From the Sketchbook- Goofy Octopus

Production sketch for a proposed octopus puppet for a tropical island themed puppet variety show.

Friday Roundup

Spent the week finishing pastel drawings for our Arriba Arte Studio and doing some Doc Ed shows. Busy week. But with all that going on I spent most of my week thinking about my old friends...old times. We've been in touch with many of our buddies recently that we hadn't spoken to in a very long time. 

Pammy and I clowning it up at the Salado Silver Spur Theater.

They've got lots to talk about. Life is for them as it is for the majority of us, full of good times and not so good times. A friend of ours is about to shut the doors to his beloved theater, the Salado Silver Spur, which he'd kept going for ten years. It's sad but I try to remind myself that at least he had ten years of good times on the stage putting on shows that he loved to do very much. Most of us wish we had that kind of a run anywhere! Still, it closing. The world loses another refuge from reality where fun is the order of business. Not enough of those places to go around. 

Pammy and I did some shows there and had fun on and off the stage with our fellow clowns and magicians and jugglers sharing the same goal of putting a smile on as many faces as possible. That's neat! And when you did that at a place like the Salado Silver Spur, which felt like home when you worked there, it was all the better. Our kids spent many a day and night there, mostly backstage or in the green room as we rehearsed or did our shows. They practically grew up there. Sometimes they'd be picked from the audience to assist in a magic trick or juggling trick. They loved being a part of the show. Good memories.

Sad to know it'll just be a vacant building soon. I think, though, in our case, the best thing we can do is remember the fun we had there and let those memories fuel our own attempts to make our own fun, magical place a reality here. That way a little of the Salado Silver Spur will always be around in everything we do. Got to keep the magic going.

February Sky #2

What a beautiful day it was! Glad I had my camera with me.

Still Drawing

Another still life almost completed! Tomorrow I'll begin matting and framing them  and draw at least one more before the weekend. I'll start putting them up at our Arriba Arte Studio space on Thursday. That's a good feeling! 

Saturday Night Doodles

Another Saturday night well spent with my family eating fun food and watching classic old school t.v. The Riddler was up to his old tricks on Batman. I have become quite a fan of Frank Gorshin's Riddler. He's quite menacing. I used to think Cesar Romero's Joker was my favorite but it's getting to be a tie with those two marvelous actors. Both take it over the top just enough as is befitting the feel of the show and the characters they portray. 

Lost in Space was fun and goofy as ever. Lot's rubber monster suit/alien race-bent-on-destruction action too. Thank goodness for hyphens!

Topping off the 1960's retro fun was Star Trek's groovy third season episode, "Way to Eden" featuring space hippies in search of the mythical planet of Eden which has to be located inside the Romulan Neutral Zone. Doh!! Love it!

We ended the evening watching Svengoolie and the 1935 classic "Werewolf of London", starring Henry Hull in the first movie made about werewolves. It also stars Warner Oland as Dr. Yogami who is responsible for Henry Hull's affliction having attacked and bitten him one night in the mountains of Tibet. Watch the movie. It will all make sense and it's also well worth watching too. Jus tan added bit of trivia mentioned by Svengoolie: Warner Oland is famous for his role as detective Charlie Chan in the film series from the 1930's. I didn't draw any characters from the film because I just wanted to sit back and enjoy the film since I hadn't seen it in twenty five years. Glad I did. I can't wait for next weekend!

Monday at Rancho Ramirez

Monday always starts with sending the kids off to school with a smile and a very big "I love you" to both of them. Soon after we settle into the routine of this, the first working day of our week. We try not to work on weekends as often as possible. We  prefer our weekends to revolve around the house taking care of chores and of course, spending quality time with our children. Old school is always in session at Rancho Ramirez.

Emails and phone calls take up part of this morning...confirming Doc Ed presentations for the week and setting up a photo shoot for good ol' Doc Ed and his puppet pal Karston. Yes, there will be publicity photos of Doc and Karston soon! A very interesting development to be certain. We'll also be meeting to discuss ideas for 30 second spots on the Edwards Aquifer featuring Doc and Karston and perhaps some using only Karston. All this and it isn't even spring ...technically... though the trees and flowers seem to feel otherwise.

Pammy and I will also continue setting up our space at Tres Rebecas. It really is a special place. We feel very comfortable there. Our next bit of fun begins this weekend with acting and art classes. We hope the classes will make. Keep your fingers crossed for us please. Oh, and by Thursday I'll have a number of pastel drawing of flower arrangements up for sale there too. Stop by and check them out.

Ladies in waiting.

This week I'll also be getting back to work on my horror and fantasy art which had to be put aside temporarily for a number of reasons. My goal still continues to be to set up a booth at a convention in the next few months as well as put up a website with a store to sell my art. 

Too many irons in the fire? Never!!

Slapstick Theatre- Mel Brooks Does An Indian Ichthyologist

Sunday Morning Matinee- M'Liss (1918)