Head's Up.........Seven Up......

Remember when you used to play that game in school.....usually during recess on a rainy day? As much as you tried not to peek, you were so tempted to at least look at the head tappers shoes. Totally off the subject, but I wonder if head tappers grow up to be headbangers. Anyway, just as it was a mystery, if you did not cheat, to discover who tapped you on the head so is...........how artistic inspiration comes to mind. Something random you see or hear taps out a little niche in your brain that becomes a very subtle beginning for an unplanned artistic creation. See what can be done with these random words for the most revered, at least in my mind, holiday of the year.........Halloween!

Witch Words.........Witch Way, Water Witch, Witch One, Witchard, and of course below, Witchsteria and Sandwitch

Food Words......Catsup, Deviled Egg. ..........and, below a HalloWeiner Trick or Treater

Bone Words...................Bonedacious, Bona Lisa, Boney Marony, Bone Collector.........below..Only the Bonely......
Pumpkin Words..........Plumpkin, Punkin Eater, and Jes yer Punk kid...........

Vegetable Words..........Beta the Carrot Teen, Jack the Celery Stalker, and AHHHH Spare Us Gus.....

Other random words........... with perhaps Halloween creations to follow............Corn Stalkers, Crow Kay, Batterina, Cat a Gory, Dirt Devil, Ghost Toasties, Scary Terry (towel), Mon Straw City, etc.

My Big Pleasingly Plump Italian Family Vacation

I'mmmmmmmmm back.......I bet you did not even know I was gone.........but I was. Poof.........I was here, and then gone for 11 days. Taking a family vacation one or more times a year can do either/or.....either bring you all together or, not. Fortunately this vacation was a keeper.

Let's start with the baggage........my husband will never let me forget that I always overpack. I am forced to take pictures of my luggage from every conceivable angle, which he later will show others to gain sympathy and support. This was two days worth of clothing.

No I am not going to bore you with all the details, like how in addition to my metal knees that set off airport security.......I wore an underwire bra.........groments everywhere on my pants, a blouse with metal buttons, metal jewelry, metal shoe buckles, and finally a metal hair clip. After my very intensive shake down by security.........I felt the need to at least get the address of the security guard in order to exchange Halloween greetings. Bad idea.......wearing metal to the airport from head to toe..........I attracted so much attention with my arms outstretched, and palms turned up for so long..........people were beginning to gather around me to hear me sing praises to Heaven, or preach.........I think I might have said something about Hell, however.

Anyway, no..........vacation pictures of the usual subjects.............like my family. I like to take pictures of everything other than them unless I want to use them in some diabolical work of art. I do occasionally throw in a few people shots, though, to prove I really do have a family that sometimes consents to go somewhere with me. So, instead these vacation shots are to provide creative fodder..........at least that's how I am planning to use them...........but always in a most unconventional way.

Our accomodations............a little rustic..........but plenty of pans for cooking..........NOT

A little prayer first.........for the wisdom to make something out of what is to follow.....................

A little puffer belly not in a row........

Hmmmmmmmm I call this face Angelina.......

Surrealistic................

Hookers...hookas....hook ups?.........

Red sunset in the sails.......

Air Heads

Headclouds.........Cloudheads........Cloudy Heads.........Heady Clouds..............and you are not even on your back looking up.........just images clouding up your head.......with inspiration!

the clouds are two faced.........
head to head in anger..........
Cameo Cloud head with outstretched arms..........

Heading towards the clouds.....my road

Full Head of steam clouds through the vineyard.......

Ahead.......in the clouds........my house..........

OK I said I was never going to do it.....stop at the place above in my road where everyone stops to take a picture, or spin their bike wheel. I think this year I am going to put up a little hard lemonade stand.........and make a few bucks......I need a summer job. One look at this spot with clouds.....can you blame them for stopping. Getting my head out of the clouds now....................when suddenly ..........

I remember that dreamy look my oldest daughter had in her eyes at four....... inspired by thoughts of air heads. I feel the compulsion now to create a rendering of the Michelin man!

Allow Me.........................Art in Another Form.......

Allow me to present...........TA DA an interruption in my usual train of thought in posts here......pun intended as will be "scene" in a moment. I am going to give a glimpse........of just what has been preoccupying my time for the last several weeks since my recent show. I am so proud to be playing the role of Mom and introducing Lucky Penny Productions http://www.luckypennynapa.com/ ...........a new theatre company founded my daughter Taylor and her friend Barry. I have been behind the scenes both literally and figuratively........lending a helping hand whenever possible.

AND now, a few shots of the Lucky Penny Productions premier performance of the play "Baggage", and a look at the art of the daughter of Tinsell and Whimsy. If that doesn't sound like a figure waiting to happen I don't know what does....and of course always thinking Halloween.....I have made a Little Frankie Stein in the past, a Dogzilla, a Bunncula.......now what's next............Daughter of the Phantom (Artist), or the Daughter of Tinsell and Whimsy...........such stuff that could be used in the creation boggles the mind!

OH wait, there she is striking a pose in one of the beginning scenes of the play..hmmmmmmm think I have seen this look and pose before.


Seen this stance too......around the beginning of High School until the end of it at graduation. Usually an argument...........here the same thing in this scene only, thankfully, not with me.

Been there done that comforting thing too.........great to relive it and see it enacted onstage.



Actually, making light of what was a wonderful premiere performance of Lucky Penny Productions. I am very proud of Taylor.........fulfilling one of her dreams.........of starting a Theatre Company.......and at such a young age. I am sure she will have a few other things ticked off her list in short order......no lack of motivation here. Me on the other hand I tend to work more in spurts. I do know in between studio time this week where I will be.........there are still two more performances of the play "Baggage" at theatre in the round at the Wine Train Station. Among other things, I have to humiliate myself again at intermission..........and try and sell tickets for a great raffle basket prize. This seemed to go easier when I was younger and had better cleavage...........dare I say. However, I did manage to sell a few tickets to my own family members......and to several others I blocked from passing me by......wish me luck!

The Show Went On..............

The American Folk Art Festival 2009 show I have been creating art for round the clock is over and out............I mean it's over and I am out......... of it.............but only temporarily. Even though I normally work from about 10pm until 3am............I have had quite a stretch of it. I had the highest hopes of taking lots of pictures to share...........but honestly I did not have time to take even one..........so trust me when I say it was a big success in every way for all involved. All I have to show for the show are a few pictures of things I took before the show.

Love the tater tot..............here's a steamed one!
Bluffalo Girl won't you come out tonight...........she likes to tease!
You've heard of a Scarecrow.........here's the Hollywood version......... a Chercrow........in a Bob Mackie original..............
Titled..... Halfway Between Heaven and Hell...........kind of on the fence post (literally, as well as figuratively) you might say............you can't see the clouds above the head...........because, as you all know, photography is not a strong skill of mine.............imagine clouds painted up above.............To make matters worse this figure is on a wire.........which also brings up some interesting thoughts about having a deadline to decide their fate...........

I didn't want to be JUST a fork in the road.............Is the title here....I am sure we have known someone like this at one time or another.......he's kind of like "everyman" wanting more.....the question is more of what?......and proof even real men wear pink.

The Nanny and Manny...........look at their expressions, and with what care Nanny is holding Manny by his hair.

Simple Simon met a Pie man...........end of story.

The Emigrants Human and Otherwise........

A few highlights from the show to remember......

The rain and how one of my paintings fell through the tent side into the mud, since it was too steep to bend over and pick it up.......I had to try to retrieve it with a stick......someone came along and stood watching me slide the painting through the mud, flipping it over many times....I told him after a few minutes......that I was just putting some finishing touches on one of my paintings.........he left shaking his head

A man wearing a black fuzzy cat hat with ears, tied with pom-poms under his chin ..........after looking at my work told me I was his art soul mate.

Someone commenting on how real my sandwich looked displayed on the table.........it was my sandwich.

Several people asking me what I'm on when I work.........actually, I take that as a compliment.........and told them a stool........hoping they would not think a toadstool........as related to a mushroom.

Someone asking me if I thought about being a comedian...........dashing my dream, that I could be taken for a serious artist.

Where could you have such wonderful memories as these..............but at an art show. Truly I do want to "Thank" all of my family, friends and guests that came by to see me........how very much it meant to me to have your support.

TH TH THAT's All Folks! Um I don't know if it is politically correct to quote Porky Pig at this time......not to make light of the current health situation...........but being lighthearted, and having a bit of humor has a way of helping all situations, and it also heals....it really does.

Can You Relate?

I absolutely love this picture for what it symbolizes...........I can so relate to it right now. I am preparing for a show (see sidebar) on May 2nd............and this picture says it all . This is a sheep break area. When you go to the petting zoo.........they have an area roped off for the sheep to go to when they have had enough petting..just enough of enough. I need an art break zone to go to when preparing for a show where I can stand, and do nothing and no one can touch me. I am sure we could all use this at one time or another. So, with that spirit in mind I am going to rope off an area of my house right now and stand in it. I will let you know how it goes!

Pictures Are Friends of Mine...........I Will Take Them Anytime

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Hanging....Out....Face Time with Friends................