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Painting to Louis Armstrongs Trumpet

Originally uploaded by scroobious_pip

I read in “Art from Intuition” by Dean Nimmer about a technique of painting to music. Painting really just for the pleasure of painting - not for any real output.

The exercise interested me but I didn’t know whether I was in the mood for experimentation.

I popped on a favourite - Louis Armstrong - and began to paint the bottom left hand corner of this canvas a very dark blue-brown as per a plan in my head - which had absolutely nothing to do with the music I was listening to. At that point I wasn’t “doing the exercise” of painting to the music.

Yet, as the music went on for a little bit, I did start to feel a little more energetic. So I dispensed with the dark blue and began with a big swirl of burnt sienna.

And then I had fun just moving my brush up and down as the trumpet danced along.

I have to say it was very enjoyable. I imagine it’s a bit like what children who are enjoying swishing their fingers around in paint feel like… just fun. There’s certainly a sense of movement in those swirls.

It’s really quite an interesting idea that my head is day-dreaming about what “rhapsody in blue” would look like, or Cyril Scott’s Lotus Land - a beautiful dreamy piano piece… must find out if that CD is still at mum’s place and reclaim it.

an excess of lemons

Originally uploaded by scroobious_pip

16 lemons. That’s how many my mother supplied me with. I offered some to friends upstairs, but they already had 4 of their own! So I’m thinking tomorrow I’ll start cutting them up, squeezing out the juice into ice cube trays and freezing the juice.

It was a cook-a-thon evening. 7 extra meals are in the freezer, the dishes are done and at almost 11pm, time to call it a night.

While extra food in the freezer is a great plus, the highlight of the evening was showing a friend the painting she commissioned from me. It’s probably 80% finished, but the remaining 20% was not going to change the piece significantly, so I wanted to show her before I ploughed on. After 8 weeks of sometimes high frustration with this painting, it was an ernomous relief that her reaction was so positive. She is delighted with the painting. Now that’s a good note on which to end an evening and hopefully fodder for pleasant dreams.

Looking Glass Clock

Originally uploaded by scroobious_pip

I had the run on items breaking down - mobile phone, heat gun, car (twice!). Then there’s been the spate of illness - who in my family hasn’t been sick! Now Chilli has decided that it’s her turn. So puddy came over today and collected her, took her to see the big bad vet, and returned her (into hiding of course). As mum did the nasty part, Chilli has greeted me this evening quite lovingly.

The good news is that it is, as suspected, a UTI which should clear up with antibiotics. Stress-head that she is she has managed to get her knickers in a not despite the mono-diet.

Hmmm… 5:50pm Friday evening. Time to investigate freezer for dinner prospects.

Originally uploaded by scroobious_pip

I like to collect art books, books with black and white photographs, coffee table books etc. They are a wealth to flip through and let ones mind wander with creative ideas.

My mother just bought me a couple of books to add to my collection. One is called “Odd Jobs: Portraits of Unusual Occupations” by Nancy Rica Schiff. As the title says it’s a book about unusual occupations - anything from the Snake Venom Extractor to the Knife Throwers Assistant.

I thought that my favourite in the book was the Dinosaur Duster, until I read about the Headmistress. What I liked about this particular job was that from the title, it appeared to be a very common job indeed. That was until I read the detail, and I quote:

“Hidden away in the Chelsea neighborhood of New York City is a unique and exclusive little school. Veronica Vera is the creator, founder and dean of Miss Vera’s Finishing School for Boys Who Want to Be Girls, the world’s first cross-dressing academy. Accordint to Miss Vera, 60 percent of her student boy is married. The curriculum inlucdes such courses as high heel walking, body scultping with corsets, makeup, voice and flirting fundamentals. The term culminates with the final exam: dressing up and appearing in public - as a woman, naturally.”

Tail is nose warmer

Originally uploaded by scroobious_pip

Some days we all feel the need to stick our head in the sand… the stop the world I want to get off for a second syndrome!

It seems that my mum has been very busy running around for everyone else in the family. Whether it be the the cardiologist with my grandmother, the specialist with my father, dropping me at work / buying me groceries, or looking after her grandson who is sick. So I decided to buy her some flowers and have them delivered. I thought it would be quite special since she wasn’t expecting them.

I asked for a) something long lasting, b) no liliums (because of the cats) and something not traditional / fussy… modern was good by me. So mum got a) gerbras - not exactly long lasting, b) liliums, c) traditional including roses and to top it all off the entire bunch was yellow - my mum’s least favourite colour! I am surprised that I’m not upset by this. I think it just befits the state of play right now where not much seems to go to plan.

Holding My Baby

Originally uploaded by scroobious_pip

Tonight I feel like hugging my furry baby. She, as per usual, is quite uncooperative on the hugging stakes, however perhaps she knows that I want a hug, so settles down on my lap as a compromise.
After two flat tyres this year (both which required replacing) and a breakdown a few weeks ago, I thought my run of bad luck with cars was over. My bank account hoped so too. Unfortunately, the car has other ideas. It has ceased to function again - which is quite infuriating when the car is only a little over 3 years old and has been serviced regularly. So it’s mum to the rescue again helping me out with some transport issues. She’s also playing “rescue” for my brother tomorrow through impromptu child minding duties. Could be worse I suppose… my colleague announced he had $3 in his bank account ’til Thursday. At least I know that I have enough money to pay for the repairs - there will just be less spent on art for a little while!

Today my dad got some good news. His health hasn’t been so great for a few weeks now. I’m so pleased for him that this was just a little blip and he will be back on track swinging golf clubs very soon. I’ve no doubt that he has already regained his sense of humour and begun annoying my mother be sticking fruit stickers on her bread board. Given the past few weeks, I’m sure that she will be delighted to be annoyed by his teasing again rather than watching him worry and be uncomfortable. For my part, his road to recovery means that I have less obligation to complete my blog (for it was serving as much needed entertainment while confined to the home). Pretty sad when my blog is entertainment, but I suppose any port in a storm…

Partial Wing

Originally uploaded by scroobious_pip

It’s a little early for spring cleaning, but I decided to do some anyway. It seems the season to be busy as everyone around me seems extremely occupied, so I thought I best busy myself with my own project. I’ve lived in this unit for over a year and a half and for most of that time, there have been objects coming in, but very little going out. I therefore have a lot of clutter. Today some of that disappeared, with the help of my mum - who else would do that kind of task with you? Thank you puddy.

Chilli necklace assistance

Originally uploaded by scroobious_pip

Last night, chilli did something she has not done since before the arrival of pippy in my parents home. She decided to slip herself under the blankets with me. This moment was very sweet, not just because she had not done it in such a long time. I had just woken up at about 2am from not so pleasant dreams. I was a little restless and got up to write on my blog. (See previous post re: it’s a river). Anyway, finally I went back to bed nearing 3am, and gorgeous jumped up, ducked under, curled up next to my chest and starting purring. Very, very sweet.

The River 009

Originally uploaded by scroobious_pip

Since when are rivers purple? Since the same time that people can be green!

It’s 2:20 in the morning and I’ve figured it out. It isn’t a serpent, or an octopus and certainly not a road. It’s a river. This may not sound like a revelation to anyone else, but it is to me.