I’ve been getting some pretty stunning confirmation lately that I am indeed a Libra even though I don’t place much stock in astrology. Its mostly because as I read the sign, I’ve had very mixed and ultimately balanced episodes in my life the last few weeks. My personal life and therefore living accommodations are simultaneously up in the air and stable. Financially I’m as broke as ever but will in a few weeks weather the current storm just OK. Creatively I feel a bit tapped but I just received a cultural council grant for future work. It’s all making me somewhat a believer in signs.
As I said I’ve been feeling a little tapped out creatively. That I feel is the natural result of completing a major painting and starting a new project fresh on the heels of another work. The new series, another iteration in the Puppet Pal Friends set of work, is going okay, just okay. Honestly I feel like its been bumpy so far as the outside world seems to want to intrude more than I’d like. Its funny to me how ones emotions effects the creative. Because my mind drifts to thought about where I will live next month or my need for a new job, i find my mark-making changing. I feel like I’m making confused sad lazy gestures which is funny to me when I think about this series’s title “Puppet Pal Friends Look Meek and Smile Happy”. I’m pushing forward with this group of drawings mostly because I need to keep my mind and artistic hand active. Also I need to legitimate my studio with constant activity.
Before this week I received some pressure to get rid of my art studio because I couldn’t afford it on my meager salary from my part-time retail job. Then this week I received a grant from the Lehigh Valley Arts Council. Its part of their Pennsylvania Partnership for the Arts Project Stream program and comes directly from the state. And so now everything has changed and I have a little more breathing room financially. But this too is Libra nature at work from my understanding. The just-in-the-nick-of-time life Libras are known to have financially. Its very exhausting. One of my new goals now that I have this new reprieve, is to stabilize and professionalize my art practice enough to not feel so close to the edge. This has been my goal for sometime however so I should say I need to get serious about the goal now.
These drawings, rough as they are, with chunky marks and messy colors are beautiful to me in an important respect. They reflect my life and thus are the closest things I get making self portraits. I’ve never revealed the writing in these puppet Pal Friends pieces before but here’s what this one says – please don’t judge my bad poetry too harshly:
1. Whenever your in love and your lover wants to stray, 2.Look Meek and Smile Happy and Maybe He will Stay, 3. Sour Dour Droopy Frowns, 4. Give Birth to Flighty Feets and Sideways Scowls, 5. So If making Love and Falling in Love soon, 6. Are Goals of Yours and of Me too, 7. Grin wide and Laugh Deeply, He Might then want to Stay, 8. Be Meek and Smile happy all the live long day.
It’d pretty bad poetry but sorta reflected my feelings from about three weeks ago. Anyway if anyone is curious what’s written in these Puppet Pal pieces well there you have it. Here are some images of the new Puppet Pal Works I’m doing and some studio shots of works in progress:
I think I’ll leave you this week with a little Selena Gomez. My friend King Rodriguez had me listening to here yesterday while trying to get me turned onto Justin Bieber – who I refuse to endorse completely. Here’s her song “Same Old Love”
Okay that’s it for today. I’ll try to get over to the Bradbury-Sullivan Center to document my show their next week and when I do that I’ll blog about it right away. Until then talk to you next time
Anthony Smith Jr. 