Here Is The Kind Of He-Man Body You Could Have.
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I dont even know where to begin with this one, so I'll let it speak for itself. Starting with: "Here is the kind of He-Man body you could have." Or how about: "Develop A Strong He-Man Voice" or how about: "Investigate Accidents" or the ever popular: "$500.00 for your child's photo" and lastly: "Family Piano Lessons". Take your pick. It's all yours. Good fun from 1949!...Enjoy!
Many of my portraits start out to be one thing and end up as another. Sometimes they just end up as thier own thing all together. Not necessarily a portrait of anyone. (Like this one, where most of it ended up getting covered up in black) I originally set out to do a portrait of the guy who made our sandwiches at Subway this weekend when we were up in Mackinaw City. Im going to save the long version of the story for when I get his portrait right. However, here is the short version, since this really isnt a portrait of him anymore:
The important part of this story is that she is learning to speak Italian. So, needless to say she speaks Italian alot around the house. We go to subway and she orders the Italian bread for her sandwich. However, when she ordered it she, jokingly put on her best Italian accent for the kid behind counter. (I was impressed) The kid behind the counter looked up and very excited says, "Wow, are you from England?" True story. You can't write jokes that good. With that ... Enjoy!
Portrait On A Paris Postcard #14
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This is the 14th in the "Paris Postcard" series. I was looking over my bookshelf and there was a bunch of papers shoved between a couple books. Among other things there were about 15 postcards that were of different photos taken in Paris during the 1920's. This one in particular is called "Port St. Denis". All the postcards are very Paris and they make me want to travel and get out of the US for a while and see the other parts of the world where things are new and even simple things are filled with wonder. With that.. Enjoy!
It Is Easy To Be Your Cup Of Tea
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We were walking the dog in town. Its a little dog, black crazy curls, legs that bow like a cowboy and a tooth that sticks out over his top lip. She had to run into a store so I took a seat outside on the bench by the door. This is up in a Northern Michigan tourist town so all the stores have benches out front. There was a couple on the bench next to me sharing a beverage and we talked briefly about our dog. "What kind of dog is that?", "What it's name?" Your usual run of the mill questions that everyone asks when they see a dog. (Some people then follow it up with some baby talk to the dog. This is always amusing.) This couple was not of that ilk though and they went back to their beverage. I went back to daydreaming while the dog hunted around under the bench for things to stick his nose into. Then I hear very loudly and clearly from the man of the couple I was just talking to, "It is easy to be your cup of tea." (He was saying this to the woman) I wasn't listening so I don't know the context. I couldnt figure out what context you would say that. Either way, I thought it sounded very poetic. I went back to daydreaming. She finally came out of the store and we started walking back down the sidewalk. After walking a bit, I turned to her and said, "It is easy to be your cup of tea." She looked at me perplexed, "What?"... "Oh nevermind, just trying it out," I said. "Oh..." and we kept on walking and the dog kept hunting around the sidewalk looking for things to stick his nose into... Enjoy!
Its The Small Moments That Give You Away.
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There are these little moments when I know that we are meant for each other. Many people think that this is shown with grand gestures, big things but I've come to learn it is always the small moments that give us away. They are little looks, light touches, maybe its just when you talk you look at each others eyes. Phrases like, " I thought of you when...." or "This reminded me of you..." or "You would have liked this..." always give you away. This was a "I thought that you could maybe use this in your art" moment and she handed me a stack of old design books that were going to be thrown away at her office. "Even if you can't use them, I thought you would like them" See its those moments. Those simple moments. So, with that here is a page from one of those books ...Enjoy!
When I Come Back To Earth It All Makes Sense
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Sometimes I think it is some kind of Attention Deficit Disorder. Sometimes I think it is just daydreaming. The part of me that got the psych degree tells me it the first thing. The painter in me hopes it is the latter. (I am sure there are other explanations but I should keep this short.) Either way, my head gets in the clouds and I enjoy it there. Most of these paintings come from those clouds. I am pretty sure that more of us spend time there then let on. Obviously, that is not based on fact but just on a hunch. As a painter, I suppose it is safe to base things like this on a hunch or on the clouds or a daydream or whatever else it may be that helps get the paint to the paper and the pen to sign the name and the desire to keep doing these day after day after month after year and then on and on and on and I swear that there was a reason this whole machine keeps moving forward and then I remember its those clouds and those daydreams and all the art just seems to get its purpose when I come back to earth and it all makes sense again. With that... Enjoy!
32 Page Catalog of Bedroom Fashions
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I suppose this one doesn't have much of a story. That is OK for a change I suppose. It's almost midnight anyway. It has been a long day and somehow ending the day with a portrait on an old avertisement from 1959 just seems right. I think I will leave it at that and leave it to you to make up your own on this one... Enjoy!
You'd Never Know.
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I was rummaging through my stash of old clippings and stuff and I ran across this ad from 1958 for a cream to treat Psoriasis. For some reason the phrase "you'd never know I had..." struck me as odd and made me realize how many people probably go through the day hiding something that they don't want other people to know about. Not to mention all the products that exist to help us cover things up... I remember when I was growing up my next door neighbor had psorisis really bad on her arms. I remember her saying that she always wore long sleeve shirts when she went out because she was so self conscious of it. She hated it in the summer because it was always too hot for long sleeve shirts. So, she just stayed inside most of the time. I remember thinking how sad she must have been. Well, I guess that is it. Well, here is to trying to live with everything about yourself and realizing that we all have things that are wrong with us and that is exactly what makes us all so... right... Enjoy!
The Guitar Player - Limited Edition Print #7
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I have been playing guitar for many years. Please note, this should not, in any way, suggest that I am a good guitar player. I can play along with most things and fake most everything else. This may help explain the numerous guitar references. (I also picked up the drums a couple years ago but they are just not as much fun to draw. Sorry to all the drummers who are reading.) One of these days I'll figure out how to do it. Anyway, it really is just about the music, regardless of what you play, how you play it, who you play it with or even who you play it for. I guess that it is it...Enjoy! (now where is that pick?) (Story included on back of card)
Limited Edition Button #11 - The Smiling Guy
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This is #11 in the limited edition button series. This is the limited edition button of a painting from 2007 called The Smiling Guy. This was #171 from the ACEO/ATC series.
Story: I know that many of you that follow my work have liked the stories that go along with the artwork that I post. Well, this is one of the paintings in which the original story has been lost. (I have a much better back up system now!) Story or not, this has been one of my favorite portraits over the last couple years and I just had to include it in the limited edition button series. Actually, I think the title is story enough in this case. So, with that...Enjoy! (oh yeah... and don't forget to smile)
Ninja Mask #2
(vintage 50's fabric and Beulah's cinnamon roll recipe)
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I knew that I wanted to use fabric on this ninja mask so I started hunting around for the right choice. I was going through a bunch of fabric that we have here and found a bunch of fabric that was given to us by Great Grandma Clute. She passed away a few years back and we still talk about her homemade cinnamon rolls. We try to make them but they never taste as good as hers did. She lived in rural Michigan and was very self reliant. Before she passed away she left different things to all of us. This red cowboy fabric was one of the things that she left us. I can just see her in the 50's sewing a cowboy shirt out of it With that, here is the second ninja mask with awesome vintage fabric from Great Grandma Clute. (In her honor, the winner of this Ninja Mask will also receive her awesome Cinnamon Roll recipe.) ... Enjoy!
The Stangers' Directory. Boston, 1930.
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It was the name that got me. "Strangers' Directory" This is actually from a 1930 travel guide of Boston. I can't help but think of the Boston tourist council sitting around a table trying to come up with this marketing campaign. "Well, what do we want to call these strangers coming in from out of town?" "How about strangers?" "That is a great idea!" "Strangers it is!" I could go on and on for all the other fun things surrounding the "Strangers Directory" but I think its best left up to your imagination. Have fun!...Enjoy!
Fred The Chicken
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When she was growing up in the Upper Pennisula she had a pet chicken named Fred. I don't know many people, wait, I don't know anyone else that has had a pet chicken. Somehow, Fred just seems like the right name for a pet chicken. I have heard many stories about Fred over the years. The last story of Fred goes like this: Her mother gave Fred to the neighbor so her father wouldn't kill it for dinner. She went to the neighbors to see Fred and Fred wasn't there. The neighbor said the Rooster killed Fred and that is why he wasn't there. She still gets sad talking about Fred. Now that she is older she is pretty sure that Fred never went to neighbors house and got killed by the rooster. I always wanted to do a portrait of Fred because I know that we all have a Fred somewhere in our past, don't we? It doesn't have to be a pet but something that was very close to you that was taken away and you never forgot it. Well, here is to all those things and remembering them and moving on and always keeping them with you... Enjoy!
Well,it was a marathon today. A ton of work created. In between layers of paint, these three little buggers snuck out. 1.) The Bunny. (An homage to another painter, C). The color is called Jalapeno. 2.) Portrait on a color sample called "Mountain Air". (isnt that a common deodorant scent?) 3.) Keemo Monster. Many that have bought Keemos in the past have seen glimpses of the Keemo Monsters. I have been slipping these Keemo monsters into the envelopes before shipping. I thought it was time to post one. The color is called "Intellectual Gray". What kind of color is that? Intellectual Gray? Well, there is a mixed bag from today, June 26, 2008...Enjoy!
I have this stack of papers, magazines, clippings, and other stuff that I collect that I think I might use some day. The stack was getting a bit unruly. So, today I thought I would go through it and see what I could work with and much to my surprise I find this 1x4 that I swore I already painted on. I remember cutting it out on the saw in the garage. I remember bringing it in to start working on it but somehow it ended up at the bottom of my pile. Hmmmm... I don't know... I know I forget stuff, get too much going on, next thing I know I'm off in another direction. I guess the good thing is that I eventually find my way back to it. Like this piece of wood I suppose. With that here is to lost things that are found... Enjoy!
