Carbonated Life
Special Commission for
Annie Quach
Mixed media and collage on canvas, 24" x 36" x 3.5"
Collaged materials include hotel keycard, matchbook, calendar, London Tube ticket and other materials

Every Valentine's Day I gravitate to hearts, like everyone else. Except that I make mine out of pure junk. Cardboard inserts that come inside boxes of cat food. Cardboard I shamelessly dig out of the trash at work. Old boxes. Junk paper. And lots and lots and lots of paint and crayon. (At least I use adult crayons: Neocolor Caran d'Ache)

I sit on the floor in my studio and just make a wild, smudgy, hairy, smeary mess. I mail them out. Incredibly enough, people save them. Even more astonishing: people frame them.

Annie always liked my hearts. She asked if I'd make her a painting. My paintings aren't like this, I said, but I'll try. Here's the result. Thanks, Annie, for pushing the rules.

Rhonda Doré