Studio of Rick Chris, Positive Gay Images

Brian and Justin getting intimate at the prom. (Queer As Folk)
Economical and very collectible smaller original paintings. Check them out!

Just a note to let everyone know, my paintings are NOT computer generated images. I do my paintings the traditional way, by hand and start with a pencil sketch and work my way to the finished painting. So what you are getting is a product of my skill and not a software program.

During these rough times…
I know things are kind of rough out there for a lot of folks and the only magic I have to share with you is through my art and my little web site. If you are having bumpy day, I'd like to share my Affirmations page with you. It's one of the oldest pages on rickchris.com. Maybe you can use that page to build a little magic, gather a little grace and get the strength to help you through your trials. "Where is the night luster? Past my trials…" Click here.

Spare Change For The Rick Chris Cookie Jar:
During these tough economic times, your donation would certainly help keep my little web site going. If you enjoy the various features on rickchris.com, please help support this web site through a donation. Any amount is helpful. Many thanks! - Rick Chris

The not yet ready for prime time blog. The blog is something new - see how long it lasts. Doing a blog also violates one of my primary principles which is "Keep your mouth shut, Rick!"

June 28 , 2009

To contact Rick Chris, send your email to: "rickchris 'at' (use the at symbol above the 2 on your keyboard) rickchris.com"

posted 6/28/09
Her Name Is Lucy and She Honors Her Gay Father

I first encountered this young lady at Pridefest in 2007 (see 2007 album) and I was curious as to why she was carrying this sign around the festival grounds. The sign had a photo of a man dressed in a WWII uniform. I stopped and asked her some questions and she revealed that the photo was of her father and that he was gay. Her father had died in the mid-1980s and never attended a gay pride activity. To make up for that, she puts on her father's medal and carries the sign through the pride festival grounds. After I had published an article about her on my front page back in 2007, I received a number of emails from people who were very touched by her actions.

I saw the woman again at this year's pridefest and I stopped to talk with her again. This time I learned her name is Lucy and she told me she had just returned from Italy where she had scattered some of her father's ashes in places where he had been during his tour in World War II. A tip of the Rick Chris hat and a deep bow goes out to Lucy - truly such a devotion from a loving daughter is more than any father could hope for.

posted 6/28/09
My Last Pridefest
The 2009 Denver pridefest will be the last one I will be attending. I'll blog more on this later. I put together an album of photos I took at the festival. You can view the photos here PRIDE 2009.

posted 5/9/09
Are We Having Fun Yet?
Actually not. The Great Recession is enough all by itself to deal with and then recently I suddenly developed a vision problem with one of my eyes. I've been told the vision problem will thankfully eventually clear up all by itself. Then, if that wasn't enough, without warning, my computer, with some snaps, crackles and a lot of pops, suddenly died of a short circuit, which I found is something that is unrepairable. Took me awhile, but I found a replacement computer which is a step above the old computer. The new computer is used and also needed a repair which I was able to do myself with the use of a part from another motherboard I had. What great fun…NOT! After all that wasted time I'm now trying to get back to my various projects.

Regarding the Beef Matson contest, because of all the time I lost, I have decided to extend the contest deadline to the middle of June. That will give me time to finish an original painting I had planned to give away for the contest, so I could display that as prize on the web site. It might also be more festive to have the contest end during Pride month.

posted 4/23/09
Nope, It's All Handmade
Apparently somebody's been spreading a falsehood that my art is computer generated. I guess this is because most of the art they are familiar with is art they've seen on the group posting sites where people have used Photoshop to create images by tweaking photos. So me thinks that those people think that all artwork is created in Photoshop. Nope. In my case my artwork is all by hand. I first start out with a pencil sketch and then begin to paint in a time consuming step by step process. The traditional non-computer software approach. So what you see in my images is what I am able to produce through my own two little hands using pencils, brushes, paint, etc and there isn't any CGI (computer generated imagery) involved. I think this is way my paintings have a softer feel to them than the computer images.

THE CONTEST HAS ENDED! The winner's casting choices for the imaginary movie are brilliant! I'm sure you will find them interesting.

The winner is Justin in Connecticut and I think Justin's casting choices for an imaginary movie of A PERSON IN A POSITION OF TRUST are simply brilliant. Justin's entry was the obvious winner because his picks were very well thought out with good reasoning behind his choices as well as his unique choices of actors to play certain characters. What probably did help Justin is that he is employed in the entertainment industry and he's a big fan of the Beef Matson stories.

Now that the contest has ended, I can also reveal my choices for actors in an imaginary movie of APIAPOT. In my mind, I actually had few ideas for actors to play the various characters. I didn't cast anyone to play Randy or Brett and the characters Gloria and Bessie were solely based on two women I had worked with. However, I did see Patrick Warburton as making an excellent Beef Matson, though when I proofed and reformated the text for web publishing, I'd see other actors as Matson. I saw Rosanne playing Blanche the waitress. I also visioned Rosie O'Donnell as Berry Starr, the lawyer. Finally, for God, I at first pictured the Almighty as being played by Burl Ives, the folk singer, and then later I saw Bruce Vilanch as God. I saw a slick devil being played by Kelsey Grammer.

However, I think you'll find Justin's picks very intelligent and much more interesting than mine. Here are Casting Director Justin's choices, and his comments about his choices, for A PERSON IN A POSITION OF TRUST, the movie!

Private Investigator Lynn Gordon (Beef) Matson - Patrick Warburton For the obvious physical appearance but also he is very masculine and purposful in the way he carries himself. He has has the height and physical body to. He is matter of fact.
Matson's assistant, Randy Hardwicke - Randy Harrison
Lawyer Berry Starr - Cherry Jones Out of the closet since beginning her professional career in 1980. Cherry has been an out spoken advocate for gay rights ever since.
Berry's partner, Bobbi - Sarah Paulson Cherry Jones real life partner and a good actress. She plays Diane Keaton's lesbian daughter in "The Other Sister".
Randy's lover Brett Parker - Josh Lucas Actually played a gay man in "The Deep End". He is more mature than Randy and to me Randy would have felt safe in his arms when he held him.
Blanche, wisecracking waitress at the Cozy Cup - Lily Tomlin
Dorothy, the other Cozy Cup waitress - Park Overall
Minerva, the mystic- Carole Cook After seeing her play a spiritualist on Charlies Angel's. I will forever see her as one! She is still alive!
Gloria - Lee Meriwether I pick her because she is a dead ringer for Anita Bryant and an actress. She also reminds me of Gloria in the story.
Bessie - Marcia Gay Harden There is something very caustic about her.
God - Jack Nicholson Because I imagine God with a sick sense of humor. I wouldn't be surprised if it was Jack Nicholson.
The devil - The miserable homophobic Mickey Roarke.
Berry Starr's mother - Jayne Eastwood
Franklin, the ghost who lived in Randy's apartment - Clifton Davis would be perfect. Even being a little older I see him as Franklin. Change up the clothes and you have him.
Larry Doolin, the menacing stalker - Timothy Hutton He exudes what could be kind and unassuming charisma but I see a very dark side to him. People being surprised but not surprised by what he is capable of. He is extremley weathered and I don't think looking as good as he could because of his own drinking and substance abuse issues. A once handsome man now an embittered one.
The Angel - Andy Hallet He could be serious but when he made you laugh you couldn't stop. He played Lorne on Angel. He was also a professional singer. When I think of an Angel he would have to sing. Sadly I found out he just died of heart failure.

COMMENT: Nicholson as God. Might work in a whimsical sort of way. - M.F.

COMMENT: When I saw his picks for the women characters, I just love those actors so I had to rush through and read your story. I think those are very good picks. - L.A.N.

COMMENT: The idea of Jack Nicholson as God intrigued me. Took me awhile to find the chapter where the devil confronts God. When I read that section the mental image I got of Nicholson and Roarke arguing was incredible. A scene like that should be put on film. - Annie

COMMENT: Clifton Davis and Lee Meriwether! OMG - I haven't thought about them in years! - Jeff

COMMENT: The contests results were interesting but ---my question is what was the point in running a contest for the first beef story? Why try to get people interested in the Matson stories when you don't bothr to publish it regular. The thing is it takes you FOREVER to publish new parts to the story. Why get people interested in your stories if it take you F*KN forever to post a new chapter? If you want to publish a serial then do it on a regular basis.

To add your comments: rickchris (at) rickchris.com

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Putting the spotlight on those who add value to the gay community through their creativity, talent and achievement. The Shout Out column is open to any gay creative type, performer, writer, artist, etc. I know how challenging it can be for gay creative types, so this is my small way of trying to lend a helping hand by offering a little publicity. Just send an email (rickchris@rickchris.com) about yourself or someone you would like to be spotlighted. The cost? You only have to promise that you're going to try to be rich, famous and successful. I also accept news releases for shows, benefits and events.

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World Wide Gay Resources With LGBT CAT Toolbar

Bonnie, from White Plains, New York contacted me about her new LGBT CAT (Community Access Toolbar) which is now available via free download. Bonnie was thinking of a way to help the LGBT community, and since she has a lot of experience with computers, buillding and repairing them, she came up with the idea of the toolbar. The toolbar is free and Bonnie never charges a fee for anything she does for the community. Bonnie found she can make some money through downloads of the toolbar and she is going to donate that money to the community center she is active with, The LOFT in White Plains, NY.

Regarding Bonnie herself, she has been active in volunteering in the community and around the country with the Red Cross (25 years now) Disaster Services, was involved during 9/11 disaster operations, a former New York State law enforcement officer, EMT, advocate for the mentally ill and persons with disABILITIES, advocate for the LGBT community, helping animals, etc. You can check out her rather informative and interesting official website for more details: Home page of KA1YMC

You can also check out her blog at LGBT Minute.

To download the tool bar, go here.

Queer Music Heritage

Karen Kane Interview

JD Doyle writes:

"Did you ever wonder what a producer or engineer on an album really does, and what the difference is? Well, you can find out on my May Queer Music Heritage show. My feature interview is with Karen Kane. She's both a producer and an engineer and has had over 200 album credits, and countless live shows, in her career. She's been at it for more than 33 years, and her work includes many, many recording by gay & lesbian artists."

QMH host, JD Doyle

Part 1 - Airdate May 25 - 58:00 min
Charlie Murphy - Gay Spirit (1979)
Jade & Sarsaparilla - She's That Kind of Woman (1976)
Lilith - Boston Ride (1978)
Maxine Feldman - Amazon (1979)
Kay Gardner - Awakening (1984)
Alix Dobkin - Yahoo Australia (1990)
Fabulous Dyketones - Sixteen Candles (1988)
Janis Ian - Hunger (1999)
Someone's Sister - Free (2009, before & after)
Anna Gutmanis - I Am Who I Am (2008)

Part 2 - 68:03 min - Internet Only
Marcia Taylor - Solid Ground (1983)
Joanna Cazden - Sunny Winter (1977)
Bright Morning Star - Vine & Fig Tree (1981)
Charlie King - George's Trip (1979)
Fred Small - Everything Possible (1985)
Nancy Tucker - Heaven Is Gaining Altitude (1983)
Susan Graetz - More Pretty Girls Than One (1984)
Suede - The Ones Who Aren't Here (1988)
Muse - CincinnatiÕs Women's Choir - Good Friends Are the Best (1990)
Yagottawanna - Moonflower (1993)
Wishing Chair - Sometimes (1996)
Ember Swift - Quickly (1999)
Vicki Blankenship - Feels Good Home (2005)
Alix Olson - Bedtime Poem (2003)
Amy Lashley - 1 + 1 (2008, before & after)
Fred Small - Annie (1991)

You can stream or download the show anytime, Click here.

Part 1 will air on the show Queer Voices, on KPFT in Houston, 90.1 fm, on Monday May 25, 2009, at 10pm, and the station netcasts at www.kpft.org

Rick Chris very much recommends the Queer Music Heritage web site. If you are at all into music and would like to see how much gay performers have contributed to the music scene over the years, this site is a MUST SEE. For those of us who love music, JD Doyle has catalogued an incredible amount of information on gay artists and albums including some incredible rare stuff. A fun site to visit and JD has done a great service for the gay community by preserving the history and memory of these artists and recordings. QMH is also a radio show on KPFT radio in Houston, Texas and is also netcast. JD writes:

"Queer Music Heritage" is both a radio show and a website, and the goal of both is to preserve and share the music of our culture, because I just don't think gay & lesbian music of the past should be forgotten. I also believe our music culture is a visual as well as an audial experience, so I try to share the images of this music…photos of the artists and recordings, and to pack in as much information as possible, while still trying to entertain.

There are also many extra sections, such as a page of Gay Marriage Songs (with free downloads), a page of songs about Matthew Shepard, a section on Gay Musicals, lots of info about drag artists, a page listing songs about AIDS, etc, etc."