"Saving Namou, If Only Temporarily!"

I'm told it is an English Bulldog!

 Good "windswept" Saturday Morning, y'all.

A few years back, there was a home off Pat O'Brian Road where, standing on a concrete pedestal on the front lawn, was a three foot walking "Patty Playmate" type doll circa 1960's.

The owner, on special occasions and seasonal holidays, would bring the doll out in all sorts of fashions like summertime bikinis, festive Christmas costumes, an Easter ensemble, Mardi Gras regalia, and Catholic "back to school" uniforms. At times, I'd take the long way home just to see how the doll was decorated.

As they say in these parts, "It Ain't Dere No More!"

Fast forward to the Covid years and lo and behold, a neighbor here in Merrywood decided to brighten the lives of all that drove by her home with a smiling, wooden English bulldog head peaking behind the driveway fence.

I noticed, when the owner of the home took down a Mardi Gras colored boa from around the dog's plywood head, that it needed a bit of TLC. One morning en route from my home to "Giddy Up" in downtown Folsom, I spotted the lady of the manor walking her dog. I introduced myself and proposed, with her permission, to give the peekin' pup a well deserved makeover.

At first, she was a bit skeptical, but I won her over by assuring her that I was a professional artist and could help to restore it.

So, yesterday, with an hour to spare between my wife's hair appointment and the coming rains, I grabbed a tube of acrylic titanium white and a tube of ivory black and went after the restoration.

In the process of completing the project, the owner, Christiane Mummectheu, drove up with her pup,"Doodlebug". We had a good conversation about the history and condition of her "Namou." She told me how nice it was for me to help save her welcoming doggie decoration. I told her the story about the three foot doll off of Pat O'Brian Road and how much I enjoyed seeing it from time to time. I hoped to continue to see Namou everyday as a I drive by.

 A work in progress...

A bit later, I apologized for having to end the "chit-chat" as I was up against the clock to finish. She said she looked forward to seeing the finished product, told me that she had errands to run, thanked me again and took off.

I finished up with the dog's eye lashes as it started to drizzle...

Good Timing!

Copyright 2022/Ben Bensen III

"A New Kinda No Fly Zone!"

One of the seven panels in a brochure...

Good Saturday Morning, y'all.

From 1978 to 1981 I was employed at the electronics division of General Dynamics. Jack Leynnwood got me connected with a head hunter named, Helen Edwards after I complained to him about my struggles to make any head way with my Art Center degree.

Two weeks before my interview, Helen Edwards instructed me to get a haircut and purchase a suit. I told her that I had just purchased a three piece suit for a job working as an editorial illustrator at a local bank.

In less than one month, I was hired as a graphics designer and tech illustrator. Fast forward to 2022 and my world of realities past have resurfaced in the form of the Javelin and Stinger weapons system.

At GD, another designer and I, created ads and brochures advertising the merits of the shoulder held surface to air weapon.

Although Stinger has been provided to the many insurgent groups fighting in civil wars, when we were creating the ads, both weapons, the Viper ( later the Javelin ) and the Stinger were considered a potent defense for NATO against the Russian buildup of tanks and the helicopter gunship, the MI-24 Hind.

If you look closely, senior GD illustrator, Ed Ramstead, who got all the juicy assignments, has a Russian gunship downed by the Stinger missile... And of course, the silhouette of another Russian aircraft is being targeted!

But, of course!

And now, several nations like Germany, Lithuania and the U.S. announced that they were providing the new and improved Stinger missiles to the Ukrainian forces defending against the Russian invasion.

A new kinda "No Fly Zone" deterrent. Hopefully, shipments will arrive there in time, but honest, "is this trip really necessary!"

Second cup!

Copyright 2022/Ben Bensen III