I’ve been using art and humor to diffuse anxiety lately. I’m naturally anxious. My favorite past time is to worry. I would totally win a gold medal in the event of worrying if that were a thing. It’s not, though, because most people think anxiety and worry is a bad thing. I usually do too, but sometimes it helps me. I mean, if I channel it well. It’s just extra energy that needs to be put to good use.

I’ve been working on a mural. It’s required a lot of concentration and strategy and thinking things through. So, I’d paint for a while and then when it felt like I was making mistakes or over working something I’d stop. Unfortunately, I’d still have that energy to get rid of so what I did on those breaks was cut out magazine creatures and glue them together. It was kind of soothing and funny. Then, when I went back to my mural-making I had fresh eyes and a new perspective.

The mural is finished!

I now have a bunch of magazine characters cut out and waiting to be used. I decided to paint some backgrounds in bright, bold colors and glue those creatures down. I think I may have inadvertantly started a new series. I am thinking about calling them “the misfit toys” because they are all pretty wacky looking. Each one tells a story. I think that might be my favorite part!

When I made “Bridezilla” I kept thinking about how still and composed she looked…and that she would totally be deranged. She reminds me of Stephen King’s Firestarter for some reason. When I set her down on the orange background I knew immediately that she was a woman we needed to keep an eye on. Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.

I am amusing myself to no end. In the one above, the woman has three eyes and no mouth. I feel sorry for her because she really wanted to be a singer, but she did the best she could with what she had to work with. The whole time I was gluing her down I kept thinking about that creepy Twiglight Zone show. Remember the episode with the girl with no mouth? I watched that when I was a kid and it still haunts me to this day! I mean, what kind of accident can cause a person to not have a mouth? What is going on here, right?

That was scary. I feel like it needs some kind of disclaimer or something.

Anyway, I am working on more magazine characters in between my more serious projects. I think it’s a good way to use art and humor to diffuse some of my anxiety. It seems to be working for me right now. I am worried about many things…like Syria and death and teaching Tiny-Small her letters and paying our bills and mosquitoes carrying the West Nile virus. I could go on, but I am sure you get the picture!

How do you diffuse your anxiety?

 

P.S. I think I need a new camera. One that isn’t so blurry. Or maybe just new arms. Got any suggestions? I tried a tripod. It didn’t help much. Plus, my canon doesn’t get the colors as accurately as my iPhone. I am debating what to do next because  don’t like posting these slightly blurry photos of my work.