Even though my wife Roxana Villa and I work out of our home sometimes we are not privy to what each other is doing because our studios are in different locations. I get lost in my projects and sometimes do not pay enough attention to what is happening in the next room.

When I do have a moment it’s wonderful checking out her laboratory of beautiful fragrances as well as her  Roxana Illuminated Perfume Journal which she works on most diligently. It is filled with all the things she loves, from low tech to high touch to transcendent observations of life in all its fascinations. Roxana’s visual vocabulary has a unique aura. Much of her writing revolves around the world of scent but threads of art are woven throughout. The only thing missing is the scent of the awesome botanical perfumes she creates. Alas, you must procure samples to experience those.

In the meantime peruse her posts, even back through the years. I guarantee there is inspiration for you all.

I received some Manga as a Christmas gift, specifically Blade of the Immortal written and illustrated by Hiroaki Samura and Vagabond written and illustrated by Takehiko Inoue, both samurai epics. It appears that people either love or dislike Japanese comics. In Japan everyone reads them. When I was visiting Tokyo in the mid 90′s I even witnessed homeless people reading the large volumes filled with many different stories.

Every type of concept you can imagine exists in the manga world from the most innocent to the hard core. What amazes me is the talent that crops up in some of these books. The visual development of characters, environments, pacing, composition, page design, are very well done and pulls the reader through the tale. It is film on paper. The drawing and pen and ink skills some of the artists showcase is quite beautiful and stunning. I am sharing a few highlights of  Blade of the Immortal, Vagabond, and Tegami Bachi written and illustrated by Hiroyuki Asada. Notice that the artist in these cases is also the writer! Talk about multi-talented.

It is interesting that many manga stories become animated features (anime) for TV especially in Asia. I have yet seen a manga translated into film that truly captures the life and spirit of the original artwork in these books. You can experience hundreds upon hundreds of different Manga, cover to cover, for free (including the ones I just mentioned) on mangareader.net. How they are able to offer all these books which have high rez scans of every page of the book is a mystery. I have written them to ask if the site is sanctioned by all the publishers. Pretty amazing what they have accomplished.

Do you have a favorite manga that you feel transcends the medium? Let me know.

Peace

Greg

My lovely friend, artist, singer/song writer, Michelle Barnes (my song writing partner on The Visions of Vespertina) has written an anthem for change in the spirit of the wall street occupiers.

Look at the palms of your hands and recall what you accomplished with them in 2011. At the end of every year I look back at my life to review what I learned, what goals I attained, who I helped, and how I could have made more of a difference. The lines in my palms connect to the lines in yours reminding me we are all in this together, hand in hand on our journey of love, life, art, spirit.

I place my palms together and bow to the compass of your heart. May it guide your creativity, and prosperity in 2012.

Peace

Greg

The Project-Peace on Earth concert was broadcast live from Manger Square, Bethlehem on Christmas Day, 9:00 AM, PST. It was an intimate concert. Let’s hope that Steve continues to put on these concerts and that an idea that started small with humble beginnings can grow into something substantial. We can all use more peace.

Go here.

Some of the musicians included-

Joanne Shenandoah – Grammy winning Native American singer (featured performer on the new Prayer Cycle “Path to Zero” album)
Leah Shenandoah who performed on Jonathan Elias’s new Prayer Cycle album called “Path to Zero”
Gary Nicholson - Grammy winning Texas Hall of Fame song writer
Hani Naser - world renown Jordanian percussionist and Oud player
Fox Lima - composer and vocalist of the famed Enigma MXX Social Song

Happy Holidays to all!

“That’s it!” Elizabeth jumped high above the four beasts. Grabbing the silver thread snaking from the back of her neck she pulled sharply on it in a downward motion. Her cord reeled in from the ethers above. In a large swooping motion she propelled the line toward the trolls. A whirling sound filled the air.
The thread flickered with an inner glow, and arced above with incredible speed. It raced over the heads of the trolls and began its descent in front of them. Elizabeth jerked back on the line.

The thread which only a moment ago appeared to be a gentle spider web flowing in the wind returned sharply and at an angle perfectly aligned with the trolls shins, severing their legs. The creatures collapsed into a heap. Human souls went tumbling. Some stood up shakily and stumbled away, others remained tangled in the thick hair. Thumping could be felt through the ground while the misshapen beasts flayed arms and stubby appendages like overgrown babies.”

*Excerpt from The Visions of Vespertina.

“The Artist As Brand Workbook is an easy read and jam packed with all kinds of resources. It’s great to keep looking back to.”
-Miranda Sharp, Student, Kendall College of Art & Design, Michigan

“I received a map and tools—where to go and what to do when I got there. And confidence, that I CAN be an entrepreneur with my own art and not have to rely on other people giving me work.”
-Gina Terzino, Artist, Los Angeles

“You have finally put it all in perspective. I understand how to make my unique voice heard. I see the power and goodness of where my heart is telling me to go. I can finally stop waiting and dive into a new blue sea.”
-Kari Christensen, Professional Illustrator, New York

THE ARTIST AS BRAND WORKSHOP IN A BOOK

You can now own the official PDF textbook participants use while taking my Artist As Brand Workshop. It is for serious creative individuals, students and professionals who want to manifest prosperity from their art, on their own terms. You will learn about the history behind Artist As Brand as well as it’s synergistic principles. It has live links throughout that can be utilized while reading through the material.

The Artist As Brand Workshop is sharing the culmination of what I learned from my 30 year art career. The Artist As Brand Workbook encapsulates this in a book. If you are an artist who wants to manifest prosperity from your art, on your own terms this is for you. It takes talent, courage and tenacity, but the independence and freedom is empowering.

Make a gift of empowerment to an art spirit you know, or to yourself!

$49.95

Learn more and purchase.

“Greg, I wanted to thank you for giving us the tools to really go forward with our art businesses.
- Diana Levin, Artist, Los Angeles

I gained perspective on my future and myself. There is a world of possibilities for artists.”
-Tannie Duong, Student, San Francisco Academy of Art

“I finished the Artist As Brand Workbook and really liked it. It has everything an artist needs to know to get started.”
-Mariana Benkovic Zeljko, Artist, Croatia

Welcome to the world of auctions!

Am I disappointed? Absolutely. It is downright tragic. However, what I learned from it all is priceless. I will be sharing the details in the next few weeks and intend to create a guide with educational materials so this does not happen to other artists.

Auctions are viable venues for meeting new collectors and selling art, but what you don’t know can hurt you, even when you are working with a consignor. My consignor Lee Liskowitz had my best interest in mind and has been with Heritage for a decade, yet decisions were made that were detrimental to the sale.

I am still recovering, but my mantra is onward and upward. Right now the focus is on bringing The Visions of Vespertina to life, and she is looking fine! More soon.

Peace

Greg

Filed under: Spalenka News Tagged: Art, art spirit, greg spalenka, Heritage Auctions, mike tyson, Spalenka, Spalenka Art, Spalenka Blog ]]> http://spalenkablog.wordpress.com/2011/11/16/mike-tyson-historal-art-auction-shocker/feed/ 0 spalenka A4 http://spalenkablog.wordpress.com/2011/11/08/mike-tyson-art-auction-live/ http://spalenkablog.wordpress.com/2011/11/08/mike-tyson-art-auction-live/#comments Wed, 09 Nov 2011 06:51:02 +0000 spalenka http://spalenkablog.wordpress.com/?p=529 Continue reading →]]> Mike Tyson, Cus D’Amato gym, Catskill, New York, 1986

Want to see my Mike Tyson Art Auction live?
You can view the auctioneer and the bidding process online!

Auction is over, thank you.

Filed under: Spalenka News Tagged: Art, art spirit, Cus D'Amato, Heritage Auctions, Kevin Rooney, Lot 81128, mike tyson, Spalenka, Spalenka Art, Spalenka Blog, Spalenka News, Vintage Sports Collectibles Signature Auction ]]> http://spalenkablog.wordpress.com/2011/11/08/mike-tyson-art-auction-live/feed/ 0 spalenka P2 http://spalenkablog.wordpress.com/2011/10/28/mike-tyson-historic-art-auction/ http://spalenkablog.wordpress.com/2011/10/28/mike-tyson-historic-art-auction/#comments Fri, 28 Oct 2011 22:46:06 +0000 spalenka http://spalenkablog.wordpress.com/?p=338 Continue reading →]]> Iron Works- A 25th Anniversary Artistic Time Capsule of Mike Tyson, 1986.

On November 11th, Heritage Auctions will be auctioning the only journalistic art project in existence on heavy weight boxer Mike Tyson. This time capsule of art and photography represents ten hot summer days exploring an experiment in art journalism with the man/child that would soon become the youngest boxer in history to win the WBC, WBA and IBF world heavyweight titles.

This post shows the entire collection of my art and photography in the auction as well as spreads of the Iron Works article in Print magazine. See below for the entire contents. The goal is to see a collector keep the entire project intact for historical purposes.

*All art and photography is copyright Greg Spalenka and may not be reproduced without the permission of the artist.

In the summer of 1986 I spent ten days in the gym of legendary boxing trainer Cus D’Amato working on an art project that would become one of the defining moments of my career. I was working in New York City as an illustrator at the time for all the major magazines, newspapers and book publishers when art director Larry Gendron of Sports Illustrated asked me if I would be interested in recording my impressions of a young up and coming boxer named Mike Tyson.

So began my journey to Catskill, New York where I was awed, inspired, humiliated, and deeply touched by my experience with the soon to be world’s youngest heavyweight boxing champion. At twenty years old he was a man/child. Tyson was incredibly sweet and innocent but also a hurricane of anger and power. It was obvious that the force in Mike Tyson was more than physical.

I sketched, took Polaroid pictures and traced Tyson on large pieces of butcher paper to create life size drawings and paintings. I interviewed him, Kevin Rooney his trainer and others who frequented the gym. I learned much about Tyson’s history and the legacy of D’Amato.

My goal initially was to record impressions of Tyson but as I spent more time in this old gym another story presented itself. D’Amato had died the year before but the walls of this space echoed his spirit and wisdom. His devotion to the pursuit of perfection through discipline was evident in the champions he trained, Floyd Patterson and Jose’ Torres. The science he applied to boxing was also connected to his philosophy of living. Rooney understood these principles well and attempted to continue the tradition with Tyson.

Tyson said that D’Amato was the only father he really had. In my talks with him it became clear that he was imbued with a part of his father/trainer. He would repeat the D’Amato mantra, “Fear is your best friend or your worst enemy. It’s like fire. If you can control it, it can cook for you; it can heat your house. If you can’t control it, it will burn everything around you and destroy you.”

When Tyson transformed his rage and fear into energy, you could feel it throughout the entire gym. It was intense and I understood how he managed to knock out so many boxers in the first round. He would project all that energy onto them creating a sense of doom. They were defeated before he laid a punch. His sparring partners had a difficult time staying in the ring with him as he would knock them out or they would run away from him. Rooney was always yelling, “Stay in there and fight, stay in there and fight!” On one occasion Tyson yelled at me and I fell on my butt!

Tyson’s strength was immense. I would stand in the area where he would hit a large bag bolted to the wall. The bag had the image of a person with numbers on it to represent different punches (this is indicated on one of my life size paintings). The entire floor would reverberate with every strike of his fist. How the bag remained attached to the wall was a mystery!

Even with all his super human strength he was still a boy emotionally and lost without D’Amato. I could see the sadness, frustration, anger and apathy. He would not be prepared for the fame and money that was coming toward him like a locomotive.

When I finished this body of artwork the editors at Sports Illustrated could not find space in the magazine to run it! They had me working on other assignments including one with Sugar Ray Leonard but I was disappointed. When the respected art magazine, Print decided to showcase the project and put me on the cover I wrote down my story and “Iron Works” was born. This experiment in illustrative journalism garnered awards from the New York Society of Illustrators and other art organizations.

This auction celebrates the 25th anniversary of Iron Works. This collective time capsule has historic boxing significance. It is the only journalistic art project on Tyson in existence. It represents the last of Tyson’s solitude before his first world heavyweight boxing championship and tumultuous career. There was a pure almost innocent quality during that summer of 86′ and D’Amato’s presence was still strong. That all changed before the end of the year.

The auction includes-
1. Fifteen signed pieces of art, five life size. One is framed.
2. Sixty two original one of a kind Polaroid pictures.
3. Three microcassette recordings of interviews with Tyson, Rooney and Nadia Hujtyn. This includes almost ninety minutes of live coaching sessions between Rooney and Tyson during sparring.
4. Five original copies of Print magazine that include the Iron Works illustrative journalism project.
5. Winner of the auction will have the opportunity for a one – two hour conversation to hear more of my Iron Works stories either by phone, skype, or in person if they are in the Los Angeles area.

All art is flapped with archival paper and repositionable tape. The painting Power and Science (53″x40″) is framed.

Enjoy this bit of boxing history. If you are interested in learning more about Mike Tyson see the documentary, Tyson. It best represents the enigmatic individual I spent time with.

Peace

Greg