* New York artist Ariana Page Russell has a dermatological
disorder that makes her skin puff up immediately at the slightest
scratch (which renders her, she says, the "human Etch A Sketch").
She now scratches herself in deliberate patterns, to create artistic
designs, which she photographs and offers for sale. Russell says
she must work quickly, for her skin usually returns to normal after
about an hour. [Daily Telegraph (London), 4-13-09]
MY TOP TEN THOUGHTS?:
1. Does anyone else find this: creepy?
2. Do you wonder what designs she does? Like what? The Mona Lisa?
3. yeah, sure.....it is the scratch patterns that she photographs and sells. Forget that she may be naked when she does it?
4. What do you mean: "her skin USUALLY returns to normal after about an hour"??? So like if she carves out something obscene, it might NOT disappear? (That would be hard to explain in church!)
5. How much does she charge for these gross photographs?
6. Has she heard of the word: infection?
7. She needs to get a life. Or at least a meaningful hobby.
8. Can you imagine what she says to her "significant other"?
Her: "I'm going out to do some scratching and photos, hon. See you later."
S.O.: "Not again!".
Her: "I promise...I won't be gone long..they should disappear in about an hour, so I will be gone...oh...I don't know...3 or 4 hours, at most."
S.O.: Please don't etch in the picture of the guy mooning someone again, hey? I had to look at traces of that one for over a week. Let's just say, it didn't do much for our sex life..."
Her: Oh, don't be so touchy.
S.O. Not a problem. I mean those welts are a little icky. There definitely will be no touching.
Her: Where is the zoom lens?
S.O.: You want a close up of THAT?
Her: Silly, my customers like to see the welts on my skin up close and personal.
S.O.: I don't think I want to hear this.....
Her: Hey, I make over $1,000 a photo!
S.O. : Hey, lift up your shirt, I have a mural idea!!
9. What would Michelangelo say about this?
10. OUCH!!!! (Can somebody say MASOCHIST?)
9. Michelangelo would say "That's gross."
ReplyDeleteThis reminds me of when my kids suck and bite on their arms so it's all bite marked and red and puffy. I would think they were mildly retarded for doing this, but I've done it in my childhood, too.
Also, I'm really glad this post isn't about John and Kate as I'm really sick of reading about it. Thank you for writing about human sketch artists instead.
Wow. I have that same skin reaction. Never thought about making money off of it. I think I'll pass though. I don't need to be a walking welted billboard.
ReplyDeleteHow very odd!
ReplyDeleteHmmmm...that gives me an idea...
ReplyDeleteI will connect the zits on my face, like connect the dots, and make cool pictures to sell on ebay. Thanks for the inspiration!! :)
That's kinda disgusting. Kinda interesting. But still weird. LOL
ReplyDeleteIt's all relative! It depends on how much they pay per scratch, don't you think?
ReplyDeletethat is pretty sick! And, she SHOULD worry about infections!! I wonder how she scratches herself..obviously with some sharp instrument..hopefully sterilized and hopefully, not just her nails!! Eeeks!!
ReplyDeleteKearsie: Maybe she can scratch herself some portraits of John and Kate. :-D
ReplyDeleteRae: I welt up pretty easy too. And bug bites swell WAY up. I think I have a healthy histamine reaction!
Joanie: yes, very odd. Gross, too!
Insanity: Oh boy, I just had lunch.
Brittany: A delight for all of your senses. ha
Patricia: A true business woman you are! Pay per the scratch. hahahhaaaaaaa...
Roshni: It is rather sick. I liked the Eeeeks you gave. I'll eeeeek along right with you!
Hey, my kid's got this! It's called dermatographia (ie writing on your skin) and she uses it as a party trick. I'll pass on to her the wider business opportunities she seems to have missed.
ReplyDeleteShe's lucky it stays for an hour. Mine's very patchy and only ever stays for about 20 minutes, with five minutes of clarity - so if I draw something that takes more than a minute it's only there for 3.
ReplyDeleteAnd there's no risk of infection. The skin flares up, as you say, at the slightest scratch, so the skin doesn't need to be broken at all.
I gotta say it's more cool than gross.
This is someone I do NOT want to know. What if she gets the urge to try it on someone else? lol!
ReplyDeleteMy gosh - who would want a photo of scratches! I think she's a scratch freak! (I guess better than being a scat freak - ha,ha!)
ReplyDeleteseriously? that makes me want to shoot her an email about the art potential of my stretch marks from giving birth.
ReplyDeletegrooooo-----ooosssss.
Hillel: You are new to my blog, no? PLEASE go up and click on "follow this blog" to become a regular Follower, would love to have you join us on a regular basis!
ReplyDeleteSo you have the same weird skin condition? At least you don't take photographs of it for profit! ha
JJ: Watch your back! :-D
Shellmo: Yes, it is the photography of it that is the weirdest part of that to me too. SCAT freak??? LOL hhahaaabwwahhhaaaaaaaa.........
Mouthy: That was hilarious! Yes, and what about the moles, skin tags and hairy warts? We could photograph those too. Hell, I have a zoom lens, it might look like the surface of the moon. Maybe we are on to something??? LMAO!
That is so creepy, yuck!!!
ReplyDeleteI think a lot of artists are strange on purpose. Otherwise nobody would pay attention to them. Too many of them are far more disgusting than that.
ReplyDeleteTotally crazy. I don't know who in his right m ind would want something like this hanging on their wall!!
ReplyDeleteOMG, I am not sure if this is sick or really very funny and I am the sick one. Where do you find this stuff my friend....:-) Hugs
ReplyDeleteSara: yes, it is a bit creepy, that's for sure!
ReplyDeleteRatty: I think a lot of the artists like the
"shock factor".
Loree: Not ME!!! Maybe a gift for someone's bad boss? :-D
Bernie: It is sickingly funny. I was just lucky to find a weird article about it and thought is was so weird, I had to share it with my blog friends!
Ewww, gross. Can you imagine cleaning your nails after that?
ReplyDeleteYou find the funniest stuff, not to mention craziest!
That is disgusting! I can't believe how many people on this one blog say they (or someone in the family) have the same medical problem. Sure glad everyone doesn't take pics.
ReplyDeleteWatch out for that Hillel
ReplyDeleteI know her awfully well
I gave a sense of mirth to her
By giving painful birth to her
DVM's Wife: Lets just hope she cleans her nails after that. Now THAT is a sick thought, too! I love finding these weird articles and sharing them!
ReplyDeleteGrannyann: Disgusting it is! I was amazed that so many people have what she has. My skin shows scratches fast but they do not stay long. But to think of photographing them? Lord no! :-}
Fran: Hillel is your daughter??? That is so fun!
I hope she joined on as a Follower ,if she hasn't already! How old is she?