ULTRA-POS NY TIMES REVIEW OF YOU DRIVE SHOW STUNS HATERS

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/30/arts/design/jim-woodring-you-drive.html?_r=0

FROGS AT NIGHT drawing

Here is a drawing for a painting of an army of frogs convening in the woods on a moonless night. Viewers will have to peer deeply into the varnish to see the details.

Because frogs lend themselves so uncannily to anthropomorphism, and because as Lenny Bruce said on PLAYBOY AFTER HOURS (I'm paraphrasing from memory), "I would never satirize the obvious," it was deemed necessary to keep their actions and expressions as natural as possible within the demands of cartooning; the faces, hands and feet must be expediently expressive, but it can stop there. And so they are not drinking, kissing, dancing, fighting, smoking or doing any of that teddy-bear's picnic stuff. But they are doing something; there is a real event going on here. Up close you hear their breathing and the faint rubbery squeaks made by their jostling hides.

This drawing is 38" x 24", the exact size of a canvas I prepared years ago and am finally ready to use. It has a mirror-like finish. So much sanding! I need a transparent siccative layer to grab the paint and lay the foundation for oceans of oil and varnish. Any suggestions? Don't mention shellac.

BACK AGAIN FOR THE FIRST TIME

Crikey! I can't believe how much spacetime has elapsed since the last post here! The sad truth is that I became absorbed by my Facebook artist page. Also I began a semi-clandestine diary blog to show work in progress with production notes. Anyone who has any interest in how I've whiled away the past year or so can dredge through the material there.

One thing not on that blog is this picture, tentatively called The Truce Between Men and Frogs. There's no gainsaying it, the world belongs to the young. So cheer up, kids!

BETWEEN US WE CAN DO GREAT THINGS

According to the Big Bang theory, the universe originated in a cosmic seed much smaller than an electron: effectively nothing. What could this cosmic seed be but Brahman? Brahman has unlimited potential and zero size; it could create the universe within itself and continue to contain it regardless of how large the universe becomes. The universe derives existence, consciousness and bliss from Brahman; it does not give rise to them. The idea that the subtle can arise from the gross is absurd. That goes for abiogenesis too.  Put that in your pipe and smoke it, big boy!

SHOW SOME BACKBONE

That crickety sound you hear is courage being reborn as sheer terror!

I SAW THE WORLD WITHOUT ITS SHIMMERING GARMENT

And it looked like a horrible place.

SILENT BUT PENSIVE WITNESS

Slowly, slowly the elements accumulate. We will build a better garden. Warning signs yet to come.

IT'S A NEW DAY!

After literally years of psychological preparation I am able to begin work on a new project which bid fair to rip the lid off the "tyranny of belief" scandal. Watch this space for incremental steps in the unfolding of the night flounder's summer vacation.

Here, to start things off, is a serendipitously bad scan of a minor player experiencing a major surprise.