In this iconic scene, Kermit was “alive” on his bike, “got no strings” (or hand up his bottom!) like Pinocchio, coming from his world to town/human civilization. I come from comics (and puppets too) in my youth and bringing the spark to life of iconic characters is about the performance that brings alchemy to life, whether in painting or drawing or puppetry. Suturing into the icon, like a method actor stepping into the shoes of the character and bringing your life to the realm and spirit of the character is key. Here the house (originally said “Dressmaker”) I thought I could make the house that my husband Andrew Madrid and I recently bought and remodeled as our “American Dream” (the body of work this is a part of). I love Monet but also the Symbolists, Post Impressionists, Modernists and Old Masters too—and also comics—and wanted to make a sense of movement with “action lines” around the wheels and ground to make him seem to glide through from a darker dreamlike world to a more bucolic pastoral landscape, with the fence posts also adding synesthetic rhythm. Inspired by how some of the Old Masters snuck their name—and sometimes even the title and date into signs, notes, and placards on the mise en scène of the image, I’m hoping it’s okay that I put all this on the sign of the house, making it my own…

This painting means so much to me, painted during a stressful time teaching at USC and overcoming some health issues, wanting to maintain positivity, through thorough listening of Sam Smith and Lizzo for all their meaningful good energy (along with the music of my youth), about overcoming all odds as I’m turning 57 into my future, the way that Kermit in the Muppet Movie is leaving his swamp to bike (at least at first) to Hollywood to make millions of people happy. I’m painting this series of Kermit on his bike for the fairs as passionately as I can, pedaling as hard as I can leading towards my show at Karma West Hollywood next May, feeling how great it is to still be green and all the colors that can be, and how grateful I am for my husband, family, friends, art and life and art and teaching…

Movin’ right along in search of good times and good news
With good friends you can’t lose
This could become a habit!
Opportunity knocks once let’s reach out and grab it (yeah!)
Together we’ll nab it
We’ll hitchhike, bus or yellow cab it!
(Cab it?)

Movin’ right along
Footloose and fancy-free
Getting there is half the fun, come share it with me
Moving right along (doog-a-doon doog-a-doon)
We’ll learn to share the load
We don’t need a map to keep this show on the road
(Hey, that song is sounding better Fozzie)

Movin’ right along, we’ve found a life on the highway
And your way is my way
So trust my navigation
California here we come, the pie-in-the-sky-land
Palm trees, and warm sand
Though sadly we just left Rhode Island
(We did what?!)
(Just forget it)

Movin’ right along (doog-a-doon doog-a-doon)
Hey LA, where’ve you gone?
Send someone to fetch us, were in Sasketchewan!
Movin’ right along (doog-a-doon doog-a-doon)
You take it, you know best
Hey, I’ve never seen the sun come up in the West?

Movin’ right along we’re truly birds of a feather
We’re in this together
And we know where we’re going
Movie stars with flashy cars and life with the top down
We’re storming the big town
(Yeah, storm is right, should it be snowing?)
(Uh, no I don’t think so)

Movin’ right along,
Do I see signs of men?
Yeah, “welcome” on the same post that says “come back again”
Moving right along (nice town!)
Footloose and fancy-free
You’re ready for the big time
Is it ready for me?

Movin’ right along
Movin’ right along
Movin’ right along
Movin’ right along