For The Love Of God

Artist Jay Rolfe says the Love of God is what we need to protect us on Halloween. The first photo is artist Jay Rolfe's belt buckle, not Damien Hirst's "For The Love Of God" platinum skull with real teeth and 8,601 diamonds, which reputedly sold for $100 million. Rolfe believes the buckle was available before Hirst made his diamond encrusted skull. It's a great buckle to wear on Halloween, although Rolfe bought it to wear all year round with his custom red belt (from Champlain Leather in Burlington VT) in honor of a new artwork selling in the stratosphere of $100 million. While his skull buckle encrusted with crystals cost more than a million times less than Hirst's skull, artist Jay Rolfe thinks it's cool.

The second photo, also in honor of Halloween, is of artist Jay Rolfe. Boo! And Happy Halloween Birthday to my Dad!

This is the latest step of artist Jay Rolfe on his Journey From Starving Artist To 21st Century Picasso. You may view some of Jay Rolfe's unique artistic idea, his 3-D Shaped Stretched Canvas paintings, on his website at http://www.3dssc.com/.

Painting "Lightning Bolt"

Today artist Jay Rolfe is painting his 3-D Shaped Stretched Canvas (3DSSC) painting "Lightning Bolt" for which he stretched canvas yesterday. See yesterday's post. Today's photo is of artist Jay Rolfe painting his 3DSSC painting "Lightning Bolt." With tomorrow being Halloween, I'm wearing an orange shirt.

By the way, Halloween is my father's birthday. He'll be 88 years old tomorrow! Way to go Dad!

We've been having beautiful fall days after the substantial weekend rains. It's sunny and crisp. Our morning walks are a delight in this weather. We've also had our first frosts.

This is the latest step of artist Jay Rolfe on his Journey From Starving Artist To 21st Century Picasso. You may view some of Jay Rolfe's unique artistic idea, his 3-D Shaped Stretched Canvas paintings, on his website at http://www.3dssc.com/

Stretching Canvas For "Lightning Bolt"

Today artist Jay Rolfe stretched canvas for his new 3-D Shaped Stretched Canvas painting, "Lightning Bolt." I believe it will be about 7 feet high when completed. Today's photo is of stretching canvas for this 3DSSC painting.

I try to make all my works Uplifting Conversation Pieces, as I'm a positive person and have a cheerful outlook on life. Thus I probably won't be able to use my idea of having a mannequin lie on the floor face down with the "Lightning Bolt" sticking in its back. It's humor, which I do, but it's negative humor. Unless I call it "And Lived To Tell The Tale." That might be both funny and positive. What do you think? Do you have a mannequin laying around?

This is the latest step of artist Jay Rolfe on his Journey From Starving Artist To 21st Century Picasso. You may view some of Jay Rolfe's unique artistic idea, his 3-D Shaped Stretched Canvas paintings, on his website at http://www.3dssc.com/

"American Family Tree" Sculpture

"Mystery" sculpture revealed! Artist Jay Rolfe is excited about his latest sculpture "American Family Tree" which he completed Thursday, October 25, 2007. "American Family Tree" is more than 10 feet high and more than 8 feet wide and 8 feet deep. In his posts of October 25 and October 26, Jay Rolfe asked for guesses as to what the sculpture was. Today the mystery is solved.

The subject of artist Jay Rolfe's sculpture "American Family Tree" is something that, from looking almost anywhere in public, seems to be "in the genes" of Americans, jeans. Here are 2 photos offering different views of "American Family Tree" so you can see exactly what it is. The sculpture is meant to be an indoor sculpture. As artist Jay Rolfe didn't have room to photograph it inside because of its size, he moved it outdoors for these photos. Jay Rolfe hopes you can imagine it, as he can, in a large museum space and in a large Chelsea gallery space.

This is the latest step of artist Jay Rolfe on his Journey From Starving Artist To 21st Century Picasso. You may view some of Jay Rolfe's unique artistic idea, his 3-D Shaped Stretched Canvas paintings, on his website at http://www.3dssc.com/

Tulum Mexico

Artist Jay Rolfe travelled to Tulum Mexico to see the ancient Mayan ruins. Perhaps it will inspire a Jay Rolfe 3DSSC painting. Tulum is on Mexico's Riviera Maya coast about 2 hours south of Cancun. The coastal site was beautiful, and the stone buildings and pyramid impressive. Tulum had been a seaport, a trading center. The day we visited Tulum was the only rainy day we had in Mexico. My face could have told you we had little rain, as my face peeled from sunburn for a week after returning. Today's first photo is of some of the impressive stone buildings, the second photo is of Jay Rolfe and his wife Randy Rolfe at the site, and the third photo is of the beautiful shoreline just behind the building in the first picture.

It's been raining for days at home. The drought we've had for the past few months seems to be well over.

This is the latest step of artist Jay Rolfe on his Journey From Starving Artist To 21st Century Picasso. You may view some of Jay Rolfe's unique artistic idea, his 3-D Shaped Stretched Canvas paintings, on his website at http://www.3dssc.com/

Wirenut gets his first review!

Hey everyone! Wirenut (book 3 in the Specialist series) just got his first review. Check it out...

Shannon Greenland kept me on the edge-of-my-seat during MODEL SPY, so I was thrilled when DOWN TO THE WIRE hit bookstores. Luckily, my excitement was not short-lived, for Greenland's sequel packs even more punch than the first, and certainly doesn't disappoint. While GiGi was predominately the main character in MODEL SPY, DOWN TO THE WIRE brings her in as a large part of the story; but provides quite a bit of info about Frankie. Frankie is one of the more rugged of The Specialists. He doesn't seem to deal well with authority, and truly has a mind of his own. Despite his rebel-like demeanor, however, he possesses such an amazing amount of knowledge that is sprinkled throughout the story, which will truly make your jaw drop. Of course, the fact that Greenland drops a total bombshell about Frankie's past, and his family, doesn't hurt much either. The relationship between GiGi and Frankie is so enjoyable. They truly possess that brother/sister friendship that makes them interact well. And the fact that there is no sexual tension between them makes the story simpler. Those who read MODEL SPY will adore the budding romance between GiGi and David, as they attempt to find a moment alone to enjoy each other's company, but the romance doesn't stop there. Frankie also gets to meet up with a potential love interest, who is a wonderful new character, and adds a little mystery to the story. Greenland has woven such a fabulous new installment to the series, and provided quite a cliff-hanger ending that will certainly have fans racing to the bookstore to find out what happens next. You don't have to be tech-savvy to love this series!

Erika Sorocco
Freelance Reviewer for Amazon.com

More Mystery Sculpture

Artist Jay Rolfe completed his new "mystery" sculpture yesterday. He's very excited about it, the subject and how it came out. It's 10 feet 4 inches high and over 8 feet wide and deep. He doesn't have a good photo of it yet, so here's another tease. Can you guess what it is? You can guess by clicking on "comments" at the end of the post and making your guess.

This is the latest step of artist Jay Rolfe on his Journey From Starving Artist To 21st Century Picasso. You may view some of Jay Rolfe's unique artistic idea, his 3-D Shaped Stretched Canvas paintings, on his website at http://www.3dssc.com/

Mystery Sculpture

Artist Jay Rolfe is working on a new "mystery" sculpture. Here is a photo of artist Jay Rolfe working on it. Can you guess what it is? Go ahead and click on "comments" at the end of the post and make a guess.

This is the latest step of artist Jay Rolfe on his Journey From Starving Artist To 21st Century Picasso. You may view some of Jay Rolfe's unique artistic idea, his 3-D Shaped Stretched Canvas paintings, on his website at http://www.3dssc.com/

"Peace Table With Duchamp"

Artist Jay Rolfe completed his sculpture "Peace Table With Duchamp" which is currently not for sale. Here are 2 photos of it, one in use as a bar table which is why it is currently not for sale. We will have some of our friends join us and Duchamp and use the stools that are empty in the photo.

This is the latest step of artist Jay Rolfe on his Journey From Starving Artist To 21st Century Picasso. You may view some of Jay Rolfe's unique artistic idea, his 3-D Shaped Stretched Canvas paintings, on his website at http://www.3dssc.com/

Peace Table

This is the latest step of artist Jay Rolfe on his Journey From Starving Artist To 21st Century Picasso. You may view some of Jay Rolfe's unique artistic idea, his 3-D Shaped Stretched Canvas paintings, on his website at http://www.3dssc.com/.

The first photo is of artist Jay Rolfe painting the Peace Table of another Peace Table sculpture, this one titled "Peace Table With Duchamp." The second photo is of artist Jay Rolfe with the Duchamp portion of the sculpture. (See the post of Friday, September 21, 2007 for the first Peace Table sculpture, "Duchamp At The Middle East Peace Table.")

Finally my computer is working again, so posts are easier for me.

Sh*t Happens

Yet another story about my life living on a RV...

I go out to empty my black tank (that’d be the poop), and then I go back inside the RV.

I smell something horrible, leave the RV, circle around to the side, and see a HUGE pond of waste on the ground.

I gag/scream/cuss and out comes the neighbor.

I’m hysterical, not knowing what to do. Neighbor is calm.

Neighbor shrugs. “You’re septic tank is backed up. It happens. Sh*t happens.” Ha, ha, ha.

I can’t help but chuckle, too.

Neighbor’s wife comes out, holding hankie over her face. “Shoo-wee. Your sh*t stinks.”

I roll my eyes. What do they think they are, comedians?

I get my cell and call the front office. “Help? There’s poop floating in my side yard.”

Within seconds, not one, not two, not three, but four maintenance men show up. Apparently floating poop in considered an emergency.

They shut off the main water to my side of the campground.

Out come other neighbors. “Where’s our water? I was in the middle of a shower. I’m thirsty.”

My comedian neighbors both point to me.

I guiltily wave to everyone standing about.

They narrow their eyes.

Head maintenance man holds up his hands. “It’s not her fault,” he defends me. “There’s nothing to see here. Everyone go back inside.”

No one listens.

So I slink back inside, get my stuff together, and leave the RV. “I have to go to work,” I tell all the hard working maintenance men.

“Sure,” say the neighbors. “Leave us with your stink.”

I hold up my cell. “Call me if you need anything. Ya know, to catch a piece of floating poop or whatever.”

Some of the neighbors laugh.

At least I gave them their amusement for the day.

...Turns out some kids down the way from me had stuffed toys and pine cones in their septic tank, and it backed up the whole campground. It just happened to erupt in my yard. (sigh) This is my life.

Creating Sculpture

Artist Jay Rolfe is creating more works. I recently finished a sculpture I plan to keep and use in my home. My computer still isn't working properly, so I'm not posting photos again yet. Soon I'll have one you can see. And I've been working on another sculpture which will take a week or two to complete.

That's the latest step of artist Jay Rolfe on his Journey From Starving Artist To 21st Century Picasso. You may view some of Jay Rolfe's unique artistic idea, his 3-D Shaped Stretched Canvas paintings, on his website at http://www.3dssc.com/.

What's Wrong Honey?

Living in a RV means I'm now back to doing laundry in a laundry mat. I have no problem with this because my campground's washer/dryer facility is handily located diagonal to my RV.

Okay, so a few days ago I haul my laundry over, load up the washers, insert my quarters, and away things go. Thirty minutes later I change over to the dryers, insert my quarters, press the start button, and nothing happens. Nada. Zilcho. And here's how the scene went:

Me (grumbling): Damn it all. Now I have to go up to the front office and tell them the dryer's broke and get reimbursed and come all the way back here and switch my clothes to a new dryer and blah, blah, blah... (whine, whine, whine...)

(Enter little old lady all hunched over): "Whats wrong honey?" (said in a smokers rasp)

I whiningly tell her the story.

With an understanding grunt, she hobbles over, rears her arthritic fist back, and slams it into the machine. My clothes magically begin to tumble in the dryer.

Me (staring at her in amazement): I want to be just like you when I grow up.

Little old lady: (smokers rasp) Well you better start working on it now, 'cause I'm one of a kind.

Me (bowing): I'm not worthy.

With a cackle, the little old lady hobbles from the laundry mat and disappears into the mist. (Well, not really mist, but it sounded good for my story. :))

Andrew Wyeth And Me!

Artist Andrew Wyeth and artist Jay Rolfe live 5 miles apart. Yet their painting styles are 5 thousand miles apart. We've lived in the Brandywine Valley most of our lives, yet we see our surroundings very differently. Andrew Wyeth paints this landscape as lonely, cold, and stark (in a technically masterful way). Jay Rolfe sees this landscape as beautiful, green, full of life, and uplifting. The difference just illustrates the principle that it's not the facts that count, but one's response to them that counts.

That's the latest step of artist Jay Rolfe on his Journey From Starving Artist To 21st Century Picasso. You may view some of Jay Rolfe's unique artistic idea, his 3-D Shaped Stretched Canvas paintings, on his website at http://www.3dssc.com/.

Independent Book Report Blog

I'll be doing an interview and guest blogging on the Independent Book Report Blog on Friday, OCT. 12. Stop by and ask a question or make a comment.

3DSSC (Three Dimensional Shaped Stretched Canvas) Paintings

For artist Jay Rolfe, creating 3DSSC paintings is an involved process. I start by imagining the finished product, which will be not only in 3-D, but also in the shape of an iconic cultural symbol. Then I sketch it and consider the technical issues. I've spent as much as 2 years repeatedly sketching and working out the technical details before starting work on a painting. Then I decide on the size and the major dimensions, including the depth of the painting.

I figure out a way to stretch canvas in the shape I want, and then I design an appropriate stretcher framework to hold the canvas. The stretcher framework has to be strong yet lightweight, with significant 3-D depth, and in a recognizable shape. I decide on the dimensions of every piece of the framework, then measure and cut the wood pieces. Then I build the 3-D stretcher framework.

Now it's time for the canvas. I measure and cut the canvas to fit the stretcher framework, then stretch it over the framework and staple it securely on the back. I often install the hardware for hanging the painting at this time, since the back is exposed. Then I turn it around and paint the front and sides of the 3DSSC painting. It typically takes 3 to 5 layers of paint to get the effect I want.

Some paintings have more than one stretcher framework with canvas. There are different reasons for this, but it can be as simple as being too big to get through a door in one piece, such as an 8 foot circular disk like my Peace Symbol. In these cases, the final step is bolting the canvases together. Then I hang the finished 3DSSC painting on the wall and get a photo for my archives, website, and promotional purposes.

That's the latest step of artist Jay Rolfe on his Journey From Starving Artist To 21st Century Picasso. You may view some of Jay Rolfe's unique artistic idea, his 3-D Shaped Stretched Canvas paintings, on his website at http://www.3dssc.com/.

My Unique Artistic Idea

Artist Jay Rolfe's Unique Artistic Idea, that came to him in a vision nearly 4 years ago, is Three Dimensional Shaped Stretched Canvas paintings. For brevity, I use the acronym 3DSSC, pronounced "3 disk." My 3DSSC or 3-D Shaped Stretched Canvas paintings are in the shape of powerful, emotional, or fun cultural symbols.

The subjects of Jay Rolfe's paintings are freedom, love, peace, spirit, and the universe (on his website, www.3dssc.com/, his paintings are found in those categories). Some of Jay Rolfe's 3DSSC paintings are quite serious, others humorous. I love shape, color, especially vibrant color, and depth. My 3DSSC paintings are stylized, minimalist, and often very colorful.

Creating 3DSSC paintings jolts artist Jay Rolfe out of the mundane (the result of working as a lawyer for many years) and propels him into the passion of life. I hope they have the same effect on you!

That's the latest step of artist Jay Rolfe on his Journey From Starving Artist To 21st Century Picasso. You may view some of Jay Rolfe's unique artistic idea, his 3-D Shaped Stretched Canvas paintings, on his website at http://www.3dssc.com/.

I Create Paintings Because ...

Artist Jay Rolfe woke up one morning nearly 4 years ago with

• a Vision of his Unique Artistic Idea, and
• a Mission to bring joy to others with his Unique Artistic Idea, and
• a Passion to fulfill his Vision and Mission by creating paintings about fun and fundamentally important things in life, and
• to Uplift Spirits and Nourish Souls with his paintings, and
• to Exhibit his work in major museums and Sell his works in major galleries in New York City and around the world.

And what is Jay Rolfe's Unique Artistic Idea, the one in his vision? Creating 3 Dimensional Shaped Stretched Canvas paintings, which he calls 3DSSC paintings. You can see what he's talking about on his website, www.3dssc.com/.

That's the latest step of artist Jay Rolfe on his Journey From Starving Artist To 21st Century Picasso. You may view some of Jay Rolfe's unique artistic idea, his 3-D Shaped Stretched Canvas paintings, on his website at http://www.3dssc.com/.

Supplies

Artist Jay Rolfe spent most of today running around getting supplies for his latest projects. It is a beautiful fall day!

This is the latest step of artist Jay Rolfe on his Journey From Starving Artist To 21st Century Picasso. You may view some of Jay Rolfe's unique artistic idea, his 3-D Shaped Stretched Canvas paintings, on his website at http://www.3dssc.com/.

Beautiful Day For Painting

Artist Jay Rolfe is enjoying a beautiful fall day. He is painting today as he did yesterday (Monday) and Saturday. On Friday he cut and assembled pieces of a new sculpture which he is now painting.

After a long period of posting to this blog every day, my computer crash has made posting more difficult, and posting photos much more difficult, so there may be few posts until my computer is up and running again.

This is the latest step of artist Jay Rolfe on his Journey From Starving Artist To 21st Century Picasso. You may view some of Jay Rolfe's unique artistic idea, his 3-D Shaped Stretched Canvas paintings, on his website at http://www.3dssc.com/.

iPod Shuffle

Just wanted to say my iPod Shuffle rocks twinkies! How cool is technology?