HOW I COME UP WITH TITLES FOR MY PAINTINGS

As with Haiku, the title is as important as the words in the poem. So, too, with the titles I give my paintings. If it gives me a chuckle, if it has a hidden meaning, if it introduces something new to the viewer, if it makes someone think, I use it.

Not everything is a gem. The opening painting is simply called Hummingbird. But if I were to title it: "This JEM is called To Kill A Hummingbird" Would you stop and think: what a strange title? Do you know Harper Lee? the Finch family? Scout's brother?

A Face in the Crowd was a movie staring Andy Griffith. This is a painting of Andy Whorhol

When I completed this painting I could only see that as the title and couldn't stop laughing. Yeah, I crack myself up.

Here you have a whole bunch of flying owls and one flying monkey. Did you ever wonder what a group of owls is called?

Yes, this group of goldfish is in big trouble judging by what's coming up behind them. Did you ever stop to think what a group of goldfish is called?

Sheldon Cooper said, "Bitches be crazy," in an episode of the Big Bang Theory.

This one I painted many years ago around Christmas time when carols were in my head.

A play on Alzheimer's.

Melanie, an artist from the 60s, sang, Look What They've Done To My Song. One of the stanzas was: Wish I could find a good book to live in.

This is a painting of a character from a book: The Demon Plague by Joreid McFate. She is Crystal Donovan who lives in that book. She is reading that book, too. The tag line from that novel was THE PAST, THE FUTURE, AND NO PLACE TO HIDE. Yes, an exciting time travel page turner about the Salem Witch Trials

Not familiar to you? This is another character from The Demon Plague by Joreid McFate. It is also the name I gave my Sun Conure.

Yep, that's another title that just cracks me up.

Everybody sing: George, George, George of the jungle. Watch out for that tree.

Picabo Street the Olympic skier had a summer job answering phones for an Intensive Care Unit but lasted only a day because she kept answering the phones: Picabo, ICU.

Yeah, and I like puns, too.

This painting hung on the wall in our house for quite some time until Wifey found out the name of it, gagged, and had me take it down.

Need I explain this one?

Knock, knock.

Who's there?

Kiddeley beans.

Don't you mean kidney beans?

That's what I said, diddle I?

No, this is not a zebra. It is a Quagga. Time to Google what that is?

Should old acquaintance be forgot and never read the sign on the wall.

This is a cropped picture of the home stretch.

Another song from my youth.

Cara Deangelis is a phenomenal artist of road kill. Yes, road kill. Her paintings have such depth and detail I paid homage to her extraordinary talent by painting this picture of her in only three colors, hopefully, making my point.

As a kid I used to listen to a radio program in which they'd say: The Shadow Knows.

Another title that just cracked me up.

I wonder what the last name of Melanie is? I've got a brand new pair of roller skates. This song was actually banned due to suggestive lyrics.

There are several references being made with this title.

Paying homage to Kunta Kinte.

From a Parcheesi commercial.

Another song from my yute--what? Did you say 'yute?' Oh, excuse me your honor--my youth... This one by Merle Travis and Tex Williams.

I painted this mid November.

When I finished this painting I realize I'd forgotten her quiver.

This brings me to the end. I hope I sent you searching beyond what I have explained.

To quote the good doctor: Oh, the places you'll go.....