The images shown here are panels to be joined together and wound into a vertical scroll and placed into a cranking device.  The scroll will be turned as I sing the song and images will be digitally overlaid onto the images passing by the camera.  I will also use a painted black skillet acting as a puppet to pass in front of the scrolling image of the black and white motel floor tiles.

The setting for the story is a pink roadside motel on HWY 280 in Dadeville, Alabama.  I grew up and worked here in my family's business on a hill, over looking the town. 

For family guests at the Motel, we offered a large room with a kitchenette.  One such family had a teenage boy, who was often left alone at the motel when his parents went out.  His main activity was trying different ways to get my older sister's attention.  The most entertaining way, to me, was, he pretended to be dead as we cleaned his room, draping himself over the arm of the chair, or slumping against the Coke machine.  

 

  • Motel series for Crankie 2024
    Motel series for Crankie 2024
  • Boy Who Played Dead

    Music by Curving Tooth, Liz Downing and Greg Hatem

    Liz Downing words and vocals Greg Hatem arrangement and production

    Slumped against the Coke Box, draped across the sidewalk, hanging over the gate, slumped, draped

    You played dead while we freshened your towels. You played dead while we made your bed.

    I like your transistor radio.  You like my sister Rosio.

    Room 17 with a kitchenette, got pots and pans in the kitchenette and painted on the wall was Sylvester and Tweety Bird.  (My mother was an artist and painted cartoon images on the walls)

  • I like your transistor radio. You like my sister Rosio
    I like your transistor radio. You like my sister Rosio
  • Bathroom tiles
    Bathroom tiles
  • Long Term Motel Guest
    Long Term Motel Guest
  • Rosio
    Rosio
  • Sylvester, painted on the Motel wall.
    Sylvester, painted on the Motel wall.
  • Tweety Bird, painted on the motel wall
    Tweety Bird, painted on the motel wall

    My mother was a cartoonist, illustrator and constant doodler.  She discovered that she could entertain herself by painting on the motel walls.  These drawings, using gouache, ink, oil crayons on deeply colored large sheets of paper, are my way of re-seeing these motel wall drawings in a surreal light. 2024

  • Skillet in Room with a kitchenette
    Skillet in Room with a kitchenette
  • Motel series for Crankie 2024
  • I like your transistor radio. You like my sister Rosio
  • Bathroom tiles
  • Long Term Motel Guest
  • Rosio
  • Sylvester, painted on the Motel wall.
  • Tweety Bird, painted on the motel wall
  • Skillet in Room with a kitchenette