The Colorboration Project

The Colorboration Project Line Up

2012-02-27T05:07:00.000-08:00

The Colorboration Project - Loop

208 S. Wabash Avenue

Exhibit: March 17 - April 24

Artist Reception: March 22, 5pm to 10pm

In association with the Pop-Up Loop, an initiative of the Chicago Loop Alliance.

This project is made possible by the generous support of the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, and the Office of the Dutch Consulate-General in Chicago.

The Colorboration Project is a collaborative art studio and exhibition where the international artistic duo, Royce Deans and Tali Farchi will create and display their art which consists of painting the live music. The painters have been conducting similar sessions since 2007 where musicians of all sorts join the visual artists in their studio. The music created serves as the subject for what often ends up as expressionistic paintings. What outwardly occurs could most easily be defined as an artistic jam session where the two disciplines come together to surprise and inspire each other. What might otherwise end up as private studio session is now open for the public to observe and enjoy.

Wherever Farchi and Deans work together around the world they enjoy drawing on the flavors of local musicians and The Colorboration Project - Loop is no different. In March 2011, the artists completed a successful 11 day residency in Logan Square where they met and worked with many fine Chicago musicians. Several of those musicians and composers will join them again in the Loop.

March 17, 2012 - 7:30 pm - $8

Scott Richardson aka mitre - guitar

Scott Richardson has been recording and performing improvised guitar-based ambient music as mitre for more than a decade. He creates aural landscapes often conducive to reading, painting, meditating, and sleeping. He first collaborated with Royce and Tali in 2011 and is honored to work with them again. As the music of mitre is improvised and experimental, it is highly location- and situation-dependent. Results may vary.

Rick Neuhaus and near hemisphere - West African influenced percussion ensemble
near hemisphere is a musically shifty collaboration of less than likely suspects, each with a lively story to tell, each falling forward around a common rhythmic impulse to express. Factors being what they are, talents of mysterious origins tend to rise to the surface. No time should be wasted with polite apologies, some things just need to be said...some loudly, some softly...some within rhythm, some without and some over and over again.

March 18, 2012 - 6:30pm
Wet Paint Event - The Art of the Nude
20 artists will be drawing and painting all day from live models in all different mediums. At 6:30pm the doors will open for a reception to meet the artists, models and see all the art that was created that day. It will be the wettest and freshest art in the city. All of it will be for sale, so come and get some.

Michael Tischauser - guitar
Solo jazz guitar is a style where the performer plays a whole song by himself on the guitar. Melodies are done with chords and single notes while the frame of the song is held together with rhythmic figures and walking bass-lines. Jazz music is American made and relates to the idea that different ethnicites can come together to play a sophisticated style of music. After graduating from Columbia College Chicago with a degree in Jazz Performance he has played professionally throughout the Chicagoland area.

March 22, 2012 - 2pm
Eliezer Kaplan - percussion
Eliezer Kaplan has given it all up to be a full-time musician. He has spent the last few years organizing bands that range from his take on growing up Jewish to rock and roll to free jazz perscussion.

March 22, 2012 - 5pm
The Colorboration Project - Artist Reception
The Colorboration Project is a constant work in progress with many many activities happening, some of them at the same time. This night will be an opportunity to stop by and meet the artists, Royce Deans, painter from Michigan, and Tali Farchi, painter from The Netherlands and Israel. The art work they have completed thus far will be on display.

March 23, 2012 - Noon to Midnight
The Colorboration Folk Fest
A 12-hour mini folk music festival featuring musicians from the Old Town School of Folk Music. This is a free event, and everyone is welcome to come and enjoy. Visit www.paintinaction.com/loop/folkfest for details and the line up

March 24, 2012 - 9:30 pm - $8
the gHOST project plus
gHOST project is an in-the-moment improvising rock band. you can never tell what's going to happen- it depends on the mood of the space and the evening. A year ago they were more of a 'rock band'- but lately there has been much more of an 'anything goes' attitude about the project. With the gHOSTie nobody knows until they show up.

March 25, 2012 - 6:30pm -$8
Mike Felton - His original Chicago Folk
"Mike Felton is the real deal." -Illinois Entertainer

Mike has been playing since the 1960's. That's right. A veteran of rock, country and blues bands. Mike sat in Muddy Waters bedroom, had Buddy Guy show him around the blues clubs where Willie Dixon, Junior Wells and Mighty Joe Young among others were hanging out. The 1970's found Mike playing folk gigs at places like the Fifth Peg and Orphans in Chicago.

March 26, 2012 - 8pm -$8
Renée Baker Ensemble
Renée Baker has been at the extreme forefront of creative/ avant garde music while developing this unique ensemble since 1991. Utilizing some of the finest musicians that cross the classical world as well as jazz greats, she has crafted a group of the best traditionalists and married them to dedicated improvisors. A true genre bending experience. Her skills as a conductor and musician coordinator have been used by some of the finest musical organizations in Chicago. Ms. Baker is also the Artistic Director of the Chicago Sinfonietta Chamber Ensemble as well as Mantra Blue Free Orchestra.

March 27, 2012 - 8pm
O•VAD•YA
Ovadya has been around 10 years. It’s played before diverse audiences, from opening for Eric Burdon & the Animals to Piamenta (The “Chassidische Jimi Hendrix”) & synagogues, to live radio, from festivals to intimate coffee houses. Their music—has been featured on radio nationally. The main writer of Ovadya music has been featured in Guitar Worldmagazine and had label interest (with a current indie label interested in licensing instrumental as of this writing). The Sax player has recorded with major label artists. The drummer and bass player have been featured in many Chicago area bands as well.

March 29, 2012 - 8pm - $8
Renée Baker Ensemble
Renée Baker has been at the extreme forefront of creative/ avant garde music while developing this unique ensemble since 1991. Utilizing some of the finest musicians that cross the classical world as well as jazz greats, she has crafted a group of the best traditionalists and married them to dedicated improvisors. A true genre bending experience. Her skills as a conductor and musician coordinator have been used by some of the finest musical organizations in Chicago. Ms. Baker is also the Artistic Director of the Chicago Sinfonietta Chamber Ensemble as well as Mantra Blue Free Orchestra.

April 3, 2012 - 2:00pm
Mike Felton - His original Chicago Folk
"Mike Felton is the real deal." -Illinois Entertainer

April 4, 2012 - 8pm - $8
Michael Miles - banjo
Michael J. Miles is a composer and producer of 'musical documentaries for the stage' with a specialty in clawhammer banjo, fingerstyle guitar and vocals. He is one of America’s most inventive clawhammer banjo players. The Chicago Tribune’s critic Howard Reich said that, “Everything Miles plays is worth savoring.”

April 5, 2012 - 8pm - $8
Marbin
Marbin first started in 2007 as and improvised music duo consisting of Israeli-American guitarist, Dani Rabin and Israeli saxophonist, Danny Markovitch. The two musicians met shortly after Markovitch had completed his military service as an infantry sergeant and Rabin had graduated from Berklee College of Music. Since 2008, Marbin has been living in Chicago and performing all over the United States, playing over 250 shows a year with the accompaniment of drummer, Justyn Lawrence and bassist, Ian Stewart.

April 6, 2012 - 8pm - $8
Rick Neuhaus and near hemisphere - West African influenced percussion ensemble
near hemisphere is a musically shifty collaboration of less than likely suspects, each with a lively story to tell, each falling forward around a common rhythmic impulse to express. Factors being what they are, talents of mysterious origins tend to rise to the surface. No time should be wasted with polite apologies, some things just need to be said...some loudly, some softly...some within rhythm, some without and some over and over again.

April 9, 2012 - 8pm - $8
Sid Yiddish and His Candystore HenchmenSid Yiddish And His Candy Store Henchmen catatonically captivates audiences with experimental conductible washes of perspiring unconventional atonal sonance harmonic improvisation. Sid Yiddish And His Candy Store Henchmen don't always understand what they are creating, they know that you will.

For more information and details, visit www.paintinaction.com/loop

Royce Deans Biography:
Royce Deans paints his way through just about everything that gets in his way. His paintings capture the essence of the moment. They are abstracted sights and or sounds portrayed in layers of color and texture, and always a celebration of the mark. A graduate Chicago's American Academy of Art in illustration and design, his work shows up in collections private and corporate, such as McDonald's. Deans was a founder of the record label 54º40' or Fight! and publisher of the now temporarily defunct magazine Copper Press. His current work of paintings of music and his surroundings that are both on display and in progress, are part of a collaborative project with painter, Tali Farchi. Deans currently lives in Traverse City, Michigan. www.roycedeans.com

Tali Farchi Biography:
Tali Farchi vd. Wouden, born and raised in Haifa, Israel, attended art school at the Rietveld Academy in Amsterdam. She paints every day and has taken her work and way of working around the world. Trained as an animator, her talents have been seen on Sesame Street in Israel and on gallery walls of the Amsterdam Jewish History Museum. The co-founder of the multi-media, multi-disciplined performance Mo(ve)ment in Holland, she is fearless in her approach to bending every possible rule of thumb. She is a tireless collaborator and thrives on inspiration from every climb which has driven The Colorboration Project with artist, Royce Deans to many new places. Art is her passion and her profession. When Farchi is not in the US or back home in Israel, she sleeps, rides her bicycle and works in Zwolle, The Netherlands. www.talifarchi.com

Media Contact:

Royce Deans

Phone: 231.883.1681

Email: royced@gmail.com

Website: www.paintinaction.com/loop

Facebook: www.facebook.com/colorboration.project

Twitter: twitter.com/colorboration

For Immediate Release

2012-02-01T06:33:00.000-08:00

ARTISTS:

Royce Deans - Michigan

Tali Farchi - Netherlands/Israel

The Colorboration Project - Loop

208 S. Wabash Avenue

Exhibit: March 14 - April 24

Opening Reception: March 22

5pm to 10pm

In association with the Pop-Up Loop

an initiative of the Chicago Loop Alliance.

This project is made possible by the generous support of the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, and the Office of the Dutch Consulate-General in Chicago.

The Colorboration Project is a collaborative art studio installation and exhibition where the artists, Royce Deans and Tali Farchi create and display their art of painting the live music. The painters have been conducting similar sessions since 2007 where musicians of all sorts join the visual artists in their studio. The music created serves as the subject for their paintings. What outwardly occurs could most easily be defined as an artistic jam session where the two disciplines come together to surprise and inspire each other. What might otherwise end up as private studio session is now open for the public to observe and enjoy.

In March 2011, the artists had a successful 11 day residence in Logan Square where they met and worked with many fine Chicago musicians. Several of those musicians and composers will join them again in the Loop. Visit www.PaintinAction.com/loop for schedule of musicians with dates and times, $8 at the door.

A partial list of the musicians includes: The Chicago based Israeli duo, Marbin; Renee' Baker with an ensemble from the Chicago Modern Orchestra Project; Eliezer Kaplan and the gHOST project; Mike Felton with his own special version of Chicago Folk; composer, Sid Yiddish; Rick Neuhaus and Near Hemisphere; O•VAD•YA; Scott Richardson aka mitre; Columbia College music major, Erin Fay and Friends; and guitarist, Michael Tischauser.

Royce Deans Biography:

Royce Deans paints his way through just about everything that gets in his way. His paintings capture the essence of the moment. They are abstracted sights and or sounds portrayed in layers of color and texture, and always a celebration of the mark. A graduate Chicago's American Academy of Art in illustration and design, his work shows up in collections private and corporate, such as McDonald's. Deans was a founder of the record label 54º40' or Fight! and publisher of the now temporarily defunct magazine Copper Press. His current work of paintings of music and his surroundings that are both on display and in progress, are part of a collaborative project with painter, Tali Farchi. Deans currently lives in Traverse City, Michigan. www.roycedeans.com

Tali Farchi Biography:

Tali Farchi vd. Wouden, born and raised in Haifa, Israel, attended art school at the Rietveld Academy in Amsterdam. She paints every day and has taken her work and way of working around the world. Trained as an animator, her talents have been seen on Sesame Street in Israel and on gallery walls of the Amsterdam Jewish History Museum. The co-founder of the multi-media, multi-disciplined performance Mo(ve)ment in Holland, she is fearless in her approach to bending every possible rule of thumb. She is a tireless collaborator and thrives on inspiration from every climb which has driven The Colorboration Project with artist, Royce Deans to many new places. Art is her passion and her profession. When Farchi is not in the US or back home in Israel, she sleeps, rides her bicycle and works in Zwolle, The Netherlands. www.talifarchi.com

Media Contact:

Royce Deans

T: 231.883.1681

E: royced@gmail.com

W: www.paintinaction.com/loop

The gallery/studio is open to the public daily for no charge 11am - 7pm.

The Art of Letting Go

2012-01-26T06:32:00.000-08:00

The Full Circle Seminars presents

The Art of Letting Go

March 31 to April 1, 2012

@ The Well Being Behavioral Health and Fitness Center

1118 Front Ave NW

Grand Rapids, MI 49504

For years now we have been presenting various workshops such as The Painting with Music Workshop. In the last months we have spent a lot of time organizing our thoughts and efforts and resources so that we could continue to present and refine what has already found such great success.

We have assembled a top notch team of professionals that have brought with them, incredible skills passion and determination.

First of all therapists, Brendan Kelly and Timothy Pieri of The Well Being, LLC in Grand Rapids have been more than awesome. Their openness and drive to expand and expose new ways of thinking are truly inspiring to us. Please check out what they do at their web site.

The next member of the team is musician/percussionist, Rick Neuhaus. We collaborated with him last October in Chicago with a live painting with drum circle session/experiment.

Rick has the ability to make everyone feel at ease as he facilitates getting everyone through some pretty complex artistically musical negotiations. Among other things Rick is the leader of the Chicago based percussion group, Near Hemisphere.

We want to introduce The Full Circle Seminars and present our first official presentation of The Art of Letting Go. We are going to focus on creative thought, mindfulness, cognitive therapy, letting go and happiness.

www.TheFullCircleSeminars.com

Like The Full Circle Seminars on Facebook

Follow us on Twitter

The Colorboration Project Chicago Continues

2012-01-18T07:56:00.000-08:00

March 2011 we debuted The Colorboration Project Chicago in Logan Square. During that time we collaborated with some amazing people and musicians. We learned a lot and made a lot of art. We have continued to cultivate many of the friendships we began last March. We were in Chicago in October for a while after ArtPrize and did several things, not the least of which was two wonderful night at Brown Rice with Renee' Baker and a sextet from the Chicago Modern Orchestra Project...

On the last night before Tali returned home to the Netherlands we had very special night with our friend Rick Neuhaus. Rick put together a drum circle made up of some members of his group Near Hemisphere and also gave every one in the audience an instrument so that everyone was in the band.

It was magical.

It is with this energy and momentum that Tali and I will be back in Chicago March 17 - April 24, 2012 to do The Colorboration Project Chicago Loop.

Thanks to the Chicago Loop Alliance and the Pop-Up Art Loop we will be in a downtown space at 208 S. Wabash Avenue. We are very excited and already have a very full schedule of collaborators.

Please stay tuned for what is about to happen. If you are in Chicago, plan on stopping by, it will be worth it.

Let's make 2012 amazing.

Jeremy Verwys in Our Studio

2011-11-28T10:46:00.001-08:00

ArtPrize really did give us so much, as well as being a time that we could create a really solid body of work that we are very proud of, it was a time that we were able to meet some really wonderful people. Though are project was designed primarily around painting with recorded music that vistiors would bring us on their iPods, we had the extreme fortune to work with some incredible musicians. Guitarist, Jeremy Verwys was one of these very pleasant surprises.

We were very comfortable in our Grand Rapids studio supplied to us by Steepletown Neighborhood Services. That made painting 10 to 12 hours a day as much of a joy as you might think it would be. So when Jeremy showed up with his guitar case was like slipping on a very comfortable pair of shoes. His classical guitar style put every one in the room into a very sweet spot. As painters we were able to get completely lost in that moment.

When Jeremy finished his hour long set, and started to pack up, we asked if that was all, and he responded, "Hey, I would love to play more if you would like. I will play all night if you will let me."

Jeremy is a Grand Rapids native and is presently playing his guitar as much as possible. Check out his Facebook page to see what he is up to.

Angela Josephine & Our ArtPrize Jukebox

2011-11-21T13:13:00.001-08:00

September 25th was a special day for us as singer/songwriter Angela Josephine joined us from Traverse City. Our Jukebox project was designed so that we would paint to the music that visitors brought to us on their iPods. This worked quite well most of the time, but we did have some really incredible moments as we were accompanied many times by musicians and singers that offered to play live with us. Whenever we were fortunate enough to have the music created live in our studio everyone involved had a marvelous time.

Angela contacted us earlier in the week and asked if she could come down Sunday afternoon and play some of her new songs for us that she had written for her upcoming and soon to be released album.

As Thanksgiving Day is coming up this week, among other things we are grateful for, would like to send a big thanks to Angela for being such a vibrant part of our collaboration.

This video features parts of two of her songs, That's How You Love Me and Ordinary Ways.

Check out Angela Josephine's Web Site.

ArtPrize Jukebox in Grand Rapids Comes Down.

2011-11-15T16:57:00.001-08:00

I am going to make my way down to 671 Davis St. NW in Grand Rapids, right in the heart of the Steepletown neighborhood on Wednesday October 15th to deinstall the nearly 50 paintings that Tali and I created during ArtPrize 2011.

Tali and Royce in their Grand Rapids studio

A few of the paintings were sold and we are happy about that, and now that the exhibition is over the last of the circus finally has to leave town. Luckily some of the paintings will still be available to be seen by the public, several of them will be going to Well Being, LLC at 1118 Front Ave. NW, Suite #1, Grand Rapids. Stay tuned for images of that installation.

I am looking forward to working with Roger again, and seeing some old friends, like Dick, Eddie and Sharon. We have to thank Steepletown Neighborhood Services and these fine folks, because they hosted us in the most first class way. Thanks you guys!

ArtPrize 2011

2011-11-11T11:35:00.001-08:00

As most of you know already we had the great fortune of being a part of the world's largest art prize competition during ArtPrize 2011 in Grand Rapids, Michigan in the end of September through October 9th. We had a wonderful venue outside of the crowded city center in the Westside neighborhood of Steepletown.

Steepletown Neighborhood Service hosted us and gave us a really incredible space to work in and all the corridors to display the 50 paintings we did while we were there. We were there 18 days and literally were painting 10 - 12 hours each day.

It was an incredible amount of work and it took an amazing amount of energy to be on for such a long period of time, but it was so worth it. We met so many great people, had some really meaningful conversations. We sold some art, that is a good thing. We have at least one hundred and one stories to tell so now that we are back to our respective homes and studio, and the dust as mostly settled, and there are only a few more boxes to unpack we will start to report some specifics of what went on in Grand Rapids while we were there.

So stay tuned and you can continue to be part of the art.

Can't Remember When!

2011-10-21T13:46:00.000-07:00

Well it's 21 October 2011 and it is the first full day that Tali and Royce have spent back in our respective studios. Like last March after the first Colorboration Project we have much to report on now that we are back and can begin to process what actually really went down.

Honestly we put in the longest hours we ever have and everything everyday came so fast and furious that it was hard to keep up with anything accept simply addressing what was directly in front of us...

So now we can do that, AND look at what will be next...

All that said, I (Royce) slept till nearly 12:30 today! I really can't remember when the last time that that happened. Now it is crowding in on 5PM and believe it or not, I am starting to feel tired again... Let's hope another good night's sleep will do the trick.

Worst case scenario, it will take the weekend...

But we met a lot of incredible people and worked with some wonderful folks. The future looks bright and we will be talking all about it here.

Thanks...

CoasterPrize Announced!

2011-08-25T06:58:00.000-07:00

As you all know by now we are participating in ArtPrize 2011 in Grand Rapids, Michigan from 21 September to 9 October. Our official ArtPrize Page Link.

Never being satisfied with doing things just like everyone else we could not resist attempting to make our project just a little bit more... Thus we now have CoasterPrize!

We figured since we are in the world's largest art prize competition with our Jukebox Project and are counting on the collaborative input of the public so heavily to supply us with music from their MP3 players, we felt it was only appropriate to give our visitors a competitive opportunity simliar to ours.

Since our venue is going to be set up to have a bit of a coffee shop atmosphere, coasters seemed like one of those things that HAD to be. In fact we have hand painted original coasters as one of our rewards in our Kickstarter campaign.

It's a crazy idea, but initially we thought; have people draw on coasters and the one we thought was best would win one of our large four foot square paintings. Yeah, that is crazy. Fun and crazy. But over last weekend the idea grew to not only include prizes for first, second and third, but also a children's category with its own set of prizes.

Go to our special CoasterPrize page on our website to see the details. PaintInAction.com/Coasterprize

No purchase or vote is necessary to participate in CoasterPrize, but you do have to come to our Steepletown venue to get your coaster to decorate. It is just one more way that you can be part of the fun. We love it when everyone is involved.

Feel free to contact us about ArtPrize Jukebox, we hope to see as many of you there as possible.

All the L5 Paintings on Display in Zwolle

2011-08-08T07:41:00.000-07:00

Spring of 2010 during Zwart Festival in Zwolle, The Netherlands, we presented L5(live), a production that brought together live painting, dance and music on stage to tell an original story of a search and discovery.

For L5, Tali and I were painting the scenery live during each performance of the play. Over the course of the festival we did 14 shows and in the end had 26 individual and unique paintings, 14 of which were chosen to remain as an exhibition in the Stedelijk Museum Zwolle.

This last week the entire collection of paintings were installed in Isala Klinieken - Wezenlanden, Zwolle.

Each one these painting are acrylic and charcoal on cradled wooden panels that are 4' X 4' (120 X 120cm). The music in the video is I Belong to You by Muse, a song used during the Stars portion of L5(live).

L5 Cast:
Benno Hübner, The Dancer
Tali Farchi, Artist
Royce Deans, Artist
Tamme de Boer, The DJ

Art in Zwolle

2011-08-01T06:49:00.000-07:00

As you know by now Tali lives in Dutch city of Zwolle. Yes she has her studio there where she does lots of art and design work but we have also done a few projects there that you may or may not be aware of.

June of 2010 we presented a performance called "L5" with our good friend and collaborator, Benno Hübner. We did this in the Stedelijk Museum Zwolle. During the run of that show we created 25 paintings that were 48" X 48" (120 X 120cm) and those paintings remained in the museum as an exhibition for a time. The gallery we were exhibited in only had room for 14 of these paintings, so in reality this series of paintings has never been seen displayed together in their entirety. But that is about to change.

Starting 6 August the complete series will be displayed at Isala Klinieken - Wezenlanden, Zwolle.

Tali has been very busy in her studio preparing all of these paintings for this exhibition. Check out this little video that serves as a bit of a preview of the show, as well as a little peek into Tali's studio space.

This is not all of the buzz in Zwolle. As we are closing in on the time that we will be doing ArtPrize Jukebox in Grand Rapids, Michigan, The web blog of Zwolle posted a great story and photo announcing to the locals Zwollenaars that one of their hometown artists is once again making an appearance on the worldwide art stage. Click here to see the blog post.

And as a final note last week Royce delivered three paintings that were created during The Colorboration Project Chicago to the Good Work Collective Gallery in Traverse City. Stay tuned as this next week we will have photos of our art as it is hanging on walls in public places in both Zwolle and Traverse City.

We hope you are having a great summer.

About Our Next Project...

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

You all have been hearing us talk about our ArtPrize Jukebox project and our Kickstarter campaign for probably 2 months now. In about 60 days we will be in Grand Rapids, Michigan for ArtPrize 2011. This is the world's largest artprize competition with a first prize of $250,000, and the winners are chosen by the voting public. Tali and I were one of the first artists this year to secure a venue which insured us a place in this year's competition. Not all artists that register for ArtPrize are so lucky.

Our vote ArtPrize getting flier.

Our project for ArtPrize is going to be very special for everyone involved, and our ArtPrize Jukebox will invite everyone to participate and to truly be part of the art. Music always plays a large part in the projects we do. Just like a real jukebox those that come to visit our ArtPrize venue will be able to choose the music they hear. The music they hear will be the music that we paint with.

Those that come to see us need to bring their iPod, mp3 player or CD's of their favorite music. In this way those musical choices will become part of the art as the songs inspire our paintings. The musical input will be documented so that it can be permanently displayed with the painting. The person's name that suggested the song will also be included.

Collaboration has been the basis of the work we have done together from the beginning. Collaborating with musicians is always exciting, and now we are really looking forward to having this very personal interaction with the public as we ask them to provide their favorite music as inspiration for our paintings.

We realize that not all of you will be able to be in Grand Rapids this September to visit us at ArtPrize. We have as part of our Kickstarter campaign a way for you to be involved and to have your musical choices become inspiration, no matter where you live on the planet. Kickstarter is a really fun way to be a part of the art.

We always are are pushing the envelope and we will be pushing our limits as we will be in our venue/art studio working for 12 hours a day. We will be creating between 50 and 70 paintings in this time that will be shown and exhibit during the two weeks of ArtPrize in Steepletown Center in the Westide neighborhood of Grand Rapids. come and join the fun!

Berlin Activity

2011-07-12T13:36:00.000-07:00

Here is a few of the images from Tali's visit to Berlin for the Kaleidoscope Berlin-Chicago, Connecting Cultures Event.

There are many more photos that can be seen here, Link. But here are how the space where she made her presentation about our Colorboration Project Chicago shaped up.


The raw attic space in Berlin.

Tali installing.

Tali draws and paints where ever she goes.

Tali's portraits...

Plein aire painting in Berlin

Alpha Bruton Phantom Gallery Chicago curator in Berlin.

Colorboration Chicago Video

2011-07-10T18:04:00.000-07:00

Greetings!

This video was edited by Tali and her husband Ruud, from the stills shot during our Colorboration Project - Chicago in March 2011 and video shot by Alpha Bruton, the chief curator of the Phantom Gallery, Chicago Network.

This clip was part of Tali's presentation during Kaleidoscope Berlin-Chicago, Connecting Cultures in July, 2011.

It is a very nice recap of the project.

Enjoy.

Berlin

2011-07-06T13:44:00.000-07:00

Traveling from Zwolle to Berlin by train only takes seven hours… That is almost a short trip compared to the time it takes to fly to Chicago on a plane. And travel to Berlin this last week is exactly what Tali did. While we were in Chicago Alpha Bruton, The Phantom Gallery Chief Curator, introduced us to Marianna Buchwald who had organized with the German photographer, Ina Lunkenheimer an event/symposim called Berlin-Chicago Kaleidoscope, Connecting Cultures.

Through Alpha Tali and I were invited to be in Berlin to present a report along with our art and Alpha's documentation to artists and visitors alike.

With the birth of a new grandson, Royce was unable to go to Berlin, but Tali loaded up her suitcases with multi-media stuff and her big black portfolio and headed off to Ina's Lunkenheimer's Gallery in Pankow, Berlin, Germany.

Tali presented a report of what we did with our Colorboration Project - Chicago in March, as well as a video made up of still images and video that was shot during project in Logan Square. Tali was give a lovely little raw space in the attic that actually resembled in many ways a miniature version of what we had in 2515 N. Milwaukee Ave.

Tali's space in Berlin, it looks like Chicago doesn't it?

Artwork from a few of our projects were on display in this unique space plus some of the marvelously charming painted bags that Tali has been producing. (Those bags are available for sale by the way as well as a reward with our current Kickstarter program) Check out our latest Kickstarter.

Along with with Tali, other artists from Chicago were on hand. Sculptor Alan Emerson Hicks, and Pioter Wolodkowicz were there to present their work as well. The work of Hans -Ulrich Buchwald (Marinanna's father), Gabriel Patti, Kathryn Gauthiers and Alpha Burton were on display.

There was in the end a great exchange of cultures and art. Every one mingled and were given tours of Berlin and it's museums and galleries.

Tali and Alpha and the reception.

It was a really great opportunity that Tali had to be a part of this group and event, we hope that there will be many more like it and that we can continue to be a part of such a vibrant group.

Kickstarter is for everyone!

2011-06-22T08:43:00.000-07:00

As you know collaboration is truly at the core of each of our projects. It is how we work. Our work from the very start has been that of collaboration. And we have always thrived on the input of others to our work, musicians and dancers have historically been the the most obvious contributors to the creative energy. But whenever we look back on any of our projects we can't help but comment on how much the audience and those that we have met in the process have also given us so much to build on.

Our next project, ArtPrize Jukebox, that will be our entry in ArtPrize 2011 in Grand Rapids, Michigan will take that concept of inviting the visiting public to provide inspiration for us. Since we will not be having live musicians in our space this time, we are asking everyone that comes to our space in Grand Rapids to bring their iPod or MP3 player and plug in and choose a song to play while we paint. In this way we will get inspiration from the music you choose.

We invite everyone that can to come visit us, but we realize that not everyone can necessarily make it all the way to the Steepletown neighborhood of Grand Rapids.

It is an incredible amount of work to arrange such an undertaking and when you consider materials and traveling expenses, financially it is a lot to arrange as well. Last February we used Kickstarter dot com to help raise funds for our Colorboration Project Chicago. We found it was a fun and easy way to involve a lot of people in the project, many of which did not live nearby. Through Kickstarter we are provided a way to offer rewards to those that help us out.

Since the Colorboration Project worked so well and the response we got from those that got involved through Kickstarter had such a good experience that we have launched another Kickstarter campaign for our ArtPrize Jukebox.

Please go to http://kck.st/lWHF2c to see how we have designed ways for you to collaborate with us and truly be a part of the art no matter where you live.

If you can make it to see us in person, we would love it, we hope you can make it. If you can be a part through Kickstarter, it will be really fabulous.

Thanks a million,

Tali and Royce

ArtPrize 2011 is Next!

2011-06-15T17:56:00.000-07:00

Now for the news you have all be waiting for.

We have been talking about what will be next for about a month now. We were pretty sure that it would be as we had hoped, but we really needed to wait until the contracts were signed. Now we announce that our next project will be in September of 2011 in Grand Rapids, Michigan for ArtPrize.

ArtPrize is the world's largest art prize competition with some enormous prizes. First place is $250,000; second is $100,000; and third is $50,000. It is a big deal with close to 1800 artists competing for the prize. The competition will be tough and quite honestly it will be an exercise in marketing as well as it will be an art project.

Never the less, we are very excited about it. We will be in the Steepletown Center, sponsored by Steepletown Neighborhood Services. Our studio will be set up as a coffee shop that people can come in and have a cup as they watch us work to the music that they will provide from the playlists of their iPods.

This will be a big undertaking to pull this one off and for starters we are have launched another Kickstarter campaign. Our goal is to raise $950 by the end of August to fund the purchase of our art supplies and materials for our wooden panels. We will be painting over the course of the first week of the event sixty-eight 4' X 4' paintings.

This is the video we made to accompany the Kickstarter campaign. Please go to our ArtPrize page to see more details.

We have made up some really fun rewards this time around that make it real easy for everyone to participate on all kinds of levels.

We are truly appreciative of any support and help, but most of all, we would love to see you in Grand Rapids next September. If you wont be able to be there stay tuned for a "Ustream" link that you can watch the action as it happens on line and in real-time!!

THANKS!!

The Beat Goes On.

2011-06-10T12:57:00.000-07:00

Yeah, yeah, yeah, sure, just like Sonny and Cher sang, The beat goes on...

Well it does for The Colorboration Project.

Before we officially announce what will be next, we felt we would be completely remiss if we did not mention the fact that three of the paintings we did in Chicago were just installed today in the lobby of the incredible State Theater in Traverse City, Michigan.

Art in the State Theater

What is the special occasion you ask? Or is there even a special occasion? Well, yes there is. Tonight is the opening of the new Woody Allen film, Midnight in Paris.


Opening tonight.

The State is a renovated theater which has become a real anchor in downtown Traverse City. Since it's reopening downtown has really be revitalized with lots of new shops and restaurants. It is a cutting edge movie house with arguably the best sound and projection in the country for a venue this size.

So it is a great honor that the paintings that Tali and I did were chosen to be displayed in this way. This is the first time in the history of the theater that they have featured art that would be a tie in with the film.

Colorboration Chicago Thank You Page

2011-06-03T08:42:00.000-07:00

To everyone that supported The Colorboration Project - Chicago in so many ways. We really appreciate everyone that came out to and we hope that you were glad you did.
Thanks from the bottom of our hearts!

Alpha Bruton/Phantom Gallery Chicago link
Curating from near and far.

Cara Dehenert Huffman/ I AM Logan Square link
Facilitated in ways that were most helpful.

Mark Fishman
The man with the goods on 2515.

Genesis Art Supply/artsupply.com link
Phil Faro made sure we never ran out of paint.

Nora/Lynn/Jack/Artists and Display link
A classy act in Milwaukee that got us off to a great start.

Kate and Steve Strong Family link
Never complained about all the early morning arrivings.

Gabe Patti FB link
Stage building, PA, Curatorial Duties, Reeds.

Natasha Casanova link
Art Collector, I AM Logan Square

Bill and Karen Berenson
Great dinner, great company, and the best pen pal ever.

Bill Hill FB link
Murphy Hill Gallery

Barbara Faro/Strathmore Paper
The best watercolor paper.

Andy DeLaRosa
Unending compassion, generosity and creativity.

Flabby Hoffman FB link
Musical Hook-ups Par Excellance!

Marc Gee FB link
Keyboardist with the mostest! and more.

Eric Ricks
Art Collector and supporter since day one.

Margaret Larkin link
Blogger, interesting conversations and dodger of bullets.

Tracy Kostenbader link
Project cheerleader.

Angela Saxon link
Lights, light stands, boundless encouragement.

New Wave Coffee link
Bathrooms and internet.

Discount Mega Mall
Bathrooms and holidays south of the border without checking passports.

Tamale Cart Lady
Tamales Rojo y verde, taeem meod!

Dan Godston link
Blogger.

Nancy Zook

Teacher with hope.

Brooke Herbert link
Blogger/Photographer

Cate Baker
Modeling professional.

Lindsey Lyons-Fay
Mother behind the talent of a new generation.

Paul Yoggerst link
The guitarist that paints and came back for more.

Tabitha Cooper
Taker of photos.

Sheboom link

The first ladies of percussion.

The Aperion Project
The lead off men.

Eliezar Kaplan link
the gHOST project.

Jim Cooper link
Vibrophonic friend.

Mike Felton link
Paints portraits with his lyrics.

Scott Richardson link
mitre.

Marbin link
Dani ve Danny - astounding.

Sid Yiddish FB link
Oy vah Voy!

Erin Fay
Let's stay up all night again sometime.

The Earth Program link
Enthusiasm goes a long way.

Domoma link
Surprises do happen.

Craig's List link
Life saver.

Kickstarter.com link
What a great idea!

Thanks again and again to everyone that supported us with Kickstarter.com
Marie Schiettecatte
Barrie Ripin
Taffy Hutchison
Sarah Elizabeth Foley
Angela Josephine
Elise Maxey
Joshua Krause
Sascha and Cora Tamarinof
Hila Zewi
Clarissa Harwell
James Gartner
Daniel Gilbert
Nelson Carvajal
Jackie Qwynne
Christine Altese
Nancy Filichia
John O'Neill
Lindsey Lyons-Fay
Reiko Lewis
Joelie Hicks
Chris and Vita Morse
Van Der Wouden Family
Robert Martinek
Jon Godston

Packing up and Moving out.

2011-06-02T07:17:00.000-07:00

Well there you have it and this brings us to the last day that we were to set foot in what has really become our second home. Actually, it had become our home, that is if home is where you spend most of your time. Since Tali had a flight back to Amsterdam the next morning we thought it would be great if we broke things down and got all packed up by 1pm and then were able to take a quick Chicago sight seeing tour and pick up a few souvenirs for the folks back home.

We knew all the paintings and the gear had to fit back into the Yukon, but since we seem to have added more things that we got rid of we were not sure how it would all fit.

After a conversation with Cara from I AM Logan Square the other night, where we joked about her taking the 68" X 96" Marbin painting and displaying it in her apartment. So, in a moment of concern for the possibility that I might have to disassemble the canvas and roll it up to take it home, I called Cara to ask if we could take the joking the other night a little more seriously. I left a message for her.

Before getting to the space to break down easels and the table with the lights and cameras, Alpha called and said to meet her at Murphy Hill Gallery on Homan, just south of the Eisenhower Expressway to talk to them about placing our Fellini painting. Since Alpha had hinted at wanting us to meet the owners of this gallery all week, so we swang by there on our way to Logan Square from Bridgeport.

Murphy Hill Gallery

We met with Ralph Murphy and then William Hill. Since we were just on our way to the space the only image we had of Fellini to show them was on Tali's phone. Thank goodness for that, Bill Hill took one look and said he loved and would like to have us bring it to the gallery to be there for the opening of their East Meets West show, that would be their last show at this location. (The whole third floor of the original Sears and Roebuck offices and headquarters.)

Great we said, but how?

We left the gallery with a new predicament how would we move this painting that was too large to fit inside this huge truck I have.

As we were driving both happy and perplexed, we got a call from Cara saying she would be honored to have the painting in her home. LOL Now we were twice as happy and also twice as perplexed.

Roof top painting transport!

Once the Yukon was back inside the space I scrounged around for something that might work. I found two 8 foot, 2 X 4's with huge nails in it. They would work by zip tying them to the roof rack... but those nails. As it turns out the only hammer I have is a half sized toy hammer that broke after the third nail was pulled. So the others were simply bent over and we were in the moving business.

Marbin being delivered.

Since Cara lived only about four blocks away on Francisco we arranged to take that one first, as sort of a test run before having to attempt driving a painting all the way past the Eisenhower.

Moving big paintings up stairs is a fun challenge.

Leaning where it will hang.

We got to Cara's met her husband and we carried the painting up three flights of stairs and after a couple of kartwheels we go the painting in place. Next stop Murphy Hill.

The old Sears Headquarter, the home of Murphy Hill Gallery.

By now, by the way, it was a bit past 1pm, in fact it was already getting to be rush hour. While we were later than we wanted to be, I was happy about two things. One it was a sunny warm day to drive with a painting on the roof, and two, we were going to have to take side streets to get there as our max speed could only be about 20mph. The stars must have been in all the right places because the delivery went flawlessly. There we were, we had our two biggest paintings safely delivered and on display.

Up the stairs to the third floor.

Finally in the Murphy Hill Gallery

As long as we coming this far south, we thought we would also deliver a painting to Kate and Steve Strong in Bridgeport where we had been staying. So much for any sightseeing.

Tali in the salon of the Strong's house with her painting installed.

We got back to the space again about 6pm and were set to just get the rest of the stuff packed up. Alpha showed up to start cataloging all the art for the Phantom Gallery archives. Did I mention we had been not packing the art so that this task could be done? LOL Alpha announced she really wanted to go see the Chicago Urban Arts opening down on S. Halsted St. and we would have to leave in thirty minutes.

Off we go thirty minutes later with a yet unpacked truck to go see an art opening. This show was all about bicycles. Some of the art was interesting and some was not. What was fascinating was not only were there tons of people there, but so was every bicycle currier in the city. While by this time we were tired and very hungry, we did not see anyway that we would ever get packed tonight.

Is that the Parthenon or the Acropolis?

I knew that I just needed to eat something before we got back or I was going to have some sort of chemical imbalance problem. As you may well know, Greektown is on Halsted and we had to drive right through it on our way back to Logan Square. Mr Gyros, I believe was the name of the place we ate. All of the restaurants in Greektown have gyro in their name if they are not called Athena's or The Parthenon. So, at 9:30pm we were eating the first real meal of the day surrounded by the most amazing and disgusting sea of humanity you might ever want to see while you are eating. from a man wearing what was quite possibly the worlds largest button down shirt, that fit him perfectly, to the homeless guy staring at Tali and Alpha six inches away as they ate while he proceeded to spit. Lucky for every one, he was outside on the sidewalk.

Leaving Greektown...It was snowing.

I am going to leave out the next part of the story that includes Rick Neuhaus because you just will find it too hard to believe. I mean would we ever get packed?

10:30pm, we dragged ourselves out of the Yukon so we could pack it up. So Alpha set up her laptop and digital camera to finish documenting the hundreds of paintings and drawings we had done. As time went on, it was more and more absurd and comments became more and more sarcastic. LOL

Back to the bricks and only the bricks.

Well we did it! Yep we did, by one o'clock we were out of there. Unfortunately it was 1am. The good thing was that Alpha was going to stay in her Logan Square office all night. It was a very good thing since she had to sit on Tali's lap for that short 3 block drive. I don't think Tali would have survived driving her all the way down to 23rd St.

It was done now. It was really over. We were so over tired that we could not process anything that would have been sadness for leaving that place. Maybe it was better that way. But we were more than tired. We got back to Bridgeport, at least I think we did, I don't remember waking up in the car, so we must have made it back safely. Chances are we fell over as soon as we were inside and didn't wake up till it was time to get Tali to O'Hare.

And now, the end is near...

2011-06-01T05:39:00.000-07:00

The 24th of March was our last day of making art in 2515 N. Milwaukee Ave. in Chicago. After the bizzarro night on the 23rd, we couldn't help but feel a little bit odd as we returned to the space to make it all happen one last time. It made for a day of true mixed emotions and energy levels. Two things would go without saying though. First, the reality of this being the last day of The Colorboration Project - Chicago was indeed enough to make us sad. Secondly, their was no admitting, we were tired.

Walls filled with art are happy walls.

So as we went about our morning routines we automatically began reviewing the highlights of this project of which there were many. So many in fact that we knew that we were going to have to chalk this one up as a success.

Last day art sales.

One other thing we noticed was that each day there were more and more people that were coming into the studio during the day because they had heard about what was happening in this old seemingly abandon space.

We even had a father and his 4 year old daughter come in today so that she could paint with us. It was pretty funny since she was quite a precocious little lady, with definite ideas and an over active imagination.

The little artist admiring her newest work.

Tonight we had mitre slated to perform with us. And as much as we thought we understood what we might be in for, there was still just enough mystery surrounding what would be, that we had a difficult time accurately describing what the music would be like.

mitre is a group of one. It is made up solely of a man named Scott Richardson his guitar and a case made up of what appears to be a collection of every guitar peddle ever made.

mitre

Stereotypes are funny things because there is a certain amount of credence to them even though they are pretty much unfounded. Like, what does a musician look like? The last ten days we have certainly seen that they come in all shapes, colors and sizes. That said, you may never guess Scott Richardson was musician when he walked in the room except that he has a guitar case in his hand. You can only assume he is the musician since he certainly doesn't fit the stereotype of a roadie.

So much for appearances, because they really don't count for a whole lot. Another thing we learned over the last two weeks or so is to expect the unexpected. And what was really wonderful about the atmosphere that we cultivated in this immense space we allowed things to just be and there were no judgements. So when Scott was followed by two women that both could have been his wife no one batted an eye. (Only one was.) And when they sat on the couch no one but Alpha thought it a little strange that they both began knitting.

Knitting

As if last night was not surreal enough, tonight there was painting, music and knit one, pearl two...

Scott Richardson aka, mitre plays this atmospheric guitar that he runs through this crazy collection of peddles he has and samples and resample his own sounds till he fills the room with colors, textures and shapes.

Always painting, where ever we are.

Among all the music we worked with the music of mitre stood alone, and we truly appreciated that for it's originality and uniqueness. It was an interesting challenge to feel the effect of this music on us and how in someways almost forced us into slow motion.

Tali with the first brushstroke.

This is what this experiment that we designed here and now call The Colorboration Project is all about.

Collaborating in the Colorboration.

After the show I was talking to Scott about his music and I was reminded of an interview I did with the band Low from Duluth. If you know the music of Low you will understand. I asked them, what would be the perfect Low song, and Alan Sparhawk replied, "I think it would be to play a song with only one note." I told Scott that I believe that he had in fact accomplished that.

It was with a certain amount of sadness that we closed the lights on this evening, but there was a huge relief that we had done so much, so well and apparently we were going to life to tell about it.

©2011 The Colorboration Project is the property of Tali Farchi and Royce Deans.

Jim Cooper and the Marching Band of Gypsies

2011-05-28T06:14:00.000-07:00

Some days sneak up on you and surprise you in the most incredible ways. It is not always the case that the incredibility is so positive as it was today.

As has been mentioned and is perhaps more than obvious, but by this time we were tired. Long hard days with little sleep, and today was just going to be that. And it started out that way. With nothing scheduled this morning, we took a little extra time before leaving our luxurious Bridgeport digs. We arrived at the space about an hour later than usual to do our routine of turning on the heater and checking out what really happened the night before.

We really were looking forward to this day, and hoped it would remain as relaxing as it was starting, because tonight we were all set to play with vibraphonist Jim Cooper. We played with Jim Cooper back in 2007 in Holland, Michigan during our first tour of the US where we piggybacked our live painting with live music with Tali's original multi-media show, Mo(ve)ment. Since then we have stayed in touch and made a few attempts to work together again. As luck would have it as plans were being made for the Colorboration Project Chicago, Jim was already going to be in the city for a gig the next night.

2007 with Jim Cooper in Holland, MI

We said to each other several times during the day about how smooth it was going to be to have an easy going and relatively quiet evening being reunited with Jim.

About 4:30 or 5:00 Gabe showed up and said, "They can be here tonight." Whatever he was talking about did not register in either of our heads.

"Who can make it?" I asked.

"The marching band." Gabe replied.

Well this suddenly made me nervous because Jim was planning on playing solo and was not so interested in anyone being there to play unless he brought them. So I told Gabe it would be cool if they played first and then we would do a solo set with Jim. With Gabe set out to see if his marching band of gypsies could be there by 6:00 or 6:30.

A little before 7:00 at the appointed time Jim Cooper showed up with his vibes and a gig bag full of his favorite percussive instruments. And you guessed it no marching band yet, so I was all set to have them play after Jim or in between his sets depending on what he ended up doing.

As Jim was set up and thinking about starting his first set, the marching band started loading in and I was not sure what would happen next. But by the time Jim was well into his first ten minutes or so, the marching band made up of Gabe Patti and friends were sitting behind Jim quietly watching the show.

Jim Cooper and Gabe Patti

Jim Cooper is a quiet man and also a consummate improvisor. It was not long before he could sense that it might be a good idea to invite these musicians to join it with him. I figured he knew what he was doing and none of us had any idea as to what would happen next.

What did happen next was totally of the moment and a little bit crazy and a little bit out there.

Slowly, one by one the marching band musicians started to join in and as each started the colors shifted and things got more and more lively. As with all of the other nights before, when we paint like this it is very easy for us to slip into the zone, and it is just the paint and the music. In fact just about anyone could walk in and we probably would not notice. This was the case tonight as while we were completely in to the moment and were settled in at this point with full orchestration, improv style, suddenly something changed. Suddenly there was a bottom in the sound that was not there before. Not only was it not there before, but with the instruments that I knew were in the room, I knew there was no way that they could generate that full bottom sound and rhythm. Yet it was somehow familiar.

Enter Rick Neuhaus and reenter Corky and Donna from Sheboom.

Tali and I did not stop or turn around until the musicians stopped for a break. It wasn't until then that I understood where that new shape of sound was coming from.

We ended up doing two more sets that kept getting more and more obtuse. We decided that this would be as good a time as any to paint our second and final large painting, and we did... in a big way.

One trombone lead the ~~big~~ weird parade.

After painting on what was our video projection screen, I won't say things came apart, but if it was obtuse before it was off the charts now. I turned around in front of that huge painting and through the beam of light from the projector, I saw Gabe riding a vintage bike around in circles and man playing the sousaphone following a woman playing the snare drum in a fur cowled down coat. I looked at Tali and she said, "This is a Fellini film."

That is what we named the painting.

Fellini still wet.

Just down to Earth

2011-05-25T14:02:00.000-07:00

Today started out with the usual getting things done, hanging and rearranging the art that had be painted last night with Erin Fay and Friends. And then we had workshops.

Paintings to hang.

In the middle of the afternoon we had a group of 30 inner city kids that came to go through one of our painting with music workshops. There little teacher was a ball of energy and was able to keep all these kids in line, but 30 kids is a lot, maybe to much to try and get them all going in the same direction at the same time. But we tried. We had to set up and extra table to make enough room. We did it and in the end the kids had a good time and were appreciative of what we did with them.

Before we could really get too cleaned up Andy DeLaRosa, an artist/sculptor we met a couple of nights before came back with a group of artists to do a workshop. Andy has a studio/gallery called B13 where he facilitates art projects with artists that are either discovering or rediscovering their art or just need the camaraderie of like minded individuals. This session was different because Andy brought materials to make a mural.

Andy DeLaRosa

We started off with our workshop just as we always do, it is a great way to get everyone loosened up. In the end we were all working on 12 foot canvas that Andy had prepared earlier.

It was interesting to work so spontaneously with another group of artists. We were able to see a whole new dynamic develop. We watched how much respect everyone had for each others marks of paint. Sure lots ended up being covered up, but we had to say that respect was what we observed.

The mural in progress

While the music was blasting and we were still painting the mural, the bands started to load in. That's what I said, 'bands.'

We were expecting The Earth Program, but they brought along another band to open for them. Donoma from Kenosha Wisconsin.

Donoma is Stephanie Vogt on keys guitar and vocals, Brian Sandburg on guitar and Israel Pizar on drums. They played and energetic set of punky sort of tunes that were really fun to paint with. Near the end of their set they played a Cranberries cover they had just worked up. A good time was had by all. Afterwards Israel told us that he had to actually stop watching so intently what we were painting because he found himself forgetting that he was supposed to be playing. LOL!

Donoma with art.

The Earth Program played next and they were just a pure joy to work with because the music they play just seemed to be touching all the right places. Let's be honest, we were getting tired by this time and so to have a band play such that both of us were able to totally reanimate and do some really cool work.

The Earth Program setting up.

Once more I will be brutally honest with you and tell you other than what I just said about the effect of The Earth Program on us physically and artistically, I am at a loss as to how to really describe their music. So I went to their web site, as I suggest you do too. http://www.theearthprogram.org

So I went there and copied this little description of their music in their own words.

Earth Program in flight.

"somewhere beyond the outer twilight...

Initially formied in 2008, The Earth Program is a multimedia cross-genre indie rock band based out of Chicago, IL and the fictional universe of Obbityville.

Describing their sound as "atomic rawk, stoner pop, mama jama, retro spooky, space punk", Earth Program's highly engergetic live performances noteable for stage antics, costumes, and projected visuals have stirred quite a buzz in the local music & art communities over the past few years.

Earth Program's musical & visual asethetic is influenced by bands and elements of retro pop culture, such as: The Beatles, Ramones, Nirvana, Pixies, Arcade Fire, RadioHead, Flaming Lips, Joy Division, Neutral Milk Hotel, Polaris, Pee-Wee's Playhouse, The Twilight Zone, Ghostbusters, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles & The Adventures of Pete and Pete.

The name, 'Earth Program' is a dialouge reference from the 1964 cult classic, "Santa Claus Conquers the Martians."

INVADE! is the debut album by Earth Program. It was officially released January 29th 2010. INVADE! was self-recorded, produced, released, and distributed by the band through their home based D.I.Y. label, Tastee Records. "

Earth Program is currently composed of:

Christopher Mondo - vocals/guitar
Shannon Candy - vocals/guitar/bass
Mister Bibbles - vocals/bass/synth
Michael Signal - vocals/drums/percussion

The Earth Program is a class act. They know their craft and they are having a great time doing it. The night was inspiring to all and as their van drove away, we each said that some day it will be great to work with them again.

©2011 The Colorboration Project is the property of Tali Farchi and Royce Deans.

Erin Fay and Friends

2011-05-16T07:18:00.000-07:00

So what went down next? It's Monday and we were heading down the homestretch with mixed emotions. Sad that we were starting to be able to see that there was going to have to be an end to this project, happy that there was so much to look forward to and absolutely worn out from what we had done so far. Through all that the inspiration and drive was at an all time high.

It was this morning that we took the postcards we made up at Kinko's so that we could send our postcards out to those that supported us through Kickstarter, as we had promised. Again we want to thank all those that supported us, we really could not have done this without your help. Thanks again.

We decided on having our next band of musicians on this day so that we could give them a full weekend to unwind from a week of mid-term exams. Tonight brought us Erin Fay and Friends. They are a group that has found themselves all at Colombia College studying music. The group is made up of Mike Campo on drums, Justin Canaran on guitar, Zach McIntire on bass, and Erin Fay on keyboards.

Zach McIntire with Erin Fay in the background.

Finding Erin was perhaps the most interesting of all the musicians we worked with. Erin is the daughter of someone that went to high school with me way back when, and when she read on Facebook about The Colorboration Project, she immediately got a hold of me and said that Erin would love to do it. After a few text messages and voice mails later we finally talked and figured out what we would do.

Mike Campo

From the minute this band walked in the door their youthful enthusiasm melded with the already room full of creativity. As the evening many of their friends streamed in and basically the night turned into real happening in the best since.

Tali under the lights and under the influence of the music.

They played three sets. Two very smart jam band sort of sets with a set of solo piano where Erin played Beethoven Sonatas. First of all it goes without saying that if these kids were good enough to get into Columbia that they know how to play their instruments. It was truly fun as it could be as we mixed our age and experience with their youthful exuberance.

And the paint went on.

The music was fun and loud and went on and on, during a pause in the action about 1am I went and asked Erin what she thought about much longer they wanted to play. This is the thing when you tell musicians that there are no rules and you can play as long as you like. Well, she said they would like to play one more song, and I guess it was 2am before the last drum and amp rolled off the stage.

...and the band played on.

What a night!

©2011 The Colorboration Project is the property of Tali Farchi and Royce Deans.

Sid Yiddish and The Candy Store Henchmen

2011-05-07T19:20:00.000-07:00

Sid Yiddish and The Candystore Henchmen for this the night of March 20th was a quintet of quirky proportions featuring: Sid Yiddish as conductor, playing, vuvuzela, shofar, Marc Gee on keyboards,Chad Wynes on guitar, Rat Niptikwith his electric violin, and John Hardwick on keyboards. The Candystore Henchmen perform an avante garde approach to music that is as refreshing as it is weird, and I mean that in the most complimentary way possible.

Royce's painting from the night of March 20th.

This was the only band we had work with us that had a conductor. Sid Yiddish has developed his own version of conducting based deeply in the style of Soundpainting. This sort of conducting is a language that comprises more than 1200 hand gestures and was created by the New York composer Walter Thompson in 1974. Watching Sid Yiddish conduct is reminiscent of the fancy arm movements and hand gestures that I have not seen the likes of since Don Zimmer was positioned as third base coach for the Cubs.

Instructing the Candy Store Henchmen.

During sound check and rehearsal, I got to hear Sid instructing the band on what they would be playing. Maestro Sid said to Rat Niptik, that when he made this movement with his hand that nearly looked like the dance Uma and Travolta did in Jack Rabbit Slim's Twist Contest, but it wasn't. Rat's instructions were to play "Cloud over a Metal Bathtub" when he saw that signal.

Are you getting the picture here? This was not about to be anything close to a normal set of music. And thank goodness, it wasn't. But it was exhilarating and inspiring such that we found ourselves inventing new things we had never thought of doing before. During the first set the Candy Store Henchmen played four movements from the thirty-three movement Paul Hartshaw composition titled, Scatter.

Movement 2 of Scatter.

Yiddish introduces each of his songs by showing the band and the audience some marks on a sheet of musical score and then giving a description that would go something like, "Man using a rake, picking his nose."

The second set consisted of two of the Henchmen, Marc Gee and Chad Wynes, made their world debut as the improvisational duo Lack of Trying. Marc and Chad both added their vocals to the mix as well as playing their keys and guitar. Their accomplished musicianship was the perfect vehicle for their sometimes humor lyrics and Marc incredible shouted ramblings.

Lack of Trying

Following Lack of Trying's debut performance, The Candy Store Henchmen took the stage again and performed an original Sid Yiddish spoken word poem, Cumming Up for Air, and a new improvisational piece title BAGism, as it is based on the major chords B, A, and G. They also played some untitled pieces by Chicago composer Christopher Priessing and ended with Nursery and Machine Houses, by Berkeley, CA composer Eric Glick Riemen.

Tali's monochromatic impressions.

And what night with Sid Yiddish would be complete without a shofar clinic?

Sid Yiddish demonstrating proper shofar embouchure.

Sheboom!

2011-05-07T10:21:00.000-07:00

Some days start off with a bang, But today started off with a boom, actually it was more of a SHE-BOOM!

Sheboom booming.

We met Aimee Bass of Sheboom when she played percussion on the 15th with Elie Kaplan's band, the gHOST project. After that show Aimee told us about Sheboom, the all women drum ensemble she was a part of. American women playing African rhythms, we loved the idea and invited them to come and do a rehearsal here in our space. Today was the day, Sheboom is four women, Aimee Bass, Corkie Neuhaus, Donna Donahue, and Beth Pestka.

Tali and the girls.

At this point we have worked with and observed a lot of musicians, not only do these women rock, they do it with style and more joy than anyone we know. Let's put it this way, you can't see and hear Sheboom without dancing with a big smile on your face.

Sheboom in action.

The acoustics of our space were really interesting, because of the open beams of the ceiling there was not a lot of reverberation, yet at the same time the wide open brick walls and cement floor gave a real clarity to any sound. In fact, for the most part amplification was hardly needed most of the time. Well, volume is one thing that Sheboom has no problem with.

How Sheboom inspired Tali.

If you have seen or participated in any sort of drum circle sort of thing you have a jumping place for what Sheboom is all about. First of all these women don't sit, as they play their own version of these West African beats you are more like to feel like you are watching the fancy synchronized moved of the Four Tops.

Kickin' it!

From the first "Pa pa pa Bam Bam, ba Ba Bam BAm BAM" we were off and running, or rather, painting. They play for about an hour and when they stopped for a break Tali and I looked at each other and then to Sheboom, and said, " They can't stop now!" Then we turned to them and said, "You can't stop now!"

Royce's impressions.

Finally we agreed to let them have a break, and after a short breather everybody got back into it. We went on for another hour and took another break. While we were just hanging out, I think it was Corkie, asked us if we minded if they played a little more. All I will say is that after another hour they packed up.

Until next time.

I think we all learned a lot in that three hour session, and what was so cool is that we weren't finished in the least bit. We were energized by the Sheboom experience, which was a good thing because we had a session scheduled for tonight with the infamous Sid Yiddish.

©2011 The Colorboration Project is the property of Tali Farchi and Royce Deans.

Good Old Chicago

2011-05-05T07:42:00.000-07:00

Today was the 19th of March, compared to the last couple days it was low key and honestly it was really good to have a day that was less than jam packed.

The daytime hours were filled with busy work around the studio and errands to Jewel, Aldi and Home Depot. Part of the project for us was finding ways to display the art that we created the day before. It was fascinating to us and were told by those that would come into the space, that it was really something to see the collection grow and the arrangements on the walls change from day to day.

Arranging every morning.

It was days like today that we could sit for a minute and contemplate what was happening here. To see what was being created by our hands. To consider the essential importance of the music. To be so grateful for the music and amazed at how good it all was.

It was comforting to be surrounded by these paintings we made, but at the same time they represent so much energy that was expelled in the moment they were created. I guess that is really what it is mostly all about. And while we could feel great accomplishment, and some twinges of exhaustion, we were totally inspired and ready to do more and more.

Tonight we really switched it up musically. Our musical guest was Chicago native, guitarist, singer, songwriter, Mike Felton.

Mike Felton by Tali Farchi

Mike comes from the tradition of what I like to refer to as Chicago Folk. His songs, very many of them are paintings unto themselves. Well, wait, there are so many stories and history in his work that I think I should say that each one is like a mini Ken Burns documentary film. Mike's music is filled with imagery and tones that really pushed our paintings into places that very literal.

Mike Felton

It is interesting how as soon as there are lyrics to a song that are understandable the inspiration we get from the song will take a very different direction. Mike's songs are about how things were. When a buck was a buck and a hard days work meant you earned a buck. He took on trips to old Maxwell Street, and even up to the mines of Michigan's Upper Peninsula and told stories of crooked politicians and lovers that weren't coming back.

The tree that grew like Mike Felton's tales.

The paintings we did this night were very figurative, In fact Tali painted a haunting piece that was a Chicago scene that we actually saw a few days later.

Tali's Chicagoan vision.

Three Directions No Waiting

2011-05-04T08:29:00.000-07:00

This was one incredibly full day as you will soon find out.

One of the things we had built into this project was that we had time set aside everyday in the studio space to present Painting with Music Workshops. From nearly day one, we saw that this was going to be difficult. We really felt like this was an important part of the project as we wanted to be in touch with the community as much as possible. I talking to Alpha Bruton, the chief curator for the Phantom Gallery, we expressed our want to do some workshops. Alpha had made some calls and while she couldn't get a group to the space this day, she did arrange for us to go to Chicago Christian Alternative Academy, a charter school at Pulaski and Roosevelt.

This school is in a serious neighborhood. The school itself is a small building that looks a bit like a school once you are inside and past the metal detector, but it is too small to actually have always been a school. But it functions quite well as one and as far as we could see it is a good thing it is there.

We showed up and unloaded our gear. Tali was escorted with our stuff to the art room while I went in search of a parking place that I hoped I would find my Yukon in when we were done.

We fully expected this to be a tough crowd, and when we walked in and introduced ourselves we were not sure at all what would happen. The teachers told us they were not sure how things would go either so we simply decided whatever will be will be.

We were amused and surprised when we were told by the teachers that these kids, that were all between about 15 and 18, would not want to get their hands in the paint and would require rubber gloves if there was a chance the paint would get on their hands. When we started, the kids didn't know that we would eventually end up working with finger paint. LOL!

This is why they have to wear gloves to paint.

Ok so the workshop starts off with Mozart, as soon as it began, the teacher looked around to see what the reaction might be. These kids don't know Mozart she said. The reaction was slow, but at least it was positive.

Now, we were told that we had 50 minutes and that we were the last activity of their half day of school that day that got out at 11.30. We started at about 9.30 and by the time we finished at 10.30, they didn't want to leave. They said, can we do more? So we just kept putting on music and getting out more paper and paint and they continued on till they had to leave.

It was amazing to see the transformation of these students. It was great to see them play. We were all having so much fun that other students stuck their heads in the door to see what was happening and we even had some other teachers join in. One teacher said after being there only about 10 minutes, "I came to work stressed out today and in a bad mood. Now, I can tell it is going to be a good day."

After cleaning up, and getting all our things back into the Yukon, which was still there and in tact we drove back up north to 2515 N. Milwaukee Ave. As we drove we were both in a bit of a shock from what we had just experienced.

Heading North.

It is really something how art and music has a way of calming the savage beast and it is indeed a common language that all of us can speak and communicate with quite nicely.

We arrived back to our studio by 1pm and we excited about seeing in the light of day the large painting we did, or rather started last night with Marbin. We had already discussed between ourselves that neither one of us felt like that painting was finished yet. But we also had no idea what to do about that. Would it mean that we would just gesso over it and start over or would it mean that we work on it some more. Either way, we knew that we were stepping into a place that we had never really been before with any of the art work we had done in the past.

What we started the night before with Marbin.

This notion of going back into a painting for us launched us into a huge discussion about what we wanted it to be. What could it be? What should it be? How should we approach this? No matter how or what we already knew that compared to how we typically work, and compared to how we started this painting, that what we were about to do would be a set of calculated moves. This again was unsettling.

Tali starting back into it.

At least we had bought a CD from Marbin so we had their music to work with. We decided that we would each work on the painting separately while the other one watched on. This was not an easy task. I put the music on and Tali took the first swipe at the painting. Listening the music of Marbin made it easy to get back in a place that we pretty close to where we were the night before. When Tali was done I took a few stabs at it.

We talked a lot about the movement and the flow of the piece, the lights and the darks and where your eyes were taken. It was a conversation that was as serious as we have ever had about art. We both felt like we had so much at stake here. Bottomline, we wanted to end up with a painting we were happy with, not only that, we both knew that what we had was a really good start that was completely inspired. No pressure there.

So, we painted and talked, and argued and painted some more until we could agree that we would do no more.

We moved the painting we now call Marbin to the south wall, and when we saw it there and could really look at it... Well, we didn't really have words other than we were both collectively afraid of what that painting represented.

Marbin on the wall.

Would be able to ever make a painting like it again? We knew we wanted to, but could we? This, by the way, are still some questions we talk about from time to time.

Tonight was set to be our artist reception, and it was. Finally the weather had broke and it was actually warm. So much so that we were happy about having the door open. Until now we had it open so that passers by could see there was something going on, but it had been so cold that it also was a bit ridiculous that we had the door open.

People streamed in most of the evening. By this time as was our hope we had a quite a bit of art on the walls, so that anyone that came by could certainly see that we had been painting.

The steady flow of visitors stopped at about 7pm when while we were standing around talking several gunshots were fired directly outside the door of our studio. I think I counted six shots. Well this changed the flavor of the evening rather immediately. Prior to the shots, Margaret Larkin a Facebook friend, originally someone we knew from Deviantart was there, and an old American Academy of Art classmate of mine, Jackie Karng Gwynne. I had not see or heard from Jackie say some 30 years, so it was really great to be able to catch up with her and talk about all the places we have been in the last many years.

When the bullets started flying, we closed the door. That seemed like the most obvious thing to do and moved away from anything that was like a window. Alpha called the police and Tali said, "I was not expecting this, I didn't think this would happen." Tali was visibly shaken.

Eventually we relaxed, but not before the police drove by at 30mph about 20 minutes later. They never stopped, I guess they are not interested in being shot either. At that point Margaret thought it was safe to go so she ran across the street and sped off into the night as fast as she could.

So there we sat in our cavernous cavern, Tali, Alpha and I. We tried to break the mood a little by making some funny comments about what just happened or may have happened. About the time we felt more relaxed there was a knock at the door and that was in fact a cause for alarm. Eventually Alpha went to the door and who was it but Tali's childhood penpal Bill and his wife Karen. We brought them in and closed the door. We told them the story of the gunshots. Karen said she heard people talking about gunshots as they walked towards our place, but Bill and Karen thought they must have been talking about years ago when this block of North Milwaukee Ave. was gunshot central, and back then a lot of the shots hit people.

Bill and Tali

It was great to be able to show Bill and Karen all the work we had done so far, and soon things picked up and there were more people strolling in again, like nothing had happened. Luckily no one was shot, and chances are the shots were just someone's over-exuberant reaction to the warm weather.

Art openings can be a lot of things and we have learned over time that just about anything can happen and that will continue to be the case, but I wouldn't mind if that was the last one we have with gunfire.

©2011 The Colorboration Project is the property of Tali Farchi and Royce Deans.

Marbin

2011-05-03T15:32:00.000-07:00

So far, our method has been to make each post on this blog specific to a particular day, but we are going to change that up a bit right now. While yes, Marbin did come and play on March 17th, St. Patty's Day, directly after The Flabby Hoffman Trio, Marbin was such a complete and utter change up for us and to the evening that we thought we had better make the Marbin portion of the evening its own post.

Now, Marbin came to us via the masterfully artful arrangements of Señor Flabby Hoffman, and once again we have to shower our many thanks on to Flabby.

After the first part of the evening with Flabby's band we had to get ourselves together to work with Marbin.

It must have been a little after 10pm when Marbin took the stage. The band is lead by Danny Markovitch and Dani Rabin. They were joined by bassist, Ian Stewart and drummer, Justyn Lawrence.

Marbin

Switching gears from the eardrum shreading jamming of the Flabby Hoffman Trio to the loud yet, fully sculpted sounds of Marbin was more difficult in theory than it was in reality. Typically that is not usually the case, reality is usually more challenging than theoretical situations. But indeed this was not the case with Marbin.

These guys have chops. Check out their site http://marbinmusic.com/ to hear some samples of their music. Danny and Dani write and arrange all their stuff and when we heard them play and started to paint; well, it was like putting a hand into a well worn glove.

Dani Rabin, guitar and Danny Markovich, sax

The first day we were in this space we stretched a canvas that was 8' X 5.5' . We planned to paint on it, but up until tonight we had only used it as a screen for the projection of our paintings. When Marbin began, we started to paint and within a short period of time Tali came over to me and asked if tonight was the night we should paint on the large canvas that was our screen.

Tali working big.

I couldn't have agreed more. We were so moved by the sweet and intelligent sounds of this band that we knew we had to do what we had not really ever done before.

Royce in the paint.

That said we moved our palettes over to the screen and began to paint right on the surface that every one assumed was an expensive projection screen rather than just an expensive canvas.

Tali in her realm.

Moved completely by the moment without any idea as to what would happen next, Tali and I attacked the canvas with color. As it was, this was the first time in years that Tali and I were once again working on the same painting surface at the same time. We have come to figure out over the time we have worked together that this is not such a simple thing to do, but the time and energy was right. The music was taken to such a point as to be able to carry us over that place of anxious fear.

Once the visual statement had been made we stepped away from the canvas without really knowing what had been said. We finished out the set back at our usual places at the table and easel.


Tali's Marbin.

The evening we thought we wouldn't have the where with all to finish turned out to be simply fabulous.

Finally there was one more thing that made us smile. We had been laughing to ourselves that we had without planning hooked up with so many jewish folks, from Eliezar Kaplan and then Sid Yiddish. There was so much going on in our plans for this project that we were not always able to learn as much as we would have liked about everyone we were going to work with so we had no idea that Danny and Dani were both from Israel. As they were packing their van, Tali heard them speaking Hebrew. This was just such a funny way to end a St. Patrick's Day celebration in Chicago of all places.

Layla tov.

©2011 The Colorboration Project is the property of Tali Farchi and Royce Deans.

Erin Go Braughless with The Flabby Hoffman Trio

2011-05-03T07:28:00.000-07:00

Some of the day time hours sort of turned to a blur from one day to the next and some days are just plain forgotten. The reason they are forgotten are not perhaps exactly why you might think. Today it was because of the musical extravaganza we had that night. It was so intense that it pretty much erased anything we had in our direct short term memories.

March 17th, St. Patrick's Day, brought us a double bill. The evening started off with The Flabby Hoffman Trio and ended with Marbin.

Flabby Hoffman is regionally famous and equally flamboyant personality. Flabby has a cable access show in Chicago that airs on channel 19 at 11:30pm every Thursday night. It is a no-holes-barred talk show if you will that is sure to shock, amaze, entertain and of course offend a relatively large portion of the population. He is also a rock promoter and knows lots of truly amazing players in the city.

But Flabby, by his own admittance likes being a musician first and foremost. He is indeed the lead man to the Flabby Hoffman Trio which usually is made up of between eight and twelve musicians. This night they showed up with eight.

The Flabby Hoffman Trio

Did I mention that the electrical power we had in this place came from two simple outlets with two very long extension cords. I don't have to tell you that I became more and more nervous as over the period of an hour and a half as amplifier after amplifier was rolled in the door. By the time we had two banks of amps set up I was sure we would blow a fuse, and I was not so sure I would know what to do at that point.

Flabby, who is a big man with a hand-drawn mustache walked in just in time for sound check. He said his hellos and off we went. Just about the time it was obvious all the amps had been turned on and nothing had blown yet, Flabby took me aside and asked, "Do you have any ear protection? If you do, you might want to put it in now."

Flabby Hoffman

He wasn't kidding, and it was a good thing that I brought my gallon of earplugs I used to keep at my old studio for when we did rock and roll shows there... Needless to say it was good thing I had the gallon size.

Click on this link to download a sample of the wall of sound we had to work with compliments of the Flabby Hoffman Trio.
https://docs.google.com/leaf?id=0B78iaw8zgPQ7YTJmMzFkYzktMTk4YS00NDIyLTgzMzMtZjEyZDJmOGI5MDM1&hl=en

Royce's painting as it looked after a couple of Flabby's sets.

Once again, we were impressed by how the influences of a few decibels and a few more musicians can readjust just how we reacted and responded during this particular collaborative situation. To be honest, we were exhausted. But exhausted in the best way possible.

Thanks to Flabby and his band mates, we really had a great time and really enjoyed what came out of this experience. We were not really so sure how we were going to deal with the fact that we were only half way done with the night. Because as Flabby and his minions were breaking down, Marbin was setting up. More on Marbin in the next installment.

©2011 The Colorboration Project is the property of Tali Farchi and Royce Deans.

Warming the Air for Kate

2011-05-02T13:56:00.000-07:00

Today we switched it up a little, with all of this high volume and abstract expressionism bouncing off the walls, we decided to have a low key morning so we hired a model and put on some soft music.

Now, this sounds so serene, but honestly I was pretty stressed out before Kate, our model showed up. Up until now I have not said too much about the temperatures that we had been having, but most nights it was getting down to the freezing mark. I kept thinking how long it takes that furnace to heat up the place. Well, hold on, it never did actually heat it up, more like took the biting edge off of the cold. So here we were waiting for Kate to show up so we could ask her to take her clothes off and I was feeling a bit anxious about how cold it was in this place.

Kate by Royce - Pastel on paper.

So I placed the lights as close as I could to where she would pose, and for some reason I had brought my kerosene heater from home. With that fired up that corner of our make-shift stage was pretty warm, but I wasn't naked.

When Kate showed up I explained the situation and sort of apologized ahead of time for the cold, but Kate being a real trooper and the consummate professional said that it would not be a problem. I was much relieved after about 15 minutes of drawing, Kate asked if I could turn the heater down a little bit.

Kate on break.

Kate was a real change up for what we had lined up for the week, and the work that we did while she was there got the attention of a lot of people that came through the rest of our time there. It was really great to be able to show off another side of our artistic beings in that way, since the work we did the rest of the time was so different.

The Aperion Project, the second time around.

That Wednesday night The Aperion Project was set to make their second appearance this time they switched up and played some more experimental and challenging music. This is why we wanted to do this project, because it is so ultimately interesting and satisfying to see the results when things get pushed a little more out of shape than we expect them to.

Tali painting with The Aperion Project.

the gHOST project

2011-04-27T15:14:00.000-07:00

Stepping back into the space after what was our first official full day of The Colorboration Project - Chicago we were happy to see things just as we had left them the night before. Paintings were strewn about and a couple of new bigger pieces were leaning up against the walls. Our first task this morning was to begin the exhibition process, so we took to hanging paintings on the walls.

Art on Wire.

We had a couple of things in our favor, one was that the large skylights in the middle of the space cast a really wonderful light in the place most of the day that illuminated a pretty portion of the north and south walls. The other thing was that the mortar joints in the brick walls were filled with hundreds of masonry nails, most or which were strong enough to support our biggest paintings. How to display the works on paper was our next challenge which was solved with a roll of wire and a trip to Jewel for some wooden clothes pins. By the end of the project I think we ended up buying 200 clothes pins, and another very big spool of wire.

In our first blog post we mentioned that there were no bathroom facilities in this space and also no internet. Both of these problems were solved by walking a half a block north on Milwaukee Avenue to New Wave Coffee on the corner at Logan Boulevard. They have internet, bathrooms and pretty good sandwiches.

We didn't really spend too much time at New Wave considering we were trying to keep the doors open at our space constantly starting at 1pm everyday.

About three o'clock Elie Kaplan, the leader of the gHOST Project stopped in to size up the space. Elie came bearing gifts, a six-pack of toilet paper sent by his dear wife Sue. She was thinking ahead and obviously has had enough experience to know that some places you may go to play just might inconveniently run out of toilet paper the night you are to perform. What she wasn't expecting was that what we really needed was a toilet.

the gHOST project

About six o'clock Elie and Sue came back with a car full of gear and slowly members of the gHOST project started to stream in. Once all in place we had the five members of the band, Stacey Taheny- vocals and percussion, Maestro Phil- bass, electronics, drums, guitar, reeds, vocals, Huntress Diana- bass, keyboards, percussion, vocals, Sue Kaplan- percussion, vocals, Eliezer Kaplan- drums, keys, bass, vocals. Plus supplemental percussion by Aimee Bass (of She-Boom), and Ken Monroe.

Our art of the gHOST project on stage.

It was really great the way this evening took shape, the gHOST project is such and interesting group. There were no hard edges at all set-up just flowed into sound check and then into the groove that became to vibe for the evening. No words were really spoken on the front end, we all just pretty much trusted each other. Finally Tali and I looked at each other and said, "I guess this is it, let's go." At that point Tali turned on her lights and started painting while I went over to close the house lights.

Purim?

The gHOST project was a great sonic surprise, we didn't have any expectations, and since we were told that any thing we had heard from them was not what we were going to hear, we also had no idea what to expect. There was a familiar way that this band works that resonated with us really well. Just as Tali and I will switch working on the table to working at the easel, these musicians would switch instruments in the same way.

We can't really say how long it went on. We took a break about an hour into it and then took up where we left for at least another hour.

Elie Kaplan's bass fingers paid the price for his art that night.

When we finally ended the session we not only had several new paintings, but it was really cool that we felt like through the sharing of the experience and the conversation through the art, both the paint and the music, we had become friends. While we talked almost not at all except for the introductions and a quick how do you do, in the end we suddenly had something very special in common and there was lots to talk about.

What a great night and a great surprise.

Check out their site: www.zelwel.com

And here are some links to music from that night.

http://www.zelwel.com/Mar_11/mar15_colorghost1part3.mp3

http://www.zelwel.com/Mar_11/mar15_cologhostfinale.mp3

Aperion

2011-04-26T12:42:00.000-07:00

Now would be a good time to mention where we were staying at night. As you know, our work space was in Logan Square which is the northwest side of Chicago, but we were staying on south side in Bridgeport. Thanks to Kate and Steve for putting us for the duration of our project. They were more than accommodating when it came to the ridiculous hours that we were coming and going in. We are forever grateful for their patience and hospitality.

That said, it was Monday morning and we got to experience the tail end of rush hour as we headed north to the Home Depot at Kimball and Addison which would end up being one of our most frequented places in the next 10 days.

We picked up some miss mixed paint for real real cheap and some various and sundry items that we had decided on Sunday that we would need in order to do what we wanted to do.

Armed with the equipment we needed we headed off to work and started preparing panels to paint on with gesso and white paint. Even though we only used white paint, somehow this process began to make this crazy raw and dirty space feel like our art studio. There is a magic that happens for artists every time they smear a brush filled with paint on to the surface what ever it is that will soon become their next masterpiece. Since we brought every panel and canvas that we could from our studios in Zwolle and Michigan we had more than a few panels to prepare.

As Willam would say, "Gesso? I gesso!"

Soon enough Gabe reappeared work on the stage, and part of that required driving to pick up a few sheets of plywood from some clandestine location in a very cold and windy downtown alley.

After getting back to Logan Square and dropping of Gabe to finish up the stage, Tali and I went to meet Phil Faro at Genesis Art Supply at 2417 N. Western Ave.
Phil Faro has a cool name for himself because Phll is a pretty far out kind of guy, but when we stepped in to Genesis Art Supply we were not really totally prepared. This is one trippy place, so much so that Phil actually started to seem pretty down to earth. This art store is the sort of place that has such narrow passageways that you must go to the end of the shelves to turn around if you want to go back the other way. Filled with artwork of aliens, rastfarians and hari krishna surfers, this place could have been transplanted from some of the Old Town headshops I knew in the early 70's. Never the less, they treated us very well and at that point we added Genesis Art Supply to our list of sponsors. Thanks Phil.

We were surprisingly not anxious as we prepared for our first night's performance. Gabe Patti's band The Aperion Project were to be our first collaborators. The Aperion Project consists of Gabe on Clarinet and Sax, and Brandon Rizzo on flugal horn and laptop computer and keyboards, and they had special guest Paul Yoggerst, aka Palu the Poet on guitar.

The Aperion Project opens things up.

This night's performance was like stepping out in to nowhere for every one involved. This was the first time we were really testing the space out acoustically. We were pleasantly pleased by the full sound we had and we found the environment really suited the quirky atmosphere we had created, and The Aperion Project seemed to slide right in that mold quite well.

First night under the lights and camera in some time.

We went into this project thinking of it as a grand artistic experiment in the most literal sense of the word "experiment." We were going straight ahead being completely open to what might come to us. We were happy with what we got as results for this first night in our laboratory.

Moving in to the New Digs

2011-04-24T17:57:00.000-07:00

Arriving again to the space at 2515 N. Milwaukee Ave. in Chicago, we approached with and enthusiasm to get started and an expectation of the unknown. and we knew there was going to be a lot of unknown.

It was cold in Chicago, wish is not unusual for the 13th of March, and inside this cavern of a space it was even colder. Tali and I stood there looking at this place as a blank canvas and the very next thing we did was pull my Yukon XL inside and unload all of it's contents. What completely filled the vehicle looked about like the contents of a happy meal compared to how expansive the space was, and this was our first realization that we had a lot to do.

With that much room to move around we still realized that we had to think fairly seriously how we were going to set up our work place. Before we moved things around we plugged in the sound system and started playing some of the 300 some odd CDs I had brought with to listen to. Before long we had tables and easels set up and had decided where the stage would be. About this time Gabe Patti from The Phantom Gallery stopped by to size up what was needed to construct the stage.

Getting things in place.

The rest of the day was spent hooking up lights and cameras and organizing bins that held everything from paint and brushes to food stuffs.

We spent the day working non-stop and by the time we knocked off for the day, we still didn't feel like we really had gotten much done. But we had a shopping list that we would take to Home Depot in the morning before we returned.

Along side of all that was going on Tali had her own little docu-drama unfolding. I think Tali should tell this story.

Before coming to Chicago this time, I found an old pen pal from way back when I was a wild kid in Haifa, and he was a good nice boy from Maine. Fate brought him to Chicago eighteen years ago, and after about thirty years without contact, I found him through Linkedin.

The high point of this first night in Chicago was having dinner in the home of my old pen pal that until then I had never met or even talked to, to hear his voice. The story could go on and on, and I won't tell it here, but having dinner with Bill and his wife Karen was a most incredible evening as we read through old letters, (we each kept them all) we each had so many memories from forty years ago that we could share, and we did. I read my own letters that I wrote about my experiences during the Six Day War. How I had to run to the shelter as the air alert went on while I was on the way to school. It was amazing that we kept corresponding as long as we did. I was even reunited with some old photographs that I had sent him and forgot that they even existed.

Bill's pen-pal Tali.

In one of the last letters I wrote to Bill, "See you sometime, somewhere." I DID, in Chicago! It was very emotional and was really a great start for The Colorboration Project - Chicago.

And Bill and Tali did meet after all.

Workshops at Artist's and Display in Milwaukee

2011-04-23T11:05:00.000-07:00

Day three was also spent in Milwaukee's premier art supply store, Artists and Display.

Artist's and Display's classic signage

Today was workshop day, Nora had arranged for two full workshop sessions of our Painting with Music Workshop. Tali designed this workshop with artists and non-artists in mind. She has a collection of music selected to inspire and activate, that ranges from classical to hip-hip and almost everything in between. The participants start by working with oil pastels as if they were conducting an orchestra, Tali guides them through many activities and ways to think about making marks on the paper. Materials change from pastels to watercolors till finally the workshop climaxes with a most energetic finger painting session.

Painting with Music fun.

Nora not missing the opportunity.

These workshops were different than any others we have ever done. It just worked out that in the end every one in the workshop got to come up two by two and work on our work table under the cameras and lights. It was really so magically to see how everyone stepped up to the challenge and really made some wonderful art as their workshop colleagues watched on waiting their turn.

There were all ages that participated in these workshops, from pre-teens to some people that were much more experienced with life. There was one conversation I overheard between Nora and a woman that is pretty much tethered to an oxygen canister, she said, "Nora, I can breathe now!"

We are not saying that art cures all ills, but we know that it does open people up.

As we left Milwaukee, packing the Yukon and strapping what gear we had to on the roof rack it was very cold, but we got on the road heading back to Chicago with a very warm feeling as we said so long to some truly wonderful friends at Artists and Display. Thanks so much to Nora, Lynn and Jack.

Let's Go to Milwaukee Again

2011-04-23T10:34:00.000-07:00

The first part of this adventure was not actually officially "The Colorboration Project-Chicago." Maybe that is obvious since we weren't in Chicago. No, we were in Milwaukee, hometown to the Brewers, the Bucks, Laverne and Shirley and Happy Days, and we must not forget Golda Meir.

Artists and Display in-store promo for Tali and Royce's Arumim.

Our day started off with loading equipment in to the art room at Artists and Display at 9015 West Burliegh St, Milwaukee, WI 414.442.9100. We were greeted by Nora, Lynn, Jack and of course Erica the Artdog.

Royce just arrived at Artists and Design

We set up our table and light bridge just as we have done so many times before. It was really great to know that building up like this only means one thing, and that is that we are about to start making some art. We got everything in place and it was almost surprising since the last time we assembled this particular rig was actually one year earlier when we were in Milwaukee with Wilbert de Joode. In fact it was at that show at Sugar Maple thanks to Strathmore Paper rep Barb Faro that we met for the first time the fine folks from Artists and Display.

By 7pm the room was full and Tali and I along with Milwaukee local musicians Matthew Riebe and Tony Smith began to do what we do best. It was really wonderful to be there working so in the moment. It had been since October 2011 that Tali and I had worked this way at the Bat-Yam Street Festival in Israel. It felt really good just like we knew it would.

Tony and Matt along with Tali's painted version.

Matt and Tony are singers as well as guitarists, so it was very interesting to see how working with them really shaped what our paintings became, in large part due to the lyrics. It is funny how unavoidable it is at times. They had a really nice sound and I particularly liked the cover they did of Led Zeppelin's Going to California.

Tali and I have had some moments in the time that we have worked together where we have thought and said the same thing about something and at times we have even draw such similar things as to be almost frightening. But this night was the topper of all toppers. As the images reveal Tali and I unbeknownst to each other drew the same picture in the most uncanny way. Neither one of us had any idea until Tali slid the video fader over to my camera which revealed what each of us were painting.

Royce and Tali's barn surprise.

At the end of the evening we were very happy with our paintings, the crowd was great and we were off to another great start.

Let's Get Started

2011-04-22T08:32:00.000-07:00

Let us introduce ourselves. We are Royce Deans and Tali Farchi, we are visual artists, painters to be exact. We are from Michigan, USA and The Netherlands respectfully. Our collaborative efforts started in 2007 with a painting exhibition in Amsterdam, The Netherlands in conjunction with the Fringe Festival there and Tali's original multi-media, multi-disciplinary show Mo(ve)ment.

Tali's laptop and carry-on in Amsterdam before boarding the flight to Chicago.

Since that time we have been doing collaborative projects and exhibitions in the U.S., Canada, Israel and Europe. When we go to these places we do our best to draw inspiration from all that the local setting has to offer. Because of our love for music and our involvement with it and with other disciplinary projects, we love to work with local musicians where ever we go.

Our efforts recently have been to set a work space where we can work intensely for a week or two painting and drawing on the local sights, sounds and smells. In 2010 we formalized our idea and called it The Colorboration Project. By March 2011 we had proposed and organized the newest version of this project with the help of The Phantom Gallery Chicago and I AM Logan Square and it became, The Colorboration Project Chicago.

After months of planning, on 10 March 2011 Tali landed once more at Chicago's O'Hare Airport, this time via United Airlines. Upon her arrival we made our way directly to 2515 N. Milwaukee Ave., what would soon be our base of operations for the next couple weeks.

Street view of 2515 N. Milwaukee Ave, Chicago

The maintenance man unlocked the place and let us in so that we could see the cavernous interior to this dusty and very raw 5800 square foot space. We were excited and could see so much potential in this place even though there were only two electrical outlets, four florescent light fixtures that sort of worked, one small ceiling mounted furnace in place only to keep the pipes from freezing and no bathroom facilities at all.

The raw empty space, the blank canvas.

This was the what happened in about the first two hours.

As we went through the space we also met Gabriel Patti, a curator from the Phantom Gallery and member of The Aperion Project. We were all hungry so Gabe suggested we sit down in El Cid for some fine Mexican food.

This was a full day, especially for Tali since she had been up for going on 24 hours straight, but this was not where our day would end. We still had to drive to Milwaukee, Wisconsin so we would be there for our show and workshop that would take place over the next two days at art supply store, Artists and Display.