Every Saturday, we’ll be posting a new illustration by David Lester. The Mecca Normal guitarist is visually documenting people, places and events from his band’s 26-year run, with text by vocalist Jean Smith.
People tell me things. In my job as a fitness technician at Curves—the gym for women who hate gyms—I hear about size of gallstones, flaring bursitis and fallen arches. This week, a lot of information about shoulders. Ripped and torn. Frozen. I think the women assume that because I dance around to Lady Gaga in a hoodie with matching drawstring pants that I know something about damaged rotator cuffs. Not so; my very nice earth-tone bamboo ensembles are from a previous job at an organic clothing store. Here at the gym-for-women-who-hate-gyms, my flashy fitness garb extends the impression that I am some sort of an athlete. I’m not. I’m more of an entrepreneur. I want to start a small home business removing hoods from garments—a much-needed service for those of us who appreciate a waist-length zippered jacket, but are tired of saggy pouches of fabric bunched up around our shoulders—ripped or otherwise.
I was at home preparing to paint number five in the “Discovering Utopia” series when the manager of Curves phoned: “I’m not feeling well. Can you come in and take over the morning shift?” I’m on deadline to finish, package and ship paintings for an upcoming exhibition. I looked at the paintbrush in my left hand and heard myself say, “OK. I’ll come in.” After I hung up, I boldly decided to paint at work—and to make a video of my activities. I packed up paint, brushes, mini DVs, two blank canvases and two recently completed paintings. I strapped all this to the back of my bike and rode the seven minutes to work. My manager looked pretty raunchy; she’d been up late consoling a roommate who’d been dumped by a boyfriend. I believe this process traditionally requires tequila. Or is it rum? I explained, with much enthusiasm, that I would be painting in the gym and that I was keen to have art shows and other cultural events as a way to bring in new members. She indicated that this was fine by massaging her head with both hands and saying, “Whatever.”
The Black Dot Museum: Political Artists From Vancouver runs for the month of May at Northern: The Olympia All Ages Project, celebrating one year of art and music in downtown Olympia.
