Where does the world go? You stop for a second and it all goes buzzing past. Feels like I've been gone forever.
Lately I have been de-cluttering my studio. Actually for years. I have a lot of stuff. Pack-rat in my genes. But that's an different post. For as long as I can remember I have been carrying around portfolios, sketch pads, large envelopes, rolled pages and canvases, boxes and at times just loose papers with drawings and paintings.
This week I pulled out every thing I could find and started photographing it all. Not counting all of the art we have collected from other artists, (I didn't count those - yet) I have 414 of my creations. 108 of those I have decided that I like enough to keep for myself. Several are hanging in our home.
The other 306 works...well, I'm still not sure why I have been lugging them around the world. A few date back to 1990, while I was still in school at SDSU. The incident that I refer to as "The Fire" eliminated everything that dates before 1989. (I'm still pissed about loosing my journals.) Except for one. This one.
I painted it for my Grand father circa 1971. I would have been about 5 years old. It's a paint by number. I was so proud. He kept it on his night stand until he died, some 22 years later. It's one of my most prized possessions.
It was rather amusing to go through it all. Some of it is really bad. Made me wonder why I even kept at it. There are periods when I was trying out new mediums, techniques, subject matter. For the most part it is all graphite, colored pencil, marker, and pastels. Mainly figurative. There was a period of erotica. I still dabble with that one. Duh...I'm a guy. After Mr. Man was born I was fascinated by all things small and work strictly in miniature for almost six months.
Many are complete works. Most are sketches, studies or just doodles.
Well, now that I know what all I have, it's time to get rid of it. Most of it. Before I do, I thought it might be fun to post them all, or most of them, here. A journey through the progressive years of Mad William. As frightening as that may be.
I am going to try and put them in some sort of an order. Either by date, subject matter, style, medium, or maybe just as they come up. If you see anything you like, speak up. I just might give it to you. (don't ask for the mouse. not going to happen)
To be continued...
