Meanderings 9/23/2014

Meanderings 9/23/2014

Some new work for your optical nerves:

"Deluxe Divining Rod"

Pretty wild stuff, actually, that a stick can help one find H2O.

(http://www.wikihow.com/Use-Dowsing-or-Divining-Rods)

"Popcorn Heart (for K)"

This was an actual piece o' popcorn from a batch of Kelly's late night snacks. Can't really take credit for anything more than jus' gluin' the thang onto foamcore.

"White-Capped Aquarium"

You actually can't even see the whitecaps . . . just take my word for it. Kinda proud o' this one.

"A Relatively Useless Basket (Skalski)"

A commissioned piece, of sorts for an old high school buddy and his lovely wife. 

They also like my pickles.

"A Relatively Useless Basket"

A series, no two are the same.

"A Relatively Useless Basket (Mini)"

Smaller version.

Poets, rappers and anyone interested in a rhyme have long been flustered and flummoxed over the inability to come up with a soundalike word for that damn citrus fruit, the orange. I have decided that the time is nigh to remedy that problem. I have taken the liberty to "invent" some words that will allow the rhyming class to come to terms with this age old problem.

My gift to you. You're welcome.

ectowournge (n) [êk'-tō-wærnj]: the outer surface of a used crustacean.
          Example: "The beach was rife with crab ectowournge after Monty's beach party."

phlornge (v) [flörnj]: flapping one's legs as though they are wings.
          Example: "Bob's wife loved to phlornge with the neighbor's dog, Effie."

ournge (v) [ørnj]: the intentional eating of an orange peel.
           Example: "The whole 6th grade class at Wenchestrick middle school dared Darren to ournge the whole crate."

dystopiornge (adj) [dù-stōp'-ē-örnj]: a hellish orchard.
           Example: "The back 40 had a dystopiornge odor, not unlike Stella's inner pant leg.

borange (adv) [bõrnj]: the quality of being a lackluster citrus.
            Example: "Tommy ate the fruit with a borange-like attitude."

First Day of September

Damn, summer's waning. In the past, I've looked forward to Autumn, then Winter/holidaze - not this year. First time. Whaddya gonna do? Would I move if I had the dough???

OK. Chose your fights, right?

Will get on a big metal bird in three days, always been trepidatious 'bout that. A couple o' Xanax and some whiskey on the flight will hopefully drain me of all fear. Never been to California, it will be nice to see Mick and Phi Ha.

Been true to the last post, and workin' a lot in the stoodio, and it feels really good. Good stuff (I think).

Does anybody look at this fuggin' thing???

Current documentation:

"A Relatively Useless Basket"

A couple o' the drawings/cartoons going (hopefully) in to the Toledo Free Press

"I'm the One Who Stole Your Goatee"

With The Homewreckers @ Fashionably Late, Centennial Terrace, 8/22/14

My absolute favorite quadped on the whole damn planet.

She's so purty

And after 61 years on this orb, it amazes me that there are things that still awe me. Velella Velella

http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/accounts/Velella_velella/

Soon.

August 17, 2014

It's as though I went away and came back . . .

I'll try again. Life has changed: I'm married. I'm older. I'm financially challenged (not really new). I/we survived The Winter of 2014 (some didn't, I'm sure).

The world around us continues with all its turbulence, and as much as that challenges all of us, it is strangely necessary. Savages beheading children in Iraq - and filming it. The continuing growth of police overstepping their boundaries, while their militarization - in no small part due to the Pentagon - only exacerbates the situation. Daily senseless gun shootings. The continued abuse of our planet - by ALL of us. Racism/ignorance/gullibility dominating our political arena. Senseless killing of innocents in the Gaza Strip. It seems that Nero is tuning his fiddle off in the corner somewhere . . . civilizations, they come and they go, doncha know.

But this path o' mine continues, with the aforementioned variations. I still create, and that is in no small part what keeps me on this path, thankful for the blessings that accommodate those challenges. And the blessings are plentiful: a beautiful wife, two thriving sons, a family that supports, two dogs, a NEW family . . . the list goes on.

OK, so wha's new? My cartoons/drawings are finally seeing the light of day, thanks to Michael Miller and the people at Toledo Free Press. They can be seen weekly (space allowing) and the paper comes out every Friday.

Here's a few samples:

A lot of these are now available as blank greeting cards, package of 5, w/envelopes.

For some reason I am quite fond of this one:

the night was constellatious

from what I can recall

I felt no inhibitions

no holding back at all.

it could've been the night breeze

it could've been the wine

it could've been the time & date

that made the stars align.

still the night was constellatious

Orion, Pisces, the Bear

whatever was the reason

I'm glad that I was there.

Some more recent work:

Cuppa Light: The 1 With No Ears Don't Even Know what he's Yellin' About

\

Cuppa Light: The Older I Get, The Colder I Get

Cyclops Ringholder #2

Fish Clock

Virtual Aquarium

A Relatively Useless Basket

I'm feelin' a bit rejuvinated, partly because I am o so aware of the Great Enemy, Time.

Time to work. 

2/26/14

'Nuff. I surrender.

January 29, 2014 (Happy B'day, Mum)

NEW PIECE!!!

"Ghoti in a Cube o' H20"

_____________________________

A LIST OF ENDEAVORS I'VE RECENTLY ACCOMPLISHED:

 

1) Changed my youngest son's name from Sam to Shamus (he was not amused)

 

2) Renewed my love and admiration for Walt Kelly's work

 

3) Shaved my cheeks

 

4) Remained confused as to the purpose of "LinkedIn"

 

5) Flustered my woman (a daily endeavor)

 

6) Started work on a new book: "Bad Homophones"

                         SAMPLE: The benign armadillo

                                 was feeling quite fine.

                                 Too late to be four,

                                 but glad to be nine.

 

7) Accidentally stumbled upon a great, new (to me) band: Les Tailleurs de Notes (http://inpolysons.free.fr/en/tailleursdenotes.html)

 

8) In so doing (see above) discovered a couple interesting musical acts:  http://inpolysons.free.fr/index.html 

January 27, 2014




Post of the Day

"A Well Hung Man"

-from "Random Commands, A Well Hung Man & Other Claptrap"

_______________________________

"Elsewhere" is a virtual magazine which reviews cultural phenomena, primarily music. It's run by a great fellow, Graham Reid, based in New Zealand. A few years ago (March 28, 2010 to be exact) Graham reviewed The Coosters' CD, and we've carried on a trans-global friendship ever since.

Today he ran a piece on me 'n my art. Check it out, if you feel so inclined, and subscribe to it:

 http://www.elsewhere.co.nz/othervoicesotherrooms/6085/guest-artist-steven-athanas-from-toledo-ohio-shares-his-outsider-work/

I am trooooly indebted to his 'zine and his good taste!

January 24, 2014 10:20 p.m.

RANDOM COMMANDS

read a crooked book

throw a wretched stone

know the marks of cults

gnaw on strangers' bones

laugh at awkward mantras

sleep on dirty sheets

wriggle like an earthworm

lather then repeat

wrestle with your conscience

chew on tootsie rolls

maintain a 3 point average

burn the dead sea scrolls

fix the country's problems

treat your neighbors rude

schnizzle on the dizzle

eat some bacon nude

mark your turf with pudding

let your parrot fly

make a 3 egg omelette

then eat it off your thigh

read some Lewis Carroll

build a swiss cheese tower

tie your undies in a knot

and take a golden shower

write on snotty tissue

let your dog be lazy

float on towards nirvana

convince your aunt you're crazy

change the course of hist'ry

land on both your feet

read the bible backwards

grab a stranger's teat

recognize your presence

call on Yoko Ono

dip your toes in choc'late

buy some land in Bono

lick your best friend's ice cream

raise the roof beam high

never trim your toenails

forget that you will die.

-From the book "Random Commands, A Well Hung man & Other Claptrap"

by Steven J. Athanas

Pray for the birds