This weekend. I’ll be at table F219, upstairs at this weekend’s MoCCA Fest 2016. Selling my comics and greeting cards.
Info for directions and admission price can be found here. See you there!
This Weekend – MoCCA Fest 2016
Category: Uncategorized
Guilty Before Innocent
Last night I attended a lecture at The Rubin Museum of Art. Damien Echols was speaking. You might have heard of him. Echols, along with two others were known as The West Memphis Three. The West Memphis Three were wrongly convicted and imprisoned up to 18 years for a murder they did not commit. In addition to spending 18 years in jail, Echols was put in solitary confinement for 10 of those years. Now, The WM3 was guilty of something – of being bible belt outcasts. The three guys stood out for their penchant of Metal and dressing Goth. Their misfit status along with petty crime records made them an easy target to pin the deaths of three second grade boys. In 2011 after new evidence emerged, Echols, and the other two, Jessie Misskelley, Jr. and Jason Baldwin were released under the Alford Plea.
Now, I’m not here to really discus the West Memphis Three case in particular. How you, the reader feels about the unsolved murders is entirely up to you. As for myself, I have no doubt in my mind that innocent people are sent to jail every day in the U.S. There’s many factors that play into this. Here’s one. Reality is, if you’re from lower middle or poor class, chances are you’re guilty until proven innocent. If you have money for a damn good lawyer, or you have, let’s say connections to the judge, well then. More likely you’ll have a fighting chance. If you don’t have either, then you’re shit out of luck. In addition, laws vary state by state. Many a county basically survive off the fines of let’s say, DUI. People screw up, and the U.S. judicial system knows this. Thus the court system depends on people making bad life decisions, such as drinking too much, being in a bad relationship, or just not knowing what the hell they’re doing. Poor life decisions sometimes costs the civilian his or her life. So while yes, real criminals should be convicted to the fullest extent of the law, there are those right now, sitting in a cell for crimes not committed. As they say, the truth is not always black or white. Sometimes the truth is a big muddy gray tone.
Anyway, enough of the soapbox. I really went to the lecture to hear the viewpoint of an occult artist. It was during the late ’90s when I first heard about The West Memphis Three. A few months ago, an online Vice Magazine article re-peaked my interest. If you’re just getting started in learning about Magick, then you might want to check out what Echols has to say.
Echols began his lecture by discussing the word ‘occult’ itself. One of the meaning of the word ‘occult’ is hidden. The point he makes is, anything can be hidden. Anything you don’t have knowledge of can by mysterious. It doesn’t necessarily have to be of a spiritual nature. For example, you may not know what’s inside your shoe. It was this simple straight approach that made his point very clear. Then he went a bit about how he got into magick. He learned about Golden Dawn practices before he was incarcerated. Along the way, he discovered Buddhism. He then confirmed what I had also suspected. That Buddhist and Ceremonial magick practices go hand in hand.
Damien Echols discussed a bit about what life was in prison. He briefly discussed how the prison guards would use his family photos and tarot cards as emotional blackmail while in solitary confinement. This led to his daily practice of meditation. During his stay in prison two things happened. He was ordained into the tradition of Rinzai Zen, a tradition of Japanese Buddhism – and he met his future wife. Discussing his wife Lorri Davis, he mentioned because of his confinement, they couldn’t do the normal things that other couples take for granted. For example, see a movie, or go to a restaurant together. Despite the distance, he explained how they worked around that with other methods. She moved from New York to Little Rock and kept the same schedule as him. They would meditate together but synchronize at different locations. Echols then mentioned there would times when thinking about his wife, despite the hopelessness of prison, he would randomly break out into a smile.
The last part of the hour long talk was amusing. Some people within the Goth subculture can relate. He talked about how he hated beaches during the daytime, how sometimes one can be depressed during the summer, how he appreciate nighttime. It’s the little things that reminded oneself about being sightly different from what’s considered the norm. He hates Facebook, as he thinks it’s full of negativity. For social media he much prefer Twitter and Instagram. Echols doesn’t seem to be fond of the ‘food porn’ concept. Whenever someone posts a photo of their lunch, he immediately hits the unfollow button. Echols also doesn’t understand why people are so attached to their cellphones, and admitted to liking “uncool” bands like Nickelback.
Then he discussed his current residence, which is New York City. It takes someone like Damien Echols to make one wake up and appreciate NYC for what it is. Hearing him proclaim his love for the city was yet another reminder of what others take for granted. Take that you bitter NYC haters.
What struck me the most was his lack of bitterness. Perhaps it’s the effects of Zen Buddhism, but we can all learn from this guy. After a few traumatic experiences, it’s easy to be hateful, miserable and bitter. Too easy. What Damien Echols discussed in very few words how one can take extreme pain, and transform themselves into being a better person, on one’s own terms. Perhaps it’s a bit like ‘crossing the abyss’ as they discuss in Western Magick.
After the lecture was over, Echols went over to an older woman, graciously collecting a poem wrote about his experience. Afterwards, I checked out the sixth floor, looking at various installations, art and sigil work by Breyer/Genesis P-Orridge. Echols’ talk gave me some inspiration. However, I still can’t into Nickelback.
Sigil artwork by Breyer/Genesis P-Orridge at the Rubin Museum.
Sigil artwork by Breyer/Genesis P-Orridge at the Rubin Museum.
Sigil artwork by Breyer/Genesis P-Orridge at the Rubin Museum.
Sigil artwork by Breyer/Genesis P-Orridge at the Rubin Museum.
MoCCA Fest 2016
On the weekend of April 2nd and 3rd, I will be sharing a table with three other artists at MoCCA Fest 2016.
You can find me at table F 219. Here’s the links for everyone at the table:
Michele Witchipoo (WitchesBrewPress): http://www.witchesbrewpress.com/
E.J. Barnes (Drowned Town Press): http://www.drownedtownpress.com/
Jonathan Todd: http://jonathanjtodd.tumblr.com/
Paul Curtis: http://paulcurtis.livejournal.com/
Books, comics, prints, and greeting cards will be for sale at this event. So drop on by.
Psycho Bunny Hates St. Patty’s
Yeah, like I want to celebrate a day where supposedly Pagans were driven out, and then get obnoxiously drunk. This Irish man had the right idea:
http://mashable.com/2016/03/17/irish-man-hates-st-patricks-day/#6Xi_tia4k8qT
Anyway, without further ado, here’s Psycho Bunny. He hates St. Patty’s, ’cause it interrupts his regularly scheduled boozing. He doesn’t have time to deal with amateurs.
And remember folks. You can always order your own copy of Psycho Bunny through this website: http://www.witchesbrewpress.com/
Pretty Pictures
Just when living in the re-branded NYC was getting me down, I had an opportunity to attend two prestigious art fairs: VOLTA NY , and The Armory Show. This past weekend had a whole slew of fine art festivals, but only so little time to explore. I was given a VIP on Sunday, which left me exactly four hours to check out everything.
VOLTA NY focused more on fine Modern and Post-Modern art.
VOLTA NY 2016
Artist Paul Pretzer
Artist Paul Pretzer
Artist Anthony Goicolea
Artist Edith Beaucage
Artist Edith Beaucage
Artist Edith Beaucage
Artist Aboudia
Artist Florian Heinke
VOLTA NY 2016
VOLTA NY 2016
VOLTA NY 2016
VOLTA NY 2016
VOLTA NY 2016
VOLTA NY 2016
Artist Laura Bruce
Artist Laura Bruce
VOLTA NY 2016
Artist Kate Clark
Artist Kate Clark
VOLTA NY 2016
It’s always amusing to see subcultures you grew up with, now considered to be ‘fine art.’ As with the case with artist Paul Brainard.
Artist Paul Brainard
Artist Paul Brainard
Artist Paul Brainard
Artist Paul Brainard
Continuing with VOLTA, I stumbled across artist Skylar Fein‘s work. The over-sized installations put the spotlight on items past.
Artist Skylar Fein
Artist Skylar Fein
Artist Skylar Fein
Artist Skylar Fein
Realizing I hadn’t seen The Armory Show yet, I went next door. First sight was Joan Miro‘s work.
Artist Pablo Echaurren
Artist Charmion Von Wiegand
The Armory Show 2016
Artist Fernado Botero
The Armory Show 2016
The Armory Show 2016
This was one of my top favorites. From artist Charmion Von Wiegand.
Before my cellphone battery died, I managed to take a snap of this Andy Warhol piece.
Downstairs was another section, featuring more contemporary art. Unfortunately, my cellphone battery died at this point. These photographs should give you a general idea. Hopefully I’ll be able to attend these two events again, in addition to more next year.
All photographs by Michele Witchipoo, 2016.
Wonderland Experiment
Going through some old art files. Stumbled upon an old pen drawing done in 2011. Decided to experiment, and digitally color it. Now it has that slight Psychedelic but still having that Art Nouveau feel to it.
Forgot as to why this was titled ‘Wonderland.’ Back in 2011, this was originally drawn for an Adobe Illustrator class. If I recall, this project was about designing some kind of logo. My initial concept was to create a label for a wine company. Went with another ideal, which led to me using another image instead.
After coloring this old piece, it now has that late ’60s/early ’70s vibe going on. Interesting that’s it’s colorful, considering that lately I’ve gone back to wearing all black.
Children of Starman – David Bowie
Last month the world found out David Bowie had passed away. To the public, the news was quite a shock. Truth was, Bowie had been privately battling cancer for some time.
I found out the distressful news via Facebook. Sometimes it just doesn’t pay to log into social media first thing in the morning.
The news hit me a bit harder because I felt that a part of my childhood had died. You see, my mother had just passed away a few months prior back in September. Just as I was sort of beginning to make sense of my mother’s death, the news about Bowie came along. Lemmy Kilmister from Motorhead had just died, but still. This was Bowie we’re talking about here.
Like most children, music can be used as a means of escape. My parents would take forever to obtain all mod cons. Which meant we were the last ones to get a color television, and the last one to get a stereo. Strangely enough, we were also the first ones to get an Atari 2600. Anyway, when my father brought home a turntable, that was a turning point in my life.
One of the first 45s I ever owned was the collaboration between David Bowie and Queen – Under Pressure. Mysteriously it was given to me. Some time later, I remember going to the record section in some department store. On display was Bowie’s recent album at the time, Scary Monsters. However, my first Bowie album turned out to be Let’s Dance, brought during my Boy George phase.
As my teens and early 20’s years progressed, I began to appreciate Bowie more. It was a purchase of Diamond Dogs on vinyl that ultimately got me hooked. Eventually I obtained his other releases on vinyl, cassette and later CD. It didn’t take me long to acknowledge the impact he had on some of my favorite bands at the time. (As documented on my other blog, Dark Entries.)
The older I got, the more I realized he wasn’t just a musician. He broke numerous boundaries, like with androgyny, sexuality, imagery, etc. Bowie taught us all how to think outside the box but yet never losing focus. While he later recanted his bisexuality claims, it still opened doors for many. That’s just it though – a real artist always explores.
Never really having the chance to properly mourn my mother, Bowie’s death in a way gave me a outlet. It was like this: my mother was the root, and Bowie was the dream. Now both were gone.
Of course, as that old saying goes, you never know what you have until you lose it.
Two days after his death, I contacted an old high school friend that I recently reconnected with. We had become friends due to both liking The Runaways and Bowie. During the Glass Spider tour, we went together to see Bowie in concert. Turns out there was a memorial happening in front of Bowie’s NYC residence. Despite the cold, we went.
January 12th, 2016. Me and my friend went to visit the apartment building Bowie lived in NYC. People were leaving flowers, candles, etc. peaceful, quiet. (at 285 Lafayette Street.)
January 12th, 2016. Me and my friend went to visit the apartment building Bowie lived in NYC. People were leaving flowers, candles, etc. peaceful, quiet. (at 285 Lafayette Street.)
January 12th, 2016. Me and my friend went to visit the apartment building Bowie lived in NYC. People were leaving flowers, candles, etc. peaceful, quiet. (at 285 Lafayette Street.)
January 12th, 2016. Me and my friend went to visit the apartment building Bowie lived in NYC. People were leaving flowers, candles, etc. peaceful, quiet. (at 285 Lafayette Street.)
January 12th, 2016. Me and my friend went to visit the apartment building Bowie lived in NYC. People were leaving flowers, candles, etc. peaceful, quiet. (at 285 Lafayette Street.)
January 12th, 2016. Me and my friend went to visit the apartment building Bowie lived in NYC. People were leaving flowers, candles, etc. peaceful, quiet. (at 285 Lafayette Street.)
January 12th, 2016. Me and my friend went to visit the apartment building Bowie lived in NYC. People were leaving flowers, candles, etc. peaceful, quiet. (at 285 Lafayette Street.)
We didn’t stay too long due to the freezing temperatures. There were people respectfully and quietly paying their respects. To the side, a few were singing Bowie songs. Afterwards, we stopped somewhere to listen to Bowie tunes.
That weekend there were impromptu Bowie tribute parties happening around NYC. Since I decided to check out one of these events, I tried the infamous Aladdin Sane lighting bolt makeup.
Despite this, I’m still feeling the sense of loss. To some he may be just a rock star, which I understand. Not particular fond of celebrity worship myself. However, with Bowie, there will never be another person like him. While Bowie had his faults, he made not just an impact on rock music, but on society. Whether it was through his music, his various incarnations, his films, etc., the man had presence. Due to this, I feel in a way, we are all Bowie’s children. With that, all we can do is just carry on what he started.
The other day I finally the Blackstar CD in the mail. Complete with that stupid PMRC sticker that never did anyone any good.
After a few listens, I realize that despite Bowie knowing about his prognosis, he bravely carried on. They say that this was his farewell album, but somehow I have the feeling that he wasn’t completely finished saying what he had to say. More like he was coming to terms with his fate. Even what laid ahead of him, he took the time to use death as another project to mold. It was a parting gift to his fans, and he also left us with one more lesson.
So now it’s time to carry on. Like my mother, Bowie was cremated upon request. No funeral, no fuss. It’s time now for the children and other future generations to carry the torch. Because it’s these children that you spit on, as they try to change their worlds. They are immune to your consultations. That’s the way Bowie would have wanted it.
Forgotten Blog
Back in 2014, I decided to start up a little side project, or a side blog as you will, on 1980s Goth subculture.
https://darkentriesblog.wordpress.com
Then in 2015, life got in the way, and this little blog was soon forgotten. Oops. So this morning I decided to do a quick entry:
https://darkentriesblog.wordpress.com/2016/02/10/siouxsie-flyer-for-the-world-1986/
Today looks like a busy day, so until next time.
Penelope Pitstop Vs. Josie & The Pussycats.
Memories of a ridiculous debate.
Back in the ’90’s, I had this part-time job. It was pretty much a slacker gig, doing telephone surveys at night. Yeah, I was that person interrupting dinner with those annoying phone calls. That job was perfect cause it meant no stupid office dress code. Anyway one night it was kinda slow, and someone mentions Hanna Barbera animation.
What started out as nostalgia turned into a heated debate about who was better – Penelope Pitstop or Josie and The Pussycats.
Seriously.
I took the position of Josie and her crew against someone who thought Penelope was better solely based on her looks and sexual appeal. The person defending Penelope the most – wait for it – was a man…yeah, it gets predictable from here. The man was Australian, and to be honest, I found him kind of arrogant. Had he been American, most likely today he would’ve been a Trump supporter.
My stance regarding Penelope was “Well yeah, but why would someone want to be a victim all the time?” Penelope always found herself in helpless peril, dependent on a man to save her. Meanwhile Josie and The Pussycats a) played their own instruments, b) according to the story line, was a successful pop band c) hold their own as they traveled through space, and finally d) still looked good while doing it. I mean, who wouldn’t want that?
Nope. According to the Penelope fan, Penelope was the prettier one, and due to that, she gets the prize. I disagreed. Long story short, the guy who was so into Penelope somehow got insulted. As this debate continued, he started to get a bit angry. No matter how I counter-acted with Josie’s merits, he stood firm. His only reasoning being this; Penelope was sexier.
When the guy’s voice raised, the supervisor had to break it up. I remained calm, but remember thinking ‘WTF?’
It’s a good thing this happened during the early ’90’s. Had this been posted online, all the seventh-wave internet feminists would’ve pounded him.
Unless you’re into bondage, I just can’t imagine siding with Penelope Pitstop.
That I believe, was my first encounter with geek sexism. You can laugh, or you can cry. It all depends on interpretation.
Quick rendition of Penelope Pitstop. Feb. 2016.
Very quick rendition of Josie. Feb. 2016.
Greeting Cards
Since my Krampus cards did so well, I decided to put out other greetings.
For the time being, my Etsy shop is closed, but you can still order my handmade cards. So far most people who have ordered from me have been pleased. The cards are $2.00 a piece, and shipping is an additional $1.00. If you’re ordering more than two, then S&H is $2.oo and up, depending on how many cards one orders. All cards come with envelopes and cellophane wrapping. Cards are also blank inside for more versatility.
If you’re interested, you can always email me: Witchipoo@witchesbrewpress.net or you can email the payment to PsychoBunnyComix@aol.com, specifying what card you’re ordering. You will get your order in a promptly manner.
Right now the hot item seems to be the Lemmy Kilmister and Wendy O Williams valentine card. It’s based on the time they did a duet together with the Tammy Wynette song “Stand By Your Man.” It’s in tribute to Lemmy, otherwise known as the founder and vocalist for Motorhead, who recently passed away. Also in memorandum for Wendy O Williams, best known for The Plasmatics. Below is a very rough draft of that design. There’s two versions. One with the words ‘For My Valentine’ and one without any text at all. If you’re interested in ordering this card, I do suggest ordering this ASAP in time for February 14th. You will not be disappointed.
Rough draft of the new Lemmy/Wendy O valentine greeting card designed by Michele Witchipoo. 2016.
If these cards do well, quite possibly I will go with other designs such as old school Goth, vintage New Wave/Post-Punk, other classic Punk/Metal icons, witch/pagan/occult designs, cult film characters, and other subculture subject matter.
WitchesBrewPress's Blog 