"Broadway Betty V. Vacuuma"

Acrylic paint on masonite panel. 2001. 18 x 24". There comes a time in your life when you ask yourself "what's it all about? why am I here? what am I doing?" AND "Why am I asking myself so many questions?". When you're an "artist", those very questions can breathe more fire and cause more frustration than they would for most normal humans. Case in point; When I lived up in Saratoga Springs there was a local woman named Betty who was the town mascot/kook/office cleaning lady. Always with a vacuum in tow, Betty was slightly batty, out-spoken and loud but did have some endearing qualities as well and was well liked in the community. I had one of my local coffee house art shows in town, and used her as the topic for this painting.(She's in it--very tiny--with the robot about to comsume her). She cought wind of her painting in the show--saw it and loved it! She felt like a celebrity and was walking on air for weeks! )I promised that, whoever bought the painting--I would give the money to Betty herself. Later, it was purchased by an annoymous buyer in town, and I gave Betty her money. She was happy.
I moved out of Saratoga in 2003. Several years later, I got word that Betty passed away. At her funeral, on display, was the painting! I was very moved and even better, it helped answer some of the above "why and what" questions from my opening statement here.

Huh?

This one was a mis-fire. 16 x 24 acrylic on masonite panel. 2002.

Detail from "Frogula" Painting below

"The Pusher"

I don't like to look at my very old paintings, but this one is from 1988 or so.

It's pretty large ( 34 x 38") and it's on canvas--which I no longer paint on.

my website has lots of old paintings of mine--some of which are AWFUL!

www.artaugogo.com

Skidmore College Squeaky Fromm........

2001. 16 x 20" acrylic paint on masonite panel. Saratoga Springs memory of when I used to live there...... Skidmore College is located there. The local college students ar called "Skiddies" which is a little too cutesy-poo to be a slur. Anyway, all the female students of Skidmore are blonde with a small /thin to medium build and seem to come from upper-middle class homes. They all pull their hair behind in a thin waifish ponytail or bun, and at the time when I lived there--they all wore those black nylon athletic "running"pants with thin white strip running down the outside length of the pant-leg. (As someone noted "When does casual become TOO casual?". Good point! ) Me and my co-workers used the term "Paltrows" instead of "Skiddies"! I did this painting with some type of sincere local/social commentary, that perhaps my peers would get a good chuckle out of (they did). The message could not have been percieved as Anti-Skiddie/Paltrow as the girl in the painting may be the protagonist OR antagonist or BOTH. To futher the smoke-screen, I titled the painting "Squeaky Fromm on a Bum Trip" and fashioned the girl's face after Squeaky herself! When it was time to hang my coffee house art show, I placed this painting in the most prominant position; eye-level above the cream/sugar/napkin/drinking straw area! Hee Haw! This one got lots of comments ; "Not digging this one" , "Too Local...", "Not a strong enough comment on Skiddies..." (!) and "...is that one of her professors in the creature's claw?". The end of a perfect day. Later, the owner of my local tattoo parlour (where I also exhibited my work) took interest in the painting and we worked out a deal--I got a free tattoo in trade for the painting.

Disc-Go-Rilla !

Yellow is a strange color for a background and I always feel uncomfortable using it.
18 x 24" acrylic paint on masonite panel. 2002.

Painting Title: "Alice In HangoverLand"

STORY: "Last call came so fast. Her head was spinning to the point of vomiting. How much did she drink?The bar empties out and what remains is a ghoulish reminder for Alice to go home and not forget how these things happen. With the light of Sunday morning--this will all be washed away and be just a foggey, headache-y memory". Acrylic on masonite panel 16 x 24". 2001.

Frogula Romance Novel Cover

Acrylic paint on 22 x 28 masonite panel. 2001.
Never a popular one with my fans. I think maybe because the girl is painted in haste. The frog looks fine--as does the background. I will think about redoing this. Maybe he should be after SpiderGirl ?

Old Painting by Me

Probably done in 1989(?) ...not sure . Sold this on E-Bay to the director who did "Hollywood Chainsaw Hookers"! Forget his name. I like the colors and background. Not sure I like the robot. 18 x 24" on canvas.

The Blue Box from David Lynch's Mulholland Drive!

I am obsessed with the film "Mulholland Drive". I recreated "the blue box" out of junk pieces of wood that I had lying around.

Snackbar Confidential; The Zine!

One of the coolest things I ever found for my zine: an ad from the newspaper circa. 1970! Commack Long Island. This was for a grand opening of Bargain Town USA--which became Toy's R Us in 1972/3.
The event had Wonderama's Bob McAllister (!), The Banana Splits (!) and Puf ' n' Stuf (!) and The Flintstones . Ad also says that free Pokeys (Gumby's Pal) will be given away! This was pretty much "Woodstock" for an 8-year old in 1970. ALAS! We lived 20 minutes from this store on Long Island and my parents did not take us there! Yet they went out of their way to take us to the CIRCUS which we HATED! Oh well.......

INSIDE: Snackbar Confidential

Some pages from my zine. Typically, concert ads (Donovan at Madison Square Garden!), a weird movie ad (Cher in the BOMB, "Chastity")....a Quisp cereal prize ring....a TV listing for a show called "Report to Dentists" (YIKES!), A strange Mr. PotatoHead cousin; Dunkie Donut Head (!). And some gross soda called Suburban Lively Lime. All from 1966 through 1976 or so.

THE CITY DOES Sleep.....

......Or does it ?? I did this one when I lived in Saratoga Springs NY. 16 x 20" on masonite panel. I always liked this one and my re-do it. The street is based on Saratoga's Caroline Street, which is cluttered with bars. 1998/99. *******************

Older Painting....

This was done in 2001 or so. It came out looking like an old 1960's coloring book or comic book cover (which is a good thing, to me!). I like my art to look slightly dated. This is 16 x 22" on a masonite panel. I think I sold this one on E-Bay as well.

Brutal Picture of the Artist !

This is a picture of me when I thought I was a pro wrestler in the ECW. After I woke up, someone told me that I was in fact the cause of the ECW's demise!

Manson Plant! Painting by me .......

This is another of my E-Bay paintings. 16 x 20" in acrylic paint on a canvas panel. Sold a few months ago. The next one will have glow in the dark eyes !!

Prehistoric Kooky Skull Wilma Painting !

Painted by me this year. 12 x 20". Acrylic on canvas.

Handpainted Wooden Sign made by me!

I listed this on E-Bay. 22 x 40". Handpainted in acrylic paint.

Snackbar Confidential THE ZINE !

Snackbar Confidential was created by me in 1997. It's a small xeroxed cut-n-paste ZINE (ON PAPER!)with lots of original ads and clippings from the years 1966 through 1976. Every issue is filled with concert ads (Led Zeppelin, The Carpenters,The Raspberries), food ads (Space Food Sticks, Marathon candy bars, Zotz), TV show ads (Maude, Love American Style), and other oddball movie, cartoon and lots of FOOD ads. So if you were one of the Brady Bunch/Charles Manson generation--you'll dig it! If you would like a sample copy--please e-mail me.