cardboard 100x70 cm.
There are reasons I don't want to explain to you, and for which I will tell you this story. Suffice it to say that the kind of information that will read you is not for everyone's ears, I believe you will not use it for bad purposes. In case of misuse, you will be badly beaten.
I belong to the genus Woody Puppets, quite numerous in the Magic Valley. I was born in Puppetcity, from my father a traditional medicine doctor (herbal and energy treatment) and my mother Major Readers of phenomena. I spent my childhood normal, shaping my body into the shape I wanted, like all dolls. Wandering aimlessly and observing the relation of thought - matter, it was my favorite pastime as a little doll. On one occasion I was helping my father collect herbs on the clearings around Puppetcity. My father (who didn't talk much) suddenly started talking about topics he didn't want to answer before and I remembered his words forever:
"My little one, there are inexhaustible energies that just need to be used, and a small number of beings are used with them for the simple reason that they do not believe in their existence or they give up too soon on the apprenticeship of invisible forces. Try to keep your body healthy and in good shape, moving regularly, because only a healthy body has a strong spirit. We are currently in a phase where our spirit is attached to the body and the body depends a lot on how much the spirit of growth. The rule is also true that the spirit influences the body in which it resides much, much more powerfully than many beings are aware of this fact. I will teach you how to strengthen and purify your body and spirit in an easy way with the power of Thoughts and exercises available to those who believe. Before using this knowledge, you will have to go through a period of Observation, similar to that of a blacksmith for one year only observing the hot iron and spreading the fire to the desired temperature. The master then gives it to him tongs and hammer in the hands. Previously, the apprentice would not have used the tool, find out a lot more about Grandma Jankica at lutakzvonko.blogspot.com
I'm working on a series of childhood stuffed animals versus child monsters (i.e. the safety of home vs the real world and its bullies). I haven't done the monsters yet, but here are the stuffed animals. I drew them from memory as opposed to referencing what Cheer Bear and Rainbow Brite's dog looked like. I looked after. I didn't get them quite right. That's OK; I think the wonkiness adds to the charm. These are drawn in reverse for a woodcut effect, then scanned and printed and gone over with gouache and watercolor.
A weird little project i started a while ago. All pictures are based on, more or less, drawings from my childhood. Hence the childish style and story. I'm not going insane, so you know, yet...
Observations from an expedition to the Houston Museum of Natural Science, which features an incredible paleontology hall. I brought with me a pad of sticky notes, a couple Micron plastic nib pens, a set of Copic Markers, my fanny pack, and some headphones. Prehistoric life has been an infatuation of mine since childhood, and there is something very humbling about drawing in the shadows of these fallen giants.
55 mins
“I Never Noticed The House Was On Fire” This is a painting for an upcoming group exhibition about memories. When I was a kid I grew up in a household where my parents were functioning alcoholics. They gave me toys, put me in front of the tv, and sent me outside to play to keep me distracted from what was going on. When I look back almost all of my childhood memories revolve around these things. I became obsessed with these imaginary worlds and I learned to draw by copying my favorite cartoons and characters from children’s books. It was not until I was much older, that the truth could no longer be hidden from me. The imaginary world of cartoons and books kept me shielded from the harsh realities of home. As I grew into an adult that form of coping grew with me as I created my own imaginary places inspired by the ones I loved as a child. A healthy place to escape.
I had a rock tumbler as a child and really enjoyed it. When my youngest was a child we bought her one. She was eager to enjoy it too, but somewhere after starting on that path, we lost track and it everything inside turned into a solid mass. We tossed it and forgot about it. On a recent beach trip, I collected handfuls of rocks, as I am always likely to do, and, upon return, remembered how I loved my childhood rock tumbler. I immediately researched, ordered and eagerly anticipated its delivery. Of course, with Amazon Prime, that was only a couple day’s wait. As soon as I unboxed it I thought “what am I doing?” I have neither time, nor space for yet another hobby. I thought “what will I DO with a pile of polished, pretty rocks?” I would gather them in my hands and feel their silky smoothness. I would likely gather them in some beautiful glass bowl and…then what? I have toddler grand kids frequently at my home. They put small colorful things in their mouths and up their noses and feed them to the dogs regularly. And I don’t even have a single space to display a bog bowl of pretty rocks. So I quickly decided “I’m Returning the Rock Tumbler” and will, for NOW, stick to painting them when the mood strikes.
The part of us ruled by those mischievous little Angels. Selfishly cheerful. Beautifully naughty. Destructive in their creativity. Mostly lost in the rudiments of time. . . Unless you hold on tight.
