Houba Vision, A Drawing By Ed Tajchman

This is just a quick piece I drew up over the course of a few hours several years ago.                

                 

                  Houba Vision, 20x 28″ drawing by Ed Tajchman © ‘07

Season Premier of Ghost Hunters

Wednesday was the season premier of Ghost Hunters. (Wed’s on Sci-Fi) I’m glad to see the show revert to some normalcy after that debacle that was the Manson murders house, part of the last episode from last season. The team does seem to run smoother without Brian, but it’s definitely not has fun. They bring in newcomer Kris, who is really easy on the eyes, although she did ramble on about her ex-boyfriend which I felt wasn’t wholly appropriate, but kind of entertaining. The biggest change in this episode was Jason sportin’ the goatee, lol.

The team travels to Washington state in this installment of the Ghost Hunters legacy. The first half of the episode was at an insane asylum where the owner really wanted them to disprove the hauntings that were supposedly there. When they show him some evidence though, he seemed excited by it. The shadow they caught was kind of cool, but if you look closely, it’s very square and tall, like you are moving a bookshelf with a two-wheeler. Who’s to say there wasn’t someone just beyond the doorway making a shadow? They did catch some interesting humming noises on tape, but I’m just not buyin’ the square thing they caught and said was a form.

The second half of the episode features the real underground Seattle. The city was rebuilt one level up after a major flood, leaving the original part abandoned. When the TAPS (The Atlantic Paranormal Society) team explored part of this, they have some interesting experiences. The biggest thing was Grant’s eyewitness account of seeing a form or shadow, but chasing it to no avail. Again we have a case where the street is open above them, with noises that can be heard, and possible shadows created. This is also the half of the episode where Kris spills her guts to Steve, when they are trying to invoke the spirits of prostitutes that supposedly dwell there. Overall I think it’s obvious that producers are steering the show towards a more evidence heavy contrived appearance, instead of the classic debunking Ghost Hunters team. They really need to step out of the norm and do 2 or 3 day explorations of sights that are truly haunted.

A Look Into Ed’s Sketchbook

This is a new series I am starting called A Look Into Ed’s Sketchbook. I have recently rediscovered my sketchbook, and am using it on a more regular basis. I forget that it is such a useful and very necessary tool of the artist. I do a lot of abstract work, but have recently started to incorporate representational images a lot more into my work. There are no pre-conceived notions with this drawing, that I will call Man Under Sun and Moon.

Man Under Sun and Moon by Ed Tajchman ©’07

Rest In Peace Robert Jordan

      

“The Wheel of Time turns and Ages come and pass, leaving memories that become legend. Legend fades to myth, and even myth is long forgotten when the Age that gave it birth comes again. In one Age, called the Third Age by some, an Age yet to come, an Age long past, a wind rose in the Mountains of Mist. The wind was not the beginning. There are neither beginnings nor endings to the turning of the Wheel of Time. But it was A beginning. “
                                                                                                  -Robert Jordan

I just learned today that Robert Jordan has passed on. It is with a heavy and sad heart that I write this post. Mr. Jordan is one of the great novelists of our time or any time, I have been reading his Wheel of Time series  since I was about age 12. Concerning his writing, I think author Morgan Llywelyn  says it best; (from a review of his book The Great Hunt) 

“On very rare occasions, very talented storytellers create worlds that are beyond fantasy; worlds that become realities. In The Great Hunt, Robert Jordan gives us such a world. To the smallest detail, it exists, and its inhabitants will stalk and swagger and shine in the reader’s mind long after the last page. Many writers attempt this, few succeed. Rober Jordan Has.”

I could  not agree more with that critique; the worlds and characters he created will live on in my mind. In a short bio of him from the Tor website, (his publisher) It says he started writing in 1977, co-incidentally the year I was born.  Rest in Peace Mr. Jordan; We will miss you, having not known you, I still feel like I have lost a dear friend, thanks for enriching my life with your incredible legacy of writing. I wish peace to all of your loved ones.

“If you must mount the gallows, give a jest to the crowd, a coin the hangman, and make the drop with a smile on your lips.”                       – Robert Jordan

For more information on Robert Jordan and his writing, check out his personal blog: http://www.dragonmount.com/RobertJordan/ 

For a  summary of the Wheel of Time series: http://www.bookrags.com/wiki/The_Wheel_of_Time

Check out him talking about the craft of writing here:  http://www.eyeonbooks.com/icp.php?authID=307

Chiefs Lack Direction and Focus

My Kansas City Chiefs got owned today by the Houston Texans. I will be honest, I am sick and tired of Herm Edwards conservative game style. We’re down by 17, but let’s continue to pound the ball in there with our running game. What the hell is that? Seriously, It seems has if Herm doesn’t really want to win that badly. What else can you think when they are throwing 5 yard passes and sticking with the run in the fourth quarter when you’re behind? It’s not like by keeping with his inept conservative offense that you can actually win the game at that point! PASS THE BALL HERM, PASS THE BALL!

Dwayne Bowe I think could really work out, but you need more than him out there. Kennison has been a great receiver but his age is showing, he went out of the game on the first play. Everyone in the world knows we are going to run the ball; and with no good medium-range passing game established, we will continue to be an easy team to defend against. All the ball control in the world won’t win you games when you don’t have the ability for the occasional 30, 40 or even 20 yard pass. And not even occasionally, we really have to establish the pass has a potent part of this offense or Larry Johnson will get owned defensively the rest of the season. That was the biggest complaint last year has well, with more consistent mid-range passing, Larry would have had less carries and over 2000 yards easy.

 A clock control offense only works when you get ahead, and the Chiefs at this point don’t seem like they are able to do that. Herm has been trying to sell the fact that this is a transition year for the Chiefs, well you keep selling that Herm, meanwhile we’ll look for a new head coach.

“Mad-Face Man” ©2007 Ed Tajchman

  Now, for the first time online, I am proud to present my collage/drawing “Mad-Face Man”. This was done during my senior year in high-school, using a lot of doodles that I had done in class. (what I usually did endlessly every class.) They were torn and pasted together on top of a portrait not necessarily of myself although it does resemble me. I was more interested in just drawing an interesting expression, with the doodles has kind of the guy’s chaotic thoughts or whatever.        
        Mad-Face Man  -  22×28″ collage/drawing by Ed Tajchman ©2007

I Hate Pretty Art

Lighthouses, cottages by the lake, mountains and sunsets, fruit in a bowl, vases and flowers, all of it! I hate all of it.

Give me something I can sink my teeth into to, give me Jackson Pollack, give me Warhol, give me some Basquiat. Absolutely don’t give me Thomas Kinkade, I’ll take circles and squares any day of the week over any of that pink fuzzy stupid inanity that he calls art.

I used to be a professional custom picture framer, (I am skilled in the arts of preserving and mounting precious artwork and items). Kinkade prints were brought in all the time to be framed, and this just drove me absolutely bananas! I would have to grit my teeth and pretend that I liked the print so they would spend the $300 it would take to get it framed, and not say what I was really thinking – that artists that make this drivel should be should be severely punished. Every time I lied and said I liked one of his prints I lost a little piece of my soul.

I’m just saying; – artists of the world – give me large, ugly, raw, primal, sophisticated, complex, real, beautiful visions of your soul. Not repetitive, boring, safe contrived bullshit. Thank you.
(note: this is an opinion, I have a basic appreciation for every person who creates anything.)