Rum, Paint and the Need to Connect

Ladies and Gentlemen, esteemed sons, distant friends, so much water has passed 'neath our collective bridge.

So I am too old and too tired to attempt to recreate the heady heights of yesteryear, but  think I can rustle up an afternoon and evening at MBK studios with a surprise or two.
Im thinking a Saturday. Im thinking possibly June 14th (there wont be a date that suits everybody)
Im thinking late afternoon and into the night.
Bring pencils and a sketchbook.
Bring something to drink.
Bring a piece that you want to show if you feel like showing something
Bring a warm heart and a big smile
Some live music
Some DJ stuff
Some iPod gameplay
There Will be blood
There may be moustaches
This is NOT a definite date!!!! Lets see who can make it. We'll use the facebook page I guess.
MBK

diversifying the portfolio

Sons, oh Sons. I have been a thinking' of late and have thunk great thoughts. Or at least thats how it seems to me. A new business venture beckons. Another string to my bow. Another thing for me to do that might not make me any money. But its something I want to try.

What? I hear you cry.

What?

This.

I am going to have those lovely sketchbooks that I use made with my company name embossed on the back, and start selling them all over these here United States. I believe in them, I've used them almost exclusively for 20 years and I've never found anything better.....and you can't get them in the States. I've been talking to the UK suppliers and they are going to produce the books with my name on....which they also do for the Tate Gallery in London.

Kings of London.

Thats my company name. Sounds Royal. Sounds Old. Sounds expensive.

So here's what I am asking of you guys. I want to put together a website for Kings of London to showcase the books. On the webpage I want to feature testimonials and images of work done in the books.

You'll click on the testimonials tab and up will come all these gorgeous thumbnails of watercolours and collages and writing and pen and ink drawings and pencil work, each with a short one or two sentence testimonial saying how great the paper is or how nicely made they are, that there is nothing else as good on the market in the usa etc etc. Don't mention Seawhite of Brighton (the manufacturer, and you don't even need to mention Kings of London. Just "this sketchbook" or "these sketchbooks" or whatever. Doesn't need to be an essay. Just a sentence or two that I can quote. And a 72dpi image that I can post, something that you love that you did in a sketchbook that you got from me.

Then, when its all set up and running.....I'm going to ask you to tell everyone you know to use Kings of London sketchbooks. They will only be available from me, not in stores so I'll need to advertise and rely on word of mouth recommendations.

OR.....if you think I'm headed down a blind alley with this or you think the sketchbooks aren't as good as I think they are, I would value your opinion. 

Boldly going where no man has gone before, MBK

The Sons of Turtle

Greetings from Saugatuk!

summary thoughts, after the Maine trip

The website is coming offline in a few days due to Apple restructuring (canceling) some of its programs, so I wanted to pull this off the SOT website and save it to our blog. Note that science writing this I now HAVE an iPad, courtesy of the Sons of Turner. Looking forward to Saugatuck. MBK

No one died except:A lot of lobstersand Petey the Oven bird

2 Cups broken

There was banditry on the second trip. The Moustache brothers struck hard and struck often

Gabs painted more than any human has ever painted before

None of us was any good at the standup bass

8 is the perfect number for a trip like this

Its not necessarily WHAT you paint but THAT you do work and move forwards. I painted seascapes and guns but I feel that I have moved forwards as an artist

I want an iPad

Tattoos were had.

Sherry likes the idea of developing an icon for each trip.

Maine would be a moustacheSavannah would be Jessie’s crabSanta fe maybe the little turtle that we made sculptures with at the kitchen table?

Rum seems to be the beverage of the sons of Turner and of pirates

Being on a boat

Talking in a foppish southern accent

Johnny depp, giant squid etc

On the plane on the way home I was able to reflect on the week and the three years and I have to say, I believe there’s some momentum now. We are truly becoming something more than just people who go on a trip together.

Todos los coches, todos las dias!

OK peepsicles,  Here is the car lineup.

In the Bob-mobile is: Jerry no. 3, Andrew Day-man, and THE MBK.

As I understand it, Matt, Kerny, Sarah and Cindy-kins are riding together and Dani is taking Liz and Emily.

Does everyone have their buddies?  Full head count?  Any problems, concerns?

Everyone is to meet at MBK's Gallery at 9am.  

Huzzah!

The saugatuck trip lineup

The lineup 2012
Kernats, Liz

Cindy, Sarah

Emily and Dani

Matt , Andrew

Bob, Jerry


That's it for this trip. My apologies to those of you who didn't get on this one, but I can only lead one trip this summer. But the sons of turner are more than just trips. Let's get our focus on the sparrow project later in June too.

So I'm a bit thin on details right now but the big decision is....who's driving. We'll need three cars to transport the 11 of us, and my wife isn't going to give me our car so.......? I know dani just had hers tuned to racing specifications, so that's one car. And emily is going in that one. Who else fancies the drive? I'm buying the gas, but this will be my first sot trip not behind the wheel.

Check in isn't till 4 on Monday 4 th but we should set off early, grab breakfast at a pancake house and stop off in union pier and spend some time exploring the southern lake Michigan coast. We could even spend some time at Indiana dunes. Some of you have paid in full and some have paid the deposit.

It would be great if the balances are paid by PayPal by the 1st June or please bring it in cash on the 4th.

As usual we will need art stuff of course and iPods. One thing I've learned is that sunblock seems to be a necessity! There's fabulous beaches to walk along, and I don't want a repeat of the savannah experience!

Cooking. As you know the evening meal is a huge part of the experience but we only have Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday nights to worry about. So you don't all have to cook but presumably some of you would like to? I know I don't. So I want to get a feel for who will cook, and definitely will sleep better when I know we have three drivers with cars big enough for 4 people. Post comments below if you fit either or both of those needs. Towels provided. Sunhats a necessity.

I am DESPERATE to paint outdoors again. And to see you all and be encouraged by your passion and your energy. Bring those too. Yours, mbk

its time to commit

OK , sorry about the delay but we had something of an episode at home with Sam and his health. But all is well. And I'm back in the saddle.
The house is booked. The deposit is paid. The game is on.
June 4th to June 7th  2012. Saugatuck. Michigan.

There are ten slots available for this trip and I know that there were more than 10 of you who wanted to go so some of you may have to sit this one out.
I have already received money from a couple of you, thank you.
Now its time for others of you to poney up.
Please send me either $100 as a deposit or the full $225 if you can, via Paypal to my email address which is of course mbk@matbarberkenedy.com.
I will need to make sure that we have the right mix of men and women for the bedrooms to work (5 and 5 wont work) but beyond that I will have to give spaces on the trip to the ones who send me their money first. Its not ideal but I think it will work out. and for those of you who wanted to go but didnt get a slot, I apologise but thats the way that it is.
OK.
Thats it.
I think.