Correspondence between Artist & Muse
July 28
Fran, hope u had a great
weekend! Had two good days
researching stuff for the
drawing & developing ideas.
Can't wait to start!! See u
tomorrow at 6ish!
[Hi Richard, i'm excited for
tom! I'm cleaning apartments
today lol have an awesome
day! See you tom!]
July 31
Fran, the prints totally rocked! :-0
U came thru big time, like u
always do!! Confident this will
be our magnum opus!
[I am so relieved they came out
well! this city is way too
mardi gras in the summer! I am
sending you lots of zen vibes!
Have a lovely day!]
August 4
[Sending you zen vibes! I hope
you are staying cool xxxx]
Hi Fran, i'm @ subway on
seymour & the ac is broken.
Feels like a sauna! :-( Starting
work on the big drawing in
about 2 hrs! Text u this
afternoon to let u know how it
went lol
August 8
A shout out :-0! to let u know
the outline of your large
drawing is shaping up nicely! A
lot of decisions still to make
though. Hope u had a great
week!
[Sorry Richard work is nuts! I'm
so sorry but very excited :D]
August 10
The drawing's starting to feel
more & more like The
Apocalypse, in an exotic sort of
way. Hope ur having a super
weekend! Keep u posted
[Oooh that sounds amazing :D
hope you are cool & zen! I'm
sending all good energies your
way! What you do is totally
amazing!]
August 14
Finished outline of the drawing
yesterday. wow! a powerful
image to work from! Think "We
will rock you!"
Hope ur enjoying the cool rain
:-) & hoping your weekend is
awesome :-0
August 16
[Hi Richard, i am lovin this
weather! I can think again :-) i'm
stoked for life again! How are
you doing?]
Hey Fran, i was just starting
work on the drawing! It's gonna
be awesome!! By labour day
should be very close to being
finished :-0 Have an awesome
weekend & i'll have some new
prints for u next week :-)
[I am sending you allll of the zen
vibes & artistic harmonious
flows!]
August 19
Hi Fran, i have some new prints
for u. Do u have time to meet @
subway this week?
Btw, the drawings moving
ahead in leaps & bounds! :-0
August 20
[How does saturday @ noon
sound?]
Sounds good, see u then! Hope
ur having a great week, & luv
this cool weather! :-0
[Perfect! I hope your week is
fabulous! I love the cooool
weather!]
August 23
Was just reminded that the
Beatles played here 50 years
ago TONITE @ old Empire
Stadium! :-0 yeah! yeah! yeah!
Hope the rest of your evening is
anything but a hard days night!
August 24
[Lol i just saw an article on that!
It was a hard days night, i
should be sleeping like a log]
August 28
Looks like tonite is the last nite
the woody allen movie is
showing :-(
Good news is its supposed to
rain this weekend & the
drawing will be finished middle
of next week! :-0
[Awe that sucks I work until
1030, i was just thinking of you,
day dreaming about the picture
i am sending the biggest zen
vibes! Cannot wait for some
h20]
August 30
A shout out from the sands of
white rock! :-0 taking pics of
the beach @ low tide for the
drawing!
September 4
Hey Fran, looks like the
drawing should be finished on
the weekend :-) It's taken on
this erie, surreal quality & is
everything i hoped it would be! :-)
[I am so excited, its like xmas
but better! Sending you flows of
light & zen :-) have an amazing
day!]
September 6
The drawing should be finished
tomorrow! Can't wait for u to
see it!!
[Thats crazy, i was just thinking
of you]
25th (Friday)
Text from Myle at 9:42, 'Want to have Korean?'
Had something called 'Sahl go gee dahng myun'
which is essentially beef soup, with rice &
tea. Followed by shopping, at Canadian Tire,
another smaller store, & a dollar store near
Broadway Station. Myle being nervous about
the crows, walked her back to the car,
giggling all the way. Clear evening, with a
cooling breeze
28th (Monday)
Text from Fran, who was cleaning apts today
still on track for the photo session tomorrow
29th (Tuesday)
Waiting for Fran at Subway when Kana walked
in. Didn't recognize her at first, & she
didn't notice me as she left. Photo session
went beautifully. Showed Fran the large
drawings of Minori, & said, 'She's my OTHER
muse.' Bright, glaring sun felt like the
hottest day of the year
30th (Wednesday)
Cleared the board today, stretching paper
tomorrow
31st (Thursday)
Text from Fran, in part: 'This city is way
too Mardi Gras in the summer.' Text from
Eve in Edmonton,'Yup lol its like 31 outside.'
August
1st (Friday)
Texted Myle about all the sores on Bianca's
arms yesterday. Texted back, 'Do u feel like
Korean?' Myle becoming extremely agitated
when a small fly started buzzing around the
table, to the amusement of the women across
the aisle. Sultry weather continues, though
partly overcast
3rd (Sunday)
Picked up Woody Allen documentary at Metrotown,
& stopped by Sears to visit Bianca,
who is anxious to
work downtown again. Texting Myle on Skytrain,
'Bianca just told me she likes something
called cheese ramen :( cheese?' 'Sounds heavy',
she replied. Called later in the evening to ask
how long she could keep the VPL DVD, & that she
hadn't been to the library since high school
4th (Monday) [The Crucifixtion of Fertility]
Text from Fran while I was at the Subway in the
Standard Bldg, which felt like a suana inside
5th (Tuesday) [The Crucifixtion of Fertility]
Saw 'Magic in the Moonlight' at the Park Theatre
this afternoon, then walked through Shaughnessy,
in the early evening sun, to Granville. Talking
to Myle on the phone this evening, who was
sitting in her car near Beatty & Robson
6th (Wednesday) [The Crucifixtion of Fertility]
Talking to Myle on the phone, as she walked from
Cambie & 14th to her doctor, for acupuncture
Complained about the heat, a pain in her knee, &
her 'messy' hair, telling me, 'I look like a
crazy chicken.' Hot weather continues, with a
little cool relief in the shade
7th (Thursday) [The Crucifixtion of Fertility]
Lovely breeze along Lagoon Drive, that had an
autumn-like chill to it
8th (Friday) [The Crucifixtion of Fertility]
Dropped in on Reanne this morning, showed her
'A Bohemian Rhapsody', that she understood right
away, & prefered to the other three. Told me she
was thinking about taking a course in sculpture,
& described a couple of ideas she was developing
Went by Donburi this afternoon, & had some
pleasant banter with the girl from Osaka, & Kana,
who had no idea who Woody Allen was. Walking
down the lane thru Downtown Toyota, & there was
Aarathi having a cigarette with her Australian
roommate. Had an enjoyable conversation, about
cricket & things, & told me they were going
kayaking tomorrow at Deep Cove & beyond
9th (Saturday) [The Crucifixtion of Fertility]
Nice talk with the Korean girl at Robson Market
Post Office. Got her to print 'Scorpion' in
Korean on the back of a print, which she seemed
to enjoy. Thought Sura was the best Korean
restaurant on Robson, though she doesn't eat
out much, she told me
10th (Sunday) [The Crucifixtion of Fertility]
Exchanging texts with Fran this evening. Some
nice drama at the PGA in Louisville, won by
McIlroy
11th (Monday) [The Crucifixtion of Fertility]
Myle texted a photograph of her breakfast, this
morning at 8:30. Extremely muggy in the shade
even, no breeze at all
12th (Tuesday) [The Crucifixtion of Fertility]
Overcast, muggy dead air, with a weak sprinkle
of rain this morning. Aarathi describing her
visit to Granite Falls. An erie glow of an
amber/orange light cuased by smoke from fires
in Washington
13th (Wednesday) [The Crucifixion of Fertility]
Some nice refreshing rain this morning
14th (Thursday)
Overcast, no rain
15th (Friday) [The Crucifixion of Fertility]
Text from Myle this morning, 'Almost puked my
oatmeal,' & just after lunch, 'feeling dizzy'
16th (Saturday) [The Crucifixion of Fertility]
Reanne describing her sculpture idea, which
will be the skull of a goat & the body of a
bird, with feathers. She's getting, I forgot
where. Describes how she combines lemon &
cucumber slices in her drinking water, which
I told her I'd try out. Exchanging texts
with Fran, just after noon, as I was
starting work on the drawing. 'I am sending
you allll of the zen vibes & artistic
harmonious flows :)'
17th (Sunday) [The Crucifixion of Fertility]
Weather beginning to clear a little, & heat
up again
18th (Monday) [The Crucifixion of Fertility]
Text from Myle early this morning saying,
'Guess I finally had enough Korean.'
19th (Tuesday) [The Crucifixion of Fertility]
Talking to Myle on the cellphone at Safeway,
Robson & Denman. Telling me what she thought
was a dark piece of fluff on her face turned
out to be a spider, & that she immediately
'disinfected the spot'. Oriental girl at Joe
Fortes branch telling me about a David
Hockney book, a sort of biography in a Q&A
form. Intriguing girl at the nut store on
Denman, with dark skin & a lovely face, is
Persian, Arabic, 'mixture' she told me
Late summer sunshine filtering through the
big trees
20th (Wednesday) [The Crucifixion of Fertility]
Exchanging texts with Fran, while waiting for
Myle at Aberdeen. Just before 11 she phoned,
saying she was bleeding & had to go to the
doctor right away. Called from home later,
suffering from terrible cramps, could hardly
move, & was waiting for the test results
Hoping for the best. Text from Eve, returned
from Edmonton, 'Feel so strange to be back.'
Planning to meet up tomorrow. Image of
Aarathi feeding $20 bills into some sort of
machine under the counter at work, with
that wonderful laugh & smile. Cool, autumn-
like breeze this morning
21st (Thursday) [The Crucifixion of Fertility]
Hamburgers & fries with Eve at Fatburger on
Denman, then shopping at Dollarama, & buying
plants down the street. Showing me her
miniature camera. which she found at her
parent's house in Edmonton. Sunny, with a
mild warmth which felt like autumn
22nd (Friday) [The Crucifixion of Fertility]
Text from Myle this afternoon, 'Lost weight...
I'm 109.' Another fall-like afternoon in
the West End streets, with that beautiful,
filtered amber sunlight speckling the ground
23rd (Saturday) [The Crucifixion of Fertility]
Lunch with Fran at Subway. Giving me some great
descriptions for the watercolour abstracts, &
thinks I should do a portrait of Aarathi as an
'ocean goddess'. Thought the parachutes in
'Pulling the Plug' looked like jellyfish, &
used the phrase 'raining jellyfish'. I
suggested we could do it as a work of art
'Just gimmie an umbrella & I'll do it,' she
replied
24th (Sunday) [The Crucifixion of Fertility]
Text from Fran this morning, in reply to a
text last night, 'Lol I just saw an article on
that! It WAS a Hard Days Night, I should be
sleeping like a log.' Dropped in on Reanne
this morning, who liked the linen shirt &
thought I looked 'dressed up'. Described how
she's going to decorate her father's 60th
birthday party in Toronto next month
25th (Monday) [The Crucifixion of Fertility]
Rather muggy this afternoon
26th (Tuesday) [The Crucifixion of Fertility]
Text from Eve, 'The plant goes great with
your gnome.' Bought 'Satanic Verses' in
paperback, for Aarathi. Wants me to read it
when she's finished. Mentioned that Fran
thinks I should do a portrait of her as an
'Ocean Goddess'. Hoping to get together this
weekend sometime
27th (Wednesday) [The Crucifixion of Fertility]
Texts from Myle this evening, which began
'I'm craving for pigeons,' & numerous texts
Later ended, 'I like the seaweed & wasabi
fries. Yummy.' Extremely hot & muggy
28th (Thursday) [The Crucifixion of Fertility]
Texts from Myle & Fran, & from Eve: 'Iridescent
mediums are on clearance at Michael's for $5.99
In case u wanted some.' Sun a pleasant warmth
this afternoon, with a forecast of rain
tomorrow
29th (Friday) [The Crucifixion of Fertility]
Text to Myle, 'U missed the Aritzia sale! :('
'That's ok,' she replied. Trip to White Rock
aborted in Richmond. Overcast, much cooler,
the briefest sprinkle of rain
30th (Saturday) [The Crucifixion of Fertility]
Trip to White Rock to photograph the low tide
beach, for use in the drawing. Muggy, high
overcast, with the sun coming in & out
31st (Sunday) [The Crucifixion of Fertility]
A deluge of rain this morning, which was a
welcome relief
September
1st (Monday) [The Crucifixion of Fertility]
Talking to Reanne, who is amped about doing
interior decorating work at her parents house
in Toronto, later this month, In the afternoon
at Donburi Ya, Kana describing how much she
enjoyed visiting Victoria. Seemed curious about
the drawing, so I wrote the title on the back
of a receipt for her to check out in the
dictionary
2nd (Tuesday) [The Crucifixion of Fertility]
Dark, raining steadily, & quite cold. Text
from Susan, 'This rain is heavenly...!!! I is
groovin' to the beat of the raindrops! :)'
3rd (Wednesday) [The Crucifixion of Fertility)
Cleared this afternoon into a perfect autumn
afternoon, lovely cool air & sunshine
sparkling in the leaves
4th (Thursday) [The Crucifixion of Fertility)
Texted Fran to let her know the drawing
would be finished on the weekend. 'I'm so
excited, it's like Xmas but better! Sending
you flows of light & zen :) Have an amazing
day!' she replied
5th (Friday) [The Crucifixion of Fertility]
Dim sum with Myle at Aberdeen, with samplings
of squid, pork, rice & ducks feet. She's
started the 'procedure' again, & had to walk
slowly due to painful stomach cramps. Lovely
early autumn afternoon, clear skies & the
perfect warmth
6th (Saturday) [The Crucifixion of Fertility]
Texting Fran from the Subway across the
street, texted back, 'That's crazy, I was
just thinking of you :)'
7th (Sunday) [The Crucifixion of Fertility]
Another comfortably warm autumn afternoon,
augmented with football, tennis & golf, as
I finished off the drawing
8th (Monday) [The Crucifixion of Fertility]
Texted Fran that the drawing was finished
She replied, 'This is so exciting! I work
tomorrow & Wednesday but I'm free before
work Thurs, Fri & Sat :)'
9th (Tuesday)
Myle called from a restaurant near 8th &
Main, that was owned by 'Little Maggie's'
father. Glad to hear her appetite was
back & she was feeling better. Told me she
hated the rice last week, that it was too
greasy. Work on the webpages for the
drawing
11th (Thursday)
Saturna Island
A magical visit to the Ridge. Ravens &
hawks sailing the currents, which
alternated between cool & warm, with the
faint essence of pine, flowers & dry
summer grasses. Woodpeckers, dragonflies,
& the sounds of bees, combining with the
sound of the wind coming off the ocean
Herd of goats, 15-20 strong as a finale
Sending photos, & exchanging texts with
Fran, Myle, & Eve
12th (Friday)
Showing Fran the drawing early this
afternoon, which made a deep impression
on her, & strengthened a bond between
us as artist & muse. Began discussion of
the next drawing titled, 'Empress of the
Orient', which she is totally into, &
thinks of it a progression from
'Crucifixion'. Working on the webpage, &
then headed out to Commercial & 14th to
see Eve at the Yarn Shop where she's
been working part time. Delightful
visit, discussing colour combos,
cameras, & her new job at Sephora,
where she'll be working graveyard shift
as a stocker, sunny & warm
14th (Sunday)
At Subway in the Standard Bldg, a text
message from Fran, 'I cannot stop
staring at the Crucifixion of Fertility,
its totally awesome'. Dropped by Holt
to visit Reanne, who looked good in a
black wide-brimmed hat. Was totally
excited about visiting her parents in
Toronto, later this week, & described
more ideas for decorating the rooms
