rainy days and mondays

On a rainy day not long ago, the lyrics sung by The Carpenters started running through my head and a new figure started to incubate. She began as almost a throwaway project, an exercise in building cloth forms, but I really like the end result. I finished her yesterday, a Monday. Appropriate, I thought. Look for her at the Galveston Art League Postoffice Street Gallery during October. I'll include the lyrics below the photo, just to get you into the mood.

From top to toe this exaggerated figure measures about 22.5". Made from a fat quarter of printed and overdyed woven cotton, some hand dyed swatches of cotton cheesecloth, hand dyed cotton crochet thread for hair, polymer clay face, hands and feet painted with acrylics, embroidery floss and a small assortment of beads. Oh, and a single button making her one shoulder joint. There's some machine stitching and a lot of hand stitching holding her all together. Some may think of hand sewing as old fashioned. For me, it's a time-honored skill always worth the effort. It's art. It's one way I put me into my art. I always hope the viewer appreciates it.

Rainy Days and Mondays ... as sung by The Carpenters

Talkin' to myself and feelin' old
Sometimes I'd like to quit
Nothin' ever seems to fit
Hangin' around
Nothin' to do but frown
Rainy days and Mondays always get me down

What I've got they used to call the blues
Nothin' is really wrong
Feelin' like I don't belong
Walkin' around
Some kind of lonely clown
Rainy days and Mondays always get me down

Funny, but it seems I always wind up here with you
Nice to know somebody loves me
Funny, but it seems that it's the only thing to do
Run and find the one who loves me (the one who loves me)

What I feel has come and gone before
No need to talk it out (talk it out)
We know what it's all about
Hangin' around (hangin' around)
Nothin' to do but frown
Rainy days and Mondays always get me down

Funny, but it seems that it's the only thing to do (only thing to do)
Run and find the one who loves me

What I feel has come and gone before
No need to talk it out
We know what it's all about
Hangin' around (hangin' around)
Nothin' to do but frown
Rainy days and Mondays always get me down
Hangin' around (hangin' around)
Nothin' to do but frown
Rainy days and Mondays always get me down

SONGWRITERS
PAUL H. WILLIAMS, ROGER S. NICHOLS

PUBLISHED BY
LYRICS © UNIVERSAL MUSIC PUBLISHING GROUP