The Cheeky Chipmunk

is artist Lenore Koppelman. NYC, USA. These are her stories.

[thecheekychipmunk]

Sandbox Zombie

Me: “Do you mind if I take your picture? Your mommy said I could, but I won’t if you don’t want me to.”  Zombie boy: “What for?”  Me: “For my website. And my blog.”  Zombie boy: “Blog?”  Me: “That’s kind of like a diary?” Zombie boy: “Diary?”  Me: “That’s kind of like... when you write... stuff... ummm...”  Trying to figure out how to explain what a diary is. He interrupts my stammering as I search for the right words by startling me with a very loud growl. I look up to see him suddenly standing up in the sandbox he was playing in, contorting himself with gusto.  I snap this photo.  Me: “Awesome! Thanks! Do you still want to know what a Diary is?”  Zombie boy: “Naw. I’m over it. We’re good.” He sits back down in the sand and goes back to playing. 

[thecheekychipmunk]

Pet Viger

Me: “And what would you like to be today? You can be anything you want! A princess? A butterfly? A...” Girl: “I don’t like stuff like that.” Me: “Oh, okay. Well what kind of stuff DO you like?” Girl: “I like SCARY stuff! I like anything really really REALLY scary. Especially VAMPIRES!!!!” Me: “Oh WOW! You are MY KIND OF GIRL! That’s AWESOME!!!! Do you want to be a vampire?” Girl: “YES!!!!” *squeals with delight* Me: “Okay! Do you want to be a pretty vampire? Or a really gross scary vampire?” Girl: “GROSS AND SCARY! GROSS AND SCARY!!!! With lots and lots of BLOOD!” Me: “You are AWESOME! Ya know, I used to work at a haunted house in Orlando Florida back when I was in college! It was open all year long. Not just for Halloween. I got to dress up super scary and scare people all day long!” Girl: “OH MY GOD!!! REALLY!?!? I WANT TO DO THAT WHEN I GROW UP!!!” Me: *laughing* “You should think about growing up to film scary movies and stuff when you grow up! Or make-up and special effects!” Girl: “YES! YES! I’m going to do that!!!” I paint her quickly. She giggles wildly as I splatter blood all over her face. Then I giggle back as I show her the mirror. Girl: “That was FAST! WOW! THANK YOU!” She hisses at the camera and runs off. Runs up to the kid I painted as a tiger a few minutes before. Taps him on the shoulder. He turns around quizzically and she exclaims, “I’m a vampire. You’re just a tiger. I’m way stronger and way way WAY more scary than you are. If you bite me, I won’t die. Because I’m already DEAD. But if I bite YOU? You will become a vampire tiger. You would become a VIGER. And I would have my very own pet viger.” Tiger Boy stares at her wide-eyed and backs away. She wins. 

[thecheekychipmunk]

Sisterly Love

Me: “And what would YOU like to be today?” Older sister: “A kitty cat, just like my little sister.” Me: “Okay! What color?” Older sister: “Pink. Just like her.” Me: “You want to look exactly like her?” Older sister: “Yes, please.” Me: “Are you sure? I can paint you as anything you want! You can be ANYthing!” Older sister: “My little sister loves me a lot. She loves to copy me all the time because she looks up to me and loves me. She got to go first, and if I choose something different then she will be sad because she won’t look like she copied me. And that’s how she shows her love for me.”

[thecheekychipmunk]

Special Effects

Me: “Your uncle said I can take your picture. Are you okay with that?” Girl: “Yeah! Hold on… let me get my chill on.” Me: “Your… chill?” Girl: “I’m a snow queen, after all! Hold up. Going to make it cold for some special effects!” (Raises fingers and wiggles them while blowing wind out of her icy blue lips.) Me: “Oh, man. That is so awesome.” (Snaps photo). 

[thecheekychipmunk]

A Good Guy

Kid hisses and growls with glee when I finish painting him.  Neighbor walking by: "AAAAAAAH!!! A skull on FIRE! Oh my GOD! Everybody, look out! RUN!"  Kid, waving his hands downward gently in a calming motion: "No! No no no... don't worry! I'm not evil! I know I LOOK evil! But that's because, believe it or not, I actually have some paint on my face! I'm not a scary skull! It's ME! SHANE! I'm a GOOD GUY!"

[thecheekychipmunk]

The Face Like A Cat

At the conclusion of part 3 of my interview on their video podcast "Buffem Beautiful":  Anita: "Ooooh... really... I mean... this is just..." *stares at her reflection in disbelief as she smoothes out her long golden locks.*

Me: "Thank you!" 

Anita: "Well this is just STUNNING!" Me: "Yayyy!" *clapping happily*  Anita: "I mean... this is really... I can see why you waited to do the sugar skull on ME." I turn to Gina Marie and I laugh. Gina Marie sits in silence.  Anita: With a tone of proud satisfaction as she gazes into her reflection seductively again, "Yeah. That's NICE."  Me: "Well... yeah. Sugar skulls are very special."  Gina Marie: "Well... I got the face like a cat, though." *quietly scratches the air with an imagined paw and then sighs.* 

[thecheekychipmunk]

SEXY

Me: "You look GORGEOUS."  Client blushes.  Me: "I'm SERIOUS!" Client: Thanks. *grins*  Me: "Now pose SEXY."  Client stands slightly awkwardly and smiles.  Me: "No. I mean SEXY."  Client: "I'm sorry... I'm not good at this. I kinda feel like a dork. How should I stand?"  While she is talking, I snap her picture.  Me: "Got it."  Client: "What do you mean? You got what?"  Me: "While you were talking. I took the picture."  Client: "Oh God. Let me see."  I show her the photo on my camera.  Me: "See? SEXY!"  Client: "Well holy crap!" *laughs and beams*  *This client was none other than well-known Astoria Queens blogger Ashley Dean, better known to her fans as "The Queen of Astoria". You can follow her at www.thequeenofastoria.com . 

[thecheekychipmunk]

Count Famouscula

Me: "You know... your mom gave me permission to put your photo up on my website. And my blog. Do you know what that means?"  Kid: "No... what?"  Me: "It means that people will get to see this photo, and they will think it's really cool. And on my website, you will be famous."  Kid: "Oh my GOSH! I'm gonna be FAMOUS?"  Me: "Well... on my website and stuff. Yeah. Like, when people log in to look at my portfolio..."  Kid: "Oh my GOSH! That is CRAZY! I can't believe I'm gonna be FAMOUS! Am I really gonna be FAMOUS?"  Me: "People who look at my portfolio might recognize you, yeah."  Kid: "Oh WOW. I can't BELIEVE I'm gonna be FAMOUS! That's AMAZING! I'll bet I will have to sign autographs and stuff. And I will have a lot of fans. I'm going to have to wear sunglasses out sometimes so that people don't always chase me down. Sometimes, a guy just needs a break." 

[thecheekychipmunk]

Model

Kid: "Am I your favorite model?" Me: "Model?" Kid: "Well, I'm posing for you for a picture, right? That's called modeling."  Me: "Well I suppose that makes sense."  Kid: "So am I?" Me: "Are you what?" Kid: "Your favorite model?" Me: "Absolutely."  Kid: "Right on!" 

[thecheekychipmunk]

Evil Matryoshka

Client: "We want to be evil Matryoshka. Do you know what a Matryoshka is?"  Me: "Are those those Russian nesting dolls?" Client: "Yes. But evil. Sort of a zombie / sugar skull / Matryoshka mash-up."  Me: "EXCELLENT." :) 

[thecheekychipmunk]

Knight Abraham Lincoln

Kid: "I want to be Abraham Lincoln. But without the hat, and without the beard."  Me: "Ummm... I.... I'm sorry?" Kid: "You know... the 16th president of the United States of America?"  Me: "Yes! Yes... I mean... I know who he is... I just... ummm... without the beard? Without the hat? Are you sure?"  Kid: "If that's too challenging for you, then you can make me a knight instead. That'll do just fine." 

[thecheekychipmunk]

You Need A Blog.

Client: "Why don't you have a blog? You need a blog."  Me: "What do you think I should make my blog about? I mean, face painting, obviously... but it needs a different angle. There are already so many other artist's blogs out there. I need something to make mine stand out from all the others. To make it different. Special. I guess I'm just feeling sorta stumped... because just don't know what that should be."  Client: "Well... how about instead of just having photos of your work... because you have a portfolio on your website already, right? So how about instead of that, you tell the stories BEHIND your work? I would love to hear some of the stories behind the art you do and the people you paint. Sort of like Humans of New York... but with face painting."  Me: *Thinking for a moment... and then beaming as I am suddenly inundated with goosebumps.* "YES." :)