© Lori Maxwell Illustration, 2012

Last year, I had a series of postcards, resembling movie posters, that I called “Lori Goes to Hollywood: A Legend in Her Own Mind”. I used ideas from Golden Age Movies and posters, and sort of, parodied them.

This one, however, was a ‘no go’. My idea was centered around a parody of “King Kong”, called “Ping Pong”. I don’t think I actually thought the whole thing through. The idea was to show me as the ‘artist’ who was enduring one of those Art Directors or clients that, “Love your work”; “Love the concept”; “Love the sketches”; “Love the art”; but just can’t stop tweaking and changing it. By the end of the job, it’s a whole different piece of work or concept than was originally conceived. I wanted to depict that – “No! Not again!”  – moment.  The title was: “Ping Pong: A Love Story” – somehow I thought that would soften the statement. (Huh?!!) But we all know, that this “back and forth”; this game of “ping pong”, is all part of the process. As we all know, that not every job will go smoothly, or as planned.

I suppose, this whole idea was a subconscious back lash at a particular job that I was doing at the time, which was particularly frustrating. It was, in my opinion, a fiasco. The whole piece of art, above, is so dark. At the time I was mad about how the whole job was progressing (or lack of progress). But from each job, there are lessons learned. You digest them, and move on. You certainly can’t project your frustrations, especially onto a postcard that you are sending out to prospective clients. THAT is CRAZY. So the art above, with me and what I was billing as “A Really Big Ape”, were shelved. Or, I suppose I should say, burned to a CD. And forgotten. Until now…

I did think twice about even posting this piece, I mean, this is the Internet. Who knows who might be reading this? But I did it anyway, as a sort of ‘cautionary tale’: think it through. At this point in time, all I can say is; “WHAT was I thinking?!!”

I am, only human.

When I came across this piece, I was kind of ashamed I let that other job get to me; then smiled at the whole crazy idea. As I looked at it, I thought it wasn’t bad, as far as the art goes. So I’m takin’ the chance and posting the illustration and not the poster (no copy, please!). It is a testament that art is emotional; a visual statement on the state of mind. To always be a professional – and a lesson that life is too short – get over it and move on!