"WE'RE ROOTING FOR YOU"

As artists, we tend to think big, but most know it is the small details that win hearts and minds.

I was reminded of this recently. I am embarrassed to share such a simple, personal thing, yet it has produced such a positive continuing effect, I must mention it.

A month ago, in an email thread with a much respected colleague, a reply, part of a paragraph, read a simple sentence, "We're rooting for you." I smiled. Grateful. I kept reading.

A little wowed. I went back and reread it. Yah. That's what it said, "We're rooting for you." Damn, that notion felt so good.

I reread the four words again. The effect was heavenly. I made a little graphic of a torn piece of paper with the statement replicated in a typewriter font. I placed it into my carefully designed wallpaper. (Computer screen, not living room.)

My cheeks grew rosier. My step sprung. I always gravitate to the feelgood. I'm not alone. All is not in vain. All is not lost. I even designed a set of clever screensavers that read "We're rooting for you." I'm drivin' the affirmation home. Far more effective than a decade of therapy.

We all live in vacuums, but the creatives have the worst of it. A little attention. A nod. Half a smile is rare and much welcomed. Hope heals all. When you expect a kick in the head, a friendly pat on a shoulder is like a sunny day at darkest midnight.

Last week, I was finishing a dispatch about Johnny Depp, who just directed a film "Modi" about Modigliani. The film has some challenges. I hope he succeeds. I ended the piece with "We're rooting for you Johnny!" I laughed after I typed it. I might have even said it out loud.

These days—in which we live,— are flat-out absurd. In retaliation, what is the most punk thing I can do?

I can create, rather than destroy. And I can tell those that I believe in, "I'm rooting for you." I really am.

Art Report Today .com

J'ACCUSE THE FEDORA MAN!

A mystery has been solved. The Great Louvre Robbery was a spectacle of so many things. Media content, mostly.

Near the crime scene, an AP news photographer set up a shot in front of the Louvre gates, protected by a couple of Paris police cars and scowling gendarmes.

Ya know, not all Parisians are chic. In front of the cops, streamed the oblivious hoi polloi of Paris, as captured by the news photographer. Some were picking their noses. Most had shopped at a Gallic Ross Dress For Less. All were moving fast in the light rain.

The photographer captured a series of nothing. Except for one photo. Scooting past the police car, a rakish man had just glanced up, as his eyeball was looking into the camera. He wore a dapper coat, vest and natty fedora angled upon his head. He carried an umbrella.

Faster than you can say 'internet,' the headlines read something like "J'Accuse! Is this the jewel thief?"

Now, a month later the snappy dresser has revealed himself. In this issue, we offer the story in which we learn the media savvy 15-year-old is a fan of Hercule Poirot and Sherlock Holmes. Presumably innocent, I'd still check his pockets for any loose stones.

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PAWSA

My nephew Archie just got out of Juvie with a hot tip. PAWSA.

Embarrassed, I didn't know about the DJ. I'm at a time of life when music is a tool. I use it to manipulate myself to work harder and faster. My brain skips to a fast dance beat and PAWSA fits the synapses. Plus he's fun.

Never boring. Always shifting, never repetitive. Always new. A very professional mood changer. He is funny. A smile-maker. PAWSA rummages through pop culture for some very witty and enjoyable cuts and effects. All sewn together seamlessly.

He is dedicated to the dance floor. That's where he is most valuable. His respectful use of the classic deep bass beat is unusually welcome.

The British DJ and producer began it all in 2014. By 2024, his crown was firmly planted atop his head.

Listen for yourself. Here is PAWSA Live at the Solid Grooves Motel in Ibiza. Click Here.

Art Report Today .com