rough view behind the curtain and/or about creativity

Been a long time since I've blogged this was written for a magic forum on FB,
 rough view behind the curtain and/or about creativity

 The difference between tricks and routines Or how we take tricks and build a routine
And why we need brick and mortar magic shops
Many years ago when starting out in the magic I was thinking about an opener and talking to Denny Haney in Denny and Lee's magic studio
He suggested I simply open with "in the news" which is water into the newspaper and back out without the newspaper getting wet Denny shared and crafted an elegant way to begin a program with that effect (Denny believes begin the program with the stage clean and end the program with the stage clean, I personally don't do either)

 I took the germ of an idea he shared, kept it and ran with it I thought where would I be reading a newspaper? Being raised by my grandparents we always read the newspaper at the breakfast table or the dinner table
OK I've got dinner and I've got a newspaper
What if I flip that about a bit and I'm preparing a dinner What magic is available for a dinner?

 I don't like any of the latex or foam food pieces so I thought about setting the dinner table
Candles roses wine
Things that you associate with dinner got those magically covered

 Simple things like write what you know
 One has a life and interests they may be Star Wars, Game of Thrones, geology or whatever

Think how you make that relatable to your audience and build a routine
 For me personally it's all about that space it's created during the performance

How you transport the audience and that is done with good effects and effective, relatable and creative writing

You can disagree but the trick itself is not enough
You have to have a relatable and likable routine and character. Yes I have a gift for the obvious

The most important book on performing

A second edition copy of Neo Magic arrived this week from England. After many months of searing for this incredible book and purchasing a copy of the also out of print "Neo Magic Artisty" to help and further my growth, to spur new thoughts and create a better show.

There is an interesting history behind Neo Magic, first run was only 500 issues, about half were destroyed on WWII. Second run only 750 issues. So maybe 1,000 at most still exist. This is the most important book ever written about performing magic, about keeping it elevated to an art form. The author Sam Sharpe was quite an interesting and amazing man.

To me at this time "Neo Magic" has become the single most significant piece of literature on performing.

With a journey that started with Tarbell, lead through "Books of Wonder, on through the Fitzike trilogy, by way of "Our Magic", with detours to "Strong Magic", "Essential Robert-Houdin" Carney's "Magic by Design", briefly working with Joanie Spina, Denny Haney & Bob Fitch's lecture notes, finally to "Art and Magic" and "Neo Magic Artistry".

To hold a signed, second edition copy of "Neo Magic" is absolutely amazing. I'm having a moment.

I'm trying to decipher the signature, "Best wishes to my friend ?AC Kefus? from Sam Sharpe Aug 1961" , perhaps I'll never find out. Good reason to keep searching, it was a long search that lead me to find this edition of "Neo Magic".

The book is hard to acquire, maybe that is a good thing, maybe not. It should be read by any and everyone who aspires to perform magic in front of live audiences as a quality entertainer. One of those things you need to become a true performing artist in the field of magic.

I also owe another debt of gratitude to my good friend Peter as he put me on the trail of the book a few years back (yes it has taken that long to find it), as Erdnase, "Expert at the Card Table" is his guide he knew Sharpe's "Neo Magic" would be as important to me

Deep down I know it's just another step, no matter how large, in the journey but the view from the plateau pretty good.

It was worth the search and this is what we do to further our art, I'm sure any other artist in any field reading this has made or will make a similar or even larger trip.

Came to mind, today I bought my son his first saxophone. Who knows, maybe that's his first step, hard to tell when he is only 9 but time will tell

So when your art means that much you follow the path. It's worth it, to you, your show and to your audiences!

Magic goes well and a very lucky magicain

Sorry I haven't posted much but

Everything has been going very well. I've been very lucky

The short time spent with Joanie Spina helped in so many ways. All the things Denny Haney has been so kind as to show, share, point me towards and discuss with me have meant so much and made me a much better performer than I could have ever hoped for

Congratulations are in order as National Booking Agency Gigmasters ...
Ranked magician Illusions by Vick the top Magician for Maryland, Pennsylvania, DC, Virgina, Delaware ...

Rankings are based on client feedback and satisfaction, amount of bookings, fees made from those bookings
Overall I'm ranked second nationally.A lot of work, a lot of fun, I've learned a lot
but most of all I've had the opportunity to share a lot of smiles, fun and great magic
Here's the press release
Illusions by Vick Named top Ranked magician in Maryland, DC, Va and Pennsylvania

While Gigmasters gets a lot of childrens bookings I don't do many if any of them
and the new show is ready
Here's the press release about it
About the New Show ~ Shades of Perception


Again thank you, without an audience to share it with ....... I'm Nothing

and bigger things are coming in October!

"Open your mind, I'm your magician"

As a artist who's chosen medium is magic it is my duty to share the incredible, to enable laughter, spur thought and encourage feeling a spectrum of emotions. All while creating a path for us to journey on together into the amazing.

A doctor may say "Trust me I'm a doctor"

I say "Open your mind, I'm your magician"