Strange Arrangement

Happy New Year

At the end of the last few seasons, I have found myself sketching and inking a batch of teney tiny painting on canvas. some only an inch square up to a few inches. I am going to attempt to have the discipline to share some of them. They are often silly, but so am I.

I'm Back

Hello beings out there in cyberspace. It has been a long time since I sent any messages or thoughts out to you, to be added to the other billions and billions of words and emotions.

But here I sit, space and time revealing the first blank page or moment of repose in many many months.

Another 10, 000 pound gorilla pulled out of the hat (and sometimes it felt like other orifices as well)

This year's big show opened last Friday. Hudson Holiday.

This was my 29th Holiday season install. Of course there have been smaller and larger, but this one seemed huge. It is huge, actually.

I don't find dedication or loyalty very difficult. I can tie myself to a wagon and be drug a thousand miles if I think the outcome will serve the audience. It is being cut loose from the wagon that is one of the hardest points. I usually feel pretty lonely before a work is done, and then it really steps in after a work is released.

I was watching an old old interview with one of my heroes and friends, the late great Steven Arnold and one of his statements caught me (paraphrased) " I was always doing puppet shows for all the children - Always fairy tales - fantasies - I was always doing the show for them, but I didn't relate to them"

Time to re-invent for the 1000th time. I'm surprised I haven't run in to myself yet.

Curtain Dress

Some of my favorite things

There was nothing wrong with Great Grandmother Kate making us kids clothes from remnants of upholstery fabrics (kinda scratchy) or even drapes. 

Until that evening in Florida visiting the other half of the family.....

When (after having a couple cocktails) Aunt Gertie threw me aside thinking I was the curtains to the veranda.

Ok, fiction - for the most part -...actually just the funny part. But it still makes me smile, so I'm keepin it.

Were Off

...You'll find he is a whiz of Wiz!

If ever Wiz there was.

If ever oh ever a Wiz there was 

The Wizard of Oz is one because,

Because, because, because, because, because

Because of the wonderful things he does...

I Want to do wonderful things.

I am getting my strength back.

My power back.

No need to ask where its been,

just happy to have a glimpse of it's return.

Perspective - Lovely

Jayne and Terry know that I was supposed to be the next Danny Kaye. He was loving, endearing, witty, highly skilled, sharp.

I am loving, so whew! I get an A on #1. Witty is tough to judge before your dead. Highly skilled - Yes, mostly in obsolete Arts. Sharp - not like I was.

I spent lunch and tour time with a very long time friend Kathi DeFrancis ( 34+ years), her daughter, Angie DeFrancis, and her son PHEONIX sp? (going on 9). Three generations.  It was lovely.

Kathi introduced us to Billy. It was a nice spin back through the circle of life.

Emry Says Goodbye

The King of Garp is dead. Long live the King!

William Noble Fleming was an amazing man and I was blessed by his love, friendship and mentorship. I will miss his body and carry a piece of his soul with me until I go.

I know, the boots are heavy Billy, but know that we love you.

The Warrior puppet was very tired.

His boots were very large and heavy.

He was missing buttons.

His helmet was hot.

He was tired of fighting.

We need so much more of this!!!!

Click Through to You Tube for the full view - I can't seem to get it right yet -

Iron-ney

Isn't just like an artist to design something that BEGS to be climbed, 

and for it to be commissioned by a committee that figures that out after it is installed.  

Berekley

Walking This morning around the bay we found this giant chain and anchor being used as garden edge.

I know, the shoes in the shot are already a gimmick.........

Light Animation from Japan

Amazing performance light animation -- try it full screen (click the little box at the bottom) and sound up - long but amazing.

Chandelier Chardin - Pallazzo Verdi

I never really posted this video, due to a little glitch in part 1 - here is part 3 - this was an amazing project:

TED Lecture on OK GO Video

I am sure you have seen this video, but this lecture at TED by the chief engineer is work watching!

WATCH FULL SCREEN!!!!!!!

Comedic Re leaf

Ok, sorry to be so macrabe' yesterday. One of the most influential people in my life, an old friend and ex-business partner is dying. Not sick, but dying. He and his wonderful wife were to arrive in a couple of weeks to spend the summer with us, as several times before.

We got news that he is too weak to travel, and that he has a few weeks on the short, the end of the year

on the long side. I know he is in his 80's. I know he has led an incredibly full life. I knew he was in his final chapter. But I did not know how deep he was in my heart. I did not know how much he has influenced my work. I did not realize how much of me is him and me of him.

Meanwhile, here are some old sketches that fall forward the kind of inflatable sculptures I am cultivating, and the king of ornament that the honorable WNF, or Henly Swerthing, would want me to be.

Heartbreak

I suppose the upside to having your heart broken 

is that it proves that you still have one, 

and that it still can be broken.

And it will grow back again. 

with this scar, 

another part of your mosaic.

Poppies...poppies....poppies.......sleepy...............

Feathery Poppies from a friend's front walk this evening

Flag Renderings

Working on flag designs for the Amphitheatre. Each flag will be 5 feet wide and 20 feet tall. 16 flags in all. Digital transfer - sublimation dye on to fabric. The top sketch is 6 flags wide, the second 7. it should be fun to see them all fly as a single (big) picture. Click on to see detail.

Ah, Vegas....

Only in Vegas

A blurry shot of a short Elvis with a member of Kiss talking shop while on a break on the strip in Las Vegas. Surrounded by Americans. Who didn't notice.

Another note, I practically closed down security at the Las Vegas airport when the jacket Terry tailored  for me (including l.e.d. lights and battery packs....) went through the x-ray. It was actually the light bulb samples  we got at the trade show that triggered the bag to be opened, but when they saw hand stitching on the lining of a jacket and wires coming out, all of a sudden there were a lot of official people stopping by and speaking in hushed tones and using a lot of letters as we saw all the lines in front of us shut down. They were all very nice people and handled by electric jacket with grace. So Terry's fashions are at least being photographed by some very important people! We were swabbed, frisked, ask a million questions and sent on our way. The guy in front of us had a huge steak knife "he uses to fix his car" and that seemed somehow reasonable. They kept the knife.

Big Secret High End Warehouse Sale!!-Yes it is Lonnie

Finds of the day

27 27 WEST 27th Denver Sunday last day - 8 Great stores, many very cool people.