According to U.K.-based artist Sam Cox, “I wanted to live in a property completely covered in characters of my own creation. A Doodle Land filled with happy creatures that bring me joy when I see them and hopefully make others happy along the way.” His entire home, both inside and out, is covered in happy, joyful scribbles.
This story stirred a nostalgic memory, taking me back to 1974 when I was Front Desk Manager at The Holiday Inn Brentwood-Bel Air in Southern California. We had a man check into room 623 and prepay 3 days in advance using cash, an acceptable practice in those days. He explained he was doing a yoga meditation retreat and did not want to be disturbed. After two days we received complaints about the room. The Innkeeper went to check and found the occupant was gone but, like Mr. Doodle, had covered every inch of the walls, floors and furniture with his original artwork.
But unlike Mr. Doodle his art medium of choice was not a black marking pen but a more organic material. Let it suffice to say that rather than Mr. Doodle we dubbed the former occupant of room 623 “Mr. Doody.”
True story…though I wish it were not…