Visited Sheriff McSinister in his brick house castle today.

 Talked to him about car design,

ice cream trucks, policeman’s uniforms and the fact that we would like to redesign his underwear, shirt and hat.
He was not impressed.
Furthermore we voiced our appreciation for his driving style and early morning exercise of oil and grease on Main
and concluded with the request for a portrait photograph inclusive of his silver motor coach and multiple equipment strapped about his middle.
The Sheriff responded with an earnest face
and an aspiration towards a frown revealing a dental dilemma.
“No pictures taken here sir, they could after all be used to depict us
in a most compromising position.”�

We departed without the head of McSinister, but were ever more assured not to falter from our artistic quest.

Colleague Harriet has been diligent and assures us that her design for the Sheriffs undergarments plus shirt has not been falling short of humor, as she develops the plant life patterns beneath and above the officer’s belt line.

Colleague Lauren, our expert on recycled matter, has some clear suggestions towards accessorizing the sheriffs cruiser. Most pressing, she states, is the dismounting of the cattle guard in favor of a shopping cart, the retuning of the siren to the tune of “pop goes the weasel” and the addition of a playful note to steering wheel and mirror handles.

Our man Chris from the house of colors has applied his sensibilities upon the cruisers metal skin and its sinister black and silver theme. He supplied us with a new theory of color, gentle tones that register pleasantly to the surroundings.

The alternative to boring bicycles
with electric auxiliary motors, loud, imprecise,
unsafe and illegal, enough to drive those Austrian
hogs up a tree.

I look forward to importing it.

My Austrian Police theme has grown faint over the past weeks. The explanation for it is, that I have moved a few steps westward to New York State, specifically to the town of Alfred to resume a temporary position among the universities art faculty. Alfred is a small town filled with students. The day starts with a performance by Sheriff McSinister and his rubberized cruiser. As the sun pops its first rays into the valley, at 6:15 sharply, the sheriff makes his entrance. Painted up in black and blue, on a silver saddle,

 accompanied by the gold leafs of the morning the deep throated exhaust pipes announce the arrival. As he reaches the intersection of Saxon Drive and Main, the sheriff makes his vehicle suffer. He suddenly rips the wheel around for a U-turn and performs a rubber wheelie.

 Now, with an imprint of oil and grease, plus the stench of burned rubber hovering over the intersection, the day can begin. The sheriff had his routine, the shop owners may now proceed with their daily business. The term A. C. A. B., I assigned to officer McSinisters Austrian colleagues may also hold true here in Alfred, but the local cops seem to have a sense of humor and a slight twist of insanity to their actions.

metal plate etching, 9.5″x13″, J.S.,2012.Oct.

Austria
a country with too much police presence,
too many street blockades,
that not only halt traffic,
but halt ideas and progress as well.
A stagnant society, a police state.

a guest contribution by Alois Schutzenhofer.