Woke up, and thought:
"No, Not now again!"
(It's no cheerful way to start a day.)
"Yet another morning, for no reason.
Yet another day in the unnecessary life of an artist.
And I'll go to bed hating the regular, normal-flawed society, in all flavours of hatred, and it'll hate me back, in all the currencies of hate."
And later I might think:
"Either they give us Citizen's Salary aka Basic Income Now.
Or they'll have to start selling Vodka Bag-In-Box.
Or else I don't know how to stand it anymore."
But first I had to draw this. Voilà.
(Sorry, poor lighting. I'm no photographer. And Swedish February is no lighting...)
This little oil I finished now on the most heartless Valentine's imaginable, it follows Friday 13:th nicely. It measures some 8x8'' sans thick edges, is named "Half People" and it was tossed off in the middle of this still ongoing exchange of notes between me and this dreaded Ex who is currently learning the art of stalking, including harassing my friends. (She had better stop...) It adds one dimension, though, to the halfness and loneliness -- we are all lonely, in one way or another -- reminding me of an expression in Yiddish that I happen to know (from clarinettist Messrow's wonderful book) and it is: Sei a mensch. Behave like a human.
I try to do, despite having to exchange black spades whilst others exchange red hearts... There are hints of swallows on the side -- utterly impossible in a winter landscape -- and try to stay calm. Impossible too. Some people aren't even half.
This little poster started with good old inking -- I often go digital at once these days (easy editing) but having a part in this stint (piano, to go along with song and poetry) and being the one on board who does posters I decided to let go. Just have fun. You can do that when you got free hands. (Just a little electricity for quick colouring and final texting.)
While drawing, my mind wandered to the many strange birds that one has met through the trade, and how different they are. For instance, there’s a certain brand of people who never get it: They want to see their names in gilt neon -- it's awfully Tao, but that's the most efficient method for not getting there... As I've understood this philosophy there is something like Trying Too Much; to strain and fret that is simply against Nature.
...In my course as a poster artist I’ve often encountered these very un-Taoish seekers of neon, wondering how they think. A normal salesperson would yell “buy my book!” -- “fresh strawberries!” or whatever they happen to sell. But especially in Culture, where insanity isn’t uncommon you may chance upon people who are sort of possessed, they would scream their names out loud if they could: “My name is Hedley Schinkengrubler!” -- or whatever it is. Of course that's not very interesting. Then they scream louder. And are heard even less. (Makes perfect sense to said philosophy.)
As a perfect contrast: Two somewhat famous names that I’ve had the honour to do posters for -- one each, not much to brag about -- hardly seemed to care at all. I was told that Barbro Lindgren (Swedish Children’s book writer) was happy that I drew something else than the ordinary Large Author Portrait for her lecture/book signing. (I remember drawing a tree of books; she got a small portrait on one of their backs.) With nice Yvonne Hirdman (a well-known name in Gender History) I remember discussing which kind of headline that would fit the poster for her reading -- it never crossed her mind that her name could be on top at all. We were happy to think of something catchy quite soon, without much effort. Also very Tao. We also had a fine (albeit not too long) conversation; another benefit of not being Hedley.
It is a good thing in this world that celebrates competition and elimination to see people who seem to do well through not being egomaniacs -- and (I have to be honest) also somehow satisfying to see people whose egomania is strictly counterproductive. But I end these ramblings no wiser than I begun (wondering how to avoid future Hedleys). We can get back to the poster. I had fun making the Piano Butterfly below...
...and these rough little calligraphies...
...I also had fun drawing this songbird -- it reminds me a little of the real singer; a fine soul and fellow, a talent in her own right.
This is not Fine Arts, but perhaps nicer thanks to not trying too much. That would be Tao too, and I hope that it works, neon or not. Po-tee-weet!
A little ink-and-aqua (letter size) for a change amidst all digital works. The eyes wanted to rest on something analogue, and there I found dried Japanese lantens [Physalis alkekengi] in a blue teapot.
I felt a little sorry for those fellows following the endless Japanese lantern road through what might be snow or sleet, they drag along in a soggy greyish yellow ochre. I later rediscovered an image of a horse from the Lascaux caves -- yellow ochre too -- which I remember now. I must've been thinking of it, subconsciously, while colouring. The road has been very long.
