Zsebe Buzz: Our Town at the Actors' Gang

Rehearsals have begun for The Actors' Gang production of Our Town. Justin Zsebe makes his mainstage directorial debut with this classic gem and is bound to put his own special touches on this familiar story of life and living. Starring some of the best the Gang has to offer,Our Town is bound to touch your heart and also showcase what the Gang is known for the Commedia dell'Arte (Italian : "the comedy of art") style of theater. Opening night will be mid April I will keep you posted with any updates.

In other news my dear friend Lauren has updated www.zbimages.com with the rest of my portfolio please check it out and let me know what you think!

The sweedish fish stood no chance

Every now and again I get on a random doodling kick. In a way it helps to sort out what I am thinking about and just gives me a little art project to work on. Someone who was very dear to me once noticed he knew I was upset or thinking about something when I started doodling. Wordless things that should be said I guess. I know right now its because I haven't been painting. My time hasn't been spent as efficiently as it could be. I want to get refocused but am having a hard time getting it all together and rolling down the track. Nothing is driving me right now and that really bothers me. I hope to get a lot of work done in my stay in Paris. Its not like I don't have time here but it seems my days are filled with the gym and oil changes and grocery shopping besides the 9-5 or 9:30-6:30. Always struggling to find the balance that lets me do everything I want to do. In other news, I saw President Obama's speech last night. I am so glad he is in charge. Um I think that's it for now.

My cat made a stink face after smelling his own toes

This is pretty much what I have been up to. On valentines day I worked a trade show and then after went to MOCA and saw half of Sonic Youth which was weird for me because it reminds me of someone very dear to me from my past. I bought this level ring at the gift shop. Before the show we gathered at a friends and we pulled some guitars off the wall and were playing around. This in combination with the show made me get out my Fender and tune it up and so now the tips of my fingers on my left hand are a bit tender. I have been really trying to refocus on my art which has been taken off the back burner packed in tinfoil and shoved to the back of the fridge. Having fun with pen and ink. And well I just love swedish fish I ate my first two victems before I remembered to scan them. Read part of my diary it starts almost exactly 6 years ago. My life has changed so much so many people I consider good friends I was just meeting then. I didnt even have a computer yet. Although this beast I am typing on I got in July of that year….definately time for a new one. Anywho, I got my oil changed today and here is what I did while I was waiting.

Show me what I am working with

I have been occupied lately in attempting to gain some independence. Work being what it has been I have felt the push to move a bit closer to the edge of the nest. I have taken an ad out on www.theknot.com I am hopeful this will prove to be fruitful. In an attempt to make this endeavor more success full my dear friend Lauren has volunteered to revamp my website www.zbimages.com to make it more weddingey. I have to say it was tough to let go of the old one I had worked so hard on not to mention my other images... perhaps I need another website? I now have to print some postcards and once that is done I feel I am going to turn my attentions back to painting which has been neglected lately.

In other news I am going to Paris at the end of March to visit a friend. It will be 10 years since I was there last. My life has certainly changed since then. I got out of a bad situation that was extremely unhealthy and reinvented myself, or closer to the truth found myself. I can hardly believe I was that person but the experience has make me stronger although I will admit somewhat closed off. When I think about what has happened these past ten years....and what about the next. I think Paris will be the start of a new chapter for me.

2009 Putting ducks in their places

So its a new year. Somehow the elastic band that I was fighting has sprung me back into place. I feel relatively caught up on bills-enough for a Target shopping spree which included a new pillow, always a treat. I have been regularly working out and I did a small painting. These are all things that I work on daily. I still need to get some major painting done but ideas are still cooking. I hope this new year brings new opportunity. If I had a complaint about 2008 is that opportunities where just not happening no matter what I tried. I feel up to the challenge of working on some more this year. A job change would be great but in this economy it will be tough. Enough about me...
In about a week Obama will finally become our new President. I don't know how much more the world could be messed up for him but I feel if anyone is up to it he is. I truly wish the middle east and near east could get their shit together. As an atheist I can think of nothing more disgusting then people destroying each other in the name of fairy tales. This is one of the things that is "cooking" in my idea pot for new paintings.

From Visualizing to Actualizing

Lover, 8"x10", oil on canvas

I suppose every artist has a different method of working. I spend a lot of time thinking of paintings. So much so, that when I finally get around to painting, putting paint to canvas, the painting is already done in my mind. Right now I have about 5 different series tumbling around in my brain. It always feels good to get one out. One of the series I am working on revolves around The Actors' Gang theater. The theater is based off the style of the commedia dell'artes. I really like that they are doing something different yet very traditional there. This painting is part of a series I am doing on the commedia characters. Each character has a specific role to play and often are portrayed by the use of masks. This is one of the lovers.

Scrooge Must Die @ The Actors Gang raunchy holiday fun

The Actors' Gang in Culver City, California has gone and done it again. This time playwrite Angelia Berliner has adapted the cherished holiday favorite, Dickens' "A Christmas Carol" , and has turned it into a visually stunning, raunchy, hillarious, moving, rather offensive exploration of the original tale. Scott Harris as Scrooge is mesmerizing as he ranges from naive hardworking (uh loving?) young Scrooge to old bitter nasty foul mouthed old Scrooge. Jutin Zsebe also commands attention as Marley with stunning theatrics that remind us why live theater is so magical. Scrooge Must Die is out and out nasty Holiday fun and I highly encourage you to check it out.

"Scrooge is a nasty, bitter, selfish, racist, misanthropic pig and if there’s any lesson or moral value you think you’ll glean from this highly offensive piece of…theater, think again. Just get ready to bust a gut. And please, no kids." ~The Actors' Gang

For more info and tickets contact www.theactorsgang.com Note: there are late night shows on Friday and Saturday and Thursdays are pay what you can night for those effected by our current economy. A cultural night of theater? Uh yeah sure!