"Farm Country"

“Farm Country”
© 2002 Brian Hutzell
13 x 10 x 1 inches
milk paint on wood

Though I was born in Tennessee, I grew up in Iowa, and that’s where I currently live, so I’m no stranger to farm country. Having said that, I must admit I know nothing at all about farming. I was raised in Des Moines, which is the Big City in Iowa. I didn’t hear the term “cow tipping” until I left for college, and other students would tease me about it. To this day, I’m not sure whether cow tipping is a real thing or just a rural myth.

"Contrazz"

“Contrazz”
© 2002 Brian Hutzell
11-5/8 x 15-3/8 x 1 inches
milk paint on wood

Like “Calculus,” this one takes its title from an imagined but never executed musical idea I had as a kid. Not following through with ideas has too often been my mode of operation. I’m trying to change that now by forming the habit of finishing what I start. There are some bits of unfinished business from the past that are probably destined to remain so, but there are other dangling ends that I can still tie up. One of those is my Masters Degree. Toward that end, I’m registered to take both the GRE and the GMAT in the coming months. Then I will head back to school yet again to finally earn that overdue piece of paper.

"Circus Flowers"

"Circus Flowers”

© 2002 Brian Hutzell
11-7/8 x 3-3/8 x 3/4 inches
milk paint on wood

This one takes minimalism to the extreme. I also turned my hand to musical minimalism recently, but I’ll save that for another post. But speaking of musical minimalism, I will state here and now that I’m not a fan of the Philip Glass/John Adams school of minimalism. That’s something else I’ve made fun of in at least a couple of songs, but those too will have to wait for another post. For now, I will conclude with one of my favorite knock-knock jokes. I really wish I could claim authorship of this one:

“Knock-knock!”

“Who’s there?”

“Philip Glass. Knock-knock!”

“Who’s there?”

“Philip Glass. Knock-knock!”

“Who’s there?”

“Philip Glass. Knock-knock!”

…and so on.

"Calculus"

"Calculus"
© 2002 Brian Hutzell
7 x 14 x 1 inches
milk paint on wood

A long time ago, I planned on writing an elaborate piece of music called “Calculus.” Those plans eventually were scaled down dramatically, and became a song (NOT elaborate) called “Calculus.” And then there was this piece of art called “Calculus.” Not very exciting. My art was largely therapy for me – a chance to do something creative and try something new. I love art, but can’t claim to be a talented artist by any stretch of the imagination, just a dabbler. Sometimes that’s okay.

“Don't think about making art, just get it done. Let everyone else decide if it's good or bad, whether they love it or hate it. While they are deciding, make even more art.”― Andy Warhol

"Ticklish"

"Ticklish"
© 2002 Brian Hutzell
12-1/8 x 11-7/8 x 1 inches
milk paint on wood

“Ticklish” is the pseudonym of a foot fetishist I met in Chicago. I remember taking Jann Finkle to see an S&M art exhibit at Hook Torture Gallery in Wicker Park, which featured some of Ticklish’s “feetography.” I put him in the category of interesting people I’ve met through the years whom I might be embarrassed to introduce to my more “normal” acquaintances. (The character flaw is mine, not theirs.) Ticklish took some pictures of me in the mid 1990s, including these:

"Chess Game"

"Chess Game"
© 2002 Brian Hutzell
left panel:        14 x 3-1/4 x 3/4 inches
middle panel: 12-1/8 x 10-3/4 x 1/4 inches
right panel:     15 x 3-3/8 x 3/4 inches
milk paint on wood

“Chess Game”: three separate pieces of wood all designed to hang together as a single work of art. There are several such multi-part pieces in my oeuvre. I’m not sure why I titled this one as I did; it has nothing to do with chess. While I’m talking about chess, however, I’d like to take this opportunity to say a few words about “Chess,” the musical. I hate it. I’ve never seen it, but I hate it. I love the music, but the story is too bleak and bitter for my taste, which is too bad, since the score is often quite beautiful. It has the benefit of having music written by two songwriting heroes of mine: Björn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson of ABBA, which makes it all the more disappointing for me that the book is so nasty.