"A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step." Lao Tzu
When I look back on the summer of 2011, "blessed" is the first word that comes to mind. As I sat all winter and spring in my office job I never could have imagined that becoming unemployed would open the opportunity to spread my soul through a passionately creative journey across the country. All together from May to August I traveled over 12,000 miles, performance painted 6 music festivals and another dozen individual shows. From all the places I visited, the people were the best part. Those beautiful souls I gratefully met built a bright fire in my soul. No matter how simple our encounter, you positively affected my life and I hope to have in exchange done the same for you.
Participants on the macro level of the event are artist, musicians and organizers that provide unique characteristics to the festival such as art installations, live music, and various body, mind and spiritual lectures and events at what are called "theme camps" which are laid throughout the grounds with overlapping schedules. Everyone is encouraged to be a participant on any level possible and usually most of the people are successful in providing an interesting piece to the puzzle as most of the festival is enjoyed by visiting the mass number of theme camps created. The main event in the week though is on the last night of the event when the burning of the "man" is initiated. This years burning "man" was 104 feet tall! The center piece of the city that is practically worshiped throughout the week is burnt as a sign of an ending to a new beginning. This concept of the burning is understood as a time of renewing. Letting go of what we may or may not cherish to create a spiritually refreshing experience in our lives.
Last post I left off in early July at a small show I performed in Norfolk Virginia. About a week after the Norfolk show I embarked for my first "burn" experience at a festival called Transformus outside of Asheville North Carolina. If you are unfamiliar with the "burn" term, you may be more familiar with the event called Burning Man. Burning Man is a week long event held in the desert of Nevada creating the second largest city, Black Rock City, in the state for only a short period of time and then vanishes till the next year. A simple explanation of the purpose and concept behind Burning Man is community and participation. Bringing people together to not only enjoy the event but to create it as well.
Michael Garfield lecturing at Burning Man 2011
Participants on the macro level of the event are artist, musicians and organizers that provide unique characteristics to the festival such as art installations, live music, and various body, mind and spiritual lectures and events at what are called "theme camps" which are laid throughout the grounds with overlapping schedules. Everyone is encouraged to be a participant on any level possible and usually most of the people are successful in providing an interesting piece to the puzzle as most of the festival is enjoyed by visiting the mass number of theme camps created. The main event in the week though is on the last night of the event when the burning of the "man" is initiated. This years burning "man" was 104 feet tall! The center piece of the city that is practically worshiped throughout the week is burnt as a sign of an ending to a new beginning. This concept of the burning is understood as a time of renewing. Letting go of what we may or may not cherish to create a spiritually refreshing experience in our lives.
So after many years of the original Burning Man, "burns" have developed all over the country providing the same principles as Burning Man on a smaller, less populated level which opens an opportunity for these principles to spread further than the Nevada event. Transformus was a very new festival experience for me. I noticed most that instead of a main stage with bands and main acts like most music festivals, the whole festival ground was the main act. It was for you, the participant, to discover where and what to experience through visiting all the theme camps. Gifting is also a major part of the burn community. Not only did I receive a wide variety of gifts ranging from food to a new outfit from the costume theme camps, I gifted many pieces of glass jewelry, food, painting and great connections with the people I met all weekend.
Anticipating the burn!
And it begins....
Wallflower perspective of the main burn. So capturing.
My return from Transformus inspired my spiritual vision. I was determined to put as much focus and motivation as possible to expand my live painting schedule for the summer. I quickly got booked to paint Nomadic Roots Festival which was two weeks after Transforums in Gore Virginia. Meeting many great folks alongside my buddy Thomas who came and painted as well, I created two paintings over the course of three days that felt as a relief to manifest.
"The Maze Follows" Painted 7.28-29.11
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Prints $10
"Freedom" Painted 7.30.11
Original For Sale, Inquire By Email For Pricing
Prints $10
One week after Nomadic Roots Festival I traveled with the Silo Effect to Logan Ohio for the Rootwire Music Festival held by Papadosio. This weekend I wanted to not only explore the incredible line up of musicians and lectures provided but also create one concise painting that evolved over the weekend. After painting at 8 sets over the course of two days, "The Path to Rootwire" was created and in my eyes opened a path to combining styles I had been only working on separately which in many ways worked well and was a clear evolution in my work.
"The Path to Rootwire" Painted 8.5-6.11 to Michael Garfield, D.V.S*, Emancipator, Silo Effect, The Malah, Papadosio, Damn Right and Invisible Allies
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Prints $10
Shortly after Rootwire I was lucky enough to paint at the National again on August 12th for Boombox with the help of my buddies the Silo Effect who were opening up. A reunion for many of us who spent time together at Rootwire enjoying the moment and anticipating what was left for summer.
For the past few years there has been no better way for me to wrap up the summer then to attend Camp Barefoot Music Festival now held in Bartow West Virginia. Last year was the first festival I was ever an official live painter at so it was great to return again this year with a surprising growth in the number of live painters. There were close to a dozen artist this year compared to three from last year. I received the same creatively communal vibe this year as I did at Sonic Bloom Festival that I spoke of in the last post. It's quite moving to see such a large group of young people taking their part in the scene in providing visual art.
From my first festival encounter this summer with Thomas at Ad Astra Festival in June where it was only the two of us, to these larger numbers of creative minds joining collectively, it has been a blessing to be a part of this current movement of live painting. To know that Camp Barefoot was an ending to the most incredible creative summer I have experienced yet was in a way saddening but also created an ending for a new beginning just like the concept of a burn. It allowed me to purge past certain creative limits and reach new levels of creative consciousness. Running now with the concise vision I had discovered at Rootwire lent to a more peaceful and confident experience in performing.
"Augmented Senses" Painted 8.18-19.11
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Prints $10
Collaboration between Thomas Robertson-Forrest and Chapin Mathews 8.18.11 at Camp Barefoot Music Festival
Donated
Process photo by Julie Steinberg from CB5 on 8.20.11
Continued at Silo Effect on 9.3.11
Still in Progress and For Sale
Taking you back to the last post I spoke at length about my wonderful experience as a performance painter at the Sonic Bloom Music Festival. Thanks to Michael Garfield, here is a montage video from the weekend which captures the experience quite well. There are a few clips of me working alongside the rest of the productive live painting crew.
Thank you all for taking the time to read and catch up on my rigorous schedule as an artist this summer. Blessed we all shale be to have the opportunity to experience such collaboratively creative events on an annual basis. Before I end I would also like to turn your attention to my soundcloud website where I post my music recordings. I have been spending an abundance of time recording written and improvisational tracks all summer and have started to post some of the recordings. "Move", "Auto Interlude" and "Sweet Summer Nectar" are recently posted tracks. All tracks are downloadable. I hope you enjoy. The next post will include many photos, videos and stories from my move across the country from Richmond Virginia to Boulder Colorado. 4 days of driving, 3 nights of camping and a mind expanding perspective of the land we call home. As well as some of the new creative experiences I am having in the rocky state thus far.
Thank you for all your support and stay creative!
Chapin Mathews
"When you are everywhere, you are nowhere. When you are somewhere, you are everywhere." Rumi
