Busy.

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It's been a busy summer. That's my excuse for being absent from the blogosphere. Don't get me wrong though, I've attempted to post numerous times. My computer desktop is plastered with saved files of posts I had begun and just didn't have the time to finish. They were ambitious undertakings, consisting of pages upon pages of senseless ramblings, the last one being started (and almost completed) while I was sitting at an airport terminal somewhere in California two weeks ago, waiting for a flight home. I had just spent a rather busy and eventful weekend at Baby Tattooville" (the secret yet not so secret art event), and having missed it the previous year I decided not to miss it again. There I was, typing away, when they called my flight to board, and so the file was scrapped to the desktop just like all the previous files.

So I'm not going to make this post long because I know if I get into the nitty gritty of things this will not get posted. So, here is the itty bitty version of highlights from the past few (ahem) months in sort-of semi-chronological order:

The house smooshed by a tree.

1. My mother's house got knocked about by a tornado. Well, more like the tornado threw a big tree at it and crushed it here and there. There was a lot of driving involved from my place to her place (lots of back and forth-ness).

Which reminds me…

2. Did I mention I moved again? Different state, different time, different planet, etc etc. (well, maybe not different time and planet, but you get the gist).

3. My (slightly aging) powerhouse of a desktop computer died a smoky death, taking with it many files that I was just too lazy to back up. There was some sizzling involved and lots of burning smells. A giantormous amount of stress ensued. (Data retrieval is imminent on that sucker.)

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4. Screen printing like a mad woman to make cool little giveaways for my friends and also the attendees at Baby Tattooville which were placed in the goodie bags (the prints, not the friends and attendees). I literally was printing till I had to get in the car to head to the airport. The morning of my flight went something like: pack one item, printprintprint, pack another item, printprintprint, and so on. Thanks to my bud Jon the printing all got finished.

5. Coming back and framing tons of art for an Open Studios exhibit that took place a week ago (and only four days after my arrival from my trip). The whole time I was hacking up a lung having caught some nasty germs on the airplane (those planes are so nasty - breeding grounds for oozy little buggers - can't tell you how many times I've been sick after a flight).

Oh I almost forgot this:

6. Creating inventory for the online store. (I know, I know. Yes, I've been talking about a store for forever now… but yes there will be a store and it's just around the corner, though some of the inventory did get sold at the exhibit. So it'll be a small store, for a little while anyway.)

Whew.

Virgo

Here is Virgo. The first to be completed in the zodiac series I started some time ago. Some additional photos that I took in low-light conditions to show the gold detailing.

Coolness Supreme! (minus rambling)

So, I sat down to type up this post and started rambling in my usual manner. As I got about half way through I read what I wrote, and it made so little sense (supreme rambling, supreme!) that I had to delete it.

Since words (obviously) could not describe the awesomeness I felt when I found out that someone (who had purchased my work) had liked my art so much, that they had to get a tattoo of it (the only one they have), I just decided to post a photo of it (since my rambling couldn't get the point across).

The discovery of this was absolute elation (like winning the lottery, I imagine, or finding treasure in your back yard). I can't put the rest into words. I just can't.

Coolness.

Cooooooolnesssssss.

Comedy for the Cure charity event.

I'm honored to have been asked to donate a piece of my artwork for this wonderful charity event's silent auction, which is happening tonight. Besides myself, there will be artwork by artists Dan McCarthy and Sue Porcaro. All money raised will be donated to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. This event is in memory of a little boy named Dillon Wilson who was unfortunate enough to pass away from a rare blood cancer. If you have the time, please take a look at their webpage: http://dwcomedy.com

The event takes place annually, so if you can't donate or attend this year, there is always next year (and remember that you can donate anytime to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society).

Below is the piece I donated, At Play. It's archivally framed, floated behind UV glass.

Unfinished business…

I started this larger scale painting of Warship sometime ago (lots ago), and got frustrated with it since I had the brilliant idea of completing it in acrylic (I work mainly in inks and oils). But a few weeks ago I felt the need to pick it up and complete it.

So here is a progress shot of it. It's come along quite a bit since I last touched it. A bit more to go - and this time I'm not putting it away till I'm finished.

Getting back on.

So I see that I have been neglecting this blog much too long. I didn't plan on it. Really I didn't. I guess I just fell off the wagon, and when one falls off the wagon it can sometimes be very hard to get back on (you know how fast wagons go - once they start speeding down that bumpy wagon highway, well, your running self just can't keep up). The truth is that life took over. There were mishaps alongs the way; I moved (once again), became swamped with freelance work, the car broke down once more (remember the lemon?). I also became very ill and multiple doctors couldn't figure out what was wrong. Months of bloodwork tests and a great doctor later, I'm feeling better and getting back on track. So you see, a move and being ill can really derail everything (including the wagon that you're on - those are some serious bumps in the road).

But, in the meantime, I was still finding time for creating art. I tried my hand at mosaic (a lot of fun, yet tiring in a strange, slow, fry-my-brain kind of way). I also took a screen printing course and started setting up a make-shift print studio with a buddy of mine. I also have a few other projects I've started up.

Now I plan on being better about posting here since this blog helps me stay on track. I'll try hard. Really.

Really.

(I can't believe I've been absent for almost a year!)