<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-294" title="hoodoo_or_hustle" src="http://implosionorium.wordpress.com/files/2009/01/hoodoo_or_hustle.jpg" alt="hoodoo_or_hustle" width="465" height="629" />

Wes Freed (http://www.wesfreed.com) is, hand down, without a doubt my favorite southern artist. This mans works, from his comical renditions he created for his comical series "Willard's Garrage", to his true-art-like wordless creations, is the shit southern artists dream of making (and sometimes southern children have nightmares about). My favorite of all of his works would have to be the one you see above, entitled, "Hoo Doo or Hustle?".

In my mind, you can't create and image of the south that holds the true insides of what all is wrapped up in "The South" without giving some sort of glipse of the old darker-side that still lies in the shadows and minds of all those who grew up here. Some might consider this to be a little "dark" of a way of thinking, but it's simply the truth of the matter. A buncha bad shit has gone down in this beautiful place &amp; bad choices have been made.. to much that those who have deep roots in the South are simply unable to ignore. But, along with those bad choices are the many other intriquite reasons, thoughts, discussions, old simple ways of thinking, and family pride that are often over looked by those who considers our history in the terms of the available contexts so often provided in self-serving snippets of our school history books.

The truth of the matter is, all that shit still haunts every southerner, from age 18-80, atleast if they are still thinking straight. And, walking right next to those old hauntings is the knoledge that, in some degree, our families are deeply encoiled in that history. Those family histories involve stories that elecit laughter from great grand kids, pride from those who came after their elders, and, as mentioned, dissapointment and embarssment sometimes.

Wes Freed's works, atleast in my mind, do a wonderful job of weaving all these diffrent feelings and emotions held in the Southern persona. His works are great, imaginative glimpses of what it feels like have some much history and stories sewn into the red mud. I highly suggest if you haven't checked him out, do so, as you are sure to enjoy this taste of Southern art at it's peak of perfection.

But... that's just how I feel about it. Oh, and on a comical note, Me and the lady purchased a print from him a few years back. It was this one actually:

<img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-295" title="dbt_2006_tour_poster" src="http://implosionorium.wordpress.com/files/2009/01/dbt_2006_tour_poster.jpg?w=205" alt="dbt_2006_tour_poster" width="205" height="300" />

It came in a little rolled up tube, and when we open that thing up, (I'm not shitting you), a little puff of ciggerette smoke came out. When we reached down in there, the first thing we pulled otu was a little rolled up note scatched on some torn notebook paper that read, "I'm glad ya'll enjoy this work so much, I've come to enjoy it myself as well, now that it's finished. When I started it, I was having trouble staying focused with it, so I had to draw the naked girl first, do everything else, then cover her with the hair to keep me intrested."

Now, come on, that shit's a hoot, right? Also, check out his blog located here: (http://willardsgarage.blogspot.com/)

Holler.