Art Dedicated to Women: Part VI

As you probably have realized for yourself, each person we meet affects us differently, and in art it is especially so. In art, a glamorous woman or a real bitch of a gal would effect very different treatments of media, usage of color, etc. but the "bitch" would probably inspire more active artworks. Girlfriend "Y" was a very simple and "cute" gal, so it shouldn't be surprising that she looks "cartoonish" here. I only did one painting of her because a simple pen seemed to be the most appropriate medium. Quick and light sketches. All of these drawings were done in one short sitting, and it was the only time I drew her.

Art Dedicated to Women: Part V

After college I went with a gal who I don't recall drawing a whole lot, but the amount of images I have of her in my books reports a different story. To the left is the larger version of the "Rays" image I mentioned before, where girlfriend J turns into g.f. N. This is the only photo I have of the old version, but you can see that I had already painted a new figure over the skirted one. This is because I attended the SAIC anatomy for drawing class and learned not to hide my lack of understanding of the body by wrapping it in clothing or drapery. So I started over, very basic and went from there. The rays were replaced by a single ray. Undoubtedly because during this time I was studying spirituality more than art.

If you look at just the images it might seem like girl N was more inspirational, because the images are better. But this is not because of the girl, so much as these images were produced after 2 years of attending painting school, whereas girlfriend J was just before, and at the beginning of art school. The painting below left is one of my all-time favorites, painted on a very porous paper. I dislike canvas. In fact, the one with girlfriend N showing her leg there, used to be a 4 foot wide painting that I cut off an entire foot length off, and just kinda "sketched" my girlfriend onto one night. It turned out far more fun than the other 3 feet.

Art Dedicated to Women: Part IV

Funny how I didn't vibe with the one painter chick I dated. But attraction isn't always "correct". Artistically Chicago was a good experience -- romantically it was a disaster. Anyway, I only drew her once. At this time, painting and drawing had become the same for me, and I was using india-ink a lot, sometimes with a Japanese sumi brush, sometimes just with a twig from a tree. My paintings had become so large I often had to paint on the floor, and I got used to having a large space to draw on. So when I used my sketchbook, like here, I ended up taking 2 pages on most drawings.

Art Dedicated to Women: Part III

In my experience, "Crushes" usually never went any farther than the poetry level. This is interesting to me because it takes a more physical provocation to get the brush or pen to move. Of course, having a physical relationship makes it far, far easier to draw a person (unless you are a sneaky bastard who draws people without their knowing) and this is definitely necessary when you are going to draw or paint them NUDE!

In this particular case, I just happened to go out with a gal who was moving back to Japan the next day! No time for drawing, or getting naked even. Just a good bit of kissing and watching the sunrise with a really cool person that brought about this one.

Art Dedicated to Women: Part II

During college, romance was lean, and I actually had to focus on the academia of painting and upon improving my skill! (ha!) Only a couple romantic interests found their way into my drawings, and though both were short-lived relationships, I spent more time drawing them because both were artists attending SAIC with me. I drew the painter less than the fashion major. Painters aren't impressed by other painter's scribblings you know.

Art Dedicated to Women: Part I

Now here's a well covered topic, but not one I have posted about before -- the loves behind the paint. Not particularly sure I want to name the lovely ladies in my post, but women played a massive role in my artistic development and thought I might want to share.

Not every gal I went with warranted immortalization in artwork mind you, so they aren't all in accounted for, but I will make the point that as soon as I stopped dating, I also stopped painting. I always said that was because kung-fu supplied a far superior artistic outlet for my needs, but in fact there is quite a bit of truth in that I lost a major source of inspiration when women stopped breaking my heart, or new personalities filling it.

The most obvious one was the biggest heart breaker of them all. Her face haunted my mind for years after the romance was well over. Until I met my wife in fact. Her name, face, smile and even her smell continually visited my mind. Yes, she was one of the prettiest girls I ever had the pleasure of spending time with, but to step away from romance and attraction for a moment, it was really that this one "got away" that caused the pining effect. Because of that fact the brush flowed freely. "Inspired" and "pathetic" go hand in hand sometimes. The other factor here was that this girl was also very confident with her beauty, so at least half of the drawings I did of here were when she was there to pose for my paint...or be painted on even.

There are many images of her in my sketchbooks -- some on the covers. I am not going show them all since this is just the first stop on the tour. The photo quality is pretty bad, but that is because a couple of these are no longer in my possession. For example, the blue "Mary" theme sketchbook was actually for her. She posed wrapped in a blanket as I painted it, then took back to Japan with her. She really seemed to enjoy being portrayed as such a divine character, and it was the least I could do for such a pretty girl. I used photos from that same day for the image at the bottom right, "Blue Mary" (painted 5 years later), and for the "Rays" image. In the latter case, I had actually painted a caricature of Mary on her back, but the painting ended with her becoming a sacred figure. In my mind, perhaps the only sacrilegious action on my part was when I painted over much of the larger version of "Rays" a few years later, dedicating it to a different girlfriend. I had also learned more about painting in that time, so it was due for a fresh look. (that painting is forth coming in a future post.)

Silliness from the Old Sketchbook

I used to carry a sketchbook everywhere I went, back when I was always drawing everything, and used to write a lot in it as well. I was looking through some of them yesterday, and thought this bit of silliness from when I got my first CB750 (13 years ago) was kinda cute:

Bike
This is the age of the screaming motor-pickle!
The one who magically transforms into a whirlwind of thought, then is gone as quick as you change your mind.

There is a place on the open road where the lines of gold and white blur together and the road brings you inside. You are on with the road and with the engine. The eagles pass by and say nothing with a voice. Your pipes cry back to the sky with a roar that makes the sun come out to see the cause of the stir.

Clearly, not great writing, and a motorcycle is not a "who" but I thought they were whos at the time. Motor-pickle was just something my roommate (who also rode bikes) said once. I liked the irreverence he showed for a thing he loved so much. Keeps things fun and light.

Papa is HOW OLD?!

Today you are you! That is truer than true!
There is no one alive who is you-er than you!
Shout loud, "I am lucky to be what I am!"
Thank goodnes I'm not just a clam or a ham
Or a dusty old jar of sour gooseberry jam!
I am what I am! That's a great thing to be!
If I say so myself, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!"

- Dr. Suess

Super b-day today. I am now 1/3 of my expected lifespan, as I intend to make it to no less than 120. After that I will have to rethink my plans.

Early this morning I got up, taught 2 classes at home, then we all went out for lunch at the Asian Trade Center -- a common haunt for us when we want to make a full afternoon of an outing. The kids love this "Taiko Tatsujin" drum game, but I had to take a video this time because Luna was just jammin' out to the kid's songs -- dancing, hopping and clapping. I was just like a live-show. I got a future vision of her dancing at the finest night-clubs. You know, those kind with the big ol' Sith opera house bubbles (Star Wars III ref.) and some kind of music that I will probably find really cool, but look "Old" dancing to.

Anyway, everything was just as I would like it to be today. Did the only job I want to do...ever, spent the day with 3 super kids, saw my original logo emblazoned upon gold when I picked up the t-shirts for the new kids' Healthy English (kungfu taught in English) classes, had all kinds of fun at ATC, drank coffee, ate a smashing Pizza Hut pepperoni pizza and had a seriously fabulous chocolate cake. To top it off, my daughter played "Happy Birthday" on the piano while Alex and mama sang the words! Actually, Mika sang as she played, which is something that I find pretty damn impressive. Mika even presented me with a letter, art, and the finest aluminum-foil bracelet you ever saw!

Tomorrow gotta wake up early for the first "Official" Golden Seniors health and fitness class! I am teaching it, not attending it in case you were thinking of getting funny. Tomorrow is actually Father's Day too, so we will go to Mika's school (yes, on a Sunday...sick huh?) and watch her in school. Japanese are seriously twisted. They think that dads can't come and visit the kid's class during the week, so make them show up for school on a SUNDAY just so dads can see them study...wtf? My dad never saw ME in school, neither did my mom, and I was pretty happy about that. Fuckin' SUNDAY. Oh well, guess the Japanese won't mind BURNING for eternity for foiling the lord's day. (And Ty SPITS a full glass of tangeray-n-tonic out his mouth!)

After all that, the wife and I are going on our first no-kids date in...? well, a long time. Naturally ol' grandma is coming over, we aren't just going to leave all the kids alone...