Weaverly

Stressed

Fifth in a series. This fellow (gal?) appears mightily stressed. The crossed legs are a giveaway. Sort of like someone waiting in line to use the facilities.

I'm just noticing that all of Potch's birds have their body feathers plucked. Why is this, Uncle?

It's a Bird! It's a Mosquito!

Third in a series of Potch's bird drawings. This one appears to be part bird and part mosquito. Was he ever in Minnesota? Maybe.

An Unlikely Trio

Fourth in a series of Uncle Potch's drawings. The bird at the top puzzles me. I think the artist was distracted, and put the rear foot way too close to the tail. The middle bird is better, although a bit goofy. The one at the bottom is unquestionably a female of a certain age (I think the eyelashes are a giveaway here), and is casting lascivious eyes at someone out of the frame.

Gallery Report, & Rainy in Tampa

Friday evening was the opening of "Threads" at Selby Gallery. I was thrilled to see my work of the past few years up on the walls at last, instead of stacked up in the corners of the guest room. What a high. It was also good to meet Jan Ru Wan, one of my fellow artists, and see her wonderful constructions. All the folks at Selby were so helpful and welcoming, and they did a beautiful job of installing this exhibition of six very different textile artists. Thank you, all.

The first photo is courtesy of Bruce.

And now a weather report from Tampa (at least this is what it's like on Saturday afternoon as I write.)

These last two were taken from the Tampa Convention Center. Bring your raincoats.

Pipe-Smoking Bird

Second in a series from Uncle Potch. The bird on the lower left is not only smoking a pipe, but is decked out in shirt and tie. He appears to be a bit dyspeptic. Is this a self-portrait, or does it perhaps relate to one of Potch's friends or co-workers, or one of his 5 brothers (my father, perhaps)? I wish I knew. The bird on the right is a little happier, but is evidently about to play a practical joke. Now that does sound like my father's family.

Bird on a String

First in a series from Uncle Potch. This is one of many of his delightful bird cartoons. The birds are entirely from his imagination - this one appears to have his feet on backwards.

A Bad Day in Paris?

Here's another one of Uncle Potch's drawings. We can infer that he had some negative feelings about Paris.

Uncle Potch

My father's brother, Alexander by name, but known as Uncle Potch by my brother and me, was a very talented man possessed of a wry sense of humor. He studied art in Paris in the 1920's, and I like to imagine that he hobnobbed with Gertrude Stein and her friends, but I have no evidence of this. I remember his yearly visits to our house, when my father helped him prepare his income tax returns while Potch entertained us kids with his witty drawings. He earned his living as a commercial artist, and I am lucky enough to own several of his beautiful portraits in pastels, as well as a big fat folder full of little cartoons of goofy birds and other fanciful creatures. These sketches look as fresh as if they were drawn yesterday, but they are 75+ years old. Potch died of a heart attack in the New York City subway around 1960. I still miss him. I'll be posting some of his critters from time to time. Enjoy.