I should really be in bed instead of overthinking things

So I was looking at the work of Gretchen Gammell, who is an artist I greatly admire, and I sort of know because her mom was childhood friends with my mom. Her work is seriously fantastic, and I think if I had the money I would buy one of her paintings for my mother, who would love it.

I think to look at her new stuff, perhaps every 6 months. This check in, her latest stuff is really good, and there were a series of portraits, one of which really spoke to me, if it wasn't sold already, that would be the one that I would buy. This is one of those, "I wish I had painted that" sort of things.

I think I'd like to paint a variation of it as a self portrait. I'm trying to decide how that would work out ethically. I mean, it would be part master study, and part homage, but I'm afraid it would just look like plagiarism. A great fear of plagiarism was instilled in me at college. I was terrified of not properly citing my work, of thinking that I had thought of something myself and writing it down and then realizing that the idea had come from somewhere else, of not being sure that enough of an idea was mine and not making it clear where the components had come from.

We had strict policies about academic honesty, and I was still prone to anxiety freshman year when I had the scariest (and most awesome) Prof ever, who banged on a table (not with his shoe) and yelled at us on the first day of class, just to get wusses to drop the class. Then on the last day off class he gloated about the five who had dropped at the beginning. He made quite an impression. They missed out on a hell of a great class.

So I am torn about this painting that I want to do. Even if I never sold it (a distinct possibility) it would still bother me. Of course Gretchen's work (see I don't really know her, but I know enough to be on a first name basis) is nothing like my own would be, even with her influence. I love it, but her style is not my style, by a long shot. It would be the pose and the subject matter that would be reflected.

It makes me think of that exhibition just at the SAM about the roots of Impressionism. The had a bunch of paintings that had been basically copied, but by the impressionists in their own style. I guess when artists plagiarise, it's called a study.

And my drawing instructor did tell me that I needed to do more studies. Of course he told everyone that. But that doesn't make it not true.

So, Ranygazoo...

Why Ranygazoo? What does that even mean?

I love this word. I love words in general, but this one particularly.

I took ranygazoo from one of the novels of the late great P.G. Wodehouse. It was one of his Jeeves and Wooster stories. I can't remember which one, only that there were wacky hi-jinks and numerous comic misunderstandings and Bertie Wooster had once again landed himself 'in the soup.' As they apparently used to say. Jeeves, of course, put everything to rights by the end of the story.

Not that that narrows it down.

I have never heard or seen this word outside that one story. If you Google it a few definitions come up; a prank, horseplay, nonsense. It's confirmed as 1940's ish slang, so I don't think Wodehouse made it up.

In the context of the story Bertie describes his current hilarious misfortune as "a right ranygazoo." It puts me in mind of Oliver Hardy turning to Stan Laurel and sneering, "Well here's another nice mess you've gotten me into," while they're both dripping wet with paint and chicken feathers or something.

So. All that aside, the real reason I picked Ranygazoo as the name for my online space is that it's fun to say. The way I pronounce it (which may or may not be correct, but I'm not going to stop) is RAN-ee-guh-ZOO. Say it a few times aloud, linger on the zoooo. It rolls off the tongue so pleasantly it doesn't even matter what it means.

I love Wodehouse, and British comedy in general, and I'd considered using some Wodehousian word or phrase when I stumbled upon this one and fell in love.

Every Which Way

So I have found a few jobs that I want to apply for. The postings are a little old on a couple of them, but I think I'll still give it a shot.

I worked late this evening. When I got home I looked at the most recent job post. I spent some time researching the company. I don't think I know enough InDesign, but it came with the CS3 suite that I have so I figured I could do some online tutorials to figure out the basics.

Then I was torn about whether I should work on that, or my website. I need to make some Flash content for it. Then I remembered that I have some figure drawings that I need to scan for my portfolio, and I realized that I still need to put together a portfolio pdf. Some of the stuff I want to scan is in the trunk of my car, and I thought I'd go get it, and since I was going out there anyway I might as well take out the bundle of shrink wrap from the new matress I bought a while ago. It's pretty muddy so I was going to change my shoes, then I thought I should change my pants since I was wearing my pajama pants, and I think I exhausted myself with all the thinking.

It's 10 pm. I worked a long crazy shift today. All my housemates are in and out with partying since its the weekend. I am in my pajamas, and I'm probably going to go to bed in the next hour or so. So I decided not to do any of those things. Monday is my day off and the only errand I have to run is to go to the post office to pick up a mysterious package. Ooooh...package. I haven't ordered anything, and no one has told me that they've sent me anything, so I've really no idea what it could be. Probably something official and ominous.

But anyway. After I post this, I will probably go get some mint chip ice cream, then read a bit, then go to bed.

In my next post, I shall explain the title of this blog! Hurray!

A Belated Introduction

I am Anna Froese, this is my blog. Today I am officially withdrawn from my old school, and on the job market. I am really excited about not having homework. School and work and homework was a major drain. Now I have a dog, and free time, and I can paint or sculpt or draw or whatever, and it's not more work.

I really want to get my oils out again. I was going to this weekend but I got side tracked. I ordered a box spring from IKEA and it came with all this cardboard that I hate to throw out because I always think cardboard could be used for something. I got out my Exacto knife and drove to the book store to get hot glue for my glue gun and started building a dragon.

Cardboard and hot glue sculpture is a lot like steel sculpture. It has the same elements of danger, with the likelihood of cutting and/or burning yourself severely. But it's a little less labor intensive, and requires far less heavy equipment and protective gear.

It is proportionally not quite as much fun. but the dragon I'm making will be cool. I wanted to add a photo of it in progress, but my camera battery has died, so instead you get a doodle of me and my bad haircut and my glue gun. Ciao.

First Post and I have no creative title.

Wow, my very own blog. I feel so hip and with it. Or something. It's what all the kids are doing these days, or so I'm told.

I suppose it's something to do besides work and Crayon Physics.

This blog is my professional presence on the web since I am never on Facebook, and Deviant Art just isn't very professional. Right now it is a work in progress, with bits and pieces coming together from various places. I've no doubt it will be up and running in an official capacity soon.