The Wolf Police

I have not posted here in ages, so I apologize. With a trip to New York (including a three day layover courtesy of Jet Blue) and playing a bit of ketchup on some projects I'm not as comfortable posting early--life got busy. This is an image done for McGraw Hill. So if you're in the third grade, about to take an achievement test, your sense of honor should compel you to close out this window immediately. Actually I'm not sure how the image will be utilized, so all my eight year old readers are still welcome-- assuming you exist.

The Bird on Nellie's Hat

I love old, old songs and I think this one dates back to Music Hall days. I received a cd of music from 1907 for Christmas because it included a version of this silly little ditty about a golddigging socialite whose true motives are reviled by the stuffed bird perched on her hat. Funny stuff. I first heard it on the Muppet Show. A sample:

"I'll be your little honey, I will promise that,
Said Nellie as she rolled her dreamy eyes,
It's a shame to take the money,
Said the bird on Nellie's hat,
Last night she said the same to Johnny Wise,
Then to Nellie Willie whispered as they fondly kissed,
I'll bet that you were never kissed like that.
Well he don't know Nellie like I do,
Said the saucy little bird on Nellie's hat."

Infiltrate and Observe

Infiltrate and Observe
Originally uploaded by Wilson Swain.

It's the holiday season again. The time to take a minute to try and better understand your friends and neighbors by spying on them. Help Aunt Martha dry some dishes and you may discover how she really feels about Grandma Noreen. Pretend to nod off in the corner and Cousin Luigi may accidently tip you off on where, exactly, he buried the body. Alright, maybe family functions aren't as shady as all that, but we all have Christmas wishes, no? I think this jackelope dwelling rabbit could easily stand in for a Nancy in the house of Drew. And maybe sometimes we all feel like the blue bunny in a pink jackelope world. I know I do, but I also know that's not my reality.

ring dem bells

ring dem bells
Originally uploaded by Wilson Swain.

Politics can even make giving a controversy, no matter what your choice in charity. This little girl wants the best for her dollar and that's where she believes it will go. For her, as far as I can tell, that's all that matters.

Moose and Squirrel

moose and squirrel
Originally uploaded by Wilson Swain.

Over all five seasons, I'm not sure Natasha ever bothered to learn her nemesies' names on the 'Rocky and Bullwinkle Show'. At least she recognized Boris when she saw him. I didn't realize until recently that Boris & Natasha were the names of Tolstoy's lovers in War & Peace. If that book had featured moonmice, maybe it too could have been promoted to immortality on saturday mornings and cereal box covers. Then again, moonmice are not the answer to everything. Just most things. Hokey smokes!

Fire!

Fire!
Originally uploaded by Wilson Swain.

Falling in love can happen at the most inopportune moment. But if you're having a bad day...or a major catastrophe...it's nice to know that something can still put a smile on your face.

I have no idea what's putting the smile on everyone else's face here, though. The man still trapped inside the burning building should be pissed. I suppose Love fixes everything.

The Sandwich Trade

trade
Originally uploaded by Wilson Swain.

All around the world, even in lunchrooms better than yours or mine, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches are getting swapped for ham on rye. Maybe. Just maybe...these swaps are a matter of life or death. Especially when lunch is still alive.

The wolf's lunch/pig has two slices of bread tied around him a la Shel Silverstein's hippopotamus sandwich. Always steal from the best.

Treehouse

treehouse
Originally uploaded by Wilson Swain.

I love a good treehouse and if kids are gonna play pirate, it's as good a place as any. Okay, maybe not quite so good as the beach, but maybe animal pirates are different. In fact, I'm sure they must be.

Our neighbors, growing up, had a treehouse of sorts. They built multi-leveled rooms between 4 telephone poles over their backyard sandbox. From this I learned that outside gets very cold at night, even in summer. And don't play in the sandbox if cats live nearby.

Till Death

Till Death
Originally uploaded by Wilson Swain.

This is that 'Apparitions' piece I've been working on for a Halloween group show at Lunar Boy Gallery up in Astoria. I'm not certain if the lady in the chair is dead or dreaming, but she and the bride share a past. The more I talk about a piece, the less I like it, so I should refrain from doing that here. I'll just say that I need to paint a few half eaten babies to cleanse the pallette now. I think this is pretty sweet.

Some Enchanted Evening

doorstep
Originally uploaded by Wilson Swain.

I'm influenced by the movies I watch. Recently I've been most intrigued by old movies from the 30s and 40s. There's something about the dramas that are both compelling, if a little hokey. The musicals are pure escapism. The shorts are madcap. This man, to me, looks like he's up to no good. Perhaps he's about to meet the mistress of his dreams. Or maybe he's a door to door salesman about to make that lucky break he's been pushing for. All I know is that these strangers will meet and define the movie. Comedy or Tragedy? Farce or gangster drama? It's all possible from this point.

The Doll's House

The Doll House
Originally uploaded by Wilson Swain.

This image was loosely inspired by Katherine Mansfield's 'The Doll's House', a short story about a large elaborate gift given to a rich family with little girls. The pre-pubescent aristocrats show off their new toy house to all of the neighborhood children, two by two. All the neighborhood children except for the Kelveys, who are the socially unacceptable daughters of a local washer woman. I don't want to ruin Mansfield's plot, which is as much in the telling as the tale, but she does reinforce the idea that bias is taught early.

Tractor

tractor2
Originally uploaded by Wilson Swain.

I'm starting sketches for an upcoming show with an 'apparitions' theme. Mostly I just wanted an excuse to move into farm machinery. Where are the ghosts, you may ask. Good question. I'm a fan of the movie Ironweeds, where the main character is haunted by visions of his past. That may be what's going on here. Or perhaps the wife is hounding her husband to babysit. Either way.