GJ Willis' Art Notes

Yesterday on the Out To Lunch Radio Show with Bill and Thrill there question of the day was, “When you were a kid what was your favorite children’s book?” I found this to be a very odd subject matter when you look back at the average content of there show. Basically, it’s a shock jock talk show. It’s not harsh like Howard Stern’s show, it’s more in the gentle shock jock vein of the Don and Mike Show. Anyway, the normal subject matter of there show is rarely intellectual or involves books. Today’s topic was right up my alley. It was almost like that episode of Cheers where Cliff Claven goes on Jeopardy and all the answers are subjects he’s an expert on. Today was my Cliff Claven day. I’m a children’s book illustrator ok children’s magazine illustrator and I’m a member of the Society of Children’s Books Writer’s and Illustrator’s It seemed like today’s show was tailor made for me to call in. Finally, an episode that I can participate in! Unfortunately, I don’t have a phone at my cubicle. The only phone near by is on my supervisor’s desk. Suffice to say I could’nt call in and register a vote for Lincoln Collier’s, The Teddy Bear Habit or help Bill with the title of the children’s book he liked as a kid. Oh, well......

I did’nt do much art today. I did however look over the manuscript of this guy I met named Joe on writerbuddy.com. It was way better than I thought it would be. I hope that he develops it into a novel. It definetly kept me entertained.

Nothing terribly exciting happened today. I updated my main website, http://www.gjwillis.com by adding a page counter to it. I also worked on some paintings. Right now I’m just marking time until the THREE DAY 4TH OF JULY HOLIDAY begins. Just two more days and I’ll be able to kick back and relax.... :)

I took the above picture with my digital camera a couple of weeks ago. I’m not sure if the restaurant is still open for business or not. The restaurant is located on my favorite street in Baltimore, Charles Street.

Today, I’m on pins and needles wondering if my paintings will sell. I know that I’ve listed them in the worst possible season. Artwork tends to go down in sales over the summer. I figure it’s best to list now than never list at all.....

Also today I worked on mail art that I will send out on Thursday. Included in this mailing will be work to Rev. Paul, Tiki Art to Canada, Bikini Art to Spain, as well my piece for the Elation show in America. I figure that it will be best to mail art on Thursday because I will be in the direct vicinity of the main post office. I’m still not 100% sure how much it will cost to send postcards out of country. I guess I’ll find out on Thursday....

Looks like a I made a bit of a mistake yesterday on the writing prompt. What I wrote yesterday was meant for today. Anyway I guess I should say what the prompt was for Saturday. It says to try a little role reversal. Turn one of your short stories into play.

On a Sunday Afternoon, Words by Andrew B. Sterling, Music by Harry Von Tilzer

I spent the better half of today trying to use my digital camera to photograph a painting I intend to put up for sale on eBay today. I’ve owned the camera for about 3 years. I bought it with the intent to use it only for photographing artwork that I could not put on my scanner. This painting is one of the largest that I have ever sold on eBay. The prior record holder was Dance Class. I remember the sheer horror I had in scanning that picture in 6 section. Then after scanning it I had to fit all back together like a jigsaw puzzle in Photoshop. After that painful fiasco I pledged that I would have to buy a digital camera to take care of my large works. I thought it would be easier quicker and simpler. Ha!! Anyway, I call the painting Glam Lady.

Also today, I decided to participate in the American Theatre Co-op 10 minute playwriting contest. The deadline is August 5, 2003. I really have to do this because as soon as I e-mailed for the application I got a reply back. You see I’ve got a Mac and my computer can not read PC documents. So in the e-mail I sent them I told them this and in the e-mail they sent back they acknowledged this and sent me a cut and paste document instead of the usual pc doc. thing my computer can’t read. They even sent me an additional e-mail asking if what they sent could be read by my computer. Who would have ever thought someone would be working in the California office of a theater on a Sunday afternoon?

The final writing prompt for June says; if someone were to write a book about your life, what events should they include?

Elementary School
Donna Summer
Kool & the Gang
Olivia Newton John
Abba
ELO
Death of Grandparents Bob and Maytime
Dealing with my brother’s nervous breakdown
Getting a Buddy L typewriter for Christmas
Getting a Barbie dream House for Christmas
Owning 67 Barbie dolls
Staying up late to watch Johnny Carson
Staying Up late to watch Saturday Night Live
My mother walking me to school everyday until 5th grade
Getting up early to watch Charles and Di get married
Father refusing to get me Star Wars action figures for Christmas
Pet-Sebastian the Afghan Hound
Pathological hatred for Scrappy Doo... I hate him!! He ruined my favorite cartoon, Scooby doo. Die, Scrappy Doo!! DIE!!


Middle School
Prince
Michael Jackson
Duran Duran
Billy Idol
Madonna
MTV
Dealing with my sister’s nervous breakdown
Being in the school band
Finally getting a keyboard for Christmas
Collecting Berke Breathed’s, Bloom County Comic Strips
Discovering the City Paper


High School
U2
REM
INXS
XTC
Bizarre obsession with Thomas Diffenbach
Staying up late to work on science fair project
Staying up late to watch Letterman
Getting up early to watch Live Aid
Wearing way too much eye makeup
Wanting to be a cartoonist just like Berke Breathed
Writing school cartoon, Goo Noo the cat
Listening to HFS

College
Pearl Jam
Nirvana
Grunge
death of Kurt Cobain
Dealing with my brother and sister’s drug addiction
Being Listed in Who’s Who Among College Students
Being part of the drama troupe
Running for president of the Science Club
Writing thesis paper about Artificial Blood
Cousin Kweisi Mfume being elected to Congress
Caring for my mother through her illness
My mother’s big toe amputation

Post College
My mother’s death
death of Tupac
Moving out of the house
Cousin Kweisi Mfume Head of NAACP
Trip to New York
Trip to Disney World with niece and nephew
Meeting Michael Turner...uber geek boy
Buying iMac Computer
Discovering eBay
Being an audience member on the Rosie O’Donnell Show
Being an audience member on the Conan O’Brien Show
Long Term Relationship with David
Joining the Baltimore Film Society
Going to Baltimore Symphony Concerts

30something Years
The Bush Stolen Election
9-11
Going to U2 concert
Getting cartoon published in City Paper
Having my quote cited on ebsq website
PCOS diagnosis
Asperger’s Syndrome diagnosis
Meeting the writer Valerie Wilson Wesley
Going to the African American Heritage Arts Festival