POT: The Sky Is Cracking!

October desert

I'm back, trailing photos behind me, which I'll try to put up soon. The poppets had a very interesting time at the carnival.

And yes, poppets will be here on Oct 10, along with other strange creatures.


Your Lisa is very tired, but soon will wake, glad to find herself in October.

Short Trip to October

Thanks, Ravyn, for posting these photos. I packed up the refurbished roller coaster cars to go out with me tomorrow. On Friday, they'll be attached to new trucks on the coaster to resume journeys up and down, round and back, in and out and nearly sideways, very fast.
I look at them and know they still have stories to tell.

It'll be a short trip for Ben and me, time-wise, but a visit to the carnival always leaves one slightly changed, don't you think? And, when we get back to the desert, it will be October.


See you then.

Dancer detail

Little Old Girl

Mistress Kitty

Grim with Lollypop

Water, Art, Music, Poppets on Tour

Orion's suit arrived. The water is getting pretty chilly.
We, however, are not! I'm thinking, it's really good to try to swim as much of the year as possible. If I do this every day, I (in theory) will be able to keep doing it, even when I'm very old, assuming fairly good health. I like that idea. I could join the Polar Bears at sixty five. It's a thought.


I'll be participating in the Creature Features "October Shadows" event Oct 13 - Nov 1. Thank you, Lorraine, Malena and Miles, for the invitation! I'm looking forward to meeting some very cool and talented artists.


My friend and sort-of ex-neighbor Michael is touring the UK with his band, Jack Saints Tour Schedule. If they're passing through your neighborhood, you can check them out. Or just open your window. You might hear them.

Very extremely obscenely early on Thursday morning, Ben and I will leave for the Dark Caravan Carnival in Virgina. Poppets are coming with us and we plan to do our very own verson of P. O.T. It will be fun for us, and later, fun for you too. At least, that is the evil plan.

Now, I must get back to work!!!

g'night

POT in Vancouver

Poppet On Tour: Vancouver, courtesy of Rubius. What's the story here? Do Poppets speak Cat? That's right...good kitty...just look into the light...

If you have a Poppet on Tour, please send your photo to : tinystories@gmail.com

Warm Water Images

Mimi Ko sent me a disk full of amazing images. You've possibly seen this one of Orion. Here are two more from the same day of shooting. (scroll down)

I look forward to working with her again.

I really like her sense of composition and emotion.

Sparks

Ben is back indeed. Lots of studio work today. Next week, we leave for the DC area to install the re-trucked cars onto "Short Trip to October", the roller coaster of Dark Caravan. While there, we'll do a bit of maintenance on the other carnival rides too. And who knows what else might happen.
It's highly likely that lots of photos will be taken.

Close up.

The End of Summer

Last week a wind storm forced us to do an 'emergency strike' on the canopies that have protected the pool/patio from the sun. I left a c-clamp on a deck chair and discovered today that the sun had done a bit of photo-trickery.
Still, I know summer is over. But not swimming. I took my wetsuit out of storage and ordered a new one for the Orion.
We will not go quietly into the dry.

POT in Norway

Poppets on Tour

Poppet contemplates wonders in a Norwegian forest. This one from Jan, who has a new website up at www.janruneblom.com.

Do your poppets travel? Send photos to: tinystories@gmail.com.

********

Sweet Dreams...

Sweet Dreams...

This is the fruit of my late night. It's a painting on the inside wall of the kinetic fortune teller sculpture Ben and I are making. It will be the last piece of the Dark Caravan, which I'll be able to show you in detail soon. I'll be visiting the carnival in about a week and will take lots of photos. We hope the fortune teller will be ready for the World Fantasy Convention. I'm not sure there's enough coffee on the planet to help me do the other side tonight. But actually, it wasn't so much the coffee as the music.

In the meantime, there's a chapter on Dark Caravan hereBudPlant.com -- GREAT FANTASY ART THEMES FROM THE FRANK COLLECTION. It's a beautiful book. Eventually, Paper Tiger (or someone) may see the wisdom in making the Dark Caravan carnival a book on its own.

Now it's truly morning. g'night

Tired Puppies

Mattie Brahen sent me this photo from the WorldCon. Thanks, Mattie, says Orion too.

Poppets and scary, scary sheep...

Poppets are poppets.
They are not perky and, costume or not, they never forget what color they are underneath,
nor that I'm their creator, but certainly not their mommy.

I don't forget that either.

I got home to find a gift from Ben on my desk--a net bag of ladybugs that are now, (with a little help from you know who )ready to be art. Ben loves me.

Last night I watched a tape of Ann Coulter's Q and A for the Claire Booth Luce Policy Institute.
For a little while I thought I'd seen the true face of evil. Then I decided this was the stupidest "smart" person I've ever seen. After that I decided it didn't matter whether Ann Coulter is stupid or evil.
Because I noticed the audience.
I'm thinking Stepford scary. Hair-standing -up -on- my -neck -Stepford -scary. These are the people Ann Coulter commands to "embrace the liberal hate" and "I want you to all go out and be teachers." They drink it in like sweet, sweet Kool-aid.

It's not a long leap to imagine a couple of these fixed-pupil neophytes in towers with rifles.

I especially enjoyed hearing Coulter's case against Darwinism. Then, what do I know? I majored in Biology, which, according to Coulter, isn't a real science, uh, until she needs to quote a biologist.

I'd like to make Ann Coulter a costume...

Sheesh.

By the way (hi Rebecca! xoxo) I'm not perky either.

Uh-oh. Oh dear. They've found their little costumes and already are trying them on. Poppets rule this house...

Cheese Sandwiches

A good day is when we have cheese sandwiches and peas for lunch, and the cups are all in the washer so I use a little jar for Orion’s cup.

And a good day is when Orion asks how a jar can be a cup, and when, after our cheese sandwiches and peas, we walk all around the house looking for things that can be used for purposes they weren’t made for.

It’s good to do some pretty clever thinking-- and then to find things to use for hats.

Lots of things can be worn as hats, but most of them probably shouldn’t.

It’s a good day when we put weird things on our heads until we collapse like empty boxes onto the rug and lie in the sun giggling for ages.

Now I'm going to have some coffee and work on a project that I really, really want to work on. But I wanted first to tell you about the good day.

It’s good to know one could use a jar for a cup.

g'night

Red on White and Blue

Every day on this planet people die needlessly, both innocent and brave.
Every day I can honor them by choosing to live honorably.

It's the least I can do.
And it doesn't require a bumper sticker.

bits and pieces

This from Heidi:

Just to throw in some more curves, I've gotten some more info from the living history types and the reenactors I hang around. :/

One woman suggested I look into Brueghel's Children's Games, which led me to this site:
http://www.ahs.uwaterloo.ca/~museum/VirtualExhibits/Brueghel/knuckle.html

(I also thought this was kind of a neat demo, but not very helpful- I just thought it was interesting: http://www.brucevanpatter.com/brueghel_painting.html )

This is another email I received from someone in the living history group at the festival:
I know that the set that the Smithsonian's Hands-on History Room had as"1800s" (I don't think there was a specific date given) had metal jacksand a pottery ball (though wooden was used as well).No idea if anyone there knows for sure... but it might not hurt to ask :-)I do know that I've heard and read a number of places that the metaljacks were an American thing... though I don't know if that means that we picked up the idea from someone and it took off faster here, or if itwas invented here. I do know that even for my mom's family, thingsother than jacks were sometimes used when they were playing when she was young (I think I remember my aunt mentioning stones... though they useda rubber ball).I'm also fairly sure that I remember "knucklebones" being mentioned as agame even in the early 20th century... though it may have referred to another game played with knucklebones.... more like dicing... I'm not sure.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I've found in reenacting, often, that the problem when researching something like this is that you don't often get a straight answer. (Kind of what you were expressing in your latest post.)
My main focus is 16th century landsknecht (Holy Roman Empire). Our group is based in Maryland, but we do events in a few different states and have been around for 10 years, although a few of our members have been doing this time period for longer. When you do something like this its particularly difficult because you can't go to photographs and most of the time you can't even reference written descriptions of what the soldiers and their families wore and did with their time. Its not like American Civil War or later periods, although things are never as objective as you might like.

History is always blurry, however. Its very difficult to piece together while looking back. So we're always changing up our understanding and interpretation of things.

But I digress. Its frustrating not to be able to say- 'yes, this bit of metal is shaped this way because originally it was this, and then it became this, and then this man bent it like this and gave it to his daughter.' And we can't wake up too often and say 'yes' with any certainty.

You seem to have gotten some good info from lots of places. If you want I'll continue to syphon whatever trickles my way. If you've had enough of the ramble, I'll let it rest. :) At any rate- thanks for posing the question. I've enjoyed looking into it. (And so have my friends! Need to keep everyone on their toes, you know.)

Thanks, Heidi.
******

On other questions: A few posts back I pondered how long it would take 150 flushable wipes to 'go away'.

The answer is, until Lisa has had enough and calls the plumber and gives him a good deal of money.
Sort of like getting to the center of a Tootsie Pop. Eventually you just say "fuck it" and bite.

****

Ever open one of those random instant messages just for the hell of it? I did a few moments ago, for basically unknown reasons. Mostly because I was having a coffee break so felt justified in wasting a little time. Weirdness! Except for the initial greetings and "do I know you?" the following is the unedited balance:

SychoShadows [1:04 P.M.]: I'm eleven. Fucking LOSER. Bad words shock you?
Harlikn7 [1:04 P/M/]: No. There are no bad words, only inappropriate places to say them. I'd say this is one.
SychoShadows [1:05 P.M.]: chicken butt
Harlikn7 [1:05 P.M.]: yuuuummm. yummy chicken butt
SychoShadows [1:06 P.M.]: cd
SychoShadows [1:06 P.M.]: i have a CD of people sucking chicken butt
SychoShadows [1:06 P.M.]: its cool
Harlikn7 [1:06 P.M.]: wow! get that off Sesame Street?
SychoShadows [1:07 P.M.]: yeah
SychoShadows [1:07 P.M.]: elmo said it
Harlikn7 [1:07 P.M.]: cool
Harlikn7 [1:07 P.M.]: That Elmo, what a stinker.
SychoShadows [1:07 P.M.]: then said omg fuck my tight red ass bigbird
Harlikn7 [1:07 P.M.]: I believe it's a proper name. Big Bird.
SychoShadows [1:12 P.M.]: he would make good chicken
Harlikn7 [1:12 P.M.]: I didn't know Big Bird could cook.
SychoShadows [1:12 P.M.]: no
SychoShadows [1:13 P.M.]: i could
SychoShadows [1:13 P.M.]: BUT
SychoShadows [1:13 P.M.]: IM
SychoShadows [1:13 P.M.]: 11
SychoShadows [1:14 P.M.]: so i cant cook aparently
Harlikn7 [1:14 P.M.]: I disagree. I think eleven is old enough to cook.
Harlikn7 [1:15 P.M.]: did you want to cook Big Bird?
SychoShadows [1:15 P.M.]: yeah
Harlikn7 [1:15 P.M.]: Because....it's sort of a secret---Big Bird is really a man in a big bird suit. Harlikn7 [1:16 P.M.]: and humans don't make good chicken substitutes. They're more like pork. SychoShadows [1:16 P.M.]: no cannabalists arent cool
Harlikn7 [1:17 P.M.]: Then. You likely don't want to cook Big Bird.
SychoShadows [1:17 P.M.]: hes not human
SychoShadows [1:17 P.M.]: il just eat his suit
Harlikn7 [1:17 P.M.]: Hmm. I'm pretty sure that would be polyester.
SychoShadows [1:17 P.M.]: and vinyl
Harlikn7 [1:17 P.M.]: right. I forgot the vinyl
SychoShadows [1:17 P.M.]: do you have a myspace
Harlikn7 [1:17 P.M.]: no SychoShadows [1:18 P.M.]: i bet you do
Harlikn7 [1:18 P.M.]: nope.
SychoShadows [1:18 P.M.]: too bad
Harlikn7 [1:18 P.M.]: do you?
SychoShadows [1:18 P.M.]: id ad you
Harlikn7 [1:18 P.M.]: no thanks. I do have a journal. But alas, you're a bit too young yet SychoShadows [1:18 P.M.]: can i see it
SychoShadows [1:18 P.M.]: please
Harlikn7 [1:18 P.M.]: No. But again. Thanks.
Harlikn7 [1:19 P.M.]: Well, let's think about this. You're asking me to reveal my identity to someone who spent ten minutes trying to insult me for no reason.
SychoShadows [1:19 P.M.]: im obviously kidding
Harlikn7 [1:20 P.M.]: Don't think it would be a particularly good move on my part.
Harlikn7 [1:20 P.M.]: Not so obvious, actually. Takes time to glean intent from text only.
Harlikn7 [1:21 P.M.]: May I ask another question?
SychoShadows [1:21 P.M.]: yup
Harlikn7 [1:21 P.M.]: Do you read?
SychoShadows [1:22 P.M.]: ya
Harlikn7 [1:22 P.M.]: What do you read?
SychoShadows [1:22 P.M.]: novels, and haikus
Harlikn7 [1:23 P.M.]: What's the last novel you read?
SychoShadows [1:23 P.M.]: catcher in the rye
Harlikn7 [1:23 P.M.]: Good one. Dark though.
SychoShadows [1:23 P.M.]: sure
Harlikn7 [1:23 P.M.]: Do you read anything just for fun?
SychoShadows [1:23 P.M.]: sometimes
Harlikn7 [1:23 P.M.]: like what?
SychoShadows [1:24 P.M.]: great expectations over the summer
Harlikn7 [1:24 P.M.]: What did you get from that one?
SychoShadows [1:25 P.M.]: tough to understand
Harlikn7 [1:25 P.M.]: I agree.
SychoShadows [1:25 P.M.]: i have a fear of traveling and seperation anxiety
SychoShadows [1:25 P.M.]: so it didnt help much
Harlikn7 [1:25 P.M.]: Have you traveled much?
SychoShadows [1:25 P.M.]: nope
Harlikn7 [1:26 P.M.]: You might get over that then, if you travel more when you're older. SychoShadows [1:26 P.M.]: ya
SychoShadows [1:26 P.M.]: how old are u
Harlikn7 [1:26 P.M.]: I'm guessing your age at 15 - 18
SychoShadows [1:26 P.M.]: first tel me yours
Harlikn7 [1:26 P.M.]: I'm not asking you to tell me.
Harlikn7 [1:28 P.M.]: Have you ever read anything that stayed with you for a long time? SychoShadows [1:28 P.M.]: not quite
Harlikn7 [1:29 P.M.]: I must get back to my book. Thanks for the coffee break conversation. SychoShadows [1:29 P.M.]: np
SychoShadows [1:29 P.M.]: just tel me your age
Harlikn7 [1:29 P.M.]: Interesting that you're so hung up on that.
Harlikn7 [1:29 P.M.]: I'll give you a little help. I'm not in high school and I'm not reading a book, I'm writing one.
Harlikn7 [1:30 P.M.]: Let me know how Big Bird tastes.
SychoShadows [1:30 P.M.]: 28-32
Harlikn7 [1:30 P.M.]: close enough for you---anything over 25 is just old.
Harlikn7 [1:30 P.M.]: bye bye
SychoShadows [1:30 P.M.]: bvye


g'night

Water and Light

Orion and I are diving again, though I can't wear my goggles yet. We're practicing swimming together over and under, under and over...waving to each other as we pass, in slow motion, like royalty.
We imagine monster games and such. Actual conversation from today:

Orion: "I'm invisible by the vortex."
Me: "Right."
Orion: "You're not invisible by the vortex."
Me. "Right."
Orion: "Ok...then...how about you don't go near the vortex."

Good plan. The SciFi Channel needs Orion.


Ok. I've decided that when faced with thirty paintings to do, it's not a terrible idea to choose one from anywhere in the storyboard and paint it. I'm thinking the answer to which comes next might be in there, and so on.



Thanks for your help with the jacks question. I followed the links you sent me and have decided it's not unreasonable to guess that they were cast in scrap metals, stylized after the bones of the spine the game originated with, and that the individual who created the design we see today is unknown and will remain so.
I still sense there is at least one missing link (no pun intended) here.
Let's keep our eyes open.

I want to go outside now. The sky is dark and the moon illuminates clouds full of lightning.
Someone with so much work to do shouldn't spend time looking at the sky.
Someone with so much work to do should definitely spend time looking at the sky.

g'night

Sunday, Between Enemy Lines

I wait in the grocery checkout between magazines placed with purpose.

They feature photos of celebrated women who starve themselves to fit an unhealthy and artificial aesthetic that serves no one but those who created it.

A fellow customer, dangerously overweight, chooses a magazine and tosses it into a cart heaped with sugar and fat and nothing green.

I consider this from the perspective of one hungry due to famine.

I consider this from the perspective of one hundred years ago.

I consider this from the perspective of one hundred years from now.


I must not sleep.

Tremblings, Storms, Whores and Poppets

Busy day, getting orders out to people who've been extremely patient.

Then there was the earthquake. But it was only a little one.

More studio work.

Then there was the big wind storm and the emergency striking of wild canopies, which means we'll spend part of tomorrow putting them back again.

I've said so before---humans weren't meant to live in this desert.


Our friend Trent had some fun with poppets. Here's a link to some video work he did to one of his band's songs:Trent's Poppet Video, with Whores of Tijuana.


Craig Steffen sent this link for Orion. I was delighted, Orion too, for at least a minute.
Being four years old is fun stuff.
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/exploration/mmb/orion_announcement.html

Gurtie has, without warning, officially declared war on the sofa in the den. Whatever brought that on probably happend while the rest of us slept. Possibly poppets were involved.

Now back to work on the fun stuff I only get to work on at night, when my feet are too tired for studio but my brain is still working. Mostly.

g'night

Horny Poultry, Studio Karma and the Mystery of Jacks

Did I mention how much I like poking around in thrift stores? It's not so much the rooster or his...state of mind, as the fun we had coming up with names for the randy little fellow.

Today was spent largely teaching another local sculptor how to make her own molds. It was a lot of work, but very satisfying, with laughter throughout. I don't mind teaching when I have the opportunity. I plan to give some talks at Palm Springs High during the year.
That said, I'm generally pretty happy to asnwer technical questions about art---or being an artist. That is, if I know the answer.

If not, I can put the question out there for you. Thank's for your work on the Jack's questions. There must be an answer somewhere. (?) More below.

Alien Artifacts

Ok. As further contribution to the answer-- or to send us sideways--here is a photo of some antique jacks given me by Ravyn at Balticon. Where did she get them? These have a machined look, and protrusions that could be sprues from casting. I'd think, as finished as every other surface is, the manufacturer of these jacks would have removed any bumps from sprues. They're very heavy, and my first impression was that they'd been cut from...something.

I decided that cranberry juice definitely tastes better in a wine glass. No---it's not psychological---it's aroma enhanced by physics.

If Dark Chocolate is so healthy for us, why aren't candy makers touting it on the wrappers?

and, finally, Orion surprised me today by flushing an entire box of 'flushable' wipes at once. He apparently wanted to see what would happen. We don't know yet, because whatever that is, is still going on. Hopefully, whatever faerie magic makes one wipe 'flushable' will eventually apply to 150 of them.

He's definitely my sun.


g'night

Ow...my eye, nearly. No touching. Who is willing to show an extreme close up of her face is the same who is willing to show the inside of her refrigerator. That's too long for a fortune cookie, isn't it?

Making Way

As much as I enjoy the works I’ve made, it’s the making I love most. I’ve decided to begin culling my collection. It’s like recycling, sort of, and not at all like time travel.

It was easy to fall in love again with these as I photographed. They each have stories and memories. They're good works, but are in the way of good working.

They're mostly odd one-of-a-kinds, so I'm listing them on Ebay rather than creating a website, which elicited from Ravyn (I think) a small sigh of relief.

Ten percent of each sale will be donated to the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund.

You can see everything here: Links to Auctions


and



Weirdness! The little purple bruise on Orion's nose became what looked like a scrape, but is now fading fast. I, however, now look more like I ran into a door than a little boy. Everyone has gone to bed exept Gurtie and me, and she refuses to use the flash, purist that she is, so I had to take a photo of my own eye. Yay. You can see it below, or above, depending on Blogger's freaking mood today.

and


Tomorrow is breakfast with Ben, Pete and Orion, giving a casting lesson to another sculptor and working on illustrations for a project due in November. I've worked on it for a bit now, but there's the one part that still makes me cry every time. I wonder if that will eventually go away, or at least while I'm working on the book.

and

It's now 1:43. Yogurt (lime) brushing teeth and bed. I'm looking forward to sleeping. But writing and drawing are much more fun.

I've researched the origins of the Jacks games, and found lots of references to the little metal jacks we in America are most familiar with. Does anyone know the origins of the metal jacks themselves? Why are they what they are? Were they ever something else?

When the work is good, everything is good.

G'night

Blue

Blue. (photo by Mimi Ko)



Blue. Red. Blue and Red. Red in Blue. Blue on Red.

For now, a simple nod will do.

Time enough, later, for why.

Red

Blue

Red_Blue_Red_Blue

Red

Red_in_Blue

Red_with_Blue

Red

Red

Blue

Blue

March of the Hours

"Psychopede "

Three things that happened this busy day:

I received a package from Gene Wolfe. The Catalog of Cool got lost from the package I'd sent him. I'd asked him to sign page 88, which was where Pete discovered his work, years ago. In true Wolfe style, he sent us his own copy complete with wolf-paw and library stamps.

I begin to believe that Gene Wolfe is the catalog of cool.
***

I first heard a weird scritching on the tiles, and then saw the biggest date beetle I've ever seen. It wasn't scurrying across the floor, but was...sitting(?), hunched-over and cleaning itself.

Oddly like a cat.

Ok. I'll be honest. Even I am disturbed by this. I waited until it... finished, then swept it outside.
***

In the water, Orion and I had a diving accident. I'd thought we were clear but we sure put our heads together. He got a nosebleed for a moment or two and is fine now. I am too, but am terribly happy we have Tylenol 3 in the house. It looks as though I might end up with a dramatic new eyebrow.

Perhaps people will stop telling me I look too sweet for my work.

g'night

I'm back. It went well. You were missed. Time for sleep. More later. The photo is of "The Comic", which is about a foot tall. g'night

Over and Under

It was a good idea to put these strips of muslin over the pool. They soften the sunlight enough to survive it for more than half an hour.

We started out calling them 'canopies', but over time, we've all taken to calling them 'sails' because that's exactly what they look like in the wind.

Underneath them we tried some underwater photography. We had absolutely no experience and learned that it takes some real coordinating to make this happen. The morning session was more funny than productive, but by the nighttime shoot, we'd figured a few things out and the three of us became a team: One to be the subject, one to shoot and one, wearing weighted shoes (ummm, not recommended attire for the inexperienced swimmer) to keep the photographer from floating to the surface.

One, two, three...GO.

We used film, so couldn't know immediately what we got, but....really, it didn't matter that much at the time.

And still doesn't.

g'night

Weekend

Mimi was here.

There were many creative adventures (including some underwater ones) and precious little sleep.

Already we were friends.
Now we are friends with stories...



The World Con is two days away. Work now, photos later.

At least there's soup

Tomorrow Mimi Ko will be here to do a portrait of me. I'm not feeling very photogenic. I'm spending lots of time in the studio---which is a very good thing---but that means I haven't spent any time on me and have lots of scratches and a manicure to rival Big Foot.

I was starting to get really down last night, likely from exhaustion. I decided to go for one of my favorite comfort foods----a big handful of Cheez-Its floating in a bowl of Campbells vegetarian veggie soup.
I sat cross-legged on the sofa with my bowl. Pink Floyd played from the ipod and CNN was on, without sound.

Thankfully, I had my soup. shudder

Earlier, I got this in an email from Jordan's Mom:

This is an interesting quote from a blog essay by Jamison Foser, quoted in an article by Peter Daou on the Crooks and Liars weblog....

"The defining issue of our time is not the Iraq war. It is not the "global war on terror." It is not our inability (or unwillingness) to ensure that all Americans have access to affordable health care. Nor is it immigration, outsourcing, or growing income inequity. It is not education, it is not global warming, and it is not Social Security.

The defining issue of our time is the media.

The dominant political force of our time is not Karl Rove or the Christian Right or Bill Clinton. It is not the ruthlessness or the tactical and strategic superiority of the Republicans, and it is not your favorite theory about what is wrong with the Democrats.

The dominant political force of our time is the media.

Time after time, the news media have covered progressives and conservatives in wildly different ways — and, time after time, they do so to the benefit of conservatives."


On a happier note. The order form for the Balticon DVD is up. Just to remind you, it has all the GOH speeches and panels from the main hall, including Gene Wolfe's lecture and a very funny Neil reading of his new "Orange" story.
You can get it here:
http://www.lisasnellings.com/Balticon40DVDmailorder.pdf.

Now, off to make art.

Yes, there are birds in that brain...

"Psychopede" detail.

When I get back from the World Con, I'll post photos of new work. In the meantime, I'm working...a lot...and swimming twice a day. Pete has developed the habit of bringing home interesting different kinds of chocolate. This is a good habit, so long as I'm working and swimming twice a day.

I'm supposed to tell you that I'll be signing copies of Strange Birds (that have already been signed by Gene Wolfe) and any other things of mine you bring to the DreamHaven booth in the Dealer's room at 1:pm on Friday. I'm also supposed to tell you that the first fifty people who get copies of Strange Birds from DreamHaven will get a Poppet(in a nifty little bag with a bookmark) too.

Orion's quote of the day: "I'm NOT freaking out! I'm freaking IN!" Somehow, this makes more sense than it should.

Last night I finally saw Days of Heaven (1978) directed by Terrence Malick. OK. This one deserves to be brought back to big screens.

It's 1:36. g'night

The Naked Truth

I got nothin'.

C. S. Lewis writes in The Silent Planet, "The love of knowledge is a kind of madness."

Perhaps this is true.

What I'm more sure of is how it feels to start to get the faintest idea of how much I don't know.

It's a bright void.

Six Legged Things

That account of flies:

We were looking out the window of Neil’s attic, years ago when the attic was just an attic. These wonderful big blue bottle flies lay dead on the windowsills. Neil told me they were from the previous summer, when flies had been a real problem. Naturally I asked if I could have them, and Neil said okay and fetched a jar to put them in without (to his credit) even making a face.

They were lovely dead flies.

I knew I wanted to use them but didn’t know for what. The little jar was nearly half full. I liked the way the jar of flies looked so didn’t mind that they sat for weeks while I worked on other sculptures.

Finally, I decided to make a sculpture with a fly lollipop. I opened the jar to choose flies for the lollipop only to discover that the jar had been a grape jelly jar and that the flies... smelled exactly like grape jelly.

They’d become a bit dry and some of the heads fell off so that I had to glue them back on. That was okay. But they smelled like grape jelly.

I realized too late that I’d glued a couple of the heads on upside-down. I didn’t care about that nearly so much as that they smelled like grape jelly.

Now, you might not see this as a problem. I’m guessing that most of you haven’t worked with flies that smell exactly like grape jelly. Maybe you won't take my word that it’s an experience you want to forget, but can't. You might try it yourself and never ever eat raisins again.
Ever.

I don’t have a photo of “Lolly and Her Insignificant Angel” on hand. Possibly Ravyn does, or Robert and Roland, who live with Lolly.

Bug's Back...Top?

Here's the back view.

I’ve heard that Neil has found a dead cicada for me. It’s possibly time to make a new bug piece. If you find any very cool dead bugs, of course please send them to the studio address.

If you do send me a bug, please make sure it’s absolutely dead. Thank you. Waking up in a box of cotton balls would suck for the bug, and opening the box with the bug that woke in a box of cotton balls would suck for me.

Here's another shot. What? It's for scale.

Pieces of Sunday

This is why I like thrift stores.

Pete, otherwise known as aquaman is still in San Diego, so it was me who played follow-the-leader with aquaboy. This mostly consisted of following him all around the pool, to the drain on the bottom, out the sides and in again via a variety of slap-sticky maneuvers that required words like uh-HAAHT and burrrrrfurrrglalalalalal and ffffffWOITTTT and made my suit ride up.

I should sleep well tonight, finally. I’ll be sore tomorrow and glad for it. I haven’t worked that hard underwater since my last real rescue lesson. I’ll admit I’ve been in a weird state for awhile. The conflicts in the Middle East grow more disturbing as does other news. Ben has been quite sick for several weeks and I lost an old friend to a car accident. I hadn’t seen him recently, but we were good friends and next door neighbors for a number of years. Ed helped me build some of the early Dark Caravan pieces, and the Ferris wheel is made from parts of one of his boats.(Ed’s boats were very nearly ships.) Later on I’ll dig out photos and tell you more about that.
But not today.

water rain snow ice blues grays blacks whites

These things make me feel ...right.

Pieces of Sunday

The bug is real. If anyone hasn't heard the "Neil's Grape Jelly Flies" story (and I sort of doubt it) let me know and I'll tell it....again. I'm motivated. I'd like some new bugs.

Pieces of Sunday

Red invades the kitchen. I did at least get more of the painting done. It now extends into the space under the sink. Aubrey, noting that, says that when she writes of me in later years, she’ll mark this as the moment I’d gone officially over the edge….until a better one comes along.

g'night

Pieces of Sunday

Forgive me---but they wandered in while I was working and I couldn't resist snapping a photo.

I’m still reading the Chaos book to break up the Henry James. It cleanses the palette. I don’t do that with every author I read. Only those with such distinct voices. If not for the non-fiction, I’d find myself describing certain paintings as intolerably vulgar, or calling people ‘darling.’
So a bit of non-fiction after seems to keep authors' voices out of my head and off my keyboard.

Thanks for your thoughts on formal art education vs self teaching.
No one said a word about the rattiness…go figure. Well, I will: Ravyn, cool little animation. Thanks!!!!

Rattiness, Rat Expertise and other things

Ravyn has posted an animated avatar from the now (infamous?) Rattiness that introduced my Guest of Honor program. It’s right here: Lisa in a Rat Suit

If you’d like to see the rest of the rattiness, what Gene Wolfe had to say, Neil Gaiman reading new stories, Peter S. Beagle in concert, and panels with all the guests, you’ll be very happy to know there is a DVD now available. The price for the two-disc set is $20 ---I’m not sure about shipping---and can be ordered Monday on the Balticon site.
I’ll post a link then, but here’s your ‘heads up.’If you can’t hold out until then, you can email Dr.Gandalf at drgandalf@pobox.com


It’s very likely I’ll be getting together with Debbie Ducommun, elsewise known as “The Rat Lady.” Rat Fan Club She currently has 16 pet rats, has written books on caring for pet rats and is actively involved in changing how people view rats as companions. I’m looking forward to meeting her and will keep you posted.


I got an email from a young man I met at Balticon. I gave him some thoughts, which included things to consider, but didn’t include an answer. I did,mention that readers of my journal have a lot of experience between them and offered to post his question here. He happily accepted:

I am having a tough time deciding what to do right now in my life. I am a painter, I love drawing, but I am most passionately a sculptor. This is what I want to do. I have taken classes at my local community college for two years, have shown many of my sculptures there and have even had a piece purchased by the school. I applied to both the School of Visual Arts in Manhattan, NY, and the Pratt Institute in Brooklyn NY. Pratt was the only one to offer me scholarships, so I chose to go there. I realize I will have to take out $50,000 in loans. Do you think this is wise? Is it worth it to go to a school of supposed high quality to learn of sculpture and pursue a career of such renowned poverty And pay such high loans? I love sculpture and nothing feels better than creating, the school is supposed to be one of the best and it is in New York which is all very exciting and cool. But I am fearful that it may not be worth it if I go and also I am afraid that I won't learn enough or be successful if I don't. Or maybe I should study something else and do art as a hobby?


I’m happy to say I am now re-entering the creative zone. As usual, I’ll show you what I find there. I'll drink more orange juice in the studio, listen to more music and feel more like I do in there than I do out here, even underwater. Which reminds me. Time to go.

g’night

Midnight Blues

Orders packed.
Plan outlined.

Schedule for LA Con: art show exhibit, panel with Bob Eggleton and others about making a living as an artist, panel with Vernor Vinge, Rudy Rucker and others on future anthropology. I'm especially looking forward to that one.

Off for a post-midnight swim under a finally clear sky. Hope it will remind me of why I don't hate the desert. Likely it will be a good seque to the rooms inside my head where art gets made.

stay cool out there