Too Graphic?

PSA For Immediate Release December 1, 2012

ANNOUNCING THE FAIR WAGE GRAPHIC CONTEST
contact for media: James Decker 707.442.7465



Submit a GRAPHIC for posters and lawn signs promoting the Eureka Fair Wage Act and you could win $100!! (and higher wages)

Announcing the FAIR WAGE GRAPHIC CONTEST

The Eureka Fair Wage Act, which will require large employers in Eureka to pay a $12 minimum wage, is expected to be on the ballot in March. The Eureka Fair Wage campaign is offering a $100 award to the person who submits a great graphic for use on fair wage posters and lawn signs.

Submit your drawing or computer art by mailing it to:
Fair Wages
c/o Don Swall
1140 E Street #30
Eureka, CA 95501

or emailing it to info@fairwages.org.

Please include your name and a way to get in contact with you.
All contest submissions must be in by January 10th and the winning graphic will be announced at the Eureka Fair Wage benefit show, featuring local honky-tonk band, Rooster McClintock later in the month. Second and Third place prizes will also be announced at the benefit. You need not be present to win.


More contest details can be found on the internet at fairwages.org or call 707.442.7465.


Contest participants do not need to be residents of Eureka.

Use your artistic talent to help raise wages!! And win $100 doing it!

Mad man goes to Mad River

Went out to the Summerfest, Mad River variety.
These are some of the things we enjoyed. These folks had their act together. Major public transpo so instead of crippling walks from parking lots just to get there I was able to enjoy walking about the event.

Memorial Weekend

Road over the bridge to Manila to watch some of the 40th Kinetic Sculpture Race. This was one of the newest floats the Octo-mom. There was music and lots of folks despite the truly abysmal weather. The vendors stayed away, no Co-op with free giveaways and only one hot dog stand. The music was mellow and the racers as usual had gone all out "For the Glory"

Plaza Pastels

Spent the day out riding in the wind and the rain. Bikes by the Bay was happening down at the waterfront and up in Arcata the 21st annual Pastels on the plaza was adding color to the square. This is a fundraiser for Northcoast Children's Services. They sell squares on the sidewalk to local businesses and team them up with artists to decorate. Here is a little slideshow of some of the works.

Windows Live Spaces

Manic Murals

Windows Live Spaces
Decided to ride around town and take some photos of the many murals that add to the local color. In keeping with my desire to become a new media douche bag I thought I would co opt the creativity of another to express myself. Thanks to the Ink peoples center for the arts for sponsoring many of these.

regional Radmul

The country is made up of many different regions. It is one of the ways we get our identity and in America identity is a big thing. I am a Californian, not by anything I did I just happen to be born here by a stroke of luck but it is part of my in group. It means something to be in that group just as being southern or western or a Yankee means something. Part of that meaning is derived from regional art. If you ever have the chance to travel through the Pennsylvania Dutch country you will see the hex signs painted on barns, very cool art for the fertility of the farm. In the Radmul region of the moment it is chainsaw art. Up and down the north coast of Cali carving stumps into cool stuff for the tourists is one way an artist can make a buck in an environment that because of limited transportation has little economic development. This is a region that derived its wealth from the exploitation of resources and once the trees were cut and the river fisheries screwed up the economy went into the crapper. The growing of pot has provided a positive cash flow with mixed effect. Criminal activity is probably not the best way to build a sustainable life style, but I digress.
As I ride through the towns and parks of the coast I try to take in the local art and remember how it was when I was a kid and how what gets made has changed over the years. There are still lots of bears and fish but some of the kitchy stuff from my youth has been replaced by dragons and unicorns. Of course Paul and Babe the blue ox are still there but now they have been joined by space aliens in Crescent city. Here are a few examples of the regional redwood art and some Aliens to boot. More can be found here and here on my photo storage sites. Hope you enjoy and someday get the chance to see them in person.