Quirky Project for 2010

It’s time to find out. The first offering on eBay that was strictly matter of fact yielded no takers (even with no reserve.) Not that anyone was that surprised. It takes some selling to make something like this attractive.

As I’m getting ready to send ten copies off to the Museum of Bad Art, I thought this next effort should begin with my own advice on art analysis

So to start, some obvious contrasts

• Pastel background compared to swarthy foreground
• 19th century (Lincoln) vs 20th century (Kennedy)
• Facial hair vs none
• No scandal vs quite a bit

Leading into the greater conflict of secrets kept and secrets revealed, infantile innocence lost to humanity and the power of conspiracy theories and distrust of lawyers.

And finally putting it all together:

The artist’s deliberate use of two iconic figures represents the contrast between secrets kept and scandal revealed; the inevitable movement of society across time to seek knowledge of itself. The subtext that this compulsion can become self-destructive is underscored by the expectation that the viewer will search for what these these two men held in common and be aware of the conspiracy theories surrounding them.  The knowing glance that makes direct contact with the viewer could be interpreted as a smirk or a message across time that secrets kept are indeed hidden until revealed. Thus the viewer becomes  a participant in that same inevitable collision of tectonic plates as privacy yields to a right to know while hero worship is unyielding in the face of factual evidence.

The jarring deliberate use of child-like pastels and brush strokes in the background remind us all that innocence is inherent at birth but lost to the same society that seeks to know, to mold, and to dominate.

There you have it – does it help?  We’ll find out shortly…

Although I’m a bit behind with an update I’ve been hard at work. Alas, the first eBay attempt got no bids even with no reserve. But then I really didn’t “sell” too hard. I have however offered the print to the Museum of Bad Art and they’re willing to take it! With any additional copies I care to donate (tax deductible) to be auctioned off to support the museum.  Maybe that will increase your interest to own your very own copy? No?

Next step- get those prints off to the museum before they change their mind and start the official art analysis write-up…

Yes, really, the first print is up for auction now!  This is your big chance to get in before the hoards discover it… (yup, that means no bids yet.) Of course, I didn’t really sell it in the copy – this is something of a test case; but as the sales copy gets more creative I’m sure the bids will get higher, especially after the next step in the project – offering one to the Museum of Bad Art. If they turn it down, I’ll know I’m really on to something horrid!

I was a little shocked this week after simply putting the words “Lincoln Kennedy” on eBay to come up with this result:

ORIGINAL-1964-LITHOGRAPH-JOHN-KENNEDY-ABRAHAM-LINCOLN_  – yes, the image is identical and the seller is less than 20 miles down the road from the location where mine were found, the mystery deepens since his has the printer’s company name printed in the border but mine do not – were they chopped off in disgust? The worse news is this other seller doesn’t seem to be finding any buyers, can I do better? Particularly given I’ve never sold anything on eBay, Craig’s List or Amazon before.

So here’s the plan, in the next week one will go up on eBay in a different category, and one will go up on Craig’s list somewhere in the country, possibly someplace that really loves Lincoln or Kennedy or is very remote… Stay tuned.

Quirky Project for 2010

I don’t know what the post title got you thinking but I’m betting it didn’t conjure this image.  If you think they’re both leering at you, well all I can say is it’s not the photograph.

I’ve been meaning to do a serial project for some time but oddly enough when quirky things get talked over too much they usually cease to be quirky.  This amazing portrait of Lincoln and Kennedy (together across space, time, and artistic ability) is the exception. When it comes to this kind of art, meaning holds no bounds.  It could even be a portrait of two aliens posing as Lincoln and Kennedy if you look closely at the greyish flesh tones of the ears.  And I have more of these in my possession than I can stand to count all thanks to my sister who found them in her c.1930 garage and didn’t want them!

So once a week we’ll be featuring art analysis, historical research and sales sagas of this amazing print as I attempt to find creative and quirky ways to profitably share them with the world.  There may even be a contest or two… I will attempt to avoid forcing you to look at the full image after this although a thumbnail may be required for those in denial.

And it’s not too soon to be thinking of quirky gifts for Valentine’s, birthdays, etc.  If you really want to beat the rush, use the contact form above and I’m sure we can work something out.

I kinda thought social media was the same as being in a trance but apparently not.  If you anticipate a slow Monday today and trust that there won’t be a subliminal message to dance around the office like a chicken you can join this quirky experiment and get hypnotized over Twitter or Facebook. I think you’ll have to actually go to a webcast but those kinds of nitty gritty details probably aren’t going to bother those that volunteer.

For unclear reasons, it’s become hip this year in garden design circles to plant a mini decorative farm in front of million dollar houses in exclusive neighborhoods, a giant pumpkin, some sunflowers, maybe a gourd. Whatever the reason, there’s really only one thing to do with those giant pumpkins and it’s best to do it before you have 300 lbs of moldy orange stuff – enter it in a giant pumpkin contest.  Of course if just really into pumpkins as opposed to nouvelle jardin that’s cool too.

California offers Pumpkinmania on Oct 25, complete with a blog so you can get an idea of the competition (it’s pretty fierce) or maybe order the t-shirt if you can’t make it there in person.

Or just check out the entire list of pumpkin weigh-offs, it’s extensive and note that the places that get cold early have already done theirs in September (everyone else is hoping for an extra couple of pounds)

Okay, so like me you probably have been putting off growing giant pumpkins until a few other things get done, but if 2010 is going to be your year – here’s a directory of seed sources and growing tips (good luck!)

I’m about to commence my semi-annual (as in every few years when I get around to it) wine brewing. Since I don’t live where grapes grow well and I think using juice out of a can is somehow cheating, I resort to the more exotic flavors like blackberry (dry, not sweet).  I thought I’d stretch my boundaries and expand to grapefruit this year since I can get a big bag at Costco and the flavor should still be decent if not as good as right off the tree.

As I was surfing the internet for a good recipe, I discovered that grapefruit wine is on the conventional side of things people have fermented.  Besides the traditionally weird like dandelion, violet, pear and such here are some you probably will never encounter unless you make it yourself (and if you do, I want to hear about it):

Beet wine – the red kind you eat, not sugar beets

Parnips - I’d rather drink them than eat them (I think)

Mountain Ash – and see the rest of the site for other odd wild plants you can use

Mushroom wine – ok, no recipe there but rather someone has filed a patent on the process which means they must have done quite a bit in trial and error – I really hope it was worth it.

Avocado – no evidence of a home-brew recipe but it’s being professional produced at a Florida winery. A possible challenge for someone that has conquered all the other flavors out there or has a lot of avocados

It takes patience and years of dedication to produce enough content for a book on grocery cart identification or abandoned grocery lists. It hadn’t occurred to me how much until I found out that people have actually done it.  Although I’m a bit miffed that there is no Western Guide to Stray Shopping Carts and I’m resolving right now to make sure I don’t accidentally leave my shopping list behind – I don’t think it’s all that bizarre but…
The Stray Shopping Carts of Eastern North America: A Guide to Field Identification

Milk Eggs Vodka: Grocery Lists Lost and Found

So apparently I’m not the only one that thinks we should think ahead about how to greet the aliens if they ever formally show up.  You can see all the suggestions so far or add your own at SETI’s Earthspeaks site. I particularly like the ones that want to start with  ‘do you speak English’.  It’s a fair question – English does appear to be the primary favorite language of all the aliens on TV.  However my personal favorite has to be the suggestion of ’42′ short, sweet, and to the point.