KTLO Is Still Here

This being the fifth Monday without a new episode, you might be wondering what's up with Keeping the Lights On? Fear not, my friends, KTLO has not gone away for good. We're just taking a little time to work on new installments with new artists, but we'll be back soon. I promise.

Some changes are in store, but I won't talk too much about them right now. Don't worry, they'll be good changes. Keeping the Lights On is still going to bring you the most interesting glimpses into the lives of artists with day jobs. That's not changing...ever.

In the meantime in between time, catch up with any episodes you might have missed over the past 6 months. Oh, you've already watched all of them? Well, like many things in life, KTLO episodes are better the second time around...

Thanks for all your support since KTLO hit the air web. The lights will be back on soon.

The End Is Near / Here

The epic third installment of Keeping the Lights On draws to a close with today's release of Ishah Janssen-Faith - Part 10. This episode is a perfect ending to the latest chapter in the series and will prove inspirational to anyone who is striving against all odds to realize their dreams (or questioning if it's worth it).



Ishah Janssen-Faith - Part 10

It Doesn't Get More Open Than This

Yes indeed. We're still going strong with Ishah's installment of Keeping the Lights On. Her story is absolutely fascinating to me. But I'm also immensely intrigued by how open and honest she is about herself and her art.



What makes Ishah such a talented actor - her strength and vulnerability - is on full display in the new episode. It just doesn't get more open than this.

Ishah Janssen-Faith - Part 9

Setbacks and Half-Full Glasses

A new episode of Keeping the Lights On is here...right now...especially for you.



Ishah Janssen-Faith - Part 8

KTLO Alum Show Opening

Our very first Keeping the Lights On artist, George Ferrandi, has a new art show opening at Cinders Gallery in Brooklyn. The show is the first for George's new collective with John Orth called "88's."



I hope you will be able to check it out. Here are the details:

"Unsung: New Work by George Ferrandi and John Orth"
November 14 - December 28, 2008
Opening Reception: November 14, 7-10 pm

Cinders Gallery
103 Havemeyer St. (btwn. Hope and Grand)
Williamsburg, Brooklyn
718.388.2311
Gallery Hours: Wed-Sun 1-7 pm

More info can be found here:

cindersgallery.com
88sandgoodnumbers.blogspot.com

Missed George's installment in the series? Get familiar.

Turning Points and Big Dreams

Another week gone by, another new episode of Keeping the Lights On. Ishah Janssen-Faith - Part 7 is now playing.



In this episode we find Ishah at a turning point in her day job reality and we discover the hopes and dreams this artist has for her theatre company and the future.

Ishah Janssen-Faith - Part 6

Hello everybody. By now you've probably already seen the new episode of Keeping the Lights On that went up today because:

a) you know new episodes go up on Mondays
b) you love starting your work week off with a new dose of the series
c) you love our featured artists' open and honest talk about their work and life experiences
d) all of the above



But maybe, just maybe, you haven't made Keeping the Lights On a part of your day just yet. If so, stop in and check it out, won't you?

Ishah Janssen-Faith - Part 6

The Secret Life of Being an Artist

Ishah Janssen-Faith - Part 5 is now playing. In this episode Ishah shares with us the joys of being an artist in the workplace.



So here it is...Ishah Janssen-Faith - Part 5.

PS. There appears to have been a technical issue with the Flash player on Ropeadope TV. Our sincere apologies for this. If the inconvenience caused you to miss an episode, you can catch up here.

Screening of "This Is Our Moment"

This Is Our Moment, the short film I made with some Keeping the Lights On alumni and other friends, will screen as part of Artbreak Gallery's "Gallery of Hope - Art for Change" fundraising event and exhibit. The exhibit opens October 25th with the fundraising event taking place 5-10pm. The entire show runs through November 5th.

For additional information go to Artbreak Gallery's website.

I am honored to have our work included in this show and, if you're in the neighborhood, I hope you will be able to attend. It's sure to be a night of great art, great inspiration, and great energy for change.

Routines Are For Dancers

A new episode of Keeping the Lights On has arrived. Ishah Janssen-Faith - Part 4 is now playing and if you want to find out how this artist deals with job security, mind-numbing routines, and soul-draining corporate jobs this episode is for you. Well, even if these things don't interest you this episode is for you!

So please, join us once again and check out Ishah Janssen-Faith - Part 4.

DIY Realness

Some people take the "Do-It-Yourself" approach because, at least today, it's the cool thing to do. Others take it because they have to. For them there's no other choice. And with this reality comes both pleasure and pain, true creativity and real frustration. But out of it comes some of the best art too.



Ishah is a real DIY artist. She takes the good with the bad and keeps moving.

Ishah Janssen-Faith - Part 3

Mondays = Goodness

I love Mondays. A lot of people hate them because they mean the start of another long work week. I love them because they mean I get to share another new episode of Keeping the Lights On with you. So here it is, Ishah Janssen-Faith - Part 2.

If you missed Part 1, get caught up here.

And as always, thanks for watching.

We're Back!

Yes yes y'all. Keeping the Lights On is back with a brand new installment featuring another talented artist you will surely come to know and love. This time it's Ishah Janssen-Faith, an actor with multiple jobs and multiple tales of surviving as an artist in a not-so-artist-friendly world.

(For a larger viewing experience, click here).

This installment offers a candid look at what it's really like for an actor trying to do justice to her craft and still make ends meet. I hope you'll join us.

On Hiatus

It's hard to believe that Keeping the Lights On has been airing for 3 months already. Time flies. I hope you have enjoyed watching the first 12 episodes of the series. There's more to come very soon!


But after 3 months of giving you a new episode every week, Keeping the Lights On is going on a short hiatus. We're working on new installments with more great artists and I promise we will be back before you know it.

In the meantime, if you haven't been keeping up...

Catch up on any episodes you might have missed.

2nd Installment Closes

The final episode in Joy's installment of Keeping the Lights On is now showing. In Part 7 we get a closer look at Joy's epic "The Old Man and the Sea" project, a work of art that is truly captivating and probably my favorite of all Joy's great work.

(For a larger viewing experience, click here).

I hope you enjoyed watching this installment as much as I loved working on it.

Please stay tuned. A new installment with a new artist is just around the corner.

Uncle Magazine Likes KTLO

The good folks at Uncle Magazine recently asked me to write about my experiences directing Keeping the Lights On and those of the artists involved in the series. So I got to work and put together an essay that touches on my approach to the series and speaks to the larger issues facing our featured artists and others like them. Click the following link to read the essay:

Keeping the Lights On and Other Aspects of Being an Artist in America

Yesterday Uncle graciously wrote about the series on their site. You can check it out here.

Mike Figgis Speaks Truth

I recently came across a couple blog posts by director Mike Figgis and I thought I'd share what I discovered. Apparently Figgis was asked to be a guest blogger on FilmInFocus and the results are quite interesting.

You can read his "Love Live Long" post in its entirety here, but I want to specifically highlight the part I find most on point given the nature of cinema today:

"Plot has killed script. Back in the day plot was a slightly sketchy framework for character development. The scripts I read now, the characters are there to supply the plot. It's all to do with a misguided idea that the function of cinema is somehow to be realistic. I think the function of cinema is to be poetic and magic and original."

Right on, Mr. Figgis. I agree wholeheartedly.

Joy Part 6...and More

Joy Drury Cox - Part 6 is up. See how everyday elements find their way into Joy's work and how economic factors affect this artist's approach to life and art.

(For a larger viewing experience, click here).

If you want to see Joy's work up closer and in person (but you missed her last two shows), you're in luck. Joy's talents will once again be on display in these upcoming shows:

“The Form Itself”
at Priska C. Juschka Fine Art
547 West 27th Street
New York, NY
Sept. 4 – Oct. 11
Opening Reception: Thursday, Sept. 4, 6-9 pm
http://www.priskajuschkafineart.com/

“Communication Breakdown”
at Andrew Edlin Gallery
529 West 20th Street
New York, NY
Sept. 13 – Oct. 25
Opening Reception: Saturday, Sept. 13, 6-8 pm
http://www.edlingallery.com/exhibitions.asp

and at Galerie Impaire
47 rue de Lancry
Paris, France
Sept. 24 – Nov. 8
Opening Reception: Wednesday, Sept. 24, 6-8 pm

In Production

Shot some great material today with one of our soon-to-be featured artists. I can't say who, but I will say where. Here's a list of places to which Keeping the Lights On ventured today:

1) A 5th floor walk-up apartment
2) Long Island City
3) Harlem
4) 2 parks/playgrounds

That's all I can say for now. Just thought I'd share.

Keeping the Lights On Keeps Going

Oh yes, a new episode of Keeping the Lights On has landed on your computer screens. Take a look at Joy Drury Cox - Part 5 to find out how Joy deals with the business side of being an artist and what motivates her when she sets out to make work.

(For a larger viewing experience, click here).

Thanks for watching.

This Day In Film History

While this site is dedicated to Keeping the Lights On and the artists who make up the series, as a filmmaker and lover of cinema I must spend a few lines to pay homage to an important moment in film history. It was a hundred years ago today that French director Emile Cohl first screened what many consider to be the first fully-animated film, Fantasmagorie.

Like most adults, I don't watch as many animated TV shows and feature films as I once did. But I am no less fascinated by the process, the many wonderful stories told, and the ways film and film language are challenged and pushed in animation.

Much respect to Mr. Cohl and his contribution to motion pictures.

New Episode

A new episode of Keeping the Lights On is now playing on Ropeadope TV. Check out Joy Drury Cox - Part 4.

A lot of fascinating art is on display in this one. I'm a big fan of minimalism and to hear Joy explain what went into the creation of the work featured in Part 4 makes me fall in love with it all over again.

I think you'll fall in love too.

And if you haven't taken a look at Joy's website yet, just click on her link in the "Featured Artists" section of this site.

Thanks for your continued support of the KTLO series.

Monday Monday

Attention everyone.

Keeping the Lights On is moving to Mondays. New episodes will now go up on Mondays instead of Tuesdays.

Sorry for the change, but it should be a good one because what better way to start off another work week than with a new episode of Keeping the Lights On?

So stay tuned tomorrow for Joy Drury Cox - Part 4.

Part Three...Part Tres...Part Trois

Joy Drury Cox - Part 3 is now up for your viewing pleasure.



I personally love Joy's approach to her art and what comes out of it. I think you will too after watching Part 3. I'm really excited about this episode and the ones to come. I can hardly wait to share the rest.

So keep tuning in. There's lots more art on the way.

KTLO Artists Don't Stop

Now that Joy's installment of Keeping the Lights On is in full swing I thought I'd share my latest short film with you once again. Maybe you figured out from my hint a few weeks back that Joy was our next featured artist; maybe you didn't (don't feel bad). Either way, you might want to check out This Is Our Moment to see the painting of a great mural which Joy helped create. Then go tell your friends!

Here it is:



Direct link for more info: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rixv9KxCU7I

Joy Drury Cox - Part 2

Head on over to Ropeadope TV (if you haven't already) as Joy Drury Cox - Part 2 is now showing.



In this part, Joy discusses what it's like juggling her art and her day jobs and how it affects the way she approaches her own work.

So yeah, stop reading this update and watch Joy Drury Cox - Part 2.

Tuesdays

Just a reminder that new parts in the Keeping the Lights On series come out every Tuesday. Mark your calendars.

So forget Fridays. Tuesdays are your new favorite day of the week, right?!?!

Brand New

I present to you the latest chapter in Keeping the Lights On. The second installment in the series has now begun and I implore you to head over to Ropeadope TV to watch the first part.

Our new featured artist is Joy Drury Cox, another talented creative in Brooklyn whose work you will certainly find intriguingly unique and uniquely intriguing.

And if you happen to be in the area you should check out a wonderful new showing of her work. Here are the details:

"Eggcartonopolis" at HQ Gallery
Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NYC
Now through August 23
http://ehteam.ca/HQ/

Joy's work is also featured in the current issue of BLIR Magazine. You can check it out here.

Now get to know our new featured artist by watching Joy Drury Cox - Part 1.

Delay

Due to technical issues, the first part of our new installment will not premiere today as promised. I sincerely regret this unfortunate occurrence.

We should have everything sorted out by next Tuesday.

In the meantime, let's focus on the positive and look at this delay as an opportunity for some of you to catch up on those George Ferrandi parts you have yet to watch (you know who you are).

Again, my sincere apologies for the delay in getting the next installment of Keeping the Lights On started. Thank you for your patience and continued support.

The 1st Installment Is Complete

I'm happy to announce that the first installment of Keeping the Lights On is now showing in its entirety. That's right, all 5 parts on George Ferrandi are now up!

As always, you can watch Part 5 and the rest of the series on Ropeadope TV.

I'm very proud of this first installment and I hope you've enjoyed watching it unfold. Thank you for checking it out...and thanks to everyone who has helped make the series possible.

Please check out the fifth and final part on George.

Then stay tuned next Tuesday when a brand new installment featuring another talented and hard-working artist begins.

We're just getting started.

This Is Our Moment

I hesitated to post this at first seeing how it isn't "directly" related to Keeping the Lights On. But it is, however, very indirectly related as two of the artists who helped create the mural are featured in the series (well, one is currently featured and the other will be very soon...I've been thinking about dropping a hint about who will be featured in the next installment, so there it is).

Without further ado...my new short film.

It's That Time Again

A week goes by fast, doesn't it ?!?!

George Ferrandi - Part 4 is now showing.

Find out what it's like for one artist trying to make it all work, whether business is slow or not. George also takes us on a personal tour through an interesting cast of characters that comprises the world of one of her fabulous installations.

The first installment of Keeping the Lights On is nearing its end, so if you haven't watched Parts 1-3 head over to Ropeadope TV to catch up and get ready for the final segment on George Ferrandi.

George Ferrandi - Part 3

What you all have been waiting for is here -- George Ferrandi - Part 3 is now showing on Ropeadope TV.

In this part George discusses what goes into the choice of skin tones for statues and shares a fascinating story about racism in the world of statuary sculpting.

You can see Part 3 here.

Now Showing - George Ferrandi Part 2

Part 2 of George Ferrandi's installment is now showing. Get a glimpse of her latest artwork in progress by watching the video here.

World Premiere

Keeping the Lights On has been picked up by Ropeadope to be a featured series on the newly launched Ropeadope TV.

Click here to check it out.

And stay tuned to this site for updates on new videos, featured artists, and episodes in production. Speaking of featured artists, please check out the amazing work of George Ferrandi.