Details that Stick

Here is another image I keep coming back to. This detail from a larger painting holds a certain fascination for me. When I was a kid my parents were in community theater and one of the skits they put on had a man standing on stage just as this man stands. Actors would come on and off stage, walking by the man, finally noticing him and asking each other (but not him), "Why is he standing there?" and stating, "He's just standing there." The scenario repeated itself again and again. The man kept standing there.

I would pass by this image on my wall and I'd think, "He's just standing there." Usually I saw my father in this image. Just recently I recognized myself.

One of a Kind Instead of Multiples

Two days ago I was at a reception for an art exhibit, me being one of the participants. I was advised to bring along business cards. I don't have business cards. I don't think "business" when I do my art, so I end up forgetting to have cards printed. I quickly drew some up. Each was an original thought and a tiny drawing. When I handed them out I felt like I was dealing in sterling silver instead of stainless steel.

Profile Story ~ teenager thought

My first job: At the age of 14 I worked as a janitor in a cold barn-like community building. What did I learn there? That there is satisfaction in making things change: dirty to clean, ugly to beautiful, messy to tidy. And that there was a world of mystery behind the patchwork curtains that hung at the end of the hall, on the stage of my future.

Giggling with Joy

Every now and then one happens upon a grand "a-ha!" This painting is one I return to again and again in my trips through life. Meaning, I trip and get mud on my face so I go look at the silly grins on the buddha faces and grin back through the mud. If only life could be so joyous all the time. Clearly, the shoveler knows that working near paradise is pretty good, considering the options. So, what's a little bit of mud ... but something to grow a seed in, if that mud is collected, saved, and set aside in a fertile little pile of hope.

It took one year to paint, and it sure is different from my other art. I'm not one to stay in one place... can't help but explore the world through all means possible.

Time for a Snort, Cackle, Chortle, & Guffaw

This project has been quite a lesson in looking on the bright side. I really didn't want anyone to have a negative life drawing on their card, no matter how true to world experience I attempted to make these. Sometimes darkness did encroach, and isn't that indicative of life, you can't control it! At these times I'd react by trying to make the next card more hopeful and even humorous. Humor has a way of unsticking even the most dreary and dense glue.

Tripping in the Search for What Works

There are about 65 more drawings to do. I am sad that I soon won't be walking around in this crowd of amazing people. I have continued to draw without knowing who most of these people are, but I must admit I would often google names after the drawings were finished. Again and again I have been astonished by the brilliance of these people and what they have achieved in the past 30 years. Above you will notice I took the last names off the labels for internet purposes because I am not yet sure of privacy issues. Somehow it works for me that David Y. now symbolizes "David" in general.

In September these cards will all go on display at Avenue 25 Gallery in San Mateo, CA. The originals will be full of life and flaws, uncertainty and triumph. I have drawn these images while experiencing every human emotion, fabulous to horrible. The common denominator is that I always strive to give each person a hopeful life full of heart, art, and human value. I do not want one person to go invisible, so I will include any cards that are drawn awkwardly... because we are all awkward at some points in our lives, even the most graceful of us.