I've been asked probably a handful of times, “If you weren't an artist, what do you think you would have been instead?” It was never coming from a bad place such as “Don't quit your day job” kind of crap, just normal casual conversation. I guess a lot of people in specialized occupations get that question. If you weren't a doctor what would you be?... There are so many answers you could give seeing how there's no way to cross examine. I guess some are more believable than others. Like, none of my friends would believe me if I said I probably would have been a heart surgeon. I can't remember a new person's name ten seconds after I'm introduced! How would I remember all the basic information about heart surgery? I'm sure there are a number of techniques or procedures baring the names after the people who discovered them. I'm so bad with names.
I'd love to say I would have done something weird for a living. Rocket scientist. A rocket scientist can just say that and you don't know how to check that so you just go with it and listen to the thoughts of a person you just met that you think is a rocket scientist. I don't know, they said things like “thrusters,” “warp speed,” Stormtroopers, and tractor beams. It seems to add up? I guess you don't want to say something like doctor because as soon as you do of course somebody will start having a heart attack and then all eyes are on you to get with the life saving.
I met a guy at a party that asked me what I did for a living as we both shared the bottle of Jameson that no one else at the party seemed interested in. He was British and seemed pretty smart, I told him I was a painter/illustrator. What do you do? He said he worked with quantum computers. Jameson and I were immediately fascinated with everything he said. I didn't doubt him for a second. My favorite thing to ask someone who is a physicist is: In the universe, which way is up? That's the simple breakdown of my question but I usually try to set it up with some confusing example and they never doubt that I'm an artist because a heart surgeon would never sound this stupid.
I have been pretty busy of late. I hope to get more regular with my writings here as I wrap up a previous commitment. If you are in Portland, Brassworks is having a group show “Such and such” opening tomorrow, March 9th. I have 3 pieces in it.