Lorna Nakell

The following painting was inspired by this Ted Kooser poem:

“They Had Torn Off My Face at the Office”

The had torn off my face at the office.
The night that I finally noticed
that it was not growing back, I decided
to slit my wrists.  Nothing ran out,
I was empty.  Both of my hands fell off
shortly thereafter.  Now at my job
they allow me to type with the stumps.
It pleases them to have helped me,
and I gain in speed and confidence.

I just love that poem.  I think almost anyone who has worked an office job they can’t stand can relate.

Silk screened images on mylar of a vintage typewriter with a pencil sketch.

I’m still playing with the layout for the two typewriters in this one.

I thought it would be fun to do this one sort of like a graphic ’50s advertisement so I added this dynamic black shape.

The smoke and bandages are typed text from Kooser’s poem.