Dustin Drennen

The Goat abides.

Danilo put these designs together and I thought I’d print them on canvas. is a different animal (pun intended). I’m really good at fixing machines (really good, you can’t hire me, don’t even try, I’m too expensive). I obsess about art and literature. Coffee is the mysterious junction between the two. I think I need to explore that more.

Back when we were in the original Scotchman’s location we had an intern named Sky. Robynne painted the wall behind the bar with chalk paint and Sky wrote our specials on it. After Sky left, the job fell to me. I started with clever names and lettering. Before long, the wall became a mural. The monkey was the hallucinogenic pinnacle. I decided to recreate him today. I wanted to “fix” him, but I decided it was better to maintain the impromptu hand-scrawled beauty instead. I miss that wall. Who thinks this should be the next sticker?

Right up til it kills us and feeds on our warm remains, AI is so fun! I said to

There was a surge of fear and disgust in response to tools like Midjourney delivering AI to the public. Artists voiced a lot of that. Those feelings are still around.

Here are three thoughts, on a personal level.

1) I’m not threatened as a creative being. AI can’t take my uniqueness or the pleasure I derive from creation.

2) It’s inevitable. We have these same fearful discussions every time technology makes us uncomfortable. Life isn’t comfortable, it’s about learning to deal with obstacles, frustrations, discomforts. That leads me to:

3) It’s a tool! I used to think that the great painters of old just imagined everything and then proceeded to freehand masterpieces. Maybe one in a bajillion. Creative people use tools. Figure out how to use AI as a tool, not a maker of art -that’s you.

Bonus:

4) Just enjoy it until it eats you!