What About the Alien on My Jacket

I have just heard about Mark Freeland passing after a fight with cancer (Thursday, June 14, 2007). He was a true Buffalo artist. I will always remember when I first saw the "guy dressed in indian headgear, hand painted leather jackets with an ear full of earings" walking around Elmwood. I always thought he was wasted and quite a freak! A friend turned me onto his music in the '90s (awesome Fems videos here) and then I started to understand the artist that is Mark Freeland. Here is a link to his screentest for the movie Buffalo '66- this is great!

About 3 years ago, Mark called me about setting up a website to display and sell his paintings online. I met him at his apartment on Forest, right off Elmwood. I was a little intimidated to go see him at first. But when I arrived he welcomed me with open arms. Large finished and unfinished canvases were stacked up in the living room as the furniture was pushed aside to make room. We talked for about 40 minutes or so and I really liked he genuineness. That is what I will remember about meeting him. Man, he was nice.

I never did do his website, but I would still occasionally see him around over the past few years and he always said hello.

Buffalo lost an original yesterday. RIP, Mr. Mark Freeland.

Beer makes you smart, drinking is art," chanted Mark Freeland and Electroman in their funny, eclectic twist on the sex-drugs-rock theme, American Googaloo.

http://www.markfreeland.com/