so this must be reality. But what

It's been a while since my last post. A lot going on. I have been trying to switch mediums. I'm changing from watercolors to acrylic. With acrylic I can paint over my mistakes. Paint application is a different process. In watercolors, the substrate you paint on makes all the difference. After all the difference in the moisture content between the brush and the paper is what makes the painting happen. Unless the acrylic is being used like watercolors the foregoing doesn't happen. The substrate is not that critical. The above piece is done on illustration board. It makes it possible to produce very sharp detail if desired. My biggest problem with the paint is to get the correct consistency so that he paint will flow. Using extender would solve this problem. But I like the quick drying paint.

could it be a dream? No, my dreams never have sawdust

This going to be a rant about heat. Why is restaurant food spicy? Virtually every item on the menu has some kind of heat . I DON'T LIKE IT! Why is it? Why is someone on a crusade to burn out my mouth? Have I offended the ASC (The American Society of Chefs) and they are seeking revenge is this orchestrated by the beverage producers to force you to consume more of their products? Every time I order I feel like I should say,"Hold the heat, please". I think that heat should be added afterward like salt and pepper. Maybe restaurants should be divided into "heat" and "no heat" areas. What is this quest for punishment that people have to eat spicy food? I have seen a person's face blush while eating spicy wings. Surely, this abuse can't good for the human body.

I think I am alone in the quest to quench the heat.

"Hey, waiter, another burrito and TWO Negra Modelos"

Studio Music:

• Carbonleaf
• Rob Thomas
• Carlos Santana
• Train

Was this for real? Could I be the target? Or

I am reaching the point in painting where my current style is no longer fun. I paint for fun. The act of creation is a rush for me. I'm not getting that rush anymore. Did I really get it painting landscapes? Does the depiction of some historic building in paint create a high? I'm not sure. I think that I get the most fun from things such as what you see at the right. I call it "freebased visual drool" or FVD. When you draw from a stream of consciousness uninhibited by restrictive thought. I drew the images as they came to me. A simple rectangle reminded me of a house from a birds-eye-view which became a view of the neighborhood form the same view, et cetera. But is it art? I don't know. Does it have to be or is the manifestation of thought on paper. At any rate I'm going to be painting more expressionistic works or at least less representational pieces.

Studio Music:

• Pink
• John Coltrane
• Stone Temple Pilots
• George Strait

Current Read:

Saints at the River by Ron Rash

So close I could smell the gun oil and the sweat of the shooter's hand.

I have really been getting into the drip paintings and becoming more intuitive with my work. Changing color wheels has helped bring more and brighter color to my work. But...there's a wheel and it goes round, round, round... Oops, another lyric. Oh, from whence do they come. I am beginning to concentrate on design more. My brain is getting damp, it must be time for a nap.
Gotta do some gallery duty today. The meeting with the newspaper came out fine. We, the local artist guild, is going to redo their masthead.



Studio music:

• Billie Holiday
• Rod Stewart
• Tony Bennett
• Diana Krall

Current reading: The Creative Habit by Twyla Tharp

rotated to bring the bullet into firing position.

I worked on this "drip" painting most of the day. (Drip Trees 1) I will never be a dripmeister like Pollock. Nevertheless, it was fun. The secret is having the paint consistency just right. Having the canvas at the right angle helps. But not a 90 degree right angle though. I think I may drift into a more intuitive painting. I'm not sure that I want to go that way. But if it feels good... Perhaps, if I can control the drip a little more and not leave so much to chance, I can do different kinds of trees or maybe not trees. The background color showing through adds a bit of zing. This is more of a stretch for me. It is more in line with the apple below that the 105 Church. That was my first italic period after the preceding sentence. Me thinks me brain gets numb at 4 a.m.

I spoke with the local weekly newspaper about changing their masthead yesterday and have an appointment today with them. I also made new business cards but I'm not sure I like them. The wordperfect template left something to be desired. It will have to be changed. Templates I use almost always are changed.

Studio music:

• Beck
• Luther Vandross