State of the Union

Here is a list of my part of the Union:

1. No health insurance.
2. Low income because of few art sales and few job offers.
3. My car has 230,000+ miles on it because of the above.
4. This winter I've had my house limited to 60 degrees, see above.
5. When I do get work people feel that I should make what Wal- Mart charges for a similar item.
6. My dog got sick this last year and the vet bill was over $2000.00- she died anyway.
7. One third of my income goes to taxes for a government - local, state and federal that provides me no service.
8. I try to live in peace while our nation only seems to live in war.
9. I feel like I have no future.
10. Stop fighting the world and build a better world!

Slaves to Oil

Exxon Mobil today reported a 27 percent surge in profits for the fourth quarter 2005 reaching $36.13 billion and revenue $371 billion- NYT

whh in Korea

whh1asmkorea
Originally uploaded by Charles Hankin.

My dad served in Korea 1950 -1952. He painted as a hobby and was painting portraits of my brother, sister and me when he died five years after this photo was taken. I never really knew him but I still have his easel and some of his paintings. My favorite painting of his was in my grandmothers house and it was lost when she died in Florida.

tennis1

tennis1
Originally uploaded by Charles Hankin.

This week I've been up all night watching the Australian Open.

Artists Health Issues

A good discussion of the artists dilemma at Working Artist's Journal - Anna L. Conti, San Francisco.

More about Ben Receiving

Thanks to Roberta for the post on Ben artblog. I made my Ben during the Bicentennial celebration in part because of the commercialization of the event. Ben Franklin was a boyhood hero of mine after reading a biography of his life. He of all the American heros seemed to embody all of the creative interests that I had. I was also very disappointed by the Kite sculpture of Ben created by Isamu Noguchi (1904-1988).

St. Francis in the Desert

The painting that I refered to by Bellini. I highly recomend going to the Frick to see the best painting in America.

benreceivingback

benreceivingback
Originally uploaded by Charles Hankin.

Back view of Ben Receiving.

benreceiving1

benreceiving1
Originally uploaded by Charles Hankin.

With all the interest in Ben Franklin in Philadelphia I thought I would show my early sculpture made in 1976. I graduated the year before from PCA and was very influenced by my teacher Walter Erlebacher. The pose is related to the St. Francis in Ecstasy by Giovanni Bellini. I depicted the ecstasy of Franklin when he discovered electricity.

Happy New Year 2006

May we all find peace in this new year.