The Revolution Will Be Televised: The Conservative Pop-Culture Problem

Recently, RedState editor Ben Howe published a piece on the site Buzzfeed where he critiques a 'Tea party' film currently in production. His actions have come under attack a few reasons. One: Buzzfeed is a liberal-leaning site and some fear Howe has played into their hands. Two: Some question the fairness of voicing a negative opinion of a conservatively-themed film before it's even finished. I'm not discounting the fact that Buzzfeed may spin this, because that's what they do, but there is validity in critique when it comes to how conservatives approach pop culture.

Conservatives, whether it be the Republican party or the Tea party, have a little bit of a messaging problem. We can't seem to get a foothold in pop culture aside from being the constant butt of jokes. Our 'establishment' culture has abandoned the creative building blocks of pop culture and this is the root of the problem. Because of our unwillingness to be open to new ideas, we have become the old crotchety fogies they think we are.

When you think of conservative art, what do you think? Chances are you see an airbrushed-looking painting, saturated tones of crimson and sapphire, with a bald eagle and American flag. There may be a motorcycle or muscle car involved, perhaps some camouflage or sun rays and praying hands. The whole thing is just a hop, skip, and jump from a Confederate flag decal in the back of a hopped-up 4X4. But when liberals see art, or the art that promotes their views, it's nothing like this. They have an open mind and vast palette. They have their ears to the ground and they see the trends coming. They're not always hobbled by iconic cliches.

How about conservative music? It's usually country in genre, which isn't terrible, but that's all we can seem to get. What about the millions of people out there who like other types of music? They're bombarded by an unwavering stream of sex, drugs, and liberal propaganda. Why is it so hard to present a conservative message in a song that doesn't also contain references to John Deere tractors and pickup trucks?

Why are conservatives so set on presenting themselves like this? Art, design, music, film, and literature isn't always practiced by liberal minds. Case in point, myself. I'm an artist and designer and I'm not a liberal. I have creative friends who aren't liberals. Where is the local, regional, and national backing for our efforts? Oh, that's right, nowhere. Where are the candidates who wish to work with designers, photographers, and PR people who ride the cutting-edge waves of creativity? They're still content to try and do these things on their own or use design/PR firms who crank out antiquated designs and are quite possibly sabotaging the candidate because of their political views.

Look conservatives, it's time to wake up and have a bold cup of truth java (and a slap in the face). If we don't start taking this pop culture thing seriously, we're headed for the scrap heap. That means we have to start giving credence to the new voices in our midst, those who don't just want to smack a flag on something and call it good. It's time to find our George Clooney's, Beyoncés, and Shepard Faireys. We have to engage pop culture on its turf and that means bending our ancient rules a little. Be smart, be edgy, and the people will respond.

So in closing, I don't hold Ben Howe's actions against him. He saw something embarrassing (and possibly really damaging) in what these filmmakers are doing and he called them out on it. He called us out on it too. We're in the middle of a bloody culture war here and though it's never good to have dissension in the ranks, sometimes tactics have to change for the tides to turn. Could the forum been a little less hostile, sure, but these days there's really no use in preaching to the choir, especially when the entire church seems to be asleep.

Fading Posters and Empty Chairs

The 2012 RNC was an eventful one. We heard a lot of stories, learned a lot about Mitt Romney the man, and came away with a number of powerful images. Thanks to Paul Ryan and Clint Eastwood, we have two images that paint a perfect picture of this administration. I sat down this afternoon and sketched what my mind sees when I think of fading posters and empty chairs.

This country needs a jump start. We need to dust off and let our exceptionalism show. It's time.

Be a Happy Warrior

 Happy Warrior

Original vector art tribute

to Andrew Breitbart

Andrew Breitbart was a brave man, there was no denying it. Andrew wrote in an amended conclusion to his book Righteous Indignation, "Three years ago, I was mostly a behind-the-scenes guy who linked to stuff on a very popular website. I always wondered what it would be like to enter the public realm to fight for what I believe in. I’ve lost friends, perhaps dozens. But I’ve gained hundreds, thousands—who knows?—of allies. At the end of the day, I can look at myself in the mirror, and I sleep very well at night." They key here is that he was true to himself, the hypocritical world be damned.

I'm not as brave as he was, not yet. As an artist and graphic designer, I face a lot of opposition to my political beliefs. I keep my thoughts to myself for fear of being ostracized, something that could literally kill my career. There have been times when I was really incensed about something, the words dangling burning my tongue. But I said nothing. The fear of what could happen to me if people knew was just too strong. I had this blog, railed like a maniac on Twitter, but kept these things as separate from my professional life as possible. In the wake of Andrew's death, I'm ashamed of my cowardice.

I want to scale the tallest building in my city and yell it to the masses; I'm a conservative artist! I want people to know there's nothing wrong with expecting others to have personal responsibility, believing in fiscal independence and the sanctity of all life, and respecting the sacrifice of the military. The constitution of this great nation states I can have my beliefs just as they can have theirs. What I feel doesn't make me stupid and it doesn't make me a monster. My conservatism doesn't mean I'm any less talented as an artist. I make an effort to be kind to those with whom I disagree, to not make snap judgements. I dream of the day when my convictions won't be a detriment to my professional credibility.

Andrew Breitbart's passing has hit me harder than I expected. I share this today as a step on my way to true bravery. My name is Rachael and I'm a conservative. I will fight how I can. I will try to be a happy warrior.

Hope is Gone

I will preface this post by admitting honestly that some of this man's work was well done and interesting. He has a nice technique with most things and above all, he knows how to keep his name on the hit list. That being said, Shepard Fairey is a raging poser. He's a hack who uses the fickle liberal mob mentality to feather his nest and fuel his larger-than-life ego. His latest offering shows us that not only is he a shameless opportunist (something his audience should shun) but he's run out of ideas.

The Occupy Wall Street movement is no stranger to slogans and provocative imagery. Their crass posters, oftentimes confusing and nonsensical, are inescapable. They've adopted the Guy Fawkes mask from "V for Vendetta" as their stand against 'oppression' and trot it out as often as possible. Shepard Fairy saw an opening and he took it with this boring and predictable recycle of his insipid Obama 'Hope' poster.

This 'humble' street artist (as he continues to be called though he's no longer either) had done a different poster for OWS, something a little less forward, less recognizable. I suppose that's why the new one came about; the first one didn't get enough attention. In this article, he's called a 'west coast legend' and let's face it, a man with a head that big wasn't about to let the cash-cow and hero worship of OWS pass him by.

As I said before, he's not completely devoid of talent, but as a graphic artist myself, I know what goes into the things he does. I know what kind of work is involved and I know how easy it is to recycle. When the first poster (something predictable but not awful) didn't get the buzz he wanted, he opened an old file he had floating around on his expensive computer and did some editing. He kept the colors and the technique, just changed out a few things and added some words. He even kept the Obama 'O' in much the same fashion, just added some hackneyed 99% mumbo-jumbo. This Guy Fawkes incarnation of his easily and oft-imitated red and blue poster wasn't much work for him at all and yet the adoring art community and OWS roll out their tongues for him like a red carpet.

It's easy to think the road to artistic success lies on the open range of propaganda. Propaganda is a frightening mistress. The communists and socialists use art as a cog in the machine of oppression so it's not surprise Mr. Fairey seems eager to let himself be exploited. This piece from Big Hollywood in 2009 about former NEA Director of Communications Yosi Sergant sheds a light on just how far this administration and its champions are willing to go to get what they want. When you can't sway the people with facts and mere words, use an eye-catching image and slogan.

It's no sin to express your beliefs in any form at your disposal. It's fine to share those beliefs with others. But there's a fine line between expression and exploitation. Mr. Fairey isn't a victim and I would guess his desire for fame and fortune slightly outweighs his need to 'speak for the common man'. This latest move shows desperation. He, like many adamant Obama supporters, have seen their star brighten and fizzle. This revisit of his Hope poster is a return to a time of prosperity for him, a time when he was a hero. Fairey is a well-known 'art vigilante' and I suppose he always will be in some circles, but the 15 minutes of fame may be over and not a moment too soon.

Artful Dodging

I have a close friend who is a career classical musician and teacher. She is, as many would expect, a professed liberal. She learned quickly upon meeting me as a student that I was conservative. In spite of this difference, we manage to have a great relationship. I credit some amazing folks I've met online with that fact. They taught me the correct way to handle political conversations; keeping it civil, staying calm and logical, and ending conversations when personal attacks begin. I'm thankful for their guidance, but that is a topic for another time.

My friend and I were discussing, as we do a lot lately, the state of arts in our city. The orchestra is yet again struggling with bankruptcy and the harsh possibility of job cuts. They seem to do this periodically. With donations down and interest in classical performances at a low, it's almost certain the orchestra will be changing, perhaps for the worse.

I sympathize with my friend and her sister, who is a full-time musician with the orchestra. I feel sorry for those who love what they do, have a passion for music, who now await what is likely a termination of their position. I've been there, I know how that feels. But our conversation soon turned to the happenings with NPR. We didn't go deeply into the subject, which was likely a good thing, but she mentioned a stereotype that I quickly had to refute; the belief that conservatives don't care about the arts.

It is a vast liberal stronghold, the thought they hold a monopoly on compassion, acceptance, and mercy. This monopoly consumed the arts in the 60's, when free expression and abstract thought became the norm. Art wasn't truly art unless it was difficult to understand and grotesquely provocative. Liberals fed on that resistance to 'the man' like a leech on the lifeblood of the creative. They manipulated artists and musicians into believing conservatives wished them squashed in the fiscal wheels of progress by donning condescending smiles and offering bribery in the form of government funds. The National Endowment for the Arts started in 1965, a way for Big Brother to subsidize what it saw fit for the insipid public to appreciate as art. A firm grasp on the reigns of expression would ensure the proper message came through. Politically backed art is one thing and one thing only: propaganda.

NPR and PBS are like the NEA. Their acceptance of public funds, no matter the percentage, make them susceptible to all kinds of whispered influence from D.C.. There are always strings attached, no matter what you're told. My friend seemed to believe the call for ceasing funds to NPR and PBS was an attack on the arts themselves and liberals want people to believe such rubbish. I had to set her straight by explaining this 'devil on their shoulder' concept. I also suggested she look deeply into the contributions made by private citizens and companies when it comes to the arts. I believe she would be surprised to find just how many conservatives there are on those lists.

I don't think conservatives hate the arts. Conservatives believe in things self-sustaining, work done the proper way. What better testament to freedom and ingenuity than an artist or arts organization succeeding on their own two feet? The truth may be that the arts have grown to hate conservatives. The lies have gone from backroom gossip to art-scene gospel. Conservatives love and support the arts as much as any self-righteous liberal. Stereotypes have trumped reality and it's time we started setting things straight. When opportunities arise, and they will, we must speak our minds, tell the truth, and be artists of grace. Only then will a more beautiful picture develop.

We Are All Socialists Now

"We Are All Socialists Now"
graphite on paper

"Do you know how it worked, that plan, and what it did to people? Try pouring water into a tank where there's a pipe at the bottom draining it out faster than you pour it, and each bucket you bring breaks that pipe an inch wider, and the harder you work the more is demanded of you, and you stand slinging buckets forty hours a week, then forty-eight, then fifty-six - for your neighbor's supper - for his wife's operation - for his child's measles - for his mother's wheel chair - for his uncle's shirt - for his nephew's schooling - for the baby next door - for the baby to be born - for anyone anywhere around you - it's theirs to receive, from diapers to dentures - and yours to work, from sunup to sundown, month after month, year after year, with nothing to show for it but your sweat, with nothing in sight for you but their pleasure, for the whole of your life, without rest, without hope, without end ... From each according to his ability, to each according to his need ..." - Chapter 10 'Sign of the Dollar' from Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand

Last week, I read an article at Big Government about an art student at Pratt named Steve DeQuattro. This student is experiencing the huge double-standard in the arts world. Artist, musician, actor, dancer, it doesn't matter. If you hold conservative beliefs, you could be the next Michaelangelo and the 'elites' would treat you like dirt. The arts are awash with prejudices. There is plenty of room for art for art's sake, as long as it's the sake of liberal propaganda. A work can be positively confounding and devoid of all skill and still be hailed as a masterpiece if it's making a 'statement' the art community condones.

As an artist, I know the culture can be tough. A few years ago, I began doing some political pieces, but I didn't publicize them. Most of them don't even feature my real name. Now, I find I am doubly careful. I've been an unemployed graphic designer for almost a year through no fault of my own. I'm desperate to find work in a town drowning in recession and graphic design over-saturation. Though I feel compelled to share my emotions through my art, I'm scared that a potential employer may find it. There is simply very little respect for creative dissent when it falls to the right of the middle.

Perhaps that feeling of being trapped helped inspire this piece. Two people, bodies strong, but faces gaunt, are chained together. They're blindfolded because it's so easy to lead the blind. He holds a hammer; she carries a sickle. They both drag a broken and beaten Liberty by a metal noose. Everything is lit from underneath, as if they tread on a bridge above a river of flame. I returned to my non-digital roots for this piece because the graphite is so visceral.

As someone who struggles with the dichotomy of belief and need for employment in a field that rarely shares my belief, I know what it's like to work in chains. I spent years wearing a blindfold, simply participating in the daily grind, hoping to make it another day. I'm inspired by Mr. DeQuattro's courage. It's not easy to defy something that seems so insurmountable. And if I manage to find employment again, I hope I can continue to express myself in pieces like this and not fear for my livelihood. I do not have the courage quite yet to spread this around under my real name. It will never be in my portfolio. I share it now in cautious solidarity. If I'm found out, which is distinctly possible, I suppose it will be for the best. But you're not alone Steve. You were never alone.

With the stroke of a pen, revolution begins.

Flag of our Fathers
original digital art by x_1013_x

"When in the Course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation." -The Declaration of Independence, 1776

America, it's time for separation. The people who govern us no longer represent us. We have, by rights of our own electoral mistakes, allowed people into our government who want only to grow government's power and expand the capacity of their own coffers. In 1776, our founding fathers did the same. They declared their independence from a tyrant who wanted no more than to keep them under his thumb. I'm not purporting succession, but we must pull away from those who wish us harm and draw closer to those who truly support freedom. As the founders outlined in the Declaration of Independence, I will outline here the acts which support my feelings.

Members of Congress and the President have expressly broken the laws of process as put fourth in the Constitution of the United States.

They have convened in partisan, closed-door proceedings to deliberately stifle debate and obfuscate the public.

They have used bribery to coerce votes.

They have falsified findings and documents to erroneously support their efforts.

They have inveigled a once free press into reporting widely only what the government deems acceptable.

They have allowed into the governing process those with threatening beliefs and agendas.

They have supported the use of taxpayer funds to finance propaganda.

They have provided money and protection to organizations who blatantly ignore the law and oftentimes use physical and mental violence as methods of coercion.

They have overstepped their boundaries of commerce by injecting themselves into the private sector.

They have exploited misfortunes to emotionally manipulate the public.

They have slandered the reputation and names of their political foes and gone unpunished.

They have many times ignored the cries for assistance from our allies in order to appear more favorably to our enemies.

They have shown blazon disrespect for our history, our national symbols, and the memory of those who have died for our freedom.

Our outcry for accurate representation has fallen on deaf ears. Our pleas and demonstrations have been met with slander and injury. Our elected leader has exhibited all the traits that could be applied to a socialistic dictator and is in no way fit to represent the interests of a free people.

A revolution is upon us. Not a revolution of muskets and blood but of votes and knowledge. We know our enemy, their injustices have been displayed for us. We must rise up against our oppressors and take back our freedom!

Socialism: Now Brewing

Original graphic art by x_1013_x
Insipration: Coffee Parties

Click here to read my thoughts on the coffee parties.

To Thine Own Self Be True: Respecting Talent in Art

"...there is that quite numerous breed who would like to be artists—that is, long to be something more than to do something—and lacking the talent or the capacity for work and self-discipline exacted by traditional art, find in modernism the perfect answer to their prayers—an easy path to the attention they crave." —Thomas Maitland Cleland, "Progress" in the Graphic Arts

God Bless America and Her Allies by T. M. Cleland

Cleland, known to most as T.M. Cleland, was an American graphic artist and publisher. He saw this country in the heyday of capitalism, shiny with promise. He began his work in the early 1900's and continued until his death in 1963. He was an opinionated man with an eccentric working style. But he knew talent when he saw it, talent and hard work. He knew that craftsmanship and art went hand-in-hand. The above passage, from his 1948 address in Chicago hints at what was to come in the art world and this country as a whole. The paradigm was shifting from hard work to high-brow play and entitlement. The right-wing world of blood, sweat, and tears was now a left-wing paradise of beatnicks, art-o-philes, and posers. Art was no longer a livelihood, art was a hobby, a cheap and easy way to 'express oneself.' Anyone with the courage to misrepresent their abilities was given acclaim, acclaim that should have belonged to the hardworking craftspeople.

Cleland was a perfectionist craftsman. He was a dealer in clean lines and geometric certainty. He saw modern art, especially modern design, as an aberration. Modern art was loose, messy, and lacked proof of genuine talent. His opinion was one of a laborer, someone who's livelihood depended on the respect his art could garner him. In a time when art was becoming more of a fad than a livelihood, he had every right to be protective.

People don't magically develop the ability to recite a long line of prime numbers or paint a perfectly accurate portrait unless they're the victim of some sort of horrid injury to the brain. A spin of the genetic roulette wheel imbues us with certain abilities. If someone wants desperately to be a surgeon, they go to school, do the work, and find out whether they have the skill or not. They learn whether they're fit to be a surgeon hopefully before they get their hands on a live patient. Would you want someone messing around in your body cavities with a scalpel if they didn't have the talent or skill? No, you wouldn't. So why is it acceptable for people who can't draw, paint, design, or sculpt to use 'expression' and 'interpretation' as crutches to encroach on the respect owed to those who are naturally talented? Like it or not, aside from basic functions, humans are not all given the same talents.

From an early age, we learn to incorrectly define the term 'art.' Art can be anything, produced by anyone, even animals. It has been said, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but even then, there are universally accepted 'fundamentals' of art that we should not ignore. As children, we scrawl poorly conceived representations of things and when we show off our 'masterpiece' we're met with standing ovations. The praise happens every time, no matter the quality. This reinforcement makes it easy for us to ignore the fundamentals. Why bother with something if it isn't necessary for success? Society's belief that self-esteem is better than self-realization tells us we can do anything, natural talent notwithstanding.

Author Andrew Klavan wrote in a blog post recently, "sacking the Pantheon doesn’t turn barbarians into gods." Creating a mess and calling it art doesn't make the creator an artist. Screeching out of key and calling it a song doesn't make someone a real singer. The reality show American Idol sheds light on this theory by showing us the difference between real vocal talent and a weightless, animalistic need for attention. Though this is an accurate comparison to my argument, visual art remains a playground for just about anyone who wishes to play. Conversely to singing, visual art fosters the belief that the less talent you have, the more you thumb your nose at convention, the more success you will have.

The rift between craftsmanship and art grew wider as people began to lose their individuality and feel more entitled. The ability to express themselves in their own way withered and they searched for what they thought would be an easy way to stand out. The all-too-human desire to be 'noticed' crossed paths with the arts and usurped the trail. Art, being always viewed as subjective, had little chance of fighting back against those who would abuse it. People just shrugged off the talentless examples as 'subjectively acceptable' and moved on. A craft which was once a way of simply making a living became a pretentious means of self-promotion and hollow praise.

I do not say any of this to be an elitist, rather, I speak as one who respects the niches in life to which we all belong. A poem I read as a child states, "If you is jes' a little tadpole / Don't try to be a frog, / If you is jes' the tail / Don't try and wag the dog." Being an individual doesn't mean you seek out the laurels of others and snatch the crown from their heads. We all have things that make us special, things we are inherently blessed to accomplish. All subjectivism aside, there are those who will always execute their craft better than others. The true path to fulfillment is not in doing passably what others do best, it's doing what you do best exceptionally well.

"Art was once the business of artists and not of writers and was taught to artists by other artists and not professors; and it's rather wholesome definition seems to have been—before anything was said about "art for art's sake"—the doing of anything, from ploughing to painting especially well. Craftsmanship was not suspect or thought to be ruinous to individuality—or perhaps individualities were not so feeble then that they could not survive the rigors imposed by craftsmanship. I do not know when the term "fine art" was invented and the breach between it and craftsmanship began to widen, but I have come to believe that it was a sorry day for both. For then, it seems to me, the spirit of art departed from its body and the body began to decay and the spirit to wander aimlessly in space." —Thomas Maitland Cleland, "Progress" in the Graphic Arts

Happy Birthday Adam!

This post is to wish Adam Baldwin a wonderful birthday. Thank you sir for sharing your amazing acting talent and perhaps more importantly, for sharing your intelligence with us. I salute you!

Jayne: Big Damn Hero
original digital painting by x_1013_x