We’re off! Orphaned and Tomorrows Masters

Thursday, June 10th, 2010 – 10:41 am

Last Friday I went to the Albany Institute of Art and History for the opening of their Tomorrows Masters Today show. 50 artists were chosen to represent tomorrows masters, and 10 were picked from that group to be in the master class. I’m thrilled to be included as one of those in the master class! Thanks to the Institute and Michael Weidrich for putting on the show, and congrats to every single artist in the show. We’re all masters! Check out the show at the institute and support your local masters…it will be up until June 27th.)

Orphaned entered it’s second week of fund raising and we’re already at 2 percent!! Thanks a million to our first 5 backers. You guys are going to make this film happen! If you haven’t checked it out go here to donate, or copy the link and pass it on to all your friends! Investment opportunities are also available…email me for more details.

cheers!
John

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help Orphaned find a home

Monday, May 24th, 2010 – 12:51 pm

So it looks like this just might happen. My third feature film, Orphaned, just started its grassroots fund raising campaign on Kickstarter.

Here’s the URL:  http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/johnwyost/orphaned

Kickstarter is a website where filmmakers, artists, and musicians can go to propose projects to potential investors. Except the investors aren’t some rich bankers…they’re YOU. The site is set up to not only involve everyone in the funding process, but to reward you for your financial help. For example, if you go on my page and donate 50 dollars to the film, you would get a thank you credit AND the DVD AND a digital HD copy. You’re giving me the money I need to make the production, in in turn, you get a bunch of cool stuff. The prizes get bigger as the donation gets bigger, but you see what I mean.The only thing is…I don’t get the money..unless I raise ALL OF IT!:-) I’m going to need lots of help.

So…Anything you can give to the project would be wonderful. If you can’t donate financially…I totally understand…maybe donate a moment to email it to a friend who might find it interesting, or donate your status update now and again to remind folks. You never know who might be interested.

THANKS A MILLION IN ADVANCE!

Cheers!
John

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Summer Shows

Monday, May 24th, 2010 – 12:13 pm

Hi All! Just an update on some of the shows I’m showing work in this summer. I was recently in the 32nd Annual Photo Regional at the Atrium; taking home 3rd place! Which I can’t believe because the show was FULL of amazing work. Thanks to Fulton Street Gallery, Carrie Haddad, and all the artists for making it a great show. The show is still up till June 5th.

June 5th, 5-9PM will be the opening reception for the show, Tomorrow’s Masters Today. This show is at the Albany Insitutue of Art and History and part of its Gala on the 11th. It looks like a great show…with a ton of great work…from great artists. One of my limited edition stump prints got in…I’m ecstatic to be included and I hope it sells at the silent auction; raising some money for the Institute. A bunch of recent MFA grads and a few of my classmates are in as well. Congrats to them and the rest of the artists!

The June Troy Night Out (June 25th) will be the opening reception of the Fence Show at the Arts Center of the Capital Region in Troy. I usually enter this every year, not only as a way of showing new work, but to make sure my membership is up to date.:-) This is an opportunity for me to try out new work on a large audience every year…it’s an extremely important show/resource to this area and I encourage any and all folks to enter. It’s always fun, and with Ian Berry from the Tang as curator this year…I can’t wait to see the Fence Select Show in July (and see if I can make the cut.;-) Submit your work at the Arts Center June 13th-15th.

Stay tuned ALL SUMMER for new work being made…and hopefully more shows.:-)

cheers!
John

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David, Elliott, Kurdt, and Mark

Sunday, April 18th, 2010 – 1:25 pm

David, Elliott, Kurdt, and Mark from John W. Yost on Vimeo.

On March 6th, 2010 Mark Linkous, the lead singer of a band called Sparklehorse, (look it up for sure) shot himself in the heart outside a friend’s house. He had been drinking all day and had a history of drug abuse, depression, and alcoholism.

When I heard the news I cried.

I cried hard for a few minutes while listening to his song, “It’s a wonderful life” and looking out over the Hudson River from my office window.

It IS a wonderful life for some, and for others it can be rough; for some it’s downright unbearable. It’s funny how some folks, in some of the worst situations in the world, can stay optimistic. While some of us that don’t have it so bad, want to wrap their lips around a shotgun. But in both cases…human emotion is the only thing that’s real. It can warp time, outlooks, and good situations to bad.

I think the reason that the death of folks like Mark Linkous and Kurt Cobain hit hard, is the same reason that some people think Elvis is still alive. These singers, writers, and artists whose work have a relevant honesty and emotion seem like lighthouse tenders. People in the dark that you can relate to. We engage with their work and for a moment it is a wonderful life, it is doable, and someone out there, other than you, is in on it too. Sometimes that makes all the difference.

So I thought for a while and made the video below. It’s meant to be projected in large space all at once…with all four channels split onto their own screen. The audio would also preferably be 5.1.

It would also loop forever.

I think I made it as an attempt to understand, and to wish them back to life. Just like with those who think Elvis is still alive…if I believe hard enough…maybe they’re still alive.

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Orphaned

Wednesday, March 17th, 2010 – 11:44 am

So it’s here…the new teaser trailer to my third feature film: Orphaned

we also have a site on this website:

http://nameinuse.com/orphaned/

Right now we’re still in the planning stages, casting, and script writing, BUT I felt it was time to show some folks what I’m thinking. A quiet, loud, quiet film with lots of brotherly love and violence. I’m going to be putting up a kickstarter page soon…asking for help with the finances. It’s a great site where you can contribute to the film at any level you want for fabulous cash and prizes…or titles and merch.:-) Either way you help me make the film…and get something in return.:-)

Here it is! Feedback is always welcomed…I’m a bit of a feedback junky.:-)

Orphaned Teaser Trailer from John W. Yost on Vimeo.

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Fire!: the show

Sunday, March 14th, 2010 – 8:34 pm

Last week I had the First Friday opening and critique for FIRE! All and all it was great to see my work moving in an upward direction. The numbers were a little low at the show on Friday, (thanks to all that came!) but between that, the classes that saw it, and the great crit on Wednesday, I got a great deal of exposure and good feedback. The good news is…
I was invited by the Saratoga Arts Festival to exhibit FIRE! this June (10th-13th) and kudos to the Fest for picking something out of the ordinary! I’ve never been around when Arts Fest goes down, but I look forward to checking it out this year!

Here are the preview videos of both works…just to get you pumped for June.

Cobain Ain’t Got Nothing on Me

Cobain Ain’t Got Nothing on Me from John W. Yost on Vimeo.

There’s a Part of Me That Wants to Fit In

There’s a Part of Me That Wants to Fit In from John W. Yost on Vimeo.

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