“My Life with Willy” was—and is—an extended performance begun near the end times of 2020. I have adopted what can best be described as an inanimate abused adolescent that I am attempting to animate. “My Life with Willy” is my constant reminder that art is art and life is life, while renewing my higher ideals of art as life; life as art; arte vitae.

Willy Why is 3’ 4” tall with red hair and blue-green azure eyes. Freckles and a frozen smile belie a troubled past. His small stature was likely caused by a history of confinement in a small traveling case. Since his arrival into my life, Willy has been free.

The first time Willy sat on my lap, I could not help but notice the lobe of his left ear was simply…gone. I know about trauma. I didn’t want our initial encounter to pull up deeply seated pain, so I pretended not to notice. Later, when I examined Willy’s confinement case, I discovered… to my horror… a petrified… ear lobe.

Willy and I have since bonded. I take him from here to there and we go nearly everywhere together. When I finally built up the courage to ask about his ear, Willy made light of it. He said he wanted to become a famous “artist” like Van Gogh.

I pointed out, that’s not how you become an artist.

The quick wit responded, “How would you know. It’s not like anyone buys any of your work.”

I thought for a moment and shot back, “Yeah, well then, smarty pants, why’d you only cut off the lobe?”

Willy responded, “Now that I’ve experienced some of your life. I don’t think I really want to be an artist that badly.”