I dared to go back into a labyrinth of nostalgia when picking the tune for today's Carolaoke offering. This is one of the covers Sweet Jelly did back in the day that was so fun to do for shows. I loved singing it, I loved performing it and it's a tune we all (as a band) just were in a great zone when we were all on stage performing it.

I say labyrinth of nostalgia because that's indeed what it turned out to be. That's what it always turns out to be for me and I get sucked all the way in and I get sidetracked and I get happy and I get sad and I get tired and I wonder what is it all for and why bother doing any of it anyway; all the while watching an imaginary 10 year movie reel in my head of the band and our shows...BUT! I'm trying to work through my shit and trying to feel my feelings so here we are. Progress not perfection.

Here is my scratch track cover of The Go-Go's "Our Lips Are Sealed".

I present to you Butterfly Museum #1. There will be four dioramas and one View-Master slide for this piece - closeup images of each included in the photos. I don't have much to add today other than there are more butterfly museums in the works.

Title: The Museum Series: Butterfly Museum #1
Year: 2020
Media: Acrylic Paint, Paper Collage, View-Master Slide & Wood Panel
Dimensions: 12" x 12" wood panel

About 40 years or so ago, my Dad saw that the movie "Bullitt" was on TV one night and insisted we watch it together. He promised the car chase scenes were like no other and there was very little talking in the film - two things that still catch my attention to this day. I'm so glad he invited me to watch that film because it's still one of my absolute favorite movies from that era. Steve McQueen was as cool and suave as they came (oo-lah-lah) and I remember being glued to the TV screen the whole time watching these intricate car chase scenes with little to no talking while still being jawdropping and intense.

The first time I heard Sheryl Crow's song "Steve McQueen", I couldn't have imagined a more perfect song describing him. But more than that, she made HERSELF be the Steve McQueen in her story which makes it even more rebellious and fantastic.

Please enjoy my scratch track version of Sheryl Crow's tune "Steve McQueen".

Today's offering is a diptych from The Museum Series of an "exhibit" of mule deer. The first image is the piece as a whole, the second image is of the paper diorama of two fawns that live inside the first panel and the third image is of the slide that will be housed in the second panel. I photographed the slide through what is called a "loupe" atop my light box to show what's all going on there. All slides and View-Master images will also have a magnifying glass attached in the piece so it can actually be seen and give that feeling of being in a theater.

As I've mentioned before, each piece will have its own lighting added that folks will be able to activate by pressing the black button on the piece. I know this goes against everything art museums drill into people's heads about not touching artwork or even getting too close to even look at a piece, but I'm intentionally breaking ALL the rules by encouraging people to physically interact with my pieces because that's how I roll. I want people to explore what's inside and really drive home the fact that you are looking at an exhibit through another exhibit and experience that pure joyous sense of discovery. Yes, I realize now in our scary germ infested world this will probably present future issues, but I'll cross that bridge when and if I ever get to it.

Title: The Museum Series: Mule Deer
Year: 2020
Media: Acrylic Paint, Paper Collage, View-Master Slide & Wood Panel
Dimensions: Diptych, 4"x 4" wood panels hung 1/2" apart

Back in Sweet Jelly times, people used to ask me what we sounded like. I used to tell them "Weezer" meets "Barenaked Ladies" meets "No Doubt". I told them that because those were the three main influences that came from three of the band members. Aaron Johnson was a hardcore Weezer fan, I was a huge Barenaked Ladies fan and Lance Dobersek was a huge No Doubt fan. Truth be told, I had no idea No Doubt even existed so when Lance shared his enthusiasm of No Doubt with me I of course was blown away and became a hardcore fan as well. I mean, Gwen Stefani is a Hollywood goddess in every single way. Her voice is amazing, her stage presence (along with the band's) is amazing and I really love the lyrics to her songs and could certainly relate to them in so many ways.

So for today's Carolaoke offering, please enjoy my scratch track version of No Doubt's "Just A Girl". These lyrics are spot on for any gal trying to be seen and heard in this world.