It's Batshit's birthday, and he's outside the restaurant waiting for the Ferry. I sit down to talk with him, he's still working on my nude - not the one I requested, but another he thinks just as good, a couple, and he's showing me pictures. And we're talking and he lets me know that it's Sophia Loren's birthday coming up, and he'll be going away to visit her for it, and he had a little leather purse made for her to honor the occasion...
And I admire it, because it's proof, in his mind, of their acquaintance, and a lot of money to spend on somebody if you don't know them to honor their birthday...
I've googled him, his real name ("Batshit"'s mine), and found no references. It's unique enough that somewhere, somehow, he should exist online. But he doesn't.
The next day he drops off the paintings (drawings) - and I would post them here, but for this disclaimer I discovered in the corner of one page:
So I'm bound. Damn. Because his stuff - it's good, great, in that outsider/mental-health sort of way. In future I'll content myself with describing it - large breasted women, photocopies, collages, found objects (posters, cards, flyers, etc), pencil-crayon, felt marker, mixed media. Absolutely nuts.
But there's something curious about them I'd like to share - and that's the reference to Baron Munchhausen. It's made again in these artworks, and - for those who don't know, Baron Munchhausen was famous for telling elaborate lies and exaggerations about his supposed adventures. Which hints to me that he's got self-knowledge, you only need the education and similar points of reference to make sense of it - he knows, and he's telling me - and without it I knew, but in this we're probably on the same page...
I will support him further, I'm his newest and favorite admirer - for the moment - and, should I collect enough of them I'd love to arrange a gallery showing - with the artist in attendance. This is Nelson, after all, and This is Fantastic.
- Details
- Category: Stormy
A regular customer, he comes in to the restaurant 1, 2, maybe 3 times a week. One of the local characters, he's usually looking for a free OJ ("Can I just get some ice...maybe with a splash of Orange Juice..."), or a handful of french fries, a couple of Zucchini sticks, maybe just 2 dollars worth, he's broke, 60 or 70 odd years old and reminisces of the time when he hung around the brat pack, Dean Martin, Marilyn Munroe, Jean Harlow, down around Malibu and Hollywood, abundant references to a glorious former life and circle of friends that he may or may not have had...
I'd heard he also did art, of sorts, so offered him $20.00 if he'd do a nude sketch of one of our waitresses, a small revenge upon her for all the countless tables of hers she'd made me bus, he laughs, ...
Returning from Toronto there's a package for me ...
A package addressed to me, wrapped in a dirty gym sock and rubber bands, my curiosity is piqued, "Gift 2 Server->+Duck"...
Various pieces of posters, a stick, a stone, found cards, with his elaborations and thoughts written upon them:
Side One: "If U Go..Cabin Cafe U'll See Point...R.N.R. Put Norma-J at (illeg)"
Side Two: "Blondie Tol Preminger "Ur Click...River no Return War Worst" Is Its Thurs - Aug 18 + Guess who's waterin weeds G Cabin ... Koot Bay...Tel Me...Giv R. Normal Not Me...Woood 12 Chilly"
3 cards from a Jesus based Tarot, with notes:
AND 2 large posters:
I like outsider art, and this is as "Outside" as it gets. Curios from a local...
- Details
- Category: Stormy