The Münchhausen Madness

Oh, Münchhausen.

I recently came across a reprinted edition of the 1785 title "The Surprising Adventures of Baron Münchhausen" 1785, by Rudolf Erich Raspe. So wonderful. After about 5 minutes of perusing, I realized two things;

#1. That this was the one of the most ridiculous and fantastical characters I had ever come across. And

#2. That I absolutely must paint him now, now.

So I did. And here he is (first image below). I also included a few of the fantastic illustrations I discovered in my research that inspired the begeezee outta me!

The Baron Münchhausen Escapes Captivity - by Mab Graves

The Baron Charms the Sultan

The Baron Rides a Cannon Ball

Oh, that nose...

Ghosts in my Paint

PAINTING PROCESS

My painting process? I have none. Only twice ever have I sat down with a sketch and said "I'm going to paint this!". It just never works out that way. My paintings are mostly all completely doodles. I just start freehand in paint. No pencils no plans.

I begin ramdomly with an ear, or a shoe and just travel on from there.

They usually turning out to be not at all what I thought they were going to be.

Kind of like children.

Quite often they will at one time or another have creatures and companions that disappear before it's finished. They are hiding in the canvas. I have ghosts in my paint.

A friend once told me I should try stopping once every hour, and take a picture. Then I could play all the shots together and see the evolution.

I'll have to try that on a big piece sometime.

Gray Flowered Wallpaper and Latex Masks

the Super Show

Here are a couple of my latest projects. (above) is a new piece I just finish for my upcoming Super Show. A show devoted to household portraits of Superchildren. From back in the day when gray flowered wallpaper and latex masks were just how they did it. Coming this Fall.

Also, (below) a little Marie Antoinette illustration I just finished for the lovely Erin Huber's upcoming Marie Antoinette party

Marie (bluehaired)

Anonymous Birth

One question I get asked a lot when people see the paintings I'm working on is "Who is she"?. When my darling (Larry) photographs my pieces he'll sit down at his computer to work on the files, and he'll ask "What's her name?"

I never know. My paintings are not my creations. They just Are. They are alive, somewhere inside of me but they are not mine.

They are anonymous births.

Their eyes have stories and histories, but I don't know them. I don't feel that I need to. They are my darling strangers.

I keep a list in my sketchbook of names that I love. Names I find beautiful, or funny or just names that capture me. When I get asked those questions, I'll look in my sketchbook and read down the list and pick a name. One that fits. I never name them till I have to. She's mine, and my soul knows her. I won't attach words to her until someone needs them.

I will spend days and weeks and months on her until she is finished, and then someone will ask me a question. "What is the story behind Camilla?".

I have no idea who they are talking about.

From the Desk of Mab

-The Masochistic Cupcake-

One of my favorite places to go for an inspirational shot in the vein, is a little independent children's bookstore on the 56th and Illinois strip. It's called Kids Ink, and it's nestled right in the corner with the Flying Cupcake.

So. Here's what I do: I start at the corner and get a cup of coffee (black) walk down to the Cupcake shop and get an carrot cake confection (topped with pink icing and a tiny, plastic ballerina) then unleash myself in the bookstore. First stop? The fairy tale section. I always end up sitting on the floor in a corner with a big stack of the latest. My favorite illustrators?

• Gennady Spirin (props to the tops!)
• Adam Rex
• Laurel Long
• K.Y. Craft
• J.Otto Seibold
• Dave McKean
• Dan Yaccarino
• Olga & Andrej Dugina
• Iassen Ghiuselev

CHECK THEM OUT. These talented masterminds rule my universe.

SO. On my last visit, I came across a new picture book called "Cupcake" by Charise Mericle Harper. It's a story about a plain white cupcake whose only desire is to be eaten. Of course all the other cupcakes on the plate have sprinkles so they all get eaten first.

SPOILER ALERT! The cupcake gets eaten in the end.

Anyway, that's when I discovered that cupcakes can be really creepy and masochistic.

I also decided that I should paint a cupcake.

Here's what I did tonight:

Great Aunt Hilda Raver

(on my mother's side)

What can I say? It runs in the family.

I'm New Here.

Welcome to my blog. I'm new here.

Here's some stuff about me:

When I grow up, I want to be either Miss Marple or Tyler Durden. Can't really decide.

On the one hand, you've got a lot of tea, knitting and crime solving, and on the other you have a toothspitting revolutionary. It's a tough call.

I'm not too concerned yet. I've got time.