Met Stormie in his studio – a tall warehouse style space, lined with canvas’ giant and small. Furniture with wheels for regularly rearranging his space. He’s lived on the streets (by choice) and credits his Grandmother for teaching him about personal responsibility. Flunked art at school. Is quiet, unhurried, warm and kind. Has done a load of community work over the years. Talks about having ‘a depressive gene’ but never been debilitated by the illness of depression – in fact, he views the dark gene as a gift that fuels his work.
He collects old draws from verge pickup piles, drawn to them by the craftsmanship and joinery – the stories and personal possessions they once held.
He keeps scrap books full of pictures, concert tickets, cafe receipts – and people’s ‘lost’ shopping lists.
Greatly admires the work of Shaun Tan – particularly his book, The Red Tree. Kindly contributed art to the new Black Dog website home page. Thanks Stormie.
Modern Poet .
“The saviour of modern poetry … this guy Eminem has created a sense of what is possible. He has sent a voltage around a generation.” Seamus Heaney. Guy Adams writes, “He has done this not just through his subversive attitude but also his verbal energy…. A decade ago, Mathers – an angry young man from the wrong side of Detroit – decided to bleach his hair, adopt the alter ego Slim Shady and transform the landscape of popular music. In six years, from 1999 to 2005, he recorded five extraordinary albums that sold nearly 50 million copies and gave the city of Motown a new chapter in its musical history.
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“I’m not afraid, to take a stand.
Everybody, come take my hand.
We’ll walk this road together, through the storm, whatever weather.
Just lettin’ you know that you’re not alone.
Holler if you feel like you’ve been down the same road.
And I just can’t keep livin’ this way, so starting today.
I’m breaking out of this cage …”
Eminem
Blow the Man Down .
Round and round the racecourse, my finger beat you there. You mustn’t laugh, you mustn’t cry, or tell little girls, “There, there.” Take one step out and two steps down to a place you cannot stand. For it was you, you naughty boy who tried to steal my hand.
The trick is to find a place where size doesn’t matter, nobody can touch the bottom and everyone can reach.
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Scrap books are a great way of collecting art, stories, people that you admire and are interested in.
“I’m frightened Alice, have I gone mad?” “I’m afraid so”, says Alice. “You’re entirely bonkers but I’ll tell you a secret – all the best people are.”
(Tim Winton’s film version of Alice in Wonderland.)
