aloha oe

this week i'll be finishing the cover for the second issue of tiki magazine and following that i'm through with tiki art (rumor has it there will be a print available of this cover image) ...though this sounds like an ultra dramatic alarmist's blanket statement i would like to mention in conjunction with this announcement that perhaps for the Tiki Ti's 45th anniversary next year i will try to curate a large group show at the bar itself - theme being the drinks on the menu... i'd like to lovingly thank you for the support and encouragement you have persoanlly offered ...enjoy this great summer!

mahalo and aloha!

for the show in sept at the shooting gallery...

p.s. i reserve the right to do a commissions of any nature ...and oh yeah there are 3 great big pieces from the Tell Tale Tiki show for sale at the Tiki Ti...snooze and lose menehunes!

Best of luck in whatever you are painting next.

Between Flounder and Kooche both announcing their intent to stop producing tiki art Im sort of stumped.

Why is an announcement necessary? Why an official departure? Im not a professional artist so I really dont understand. Is there no longer any demand for that style of artwork? Or just not enough customers?

Is it to stop folks from asking you for tiki stuff? Subject Burnout?

I have really enjoyed the tiki themed pieces that you have done. Oh well....

On 2005-05-24 15:18, Monkeyman wrote:
Why is an announcement necessary? Why an official departure? Im not a professional artist so I really dont understand. Is there no longer any demand for that style of artwork? Or just not enough customers?

Is it to stop folks from asking you for tiki stuff? Subject Burnout?

I have really enjoyed the tiki themed pieces that you have done. Oh well....

I can't speak for Miles but for me it was a number of reasons.

1. Mostly it was subject burnout! I painted over 100 tiki images last year alone.
2. Tiki enthusiast will pay $500 for a mug but will barely pay more than a couple hundred for an original painting. No offence to anyone. I totally understand and would rather have a vintage relic from the tiki heyday myself. I also want to deal in more highend paintings.
3. I didn't want to be pigeonholed as a tiki artist only which was starting to happen.
4. Subject burnout!!

I still love tiki and will be using tiki images in paintings but they wont be tiki only. I'm actually doing a painting for the Dionysus show at the M Modern Gallery which has a tiki in it. I'll post it when it's done.

Nice painting Miles.

i'm glad that you like the pieces i have painted in the past...why leave? why announce? good question...

paint tikis and have my kids to go to public school in LA or get a great paying full time job that provides benefits for my family? still confused?

almost everyone can afford a $10-20 mug or shirt...as much as one may like an image very few can afford to spend more than $200 on a painting and that amount to most is considered a massive indulgent expenditure ...many assimilate themselves with tiki lifestyle because it's got a simplistic "value nothing" beach-bum undertone that we fancy ourselves for being a part of - yet here we all are on machines that thrid world countries don't even have in their best hospitals ... hell the rum we all love to drink IS the medication in those places

in animation or illustration i can earn 10X as much $ ...boils down to math as it applies to providing for my family...the return on tiki art for painters is LESS THAN ZILCH - everyone needs a logo for free - free record cover art - a free mug design - every one wants a bro deal...EVERYONE! part and parcel with the jungle trader in us all i guess...nobody will invest in a painting by a painter that isn't branded as a household name...but once a painter is in people will donate their kidneys to get a scrap of paper with a chicken scratch on it...they wait YEARS to pay out the nose! ($200 paintings then seem to be like winning lottery tickets) the truth is someone can be the best painter of all time but until someone you trust TELLS you this is the case nobody will give that artist a single grain of wheat (which is only worth about 1/2 of what it was 5 years ago thanks to GWB)

Flounder...10-4 man...i dig your oil piece...keep rocking the oils man...i have about 12 in the works for my next show with Andrew B at Copro Nason which is moving to Burgamot Station ... July 16th ...not long now...thanks for the support and understanding my man!!!

Flounder/Miles, I totally understand where you guys are coming from. More power to you both. No matter what you guys do, I know it will kick ass!

I am sorry to see this news. I understand what your saying about providing for family first and foremost.
Best wishes in your future ventures.

Guys thanks for all the cool art. As much as it sucks to see you go, at least we have all the cool images you left us with.

Good luck with whatever else you choose to do. Hope you still hang around a bit, you definitely will be missed.

Ahhh. I'm not alone. I currently work for a large publishing company and keep tiki to the side. My freelance illustration and carving give me the escape to do what I want, not what people expect. The "aesthetic of art" will never be found in your wallet. I find satisfaction in art, when I can keep economics out of it. On that note - does anyone want to buy a tiki pen?

Great painting. I look forward to seeing what direction you head next.

I totally understand why you are switching gears (who doesnt want to provide for their family). All the things you say about the pricepoint on art agree with how I spend my own money.

If you have the option of a full time corporate gig, it certainly looks like a better option when compared to day to day existence on your own art.

I was totally entralled with your imagery from the first time I saw it. Im sure that whatever you work on next will be great.

Stop by any time and see us.

Miles-

Nice painting bro, diggin the banana skirt! I will always love your island images.

We discussed this before and I'll say it again, I support your and Flounder's decisions all the way. I am proud to own numerous tiki peices by both of you, but am excited to see the new direction you go with oils. I am sure they will kick ass, you can bet C and I will be at your show in July, lending our emotional and possibly financial support for you and Andrew.

Congratulations on the article about you in the new issue of Juxtapoz, and the upcoming tiki mag cover, maybe the art community is finally opening its eyes and giving you the recognition you have long deserved.

Gotta go work, talk soon,

-S

Miles, I don't love your art because it's got tikis in it, I love it because it's really effing good. Same goes for Flounder -- time and again I've been blown away when I see the new stuff. It's been great to see both artists growing in new directions (yay oils!), and I am always most impressed with artists when they display versatility. No one likes a one-note song.

Miles, very nice painting. And I love all your paintings, whatever kind it is.
Please go on

Miles, it is sad to know there will bo no more tiki art from you (Flounder too), but I understand exactly what you mean. If I had to make a living from my art I would be in trouble. The thing people don't understand is that when you get into a "Pigeon hole", it's hard to get out.
Anyway jsut because you aren't doing tiki-art, don't give up tiki all together. we love you(Flounder too) and you don't have to be an artist to hang around TC. don't be a stranger, we love you guys!
(anybody seen BasementKahuna lately??)

Oh yeah, it IS a Nice picture!

I understand as well....I teach art during the day to provide for my family. Oh how I wish I could make a living off the art I wanna make. I am not a strictly tiki artist...and never want to be labeled into one type art either.

Press on guys!!!

On 2005-05-25 14:03, Benzart wrote:

(anybody seen BasementKahuna lately??)

I swear I thought the same thing about a minute before I read this.

i know where you're coming from. its tough.. been trying my own thing for a month and a half. i have a few other series that i create.. the tikis are my personal favorite, if i could get something going mainly tiki i would be more than happy.good luck
john

Kooche, that is strange to say that you most likely will not do something again. I was shocked when famed bike builder Jesse James said no more built choppers for him. Although, Its a good thing, you leaving and me try to come in, on a small seperate plain.:) Its the circle of life.

But if you do other things, and people know this, they will respone. If people know you are stopping, then they will seek out the last remaining tiki and you will probably have a better chance reaching a bigger following, with other subjects, making the previous work more wanted. Its working already on me. I love your work, you are probably the most creative painter.

that above picture though doesn't have a tiki in it. Love that little logo guy. Picasso had his blue period.

the Orongo Room

[ Edited by: teaKEY on 2005-05-26 15:56 ]

wow

it's sooo nice to STILL be privy to hearing encouraging things said about my artistic desire and it's results...really - you people are sooo cool...

sirginn - i don't have to tell you how much i appreciate your committed devotion to supporting my work...you and C are the ultimate in collectors to me...i love you! thanks for supporting me in this time of change...

humu - you are equally supportive in so many other regards...it has been a pleasure getting to know you in the last few months...shit...it's been a year now i guess huh...WILD!

everyone...thanks...i'll be around...i love this place...i'm not going anywhere i will just be doin something new...thanks for undrstanding y'all!

many mahalos and aloha for now

Kooche I think that I asked you before but is there a chance to get the work that is on your website. The tiki ones of course.

hey kooche (and flounder too) I think humu summed it up nicely by simply saying its not the tiki - it's the art and the two of you HAVE IT! You could paint an owl and it would be AWESOME!

Kooche - your cartoony style is amazing, and I've drooled over every piece that you've put on this board - tiki or not and I REALLY look forward to seeing what you have in store for your future artistic endeavors - totally wild I would guess!!!!

i still have one really big fat tiki piece to do...the cover of tiki magazine...and i am in the middle of designing shirts for the Tiki Ti which will i think be for sale at the bar ... why else would they ask me to design one for them...

so far as my next show is concerned ... it's a two man show on july 16th...the title is "Heaven and HELL!" so there it is...i am in the midst of doing a ton of research on the old master's style of painting...though i can see it will take me some time to finesse i can also appreciate how much more of a grip i have on oil today than i had a year ago...in a few years i'll be duck in water!

thanks again for all the encouragement everyone!

I'll take that as a no.

My brother from another mother. Do your own thing and the faithful will follow. Monkeyman, easy on the 20 questions.

teakey

sorry...didn't mean to ignore you ...sure you can buy the remaining art left...they are as follows...this is the best piece in the show in my opinion...i was glad it didn't sell...it's hanging at the Tiki Ti and it's a black light piece!!!

Beach Bon Tiki
20" x 20" - Gouache - $2,000

Eternal Reunion
18" x 24" - Gouache - $1,800
now at the Tiki Ti

All Hands
20" x 20" - Gouache - $1,450
also at the Tiki Ti

Moonlit Reunion
20" x 20" - Gouache - $1,250

Revenge
10" x 14" - Gouache - $650

Board Borrow
12" x 9" - Gouache - $700

there is one more piece but i am too tired to post it now...thanks once more everyone!

ALOHA DREAMS FOR ME NOW!

It may be taps for the tapa but you have to stick around here because the tiki is in your blood and you won't stop listening to the music.

Reminds me I need to mail something to you.

:)
SES

[ Edited by: Monkeyman 2014-01-20 19:44 ]

Nice one, bro!

Wow kooche, your stuff is Miles above the rest. The more that I look at your body of work, the more that I'm impressed.

Let me congratulate you on being in JUXTAPOZ.
I like the "Eternal Reunion" picture and the one with the six arms. If I had more money at the time I would get one.
When are the prints due?? I love how you got all those characters going on and patterns. I am inspired to paint like that.
One question, I see that you have repeat characters which is great. Where does the idea for the tiki necklace come from? A real object? And if you want to do a super quick ink drawing of like a monster's hand and the necklace for me I'll take one.

LOL - a real quick drawing...i am 3 weeks from framing my next show...sorry...i have a bit too much painting left to do to break from working right now...

:)

the idea of the necklace was just a metaphor for the power of positive karma that "God" or the "God of Gods" possesses...like showing a force on the sice of the wearing as in the Lord of the Rings

prints? not likely that'll be happening...but i hear that a print of the tiki magazine cover will be made available...we'll see!

http://www.kooch-e-koo.com

[ Edited by: kooche on 2005-06-20 14:29 ]

Hey, O think that tiki has been brought to life now. It is a ree aaa liii teee.

Man I LOVE your work. Nothing more to say, I just Love it.

Wow. This art really makes me look at what i have been doing and realise how much I can improve...

Awesome almost to the point of discouraging. I mean this as a huge compliment, if you get my drift :)

Perhaps you guys can post your non tiki art in beyond tiki? We still love ya, and still love ya art.

Man! I love how crazy your art is - so much going on and all so beautifully pulled together

this is for the Dionysus show out at MMODERN tomorrow night...

Very cool. I've always been a big fan of the advertisement style with large title text and characters.

http://www.samgambino.com

Man, that's great stuff! I am a big fan!

thanks you guys...it's nice to hear encouraging feedback as i sit here and paint for my next show! thanks so much
this piece is
16X16"
gouache on paper
$650

i am second on your left in this piece...buy me!