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"Iam65; Passport Project 3" by Snow Mack, Digital Collage, Dimensions Vary, 2023
​top row Left to right
1. 1958 - age 2 months, Tokyo Japan, Passport
2. 1963 - age 4, Alexandria VA, Passport
3. 1970 - age 12, New Canaan, CT, School Photo 7th Grade
4. 1976 - age 17, Providence, RI, Passport
 
2nd row l to r
5. 1980 - age 21, Pasadena, CA, School Project, Product Design ACCD
6. 1982 - age 23, West LA, CA, Passport
7. 1988 - age 30, Wilmington, NC, Head Shot for Band 
8. 1989 - age 31, South Fallsburg, NY, ID for Siddah Yoga Ashram

3rd row l to r
9. 1999 - age 41, Venice, CA Digital Domain, with Academy Award photo 
10. 2003 - age 43, Santa Monica, CA - Driver's License
11. 2004 - age 44, Los Angeles, CA - Passport 
12. 2005 - age 45, Downtown LA, CA - Artist Portrait by Jonathan Mack

4th row l to r
13. 2009 - age 51, Mar Vista, CA, Head Shot for Modeling Gig
14. 2015 - age 58, Los Angeles, CA, Passport
15. 2021 - age 63, Los Angeles, CA, Artist Portrait by Jonathan Mack
16. 2023 - age 65, Culver City, CA, Driver's License

As our country comes to grips with the devastating Covid 19 Pandemic, a very old wound continues to fester until an egregious crime, a murder of a Black man named George Floyd by the very people who have sworn to protect all citizens, sparkes such outrage that Citizens of all colors and all backgrounds take to the streets in protest. So many people, all over the World, voice their anger at the injustices that shatter black families' lives everyday. Some people march on the streets and some contribute in quiet ways. The signs began appearing right after the protests swept through Westwood and Santa Monica. The quiet voices echo throughout my Westside neighborhood, I documented the signs in windows, on light posts, painted rocks and creative installations on front yards. The majority of the images are from June 2020, but I will continue to document the quiet resolute voices of my neighbors in Los Angeles.

World Peace Buddha

Prayer of Loving Kindness

May all beings be peaceful.
May all beings be happy.
May all beings be safe.
May all beings awaken to the light of their true nature.
May all beings be free

​Metta Prayer

Drawing inspiration from my toys and Pez collection, I set up a small "stage" to create scenes.  In "Whispers",  3 Princess Leia Pez appear to be two woman talking about a third woman as she is just out of ear shot.  In "Gossip" the conversation is taking a unpleasant turn as the two women confide what they think they know to a third person.  Casting the Pez as characters in a play had the odd effect of giving each duplicate a unique look even though they are exact copies.  Exploring human situations through inanimate objects facilitates the task of sharpening my observing and rendering skills.

I started collecting Pez in 2004 to use on frames.  I had a system of bidding on large lots on Ebay, only bidding up to a few cents per items that I wanted.  It was always fun to get the large boxes with many mystery items, usually the photos showed a pile of Pez without an exact list of items.  I concentrated on Star Wars Pez for a series of Star Wars characters to be framed in Pez. 

Pez Collection
9 Hulk big head in package movie with Ed Norton 
1 Hulk big head no package Ed Norton 
1 light green hulk, animated 
5 Hearts in package assorted colors 
1 Heart no package red 
2 Eye in Hand no package 
1 Witch 3 color in package 
1 Witch 3 color no package 
2 Skulls 
1 Eeyore 
1 Pooh 
1 Tigger 
1 Pumpkin in package 
1 Black Cat 
2 Tasmanian Devil 
1 Ninja Turtle 
1 Yosemite Sam 
2 Pluto 
1 Garfield 
1 Donald Duck mouth open 
1 Donald Duck mouth closed 
1 Bart Simpson 
1 Maggie Simpson 
2 Pebbles Flintstone 
1 Barney Rubble 
1 He Saur Pez O Saur 
2 Fred Flintstone 
6 Fred Flintstone in package 
2 Bugs Bunny 
1 Bunny Light pink ears 
2 Bunnies dark pink ears 
1 Bunny dark pink ears in package  
2 Bunnies pink with white ears 
2 Lambs 
1 Bird in Nest with Hat 
3 Batman DC Comics 
2 Sour Pineapple 
1 Sour Watermelon 
1 Sour Apple Ghost no glow 
2 She Saur 
4 Bugz assorted 
2 Bees from the film 
1 Elf 2002 
1 Snowman Red Nose 
1 Sylvester 
1 Santa painted eyes 
1 Santa no painted eyes 
1 Snoopy 
1 Charlie Brown 
1 Lucy original version narrow head 
7 Lucy big head in package 
1 Lucy big head no package 
1 Peter Pez Clown 1979? 
1 Polar Bear with knit hat 
1 Fozzy Bear no package 
11 Fozzy Bear in package 
1 Wolverine big head no package 
5 Wolverine big head in package 
7 Race Car Helmets all different 
1 Elvis Soldier 
1 Snow White Collectors 8 pieces 
1 Yummy Bubbles He Saur 1 Giant Santa 
Total = 132 
 
Star Wars 
3 special Limited Edition Collectors sets 11 in each 33 total 
1 General Grevious 
1 Death Star Emperor Palpatine glow in the dark Emperor Palpatine 
3 R2D2 no package
1 R2D2 in package 
8 Luke Skywalker no package 
2 Luke Skywalker in package 
1 Darth Vador Bonbons blister pack collect all 9 series 
2 Darth Vador blister pack 
8 Darth Vador no package 
12 Darth Vador in package 
1 Chewbacca Bonbons blister pack 
1 Chewbacca blister pack 
10 Chewbacca no package 
12 Chewbacca in package 
1 C3PO Bonbons blister pack 
2 C3PO in blister pack 1 needs repair
8 C3PO no package 
11 C3PO in package 
4 Princess Leia no package 
1 Princess Leia in package 
3 Princess Leia in blister pack 
4 Ewok no package 
1 Ewok in package 
2 Ewok in blister pack 
1 Boba Fett in blister pack 
9 Boba Fett no package 
1 Storm Trooper Bonbons blister pack 
1 Storm Trooper blister pack needs repair 
12 Storm Troopers in package 
8 Storm Troopers no package 
1 Yoda in blister pack 
11 Yoda in package 
13 Yoda no package 
2 Jango Fett no package
Total = 194
Grand total = 326

Paintings by Snow Mack

My concept for "Monkeys of Compassion" was inspired by the smiling monkey faces that are the main focus of each piece.  I wanted to create works that remind the viewer to be aware of compassion and goodness in humanity.  The "Monkeys of Compassion" evolved from the idea that, to me, the well known Three Wise Monkeys represent fear.  The world needs to move beyond our fears and respond with compassion.  Courage, kindness, and passion are just a few examples of the strengths of humankind. 

A spiral motif is the dominant design element.  The spirals are made with fortunes from fortune cookies I've been collecting for twenty plus years and three years of collecting Sunday horoscopes representing all twelve signs of the Zodiac.  The messages are slightly obscured, dispensing advice is not my goal, the viewer will gravitate to the words or not.  Placements of random found objects, toys, jewelry, buttons, game pieces and more, compliment the spiral.

"Monkeys of Compassion: Courage"
"Monkeys of Compassion: Kindness"
"Monkeys of Compassion: Passion"
17" x 17"
Assemblages
Materials include:
Vintage buttons from my Mother's collection
Vintage jewelry from my Mother In Law's collection
Fortunes from 20+ years of collecting
Sunday Horoscopes from 3 years of collecting
3 Dashboard Saints from El Santuariò de Chimayó
3 Vials of healing dirt from El Santuariò de Chimayó
3 Small raku offering bowls created by Peggy Zask
Found toys, rusty nails, beach rocks, monkey doll face, game pieces, and more
Vintage Angels wrapping paper
Glue
Gesso
Texture Paste
Mod Podge

The National Gallery of Oslo houses an amazing collection of works by Norwegian Artists working in the Romantic style.  Also, an enormous collection of works by Edvard Munch.  Finally seeing on of Munch's versions of "The Scream" in person.  He created 4 versions of "The Scream", Munch's title is Der Schrei der Natur (The Scream of Nature).

Seasons of Influence; Spring is the first of four self portraits.  Each piece will bring together multiple influences and elements of my life.  This first completed piece includes my earliest icons. Top left, Petula Clark's song "Downtown" was one of my earliest favorite songs.  Top right, Clark is followed by Nancy Sinatra's song, "These Boots Are Made for Walkn".  Bottom left, an icon of the '60's, Twiggy was THE fashion model of the times.  Bottom right, from the live action show, Batman, that looked like a comic book come to life, Catwoman played by Julie Newmar was so mysterious and sexy.  

The Yoga Series, below, was originally inspired by my Goddess studies and interest in symbology. The Yoga series informs the Season of Influence series. Conceived in 2008, I combined pencil drawings of women in Yoga poses with healing flowers, my own digital landscape photography and the Stupa.  Each flower speaks to varying aspects of soul, healing, spirtiuality and sensuality. Each part of the Stupa represents different elements and stages of consciousness.

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Recommended Reading:
The Color Encyclopedia of Daylilies by Ted L. Petit & John P. Peat
Flower Essence Repertory by Patricia Kaminski & Richard Katz
Goddess -  A Celebration In Art and Literature Edited by Jalaja Bonheim
Power Mudras - Yoga Hand Postures For Women by Sabrina Mesko
Goddesses in World Mythology - A Biographical Dictionary by Martha Ann & Dorothy Myers Imel
Goddess - Myths of the Female Divine by David Leeming & Jake Page
The Crone - Women of Age, Wisdom and Power by Barbara G. Walker 
Goddesses in Every Woman by Jean Shinoda Bolen

Inspiring Works
The Vision and Art of Shinjo Ito www.shinjoito.com  Incredible exhibit was in Westwood CA in 2008, unforgettable works by Shinjo Ito. 

When I was 4 years old, I had a dream I was playing in a sandbox, with several other children, inside a cave.  Suddenly, my family was driving away in a station wagon.  In a panic, I jumped up and tried to run out of the cave, I did not want to be left behind.  The cave exit was blocked by an enormously tall and hairy man.  I woke up terrified. The year was 1962, the next morning my family moved to Saigon, Viet Nam.  Years later I realized the giant hairy man was Bigfoot.  I believe his presence in the dream was as a warning to proceed with caution. 

As an adult, my relationship to Bigfoot is archetypal.  Bigfoot represents my hermit archetype. As an artist, we need time away from distractions, society, events, the normal activities of most people, in order to do our work.  Bigfoot represents the recluse, living a solitary existence, venturing out when he runs out of booze and smokes.  He is elusive by choice, answering to no one.  "Bigfoot's, Big Mouth" explores the themes of isolation, addiction and urban decay with a dose of humor and nostalgia.  

The assemblage frame for "Bigfoot's Big Mouth" is made of pieces that Big Foot, the character in my creation, found in the woods and on the fringes of society.  He is fascinated with the objects that humans give so much value too.  He is equally fascinated with the objects we discard without a look back.  I've created a frame by choosing every piece to reflect the mind set of the subject of the piece.  This frame embodies its subject, Bigfoot, in reality.  I set the objects, one by one, to expand the story of his journey.  What was hidden is now revealed. 

May 22, 2016 Curator Wendy Sherman and Artists Talk at Hearsay: Artists Reveal Urban Legends Losjocos Gallery DTLA 2pm Cartwheel Art Tours - Tickets and more info

​LosJoCos Gallery Hearsay:Artists Reveal Urban Legends 

Odds and ends from my framing collection

Cast of a Bigfoot print that was cast in 1963 in the area of the famous Patterson-Gimlin film.
- bigfootcasts.com

Research Websites
http://www.bfro.net/
http://www.manataka.org/page1487.html