Sunflowers on a Starry Night

A worn-looking man sits disconsolately at a café table on a quiet cobblestone street. Behind him is a dazzling starry sky, but the man is peering down into his coffee cup. His reverie is interrupted by the arrival of a man in a dark suit with a dark turtleneck and expensive-looking eyewear. His hair is in a sleek ponytail, and he is sporting a cultivated and near-perfect two-day beard growth. Even in the near-dark, his teeth are gleaming white.

MAN: Excuse me… is your name Vincent? Vincent Van Gogh?

VINCENT: Yes… yes it is. Who are you?

MAN: Name’s Metro… Mark Metro, of Metro Marketing. (extends hand) Can I buy you another coffee, Vincent?

VINCENT: Uh… no. No, I’m fine. Do I know you?

METRO: No, Vincent. But I’m hoping in the next few minutes that will change. (Pauses, looks at chair next to Vincent, then seats himself) What would you say if I told you I have secrets to success… secrets that could turn things around for you? That today could be a new beginning for you? Well, I’m here to tell you, it’s no dream!

VINCENT: Well, I wouldn’t mind selling some paintings, actually. And it gets old trying to explain my vision to people when it’s right in front of them to see. But I’m not sure…

METRO: Exactly! Of course you wouldn’t mind selling paintings! What artist wouldn’t? Listen, I’ve been checking around. I know the market… it’s my job to know the market. It’s your job to paint, right? But not just any old painting you feel like. There’s something terribly self-indulgent about that, if you’ll pardon my saying so! How can you possibly succeed if you just take shots in the dark like that?

VINCENT: Well, I was hoping a few more people could learn to appreciate what I’m doing, and then success would follow. I’m actually sort of surprised at the blank looks I get sometimes. It can be pretty depressing. But every now and then, somebody astute says, “Hey, I see exactly what you’re doing here, and it’s exciting, intelligent work… thank you for painting it; keep the faith, man.” Then I’m reminded of what I must believe is true… that there really is something to what I’m doing.

METRO: I see.

VINCENT: Of course, those people are other artists, and usually have even less money than I do.

METRO: (makes clucking sounds and shakes his head) Vincent, Vincent… why make the public work that hard? Why suffer for your sanity? A picture is worth a thousand words, so let’s talk about your last painting, shall we? Then you’ll know what I’m talking about.

VINCENT: Sunflowers? What about it?

METRO: Here’s what my research tells me about sunflowers. Sunflowers… well, they’re just not cutting it. People don’t want to see a picture of something that grows next to a barn. They want something better. They want some glamour hanging over their sofas.

VINCENT: (looks puzzled)

METRO: I’ve got one word for you, Vincent: Roses. Big, beautiful roses in an attractive vase. It works for Hallmark, it can work for you. Of course, you have some leeway with the colors, but if you’d like to further refine your efforts, we’ve done studies on the five most popular colors, broken down by demographics. Warm-up on your coffee, Vincent? (Metro gestures for a waiter, then points to Vincent’s cup, then himself). One fellow I represent, he’s got the dewdrop-on-the-petal thing really working for him. I forget his name right now, but you’ve seen his stuff.

VINCENT: Look, Metro, I don’t have anything against roses. If a patron hired me, I’d probably do some roses for him. But why would somebody look at my work and want roses, when the whole blooming point is that it’s sunflowers… done my way? Don’t you detect any irony here?

METRO: Vincent, there’s no point in being a martyr. Do you want to die without selling anything? What do you think is going to happen? Best-case scenario… a hundred years rolls by, and your sunflower canvas goes up for auction, maybe tastes have changed, maybe somebody thinks you were a genius. So what? Are they going to tap on your casket and toss you a percentage? Give you an award? Maybe somebody will write a song about you. How many potatoes does that put on your table?

VINCENT: I know you’re trying to help, but what you’re saying is pointless to me. It’s every bit as important how I sell my work as whether or not I sell it. I need to find people who can see it, because I think I’m onto something. Sure, maybe there's room for me to perfect things, but… but nothing truly wonderful can come of giving up. No hard feelings, OK?

METRO: (Shrugs) Hey, it’s your choice, man. Let me get your coffee. You know, just between you and me, there really is something about that sunflower painting. It doesn’t make any sense to me, but… oh, forget it. (Stands up, tosses coins onto the café table). Wow; quite a sky tonight. Just look at those stars. Amazing. I bet a sky like that would look pretty incredible in your style. You know… different. But it might be kind of cool.

VINCENT: (Peers at sky in silence a moment). Thanks. Thanks for the coffee.

* * *

Brenda Cox Giguere

Bio by Dorothy Jones 2007

Brenda Cox Giguere was born and raised in the East Bay area near San Francisco. From childhood she was encouraged by her mother to draw, paint, and create a variety of art projects including paper dolls and dioramas. With the arrival of the Barbie fashion doll she became fascinated by high fashion, and began creating her own designs on a child-sized sewing machine. Her grandmother regularly gave her back issues of VOGUE magazine to dream over, and by the time she was in third grade, she wrote in her autobiography that she wanted to be a "Paris Fashion Designer" when she grew up.

Her other principal love was always writing, and remains so today. As a high school senior she was the editor-in-chief of her school newspaper, and received a merit-based journalism scholarship as she prepared to enter her local community college.

Undecided about her career path, she would for several years pursue a variety of academic interests at Diablo Valley College including Fine Art, English, Journalism, Psychology, and Apparel Design. The latter was a two year program that included pattern drafting, draping, fine dressmaking, fashion illustration, tailoring, history of costume, textiles, alterations, and millinery.

While taking these classes she worked in the college's drama department as part of the small design team creating all of the costumes for full-scale theatrical productions, and was also the drama department's head makeup artist.

Following these activities she acquired a cosmetology license, allowing her to work as a self-employed makeup artist and fingernail artist in a popular Bay Area salon. Her work in this lively and flexible profession continued for many years.

She filled her free time with a variety of creative interests including graphic arts projects, sewing and designing for herself and others, designing doll fashions, and collecting vintage clothing and jewelry.

While still working in the beauty field she developed a renewed interest in art and design. For one year she was a Practice of Art major at the University of California Berkeley, earning a place on the Dean's list for academic excellence, before choosing to return to her full time salon work.

Twenty years ago her interests and abilities brought her into the world of film and video production, a career she continues today on a part-time basis. She quickly earned a reputation as a naturally gifted artist with a keen eye, and with her gracious and hardworking attitude became a popular choice of many high-end corporate producers and directors, taking on such roles as art director, set decorator, costume designer, wardrobe stylist, production manager, makeup artist, and scriptwriter. Projects utilizing her skills include feature films, documentaries, music videos, television commercials, fashion shows, live events, web projects, and corporate image pieces, many garnering industry awards and critical acclaim.

Her lifetime interest in fashion doll design moved to a new level of passion and committment around the year 2000. Since then she has become an active participant in a close-knit international community made up of fellow enthusiasts.

During this same period she also developed a renewed interest in fiction writing. These two interests eventually converged, and now her various doll fashion projects center around the life, times, and wardrobe of a fictional muse, the heiress Reverie Larke who stars in her serialized online novel, now nearing completion. She finds this to be a delightful way to explore- and connect- a wide range of art and design projects.

This multimedia world includes everything from the suspense novel itself, Regarding Reverie, to that glamorous and enigmatic character's fashions, accessories, and furnishings. Most of these sixth-scale pieces are either ultra limited editions or one-of-a-kind offerings.

Brenda's other interests are numerous, and include creating original paper dolls and fashion illustration, collecting midcentury costume jewelry, vintage paper dolls, reading, movies, classical and ambient music, moderating several hobby groups online, exploring flea markets, and decorating. For her own quirky reasons she is a lifetime fan of Sherlock Holmes and Carroll's Alice.

She has recently completed her first spec feature film screenplay, Mirelda, and has now begun a second film spec project, Ladies' Twilight Cottage Society.

Eleven years ago she moved to San Diego, California with her husband and her calico cat. All three are Red Sox fans.

* * *

Ellowyne Wilde journal entry

Ellowyne Wilde

Journal Entry CHILLS

October 14, 2007 San Francisco, CA

Current mood: contemplative (new word from Dr. Bantam)

It's been a while since I've written in my journal, but I had my session today with Dr. Bantam and it gave me things to think about. Instead of our normal session, today she surprised me by talking about clothes, and what clothes mean, and how did I feel about certain things I wear, and why. Maybe she took a seminar or something, and wanted to try this stuff out on me. But anyway, at first I didn't know what to tell her. She kept talking, almost like she'd had one too many lattes at Starbucks. She started with how chilly and gray it's been lately, then talked about how everyone knows clothing expresses yourself, but did you know clothes help you, too-besides staying warm (and not being indecent, of course). It's like you wrap yourself up in what gives you psychological comfort. It's staying warm, but a different kind of warm.

OK-- I guess I can buy that. It's true I don't like to wear skimpy clothing, I don't like to wear ordinary clothes, but Dr. Bantam knows all that because I've been coming in here for a while. She told me wants me to learn more about myself by looking through all my stuff, and write down my ideas on it. Homework. Sigh.

So I went home thinking about all that, and just as I had pulled some things out to look at them, Prudence called. I've been sort of lazy lately, and I know it starts to bother her after a while, and then before you know it, I become her project. Tonight she wanted me to come with her to a almost sort of fancy party where some nice people she knows were opening up a coffee shop and book store. The first thing I usually think of when I'm about to go out is, what should I wear? But thanks to Dr. Bantam, this will now be followed by, why am I wearing it? Prudence, in one of her scary mental tricks, gave me a funny look and said I needed to get out, and then said it was a really good chance for me to wear some of my 'arty San Francisco clothes'. I really wanted to stay home.

The next thing I knew I was there with Prudence, surrounded by people I didn't know. Prudence disappeared just after we got there. I headed over to the Poetry section and realized they had a lot of antique books there, the oldest of them behind glass. I had just bent down to get a closer look at one of them, when a voice scared me by saying hi. It was some guy I'd seen when we got there, but I couldn't tell how old he was. College age, maybe, sort of nice looking but I didn't want to stare.

I don't remember what I said, but we talked and got something to drink. He laughed when I ordered tea, and at first I didn't know what was so funny.

Then he wanted me to tell him about myself, which is the worst possible question anybody can ask you. Well, maybe not the very worst, but it's right up there. So I just sat there playing with my beaded wrap, not sure where to begin. Thankfully he made it easier by asking me about my 'unusual clothing'. He said two types of people wore hats when they didn't need to: either bald, or interesting.

Before I knew it, I started explaining why I liked each of the things I was wearing. I have no idea why I started chattering like that to a stranger. I blame Dr. Bantam for planting all those ideas about clothes.

I skipped explaining my reversible day- to- night velvet hat, with the flowers- I didn't want to take it off. He didn't need to know I love flowers.

Since I was playing with it anyway, I started with the scarf wrap thing. It's really long so you can wrap it a lot. It's deep midnight blue, almost black, and has all these amazing beads and tiny sequins and embroidery on it... not the flashy kind, but the kind that feels like it's there mostly for you. There's fur on each end, the kind that looks really real but isn't. I suppose it is dramatic looking, but I feel like the heroine of an old novel when I wear it. I had put it on over my dress to make my outfit nicer for evening, and completely hide my funky daytime decorations on the dress. All I told him was, it was my Depression era finery, like some woman from way back then took an old silk piano scarf and made something nice to wear. He nodded.

I said the velvet dress was one of my favorites, day or night, because of the muted antique-y gold color, and nice and warm, too. The embossed design on the velvet reminded me of the curlicues on lace, which I love. And anyway, I do like certain colors that remind me of being indoors on a rainy San Francisco day-polished wood and shadows, and the nice old things like at Grandmother's house.

Just when I started sounding almost poetic, I blurted out how I like a certain kind of thick warm black tights for day and night because they're so romantic and Bohemian. Talking about my stockings was more personal than I meant to say, but it was too late to take it back-- at least I didn't tell him about the secret frilly pink satin bows at the tops, or that they were good for hiding scratch-marks from poor Sybil. How embarrassing! He just nodded and gave a smile, so I pushed on.

I pulled back the wrap a little, and there was the pin and the pocket watch, joined by a chain. Of course, the pin was Grandmother's. very large and fancy. I joked that the pins are good for scaring my brother, but really it's so I can have some of her there with me even when I'm away from home. He asked if the pocket watch was my Grandfather's, but I shook my head and told him I got it from a yard sale.

The purse was a burnt orange velvet, and I loved how it was just a touch of color without being obnoxious or ruining the somber mood, but by then I'd started to feel really self-conscious so I looked down into my teacup. A chill came over me so I pulled the hat lower over my ears. The last thing he said was, it was a great hat, that the beads caught the light when I talked, and the color was a mysterious turquoise and went with my eyes. I didn't say anything for another minute. Then I spotted Prudence on the other side of the café area of the coffeehouse, giving me a wink just when I looked.

On our way back, Prudence said she thought he liked me, but I just pulled the wrap tighter and told her it was her wild imagination.

It was chilly out as usual, and the sky would have been gray except it was midnight blue.

* * *

Story by Brenda Giguere, based on the Ellowyne Wilde (r) storyline and characters created by Wilde Imagination