Archives for posts with tag: imagination
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We are not alone

September 25, 2012 //
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In a lunch time conversation yesterday two of my friends revealed that they appreciate when I explain what I think about the images I put up, as I did with the image of the dam a few days ago. I am not keen on explaining as I think everybody sees something different in a visual. This image here for example, I took many years ago, when I didn’t even know how to take a decent photo. I called it: We are not alone. Why? …Many reasons.

The image was taken in one of my favourite places, the Karangahake Gorge at the south end of the Coromandel Ranges. It shows the reamains of a stone battery, another reminder of  the people who were here before us. At the same time it reminds me of antennas that might send out signals into outer space :).

One time when we were sailing around Waiheke Island (an island in the Hauraki Gulf not far from Auckland), we anchored at Hooks Bay, an isolated area at the back end of the island. When we stretched our legs we came across the remains of an old villa and next to it a tiny grave yard with two or three graves. I wondered how crowded this place would be if all the people who had ever set foot on this piece of remote land would be there at the same time. So clearly I could feel the presence of the spirits that have been. But it didn’t feel crowded… Which reminds me of a very interesting graph I once saw in the German Museum in Munich. It was a timeline showing the world pouplation since the very beginnings of human life. It was flat, flat, flat, flat, flat and then a sudden, very steep rise in the last century. It said that currently more people are alive than have ever died. I don’t know if this still holds true, but this graph really stuck in my mind.

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Categories Art, Life, Photography

Push-Push

July 17, 2012 //
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I digressed again, didn’t I?

The blog is supposed to be about the dede puppets and it is time to introduce the latest addition to the troupe: Push-Push. She is a nice enough puppet, but she is always blowing her own trumpet. If you look past the glitter, you will find she is plain boring, and doesn’t have many ideas of her own. She loves to slip into her colourful circus gear and a real transformation takes place: “Look at me, look at me, look at what I can do” she calls out.  And then she shows you tricks as old as Methuselah. “Yawn,” I say and walk away.

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Categories Art, Fun, Hand Puppets, Life, Photography, Relationships, Social Network

Puppet friends

July 5, 2012 //
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These two, Pig and Witch, were early puppets. (If I recall correctly, Witch was the third puppet I ever made). They are a reminder of how relationships change over time. These two were really good mates once, but now they can’t stand each other. I don’t know exactly what happened, but I suspect it is because Witch turned into a health freak and a teetotaler, while Pig likes his booze. Pig is now hanging out with Professor while Witch keeps more or less to herself.

I noticed the more puppets I make the more negative (in my opinion) traits they display. The first lot of fifteen, they were my friends. They have their little quirks, the ones you just reckon with in friends. Some of them I like more, others a little less, but they are all puppets I wouldn’t mind inviting round to my place.

The newer ones are more like acquaintances. I know them, but some of them have traits I totally dislike. The worst is, that I can easily come up with these now.

I have two more books planned for later this year, early next year. The next one will be of course about Puppy the love sick stalker (by the way, he has moved back into the house and he is starting to annoy me) and the following one will be about Hermit loosing his job. Pretty sure all the negative characters will find their place in this one.

I am currently working on a puppet called Push–Push. It is one that drives her own agenda, no matter what. Along the way she tramples all over the others. Yes, pretty sure you find her at the average workplace. And then I think, I really need to get started on Procrastinator as well.

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Categories Art, Hand Puppets, Life, Relationships, Self-publishing, Social Network

One dislike

July 2, 2012 //
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I have created twenty-six characters to date and so far have only one character I really dislike. This is Twoface.  She looks straight at you and smiles. Superficially she looks like a pleasant enough person, very non-committal though. Her response to what you say is usually: “Ah, yes” or “Really” or “Indeed.” But you know exactly she doesn’t give a toss about anything. Even worse, when you turn her around, she has a second face rolling her eyes and it is very clear she believes everybody (except for herself) is a tosser.

I haven’t incorporated her in any stories yet, but I think she will become the boss. I will only use her if absolutely necessary.

two_face roling eyesNow that I look at her second face and know that she is the boss, I feel slightly sorry for her. She must be in middle management and feels a bit of pressure from higher up. While she rolls her eyes, she does look a bit scared. But still I thoroughly dislike her behavior and I will stay clear of her as much as possible.

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Categories Art, Hand Puppets, Life, Social Network

Tears of a clown

July 1, 2012 //
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A friend of mine gave me a book of short stories by Paul Gallico to read. The one she wanted me to read in particular was Love of seven dolls. I wonder why?

No, seriously… I would not have understood the story entirely, had I not started making puppets myself.

The story was written in the early 1950’s and is set in France. It is about a puppeteer, called Captaine Coq, who saves a young girl from throwing herself into the Seine by letting the puppets talk to her. The girl and the puppets become good friends, but Captaine Coq himself is a real bastard. As the girl has nowhere to go, the puppets invite her to join the show. She interacts with the puppets naturally, and endures the treatment of the Captain. After the show becomes a success, the girl finds an admirer who wants to marry her. She is set to leave and the puppets are terribly sad, but Captaine Coq couldn’t give a toss. Only at the last minute is he able to express his own love for the girl.

In the reviews the girl is always the heroine, who saved the nasty puppeteer through her love for the puppets. If I hadn’t started puppet making, I would have seen it in exactly this way. But now that I know the spell hand puppets cast on their puppeteer, I know the puppets were the real heroes and ultimately Captain Coq saved himself by creating these puppets. The girl could have been replaced by another girl or another incident. But without the puppets, he would have lost touch with the real world entirely. He could not have escaped the shell he was in, a shell that was forced upon him by war.

The story tells us he had started making the puppets in a POW camp out of boredom and he started to entertain his fellow prisoners. Through his experiences in the war he had obviously lost his believe in the good in people. The war crippled him emotionally. A sarcastic bastard in real life, he could act out his caring and benevolent side through the puppets. In this way he could maintain a little flame of warmth.

Believe me, I have thought a lot about the crippling emotional effect of war. After all I am German… Emotional coldness is a black neck swan!

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Categories Art, Hand Puppets, Life, Relationships

Black & White

June 30, 2012 //
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This image here I took six years ago. I like the juxtaposition of the lines with the round crater. For obvious reasons I originally called it “Square peg in a round hole.” It is just a close-up of some rocks we were climbing over at the time.

When I accidentally came across this image today, a totally different interpretation jumped out at me.

There is a little story to go with it: A friend of mine, a school teacher, was once asked by one of her pupils: “Tell me Miss, what was the world like when it was still black and white?” I just love this story. The pupil was of course referring to black & white photography and TV.  When I first heard the story, I thought it was so cute I laughed. Today, my answer would be: “The world was more colourful then…” as there must have been so much more room for imagination.

Today, when I glanced at the photograph, I instantly saw a smiling face with a rock hurled at it from a giant fist. When I showed my discovery to a friend,  he couldn’t quite follow. So I coloured it in for him in Photoshop. Now the image is called: “Honestly, I didn’t see this coming!”

However this is a very disturbing interpretation, and I went looking for another image. It took me a while, but this time it is called: “Life is beautiful!” It shows two playful figures in the sun.

Thank God you always remember what you saw last. I have difficulties seeing the giant fist now when I look at the black and white original.

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Categories Art, Digital art, Fun, Life, Photography

Found him

June 18, 2012 //
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I got really worried about Lou. He hides sometimes, but never for long. This morning I had a look in the kennel outside, a place he really hates as he thinks it is beneath him to live in a wooden shack. But there he was… curled up and staring into space. When I called out to him he choose to ignore me. I had to call three times and ask what the matter is. He said: “Nobody loves me”. “Of course we love you,” I replied knowing very well, how little my words meant to him at this moment.

I crouched down in front of the kennel and invited him to tell me his side of the incident with Skeleton Edeltraut.

According to him he meant well. He says, he heard Skeleton coming home. She obviously had difficulties opening the door carrying all the shopping bags and being on the mobile at the same time. He wanted to help and ran over to the door to open it, but she had already managed it herself and was inside. When she saw him she dropped all her bags and ran up the stairs. He grabbed what he could of the shopping and ran after her, but she just dived under the bed. He waited outside, still short of breath, he wanted to tell her there was no need to run, but she never showed.

“I do love her, you know”, he added more to himself than for me to hear.

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Categories Art, Fun, Hand Puppets, Life, Self-publishing

Piece of cake

June 17, 2012 //
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It was Philosopher‘s birthday yesterday. He loves chocolate-hazelnut cakes. I used my grandmother’s never-fail recipe and made one to take round to his place in the afternoon. He lives in this derelict boat at the bottom of my garden. Mostly he keeps to himself pondering about the world and the great beyond, except for when he goes for walks with me on Wednesdays. Only Detail visits him on a regular basis.

I wanted to take Deutsch Fraulein with me as I know he has a crush on her. He certainly would have loved that, but Deutsch Fraulein was nowhere to be found. So I went by myself and as it turns out it was a good move, as I could talk to him about Lou. Philosopher should be able to help. After all, he is in the same boat as Lou, but handles his desires more maturely it seems.

He offered to take Lou fishing one weekend and speak to him – man to man. Good on him. I only hope they are not going in the boat he is living in, it’s certainly not sea-worthy! But I kept that to myself.

I’ve just noticed, I haven’t seen Lou all weekend.

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Categories Art, Fun, Hand Puppets, Life

Penitent?

June 15, 2012 //
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Friday is always a busy day at work. So I didn’t have much time this morning, when I put Lou’s breakfast out. I was already running late and was just finishing  wiping down the bench when he came skipping into the kitchen.

When I saw him I just blurted out: “We have to talk… tonight.” Admittedly it sounded a bit too demanding but it certainly had the right effect. He stopped in his tracks and looked at me inquiringly as if he had no clue what I wanted. I hate it when people hint at a problem and then don’t spit out what it is. In a mellower voice I said: “Scaring people is not on”. His head went down and he covered his eyes with his paws. He knows very well he was naughty. It was difficult not to laugh, but I know he knows and plays it well…. He knows he is very cute and gets away with much more than the average puppet.

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Categories Art, Fun, Hand Puppets, Life

Witch’s opinion

June 12, 2012 //
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So I spoke to Witch. She is a real classical one: old and ugly. Not one of those modern witches, who try to bewitch you with their good looks, but lack the necessary experience to keep you under their spell. This ability only comes with age.

Witch is not surprised about Lou at all. She says she can understand that Lou is attracted to Skeleton Edeltraut (in his dreams). Which teenage puppy wouldn’t love to indulge in a heap of bones. But of course he has difficulties confiding in me as he regards me as a parent.

Since Edeltraut is one of my skeletons, she must be at least 100 years his senior. So there is a huge age gap. Witch and I both believe he is mistaken when he thinks what he feels is true love. He has a simple crush, but for all the wrong reasons.

Witch mixed a potion  which she said would fix Lou’s problem. I had to use a trick to get Lou to take it. I packaged it up in a nice colourful container and told him it was a new energy drink I got especially for him at the supermarket. But he took one sip only and spat it out. Then slurped down a can of his own favorite drink. I believe the potion was quite bitter. Needless to say the attempt was a total disaster. And now he won’t speak to me for an entire week.

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Categories Art, Fun, Hand Puppets, Life
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