Flea Market Halloween Finds!

Old Torrance flea again.... Bought this "Satellite of love" TV then later that day heard the news that Lou Reed had died. Must be a hug from the heavens.

Picked up some old die cast cars (I think mainly from the 80's) Got this huge old plastic supermarket Richard Petty Stock Car for 5 bucks!

Got an old Madballs plastic lunchbox which found a home at my shop as did the plastic figure cup of The Rock.

Went looking for stuff to paint, but left with toys mostly. That's always the way it goes. You find what you weren't looking for every time. We had a good time. Sharon picked up a red bake-a-lite domino bracelet which she was stoked with. Good to get out a walk around for a bit. When I got to work I was sleepy, but happy (then bummed when I heard about Lou, but I did get a nice TV and I painted a memorial tribute bottle to remember the day.) Such a perfect day.

I love to watch things on T.V.

Bumming out on the loss of Lou Reed. I sat at my shop and painted a memorial bottle to mark the sad day. I love that Pixies song that says, "I like Lou Reed..." because I do like him too. Never mind that the Velvets changed music forever.... or the power of Rock and Roll Animal, the Classic radio hit, "walk on the wild side" Lou was a real original. My uncle Don once interviewed him for his fanzine Back Door Man at Trader Vic's and he said he would not answer any questions unless they bought him drinks, and after they did he gave vauge one word answers. He had a reputation for being a real prick, but that was who he was. I was talking to my eye glass guy who had him sign his lp long ago, and he said he took his marker and made a slash mark on the cover. Lou helped write the now classic and often considered the worst Kiss lp "The Elder". Many Metallica fans hated his "Lulu" collaboration and Metal Machine Music? We will never get another guy like this. He made his own rules. I love the passion he sang with. I loved all of his work. Sad for Laurie Anderson too. We lost an American Icon. Rest in peace, Lou Reed. You were great.

What is sobritety? What is normal?

I have led a pretty much drug and alcohol abuse free life for about 22 years. I lost a few friends and family members to it. Many of my closest friends live fairly sober lives. I am not preaching sobriety, but the friends that never let me down and that I can depended on at least try to keep sober (or they are). What does being sober give you? Eventually you will learn what love is (possibly, if you open your mind to the world not being just about yourself too). You can still enjoy your black metal and pagan thoughts too. You may learn to find balance between good and bad (or Heaven and Hell... you know what I mean.) You still need to vent stress now and then (for me I like some good hard rock music now and then and some good art books, but that's just me.) Food remains my big challenge now, but with small steps I am finding balance, but I am very sure I will never be Normal. That does not make me special. I am not alone in being abnormal. (and that is good.) I have a few support groups and therapists to get me in this healthier, happier direction. This help works if you trust in others and open up to the idea (again) that it is not just about you, and that others have the same feelings and problems you do, and that is a group or with others you heal better than just on your own. Don't give up the fight. Rage against the dying of the light! Peace be with you. (Maybe I am Normal? Nope, I am Scott Aicher.)

Surviving last week

I had an allergic reaction to Blue Agauve sweetener last week. I put two teaspoons in my diet shake and licked the spoon not knowing what was next. It got pretty bad. My whole body got a rash and then blistered up. It took about four days lying flat to get better. I was thinking of my grandmother who had just passed and what she went through in her last moments, but really I think the spirit of my grandfather Robert (He died when my mom was 12 years old) was paying me a visit. He was in the big war and his ship sank and he swallowed lots of fuel and oil (Which may have brought the cancer that he died from). I was laying watching TCM movies. First they showed Flight of the Phoneix with James Stuart. I had watched it before, but this time my skin was on fire like in the desert heat in the movie (good movie, check it out) then next was the one that had me thinking of my grandfather "Abandon Ship" with Tyrone Power. I was belly sick at this time and I thought "at least I am not lost at sea" The captain who was referred to as "Captain, Brave Captain" (I think fIREHOSE wrote a tune about him, so maybe D.Boon was in the room too) He was catching slack from all the living people left. Anytime someone complained they would have to spend time overboard. It is an awesome movie. I am not going to spoil the end, but it made me think I was not so bad off. By Sunday I had weathered the storm and I headed over to my post at Crafted and spent a few hours there. I would not have faired so well, but with the help of my shipmates Raul Morales who so kindly brought the aid of healing Nettle Tea and Nettle herbals and my wonderful wife Sharon who looked on my wrecked self and said "You are getting better" she had to listen to my complaints and was her gentle kind self. I am not all clear yet, but the worst part is over. Everyone at Crafted gave many kind and loving words. Thank you all for your care. Love, Scott

Grandma Ardis passes away...

My Grandma Ardis passed away this week. She was a guiding light in my art career. She often cheered me on when she saw what I was creating. A talented painter and sculpter herself, she was a long standing helping member of her Canyon Lake community. She lost her husband shortly after the war to cancer. She held her family of 5 kids together by herself and never lost her love of her departed husband. Tragically she lost her son Don at the young age of 52 as well. She is now reunited with her husband Robert and son Don and is finally at rest. Being a fighter her whole life I feel she has finally returned home and is now at peace. (The photo is her at my sister's wedding)

Remains of the day... A new day rising.

So after many Kustom Culture art shows I showed at and trying to belong to the in-crowd again (like in high school) I once again found myself back to the old me. I did not get invited to the big Kustom Culture 2 show like my colleagues, and the creative climate in the genre had (for me) grown stale. Not that I don't still love it. Just the other day I traded for some Marx Nutty Mads so I guess it still lives in my heart, but I had to let go of what I was chasing and get back to the old me. The kid who made art because it was fun and nobody ever told me what or how to paint or draw when I was young... I just did it because it was fun. I worked for Ed Roth once before he passed away. I sat with him one day at a drag swap off route 66 and he told me to be my own boss. To make my own Rat Fink. So after leaving the art shows behind I had to find a new job or way to make a living. I needed something close to home because my old job had me driving from Pedro to Malibu everyday. I heard Crafted in Pedro was lowering the rent cost. I was not sure if I could even make the rent on my own, but I took a gamble and with the help of my loving wife and her parents I got a space there. Only one other booth is really like mine and he sells records, so at least I had some place to shop when I had a break in the day. In homage to my past I named my booth Aicher's Pop Kustom Shoppe. I started painting just for fun again and filled my booth with the most fun art I have made. I have some fink stuff there. Some surf stuff. Some punk rock art. Some kid style art. Some Pop art. Even some art I made as my alter-ego "The Dooch". I just finished my first month and I feel like a weight has been lifted (literally too, before I started this booth I got on a diet plan and in the 13th week have currently lost about 60 pounds. It is 27 weeks long, so I am hoping to reach my goal weight by December. Thank you, I know... I am awesome.) So I feel great and due to losing weight I am able to acclimate to the warm summer heat at the booth and not pass out in the day. (It's not that hot really just that before I really had trouble in summer weather being so heavy.) So in my first month many friends have shown up and bought art and gave me praise, love and support (some family and friends have bought and found me supplies and found things for me to customized for my booth) and in addition to that the folks at Crafted made me feel right at home as myself. It has been a long journey to find my place and it is not over yet. To all of you who have helped me along the way I thank you sincerely from my heart and to all the new people I meet at my new site I welcome you to share my new path with me. I hope in some way I can make you smile. Happy Trails! - Scott Aicher -August, 26th, 2013.
Link to my facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/AichersPopKustomShoppe

Opening week for Aicher's Pop Kustom Shoppe at Crafted

On the first day it was Friday, a weekday and things were understandably slow so I made all my tags and kept real busy with the final loose ends and got things all put where they go. I did make a bunch of contacts and passed out cards. I forgot to put the Free sign on the Atomic Fireballs so nobody took them. Today was Saturday and the rumor was that the San Pedro celebration might make things slow, but we had a rep down there and the famous Grilled Cheese Truck was at Crafted so there was lots of traffic. The Fireballs were a hit and in the morning I made many more contacts. Then my Sister stopped in with her Childhood friend Katy Kay, her husband Mike Woolsen and her mom Cecelia. I had not seen Katy since she was little. Her husband Mike broke the ice and brought my first sales. He bought 2 paintings and a shirt. My Sister bought a painting too. I felt so happy I almost cried. Soon after my pal Chris from the band High Anxiety and his friend (forgot his name, sorry) stopped in and Chris bought my Cowboy surfing in the desert painting and his friend bought a signed copy of Jack Grisham's (from the band T.S.O.L.) book "Untamed" (all of you know I did 30 drawings and the cover of this book, right?) I have signed (by me and Jack) copies for sale at the booth. So, by the second day I had enough to pay my rent! I was sticking to my diet, so to celebrate I went over to Krazy Korner (also at Crafted) to see Olga and flip through the lp's. I bought a minty copy of The Pirates of the Caribbean ride soundtrack lp with a cool book of folks on the ride in the 60's. (I got a good deal too.) Hope to see all my friends down there soon. (I am so lucky) Thanks so much for making this first week so great you all! Come on out and say hello Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 11 to 6pm at Aicher's Pop Kustom Shoppe inside Crafted 110 22nd Street, San Pedro, CA 90731