Squerl's house hold hint of the day 9-29-08

I just got back from Chico's house. His transporter is nearly ready, but he was asking me if I have ever tried to remove rust from metal? I told him there's lots of nasty planet poisoning chemicals you can buy, but I have a safe and natural solution- Use vinegar and 0000 steel wool. Works like a charm, and vinegar is about the cheapest substance known to man- or Squerls. Works great for cleaning the hard water deposits that slow down your coffee maker too-vinegar that is, no steel wool nesscesary. Just pour in about a half a pot of vinegar and turn it on. When it's finished do it again, keep pouring it again and again till you see the hard water deposits start to break loose, (you'll see them in the pot.) Most importantly do this outside if possible, or your whole treehouse will smell like salad dressing. D.J. Biggie Badger called while I was out and told me about a not too old not too new MiddleEastern group called The Peoples Republic. Amazing, exotic instrumentals set to pulse like beats and even more amazing chant- like vocals. Makes me want to become a whirling dirvish for a day. It's the kind of thing you can put on when your doin your art work and just kind of groove to. Anyway I like to support some artists from that region because I figure it's the least I can do to try to get to know the culture and not be a hater. I hate our current administrations policy on Iraq, and it's scandalous the way we are just blowing up and mowing down everyday folks over there. I say the terror lies within. Within the Oval office that is. I can't wait till November. Hope your all right out there. Despite all the crazyness in the world right now, I'm happy. Here in my nest everythings cool and like the great Jazz legend Louis Armstrong said, It's a wonderful world. -Squerl

Squerl's Weekend Ode to Paul Newman 9-28-08

One of my favorite humans Paul Newman is gone, one of the last real movie stars. Handsome, classy, humanitarian. They don't really make them like that anymore. Picnic and The Hustler are two must sees from this talented iconic actor and activist. He will be missed by many. Checked out the Lasagna at the Italian festival in Willow Glen this weekend. Good stuff. Listened to some Soprano's extras singing Quando Quando, which by the way I have now learned means When? When? A young lady dressed up in a sequin beaded dress, false eyelashes and BIG black hair a-la Gina Lollobrigida rounded out the day, and yes I got a Cannoli to go. yum!

Adventures of Squerl 9-26-08 Opening

If yer curious like me, poke your nose into the Buddhist Temple and groove to some jazz ensemble. Then for fun, check out the 5th street gallery Art Object in Japan town for a nice little series of paintings dealing with our current administration. This artist really shares a Squerls view of Humans at their worst. I was not crazy about the demonic fire lit rabbits and their chimpanzee infiltrator though. I mean I would never paint a picture of humans skinned alive and ready to be put in a stew pot. On second thought...naaahhh. Anyway, I think any gallery showing political art is deserving of a nod. They are also showing some sculpture, and Graffiti inspired paintings as well as Photos by Debra Thackery. Fun stuff. There is even a time bomb. Make traxx on over there yall.
P.S. If you shake your bushy tail, the Bartender Paul will give you some nice homemade Walnut liquor. Walnuts and Squerls go together ...You know that.

Thurs. 9-25-08 Squerl's first Bronze/ Aluminum Pour

Wow! If you ever want to see something cool check out the SJSU Foundry. I saw my first "pour" today! The helpers form a team of five and suit up in silver heat impervious gear topped off with Leather gloves and jackets, hard hats, and face Shields- all safety essentials. They look like they're ready for a moon walk! The metal, (usually aluminum or bronze,) has been melted down in a super heat resistant ceramic container called a crucible and is sunk into a hole in the floor awaiting the head man's signal. Two men man the boom and the other overhead apparatus that come down from the ceiling like a giant engine hoist to lift the heavy crucible and it's white hot molten contents. All the team members must work together in unison to maneuver the crucible into the right position for pouring into the investment molds which are made ahead from wax models, surrounded by stucco wire tar paper plaster and sand. The team must flow in a smooth, steady way to ensure a good pour of molten metal into each mold. Sounds pretty do-able you say? Well don't forget that everything weighs about a ton, and is about a bazillion degrees! The molten aluminum looks just like mercury as it is poured into the molds- it's the coolest thing ever! I wanted to stay for the second, bronze pour but i had to make traxx to another class. I can't wait for my turn! I don't think I need to tell you, don't try this at home! Squerl

Wed 9-24-08 Squerlin

I have been out of town, now I am back and need to catch up on my classes. Lot's of news but no time to tell it in. Stay posted. Squerl

Wed. 9-17-08 Squerl has a Metaphysical Experience

I was waiting for a call from my man, D.J. Biggie Badger when I started thinking to myself, If we were dwellers in ancient Akkadie, we would all be busily gathering in the harvest in preparation for the feast of Shamash, the Sun God. I would bring the acorn atole pancakes. I dozed off for awhile and I had a dream. I dreamed that Shamash the Sun God brought me a catalogue of the work of Gerard Titus - Carmel, all written in French. That's not so strange for me to dream about because I love Gerard Titus - Carmel, the weird thing is that I could read and understand the French even though I don't speak it in real life. In the book Gerard Titus- Carmel is talking about some of his pieces with fur on them, saying how he only uses road kill for those pieces and that many squirrels live on through his work. It was a happy dream. The phone woke me up. D.J. Biggie Badger, (Badges for short, ) was on the imaginary line. "I'm callin for Squerl," rumbles through the phone in a voice like far off thunder. I can hear James Brown playin in the background.
"Yo Badges, it's me Squerl."
" Ol riitte." Wadda ya want let's do this weekend? Have ya seen Chico?"
"Yeah man he's workin on his astral-nautical transport device."
"Astra-whatathemofo?"
"You know another one of his crazy robotic artworks, he's focused man."
" Too bad for him, that means more ladies for us at the party."
" What ladies, what party?"
" I don't have all the details yet but I will call you when I do."
" Cool daddy, say go."
" Riitte on, now you be cool man, don't be gettin all squerly on me."
" All right Badgie - hey play me some crazy funk like Parliment or somthing...I'm still groggy from my nap."
" No problem friend, I'll put you in the front of the line, later man."
" Cool, cool, bye."
Anyway, after the call I had to make traxx to foundry class, someone had dumped off a mess of old Art magazines that nobody else wanted. I am the recycling king so I nabbed them and brought them home after class. As I looked through them I couldn't believe my eyes. There in the stack was not just one, but two catalogues in French of Gerard Titus Carmel. How wierd is that? Maybe Chico's machine is working after all.

Tue. 9-16 Squerl ponders Spanish Bodegon painting and it's relevency to Installation art.

Check out the Bodegon painters of the 1600's and you will find the roots of Da-Da, Surrealisim, and modern installation art. Fra Juan Sanchez and Velasquez are two who really broke with the Acadamie and developed their own unique style which may have been partially influenced by Catholic Missonaries to China during the fall of the Ming dynasty. Consider the symbolic nature of the fruits and vegetables and their occupation within the space, some are suspended on wires etc. within box like forms- totally installation. The Chinese influence is there and these paintings directly influenced painters like Max Ernst, de Chirico and Salvadore Dali as well as many other artists working today. I was thinking about these paintings because many of my ancestors died in the name of this genre and I feel that homage is due, Bodegon has had a derogatory reputation as middle class decorative art, but maybe there is more to it than that it could be much more expressive and pointed than that. Remember this is a time when they could pull out your fingernails and put you on the rack for doing anything heretical. When you think about the shape of space- think about Bodegon and it's relevency to Installation art. Maybe I should work on still life arrangements with freshly trapped humans, surrounded by the trash they create...hummm....... Maybe not. Squerl

Tues. Sept. 15th Squerl has a close call with Ratley

Yikes! I was makin traxx back to my home tree from Chico's place. I was tearing down the furry freeway, (that big thick telephone cable that runs behind your houses,) when all of the sudden I had to put on the brakes fast! There in front of me was the harbringer of death himself-my arch rival and troublemaker extraordinaire-Ratley. We have a long running feud going because I spray art and he is a toy who just sprays farts. He's jealous, and so he disrepects my art work with reprehensible Ratley Riteings. He scribbles all over my gallery- the kook can't even spell. He once wrote "Squerl is a betch." What a dumb ass. The sneaky scum is the scourge of the neighboorhood. He eats garbage for cryin out loud! Anyway, so he's on the cable right in front of me about five feet away, he has a keen sense of smell but he can't see too good. I took a 45 angle into a nearby fig tree and hid out until he passed me. I know I could pound the snot out of his stinkin snout but I don't want to take the chance of him biteing me. Who wants the plague? Not too mention he has a gang of thugs he hangs out with- who like to gang up on people. They are some nasty low life mo-fo's who deal drugs and guns. They are ignorant butt-wipes without any dignity and so they must feed on yours. Hey these figs are nice and ripe, I'll take some home to mom and broil them with some proscuitto and olive oil- yummy. Talk to you later. SQUERL

Adventures of Squerl Day Three Sunday

I finally made it to Chico's . He's my chipmunk friend. He was working on a piece for an upcoming show. It's an "astral-nautical transport device," or at least that's what he calls it. Right now it looks like something you'd transport to the dumpster. I told him I'll wait till he finishes it to comment. Chico's' art is a trip, he is more of an engineer with an industrial design background. He's into robotics and goes to Las Vegas every year to some big tech nerd convention. I went with him once, and wasn't sure what to expect but I actually had a good time. We saw a demo of the latest microchip implant. This thing monitors your body systems so if you have say, hypoglycemia, it will send you a message via your cellphone or computer to alter your diet, check with your doctor etc. It is actually powered by chemicals naturally produced by the human body! In effect you become the battery for the device. Amazing shiest, but I'm a bit suspicious of stuff like that, if the chip can transmit to your computer it can transmit to others. I see health insurance cancellations around the corner. Corporations provide the Universities with money for research for a reason, and it ain't out of the kindness of their gold plated hearts. That's an unbroken loop that will never change. Still, I've always envied these brainers . I respect their smarts. Oh and we saw some celebrities while we were in "Sin City," Burt and Ernie were staying in the room next to ours. Ernie was cool...Burt was, well Burt was Burt. He must have watched too much Mr. Rodgers as a kid, very uptight. There's more to the story but ...ya know there always is. I gotta go now, Sunday's are laundry day. I like to keep my sneaks neat so I can make traxx! Check ya later... Squerl

Adventures of Squerl Day Two

It's Saturday! Saturday is the best day cause there's no work today and no work tomorrow, except for my own work, which is artwork. I was heading over to Chico's walking along the river bed. Suddenly I felt inspired. I ended up working all morning on a new piece, smokin carrot and his buddy the singing cigarrettes. These are modest works, but they make me happy, and I've been given the nod by more than a few fans. One I would like to get to know better, her name is Kootenscat. She's black and white and has the cutest little pink nose...yeah well nuff of that. One thing I want to be clear on, I never tag any private property. To me that is not art-it's a personal attack and completely rude. I never go looking for trouble. This I never do. I like under the freeway or bridge gallery space best. I look forward to springtime when the rivers run beneath reflecting all the krazy colors - Sometimes it looks like a psychadelic butterfly skimming the water. You can see all kinds of beautiful things if you just get up early and get away from the human race for awhile. I could just lay on the bank sippin my white tea and become a cloud water Squerl. There is a tradition of depicting squirrels and other natural creatures in Chinese, Ming and later Japanese ink paintings...astringency - that's so cool man. See, that is what makes Saturday so great. You have the time to sit and think about things like that and other things too. Guess I feel a little shitty about biteing that dude yesterday, poor sick mofo, but he did steal my paint. I'll chek ya later. Squerl

#1 continued...

So I follow the jerk at a safe distance just waiting for the chance to recover what's mine. He jogged down the street to Santa Clara, and made a left into the chainlink dumpster corrall next to the 7-11. I watched in horror as he rifiled through my beloved pak pak wretching as he besmirched my Krylon collection with his filthy hands. He wrangled out the prized can of silver, (huffers heaven,) unbuttoned his coat n' sprayed about half a brand fu---- new of paint into his armpit. then stuck his nose in and gulped up a giant dose. He was all splayed out tweka with his eyeballs rollin back in his head when I knew it was time to make my move. Like a furry fireball, I pounced on his ankle, raked my claws into his putrid flesh, and bit the shit out of his big toe which was sticking out of a hole in his shoe. As he bellowed in pain, I grabbed my pak and made traxx!! That gruesome bastard will think twice before he tries to steal from SQUERL again! Lord help him if he falls asleep under my home tree. Im heading over to my friends now- tune in for part #2 tomorrow.

Ok -so like I said, I always have to keep an eye out for dirty stinkin humans. Like the other day, I was set to go see my buddies D.J. Biggie Badger and Chico, when I realized that I forgot something. I drop my Krazy Krylon Kolor pakpak at the base of my home tree, I scramble back down and What the shit hell do I see? Some homeley ass ,halfway house, rehab-hooligan, huffer makin off with my grip!