New deMeng Stamps Revealed

Hi everyone ,
here are a few samples of my new stamps, produced by Stamper's Anonymous .
If you're interested seeing all ten of the new line, you can check them out HERE

On a lighter note...Tarot Prints almost available

Hi again
Just wanted to let everyone know that the first 4 tarot prints are soon to be available. the are all signed and numbered (each one is limited to 500). I will be debuting them at the Vendor Day at Art Unraveled, and then they will be available at the online store All Things deMeng

So look for them sometime after the 12th of August. Of course this means that I will have to get cracking because I have 68 more to make...it might be a little bit, but for now here are the first four. Oh and they are on a heavy (card-like) and the edges are cut (like a card...in other words they don't have square corners, but rounded).

0
the Fool

The beginning of the Journey. Who knows where things will lead...one doesn't know until one steps into the precipice. He steps and his life begins.

1
The Magician

He has the ability to harness the divine. The Alchemist. The Artist. Reaching into the beyond and manifesting it in the tangible world.

2
The High Priestess

She is the card of the mysterious unseen realm, the intuitive, the subconscious. She has the key to knowledge, but where the Magician offers tools, the High Priestess offers insight and keys to the secret hidden world that is present, always, but often difficult to perceive.

3
the Empress

She is the Universal Mother. She is creation, not the spark, but the womb of all things. She is earth. She is what allows all things to be born, whether it be life or whether it be an idea come to fruition.



hope you enjoy the sneak peak
Michael

Mortal Coil

Hi gang,

Sorry, I've been so uninteresting lately...I've been dealing with some family stuff. Mom had a heart attack last week, fortunately everything is well and she is back to normal...luckily my dad was with her when it happened and managed to keep her going until the ambulance got there. Her dad died at 49 of a heart attack...so there is some pretty severe genetics going on there...I too need to take heed. All is well and she is out of the hospital and doing great. She actually looks better now than before the heart attack.

It's interesting how fragile life can be...if my dad wasn't there or whatever, the outcome could of been totally different. By the way the coat series on my site is about the fragility of the mortal coil. I did that series when my ex wife's mom collapsed. Fortunately she was fine but it made me realize how thin the line between life and death really is. I was reminded of this over the weekend.

Sealing my Soul to the Devil

As some of you know I have been know for my addiction to the product
Liquid Nails, but what many of you don't know is that I have been
actively trying to find a less toxic, more enviro-friendly substitute.
The more I teach the more I worry about these issues especially in a not
so well ventilated area. I think I may have found some solutions
at your local hardware store....

Here are my discoveries...beginning with the coolest.

1.
It's Red Devil QuickPaint Caulk
A styrenated siliconized acrylic caulk specially formulated for the
paint contractor that's paintable in just 30 minutes! Higher solids
reduce shrinkage. Adheres to most surfaces. 40 year limited warranty.
Interior/exterior use. Water clean up.
----Red Devil dries white but has a similar texture as Golden Light
Molding Paste. As many of you know I used to use Liquid Nails as a
texture...I find this stuff is actually better.
http://www.reddevil.com/productDetail.cfm?id=0946RT&c=cs&cat=42


2.
Another option is
Dap Alex Fast Dry
also dries white...
http://www.dap.com/green_home.aspx?greenMode=pro



3.
If you want clear try Dap Quik Seal plus
Premium adhesive caulk with MICROBAN® Antimicrobal Product Protection
fights the growth of stain and odor-causing bacteria, mold and mildew on
the caulk. Specially formulated siliconized latex provides maximum
adhesion and flexibility for a watertight seal. Paintable. Easy water
clean-up. Low odor. Backed by a Crack-Proof Guarantee.
http://www.dap.com/green_product_details.aspx?product_id=8



If you by the caulk gun size you will need to also buy a caulk
gun...don't worry they're cheap...4 bucks or so.

I'll be bringing these products to class instead of my lost love Liquid
Nail. I think you'll like them better

I know this may sound like heresy to those of you who know how I used to be
obsessed with Liquid Nails. Times change.

Also Golden makes some products you can try...like Heavy Gel
Medium...this will take a bit longer to dry though, but does dry rock
hard.

see you
Michael deMeng

Armored, Wrapped, and Plugged In

Hey dudes, if you happen to be in the Pittsburgh area...you can see some of my work in an exhibit opening on August 3rd. Unfortunately I will be unable to attend. Here's the scoop:

GALLERIE CHIZ

5831 Ellsworth Avenue Shadyside Pittsburgh PA 15232

Ellen Chisdes Neuberg, owner/director • Ryan Miller, manager • www.galleriechiz.com

Phone: 412.441.6005 • Tue – Fri 11-5:45 • Sat 11-5 • Sundays please phone

“armored, wrapped, & plugged-in by

Nancy McNary Smith, Cory Rockwood, & Michael deMeng”

Opening Reception & FirstFridayArtWalk 8.3.07, 6-9 pm

thru 9.1.07

mixed media, ceramic sculptural retrospective by Nancy McNary Smith

“Everything visible has a thing invisible”, left

“Equal parts calculation and conjuring”, right

shaped canvases w/ mixed media by Cory Rockwood

“Visions of Spring”, left “Dreaming of Eyes”, right

“creative outlets” by Michael deMeng

Items found

Susie posted that she would like to see the objects that were found at the place I "never went to".


Yes, as Susie pointed out, very existential...

I hesitate to divulge any information this because it seems like some fairy tale where the objects that once named would cease to exist. I'm not sure if that is really from some fairy tale but, if it isn't, it should be.

On the other hand, I have heard theories that say the naming is what gives a thing existence and, for good or for bad, direction.

On the other hand the name is merely from the perspective of the other. One does not typically name one's self, so, is meaning only create outside of an object? After all it has always seemed to me that the self has more influence than the other. So, if this is the case then these things exist without ever being named.

On the other hand by divulging the identity of these objects from a place that doesn't exist then I would be reveling things that never really existed...and then I would have to question whether or not anything really exists outside of my experiences...its like Descarte's evil genius who creates a grand illusion that I call the universe.

Hmmm...what to do....hmmm.

Okay if the universe shatters because I reveal the objects from the place that doesn't exist, don't blame me. On the other hand, if the universe shatters, it may not really be shattering, it could be an illusion...what the hell...

Here's a photo of the objects that were collected.
Uh oh...well I warned you. Is it me, or did the universe just shatter?

Well you wanted an existential debate...you got one...though a bit weak...I could do better with more coffee and less heat.

Beneath A Big Ominous Rock

Just got back from Idyllwild California. Beautiful setting. The above image is of Tahquitz Rock which overlooks the mountain town, and is a big rock climbing haunt. Speaking of haunts, it is the place of legends as well. Here's what it says in a Sierra Club post:

It had previously been known as "Taukwitch Rock" (by area pioneers) and allowing for many variants in spelling, "Tauquitz" is still its preferred name by rock climbers. According to Indian legends known throughout Southern California, it was believed to be home of the Nukat (an elemental creature of primal evil) "Tahquitz". Included in his activities, Tahquitz loved to do great harm to people and much enjoyed stealing them and/or their souls which he would then take home to eat. His home was said to appear to be a large rock from the outside but was transparent from the inside "and the people he has stolen can see out of it as plainly as we see through glass".

Kinda creepy....I knew there was a reason I liked this place.

Okay so here’s the deal...Idyllwild is a great place to chill. Not a lot of night life...but when you're on the go as much as I am...it's nice to relax. The people are great…and best yet they keep hooking me up with some great places to stay. Last year I had a really nice house in the woods complete with a Jacuzzi…unfortunately this time that house was sold but still the gave me a cool cabin…way too big for a lone dude like me, but it’s a nice change from the Embassy Suites I’m used to.

This time they gave me another nice place with a sense of humor. The downstairs is very stylish, yet with bits of cabin kitsch…you know the antler lamps and bear welcome mats. Now the bedrooms are a treat. There are four bedrooms. The room I chose to sleep in is the Wild West room. Pictures of Wild Bill and other Cow Pokes and Indian Chiefs adorn the wall. Longhorn bull horns hang over the bed.

Upstairs is the Safari room. Complete with a rhino head, tiger striped bedspread and mosquito netting.

The next is the Patriotic Teddy Bear Room….its sort of, well, patriotic…well I guess what I called it pretty much describes it.

And last but not least the fishing room. Complete with fish pillows and singing catfish wall mount.

A little quirky but if you had kids and were renting a cabin in the hills this would be pretty ideal. I would be all over the safari room….hey, it has pith helmet!

So here are some photos from class...as you can see the setting was pretty swell. This is probably my second favorite view from a classroom. The first being in Cortona Italy (which overlooked the Tuscan Valley...plus, my girlfriend, Judy was in that class). This was pretty nifty though.

I should mention that we had a dilemma before class began. All my boxes of junk...which were delivered a week prior...vanished. So a day before class, me and few other Idyllwild employees when searching for new junk. We went to the junkyard, second hand stores and places we weren't supposed to be...those places will remain nameless...because we were never there. You wouldn't believe the stuff we found...way better than what I sent. So the porch was filled with lots of goodies for the student to pick from. Not to mention we went on a little field trip to a 2nd hand store called the Help Center... great bargains.

As for the missing boxes...I think it was all Tahquitz's doing.

All in all a great week. Got to hang with my buddy Bautista (Traci, that is), did a book signing, gave a slide talk, and finished the week with a martini party at the theme house for my students.

Good times.

the Fool and the Decemberists

Hey guys,

Tarot TeaserComing Soon I will reveal the first four Tarot Card Prints (which will be signed and numbered). the Fool, Magician, High Priestess, and Empress are almost ready....with any luck they will debut at Art Unraveled. Stay tuned...soon they will be available at the online store.

Class Playlist

Speaking of staying tuned:
Here's another edition of deMeng's deMusic. In this episode:
I was talking to Traci Bautista the other night and she was headed to the Hollywood Bowl to see the Decemberists who were being accompanied by the L.A. Philharmonic. I was sooooooo jealous. I love these guys. Not to mention the leader of the band, Colin, is a Missoulian. I used to see him play at the local clubs, but in those days his band was called Tarkio. I'll see Bautista this weekend and find out the skinny...bet it was great!

In any event here's some samples:
Sons and Daughters
The Crane Wife 3