Stag Unassisted performance by Taryn Packheiser in the 2011 Greensboro Fringe Festival

Taryn Packheiser's one woman show consists of mixed genres of choreography, performance art, and video installation alongside an eclectic blend of music which facilitates a query into the manifold modalities of surviving in a world alone. Ranging from mainstream to avant-garde, with an emphasis on human relationships and nostalgic desires, this "solo of solos" diversely reflects on the nature of

 

 

Whimsical Artists Manifesto, Part 1: 

The Whimsical Artist's Subject Matter

 

What makes a "whimsical" artist a whimsical artist? I started terming my subjects "whimsical animals" long before I really knew what the term "whimsical" encompassed. I think many aspects about an artist's work can make it whimsical, but perhaps one of the most important is not the style, but the subject matter.

 

Take the first whimsical animal I painted, the Cosmic Cow. I've seen lots of paintings of cows, and not all of them are whimsical. Many whimsical artists DO paint a variety of animals and other wildlife. What makes the Cosmic Cow whimsical? To me, a cow is not a typical subject, one that is not usually the center of attention, and when barnyard or farm scenes are painted, they usually do not have the animal standing at attention looking directly at the viewer. So, in this case, a cow is definitely a "whimsical" subject.

 

I suppose most animals can be considered whimsical subjects. I've seen other whimsical artists choose mainly the friendly and fun animals like birds, domesticated house cats, bugs, and other animals you might see in children's stories. So far, I've painted the cow, a sheep, an alley cat and a house cat, a pelican, a rooster, a duck, a tiger, and a meerkat. I'm working on an owl as we speak, and I also have another duck, a white ibis, and some other creatures in the works.

 

What I think all of these subjects have in common is that they all have "character." Whimsical, by definition means fun and unusual, lighthearted, and unique. I seem to be drawn to birds! But why whimsical animals? Some whimsical artists paint people, while other whimsical artists paint landscapes. To me, it is easier for me to portray an animal's whimsical nature, than it is for me to paint a whimsical landscape. Believe me, I've tried, but I am just not as connected in the same way as I am to my animals.

 

What do you think? What are the best subjects for whimsical artists?

 

You can see my complete menagerie at my website at http://scottplaster.com. Just go to my cards or prints page. Better yet, try a whimsical artist puzzles or an online whimsical art greeting card!

 

I will continue this series by discussing other elements you might find in whimsical art, and what I see myself implementing as a whimsical artist.

 

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Where do you go hear Bluegrass and Roots acoustic music in the Triad? 

“Wow- I thought you two were Newlyweds!” How often do you and your mate hear this? If you’re like most of us, probably not very often, (unless you are, of course, newly wed). But what would it be like to have that ‘spark’ again? Why is it so easy to recognize newlyweds, anyway? What is it about them that says, “We haven’t been together all that long?” Is it the goofy way they look at each other? The gleam in their eyes? The way they’re alway