The Reverend was riding his double-decker bike beside us as we pedaled along the bike trail near the Clark Fork River. It was a beautiful low-heat, low-smoke late summer day in Missoula, and this crazy guy in white was hollering encouragement to us through a megaphone as we got the parade rolling. People rode on all sorts o bikes, from box-store BMXs to hand built metamorphosis rigged up with independently swinging rear tires. It was indeed a freakshow.

It was a freakshow that celebrated alternative transportation, and it’s a freakshow that comes to western towns every year, sponsored by New Belgium Brewing Company. It’s a free festival of live music and performance art, magic tricks and acrobatics, flameshooting pogo sticks and beer. Oh, yes, there is beer. But, this year, at four dollars for a “Token of Our Affection”, the cool little wooden beer tokens, my budget didn’t allow for much imbibing.

This year, I had some errands to run with a friend during the middle of the festival, so after the parade, we cut out early and headed off to get our lives out of the way so that we could get back to the festival. We missed most of the theatrics and music, so we spent our time watching the crazy bikes. In the middle of the park, a metal gate formed a circle in which rested an array of crazy bikes, ranging from the simple unicycle to the exercise bike that had no pedals, but was powered the rider’s ass moved up and down on the seat. It was hilarious watching people try to ride these bikes, and then the fun started with the Drag Show Race.

After one of the Tour de Fat’s workers explained from one of the main stages that the Tour is completely powered by alternative fuels, a faux NASCAR loving guy came out to make fun of the sustainability of the festival. After we had just listened to The Reverend explain that the entire stage and sound system is powered by the sun, that the plastic cups in our hands were made from a corn product that is compost-able, that all of the vehicles on the Tour are Bio-diesel, NASCAR Boy said that riding a bike is like having a fast car and making a right turn, referring to race tracks where one drives fast and turns left.

With that as a lead-in, the Drag Race began. Two teams chosen from the audience and comprised of a man and a woman each, the contestants rode fixed gear bikes with small tires around a small race-course. The women went first, and seemed to have a pretty good handle on it. During the required pit stop, they were then dressed up in NASCAR regalia before they were allowed to continue their last lap. They handed off the bikes to the men, who had a more difficult time figuring out how the things worked, but they got the hang of it in time for the required pit stop, where their female teammates had a blast dressing them in drag and sending them on their way.

We soon left in search of food and more beer, last call having been called, and our stomachs ready for a meal.

The Tour de Fat, while celebrating alternative transportation, also encourages alternative thinking and community. Creativity and art. Fun and relationship building.

And, I’ve decided that it is the New Halloween in Montana. Without cold weather to impede costumes that require one to go coatless, the Tour de Fat bike parade is the place to show off one’s costume prowess.

Check out all of the 2007 Missoula Tour de Fat photos

Home Resource pulled off another great SponCon this year. I arrived at around 10AM to deliver some remaining pieces of art for the silent auction. Then, they put me to work. I got started immediately, drawing twenty-eight 10′ x 10′ boxes on the closed-off street. The squares would become workspace for the teams who were competing to create the found art sculptures. As the morning wore on, the boxes became more and more approximate. I never realized how long it takes to draw 28 10′ square boxes. I worked as quickly as I could, for the competition was to begin at noon.

After I finished drawing the boxes, I dissapeared for a bit to run some errands. I made it back in time to see the opening chaos after Matt Heisel announced the rules and participants ran rampant through the yard, gathering supplies. I wandered the yard, providing help to the Home Resource volunteers as needed, but also watching participants figure out how to communicate with each other as they built their masterpieces.

It was incredible, really. So many people, all with different visions of how the final project should look once completed, and all dependent upon materials that they found in the yard. One of the challenges that they faced was letting go of their expectations, and allowing the art to reveal itself. The process was the important part, not the finished product. Or so they had to believe in order to continue working.

But the finished product was also important. There was to be a judging of the completed works by an independent panel, with awards for “most wearable” art, “most functional” art, and other categories. And, of course, there would be a live auction at the end.

The teams were pretty diverse, ranging from friends to co-workers, to families. It was great watching people work together in a spirit of co-operation and fun. Smiles abound as the hot sun pounded down on everyone and some of the pieces began to take shape. What interested me most, thought, was watching families with young children work together. Fathers patiently showing their sons how to drive a screw into a piece of wood. Mothers showing their daughters how to detail a piece of plastic that might need painting. A young boy listening to his dad ask, as they waited in line to have some wood cut by a volunteer, “Now, you’re sure you measured this correctly? Remember, measure twice, cut once.” This day was, for many families, something that they would always remember.

Besides the actual spontaneous construction, there was plenty for folks to do to keep themselves entertained. There was a silent auction of work that had been previously created by a variety of artists. The proceeds from work that these artists donated would be given to Home Resource. Some artists chose to give 100% of the proceeds, others chose to give 50%. Either way, if the work sold, everyone won.

Children (and some adults) were having fun painting doors in a tent to the side of the stage were a variety of musicians played all afternoon. Other kids, mostly younger kids, were busy painting un-glazed tiles to be included in a large window that would later be auctioned off as well. And then there was the “community growth sculpture”, to which anyone throughout the day could add to as they wanted.

There were some amazing finished pieces at the end, and even a couple of bidding wars during the auction. When night fell and the beer flowed, we were all tired but happy that we had been a part of something so empowering and creative, as well as beneficial to an organization that is doing so much to give back to the community and keep building materials out of the landfill.

Hope to see you next year.

View all of Marc’s photos of SponCon 2007 here.

Each year, Home Resource puts together a killer fundraising event called Spontaneous Construction. Last year, one of my pieces raised quite a controversy in the silent auction. The picture of me manning the machine gun built by the boys whose father complained about one of my pieces made it onto the poster and onto and the website, how fun.

This year, they’re doing it again, and it promises to be a huge event, including music by The Flying Rickshaws, beer from Big Sky Brewing Company, a silent artwork auction, and of course, the actual spontaneous construction itself. Home Resource is located at 825 W. Kent Avenue in Missoula. Click here for directions.

For those of you who don’t know about Home Resource and their mission, they are a non-profit organization that collects and sells re-usable building materials to reduce waste, build healthier communities and promote a more vibrant sustainable community. The spontaneous construction is a block of five hours wherein teams of up to five people can run amok in a specified area of the Home Resource yard, collecting materials with which to build a sculpture that will later be auctioned off, the proceeds benefiting Home Resource. It’s a lot of fun, and can be a team-building experience for participants. Last year’s was a blast, and I have some photos to prove it.

Other planned events include:

* Paint a door: we provide the door, the paint, the brushes, you provide the vision!
* Community Growth Sculpture: take five minutes or an hour to add your element to one wild, community-created, found-object sculpture
* Caster Car Creation: build a caster car (pinewood derby-sized,) then enter it in the races and bet on the fastest and furthest traveling contraptions
* Kid’s creation station: fun projects for all ages

I’ve donated two pieces to the silent auction, one a spatter piece I did using recycled wood that I got at Home Resource for the frame over which I stretched recycled canvas and used donated housepaint I acquired from Home Resource. The other is a collage that I framed using wood found at Home Resource as well.

Minimum bids begin at $75, which is amazing. 50% of the proceeds from the sale of my work will be donated to Home Resource. Please plan to attend the event, bid on the art, and maybe even participate in some of the events. Click the links below for full information.

• Schedule of Events
• Tickets
• Registration forms for being a part of SponCon’s construction teams
• Directions to Home Resource

SPONTANEOUS CONSTRUCTION 2007 - AUGUST 25TH @ HOME RESOURCE

I’ve got 2 pieces in the show, but only 1 with a photo right now. I’ll update soon with more details and a photo of the piece in question.

ADAPTIVE ACTION SPORTS PUNK ROCK BENEFIT SHOW

Adaptive Action Sports (AAS) is a non-profit dedicated to athletes with permanent physical disabilities and a diligent supporter of “action” sports. Through grants and private donation, AAS raises the bar to create the most outstanding adaptive snowboard events in the world. This is your opportunity to raise the bar a little higher and make a donation to the adaptive shredder.

The Punk Rock Benefit Show is a fund-raiser to help send our adaptive athletes to the world’s premiere snowboard/ski/skateboard camp in the known universe, Windells Camp of Mt. Hood, OR. Once there, our riders will improve their skills with knowledge passed down from today’s top pros in the industry. Please come and rock out at the Badlander or make a donation to AAS at our website www.adaptiveactionsports.org

• Adaptive Action Sports Punk Rock Benefit Show — at The Badlander, July 25, 9pm, $5 cover
• Bands Playing: Jacktop Town, Heiress Pilton, Joey Butta and the Fuctones
• Also, a raffle and a silent auction of artists including Marc Moss and friends original Skate/Peg-leg Sculpture Click here to see the flier

Head over to the Photoset for full-sized images and more details.

drawn by an attendee of art in the alley

Friday July 6 was a record-breaking day of hot hot heat. I mowed lawns all day in 110º weather and was tired, but I packed up my car with all the art that would fit in it for another g-round at Art in the Alley. I wasn’t expecting much traffic because of the July 4th holiday and because of the heat. I was right.

Maybe about 50 people or so walked through the alley that warm evening. All of them enjoyed what they saw, and many commented that they liked the experience of being a part of the appropriation of public space for art. I had some great conversations and met some cool people. I managed to sell three pieces, and one was even a fluke.

The fluke was that, for the alley shows, I always have some pieces that are matted but unframed which I give away for free. Think loss leaders in grocery stores. Right. So the free pieces are always older works, works that I may or may not have displayed publicly before, but I want to share them get rid of them to make room for newer works, or just because I’m tired of looking at them. So, one woman was walking up and down the alley, looking at my art. She told me that she liked it and that she didn’t think she could afford any of it. I told her I could give her a deal on something (no prices were listed for any of the pieces), and she said no, she didn’t think she could. So then I tell her that she can take a free piece. She tells me, no, she couldn’t dare take a piece for free and asks, “Will you take $35 for it?” I smile and say, Sure.

But the heat took its toll on people. On Monday I was told by at least two people that they were sorry they didn’t make it, but it was just too darn hot. The rest of the night found me selling a piece from the series, the piece pictured below, and getting invited to display at a boutique in town by that store’s owner. Not a bad night all around.

To those that made it out, thanks for coming. To those that missed it, I understand, and hope to see you in August at the opeing over at CTA Architects.

I’ve had an idea for this painting for a couple of months now. I finished it yesterday. It’s about 33″x34″. Let me know what you think in the comments.

“I’m so glad you’re doing this!” the woman said to me as she walked out of the alley. She had been out on a walk with her two young sons on a beautiful summer evening in Missoula when she stumbled upon my little impromptu art exhibition. Her sons were little artists themselves, and spent quite a bit of time coloring and drawing on a large piece of newsprint I had taped to the sidewalk, while their mother slowly walked up and down the alley, perusing my artwork.

After writing about graffiti as public art, I wanted to do some cool sort of public art myself, but wanted to do it in such a way that many could enjoy it and no one would be offended. So I packed my car full of most of my artwork and headed downtown to be a part of the First Friday Artwalk that Missoula hosts downtown each first Friday of the month. I didn’t make it to the alley until after six o’clock, and I wasn’t fully set up as the first stream of curious people began trickling in, but it was fun to have people watch me as I set up the DIY gallery.

People know that art is important, and in Missoula every first Friday of the month, they come out in droves to mingle, see art and buy art. I’ve done art shows in the past, and I’ve usually spend a good amount of money on fliers and postcards, sent out a blast email and all well in advance of the show. I wanted to see how well I would do with a one night stand in the alley, no marketing, no advanced notice, no pretension, just art. About 200 people walked through the alley that night. Some of them I knew, many of them I didn’t. It seemed that everyone was having fun and enjoying themselves.

As the evening wore on, I must admit I was a little frustrated that no one had bought anything. When I did the art in the alley show last year, it was in a different alley. I wondered if my location wasn’t right? Last year I sold some work in the alley. Sure, this year I had some inquiries, some people took a card and said they were thinking about it. But no solid sales. The sun was going down, and a guy I know only casually asked, “How much for these two?” I told him, he said, I’ll be right back,” and he left for a few minutes. He came back with cold hard cash an a promise to call me once they are hung in his house. Very cool.

I’m not sure what I’m doing next month. A business in town has approached me as a result of the show in the alley and asked if I might be interested in displaying work at their business for the month of July. I’m hoping to get something worked out on that front, and if a “real” show doesn’t pan out for August, look for me again in one of Missoula’s alleys. The only art gallery in town where you can bring your dog or smoke a cigarette while you look at beautiful art.

Home Resource had their annual spring cleaning recently, in which they give away house paint, doors, windows and all other sorts of DIY fix-it goodness. I picked up several gallons of latex house paint with the intention of experimenting in a new medium. It was a rainy day, so I threw all of the paint into the trunk of my car and forgot about it for a few days.

The sun comes out, and I head to my garage to stretch some canvas. Then I remember the paint, so I pull my car around to the garage to unload it. A partially full gallon of “Bistro Yellow” had leaked onto a tarp I have in the back.

No paint got in the car itself, so that’s good.Then it struck me to use the wet paint to paint print on a canvas. I pushed it onto the canvas in random patterns, then left it to dry, as I had other places to be.

I had placed the can on top of some cut glass that was sitting on an old chair. I thought the paint had just spilled from a not-tightly-sealed lid. When I went out into the garage a couple of days later, I discovered that this was not the case, and that there was a hole in the bottom of the can, because it leaked all over the glass and the chair.

Of course, I decided to make impressions on the canvas using the glass with the wet paint on it.

I also peeled away the paint itself, and found that it too was wet underneath, so I used the paint itself as a way to make prints of the wet paint.

I started two different canvases, and neither are finished. It’s fun experimenting an playing, and I’ve needed to do something different for a while, so this could turn into something cool.

With the above canvas, because it’s not treated with Gesso, I’m thinking I’ll soak it with water before applying a wash to it, so that the yellow stands out from the wash and is not covered by it.

I’m not sure what I’ll do with this one, but I know that it isn’t finished.