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Brew Colors

 The Onion A.V. Club

 June 6, 2007

 But will Santa wear a thong? 

 -Julie Garisto Tampa Bay Ttimes 7/7/06  

Christmas in July?  It’s a silly notion championed by heat-fatigued victims of summer. Art collective Bad Art for Bad People thought it would be a fun concept for its upcoming art event,” Christmas on the Island of Misfit Art.”

Not only is the theme whimsical and humorous, it’s romantic. The Christmas in July idea first came about on one of Bob and Betsy White’s first dates.

“He came over for dinner one night, and I pulled out every Christmas decoration I had,” Betsy Says. “ Had the whole place decorated, right down to the fire on the television. So when we were thinking about a theme for this summer’s show, I said, ‘Why don’t we do Christmas in July?’ He added the Island of Misfit Art instead of Island of Misfit Toys( featured in the famous Rankin-Bass animated show Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer).

The Bad Art honchos have enlisted big-name talent like Mark Mothersbaugh of Devo and Rugrats-theme fame and Jeff Gaither. Local stalwarts Oscar Beauchamp, Cat Thompson and Hugh T. Williams will be showing, along with dozens of other Tampa Bay and Florida artists.

Food and drinks will be available. Entertainers haven’t been announced- a surprise, the Whites say, and they assure us that though performers will be off the wall, they won’t be obtrusive to art viewing.

 The Power of Fusion

 -Julie Garisto TBT 7/7/06

Gallery openings can be as fun and inclusive as a dry office party thrown by people you don’t work for.

The stuffiness of traditional openings wore on Tampa artists Bob and Betsy White, the married couple who founded Bad Art for Bad People.

“We’re not art school graduates,” Bob says. “We weren’t trained that this is the proper way and you don’t go outside these bounds.”

In 2004, the couple, both in their mid 30’s, began presenting seasonal shows in unlikely venues with unlikely entertainment, drawing on their DIY, irreverent punk rock background for inspiration.

“We start out by finding a place and how many artists we need,” Bob says. “A lot of people in our shows are our friends. Even the big-name people we work with become friends. We maintain relationships, like with Stephen Blickenstaff, whose claim to fame is the Cramps album Bad Music for Bad People, where we got our name for the group. He’s out in Baltimore and doesn’t always come to the shows, but his artwork does.”

The Whites, who live in Hyde Park, have presented shindigs at a movie theater, an Ybor City bar and the Club Underground nightclub. They’ve thrown a Halloween costume party in August and have featured belly dancers, kung fu demonstrations and other miscellaneous spectacles. Punk rock bands have played and DJ’s have spun far-out techno.

The events have gone off well with rave reviews, but the couple still run into resistance and challenges.

          “I think there’s a lot of people in the art world- in the conventional art world- who are a little put off,” Bob says. “ They don’t respect us because we do these kind of antics.”

The Whites rely on artists to roll up their sleeves and do some work, but many opt not to help or send their work in on time. These artists typically fall by the wayside and don’t get asked to return.

A lot of time, thought and planning go into putting on the shows while they’re in progress, the Whites say.

“We’ve gone through this learning curve,” Bob says. “We’ve had the wrong type of live bands that were too loud and brought in the wrong crowd. It took us a couple of shows to learn how to mix the elements,”

Despite all the challenges and defeating moments, the Whites seem proud of what Bad Art for Bad People has accomplished.

Bob White says art lovers have been coming around too.

“When the momentum starts growing and we get bigger-name artists, then people start to perk up and say, ‘Maybe they are doing something right.’”

 Excerpt from South Tampa News- March 22, 2006 " The Prom Queens of Hip" 

by, Esther Hammer

... It was a mainly young, vibrant, excited-about-art crowd. The prom theme was evident in balloons and crepe paper decorations, and in the  tiaras and gowns sported by artists and some guests. But this did not restrict the eclectic art on the wall. Work was not gender-specific or related in any way to prom night. It was exciting and engaging, and it all had the liberating feel that self- expression brings, at prices that make buying almost painless.

South Tampa artist and promoter Bob White put the show together. Two or three times a year White sponsors events like "Bad Girls," often mixing new artists with established artists. White explained the all women show to me. "'Bad Art' is a code word for cool art, hip art," he said. "And 'Bad Girls' has a sort of edginess to it without going over the top."

His wife, Betsy, owns Play Haven Preschool in South Tampa and is also a painter and photographer. She exhibited whimsical photographs of troll dolls in the snow, and had a terrific photo of an iconic female doll titled "Portrait." " I've owned a preschool for 15 years now, so most of my photography is very child-like," she said.

So if you get a chance go see "Bad Girls of Bad Art." Who knows, you might find something that grabs you and decide you just have to have it. I did.     

 Town & Country News 09/25/04

 by Natalie Campisi nataliecampisi@gmail.com  

One-on-One has taken a slightly different tack this week, technically it’s One-on-Three, but who’s counting? Besides, if we’re going to venture outside of the norm for anyone, then Bad Art For Bad People couldn’t be a better rule breaker.

The newly hashed art collective, spawned by Tampa local Bob White, antes up the “anti” on just about every­thing. The group’s approach to art is largely autonomous, independent from any one movement or ideology. That is, they are at one time establishment, anti-establish­ment and anti-anti-establish­ment, thus canceling out any notion one might have about this mixed bag of tricks.

I came across White via myspace.com, a Web site that connects friends and strang­ers in a very entertaining, albeit mindless, virtual community. White was doing what a lot of DIY movers and shakers do on My Space — trolling for followers. After just five days of opening an account, White has more than 500 friends. To put this into perspective, I’ve been a member of My Space for about a year and I have 74.

After checking out his page, I was immediately hooked. The idea of a unified art force, composed of a smattering of trained and untrained artists, was thrilling. But, I’ve been thrilled before. It’s no secret that Tampa has seen its fair share of art communities blossom, only to die quick and penniless deaths. Hope does spring eternal however, so I met a few of the artists from BAFBP at a coffee shop on a perfectly muggy Wednesday evening. Town ‘N Country residents Oscar Beauchamp and Tim Rowland were already hanging out when I arrived 10 minutes early. Bob showed up spot on time. His seriousness is a perfect foil for Oscar’s unrepentant silliness and Tim’s staccato wisecracks. At first, it was hard to imagine how these three ended up in the same circles, but after a few minutes of merciless ribbing and fantastical non­sequiturs (“We’d like to find a marching band that does Black Sabbath songs,” Bob dreams. “We’d also like some Bad Art For Bad People Cheerleaders.”) it all becomes clear. The whole idea for BAFBP came about because Bob didn’t feel that his photogra­phy was getting the reception it should have in the Bay area. About 10 months ago, along with more than a dozen other artists, BAFBP put on their first multi-media show at the Green Room, a now defunct watering hole in Thor City. About 300 people showed up. Their second show at Mad-stone Theatre brought in about 500 people. Bob hopes the upcoming show at Club Underground continues the tradition of increasing their audience share, but he doesn’t want to jinx it. As with the two previous shows, the latest one prom­ises to be in line with their kamikaze take on art. The Halloween-themed event will showcase belly dancers, a costume contest and provide dark, gothic music for ambi­ance. In a nutshell, BAFBP are looking for weird. “After the first show all these artists started coming out of the woodwork. We try to maintain some quality control, but basically we’re looking for like-minded people who are doing their own thing. We want to encourage diversity within the group,” Bob says in earnest. “How can we be like-minded and diverse?” Tim says snidely. Bob begins to answer him when Tim lets out a loud laugh and says, “I’m just messing with you.” If a label has to be placed, then BAFBP would be consid­ered lowbrow art, a contem­porary movement that incorporates anything and everything as long as it’s not classical, Bob says. “I like mixed media, anatomy stuff. I like cutting stuff out and putting it somewhere else or leaving it gone. My stuff makes no sense,” Oscar laughs. By the time we wrapped up our chat, we had covered subjects ranging from sibling catfights and the possibility of hiring the old, Spanish guitarist who hangs out in the corner of La Teresita Restau­rant in West Tampa for a show to Double-Dutch jump roping performance artists. It was an Artesian well of the indiscriminate, tasteless and just plain ridiculous. Exactly what BAFPB is all about. For more information on Bad Art For Bad People, visit www.badartfo’rbadpeopl­e.com. The Spook-Tacular Summer Art Party takes place Aug. 27 from 9p.m. to 3 a.m. at Club Underground.

 Halloween Comes Early         
 It's never too soon to assume a costume

 BY SCOTT HARRELL

 Weekly Planet 09/02/04

GOOD ART, GARBED PEOPLE: The name of the game is "Costume or Evening Wear?" The best rounds occur when at least two disparate yet strangely kindred occasions coincide.For example, last Halloween, the band I was playing in at the time opened for Bret Michaels, lead singer for '80s hair-metal icons Poison, at venerable St. Pete outdoor venue Jannus Landing. People gathered in clusters, gesturing with their cocktails and playing "Costume or Evening Wear?" Was the 40-year-old soccer mom in the torn thigh-high fishnets and micro-mini sporting her usual concert attire, or dressed up in the spirit of the holiday? What about the guy with the buzz-cut and the leather chaps over his jeans -- lifelong rocker whose job prohibits long hair, or October 31st enthusiast gunning to win a look-alike contest as Freddy Mercury?

Maybe it sounds a little mean, but come on. You don't get duded up like that to not be noticed.

The third installment of up-and-coming Tampa exhibition series/interactive multimedia show/theme party Bad Art for Bad People looked to be a perfect place for a round or two. After all, the theme was "Everyday Is Halloween," and costumes were encouraged. Plus, it was held on one of downtown Tampa danceteria Club Underground's Goth-ier nights. Put those two things together, and the people-watching potential soars.

I was a bit disappointed at first -- in the crowd, not the excellent work by artists like Stephen Blickenstaff, Tim Rowland, Pooch and Bob White. Pooch and White provided definite highlights with vibrant religious iconography and evocative photography, respectively. And Jimbo Bloodworth's stuff was uniquely unsettling; Was that one canvas truly covered with real blood?

But no one was going to confuse White's Santa suit with a sartorial pledge of allegiance to The Dark Side as he stood just inside Underground, handing out free copies of national hip-art magazine Juxtapoz. The 34-year-old graphic designer is a member of the informal co-op of artists that conceived Bad Art for Bad People both as a means of exposure, and as a way to rebel against the conventions and clichés associated with traditional showings. Previous Bad Art soirees have included performances by punk and metal bands. All of them include patron-participation opportunities; at Underground, a booth invited attendees to make their own mask or (presumably black-clad and brooding) sock puppet.

"It's less pretentious," said Ben Mack, a novelist who just relocated to the Bay area from Atlanta. "It's a community thing because you don't have the buildup yet. The competition isn't here yet."

By the second hour, it was time to play "Costume or Evening Wear?" Was that long-haired young man with the black-and-white face makeup here for the art show, or was he a Saturday-night Underground regular? (For that matter, was he supposed to be a member of European black-metal band Dimmu Borgir, or just really bad at re-creating classic Kiss?) Art aficionados of all stripes wandered around, looking at the work; done-up clubgoers wandered around looking at the art aficionados, as if jeans and T-shirts and middle age constitute the epitome of weirdness in their shadowy universe. Seriously, I saw camouflage hot pants.

The mask-and-puppet booth, helmed by artist Sweet Pea, didn't see a lot of action for the first half of the exhibit. White later told me this was fairly normal, but that inhibited attendees generally loosened up and later dug in, to their delight.

"You get some hesitant people who do it and end up really enjoying it," he said. "It turns out to be one of their favorite things. Sweet Pea usually has a story like that for every event."

 Halloween Party Displays `Lowbrow' Art
 By KEVIN WALKER kwalker@tampatrib.com
 Tampa Tribune 8/12/04

TAMPA - Bob White wanted something different, an unconventional format for exhibiting art in Tampa, something that could combine visual art with music and audience participation. And maybe a karate exhibition or karaoke contest. Why not?  White knew it was a different kind of premise, one that might be difficult to get off the ground. He was in for a pleasant surprise.  ``You know, it's been a lot easier than you would think,'' says White. ``There are a lot of people in this area that were ready for something different, something fun.''  Something called ``Bad Art for Bad People,'' an art show with a carnival atmosphere that is part costume party, part art sale, part dance party.  The third installment of the quarterly art show will be held Friday night at Club Underground, 802 E. Whiting St. in downtown Tampa. The theme is ``Everyday Is Halloween.'' There'll be a Halloween costume contest, with gift certificates as prizes (including a $50 bar tab at Club Underground). The cover is $5.  There also will be interactive art, including masks that can be decorated by patrons. The music will come from DJ Vanity, playing a gothic/industrial mix, and DJ Bishop, playing metal-punk.  Most significantly, art will be available for sale, ranging in price from about $70 to $200.  The 34-year-old White, a graphic designer and photographer, took the name for the show from the 1990 Cramps album ``Bad Music for Bad People.'' Stephen Blickenstaff, who designed art for that album, will have pieces on display at the show.

Many of the artists, White says, ``have never shown in a gallery before. It's a chance to expose people to different kinds of art here in Tampa in a different atmosphere. I wanted to take things in a different direction.'' The first two ``Bad Art for Bad People'' shows - one in February at The Green Room in Ybor City and the other in May at Madstone Theaters (now Sunrise Cinemas) in Old Hyde Park - included karate demonstrations, karaoke, activities such as sock and bag puppet creation and pet rock making. Club Underground owner Gary Alan says the show fits his idea of having a different theme at the club on various nights of the week. Those already include a ``Hip Hop Night'' on Saturdays and a planned alcohol-free ``Sahara Night'' in the near future.

Friday night is usually ``Gothic-Industrial Night,'' so ...``Yeah, I thought the usual Friday night crowd would like this. The kids on Friday nights - it's just really a festive night,'' says Alan, 47. ``And I really like what they are doing with this show. It's something different, and the art itself is cool.''  What can you expect? An emphasis on ``lowbrow'' art, says White, a style of art that sets out to present fresh and risky work that rejects the seriousness and snobbery of the art world. ``I guess it really traces its roots back to the pop art of someone like [Andy] Warhol,'' says White. ``This stuff definitely leans more to the dark side, though.'' Artists include White, Stephen Blickenstaff, Dismas, Brandt Peters, Kathie Olivas, Paul Pavlovich, Pooch, Chris Deacon, Sweet Pea, Colleen Odechuck, Oscar Beauchamp, Jimbo Bloodworth and Tim Rowland.

Kevin Walker can be reached at (813) 259-7975.

 Tampa Tribune 05/15/04

 By ESTHER HAMMER 

 Tribune correspondent 

 HYDE PARK — Art is showing up in unusual places.

Restaurants and cafes are featuring works by local artists, the Jan Kaminis Platt Regional Library has a permanent collection on display and the John F. Germany and Charles J. Fendig libraries offer rotating exhibits. Now Madstone Theaters in Old Hyde Park Village is showcasing local artists in various media and methods. The movie theater's venture into other art forms began in February with an exhibit by a private collector. Next was "Intermission," a photography exhibit by University of South Florida students.  On May 8, Madstone hosted "Bad Art For Bad People," an event featuring art, music, film and audience participation. "It's something I'm really excited about," said Margaret Murray, general manager and marketing and publicity director. "It's one of the more fun aspects of running a theater. I'm beginning to like it more and more."  The theater's many blank walls provided the impetus for the art exhibitions.  "I can't stand blank walls," Murray said. "And I have a lot of friends who are artists, so it's something I felt comfortable doing, even though I've never done it before."  The art is exhibited in the lobby and beer and wine area.  "I'm focusing on local artists because I'm noticing that there's a real need for more venues for local artists to show their works," Murray said.  Jeff Whipple is a local artist without a regular venue, especially one where he can show his art films. Now he has one.  At 8 p.m. Wednesday, Madstone will present a one-night showing of his film "Return of the Chicken Feet!!" Starring Whipple and Tampa cultural events promoter Natasha Del Toro, the film tells the story of a professor who researches people obsessed with chicken feet and becomes obsessed with a woman who believes chicken feet represent a higher level of love.  There will be a cash bar, snacks and a party afterward. Tickets are $5.  Plans call for another photographic exhibit and an employee art show this summer. "To me, it's a wonderful enhancement to the theater, a great service to the community and something that our customers really love," Murray said. "They like it that they never know if when they come to the movies they're going to walk into an art opening." The exhibits are free and open to the public. A movie ticket isn't required. For information, call Madstone, 1609 Swann Ave., at (813) 258-5640.

Correspondent Esther Hammer can be reached at (813) 835-2108.

 Weekly Planet 5/5/04 “Planet Picks”

 Not Bad  (5/8/2004)

Bad Art for Bad People is the vision of Tampa photographer Bob White, a party created to bring artists from the area together to exhibit their talents in a new and untraditional format. The idea to produce an alternative to the standard gallery platform and make art more accessible was realized at the first show in February, and paved the way for future shows and events. This evening, you are invited to participate in the excitement at the Spring Art Party of 2004, which takes place at Madstone Theaters. Featured artists include Paul Pavlovich, Chris Deacon and Colleen Odechuck, as well as a number of other badass artists. Although this particular happening does not include live music (it is a movie theater), two DJs spin records and karaoke is not an unheard of phenomenon. However, the true highlight of the event (aside from the art) is a Kung Fu demonstration with brick, block and board breaking to be followed by a special one-night only showing of the kung-fu classic Riki-Oh: The Story of Ricky. Beer, wine and other concessions will be available for purchase. For more information about Bad Art for Bad People, go to www.badartforbadpeople.com. The party is free, and runs from 7 p.m. to midnight. Movie tickets: $8. Madstone Theaters, 1609 W. Swann Ave., Old Hyde Park Village. 813-258-4646.

Movie Theater Tries New Art Forms

 Weekly Planet 2/4/04

Bad Art For Bad People: It's a combination subversive, mixed-media art show/aggro-tunes bill, and you should most definitely attend. The artist's include photographer/longtime East Tampa punk-scene supporter Bob White, professional misanthrope Jimbo Bloodworth, former Planet staffer Paul Pavlovich and others. Live pummel comes courtesy of John Madden & The Electric Condoms, longtime East Tampa punk-scene staple (and recent Brazilian tour survivors) Murder-Suicide Pact, and Lisa The Wolf. Get some Freakin' culture. (Feb. 7 The Green Room, Ybor city)