"382"

comments always welcome below 

or

ballard@ballardborich.com

"381"

comments welcome below

or

ballard@ballardborich.com

"380"

comments below

or

ballard@ballardborich.com

"379"

comment section is open 

and ready for comments 

or 

ballard@ballardborich.com

"378"

the blog comments

are working again

or

ballard@ballardborich.com

"377"

the comment  section below 

is working again

or

ballard@ballardborich.com

"376"

The comment section of this blog seems to have been fixed by the host. Thank you. 

Those of you who have tried to comment and your comments were rejected I apologize. It was not me. Please. And I say please in an almost begging manner. Try again.

And for the efforts of Ersatz Lascaux to remain current through the difficulty I say. Thank you.

To those of you who sent email to keep up. Thank you too. Your comments sent directly to ballard@ballardborich.com have been appreciated.

Stay in touch.

If You Go Down to the Woods Today 7

"375"

When you come out of the woods today
You will be coming back out alone
It was lovely to be in the woods today
Now here is your path to follow home






For a while now I have been telling you what I am up to and thinking.
Why not tell me what you are up to and thinking?
ballard@ballardborich.com

or we could ask what Ersatz Lascaux is thinking...

If You Go Down to the Woods Today 6

"374"

When you go down to the woods today

Don't leave your camera at home

It's lovely down in the woods today

But easier to stay at home

For every camera that ever there was

Will gather there for certain, because

Today's the day the we have 

To pursue our vision

ez lx

www.ersatzlascaux.com

green theater

green curtain

green action

no plot

If You Go Down to the Woods Today 5

"373"

If you go down to the woods today
You'd better not go alone
It's lovely down in the woods today
But safer with Ballard at home

Ersatz Lascaux?

Ersatz Lascaux?

crow pecked crumbs

moss and morel

no direction

home

If You Go down to the Woods Today 4

"372"

Why would you go down to the woods today
You'd better not go alone
It's lovely down in the woods today
But safer to stay at home

ez lx

Ersatz Lascaux

www.ersatzlascaux.com

moist messiah

leaves cathedral

Gaudi green

If You Go Down to the Woods Today 3

"371"

If you go down to the woods today
You're in for a big surprise
If you go down to the woods today
You may not believe your eyes

another bit of... 

from 

ez lx

Ersatz Lascaux

tranquility picnic

a shovel and a rake

a bag of urine and a note

"we came in peace for all mankind"

left in the dust

If You Go Down to the Woods Today 2

"370"

If you go down to the woods today

You'd better not go alone
It's lovely down in the woods today
But safer to stay at home.

something from

Ersatz Lascaux

bears tears

to bare bones

too much

too bear

even grinning

If You Go Down to the Woods Today

"369"

If you go down to the woods today,
You're sure of a big surprise.
If you go down to the woods today,
You'd better go in disguise.
For every bear that ever there was
Will gather there for certain because
Today's the day the teddy bears have their picnic.

Picnic time for teddy bears;
The little teddy bears are having a lovely time today.
Watch us catch them unawares,
And see them picnic on their holiday.
See them gaily gad about.
They love to play and shout,
They never have any cares.
At six o'clock their mummies and daddies
Will take them home to bed
Because they're tired little teddy bears.

what song are 

you singing

www.ersatzlascaux.com

da da da da 

da da da da 

da da da da 

da

outside cave view is seen as 

Another Green World by Brian Eno

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sg1HaDPcSkM

368

"38 base-13"

Continuing with alternative number systems. This time I choose base-13 called tridecimal, tredecimal or triskaidecimal. Since we have 10 fingers and normally use the decimal system we are limited to 10 digits the ever famous 0 through 9. When counting in base-13 we need more digits. It is customary to add an A which equals 10 base-10 and a B which equals 11 base-10 and a C which equals 12 base-10. And it just continues to get more complicated from there.
Thirteen is a favorite number of mine so I will continue anyway.
This year 2013 would be BBB base-13. I was born in B6A base-13. I am 51 base-13 years old.
Converting 38 base-13 to the decimal system is not very difficult.
8 plus 3 times 13.
8 plus 39 equals 47 base-10.
I am still not a mathematician but that was kind of fun wasn't it?

call for

Ersatz Lascaux

call for 

Ersatz Lascaux 

at the front desk

numb...er...

you small gods you

zeros

tell me something

I don't already know

367

"65 base-7"

As we learned quite a few posts ago. I like counting in various number systems. That is all I can do with them. Convert back and forth. I am not a good enough mathematician to work inside the alternate systems to the decimal. I never will be.
This year 2013 would be 5604 in base-7. I was born in 5451 base-7. I am 123 base-7 years old.
Converting 65 base-7 to the decimal system is not very difficult.
5 plus 6 times 7.
5 plus 42 equals 47 base-10.

and now for a little 

Ersatz Lascaux

numb...

er... you small

gods turn...

mountains and molehills

into pi and prove why

2K

366

"Forty-Seven"

I have always been attracted to the number seven. Lucky number seven. It was part of my upbringing and the first prize I ever won in the "pick a number between one and ten" was when I picked seven.
Putting the four before the seven was an easy next step for me.
Then years later I invented the 47th Division of Art. I was the only member. It is difficult to recruit militant pacifists. Especially militant pacifists artists.
Good for the artists.
It was to be a fun idea. And like many fun ideas it can get out of hand quickly.
When paintings become more like flags and then get nailed over the front doors of other artists while they are out. Some people take your fun idea a little too seriously. Of course there was more than art involved. There always is. The last counter attack by the 47th was another artists painting nailed to a tree in the early hours of a Sunday morning. There was no counter to that and thus the Division was disbanded.
Or was it?

can you hear me 

Major Ersatz

are you listening 

Major Lascaux

my understanding is uh...

that it's a...

book club...

YES!  a BOOK CLUB!

once a month and...

that's it...

that's all I know...

365

"Illustration 5"

Okay. Tyler I promise this is it.
I couldn't let it end on an even number. You know how I am. Sorry about that because you would rather it did end on an even number. I know how you are. Also they were getting too clean like I had lost my taste and ability for torturing art supplies. You can see I haven't.
I will tell you how that larger final project is going once it gets started.
And really I am signing off on this series now. Thanks again.

come in

Ersatz Lascaux

can you hear me

Ersatz Lascaux

1.stitch

2.sulpher

3.compression

field dress

cadavre exquis

illegible wounds

364

"Illustration 4"

Tyler. I'm sorry I just couldn't help myself.
This one doesn't illustrate anything new. My question was about the spaces between things and if what is not immediately comfortable to the eye will be able to be improved. I still don't know. I have always been able to find answers to this sort of question before. Maybe I should just trust that I can find an answer again.
Perhaps one more and then I promise to stop. Thanks.

Ersatz Lascaux

calling

Ersatz Lascaux

this fake is a hoax

Clifford Irving

attributes this art

to Howard Hughes

not Elmyr deHory

363

"Illustration 3"

Tyler. This is probably as close as I will get in this exercise. 

It has some of the qualities I will be looking for in transparent acrylic paint. It is missing the edge and craft one can get with multiple layers of color. 

At least this one illustrates why I am fascinated with figures and want to use them in several different ways.

Thank you. Talk with you later.

and now for a word from

Mr. Ersatz Lascaux



sugerCoatedBITTERpill

362

"Illustration 2"

Tyler. This is another attempt to make my point about typical and atypical art supplies. 

The hard part to get across in this exercise is the eventual differences between supports and mediums. The final pieces will be large panels. A group of 7 about 80 inches tall by 30 inches wide each. They will be done in acrylic even though some of the early layers will be started as if I was working on paper with graphite and watercolor. I hope to use everything I know about concept and craft to make the most important works I have done to date. Nice goal don't you think?

Thanks and tomorrow I will post one more.

Ersatz Lascaux   Ersatz Lascaux   Ersatz Lascaux



man, it's all just DNA
...it always is

361

"Illustration"

Tyler. This is as good as I could do on short notice to illustrate what I was saying on the phone the other day. I will do a couple more and maybe get a little closer to showing where I want to go.
Of course you know pencils and watercolor won't effectively illustrate layers and layers of transparent paint.
Wish me luck.

only ersatz genuine

Ersatz Lascaux

need apply

blood and chalk

outline your thesis

push art from high

and pavement won't give

360

"Got To Pick up Every Stick"

image 6" X 4"

70 lb recycled drawing paper 11" X 7"

This is as close to success as I will be getting for now. I have found most of the supplies I was looking for. I will soon have the ability to use this medium more completely and plan to do another group.

I like this one so I am not going to make fun of it. It is a little childish but that's okay.

I don't remember Rothko saying anything about this image.

accepting only genuine

Ersatz Lascaux

here

ersatz is never genuine

... but nothing is

359

"Study"

image 6" X 4"

70 lb recycled drawing paper 11" X 7"

Study is exactly what I did not do. That's rather obvious. 

I have friends who talk about doing studies for composition and value and color. I should have listened to them. I could have avoided thinking I was doing one thing while actually doing another.

If I told you this turned out to be what I was thinking I would be lying. Of course during cutting and printing time I found more art materials. That was the reason for this exercise. And if I can refrain from repeating my mistakes along the way then this will have been worth it to me.

Rothko called this one an explosion. Which is really good because usually he doesn't even bother to look at my work.

post only

Ersatz Lascaux

in this space


CAUTION!!!

FOR YOUR CONVENIENCE EXPLOSIVE
DEVICE WILL DETONATE OPENING
THIS CLAMSHELL PACKAGE AFTER
THREE (3) FAILED ATTEMPTS PLEASE
KEEP FINGERS CLEAR!!!

358

"Accidental Six"

image 6" X 4"

70 lb recycled drawing paper 11" X 7"

I feel like I went back to kindergarten this week. I have been looking for my linoleum and printing supplies. I haven't seen most of them since I moved. I am sure I have some good linoleum and good inks. I have good cutters. I even have good brayers and barens. 

While looking for these supplies I started using whatever I found. Old gray linoleum with ragged edges. A plastic handled cutter with just one already well used blade. Some old squashed tube inks. They were so old that the tubes were metal and all stuck together.

The accidental six came from cutting without much of a plan. After all three colors were printed my son Rothko said "I see a six."

and then my favorite caveman 

(from Ersatz Lascaux)

said

it's a snare

it always is

357

"Up"

11.75" X 8.5"

graphite and pastel

on 140 lb w/c paper

mounted to linen canvas

This drawing on watercolor paper is part of a group show going on right now. As you can see from the announcement below there are a lot of excellent artists and therefore plenty of fine artwork to be seen. I suggest you go right out to the show and buy my piece. It is only $350.00. The professional mounting of paper to linen canvas is worth that much. 

Better yet call them up and say you will buy it because you saw the reproduction here. Either way just go get it before some one else does. Location and phone number and other information below.

another cave to hear from

Ersatz Lascaux

art is not a spectator sport

participate now

operators are standing by...

356

"Here"

This image is one that seems to fit all of my desires for a photograph of a flower. It is simple. It has a pleasing composition. It appears to be trying to say more than is contained within the rectangle.
I took a lot of photos of this one bloom trying different exposures from every possible angle. I knew what I wanted was there. I did not stop until I got this photo.

www.ersatzlascaux.com

says

...then it performed

a perfect jack-knife

into the void...

355

"Edge"

A simple image. That is both beautiful and provocative. In some way maybe evocative. It is obscure. It asks a question. Perhaps it has no answer. It is what I like. It is what I do.

That

and listen to

Ersatz Lascaux

last exit eden

where maple meets vine

at the big indian sign

and cars like eggs

are cheaper

in the country

354

"Eight"

It is almost embarrassing to admit I took and like this photo.

I think it has character and presence but it is a little light and airy for my ouerve. It is kind of beautiful without being provocative. There doesn't appear to be any unanswered question. Usually my works are darker in feeling and value as well as more obfuscated. It is what I am drawn to. It is what I do.

I do like this image. I do enjoy its lightness and airiness. I am drawn to its unobscured truth.

Ersatz Lascuax anyone?

skull white

beauty defused

353

"Sunday Morning"

This photograph is from a couple of weeks ago. It is the photo that started me on my way to the photos that I have been and will be posting for a few more days.
I took some photos on the way to the bus and thought this one was very nice. When I looked at it later I found that there was something on the cameras sensor. All of the photos had a big spot in the middle of them.
I contacted my friend Mark Mussio to see if this one could be saved and he did save it for me. Thank you Mark.
Then I got out my sensor swabs and Giottos rocket-air and did my best to correct the situation. Using anything you can find or make to attach to a digital camera must require much more care than I am used to with a film camera.
Lesson learned hopefully.

anything from

Ersatz Lascaux

goes here

perspective taking this

moist memory bit and 

digital empathy to

remove sensor spot