atwhim.com Blog

Today was when the rain got serious and pounded the hell out of my yard.  It was just lovely.  It would have been better if I didn’t have this sore throat.  But I think a couple hot toddies will make me feel much better.  The cold weather finally gave me an excuse to buy the cutest arm warmers ever!

The ruffles by the fingers are what make them really special.  I want to wear them all the time.

I was also thinking dreamily of my favorite mustard yellow coat.   Soon love soon.  I can’t wait for those cold chilly days when I get to wear her.  In the mean time I painted another painting with my beloved coat in it.  It’s been awhile…
It’s titled *Come with me* because everyone needs a traveling buddy in this crazy city.  I think a need a few.  This one reminds me of the yellow coat painting I did last year called *Winter Walk in my Best Coat*.

Essentially the same painting, just different styles.  I’m also very excited that I’m giving a friend some painting lessons!  I’m going to have a painting buddy!  I think it’s so much more fun to paint when you have friends painting with you.  I can’t wait!
Anyway, I’m in denial that I’m sick.  I’m pretending it’s not there, but I don’t think it’s getting the hint.   Hot toddies are so gooooooood though.  I recommend having one this chilly rainy night.

My Heart is Flighty. That’s the name of this painting and that’s how I’m feeling these days! I’ve been seeking out inspiration so much lately, that I’m obsessing over any little thing that causes the slightest tug at my heart. Now, I’m so overwhelmed with these obsessions. I feel like my heart is being pulled in a million directions. Someone once asked me if I would rather be Harold or Maude. I said, “Harold. I want to be tragically beautiful.” Then I got all embarrassed and laughed nervously and loudly. I was born in the year of the Horse, and this is what “The Handbook of Chinese Horoscopes” has to say about me: The unpredictable Horse will fall in love easily and fall out of love just as easily. So forgive me, friends, if I seem fickle… You see, I was just born this way. I’ve been reading a lot about my Horsey nature these last few years. It keeps me aware of my faults, it’s fixing those faults that’s the problem.
I’ve been enjoying little things these last few days. I bought the movies I Heart Huckabees, Romeo + Juliet, and Moulin Rouge. Went to the new IKEA here in Portland and sat on every couch and chair, opened every drawer, lusted after the bookshelves, and ate some Swedish meatballs. Almost cried when I heard Marcel Marceau died. Had a nice drink after work with some friends, and now I have just finished the painting above. I think I’ll go watch one of my movies. OH, and bake cookies…. yum.

I haven’t gotten many guesses for the little contest I had in my last post. My music isn’t that obscure, in fact… it’s not obscure at all! But maybe you don’t memorize lyrics as I do… So here’s what I’ll do, I name the song… you name the artist! Okay!

1. Spellbound, 2. Kissing Families, 3. Joga, 4. You said something, 5. Lips like sugar

Now, I’ve made it easy! bye lovelies.

I’ve got my head in the clouds…

So if you haven’t realized, I paint myself a whole bunch. My so endearing boyfriend pointed out that it may seem very narcissistic on my part. And it’s true, there are certain aspects of myself that I am very proud of. But I know my face better than anyone else’s, and when I paint my stories I want to be in them! Anyway, Frida painted herself all the time and no one complained…. but I can’t compare to her, she was also so beautiful, so deep and so passionate. But I’m going to keep painting me anyway, because that’s what I know.

The other night I went out for a quiet drink by myself. I was waiting for my light to cross the street and was called Yoko Ono for the second time in my life while a strange man hugged me and said “if you’re Yoko than I’m John!” I told them I wasn’t a big Beatles fan (which is a lie, I do like the Beatles!) and almost ran across the street when my light turned green. Why Yoko? It’s being Asian and the hair isn’t it? Why can’t someone say I look like Maxine Hong Kingston? I would then be overwhelmingly flattered and I would love you so hard because you know who Kingston is. So anyway, I ended up at my bar. It was so wonderfully half empty on a Friday night and my bartender put two cherries in my drink.

I’ve been buying and getting tons of new music lately. I’ve missed having new music and old music that I somehow lost along the years. I sit and read the lyrics as I’m waiting for the paint to dry. Let’s play a little game. I’ll list a few lyrics and you leave a comment and guess who it is. I’ll pick a comment at random and send the winner a little surprize. I’ll give it a little while because I don’t think I have many readers. Don’t forget to leave your email so I can get your address!

okay here we go:

1. did i meet you in my dreams
on some lonely street it seems
one look and i wear my heart upon my sleeve
one touch of you and i just can’t believe

2. it’s no wonder that we did it this way
keep looking forward on paths sideways
it’s everything that is connected and beautiful
and now i know just where i stand

3. all that no-one sees
you see
what’s inside of me
every nerve that hurts you heal
deep inside of me
you don’t have to speak – i feel
emotional landscapes
they puzzle me

4. And I’m doing nothing wrong
Riding in your car
The radio playing
We sing up to the eighth floor
A rooftop, Manhattan
At one in the morning
And you said something
That I’ve never forgotten

5. (this one’s for you Drea.)

She’ll be my mirror
Reflect what I am
A loser and a winner
The King of Siam
and my Siamese twin
Alone on the river
Mirror kisses

Okay, and I’ll even give you a hint! #1 was released in 1988, #2 in 2005, #3 in 1997, #4 in 2000 and #5 in 1987. Good luck!

Three new pieces that I’m VERY pleased with. I’m keeping 2 of them for now, but I’m really tempted to keep all 3…

*Little Girl Gone*

She’s got my crazy hair, my current favorite skirt, and I’m pretty sure my head looks that big.

*Shipwrecked*

I’m loving this girl’s tearful face. I sometimes feel like a shipwreck, and I’m taking everyone aboard down with me. Those times, I take a breather, and just tell myself, “don’t freak out, don’t freak out”. Because, yes, I usually freak out and do something stupid like adopt 50 bunnies because they all looked so cute and I couldn’t pick just one.

*This isn’t a love story: and I get to keep my heart*

This little illustration is dedicated to the boy that makes the girl feel pretty even when she’s not trying.
I’ve been shut in for so long, I need to take a stretch. I think it’s time I do another show soon and see you lovely people. I’ve also been ignoring all my friends. I didn’t realize how far I sank into my isolation. I went out a couple times this week, and realized, “Oh my gosh, there are real people out here! It’s not a computer screen!” So now, I’m going to try really hard to stay connected. I do love all my peeps out there! Don’t think because I never call, I don’t care, because I really do!

Now it’s late, time to sleep.

Here’s my new ghostie painting for Halloween! It’s titled “Tale of Two Sisters”, named after the Japanese horror flick I saw not too long ago… {Oops! I made a mistake… it’s Korean!  I should have known that from the writing.  Sorry!}
it’s so subtly creepy and I don’t realize I’m terrified until it’s dark and everything is unusually silent.

Anyway, for Halloween I was thinking about spooking up my house. Maybe do a Tim Burton/ Edward Gorey kind of thing to my living room. It would be fun, if I could just get off my butt and start designing it. I’m a little burnt out with starting new projects. I wish my brain would just stop thinking of FUN NEW STUFF I can do. The last couple of days I decided to just take a break and do nothing artsy, but now I don’t know what to do with myself. I want to say I need a new hobby, but I think that’s where the trouble begins. So I’m going to sit here quietly and twiddle my thumbs, and maybe I’ll figure out what it is that people do when they’re not painting.

xoxo

Little somethings in the shop.

Yesterday one of my hens laid me a GIANT egg. It fills the palm of my hand, and I’m completely amazed that this little hen made such a big egg. She is so very proud.

And this is what happens when I don’t check my zucchinis regularly!!! I had to use my yard stick to measure this 19.5 inch baby. What are you suppose to do with a zucchini this size?

Now it’s off to the bookstore again where there’s a mountain of books waiting for me to shelve them (or buy them…)

Have a good weekend!

I’ve been reading the Scott Westerfeld series *Uglies* and I find myself saying things like “bubbly” and “icy”, and thinking that a pulsating tattoo over my eye would be kind of neat.  It was a good teen sci-fi series, and it has a female heroine which is rare for sci-fi novels.  I don’t think I’ll ever get around to reading “grown-up” books since I live in the kid’s room.  But I’m not too upset by that, since many adult books can’t even compare to the books in my lovely kid’s room.

I’ve been laaaaaaaaazy these last few days.  I don’t want to do anything but curl up on the couch with a stack of books.  But life doesn’t allow for laziness, and my house is looking like a college dorm.  I wish I had enough money to just have someone come in and organize my world, then I could just live in it!