The Never Ending Painting....:D.....

So I began this painting in the fall of 2001....(yeah...2001)...Octoberish to be precise. It was the last painting I did (er...began), while in college. (I was an art major at UW Madison)....I did graduate that December, but I never finished this painting :)....so I have been working on it lately...(on and off anyway, in between my handmade paper projects, and other artwork :)....

I tried to pack this painting with symbolism...I was really into symbolism when I was in college...In this one I have some astrological references related to that time...there was some VERY screwey stuff going on in the cosmos during the fall of 2001...like 911 :(....If I recall, I think Pluto and Mars had some significant scariness going on...I'd have to go back and look....

I do know that a lot of people, including myself, were having accidents and other problems during that time-- I had a very bad whiplash injury that screwed up my neck and back...and ulimately my legs...LONG story...I put a little bit of that "chronic pain" element in this painting as well....So I kind of have this mystical wish that once I finally finish this painting I will be able to run again!-- I was a runner before the accident :) I know, I'm kind of a dork- but you never know! :)

Sheep Paper!...Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You!... :)...

Here is a little glimpse into my fun and crazy world of paper making! :)...This particular batch is destined for New York, as a thank you gift to Ozknits :)...In this batch I am using my usual pulp of 100% post consumer recycled office paper and other little tidbits, such as embroidery thread, sequins, and other glittery "thingies.".... :) Here I am also using "mystery knitting fibers" from Oz...Feel the power of the sheep! :)

Karaoke Chicken....

After a few hour of heavy drinking, Mr. Chicken is more than just mildly inebriated...He's completely bombed....So, he heads to the bathroom, pukes a few times...and then heads for the stage. Here he gives us his best Pat Benatar...which is in fact, very... very bad....yes, love is a battlefield people...love...is a battlefield...

"Karaoke Chicken" is an original gouache painting, created on 140 lb, cold pressed watercolor paper. It measures 2.5 by 3.5 inches making it an ACEO, (or artist's trading card). He is number 6A in the series :)

Stay tuned for more adventures in the life of....MR. CHICKEN!!!!!!

Let's do a Little Experiment...

Can I get the video in my blog post?...hhmm....if it works-- here's some music I like to listen to when I paint! :D

Here's Where the Magic Happens! :)...kinda...

No...not that you dirty little cyber space people! :D....It's my new art studio!...I may have mentioned it a few posts back...This is where I've been spending my time lately, when I'm not at work, or hanging out on the forums :)...these are the "before" pictures...Note the dead fish colored floor, and slightly fecal toned walls...Great space though for sure!

See the cute little bearded guy?...that's not me :)...no full grown beard on this chica...though I'm sure there's hope as I grow older and my hormones become out of whack...That's my boyfriend Matt...otherwise known as, Pookie.....(don't tell him I called him that in public...)... :D

Oh yeah...I still need to take the "after" pictures :)

I've been tagged by Ozknits! :D

Note the wonderful customer appreciation photo! :)

4 Things.... :D.....

4 Jobs.....

1) kennel worker (I cleaned up doggie poop)!

2)barista (coffee slave for 5 years)!

3) resident counselor in a group home...not the best fit for an introvert such as myself...I'm a better doggie pooper scooper!

4)art workshop facilitator at a non profit organization....(did that once a week for almost 5 years-- we made a lot of handmade paper....that was fun)!

4 Favorite Movies....

1) Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

2) The Thorn Birds....yeah, I know...I'm so pathetic :D....

3) The Royal Tennenbaums...nice and quirky! :)

4) Schnindler's List

4 Places I've been

1) Utica, Wisconsin-- population 35?...very exciting! :D...(I actually do miss WI-- good cheese!)

2) The Winchester Mystery Mansion, in San Jose California...I actually have a photo I took with a slightly ghostly image in it...at age 17 I considered sending it to Unsolved Mysteries....I'm still sitting on it :D

3) Washington DC-- I went there once when I was about 10...I went to Ford's theatre and saw a real lock of President Lincoln's hair!...history came alive :)

4) the scary little corners of my brain...AHAH!!!

4 Places I've lived....

1) Stoughton, WI (we like lefse and other assorted Norwegian thingies...like rosemaling!)

2) Madison, WI...that's where I went to college! (I was an art major)!

3) Colorado (for a month and a half when I was 20)...I stayed with my stepbrother in the mountains for the better part of one summer-- I still would love to move to Colorado one day :)

4) Savannah, GA-- Here I am!...long story...

4 Favorite TV shows....(hmm...I don't watch much TV these days...so I'll base this on the past:)

1) ER-- back in the George Clooney and Anthony Edwards days....I loved the sexual tension between Dr. Ross and nurse Hathaway!

2)Dawson's Creek...yeah, I know....in college it appealed to me in that sappy, I need a boyfriend kind of way....

3) sappy TV movies...If they had Kellie Martin in them, all the better....

4) Biography! ( I do watch that occasionally these days-- there was a good one on Janis Joplin)!

4 Radio Shows....

oh boy...I hope this doesn't sound bad...but I barely ever listen to the radio...I'm kind of stuck on music from the extensive collection on our computer....it's fun to listen to my boyfriend get pissed off at Rush Limbaugh though! (We're kinda liberal :)

4 Favorite Foods....

1) bacon....

2) chocolate

3) bacon...

4) tequila...(does that count?)....

4 Placed I'd rather be...

1) retired...

2) in my artist's studio and retired...

3) in Wisconsin...I know, sounds weird, doesn't it?...I miss home on occassion...

4) petting a doggie!

What a fun game this has been!

Mr. Chicken Has His Beer....

After narrowly escaping death from a chicken hungry shark, it is time for Mr. Chicken to unwind...He therefore decides to head down to the fanciful red light district, to his favorite saloon. Here he indulges in a wee bit of tastey suds, which he will most likely follow with Jagermeister, Irish Whiskey, Campari, and then perhaps some Absinthe....If we are lucky, it may be karaoke night.... :D

This is number 5A in my Mr. Chicken series! :D...Nothing like some after work drunken debauchery :D...stay tuned for more adventures in the life of Mr. Chicken..... :P