Cheerleaders and Giorgos My Art Buddy Makes His Debut

Dayna the creator of the Art Buddy Invitational had ask that we forward a picture of our final Art Buddy creation. I sent her mine along with a story as to what happened the day of his photo shoot. She is blogging about each one as they come in. You need to check out Dayna's Blog. They are all so different and unique. Today she posted mine along with the story I had shared with her and also the REAL picture of the man that inspired mine.

Giorgos: The Lost Greek God



Bobbie. Bobbie somehow discovered me through my offering classes in The Artist's Way and signed up for my winter session at the beginning of this year. Well, from the moment Bobbie entered my life she has been a bright spot. Always cheerful and positive, she has gobbled up anything I've proposed or offered. She lives in Portland and made the weekly drive to Salem for twelve weeks. She took classes I offered in Portland and one time drove to Salem for a class with two hours notice! That's dedication. But the other thing about Bobbie is that she is loyal, committed to her friends, and she's funny, too.

Bobbie recently returned from a two-week trip to Greece. While there, she met a guy named Giorgos and Giorgos became the inspiration behind Bobbie's Art Buddy. When Bobbie sent me a photo of Giorgos, she said: Here is the real Greek God Giorgos that brought about the inspiration for my Art Buddy. Is he too gorgeous or what?

Yes, Bobbie, he's gorgeous. But there's more. The best part of Bobbie's Art Buddy is the story behind the story. Bobbie said I could share the adventures of Giorgos (the Art Buddy one). After you read the story, then see the photos!

Hi Dayna~
I have to tell you my funny story about what happened to my art buddy today.
Well......

I have been working on my Greek God "Giorgos" (pronounced Yor-gos and means George) for the past 4 nights. I completed him last night. Today was a preplanned walk around the esplanade with John a friend from high school. Since Giorgos is finished I'm thinking it would be a great time and place to take his first photo.

John and I meet at the Goodwill Store on SE 6th & Clay so that we will have easy parking. I have Giorgos in a plastic bag but I also have my Greek pictures in another bag. I decide to put the pictures bag in my purse first since they weigh a lot and then the Giorgos bag on top, not zipping it cuz I don't want to smash my Greek God. We head out going down MLK/Grand toward the Hawthorne Bridge.

We get half way across the bridge when I touch the top of my bag and realize that the Giorgos bag is not there any longer. My heart sinks. John and I turn back to retrace our steps but knowing that we have already gone a ways and that there are a lot of people out today my heart is a little sad. John tries to assure me that we will find Giorgos. I am thinking that I could possibly try to recreate him as I saw one of the wooden buddies at Collage last Friday night.

Anyway....

We go back across the bridge..no Giorgos. We turn to head south on MLK/Grand..block one, block two, block three....no Giorgos. Then....two blocks away we spot one of the huge cement trash bins and an old man with a walker. He appears to be holding a white bag. John hollers, "Hey, that's her bag." The old dude says "Are you sure....tell me what's in it." I proceed to tell. The old man pulls Giorgos out. IT'S MY BUDDY!!!! But, something has happened to him. It now appears that his decoupage t-shirt is torn and his shoulder has been smashed a bit as well as his waist/hip. The metal stand is bent. Did someone run over him or ??? But the rest of him is looking pretty good.

I first think of taking him home and fixing him back. But I come to decide that he was meant to be just as he is. I have Giorgos back and the three of us head back to the esplanade for our walk and picture taking.

I have two favorite corners in Portland. One of them is SW 4th and Alder. Even though it is now a parking structure the corner has fond memories. So for the "Wreck This Journal" page where it says to climb high and drop....we did this today and John took pictures. And Giorgos got his picture talem again at 4th & Alder.

I'm going to take a couple more throughout the week with him and send them to you.
I love my buddy and as you can see....we're meant to be with each other!!!!

And (drum roll), here is Bobbie's version of Giorgos, the Greek God in Art Buddy form:





When she sent out the original email, she said she was sending it to "HER" cheerleaders. But after reading what she has to say about each Art Buddy creator, I think it is her subtle way of letting each of us know that she is "OUR" cheerleader!!