Make Our House an Art House

Neighborhood Watchman
Art by Oliver Twist!
photos by Liam Breck

Oliver's Bats for Balloons!

Small Kate is working steadily to design a clown face for herself. I'm face painting outdoors at the Windemere Housing Development Open House in San Ramon, CA, thanks to Organized Chaos Events. I'm joined by painter & balloonist Oliver Twist! Kate is using a template I made with a big oval smiley face on it. We'll paint her design onto her face together as soon as she's signed her innocent masterpiece. Her magic markers touch the page with determination, "The man has to make a big mouth. Two times as big as his mouth." OK, I tell her, we can make you a big, big mouth. "And then the man has to put on some fake hair on his head." I am laughing. She is so sincere about how a clown must look. She was visited by a clown at school, so she knows.

Oliver's T-Shirt Pteradon

Kate's parents are strolling the housing models with their younger daughter. Kate fills in the super-big red outline I've made for her clown mouth. She's expert at drawing inside the lines. She took a full minute to color her design's red cheek and devotes equal time to it's twin on her own cheek. I love the improvisation of collaboration with kids. We are the artist. Kate's parents return as I am adding the crowning touch - fake blue hair. She's holds up her paper to her face, proudly showing her mom they are the same.