C Drew - Street Artist Adventures

My new used bike has no kick stand. But it has fenders to make riding in the rain easy. It has a basket for my bag. It is a pink girl’s bike and only 24″ so thieves will have to think twice about a bike whose tires don’t even fit an adult bike.  Unless they are going to sell to little girls - ha-ha. I love it.

Back home with my bike my garden has more surprises.

Here we have a flower and its twin bulb about to bloom. I like the red colors in the corn, the fence and the flower bu

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Return of the Cabbage white butterfly.

With the squeegee on my knee I print design 44 at my spot between the el and the fast food restuarant door.

This onion flower from a leftover kitchen onion I planted is feeding two insects I can see only now long after photographing it.

The End ( expect more text soon)

This untitled photograph was shot 04/26/06 somewhere in Chicago. Help me name it and if I select your name I will credit you and award you a free pack of patches (6).
Today, 7/1/07, I am without my Free Speech rights according to Municipal Code.  I must go down to the Business Affairs office on the 8th floor of the City Hall every month to comply by filing a form to gain back my speech rights from the City that are granted me under the 1st Amendment to the Constitution. I am angered by this process every time this illegal effort is demanded of me. Where are the artists who understand their rights and are willing to stand up for them? Where are the patriots who understand artists’ speech rights are their speech rights? Where are citizens willing to support a movement to increase space for the arts and expression in Chicago?

I’ve got it down to little or nothing! The folder is now my printing surface, a newspaper sheet for the damp prints and safety pins for those with patches to be pinned on immediately.

Just seat me to the left of my bag. Out comes the screen from my bag, out comes the four plastic bottles of ink and the squeegee then I am printing. Kapow….

So I hopped on my bike and road around searching for 100% cotton bed sheets in patterns and colors I find exciting to print on. At the several thrift stores I visited I found some very colorful light patterns that are easy to print over from around the world. India, Pakistan, China, …

I was very choosy and only bought three at the first place and two at the second. That was already enough to fill my leather bag to overflowing. The cost was about $8.

I needed the signature of our art center (UM-CAC - art-teez.org) Board President, Robert Wapahi. Balancing my full bag on my handle bars, I peddled over to see him. At his apartment we discussed the UM-CAC cable show on channel 21 in Chicago that will appear every Monday night from 6:30-7:00 July-September 24, 2007. We will feature artists and musicians and screen printing and website ideas and answer your questions about the art the issues or the techniques we present. See it…

“Have you been to the American Indian Center this week at all?” Robert asked.

“Just came from there,” I said.

“Did you notice anything in the Tribal Hall?”

“No”

“You didn’t notice the mural there?”

“No”

“I finished it. They had a scaffold up for other purposes so I took the opportunity to finish the mural.” This was news to me for more than a few reasons. Wow.

MURAL by ROBERT WAPAHI at the American Indian Center (1630 W Wilson 60640)

I was embarrassed.
“Hey, you can shoot a picture of the mural - can’t you.” he said when I took the photo of the cactus and the cat (above).

From Robert’s place I rode to the American Indian Center where I shot the photo of his mural. From there I headed north toward Loyola University area and the Loyola El stop where I wanted to print a run in public.

I walked my bike through the tight path at Gethsemane Garden Store. I enjoy this business and I do not mind sharing the walk with them. I know they have had to go through some changes to gain use of this public side walk area. A business must justify why it should have the right to use public space because the space is valuable. It is needed for the public to conduct its business.
What is the public’s business? It is more than foot traffic! It is a place for meeting and talking with other citizens. It is where political and social discussions can take place. It is where free speech is allowed. A Mall may prohibit political fliers from being distributed on their private property but not on the public side walk. Law suits around the nation by artists and newspapers have confirmed time and again that free speech is protected in the public way, in public parks and where ever people commonly gather to express their political and social expressions like the plazas of government (public) buildings.

I made it to Loyola and printed for an hour. There is a natural audience at this location. I need to make it a frequent stop along my way. Part of what this blog can explore is the different locations and the reception I find. There will be more opportunities to define Loyola El stop and the setting. Stay tuned. If you are in Chicago - check out channel 21 on Mondays at 6:30 July 2-September 24th. Comments - email cdrew@c-drew.com
C. Drew

The cabbage whites are alive and eating my collards, broccoli, and brussels sprouts.

This wasp is my friend. He loves to eat fat cabbage white caterpillars leaving only a small puddle of juice behind when he (she?) strikes.

But somewhere in many other under-leaf, hidden locations are the cabbage white eggs. As the wasp eats another caterpillar the cabbage white butterfly dances in the air about the garden laying many more eggs. Threat and response. I believe the Peace movement can adopt to a hostile media climate by developing grass-roots media, like patches, to promote ideas in visually exciting ways that the people find fun.

I went to the ANSWER planning meeting on Thursday night (6/28/07) to speak about the 6 locations downtown where speech can be sold with a peddlers license and a speech permit. I arrived late and refused the offer of a seat by one of the attendees. Next to the literature table I sat down. There I arranged my inks and printing screen. As I listened to the speakers explain the politics of several of the organizations mobilizing the peace protests. They outlined ANSWER’S positions and strategies. I have little understanding of their local strategy. So I kept printing as they continued, knowing that even if I did not get a chance to speak that my actions spoke as loud as my words.

At the end, when I had printed quite a pile of patches, John, the host, invited me to make a statement to the group.

I explained how the Municipal laws and Federal laws clash on the rights of activists and artists (citizens) leaving the actual rights of citizens to sell their political, artistic and religious expressions (free speech) to be won by struggle or to be lost by default. I offered to teach anyone who wanted to take advantage of these “Free speech” locations to present their political views to a downtown Chicago audience using screen printing to attend our free Screen Print Workshop for Artists at 1630 W. Wilson Avenue most Sunday afternoons from 3-6pm. 773/561-7676.

I concluded by inviting those present to consider encouraging young artists or dedicated activists to attend our workshop. I suggested they should consider developing a fund-raising promotion campaign using these six excellent sites set-up by the city council as “Free Speech” corners. I acknowledged that people should not have to have a peddlers license to access speech rights but claimed that until we used and proved the opportunities provided by the city to be inadequate, we could not press the courts to extend speech rights (see court cases lost by city and the court’s definition of “ample alternative”). I know that volunteer organizations like this have little extra manpower to accomplish efforts but I am looking to find persons one at a time to help create a positive scene at these six locations. Everywhere I go I intend to print a design and report to you, my blog participants.

P.S. This blog is being spammed badly and to communicate with me your comments please email me at cdrew@c-drew.com with “free the artists” in the subject line.

This blog has not changed in 6 months because the format is not correct. Change is needed and here it is!

This blog will combine photos from my garden along with photos of the patches I print mixed in with the experiences of printing in public. Into all this I will weave my views on the First Amendment and artists’ rights in Chicago and select surrounding communities. For all other places in this nation - if the shoe fits - wear it!

Last night I printed in Evanston on the street at the corners of Church and Sherman. There were few “One Nation Under Surveillance” patches left so I carried that screen on the way to visit a client I teach computer basics to. After the session around 8:30pm on the way home I stopped to print for about one hour.

This quick hit and roll-on along already traveled routes is one way I hope to increase my visibility. I did not even have my plywood printing board with me. Instead, I used a manila file folder stuffed with papers as my printing surface.

No one bothered me or bothered to stop and talk. Many looked. I did not attempt to engage the public. My focus was in printing in public. Many people passed and I am sure they saw me. That is ok because as I become familiar to them people will talk.

The garden is my symbol for growth and renewal. I go to it to gain inspiration and relaxation. This blog will need me to work at presenting my photography as well as my screen printing. The adventures of printing in public will provide the story while the issues of free speech and the act of speaking out will supply substance. I hope those who tune in will find this true.

C. Drew

First the Essay - then the photo evidence.

Who Wastes Taxpayer Money?

Who is responsible for the waste of taxpayers’ money on October 28th, 2006 when hundreds of riot police were mobilized in the Loop for an anti-war protest that was not planned? Tony C. Yang reported for the Chicago Tribune on Sunday, 10/29, that spokesperson for the police, Monique Bond, suggested the protesters should be billed for the mobilization because they stood the police up.

The facts are that the city’s police department never issued a permit for the march to the peace group, Illinois Anti-War Coalition. The police repeatedly ignored their phone calls and faxes about the requested permit forcing the group to adopt and very publicly promote alternative tactics that did not require a permit. The police, who monitor anti-war groups, must have been aware of the group’s very public change of plans. What was their intention in mobilizing for a march that they never gave a permit for and which was never publicly promoted?

First and foremost, in the years of peace marches in Chicago since the war began, there has never been a violent incident that requires the huge police presence this city employs at peace protests. Never! At every one of these protests taxpayers’ money was wasted.

Actions speak louder than words. The reason the city mobilizes so many police at peace marches is seen easily by watching how those police have been employed. They march on all sides of the protesters to isolate the protesters and to discourage any interaction between the protesters and other citizens on the streets. It is obvious that they are employed as a force to intimidate and discourage the free speech of those speaking out against the war and any interaction with those outside the march who might be sympathetic to the marchers’ message.

Who is ordering this waste of taxpayer money? Is it the Mayor? Does the city council rubberstamp this waste? Why has the media not investigated or even commented on this abuse of protesters free speech rights by this over use of police force? Did the police plan to arrest those who marched without a permit on October 28, 2006 and then because no-one showed up - to charge them with the bill? Are we to laugh or cry? Who, indeed, is responsible for this joke of democracy? What politician will speak-up against it?

Police plan their strategy to contain protesters at October 5, 2006 anti-war protest led by another group. The photos from this action illustrate the waste of taxpayer money by police in Chicago.

Protesters begin to march. Notice my setup for peace patch give-away and sales. Earlier a park board security officer pulled up in an official vehicle and tried to convince me I was breaking the law by selling on park property. I laughed and told him I was not on park property. I told him to go find a real cop. He left acting like he was calling in on me. I laughed. The neighborhood was crawling with police. They had paddy wagons parked across the street. They had dozens of Cook County Sheriff buses parked along the street. They left me alone.

This was not the biggest protest rally but it was about 2-3 thousand people peacefully walking to the Federal building in a straight line. This not what march organizers wanted but is was all the police would allow. Organizers had hope to snake around the Loop marching up Michigan Avenue and then back down to Federal Plaza. As the war grows longer - the routes police allow to protesters grow shorter.

Dozens of Cook County Sheriff’s Buses that imported police for this event are parked along streets near the march route. I am left behind to pack up my patches and t-shirts before rolling to catch up with the slow moving march ahead of me on Jackson Street.

The police were ready to arrest everybody they could grab and they wanted to be sure everyone from bystanders to protester knew free speech is a risky business in Chicago. I passed two blocks of paddy wagons before catching up to the march. Because the police would only let protesters march in a straight line from Grant Park to the Federal Plaza, marchers moved very slowly to maximize their visibility to Loop visitors.

Police cars block off the tail end of the march while helmited officers line the route walks separating pedestrians on the street from the marchers.

Police on horse back add drama. They rode along the route before the marchers and their horse shit on the route leaving mounds of dung for marchers to step carefully around. This was a well paid outing for these happy campers.

A back line of police keep the marchers from straying or straggling. Behind them are the paddy wagons.

I have been able to catch up and walk ahead of the marchers as they approach Federal Plaza. This march has been very limited by the dictates of the Chicago Police. They are surrounding the Plaza awaiting the marchers.

Slow step by slow step the marchers advance. The police protect them from many contact with the rest of the city’s population.

Marchers pore into Federal Plaza.

Protesters take over Federal Plaza for a few hours surrounded by police.

Police crowd around the plaza with little to do as the protesters listen to speeches and enjoy a time of togetherness. Why does a peace march require this costly out pouring of police manpower? Who authorizes this waste?

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Where Have I been lately? Whew - but it is going on. I’ve been busy helping to build a monster! The T-shirt Art Harvest Festival is about to explode into an art grinder outer! Hah - I see it now - an art cycler - an art machine - supported by youth who give a damn and want to speak out. It can be wild for the very tame but hilarious to the real visual food freaks - the natural visual appetites around Chi-town.

Boom - the Art of the T-shirt Harvest Festival. There are 16 bands playing for free. The T-shirt Art Harvest Festival is an art free for all. The artists are free to exhibit and sell their work out side. The weather is forecasted to clear sunny but cool in the 50’s. With a sun - 50 is not bad weather. This is Chicago so I have to think positive real hard. The weather is able to surprise everyone - and soon.

Here are the details of the “T-shirt Art Harvest Festival.”

Http://www.art-teez.org/events.htm

Enjoy. I was working on a piece that describes information about Peddler’s licenses and the Speech Permits as background to Artist’s First Amendment rights. I had another piece on . . .