Arts not Farts

Last night, on my quest for the new issue of Hellboy in Hell, I stopped by one of my favorite galleries in Portland, Compound. Would I could drop $500 on a piece of original art... but alas, I must console myself with a $3 piece of Mignola goodness.

Vivien Chen, pen & ink & watercolor. The best combination.

Oat Montien, whose art reflects his weird dreams.

Sometimes Portland-type art (disclaimer: only one of these artists lives in Pdx) makes me tempted to give up on the human spirit and creativity in general. But sometimes, art is both interesting to look at and somewhat thought-provoking,  a reminder of why human beings do art in the first place. Living things growing out of a dead skunk? Okay. A surrealist forest scene? Bring it. Not to make money or follow a trend, but to express the unexpressable. These pieces remind me that there is more to life than my anti-creative job, and I NEED to keep creative like I need to breathe.

This weekend, I am purchasing some gouache to try. Because I can.

And then I will read more Hellboy.

xo, anne.