Meeting Jane LaFazio

In the Chicago environs a few weeks back, I had a little art adventure which included meeting Jane LaFazio at a Create Mixed Media workshop.  Jane is an excellent drawer, artist, painter, instructor, and one of the original teachers in this year's debut (3.1 "Beginnings") of  Sketchbook Skool.  As my class all peered at her, she drew first with pencil, then with ink and watercolor, an old ballet slipper that someone had brought with them to draw.  I would think she would feel a little pressured with all those eyes upon her, but she seemed happily oblivious to the stare down.

We started by ripping up papers and collaging them together on two different pages, one lighter and the other darker.  Well, I spent too much time on my lighter concoction and never finished the darker one, even though I skipped lunch and continued to work during that hour.

Next we coated the pages with a particular product (take Jane's class--I'm not giving away her secrets (-;) and then we were able to sketch what we had brought with us as models.  What did I bring with me?  Um, well...I didn't bring anything.  I brought a lot of other things, but not little figurines or things of that ilk so I used the contents within my purse.  Hey, that's art, I do believe.  I also grabbed flowers and buds outside of the hotel and included those--make-up and nature's beauty...a natural combination, n'est pas (right)?  We cut out those items and adhered them to our collaged page.

Just an aside, I made this trip with about zippo dollars.  By the time I had bought supplies the night before, I made the trip with $20 which included a McDonald's coffee.  I had an opened canister of Pringles potato chips in my car as well as a jar of almond butter so I filled myself with that when I grabbed my flower buds mid-morning and once more before others returned from their lunch.  I was thinking the boxed lunches were included, but alas at $12.50, they were out of my league.  I am going to save up better the next time around! ha!  Look, sometimes I post luscious meals I've eaten and other times, well, a girl just has to do what she has to do.  I imagined myself as Madonna, taking off from Michigan in a bus with just $35 dollars in my pocket to go to NYC to pursue my art.  Instead of dance, of course, I would draw!

O.K., well enough about my budget.  I sat with a table with a very quiet and lovely older woman who once sang songs in German cafes!  She appeared timid and unsure of herself, but this was her past life--isn't it amazing what lies within people?  Perhaps that's always why I'm drawing people.  I am fascinated by the hidden stories they hold.  The other woman I sat with was named, Ali.  She holds a PhD, flew from the East coast, and lived in China for three years.  We hit it off like you wouldn't believe.  Our other tablemate asked how long we had known one another, and we said we had just met.  We're both Aries, although her chart is filled with all Aries!  My rising sign is a Leo, but we're both "fire" girls, that's for sure. (-;  My Moon sign adds quite a contemplative aspect, but I can't reveal all my secrets, you know.

Laugh, laugh, laugh, I had such a great time.  My final product...well, it definitely leaves something to be desired! ha!  I originally had my mascara tube in my handmade "map" envelope, but I ended up attaching it to the center of the page for more balanced composition.  Afterwards I thought it looked like a marching, purple phallic symbol, but at least it's alert and on the prowl to spread beauty application everywhere!  Ah, ha, ha, ha!

I think my lack of focus in group settings is, for me, like going to a baseball game.  It's great fun to be there in person, but I end up talking with people around me, watching the track, watching the flashing sign, concentrating on everything EXCEPT the game, whereas at home, watching the t.v, that's all I'm taking in.  Anyway, I wouldn't trade the day for anything.  Jane was so down-to-earth and had a fantastic sense of humor and the same holds true for Allie, and the happy realization that all over this country/world there are people who you can immediately click with and share a magical moment.

Jane LaFazio and our class

Jane's impromptu drawing:

My supply spread:

Ali with her handmade, stuffed birds as props.

 My "light-colored collage page before applying a white, drawing medium.

Jane trying to help our table!

A couple of Jane's pages:

 Look at these sweet paper scissors!  I love them.  Please ignore my ever-present chipped polish and shaggy nail!

My page with a light coat of white medium.

My finished page below, with all my hand-drawn cutouts attached to the background covered with a white, rough medium to make it "drawable."

Tom Jones - Treat Her Like A Lady...bug

And now I'm in the mood of some hip-swiveling Tom Jones' music.

By the way, do you know the story behind how the song, "She's A Lady" was written?  Paul Anka was the lyricist, who knew?  Anyway, one day his 3-year-old daughter had a lemonade stand.  As time went by, more and more colorful little bugs showed up as customers.  Here's how the conversation went:

Daughter:  "Pretty!  "What they called?"

Paul Anka: "They're called ladybugs."

And in standard 3-year-old rebuttal, his daughter asked:  "Why?"

Anka smiled at his precious pumpkin and told her:  "See their pretty colors and all those little dots?  Well, they're all dressed up like that because they always wear their best clothes out in the world.  They're little ladies, you see.  Ladybugs!"

Well, his daughter was so happy with that story and her face lit up so joyously, Paul decided to write a song about them in her honor.  He called in his friend, Tom Jones, the hottest hip swiveler this side of Elvis at the time.

Tom tried out the lyrics in his powerful belting voice and stopped once he got through one chorus.

"Anka," he groaned.  I can't sing, 'Treat her like a ladybug and the ladybug is mine."  Are you off your f-ing rocker?!  Do you know what a song like this will do to my sex god image?  Forget it."

Alarmed that he was about to lose a potential smash hit, Anka changed the lyrics to something more seductive and to Tom's liking.  And THAT is how this classic song came to be!!

Paul Anka really did write the lyrics.  The rest is just a little something I, uh, came up with. (-;  BUT, it is a good story!  ha!

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, she's a lady...er, LADYBUG, and the ladybug is mine...yeah, yeah, yeah."

(Those lyrics aren't going to work!)

Classic Tom:  "She's a Lady"*

And NOW, this little find.  Fairly blurry, but still, he had the MOVES back in the day.  No wonder all those "ladies" were throwing their panties at him!

Tom Jones Dances Like Hell and sings "Treat Her Right" (1968)

*Finalmente, far superior audio of "She's A Lady" here, but you miss Tom grooving around with those zombie teenage chics.

Patty, Marie, and Family Past and Present (SOLD)

No one has waited for a commissioned piece from me longer than Patty and Marie.  They asked me to paint themselves along with 2 pets from their past and four current furry children.    I had to think about how I wanted to do it and then I needed a chunk of time to do it!  It was a big one - 48" x 60" I completed it in bits and pieces and stalled at about 60% there.  And then I went full-speed ahead and had 98% of it done, but then spent another 16 hours on it.  And so it went.  In the end, I am SO proud of and happy with it.  Thank you, Patty and Marie, co-workers and friends, for being so patient!!  Forgive me for the abundance of photos.  It's just that it took so much work, and I'm very happy with it.

I based Patty's and Marie's image on a photo they shared with me from 22 years ago when they first met.

The cast of characters:

Patty

Marie

The dogs:

Buster--Leading trait--Fairness

 Marie's "Hunky Boy" a.k.a. GRRR dog.  He was blind in the end and only had eyes for Marie.

Lola - Queen of the House and Royal sophisticate

Crazy, young daisy.  Flies through the house destroying all her stuffed animals and depleting them of their stuffing!

 The Cats

Gracie a.k.a. "B*(#h Kitty"

Patty's beloved girl, who always used to wrap herself around her owner.

More details:

 Marie is always glad in jewelry and loves to read--especially "Sense and Sensibility" by Jane Austen.

 Scales of fairness:

 I sparkled Patty up a bit with ring and earring.

 The stuffing coming out of a play toy.

Molding paste, metal, wire, glitter and seed beads-details of crazy Daisy.

San Diego Ukelele Festival

This video was so lovely, I had to repost it here rather than just on Facebook. Credit for video goes to Scott Blank.

What beautiful playing, movement--she's a flamenco dancer, bullfighter, instrumental master rolled into one.  ¡Muy elegante!

Post by Scott Blank.

Blue Diamond Eyes (SOLD)

Here's a commissioned piece I did for my cool friend, Brandi (for her daughter), called "Blue Diamond Eyes."  It's based on a lyric from the Brett Eldredge song, "Beat of the Music" in which he sings: "I got hooked on a girl with blue diamond eyes down in Mexico." I don't listen to country music much, but I listened to this one over and over to get the feel. Hope you like it, too.

He's sending her hearts and she's sending him blue diamonds (eyes, not almonds).  Ah, ha, ha, ha! (-;
Is that quip falling flat?  Are you familiar with the brand "Blue Diamond Almonds?"  Eh, forget it. (-:

Blue-Diamond Eyes

Brett Eldredge, "Beat of the Music"

Doodling in Class

Here's a doodle I drew in class tonight.  I'm tired, yet again!  Woke up at 4 a.m. with a stomachache and finally gave in and got up at 5:30 a.m.  Painted 3 hours on a painting (to be revealed soon--this one has taken me tens of hours) and then got ready for work, which tonight happened to end at 6 p.m.  Then I went to class from 6-9 p.m.  I don't know.  This chiquita is running low on energy.  Thank goodness I had a jar of Justin's Nut Butter, Honey Peanut Butter Blend, because that's what I subsisted on all day and evening...plus an Almond Joy.  I really don't like rushing through life like this...it is not joyous.

Art answers are from yours truly. (-;

The Girl Most Likely To

Somewhere in the deep recesses of my mind, I hold an image of a made for t.v. movie with Stockard Channing.  I just remember her walking down a hospital hallway in a blue peignoir set, her plastic surgery bandages removed, and she, beautiful, perfect in early 1970's makeup and high, black bouffant, sprayed and flowing. It must have made quite an impression on my very young brain...a wonderful, Miss America version of "Frankenstein!"*

Up late one night several weeks ago, the movie popped into my head again, as my synapses brought it forward for another 10-year visitation.  I wondered in Amazon carried it.  Already on YouTube, my fingers did a little tap dance on my keyboard, and viola!  The whole dang movie is on there in 5 parts.  C-R-A-Z-Y.  A young Stockard Channing, Fred Grandy (prior to Gopher on the "Love Boat") and a younger Ed Asner.  He stilled looked old...just youngish old.  Uh huh.

The real kicker was that in the opening credits, who was one of the screenwriters, but Joan Rivers!  Ah, Joan.  You are something.  You've done it all; you're still kicking; and I just don't think people realize all that you've accomplished.  Who knew you had written a black comedy 12,000 years ago!

P.S. can I just insert my most favorite of Joan River's quotes?  I'm going to.  It's super spicy, so if you're offended, read no further.  Remember, I warned you.  O.K., this is from years ago on Fashion Police.  She was commenting on Zooey Deschanel, then having acted in many independent films, and Joan said,
"Zooey Deschanel is so quirky, her clitoris is a Skittle."  OMG, it cracks me up to this day!

Um, alright, back to the subject at hand.  This little flick is super dated, but you know, you can watch it in an instant.  Besides, you'll truly be amazed at how far movie make-up and nose prosthetics have come. (-;
(Just watch the first clip, and you can click on each successive part on YouTube--you're all super smart...you know how it works!)

Post-Surgery Stockard

"The Girl Most Likely To" (Part I)

*Just a side note, as I type this, I remember Isaac Mizrahi recalling in "Unzipped", one of my favorite documentaries of all time, how Loretta Young in  "The Call of the Wild" was about to die, and he says, "if you're going to freeze on the tundra, you might as well do it with your makeup unsmudged."  Those Hollywood stars, they sure have their maquillage mastered in the most dire of circumstances!

Here's also a fabulous little clip of "Unzipped".

Robin Williams

Goodbye, Robin Williams.  My heart aches for you.

You were a part of my whole life from "Mork and Mindy" forward.  It was your darker roles that showed, in my humble opinion, your talented soul.  I mean, who could imitate your manic comedic genius, perhaps only Jim Carrey comes close to that?  Steve Martin also, had that crazy body movement, but slowed down to the nth degree in comparison to you.  But it was the sweetness of your soul, the sadness in your twinkling eyes--how could those two things be combined?--that showed your gentleness and awesome talent.

I remember your malevolent turn in "Insomnia" with Al Pacino and Hilary Swank that shocked me at your depth.  I saw them all--"The World According to Garp," "Good Morning, Vietnam," but that was the one that exposed me to what was inside of you.

And I will never forget my favorite part of "Good Will Hunting."  Your comment to Matt Damon's "Will" about living life, loving a woman, seeing Michelangelo's creations in person...you were so touching.

I'm so sorry you had pain in your life.  Isn't it amazing how many comedic geniuses have that ache touching them inside?  I hope you are at peace, dear Robin, and your pain has ended.  Thank you for all your gifts that you shared so generously with this world.

"Good Will Hunting" - Bench Scene

One day later, here's the best article I have read so far on his struggle:  Robin Williams.

Later still, this sane and compassionate one from Flavorwire:
Robin Williams and the Myth of Battling Depression
and this from The New Yorker: "Suicide: A Crime of Lonliness."

Heading West

Roy was searching for a new life.  He had left some, shall we say, unsavory details of his past back in North Carolina, and he was ready to move on. With Merle Haggard blaring from his classic, turquoise Chevy dashboard, he had cruised along without any regret.  But as the miles grew between himself and the woman he had left behind, he begin to grow uncertain.

Indecisiveness overwhelmed him as the ponderosa pines in Colorado began to dot the landscape.  He had picked Katie up when she was hitchhiking along a similar landscape 15 years before.  She appeared suddenly, mirage-like, by the side of the road.  He had blinked his eyes hard.  This creature was not the usual fox roaming these foothills.  She had a woeful story of a bad boyfriend that he fell for hook, line, and sinker.  Of course, her long hair, the color of corn silk mixed with wheat, and green eyes didn't hurt any, he reckoned, as he recalled that fateful day.

He slowed his car at a small, roadside gas station, the kind that still sells grape-flavored Shasta and fruity-striped gum.  Could he really break free from that hell-fire siren?  Remember who she really is, a voice inside his head shouted.  Turns out his fair-headed hitchhiker was not some innocent from the plains of America, but actually a Southern she-cat by the name of Vera!  And now ol' Vera was tellin' a new man that HE was the bad boyfriend!  With that reminder, Roy sucked hard on his white and red paper straw, pulling out the last dredges of syrupy, grape carbonation from his cup and letting them fly.  His cajones grew a size, in a different way than when he had thought of Vera in the past, and he eyed the road ahead.

He made up his mind--he was heading west.

12" x 16"

Detached Retina

Estelle felt herself becoming detached from her retina.

(The feeling was mutual.)

Retina on the run:  "I just can't relate to this face."