entirely conceivable that the creek bed below your boat is also a bed of civilizations's waste. It's pure human degradation. Our species is permanently fouling the landscape with its toxic byproducts and letting foxtails grow on it hoping no one would ever notice. Only a few people ever do and the vast majority of those who don't either wouldn't care or would be unable to appreciate the severity of what they were seeing. This is the result of our way of life. Surely the planet will survive, but who will possibly be able to live on it.

Muddy Little Secrets III, 30" x 48", oil on canvas, 2011

Muddy Little Secrets III In The Can

2011-03-24T19:57:00.000-07:00

I'm calling this one. Sometimes you glide into the finish, a whole lap ahead of the field. I'll post the high-res "official" photo after I shoot it. It's 10:59 on a Thursday night in a week when I wasn't sure if I was going to get in front of this thing. Maybe Sat AM the light in the backyard will be just right for taking this, although there isn't nearly as much glare as some of the last ones. I gotta get to bed.

Still Muddy

2011-03-19T06:47:00.000-07:00

I really need to get this painting done so I can get started on the next one and still be able to make my Halloween deadline. I'm calling my latest plan the "Halloween Massacre."

Five Miles at The Mat

2011-03-14T08:59:00.000-07:00

This coming fall I'll be shopping around the first few paintings for this project in the local Philadelphia galleries. There may be some new places, but mostly I'll try again at all one or more galleries that turned me down in the past. The work is different this time, more expressive, more intimate subjects and more focused in terms of subject matter. Maybe something will break, we'll see.

In addition to trying to sell it to galleries, I'll most certainly be wanting to show FMFTS works at the 10th Street Laundromat in South Philadelphia, so long as they would have me and promise to have a DJ as good as the one they had this past saturday.

Next Painting

2011-03-09T20:13:00.000-08:00

It's gonna be this image. 21_4A.jpg. I wish I had something more profound to say about it but I don't. I just finished working for an hour I managed to squeeze in and I'm just to damn tired.

Muddy 3

2011-03-08T20:21:00.000-08:00

Muddy Little Secrets #3 is about 80% done. After that I move on to something other than the cross-section-land-made-of-garbage motif.

Nobody Reads This Blog

2011-03-07T07:28:00.000-08:00

And now I know why. It's because I have not behaved like a leader. My thoughts and words and images fail to inspire. So says cartoonist Hugh MacLeod. He offers some ideas to a subset of bloggers who, blinded by their own feelings of self-importance, completely miss the point of blogging.

In reality, I don't think they apply to me entirely. I have gone where few have gone before, into an inhospitable wetland (The New Jersey Meadowlands) that is the unfortunate victim of public misconceptions and stereotypes because of rumors, anecdotes and folklore fueled by a hefty dose of the brutality of human misbehavior (pollution, unchecked sprawl and development, etc). I have returned from the poisoned and ravaged swamps with stories and images intended to educate and entertain. But does anyone care?

Well, yes and no.

The biggest problem I have as an artist, and something I'll have to deal with forever, is my body of work. It's exactly what has been holding back my success all along. It's a tough thing to admit, that your work is your worst asset, but it's true. Now don't get me wrong, I stand behind my work. I stand behind the work I've done on this Meadowlands project. Lots of people love what I do and are impressed with my skill level and the emotional charge that I put into an image. It's just an unfortunate fact that my work is a really tough sell to the segment of the population who has money to spend on paintings.

So what about this blog? If you're reading this than you have been sold. The difficulty with this blog is that it doesn't exactly spellbind many other pairs of eyeballs. Am I really that bad of a writer? I generally think of my writing as being somewhat captivating, and I have been praised for my eloquence and passion. So where is everybody?

The problem is the sell. And I don't mean the actual dollar sale where somebody hands me an envelope of cash for a painting, which, as I've already noted is something that I struggle with. I mean that I have not successfully convinced enough people to spend some of their valuable time reading what I have to say. It's hard to sell a subject, and I'm referring to The Meadowlands here, that has become what it has become because of a lack of interest by the public.

It's a downward spiral. If people cared about The Meadowlands, they would be a pristine, thriving ecosystem instead of a polluted wasteland, and therefore would not have captured my imagination as subject matter for paintings. And thus it's hard to interest people to stop what their doing and read the accounts of an unknown artist who has taken such a place and made it the focal point of his work.

And there's another problem. I have a day job in Philadelphia and I live just across the Delaware River in New Jersey. Philadelphia is a great city for artists, but I get the impression that a project on The New Jersey Meadowlands isn't really relevant around here. Add to that the fact that it's known as the home of the New York Giants, a professional football team that is vilified in this town. And anything from New Jersey can't help but be the butt of many jokes outside of the state. If I lived and worked in northern New Jersey, closer to The Meadowlands and New York City I might have more success. It really helps build your reputation if you live and work in a community and if what you do is something that the locals can relate to. No one in Philadelphia relates to The Meadowlands, but its what I've chosen to do. This project has become my calling, and I can't help but see this thing through. Like so many people who have come before me with grand ideas, I will either live or die in The Meadowlands.

This is not to say that it's impossible to generate interest in a piece of artistic work about the place. There are two great books that I used as research for this project, Fields of Sun and Grass by John R. Quinn, and The Meadowlands: Wilderness Adventures at the Edge of a City by Robert Sullivan. People bought these books and read them, and their authors are both very successful. So there's hope for this project, and for this blog.

And if you believe that, I've got some swampland in New Jersey to sell ya.

Picture Show

2011-02-23T21:15:00.000-08:00

Most of these images have nothing to do with this project, but I thought I would share it anyway...

Muddy Little Secrets #2 "official" photo

2011-02-23T10:15:00.000-08:00

One more and this "Series Within The Series" will be done and I can move on to the next image which is already completed in my mind.

Five Miles From Times Square Project Update

2011-01-17T09:15:00.000-08:00

January 2011

It's been about a year-and-a-half since I began this project, from its inception, to development of a thesis and grant proposal, photo studies, grant applications and finally to the creation of paintings. On some levels, it may seem like its dead in the water. I have yet to receive a single dime in grant money, mainly due to two important factors: 1) there is little interest in the development in a project like this from the institutions who hand out free money, and 2) I am now gainfully employed as a graphic designer (albeit as a freelancer with no firm commitment towards a future) which seriously hurts my credibility as a struggling artist who needs financial assistance.

I could add a third factor to that list, saying that one reason the grant money avenue is a dead end is because I have simply stopped asking. This would mainly have been precipitated by the first two. I don't, however, wish for anyone that's interested to get the impression that because I was never able to raise funds for the project that it's an abject failure.

The execution may not have followed exactly the path that I originally wanted, but things are plodding along. The main motivation for looking for handouts was to avoid the need for employment while developing the project, thus enabling me to finish a strong body of work of a respectable size in a timely fashion (1 year as opposed to 5 or 10). It was obviously not considered important enough by the grant-giving institutions that this project be funded as something to benefit the public. I still maintain that it would be, but the lack of interest from the foundations is not going to stop me from proceeding.

I suppose it would be nice if I can get a couple of thousands of dollars to supply materials for photo shoots and paintings, but I am capable of supporting myself and my family, while still not breaking the bank by purchasing paint and canvas. I have saved all of my receipts in the event that I do get a small grant and I will attempt to apply it retroactively. I should have some fun trying to explain that someday if it ever happens.

Another element of FMFTS which has seemingly dried up is my research, which was pretty intense in the Fall of 2009. The reason that I haven't done any recently is because I have done all I need to do at this point. I have another photo shoot in mind for the warmer months, but as of now I have plenty of imagery from my last two shoots to get me going and keep me going for some time.

The videos for the project, as well as articles for Broad Street Review, have also stopped, but as they were intended to accompany photo shoots to the area, it seems kind of obvious why I haven't done either of those for a while. My last photo shoot was May 2010, and the next in each of those series will not exist until I go back again.

This brings me to the heart of the matter: the paintings. It must not be forgotten that the primary focus of this endeavor is, was, and always will be the creation of a body of work. I can say with confidence that this phase of FMFTS is moving along very nicely. I only wish it could be moving along much more swiftly.

I can also say that the project has prompted a slightly new direction in my work. One look at the three newest paintings demonstrates that I am no longer satisfied with the tight, academic discipline of my past work (I'm not including links here, you'll just have to go and explore older posts to see photos of new paintings). I apologize if this comes as a bit of a disappointment to any fans of my older work. But things change. Artistic styles evolve. There are always new things to explore and express. I'm very satisfied with the feedback I've gotten and I am myself satisfied with what I've accomplished.

Muddy Little Secrets #2

2011-01-11T20:01:00.000-08:00

The second in the Muddy Little Secrets series is done. My apologies for the shitty photo but I just finished it a few minutes ago and snapped it quickly with my phone. I usually photograph my work with my good digital camera out in the backyard against the house where there's no direct sunlight. But it's 11:06 at night and snowing to beat the band so the good quality image will have to wait.

Muddy Little Secrets #2 In Progress

2010-12-16T18:22:00.000-08:00

This will be done someday, I promise

Tell Me Your Muddy Little Secrets

2010-11-01T19:50:00.000-07:00

Matthew Green, Muddy Little Secrets I, 30" x 48", oil on canvas, 2010

Big Meadow

2010-10-17T21:29:00.001-07:00

I finally got the paintings down from the A-Space and was able to photograph Big Meadow. About 75% of the creation process for this piece is chronicled on Lester Martin's YouTube channel in the series, How To Paint A Masterpiece.

Matthew Green, Big Meadow, oil on canvas, 48" x 72", 2010

Muddy Little Secrets

2010-10-14T21:04:00.000-07:00

Below are 3 works in progress from Five Miles From Times Square, Muddy Little Secrets I, II, and III. In one or two older posts I have the photos from which these paintings are done, so feel free to check them out for accuracy.

I should have #1 done in about 2 or 3 more sittings, and I plan on entering it into a juried show at Off The Wall Gallery in Philadelphia. The show is called Deja Vu: Art and Memory and I think a cross section of an old landfill fits the theme rather well.

denouement (big meadow pt 8)

2010-09-11T22:05:00.000-07:00

I got sick and tired of painting and videotaping at the same time, so a lot of steps were missed between the last 2 videos. The painting is done, however and is hanging at the a-space in Philadelphia as part of an exhibition of my work titled, "Something Old, Something New" until September 30.

http://www.mgreenartist.com
http://the-aspace.org/

Big Meadow at The A-Space

2010-09-07T09:08:00.000-07:00

The A-Space anarchist community space has generously offered to exhibit my work for the month of September. If anyone actually reads this blog and happens to live in the area, visit the A-Space website and find out when someone is there (they don't hold regular hours, generally speaking although someone is usually there during the day). We're having a reception on Sunday, September 26, from 5 – 7 PM, so come on down for some free wine and cheese and heavy conversations about art, the environment, politics, social change, or baseball.

I'm calling the show "Something Old, Something New", since I'm showing new work dates from 2003 to present. It's also the first public unveiling of Big Meadow, the very first painting for the Five Miles From Times Square project, which I've shown in progress on Les Martin's youtube channel. The final video will be posted soon, although the finished painting looks dramatically different than what it looked like while we were filming.

Here's the skinny:

A-Space
4722 Baltimore Ave
Philadelphia, PA
215-821-6877

or visit the-aspace.org or mgreenartist.com for more info

And finally, perhaps someday soon I'll have photos of the finished painting to post.

New Painting Done

2010-07-21T09:20:00.000-07:00

Big Meadow is complete. I will post pics when I have them. As far as the Big Meadow series of videos, we kind of abandoned that after a while. It was getting a little tedious and distracting to keep working for the camera. Some of the areas were too detailed and the work was progressing too slowly for it to be an interesting video. The final sitting, however was pretty active, so too bad I didn't have the camera out, and the painting is much looser and more expressive than my usual realism work. I expect the rest of the series to be similar. Maybe I'll have photos to post this weekend.

The Most Valuable Wasteland In The World

2010-07-15T11:11:00.000-07:00

Monumental Meadows was a series of 9 articles over 9 weeks published by John T. Cunningham in the Newark Sunday News in 1959 [view PDF here]. The ideas laid out in my proposal about the push for reclamation, the proximity of The Meadowlands to New York City and New Jersey's industrial base, the high demand for usable real estate in the region, the obstacles faced by builders and engineers, the folklore and stigma of the meadows, etc. are all pretty consistent with much of what Cunningham wrote about 50 years ago. Maybe I'm not so crazy after all.

Something that I didn't explore and maybe should have was cost. Any project in this area is going to cost a shitload of money, and we all know that money doesn't grow on trees. Fill, pilings, labor, all of these things are needed on a massive scale just to erect a single building when the bedrock is 120 feet below the surface. Even the Egyptians knew that they needed unpaid slaves to build the pyramids without going broke.

I've been told that The Meadowlands is a place "where dreams go to die." The Swartwouts went broke. According to Cunningham, "if words were dollars, the meadows would have been reclaimed long ago." The 40's and 50's were times of big dreaming in the Jersey Meadows, when total reclamation was a reasonable goal, and only a fraction of that has come to fruition. As with most Big Ideas, the line of demarcation between dreams and reality is a wall of impasse made of money.

New Article in Broad Street Review

2010-06-02T06:02:00.000-07:00

I sure am glad I'm done having children after canoeing in some of this water. This just came out today in the Broad Street Review...

FMFTS updates

2010-06-01T07:41:00.000-07:00

Below are more photos from 5/16. Hopefully this week I'll return to the studio and pick up where I left off last Sunday on Big Meadow. Last night I made some changes to my website's videos page, and I'll also have a link tomorrow for my latest article from Broad Street Review.

I'll be planning a new field study soon, acting on a tip I got recently about an area to check out, the old Standard Chlorine facility in Kearny. I may enlist the help of my brother again, and hopefully we're both done reproducing because according to what I've read, the place is a superfund site.

the meadowlands giveth

2010-05-18T23:00:00.000-07:00

Many thanks go to my brother Chris for agreeing to let me use his canoe and for enduring tides, winds, gnats, nasty smells, sunburn and general weirdness on the marshes. The meadowlands indeed giveth, but only on their terms. What they give they can take back at will

Photos from May 16

2010-05-18T22:51:00.003-07:00

New Meat

2010-05-17T06:19:00.001-07:00

The most recent photos and new vidi are in the can. I was out yesterday on the water with my brother Chris fighting the winds and the tides from Lyndhurst to Snake Hill and back.

I made three important observations yesterday:

1) The outgoing tide on the Hackensack River is a force to be reckoned with, especially when you're paddling against it.

2) Some places out there are downright nasty, especially when you see them close-up. There is land made of garbage, and that was especially noticeable in Lyndhurst from the canal where we put in the canoe.

3) Some places out there are absolutely gorgeous. The marshes on the west side of the river opposite Secaucus are near pristine, with clean water and virtually no trash. There are even patches of the original salt hay, most of which has been choked out throughout The Meadowlands by the notorious common reed. There are some areas where the salt hay has been restored through mitigation, but the areas we saw appeared to be natural.

The new video and photos will be posted shortly.

maverick (big meadow pt 7)

2010-05-05T07:41:00.000-07:00

This features my dog...