Thursday, February 7, 2008

The Year of the Rat ...*fink*


pre-gesso'd black journal paper, Golden Fluid Acrylics- Interference green and gold, Cobalt Blue,Quinacridone Magenta, and my favorite Nickel Azo Gold acrylic paint on asian stamp for initial background texture.

The rats are cut out of paper towels I had used to clean my brushes and saved.
chinese coin stamp and asian lady stamped with Stazon black on acetate.

My contribution to Wednesday Stamper's theme for this week "Asia"

Happy Chinese New Year! "The Year of the Rat" note the years listed on the right on my collage are 'rat years', which occur every twelve years.

Are you a Rat?

Characteristics of Rat:

smart, magnetic, well-liked, problem solvers, self-sufficient, quick-witted, surreptitious, selfish, protective, calculating hmmm...

Right now I'm thinking my husband is a rat, but now he was born in '61.
Is it possible to be on the cusp of rat?

This city girl, (who now lives in the country) is pining for her husband who abandoned her early this week for another country, not another woman, but another country. Italy. 'Povero Bambino!" This is where the *fink* part comes in as in *rat fink*. and he took our good digital hence crappy photos.

I needed to drown my sorrows, so I decided to mosey on over to the Barrel Room a local vintage wine bar and bistro to meet some friends. Here I opted for the 'champagne and caviar dreams package' a.k.a. glass of "J" Cuvee from J Winery in Sonoma. We cracked some bread, peeled back some prosciutto, and nibbled on baby lamb chops. We laughed, we people watched, and we laughed some more and I still wasn't feeling like I was any where nearer to the Trevi Fountain. Another "J' please, and can I buy a vowel? Like a "U" for u rat fink.

I'm just joshing because I'm actually delighted my husband had a chance to get away to such a lovely place and have it paid for by the company.

So city girl heads back home to country, tired and lonely for her traveling man. Now mind you it has been raining alot up here this past weekend, it's been frigid cold in the a.m. 27 degrees with frost all around. Our yard backs up to the Cleveland National Forest, (no we don't live in Ohio) and the wildlife is restless. Our little birds are tapping on the bedroom windows, I'm feeling like Tippi Hendren in "The Birds". There are the frogs, what sounds like meeeelllions of frogs, croaking away, pining for bug bites, coyotes pining for the moon, and the barn owls that nest in our trees pining for the rats! So I cozy on up to the sounds of my wildlife friends and ring in the New Year.

P.S. Here's a real pic of Rat Fink (anyone remember this hot-rod character by Ed Roth) from Kustom Kulture. My husband used to have these trading cards.



Thank you for visiting and your kind words, as always-

"Enjoy yourself it's later than you think"
My other blogspot: The Way I See It"

17 comments:

Sandy said...

Wow this is absolutely stunning. Brilliant background. Love it.

Andrea, said...

Great work, love the background

K Hutchinson said...

I love all the elements in this piece! I am a rat! I do not think I am selfish though :) Hope your hubby is back home soon- I hated it when mine use to travel- especially out of the country!

Anonymous said...

I was just wondering where you have been! I had no idea you were in Ohio..no wonder it took you so long to get here...

This piece is amazing! You ARE Golden paints!!! I can't stop looking at it. Bravo!!

Corinne said...

Wow, beautiful artwork. Sounds like you had a wonderful time at the Barrell Room. Sorry I freaked you out with that picture. Seems that you weren't the only one!!

Anonymous said...

Looks great.

Kris Cahill said...

Love this, and those pigments are among my faves too. Especially Golden's Nickel Azo Gold and also Nickel Azo Yellow. I like the interference colors as well!

I am year of the dog, my husband is a rat though. though not usually a rat fink. However, if he were to up and go to Italy without me, "fink" would be added, you can bet your long tail!

Check out Nova Color, which you can find and order online, and is located here in LA. Excellent pigments! Their Alizarin is among my faves ever. They are basically word of mouth, but have been around for a long time. Hollywood designers use them, and so do all my painter friends out here. Really fantastic prices!!

Lucky Dip Lisa said...

Oh, I can't see it. Just boxes with crosses...will come back :)

dianeclancy said...

I love this piece - it is so mysterious and deep looking. That interference stuff is great! I have to get back to my brushes!!

Hope you can enjoy your space.

~ Diane Clancy
www.DianeClancy.com/blog
www.YourArtMarketing.com

Kat W said...

Great texture and colors! :)

Irene said...

Your artwork is wonderful and if it was the champagne that helped you make it, you should definitely drink more of it.

I loved your text and was smiling all the through it, picturing you with a glass of bubbly and Rat Fink in the Trevi Fountain looking for coins.

I suppose you can't take advantage of these business trips and go along now that the dollar is at an all time low?

I am glad you have friends to drown your melancholy "Not in Italy" feelings with. And then all those creatures at home when you are all alone in your bed and they sing their night time songs for you.

John M. Mora said...

Lovely image - great colors and composition - it sings to me. When I saw Rat Fink I went back in time to surfboards, and woodies, and plastic model cars that we made (a the smell of airplane glue), and the dragsters we drew on paper...birds in your yard sound good....maybe he wil bring back something memorable - cool springs and nuts or bolts (ahhhm, metric)?

Trijnie said...

Beautiful

Jo Anne O. said...

I love this piece!! It is great on so many levels...love the depth of the image!

I remember rat finks...but not this image of them...just remember calling each other rat finks when I was a kid!

Paula J Atkinson said...

amazing colour gorgeous piece of art.

moi said...

the texture on this is awesome.

Viola said...

Fabulous!!!