hey baby, hey baby, HEY!

Trick or treat!
When I arrived home yesterday, this was waiting in my mailbox.
Woohoo!
I was thrilled when I had the opportunity to view "Gypped" on the big screen at the Trustees Theatre on 30 May of this year, when it was screened for the student showcase. Now, I have my own copy and can enjoy it whenever I want.
What a treat!
Nice to see my name in the credits, too.

Trick or treat is also descriptive of the storyline.
This tale of a young man who relentlessly pursues the wrong girl -
and irks the wrong gypsy -
is quite humorous when the tables are turned and he becomes the object of pursuit.
I think Jesse Newman Lindorf has a bright future - looking to the other side of the box is always an exercise in empathy and certainly makes the world a better, less biased, place for all of us.
As you may recall, this was a local film project from my October 2011 funding spree.
But first, let me remind you why I began funding these projects.
My mother was an artist at heart. Her outlet for creativity lay in sewing and handcrafts and cake decorating. She was never able to practice art as a career.
After my stepdad's recent death, I received some funds from my mother's estate. It was free money: I didn't earn it, it was simply given to me.
That meant I had the option of spending it however I wanted.
Again, it was free money.
I opted to share it with artists. I had recently been introduced to the world of kickstarter through a friend's project and, when I suddenly found myself with funds to invest, I chose kickstarter as the search engine for my investments.

muralcle block party!

I was asked to promote this event, so here we go. Please note that all of the following italicized words were written by the folks at SeeSAW. I have added my photographs in lieu of using theirs.

For Immediate Release
SeeSAW Block Party and David Ellis
Who: SeeSAW (Savannah Art Walls) and Savannah artists Katherine Sandoz, Troy Wandzel, Adolfo Alvarado and visiting artist David Ellis
What: Block Party
Where: SeeSAW Mural Wall | 34th and Habersham Street | Savannah, GA
When: Sunday, October 14 , 3:30 PM - 5:30 PM
Social Media Feed: Twitter @SavArtWAlls
Follow SeeSAW’s collaboration with David Ellis with the hashtag #EllisSAV on twitter and instagram October 14 - 19.
For info please email info@savannahartwalls.org

SeeSAW (See Savannah Art Walls) is excited to announce a block party this Sunday, October 14 in celebration of a year’s worth of art and community support at the mural wall at 34th and Habersham Street in Savannah, GA. In December of 2011 SeeSAW secured approval from Savannah’s Metropolitan Planning Commission to oversee the first designated rotating mural wall in Savannah. To fund a years worth of murals SeeSAW successfully raised over $7,000.00 on the crowd-sourcing website Kickstarter. Most of the money raised was locally sourced from individual Savannahians and local businesses that support the amplification of public art.
In order to stay in line with the curatorial standard of creating work that is Savannah-centric in nature, SeeSAW selected prominent local artists Katherine Sandoz, Troy Wandzel, and Adolfo Hernandez Alvarado. These three artists were selected to tell a visual story of Savannah because of their consistent history documenting and interacting with the diverse people and geography of Georgia's first city.

Starting on the coldest day of the year in February 2012, Katherine Sandoz painted an abstract landscape of Turtle Island, a hammock off the Georgia coast directly due east from the wall at 34th and Habersham. The landscape spanned the length of the 8 ft x 100 ft wall.

In June 2012, rather than obliterate Sandoz’s landscape, Troy Wandzel decided to add a field of flowers along the lower third of the wall. Often in contorted positions, Wandzel painted over 70 portraits from life of everyday Savannah citizens that willingly suffered the June heat with smiles on their faces.

Staying in the theme of adding
to the wall rather than starting
over, in September of 2012
Adolfo Hernandez Alvarado synthesized Sandoz’s landscape and Wandzel’s portraits by painting a centrally located female figure with a crown formed out of seashells and waves. The woman represents
the feminine qualities of Savannah as a city, from its natural and architectural beauty to its motherly embrace.
“La Madre” of Savannah is flanked by two bearded horn players derivative of the fountain in historic Forsyth Park.
To close out the year with a bang, SeeSAW will be bringing in world-renowned NYC-based artist David Ellis for a week of painting “large, mobile, 3D” objects placed on the lawn in front of the wall on 34th Street. SeeSAW co-founders James “DrZ” Zdaniewski and Matt Hebermehl were inspired to create SeeSAW based upon previous experiences assisting Mr. Ellis on projects in Savannah and the Wynwood Walls neighborhood of Miami, FL. David Ellis will be in Savannah October 14 - 19.

Let me tell you, this was quite a block party, too! People from the neighborhood, people from all over Savannah, even people from other cities, all came together to admire the Muralcle and to watch the New Yorker create his motion-based paintings on the side panels of cargo trucks. It was almost like he was dancing! He may well have been, as the crowd was entertained by the sounds of Vinyl Appreciation while slurping Italian ices to stay cool in the sunshine.
Remember how Fliss had her portrait painted in June by Troy Wandzel? Well, the evidence points to his having an influence on Adolfo Alvarado's design. Perhaps he asked that my visage be preserved; perhaps he did not. Whatever the case may be, Fliss remains with "La Madre", peeking out on the lefthand side. Is it mere coincidence that has me nestled near "The Mother"? I prefer to think it was on purpose. Yet another message from beyond, reassuring me that I am spending the money properly.
Thanks, Mama.

bronze bird flies to England

Woohoo! At the end of May, Ray Harryhausen was surprised with the letter of appreciation of his work and with the new bronze statue replica of his prehistoric bird from "Mysterious Island". I think Bruce Bowman did a marvelous job!
In the first week or so of September, he sent a link to me so I could download a copy of the letter for myself. I've only now had time to devote to the printing and framing of the piece.
I'm so very proud to have been part of this endeavor! As a fan of fantasy, mythology, science fiction, and science, I am also a fan of Mr. Harryhausen, even if I had been unaware that he was the mastermind designing the creatures in the movies I loved. I am most certainly aware, now, of the man behind the genius and am thrilled that he has been honored in this way, by fans, while he is still alive.
You see, the man is now 92 years old.
My stepdad was 89 when he tripped while doing laundry, broke his hip, and died.
Every moment is precious, y'all.

Here is a closer view of the message to "Uncle Ray", as he is known to those in the business. I think Bruce did a wonderful job at phrasing the message, don't you?
"There have been so many renowned animators, writers, artists, and filmmakers who have attributed their own creative gifts to your glorious fantasy films. As a sculptor, I humbly count myself among them.
When I learned your 'Phororhacus' model had been recycled for another project, I made it my goal to provide a replica for your shelves. And now with the support of those listed below, I am proud to present you my own recreation of your model.
Kindest regards, Bruce Bowman"

See my name? I'm in almost the middle of the twenty-one signatures.
I only wish I could have signed it in person!
Of course, my scribble wouldn't have been nearly as nicely done.

The artwork was done by a local artist in Portland, Oregon, Bethany Grosvenor. Bruce and his wife saw her pen-and-ink drawings hanging in a bakery and decided then and there to engage her to design this beautiful letter.
It truly is art.
And that is why it is framed and hanging on my wall.

Want to know more about Ray Harryhausen?
Check out this site.
Best bit of trivia to me?
That part about his influence showing up in one of my favorite films, "Monsters, Inc.".
What is your favorite?
And, should you develop a hankering for your very own copy of the Phororhacus, you can order it here. You'll have to bronze it yourself.
(smile)