Quoth the Raven

Raven ATCs, Phillip Hoyle 2016

Finally Halloween has arrived! I've been stuck on those images for weeks and will enjoy moving on. But I wanted you to see a few raven cards. I think they actually look more interesting and even a bit ominous in hand than in these scans, but that's the way things go. 

I took 29 Halloween cards to last Thursday's trade. As usual the Halloween theme prompts artists to create many bizarre things. Mine usually look a bit tame. Guess it's all in the imagination, but I took plenty of creepy spiders and several of these large black birds. And I came home with funny and frightening images for which I traded. 

Halloween ATC's, Phillip Hoyle 2016

Tonight I am preparing to hand out lots of candy. Last year we had over ninety begging 'Trick or Treaters' come to the door. We're expecting a big group this year since the weather is so mild. 

Denver, 2016

More Halloween Artist Trading Cards

ATCs by Phillip Hoyle 2016

My ATC fever for Halloween has led me down creepy ways. Here I say “boo” or simply scream loudly to unsettle my artistic reluctance. But I did make more cards. I suspect you will see even more next week. I stuck with spiders and hope to make something of ravens. Check out this latter idea on Halloween.

The black and orange backgrounds were made from crepe paper that I wadded up and glued onto matboard scraps. I used glue stick and then a wooden roller to make sure the thin paper adhered. Then I drew with jell inks and glued a few other things on them. And I enjoyed the work.

Hope your Halloween plans are leading you into both fright and frolic. Make both artistic.

Denver, 2016

Out of Focus ATC
Phillip Hoyle 2016

Halloween Arts and Crafts

Halloween ATC by Phillip Hoyle 2016

I'm sorry to be so late and to have such a craftsy ATC to show. I'm hard at the work but am making backgrounds for some spiders that are more complex and more artsy! Also I will be making some ravens that I hope will be more omnious than this little spider fellow.

But what do you expect with googly eyes. Sometimes children come to the trades. Perhaps one of them will want this googly eyed spider with an eye for a body. I showed it last night to a friend who said she loved it! Art. Does anyone really know how it works for us? As soon as I finish the eighteen or more pieces I've begun, I'll have to do the front porch. I have a couple of boxes of goodies to choose from. Probably I'll work in all of them. Hope you are making your plans for receiving the neighborhood hobgoblins.

Oh what an October.

Denver, 2016

Halloween Artist Trading Cards

Artist Trading Cards by Phillip Hoyle 2016

The people I trade cards with seem to be crazy about Halloween, so much so that both groups I trade with have the same October theme: Halloween or Day of the Dead. Every year!

I knew what to expect but always wonder what I will care to do. I'm not particularly interested in scary things. Perhaps I'm just too nervous for that. Like a couple of other years I decided to make spiders. Looking online for images I thought, among other selections, to click on orange--orange spiders, that is. So I could have Halloween spiders. 

The trade went well. I returned home with only one of my own spiders plus quite a few cards made by others in the group. Ghouls, goblins, jack-o-lanterns, skeletons, and much more. I'm happy for it will help get me in the mood to decorate the front porch and room in preparation for all the little ghouls and goblins that will ring the doorbell on October 31. And when they ring the bell, a hairy grey spider will drop from its perch to startle them.

More spiders by Phillip Hoyle 2016

Happy Halloween. You have only three weeks to get ready for tricks or treats.

Denver, 2016

The Art of Ageing

I Used to be Young. Phillip Hoyle way back then.

I don’t know why people freak out over getting old. I suspect they may be worshipping at the Shrine of Madison Avenue, a power so great that in the span of a couple of hours of TV watching promises the worshipper a plan to get over the fear of running out of money in retirement, others for long life, clear skin, non-wrinkly skin, beauty, medicines to counter every ill, all for dedication to the eternal worship of youthfulness. This menu doesn’t make sense to me. I don’t believe a bit of it! Deceitful is the god that promises eternal youth. The TV shrine can never deliver its promise since Chronos keeps ticking away at the same rate for everyone: for young, middle aged, and elders, even those of great old age. Crisis over old age seems most likely if one doesn’t look into the promises and judge the reality of eternal youth. Talk about a religious scam. We hear, “Just buy our product.” That’s like, “Send us your money and we’ll pray for you,” the line of too many TV evangelists. Or was that “…and we’ll prey on you”?

I’m old. When I was turning 25 I realized I would be old someday. I also knew that 30 would not be the end of the world and my life, and so I decided then that at 50 would be old, the time I would enter the final third of my expected survival to age 75. I announced that on my 25th birthday to my surprised co-workers. We laughed together, but I was serious.

So when I get old… Oh, Chronos just reminded me; that happened 17 ½ years ago according to my standard.

And I wonder: what have I learned since that time? Here’s a partial list:

I can live well on very little money.
I can thrive in a very small space.
I can feed myself—meaning shop for, cook, and still lift the spoon to my mouth.
I learned I can retire, to cut back on my productivity (even though that productivity in my adulthood occurred in the service arena).
I learned I can still lead a group, still write a story, still paint a picture, still love my friends, still support my family, still help out folk I don’t even know by contributing to their welfare, and still maintain my own vital life.

I’m going to have to say something here about “when I get old, old.” That will take imagination because if I last beyond 75, I’ll be getting closer that that categorization and will have to think out a plan!

I’ll do the things I’ve discussed above. Plus I’ll hope to find someone to listen to my stories of the good ol’ days. I’ll hope someone will accompany me to my favorite museums—you know push the wheelchair. I’ll hope not to become a terrible burden on my family or society. If I can’t walk, I’ll still hope to be able to think!

Of course, I don’t know. So right now I’m saying through my writing and painting what I want to say. I do it with a sense of purpose and hope for the world my kids, grand kids, and great grand kids will live in. I express my ideas in ways I hope others will find helpful—at least pleasing or entertaining. I think that’s enough; I sure do hope so. Life goes on even if it is not my life. Eventually may I be caught up in the great mystical one however it may be described or may actually occur.

Denver 2016