I'm having a shoot today at 1:00ish.

It's a male (my 3rd... only 2nd nude).  Like most of my recent models, he is not a "model"... but I don't think this is the first time he's been shot.  He is chalk full of great ideas.  It will be interesting to see what we can come up with together.

I'll blog again to tell you how it went and hopefully within the next week or so, I will have new artWork to show ya'll (won't be this weekend... will be much to busy with the shindig).


Everyone have a great 4th of July!

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I declare this.... our independence day!

Party... much like Memorial Day... allllllll damned weekend.

The grill will be hot from Thursday or Friday on... so... show up and throw on a burger and a dog and enjoy!

Bring a bottle or case of your favorite refreshment and if you have anything specialty you'd like to throw on the fire.

And... speaking of fire... we will be asking the Town tomorrow when we pay the electric what the rules are on burning so we can have a bonfire and toast s'mores and such like the good ole days back on the Lil Ass Farm :)  (Oh... and Pauline and Rob... the guy next door cut down a big ass tree... so ifn you need wood... let me know)

So... yeah... bring your suit... your beverage of choice and we shall party!  The fireworks go off right over our backyard... so... we don't even have to leave to enjoy the goodness :)

Ifn you know where the new homestead is... just show up whenever... I'm always home.  If you don't.. let me know and I will give you directions :)

Have a great week.... hope to see you this weekend

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Memorial Day Weekend, Leslie brought it to my attention that I forgot to post my facebook

link on my myspace... and yet, I forgot to do so... lol.  And since then there have been a

coupla people who pointed out the fact that "there are a million Eric Snyders" to me.  So...

I am adding that link today on my profile and I am adding it here.  Feel free to add me on

there.  It is a great networking tool.  I can already see a greater response to my online

stores from the tiny bit of work I've done on there.

Here's my link:
http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/people/Eric-L-Snyder/669727186

shame they don't have URLS... then I'd just be ericsnyder on there like everydamnedotherwhere

and it wouldn't be so hard to find me... grin

Hope everyone is having good times as summer comes upon us :)

If you know where I live... feel free to stop by anytime and enjoy the poolage and such... if

you know me well enough to know where I live and DO NOT... when, then... don't you think it's

about time you found out and stopped over for a visit?

I know life is tough all around for most of us... and my heart goes out to all of you who are

struggling during this crapass time in American history.  Hopefully soon things will begin

looking up once again all around.

love you all
:*
e

Weekend photoshoot


This weekend the model, Raquel, came down to do the photoshoot.  The gods of sucky weather stayed at bay for us and what began as a brisk morning turned to a perfectly wonderful day.  The wonderful day caused every dog who owned a human to drag them out to MY BEACH!  But, no worries... there are many tuck away places where one can still create art free from the gawking eyes of fisherman and those being pulled around behind dog leashes.

Raquel brought a nice bottle of wine... she went for quantity instead of quality and still ended up with a delightfully straight forward chardonny that even Kim wouldn't haven't forced me to drink alone (oh how some inside jokes fall on deaf ears nowadays).  So, we sat upon the sand with our wine and talked of art and music and life and family and got to know one anther to make the shoot that much more fun and natural.

And then my Rhode Island native friend decides the water's fine and slids down the bank into the water.

I walked in to shoot her against the bank and, she was right... the water was quite enjoyable.  Which turned out to be a good thing, for as we walked further down... the water came well above my shorts.  But we got some GREAT shots. Some of her playing in the sand and clay on the bank and some boob deep in the water. One of which is already a piece :D  I will probably be posting that sometime today.

Given the dog walkers, we were limited in scenery and given the depth of the water... there was only so many of the same shot we could take, so we returned home to the studio.  Another bottle of wine and some interesting wardrobe choices later (including 3 or 4 masks (one of which is her own Devil mask which was stunning)), and it was 8pm and we had a great deal of pictures.

It was a great shoot.  I believe we both enjoyed the process enough that there will be another shoot in our very near future (I hear she has some great locations up by her) AND... I would say we both gained a new friend this weekend.

Be sure to give me photo comments... they help... positive, negative, constructive... they help.


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So, plans were solidified last nite for the modeling shoot this Sunday.  Weather permitting, we will be shooting outside (beach, maybe cemetery and woods)... if not... we will do an inside shoot this time and aim to shoot again when it is warmer.

The model is originally from RI, so she's not as affected by the cold... which is cool... cause I think it's supposed to be a little cool on Sunday... but... if she's up for it... I am (I will be the one with clothes on... lol).

We talked on the phone last nite for about 3hours... good good times.  She has my sense of funny... so it will be quite an entertaining shoot!

I will post some shots from it early next week and then post the art that comes from those... when I have some.  I'm on such a roll right now that I'm sure I will have work by the next weekend time permitting.

Hola once again my pretties... grin

I seem to be having some online time within my grasp this and next week... and given the fact that my big website overhaul got side tracked by the laptop crashing... and then server issues... I decided that I would take this time and this space to create a website RIGHT HERE!

I am an artist... and sadly, that may be news to some of you on here since I've been so completely pointless at said "trade" for the past decade (old much?).  Starting with a client who took up 100 hrs/week of my time a decade ago to a gallery owner who stole a thousand dollars of commissions from me to focusing on my own artGallery (as a means to avoid having to deal with shady gallery owners... MOST are honest folk... I was just burnt and wanted to create a nice LOCAL place for artists to show)... to homelife issues... to a lil friend who drove me to go out drinking WAYYYYYYYY to much to be productive (love and miss you Rhi... where ever the hell you are out there)... to maintaining BiParadise (though designs for that shop are still refreshing creative outlet)... to dealing with the death of 35mm film... to a chain of dying computers... many things lead to my slacking off in the art department.

But, I had a chance to re-evaluate MANY things last year... and in that time, I realized a few undying truths... A) I will never NOT be with Cherith... the universe has spoken... and we are both listening this time B) I was born to teach and... C) I am an artist... whether I am creating at any given moment or not.

So... you may see changes in my profile info and some odd "official" looking blogs which I will be using as "page links" as I twist the fabric of myspace to my own will to turn it into the closest thing I can to a website as I work on my real one... and work out the server issues.  Feel free to read them if you would like... or not... I know I only have a handful of friends on here who still read my blogs... and... I also understand most of you are moving on to facebook.  

I will also be out there actively making new friends with other artists and models and other such art types.  I am a hell of a PR man... and I know the average joe may not be in an art buying mood right now with the economy the way it is.  But, the ground work I do now, will set the stage for next year when the climate changes and life returns to where is should be.

Thank you for accepting this "change in format"... I will still be "me"... I will just be talking more about art and myself than about politics and sex and you know... whatever else usually stuck my fancy.

I hope all is going well for all of you out there...

love and miss you all
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hola my horde (you know... the whole few of you grin) of innrweb friends...

I did a photoshoot back when I was still living with the Robines (Rob and Pauline)... (miss you guys BTW)... in late October

but...

as most of you know... shortly after my life fell alllllllllllllllllll to shit and back so I didn't have the time or state of mind to do much creating.  Well, now I have NOTHING but time and I finally got figured a computer good enough to handle my much heavy photoshopping (moment of silence for my deceased laptop)... and... well... my state of mind is still all kindsa weak, but.. working on these images has helped me to a better place.

As you can see from the first one I'm ready to call "done" (my current (when this was posted) userpic) that she is a sensational beauty with an incredible presence.  She and her hubby came out and the four of us had a ball.  She was wonderful to work with and it's been a great joy to create from those photographs.  We have already planned to do another shoot once the weather gets more agreeable for the out of doors :D

I'm obviously not in a financial state to begin showing.... but... as most of you know I create for the sake of the art, not the sake of money.  If money were a factor, I'd be painting ducks and geese. 

Anyway... I'm alive and well-ish... and I just wanted to blog to say hi to so many of you I haven't talked to in forever.  My online time is still VERY limited... but, I do still find time to get on here and again.

I would love to hear what ya'll think of the new work and those of you who know you need to hang out... get up with me... anything to help normalize my life is good times.

I would like to thank Carla once again for the call in the darkness... that brought me out of so much.

And... my star... how I miss our daily correspondance... but life has changed so much for both of us this year it just stands to reason.


I will post more once I get them finished... and unlike the last batch (which are all tucked away in my crashed laptop), I won't wait til I show these in a gallery before posting... I'll be posting them right after I call them done and send them to the model (it's only right that the model gets first look... lol)


love and miss you all soooooo much and I hope this "downturned" world is holding up better for ya'll

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omF'Ng!

I have seen Opeth just a few (EVERY CHANCE I've had since 2003) times before... and they are an incredible band with mindblowing songs filled with the greatest musicianship this side of Prokofiev... but... omg... this time.... AMAZING!

The air guitar player next to me says as we are walking out "these guys shred, huh?" and all I could say was "AMAZING"... I was speachlessly blown away... I knew all the songs... I knew what to expect... I knew it would be the simple yet bold and powerful backdrop of black with the big "O"... and yet... still... AMAZING... I was seriously in another world... this show transcended time and space... PERIOD!

more on them in turn... they had openers after all.

Nachtmystium:
I have heard them before and really enjoyed the place they are going with the new album (of which they played heavily right off the bat to great fan response).  But, I don't know if the guitarist was new or was having sound issues or WHAT... but he just stayed in his corner staring at the amps and paying the audience no mind.  I could think he's just from the pantera school of ignoring the audience... but... there was a buzz pop coming from his corner... and his solos were small and quiet and weak and VERY out of place.  I don't know any of their material enough to tell you if it sounded as it should.  But, I have liked what I have heard thusfar... and... I didn't like THIS!

I've seen drunks with cue sticks play better air guitar than their bassist.  I swear he was just masterbating his instrument.  He was VERY into it... he was smiling the whole time... but to watch him chocking the neck and just riding up and down on it... I would swear he wasn't even actually playing it... his backround vocals were a savior at times, though... but that coulda been that old Troc hazard of mic sound probs... you can't fault the venue... the guys bring their own shit... but... it is a common occurance there.

The Singer/guitarist seemed a bit pompous... but... that's what rockstars are for, right?  The whole overal vibe had a New Wave of the Old Wave of British Heavy Metal (NWOTOWOBHM?) thing going on... like Metalica with talent... Like Venom meets WitchFinder meets Tigers of Pan Tang.  Thrashy in spots... Speed-ish in spots... hair waving like Cliff Burton... it had an old school feel to it.  I hear them heralded as Black Metal meets Psychodelia... yeah... um... NO... I didn't hear that... maybe they need to hire a keyboardist for live shows or something (but they can't do that until they save up enough to buy the drummer a big boy kit (no lie... I just saw their drummers kit in Target for $299.. lol... it was TINY))... I thought maybe the hype was right since Opeth (who actually ARE Metal Meets Psychodelia) had them open.

It could have been the nite... could have been the sound... could have been the fact that it was the VERY beginning of this tour... could have been the intimidation of opening for OPETH!  

BUT... the fans loved the snot out of it!  Singing along... and MOSHING... real live old school skipping with the Anthraz style hand "bops"... not killing each other... just skipping and bouncing with elbows high!  There was headbanging and hand pumping and that old speed/thrash hair whiping thang... and most of the kids doing it were 13-20 TOPS!  That made me feel good! As did the number of Maiden shirts in the audience!  Metal has a future... metal will always have a future!

then came...

High on Fire:
I had heard great things about these guys... very Iced Earthy in the "maiden influence" of it all I heard.  Well... I have to tell you... once again mic issues (This time FAR WORSE) kept me from truly being able to appreciate them.  When I COULD hear the singer... he seemed to have a Paul Di'Anno vibe going on... and you KNOW I believe if the history books could be re-written and Bruce Dickinson would have had "prior engagements" Paul Di'anno would be THE VOICE of Heavy Metal... but... life did not turn out that way... but... still when I hear a band like Fear Factory or Blaze Bayley, even, or High on Fire... I know the attitude and the spunk and the fire is not gone from the Heavy Metal Spirit!  

They played some good old rockin music... their guitarist actually seemed to know the songs and the bassist actually seemed to know chords... the drummer on the other hand.  OMG... he had bigger drums than Opeth... but... couldn't play them for a lick.  I felt so back for Nachtmystium's drummer with that beginner kit and seasoned playing... High on Fire's drummer seemed like he had more cash than talent... EVERY beat was an attempt to squeeze in a Peter Criss drum solo.  He hit EVERY drum in EVERY measure... usually in the same order.  You know that one "drum thang" they teach you so you can sound check the drums?  It looks like a solo and if that's all you every play for people they think you kicks ass... well... yeah... that's what this guy played over and over and over... no matter what the other two were doing.

But... him and his need to bang on stuff more than make music... the other two seemed quite competent and quite good.  But... given the fact that it was a 3piece and the vocals were out... their songs didn't stand up as instrumentals.  If they had a second guitar to round out the sound or... um... VOCALS... I think it would have been a rolicking good time...

I believe both bands are worth checking out and into... I look for them both to be household names... with Nachtmystium actually becoming one of my bands as time rolls on... I'm chalking the concert snafus up to early tour and Troc sound patterns.  But... because you are all (except the local people) going to go out and catch Opeth this tour... you will seem them for yourself!

onto the main event!

So... in line... and walking around the venue and then upstairs... omg... 40-70 year old peoples... I know... I know... that'll be me in less years than I care to think about... but these people LOOKED like old people... dressed like this was the DNC... not a Death Metal Concert!  One older couple sat diagonally infront of us... the man with a Pink Floyd shirt on... and I said, "You do know they released more than Damnation, right?"  Then their two sons (both over 21... we were upstairs) came and sat with them.  So we figured they were just being good parents playin it Hip... (I went to alicia keys after all.... grin... I know how that goes.)  But... they were all over the place... the guy RIGHT next to Cher said, "I was googling something and I followed a youtube video to Opeth... 'Death and something about a Lulaby'" he said! lol "Great great song... I had to buy tickets right there!"  I informed him some of the music would be a little... um... less like that.  He seemed to enjoy himself, though.  WE ALL DID!

So... they come out... Mike starts talking... it's good times as usual.  An Opeth show is so damned intimate... he relates... he interacts... he cares... he insults... it's good times... like a "rubbing elbows" tour... or "story tellers"... he just loves us and REALLY truly is one of those artists who APPRECIATES the fans.  But... that has a lot to do with the fact that he is creating art... not trying to push "units"... so... whether we were here keeping him from having to get a day job or not... he would still be creating art... and it is such a warm feeling when you can do as you please without sacrificing a LICK of integrity or artistic expression and STILL have people flock to you like you are the greatest thing since music began (he is, isn't he?)!

The music starts... some old stuff... some new stuff... some REALLY old stuff...

I was so excited to see how the new album would translate live... and... WOW... the audience loved it... he loved it... it really worked... I loved the jazzy breakdown in Lotus Eater... it was one of those "wait for it... wait for it... wait for it..." moments and it came and it was seemless and flawless and... *kisses fingertips all at once* PERFECTO!

The talking continued... the requests were screamed from the balcony... they played Hope Leaves (which they've not played live outside of the Damnation tour when they did the album in its entirety)... omg... GOOSEBUMPS... that song is amazing all by its lonesome... but live... it shot right thru you... and I could feel that EVERYONE was feeling it... it was good good times! And they played Bleak... the live version of that (because the digital soundeffect outro on the album almost offends me (I give Mike his props... I love his creativity and his love for experimentation... and I'm quick to go... "omg... yer a genius" when he does something unexpected... but... the ending to Bleak... eh... yeah)... I am going to be honest right here and say I think that ending throws off the entire BlackWater album... still a great album... and an INCREDIBLE song) song is one of the greatest songs ever written... and they played it perfectly... I still cringed at the end fearing they were going to pipe in that sound effect at the end... they did not :D

Opeth are an honest straight forward band... they come... they do the show... they thank us CONTINUALLY and SINCERELY... they play Demon of the Fall and they leave...

This is what I have known for the last 50 forevers... they are not a "hiding behind the curtain and waiting band"... they kick yer ass... pummel you to the ground and leave you moshing... period

but... this time they came back after Demon of the Fall... it was cool... it was very rockstar... and it was VERY well received... They kick ass... there is no other way to put it... no other show will give you this dynamic of a body surge... from adrenaline... to pathos... to laughter... there is more depth to it than a broadway production... and with NO PROPS... just a buncha guys and their instruments.

Classic... Classy... BRILLIANT... period!

Great Show! If tickets are still available in your area... GET SOME (cause... I think I neglected to say that this concert was the fullest I've EVER seen the Troc... and the most diverse...)... you won't be dissappointed... and even if they aren't "your type of music"... go anyway... a GREAT show... a great EXPERIENCE! Otherworldly!

that's all... I return you to your regularly scheduled myspacing while I go catch up on my inbox here

love and miss you all
<:
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hola myspacers :)

been a while!

Doesn't mean I don't love you all... it just means life has been absolute CHAOS!

hmmm... whuda thunk?

Well... living arrangements got tight at the old place... and as luck would have it... we have dear sweet friends on here who bailed us out of our jam.

It has been just over a week living out on the farm with our great new roommates (who we've KNOWN for YEARS)... and all is meshing well and going great.  It's like family.

I don't have a bunch to update right now... because so much is in flux... but... ya'll will have to txt or call me sometime and drop by and see the new joint and hang out... it's been FAR TOO DAMNED LONG for MOST of us... seems like FOREVER since I've hung with most of you.

So... point is... I've landed on my feet again... thanx to people with big hearts and spare rooms... and enjoying every minute of it.

As I know more as I go... I will blog it... sorry for being so distant... but... it happens... grin

love ya'll
e