I had a lovely surprise recently when I discovered this piece has been upstairs the whole time and didn’t wash away with the 2018 flood(!) They were hiding upstairs in the little room where I keep all my vintage magazines(!)

So since spring has certainly been springing, please enjoy my little watercolor story of spring I created a long time ago before the internet even existed in 1995. This series of five boxes is a pentaptych. I was trying to make all five pieces into a “still animation” of sorts. The two little pieces after the first image of the robin’s nest/eggs is the mother robin in motion getting food. The other images are more storyboard in nature. The little wood frames were purchased at The Dollar Store with shadow boxes in mind. I remember being sad they didn’t have more. They’re cleverly put together and especially for a buck each! They are very small and it is harder than hell to photograph without a glare from the glass so these are slides of the images inside. The collages on the outside wood frames are from old Milwaukee newspapers a good friend had given me from her grandmother’s attic. Thanks for stopping by!

Alanis Morissette is certainly a major Canadian musical superhero to me. This song is raw, honest, and intense and a beautiful way to explain addiction no matter what your specific journey has been thus far if it applies. For me, singing this song today was music therapy at it’s finest. There are parts that are vocally rough but I left it all in today. I couldn’t dream up a better music video and I posted her lyrics because they are courageous. Please enjoy my humble tribute to this songstress. Here is my scratch track version of Alanis Morissette’s, “Reasons I Drink”. Please keep well everyone. Things feel strange right now.

Reasons I Drink
Alanis Morissette

These
Are the reasons I drink
The reasons I tell everybody I'm fine
Even though I am not
These are the reasons I overdo it
I have been working since I can remember
Since I was single digits
Now
Even though I've been busted
I don't know where to draw the line
'Cause that groove has gotten so deep

And nothing can give reprieve like they do
Nothing can give a break for this soldier like they do

Here we are
I feel such rapture and my comfort is so strong
Ohhhhhhh!
One more hit
It feels so helpful in my need for respite
Ohhhhhhhh!
Ohhhhhhhh!
Ohhhhhhhh!

And here are the reasons I eat
Reasons I feel everything so deeply
When I'm not medicated
And so that's it, I am buying a Lamborghini
To make up for these habits
To survive this sick industry

Nothing can give reprieve like they do
Nothing can give me a break from this torture like they do

Here we are
I feel such rapture and my comfort is so strong
Ohhhhhhhh!
One more sip
It feels so helpful in my need for some long overdue respite
Ohhhhhhhh
Ohhhhhhhh
Ohhhhhhhh

And these are the reasons I don't even think I would quit
And these are the reasons I can't even see straight, and
And these are the ones whom I know it so deeply affects
And I am left wondering how I would function without it

Here we are
I feel such rapture and my comfort is so strong
One more rip
I go from one lilypad to another to stay lit
Ohhhhhhhh!
Ohhhhhhhh!
Ohhhhhhhh!

Collage is very meditative for me. And that's where I need to be right now. And in doing so, has brought me so much relief from this VIBRANT spring energy currently upon us all. I thought I’d start back into meditative collage-world by updating the Five of Cups card I wasn’t happy with for the Bird People Tarot Deck a bit back. This time I used a goblet shape verses a tall cocktail glass with a straw in it and I’m leaning more towards the new goblet shape. It's definitely a more recognizable "cup" shape. I've posted both to compare and contrast. I think some more ornamentation is required for the goblets, but I need to have a think on what that will be exactly. So! More experiments. Please stay safe and well this weekend. The vibes are rather reckless.

Upright Meanings:
Loss
Sacrifice
Regret
Tradition
Quarrels
Reversed Meanings:
Hopeful outlook
Invitations
Reunion
False projects
Beneficial friends

Today’s Studio Closeup is a work currently in progress. This will look completely different when it’s done, I just don’t know how yet and that’s the greatest worst place to be when you’re in the middle of it all. The excitement of the possibilities and the dread that you’re going to ruin it somehow. I haven’t touched this piece for quite a while and I think that’s because while painting it, it stirred up some things I didn’t even know were "things" for me so I had to sit with all of it for awhile. I've been enjoying working on it today and that was a nice feeling that I am grateful for. The dioramas are in plastic bags because I’ve already learned the hard way that no matter how careful you are, you will drip paint inside your dioramas.

Today I decided to cover one of Madison, Wisconsin’s own rocker chick band, Garbage! I have so much love for Shirley Manson. Actually! Rob Miller, our rhythm guitarist for Sweet Jelly, was the one who got me into Garbage’s music in the first place. And Kirsty MacColl come to think of it! While building Sweet Jelly, I was working for a corporation that dealt with toys. Besides commuting to band practice every week in Milwaukee during that time, I also had a 30 minute commute to work so I used that insane amount of time that I was in my car practicing my vocals. This song was one of those tunes I’d sing to on the way to work before I went into my silent cube all day. Please enjoy my scratch track version of Garbage’s “Stupid Girl”. This took me back to a good place. Please keep safe and well.