L.A., in progress

L.A. (in progress), oil on canvas, 11x14" 3 hour session from life

I've reached a point in my life where all I really want to do is paint and draw, and all this other crap just keeps getting in my way. I was woozy and fragile from a 3 hour Benlysta infusion this morning, but this afternoon, I got to paint---and briefly, all was right with the world. This is in progress...I see things I need to change, but I like the way it's going, and he's a really good model.

The Unbearable Lightness of Being

I've been thinking about this book a lot lately. Then, this morning as I tidied up my room, I came across an old journal--a journal that documented in painful detail one of the most challenging times in my life. I never want to repeat the experiences mulled over in that journal. It reminded me of the way Tereza was tethered to her emotions, so utterly committed to them in the most fundamental way. I've read this book a couple of times, and it's one of those books that shifts meaning a little each time I read it. The Times review, published in 1984, isn't a gushing one, but one thought caught my eye:
 

"We can hope, with Milan Kundera, not to enact one of his elegant paradoxes in our separate choices and discover that either one leads to the same exhausted end."


The movie is definitely worth seeing, but obviously lacks the nuance of the book. But it's hard to go terribly wrong with Daniel Day-Lewis and Juliette Binoche.
Watch it here:

A Poutin' House

As I become wiser, I see more clearly the need for a Poutin' House. Everybody needs one....for obvious reasons. So I've begun the search for the perfect Poutin' House for me. 

Then, someday, I'll build it, if only in my mind.

This place is so magical, you couldn't pout for long in it. And it's just as magical on the inside.     Perfect. Click the link below to see more images.

Magical Poutin' House

This next one is perfect too---I can't think myself into a corner in it! And, it's recycled material, so I'll feel good about that too. Win + Win = Winning!

Kentucky School of Craft

 Kentucky School of Craft

So much opportunity!
How do you convince people that the arts are a viable way of life? 

Can you teach old dogs new tricks?  

Here is a place dedicated to making art, and it sits virtually empty. What would you do with an empty building, a community that's only mildly interested and under-employed, many of whom have probably never stepped into a museum, and a license to make some magic?

I'm not going to pretend I have all the answers, but I do know that a lot of success comes from building a sense of community and a feeling of positive energy. No, not everyone who walks through the door will make a living as an artist, but taking advantage of the opportunities that are handed to you isn't just about workforce development. Creativity is what sets the individual apart, and studying the arts is a mighty fine way to explore that.