City Hall - Philadelphia - DNC2016

This photo sums it up pretty well for me here in Philadelphia ... this is America

More Press About The Rally In Philly

Big Bernie makes for good photos which helps spread a story around! Glad to see that a lot of people are recognizing that a lot of people are upset with The Status Quo

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/monkey-cage/wp/2016/07/25/can-bernie-sanders-change-how-the-democratic-party-chooses-presidential-nominees-heres-what-you-need-to-know/

http://www.latimes.com/politics/la-na-pol-convention-sanders-delegates-20160725-snap-story.html

Big Bernie joins march and hits Broad St Philadelphia: some news links

http://mobile.nytimes.com/2016/07/25/us/politics/protests-convention-bernie-sanders-philadelphia.html

http://www.cnbc.com/2016/07/24/berning-with-anger-protesters-take-philadelphia-streets-ahead-of-democratic-convention.html

http://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/us_579525b3e4b01180b52f5e0a

A Good Day In Philly!

Got a lot done today. Up early and headed for Independence Hall to start my big painting of that spot... then I walked up to the Barnes Foundation to check out the amazing collection of art there! Wow inspiring. Then I went to Firth and Wilson Transport Cycles (transportcycles.com) and picked up the Box of Bernie I shipped there earlier in the week. Next I headed to Old City District to paint another painting... whew! Stopped just in time to avoid a burst of rain and get something to eat. Long day, ready for sleep to take on Tomorrow!

Safe and sound in Philadelphia!

I made it, my luggage made it and Big Bernie made it!! Going to get a good night sleep and an early start on the day!! Stay tuned I'll keep posting

En Route to Philadelphia!

A few pics from LAX to keep posted... sending this blog update from my phone! 

Get Some Color Happening On This American Revolution!

My apologies to George Washington and Leutze et al... So after the monochrome underpainting dries the next step in an indirect painting process, and the first move into color is with glazes, that is transparent color applied to the painting. Think of it like how people used to apply washes of color to black and white or sepia toned photos and they just almost look like a color photo... like that but on your painting... colorize it! At this stage on the painting it's ok to keep the drawing a mess and concern yourself primarily with large simple areas of color that express the lights and darks of the design.

BIG BERNIE stuffed into my Little Suitcase heading to Philadelphia

The fundraiser was a major success and I think bodes well for the entire trip! All the painting perks got snapped up so it exceeded my expectations and tell me to do more in the future! https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/big-bernie-goes-to-philly-for-the-dnc-2016  I can't wait to visit Philly, it's going to be a whirlwind of politics and painting and protest and it's the first time ever for me! Run Big Bernie up the Rocky Steps at the Museum of Art. Check out the Barnes Foundation! Paint Independence Hall plein air! Eat some cheesesteak sandwiches! Mob around the Democratic Convention and all over the City of Brotherly Love! I plan to post lots of photos on as many platforms as I can so look for me on Instagram and Facebook and Twitter and of course this blog!

Can We Pull Together A Nationwide Action Like This?

Here's an idea for a nationwide protest and act of civil disobedience: If there comes to be another round of Quantitative Easing aka free $Trillion$ to "bailout" the financial sector from crashing, then all Americans should stop paying their credit cards. Simple. It's not a tax protest. It's credit cards. Financial Criminals got all that money for nothing they can just forget about the $10K you "owe" them or whatever. In fact if there comes to be another round of Q E everyone should also mail a letter or send an email telling the creditor what's happening. Maybe enclose it in the monthly statement envelope. 

"Dear Sir or Madam- Since the US Government gives you free money forever and the US Justice Department will not prosecute you for a single financial crime and because you are Too Big To Fail then you don't need any of my measly few couple thousand so bug off you'll never get another cent from me. sincerely the People"

 
How long have the big "primary lender"/ too big to fail financial institutions been getting the sweet Q E? well they shouldn't get another dime from you or me.  

There is a funny article here that might get you good and mad: https://libertyroadmedia.wordpress.com/2016/04/19/conspiracy-fact-actual-proof-that-banks-create-money-out-of-nothing-part-1/
which references this serious analysis here: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1057521914001070

Just a thought I had. Of course it would have to happen en masse, everyone at once. Make it a sensation across the nation! A spectacle that cannot be ignored. And a great way for ALL Americans to Come Together again united against injustice. Seriously, screw the credit card creditors they are a sham. Makes me think of that Henry Ford quote:

"It is well enough that people of the nation do not understand our banking and monetary system, for if they did, I believe there would be a revolution before tomorrow morning."

#BigBernie All Boxed Up And Off To The #DNC2016 #PhiladelphiaFreedom

Who would have thought a 15 foot tall Bernie Sanders character would fold up so small!! Magic. I'll catch up with you when I get to Philadelphia! Bob Voyage!

Here is the link to the fundraiser for the trip: www.indiegogo.com/projects/big-bernie-goes-to-philly-for-the-dnc-2016  ALERT! There is still one perk available! For $300 + Shipping you got yourself an 8 by 10 plein air painting, a cityscape made on the spot during the trip in Philadelphia! You're getting some art. If you know my work you know what to expect, here's a link to give you an idea: www.flickr.com/photos/alex-schaefer-art/albums/72157601044741426 ... you will also receive a Bankers Behind Bars t-shirt from Homay Tees www.homaytees.com/product/bankers-behind-bars-t-shirt/ ... plus I'll probably send ya a postcard!
 

some life drawing in Chinatown, Los Angeles

These are some 5 and 10 and 15 minute drawings from a workshop in "Old Chinatown".. a little graphic design studio on Jung Jing Road organized by Jennifer Fabos at gallerygirls.com

American Revolution: it's starts in Black and White

This is the first stage of my master copy of the famous painting Washington Crossing the Delaware ... It's my condensed approximation of the "High Venetian" style as practiced by painters like Bassano and Veronese and the like before it moved on to France in late 17th and 18th century ... So this is step one ... acrylic on canvas. On my palette is a pile of white, a pile of mixed brown-black color, and in between is a pile of middle grey tint of the two ... with that ready then I go at it aiming to lay down the simple essence of the design knowing that I'll get the nuance in a later stage

Washington Crossing the Delaware, oil on canvas, 24 by 36 Alex Schaefer

I will be making a new copy of this American classic tomorrow as a means of instruction for painting students. stage one: monochrone acrylic  I'll be bringing a blank canvas and an ample quantity of white, black, and a middle grey tint mixed of the two. I chopped out a slap dash wacked out brushy glazey mess of this before, it's time for another. Is this the original #Brexit? ahahhahahaha!