Yearning for the Obscure

I visited a creativity site earlier and happened by a writing prompt generator. I kept clicking it hoping to see something interesting - something I really considered to be inspiring. It didn't happen. All I found was a gazillion prompts like "describe your perfect day" and "how did you meet your best friend". Now I am going to assume that no one really wants to hear about my "perfect day". The reason I am going to assume this is because I could not possibly care less about someone else's "perfect day". Does it make me terrible to think this is a boring topic that would only create a piece of writing full of contrived nonsense? Does it make me a kind of snob? I guess I just gravitate towards more abstract thinking.

After doing a more extensive search I did find some cool ideas. By cool I mean I wish I had thought of them. Hey, at least I'm honest.

From: http://www.writersdigest.com/writingprompts.asp

"What if parody artist "Weird" Al Yankovic was suffering from writer’s block and asked for your help? Take your favorite song and rewrite the lyrics."

"Two characters meet in a bar. Write about their meeting without using any dialogue. Now write the same scene using dialogue only."

"You've finally snapped. Stress has gotten the better of you, and you can no longer think in long descriptive sentences. Write about the day you lost your mind, using sentences comprised of six words or fewer."

Now, I don't expect everyone to find those prompts as interesting as I do. I'm weird and maybe you are too - but in a different way.

Now for some of my own:

Andy Warhol knocks on your door to deliver a message that contains the meaning of life. What does he say?

God wants your opinon on life. What things do you like or dislike about the general confines of living?

Describes what colors would smell, feel, taste, and sound like.

If anyone actually reads this, leave me a comment or two and let me know you've been here.

¶ 11:51 5 comments :: backlinks

Spock's Photography

Yeah, Leonard Nimoy is a photographer. I dig it - especially his Shekinah series. Cool stuff. Check it out.

¶ 03:33 0 comments :: backlinks

Jesus Was a Web Designer

I was looking through my copy of the Web Design Bible the other day and had this strange vision of Jesus sitting with his lap top at the last supper table. I imagine him bitching to the apostles about cascading style sheets and open tags. He'd undoubtedly code in perfect XHTML (with notepad - he's a purist) and create dynamic pages with DHTML including animations of him walking on water. He would then go on to deliver his message about proper code validation and the importance of web page accessibility. All this before breaking bread with his pals and dipping into a few dozen glasses of "straight-to-your-head" wine. Hmm... I have some whacky daydreams.

¶ 03:17 0 comments :: backlinks

Wearing Words

A couple of posts back I mentioned my affinity for words and combining them in ways that please me in one way or another. (Sounds kinky.) Anyway, in addition to painting those words I think about making certain crazy and possibly offensive phrases into t-shirts. The "Paulygirl" post below reminded me of this. So, how about these...

- I horde Oreos. (possible lawsuit from Nabisco for this one)
- I download illegally. (might get sued by a number of people.)
- I eat cheese after midnight.
- Your mom says hi.
- No impulse control.
- Low carb diets are for (insert favorite explitive here).
- Hooking is just my night job.

Yeah I know. I'm completely insane - but oddly enough in a good way.

¶ 03:01 0 comments :: backlinks

Paulygirl?

So I've been watching that Pauly Shore show on TBS - Minding the Store. I don't think it's currently airing, but it's being offered on OnDemand. It's sad that I watch OnDemand shows during my free time - "free time" translates to boring, late night, cheese eating slothdom. Anyway, it can not possibly be "real" reality tv. I know these people are eccentric and all, but I am sure that I caught them acting a few times. Besides, no one is that retarded on a regular basis. It's impossible. How would he even function in the normal world?

Another thing, no one around him seems to have a sense of humor. I refuse to believe that is genuine. Two minutes with him and I'd be laughing my ass off.

The show also makes it seem as though Pauly has a hard time with the ladies. I doubt that. If he asked me to lean over all porn-starish I'd laugh at him and call him an ass. Then I'd probably ask him to show me his weasel. But I have a sense of humor and would not be so easily offended by a cute, funny little jewish man.

Oh well, enough of that. The show makes me laugh and brings back fond memories of when Pauly Shore movies were something I watched on a regular basis (I still remember lines from Encino Man) and MTV was cool. Plus, I like to think Lisa, Lisa (The One I Adore) is all about me. (yeah right...) And i'm seriously thinking about buying one of those t-shirts.

¶ 03:07 0 comments :: backlinks

Words as Image

I am very often inspired by words and phrases. I have been known to play the "band name game" where odd combinations of words sound so great together that I jot them down in my list of "great possible band names". (My all time favorite being "Apocalypse Audrey". If I ever have a band that is what it will be called.) Lately I have been seeing these word mixtures as very real inspiration for paintings, drawings, etc. Below are a few of my most recent favorites. Many of these I can credit as coming out of the mouth of my best friend. She has a flair for mixing words.

- Cigarettes and Lesbians
- Parking Lot Rock
- Dead Man's Jeans
- Blue Moose

The phrases above were uttered during our road trip to the Adirondack Mountains this weekend. We had a great time and lots of wine. The mountains were completely amazing. I would love to be able to wake up and see them surrounded by the lake everyday. I'm inspired by them, but not really in a "I want to paint that" kind of way. (I'll leave the mountainous landscapes to Bob Ross.) They inspire my soul more than anything which makes me want to create.

Anyway, I have some preliminary sketches of "Cigarettes and Lesbians" already done. I plan to paint it as soon as I get over my extreme wino lethargy.

¶ 13:34 0 comments :: backlinks

Personal Brimstone

You left your matches behind,
blue tipped and waiting for you
by the bed.

I've been striking them
on the wall
next to Klimt's Kiss

counting days with
the sulfur stench of
my personal brimstone.

© LM Hutchings

I think every collage kid in the country must have this poster on thier dorm room wall. If not then there is probably a Van Gogh, a "screaming" Munch, or Dali's "melting clocks" in it's place. At the very least there must be a Monet somewhere. People can't seem to get enough of Monet. Is it possible for art to become so cliche that you no longer notice how wonderful it actually is?

¶ 09:08 0 comments :: backlinks

I Never Draw Flowers Anymore

When I was younger I used to draw nothing but flowers - and perhaps the occassional female form. I would scribble out little daisies, tulips, sunflowers, etc. I once even tried my hand at daffodils. But now I think flora kind of bores me. Maybe I found another idea of beauty. Don't get me wrong - flowers are beautiful, nature is beautiful, but I've moved into things more obscure - ideas that (to me anyway) are fresh and new. I can see my herb garden blooming and gorgeous every day - but most of the time I don't want to draw it. Maybe I should though. A nature journal might be a good study tool.

Herbs growing in my garden:
Catmint: spectacular show of spiked, purple flowers. Great temperment and easy to grow.
Catnip: nothing in bloom yet, but it's growing well.
Perennial Hyssop: Also not blooming. I am eagerly awaiting this plants sweet color.
Bee Balm: Not even sure what it looks like in bloom just yet.
Sage - Common and English: no blooms, but it's the leaves I'm after anyway.
Roman Chamomile: this little perennial is going to make a quiet apple flavored tea. The little daisy-like blossoms are plain charming in the garden as well.
Echinacea: an ancient natural remedy that's root is good for many ailments.
Lavendar - Coconut Ice, Blue Hidcote, English: My favorite herb. Makes a great tea and just makes everything smell better.

I think that's all of them. I'll try to get a picture of it up soon.

¶ 09:51 0 comments :: backlinks

Spectral Evidence

A phantom, a perfect ghost,
Tattooed and weary
Came to her and smiled.

He gave her new eyes,
A gift
To see her ties,

Thick and solid,
Wrapped around limbs,
Imprisoning.

Parcel delivered,
He faded,
Pushed her away

To be an image
Alive inside
Her quicksand mind.

Without words,
Stealing glances,
Left wanting

And slipping through the dust
Of a poet's
Well dressed lies.

© 2006 L.M. Hutchings

¶ 02:15 1 comments :: backlinks

The Future

I am thinking of doing a lot of changes. As most of you who visit regularly have noticed, updates have been infrequent. After doing some pondering I think the reason for the lack of updates is because I am no longer in the same phase creatively as I was when this site was concieved. I am more confident in my "real world" art and doing a lot of extensive study - working towards an eventual MFA. So, I believe that some time in the rather near future I will be making some changes to this site. I am not saying that I will be getting rid of all of the resources here, but that is a possibility. I am pretty sure that I will no longer have my digital art available - so if you want to grab some as desktops - now would be the time to do it.

After four years going strong and focused on digital art this site is going to change into a place where I can say what I want to say - something I seemed to shy away from for a long time. I feel like I can finally be me, whatever that means - with my sometimes crude humor and constant philosophical waxing. I hope this doesn't mean you will stop visiting, but hey - do what makes you feel good dude.

Anyway - that's the current scoop. Stay or go - your call. Either way, take care and have a lovely life.

¶ 01:58 1 comments :: backlinks