The Bomb Cloud 30x24, Sidelong Glance 9.5x 24

This is what I listened to on my morning run today; Jakob Dylan, Ralph Stanley, Alison Krauss and The Cars. I almost never listen to music when I paint anymore. I thought of that as I chugged along drooling and shuffling to Just What I needed (The Cars). I don't like to take the dogs on a serious run either. They are both good companions but times have changed and so has my metabolism. In reality, if I take along just the one the other mournfully drools at the door til we get back...and I feel bad.  If I take the two of them, well, all heckification breaks loose as they vie for position and attention and try to chase every feathered and furry creature that comes in sight (something they almost never do solo) So, I plug in the ipod and let my mind drift and hope for a good tune that matches my rhythm. I think I will try to paint by "Prancersize" and see how that works. I'll post some pics of the first painting I do while prancing. Paintings available here.

Thinderbird calls Your Name When You're Not listening

The drag marks ran about 75 feet heading toward the wash. The dry river bed (yes, we have riverside property) is wide and forested with lots of desert flora (cactus, thorn trees etc,) Eddie blasted through the studio door huffing and wincing and holding up blistered palms. Turns out that while he was walking Liberty, (the chocolate donkey) the bad dog (Billie) thought it was time to play. The burro had other ideas and hauled the boy kicking and screaming and skidding into the desert. He finally had to let go of the lead and both donkey and dog went running wild downstream trailing about twenty feet of rough rope... off into the sunset like so many old cowboy movies made here in Tucson.
I was able to employ my legendary tracking skills for the first few hundred yards then the trail went cold. Eddie found Libby hiding in the long purple shadows of a stand of dead cottonwood trees about a half mile off. So was this, another day of peaceful painting brought to an abrupt end by the antics of careless, cavorting canines and wild and reckless runaway rascals. These paintings are available here.

It Never ends...New Summer paintings

Here's a pile of new paintings. Dogs have litters, lions come in prides and cookies are made in batches. Well, my paintings are found in piles.  I really don't want to overwhelm with high-brow, artsy lingo so I'll keep my techno-chatter to a minimum and let this little "chorro" of pieces small and large speak for itself.
I have great stacks of photos of trees and clouds scattered about the studio. Sometimes I'll take a glance at a picture and let my imagination run wild. Making art from memory and mental telepathy can be hazardous. I find that paintings made like this really only work if the subject is something you're very familiar with. A good practice is to take a sketch book along with you and take notes of stuff. So, even if you don't have time to go outdoors and paint you're making progress in observation and that goes a long way for both art and transcendental meditation. However, regarding meditation, I don't recommend "emptying" your mind as you meditate...it's bound to be filled with something and if you don't direct it that something might not be good. Just a little free tip for the day.
"...Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things."

Aeolian Harp, Winter's Glow, Narcoleptic Chicks

Speaking of narcolepsy, once again I fell asleep at the movies. Granted, it was nap time (2:15 pm) and the action wasn't all that but really, did I have to go a-snoring during the discounted matinee once again?  However, in my defense, I am not as bad as the new chicks pictured huddled under the heat lamp in their cozy brooder above.  They frantically run hither and thither and all of a sudden drop over as if shot dead.  Two minutes later they are up and running helter skelter again like nothing ever happened. I think this is a micro-metaphore for life. I'm not sure how it works itself out in every detail but there is a gem of insight somewhere in there. These new paintings were designed to put you to sleep and encourage happy dreams only.  Available here for sale.

Mike Mahoney, mountain artist extraordinaire is opening a new gallery in Crested Butte, CO. There is talk of the possibility of me doing a workshop at his place in the future. I will have to get my ducks in a row for this to happen as well as ol' Mikey figuring out scheduling etc. but if we can pull it off I think it will be a smashing good time.  It will probably be a two day affair with studio time, painting from photo reference (which is what I mainly do) and maybe some outdoors painting.  I hear there's some pretty scenery up in them mountains but really...can anything compare to the barren wastes of the desert in June? I'm doubtful but we will try to give it a shot. I'll let the blog know as info. comes available.  For the time being, enjoy these new little gems fresh out of the oven. If you paint or are just starting, feel free to contact me with questions or just to chat. Sharing from the little bag of painterly knowledge that hangs off my belt is what I like to do. More often than not though, I steer folks to the painters that have large sacks slung over their backs that overflow with precious stones of hard-earned and gleaned wisdom from years of driving brushes through canvas.
These new ones are available here.