My Frivolous Friend

This grumpy cat is not the “Frivolous Friend” as promised by this week’s (actually last week’s) title, but a prop from a 1970s Latvian film called “My Frivolous Friend” or the original, “Mans draugs – nenopietns cilveks”. The story features a wood carver character and has scenes in his woodshop, so the producers used work by a Latvian artist Valters Hirts. I learned all of this from a marvelous exhibition, “Creating Worlds: Latvian Film Designers and Film Artists” at the Riga Film Museum.

Whenever you are visiting Riga, or if you live here, do yourself a favor and pay the Riga Cinema Museum a visit. They recently moved into a new, larger location and have a wonderful collection to share. I’m looking forward to whenever they open the movie theater and start screening movies again.

Here is my version of the grumpy cat.

I used a brush pen for a change instead of a ballpoint ink pen like I normally do. The brush tip makes an appealing mark and allowed me to work fast and loose, which feels good. I took the ref photo myself. Love this cat’s “Resting bitch face”, strikes me as a feline with standards that are never met. I am also a sucker for a painted wood carvings. Looking at Hirts work in this exhibition motivates me to grab my chisels and get some wood chips flying!

Until the next drawing, which should be this week again as I am one week behind, but who, besides me is really counting? So, until the next post, please know that I am your creative ally wishing for your success in whatever endeavor you undertake. Let’s get that tide rising so all of our boats go up together!

Your man in Riga,

Hal