The companion piece of 'MENACING PANHANDLER', this was done toward the end of an experimental period of watercolor exploration. During this period, approximately from 1984 - 1991, most of my work was colorful and cheery. I was substituting color for emotion. I was too comfortable. There wasn't enough stress or hardship in my life. So I painted bright watercolors of happy creatures, like this one ... and worse! I was pussywhipped and had too much money. I was young and healthy and accepted by society ... No wonder my paintings were weak and pathetic! Typical of the height of this 'Happy period' are works such as 'MONDO' and 'FLYING FISH' ... Small sweet smelling offerings of self indulgent emptiness. Deaf, dumb and blind they may be ... yet representative they are of who I was, and what I have become.