From The Studio...

I don't know exactly why, but all of my newest Chadettes are wearing fuzzy robes.
The group below, Untitled No. 70, 71 and 72. 2 are 8 x 24 inches and the other is 12 x 36 inches. It's also the first time I have ever painted more than one girl at a time. Their skin tones, lips, eyes and back ground are all similar.

The painting on the left is the first Chadette with black hair. It's been a week of firsts.


This photo has nothing to do with art or my painting but it was pretty cool. I shot this from the window in my studio. It seemed much brighter in person.


As of yet Untitled No. 69, 13 x 21 inches. I painted this one for this frame we had. I think it worked out well. I have been trying to use this frame for about three years. Ta Da.

Untitled No. 68, 8 x 24 inches. In this photo her body looks much darker than it really is.

The gallery submissions are grinding along. I have a few galleries that are some what interested but not willing to commit at this time. Many flat out rejections, for numerous reasons. So far I have one gallery that wants to give them a shot. O'Bernier Gallery in La Jolla, California. So woo hoo!


A New Direction...

So I go to see Dr. Bob.
We exchange pleasantries, I sit down and the first thing out his mouth is,

"So why are you so unhappy?"

What? Me? Unhappy?

The conversation went on for some time. Well, and hour to be exact.

I had no idea. I thought I was a happy person. Apparently not. No matter where I am or what I'm doing, it never seems to meet my expectations. I find fault. I want better. I'm right you're wrong no matter what. Let me take over the world and it will be a better place, no arguing. Don't interrupt.

Of all of my issues, this seems to be the big one. Of course I'm in total denial of all of this. I'm a happy person dammit.

Ok, I'll work on it.

Speaking of working on it...

Here is the latest Chadette. I had extra paint from a session with Mr. Man. So I spread it on one of my canvases. I had intended to paint over the entire thing. I started with the girl thinking I will fill in the back as I went. Go fig, I kind of like her like this. The canvas is 20 x 22 inches. (It's an odd size but I had a frame already built)

She wants to be called Gillian. We'll see. I can't stop looking at this one for some reason. She has me fascinated.


Sporting News...

Our Volleyball season is drawing to a close. We have six more games to play.

Thank goodness that's it.

So far we are 1 and 17. Yes, that's 1 win and 17 losses. We stink with a capital STI...

Long Live The Queen...

It's been suggested that I seek professional help. Therapy...I seem to have...issues.

One time, I mention to a doctor that, sometimes I want to take Precious and Mr. Man, hold them tight and sleep for a hundred years.

Bi-polar is what she called it. I called it life. It's up, it's down, it's stuck somewhere in the middle with no end in sight. A single lane road that only goes in two directions. This way and that way. There are no exits, stop signs, rest stops. You can travel for a hundred years in one direction and when you stop to look around, you are standing where you started.

I had no explanation for the uncontrolled sobbing in the shower. Standing on the edge of the cliffs staring out over the horizon. Sometimes my mind just goes there. Maybe it's the lack of sleep. Maybe it's this God forsaken weather of the northwest coast. In reality or in my mind, I'm stuck. My wheels turn but I don't move. I open my mouth to scream and nothing comes out.
I'm stuck in hillbilly hell, please help me I'm becoming one of them.....

Is it normal for an adult to have such a fascination for cartoons? Oh Scooby.

I've talked with therapists. I have yet to find one I thought was smarter than I am. Most of them were seeing their own therapists. How can they help me if they can't help themselves?

Delusions of grandeur.

Painting is my therapy. The cure? I have few ideas.

Should it upset you when hear the rich and famous tell you to follow your dreams? They like to go on and on about it. "Never give up...if you work hard and believe you can achieve your dreams. America is the land of opportunity." Blah blah blah.

Easy for them to say. They have everything. They are the one in a hundred million that made it already. You never hear homeless people telling you to follow your dreams. They have dreams just like the rest of us. Maybe they didn't work hard enough? How many people have you known that worked their entire lives? Their fingers to the bone. For what. A bad back and an early grave?

Humans are a lot like bees. One Queen, a few Royals, and a shit load of workers that spend their entire lives toiling away for the benefit of the few with nothing in it for them except the anticipated relief and calm that comes with death.

The difference, is that worker bees are never told that they could grow up to be the Queen. They know their place.

It makes me wish I knew my place. I still want to believe that I can change my life. I still believe that my paintings mean something. That they and I, can change the world. I still want to be a Queen.

(the therapist looks at me with a tilted head) "So do you ever where womens clothes?"

$175.00 well spent.

Getting Back...

I started this painting on January 3rd. I posted the first session of her. Since then it has been sitting on my easel, staring at me. Talking to me. Nagging me.

Finish me...finish me...finish me...

Shut up or I'll paint over you...

Frankly, she's been driving me a little bonkers.

This morning at around 1:30 am I got tired of listening to her and went to work. It's not what I had been seeing in my mind, but I like where she's at. It's close enough that I could leave it and call her finished without having to listen to her anymore. And I wont have to paint over her.

Jade 24 x 36 inches, oil on canvas.

Capitalism and Time, the theft of human souls!

 Where does six years go? In the blink of an eye, she’s gone. I can still see myself, sitting down with my new iPad, this iPad, and writing ...