Boxing Break: Treyvon Martin and Mike Tyson - The Courage to Speak-Out Against Racism

Former heavyweight champion of the world, and the first man to ever proclaim to be the 'baddest man on the planet,' Mike Tyson, hasn’t fought inside the ropes since June of 2005, when a “Tomato Can” named Kevin McBride literally pushed him over during the end of the sixth round.

The Iron in Tyson, by then, was clearly rusted, and at that point in his long and storied career, the “has been” had been, and he simply ran out of gas.

Tyson—in this, his very last fight—was fighting on his name recognition alone, and he merely rolled over, attempted to get up, staggered to his stool, and quit. He was defeated, not by anything McBride had done, but by his own oxygen-starved body, which is a sad and pathetic by-product of being past one's prime, having diminished skills, and lacking the proper training and conditioning.

Still, these old and courageous pugilists fight on. Like war-wounded soldiers from some distant and ancient battlefield. Or jilted lovers who have long-ago worn out their welcome but hold out hope for one more last chance to get back in the good graces of their women.

A top prizefighter with name recognition, and specifically the money in which it brings, is insanely convinced he can still compete, and he pushes forward, even after the sport and the fans have long since divorced him. Most times his name will remain famous but his legacy will have diminished considerably. 

Sometimes, however, having world-wide name recognition—and having a voice which is instantly recognizable—can be an incredibly useful tool. It can make an immediate impact around the world in a matter of seconds.

For a great example, which demonstrates my point that Tyson’s “name brand” power is still very-much alive and well—albeit in a not-so glamorous way—we need look no further than his latest news-making interviews.

Nowadays, Tyson claims that he is broke. But he is still able to draw a crowd and a controversy, and still earn a living, sometimes just by making an appearance or a statement. No longer using his fists to make a statement, Tyson's voice is a tool which can be used to help others

Last month, Tyson gave an interview to yahoo.com while rehearsing for his Vegas tell-all "The Undisputed Truth: Live on Stage."

Tyson, now 45, overweight, and out of shape, is no-longer as intimidating and threatening as he once was ..but he still speaks his mind. And for a man of his notoriety, choosing to speak out honestly on a subject that most of us non-celebs would rather shy away from, racism, is, in my opinion, an honorable feat.

Tyson was asked by the interviewer: "As a black kid who grew up in Brooklyn, who was beat up, and then moved to the Catskills, and has had to deal with racial issues, what are your thoughts about the Trayvon Martin case? "

MT: "My personal feeling is that, as a young kid that was beat on by a bully, the guy [Zimmerman] stalked him and didn't follow instructions from a superior officer. But my all-around perspective, I wasn't there. I don't know what happened. Even though this is the best country in the world, certain laws in this country are a disgrace to a nation of savages. It's a majority versus a minority. That's the way God planned it. He didn't want to do something about it, He wanted us to do something about it. We have to continue tweeting, we have to continue marching, we have to continue fighting for Trayvon Martin. If that's not the case, he was killed in vain, and we're just waiting for it to happen to our children. It's a disgrace that man hasn't been dragged out of his house and tied to a car and taken away. Forget about him being arrested—the fact that he hasn't been shot yet is a disgrace. That's how I feel personally about it."

*Thank you Mr. Tyson, for having a voice in this case. And most of all, unlike most celebrities, for having the guts to express your personal feelings honestly without any worry of ill-repercussions. That, my Friend, is a rare quality these days. And I commend you for it.

" Absolute truth is a very rare and dangerous commodity in the context of professional journalism."
-Hunter S. Thompson

Stay Tuned. 

"FOMO" - Art Style

In case you were wondering... Women's Health Magazine is the only non-art related publication I subscribe to, simply because, by the end of the day, I've worked so hard and been so immersed in my art that I need something light and inconsequential to help me wind down. However, an article in the latest issue (June 2012, pp. 106-108) really caught my attention. The article was titled, "Are You a Slave to FOMO?" It's not considered an actual disorder, but FOMO ("Fear of Missing Out") is, according to Huffington Post's Annie Stamell, "an epidemic sweeping our nation".  In the article, one psychologist states, "FOMO happens when we invalidate the experience we're having because we're obsessed with the ones we're not having." This often triggers a great deal of self-induced stress, guilt, envy, or insecurity. Not only does FOMO invalidate your experiences, it causes you to want to "inflate" the experiences you are having so that others will envy you. For instance, you might tweet, "Sand between my toes, a good book, and a cold drink. This is paradise!" when really you are sitting in your backyard sipping a coke, doing your taxes, and slapping mosquitos away. Okay, that might be a silly example, but I think you get the drift.

Why do I bring this up? Because my little art-wired brain recognizes FOMO as something I'm seeing far and wide in the art world, particularly because of Facebook and other social media. I've experienced it myself. I'm suddenly remembering all those hours I spent in college framing and finishing last-minute pieces for my senior art show... my friends were all out partying, and I was experiencing FOMO. Or, when many of my art friends attended a certain art event its first year running... and then the second year, and the third year... without me... I experienced FOMO. It made me feel like I wasn't good enough, and that no matter what I was doing here at home, it would never be as great or as exciting. Or even this past weekend, at the Portrait Society of America conference, I conked out at 11 every night and missed out on the late-night festivities and conversations. Uh, hello... FOMO. As I continued believing I wasn't one of the "cool kids," self-doubt set in, among other unhealthy emotions.

Quite honestly, this is ridiculous. As artists, we should be accustomed to long hours alone in the studio, where nothing matters but creating excellent work. Yet we can't peel our eyes off of what the rest of the world is doing, and consequently, waste valuable hours of our lives in envy and regret.

Here is my solution to dealing with FOMO in the art world.

1) Limit your time on Facebook. Post when you have something relevant to say, or a new painting to show, etc, but don't spend hours stalking your art friends and envying what they are doing. I also have a policy that when I start feeling envy set in, I will think about why that person is really great and deserves the wonderful things that are happening in their lives. Then I write an encouraging comment (i.e., "Amazing work!" or "So glad you got to experience that!"), to validate their experience.

2) Whatever your reason is for missing out on something, OWN IT. For example, when I missed out on all the parties before college graduation because I was framing art and finishing paintings, I was happy to say that I never suffered from a hangover, AND that all the hard work paid off. I sold many of the pieces at my show! Even if you can't attend a workshop or conference, or go to lunch with a famous artist, or travel to Europe every year to paint... don't worry about it. Do the best you can with the circumstances you are in and make the very most of that time. Your work (and your happiness) will improve exponentially.

3) Enjoy each stage of your career, while applauding the successes of others. This is a tough one for me, because my tendency is to always look ahead, while missing out on the present. Being an artist IS about the journey, not about how many publications you get in or how big your studio is or whether or not you become famous. It's the journey.

That being said, I would like to applaud all of the incredible artists who were finalists in this year's International Portrait Competition held by the Portrait Society of America. I would also like to praise the efforts of the 15 Face-Off artists at the conference in Philadelphia, and everyone who gave of their time and energy to help with this event. Samuel Adoquei said, "The best artists are givers." That is what I saw at this event - knowledge and talent being poured out by artists so that others could learn from their successes and mistakes. Hopefully as we are inspired by others (and not hampered by FOMO), we will take what we can use for our own personal journeys and simply leave the rest. We've got painting to do!

Rose Frantzen and Mary Whyte at the 2012 "Art of the Portrait" Face-Off

Heading out to Philly!

I have over half a dozen commissioned works in progress sitting around my studio - I'd love to post pictures of them, but most are "surprise" gifts that are going to be presented for birthdays, anniversaries, etc. So... to be safe, I'd better not post those! :-)

Life is good right now - I am back to painting, VERY carefully, of course. All the pins are now out of my finger, and at least for the next two weeks I'll continue to wear a splint before starting physical therapy. But, it's nice to not have to worry about those tiny metal pins catching on things...

I'm actually headed out early tomorrow morning to Philadelphia for the Portrait Society of America's annual "Art of the Portrait" conference. This is my fourth year attending, and my first year as a state ambassador. I'll be   volunteering throughout the course of the weekend, but in my spare time, I'm very excited to visit with other artists, including my former painting professor, Sam Knecht, and some recent Hillsdale graduates who--like me--majored in art. On a side note... I hope that someday I'll be able to provide a scholarship for promising Hillsdale art majors who want to travel abroad. When I got the opportunity to study in Florence back in 2006, thanks to some generous scholarship donors, it really changed my life and my art.

This weekend in Philadelphia will hopefully be just as impactful. It's always an amazing and humbling experience for me, where I get to learn from the best of the best.

I will post more about the conference as it's underway. Until then, here is what I worked on today... sometimes I need a break from commission work! And... it's probably about time that I finish this one! I've invested hours in the bookshelf. Well, it's getting very close... :-) I still have some more work to do on the arms, legs and hands, as well as detail work in the rug, many of the books, and the bust of David. Actually, I'm thinking about getting rid of David. He's a little distracting. I could glaze him down so that he's darker or more in shadow. What do you think? Opinions welcome!

"The Letter" (in progress) - 54 x 36" - oil on linen

UFC Classic Fights: Matt The-Terror Serra: "Ray Longo taught me to throw those Bombs!"

There's a familiar line in an old country-music-classic from the 90's called 'The Dance' that asks the listener,"For a moment wasn't I the king?"

For UFC welterweight cagefighter Matthew John Serra, also known as Matt 'The Terror' Serra, that dance, and that moment, came to it's fruition in the spring of 2007, at UFC 69.

That is when, in Houston, Texas, the 37-year-old, East Meadow, New Yorker became only the second man to ever defeat the mighty Georges St.Pierre—pummeling the former 170-pound mainstay into the canvas and becoming the new UFC Welterweight Champion.

That's not the important or most historic part of this narrative however, it was Serra's Modus operandi, and method of execution which stands out in the minds of most fans.

It is a classic Blitzkrieg style attack, and the stuff that unforgettable-fights are made of.

While recently perusing You Tube for some historic fight footage I ran across the actual video of the fight. And, like fine wine, it seems to only get better with age. 

St. Pierre may have been expecting Serra, who's a brilliant ground specialist and Gracie-trained-black belt in ju jujitsu to take him to the ground. ..But if he was, then he was sadly mistaken. 

Serra clearly had only one thing in mind on that night, which was to take St. Pierre's head off. And with Joe Frazier-type right and left-hooks to the French-Canadian's cranium, he nearly did just that. 

Serra hasn't fought since the autumn of 2010 at UFC 119 -- a loss to Chris Lytle -- but now a successful business man who runs his own training center, and with a growing family at home, it's no wonder.

It isn't clear, at the present time, whether The Terror will ever-again return to the UFC Octagon. 

I sent Serra a tweet via twitter.com, and not expecting a reply, I was surprised.

Serra was quick to give credit, not to himself, but to those around him. The-Terror seemed eternally grateful to his incredible team, Ray Longo, and Renzo Gracie. That's a sign of genuine humility. The sign of a great Champion.

"But if I'd only known how the king would fall

Hey who's to say you know I might have changed it all
And now I'm glad I didn't know
The way it all would end, the way it all would go
Our lives are better left to chance I could have missed the pain
But I'd of had to miss the dance."~GB

Frankenfinger No More!

A month and a half after my bizarre injury - following two surgeries, two casts, and a whole lot of prayer - I am finally seeing a light at the end of the tunnel! Today the doctor took out two of the pins that were holding everything together; there is still one going through the two bones, making it impossible for me to bend that last joint on the finger. And I will be wearing a splint still for at least the next three weeks. Don't look at these pictures if you are easily grossed out... but if you're curious, here it is, before the two side pins were removed.

The GREAT news is that I am now back to painting comfortably... in fact, yesterday I finished a painting I had been working on off and on at the Society of Figurative Arts - a fun and unusual pose with a nude model. Granted, it took a lot longer than usual, but I don't think my work has suffered from the time off. :-) If anything, I'm stronger and more determined than ever.

"Bone Necklace" - 18x14" - oil on linen panel

Additionally, taking time off from painting was good for me in that I was able to give 100% to some of my volunteer activities, particularly, my job as Texas ambassador for the Portrait Society of America. Last Saturday (May 5), with the help of SoFA's Michael Mentler, I was able to host a get-together and demo for Texas portrait painters, featuring the wonderful Kay Polk as our demo artist. We had a great turnout and the event was very well received. Given that event planning is not my forte, I thought it went very well. Here is a panoramic photo from during the demo, and a group shot, from the event.

I am back to painting and working up a storm - keeping busy with portrait commissions, but also planning a brand new large-scale figurative piece. I'm very excited about it... but you'll have to wait a few more weeks before I reveal it to you. :-)

UFC Prediction: Jon Jones Vs. Dan Henderson

UFC President Dana White officially confirmed last night—via Twitter—that the man who holds the crown and seems unbeatable at 205 pounds, Champion Jon 'Bones' Jones, will indeed, be tested next by the aging, mixed-martial-arts pioneer, Dan Henderson.

The fight, Jones's first title-defense in Las Vegas, will be held on September 1, 2012, in the main event of UFC 151.

Born Jonathan Dwight Jones on July 19, 1987, this cagefighter known as ' Bones,' at just 24-years-old, is now a virtually-undefeated human-wrecking-ball.

I used the words 'virtually undefeated' for a reason. The only 'chink' in the seemingly-impenetrable-armor of the young gladiator being a 2009 disqualification loss to Matt Hamill. Other than that, Jones's rise to the UFC light-heavyweight summit has been nothing short of immaculate.

Personally speaking, as a writer who was around during that time period, I have compared Jones to a young Muhammad Ali. Especially after his demolition style victories over former title-holders such as Mauricio Shogun Rua, Quinton Jackson, Lyoto Machida and most recently, Rashad Evans.

At  41-years-old, Henderson (29-8) deserves a ton of respect for his accomplishments over the years.

However, the once decorated-collegiate-wrestler, nowadays, is a mostly one-dimensional fighter. One who has not yet held a UFC title belt. It seems that "Hendo," although successful in recent years, has basically been a one-trick-pony of late.

A wrestler by trade, Henderson, as strange as it seems, chooses most-times to only use his highly-broadcasted, yet fully-loaded, right-hand-bomb, and nothing else.

 The old adage: 'If it ain't broke don't fix it,?' comes to mind.

Also, depending on who you ask, Henderson's previous wins, over a highly-overrated minor-league Russian Sambo-King named  Fedor Emelianenko—along with other victories, most of which took place years-ago in Japan, are nowhere near as relevant today as they were back then. 

Henderson, who has also recently admitted to steroid-usage, has last fought at UFC 139, struggling against a fighter whom Jones had little trouble with, 'Shogun' Rua.

You see where I'm headed here. Don't go out and bet the farm on the H-Bomb. As it may just become a 'dud' or an obsolete-weapon in Henderson's next war. Stay Tuned.  

 -- "A rooster crows only when it sees the light. Put him in the dark and he'll never crow. I have seen the light and I'm crowing." Muhammad Ali

MMA: Tomato Cans: James Thompson Vs. Bobby Lashley and Kimbo Slice

With a fight record of 18 wins 14 losses and a 'no-contest,' it's a fact that British bruiser, and heavyweight cagefighter, James 'The Colossal' Thompson, now has nearly as many losses as he does victories.

So after looking at his record, one might deduce from those numbers that Thompson—in terms of edge-of-your-seat drama, is not exactly a fan-friendly guy, or a particularly interesting fighter to watch.. right?

Wrong ! Because, in terms of crowd-thrilling performances, 'The Colossus,' whether winning or losing, can very much indeed—deliver the goods.

In fact, it's Thompson's full-throttle attack from the opening bell—along with his total disregard for his defense, or any grave-bodily-harm—which pleases us hardcore fight-fans the most. And that's clearly one of Thompson's best attributes.

If you don't necessarily believe what I'm offering you here, just check out his epic 2008 war with Kimbo Slice—posted below.

It's an all-time classic; complete with a dramatic edge-of-your-seat ending thanks to Thompson's exploding-cauliflower-ear.

The distorted and mangled ear is one those occupational hazards that serves as a fighter's badge of honor.

To borrow a line from a popular English songwriter, Thompson 'wears his war-wound like a crown.'

Now fighting for the Super Fight League, Thompson, who's a real-life 'madman across the water,' was at it again this past weekend.

The-Colossus appeared as a headliner in the main-event along with former-pro-wrestler—and Brock Lesnar wannabe, Bobby Lashley.

And, lo and behold, Thompson, who has now strung together four fights without a single loss, emerged once again with a victory against Lashley—who now drops to 7-2.

The Lashley and Kimbo video's are posted below.

-- Follow me @cagestokerblog


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UFC NEWS: Jon Jones Not Concerned Vs. Big Game Hunter, Dan Henderson

Make no mistake, Dan Henderson is a notorious big-game Hunter.

With his linage being the 'Walla Walla' aka 'many waters' tribe of the northern United States, Henderson also has the bloodthirstiness necessary to finish his fights.

Never was this aforementioned fact more evident, than when he faced the brawling-British-cage-fighter Michael Bisping on July 11, 2009, at UFC 100. 

Bisping, not unlike a dumb but unsuspecting mule-deer or a stubborn big-horned sheep, had avoided being hit by stray bullets in the opening round. 

However, Bisping, after surviving the first round of action, failed to heed the words of his wise corner-man during the break.

As a result, the Wales native, known in fight circles as 'The Count,' foolhardily entered the second round against 'Hendo' with his chin placed squarely in the cross-hairs of Hendo's fully loaded—and most lethal weapon—overhand right..aka the 'H' Bomb.

We all know what happened next. And even though Bisping was already in dreamland from the first jolt to the jaw, Hendo, as if he was deep in the Forest, moving in on a wounded animal, then applied the final  coup-d-gras.

Suffice it to say that, as evidenced from his best wins so far, against an obviously severely overrated Fedor Emelianenko, and, of course, Bisping, it's quite clear that this UFC light heavyweight contender, Henderson, is nothing more than a 'one trick pony' so to speak. 

Nonetheless, Henderson has somehow survived in an era where well-rounded-ness is now taking precedence over the worn-out and obsolete skills of old. .

None of what I have written in the paragraphs above is 'News' to Henderson's next opponent.

The current UFC light-heavyweight champion Jon Jones can see Henderson and his highly broadcasted lethal H-Bomb coming from miles away. Thus, he will be more than ready for it, and likely have lots of time to duck and counter Henderson's one and only weapon with his own right-hand-bomb:

“No, I’m not worried about the ‘H-Bomb," said Jones on this week’s edition of MMA Uncensored.  

“I fought Ryan Bader. He had an amazing overhand right. I think he won The Ultimate Fighter with that overhand right. Rashad Evans ended up knocking out Chuck Liddell with his overhand right," said Jones confidently.

"Mauricio ‘Shogun’ Rua had an awesome overhand right. I’m just not worried about it. It’s a single technique that I've prepared for, extensively,”stated the champ." ’Hendo’ actually has a good left hook, as well, but I’m not worried about single strikes."

Jones speaks the truth. Neither Rua, Lyoto Machida, Rampage Jackson, or most recently, Rashad Evans, could so much as lay a glove on him.

“You know, I have this thing where I don’t like to rush. I definitely don’t want to ever lose a fight by getting caught by a wild punch,” explained Jones.  

“There was a scenario where, Eddie Alvarez*, I think that’s who it was, where he like body shotted this one guy, then he ran up to him to try and finish the fight, and the last thing the guy hit him with, his last shot, and it ended up knocking out Alvarez."

"I think that’s who it was. That haunted me. I would never want something like that to happen to me. So, what I do is, I take my time and realize that I have 25 minutes to methodically pick someone apart.”

Jones, at a mere 24 years of age, is fast becoming one of the greatest cagefighters on the planet.

There's no doubt whatsoever, in this writer's mind, who that someone Jones speaks of (above) will be.

My prediction here, however unpopular, is that Jones will prove to be far too tough of a game-animal for any of Henderson's high-caliber, yet single-shot weaponry.

Stay tuned.

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Artwork by Anna Rose by Anna Rose Bain