Playing Possum

Last night,  two wild critters had a duel on the farm's porch. We went outside after hearing a commotion and smelling a godawful smell.
A stinky skunk and a sneaky possum were facing off over possession of  the compost heap bucket.
The possum won the battle by climbing up onto the table and into the bucket of scraps.
Smart possum.

San Francisco 1906 Earthquake Book

During the research process of  illustrating a book for Treasure Bay on the 1906 San Francisco earthquake I came across wonderful old film footage.

If  it ever is possible to time travel then I'm getting tickets for the 1900's City of San Francisco.

The below video features 2 old films combined to show before and after the earthquake. The Call Building (tall baroque building on left)  and Palace Hotel (right after the Call building on left), although suffering fire damage, did survive the earthquake well and were restored.  The Ferry Building (the tall tower at the end of the street) survived not only the earthquake but the ensuing fires that ravaged the area and has been restored also.




I was surprised at the amount of errand/ newspaper boys hanging out, hopping on and off the cars, and running in front of the trolley car that the camera was mounted on.  Apparently, the 1905 portion of the film was staged,as the autos shown were part of the filmmaker's attempt at promoting the city as being "modern". SF had very few automobiles in 1905.  Note that some of the same cars even show up over and over in the film running back and forth in front of the camera. I do believe there are even a few people playing at being stunt people...almost getting hit to increase the excitement.

However based on research of photos and records...  I am willing to bet the aftermath portion of the film was not staged. It really was this bad. 3 Districts were pretty much wiped out by the fires and had to be completely rebuilt.There had to have been plenty of work for carpenters, masons, brick layers, and laborers.

I have visited San Francisco 3 times in the last 4 years and find each time I am enthralled by the interweaving of differing architecture, the weather, the people, and the general bustling feeling of the place.

And, of course, the long growing season and all the plants that you can grow outside, that in Maine, I must store in the basement each winter or kiss them goodbye!

Don Ivan Punchatz Videos

I found myself getting weepy over these videos... this era brings back memories of my older sister and brother and their involvement with what was going on during this time period: the Vietnam War, drugs, protests, and especially the freedom to imagine without restrictions . The endless possibilities of Don's generation is all there in his art.

I don't think the people of the world have this far seeing vision anymore and that makes me sadder than anything else.

Time may be running out for us all.

If Wishes were Horses...

That said I had to do research for a couple of jobs for a more fantasy like rendition of a horse and this is some of what I ran across in my internet travels. It is interesting to notice that the horse figures in art everywhere, both old and new. I wonder what we would depict if we had no horses on this earth?

Note that all of these statues were of horses in fountains.

Why the mix horses and water?

And two were of mythological winged horses.

These two images were very different interpretations of a Wild West horse.

I'd love to get my hands on the kicking wild bronco or the rearing stallion...lots of fun.

The demonic looking blue mustang is rather big though for my garden.

What would a carousel be without horses I wonder?
I know I would never have begged to ride the elephant as a child.

The horse image evens figures in some pretty fantastic primitive sculpture done with the elements.

Well enough horsing around!  I just thought I'd share one of my favorite subjects, horses, of course!

A few of the MEIC members in the art show

On an entirely different note, The MEIC Classics Reimagined Art Show reception was today at the Freeport Community Library. It was fun to see all the members' differing approaches to a classic matched with the book.
 Stop by if you have time or are shopping in Freeport (who doesn't Christmas shop at LL Bean?)  the library is just down the street on the left. The exhibit is up until Nov 30th.

Don Punchatz-an Illustrator

    I picked this photo to post as it looked like Don and these guys were a fun bunch.  (left to right) SF illustrator Don Ivan Punchatz, Pat Boyette,  art collector Dave Karlen,  author Don Mangus, comic book artist Kerry Gammill,  Lone Star Comics owner and Texas fan legend
             Buddy Saunders, and comic book artist Steve Erwin
Photo by Roger Huebner

When I heard from Ed about Don Punchatz's passing away on the 22nd I felt sad about it and wrote a post,  including some college memories by his friend, Ed Zelinsky, a MEIC member, on the MEIC blog.

Don was one of those painters who made his work seem beautifully effortless......like the art sprang directly from his head to the board. It was seen everywhere... on news stands, in bookstores, in magazines, and on covers in the late 60's, 70's, 80's.  By being so perfectly done, it accomplished it's purpose, to be an illustration, rather than just be art...it always told a story...it moved you....it made you think and it made you feel. 

Above: Don's painting for Gods of Riverworld by Philip Jose Farmer
Below: Dangerous Visions #2 by Don Punchatz

It was vibrantly  alive rather than just a pretty picture.

I am convinced that every great artist draws on their spirit from within to create something that can never be copied or recreated. Their work is completely unique unto them. With his passing it is like a door closed on the possibilities of seeing just a little bit more of Don Punchatz's imaginative worlds.

Don's paintings will serve to remind me that excellence in art is not about awards, who you know, or talking about your work .....it is about just doing it!

With that in mind both Ben and I will send in a few paintings to the call for entries Spectrum 17 ...it will make us work all the harder at our art...something I bet the teacher in Don was would have liked.
The link to Spectrum's article on Don Punchatz

A Farm Motorcycle

 Well, I surprised myself!  I was bitten by the motorcycle bug!

Me, the practical, no nonsense, lets get this stuff planted and no backsass from you farmhands!  Me, with hands tough and chapped from working the soil, the same me who slaves over a hot stove all day cannin' every last friggin' pear from the farm's over abundant fruit trees. That Me...I'm still pinching myself to see if I  wake up.

This is the tale of my downfall....about a week ago a farmhand took me on a couple rides and after about 3 trips out and about  I exclaimed, " this is for me...what more could a girl want....speed,  fresh air, and a very handsome bike"!   I am in love.

I went out and got the helmet, the gloves, the leather, the boots, the wraparound sunglasses (really important I found out as eyes were not meant for 60 mph wind). Now for the class, and buying a bike I can dump and not cry over...because knowing me I will.

The bike I was allowed to ride is a Springer (a few years older) similar to the one in the photo above.

The whole thing is rather funny as I used to detail and paint HD motorcycle tanks back when I was a starving artist....and I never gave a thought to actually riding.

The Classics Reimagined Art Show

The November Maine Illustrators Collective's Classics Reimagined Art Show is interestingly themed as all the new art is based on old classics.

Reception is on Saturday Nov. 7 12-3 at the Freeport Community Library

Members books will be signed and sold and the art shown is also for sale. Lots of fun interpretations of old classics to look at.

The "classic" painting I submitted you can see at this link along with a few other illustrators submissions.