Arts in the Family: 2011-10-30

Saturday, November 5, 2011

Final Curtain

Lukas doing his thing. Amazing!

Our last weekend at Seaworld saw Lukas Dudek finally being allowed to do what he was hired to do five weeks ago: swallow swords. He was contracted to as a sword swallower, probably was paid to do so and yet Seaworld didn't seem to have it together in terms of their insurance to allow for Lukas present his unique skill until the last weekend of the engagement. Better late than never, I guess. Anyway, I'd never seen it done live and it was pretty amazing. It always got a great reaction from the crowd. Bravo, Lukas!

Pammy's reaction after I've told her that I'd found the camera. We clowns keep each other humble. Yes, my dear, from time to time I can be a doofus.

By the way, this was the same weekend I thought I'd had my camera stolen backstage at Seaworld. I searched high and low backstage and couldn't find it. I am happy to report that this afternoon I found it in the side pocket of my large bag I used to carry my marionettes. I swear I looked thoroughly through that bag and somehow I missed it. I emptied it out and turned it over too. When I first realized it was missing I thought I'd left it back at the car and when it wasn't there I looked all through the house with no luck.

Man, I was upset. I decided then that it must have been stolen. What other possible explanation could there have been? After all I "looked" everywhere, right?! I was robbed!! Thieves! Hooligans! I'll contact the authorities, by gum! The outrage!! When I told my wife I'd found it she was more than a little amused. I'm very glad I found it and took a picture minutes later. Life is good.

Friday, November 4, 2011

Viet Nam War Museum Murals (1989)

Last year in August I posted a few photos of a series of murals done for the Viet Nam War Museum in San Antonio, Texas which Alex Rubio and I designed and painted back in 1989. I recently found a bunch of photos showing the murals at different stages of completion.

This mural was challenging on various levels. I had never painted so many portraits and buildings in one shot like I did for this set of murals. The lighting was poor as well. Painting corrugated sheet metal wasn't easy either. Tedious Maximus !!

All the work was generally drawn with a lot of detail before we actually painted it.

This is a market scene that is about halfway finished. I forgot to mention that we were painting with oil paints in a poorly ventilated space. I had a purple haze all in my brain.

That's me wearing some pretty weak protection against the fumes.

That's a scooter/cart that Alex was painting. As was the case at the time, I painted all the human figures since Alex wasn't comfortable with doing that at the time. Note the scale model box of the same kind of vehicle used for reference. Neato!

Alex wearing hand prophylactics. Hee, hee.

There were three separate murals in the museum. Two were on the second floor and one along the stairwell leading up to the museum.

I painted the portraits and Alex painted the landscape and helicopters for these stairwell murals (above and below).

The main mural of a Vietnamese market almost completed.

Despite the look on my face I think I was happy that our work was almost done or perhaps I was overcome by the fumes...dunno.

Below is a link to the original post.

Arts in the Family: Viet Nam War Museum Murals

Friday Roundup

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Doc Ed did four presentations this morning at Passmore Elementary on the northwest side of town.

I've been away from the computer for a few days mostly out of necessity. Other pressing matters had to be tended to and now I can sit here catch up on lost digital time.

This week is the first week in more than a month where I don't have to think about driving out to Seaworld for shows. They were fun but I'm glad to have my evenings back. All was well until the last evening when my camera was stolen. Major bummer. In a world where phones do everything including taking pictures it seems very strange that anyone would want a plain old camera. So much for that notion. Until I replace it I'll have to be creative when posting photos. I like posting photos along with text because each enhances the other. It seems so naked without posting a photo. Not gonna do it!

"History of a Rock Star" power point art work.

I had several Doc Ed shows this week and more to come this month. I been presenting the "History of a Rock Star" show which is geared to fourth and fifth grade students and discusses the formation of the Edwards Aquifer beginning in the Mesozoic Era one hundred million years ago.

That's Pammy under the black fabric.

Monday of course was Halloween and we at Rancho Ramirez had a good time getting tons of treats that were still enjoying today. I brought the giant Grim Reaper puppet I used at Seaworld this past month donning it one more time in the name of Halloween fun.

That's all for now. Hasta la vista!