Locked in the Trunk of a Car

In 1992 or 93, my family bought our first computer. I am pretty sure we saved money to purchase it with a drive shaft welded shut with a slot cut in the top. Only toonies, loonies and quarters went in it, and when it was full there was more that $1000 in it. I can't remember how much more though. Anyway, the computer shopping was a challenge - so much information we knew nothing about, and a lot of shopping around. I don't remember where we ended up getting it, but it was over $3000 when all was said and done. It was a 486DX with a 144mb hard drive. Yes megabyte. This computer was mostly used to play shareware games. We had a shareware version of Wolfenstein that I didn't play that much because it startled me when the Luftwaffe guy came around the corner and shot me before I saw him, and the screen turned red and that was it. There were two game I played for hours. Quatris, which was obviously a rip off of Tetris, and Kiloblaster, which was a typical arcade space shooter kind of game. I didn't play video games prior to this, so I am not sure what it was ripping of specifically. Anyway, it was a big deal that we got a CD Rom on this computer, and we would listen to CDs while we played these games. I listened to The Tragically Hip Courage album on repeat during these gaming sessions, and to this day, I still see Tetris ghosts when I listen to the album. We got this record and Road Apples, and I am so delighted to have them to listen to these two on vinyl! I have listened to them may times in a row until I had time to blog about them, and I know them so well after hours and hours of screen time since I was 17. I did realize that I have some interesting harmonies, misheard lyrics, and emphatic dramatic gesturing that goes along with listening to these albums when I'm alone. Up To Here, Day for Night and Phantom Power would all have similar interpretive renditions as well. I haven't given Saskaphiladelphia, which we got on vinyl, enough of a chance, and we really should get Up to Here and Day for Night, because I love them so much!

Side story. Gord Downie, the poetic genius of The Hip was diagnosed with a brain tumour, and they planned a farewell tour in 2016. Matthew, who was 11 at that time, was determined to get me to that concert, the significance of Gord and I both having brain tumours and the fact I loved their music so much, he felt I had to go. He spent $300 of his own money to get me a ticket, which still makes me emotional when I think about it. Kyle bought him a ticket so he could go with me. It was amazing. Gord died the following year and I feel so privileged to have gone. And Matthew is amazing. I get cranky and frustrated but I was and am so damn proud of that kid.

Another side story! I think I am mentioned before that there were songs that were special to me and my dad, and we would sit in the living room in the dark and listen to them together. Courage was one of those songs. Makes me smile when I remember the "epic" songs Dad and I shared.

Road Apples on Spotify

Fully Completely on Spotify

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Participating in the Mission Arts Council Christmas Craft Fair this weekend, you can see my booth all set up. Sold okay today, not a huge amount as it was very slow in the building in the second half of the day, which I know was disappointing for vendors. My favourite thing about craft fairs is talking to people and telling my stories about my art and my artistic journey. Of course I would love to sell some, but it isn't as heartbreaking as you might think when an admirer doesn't buy anything but you got to have a great chat. I think as a person attending a craft market, there is so much to look at, you kind of just have to pass vendors avoiding eye contact because they worry they are going to get some kind of sales pitch or something. I have to try to sell my stuff because I want to share it with people, and I love making art and I can't make anymore if I don't get it to people who will enjoy it. I have had a lot of interest in doing parties, and I can't wait - I've had so much fun doing the few group sessions I've done, and I think it would be a really great way to be involved in the community.

One of my things that I do is "gifts for kids to give". Kids don't have a lot of money in general, and I have little gift tags, bookmarks and key chains that are $2, so kids have give a little tiny piece of original artwork. Plus I risk krazy gluing my fingers together by personalizing the gift tags or keychains with little woodcuts or initials. I make these pieces the same way I make big paintings, I just use a teeny-tiny cup and use up the leftover paint from the project I was working on. I also made those little magnets I call Miracle Magnets, and I make using a little wooden piece (square, circle or heart, 1-3 cm-ish). I carefully lift the drippings from my painting, which are often really cool looking, with a pallet knife, and finess it onto the tiny "canvas" and cover them with resin when they dry.

I'm exhausted, better get some rest for a hopefully big day tomorrow! Thanks for visiting!