Skip to content

Menu
  • Corrections
  • Enemies of the State
Menu

Month: August 2009

Something I Still Don’t Understand Though…

Posted on August 31, 2009 by Varg

The T-P article reads… Berry said he’s never hidden his identity out of fear, but as a way to encourage dialogue about corruption in a city where few problems are addressed head-on. And that doesn’t make sense. So the “why” question is still out there for me.

Continue reading

The Big Reveal

Posted on August 31, 2009 by Varg

‘American Zombie’ blogger outs himself while facing libel suit from City Hall employee I guess it remains to be seen how the reveal will unfold. But as a living breathing person, Jason Berry has boldly disarmed his accusers who could point out that he was perhaps working for their political rivals or were holding grudges…

Continue reading

An Error in Time-Space

Posted on August 31, 2009 by Varg

Something not right. Something no belong.

Continue reading

The Tide Rose!

Posted on August 27, 2009 by Varg

Just a few thoughts about this year’s conference… – It is always a succinct pleasure getting together in large or small numbers with this group of bright, chaste and sincere folk. The group, as always, was truly magnificent. Much love to all the organizers. In an era where all everyone wants to talk about is…

Continue reading

Rising Tide… Ahhh! Giant Bug!

Posted on August 27, 2009 by Varg

I have been meaning to write a Rising Tide post but after last night I have to defer the post to another day while I indulge you in one of the primary reasons for blogging in this modern era…giant effin bugs! We saw this fella last night in the laundry room and it is plainly…

Continue reading

Brother Bill’s Great Thrill

Posted on August 24, 2009 by Varg

Even though he never threatened us, I have entered full-on storm-geek status this season and have been checking on brother Bill daily. It might be some sort of weird adrenalin jockey affiliation I have developed in association with storm chasing, but I go back to him several times a day. Bill is a truly amazing…

Continue reading

Empocolypse

Posted on August 18, 2009 by Varg

In the trailor for the upcoming film “The Road” there is a familiar image… “The Road” Empire, Louisiana after Hurricane Katrina There are supposedly some scenes filmed in the Lower Ninth Ward as well. I read the book two years ago and even though I have always loved Cormac Mcarthy, I hated the novel. His…

Continue reading

Kicker Woes

Posted on August 16, 2009 by Varg

Back when I was in the newspaper business we had a word we used in headlines when shit was just all tossed up. The word was “woes.” And If there was any word to describe the Saints kicker situation in the last 12 months it would be, “woeful.” In 2006, we cut John Carney and…

Continue reading

Riley Aint Running

Posted on August 12, 2009 by Varg

I’ve been with the mayor for the last, actually, seven years as a chief — including being the deputy chief. I have seen what he has gone through. There’s absolutely nothing about being mayor that’s attractive today. That’s probably why no one else wants the job either Chief. But I am curious about that last…

Continue reading

WWII Museum Traffic Advisory

Posted on August 11, 2009 by Varg

If you are in the CBD or Warehouse District between the hours of 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. avoid Magazine Street at all cost. You will be sucked into a traffic vortex so nasty and consuming you will unavoidably lose some of those precious few moments we all have left. It is a maelstrom a…

Continue reading
  • 1
  • 2
  • Next

Recent Comments

  • Varg on There Comes A Time For Empathy…
  • Edie on There Comes A Time For Empathy…
  • Tim on Dear Doris,
  • Momma on Dear Doris,
  • Romy K. on Dear Doris,

Nola Blogs

  • 2 Millionth Web log
  • 504ever
  • American Zombie
  • Annunciation
  • b. rox
  • Bigezbear
  • Cliff's Crib
  • Dispatches from Tanganyika
  • gris-grits
  • Hurricane Radio
  • Library Chronicles
  • Liprap's Lament
  • Minor Wisdom
  • Mosquito Coast
  • New Orleans Slate
  • Nola-dishu
  • Note From the Book
  • Pistolette
  • prytaniawaterline
  • Slibolala
  • sucktheheads
  • The G-Bitch Spot
  • There's N.O. Place Like Home
  • Toulouse Street
  • Whalehead King
  • Your Right Hand Thief

Nola Ex Pats

  • Maitri's VatulBlog
  • Ray in Exile

Nola Group Blogs

  • Back Of Town
  • Humid City
  • New Orleans Met Blog
  • Nola Rising

Nola Inactives

  • AnimaMundi
  • Art By Mags
  • Ashley Morris
  • HammHawk
  • m.d. filter
  • Moldy City
  • Some Came Running
  • spoke the cat
  • the garden of irks and delights
  • Tim's Nameless Blog
  • tin can trailer trash
  • Tour of Beauty
  • We Could Be Famous

Nola Media Blogs

  • Blog of New Orleans

Nola Orgs

  • Friends of the Lafitte Corridor
  • Levees.org
  • Silence is Violence
  • Voice of the Wetlands

Nola Region

  • CenLamar
  • Forgotston
  • PawPaw's House
  • Thanks, Katrina
  • The Daily Kingfish
  • Wounded Bird

Nola Saints Blogs

  • Canal Street Chronicles
  • Chef Who Dat
  • Moose Denied

Categories

  • Algiers (16)
  • Art (16)
  • AV (51)
  • Beta (3)
  • Blogspotting (44)
  • Carnival (21)
  • Commentary (22)
  • Diatribe (2)
  • Enemies (5)
  • Ent (17)
  • Fest (5)
  • Food (2)
  • Free (5)
  • Haps (202)
  • Humanism (2)
  • Jax2 (19)
  • Journal (1)
  • Langniappe (23)
  • Leak (17)
  • Letters (19)
  • Liens (41)
  • Lit (6)
  • Madness (46)
  • Meanderings (78)
  • Memo (6)
  • NOMOs (4)
  • Plug (14)
  • Q&A (1)
  • Saints (70)
  • Self Important (4)
  • Sermons (11)
  • Storms (23)
  • Tide (16)
  • Treme (2)
  • Uncategorized (2)
  • USA (27)
  • V.V.F.C. (1)
  • Witness (1)
  • WTF (14)

Archives

  • August 2021 (1)
  • July 2019 (1)
  • January 2017 (4)
  • April 2016 (1)
  • June 2015 (1)
  • March 2015 (1)
  • January 2015 (2)
  • November 2014 (1)
  • October 2014 (1)
  • August 2014 (1)
  • July 2014 (1)
  • April 2014 (1)
  • February 2014 (3)
  • January 2014 (2)
  • November 2013 (1)
  • October 2013 (2)
  • September 2013 (1)
  • June 2013 (3)
  • March 2013 (1)
  • January 2013 (3)
  • December 2012 (2)
  • November 2012 (3)
  • October 2012 (2)
  • September 2012 (2)
  • August 2012 (4)
  • July 2012 (5)
  • March 2012 (3)
  • February 2012 (3)
  • January 2012 (3)
  • December 2011 (4)
  • November 2011 (6)
  • October 2011 (6)
  • September 2011 (6)
  • August 2011 (9)
  • July 2011 (13)
  • June 2011 (5)
  • May 2011 (10)
  • April 2011 (8)
  • March 2011 (8)
  • February 2011 (8)
  • January 2011 (6)
  • December 2010 (10)
  • November 2010 (12)
  • October 2010 (9)
  • September 2010 (17)
  • August 2010 (13)
  • July 2010 (19)
  • June 2010 (18)
  • May 2010 (15)
  • April 2010 (2)
  • March 2010 (7)
  • February 2010 (5)
  • January 2010 (12)
  • December 2009 (9)
  • November 2009 (11)
  • October 2009 (6)
  • September 2009 (11)
  • August 2009 (13)
  • July 2009 (8)
  • June 2009 (7)
  • May 2009 (8)
  • April 2009 (11)
  • March 2009 (13)
  • February 2009 (6)
  • January 2009 (12)
  • December 2008 (14)
  • November 2008 (16)
  • October 2008 (12)
  • September 2008 (21)
  • August 2008 (25)
  • July 2008 (7)
  • June 2008 (12)
  • May 2008 (10)
  • April 2008 (18)
  • March 2008 (10)
  • February 2008 (14)
  • January 2008 (19)
  • December 2007 (9)
  • November 2007 (13)
  • October 2007 (17)
  • September 2007 (17)
  • August 2007 (26)
  • July 2007 (22)
  • June 2007 (22)
  • May 2007 (16)
  • April 2007 (15)
  • March 2007 (15)
  • February 2007 (15)
  • January 2007 (26)
  • December 2006 (16)
  • November 2006 (22)
  • October 2006 (15)

3 Noble Truths

Know yourself. Know the Universe. Know yourself in the Universe.

Rev. Varg’s Artist Statement

Rejoice!

I say that a lot. I sign many pieces with it. I do this because I believe our lives are a true happenstance. A brilliant occurence from nothingness. We are so rare. We are so unlikely. And simply being born isn’t enough. From there we must survive, endure. So each morning, after our Sun departs and is reborn again. Please, for the sake of your ancestors and the Universe in general, hoist that cup of joe up and say, “Rejoice.”

Ours is a soulful existence. No matter how many McMansions, polyester fabrics, auto-tunes, modified foods and social networks we surround ourselves with, we are all still native, passionate beings made of ancient matter. We are organic and we have soul.

Wood also has a warm, soulful quality. Wood has a memory. It retains smells, traumas, events. It even has a calendar. This is why I have chosen it as my medium, for its old soul. I like to think the wood in my work is in its third incarnation. First a tree, then a home and now art. If you have a room that needs a little soul, get a piece. A room can never have enough soul.

My inspiration and subject matter comes from many sources, among them: Humanism, old ballads, trickster tales, flora and fauna, science, myths and folklore, stringed instruments, brass bands, amber spirits, lady vocalists, general relativity and quantum mechanics. Some of my pieces are there just to make a short, simple statement about what’s important in life. Some are more diffuse and abstract in meaning. A personal drama, an enduring line from a poem or novel, a poignant song lyric, the legacy of an important person, a fleeting thought … these are the subjects of my art.

I use hearts often because they are a very abstract way of depicting the human soul without also employing the very subjective human form. The symbolic heart is an apt representation for a person’s experience and essence. A body can immediatly conjure happiness, sorrow, youth, age, anger, bliss. These emotions can get in the way. Sometimes it’s simply about the experience.

I am the son of a sailor and a social worker, the grandson of a gypsy, a dancer and a nurse. I spent my youth moving from port city to port city, watching a lot of road go by and reading World Book Encyclopedia. After my parents settled down on the Gulf Coast, I was a miscreant youth, destroying cars and taking the wrongs things too seriously and the right things not serious enough. Eventually I began replacing my imagination with experience.

I will use any salvaged wood but prefer swamp cypress and longleaf heartwood pine.

I despise waste. Particularly the waste of organic matter. Trees are magnificent. They were here before we arrived and they’ll be around after we are gone. I’m making an effort to save as much wood as possible. Creating art is fun too. But beyond communicating with folks, but beyond making money ad providing for myself, beyond rescuing flooded parts, beyond reveling in the ethereal aroma of heartpine that hasn’t seen the light of day in 400 years, beyond all that, I am trying to make a simple comment on waste.

© 2025 | Powered by Minimalist Blog WordPress Theme