Fell Free to be Jealous

I will be hanging out in Palm Harbor, Florida for the next week and a half. Check out the weather forecast.

Seven Hundred Dollars

It's always a funny thing pricing artwork. It never comes down to something so mathematical as to say the materials cost 'X', I worked on this piece for a total of 'Y' hours and my hourly wage is 'Z' dollars, so therefore this painting is worth X + (YxZ). To me it seems like a game, if you go too high, you won't sell anything. If you go too low, then you just look silly.
After presenting my work to a group of young girls along with my friend Candice Stringham, I had been thinking a lot about my worth as an artist and my artistic value. I am quite an idealist when it comes to my work and would like everyone who wants one of my paintings to be able to have one, not mater what they could afford. But, what would happen to the worth of my work if I sold on a sliding scale, advertising "tell me what you can spare and we'll settle on that."

Guys Day

Today is an unofficial guys day and Mike took Pierson into his office, giving me a whole day of freedom. So, I decided to get a foot reflexology treatment at O Spa (PS. I think I fell asleep while Jessica was working on my second foot), then I went and got Sushi and strolled home to paint a couple of sketches and work on my rug.
I listened to the Go Go's, Jest to Brazil, Radiohead and Sonic Youth.

A couple of sketches:




Thanks Mike and Pierson. A toast to the best good guys ever.

Progress

I started my little-ish hooked rug over a month ago. It's a slow, steady process and while working I wonder how women made rugs to cover their entire homes. Yikes!

Generally I complete a painting in a couple of weeks (at most), and so, I always have new ideas rolling around in my head. It's so difficult for me to stay on task and finish what I have started because my mind is accustomed to moving on to the next thing by now.

Although I'm really wishing I wouldn't have started 'hooking' with such ambitious work and I miss using a paint brush, I don't want to sweep this under the rug before letting it reach it's potential. So, I'm getting off the computer and getting to work!

My Little Sisters (well a couple of them)

I vaguely remember my sisters Jamie and Lynzie when they were young. There are five years between Jamie and I and seven between Lynzie. I do remember when Jamie was born and I was relieved to have a sister and get some freedom from my two brothers. But as her and I grew up we were too far apart to really hang out. Then, when Jamie was starting college she came and lived with me. That's when I realized what a talented sister I had (...even if her talent at that time was making out with boys).

Here are a couple of her photographs. They are of our grandparents in Las Vegas:





Then, after I got married, Lynzie blossomed. Not only does she have the best personality of all our siblings, she is an amazing singer/songwriter. Her cool style is only second to mine ;).






I only wish I lived closer to these two, and just maybe I would laugh more and some of their talent would rub off on me.

Circa 2005

Writing that Q&A for Eva got me thinking back. So I dug up a few of the pictures that I actually have in digital format from school. Even though it was only 4 years ago, my life and my art are definitely different. But it is nice to remember being surrounded by other artists and fitting into a small supportive community.

I wish I could find some pictures from even earlier...one day I'll dig up a box of photos circa 2000/01 and we will all have a 'good ol times' moment.






These are some small paintings on paper that I did and then left in library book, where I thought they might belong. If you happened to find one, good for you! Although some of the books I used probably hadn't been checked out since the 80s.





And here are a couple of shots of my undergrad studio. I miss having a space like that. Sure the floor was rotten and I was always surprised by strangers passing from one part of the building to the other (my studio was one of two that connected 2 spaces) or I would come in the studio at 7am to find Mike Kelly (not the Mike Kelly you're thinking of) asleep right outside my door, but is was a place where I worked towards developing my artistic self.

From what I hear the Crandall House studios were torn down...quite unfortunate.



And how could I pass up the chance for a really bad self-portrait circa 2004.

Sycamore Street Press

Thanks Eva and Krik for the spotlight!