Art in Life

It's true.  It is just the size of a shed in a trailer court.  But you see it don't you?  It's one of those great moments where your truckin along through your day and something just makes you stop and laugh out loud.  You don't see it?  Here, I'll help.

BONJOUR!  Okay, I know I stereotyped him just a bit but the shed was wearing a beret!  When were in France we again and again passed French carrying their fresh baguette still warm from the bakery.  I almost wish this shed was in a route I regularly took.  You know I would shout back a 'bonjour' when ever I passed.

Don't miss your 'art in life' moments.  They're all around.  I will bring you another one in a couple days.  It's amazing what you can see in a potato.

What's wrong with this picture?

There is lots of bad information floating around in this world.  No, ostriches don't stick their heads in the sand.  What doesn't kill you DOESN'T make you stronger it just makes you scarred and traumatized. And most importantly 40 is not the NEW 30 it is just plain 40.

If any Alaskan travels outside the state they get asked bizarre questions based on bad information.  Do you travel by dogsled?  ( that is an actual repeated again and again question) or one of the most annoying, do you know Sarah Palin?  Well of course.  All 660,000 Alaskans get together for family dinner once a year.  I always make my famous mashed sweet potatoes.  Sheesh.

Getting a book published is challenging and that is a fact I think all people know.  But recently I saw something that stopped me in my tracks.  Here was a book on how to draw animals and featured prominently on the cover was a black bear.  Now, I must pause here to empathise that this artist found a publisher that said, " Wow, you're good!" and shelled out money and effort to promote his book.  Are you ready?  Here is the bear.

 

What's that?  He looks like a moose from the chest down?  EXACTLY!  Has this artist even seen a black bear?  I don't mean in real life but even a photo?  Here let me help.

 

 

One of the charming things about the bear is that they walk with a serious pigeon toe gait.  One of the scary things about a bear is that they are fast, fuzzy tanks.  It's the stocky build coming at you that causes you to panic.

I don't mean to pick on this artist.  I always try to do my research before I paint an animal but I am sure I have misdrawn a beak, paw or snout along the way.  But let's not add to Alaska's misconceptions.  There is very little risk of a bear silhouette being confused with a moose. Yes, we use the U.S. dollar as our currency,  English is our language and we don't kiss by rubbing noses.  I hope that helps clear up some strange ideas floating around out there. Now, I gotta run, my dog sled is double parked.

There's always a heckler

 

Hecklers don't come much better than the cranky old men in the opera box on the Muppets. Their names are Waldorf and Statler. 

 Here is a quote with a little Alaska humor : 

 Statler: "Why did they want the igloo?"

Waldorf: "I don't know.  Maybe someone broke their ig."  Great stuff.

 

When I do school programs the teacher will often give me a heads up if a difficult student is in the class.  I understand their motive.  They know how to keep the student engaged, to not be rattled by his or her shout outs.  The thing is they don't need to warn me.  You see, I myself was a heckler.

 

My mom sent me some old school papers a while back.  This is an actual comment from Mrs. Main who I believe was my 3 grade teacher.  "Gina usually works without disturbing others."  Well, Mrs. Main was being nice, she was one of my favorite teachers, because I excelled at disturbing others.  Why concentrate on your reading exercise when I can show you a picture I just drew of a giraffe!

 

This patterned continued as I progressed through school.  Mrs. Larsen just laid it out by saying,"Gina visits too much and disturbs others by chatter."  CHATTER??!!  You mean brilliant epiphanies generously shared.   Another teacher said I had trouble handling leisure time.  Trouble?  I know for a fact I was rocking my leisure time.  I would start a comic strip and hand it to whoever would be willing to draw the next panel.  Trouble....please.

 

I imagine my mother let out large sighs while reading my report cards.  She knew she had a high energy kid.  That's right, not disruptive or chattery but as the great Mr. Goegde said," Gina is enthusiastic".  Ahhh,my hero.