Now I've had both Vernissage and Finissage, and meanwhile the Whale painting is becoming "curiouser and curiouser", as Alice said. It has also become vastly more beautiful, as it is now inhabited by my dear friend Anita the Dancer. She is a glowing, flaming Maple.
She didn't mind being turned into a tree (she has been Anita in Wonderland before and knows that these things happen) but wondered a little why. Told her I didn't know. Had her in mind. And she does like maple leaves. Add to this a dancer, shining with a beautiful soul, and the result is settled with deep roots.
There's one week left on the exhibition at Larry's Corner (Street address: 35 Grindsgatan) -- Embassy of the United States of Diaspora in Stockholm. Wonderful Americans and Weird ones, a charming Canadian lady and some perfect extraterrestrials etc. etc. -- humanoids too odd and lovely and human for the New World or the Old all wash up here; and Swedes weird enough join them. I sort of fit in.
I add a bit more on my sad whale (see one fortnight below) while waiting for the week to pass, and now there's some character with it that -- I don't know what this fellow is supposed to do; rub and brush probably, but I'm sure it's impossible. An overwhaleing task.
At Larry's you find everything from, say, Japanese Psychedelic Jazz to hard to-find LP's and DVD's; or next-to-banished magazines and fanzines, fabulously quirky books on any odd subject and... things you just got to have because you never could imagine that such odd stuff existed. And there's coffee too, and hot toast. (Dumb Stockholmians serve them lukewarm. You have to go here, where sandwiches know how to Steam.) My paintings are fine here. One week more to go.
(Detail
from Book Tree -- (c) Joakim Ceder 2011 -- Light summerly strokes of oil on gesso'ed paper, ink
and a few aquarelle colours. Now for sale on the exhibition.)
Poetry-music-and-dance-mischmasch with my friends, Peter Palm the Poet and Anita Emthén, this excellent dancer; apart from the stanzas this was all quite improvised on my Vernissage. First a little fun while we're waiting for poetry...
Just a little snack while you wait; the upcoming exhibition will hold more small works than large ones, but this one is a little extreme. With a little luck, this miniature will be shown now in true size; 3.5 x 2.5 inches; oil on gesso'ed paper.
It is now framed in the cutest little frame you can imagine, and still won't demand much space. Let's have a close look. Eyeballs, anyone?
Or perhaps you'd like a little whale? You'd better have it now, I see that the poor thing is crying coffee already. Digital pen --- No dearie, I don't know why it does. I'll have to finish the whole work. Then you may tell me. Otherwise, I still won't know, shan't know. This late greying Autumn is taking a gentle turn from Sad to Sadder, or so I feel, and all things that stall thinking are blessings.
