Curt Eric Clendenin is magnetized to epiphanies, synchronicities, inspiration, surreal ideas, enthusiasm, and uncommon perspectives! This energy is evident in his books, paintings, AI art, motion pictures, music, vocabulary and illustrations. As a youngster, His encouraging Mom Terri shuttled him to modeling and acting auditions in Chicago, eventually landing him a role as an "Orphan" in "The Blues Brothers". Their conversation with John Belushi, on the beach of Lake Wauconda, about making bear tracks in the sand at night, so the next morning's Sunbathers would freak out and think bears escaped from the zoo, is still one of Curt's fondest memories.
Clendenin was dared by his best friend Phil Donlon to audition for the Glenbard North H.S. play "Golden Boy", where they were cast as best friends! Curt went on to win awards for his paintings at The DuPage Art League art shows, MC'd and improvised at various coffee house open mics, acted in plays like "The Trial" at College of DuPage (John and Jim Belushi's former college) and took classes at Second City Northwest. Curt and Phil performed in an improv group called "Sketch" at an Italian restaurant on a homemade stage complete with wigs and props. They were paid in pasta every once in awhile!
At Columbia College, Clendenin acted in more plays such as "Glengarry Glen Ross" and learn more about the art of improv ensemble, from Improv Genius Sheldon Patinkin. Phil and Curt created two more improv groups: "Medium Rare" and "Fresh Leftovers" (in one iteration, Kiele Sanchez was a member), where they performed in remote parts of Wisconsin, in basements, and at one point, on a big stage in front of 200 people at Chopin Theatre in Chicago! Simultaneously these times, Curt shot some experimental films with his friends like "One Millimetre", "The Vamp and Angel High School Project", "30-100ft Parametre,", "Sometimes You Forget Your Head", The Untitled Superhero Movie", "Girl Chopping Wood", "This Is A Movie", and "The Nocturnal Jurk".
After moving to California, he worked as a background extra/stand-in for tv/movies in Hollywood, such as "Pirates of the Caribbean", where he shared a conversation with Johnny Depp about Hunter S. Thompson. Curt also worked on his friends' indie films, eventually leading to a bizarre incident in the Joshua Tree desert, involving Phil Donlon and Ted Levine, where they were almost thrown down a mine shaft together, by Surf Guitar Legend, Dick Dale!
During this time, Clendenin also worked 9 years as a Substitute Teacher for LAUSD, spending most of the class periods motivating Middle School and High Schoolers to appreciate their unique brand of existence. When he wasn't teaching, he acted in retro sci-fi "Max Neptune and The Menacing Squid", and Halloween Horrors; "Legend Of Fall Creek" and "Black Pumpkin". He also sang his songs on Sunset Blvd, at House Of Blues and On The Rox (one of Belushi's hangouts).
In 2013 he was interviewed for a documentary "Kaufman Lives".
In 2014 he was approached by Andy Kaufman's friend Bob Pagani, to co-create "Andy's Army", an organization to raise awareness (#AK4WWEHOF2014) about getting Andy Kaufman inducted into the World Wrestling Entertainment Hall Of Fame. The payoff was almost 10 years later in 2023, but it worked!
Curt has been running his radio show since 2016 called, "Inspirado Projecto" which sometimes broadcasts on 1630AM KCHUNG in Los Angeles, Chinatown. His podcast "Inspirado Projecto" focuses on the process of creating art and currently found on Spotify, iTunes, and all other major podcast apps and directories!
During quarantine, Curt and his friend Samantha Light co-created an online store called WISEFINGER. He contributed his artwork, Sam contributed her photos, and then she designed them into various products like tshirts, thermoses, blankets, skateboards, shoes, and lots of other uncanny items!
Clendenin's self-published books "CEC Sketchbook Vol1", "CEC Sketchbook Vol2", "Wonder Wander {U DRAW}", "Magical Magnet {U WRITE}", and "EYE SEE THEM (A Cloudwatcher's Journal) , are for helping people comfortably stretch their creativity and to enhance their imagination perspectives. These books are found on
http://EYESEETHEM.com .
Curt's recent experimental short cinemas: "SANTANATAS (A Christmas Movie)", "Unseen Community", "The Phantom Phorum", "The Day I Came Home", and "Mi Familia Es Tu Familia (Ant Dip)" are his way of creating a rotoscope type of style. He gets a kick out of combining various mediums to create uncanny valleys. His semi-doc: "The Jake Koffman Variety Show" highlights the talents, wackiness, and joyful life of his friend, Jake.
He co-organizes two film fests: KAPOW Intergalactic Film Festival, which started in 2016, and Dos Lagos Film Fest" which began in 2021. His yacht rock band, Yachtley Crew, formed in 2017 and is currently touring around America spreading love songs everywhere, including weekend performances at their PALMS Casino Residency in Las Vegas!
