Okay, I'm starting to figure out what art is.  I've done some more studying.  Listened to some instructors.  I've been asking lots of people I come across.  Pretty much everything is art.  It's just whether or not you have enough confidence in your art that makes others believe what you do is art.  If they tell you they don't think it is you need to make them understand their opinion is meaningless.  If the artist believes his/her art is art, then that's all that really matters.

Now, the next question I have is, what is normal?  Behavior, the physical, mental, spiritual.  It's quite the conundrum.  I'll be working out this one for a while I suspect.

I'm still waiting for people to send me their drawings of nudes.  Mr. P even said he'd do one for me and I've never seen him draw anything in the entire time I've know him. 

Guest post #4 by Kurt of Other People Exist

I never understood why blog readership drops on Fridays. If, as is generally supposed, visiting blogs = a slow day at work, then there should be an uptick in site traffic on Fridays, when employees are traditionally screwing around, often with the boss's blessing, if he/she is there at all. If I remember correctly, on Fridays there is sometimes even some tomfoolery and light drinking. At least there was at my elementary school.

For those who, like me, don't work, Fridays should be no different than any other day, blog-wise. After morning coffee, we wash our cup and saucer, stare emptily into space for a while, then lose ourselves in the meaninglessness of the Internet, filling the empty hours until our eventual death. Am I right, people? Without the Internet, I'd have to increase my staring-emptily-into-space time dramatically.

So where is everyone on Friday? If you are not reading this, then you know the answer.

Warning....this may be disturbing to some viewers;-)

I walked into the kitchen this morning to 5 individuals breakfasting.  This one is eating a chocolate chip from one of the muffins.  Apparently she's a chocoholic too.  In case you are wondering....we don't encourage rats at the dining table.  This one was slipped in, in hopes of going unnoticed.

Next issue of OPE is in the works!  WooHoo!  Check out Kurt's blog for subscription information to the Other People Exist zine.  You can have it delivered in hard copy to your front door!  (Or back door, or side door, or to your mailbox......)

New Drawing~Hair Series

[click to actually be able to see something]

I want to apologize to the readers looking forward to a humorous post from Kurt today about the humorous things Kurt writes about.  It's just me again, and I understand how frustrating and annoying that can be. I can't write humorous posts, and I haven't seen a guy nude in weeks, oh wait....that's not true;-)  Although I haven't flexed in front of the mirror lately, I have started another drawing.  Unfortunately it's not a naked pseudo Kurt since my drawing class isn't until tomorrow.  (sorry Emma!!!)  Here you go anyways....

Steps 1 through 7 brought me to this point.  Only a gazillion more to go.  It's hard to tell, but the basic sketch is now faintly put on in various colours.  Some first layers of colour are also on such as the blue in the face that is in the shadow.  This is a series I want to do showing very expressive hair.

Post #3 from Kurt of Other People Exist

Question: you want to get a comprehensive cholesterol test (called the VAP test), and the least expensive option ($79) is available from the good people at AnyLabTestNow.com. Do you use AnyLabTestNow, given that their website (captured below) includes the important question "Is you heart healthy?"

click to see the site in all its glory

Guest Post #2 by Kurt of Other People Exist

I want to apologize to regular readers of this blog who were looking forward to an interesting post about the artistic process from Perpetual Chocoholic. It's just me again, and I understand how frustrating and annoying that can be. I can't paint caterpillars, and I haven't seen a guy nude in weeks, unless you count me. I see me nude a lot, usually while applying deodorant or just flexing in front of the mirror.

I flex in front of the mirror to track my muscle development, of which there has been none. My observations indicate that my muscles have been in stasis since I was fourteen, but one should still check now and then, or in my case every day. This would be a good spot for a photo of me flexing my muscles but, unfortunately, I cannot flex and take pictures at the same time. Yet. Perhaps when my muscles develop further.

Would I pose nude for a drawing class? Absolutely. As a longtime visitor of nude hippie hot springs, I've put in thousands of hours of naked time. And as a longtime unemployed person, I could use the money. References available on request.

Feet, Sugar, Squeekers and Kurt

Feet from Wednesday's class.

Sugar

Squeekers

We introduced peanut the rat to her two new friends this morning and her depression over the loss of her sisters company visibly lifted.  The two baby rats ran up to her and checked out her dairy section.  She took this as a sign and started mothering them as if they were her own.  She kept them close to her, watching to make sure they didn't stray off too far.

After she settled down for the day in her nest, the youngsters continued to explore their surroundings ocassionally passing through her nesting area to check out her bedding.  Eventually she decided she was too old for that crap and didn't really want to be a mother after all as it was interupting her beauty sleep.  (Now be honest, who of us hasn't thought that at one time or another!) I believe she eventually came to the conclusion that she didn't want to look after someone elses brats and put them good and rightly in their places.  I moved them back to there own cage unharmed but squeeking to the relief of Peanut.

Now enough about me.....

For all of you out there who are experiencing OPE withdrawl like myself, maybe if we ask nicely, Kurt will put up another post on this blog?!!!!  I found that throwing tantrums doesn't really work with him (I've tried when he cut down on postings on his blog) so maybe if everyone asks nicely with me he'll write some more!  Pleeeeeease Kurt!  (Begging has never worked for me either, but maybe en mass?)

If you are usually just a lurker, now would be a prime time to speak up!  It's not every day anymore that we have access to such a talented celebrity of the blogging world!  (Can I suck up or what;-)

Gone To The Big Cheese In The Sky.......

Cookie went to the see "The Big Cheese" this morning while the girls were getting ready for school.  It was sudden, a seizure it seems.  There were many tears and her sister even seemed a little freaked out.  Even the dog was upset and hidding.  All those emotional females were too much for him.  Funeral services and what we will do with the body until the thaw is yet to be determined.

On a happier note, I want to thank Kurt for guest posting on my blog.  I was extremely excited when he accepted my invitation.  When I told my family they were pretty much indifferent to the idea but that's not suprising since that's how they are about my own blog;-)  Three of four fondly remembers Kurt as "the bacon guy" who posted bacon fashionably dressed in a party hat on New Years that would pop onto the screen. We still reminisce about the good old days before Kurt obliterated his blog and took it down to about a dozen posts.  I know there are many that miss his blog.

I drew kick ass feet yesterday in my "Expressive Drawing" class.  I'll post those later in the week.  I wanted to enjoy Kurt's entry without feet sitting on top of his post.  Hopefully Kurt will post something else.  I have no plans to remove his name from my blog.  If you are interested, or even if you are not, he has an OPE zine that you can subscribe to that comes out in hardcopy.  Just visit his blog to find out how to subscribe.  It's a reasonable price and definately worth your while!

Guest post by Kurt of Other People Exist

Thank you to Perp Choc for inviting me to guest post on this blog.

I also love chocolate, 72% dark to be precise. I use to buy the giant bars from Trader Joe's and eat about a half hour's worth every night after dinner, but after ten years or so, I decided that might not be good for me. Everything in moderation and all. Now I have one square after lunch and sometimes another after dinner. Nutritionists say dark chocolate is good for you (it has flavonols and it lowers your blood pressure), but not to eat more than a pound a day.

Like Perp Choc, I also enjoy drawing. I've been drawing since I was a little boy and I ate moderate amounts of chocolate. All teachers know that, when it comes to drawing, some kids just have it, and I was not one of them. Then, one day in 1993, while camping in the desert, I took out a notebook and began drawing cartoons, and I haven't stopped since, except to buy more notebooks. I even got one published in a magazine that subsequently went out of business.

Here is that very cartoon, now removed from this post (©2003, Kurt).

More Winterlude

This street should look familiar to the person who told me that it's a good thing that my Granny in Heaven doesn't have internet access because of the kind of words I used on my blog a few days ago;-)  (I knew if they read it I'd be in big trouble!)  God does have access to the internet and He scares me more by the way;-)

This is the street I grew up on along side the canal.

Skating on the Rideau Canal

7.8kms or 4.8 miles of ice to skate on!

I grew up along side the canal.  I spent countless hours after school and on weekends skating up and down the full legnth no matter the weather, as long as it was open.  In 2005 it was recognized by the Guiness Book of World Records as the longest skating rink.  It's also a world heritage site and a whole lot of fun!

I remember one year when there was a concert at one end, at Dows Lake.  There were so many people packed onto the large lake that the whole surface dropped and sank.  Luckily it's not so deep as it's drained every fall;-)

Reboot

I think quitting is like rebooting your computer.  Sometimes things freeze up and you just have to restart to get moving again.  So here I am.  Freshly rebooted and thinking that that last tantrum took out much of what was on my blog.  I changed settings, took down pictures and I don't remember what all.  That was a serious attempt at bloggicide.  Oh well, next time I don't want people in my head any more maybe I'll just pretend it doesn't exist for a few days.

"Who The F**k Are You?"

If you are my Mom, Dad, or Aunt L. who smacks her kids with her slipper when they misbehaved, please don't read this post.  If however you do, call before you head over to see me.  That way I'll have at least an hour head start to get away before you get here.

So I went to Walmart to purchase a copy of "The Who : Greatest Hits."  I was never much of a music lover until my late 30's when I actually started listening for the first time to music other than classical.  Now I only listen to rock.  Not that washed out mushy crap, but the real stuff.  I watch the various CSI shows and their theme songs so I thought I'd like to get a Who CD.

I played the version of "Who Are You" that was on the CD and got to the end of the song when I started wondering where the hell the fuck went.

Every time I hear the song on the radio with the kids in the car I cringe when it plays.  If I'm paying attention I mute it for that bit of the song or explain that that's not a nice word for the rock stars to be saying if I miss the fuck.

Well, my CD is missing the fuck.  When I told Mr. P the fuck was missing he insisted that I must have just not been paying attention and so we listened to it together.

"Yes, your right....they said H.E.Double Hockey Sticks instead!  We both felt a bit let down.  After all isn't H.E.Double Hockey Sticks a worse thing than Fuck?

Mr. P. suggested I bring my new CD back to Walmart and tell them that the fuck is missing and see what they say.  After all, I didn't get the "fuck," what I expected, and I don't like the "hell," what I got instead!

I guess the good news is that I won't feel bad playing it in the car with the kids.  Now that they've heard the original though I know they'll be wondering where the fuck the fuck is too and I'm sure they'll ask.

Hilde Lambrechts

Okay, I quite my blog earlier this evening.....again, but that was before I went to the art show and I just have to tell you about it.

I went to Hilde Lambretchs vernissage at the Rothwell Galleries with my wonderful cohort "Adventurer."  Her art is incredibly beautiful and ranges from sculpture, pen and ink, pastel, to oil paintings.  She is a most creative and versatile artist!

It was a crowded affair, but as we made our way through the gallery I started to notice the most remarkable thing!  A number of the guests there were wearing clothes that shouldn't be!  What the heck am I talking about?  These are the people I'm used to seeing naked! 

This past Wednesdays "hand" model was there, the larger more volumptuous one from last semester, even Pseudo Kurt was mulling around fully dressed.  (Eat your heart out Emma!)  When I noticed this I pointed each one out to Adventurer and we were watching as Hilde pointed out to the various models which of her works was based on each of them.

And.......I found myself  BLUSHING! 

I can't explain it.  I see these people naked for 3 hour blocks of time once a week and I'm not phased.  I see them fully dressed out in public and I turn beet red and start stuttering.  I had half a mind to ask them to undress so I could speak with them sensibly.

Hilde also gave me some wonderful news she heard at the art school to do with my own art.  It made me not want to quit art again for now....for a few hours anyways.

Anyhow, since I've dismembered much of the blog I suppose I should carry on through with my tantrum and quit again tomorrow.  I'm sure my sour mood will return in the morning and I'll find yet another thing to demolish on this site.  But for now, what a lovely evening and I better go to bed while I'm on a roll.

Third Times The Charm...

Time to keep my thoughts to myself again!

"Say Goodnight Gracie"....."Goodnight Gracie"

Love Perp.

Wednesday's Expressive Drawing Class~Hands

Sorry boys, no boobs today.  Our subject today was hands and our model remained fully dressed for these particular sketches.

I have been focusing on hands during my own morning sketching practices and spend approx. 1 hour at a time drawing one hand.  We had 15 minutes to draw both.

On the first one I was feeling utterly frustrated thinking I was drawing complete garbage when the instructor came along and praised the drawing.  She then gave me some pointers as she usually does with each student.

The woman in the class whos drawing I thought was the best actually didn't "cut the mustard" so to speak.  I don't know.

I suppose that mine are more painterly and less linear and flat.  They lack detail which is what is supposed to be the case with this type of drawing. 

What worries me is that how will I know if what I'm striving to achieve is correct.  I suppose that's what taking classes and experience will show me.  Maybe then I'll have a better idea about what makes art art.

Next week we return to a male model.  Probably not pseudo Kurt, but I'll keep my fingers crossed for Emma's sake;-)

Thanks once again to "Hot Chocolate" for todays entry. If only he would have posted himself!!!

....and a more recent one when I came to my senses re: the hair style.

Enough already Hot Chocolate!

Another one from "Hot Chocolate".

I'm alone.

Strike two and three....I'm out!  The people I come across on a daily basis to whom I've made the offer have refused to guest post on my blog.  They say it's because they're busy, but I see that deer in the headlights look when I make the offer.  People that don't already have a blog are afraid.  I'm not quite sure what it is that scares them so much.  It's not like I'm putting down their real name and address;-)

My art instructor at the art school keeps speaking of the need of artists (and I would stretch that to include writers too)  to put themselves out there for public viewing and scrutiny.  A basic need to express themselves openly.  I suppose not all of us have that.  We all may share a fear of failure but only certain of us are willing to risk that happening publicly.

BIG Friggin' Solid Unpenatratable Fences Make For Good Neighbours!

I went out to draw with 2 of 4 and had a lovely productive session.  There's nothing though that can ruin a good mood like a nagging neighbour. 

I had seen her early on while shopping in the grocery store.  I avoided her at every turn until I ended up having to wait at the meat counter.  All 5 staff were very busy not working and unfortunately....let's call her "Joan" (cause that's her actual name) sauntered up beside me.  D'Oh!

"Hi Joan, how are you and your family doing?"  I asked politely with a smile.

"Fine thank you, I noticed your hedge bounced back up." she said without even a breather between words.  I have been avoiding this woman for well over a year now and the first thing she says when speaking with me...IN OVER A YEAR....is this!

"Uh ya, Mr. P. went and shoveled the top of it off and it straightend up again." I replied.

"Well I was going to come and talk to him about it because it was leaning and we couldn't park our cars properly (they have 2 cars and 5 parking spots) because it's in the way and it looks awful too." she glared at me.

"I believe the reason it was leaning might possibly be because you keep snowblowing the snow from your laneway onto the top of it which causes it to bend towards your property." I say realizing she's not swift enough to realize the weight is all coming from their side.

"Huh, well, it's probably Don's company that's doing it because we hired his guy to come and do our laneway so it's not us doing it."  I almost slapped my forehead when she said this.  Now it is an unrelated neighours fault because she hired the same company to do their laneway.

"That's okay.  Makes no difference.  In the Spring the whole hedge is coming out right to the very back of the property." I pass this revalation onto her for the first time.

"Oh good!" she says excitedly

"I mean the WHOLE hedge right to the back you know....." I say again.

"You'd be suprised at how much extra room you'll have!" She says smiling back at me.

What she hasn't put together yet is as the owner of a pool she will be forced by law to put in a proper fence of a specific height at a substantial cost no less.  Since we aren't the owners of a pool it is completely up to her family to have it put in within a certain period of time once the hedge is out. 
\
We've been after them numerous times to fix a small existing fence that keeps sprouting holes with poor results.  We've had their dogs coming into our yard through holes, ours go to theirs and we were terrified when the kids were young they'd get through over to their pool through one of these holes.  They haven't fixed it properly in 20 years.

I walked away muttering something in front of my daughter that I shouldn't have.  I told Mr. P. of this whole encouter when I got home and he told me not to "let her rent my brain space."  When I mentioned what I had called her in front of Two of Four he said,

"Now if Jesus had been there, what would he have done:?!"

I replied,

"I don't know, but he probably wouldn't have called her bitch!!!"

GoodBye to Hot Chocolate and Hello ???

On behalf of "Hot Chocolate" I'm posting this picture he just sent (even though he didn't say I could.)  This was taken along the St. Lawrence Seaway some years ago.  I certainly wasn't lacking in hair.

I had just sent out my first invitation for this week.  The person had shown some interest previously but has since changed their mind.  Let's see if there is anyone else that I can get to accept for this week in their place.

My Trip To The Dog Park~By Mr. Hunter

Here I am awaiting Perp for my weekly trip to the dog park.  Women!  She always keeps me waiting!

Here I am meeting my new friends.  I don't bother with the bite sized dogs.  They aren't  tall enough for me to "make friends" with.

(click to enlarge and see my scary look!)

Here's my new friend Brody.  He was my favourite 'cause he liked to play piggyback with me all the way around the park during our hour walk.  He liked me to ride on him.

I'm not sure what the words "dominate" and "horny" mean, but I recognized the words "bad dog" and perp didn't seem pleased as she was saying them.

I didn't like this puppy much, but perp was offering to trade another dog  for it.  I wonder who she was talking about.

Stupid cute adoptable puppy was getting all my attention.

Here I am quietly playing with Brody when this great dane comes and sticks his nose into my business.  I was not impressed and I tore after him like a bat out of hell!  I showed my teeth and snapped at him and gave him my very scarriest growls.  He was very afraid.

Here's the great dane running away like a big weenie.  Perp said something about me not being worth the effort for him, but I know it was 'cause he was scared!  I was on the verge of taking that big bad boy down!

I rule the dog park!

P.S.   What does the word "RETARDED" mean?

I had tried to talk "Hot Chocolate" into posting something on my blog to no avail.  I then threatened and stomped my foot and insisted he post something.  That didn't work.  Both "Hot Chocolate" and "Hot Chocolate's Hot Wife" both assured me there was not way on Earth he would post on my blog.  I don't like not getting my own way.  I promised to post an embarrasing photo of him if he didn't put something up and I will as soon as I find one.....and I will.

In the meantime, I've decided to invite various individuals for a week at a time and see what damage they can do.  Probably most will chicken out, but maybe, just maybe someone will accept the invite.  I'm not above humiliation, in fact I live with it daily, and so they can take their best shot at me with a story, or photo.  Keeping in mind though that ultimately I can get even;-)  Maybe they'll decide not to put up anything at all to do with me or my blog.  That's their choice.

Here's some more photos from yesterday's jaunt downtown.

Downtown In February

"Maman" is the name of the big spider in front of the art gallery.  There are white eggs in her underbelly.

Art School on the right just passed the parking garage.

There is an explanation for this, I'm just not gonna tell you.

People kept walking in front of my camera today and then giving me dirty looks or rude gestures.  How Rude!

The American embassy.  I'm actually quite suprised we were allowed to take pictures and didn't get tackled.  I suppose being a block away was acceptable.

Wednesday's Expressive Drawing Class~Ms. M.

Ms. M. was today's model.  This was the first time I've come across her and I have to say that she's probably the best female model I've drawn.  I didn't notice even a mm of movement from her. 

This drawing is worked with an eraser and charcoal on  paper that has had a layer of charcoal applied to create a medium tone to the paper.  You then "draw" with your eraser, picking out the highlights on the model and darken the areas with the deeper tones with more charcoal.  This is one of my favourite ways to draw.  I worked both left and right handed.  This tends to get me into the "zone" more easily and  the drawings tend to come out better in the end.  Who knew I was a closet leftie!

Willie Says Six More Weeks Of Winter

Well crap!  Wiarton Willie saw his shadow so 6 more weeks of winter.  Humph!

 Both Nova Scotia's Shubenacadie Sam and Punxsutawney Phil in Pennsylvania also saw their shadows

We're just waiting for their Alberta relative to see his to make it a unanimous decision.

Believe it or not, I came across a webcam that shows Willie's abode.  He wasn't currently home.  I would imagine he'll have a very busy day as he is the start of a few days long festival.  Poor little vermin. 

Done!

Just awaiting a spray fixitive to finish and protect the piece.   Hopefully the fixitive won't change the colours too drastically.  Sometimes it betters the piece making the colours more vibrant as it removes any wax bloom and sometimes it destroys a piece drawing out colours or tones you didn't intend to show.  It's a crap shoot;-)

My work space is re-organized and ready for the next creation.  WooHoo!