Tag Archives: My Syllabus

My Syllabus: Craft Chat

It’s been a long time since my last video. This one was originally recorded via cell-phone by my mother-in-law Holly, of me talking art, writing, and unionism at the Ohio Arts Council’s Riffe Gallery. I was thankful to have my piece selected as part of the juried After Hours show.

Below is the list of Q&A presented prior to the exhibit tour, and how I responded, as a supplement to this video.

What is your artist statement:

​Expressing myself visually is the best way to prepare my mind for my other​ art – writing creative non-fiction. I’ve developed a deep love for photography as a way of capturing the shapes of life that inspire my​ words. With both words and ​pictures​, ​ I bridge time and space​; fragments of the world captured from my own perspective. Both media ​allow me to explore the limits of truth ​through the context I’m willing ​- or able – to provide.​ ​I can stare directly into the parallels and paradoxes​ ​of my images, across locations and lunar cycles, mixing my memories ​in an attempt ​to ​create a cohesive narrative about who I am and what the world looks like through my eyes.

What was the project’s backstory:

This piece is the first in a larger collection, five total, that document the winding of one image with another – the process of circumvolution. For me this set of three show the natural degradation of rigidity.

What is your artistic process:

In both writing and photography digital technology allows for virtually unlimited resources; meaning that the infinite monkey theorem is infinitely more realistic today than in the day of typewriters. I go back and forth between film and digital as a way of reminding myself how important intention is when taking photos. If I capture something worth sharing, in words or photos, I want to know I can retrace my steps instead of knowing it was all just dumb luck.

How long have you been making art: 

As long as I’ve been alive. I can’t remember a time I wasn’t creating something that, at worst, might generously have been called art.

How do you find time to make artwork while working a full-time job:

Thanks to the unions I’ve got 8-hours of rest, 8-hours of work, and 8-hours of leisure – at least conceptually. Creativity itself is the obsession, and that can happen anytime during the day, then it is just a matter of execution. If your obsession is strong enough then you use your time creating instead of consuming – be that TV or shopping or eating or whatever. Inspiration is a powerful motivator.

My Syllabus: Violence Rules

I thought I’d wade into the current conversations going on regarding violence within the leftist, activist movement, and whether or not it is justified. Furthermore, is it a Machiavellian justification, the ends justify the means, or is it a Kantian necessity.

I recently saw this video posted up by a family member of a man explaining his take on why identity politics and intersectionality are wrong headed, and that the working class was lost to “liberals” due to paying any attention to that, to fully understand what I’m referencing I would recommend watching it: https://www.facebook.com/myiannopoulos/videos/840123842792179/.

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My Syllabus: Activism


For one of the most educated communities in the country I was about to learn just how gullible people can be when they focus only on their bank statements. This is a lesson that has been taught and re-taught over time, particularly with recent elections and political stances.

Several years ago I began writing commentary for the local newspaper and an NPR affiliate as a way to increase my activism and voice. This commentary focused primarily on local politics, and I retained the right to repost on the relatively new platforms of Facebook and Twitter, as well as my blog.

I work for the government to pay the bills, which makes being an outspoken, opinionated activist a risky endeavor given the lack of privacy afforded to public sector workers. Activism must always include risk – and recruiting activists to your cause will always mean inviting them to take a risk. I think it is important to be upfront about this fact, not to scare, but to open eyes to mitigation tactics. Let me use two separate actions I have been involved in to illustrate.

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My Syllabus Launch – Episode 1: International Workers Revolution

I launched a YouTube channel called My Syllabus this week. While I have no idea what I’m doing I want to figure out this medium and hopefully you’ll provide feedback as well so it gets better and more useful. To start I’m planning it to be an exploration of ideas that interest me, from poetry to politics, motorbikes to mischief.

Each topic I cover will include an essay I’ve written along with a collection of additional readings and links to online resources for you to explore, if you care to – in other words this is My Syllabus.

Thanks for your attention and participation.

Episode 1 Essay

My curiosity about international struggles is based around what it takes for the working class citizenry to finally say enough is enough and demand equality and justice. My interest is born out of how many tragedies of violence and disparity we’ve witnessed in the U.S. over recent years. Most spectacularly being those of primarily black males murdered by the police, and how even with overwhelming evidence and outrage not only was justice denied, but a general malaise seems to have beset people across all class and color lines. So much so that not only has neither a racial nor a class based movement swept the leaders who have upheld inequality and injustice, but ultimately we elected a white-nationalist huckster with fascist tendencies as our next President. Continue reading →