The Old Maid
In class two weeks ago we were told about a classic card game called Old Maid, and soon after, we were instructed to create a biographical version of the card set.
The characters for each of 26 cards were to be derived from a total of 5 different categories. There would be 5 cards based on events that shaped our personal aesthetic, 5 cards based on people who have influenced our creativity and work, 5 cards based on inanimate objects that we keep around our workspace, 10 cards based on activities that stimulate creativity, and lastly, the Old Maid card- based on something that hinders our creativity.
EVENTS:
1) When I was a kid, my mother had me enrolled in ballet courses. At one point, I quit, but then eventually took it up again. This second time I took ballet much more seriously, and my wonderful teacher, Miss Diane, whom this card is named after, instilled the basics of ballet into me so well that I know I’ll never forget them. It provides me with a deep appreciation for all things performing arts.
2) Through junior high and high school i frequented a local coffee shop called Sugar Brown’s. The interior was managed by one of the baristas (and possibly co-owner) of the shop, who had amazing long dreadlocks and was tall and slender. He was a talented painted and an overall nice guy, and he inspired me to create.
3) The viola is the instrument I played growing up. I played a little bit of piano as well, but I participated in the orchestra at school, which helped me understand yet another side of the fine arts world.
4) Roscoe is a wrangler. Roscoe Wilson is the name of the elementary school that I went to from 3rd through 6th grades, and it’s mascot is the wranglers. Buddy Holly went to this elementary school back in the day, too, and when I hear his music or see little roper illustrations is makes me think of home.
5) Lubbock is a personified version of Lubbock, Texas, my hometown. It’s got almost nothin’ in it, except big skies with clouds and the best sunsets you could imagine.
PEOPLE:
1) Noy is my mother’s nickname. She’s the most cautious and practical woman I know. She’s from the Philippines, which has had a huge effect on me in so many different aspects. She takes nothing for granted.
2) Betty is my grandma, on my mother’s side. She’s curt, which most of the time comes off in a really rude way, but I don’t mind. I think it’s hilarious. Growing up, she was always gardening and feeding the neighborhood birds. I fell in love with this and now love these sorts of things. Nature is a common theme in my work, and is always inspiring.
3) Tim is my brother. He’s going to be a rich entrepreneur someday, but until then, he’s just a regular entrepreneur. He does actually own a pair of money pants, and also a 100 dollar bill towel. He’s quite the character, and reads books all the time.
4) Char is short for Charmaine, who is my cousin. She and I have spent so much time together since I can remember. She inspires me all the time, and we’ve always done creative things when we’ve been together. She’s the beeeest!
5) Eileen is another of my cousins. She’s much older than me, and spoiled me as a kid. She still spoils me now, actually, but in the best way. She’s lived in New York City (in her right hand) and Los Angeles (hollywood in her left) and every year I save up to go see her. She shows me all the best places and always encourages me to travel. I love this about her.
OBJECTS:
1) Jade was a gift to me from my mother from a trip she took to China with a few of her sisters. Jade is an two-inch long elephant, made out of jade (obviously her namesake). She’s one of over 60 elephant figurines in my collection.
2) The Edo brothers are little paper figures from when I visited Tokyo as a junior ambassador in junior high school. I spent a week and a half with a group of kids from Lubbock, and we got to see a bunch of beautiful places around the Tokyo area. Along with Tokyo Tower, a beautiful temple, and other things, I also got to see the Studio Ghibli Museum. Which was crazy. And awesome. Crazy awesome.
3) Ginseng is a can of Arizona Tea with Ginseng and Honey. It’s got a post office stick on it that reads “TO: star girl.” It’s got a long story attached to it, and means a lot to me. The person who put the sticker on it back in high school passed away this year, several days after my birthday.
4) Pothos is a plant I have near my desk that I propagated from my boyfriend’s mother’s pothos plant. I love plants. This little guy thrives. Also, he cleans the air. I appreciate him.
5) Stacks is another something I always have on my desk. Stacks of inspiration- books, sketches, magazines, magazine cut outs, photographs. I love looking through stacks of things, and even though it looks so messy, my junky stacks come in handy all the time!
ACTIVITIES:
1) Nugget is a book thusly named because books are full of nuggets of information. I love reading and only wish I read more often.
2) Gerry is named because of germination. I love growing things, especially through propagating or planting seeds. It’s so exciting! And it’s really amazing- the plants seem so thrive off of nothing.
3) Teva’s legs are noodly hiker’s legs… Like mine. I love hiking, and I wear Teva shoes when I do!
4) Gertrude is named because when I sketch, I generally start with gesture drawings. Gesture drawing can spark so many different ideas, and it’s always a great way to break out of a rut.
5) Orbach is an old telly named after Jerry Orbach, who was the voice for Lumiere. I love watching Disney classics, especially on VHS. The commercials they start out with take me back. Also, I’m in love with the conceptual art by Mary Blair, who did toooons of work for Disney.
6) Winnie represents window shopping. She and 7) Maggie more or less go together. Maggie represents girls like me who fall in love with all the things they see in magazines (don’t judge! i fall in love with not only the ridiculous expensive designer clothes/furniture/etc, but also beautiful spreads, colors, styling, etc). Because I’m a poor college student, a lot of the time instead of going real shopping, I settle for window shopping, which in all actuality doesn’t actually bother me.
7) See above.
8) Eloise is my 2008 Chevy Impala. She’s new, but she looks to me like an old lady car. So she gets an old lady name. Eloise. Also she’s gray, like the mouse named Eloise (the book? idk if you’re familiar…) I go on drives sometimes when I have to sort through all the things on my mind. Usually this ends up with me having some great new ideas.
9) Museo is music-loving. I love music- everything from classical to classic rock to electronic music to big band to blah blah blah. Rap included.
10) Hurley is named after the awesome hungry fat guy in the TV Series Lost. I love food, and eating, and I have the sweetest of all the sweet teeth. I appreciate good food art, too, like Wayne Thiebaud’s paintings or nicely styled food photography.
HINDRANCE:
Lastly, the Old Maid card, or hindrance. I’m have some slight OCD tendencies, and appreciate when things are organized and neat. However, messy and clean are different things in my book, and so I can handle when things are messy, but when things are dirty, well, that’s a different story. Often times having a dirty house or apartment has held me back from creating. It forces me to clean, which is good and all, but occasionally gets to where I won’t create because I know it’ll make the house dirty. And that’s trouble.
McKinney Falls Ground / Surface of the Moon
