Anthony Art Project: A Fish That Can Suck In Anything!!!
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Can-Suck-In-Anything Fish crafted with care by Anthony in first-grade crafts class -- Kyoto, Japan -- Copyright 2009 Jeffrey Friedl, https://regex.info/blog/
Nikon D700 + Nikkor 85mm f/1.4 — 1/250 sec, f/8, ISO 6400 — full exif
Can-Suck-In-Anything Fish
crafted with care by Anthony in first-grade crafts class

The entrance to our home is currently graced with an objet d'art that Anthony made in crafts class last month (pictured here at a bright window in the living room). Assigned to make something that they each thought would be great if it actually existed, he made this なんでもすいこまれるさかな!!! (“Can suck in Anything!!! Fish”).

As Big as Kyoto Tower! -- Kyoto, Japan -- Copyright 2009 Jeffrey Friedl, https://regex.info/blog/
Nikon D700 + Nikkor 85mm f/1.4 — 1/200 sec, f/7.1, ISO 6400 — full exif
As Big as Kyoto Tower!

I asked whether it was actual size, to which he replied “No” (you silly daddy!), “It's as big as Kyoto Tower”. Kyoto Tower is fairly big – more than 100 meters tall – as can be seen in many of my blog posts, such as this and this. As big as it is, still, you wouldn't think that it could suck in the entire world, but it can. I asked how, when it's not even as large as the short mountains around here, and he looked at me as if I was the dumbest person on earth (which may well be the case) and noted that things get smaller as they get sucked in.

Deep Sucking Power -- Kyoto, Japan -- Copyright 2009 Jeffrey Friedl, https://regex.info/blog/
Nikon D700 + Nikkor 85mm f/1.4 — 1/250 sec, f/8, ISO 6400 — full exif
Deep Sucking Power

Luckily this fish uses its power only for good, for sucking in something to protect it. For example, Anthony told me, if a truck is trying to get someone, and someone is almost going to be smooshed by the truck, the fish can come very quickly to suck the person in, protecting them from the bad truck.


All 9 comments so far, oldest first...

cute!

Thinking of it, I think he is amused with things which suck! I remember you telling me a few years ago how he cleaned his poop with vacuum cleaner once when you were asleep.

It was his pee that he vacuumed, but I see your point. —Jeffrey

— comment by Chetan Narsude on January 16th, 2010 at 2:51am JST (14 years, 10 months ago) comment permalink

It looks like my fantasy of what a jelly donut should look like!

Joe

— comment by Joe on January 16th, 2010 at 3:24am JST (14 years, 10 months ago) comment permalink

Hmmm, seems like you actually have a useful little vase there, knowing how clever the Japanese are with Ikebana. Wouldn’t it be nice if this fish could pause with, say a lovely cameilia or daisy in it’s mouth, to admire it for awhile before devouring it? Make sure it’s signed and dated by the Artist, for it will be useful/handy/advantageous to someday bring it back out again at just the opportune time. I believe I have several of these things made by you children around the house still, including something I myself made at Anthony’s age. You may get some delightful mileage from this someday.

— comment by Grandma Friedl, Ohio, USA on January 16th, 2010 at 3:25am JST (14 years, 10 months ago) comment permalink

That is so original. He has quite an imagination.

I like Grandma Friedl’s comment as well. My wife keeps our daughter’s pictures and paintings she’s made and we look at them every now and then. Even though she’s still only 8, it seems like yesterday she was 3 making hand turkeys. When she first started 1st grade almost 2 years ago, she drew and colored a picture for school that was entered into a contest. It went to one of the top pictures in the Kagoshima Prefecture and she received an award for it but we didn’t get the picture back for the longest time and we had to make some phone calls to figure out what happened to it. It turned out it was on display somewhere in Kagoshima. The name of her picture is “One Big Family”. We have it framed hanging in my wife’s shop. There will come a time when she has kids and I’ll show my grandchildren this and some of the things she’s made. But not for quite some time.

It would be nice if they did more arts-and-crafts things like this at my daughter’s school. I don’t think she’s ever made anything out of clay yet.

Thanks for sharing such great photos.
Earnie

Wow, Jade’s drawing is shocking good for first grade, both in theme and in technique. Would love to see something more recent on your blog some day. —Jeffrey

— comment by Earnest Barr on January 16th, 2010 at 5:23pm JST (14 years, 10 months ago) comment permalink

Earnest B, your daughter’s drawing reminded me of “Fruits Basket” anime (haven’t read the manga). I suppose your immediate family is on the ground?.

— comment by parv on January 16th, 2010 at 6:48pm JST (14 years, 10 months ago) comment permalink

What a beautiful masterpiece Anthony! How very creative you are! I love all the colors you put on your fish! Love you, Aunt Natalie & Uncle Alan Baby Cousin Felicity says hello too! xoxo

— comment by Natalie on January 17th, 2010 at 2:55am JST (14 years, 10 months ago) comment permalink

Double wow! I just touched the link to Earnest Barr’s picture that his daughter did in first grade!! Hard to believe a child did that! I couldn’t begin to come anywhere close to drawing like that. Some people have ability, others don’t. I don’t; she does. I second Jeff’s request to see more, except I’d like to see the link on this site (if it’s OK with Jeff.)

— comment by Grandma Friedl, Ohio, USA on January 17th, 2010 at 11:07am JST (14 years, 10 months ago) comment permalink

Earnest posted more of his daughter Jade’s drawings on his blog. Amazing stuff.

— comment by Jeffrey Friedl on January 21st, 2010 at 10:48am JST (14 years, 10 months ago) comment permalink

I wonder if Earnest is related to Paul? BTW the picture drawn by his daughter is really amazing.

— comment by Anne on September 19th, 2012 at 6:02am JST (12 years, 2 months ago) comment permalink
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