Dave MacDowell and I are very good friends. Tonight I was working when I got a call from my buddy Dave. Every so often Dave will call me up late at night and we'll have deep introspective state of the union style conversations, about whats going on in the Art world. Tonight we talked briefly about the year "2012" and it's significance to society, culture, and what our own personal lives have in store for 2012. We both are very optimistic about our plans for 2012, and you can even look forward to some secret projects from Dave and I.

This is a special Urban-Muse feature, as I will break into first person instead of the usual third person narrative voice. It will also deal with some personal issues that are intertwined with Urban-Muse, and will sound like a journal a little bit. (Towards the end)

So back to mine and Dave's phone call... What do we talk about it?

For a long time we have been talking about Daves iconic juxtaposition of pop culture and high painting technique, and to start of 2012 with a bang Dave did not dissapoint.

For the first paintings of 2012 he chose "Go Go Yubari" and "Sid Vicious" as his subjects. But he decided to reimagine them in the style of the great late master impressionist Vincent Van Gogh.

What Follows is a chronicle of the process of creating these now iconic pieces.

In order to truly understand Vincent Van Gogh and his paintings, Dave spent many weeks researching, sketching, printing out references and reading about Vincent Van Gogh. What came out is what we truly believe is an inspired feat, arguably his best work yet. And if this is any indication of Dave's future output then Dave is in for a very good year indeed.

This ties into a grand editorial scheme I have for this piece relating to the State of Urban-Muse.com, The Year 2012, MacDowell Studios, Upcoming shows, and other important stuff. It's for all intents and purposes the "The Urban-Muse State of the Union - 2012."

"Van Gogh Gogh Yubari"

"Go Go VanGogh" by Dave MacDowell - 16x20 Acryiic on Canvas

Availible at:

Affordable Art Fair - Thinkspace Booth - Los Angeles CA Jan 18-22 - 2012

http://www.affordableartfair.us/

http://thinkspacegallery.com/

While Dave was working on these pieces we asked him what his mental state was, if he felt himself gradually becoming unhinged like dear old Vincent. Dave said he love's Van Gogh, but overall he really did not like his style, he just "dabs dabs dabs in a impressionistic mess," he also mentioned that generally Van Gogh's imagery tended to be a little boring. So overall he likes the artist, but not so much the technique.

We expect to see Dave continue to explore his celebrity dynamic, but this Sid Vicious and Go Go Yubari are a early favorite for best paintings of 2012. But of course we're biased....

"Sid Vicious Van Gogh"

"About Face: A Portrait Show" - WWA Gallery - Los Angeles CA, Friday, January 13 8-11 PM Through Feb 11 - 2012

http://www.wwagallery.com/upcoming.html

Now how does this relate to Urban-Muse? 2012? "The State of the Union" and "The Dawn of a new Age'?

2012 is going to be another year of growth and change for Urban-Muse. Now coming into it's 4th year of existence. The website, the commerce storefront, our shows, our artists, heavy viral, street, and print adverstising campaigns, and our usually monthly features on Urban-Muse.com have propelled us to one of the foremost leaders in New Contemporary Art. We have walked in the greatest galleries in the world and every one them was already familiar with Urban-Muse and our work. Starting Urban-Muse has been a struggle, I'm not going to lie. It's been alot of hardwork and time starting 3 companies before the Age of 27. Urban-Muse currently is operating low-key, we are proud to be profitable, and have hundreds of thousands of dollars of Merchandise, work, and value for the company. But our monthly sales are largely supported by our "Make Art. Paint Things. Be Awesome" campaign on Stickers, T-Shirts, and Hoodies. And of course actual original work as well. But honestly Urban-Muse survives as A T-Shirt Label. And we plan on exploring this more by bringing in several new designs this year, the option for custom limited edition runs for our artists. (We print them and sell them directly to you), and other graphic designers. We also are going to be involved in several low key to high key shows throughout the year, and throughout the country, the dates are not finalized yet so we'll keep it top secret for now.

So what does this mean for Urban-Muse? Urban-Muse is profitable and can comfortable survive as a indie fashion label, and art news blog, website, and Social Networking hub.

At our current profitability growth is going to be a very slow and gradual process. Unless we are able to highly monetize our product, our art, prints, and tees. Are able to pull in advertising revenue via Doubleclick etc. Able to snag commisions/partnerships/licensing deals, sales from shows etc, sales from the store etc.

Ideally Urban-Muse needs a sugardaddy, some wealthy philanthropist who has a deep love of art and will love and support the company until his dying day...Who who is that person? Where? Where is that man!?

...

I have decided that I need to become that person. In order for my company to grow, thrive, and survive. I need to become the man I've always wanted to be. I intend to start a successful corporation that will allow me enough funds to run Urban-Muse as a Labor of love until my dying day.

If someone were to offer me $10,000,000 USD for the outright purchase of Urban-Muse and all intellectual property associated with it, I would decline. I would of course have to give it serious consideration. But for me Urban-Muse is part of me, like an appendage. Just as Steve Jobs Was tied to Apple Computer and Pixar Animation co, I too am attached at the hip to Urban-Muse and what will become my first corporation...

In addition to Owning/Operating Urban-Muse I am going to be starting some new Graphic Design Jobs in Silicon Valley, so that will allow me to be creative, and use my business expertise to it's maximum potential, while hopefully enjoying myself and not getting too burned out. This is a respectable life and one that many artists strive for and are proud of if they achieve.

But I feel for me there is more. I started my first business when I was 14. Most of the money I have made, has been from my own efforts. I am a self made man. But I think there is more for me. I have Education, Experience, and Expertise in Business Advertising, Motion Picture Film Directing, and Fine Art/Curating/Writing. I also am a serious techie.

My first official company was Atomica Undead Clothing Co., and my second company was Urban-Muse.com. Now I am about to embark on a scary new path, that I feel I have been taking my entire life.

A history of Curt Anderson's Companies:

Atomica Undead Clothing Company:

AtomicaUndead.com (Now Defunct/Part of Urban-Muse)

My First Sole Proprietorship Small Business. (2005-2007)

My Second Company

Urban-Muse.com

(2007-Current)

My First Corporation ..... ????????

??????

So what is this new company going to be?

Like my heroes before me like Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg, Steve Jobs, and Sean Fanning/Parker(Napster/Facebook).

I am going to start my own High Tech company in the heart of Silicon Valley. In addition to developing revolutionary new software applications, We will be manufacturing ultra high end HPC personal Supercomputers. The Company will be called "Sybil Supercomputer Incorporated." 

You will be hearing alot about this company soon...

Urban-Muse is a sole proprietorship, which is common, but very risky because it puts my personal financial assets at risk if Urban-Muse struggles. For instance if Urban-Muse didn't make enough to cover its bills, I have to bail it out of my personal account. Not a huge problem, but it's something.

Sybil Supercomputer will be a corporation, which is important because it will require a CEO, CIO, CFO, Board of Directors, Analysts, Software Developers, Engineers, and Computer Scientists, with the goal of releasing highly influential and revolutionary profitable products to the market. (Sound familar? It should)

So what about Urban-Muse?

I WILL BE SELLING URBAN-MUSE.COM to SYBIL SUPERCOMPUTER INC. for the price of $1.

Things will remain the same, nothing will change, we will still be making art painting things and being awesome, the store isnt going anywhere, and Urban-Muse will be around forever. Atleast until I die.

Urban-Muse will become the creative development arm of Sybil Supercomputer Inc. Sybil Supercomputer will have controlling stake in the company. (Me, still me).

As a corporation I will be able to appoint myself CEO, so that will be a pretty big milestone for me. CEO before your 30 is a big deal, now I just have to make it generate revenue so it means something.

As a corporation we will seek Stockholders private and possibly even someday public trading. My current job is to seek venture capital and start building my dream team to change the world, while developing, perfecting, and refining my prototype.

Exciting times. It's a wonderful time to be alive.....

Supercomputing...and the Cloud...2012 and Beyond....

The Personal Supercomputer market is very niche, and caters to researchers, scientists, mathematicians, insane gamers, high end animators, filmmakers, musicians, artists, and anyone who is serious about home supercomputing and very high performance.

The competition is about 4 small personal supercomputer manufacturers, not so much Dell/Alienware at the Low End, and Cray Super Computer at the ultra high end. My company will seek to fill the proverbial computing void, "The Missing Middle". I feel the supercomputer industry is poised for an enormous eruption that will forever change the world forever (for the better).

I believe this is a Untapped potentially Billion Dollar Industry that will continue to drive innovation and development in Silicon Valley and beyond.

In addition to manufacturing Personal Supercomputers at sub $10,000 price ranges, Sybil Supercomputer is developing a revolutionary new piece of software. That we feel will change the world forever. We've created something....Something truly Spectactular.... And we can't wait to share it with you...

- Curt Anderson

Founder/Owner

Urban-Muse.com

Founder/CEO

Sybil Supercomputer

email me here: curt at urban-muse.com

MAKE ART. PAINT THINGS. BE AWESOME.