Jeremy Sims
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Graphite, ink, coffee, blueberries and beer on paper
2012
The image was inspired by songwriter and historian Maria "Masha Scream" Arhipova of the medieval metal band Arkona, which hails from Russia and will actually be performing in Baltimore in the near future at Sonar. Maria earned my respect because of her pairing of projected, eloquent singing with guttural growling, which sound focused, deliberate and to me, beautiful. As an artist, part of what inspires me is the thought that behaving well doesn't make a lasting impact. Well behaved artists don't make history.
I drew Maria playing a a traditional deer or cowhide stretched drum on a field of wheat above a cliff with waves in front of a nuclear explosion for impact. The drawing itself is made with graphite, ink, coffee, blueberries and beer as well, both for informal reasons (I drink quite a bit of coffee and beer has traditionally been a political luxury) and to get unique colors while keeping relatively environmentally safe. I respond to adrenaline with epic imagery and it's probably not a perfect metaphor but a good chunk of what made Chagall's images engaging was the steps that took him from A to B symbolically.