My Baby

Assemblage Art by Artist John Robertson

"My Baby: Illusion today is reality tomorrow."

Son Reality Today

Assemblage Art by John Robertson

"Son: Reality today is illusion tomorrow."

“Gross National Product” Immigration issue art.

"Gross National Product" Political art. Painting by artist John Robertson
18" x 24" acrylic/shellac on newspaper, cardboard, wood frame.
　
The immigration issue is politics at its' ugliest. The current immigration polity enables a lot of people who help grow the food for a lot of people who wouldn’t allow a lot of people to share a meal with them in their home

"Peace" on the beach

I was walking on the beach in front of my studio the other morning around 6:30 and came across this written in the sand.

“Silent Consent” Religious Art

"Silent Consent" Religious art. Painting by artist John Robertson
50" x 72" acrylic on unstretched canvas

Different people have emailed me and have asked where I show my paintings. Previously I posted a blog post showing my work in a gallery/frameshop window. Here is this photo a church allowed me to put up the religious painting "Silent Consent" in front of the church. The next photo down is another painting that they did not allow be to hang. "Blood Acre". As you can imagine there are not a lot of places willing to put up a religoious painting. This photo gives you an idea of how the work was shown.

The painting is in reference to Acts 54-60 where Stephen is dragged out of the city and is stoned. Meanwhile, the witnesses laid their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul. And Saul (later to become Paul) watches passively, And Saul approved of his execution, "consenting unto his death"

I will let you lookup the passage this painting refers to.

"Ambush" Political Art Abortion Issue

"Ambush" Political art. Painting by artist John Robertson
48" x 60" acrylic on unstretched canvas.

Different people have emailed me and have asked where I show my paintings. As you can imagine there are not a lot of places willing to put up a political painting. I used to have a good place to show my work and probably could continue to show it there but it does take a lot of time and effort to change the piece regularly. It was the window for a gallery/frame shop in Pacific Palisades. This photo gives you an idea of how the work was shown.

By the way please don’t write me and ask me what the painting means. It means what you think it means – whatever that is.

Oil on Rocks Montaña de Oro State Park

We were camping a couple of weeks ago at Montaña de Oro State Park which is just south of Morro Bay in California. The tide pools, from a distance are beautiful.

As you get close to the water you realize that oil has covered quite a bit of the rocks in the tide pools.

I have no idea when the oil had spilled into these tidepools. I have done an Internet search but nothing concrete pops up. There was the large Santa Barbara oil spill in 1969 and the oil spill in the Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes. Whatever the cause the damage is still strongly visible in the tidepools.

Inenlightened immigration Policy

"One flower Does Not Make Spring"

16" x 24" acrylic on newspaper, cardboard

Painting by political artist John Robertson

Like My Car the Country Needs An Oil Change

Oil Assemblage by Artist John Robertson
14 ½ " by 10 ½"
wood, plastic, shells, paper, tar, shellac, paint

As I live at the beach it has always been a source of inspiration. With all the news about British Petroleum (BP) I am not particularily please where the inspiration came from for this piece. The shells and objects in this piece are embedded in a binder, then covered with a little tar, shellac and black paint. I don’t get much satisfaction from making a piece like this.

Erotic Painting "gliberty" by Artist Julian Murphy

The piece in the photo is from Julian Murphy: an artist and graphic designer.
He has an interesting style that is called Tantric Pop Art, which has been described as "a cunning combination of eroticism and visual innuendo that emphasizes the life-confirming sexuality of our surrounding". If the erotic art and the artist's image intrigues you and you want to know more about him here is an interview with Julian.

Fletcher Crossman’s Political Paintings

Fletcher Crossman Painting "Feast on This"

Rarely do I post on my blog, political art from others. But sometimes we come across political art that reflects our anger or provokes our extremism. Fletcher Crossman’s political paintings does exactly that. If you happen to be in Charleston, SC soon I suggest you drop by the Eye Level Art Gallery for a real treat.

There is no point in me discussing the work on my blog as it speaks for itself. So I highly recommend you watching the youtube video below.


You can also see some footage of the show here: http://fletchercrossman.com/sos/intro.htm
Here is the Daily Kos page: http://www.dailykos.com/story/2010/5/24/2187/42814
And here is the local TV’s comment page: http://www.facebook.com/live5news/posts/129192770426215

Fletcher Crossman’s web site http://fletchercrossman.com/

Blog Eye Level Art Gallery, Charleston, SC: http://members.eyelevelart.com/blog/
　
Web Site of Eye Level Art gallery: http://www.eyelevelart.com/

Taking Measurements

This tool is to be used to measure:

1. excessive government spending and pork.
2. destruction of the US banking system
3. how many people want us to "do as I say not as I do"
4. foot-in-mouth incidents

5. measure the oil spill in the Gulf.

(Nothing can measure that disaster)

Assmeblage art by artist John Robertson

Mom I Pray You Don’t Find Out

Self-explanatory
　
Assemblage art by artist John Robertson

Vinegar Pop

Easter is coming.

Painting by artist John Robertson is approximately 50" x 70"acrylic/latex on unstretched canvas.

Tight Squeeze Assemblage

Environmental Assemblage by Artist John Robertson

The Pressure is on

TOP NINE LIST OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS

1. Air Pollution - (Henry David Thoreau said, "Thank God men cannot fly, and lay waste the sky as well as the earth." Shows you what Thoreau knew.)

2. Waste - (It is difficult to put milk back into the cow).

3. Climate Change – ("slow-motion catastrophe")

4. Loss of Bio-diversity (self-inflicted wound)

5. Ozone Layer Depletion (You plant a cow you get a cow)

6. Resource Depletion - (Kill a river. Bloom a desert)

7. Water Pollution and Water Resources (It is difficult to wash dirty water)

8. Dispersion of Toxic Substance (I tried to come up with a good line about toxic substance – but everything stinks)

9. Destruction of Marine Biology/Environment -. ( One of the first signs of marine destruction is the loss of fshes (sp) eyes. That bad joke was put in to see if anyone read this far)

Crowing

Political Assemblage Art by Artist John Robertson

In an era of extremes what better represents that flesh-eating viciousness and feverish inspiration of our current political process than a crow blowing a horn. These days politics vacillates between bouts of extremes, and consumed with ambition. It is no accident the flared bell of the horn is directly behind the crow of the horn. (And my sincere apologies to all corvids) Normally I do not like to explain my political art as it can lead to narrow-mindedness and can sound like an insult to the viewer. And there certainly can be a lot of misinterpretation of this piece

Afghanistan 1380

Social Political Art by Artist John Robertson

The original painting of "Afghanistan 1380" was to help promote
the movie documentary, also known as "Collateral Damage,"
shown at Mount Saint Mary's College in Brentwood, Ca. The art was painted a number of years ago - so little has changed. We have been in Afghanistan for eight years - 8 years!

Filmed in Afghanistan in October through December 2001, the
film follows the continuing challenges for surgeon Gino Strada and
medical coordinator Kate Rowlands from the human rights group
"Emergency." Having joined forces to set up a hospital in Kabul,
Afghanistan, they saw it shut down by the Taliban. In October, 2001,
they decided to re-open the hospital while the city was still under
heavy attacks in order to guarantee medical and humanitarian
support to civilian war victims. AFGHANISTAN YEAR 1380 shows.
life from the perspective of the Afghan people during this extraordinary
time, and the treatment of Taliban prisoners of war in Northern Alliance jails

The painting by artist John Robertson is approximately 50" x 70" acrylic/latex on unstretched canvas

U.S. Surge in Afghanistan

Assmeblage Art

Assemblage by Social Political artist John Robertson

I have been watching the news on television about the recent major offensive into the southern Afghan town of Marjah. What struck me in the coverage was how young the soldiers looked.

Let Them Eat French Toast

Last year my sweetheart heard a story about a guy (Shyam) who had fed French Toast to the needy and homeless on the streets of Los Angeles. When he has traveled for his work he has done the same thing in other cities around the world. This year he fed French Toast on January 24, 2010. He asked for volunteers so my sweetheart and I went downtown to 6th and Towne (skidrow) and helped.

Photo is of Shyam (in hat) cooking French Toast. Now the first question we asked was, "Why French Toast?" He felt it was a treat for the people on the street. He not only fed them French Toast but also topped it with Blueberries, Strawberries and Bananas and whipped cream and syrup

You can see in the above photo what the serving looked like.

Here is a list of what he brought.

66 loaves of freshly baked challah bred!

60 Costco bins of blueberries!!

55 dozen eggs!!!

48 Costco bins of strawberries!!!! (half of all they had at my local store)

34 cans of whipped cream (not enough, not even close!)

22 bottles of 100% pure maple syrup!!!!!

100 limited edition FTX pins & soundtracks!!!!!!

and over 1,300 pieces of french toast!!!!!!!

Also some of the volunteers brought bags and bags of oranges and cases of bottled water.

On that day he fed over 600 people.

Below is a video of singing from a group just down the street from

where the French Toast was being served. Video is about 40 seconds

Haiti – Artists for Peace and Justice

For Americans from the United States going to Haiti it is an hour-and-a half plane flight. For Haitians going to the United States it is a four-day journey by inner tube. You know the numbers: 7.0 on the Richter scale, over 100,000 people killed. Hundreds of thousands displaced. And before the earthquake it was one of the poorest countries in the world. Now Haitians can say "We’re number one." The only place less habitable is the Mojave Desert. The water they are drinking in Port-au-Prince we would not use to wash our clothes. I did an Internet image search on Haitian Dogs and there were not many photos – and the dogs that did crop up were not looking too good.

When the first immigrants sailed to our country they were on boats wearing Pilgrim hats and aprons. When the main influx of 700,00 African’s came to their future country, they sailed in boats wearing metal necklaces, bracelets and anklets - and where possible, rowing. We come from huddled masses – they are still huddling. What does that say about them – and more importantly – what does that say about us?

It says that we should help. And a lot of people are doing so. Anybody can go to Haiti. They are looking for volunteers. You want to go? Go. I wish I could. But I have to cut health insurance coupons out of this month’s AARP magazine. No. I cannot go to Haiti.

But I found another way to participate – or at least donate something of value. My Sweetheart forwarded me an email from an art representative. He was asked by an organizer to contact artists to contribute a painting for an organization, Artists for Peace and Justice. An Academy Award-winning screenwriter and director started Artist for Peace and Justice. The purpose of APJ is to raise money for the work of Rev. Rick Frechette, an American doctor, and priest and community organizer working in the slums of Port-au-Prince. He was in Haiti for twenty years before the earthquake and will probably be there for twenty more.

Me? I will never go to Haiti. And then I was just forwarded another e-mail from my sweetheart, who received if from an art representative who got it from an event organizer who received it from the guy who started the Artist for Peace and Justice organization and was in Haiti supporting Rev. Rick Frechette’s work. That Academy-Award-winning screenwriter and director’s email said, "…You made a real difference today. Our team landed, and after a few missteps landed at St Damien's Children's Hospital with medicine, supplies, support people and doctors. As of a couple of days ago the art event raised over $126,000 dollars for Haiti and still counting.

Haiti Painting donated to Artists For Peace and Justice: To Benefit Haiti.

This political art by John Robertson is approximately 52" x 70" acrylic/latex on unstretched canvas

You might see this painting somewhere else on this blog as I did the Haiti art about six years ago. It has been donated to Artists For Peace and Justice: To Benefit Haiti.

What:

* An evening of Art, Photography and Music to raise funds for immediate aid going to the victims of the Haiti earthquake.

* Music by Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros, KCRW DJ Mathieu Schreyer plus special musical guests.

* Silent Auction featuring work by Artists will include:

Alejandro Gehry, Andy Moses, Billy Al Bengston, Cameron Gray, Charles Arnoldi, Corinne Chaix, Dewain Valentine, E. F. Kitchen, E.T. Risk, Ed Moses, Ed Ruscha, Guy Dill, Helen K. Garber, Huguette Caland, Jim Hubbard, Joe Goode, John Baldessari, John Robertson, John Rose, Juan Carlos, Munoz, Hernandez, Ken Price, Laddie John Dill, Larry Bell, Lisa Adams, Lynn Hanson, Maria Munroe, Mark Farina, Matthew Heller, Ned Evans, Nick Agid, Paulin Paris, Peter Alexander, Peter Lodato, Raymond Pettibon, Robert Graham, Stas Orlovski, Tao Ruspoli, Todd Squires, William Attaway.

* Photography from Artists for Peace and Justice recent trip to Haiti by Tao Ruspoli. Short Films from the Jacmel Film School.

* A minimum donation of $100 is requested of all guests: 100% of all funds raised go directly to Artists For Peace and Justice's relief efforts in Haiti. Donations will be accepted upon entrance at the door.

* Sponsors:

Aldis Browne Fine Art, Inc. Cache Restaurant and Lounge, Robert Berman Gallery, Duganne Ateliers, Universal Art Gallery, Studio Gestalt, Track 16 Gallery; Beverages provided by UV Vodka and Café Bustelo

Who:

Olivia Wilde, James Franco, Will McCormack, Michael Stahl-David, Brandon Boyd, Rashida Jones, AnnaLynne McCord, Taraji P. Henson, Zachary Quinto, with Artists for Peace and Justice.


Date: Thursday, January 28th, 8 PM – 11 PM

Location: Track 16 Gallery

2525 Michigan Avenue, Bldg C-1

Santa Monica, CA 90404

Bergamot Station

About:

Artists for Peace and Justice is a fundraising effort founded by award-winning filmmaker Paul Haggis and friends that encourages peace and social justice by addressing issues of poverty and enfranchisement in communities around the world.

Since the first trip to Haiti in 2008, Artists for Peace and Justice has been focused on improving the lives of children in Haiti by supporting the work of Father Rick Frechette, who has led the development of schools, hospitals, and other projects dedicated to sustainably improving the lives of the Haitian people.

For more information, please go to artistsforpeaceandjustice.com

Invited Guests Include: Jake Gyllenhaal, Kate Hudson, Bradley Cooper, Jason Segal, Drew Barrymore, Justin Long and more.

Contact: Barbara Burchfield at babsburchfield@gmail.com Tao Ruspoli:
taoruspoli@gmail.com


Artists For Peace and Justice Advisory Board:

Maria Bello

Josh Brolin

James Franco

Jimmy Jean-Louis

Natasha Koifman

Diane Lane

Michael Stahl-David

Oliver Stone

Madeleine Stowe

Charlize Theron

Peter Tunney

Olivia Wilde

Shoot the Taliban out of Afghanistan

The victims of the war are not only the soldiers losing their life in Afghanistan. The drug production is allowed to florish for the support the US receives from villagers in the poppy growing regions. Here's a site that will tell youi more about the drug production in Afghanistan than you will need to know Afghanistan cultivates drugs on record vast area under US invasion

Charcoal drawing by Artist John Robertson

18" x 28" on paper.

President Obama Challenged to Live up to the Honor of a Nobel Laureate

Remember when we had an election over a year ago and Barack Obama won the presidency? There is no second place in a presidential race. That is exactly what happened with the Nobel Peace Prize. There is no second. If someone comes in second your option is to be polite or political. There is a lot of politics out there.

I do understand the criticism and the irony in the award to Obama - but give me and him a break. President Obama has to live up to it, not you - or me.

Implementation will be President Obama’s problem. But part of his achievement is mine. I voted for him. He won the presidency and the award because of me, and a lot of others. I can help, I can hinder or I can stand idly by. It is my choice.

And the money for the award? Well, Look! – What was it, over a million? Something like 1.4 million. You ask me what he should do with it. How should I know. It is a minor problem for President Obama, but I am sure, someone will make an issue of it.

Shadows of past Nobel Peace Prize recipients loom over Obama. He will live up to the award. He can do it. That is why they gave him the award in the first place.

Link to President Obama’s Nobel Peace Prize speech. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/11/world/europe/11prexy.text.html

Reindeer Painting

Hey! Who will stop the Snow Happy Holidays?

This painting references the Creedence Clearwater Revival song , "Who'll Stop the Rain" - about Woodstock and the Vietnam war.. Here is a link to the Creedence Clearwater website with the lyrics of the song

http://www.creedence-online.net/lyrics/who_will_stop_the_rain.php

In Vietnam it rains, In Afghanistan it snows.

Reindeer art. Artist John Robertson
Art is 50" x 70" acrylic on unstretched canvas

Snowman Painting

Hey! You on the Cell Phone. Hello! Seasons Greeting

Snowman Art Artist John Robertson
Painting is 50" x 70" acrylic on unstretched canvas

Santa Claus Painting

Mary Xmas - Look Long Santee the Virgin has Come and Gone

Christmas Santa Claus Art. Artist John Robertson
Painting is 50" x 70" acrylic on unstretched canvas

Time Magazine Man of the Year Ben Bernanke Art

Language of Money.

Federal Reserve Chairman and number cruncher Ben Bernanke Art
Painting by Artist John Robertson

We Go We Not Know Whither

Khyber Pass Road to Disaster

War Drums Still Beat

Business Fumes at Possible Carbon Emissions Controls

Fight global warming - send troops to the sun.

I know - I know, “hot air” jokes do not solve the problem.

Blood Never Dries

"Blood Never Dries"

Social Political painting by artist John Robertson 50" x 70"

acrylic/latex on unstretched canvas.

Pooh Assemblage

Art review on one of my political art pieces in an art gallery show running through the end of the year.

"The Toy Show II floats from light to dark without pretense. Other highlights include (but are not limited to) Sherry Markovitz's highly detailed, hand-beaded heads ("Double Howdy"), Michael Beck's stark and moody toy cannon ("Long Shot"), and John Robertson's "Pooh," which feels like a somber and surreal ode to Rodin's monumental Gates of Hell." The quote is from an review on http://blog.thenationofartists.com/

If you are not in the Los Angeles area you can check out Lora Schlesinger Gallery website (http://www.loraschlesinger.com/ToyShow2.html) for more of the show's work. Otherwise, if you're in the LA area, head down to building T3 at Bergamot Station, 2525 Michigan Ave, Santa Monica CA 90404. Show runs, Nov 21-Dec 31, 2009

Problems of Being Left-Handed

As a boy in Little League baseballI played catcher. In high school, because I was left-handed the baseball coach would not let me play catcher. So, eventually I dropped out of highschool and went surfing.

Painting by John Robertson approximately 50" x 70" acrylic/latexon unstretched canvas.

article of faith

This social political painting of a revolver is an interesting subject matter for interpretation of artwork. The question arises, is this a pro-gun statement or an anti-gun statement. As simple as the painting may seem it also addresses religious issues. The question arises: where do you put your faith? - in the violence attached to weapons or in something else? Do you believe that a gun can protect you from your fears? Has it provided for your safety and comfort or are there alternatives? I don't have an answer for that - that is why I painted it - to help me understand the issue - which it hasn't. It has just brought up more issues to think about.

Which brings me to the next comment. I have heard that more people die from drowning in a year than do so by gunshot. So should there be a three-day waiting period before anyone swims in a pool.

The painting is approximately50" x 70" acrylic/latex on unstretched canvas

Sniff the Soil Slick

Someone asked if I was doing a painting for Thanksgiving –so I did this one. I’m not sure what the text actually means but it seemed appropriate for the holiday. The artist is always the last one to know what a painting might mean to someone else. My intention was to comment on the appreciation one has or doesn’t have for giving thanks.

The "Sniff the Soil Slick" social political commentary painting by John Robertson is approximately 50" x 70"acrylic/latex on unstretched canvas.

Green is Universal

What is the importance of being environmentally aware and

going green in everyday living?
It’s the earth, stupid!!!

Abortion and the Health Care Bill

Due to Content Discretion is Advised

Too Many Pundit Megaphones

Tired of the megaphones

Corrosive Talk on TV

Let's face it. It was the "So What Election. No change on the national scene. No big deal. Yet the Republican party and the pundits and the doom sayers project and end to the Obama administration. Whatever the problem is or isn't, I do imagine, so many people must be tired of the megaphones, the clanging of the bells, the firing of the cannons, the gravediggers. etc. Most of the time the pundits, who are trying to look dignified, end up like frogs hopping from leaf to leaf trying to catch a bug. Thank god the remote works real well on my TV.

Government Health Care – Congress Cares

How do you want your mother treated?

First, let me say I am very naïve. I believe medical marijuana is only used by the sick, Barry Bonds is for real and the cow actually jumped over the moon. So, when some of our representatives say that we need to keep health care out of the hands of government I start believing it – forgetting that I am on Medicare and absolutely thrilled by it’s care.

For example I have a genetic, degenerative hand disease and when I mentioned this to my private health insurance provider they wanted to disappear as fast as a bullet train passing me by at the station.

It seems that since it was degenerative, it was pre-existing and therefor not covered, nor possibly I should not have received the policy in the first place – and I was abandoned like an unwanted baby on the hospital steps.

A few years later I qualified for Medicare, and with my supplemental policy, they feel differently about the "pre-existing" condition and I can get my hands fixed – and functional. Fingers straightened – thumbs prehensiled.

I will have the grip of a gecko.

I will be able to shake the hands of our representatives that passed the Medicare health Care program. And give the finger to the representatives who believe government sponsored health care does not serve the public’s need.

Your Momma will be proud.

Painting by John Robertson 50" x 70" acrylic/latex on unstretched canvas