photos from coney island with anne

I realized a couple of days after a conversation with mav that I actually never answered one of her questions.
“why robots?” 
It was something I have never tried to answer, but as that question somersaulted in my unconscious, I realized why. 
Why robots. 
I felt with robots I couldn’t make a mistake.  I mean there are really no rules. 
And so I realized without naming it that I needed to try and make something that I couldn’t get wrong. 
Because that is hard for me – the not getting it wrong. 
I fight that battle on a daily basis.  The 'letting go' battle.  Letting go and thinking something is enough. 
A robot, for me at least, represents freedom. 
And that is quite a gift.  So thanks to mav for asking, so I could finally realize why.

Tomorrow photos of coney island sans softies… 

I can't help myself but buy cards whenever mav has a new one.  I love her style. I love the recent 'house' cards. The images feel so unusual as a letterpress card, and at the same time they feel totally perfect. 

Sunday I went on a photo adventure with Anne…a trip to coney island (we are already planning the next one).
It was fantastic…it made me braver…brave enough to ask some cops if I could take a photo with my newest robot (she is finished but unnamed!).
Brave…thanks for that Anne. I love feeling bolder, braver.
I can't wait to see her outcome of the trip.
I have to wait since I still shoot film…tomorrow there will be photos.

 
tethered
28" x 22"

This has been a weird week at work.  My boss is on vacation, so in some ways it is really quiet, but we have been busy with rentals at the same time.  It is strange that magazines are already working on their November issues. (a lot of stormy sky rentals)  Even stranger is that Fashion Week is coming in the beginning of September and the clothes are for next spring. (we have had two calls right now for different shows – last season we did like five)I have been feeling strangely out of sorts and awkward.  I had trouble with my paintings.  I stretched and gessoed everything, bases were laid in and I had some layouts that I liked.  As I was painting zephyr’s mom I just felt like I was working at it and normally I feel like I am working with the painting.  I think my major problem was my muslin was way too thin.  It didn’t have any tooth…everything felt too slick.  I like slick and minimum brush strokes, but I was just fighting the muslin.  I had promised another portrait of zephyr’s family, but it looks like it is not going to happen. Hopefully next week.

So I got some canvas for this bigger piece and thicker muslin for the portraits.  Regessoed and everything feels a little better.  We have a constant supply of canvas and muslin, we get huge pieces for our jobs, and then there will be the extra 2 or 3 feet that I can grab for painting with.  So my supply isn’t constant in terms of sameness.  It is constant in supply, but sometimes we work on lots of canvas, and other times when we do the huge jobs we work with muslin (because it comes larger).

The idea for the painting above began rolling around in my head as soon as I started the zephyr in the balloon.  I just imagined malcolm would worry and wait for her to return from her mini escape.

Then as I was taking a close up of malcolm I fell in love with the copped version.  So I took off the first painting off the stretcher bars - regessoed and have two friday paintings. I guess it is really good that my boss is out of town and even better that she doesn't really read my blog!

scout
22" x 28"

A little back story to start…I met him in a bar, oh no I am not that kind of girl, but his band at the time was having a cd release party.  I had just recently moved to the city and I had a deal with myself.  If I was invited I would go…so that is how I ended up wondering around the lower east side looking for a bar that had no name or number clearly in view.  I was feeling like such a fool, walking into three other bars asking for the one (whose name is eluding me right now) I was looking for, when the bar across the street pointed it out. As I walked in I noticed the tiny 12pt sign blending into the dark brick wall…but there I met the Boy.  A musician.  A man of sound.  The Boy at the time we met had upwards of 20 guitars.  He had been searching for the perfect sounding guitar.  The extra guitars were just a side effect.  Eventually many of those guitars made their way into the hands of others and now I think there are more life half a dozen instruments…not nearly as many as Johanna, who has a drum kit in her basement, or shari who has a drum kit in her new house.  
He recently ordered a guitar body to put together himself…because one of his guitars is at work.  What a cool place to work, where during down time you can slide over your guitar and play around.  That it is even encouraged since it might help with the music he is editing.  
But I keep digressing…The Boy finally got all the pieced delivered and he could put it all together. I love watching him work.  He is very calm and collected.  He has all his supplies at hand. He works slowly and carefully.
He was sitting at the window and the light was beautiful.  I grabbed the camera and took some photos.  As he progressed I would glance over and take some more.  I loved how they all looked on the contact sheet, so here they are.  Maybe one day he’ll let me put up a song or two…

I wanted anything of Karin's, and because sometimes I can be quite silly, I thought that I couldn't afford it. The numbers just looked so big. It literally wasn't until many months later that I found myself looking at them again and I thought: currency converter. And low and behold I could afford to buy something. Then I had a bigger dilemma to decide what I wanted (can't wait to see what happens with her new experiment!). I finally after much waffling decided on the tea and coffee beakers. I love them. I love they way they feel…and I am thrilled that I figured out the money. Oh such a silly silly girl!

Trixie trying to claim the box as her own.

I'll leave you with this photograph.
I am sure the chair was pulled out to the sidewalk to throw away. 
But what I saw was this lovely office chair under a big tree.  I was just imagining how someone would come out on their breaks during the day and read their current book…any other ideas?