CThru.com Presents Tony Ward

The Trickle Down Theory

Posted by Meredith Edlow

……….What inspired me to do this work was needing a change from the usual. I grew up shooting digital photography. I didn’t do work in a dark room. I shoot pictures, upload images, make corrections on a computer, if things don’t work out with corrections you can press undo. The work was very robotic. I needed to do something more organic. I wanted to work my way out of mistakes instead of being able to press a button and start all over. It’s interesting what can be made out of something that is not going the way you want. I was looking for a new challenge, I wanted to make art that committed me to my choices. I will still shoot with my camera, I need to work and I love photography, but everything works better in moderation. I can still shoot photos and now I have another outlet, doing this “scratch” art. 

Happiness Is.....

Everything new is influenced by the past. The decade of the 80’s is inspiring people to tap into what they idolized as kids. At least, that is what my generation is doing. I really loved this art class that I had in 2nd grade. We made art out of very simple materials, paper and crayons. It left a huge impression on me and now I find myself moved to express myself in that medium.

Lightening Strikes More Than Twice

The work I’m doing has many connections. There’s a personal connection tied to the motifs of the economy. When I was a kid my Dad took a buyout from Sears and Roebuck Co. before the recession of the early 1990’s. That had a huge impact on me growing up. We moved from the big city, Philadelphia, to Yorktown, VA. My dad’s home town. A very small town. That change of living really had a huge impact on who I am now. The recent economic crisis has brought back many of those same feelings and anxieties from my childhood, hence the crayons. It all seemed to come together and make perfect sense for me. 

A Necessary Sacrifice Question

Meredith Edlow

The Fairy Of Pirate's Alley

Posted by Charlene Lanzel

……….I was living in New Orleans’ French Quarter for the winter season in 2007. I fell in love with the city and its past, and became curious of the history of Exchange Alley where I was living. My husband (Ronnie Magri) and I decided to do some research, and headed over to the Historical Society on Chartres Street. What we found was that the infamous painter Edgar Degas had once owned property across the alley from our building. I began studying Degas’ life and discovered he was an avid drinker of Absinthe. I had heard many tales of the mysterious wormwood elixir and longed to try it. After all, it seemed to be the official drink of some of history’s greatest artists!

The Devil Drinks Absinthe

Absinthe is said to evoke the spirit of “La Fee Verte” or “The Green Fairy”. I learned that Absinthe was being served at The Pirate’s Alley Cafe, just a few blocks away. So, my husband and I headed over for my first taste. These two painting’s, “The Devil Drinks Absinthe” and “The Fairy of Pirate’s Alley” are the documentation of that night. They are portraits of myself an my husband, sitting across the table from each other in Pirate’s Alley, experiencing the effects of the notorious drink. We have since become Absinthe snobs and enjoy trying different brands from around the world.

……….To learn more about Charlene Lanzel’s work log on to www.CharleneLanzel.com.

Hollywood And Vine, Los Angeles

……….The last time Ed and I were at the beach together, the weather couldn’t have been more perfect. Our mood seemed to match the calm of the sea as we enjoyed the sunshine, surf, and the beautiful women that bask in the light at the Jersey shore during the summer months. We brought our beach chairs along, some food and beverage as we positioned ourselves as close to the beauties as possible. Ed also brought along a half dozen or so empty plastic containers.

W Hotel Ground, Los Angeles

……….Besides the prolific writing on his blog, Ed’s first love (besides women) is his photography. He had been telling me about his idea of mixing in salts from the sea into his printmaking process. Somehow he claimed, he was able to distinguish the tonal effects that Atlantic Ocean water salts had on the tone of his prints, compared to printing in Pacific Ocean water for example. Thus, it was imperative for him to bring some East coast water along with him when he returned to Los Angeles, where he would resume a number of photographic projects; including the documentation of the construction of the new W hotel, that recently broke ground at the vicinity of Hollywood and Vine.

Job Site

………..The printmaking master discretely made periodic trips down to the shore line to gobble up ocean water, while the beauties were wondering what on Earth he was doing. I felt for sure everyone at the beach thought we were two weirdos, sitting there with empty bottles, and then periodically filling each of them up with the sometimes suspect ocean water, knowing full well we couldn’t drink it. Undeterred by my thought’s, Ed remained vigilant with his plan until all the containers were filled to the brim. Strangely enough the beauties started gathering around us……..

Construction

……….Ed got back to Los Angeles eager to begin the alchemystic process of printmaking the old fashioned way, in a dark room. He called from time to time to let me know that he added the Jersey shore water to his chemisty and continued to notice a difference in the distinct oceanic effects on the making of his prints. On a subsequent return trip to Philadelphia, with prints from the W Hotel project in tow, I met with Ed to see the results of our summer excursion to the Jersey shore. I was most impressed. To learn more about Ed Simmons photographs, log on to his blog at www.yeeha.org/art.

Ed Simmons: Photographer

Ed Simmons

Posted by Ed Simmons

The costs of War, always exceeds whatever may be gained by way of the Spoils of War. It is pointless, unless the true motivation is to thin the herd. A lot of wealth to be made in the manufacturing of weapons. War can become an addiction. These weapons dealers step right up, just like any dealer, of any commodity steps up, when he senses a hunger for his product. The world would do much better if it were at peace, we all know the devastation that would come from a nuclear bomb, this thought is so frighting. It keeps us from thinking about the devastation brought upon the Earth by conventional weapons daily. Every bomb, every jet or helicopter that crashes, every artillery shell, leaves a scar. We know that our Earth, at this time in history, is having a little trouble keeping up and cleaning up all our messes. Wouldn’t you think, we could give her a break?

Man is the only species on the planet, that entertains itself, by destroying all that is around him. I read once, the meaning of life, was to make shade where it will benefit others. Maybe we should start making some shade. There have been a lot of wars in my lifetime. The only one we ever had a chance of winning, was the War on Poverty. We had that enemy on the run in this country, even around the world. I can remember when it changed, the idea of letting the rich get richer, that the fix would trickle down, and raise the poor out of their despair. To have meaningful agreements, first, we have to find all that is common, with blinders on. We have to navigate through all that is uncommon. It is not local or national , truly it is global. Minus a couple of nuts, I don’t think there is a man or woman on this planet who wants to see it destroyed.

Why not set a date in the future, say 10 or 20 years out, where a world treaty could be signed, declaring a moratorium on inflicting any damage to the earth. I don’t think we wait for 10 years to end the wars, its all a waste, there’s never nothing left. We could use all that money, working for solutions for a future.

I remember Kennedy putting the challenge of Space Exploration before the people. The Moon seemed, at the time, just out of reach. I know a guy that talks of his time, under a console at Johnson, with a slide rule in hand, figuring it out, as they went along. We got so much more from these efforts, than just the landing on the Moon. Our lives today, for better or worse, are what they are today, because of all this. The problems we would encounter, setting up a colony on the Moon, are all the problems we face today on this planet. The science we would gain without question would justify the costs. This science is priceless. If I were to talk about grabbing the Brass Ring, many young people wouldn’t have a clue, to what I was talking about. On the Merry Go Rounds, as I was growing up, an arm, stacked with Brass Rings would drop. As you went around, you would reach out, trying to grab the ring. You didn’t turn your rings in at the end of the ride for a prize, grabbing the ring was the prize. You didn’t keep it, you gave back.

It may sound to simple, but we as people, are at our best, grabbing for the brass ring. World war II, the War to End All War, the Moon Landing, the Special Olympics, the War on Poverty, all things I see as grabbing the brass ring. Our Planet spins, like the Merry Go Round spins, the arm is down, the rings are there. When are people going to forget about all the arcade games, the cupie dolls, whack a mole, ping pong balls in a fish bowl, and reach for the brass rings again.

Bang

Posted by Charlene Lanzel

I used to do target practice in my driveway as a kid. We had a BB gun… and also a pellet pistol. I preferred the pistol. I suppose this painting has some deep hidden psychological meaning. Perhaps that I have always felt like a target. Like prey. Some men make me feel that way, when they leer at me on the street. It’s like they’re foaming at the mouth. I find that very disturbing. Sometimes I feel like I need protection. And then, I remember those days of doing target practice in my driveway.

www.CharleneLanzel.com

Charlene Lanza

…..No stranger to the studio, pin-up artist Charlene Lanza and TW met through a mutual friend, fellow painter and guest blogger Mikel Elam back in the nineties while they we’re hanging out regularly in Soho. Recently, the artist and the photographer met again for a portrait sitting and to introduce her latest works to our growing audience. Ms. Lanzel is an American artist, originally from LaCrosse, Wisconsin. Born in 1967, she started to paint with passion at the age of five. Self taught and determined to exhibit her works beyond the confines of a small town, she moved to New York City at the age of 20 and has been enjoying the creative process in the Big Apple ever since.

We are delighted to introduce a sampling of her work to you. To learn more about Charlene’s painting’s, log on to www.charlenelanzel.com…….

Miami Real Estate

…..As soon as we arrived at the security gate we knew we were safe. The studio was assigned to photograph Thomas Kramer, the self proclaimed visionary entrepreneur of Miami Beach at his mansion on Star Island. This small little island, attracted a few well known neighbors that include: Gloria Estefan, P. Diddy and Shaquille O’Neil. There were rumblings going on in Mr. Kramer’s native Germany, that the real estate mogul was embroiled in a multi- million dollar legal battle with members of his former wife’s family. Well known magazine picture editor Anka Degenhard, under contract for Hamburg based Park Avenue magazine at the time, contacted the studio from her office in Hamburg, to ask TW to fly down to South Beach to meet and photograph the real estate investor.

TK CROSS

Mr. Kramer was a polite host as we toured the enormous property looking for various places to shoot. The search for a great location on this day was not going to be a problem. We were on a tight schedule as he informed us of a cocktail party he was invited to attend at Shaq’s house, just a few basketball courts away. Rather than walk, TK decided to take the Harley……….

Thomas Kramer

…..The studio gets a lot of inquiries from aspiring models. Recently a call came in from Prinzzess Sahara, the twenty two year old native Floridian beauty who is making waves in adult modeling and the adult entertainment night life. She left a message with an assistant that she would be soon traveling to Los Angeles for photo shoots and was wondering if we could arrange to photograph her while she was in Hollywood. She didn’t realize that although we produce shoots in LA from time to time, we are an East Coast based operation. Philadelphia is ground zero.

We called her back and explained that we had no immediate plans to travel West and suggested that if she were on tour on the East Coast, we could easily accommodate her request. Coincidentally, she was scheduled to perform at the nationally renowned, Al’s Diamond Cabaret in Reading, Pennsylvania for three consecutive nights upon her return from Los Angeles. The studio went in to full production mode and arranged to photograph the young Prinzzess at her hotel room in between acts…….

Prinzzess on Tour

Joe Mammana

…..When the call came in to the studio to arrange for a portrait sitting with Joe Mammana, it seemed as though the urban egg farmer was sitting on top of the world. Owner of Yardley Farms, a successful egg-processing business that apparently was handed down from his Sicilian father. Joe enjoyed the comforts of wealth and an extravagant lifestyle. There was the flashy Joe, the Ferrari, the trophy girlfriends, the beautiful clothes.

There was another side to Joe that lay dormant, a 20 year criminal history, which included convictions for aggravated assault, theft, forgery and dealing steroids. Around the time this picture was taken, Joe seemed to have turned his misfortunes around by finding solace in philanthropic pursuits. Mammana became active in Philadelphia’s Citizen’s Crime Commission, and offered more than one million in reward money for leads to solving serious crimes.

Earlier this year Mr. Mammana’s dark side resurfaced as he was arrested, prosecuted and is presently serving an eight year sentence for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and tax evasion. Mr. Mammana’s inner demons for now have won a perpetual inner battle……

At Home With Becky Lewis

…..When you enter her home even on the brightest of days it’s dark. The first thing you notice are the black walls. Ms. Lewis chose black because it has a calming effect on her. Perhaps a way to escape the hustle and bustle of Philadelphia’s, Port Richmond neighborhood. She didn’t grow up in the city however, and that’s where her story get’s more interesting.

Becky grew up in the suburbs of Wilmington, Delaware, which she asserts she hated as a child. Her father an emergency room physician. Her mother a registered nurse. She absolutely adores her parents. Good schools, private schools at that, can do great things for the mind of a child. The education opened up many doors to Becky’s inherent creativity. She left the nest early however, just eighteen. College was not in the cards, a yearning for life in a bigger city, she moved to the city of brotherly love.

Fascinated by tattoo’s at an early age, the arrival in to the big city provided her access to Philadelphia’s sizable tattoo culture. Ms. Lewis has become one of the icons of that culture. You’ll be seeing and hearing more about Ms. Lewis soon……

The Love of Tattoo