What would you think about if you weren't worrying?

As I shared in my last post, it has been a stressful time with my sister's hospitalization.  But I am so happy to report that she is finally at home and recovering well.  There will be some more out-patient therapy and other medical tweaks but she seems on the way to a full recovery. Yay!

On the way to her recovery I've had to work on handling stress.  The query 'What would you think about if you weren't worrying?' popped into my head one day and it seemed a perfect question indeed.  So I made a quote collage to remind me of it.  Less worrying freed up some collageability!

The wonderful oddling figures are dolls that I came across in someone's blog.  They were unattributed but good old Google image-search  discovered the source.  You can see more work from dollmaker Kateryna Kalinina.  

What Would You Think About If you Weren't Worrying? collage

The figures here, while contemporary, seemed just right for a retro setting.  Wonder Bread and Pie A'la Mode seemed good comrades for this scene. And what can be seen just out the window?  Google image-search revealed the people are custom-designed paper dolls!  You can be captured in paper-dollness your very self by checking out Jordan Grace Owens' Etsy shop.

Red Retro Dining collage

I came across this super 'It's not you, it's me' image and loved it's great retro feel and tough-girl message.  Google image-search let's us know that you can have this design, 'Breaking Up Is Hard to Do' by Leon Ryan as a t-shirt at Threadless.com.  Cool beans.

It's Not You, It's Me collage

An Outback Steakhouse commercial prompted a conversation that reminded me when I was young my best pal Janis and I used to frequent Tad's Steakhouse in Philadelphia after work on a Friday night.  It was a big treat.  The place was kind of cafeteria-style and you got a steak, a baked potato wrapped in foil and a salad in those retro wood bowls..  I found some photos of the Tad's Steakhouse and with a little altering and combining came up with this version.  The $1.29 price was true!  This was a long time ago.

Friday Night At Tad's Steakhouse collage

When we can't do, we can look

My sister has been hospitalized since March 3rd.  It's been a hard time and I've traveled to see her a couple of times.  So my mind hasn't really been ready yet to create.  But in the midst of this distracting time, I've got to enjoy some fine, funky art, so I thought I'd share.

For my birthday I received a wonderful outsider art painting entitled Everyday Scenes in Rock 'n' Roll Heaven by Rev. Johnny Ace.  It's painted on wood and just pleases me so much.  I saw it at the great Roots Up Gallery, an 'outsider art' gallery,  in Savannah and my husband got it for me.  Lucky me!

Every Scenes in Rock 'n' Roll Heaven by Rev. Johnny Ace
On Saturday night the guys like to hang out with Elvis down on Main Street, goofing off, smoking cigarettes  and hitting on dead chicks.

I found this great blurb on Rev. Johnny Ace at Mike's Art Truck,   a great online outsider/folk art gallery based in Hillsborough, N.C.

I came across the wonderful funky cat beings of Danial Ryan on Facebook. This is my recent favorite.  I tried to buy this oddling treasure, but alas, I saw the post too late. I often feature pie in my own work.  Someone else now has this delight, but I sure love it.

Pie Cat, Plops2 by Danial Ryan on Facebook

Max Smoot is a friend of my son out in Oregon and I've gotten to hang out with him a bit over time. His art always speaks to me and captures just that touch of bizarro I appreciate.  Check him out at Maxart on Facebook and at his maxart shop @ bigcartel.

Max Art critters on Facebook

And then while working on my own Etsy shop, I came across Church of Type.  Super hand made block prints with a great sensibility.  Made my day.

Hank Williams @ Church of Type on Etsy

So with all this juicy art cooking in the background to inspire me, I hope to back creating myself soon.