By John A. Barry And Bill Carmel
E-mail John A. Barry And Bill Carmel
About this blog: John Barry is the creator of trAction Painting, a process/performance genre in which he applies paint to large surfaces with bicycles, roller skates, and other wheeled conveyances. With Bill Carmel and other associates, he has bro...
(More)About this blog: John Barry is the creator of trAction Painting, a process/performance genre in which he applies paint to large surfaces with bicycles, roller skates, and other wheeled conveyances. With Bill Carmel and other associates, he has brought trAction Painting events to local schools and summer camps. He also creates visual puns. His works are included in several private collections. John has authored/coauthored a dozen books, including Technobabble and Sunburst: The Ascent of Sun Microsystems. John can be contacted at
[email protected] or 925-918-7882.
Bill Carmel has 35 years' experience as a professional artist. His fine art paintings, sculptures, and designs are included in private, corporate, and public art collections in the United States, Europe, and Australia. After teaching at Humboldt State University and Southern Illinois University, he returned to the Bay Area, where he remains active in the arts by serving as a co-curator for the Lamorinda Arts Council's Orinda Gallery and by exhibiting throughout the Bay Area. Bill reviews exhibits at SFMOMA, the De Young and Palace of Fine Arts museums, and other Bay Area exhibition venues. Bill can be contacted at
[email protected]
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I have four bikes that I employ for trAction Painting projects. Their tires are covered with paint that remains and dries after I’ve used the bikes to apply acrylic to surfaces. Whatever color I employed last on a given tire is what’s there—until the next color goes on. Then the tire changes color yet again.
Recently I thought: instead of applying paint with a bike, now about applying paint to one on a monthly, symbolic basis. I got the idea when I was in Hawaii last December and saw three bikes on a street median, painted in vibrant Christmas colors: red, green, with some tinsel thrown in for good measure.
I decided to paint an old hybrid bike each month in representative colors. So I rang in January with silver, gold, and glitter, symbolizing a New Year’s celebration. This month it’s pink and white (for Valentine’s Day); purple, green, and gold (the colors of Mardi Gras); and black for Ash Wednesday.
March colors will be green (St. Pat’s) and aquamarine (birthstone color for March, my natal month).
That’s as far as I’ve thought it through. Each month celebrates a wealth of people, things, and organizations. Any monthly color suggestions will be appreciated.
