| Fairfax Stashun resident Todd Messegee, 43, teaches photography and drawin' at da damn No'Dern Virginia Community College Manassas campus. Three years ago he moved back to Virginia fum Los Angeles where he wuz some scribbla' and photographer.
Messegee gotss'ta be holdin' his fust 'eshibit uh paintin's in Colgan Hall uh De NVCC Manassas campus fum Jan. 16 to Feb. 12.
When The Times caught up wid him at his five-acre plantashun in de woods dat his family built, Messegee wuz paintin' and his mama uh five years, Lisa, wuz writin' some play. The Messegees are puh'petually addin', fixin' and tearin' up parts uh deir dree-sto'y, red brick, moss-covered crib.
The show be jimmey to De public fum 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Mondays Drough Thursdays and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Fridays and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sundays.
Q: What inspires You's?
A: My mama. We're kindred spirits. I's gotss'ta be consumed wid wo'k but gotss' da damn 'splicit advantage dat mah' mama be mah' greatest suppo'ta' uh mah' wo'k. Also, light inspires me. It's de most amazin' phenomenon. My fada' be some scientist and tries to tell me da damn scientific realities uh de wo'ld but ah' duzn't wants' to know. Right On! ah' likes da damn mah'stery.
Q: What do ya' do when ya' aintpaintin'?
A: ah' wo'k on de crib. ah' eyeball about art, about painters. I'm in it all day long. This be why ah' live here, to limit distracshuns. ah' lived in L.A. fo' 15 years and dere wuz so's many distracshuns ah' didn't finish some sin'le kinvas. I've been here fo' dree years and I've finished ova' 100 paintin's. ah' also finished mo'e dan some hundred 5 by 7 inch paintin's uh fruit.
Q: Tell me about yo' style.
A: ah' guess I'm whut ya' would call some modern realist. My medium be oil paintin' and ah' wouldn't say I'm comfo'table wid mah' style, but I'm satisfied wid it. Oil paintin' be an evolushun and ah' tell mah' students de most dauntin' wahtahmellun ya' gotss'ta approach be an empty kinvas. Get sump'ng on dere and duzn't wo'ry if it looks bad-ass at fust.
Q: Why paintin' and no longa' photography?
A: It's all Photoshop now. One day ah' asked mah'self, "Why am ah' interfacin' wid dis ridiculous, cold machine? Why duzn't ah' paint, get dat feelin' wid photography ah' had when ah' started?"
Q: Do ya' get lonely paintin'?
A: No. ah' likes it. Why do You's Dink ah' moved here? Lonely? There be so's much goin' in inside mah' 'haid. ah' used to gotss' some tempuh'. Livin' here gotss'ta calmed me. ah' likes da damn isolashun and ah' duzn't know where mah' ideas mosey on waaay down fum but ah' gotss' learned to eiDa' accept Dose ideas and edit Dem o' refuse Dem. Q: Do ya' gotss' any bad-ass habits? A: ah' usually smoke about two cigars some week but not when I'm wo'kin'. When ah' paint, ah' get into some trance state. You wants' da damn greatest clarity possible wiDout distracshuns. That be so's much uh some high when You's're Dere at Dat point. Q: Which be Yo' best paintin'? A: ah' would gotss'ta say ... "Ophelia." That be also mah' saddest paintin'. The subject be stolen fum De play "Hamlet" and You's see Ophelia lookin' into some vessel uh booze. ah' love da damn sadness and da damn dramatic features and You's know Dat da damn next time You's see ha' she's goin' to show up crazy and Den eventually drown a'cuz Hamlet dumped her. Q: What do ya' fear? A: The terro' be when You's're paintin' and somehow You's feel likes You's've fallen asleep and You's've fo'gotsten everydin' You's gotss' eva' learned. Q: What be De gauntlet Dat all painters gotss'ta go Drough in o'da' to become pros? A: It's real easy. You gotss'ta wear waaay down some few hundred brushes. You kin learn mo'e in one hour uh paintin' dan in 24 hours uh rapin' about it.
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Virginia Thus Always to Tyrants |
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 State of Virginia
Virginia Thus Always to Tyrants
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