It was a great weekend and this week, promises to be the same. Ok, first of all, loooooove Spring Forward, even though I'm just now resetting the clocks in the house.

The weather is turning, trees are budding, flowers are popping. This is one of my favorite times of year.

I had a "Me Weekend" spending time with friends, enjoying the sun and taking as tiny break from my schedule. I grilled some fish Saturday as well as muching on some of my thin mint girlscout cookies. I bought a case this year, should last me a week...ok, prolly less.

This is my friend Kent painting in my studio last night



Here's one of another good friend and artist, Mike, creating yesterday afternoon



I also sold a painting this weekend...12x12, Galaxy at a gallery I show in Artisans Collective



This week a lot of friends who are teacher are on Spring Break. I'm going to be doing some things with them this week, one of which is something called Dallas Blooms at the Arboretum...pollen crazy week here, but, well worth it.

Was told the snow holds nitrogen and that along with all the rain we've been getting, will help to make this springs floral show pretty amazing.

For now the house is open, doing laundry and cleaning house...The downsizing continues.

If you're gonna start sometime, why not now

This sounds interesting to me...Press Here

I usually don't talk politics on my blog, but, believe we as Americans need to speak our minds, Tea Party, Coffee Party, no matter what it is, get off your asses and do something other than complain about where we are right now. I believe each one us has a hand in our future, not the media, not the congress. Our government works for us...each one of us needs to remind them of that.

Kick off is this weekend. I think I'll be going to a local coffee shop.

If you're gonna start sometime, why not now

Today it will be in the 70's, the sun is shinning after a couple of days of rain. I'm painting outside today and dodging the Bracie bombs,,,I know, it would be easier to clean it up, but it's more fun to guess if your walking in mud or....never mind.

Starting slowly to clean up the leaves from the planters outside.

This is what I found outside my back door!



Playing outside with Gracie is a blast and sliding on the mud is da bomb...of course this means shower later, before TCC rehearsal. Still trying to figure out how to incorporate the mud to a painting....cheaper than paint, right?

Friends, Lisa and Laura came by this weekend to help[ me size up the downsizing of what I have. The list is made. I start on Thursday!

Here is another sketch of the study I'm doing...



The man at the bottom is a 36x36 and he will be colored in vibrant colors. I want this canvas to show excitement. I'm hoping the man will almost jump off the canvas.

Finally, I continue to think about what's been hapening in my life. This I know.

I DON'T KNOW SHIT

Maybe Shakespeare had something when he said

To thine own self be true.
And it must follow as the night the day,
thou canst not then be false
to any man."
-- Shakespeare

If you're gonna start sometime, why not now

This was a good weekend, spending time at home cleaning...going thru things and starting to downsize. Thinking about where I was, to where I am and where I'd like to go.

I started several new paintings this weekend, a study in th male form...this is a 30x40 sketch, of one of those pieves.



When painted the form will have warm tones, presenting hopefully a peacefulness in the painting. This is the song that inspired this weekend and me getting up in the middle of the night to start on this project...

Press Here

I've been thinking this weekend about the things in my life...those "things" we're all supposed to have. When I first came back to Dallas I started over and still am. Only now, I have a better understanding, for me, oh what I need. I need my health, I need my energy and hope. I need my family and friends.

It's a work in progress, going through things. Not so much throwing away as letting go. What does a grown man need with 70+ Barbies? Yes, you heard me. I'm keeping 10 of them and selling the rest....why 10? Because, Barbies are like Lays potato chips for me, you can never have just one
There is much I want to do, I'd love to be able to live by myself again in a loft in Dallas...it's gonna happen.

Press Here

Finding myself again is proving to be a challenge, but, I'm getting there

More to come as I start the week!

If you're gona start sometime, why not now

I was lying in bed tonight and was thinking about new canvases for an art show I'll be doing in May....I came up with a theme and a Titke, Man Oh Man will be the name of the show and the theme will be centered around paintings of the male form. I'm going to start sketching now, in my underwear I might add as coffee is brewing. This to me is one of the benefits of working at home, instant gratification of an idea!




Here is the start of Real Life, a 48x60 painting that is halfway there, I did most of it today while doing laundry. Note to self, never take out clothes from the dryer with wet painted hands, anyway...more on the premise of that soon. On to the idea!

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6am

Idea is started, the other great thing about working at home is crawling back into bed before the sun comes up...the coffee will keep, sweet dreams

If you're gonna start sometime, why not now