March 2013 Phoenix Art Detour and Heard Market weekend

What Tribe group show at Sagrado Gallery on Grand Ave. During Phoenix Art Detour 25 and The Heard Museum Art Market 2013 weekend.

Eriberto Oriol/ Photographer-Artist-Los Angeles CA

Mike Miller / Photographer-Los Angeles CA

Lyncia Begay/ Painter -Flagstaff AZ

Rye Purvis/ Painter- San Francisco CA

Sam Gomez/ Photographer-Phoenix AZ

Thomas Breeze Marcus/ Painter-Phoenix AZ

Werewulf Micah Wesley/ Painter- Norman OK

Jasmin Rosales/ Photographer -Norman OK

Brandan Odums/ Painter- New Orleans LA

Jonathan Nelson/ Artist-Santa Fe NM

Luke Dorsett /Photographer -Phoenix AZ via Japan

Douglas Miles/ Mixed Media Artist-San Carlos AZ

The WHAT TRIBE Art show was born out of necessity. It appallingly begins with a barrage of stereotypes that are aimed at Native Americans. Whether Victoria's Secret hyper-sexualized headdress wearing Kloss super model or Gwen StefanI & No Doubt's red face rock & roll fantasy ( send up of The Lone Ranger ), or the Disney Lone Ranger film (Coming Soon) which features Johnny Depp (in Red face make-up) as archaic racially archetypical "side-kick". Pop culture is now rife with stereotype(s) and caricatures of Native People. The more we critique it, the more it seems to rear its institutionally racist head.

When Douglas Miles was asked to do a show at Denver University with the Native American Student Alliance, the What Tribe art show idea was launched. At DU, Native students were already battling racist Sorority parties. Douglas Miles of Apache Skateboards realized then that there is a whole generation that does not know what is or isn't racist and stereotypical imagery. He saw the need for a creative dialogue to occur. He decided it was important to create and curate an art show where artists could discuss the issue of "stereotypes" in their work. As the show was being curated artists were selected for the conversational power and or social commentary in their work.

From the L.A. Modern iconic work of Eriberto Oriol to the documentation of the history Of West Coast Hip Hop via Mike Miller's photography, to the Downtown Phoenix grit of Sam Gomez's photographic work, What Tribe is a complex eclectic mix of artists from various "tribal" backgrounds and cultures. From the streets of L.A. To the back roads of San Carlos Apacheria, institutional racism affects all people of All backgrounds. The What Tribe show is the place to start the conversation on how to replace ridicule with respect via art.

-Douglas Miles

Existence and Resistance Group Show at The Hive also during Art Detour 25 and Heard Market weekend.

The show titled EXISTENCE AND RESISTANCE featuring the work of Lynnette Haozous, Randy Barton, Tom Greyeyes and Thomas Breeze Marcus, opened at The Hive on Friday Feb 15th and will run through the second week of March. Saturday evening March 2nd The Hive will host a reception for all artists involved as well as family, friends and out of town visitors in town for The Heard Museum Art Market, as well as the Art Detour weekend. Existence and Resistance is also pleased to welcome the late addition to two talented artists Averian Chee and Jeff Slim. The show features a newer generation of Indigenous artists, and their interpretation of existing and resisting in a modern world with acknowledgement to various topics. As in all art, some interpretations are direct and others are found in metaphor and poetics. Come view the work and join us Saturday evening March 2nd.

Printed in Western Art Colletor March 2013 issue

Wa:k/ Tucson

Wa:k is apart of the Tohono O'odham Nation just south of Tucson. Its also known as San Xavier, where the old spanish mission is located. A couple weeks ago myself and others did some painting for the Unity Run Benefit which was a first annual for a benefit to be held in Wa:k for the run..

Recent works Walls, Canvas etc

Shav Ka custom for a young O'odham man about to graduate HS.

A similar piece to the one right above. Unfinished as a complete gourd, but made a good vase piece for someone.

'Turquoise tear drop' approx 2ft x 7ft on wood panel

Collaborative mural demo with fellow artist Dwayne Manuel located at the Salt River HS. Dwayne's basket interpretation on the left...mine on the right. 8ft x 12ft

Gyruss 2013. From the Artcade exhibit.

Barrio Cafe offices. For Chef Silvana Esparza Salcido.

Barrio Cafe offices. For Chef Silvana Esparza Salcido.

Dreamscape. A recent drawing that woke me up one morning. Images thrown down on paper and slightly tweeked in digital format. A long time family friend and elder wrote something about this that hits it pretty close.

"Woman of the earth, Etoi above, humanity holding hands in support of life, the man in the maze all, your contemporary Ponca/Tohono Od'ham style juxtaposed in both traditional and modern expressions" - Sergio Maldanado

2012-2013

Update: About time I got back on this. Been slacking on the blog. Work however has been productive. Always something new to study, envision, compile and extract from the chaos of the brain.

Last month my friend Hugo Medina organized a mural panel painting event during Phoenix's 1st annual Phoenix Festival of the arts. There were an estimated 80 artists and 160 4ft x 8ft panels. The pic above is a piece of what I contributed. Good event, good vibes.

A quick shot of a piece on a garage door(that was saved). New Mexico Snow 2012.

A preview of a piece that was completed Jan 1st 2013

Undisclosed located(for now). To the right of this piece(not pictured) is a beautiful airbrushed mural by Angel Diaz. To the left(not pictured) will be a piece by Lalo Cota. I'll try to follow up with an update once Lalo and a 4th artist has started and completed another mural.

Decipher art show

From the Press Release:

"Decipher is the exhibition that will focus on Thomas “Breeze” Marcus’ visual insights to large aerosol painting. These good-sized panels show magnified line work that feel like they were cut out of a larger mural and placed in this space. The new images from Breeze originate from graffiti, a world that has heavily influenced his artwork for over 15 years. Also, utilizing an inert traditional foundation Breeze’s interwoven forms closely resemble Native American(Tohono and Akimel O'odham) basket weaving. This combination profoundly impacts his style showing that he is amongst the distinguished muralists in Phoenix.

What is interesting about this body of work is the endless variety of designs. Slightly recognizable as letters yet not intentional, the organic layering of the lines gives a sense of perpetual movement. That energy, then, is illuminated with spray paint. The rich color selection amplifies the atmosphere within the black line. Here, Breeze gives the viewer a glimpse into infinity by “making something out of nothing”.

Decipher will talk about social connections. Deciphering what the line means: words, forms or figures? Trying to make sense of these multiple layers involves open thought of abstract mixed with a graffiti edge. However the work is deciphered the end result enlarges tradition in a new contemporary way. Using imagination to identify the forms becomes hours of study and entertainment.

Universal human ideas have brought this artist to stand out in the crowded streets. Breeze’s work ethic and discipline adds to the character of his style showing integrity by bringing something legitimate to painting table. This exhibit closely examines the larger painting in a smaller format.

Niba DelCastillo is a photographer from Tucson that Breeze invited to participate in Decipher. He will portray a dozen pieces that document outdoor public murals and graffiti in Phoenix. These photographs will show the importance of these large-scale paintings and their relation to the community. Visual education better defines the artists and their murals creating a better understanding of our culture. For more information on murals in our downtown neighborhoods check out: www.phxtaco.com"

-Ken Richardson

1st Studios is located near downtown right next to the historic Westward Ho. 1st Studios was the first Television studio in the valley as well as the home for the original local Wallace and Ladmo television show.

Angel's Trumpet Ale House Mural w Lalo

Our most recent collaboration. Lalo and I created this piece on 2nd st and McKinley just north of downtown Phoenix. A wall that had an extensive history of graf and other work on it...was commissioned into a permanent mural after the owners of the new Angel's Trumpet Ale House (Matt and Sherry)gave the green light for this design.

Lalo painted the girl serving the drinks as well as the clouds and faint cityscape...And I created the huge wing span that ate up way more paint than I expected.

Photo by Niba DelCastillo

Photo by Niba DelCastillo

News 12 doing interviews with Lalo and myself.

Finished. Not sure on the exact measurements but I believe its around 15 ft x 60 ft...give or take

ASU West Campus Mural

Been a busy month or so...trying to keep up on here. This was a recent project that myself and fellow Calle 16 artist Hugo Medina worked on together along with student volunteers on the ASU West campus.

The actual canvas image size after being stretched is 11ft x 20ft.

Hugo at work

view from above

Last months project in Lac Du Flambeau inspired me enough to want to repeat the flower patterns as in the LDF mural. Hugo did all the portraits as well as Flamenco dancers and Guitar players. I brought in the Arizona sunset with the help of a film student who was eager to try aerosol. The turquoise Mayan hieroglyphics I felt would be fitting in the corners.

End result...a mural of diversity, inspiration and hope. Piece completed and hanging without the large stretcher bars.