Art on the Floor!

Bailey and Nate are redoing the floors in their cabin; this is one of the basement rooms that has a cement floor. I love the little frilly fishies that Bailey painted (koi) and the deep turquoise dye. I think she added more after these photos: (click for larger)

More Illus.

Realized I hadn't posted the first pic of the donkey--here it is plus more. I chose a pelican as something that flies--since they seem world-wide or 'universal'.

Another pic...

Next illustration....I sort of like the Pelican's braids!

Math Anxiety...

a bit more on the donkey...

Dumb Donkey...

just started...
Maybe I should put a farmer DIGGING A WELL in the background...!

Animals--INCOMPLETE.

Don't know about this one....too many goofy things + realistic going on at one time?? What a terrible scanner.

A Bit of Art Humor...

No Pain. Hey Texas Deb!

Guess this doesn't have much to do with the 'art page', but maybe it does!
Since a friend of mine killed himself a few weeks ago due to his horrific back pain, I shall post my own summer's back pain relief: a handful of pills and 2 beers, usually at bedtime.
Of course I use the excuse of "collecting beer caps" as an artistic endeavor (I really DO use them and love them); this means I search the shelves for an elusive colorful cap and its getting to be a rather fun (nei painful habit) .

This summer when I was house-sitting, Texas Deb brought up a few different six-packs since the few that were already in the fridge were running low. Combined with Sandy's idea of using caps in a musical instrument, I added many to my collection. Many.
Then Cowboy Doug showed up, so I have even more, plus the local bar/steakhouse is saving them up 'for that lady with the hair'.
I watched a show on 'hoarding' last night--while I realize I am on the brink of this OCD, all the junk I save is used in art projects. 'Someday projects'.
Hey, Texas Deb! (Finally went into the new store last week and shopped--tell Monty 'good job'!)

Anyway: Out of too many kinds to google, I finally settled on the last 4 as my summer favorites. (Not that I've stopped 'researching' the topic, as my chiropractor says I need a neurosurgeon or the Mayo Clinic; I opted for acupuncture next!)
This is totally out of character for me. Somewhat.

Man in a Box. Men in a Box.

I have so much junk around I don't know whats what...I opened up a box expecting to find some of my CD's--but found some dirty clay heads/hands that I sculpted when I was going through a doll phase. Heavy Judo dolls to be exact, all with hand-made wooden geta sandals and perfect little black belt white cotton pants/quilted gis. Maybe I would stick to my hobbies longer if I didn't put so much damn detail into everything I do and burn myself out!

My favorite head (blurry here) was heart-breakingly dropped onto the floor when completed: hear 'wettish splat', but I fired it anyway and it hangs high on the wall since he still was my favorite guy...
So, Dan, when you think of Man in the Box, at least it's not as crowded!

It's about time...

that I turned on the laptop.
I think I needed an extended vacation from technology...
So this week I have started a kid's watercolor pic consisting of a crazed musical fish (that HATES water) playing some Chinese instruments. Fergus, the labradoodle puppy that I babysat for this summer is also in the mix...
Please realize this is very INCOMPLETE--! (and a botched scan!)

Tat Two

Somewhere on Facebook, Brig managed to find some fine line creatures that Bail had painted on her and Nate's surfboards....and emailed them to Fine Line Tattoo in Topeka. Lying to his mother, him and friend Nick took a trip for an afternoon of adrenaline and pain and ended up with some body art. Mom glared at the white bandages with her most evilest of eye, until it was revealed that it least it wasn't some repetitive crap off Fine Line's wall. Whew...so glad it is ORIGINAL.

Vinny Luigi Achmed

As we have a relatively ‘new’ guy visiting the gas station in the evenings, some of us have been making new friends—our rousing cheers of “Luigi!” “Vinny!” “Achmed!” are reminiscent of “Norm!” from Cheers. We call out these names when our new guy pulls up because we enjoy his one-liners, his type-tees, and have recognized an intelligent being in the midst of so many, um, oddballs. And to razz, yet welcome him at the same time! He reminds me in particular of ‘The Blaze’, a friend of mine from Long Island. I guess it’s the fast talk/accent.
When Vinnyluigiachmed dubbed Wamego ‘Cartoon Town’, we knew he was our soulmate. He’s moved here from Chickago, thus his first two nicknames; he also has a capped oilrig on some land he owns in Arkansas, thus the last nickname. I forgot that we started to call him ‘The Don’ until we discovered that he did indeed know 2 of the Chickago ‘Family’. Naturally we made up a quick tale of his motivation for leaving the Windy City… where else would one hide under the witness protection program? If he has to make a run for it, he could always steal Dorothy’s red heels and click them 3 times… (We are sometimes snide about that—everyone knows the tornado happened in WESTERN KS not Wamego.) Poor man—I’m sure VLA doesn’t know what to think about us, but we do enjoy his company and his wild bar stories of watching fellow pool players run out the door, cross the street, and beat a man to death. OH.
Vinnyluigiachmed has also met Messiah Man, who lives close by. Since VLA (really and truly) served in Vietnam (with the most horribly wounded battalion there yet was luckily hurt by none other than St. Christopher himself) I must warn him: NEVER MENTION VIETNAM to Messiah Man. World War III could erupt at the end of the street! (click on link)
So, “Cheers!” to VLA for (for giving me a nice compliment without being disgusting) recognizing the unusual diversity amongst the living Cartoons here-perhaps I will write on The Bearded Lady later—he’s almost HER neighbor! Shiver.

Blog Eval.

As I learn here and there that people look at my blog (just found out that a KU student his ‘discovered’ it during a Columbian Artist meeting—hey, aren’t you the person that draws those jellyfish things? …I saw your site on-line…), I automatically think ‘yikes’ or “holy crap!’ while getting a kick out of it--and usually offer forth some type of explanation—like ‘Aah, well, I embellish!’

However, I should say ‘I CENSOR’! If I actually wrote what I said in my head, my blogging would appear pretty darn radical and blogger’d excommunicate me. That, or some of the comments I’d like to say about the locals would get me run out of town!

So, what’s the sad and sorry analysis, I ponder?

Probably something like this….

“She exhibits inconsistent moments of mediocre intelligence with cumulative, widespread impairments of social appropriateness based on child-like mental function and extreme ambivalence toward establishing true functional relationships…with a prevalent underlying current of sarcasm based on ridiculously bizarre life experiences.”

Yes! I like that!

Thrown Pot

I think the highschool art classes have a League Art Show this week; here is one of Paula's entries. Bailey was a good potter too and I will have to dig out some pics; way better than I could ever be--my college teacher told me 'you throw like a korean!' whatever THAT was supposed to mean...!?

Picasso Outdoors

It was really nice today (unlike last weekend where my son read 2 Michael Crichton books, 2 I tell you,--imagine the dull, dreary weekend in which a youngster actually stays at home with a parent and READS because there is nothing in this godforsaken neck of the woods to do, even with friends; when its chilly and rainy and depressing and his mom is writing melodramatic love stories from her teeny-bopper past; thanks a lot for the guffawing reaction your comments evoked brother Bri,--I am sheepish 'cause what I wrote was retarded, so your fun-poking was quite funny, thank you!) so I was outside taking care of my newly planted tomatoes and peppers, and watering my tropical Hawaiian plants that I brought home to the yard from work.

As I was weeding and listening to knifegirl (who almost stabbed her dog when one didn't stick into her target), I thought about our gas station/work conversation over love lives: "if you marry beneath you, your wife'll be grateful and not mess around", "if you marry an ugly girl, they'll be grateful and not mess around", "is it better to marry above or below yourself?", "you should imagine what your lover would do if you were confined to a wheelchair--would they stay or would they go (hey, isn't that a song?!)"who would want to DO HER when she never brushes her teeth and they're greenbrown, so why does she always have men on her porch", etc etc etc

Is the upcoming warm weather upheaving hopes of love in general? What a hot topic!

Ugh Aagh Aaack!

Don't know what to tell Dan about his dreams....I myself am wondering about a certain someone who I was talking to in my back yard the other night, that I've eyed for many years; all we do when we see each other is stammer and grin hugely, yet it never goes anywhere....
Perhaps dreams are where it's at. At least relationships can stay positive in your dreams.

As far as being outside goes...look at my awesome grouping of blowgun darts (a handspan), particularly the one that stuck in the other--tee hee! and I'd left some cheap watercolors out on the porch. A raccoon is back and is trying his hand (paw) at painting!

Coil Pot + Wire

Made a quick coil pot several years ago for an example and imbedded a lot of bent wire which turned grungy (smile)....though they sorta reminds me of diaper pins! Its about 2 feet high, very uneven, and now has a glaze that I am unhappy with (frown), somewhat covering the rough scrape marks.

AEROSMITH TICKETS!

I HAVE AEROSMITH TICKETS!
ha ha ha ha ha! (maniacal laughter, Mr. Bill) Suh-weet!
Alas, this was the one band I did not get to see when I was in high school, as my boyfriend left with a carload of guys--"Guys Night Out".
I did get his red Pontiac Trans Am Firebird which I nearly totaled on main street by u-turning in front of an honking semi.
I was always particularly fond of 'Come Together'....
YEEEE HAAAAW!

Don't know about creativity....but here goes!

I'll bite, D.
With as much creativity as you can muster, show your heart in:

1 picture
1 poem
1 song or piece of music
1 phrase or quote
1 item of clothing
1 place
1 Disney princess

Picture: Botticelli or Tadema
Poem: Here's a section by Eliot from The Love Song of J Alfred Prufrock
For I have known them all already, known them all:-- Have known the evenings, mornings, afternoons, I have measured out my life with coffee spoons; I know the voices dying with a dying fall Beneath the music from a farther room. So how should I presume? And I have known the eyes already, known them all-- The eyes that fix you in a formulated phrase, And when I am formulated, sprawling on a pin, When I am pinned and wriggling on the wall, Then how should I begin To spit out all the butt-ends of my days and ways? And how should I presume?
Song: "LOW" by Cracker (I know you expect Heavy Metal, but I adore this one...)
Phrase: "...Those are Pearls that were his Eyes..."
Item of Clothing: Just jeans and a tee....oh wait, did I interpret that as "hot guy"?? Or does that mean what I would wear? Same thing. Sorry, Drollgirl, hot guy.

Place: I want to go back to any remote Hawaiian beach and lounge around all week with a papaya and a book.
Fav Disney Princess: No Disney for me! Anderson's "Little Mermaid" that feels pain like excruciating knives in her new feet, loses the prince, and dies in the end. That's the one for me.

While Waiting...

I'm putting together a Warwick illustration, mermaid, Bail, colored pencil, PhotoShop, gold paint creation while I wait for the kids to call. (It will be like my Nirvana card on the other page....gotta get gold to 'sparkle'!)
They've been checking out their new cabin today--greeted by a moose in their yard. Its an A-frame which has electricity, woodstove, outhouse, no water but an awesome view. Nate was grabbing a snow shovel, while Bailey was excitedly taking pics and playing with the puppy. I wonder how a first night in a cabin will be--I bet one of the first things to obtain will be a potty-bucket! and firewood. Must have firewood.

More Crapfts to Post!

Lately I've been a real slacker about typing 'the written word'. Instead I've cruised and perused the Internet, googling lame items: old fairy tales, good/bad art, experimenting with tutorials, best routes to Alaska, weather, and laughing my a$$ off at random sites such as Homemade Hilarity, a blog of bad crafts. Did I say 'bad'? So sorry--I meant atrocious!

I wrote on someone's post that I will be damn certain to post my Crapfts regardless of this newly found threat of public humiliation, devastating embarrassment and the possible crushment of self-esteem... By GOD, I will post my junk and you'll like it. Well, even if ya don't I still think I have great drawing skills. Most the time!

So here's a couple more pages of a painted baby book I just started...Yes. Crap made from crap:

Attempt at a Rat Doll...

Not as cool/icky as I wanted... perhaps with an old lace collar or ballet skirt.
: (
This is my first attempt at paperclay thanks to Gail Lackey's explanation. But my creature is already broken and I may try something like my mermaid doll on my trash art site instead....

Whiner

I was on the phone a few minutes ago thinking ‘that this is possibly my last phone call to Hawaii’, as Bailey and Nate are leaving Kaunakakai in the wee morning hours. Boo Hoo! (Well, last phone call until May, when my oldest submarines back to Oahu to reside for a while.)

The couple has decided to forgo their island lifestyle in exchange for climatic differences—and I don’t just mean weather. Their belongings have been packed, shipped, sold, and traded for their next adventure…Bailey is going to finish her degree (no universities on Molokai!) and Nate will give up tropical diving for other work. This is probably a good thing, because no one should be exposed to prolonged water pressure on the brain! (I guess this goes for submariners too, for that matter!)

I guess I shouldn’t be self-centered since all my ‘Molokai money’ (vacation for 3 ½ people) had to go for a major vehicle repair in November anyway… and I probably couldn’t of saved up that much again by June so maybe I really couldn't of gone on a trip…but I am happy for them as young, brave adults, getting ready for the next journey and stage in their lives…see you soon!

Where the Wild Things Are...

Hiding in my cupboard of watercolor examples, of course!

Thanks to Maurice Sendak for his inspiration, I attempt to criminalize his elementary book characters.

Inspiration

What a darling creature! So delicate and squishy and cute! I think I will have to draw this...Thank you Bailey!

Birdman of the Sea

I was clearing out some old papers and ran across this sketch I started on that flight to Hawaii. I never did finish the butterfly-wing umbrella, the face, or darken the carpie fishes. I didn't use my favorite pens either, so it seems kind of coarse, but I do believe I will go back and add detail if I can find matching ink.... I think all parts were composed from various pics in good ol Natl Geographic. Thought to ponder: Does that mean I never think of an original idea on my own??!
Now I recall that this was drawn in a sketchbook. Smooth paper lacks tooth. Smooth paper sucks!