Sightings: Patch Whisky and Ghostbeard
Walking the tightrope between being an evangelist and a flat out psycho is tricky. And I’m not quite sure if one persons evangelist is another persons psycho but, I have my suspicions.
Stop and Take the Picture!
I like to think of myself as a champion of stopping to take the picture, of documenting popular culture, art, the world around us. I’ve posted about it dozens of times. But in interest of full disclosure, even my own adherence to that gospel has been variable. That said, I identify as a believer. Maybe continuing to bang this drum is unnecessary anyway, when you consider the sheer magnitude of images that populate the media we consume, day in and day out.
When it comes to my own storage and retention of photos snapped while I’m out and about, I don’t have some type of great system for it. Often photos just languish on my camera roll or I dump them into cloud storage. For whatever reason, I am reluctant to delete even not-so-great pictures. Particularly if they seem to document something I find interesting which could be ephemeral. I often have this romantic idea that I’ll need the picture later.
Need. Isn’t that a little funny? Do I need any of the photos I’ve taken? Of course not. But, I suppose it might suggest the subconscious level of importance that I give to baring witness to certain aspects of life. They’re like exterior clues about my interior world.
What surprises me is my ability to recall pictures I might’ve taken of things I’ve seen over the years. I mean, if you asked me what my car license plate number is, the one I’ve had for like a decade? Couldn’t tell ya. But I can typically tell you that I took a picture of something 8 years ago and then dig up that photo in my bottomless pit of snaps.
There is a clear value system at play inside my brain that skews heavily towards whimsical pursuits that incidentally have no hope of ever generating money. My head is just crammed with useless information and images.
What does all this have to do with anything? Well, this funky retention process is how we ended up here today, looking at Patch Whisky and Ghostbeard’s mural in Kansas City, Missouri:
In 2023, I happened to see work by the dynamic duo in Kansas City, Missouri. Their collab was part of SpraySeeMO in 2019. The vibrant colors and characters are so…? So…? I don’t know. I just love them.
My first exposure to their paring was by happenstance when I was bumming around in Worcester, Massachusetts back in 2018. I spotted a wall that actually had a 3-fer of Patch Whisky, Ghostbeard, and Matt Gondek at 7 Jackson St in Worcester.
In hindsight, their styles are pretty specific, easily identifiable, and memorable, but I knew nothing about them at the time. I just liked what I saw. And so, I grabbed a few casual shots and went about my business. Those pics just sat in the cloud… until I needed them.
In 2020, I saw their familiar style again while in Bushwick, Brooklyn on Troutman Street as part of the Bushwick Collective. That’s when the lightbulb went on for me:
After seeing the artists’ work in Bushwick, their names became cemented in my mind. And now, they are forever burned into my consciousness. I can’t unknown about them. All thanks to a motorcycle ride or two.
[puts on evangelist hat]Because the work is rotating there in Bushwick, the mural is no more. Stop and take the picture!
Keep exploring, keep taking and sharing your pictures and stories. Leave breadcrumbs for others to find. Share locations, share your passions. Keep inspiring others to get out and find interesting, weird, and beautiful things. Please and thank you.
If you’re interested in finding out more about Patch Whisky, Ghostbeard, and Matt Gondek, check ’em out: