At least you are guaranteed a post from me on a Monday, because of this GREAT Fun Monday group! Sayre is this week's hostess, and her assignment was such:"Brush off your interview skills. Talk to everyone who lives in your house. I want to know what their, and your, favorite piece of art is in your home. Photographs do not count. If there was a fire in your home, everyone would grab photographs, but what is the non-photographic piece of art you would grab on your way out - and why? (Edit: These don't have to be paintings - these can be wall hangings, statues, lumps of clay by your child, anything that is artistic expression of some kind EXCEPT photographs.)"
No photos? You have GOT to be kidding. Okay, I'll play along. (But I'm sneaking photos, in the event of a real fire...just so ya know.)
I found out VERY quickly that my family's idea of "art" is definitely interpretive. First, I interviewed Roger. He answered very quickly. TOO quickly. He chose an electric guitar he recently ordered, which so happens to be handcrafted, made to his specifications - completely personalized for HIM. Art? Uh...okay...I guess based on Sayre's definition, it qualifies. It's his baby. He considers it not only a work of art, made by artisans, but something with which he can create NEW art. Fine. Have at it. Here ya go:
Now came my hope - The Offspring. What would she choose? I interviewed her privately...separately...knowing that her first reaction would be, "NO PHOTOS?!?!?! ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!?!?!?" And do I know my kid...oh, yes. Yes, indeed. She was shocked at the "no photos" caveat. Proudly, I watched her scan the walls, search her room, thinking...thinking.... I looked lovingly and suggestively at all her drawings, her creations of clay, her charcoal renditions, her fashion sketches...uh...Offspring? Have you decided?"Well, Mom, I want to take Dad's acoustic guitar."
"WHAT?!?!?!"
"MOM. It's a piece of ART. And I could always draw something over that I've done before - I mean, you can't make MONEY with any of this artsy stuff I've done, but you can make MONEY with a GUITAR!!!"
(Insert cynical Mom-chuckle here.)
"And BESIDES, Mom, it IS art. Somebody had to spend time shaping all that wood and making sure it could produce a beautiful sound and..."
"Did your dad put you up to this?"
Quizzical look from The Offspring. Runs to Dad. "Dad, what did you pick?"
Dad: "I picked the new Carvin I had made."
"SEE, MOM??? SEE???? Dad and I KNOW what to grab!!!!"
Sigh.
I wanted to say, "See those beautiful handblown glass eggs and vases in that cabinet behind that guitar? ART. Made by high-dollar Southern California glass blowers. You could have grabbed those." But no....What really hurt? Neither of them thought to grab MY art. The lone art piece in our home that I forged, using pastels, back in 1987. No one thought of that. Here it is, which I toiled over, perfecting every detail a teenager could muster:
After the interviews, I asked The Offspring why she hadn't chosen a piece of work that was DEFINITELY ART - no explanation required. Why not grab something created by a family member? Something she could look at, day after day, to recall her talented, beloved mother?The response: "Mom, why would anyone want a picture of some dumb dog?"
Now, go check out the other participants, whose families appreciate art. Maybe someone will even choose a picture of some dumb dog. And wait until I tell the Texas A&M Alumni Association about my kid. She'll NEVER get in.
29 comments:
I have to agree that the guitars are a work of art! Amazingly enough, no-one in our house thought of the guitars! Ours obviously all go down with the ship! Your dog is most excellent, what a clever girl you are!
I'm going to paint my late dog -- I just haven't gotten around to it.
Your pastel is capital g..GORGEOUS
I agree that the musical instruments are pieces of art, too.
The dog painting is very cute and personally I would have chosen it myself as I haven't a clue how to play the guitar and don't really know anyone who does! But its nice to have something a family member did to put on the wall!
I understand the feelings over the guitar but the glass vases and eggs are pretty special too.
Wonderful, warm and familial blog today!! I love how you put in the 'conversation'....clever. And Yay, Texas A&M. LOL
So if she can't get into T A&M perhaps Rice in Houston?
Seriously, the pieces of art your family chose is great.
The guitars do make a good choice. I have a friend that has a picture etched on the back of his guitar. I remember your excellent doggy picture from this summer
Offspring seems quite smart and artsy, she would fit in perfect at UT.
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Ok, that is mean...sorry
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Hook Em, Horns!
Ok, sorry...mean.....
Gorgeous guitars though!!! I am also quite impressed by the painting, but would prefer Bevo!
Darn it, sorry...again!
Oh the guitar is definitely art but wow that dog you did! Awesome!
Guitars very nice I can see their point but pastel painting would get my vote.
That is an awesome pastel. I am so impressed, and the dog doesn't look dumb at all. I would choose that one for sure. Your post was hilarious; I read it to the kids and they loved it to.
Great update on you house, below. I liked the comment about having a plumber not a squatter. Too funny, including the pun involved.
I remember discovering the house was afire but photographs were not what I was grabbing at the time.
Where are my CAR keys? Where is my WEED? Does anyone have a LIGHTER!?
in 20 years she'll LOVE that dog because you painted it.
I have to agree with Offspring about the guitars though - especially hand-crafted. It took time and ability to make it.
Guitars are works of art. :) Beautiful glass!!!!!! Great Post!
karisma - thank you for the compliment! I'm still feeling guilty for not choosing those plaster impressions of my kid's hand.
pamela - my mother did pastels of all of her dogs - she really has enjoyed the art more now that the animals have long since passed.
my4kids - thanks so much - at least there are some NORMAL people out there who don't just see it as "some dumb dog."
beccy - I LOVE my glass eggs and vases...just started collecting the glass planets, which are beautiful as well.
hootin' anni - I think Rice would be more her style. She's more "liberal arts" than TAMU's culture.
mjd - A picture etched on a guitar? That sounds VERY cool. I'd like to see that!
fianna - "Saw Varsity's horns off....saw varsity's horns off..." (Couldn't resist!)
lisa's chaos - thanks for the compliment. My kid and hubby just look at that thing and go, "Uh...okay...it's a dog."
chrisb - I feel like I have people in my corner now! Besides, they could ALWAYS buy more guitars.
dawn - I typed the conversation EXACTLY as it went down - can you tell she's a teenager? The TONE has changed since those younger years. And check back for more house updates - there were plumbers, builders, and electricians there this morning!
m@ - be careful - the cops may come calling on you! Funny, I never thought about grabbing my KEYS. Duh.
karymn and debs - sorry - we must have cross-commented!
karmyn - I hope she does appreciate it one day. I know that I love my mother's artwork more now than ever before, but she hasn't let me have any of her pastels yet.
debs - one day, I'll have to take some close up photos of my glass collection...I adore the eggs and vases...and have now moved on to glass planets (I got Pluto before the declassified it as a planet - should be worth something someday!).
Save the dog and trash that 'coat' he has on...just kidding.
Go Sooners.
I want to see the eggs up close and personal.
Wish I knew how to play a guitar.
Great guitars! The dog pictures is lovely and your daughters remarks made me crack up!
I'm pretty sure I wasn't supposed to laugh as hard as I did as I was reading this post! Sorry! ;-)
Personally, I love the dog painting, it is a beautiful piece and I only WISH I could draw like that.
i laughed a lot too! y'all had a lot of fun with this one!
btw my brother-in-law is a Texas A&M alum too!
swampy - I plan to post about those eggs and vases at a later date - they are soooo pretty! And your Sooners are really kickin' tail this year!
nikki - Wanna borrow the kid for a while? EVERYTHING she says has that "teenager tone" as of late.
karina - laugh away! I always write this stuff as I see it (from my own selfish, pouty perspective), and then reflect - kinda makes me smile as I realize how LITTLE control I have in my family! And thanks for the compliment - believe it or not, I haven't drawn in YEARS.
alisonwonderland - I'd bet money he would see the worth in my Reveille drawing! I say we have more family interviews for Fun Monday - I learned a lot during this one - like I'm gonna have to save my own dog!
I'm what you might call a negative 2%er---someone who actually graduated from A&M but remained steadfastly loyally Longhorn. So, while I think your Reville is nice...far too A&Mish for me, and BTW the way people pulled that poor dog's tail is truly animal cruelty. I agree the guitar is art.
A guitar can be a piece of art on so many different levels, but can't compare to your dog portrait. Besides be pretty damn good, it's YOURS. You created it. That makes it so much more special than anything store bought. I can hear what your hub ond offspring are saying, but your picture is the real one worth saving! Afterall, you can always buy another guitar!
You painted that? Wow. That's great.
And I have a smaller collection of those same type of eggs. Though thanks to having a three year old they are in a box in the basement.
My first was made with Mt. St. Helens ash. I love eggs!
Cute story that went along with it. The guitar is very pretty.
Ah, you were having fun with this Tiggerlane :)...your smile was shining in every word.
I remember this pup from another post of yours; just like then, I'm STILL impressed. If I were in your house and it was burning, I'd be sure to grab it for you!!
For good measure, I'd grab those hand impressions for ya, too :). The guitar? Well, since everyone else is getting it, I think my hands are full enough ;).
Ouch.
You really did that pastel of the dog? I have to say that if you did I don't understand why you didn't become an artist.
I guess having an income is nice though.
Anyway, I would have a hard time choosing between my husband's and my mother's paintings. I've got two hands though, so maybe one of each?
HA ha ha the commentary was hilarious! That is an amazing talent you've got there! I am wowed! I am with angelina that you totally could have and maybe still can make $$$$ drawing pics like that!!
anglophile - Now I'm going to have to look up the story - someone pulled Rev's TAIL? SHOCK! And even if you were a 2%-er, you're still part of the Aggie family.
swampangel65 - Thank you, very much! And I agree, it would be hard to duplicate that piece of art - but they can get guitars any old place!
blue momma - well, hello, fellow egg lover! I have one of those with the Mt. St. Helens ash - just one. Glad my kid is past the toddler stage, so I can have my pretty things out!
dallas - if you lived at my house, you'd hear conversations like this ALL the time.
robin - I know now who to have as a houseguest during a fire! Thanks for getting my back...
angelina - have the hubby grab one - and you grab the other! And I would have become an artist and musician, but parents convinced me to go for a business degree so I could make some REAL money. Often wonder how my life would have turned out if I had chosen a more artistic path.
kaytabug - I am actually hoping to try some art again - maybe with photography and pastels. Our new home will have room for my easel, and I still have my pastels...so I just need the time.
If my husband had that guitar he'd pick it too (insert your own punctuation). And I LOVE your dog! You are quite talented!
Sorry it took me so long to get here... my computer would not load your page in spite of bribes and threats. You just can't reason with technology...
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