Tribute to Silvia Jahnsons
I'm back in contact with my good friend Silvia Jahnsons. I believe she is one of (if not THE) most gifted artists currently inhabiting this planet. Shortly after I rented a room in a condo in South Pasadena, there was a get-together for the residents. I was there with my paper plate of vittles, and she showed up with a live crow perched on her hand. She had rescued the crow and it was living it up in her condo. I was soon viewing samples of elaborate decorations that she had done for Gina Davis' wedding, and an Oscar party and so on. Her work is not well represented online at the moment, but she reports from Twyford England that her homeland of Australia is planning an "enormous" retrospective of 30 years of her work. It will no doubt be amazing.

I used to visit and sip PG Tips (tea). She would often be working on something, or recovering from a recent project. I remember watching her do lettering with a pen on a piece of illustration board balanced on her lap. I know something about hand lettering and that was amazing to see. There were parts of costumes everywhere; some from past productions, some in the works. She could draw, paint, and do illustrations like anyone -- from Michelangelo on down.

Pictured here is a mask she made for me. I did some graphics and scanned some artwork for her. I happened to mention that I wanted an ape mask (doesn't everyone?) and she assured me she knew just how to do it using classical Renaissance techniques, and we agreed that would be my fee. Eventually I was on the floor with plaster drying on my face, and then she proceeded to build the creation you see there. It is completely durable and quick and easy to put on and take off. Here you see me as my character Jim Pan Zee in a performance she set up for some school kids.

Of great importance to me is that she held my own creations in very high regard. People often don't really "get" who I am or where I'm coming from, but I can safely say that some of those who have are people that I greatly respect, and that makes it OK.