IT'S MAY DAY, INTERNATIONAL WORKERS DAY

This is the day to think about the long bloody struggle that American workers have gone through to gain some measure of rights. All the way back to 1884 when the Federation of Organized Trades & Labor Unions in Chicago fought for an eight-hour work day. Leaders faced arrest and several were put to death.  Of course conflicts still exist today as workers face trans-national corporations and the competition of a globalized work force.

I’ve been painting a series of portraits I call ‘Rust-Belt Workers’. Here is ‘TLG’ framed in recycled wood flooring from Buffalo ReUse.

 If any one has a family member or friend with a great face – the hard-won face of a worker, please let me know. I am looking for more people to photograph and then paint for this series.

THE UGLIEST PLACE IN BUFFALO

1681 Fillmore Avenue has been waiting for the wrecking ball for years. It’s been on the official top ten list to be demolished since at least May, 2012. Meanwhile, it’s wide open and dangerous, filled with tires, toys, wooden pallets and broken furniture. Filthy vinyl hangs from the ceiling like depressed flags. Evidence of gang activity shows in the graffiti throughout. This place, once a carpet store, has none of the structural beauty of many of Buffalo’s other abandoned places. It sits in a residential neighborhood, open and unprotected, just begging for a teenager to start a fire or fall down a broken staircase. When the city finally gets around to tearing 1681 down, I will not miss it.

I’ve actually found many toys in this space. Here is a Batman figure in an assemblage I call Batman vs. The Joker. I painted the graffiti at the building’s entrance on the side panel. If anyone knows the meaning of NSF! please let me know. Thanks!

SECRETS FROM A GRAFFITI ARTIST

A young man came into my studio during Saturday night’s TriMania event and recognized a lot of the tags that I had painted in miniature on my ‘Toyology boxes. He shared some stories about different graffiti artists around town and where they are now.  One secret I was really curious about was how the tagger known as ATAK could spray-paint his name two stories high. My visitor had the answer – let’s just say a fire extinguisher is involved.  Here’s a picture of the old Lenzner Bottling Company on Jefferson Avenue with ATAK’s tag covering a wall. The roof collapsed long ago but the place is filled with interesting treasures. Pictured here also is my assemblage, “Shreck” showing ATAK in miniature on an outside panel. Riding down Jefferson a few days ago, I saw what looks like someone camped out there even though this building is on the mayor’s top ten list for demolition. Visit my website www.elizabethleader.com for more graffiti in miniature!

INSPIRED BY BUFFALO’S EAST SIDE

Discarded photographs, old wood, trashed toys, pieces of past industry and faded glory. Above all, faces of survivors, tough and full of stories. With all its layers of time, the East Side has left its mark on my paintings and collages. You can see some of this recent work in my studio (509 at the Tri-Main Center), on my website, www.elizabethleader.com, or in shows around town throughout the year. Please join my blog to see more work and to share your own comments and stories.

DO YOU LOVE OUR LAKES & OCEANS?

My studio (509) will be open during TRIMANIA – the giant party coming this Saturday night at the Tri-Main Center. I’ll be featuring some of my ‘Troubled Waters’ paintings during the evening. Stop by to share a glass of fresh water or wine!

It all happens

Saturday, April 13, 2012

8 PM - 1 AM

Tri-Main Center

2495 Main Street, Buffalo NY 14214

IT’S TRIMANIA TIME!

Don’t miss Trimania – an incredible building-wide party with 77 visual artists, 26 bands, 12 dancers and performers, comedians, poets and more funky, crazy, creative action. I’ll be there is Studio 509 so come on in!

It all happens

Saturday, April 13, 2012

8 PM - 1 AM

Tri-Main Center

2495 Main Street, Buffalo NY 14214

Tickets in advance are: $20.

Night of the event: $25

INSPIRED BY WORKING MEN’S MUSIC AT TIGWIRED.COM

Here’s another portrait in my ‘Rust-belt Workers’ series. This hard working guy is  framed in recycled wood from Buffalo Re-Use.  Type runs along two sides with lyrics from “Here Comes the Shutdown Blues”, a fun, blues song I heard on the TigWired.com website. You can hear the song and see a video of welders and other manly workers at:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D_Ao1eB6MKk

‘Blues’ will be on view at the Buffalo Society of Artists 117^th Spring Exhibition. The show is being held in the beautiful Karpeles Manuscript Library at 453 Porter Avenue in Buffalo. Everyone is invited to the opening reception on Friday, March 29^th from 6 to 8 PM.