An EARLY CARTOON, 1980's probably my first...

Dear Kyle,

Interesting feedback. If you happen to run across anyone, or can search for someone that worked on the North Hills Horne's Department Store project at Flannery and Associates around 1964, they may solve the mystery for us.

Love,

Dad

Anytime my Dad writes, he is the "soul of brevity". I would not know where to search out the information he has listed here, so I throw it impulsively out to this blog and on facebook to see what happens... he is responding to my last post about birds...

On another topic...I found some caricatures I had done in 1992 and some cartoons in 1986, the first, I did for my mom for when she was head floor nurse and needed to put some "gentle reminders" up of some procedures that were not being followed. Perhaps 18 years from now (Ha, God willing) I will look back on my work now and say...that was awful but I am so much better now... I have a dozen of these that I did and looking back on them now, they were fun. I just wish Mom were here to share it with her.

Is it live or is it memorex?

There are birds, and there are birds.

In my last post, it seems I overlooked posting the obvious - a picture of my alleged "Alexander Calder" Birds. Even Jazz was looking at me askew with a "HELLOOO? mcFLY anybody home?"

Jazz is a humble bird, and like my Dad she has no aspirations of glory aside from performing for her next peanut - yes, inside joke here.* She will not mind being upstaged by her brass buddies should they, in fact have (by the world's standard) a more illustrious lineage. She is proud of her Creator, who has endowed her with inalienable rights, Life, pseudo liberty and the pursuit of any attention she can get at home - her greatest happiness.

My Father's Birds...and Alexander Calder.

I love my Dad. Before he retired, he was an Industrial Designer who received his degree from Syracuse University and worked all his life designing "things". As a child, I was vaguely aware of his projects, some of which he simply supervised, others he designed - interior design exhibits, hairdryers, rakes, tape measures, and noteably, the Disston cordless electric grass shear was his invention and a project which earned the company millions and netted him little or no recognition and no additional compensation.

But that was o.k. with my Dad, he hates attention, or glory, much to my mother's irritation, who, when he owned his own company gave him a plaque with "James E. Edgell, PRESIDENT" and insisted he put it on his door. After she passed away 4 years ago, he proceeded in short order to divest himself of everything he owned except for the barest of essentials, the clothes on his back and one avacado green Disston Cordless grass shear, which his new wife insisted on framing with a plaque reading " 22 million units sold" or some such thing. He lives simply, unencumbered by the desire for "stuff".

One of the his early projects in the 60's was especially memorable in my mind because Dad brought the "prototypes" home. Three beautiful bird-like sculptures in perfectly proportioned sizes, a small one in tin, the other two in brass. I don't know what happened to the tin one, but the lovely shining brass forms hung in our homes in Pennsylvania, Virginia, then Mississippi, and finally, when my mother died, they were one of the few possessions Dad kept until he remarried and they were almost tossed until I rescued them. I asked their origin - I was stunned, I knew this artist. I had studied him thoroughly in 3 separate tedious art history classes - didn't he KNOW what he had?! I bugged the heck out of Dad to write it down for me, to help me authenticate the bird's history, (and because my feeble mind could not remember the details) He finally dashed off a note to get me off his back. They have been in my basement for almost 16 months, and I'm finally getting around to hanging them in a place of honor.

I keep meaning to chase it down, to find out if they really are the prototypes for a mobile that hung in Hornes Department store in the early 60's. To see if they have value. I could really use the money. But their clean lines, and elegant beauty and simplicity remind me of my Dad, and his values. It's curious, the longer they hang in my home, the less I care about the "money" I might be able to get - even if they really ARE Alexander Calder's work and anyone on e-bay is interested. Dad would be proud of this current frame of mind... but sigh, I am my mother's child, however much I strive to be my Father's daughter...

Caricature Crisis Mode

Never fails that someone has the creative and brilliant idea to offer a caricature portrait for someone retiring. Don't get me wrong, I think it truly IS a personal and perfect one of a kind gift and should be pursued with all diligence - find an artist and give them the work - Beg them to do it, you might save their life!

When I got the call for this one, to draw 20 people for a retirement gift, my schedule was already loaded.  Then once I heard the sad sad story...we don't have much of a budget...I tag teamed my good friend Jerry Bowyer... knowing that he  1) would probably ask too little and underestimate his time, 2) agree to an unreasonable deadline and 3) the client would not know how to count and would unexpectedly throw in more bodies...and that despite all that he would 5) do a fantastic job, preserving both our reputations, his because he always delivers what he promises and mine because I recommended him.   For this disservice in ducking the pie, which hit him squarely in his cheeky grin, I humbly beg his pardon, and can only point out that he did not ask me for my opinion on  pricing this, and that it was a most excellent learning experience along with getting a great portfolio piece. 

Whether unfortunately or divinely directed - what comes around goes around, I accepted a job the next day of 9 graduation caricatures. (Also a most excellent idea)  After a half dozen revisions, an all nighter and a desperate dash to Fed Ex begging them to unlock the door Jerry and I were even...probably both earning .25 cents/hour for our labor, and having the shipping expense more than what we quoted for the product. But hey, I've got some great portfolio pieces, maybe a new client, who may be surprised at my next quote.  I will learn, I will learn, I will learn...

Being a card carrying member of AARP, I'm told it's about time I started to save for retirement...but do artists EVER retire -and if they do, do they kick the bucket a la al Hirschfeld  and Charles Schultz (retired dec 14, 1999, died Feb 12, 2000)   My own little personal observation...a very sobering thought indeed, and something to ponder upon - soooo my philosophy is to be grateful for anything I get, and whatever it takes (or gives) just keep drawing...