Self

"why cain't yew never paint sump'n purty, like flaaars?"

I showed it to one of my moms and she didn't think it looked like me.

But that was before I added the background. You can tell it's one of mine by the ingredients:
                         Phthalo blue
                         ALL the rainbow
                         an umbra
                         dots
                         stars, regardless of whether they're needed or not

The upper lip part is how I really look, but can be interpreted as an homage to Frida if you so choose.

Thoth's Hourglass

My friend who cuts my hair and my Mom's hair does so in exchange for paintings; she asked for one to include her zodiac sign Scorpio and and a reworking of the Death card from the Thoth tarot deck

which looks like this

So I set about to produce something with a similar color scheme

As a reference, a teaching model of the birthing process, (swear words not included)

Given to me by one of my favorite persons who was a nurse about such things and many more, a storyteller, and I believe I am using the term correctly, Woohoohoodiwoo Woman.

Here's what I came up with...still not entirely sure it's finished.

 

Shape of the Day

A collaborative sketch by myself and my friend George of his clay animals, to remember them after they got squashed back into the rest of the clay and put away.

an expedition to the Museum

my first in many moons.
I had been to this particular one about a year ago, a week before it actually opened because i can't be bothered to verify such things before excursioning.
So. Loaded up the new saramobile with the Bean and myself and we voyaged to the Wal-Mart Cultural Manifestations for Proletarian Consumption Compound.
It's free don'tcha know!
But since you all are scattered far and wide across the internets and may not be within journeying distance I took pictures which I hereby share.

Big Metal Tree

The Museum

a model of the Museum made of toothpicks

Blue Morpho

I forget what these were called

What a large head you have!

Settling differences of opinion with a spirited game of Rock, Paper, Scissors

Bear beats scissors

Touchdown! |
(I know nothing of sports)

it's OK if the brushstrokes show

"Why cain't ya jes' paint sump'n Purdy, like Flaaars?"

these things are familiar

Big Scary Factory

Those PBJ's are good for the biceps

Maxfield Parrish(!)

Lotus of Divinity

the NO SMOKING signs were very prominent

the token "well I could do THAT!" piece

I saw this in a book once

 ....at which point my camera batteries ran out.
But in the spirit of sharing treasures with a wider audience, here's one of my own favorite things:  A fish-mouthed vessel, made by an artist who imprinted its ceramic surface with fossilized shells that are part of the dirt in Texas. Most recently used to keep spare change.

sufficient unto the day are the funds thereof

Lovely things have arrived by mail

A birthday card from my Dad to the Kid

She's eleventeen

Also from Dad, a box of Weet-Bix cereal

The inimitable HH Munro wrote a short story about Weet-Bix but

 to avoid copyright infringement he called it Filboid Studge.

tastes better than it looks, especially as a fry breading ; )

And best of all,

LOOT!

music from one of the best bands ever, BeHeld

(think Peter Paul & Mary but with ukelele and quirk, or just go have a listen)

including a genuine Cardboard Reality Intervention(TM)

AND the new demo CD

 (I rub my hands together in hipsterish glee and fancy that I have the only one in existence) 

which will be more widely distributed as soon as Spaceman finds the time and the use of his eyeball.

 

Animal of the Week

lately the Youtube has been too good not to share.

New Painting

The Pursuit of Joy

Finally got this one done after shuffling it from one side of the room to another. Now it can live in the car with the rest of 'em:
This may not be the final iteration, but it's a good point. Pursuit with outstretched arms is the heart of Joy; Joyfulness at rest is contentment and I'm not sure there's a fruit for that. Maybe rice pudding.

The rest of 'em:

Freedom

Love

Kindness

Solstice, June 20

SUN, mixed media

Not a very good photo, see my shadow? I cast a shadow on the sun, how's that ; )

This longest day of the year sure feels like it. 

The spay-neuter clinic I've been working at is on hiatus until the new Vet arrives; 

when he gets here there'll be plenty of New and To-Do, likely changes to the anesthesia meds (which suddenly became my department due to pay cuts) and back into the swing of things, but for now there's nothing, and I miss the routine and the busy-ness of that good work.

My hands need work to do, meaningful work, making and mending, loving the living and dying. 

Since leaving the shelter I worked at for 5 years I've felt slightly unmoored. It was time to go, no question about that, but finding the next thing is an ongoing challenge. My previous job was janitorial work; I liked the zen of it, the bringing order to chaos, and the small Saints found tucked among the lifer custodians, the resoundingly human crew of night shift cleaners.

Henry Darger's artwork. Big Fan.

I miss shelter work, though I'm not sure I'll ever return to it. The never-ending tide of lost and unwanted and broken creatures was much to bear, but it was good to help and to hold, to comfort and care.  My friend has dived into it with love and grace, and I'm grateful to her and all the others who continue this work.

I'd like most of all to find a place for the things I make. Literally, as in not having to make little paths around the paintings and clutter in my burrow.

So far the only luck I've had is painting the local sports mascot on river stones.

votive offerings for the Cult of the Big Red Pig

Good thing it's local, the shipping charges would eat me alive. 

A Windy Day (possibly horribly offensive to all)

They rode out to the countryside for a nice picnic. Things were going so well, but then...

To read the whole story in pictures, check out
the Waseda scroll
Found amongst the many wonders of the internet by someone from
The Church of the SubGenius, whose doctrines actually encourage such behaviors ; )

Encouraging Words

The Vanities (nekkidness warning)

A theme from last year's experiences: false friends.
The Crows are kinder; if they pick one's eyes out, we may be shocked, we may be disgusted, but we are not surprised. They are exactly as they should be, they behave as expected, without apology.

A cautionary tale - take notice of the people and situations around you. Trust your instincts. Don't die on the wrong road, lost, but within sight of your own Castle.

If I were doing art for a Tarot deck, this would be the Hanged Man.

anyone who thinks it'd be a good Tarot deck is invited to share how that can be accomplished...

Ye Olde medieval (sort of)

Had to grab these from my DA page as they were saved on the now-dead computer. Still have original/prints tho