Angelo How did you create this picture? Did you use the computer? Yes. What else have you used the computer for? I don't know Did you enjoy making this piece? Yes. Do have anything else to say? NO.

Amanda has something to say about her picture _
Mouth

That's it?

Uh HUH
Do you want to say anything else ?

Uh- My Face ssssssthis fhasis
OK

John's Current Work

It is nice work. I like it.

Written By,
John

Pictures for Jennifer

I like pictures. I want to give them to Jennifer.

From,
Joe

This Land Was Made for You & Me

As promised, here is a clip of Jerry Rose & Jean Schonta from their wildly successful "Live From Little City" debut. Despite the rain, we had a great turnout. It was one of those magical "you had to be there" evenings! Many thanks to all those behind the scenes who helped make it happen. Believe it or not, we're already planning our next show so check back often for details. BTW- you can see the whole show here. Now, enjoy the song then go out and spread that wealth around!

Luke's Work Update

Angel in heaven with Smetana the composer in the Moldau river waterfall.

- Luke

Wayne Mazurek - What I think about the auto industry

"First, concerning Chrysler, take $60 million from Fiat to support Chrysler and put $10 million from Opel on top and see how that adds up. See if that will keep them open. I don’t want them to go bankrupt ever. Not now. Ever. Families might want to buy their cars for about 40 years.

Stop making the Hummers. Permanently. They’re too boxy on the top. They kind of look like a fruit box. I don’t think they’re attractive. I made a big mistake of getting a book from them. I like Cadillacs a lot more than Hummers. I don’t like Hummers because they are too high for me. I can’t get into them – they’re too tall. They came up to over my waist. I don’t call them perfect cars. No more Dodges either. Period. Keep making Cadillacs and the Buick Park Avenues – a separate car line, from the same company that makes the Skylark and the Century. If you put Cadillac tail lights on the Century that will make them sell. Keep the same shell for the Century, just change the tail lights a little bit so people can see a lot better. The tail lights are too thin and you can’t hardly see them. Add more body styles – all four doors.

It may sound crazy but I hope they accept my way of thinking."

A Letter to Diane Sawyer from Luke Tauber

Dear Diane Sawyer,

My name is Luke Tauber and I live at Little City in Palatine, Illinois. I am 63 years old.

For the past few years I’ve been working on a series of art projects about composers, my deceased parents, and Western funeral practices. Of particular interest to me are the composers Beethoven, Bach, Mozart, Schubert, and Schumann. I have extensively researched their lives, musical works and deaths. I have begun to craft elaborate reconstructions of the composers’ mausoleums and grave sites through watercolor and ink drawings, as well as painted cardboard sculptures. For the past several years, I have been working on a life size model of Beethoven’s body along with charts that contemplate what Beethoven might have had to eat and drink just before his death.

I would like to meet you and talk to you about my art on Good Morning America. I like the way you talk about art and artists. I also like that you have people who come on the show and talk about their problems, for example when someone dies and you invite the widow to talk.

I like the show a lot, I see it every day, and I hope you will consider inviting me to be on the show. I would also like for you and Robin to come to Little City and see me in person. We have an art studio on campus and you could meet me there and have coffee or tea. We could also go to lunch or dinner somewhere nearby. Steak ‘N Shake has good chocolate shakes and good hamburgers and butter burgers.

Thank you for reading my letter.

Bye bye,
Luke Tauber

jeff stops dancing long enough to learn how to use the computer

Jeff Aikin has begun making art on the computer! Here's his first abstract design as well as the piece he finished today entitled:
"madonna thinking about madonna."

Mike's collage detail

Here's a detail from Mike's recent tissue paper collage that he made with Dianne- He made this for the 'Unbroken' exhibit coming this fall. Mike says he likes seeing his circles in tissue paper. Mike: "I had a good memorial day- hope you did too."

Harold's Angry Mob

Harold has made another version of his spray-paint gang --- this time they're all grouped together, getting ready to enter Heaven's laundromat.
Harold says: "They're making friends so they can go places together and beg for money." Apparently, they're angry with the robot that runs the laundromat, but not angry with each other.

Crash go the Computers

John King likes large file names.
So large the computers in the Media Lab have some problems.
John what happened to the computers in the media lab this morning? It made noise. Then what ? It made sounds. Then? Two stoped working. What did we have to do? Fix it. How? Press some buttons and fix it. John you had way too many windows and programs running at once. What do have to do in the future? Fix it. Get help. What else? Less programs. So the computer not have panic attack. Yeah. John says "Yeah" as he eyes the computer next to me, a glint of tactile desire in his eye. He's going to type something large.

I like those pictures

Mike Lyons and I are working on a new project called I like those pictures.

Josh's Clip Art

Josh has been creating a library of original clip art, and put together these two images to share which feature the two biggest categories in the collection so far: food and sports.

Today's Work

Mozart is dancing at the end of the rainbow.



Jesus is listening to music. He is listening to Mendelssohn.



An angel is sleeping on Beethoven.


- Luke

Unbroken Exhibition at Rockfeller Chapel

Luke, John and I are looking at images to build a model of Rockfeller Chapel. The collaboration between John and Luke should be interesting. John adding everything but the kitchen sink (well that might get thrown in too) and Luke's structure, love of music and sacred space creating a framework. Lets see where this goes.
Luke wonders if there is any furniture in the Chapel.
What shall we call the new Chapel? Luke likes the working title Bach Chapel. The original is called Rockfeller Chapel. Why? Well it is named after the main contributor to the chapel.
John D Rockfeller. A Big bankroll -Luke. Who is John D. Whatafeller? What is he? Well he was considered the richest man in the world- take that Donald- a noted philanthropist he founded Standard Oil and the University of Chicago. Hey I think he was around in the 1840's to 1930's. Luke this is your time period. What composers are from this period? Berlioz! Oh Luke I think he was born earlier than that like 1801 to 1850. Do you know the dates ? NO. Not sure. How did he die Luke? I don't know he just died. Well that happens to us all.

West Park Ave.

My Video is Kinda awesome.
A direct quote from Wayne Mazurek.
Yeah! That's what I said.
His first video has cars
(of course)
Like Newton we were hit by a coconut of environmental consciousness.
The Earth would be wonderful if it had Palm trees and concept cars of tomorrow.
You could have a thousand of them all over the city.
Concept cars or palm trees?
Palm trees. Like a shopping mall.
Yeah some here, some over there. Yeah well some are on each side of the mall.
Palm trees don't Winter well here in Chicago.
Yeah they are are hard to find.
Can we get them from the South Pacific Island and bring them to Chicago.

Even if we do that- It gets very cold here in the Winter.
So have them come in time for Summer.
What do you do with them in the winter.
You have them put in the shed.



I hadn't thought of that.
Then what happens?
Santa Claus.
I don't understand that reference Wayne.
I TURNED RED like Santa from happiness My face is turning red I am burning up.
How do you feel about your work. Its Real FINE.

Chinese Food Menu

I like Chinese Food and I like the way Mark helped me write all this stuff down.

Love from,
Mike

Bach's Grave in the Country

Bach's grave is in the countryside. We made it and painted it today and we made the letters too. Bach was a great composer and I recommend listening to "The St. Matthew Patient"

- Luke Tauber

I know I like taking the time to work on this menu project, that I have been working on for quite a while now with Mark, as much as I can, when we have the time.

Love from,
Mike

Image by John K

Mustard Mural

Dateline Monday morning - We catch up with John King working on the Mural.
John likes Mustard on everything. I put Mustard on Ham, Bread, Cheese. How about on Pizza? Noo.
It is time for Lunch.
Whats for lunch John? I don't know something different.

John King's ear research

Here is the 'ear-mouse' that we talk about in the next blog.

John King's 'Foo Face'

Last Wednesday John King created some faces with composite found parts and drawing. In the process, we found some interesting ear images.

Here's one of John's face drawings and a couple of the ears we found. John says "no way" to ear candling- we're not too fond of the 'ear-mouse' either.

Chock full of Heads

John King and I are working on a heady video called Small Faces.
No relationship to Rod's venture- Stewart- Not Blagojevich.
But it is *%^%$# GOLDEN.

Faces and Filmstrip like images flash across the screen.

John King loves those media celebrities.


John King feels this one should be uploaded on the Little City website.

Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness

Great news! I was contacted some months ago by a curator at the American Visionary Art Museum in Baltimore and invited to submit some artwork for an exhibition entitled "Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness". I just found out that John King's piece, "Martin and Rosa", was selected to be part of the show. The exhibition will run from this October until next August. Its a big honking deal and I couldn't be more excited. More details will follow. We'll have to think up a proper way to celebrate when the time comes.

Nice Jacket

Harold's thoughts for today.
"Nice Jacket.
Oh Yeah what do you do for a living? Why is it that you never write me a letter? You told me you bought me a candy bar for a special present.
I could have given you some money for it, but you said No.
I hope your days weekends are beautiful. I could get you a present a box full of bubble gum- because I love you, and you are are part of my family. That's it."

Thanks Harold you are a part of my family as well.

You Got Sounds

Jchn King and I are working on composing some new music for his short films.

John how would you describe the new tracks.
"Its all right, I like it."

Would you change any of the beats?
"No way."

What do like the most about the new audio work?
"A good Sound."

Lori recommends

My tummy was feeling a little out of sorts this morning.

Lori recommends the the consumption of Spiders and Worms as a preventive measure against the Flu.

"Not raw mind you- they would be lightly fried.
---- Delicious with a bit of parsley."


I am not sure if that will do the trick.