Lost At Sea...

I never thought I would ever paint things like landscapes or seascapes. It was never appealing to me. Visiting museums I have seen some of the finest land and seascapes ever painted. To me they were always quite boring. I would admire the skill taken to create the works but quickly moved on to other things.

I had tried at times over the years to paint a landscape or two, just to stretch my mind and expand my skills. They always got painted over in the end. I never liked them.

Last January, 2007, I painted what I consider to be, my first seascape. It was the trip to Jamaica. It changed me. After years of living on the California coast, all of the sudden I was seeing the ocean differently. It became something else. It meant something else. I don't think I will ever look at the ocean the same way again.

Over the last thirteen months I have painted more than 50 seascapes. Even managed to sell a good number of them.

I'm pretty sure I will never make seascapes the focus of my work, but I will continue to paint them.

These three were stated and are dated 2007 but not finished until this month.

Untitled No 5, 12 x 16 inches, oil on canvas

Untitled triptych No 6, 12 x 36 inches each, oil on canvas.

Untitled triptych No 7, 10 x 30 inches each, oil on canvas.

On The Easel...12 Update

I forgot to photograph this one.

Chadette No 60, 18 x 24 inches, oil on canvas.

On The Easel...12

Chadette No 59, 18 x 24 inches, oil on canvas.

The Empire Spikes Back...

That is the name of our Fall Volleyball Team. Lame.

Last week we played a few practice games to meet the other teams and practice with our team mates.

Most of last year I spent bitching and complaining that my team mates didn't try and didn't care.

I spent many years playing competitive sports at an advanced level. I learned to win and I learned to lose. No matter what, I was taught to do my best. Playing hard and doing your best was what mattered.

It drove me mental that my team mates were so lackadaisical.

Anywho...

This year we have a few different players. The practice session went better than I expected. We won a couple of the games. We played some what as a team. I was feeling better about this year.

Until tonight. Tonight was our first regulation game. I want to pull my friggin hair out!
For some reason they all seem to think the ball has go back over the net on the first touch. No team work. No effort. No enthusiasm. I left the court with blood running down my leg into my shoe.

We lost all three games. After the match I mentioned to the team that we are allowed to hit the ball three times before it goes over the net. One girl spit water through her nose. The others just gave me a blank look.

On the drive home Precious suggested that I stop playing. I apparently take it way too seriously. She reminded me that no matter what I do they are not going to change the way they play. They don't take it seriously.

I'm torn. I can't stand playing with people that don't care. I can take the loosing as long as they give a good honest effort, but they don't, and I'm not sure I can take eight weeks of this.

I was taught not to quit. How do I let this go? How do I show up and play and not get upset at their attitudes? This is totally my problem, not theirs. They are fine with the way things go.

Maybe vodka in my water bottle would help.

On The Easel...11

Todays entry...

Chadette No 58, 16 x 20 oil on canvas. I'm thinking "Joan"

"Claire", the update. I changed her hair.

Seven more in the works at this point. Four 8 x 10 and three 18 x 24.